The flames of war in Heralius Hive City burned like a furnace fed constantly with fresh fuel, showing no signs of dying down. They blazed hotter and more suffocating with each passing moment.
The Dark Mechanicum creations deployed by the Chaos forces were like ice water dropped into boiling oil, instantly triggering an even more violent reaction. The Astartes reinforcements on the Imperial side were like hardwood thrown into the furnace, burning fiercer than ever.
Scorchwind rose once more from the profane resurrection altar. His body quickly recovered its strength, but deep in his soul remained the irritation and faint sense of inadequacy left by repeated deaths.
The battlefield intensity was now approaching 60%. Both sides were deploying increasingly elite units, and the rhythm of combat had completely exceeded what individual skill could control.
Dark Mechanicum Daemon Engines rampaged unchecked. Imperial Astartes hunted with ruthless precision.
Though he remained a powerful elite player, on this grand battlefield woven from steel, flesh, and supernatural forces, individual prowess increasingly resembled nothing more than a fleeting spray of foam on the waves.
He needed more power. A more enduring and overwhelming presence. An identity that could truly carve a bloody path through this meat grinder — or even control an entire war zone.
The Chaos faction had its own unique advancement paths.
He opened his character panel and found a tab labeled [Chaos Ascension]. Several identity purchase options radiated different evil auras — each expensive, each representing a powerful Chaotic force and a unique combat style.
His gaze first fell on the two topmost options:
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[Possessed Marine] | Price: 3,000 points
A Chaos Space Marine whose soul has reached an unstable pact with — or been forcibly occupied by — a warp daemon. In combat, the daemon within can temporarily take over the body, unleashing destructive power far beyond normal limits. Skills and attributes receive massive boosts, even granting some of the daemon's special abilities.
Notable Risks: Terrifying burst damage, but during daemon takeover, the player temporarily loses control. The body is operated by AI simulating daemon consciousness — behavior is unpredictable, may ignore player strategy, may attack friendly forces, and often falls into prolonged weakness after the burst ends. The pact is not stable.
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[Blessed Son] | Price: 6,000 points
Among the Word Bearers Legion and warbands of deepest Chaos faith, these warriors have completed arduous pilgrimage rites and established perfect symbiotic pacts with specific daemons. They can summon and wield daemonic power at will while maintaining absolute control of their own consciousness — achieving controllable partial or complete daemonification.
Notable Features: Powerful and fully controllable. Daemonic power responds like one's own limbs. Strong sustained combat capability. One of the most stable and high-tier choices on the Chaos ascension path.
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Scorchwind frowned. [Possessed Marine] sounded like a gamble. Handing your body over to a crazed AI? No matter how strong the power, the lack of control disgusted him. It did not align with his pursuit of mastery.
[Blessed Son] was ideal — controllable, high-tier — but the 6,000-point price was out of reach. He had accumulated some points, but he needed to reserve portions for summoning battlefield support and purchasing supplies. Spending 6,000 in one go would hurt too much.
Reluctantly, he continued scrolling down the list.
Below were other Chaos warbands and god-specific ascension options at varying prices. His gaze swept past them quickly — until one entry made him stop.
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[World Eaters]
Affiliation: Khorne Chaos Space Marine warband
The World Eaters, formerly the Twelfth Legion of the Emperor, turned to Khorne under their Primarch Angron and became one of the most infamous Chaos Space Marine warbands. They pursue the ultimate in close-combat slaughter, abandoning complex tactics and ranged weapons, reveling in the endless charge with chainsword and axe. Their Primarch Angron has ascended to daemonhood.
Ascension Effects: Convert to World Eaters Chaos Space Marine. Gain massively enhanced melee attributes and exclusive skill chains. Receive additional bonuses to the Blood for the Blood God buff effects. Ranged weapon usage is restricted or heavily penalized. Gain bonus points for kills made with melee weapons.
Price: ~~4,000 points~~
Special Note: Detected player's current profession follows the Khorne path. Faith is highly aligned. Contract already signed. Triggering Khorne Devotee Preferential Treatment.
Current Price: 3,000 points
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Without considering anything else, Scorchwind chose [World Eaters] and paid the 3,000 points.
The instant the points were deducted, the dark red glow of the profane altar intensified. The bloody scent permeating the air grew several times heavier, as if countless invisible war axes were cleaving the air with shrieks. Deep, thunderous war cries and the crash of clashing skulls echoed in the depths of his consciousness — sounds from an endless realm of blood and war.
He felt his body being scoured and transformed by a more violent, purer power.
Muscle fibers grew more corded and powerful under the infusion of warp energy. Bone density increased. Neural response speed skyrocketed.
His original Berserker armor disintegrated and reformed in the radiance, replaced by heavier, more savage power armor bristling with spikes and skull decorations — painted in the World Eaters signature brass and blood-red. On his shoulder plates, the bleeding World Eaters emblem, the mark of the world-devourer, was clearly visible.
The chainsword-axe in his hand transformed as well, becoming more massive, its teeth more savage. Blood-red runes burned along the blade's edge, humming as if with hunger.
When the radiance faded, Scorchwind stood at the altar's center.
He flexed his fingers beneath the heavy power armor and gripped his new chainsword-axe. He felt the surging, seemingly inexhaustible power within — and the pure, instinctive craving for melee slaughter.
The view behind his faceplate was tinged with a faint blood-light. His perception of surrounding life and combat had become sharper and far more bloodthirsty.
He opened his attribute panel. Melee damage, strength, endurance, and charge speed had all received massive increases. A series of new skills had unlocked — names like Skull Offering, Endless Charge, and Slaughter Chain.
The ranged weapon slots remained, but using them now carried severe penalties. The system wanted him fully committed to melee.
"Hahahaha! Yes! This is exactly what I needed!" Scorchwind let out a deep, satisfied laugh that rumbled through his vox-caster like an engine's roar.
He raised his head toward Heralius Hive City. The Imperial golden light, the grey tide of Krieg, the black armor of the Dark Angels, and the profane creations of the Dark Mechanicum all raged together in the distance.
"Now..."
He dragged his heavy chainsword-axe forward. His power boots struck the polluted ground with dull, rhythmic thuds — like war drums.
Like a killing machine freshly upgraded, filled with crushing confidence and violent bloodlust, he charged once more toward that all-consuming battlefield.
The World Eaters had joined this feast of blood and flesh.