Chapter 524

Angron gently lifted Carne's mangled body, his grotesque face softened into an unimaginable gentleness.

Peach Boy Dango "tamed" Angron, stripping away his brutality, rage, and the constant oppression of his pain.

It reclaimed his soul from the Blood God's grasp—he was no longer enslaved by rage, the Nail of the Butcher, or Khorne.

At the same time, Peach Boy Dango made Angron docile—not out of nothing, but by awakening the faint echo of his former self still lingering in his mind.

That was the true Angron, not the one controlled by the Nail of the Butcher.

Peach Boy Dango, originally meant to domesticate humans or animals, instead liberated Angron from cruel bondage.

Or rather, compared to the enslavement of Khorne and the Nail of the Butcher, Peach Boy Dango's mild taming was indistinguishable from freedom.

As the tide of rage receded, Angron began once more to sense the emotions of those around him—and to absorb them.

Angron clearly felt the suffering within the child cradled in his arms.

Ten thousand years of Carne's accumulated pain exploded in Angron's mind, flooding into his soul.

Much of that pain had been caused by Angron himself, yet he felt no hatred for himself in Carne's soul.

Carne had always sought to understand his father, hoping to save him—and that was why he drove the Nail of the Butcher into himself.

"I… I'm sorry, my child."

Angron's face twisted in anguish:

"My cowardice destroyed you."

Only now, with his mind clear again, did Angron painfully realize his children had loved him just as his own siblings once had.

But back then, Angron had lost the ability to perceive emotion—those feelings never reached

Like a blind man, no matter how bright the sun, he could no longer perceive it.

"You deserve far better than I do—you deserved a better father," Angron said, his tears falling onto Kain's head.

"What we received from you is no more than what you received from your father," Kain whispered, lips slightly parted: "We, too, have felt the same pain as you, Father."

"You are wrong. Oinomous was a good father," Angron shook his head.

But after a brief few seconds, he realized Kain's "your father" did not refer to Oinomous—it referred to the Emperor.

Both fell into a quiet silence, during which Angron gently pulled Kain's broken body closer.

Kain was startled to find his pain easing—not only physical pain, but spiritual pain as well.

The pain, rage, and sorrow that had accumulated in Kain's soul over ten thousand years slowly dissolved, flowing bit by bit into Angron's body.

Angron was absorbing and alleviating Kain's pain, healing his soul, bringing him peace.

It was the duty he was originally given—the ability he was born with, shattered by the Butcher's Nails.

Kain felt a calm and warmth he had never known before.

The painful memories faded from his vision; amid the glow, he seemed to see many beautiful recollections.

He saw himself and Anger-Tai fighting side by side in the arena; he saw Sigismund learning to wrap chains around his arms; he saw Captain Loken showing him, the World Eater, kindness for the first time; he saw the brutish Nasir Ammit lunging at him like a ghoul; he saw Captain Sarin complaining that the crew had grown increasingly mad.

In his hazy state, he even glimpsed a possible path.

In that possibility, his father had never been implanted with the Butcher's Nails; in that world, Angron had always been a gentle father, his bond with the Legion enough to make every other Legion envious.

He saw that version of Anger-Tai turn his head toward him—as if waiting, inviting him.

Kain's lips could not help but curl into a faint smile.

Angron gently laid Kain's body down.

Until the moment death came, Kain's face bore a peace he had never known.

Raum's figure slowly emerged from Kain's body; he turned to Zhou Yun, bowed slightly in gratitude.

Then Raum let out a few soft, satisfied laughs, and with the whisper of the wind, vanished into the tides of the Warp, gone without a trace.

Angron also turned his head gently toward Zhou Yun's direction.

But Zhou Yun did not speak to Angron; he gestured for Angron to look behind him—at the Golden Throne.

"..." Angron fell silent, hesitating—but the gaze from the Golden Throne behind him burned so fiercely.

In the end, he turned around, facing the mummified corpse upon the Throne.

Angron's fingers lightly brushed the hilt of his chainaxe, Blood Father, as he looked upon his gene-father: "Emperor." Angron's fury was subdued by the Peach Boy dumpling, yet anyone could hear the anger and hatred hidden in his voice.

Even without the influence of the Butcher's Nails, Angron felt only hatred and rage toward the Emperor.

"Number Twelve."

"Healer."

"Butcher."

"Tool."

"Broken tool."

"Rebellion."

"Failed rebellion."

"Total destruction."

"Khorne."

"Slave."

A thousand voices, ten thousand voices, a million voices—even more—overlapped and echoed in Angron's ears.

These voices inflicted immense pain, drilling into Angron's skull, forcing him to grit his teeth and let out a low growl.

At the same time, Angron clearly perceived the emotions surging within the mummified corpse.

Just as he had seen ten thousand years ago—a black, cold sun hung behind the corpse, radiating nothing but utter annihilation.

But this time, Angron sensed more; without the Butcher's Nails, his ability to perceive emotion had grown sharper.

He understood one truth:

The Emperor had long known Angron would become Khorne's slave; He had even permitted Khorne to enslave him.

This would significantly reduce the Blood God's attention on the other Primarchs, lowering the chance of their corruption.

"Why?" The Peach Boy dumpling suppressed Angron's fury, leaving only cold stillness in his mind.

"Damaged."

"Waste utilization."

"Necessary sacrifice."

Whether Angron or his brothers and sisters, all were necessary sacrifices in the Emperor's plan.

Some Primarch must fall to Chaos.

Compared to other, more intact Primarchs falling, Angron's corruption—so thoroughly broken—was, in fact, beneficial.

For the overall good of the human race, to protect the other Primarchs, Angron was sacrificed.

Those who died on Nuceria—Angron's brothers and sisters—were sacrifices to ensure his complete turn to Chaos.

(End of Chapter)