Night Fragment

On the Mechanicus Ark Glory of Fire, Magos Kivior-9 inspected the holographic projection.

Data torrents from the surrounding video screens surged across his faceplate, his logic processors running at high speed.

[Enemy vessel is retreating rapidly//We have yet to secure an advantage//Enemy behavior is illogical/unreasonable//This action should be classified as a feint.]

Just as Kivior-9 was about to issue an order, the voice of the Tech-Priest in charge of the sonic array suddenly came through the communicator.

"Honored Magos, I have received a communication from Tech-Priest Rosicky Czech of Vostonia Altar 25. In accordance with the data management regulations in Chapter 5 of the Guide of the Omnissiah and the information rating system in Article 9, this message must be reported to you. Requesting data transmission."

"Data transmission authorized."

[Executing data reception protocol.]

Three ship-minutes later, Magos Kivior-9's faceplate flickered rapidly.

[Fallacy updated//Enemy retreat//Capital ship captured//Initiate pursuit immediately.]

He immediately issued orders to the waiting Tech-Priest: "Order all warships to pursue the xenos vessel."

On Kivior-9's faceplate, a logic processor message continued to flicker: [Xenos vessel//Advanced artillery//Research value rating extremely high.]

His faceplate glowed with brilliance.

On the Flao battlecruiser, Nimrod began to organize his spoils.

While clearing out the Flao, he had simultaneously collected the potion materials he encountered.

In addition to the Night Fragments, he had also found fifty-two types, totaling three hundred and one pieces of potion material.

Nimrod could not help but sigh; the Flao were truly worthy of being called space nomads.

Fifty-one of these materials were for various Sequence 9 potions, but one type—finger-length colorful worms referred to as Prism Magic Worms on the Blasphemy Slate—was the main ingredient for the Arbiter sequence's Sequence 8 "Law Officer" potion.

The Prism Magic Worm was the only "Law Officer" potion material that could not be found on Vostonia, and he had two hundred and forty-seven of them.

Nimrod had discovered this material in the interrogation room. The eyes of these Prism Magic Worms could emit a blinding light, and the Flao used one or two of them to craft special blindfolds to wear on their tribesmen's heads.

When he walked in, the Flao chained to the chairs let out miserable cries, blood streaming down from the edges of their blindfolds.

Nimrod did not know the origin of these Prism Magic Worms, but they would represent the upper limit of "Law Officers" he could cultivate before encountering more.

A more important harvest was the Night Fragments. He toyed with a Night Fragment in his hand, while other fragments lay spread out before him.

The appearance of a Night Fragment was like a piece of the most distant star in the night sky, condensing endless darkness and ghostly light into a subtle balance.

Each fragment varied in size; some were as small as a fingertip, while others were as large as an open book, their surfaces flowing with deep, mysterious light.

When Nimrod's hand touched a Night Fragment, he could feel a cold and subtle flow of energy—neither pure chill nor warm comfort, but a strange tactile sensation that transcended the material world.

[It really is a psychical material.]

Nimrod keenly sensed thin, ethereal threads entwining the fragments in his hand.

[It can indeed serve as a focus for divination.]

Compared to other psychical schools, the Prophecy school appeared more peculiar and profound.

Even the most powerful psychics could not ignore the risks posed by distorted or blurred divination results. To cope with this and attempt to obtain clear visions, diviners used special focuses to imbue their divination with form and constancy.

In the future Empire, the most common divination focus used was the Emperor's Tarot, which could also reveal the thoughts of the God-Emperor Himself to those He chose.

The Night Fragment was a psychical item that could serve as a divination focus, but for Nimrod, its greatest utility remained as a potion material.

Before his next encounter with the Flao, the number of Night Fragments would determine the upper limit of "Bribers" he could cultivate.

[One hundred and ninety-eight pieces!]

Nimrod began traveling back and forth to the Kingdom of Disorder, bringing all the Night Fragments back.

He found a Gothic-style spire palace in the First Layer Space, its peak shrouded in a black canopy, the outer walls of the palace built from cold, grim black stone.

He laid all the Night Fragments out on the ground, ensuring none were adjacent to one another.

Subsequently, Nimrod attempted to enter the Second Layer Space.

With a thought, he instantly crossed the invisible barrier and arrived in the Second Layer Space.

Upon arriving in the Second Layer Space, Nimrod immediately sensed the difference in this layer.

This layer of space existed between the first layer and another illusory space, appearing both void and real.

[What is the purpose of this space's existence?

The illusory side represents the shadow of order; the First Layer Space is something I cannot change, representing the utilization of rules.]

Nimrod looked around, related concepts emerging in his mind.

["Kingdom of Disorder," "Black Emperor."

Order, shadow, rules.

Utilization, breaking.]

Nimrod's black eyes brightened. With a thought, an illusory palace instantly transformed into a pool of spring water.

He immediately felt his spirituality plummeting, nearing exhaustion. His face turned slightly pale, and with a flash, he arrived before the spring.

Compared to the previous illusion-like state, the spring shaped according to his will felt far more real.

The spring water was clear to the bottom, flowing over the rocks with a pleasant tinkling sound that refreshed the mind and spirit.

[As expected, breaking the rules and reshaping things according to a will favorable to oneself works.]

He pondered how to utilize the Second Layer Space; he could conquer worlds in the outside realm and build factories or other structures according to his will, but doing the same here would be a waste.

Nimrod's eyes suddenly lit up as he thought of the best way to utilize this place—cultivating magical potion materials.

Creatures like the Hive Giant Rat were too common and held no value for cultivation.

However, creatures like the Chem-Dog and the Millipede Snake were worth cultivating, and the Prism Magic Worm was even more so.

If he could cultivate those biological potion materials here, even if they could not reproduce, it would at least further reduce the risk of his potion formulas being discovered by others; even if The Four Ruinous Powers were bored enough to spy on him, they would remain none the wiser.

[Moreover, cultivating Beyonders would also be more convenient. For instance, I have already decided to train Maria Kournikova as an "Assassin," but because I hadn't decided earlier, I didn't bring a Millipede Snake and can only wait until I return to Vostonia.]

He thought of the spirituality he had consumed, and a wry smile appeared on his face.

[This is destined to be a long process, but having the ability is always better than having no opportunity at all.]

Nimrod immediately returned to the real world. After a moment of thought, he decided to bring the data crystals and other materials of the Flao back to the Kingdom of Disorder to study them slowly.

If it were an ordinary Beyonder, their spirituality would be exhausted, and even moving would feel strenuous, but as a Primarch, he only felt slightly uncomfortable.

The Flao had a profound understanding of the numerous star systems in the Segmentum Obscurus, and this knowledge could play a huge role in his future expansion.

Although he only grasped a small portion of the Flao language, as a Primarch, deciphering the text would not be difficult.

Furthermore, he could also cultivate "Readers."

Thinking of it, he acted on it. Nimrod immediately sprang into action, bringing all the materials he could collect back to the Kingdom of Disorder, filling an entire palace with them.

Shortly after, he received a message and arrived at the bridge to listen to the briefing.

Thanks to "Qie Gua Shi Ge Zi" for the tip!