It seemed this body housed not one but two souls, with Horus's soul the weaker of the two. There was a very powerful soul within this giant body.
A dual-soul fusion? Or something else? What was the strange relationship between Horus and this dark giant? They seemed fused, yet not fully merged.
"I can sense another soul within you. You really are a fake. My father Horus was a complete being, not someone with another being inside," Abaddon said. His soul was now powerful, nearly a minor god, able to sense the dark and aggressive soul within Horus. How had Horus returned? Was it linked to this dark giant?
The Chaos Gods grew more curious. In the Webway War, this dark giant had thrashed Angron, even while Angron was empowered by the four gods, resurrecting endlessly and being beaten down every time.
Only when the Emperor used two avatars did Angron finally stay down!
Back then, this dark giant did not contain another soul—there was no Horus!
So, the fusion must have happened after the Webway War. Interesting...
Clearly, Horus's resurrection was related to the Emperor. The Emperor might hate Chaos, but he still used Warp energy; the Imperium needed psykers and the Warp to function.
Cultivating a Chaos Undivided daemon prince or greater daemon wasn't hard—his Living Saints were essentially daemon princes.
At this moment, all four Chaos Gods simultaneously poured their power into Abaddon. He instantly felt his strength surge.
He understood their meaning: the gods wanted him to capture this dark giant alive and offer him as a sacrifice.
Abaddon sneered. With the gods' blessing, his power skyrocketed, and he was nearly immortal. This battle would prove he was the true chosen of Chaos!
"Your opponent's power has increased. Are you confident? If not, let me handle this," within the mindscape, Daram rubbed his fists.
As a top-tier dark giant, Daram sensed the terrifying power flowing in Abaddon now. Since coming to this world, he'd fought many battles, but none had excited him like this.
Not even Angron had been a challenge—just a punching bag.
"No, this fight is mine, Daram. You rest in the mindspace," Horus insisted.
When he controlled the body, they could unleash their combined power, unlike when Daram alone was in charge.
After a year of fusion, Horus had fully recovered and, having unlocked his Dark Emperor form, was stronger than ever.
Abaddon raised his daemon sword, Drach'nyen, and slashed at Horus.
Clang!
Horus blocked with the dark giant's arm armor.
This armor had been upgraded to its limit, covering Daram's entire body and featuring nearly indestructible gauntlets.
"Nice armor," Abaddon snorted.
"Nice sword, my son," Horus replied.
"I'm not your son, impostor! My father is dead!" Abaddon snapped, slashing with his new Talon of Abaddon at the giant's chest, aiming to pierce through.
Horus didn't dodge, letting the talon scrape massive sparks off his chest plate, but it didn't break through.
Horus's iron fist landed squarely on Abaddon's face, sending him flying hundreds of meters.
"Your weapon isn't so impressive," Horus said, pounding his chest.
Abaddon spat blood, glaring.
What was this armor made of? It could withstand his talon?
After his last defeat, Abaddon had upgraded his weapons—his Talon rivaled his daemon sword in power, able to grow and shrink with him.
But it couldn't penetrate the opponent's chest armor!
"Again, son! Let your father teach you!" Horus cracked his knuckles, the sound causing nearby Chaos Marines' eardrums to burst.
"Roar!" Abaddon howled, raising his sword, which flickered with deadly blue light.
Horus charged, fists flying. The two giants clashed, unleashing a storm that radiated from their blows.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each contact sounded like thunder. Abaddon's sword split the air, every swing threatening to tear the Warp, but Horus blocked every blow with his fists, sometimes landing punches on Abaddon's face.
After so long aboard Rhodes's ship, Horus had even practiced the Cosmic Phantom Beast Fist!
"Your fist technique feels familiar! You're not a Fabius Bile clone—you're a dog made by the Emperor," Abaddon realized after a few rounds. He recognized the technique—he'd been killed by a woman using it before.
He'd dreamed of this technique every night, trying to figure out how to break it.
Horus's version, however, was imbued with a domineering, dark energy, unlike the agile, freezing style of the female Primarch.
Iron fists battered Abaddon, who soon gave up attacking and simply endured.
"Want to learn, son? The first step is to stand and take a beating!" Horus taunted.
Abaddon's experience was vast—if not for the Cosmic Phantom Beast Fist and the giant's power, Horus would not have had the upper hand. But now, he did.
"Hmph! You can't goad me with words," Abaddon sneered, wounds already healing rapidly thanks to the Chaos Gods.
He'd been on the defensive to study the technique, knowing the gods would protect him. Even if blown to pieces, he'd revive.
"Now see my growth—I'm not just a punching bag!" Abaddon channeled the power of the Four into his sword, which burst with blue light and Warp energy.
He charged, swords flashing.
This time, Horus could no longer dominate; Abaddon's sword slashed through his chest armor, gouging a wound that leaked not blood, but dark purple light, healing instantly.
"Seems you can be wounded," Abaddon smiled coldly. The daemon sword had been reforged by Vashtorr and now supercharged by the four gods. If it couldn't break the armor, it was worthless.
"You haven't won yet, boy! This is nothing," Horus replied.
A terrifying dark aura surged as Horus roared and charged. Abaddon met him, sword clashing against the giant's fists, bones cracking, both wounded.
Dark and chaotic energies exploded in shockwaves. All but the strongest Chaos champions fled, lest they be shredded by the aftermath.
Khorne's followers howled with bloodlust. Even Khorne himself, watching, was thrilled.
Horus's fists clashed with the daemon sword, each blow shaking the planet.
The blade drank the giant's energy, as sword and fist, Chaos and darkness, father and son, dueled in a fateful clash.
They were evenly matched! Rod, watching, was speechless. Horus hadn't even used his full power—his Dark Emperor form was still in reserve.
Abaddon was exhilarated. Finally, he could stand toe-to-toe with this man, in a true life-and-death struggle!
"Son, do you think this is my full power?" Horus ripped off the last tattered piece of armor and threw it down.
Their desperate battle had destroyed both their armors—Abaddon's new Talon was shattered, leaving only his daemon sword.
"I still have my sword. You have no hope of victory. My sword will kill you," Abaddon declared.
After a brutal contest, and empowered by the gods, Abaddon had managed to strip the giant's armor and wound him many times.
"Watch closely, son. Now the real fight begins," Horus sneered, standing tall, raising his hands above his head in a cross.
The purple crystal on his forehead shone, unleashing a terrifying dark force that covered him in pure black energy.
His shattered armor regenerated, dark energy restored, and Horus entered his Dark Emperor form, fully healed and energized.
"You—! You weren't even using your full strength!" Abaddon said through gritted teeth.
"My foolish son, who goes all out against their own child from the start?" Horus replied.