Led by High Lord Osona, the dwarfs stormed into the temple housing the Votann Core.
The temple corridors were filled with a strong religious atmosphere, lined with numerous statues of ancient heroes.
These sculptures were remarkably lifelike — warriors swinging warhammers, scholars absorbed in books, explorers gazing at the stars. Their faces varied: resolute, wise, or benevolent — each telling stories of bygone eras and symbolizing past glories.
In the Votann Alliance, when a Hearthborn died, their consciousness data was uploaded to the Votann Core and used to improve the database.
These sculptures were the final traces they left behind — for future generations to admire and descendants to remember.
At that moment, in the shadows of those sculptures, sleeping guards lay sprawled carelessly. Their snores rose and fell like an absurd symphony echoing through the silent corridors.
As they ventured deeper, Osona and the other dwarfs grew increasingly uneasy.
The Broken Horn Furnace Guard was composed of the most elite warriors carefully selected from the clan. Had they been silently neutralized without triggering any alarm?
Just how many unbelievable methods did this Nameless One possess?
Every barrier and restriction along the way had been opened.
Led by Osona, the dwarfs hurried down the corridor, their boots clacking loudly against the floor. Their faces were solemn, their eyes filled with anxiety and unease.
The Votann Core was the lifeline of the entire clan. No matter how much this person had done to save the Eternal Star, outsiders were never allowed to enter.
They rushed with hurried steps into the innermost hall of the temple.
Everyone stopped in their tracks at the sight before them.
The interior of the temple was magnificent and solemn. The impossibly high dome seemed to stretch straight into the starry sky. Massive stone pillars rose from the floor, each so thick that it would take dozens of people to encircle one.
The pillars were covered in densely carved dwarf inscriptions recording the ancient history of the Votann Alliance.
Statues of ancient heroes were arranged in orderly rows, stretching far along both sides of the hall. These sculptures were larger and more imposing than those in the corridor, looking down upon every living being who entered.
In the center of the hall sat an enormous dwarf head.
Its skull was cast from an unknown metal, its surface a deep, dark gold. Its expression was filled with determination and dignity, eyes closed as if deep in thought.
This was the physical terminal of the Votann Core.
The floor of the main hall was covered in complex psychic runes arranged according to unknown mathematical patterns. Between the runes, faint light flowed like blood through veins.
Grimnir and his subordinates — the priests responsible for communicating with the Votann Core — lay collapsed on the floor, fast asleep.
The Votann Core only communicated with humanity through sanctuaries built using psychic technology. Grimnir and his companions were psykers capable of interpreting the words of the Votann and accessing its data.
Seeing this, the dwarfs — including Osona — had their mouths twitching violently.
Just how much trouble was this Nameless One going to cause?!
Inside the temple, the only one who had not been hypnotized and fallen asleep was Jodil, the sole surviving ancestor who had lived for nearly 800 years.
In the Votann Alliance, the average dwarf lifespan was around 300 years.
However, a very small number of individuals lived to 700 or even 800 years. By accumulating time, they awakened their psychic powers and became bridges between the Votann Core and ordinary dwarfs.
They were highly respected in dwarf society and were called Living Ancestors or Spirit Lords.
"Honored guest, please refrain from such rash actions."
"We have learned of everything you have done for the Eternal Star. The dwarfs will never forget this kindness."
Jodil looked up, his wise eyes meeting those of the Nameless One.
"I sensed no malice from you, but may I ask why you attempted to enter our clan's forbidden area?"
Datch stared at the dwarf NPC in front of him. A blue exclamation mark slowly rotated above their head.
Clicking it would allow him to help the target regain their youth, increase favorability, and gain experience and credits.
Datch took the Youth Restoration Ray Gun from his game inventory and aimed it at Jodil.
Osona's eyes widened instantly, and he let out a startled cry.
"No…!"
The other dwarfs also realized what was happening and drew their weapons.
Datch pressed the button, and a soft light shot from the muzzle, enveloping Jodil.
The light was warm and bright, pouring over Jodil from head to toe — from skin to bones, from appearance to soul.
Changes began occurring in Jodil's body. His white hair turned black, and the wrinkles on his face disappeared.
As the light faded, a young dwarf appeared before the crowd.
If not for that familiar face and robe, no one would have believed this was an ancestor who had lived for 800 years.
Osona and the dwarfs he led froze on the spot.
Their expressions were truly remarkable — shifting from anger to shock, then disbelief, and finally complete silence.
Wait… so he just got younger?
They had all thought the Nameless One was trying to kill their Living Ancestor!
Jodil was also in shock.
He raised his hands and touched his now wrinkle-free face, feeling the vitality surging through his body.
"How did you do that?" Jodil asked, staring at the Nameless One for answers.
Datch ignored the dwarf NPC's question. He returned the Youth Restoration Ray Gun to his game inventory and then took out the Golden Hammer.
He walked past the still-shocked Jodil and approached the massive dwarf head at the center of the hall — the physical terminal of the Votann Core.
The altar was located directly beneath the head, with countless conduits extending from it, connecting the head to the surrounding psychic runes.
The altar's surface was covered in countless runes, each emitting a faint glow — indicating that the system was active.
Datch reached out and tapped the Votann Core's information panel to check the details.
[Degraded Votann Core — Belongs to the Eternal Star Forge Clan.]
The Votann Core was a supercomputer built by the Golden Men, Stone Men, and Iron Men using the most advanced technology. It could be called a treasure of humanity's Golden Age.
[Current Issues: Excessive data volume has reduced computational efficiency, with signs of degradation appearing in core components.]
[If not repaired in time, it may completely collapse in the near future.]
Datch's gaze lingered on the three terms — "Golden Men, Stone Men, Iron Men" — and several speculations formed in his mind.
Most of the dwarf clans that possessed Votann Cores were not born through natural reproduction but were cultivated using genetic data.
Each dwarf's genes had been specially modified. They were essentially androids — or what legends called Stone Men.
The Iron Kin were purely mechanical lifeforms in their society — Iron Men.
Therefore, the humans who could naturally reproduce were the Golden Men.
These three groups had worked together to build the pinnacle of human civilization.
If that was the case, many things made sense.
Why had the Votann Alliance remained silent during the Horus Heresy?
Because they simply didn't want to get involved.
After all, after the Iron Men rebellion, the Iron Kin had stopped trusting the Stone Men and Iron Men.
Even if they received assistance in suppressing the rebellious Iron Men, the Iron Kin would likely have carried out purges and exiles.
To prevent the three groups from clashing again — and perhaps out of disappointment in the Iron Kin — the Votann Core guiding dwarf society chose to stay out of the conflict and watch from the sidelines.
The dwarfs wandering outside the Votann Alliance knew nothing of these past events.
Even if they stubbornly tried to interfere in the Imperium's internal affairs, it had nothing to do with the Votann Alliance.
The Emperor had probably known this as well.
After all, the overall military strength of the Votann Alliance had not been inferior to that of the Orks during the Great Crusade.
It would have been illogical for the Human Imperium, which had swept across the galaxy, to attack the Votann Alliance in the galactic core.
The only logical explanation was that, just as the old man had once used Imperial Truth to conceal the truth about the Warp, he had hidden the existence of the Votann Alliance from the Primarchs.
A sudden thought flashed through Datch's mind.
Could the missing Primarchs II and XI also be related to the dwarf race?
Was one of them trying to infiltrate dwarf society and restore the tripartite cooperation to reclaim past glory?
The other planet had fallen to the world that hated intelligence — a planet that had once helped humanity but was later betrayed by it.
They had been taught the history of human betrayal since childhood and strongly resisted the Emperor's methods of eliminating hated intelligence.
After the transfer of power, conflicts grew increasingly intense.
The old man had no choice but to take action and either completely eliminate the original two or exile them elsewhere.
To prevent the spread of their ideology, he erased all traces and forbade anyone from investigating.
"The more I speculate, the more interesting it gets."
Datch muttered to himself, his eyes sparkling with gossip.
When I have time, I should use the TARDIS phone booth to go back to the past and investigate what really happened. Then I'll know the truth.
Datch raised the golden hammer in his hand.
As it fell, it produced a metallic sound that echoed throughout the entire temple.
Golden light spread outward from the point of impact, surging like a tide toward the altar, the massive head, and the entire Votann Core.
Wherever the light reached, everything rapidly changed.
The temple fell silent for an instant. The next moment, countless projection interfaces lit up simultaneously.
They pierced through the void like a raging storm, recovering at an extremely high speed.
Data streams flowed violently. Code flickered rapidly. Massive amounts of information unfolded before their eyes and then closed.
Interfaces that had been slow due to excessive data volume were now running at astonishing speeds.
Systems that had been sluggish due to degradation were now operating with remarkable smoothness.
In just a few breaths, the Votann Core had been restored to its optimal state.
Osona and the other dwarfs who witnessed this scene were completely shocked, their minds going blank.
Not only could he repair weapons and vehicles, but he could even repair the Votann Core.
Just who is this Nameless One?
Is he the founder of human civilization and the creator of the Votann?
The Grimnir inside the temple were also shocked by the sight. One by one, they woke up.
The Living Ancestor had regained his youth, and the Votann Core had returned to its peak condition.
If this wasn't a miracle, then what was it?
Upon learning that this was the work of the Nameless One, they stared at Datch with eyes full of worship and fanaticism.
Datch ignored the dwarf NPCs and focused entirely on the quest prompt that appeared before him.
[Mission Complete! Congratulations on helping Ragnir repair the degraded Votann Core and restore it to its optimal state.]
[Quest Rewards: 3,000 EXP, 3,000 Points, +1,500 Reputation, Random Light Giant Summon Card ×1]
With a flash of light, a card fell into Datch's hand.
It was a beautifully crafted card with the silhouette of a giant of light printed on the front.
"I got another Light Giant summon card."
Datch stared at the card in his hand, his heart pounding.
"I hope it's Gaia this time."
The corners of his mouth curved slightly upward.
"So I can gather the Heisei Three Brothers."
…
In a distant parallel universe, Agul — the Light of the Sea — felt as if he had been forgotten and looked up uneasily.
Tiga and Dyna had been acting strangely lately. What were they planning? Luckily, Gaia was with him.
…
Defeating the invading green-skinned Orks, restoring the youth of the Living Ancestor, and repairing the inefficient and degraded Votann Core —
Achieving even one of these three feats would have earned the dwarfs' respect as an honored guest, complete with a grand banquet and their name etched into history.
Now, the Nameless One had achieved a three-in-a-row victory.
Osona and the other dwarfs naturally did not dare to treat him poorly and held a grand celebratory banquet in his honor.
The massive fortress hall had been transformed into a temporary banquet venue with hundreds of long tables lined up.
The tables were laden with the dwarfs' proud delicacies — whole roasted lambs, honey-glazed hams, rye bread, and countless snacks whose names were impossible to remember.
The air was filled with the mingled aromas of food and alcohol. Just smelling it was enough to make one feel tipsy.
The most eye-catching feature was the mountain of stacked wine barrels.
Dwarf alcohol was extremely strong. It could probably be used as fuel if thrown into a tank's fuel tank.
At that moment, rows of wine barrels stood ready, waiting for warriors to take on the challenge.
Osona stood on the platform, raised his glass, and loudly declared:
"Today is a day to celebrate our victory!"
"Nameless One, thank you. You are our friend, our benefactor, and an honored guest of the Eternal Star."
The dwarfs cheered and raised their glasses.
"To the Nameless One!"
Datch sat in the main seat, looking at the enthusiastic gazes of the dwarfs with a slight smile on his face, looking forward to the drinking contest that was about to begin.
He hadn't wanted to participate, but imagining the dwarfs challenging each other to a drinking contest, he readily agreed.
After a few drinks, the dwarfs began challenging Datch, and he accepted every single one.
He raised his glass and downed it in one go. Then he raised it again and downed another in one go.
The dwarfs went from excited to stunned, and finally just stood there in a daze.
This Nameless One was definitely not human. No human could possibly drink that much alcohol!
The young and reckless dwarfs were among the first to fall.
Next came the middle-aged dwarfs. They held out a bit longer thanks to experience, but eventually succumbed.
Finally, the elders — who had relied on experience and skill to aim for victory — stepped forward.
But in the face of absolute power, all technique was useless.
Ragnir fell. Osona fell. And eventually, all the dwarfs fell.
In the entire banquet hall, only Datch remained conscious.
He had also successfully unlocked a new achievement — "Drinking Master."
Datch stood up, looked around at the staggering dwarfs, and nodded with satisfaction.
Then he took out the Non-biological Conductor, intending to give the dwarfs a little surprise.
…
The next morning.
The dwarfs gradually woke up.
They rubbed their throbbing heads, stood up from the floor, and looked around blankly.
What happened last night?
Why did everyone get so drunk?
What about the Nameless One?
Before they could react, a smug, punchable voice rang out.
"Gentlemen, you're finally awake. You're all too weak at drinking. Truly pathetic."
The dwarfs looked toward the voice and saw a massive Great Book of Grudges standing on a high pedestal, speaking.
It was the Great Book of Grudges passed down from the Eternal Star, recording the various factions and individuals who had clashed with the clan.
After years of recording, this Great Book of Grudges had swollen to the height of three dwarfs.
"Do you know the difference between the Tyranids encountered by the Human Imperium and those encountered by the Votann Alliance?"
"When Tyranids invade the Human Imperium, they will evolve carapaces resistant to boltguns, shields resistant to lasers, and claws resistant to chainswords."
The Great Book of Grudges paused, its voice dripping with irritation.
"And when Tyranids come into contact with the Votann Alliance, they usually evolve eyes on their knees."
The dwarfs were stunned for a moment before realizing it was a terrible joke.
Because dwarfs were short, the insectoid lifeforms had to evolve eyes just to see them.
Ragnir's first thought was: Besides that bastard the Nameless One, who else could do something like this?!
Osona also understood what had happened.
He suddenly stood up and scanned the entire banquet hall, searching for the Nameless One.
But the other party had already left the Eternal Star by some special means.
Osona and the other dwarfs who realized this could only sulk in silence as they recorded the incident.
[At the celebratory banquet, the Nameless One made the Great Book of Grudges tell a terrible joke mocking our short stature. This grudge must be avenged.]
…
Datch used Rick's teleport gun to reach the Macragge star system — the new administrative center of the Human Imperium.
At Malcador's request, the majority of the Senate and administrative systems had been relocated to the Macragge system.
Terra now existed only as the holy site of the Imperium, retaining its symbolic significance.
But true power had been transferred here.
Macragge was the convergence point of all stellar orbits, connected to various locations across the Milky Way.
Messages that once took months or even years to arrive from distant stars now reached instantly.
Resource allocation, which required tremendous effort, had become much easier and more efficient.
Of course, Guilliman's reputation as an ambitious schemer had also been completely solidified.
After returning, Ferrus and Corax learned that the political and economic center had moved to Macragge.
The way they looked at Guilliman was subtle.
During the Great Crusade, they had focused on building their own small kingdoms.
The Horus Heresy had been triggered by the desire to establish a second Imperium.
Now they were trying to sideline Terra and expand all star systems to the Macragge system. If they weren't ambitious, who would believe it?!
(Guilliman: Give me peanuts, give me peanuts!! This is all the work of the Nameless One. It has nothing to do with me!!)
Datch stood on the platform, looking at the bustling space city before him.
Towering buildings pierced through the clouds. Countless aircraft flew through the sky like a swarm of worker bees.
The streets were crowded with people. City officials handled all administrative matters across the Imperium — material flows, tax statistics, personnel appointments and dismissals.
Although Malcador had streamlined many procedures, the enormous workload still physically and mentally exhausted countless Imperial bureaucrats.
Officials hurried about with tired and anxious faces, carrying stacks of documents as they moved quickly through the city.
Datch summoned his giant rooster and, following the minimap's navigation, went to find Malcador to accept the quest.
Along the way, Custodians and soldiers were surprised to see the Nameless One and hurriedly saluted.
All the monitoring devices, communication equipment, loudspeakers, and other machines installed along the road shouted in unison:
"Make way for the honored Nameless One, the Supreme Savior of the Imperium, the Supreme Lord of Humanity, the God who wields unparalleled power, the inviolable Holy Father, the Lord who governs the beginning and end of all things."
Officials and dignitaries along the road quickly moved aside to clear a wide path.
This sight secretly pleased Datch and made him feel that all his hard work on quests had been worth it.
Having a high reputation certainly had its advantages.
One day, his fame would reach its peak.
Then he could enter the Throne Room with a sword, point it at the old man, and shout at him.
The throne belongs to the virtuous.
It's not like I lack the ability to take it!
The giant rooster galloped at full speed toward the vast congressional hall.
Just then, a meeting had ended.
Senators were filing out, breaking into small groups to discuss the meeting's contents.
Upon learning of the Nameless One's arrival, they all scattered and made way for him.
Datch rushed through the gate and pulled on the reins.
The giant rooster stopped, raised its head high, and looked around proudly.
Just as he was about to dismount, Malcador — holding an eagle scepter wreathed in flames — came to an abrupt halt.
Seeing the Nameless One appear riding a giant rooster, Malcador's lips twitched.
Ah, this person is always so abstract!
After all, even someone incapable of abstract thinking wouldn't think of opening a spatial portal into the Throne Room just to have the royal guards fight.
His King of Kings and old friend had been confiding in him in dreams every day recently.
Horus had once gathered half the galaxy's forces but still couldn't break into the Throne Room.
Now, those traitor xenos were visiting the Throne Room every few days.
"Honored Nameless One," Malcador said respectfully, giving a slight bow.
The Imperial personnel who hadn't yet left looked surprised at this sight.
It was worth noting that Malcador's legal bloodline status was even higher than that of the Primarchs.
He was the Emperor's most trusted confidant, one of the founders of the Imperium, and truly second only to the Emperor in status.
Datch jumped down from the giant rooster's back, walked over to Malcador, and asked him directly:
"Malcador, do you have any missions I can help with?"
Hearing this, Malcador understood that the Nameless One had come to request a mission.
"Nameless One, it's getting cold. Why don't you put on a coat? As the saying goes…"
"Skip!" Datch shouted.
Why do NPCs always say lines that have nothing to do with quests?
It would be much smarter to desperately make him complete quests, raise his reputation, and then seize the old man's position.
Then he could embark on a long expedition to destroy the Warp, pulverize the Milky Way, crush the Local Group, and then pulverize the universe.
Making the Chaos Gods sing and dance would definitely be possible.
…
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