[Selling Cola at the Terra Palace Gates] was looking completely thrilled.
"Flatbread Bro, your sacrifice was totally worth it!"
"Even though you got vivisected, Paul avenged you!"
[Dragon Bro Never Yields]: "Punched from the left to the right, from the right to the left, from the top to the bottom, from the bottom to the top..."
"He was literally using Lucius like a basketball!"
[Shinnosuke Eating Lemons]: "Did you guys notice? Paul didn't even break a sweat!"
"There isn't even a scratch on his lightning claws!"
"What kind of god-tier combat power is this?!"
[Have You Been Loyal Today?]: "Chill out."
"Paul soloed three Greater Daemons of Khorne."
"Wrecking Lucius is nothing to make a fuss about."
[Abaddon Shines My Shoes]: "You can't say that."
"As much of a bitch as Lucius is, he's still the Captain of the Emperor's Children Thirteenth Company, the future Champion of Slaanesh."
"Getting wrecked by Paul like this, how's he supposed to show his face in his Legion anymore?"
[Selling Cola at the Terra Palace Gates]: "How's he going to show his face?"
"He'll just have to show off that swollen pig face."
"He's basically done for anyway, hahahaha!"
--
[Light of the Emperor Regional Chat]
[Worthy of Sanguinius's Blood]: "He's not even trying to hide it!!"
"This guy is totally hacking! Report, report!"
[I Eat Tomatoes]: "Literally one-shotting the Emperor's Children Captain Lucius!"
[For the Regent Yellow Guilliman]: "I'm honestly kind of glad I rolled a Loyalist now."
"If I had picked Chaos and ran into a monster like this, I'd probably have to hide every single day."
[Sanguinius Is My Husband]: "Did you guys catch Lucius's last mouthful of blood?"
"He practically sprayed it two meters away!"
"He must be so pissed, hahahaha!"
[Loyal Battle Sister of the Imperium]: "Serves him right."
"Who told him to act like such a bitch?"
"Wasn't he acting super tough when he brought his men to surround the camp?"
[Worthy of Sanguinius's Blood]: "But seriously though, [Paul Dawn]'s strength... is terrifying."
"Lucius popped three stimms for a desperation strike, and he just caught the sword with one hand."
"That power gap is bigger than the gap between an Astartes and a regular mortal."
[I Eat Tomatoes]: "Now I'm really curious, what tier is he actually at?"
"Primarch tier?"
"Or... even higher?"
[Loyal Battle Sister of the Imperium]: "I'm kind of regretting picking the Imperial faction now... If I knew the Dawn faction was this OP, I would've joined them instead."
[Worthy of Sanguinius's Blood]: "Don't even say it, it just hurts to think about."
--
[Wings of Freedom Regional Chat]
The mood of the Chaos players right now could only be described as complicated.
[Konnichiwa Slaanesh-chan]: "Holy crap... [Paul Dawn] is way too strong..."
[I Just Like Sleeping In]: "We're screwed, we're screwed, we're totally screwed..."
"What are we supposed to do tomorrow?"
"If he really stops Fulgrim's corruption..."
"Aren't we absolutely doomed?"
[Number One Handsome of the Soul Hall]: "Heh... I can't even force a laugh right now."
"The power gap is just way too massive."
"Lucius looked like a toddler fighting a grown man out there."
[Blue Pigeon Knows Nothing]: "Calm down, everyone chill."
"No matter how strong he is, he's just one guy."
"Tomorrow he's facing Fulgrim. A Primarch."
"You think he can throw hands with a Primarch?"
[Konnichiwa Slaanesh-chan]: "The problem is, he's got five hundred Crimson Dawn players backing him up!"
"They might not be as strong as him, but they definitely aren't weak."
"If they all rush in at once tomorrow..."
[I Just Like Sleeping In]: "Shut up! Just stop talking!"
"My mental state is already booming!"
[All According to Plan]: "What are you panicking for? Fulgrim's corruption is a scheme Slaanesh has been orchestrating for countless years. What can one single person change?"
[Let the Galaxy Burn]: "Exactly, exactly. We just stick to [All According to Plan]'s strategy, we'll be completely fine."
[Blue Pigeon Knows Nothing]: "But the issue is..."
"With Lucius beaten into a pulp like this, is he even going to be able to participate in the final assault tomorrow?"
[Konnichiwa Slaanesh-chan]: "..."
[I Just Like Sleeping In]: "..."
[Number One Handsome of the Soul Hall]: "..."
--
Right at that moment, two purple silhouettes broke through the crowd and walked toward Paul.
Saul Tarvitz, and...
Vespasian.
Paul watched the two approach, his gaze lingering for a fraction of a second on the slightly unfamiliar figure.
Purple and gold artificer power armor, its design far more intricate and exquisite than that of a standard Captain. On his pauldron, besides the winged claw emblem of the Emperor's Children, rested the unique heraldry signifying a Lord Commander.
His face was handsome and serene, his eyes carrying an indescribable... purity.
In a Legion that obsessively chased perfection, his purity was a rare, genuine cleanliness radiating from the inside out.
Vespasian.
Lord Commander of the Emperor's Children, often known as the "moral lone wolf" of the Legion.
Paul looked at him, the star of Wisdom flickering faintly deep within his pupils.
In the history of Warhammer 40k, this name was synonymous with tragedy.
When the entire Emperor's Children Legion fell into Slaanesh's embrace under Fulgrim's leadership, Vespasian was one of the very few who remained entirely lucid.
He witnessed his Legion's corruption firsthand, watching his former brothers devolve into monsters addicted to sensory extremes.
He tried to reason with Fulgrim, tried to save the warriors who could still be pulled back from the brink.
But ultimately, he failed.
His loyalty didn't bring Fulgrim to his senses; instead, it earned him an execution at the hands of his own Primarch Father.
His severed head was impaled on a golden spike on the bridge of the Pride of the Emperor, becoming the very first sacrifice to Fulgrim's new faith.
The death of Vespasian signified the loss of the absolute last shred of purity within the Emperor's Children.
From that moment on, there were only the favored pets of Slaanesh; the Imperium's proud, perfect Phoenix was no more.
Paul's gaze rested on him for half a second longer.
"Lord Gabriel."
Tarvitz walked up to Paul, slamming his right fist against his breastplate in a deeply respectful salute.
"Your strength is truly far beyond what I could have imagined!"
His eyes were filled with genuine admiration.
"I watched the entire duel just now." Tarvitz's voice carried a heavy sense of awe.
"That strike of Lucius's, buffed by those three stimms... if it were me, the absolute best I could manage would be a block."
"But you... you actually managed to catch it with a lightning claw."
"I am deeply humbled by your combat awareness."
Paul gave a slight nod, not saying anything more.
Tarvitz stepped to the side, extending a hand toward the purple and gold figure beside him.
"This is the Lord Commander of our Legion, Lord Vespasian."
Vespasian stepped forward, also bringing his right fist to his breastplate.
His movements were even more composed than Tarvitz's, bearing an innate elegance that didn't feel forced in the slightest.
His eyes met Paul's, his gaze calm and profound.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Gabriel."
His voice was gentle, yet completely firm.
"I saw everything that happened here."
"Lucius's actions were indeed a violation of the honor of the Emperor's Children."
"As the Legion's Lord Commander, I apologize to you on behalf of the Legion."
He paused, then added:
"And I also apologize to the Iron Hands warrior who was vivisected."
Paul looked at the man standing before him.
Listening to his sincere words, which were neither arrogant nor overly submissive.
This was Vespasian.
A man who dared to speak up for loyalty in front of his Primarch, dared to admit mistakes and apologize, and dared to stand by his beliefs even in the face of death.
His morality and rationality formed the absolute polar opposite of Lucius's cruelty and sycophancy.
Paul slowly spoke.
His voice was still cold and hard, maintaining the signature trait of the Iron Hands.
But within that icy tone, there was a faint trace of... respect.
"It is a pleasure to meet you too, Lord Vespasian."
He didn't say any unnecessary words.
But this simple, textbook pleasantry was enough to make Vespasian freeze slightly.
He looked at the First Captain of the Iron Hands in mild surprise.
This man, who had just talked back to his Primarch Father and severely maimed his subordinate Lucius...
Was actually speaking to him with such obvious... goodwill.
The corners of Vespasian's mouth turned up slightly, revealing a gentle smile.
Just as he was about to reply...
--
Bonus chapter at 400 Powerstones.
Wanna read ahead right now?! Join Patreon.com/AHumanMadeMOFO to read 20+ chapters ahead for the price of a single happy meal and support me if you wish.