[This simulation is over. Duration: 63 days.]
[The reward that can be retained from this simulation are as follows:]
[1. Hammer and Sickle (Ordinary)]
[Annotation: "These are two melee weapons with very ordinary casting materials. They were once experimental products when Corax first learned forging techniques."]
[Annotation: "As Corax gradually matured, he absorbed knowledge voraciously through study. After combining theoretical learning with what he witnessed on the mining moon, he quickly understood what class means, what oppression entails, and how to break the chains of such fate. He ultimately chose to reforge the hammer and sickle, carrying them always. They serve as both revolutionary tokens and persistence embodied in ideology."]
[Annotation: "Look at everything around you. His achievements are countless. Few people truly know that his spirit will live forever. In memory of a great man."]
[2. Standard Construction Template for Standard Lasguns (Complete)]
[Annotation: "This is one of the STC templates that the Tech-guilds on planet Kiavahr barely preserved from the Dark Age of Technology."]
[Annotation: "The range and power of this lasgun are basically equivalent to the standard lasguns used throughout the Imperium of Man. The only advantage is that the energy battery will not overload and explode catastrophically, though for the Imperium of Man, this may actually be a disadvantage. Countless Imperial Guardsmen still rely on overloaded energy batteries as improvised grenades to save their lives."]
[Annotation: "Any organism need only prepare the corresponding raw materials and feed them in separately. The STC can then continuously produce lasguns with minimal oversight."]
[Annotation: "In other words, even a simple Gretchin could easily read and understand the operating instructions on the STC. Were humans during the Golden Age really this lazy?"]
[3. Ganglion: Ganglion of Corax (Primarch)]
[Annotation: "This is a bean-sized neural tissue creation belonging to the Raven King Corax himself. It is a replica of the Primarch ganglion that is identical in structure and components to the original."]
[Annotation: "It appears to have been blessed by the Emperor himself and carefully cultivated by the Raven King Corax with specific intent."]
[Annotation: "It may bring unexpected changes to your physiology and capabilities. However, more secrets require careful personal exploration."]
[Annotation: "This is advice from the Raven King Corax himself: The revolution never sleeps, little brother. Eh? Lorgar? If you have the guts, don't run away!"]
[Annotation: "'Hiss hiss hiss... crackle crackle...' A cold black sun made strange, low, terrifying sounds."]
[The simulation time has exceeded 24 hours. Simulator loss is not exempted.]
[Cooldown time: 630 hours (10 to 1 ratio).]
[Current available cooldown time: 2,000 hours]
[Do you want to consume cooldown time?]
[If cooldown time is not consumed, the simulator enters natural cooling. Cooling can be exempted at any time.]
The simulation ended with jarring abruptness, reality snapping back into focus.
Nolan sat cross-legged on his bed, the familiar weight of the real world settling over him like a blanket. He slowly swallowed the beast milk he'd been drinking before the simulation began, the thick liquid coating his throat with its protein-rich texture.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze scanning rapidly through the reward options that materialized in his consciousness. Each choice represented something gained from those sixty-three days of revolution and bloodshed.
"Hammer and sickle? I'm familiar with this." Nolan shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips as memories surfaced. The symbolism was obvious, almost painfully so. His smile widened briefly before fading as his attention moved to the next option.
"Tsk. Laser weapons can already be produced independently by Raditus. An STC template isn't particularly useful except for increasing production speed." He muttered to himself, eyes blinking thoughtfully. "Moreover, it's not an ancient or precious specialized weapon template. If this were an STC for phosphex weapons, maybe I'd hesitate and consider the value. But standard lasguns?"
He dismissed the option mentally.
Then Nolan took a deep breath, his chest expanding fully before releasing the air slowly. His eyes locked onto the third reward with laser focus.
"Ganglion tissue from Corax himself." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I thought this would follow the standard sequence of Astartes transformation surgeries in proper order, but apparently the rewards are randomized."
Nolan slowly straightened his back, vertebrae popping softly as he adjusted his posture. He controlled his breathing rhythm, slowing it deliberately, centering himself mentally and physically for what was coming.
After a moment of final preparation, he chose the enhancement surgery without hesitation.
The decision locked in.
Zzzzzzt...
The next second, Nolan's keen hearing detected something impossible. A series of subtle tremors emanated from deep within his skull, vibrations originating from his brain itself. The sound was organic yet mechanical, like living tissue being assembled at impossible speed.
That was the terrifying sound of Corax's ganglion tissue growing from nothing inside his brain, cells multiplying and differentiating, neural connections forming in milliseconds.
The entire process should have been agonizing beyond description. Brain surgery without anesthesia, tissue erupting and expanding inside the skull's confined space.
But the brain possesses no pain-sensing nerves whatsoever. Evolution's strange mercy.
So during this transformation operation, Nolan felt absolutely nothing. No pain, no discomfort, just the unsettling awareness that something fundamental was changing inside his head.
A few minutes passed in complete silence. Nolan remained perfectly still, waiting, monitoring his body's responses.
Finally, the sensations ceased. The vibrations stopped. The growing finished.
Nolan, his body now completely recovered and adapted, jumped up from the bed with sudden energy. His feet hit the floor solidly, joints responding with their usual efficiency.
He shook his neck experimentally, rolling it left and right, feeling for differences. Then he moved his entire head through a full range of motion, checking for restricted movement or strange sensations.
Nothing.
Everything felt completely normal.
"Uh... is it ineffective? That's impossible." Nolan's eyes widened slightly with confusion and concern. He muttered to himself, trying to make sense of the lack of obvious changes.
He walked quickly to the bathroom, his long strides eating up the distance. He stopped before the smooth mirror mounted above the sink, staring at his familiar reflection.
Long gray hair cascading past his shoulders. Should he change to short hair? Long hair required maintenance, care, time he could spend more productively. The thought crossed his mind idly.
A tall, muscular body, well-proportioned and powerful. Thank the Emperor it wasn't a muscle-enhancement organ. Otherwise, his Terminator armor would need complete readjustment, and that was a nightmare of recalibration and testing he didn't want to endure.
Sharp fangs visible in his mouth when he smiled or spoke. He made a mental note to ask David to acquire a proper teeth-cleaning machine. His fangs were looking slightly yellowed. Hygiene mattered, even for post-human warriors.
Cyan wolf pupils staring back at him from the mirror, distinctive and...
Wait.
Nolan, suddenly noticing something different, leaned forward quickly. His face came within inches of the mirror's surface, breath fogging the glass slightly.
He stared intensely into his own eyes.
There, in the deepest depths of his cyan wolf pupils, he saw black circles spreading slowly outward like tree rings in ancient wood. The pattern was organic, fractal, mesmerizing. The circles pulsed with each heartbeat, expanding in rhythm with his cardiovascular system.
But before Nolan could examine the phenomenon more closely or understand what he was seeing, the spreading black circles suddenly vanished completely. They disappeared as if they'd never existed, his pupils returning to their normal solid blue coloration.
"How do I remember..." Nolan frowned, his expression uncertain as he searched his memory. "The gene-seed of the Raven Guard carries genetic defects. The Sable Brand, they call it. The side effects include eyes turning completely black, inability to distinguish hallucinations from reality, and frenzied combat behavior with complete disregard for personal safety."
His frown deepened as he processed the implications.
He forced a grin, trying to reassure himself as he muttered: "After receiving the Emperor's blessing and being carefully cultivated by Corax himself, the ganglion tissue can't possibly carry such serious side effects, right? Maybe it's a Sable Brand that can be activated independently? Transforming negative effects into positive tactical advantages?"
The rationalization sounded weak even to his own ears.
Unfortunately, over the next several hours, no matter what Nolan tried, he couldn't recreate the black circles he'd glimpsed in his eyes. He attempted meditation, combat exercises, extreme stress responses, emotional manipulation. Nothing worked.
If he hadn't trusted his own memory implicitly, he would have dismissed the entire experience as hallucination.
Ultimately, Nolan decided to stop pursuing answers for the moment. Obsessing over mysteries he couldn't solve was counterproductive. There were numerous matters in the underground base requiring his personal attention and decision-making. Practical concerns took precedence over metaphysical ones.
If this was a side effect that even the Emperor and Corax together couldn't eliminate or control, then he'd simply have to accept the situation. Consider himself unlucky and adapt accordingly.
After all, you couldn't exactly dig out ganglion tissue that had already finished growing and integrating into your brain, could you? The surgery would be fatal.
Nolan gradually relaxed his furrowed brow, releasing the tension in his facial muscles. He turned and walked toward the lounge exit, ready to return to his responsibilities.
However, over the following days, Nolan discovered a small but significant problem emerging.
His body seemed to have lost its natural protective mechanism for falling asleep.
It was obvious his physical form was gradually accumulating fatigue. His muscles ached from training, his reactions slowed marginally after extended periods of activity. All the normal signs of exhaustion were present.
But his brain remained fully energized, operating at peak capacity regardless of how tired his body became.
Even when he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes, attempting to force sleep through sheer willpower, true rest remained impossible. His mind continued racing, thoughts flowing in endless streams, consciousness refusing to surrender to unconsciousness.
Sleep, that most basic human function, had apparently become optional. Or perhaps impossible. He couldn't tell which yet.
So Nolan, his biological clock now completely disrupted and meaningless, began an intensive exercise program specifically designed to understand and control his new ganglion tissue.
If his brain wouldn't let him sleep, he'd use the extra hours productively. He would master this new organ completely, unlock its secrets through experimentation and practice, bend it to his will through sheer determination.
The revolution never sleeps, Corax had said.
Now, apparently, neither would he.