"Fuck this shit."

Kaagrazath hadn't completed his transformation yet, which left him vulnerable – more so than he probably realized. He was a massive, bloated monster, but still, unfinished. A half-formed abomination of rotten flesh and corruption, and it was all I needed. With my minions dealing with the endless waves of Nurglings, I had a few seconds of freedom to pull off something big. I checked my War Points; 400 left after buying that one [Krak Grenade]. I could've spent them on two [Plasma Grenades] at 150 each and a [Frag Grenade] to round it out. That would've been smart, probably even effective.

But that's when my [Tempestus Scions Training] kicked in, and a far better idea presented itself.

A [Lasgun Power Pack] cost just 10 War Points. Each one, if overloaded, had roughly the same explosive power as a [Plasma Grenade]. Forty Lasgun Power Packs cost me 400 points, exactly what I had left. And it wasn't just about the math—it was about strategy, efficiency. If I could detonate them all at once in a concentrated blast, the result would be apocalyptic.

I grinned like a madman as the plan formed in my mind, and before I could second-guess myself, I spent the War Points, summoning the power packs straight into my hands. Forty of them, glowing with a faint, ominous light. Kaagrazath, still sluggish in his grotesque metamorphosis, was the perfect target.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered, and with all the force I could muster, I tossed the power packs straight at him.

The sticky, slimy film that coated his entire body worked in my favor. Every single one of those packs stuck to his foul, putrid flesh like flies to honey. There they clung, pulsing faintly, their collective potential for devastation just waiting for the right trigger.

I didn't have time to admire my work. I needed to destabilize one of the power packs – just one – and the rest would go off like a chain reaction. Forty simultaneous explosions in a tight radius would be enough to vaporize Kaagrazath and leave nothing but a smoking crater where he stood.

I pulled the [Las Pistol] from my [Inventory] with a swift motion, the weight of it feeling reassuring in my hands. My heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through my veins, but I forced my hands steady. This was the shot. No room for error.

The pistol hummed softly as I took aim at one of the glowing power packs stuck to Kaagrazath's grotesque belly. The fat, rotting mass of his body seemed almost oblivious to the threat, still writhing in its unfinished transformation. Perfect.

I squeezed the trigger.

The crimson beam lanced out, precise and deadly, hitting the mark dead-center. There was no delay, no pause. The first power pack detonated immediately, and in the split second before the whole chain reaction began, I knew I had to move.

"Shit, shit, shit-"

I turned and sprinted as hard and fast as I could, legs pumping with every ounce of power they had. The world around me blurred, but I could already feel the heat rising behind me. I wasn't sure if the roaring I heard was Kaagrazath's final, furious bellow, or the sound of the explosion itself building to a crescendo.

Then it hit.

The detonation was like nothing I'd ever experienced. Forty power packs, all going off in rapid succession, unleashed a blast of energy so intense it felt like the sun had exploded behind me. The shockwave slammed into me like a freight train, and before I knew it, I was airborne, sent flying like a ragdoll.

I was spinning, tumbling head over heels through the air, disoriented as hell but somehow still aware enough to register the sheer destruction happening behind me. The explosion wasn't just fire – it was pure, unfiltered energy. It tore through the rooftop, vaporized the surrounding Nurglings, and engulfed Kaagrazath in an inferno of white-hot light.

For a brief moment, it felt like time stopped. I was caught in mid-air, a strange calm settling over me as I watched the blast bloom outward. Kaagrazath's massive form was swallowed by the explosion, the grotesque shape of his body distorting and dissolving in the blaze, screaming and roaring in pain.

This is it, I thought. I actually did it.

The light faded, replaced by an expanding cloud of dust, fire, and debris. My body crashed into something hard, and pain flared through my ribs as I hit the ground with bone-jarring force. The world spun, the edges of my vision darkening. But I was still alive.

Slowly, I pushed myself up, coughing and wiping dust from my face. My ears were ringing, my head swimming, but through the haze, I could see the aftermath of the explosion. Where Kaagrazath had stood, there was now a massive crater, smoldering with the last remnants of the blast. His enormous, rotting form was nowhere to be seen – completely obliterated.

I blinked, struggling to process what had just happened. The Nurglings were gone, the swarm annihilated in the explosion's radius. The Incubi and Orks were still there, staring at the crater with a mix of awe and – was that respect? Eh, probably not, but they were probably glad for this whole affair to be over and done with. The Orks cheered, bellowing some unintelligible war cry, while the Incubi remained silent, their swords sheathed.

And then there was Crentist, standing at the edge of the crater, motionless as ever. His skull-faced helmet tilted slightly in my direction, and for a brief second, I thought I saw him nod.

"Yeah," I wheezed, staggering to my feet, "that's what I thought."

Dungeon Quest Completed! Regular and Bonus Bosses Defeated! - 10,000 War Points Rewarded!
Bonus Reward/s Quality Increased!
New Units Unlocked!

[Tyranid Exocrene] x1!

[Tyranid Exocrene] - Little more than a living artillery platform, the Exocrine is controlled by the brain of its Bio-Plasmic Cannon Biomorph, a giant weapon able to unleash a vast ball of plasma, or several focussed streams of fire from its multiple barrels. The Exocrine itself is purely a means of transportation for the bio-plasmic cannon nested into its flesh.

[Tyranid Carnifex (Basic Strain)] x3!

[Tyranid Carnifex] - Hulking, powerful Tyranid creatures used as living battering rams. They are often armed with the most powerful Tyranid Bio-weapons, and are used in shock assaults, spaceship boarding actions, massed battles, and for battering through fortified positions and tank formations. A Carnifex is the perfect tool for when brute force is the most attractive option.

[Cadian Shock Trooper] x20!

[Cadian Shock Trooper] - The Cadian Shock Troopers are Regiments of the Astra Militarum originally from the fortress world of Cadia before its destruction. Located at the edge of the Eye of Terror, Cadia formed the first line of defence against Chaos incursions, such as the Black Crusades. Because of this, Cadia was one of the most strategically important planets in the Galaxy, and the entire population was militarized to some degree. In short, Cadian Shock Troopers are the most well-rounded Imperial Guard Regiments, specializing in no particular mode of warfare but are able to function in almost any situation.

Would you like a Reward Chest or a Stat Upgrade?

I didn't have to think about it for very long. Whatever was in the Reward Chest likely wasn't anything I couldn't purchase from the System anyway. More than anything, I needed Stat Upgrades. And, honestly, the new units were freaking amazing already and I couldn't wait to test them out. Patience was the key here and planning. As the System seemed eager to reward me with units, the prudent thing to do was to strengthen myself.

So, I chose the Stat Upgrade.

Stat Upgrade Chosen! +10 points to all stats!

My eyes widened. "Holy shit."

That was not a small upgrade. Or, maybe, just maybe, my idea of what an upgrade was supposed to be, this whole time, had been small beans.

STR – 28 (+10)
DEX – 20 (+10)
VIT – 27 (+10)

Dungeon Closing in 3...2...1...

Everything turned white for a moment and then... I was back in my room, on my bed. The difference being that all the units I'd already summoned, like the Ork Nobz, the Drukhari Incubi, and Crentist himself, were standing around my bed, waiting for further orders. I raised a brow. "Sup guys."

"-and back into the locker you go," I said, just as I sent them all back into my [Inventory], alongside all the other cool units I'd gotten, two of which were definitely monstrous alien beings that were far more alien than either the Orks or the Drukhari. I turned to the clock. Time hadn't moved at all in the real world, it seemed, given that I must've spent hours in the Dungeon. That was good. It was efficient.

I turned to the system. The Level 1 Nurglite Instant Dungeon was grayed out, which meant I couldn't choose it, but it also had a timer for three days, which meant I could reopen the damn thing in three days. Next to it was the Level 2 Slaaneshi Instant Dungeon, which had a red skull icon, which meant that I could open and enter it, but I'd also definitely die if I did.

"Oookay," I shrugged. "Not opening that until I get a few more stats and toys in."

Though, I wasn't entirely sure by what metric it measured my power. Did it take my units into account or just my stats? But, I'd also really rather not find out the hard way; so, I figured I'd check again tomorrow, when my body had finished integrating my stats and shit. Maybe, by then, the red skill icon would be gone. But, there was no reason to rush things. I also now had 10,000 War Points, which I could spend on a lot of things, because holy shit that was a lot of points.

And considering all the possible dangers I'd soon be facing, I needed to upgrade my shit fast. I looked through physical upgrades and such. A lot of these was now available to me. Two stood out immediately. See, a lot of the present options were for physical augmentations that would turn me superhuman, able to hit hard, run fast, and never get tired. But I'd eventually have all three of those things just by accumulating stat points anyway. And so, it was because of that reason that the following, very contrasting, options took my attention.

[Psyker] – You are able to access the raw energies of the Immaterium to wield psychic powers and create unnatural phenomena. Unlocking this upgrade will grant you access to the Psyker Skill Tree. You may purchase this upgrade again – at a higher price – to increase your Psyker Rating, which will grant you access to higher level Psyker Skills. Costs 9500 War Points.

[Blank] – You are a psychic blank, a no-thing that casts a shadow over all things. Your soul is blank and hollow, like a hole that sucks in the very color and life of the world. Psychic abilities and magical effects (depending on their potency) will either be nullified or severely dampened in your presence. You are immune to magical contracts. You may purchase this upgrade again – at a higher price – to increase you Blank Rating, which will increase the potency and magnitude of your emptiness. For your sake, this effect can be toggled on or off. Costs 10000 War Points.

Both were extremely expensive, but goddamn they'd be worth it. Which one did I want more? I also noted the fact that there really wasn't anything that said I couldn't have both if I could afford the two. Not sure how that was going to work, but none of this made sense to begin with anyway. For now, however, in the interest of self-preservation, becoming a Blank was simply more beneficial. I didn't need more attack power at the moment, considering that I had a ton of new units and the [Tau Rail Rifle] wasn't a joke.

So, without hesitation, I purchased the upgrade and promptly passed out.

AN: Chapter 24 is out on (Pat)reon!