My eyes widened as the whole mountain... just vanished. The moment the skill activated, it was as though the universe itself paused in confusion – time and space refusing to accept the sudden and horrible reality of what'd just occurred. One moment, a whole mountain range stood and loomed over a vast expanse of land, rolling hills and crags and ruined rocks and creeping woods. And, in the next moment, all of that was gone, vanished without even a trace. I honestly had no idea what happened as, even with all of my enhanced senses, everything that occurred did so at a speed that I couldn't even perceive.
One second, I had triggered the [Normal Punch] aimed at the back of an Ork's head, expecting a precise and contained impact to ignite the chaos I needed. The next second, a massive burst of air, dust, debris, and shattered bodies erupted outward. The shockwave that followed flattened every structure on the mountainside, including the mountain itself, sending everything and everyone within its range flying in all directions. The resulting cacophony was deafening, an unending roar of destruction that drowned out every other sound until it seemed as though there was no sound at all and all was silent and still.
I didn't lost consciousness, but I sure came pretty close to it as nearly every single part of me was obliterated, but I managed to cover my brain – the core of my being – in a meter-thick shell of bone that was just durable enough to survive the raging forces that brought the mountain down.
When the dust settled – what little of it could, anyway – I found myself standing in the epicenter of a crater that spanned miles. The mountainside was gone, replaced by an expanse of scorched earth and smoldering ruins. There were no signs of the settlements, no signs of the Communications Jammer, and no signs of the Orks or my squad of veterans. All of it had been wiped away in an instant, eradicated by the overwhelming force of a single punch – a single skill that, quite literally sad [Normal Punch].
A horrified realization washed over me. The power I had wielded, even unintentionally, had obliterated everything in its path. There was nothing 'normal' about that punch. It should've only been a distraction, a way to cause chaos. But now the ground was scorched and cracked, massive fissures running through what had once been solid rock. Smoke and ash filled the air, the remnants of the inferno that had raged only moments before.
"By the Emperor," I muttered under my breath, my voice lost in the vast silence that followed the destruction. I stood alone, surrounded by the aftermath of my unintended cataclysm. The sheer scale of the devastation was staggering; I had... never seen anything like it, since that battle against Athulhum. I had a weapon as powerful as this all along?
A part of me, deep down, understood the gravity of my actions. The [Normal Punch], a skill I had thought to be relatively innocuous, had unleashed a force far beyond anything I could have anticipated. My intent had been to create a distraction, to sow chaos among the Orks to secure our mission. Instead, I had wiped out everything – friend and foe alike. All things considered, this made things far easier than anticipated. Quite literally, the mission was done – accomplished. The whole mountain disappeared, alongside the Communications Jammer, and left a massive expanse of land that was just flat enough to act as a beachhead for the coming invasion.
I stumbled forward, my legs shaky and unsteady. My mind raced, trying to process the enormity of what had just happened. I had killed them all – my squad, the Orks, even the Communications Jammer we had set out to destroy. The mission was accomplished, but at a cost far greater than I could have ever imagined. The Orks, at least those in the immediate vicinity, were utterly annihilated. But so were my comrades, the veterans who had fought by my side, their thirst for vengeance never to be quenched.
I felt a hollow emptiness settle in my chest, a numbness that threatened to consume me. I had acted with the best of intentions, driven by a desire for revenge and a duty to the Emperor. But intentions were meaningless in the face of such overwhelming destruction. They were all dead now. I'd taken their vengeance from them. Unfortunate, but there was nothing I could do for them now, except ensure that this world would be retaken by the Imperium of Mankind and that the Orks would be eradicated.
Beyond that, their lives were simply collateral damage. There was no point in grieving or mourning. I hadn't known them for long enough to do so, anyway. I'd atone. That was the only that I could do. Atone and move forward.
"Forgive me," I whispered, though there was no one left to hear. The flames that had once lit the mountainside had been snuffed out, leaving only the eerie glow of the scorched earth. The silence was deafening, a stark contrast to the chaos that had reigned only moments before. "I promise, the Orks shall rue the day they came to this world. This shall be my penance."
Sighing, I reached into my [Inventory] and pulled out the device that would signal the fleet of my success. With the God-Emperor's blessing, I figured they'd be ready to begin the invasion at any moment. And then, a notification popped up.
Quest Completed!
Establish a Beachead on Sylvia for a Proper Invasion!
Quest Option #3 Attained!
Reward Received!
The [Divine Gacha Skill Card] appeared in my [Inventory]. Its very presence oozed with power, I noted, just like the last one. I was a bit hesitant, considering the previous [Divine Gacha Skill Card] resulted in a very unexpected set of new skills that were, admittedly, very powerful; it did come, however, with a constant drain upon my Biomass Reserves – an annoyance that would come to haunt me if I didn't pay close attention. Still, the strength that came with a Divine-tier skill or skill tree was undeniable. And I'd be a fool not to make use of everything in my disposal. So, I took the [Divine Gacha Skill Card] right out of my Inventory and activated it.
New Skill Unlocked!
[Artificial Soul Creation] – Design and create a soul from scratch, upon which you may implant unique personality traits, missions and goals, a purpose, or whatever else you desire for the soul. These artificial souls can be implanted in any vessel, provided that the vessel in question lacks a soul of its own – biological or otherwise. Unless programmed otherwise, any soul you create will automatically be loyal to you. Furthermore, souls will almost always undergo natural changes in their personalities, depending on their vessel – first and foremost – and whatever they experience. Finally, you are able to share the senses of any vessel inhabited by your artificial souls, no matter the distance.
Immediately, I understood how the skill worked and what it was capable of and how I could use it. This, I realized, was the missing piece to the puzzle of the creation of creatures that could act as extensions of myself. The souls, depending on how much [Warp Energy] I spent in their creation and how many traits I implanted, would vary greatly in complexity and potency. For the creation of Drone-like creatures that had no further purpose than to obey commands and die, a simple soul would suffice, akin to the souls of insects, I imagine. More advanced life forms would require more complex, more unique souls. The skill wasn't bound by levels, either. This was as powerful as it was ever going to become. Perfect as it was.
Still, the creation of unique and complex souls would be an arduous task, requiring time and patience and creativity. And, as much as I wanted to experiment with my latest skill immediately, I simply did not have the time for it. I needed a safe place to perform such experiments to avoid creating hideous and shambling monstrosities. I did not have that.
And, besides, my mission, first and foremost, was to liberate this world. I still hadn't done that. And now, with the destruction of the Communications Jammer and the mountain it happened to be on, there was no doubt in my mind that the Orks and, by extension, the Warboss of this entire planet, was now aware of a threat. War was coming.
I raised the device, pointed it into the air, and flicked the switch, sending the signal that the Beachhead was established and that the Ork device had fallen. I let out a sigh of relief as I sat down and just... relaxed. One good thing that came from the... rather unexpected degree of destruction was the clearing of all the rocks and crags and woodlands, exposing the plains and the ashen soil, the little grasses that grew in the gray ground. The sky had cleared as well, revealing a most verdant blue. And then, rays of gold and orange flickered on as the sun slowly arose in the distance. Beautiful. I didn't care for the Orks or their corruption, but I don't think I've ever sat down to enjoy the serenity and beauty of a simple sunrise.
What a glorious sight it was.
Something flashed beside me, blue and gold. But I did not stir, since I recognized the presence immediately. Or, presences as two others arrived with it. The soft whirring sounds of a Custodians' Power Armor echoed as one of them stepped towards me, stopped, and then squatted right at my side. Lord Khars then spoke. "You've done... incredibly well, Perry Anatinus. Your task certainly wasn't easy or simple, but you've proven your tenacity and creativity in achieving it. Congratulations. The retaking of this world will now be possible because of what you've done. Stand proud, Perry the Guardsman."
Loud and powerful rumbling noises echoed from the sky and I knew that the ships had come. Good. All the sneaking about I'd done was getting tedious. I was a Guardsman. My place was in the open battlefield. The Golden Core, which was the whole reason the God-Emperor sent me here in the first place, was still out there somewhere as well. First and foremost, however, was war. And I knew, for a fact, that the Guardsmen of Remus and Romulus were eager to retake their world. And they would do so, accompanied by the Custodes and the Lucifer Blacks.
Were I in their place, the very prospect of fighting alongside such... legendary warriors would be unthinkable.
"Thank you, Lord Khars," I said, finally glancing up. And, true enough, I saw the faint shadows and outlines of the millions of drop pods and transport vessels that dotted the sky, creating a blanket of darkness that heralded the arrival and the vengeance of the humanity. Beautiful. It'd be some time before the Orks could commence their own attack. We had the advantage -at least, for now. "But there is nothing to be proud for. I did it for humanity – nothing more, nothing less. It is my duty and my responsibility. To do any lesser would be a grave sin against mankind and against the God-Emperor. And the world has not yet been retaken."
Lord Khars chuckled. "Of course, you'd say that. Whatever the case, our Glorious Overlord has deemed you fit to receive a reward for your accomplishment here. Stand, Perry Anatinus and be recognized as a Champion of the God-Emperor."
This time, I stood up and turned to face them. Lord Khars, Lord Whamuu, and Lord Eshidisi were there, standing stoically. "Usually, we'd have a grand audience and a public celebration for this sort of thing, but that's not quite applicable here. Perry Anatinus, by the authority vested in me as a direct servant of the Emperor, the Overlord of all Humanity, I grant you this seal so that no one will ever question your authority and your place in the Imperium."
Lord Khars held out a chain necklace with a large golden pendant of a winged skull – and etched upon it were prayers and incantations, but at the center of the skull was the symbol of the Adeptus Custodes, the Raptor Imperialis, wreathed in lightning. The pendant itself gave off a golden hue that simply oozed and resonated with the God-Emperor's power, much like a chapel. I breathed in and fell to my knees. "I will do all that is in my power to be worthy of such a gift, Lord Khars."
"I'm not done," Lord Khars said as he then turned to Lord Whamuu, who gave him a long... thing that was wrapped in golden sheets. Lord Khars then reached under it and pulled out the most beautiful Power Sword I've ever seen in my entire life. Its blade was blue, cackling with energy. And its handle was gold and black, with a winged hand guard. "This is a Vaultsword, a weapon that only Custodians may wield. And now it is yours. Take care of it, Perry the Guardsman."
I nodded and accepted the weapon, which – I realized – was about ten times heavier than the Power Swords I already possessed. My enhanced muscles strained as I held it up, glinting like a chunk of sapphire in the morning light. I stared in awe, knowing that this was far greater than any weapon I had. Lord Eshidisi stepped forward with a black box, which Lord Khars took and presented to me as well. "And this is the genetic template of a Custodian."
I nearly dropped the Vaultsword.
AN: Chapter 57 is out on (Pat)reon!
