Bruce had plenty of reasons for his confidence.
It was not just because he had an omniscient, out-of-world perspective, nor only because he was a transmigrator. More than anything, it was because he knew the Emperor would never simply stand by and do nothing.
If the Emperor was backing him, why should he fear the Four Ruinous Powers?
At worst, he could just ask to be possessed and fight as the Chosen of the God-Emperor.
Yeah! He wanted to battle to his heart's content!
"But… I'm sorry… Bruce…"
"?!"
The grin on Bruce's face froze instantly.
Because what he got was not the Emperor suddenly erupting with supreme tyrannical dominance, drawing a flaming sword, and smashing the little grass god to her knees.
Instead, it opened with an apology.
No, come on…
"I can't help you…"
"You… can only rely on yourself…"
"The distance between us… is too great…"
"The Webway Project must not fail…"
"Horus… is in your hands…"
No way!
After hearing the Emperor's spiritual message, Bruce felt as though the sky had collapsed.
What about his dragon-king-smirking scene? What about a grand flaming slash that would send Nurgle crashing to the ground and chain her up as a pet? Who was going to compensate him for that?
"Hmm…?"
Sensing the subtle shift in Bruce's state, Nurgle first became wary, then intrigued.
She realized that this human boy carried part of the Dark King's power within him.
That made him extraordinarily special.
A truly fascinating specimen.
At that moment, Nurgle's opinion of Bruce underwent a complete reversal.
If moments ago she had hated this little thing for helping Tzeentch scheme against her, now she saw him as something else entirely—
a rare collectible.
Such a unique piece… I must make him mine and cherish him properly.
"Damn it…"
When the potion still failed to kick in, Bruce panicked like a middle-aged man lying in bed at the worst possible moment.
It made no sense. Every other time he had drunk it, he had transformed into the Emperor immediately. Why had so much time passed now with no reaction at all?
And with Nurgle right in front of him, if this dragged on any longer, something was definitely going to go wrong.
"You needn't be anxious, Bruce…"
"I will help you…"
"Your courage… is the finest weapon…"
The Emperor sent him two more messages, half reassurance, half promise.
The implied meaning was clear enough: although the Emperor could not directly descend and destroy Nurgle here, protecting Bruce was still well within his power.
Oh? Got it.
The moment he realized there was still someone standing behind him, Bruce stiffened up again.
He was not fighting alone.
"Can… can we settle this peacefully?"
Bruce delivered the weakest words in the toughest posture he could manage.
"…?" x2
Both Nurgle and the Emperor were momentarily speechless.
Neither had expected this.
Just moments ago Bruce had been baring his teeth at Khorne and Slaanesh. Now suddenly he had stopped posturing and softened his stance. It was bewildering.
"Ah."
Nurgle let out a contemptuous little laugh.
"Little thing, you can't seriously think saying that now counts as a joke, can you?"
Though Nurgle was a loving… well, motherly figure now, that did not mean she lacked cunning.
You schemed together with Tzeentch against me, and now that things have gone badly, you apologize and expect it to be over? As if it could be that easy.
"If you push me too far, then we'll just drag each other down together."
Bruce's temper flared as well.
He was not apologizing because he feared her, but because he did not want the situation to grow more complicated. But if she refused to take the olive branch, then he had no intention of remaining polite.
The saying went that if you could not perform at a critical moment, it was usually because the dose was not strong enough. Fine. Then he would just chug another transformation potion and blow everything up together with her.
Damn it! Who was afraid of whom? On his best day, he had drunk thirteen bottles in a row. He was long past being intimidated by this sort of thing.
"Oh? Drag each other down together? Hahahaha!"
Nurgle covered her mouth and laughed, squinting at him.
"You really do say the most amusing things, little one."
"But then again…"
She grew thoughtful.
"If you truly want reconciliation, I can give you one chance."
As she spoke, the swing slowly descended.
Then she crossed one leg over the other and raised her foot slightly.
The toes spread delicately, pale white tinged with a faint rosy hue, like some exquisite work of art. The lines along them were as neat as brushstrokes, blending into the soft patterns on her sole.
Bruce's gaze locked onto that foot.
"跪下,然后舔舐我的脚." in the original implied total submission, and here Nurgle made it plain in the most humiliating way possible.
"Kneel," she said, moving her foot slightly, "and lick my feet."
Her intention was simple.
She would humiliate this insolent little creature completely, and in the process leave her mark on him.
I will have you. Just not yet.
Since Horus was no longer going to fall to corruption, then taking this highly promising child for herself would serve as compensation.
"…"
Bruce stared at the flawless little foot before him and fell into silence.
Or rather, into fierce internal struggle.
Two voices immediately sounded in his head.
The first said: What are you waiting for? Get up there and lick it! Those are Little Grass God feet! They probably smell like grass and damp earth! Pure nature itself!
The second said: For Horus! Lick them! You are the Emperor's pride!
"…Aren't those basically the same voice?!" the Emperor suddenly snapped in exasperation.
Bruce swallowed.
He was not exactly a foot fetishist, but…
those translucent toes, that silky sole, those soft little legs…
They were not easy to refuse.
More importantly—
this was the Little Grass God.
There was probably not even a trace of rough skin anywhere on her legs. If he really touched them, just imagining it was enough to make him shiver.
"Bruce… you… you mustn't… fall…"
The Emperor, who had been watching the whole time, was genuinely panicking now.
He had calculated everything—except the possibility of a skin bonus.
So long as it's a loli, you'll fold, is that it?!
Curze, get over here and manage your son! Your child is about to do something irreversible!
"You're a good child, aren't you?"
Seeing Bruce's hesitation—and desire—Nurgle smiled at him with a gaze full of maternal warmth.
"It's all right. Whatever mistakes you make, I'll forgive you, my good boy. My precious little baby."
Bruce said nothing.
He walked forward until he stood right before her.
Good. That's right. Such an obedient child.
Nurgle's heart swelled with delight. A good child like this deserved the reward of kissing her feet.
And then your soul will bear my mark.
You will become part of eternity.
Bruce dropped to one knee—
and drank the transformation potion.
And not just one bottle.
Two.
"?"
Nurgle stared blankly at this utterly baffling move.
"Don't rush me," Bruce said piously. "Doing something this sacred requires rinsing my mouth first. What if my lips are too dirty for your feet?"
"You child…"
Nurgle's heart melted at once.
He even thought of that? But truly… no matter how dirty your mouth might be, I would never have minded.
"Go on, little one," she said, extending her foot toward him with anticipation. "Become my child."
"Very nice…"
Bruce reached out toward her foot.
Then, in that instant, violent changes overtook his body.
A cloud of smoke burst out. Golden light flared.
And in the next moment, he transformed into a nearly four-meter-tall golden giant, his face twisted into a ferocious grin.
"But I refuse!"
Now in the form of the Emperor, Bruce seized Nurgle's foot in one hand and clenched down hard, leaving her no room whatsoever to escape.
Did she really think he would lick her feet?
Impossible.
If he had not pretended to submit, how could he possibly have gotten close enough?
How could he have grabbed her foot?
"?!"
Nurgle stared at Bruce's transformed state in horror.
A human…
possessed of the Dark King's power?
And authority as well?
This… this was impossible!
"All right," Bruce said with a wicked smile as he watched her frightened face. "Now you can start begging for mercy."
He raised the Emperor's Sword, flames blazing along its edge, and whispered like a demon in her ear:
"Choose."
"Would you rather be stabbed by this…"
"or…"
"have me stomp you flat?"
Heehee. The Emperor's power really was convenient.
"N-no… don't…"
Tears welled up in Nurgle's eyes as she tried to pull away, but Bruce's grip on her foot was so tight that she could not break free at all.
"Then get down here, you little thing!"
Bruce yanked hard, dragging Nurgle right off the swing and slamming her onto the ground.
"Wah… wah…"
For the first time in her existence, Nurgle felt truly small and helpless.
And what made it worse was that this was Horus's soul-world.
Most of her divine authority was stripped away here, while the Emperor's power was amplified to a terrifying degree.
At this point, begging was about the only thing she could still do.
"You'll regret this, you hateful human!"
Nurgle glared at him fiercely, trying to sound threatening.
"You will pay for what you've done today!"
"We were enemies from the start," Bruce replied expressionlessly.
Then he brought down the flaming Emperor's Sword.
At the same time, deep in the Warp, within Nurgle's domain—
The ground there was covered in rotten branches and vines. The air swarmed with spores and fungi. Rivers of foul pus wound across the land, while the skies buzzed with flies.
Decay and rebirth formed a grotesque ecology.
At the center of that eternal, corrupted garden stood a crumbling manor, made of rotted timber and cracked walls, overgrown with moss and vines. Its chimney constantly belched great clouds of flies.
Without Grandfather's permission, no daemon dared approach it.
Which made it one of the few places in the entire garden that could actually be called a paradise.
There was even green grass and living leaves there.
Half corruption, half life.
A perfect balance.
Normally, Nurgle would be inside brewing some great cauldron of stew, and when its toxic fumes rose from the chimney, laughter usually followed.
But today was different.
"Ahhh—ahhh—ahhh—!"
"No, no, no, I'm dying! Ahhh!"
"It's too big! It hurts!"
"No, not that! Anything but that! Bruce, you can't do this—ahhh!"
"Don't burn that! My garden! Waaaaah!"
Those strange cries swept across Nurgle's entire realm.
Countless daemons all turned curiously toward the decayed little hut.
What… what was happening?
Why was their Grandfather's house filled with sounds like a sow being butchered?
And—more importantly—
who exactly was Bruce?
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 126)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter130)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter89)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter157)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 133
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 125
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 84
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 143
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 115
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 99
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 53
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 75
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 75
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 52
Uma Musume: I Want All 51
I Can Copy Unique Skills 53
A Guide to Aid in the Underwor 26
Summoning an Evil God, but the 27
Supernatural Multiverse 27
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