After ordering Szczesny to reorganize the 4th Regiment, Nimrod slipped out of everyone's sight and returned to the "Nation of Disorder."
He confirmed once more that the Rodent Octopus's ink sac was not among the potion ingredients unlocked on the Blasphemy Slate.
The potion formulas for Sequence 9 and Sequence 8 had all been unlocked, but for Sequence 7, only the "Briber" and the adjacent Pathway's "Interrogator" were available to view.
After placing the ink sac alone in a palace within the first layer of the real world, Nimrod fell into thought based on his understanding of potion ingredients.
[The higher the grade of a potion ingredient, the greater the spirituality it usually contains, and the harder it is to acquire.
The Flao's Night Fragment was clearly more difficult to obtain than a Lung Spider's lung sac.
The Rodent Octopus's ink sac contained more spirituality and was also harder to obtain. It should be a Mid-Sequence potion ingredient, and the first Mid-Sequence material I have acquired.]
Sequence 9, Sequence 8, and Sequence 7 Beyonders belonged to the low sequences, while Sequence 6 and Sequence 5 were Mid-Sequence.
Nimrod stared at the ink sac and continued his analysis.
[The ingredients required by potion formulas seemed to contain some underlying logic.
The "Barbarian" required an Ogryn's arm, which was the most obvious example. The gavel required by the "Arbiter" was related to the same principle, and the Siren Stone needed by the "Sailor" was likewise connected to water.
For those that were not obvious, I simply had not yet discovered their underlying logic. As for the source of the spirituality within potion ingredients, I still could not determine where it came from.]
He turned and walked out of the palace. [Based on this, the ink sac came from the ocean and should be a potion ingredient for the "Tyrant" Pathway, where the "Sailor" belongs.]
After returning to the real world, Nimrod summoned everyone to hear their reports.
"My king, a total of one hundred and seventeen veterans have died, along with twenty-seven recruits."
Szczesny gloomily finished his report first. His regiment had suffered heavy losses because of a single sea monster, leaving him utterly frustrated. He had wanted nothing more than to hack it into eight pieces, but that female Shaman had stopped him.
At that moment, Malena stepped forward.
"I have a suggestion that could allow you to win the Sicilians' loyalty in a short time."
"Oh?" Nimrod became interested. "Speak."
"Zhangya has caused countless Sicilian deaths. If you send Trinio to carry a portion of its body and spread word of your achievements among the tribes, you will win their loyalty."
"There is no second Rodent Octopus in the Coral Sea with such a massive body."
"In that case, we will proceed according to your suggestion."
Nimrod accepted Malena's proposal. To him, the only loss was a little meat.
"My lord, I request to carry it out myself."
The moment Szczesny heard this, he immediately made his request. The lingering irritation he had felt toward the female Shaman vanished as well.
"Leave it to you."
After Nimrod granted Szczesny's request, he immediately went to the shore and dismembered Zhangya.
Its tentacles were cut off one by one, and its head was divided into seven separate pieces.
Malena's suggestion proved effective. After the 4th Regiment killed the Flao invaders on the islands, the Trinio people displayed Zhangya's body parts and told the story of Nimrod descending from the sky to kill the overlord of the Coral Sea. The Sicilian tribes gladly joined them.
The Sea Guards all requested to join Nimrod's command, and the 4th Regiment continued to follow the selection standards Szczesny had established earlier.
Two stellar days later, the 4th Regiment had been brought back to full strength.
After Szczesny reported this to Nimrod, he received orders to continue recruiting Sea Guards without any limit.
Just as the conquest of the Cradle of the Sea was advancing rapidly, Nimrod received a communication from Rosicky.
"King Nimrod, a rebellion has broken out in Vostonia. Mutants from more than thirteen Hive Cities have launched attacks on the Hive Cities."
"Rebellions have also broken out in the Lukpo and Tezwork under your control."
Nimrod frowned slightly. There had been no signs of a Mutant rebellion when he left, and he instinctively sensed that some force was pushing matters from behind the scenes.
"How large is the rebellion?"
"Regrettably, we do not yet have detailed intelligence. I suggest that you return to Vostonia immediately."
Nimrod fell into thought.
[Most of the Flao in the Cradle of the Sea have already been cleared out. Szczesny and his Warriors are enough to handle the remaining few xenos.]
His black eyes gleamed as he realized this was an opportunity.
[A Mutant rebellion is also a fine opportunity for me to conquer Vostonia.]
With that thought, he immediately made his decision.
Three stellar hours later, Nimrod summoned everyone for a meeting. After hearing reports on their progress, he issued his orders.
"Szczesny, you will temporarily command all armed forces in the Cradle of the Sea. Your mission is to continue conquering every Sicilian tribe and kill all invading xenos."
"My lord, I will certainly complete your mission."
"Regarding the task I assigned you earlier, do any of your subordinates have talent?"
Szczesny had prepared for this. "My lord, the thoughts of those Iron Warriors have been distorted by that Mad King. They are qualified Warriors, but they are not capable of standing on their own."
"Among the recruits I recruited locally, Jorginho is talented. During the conquest, he took part in battles on five islands and personally persuaded three Sicilian tribes to swear loyalty to you."
"In that case, have him follow me back to Vostonia after the meeting."
During the conquest, Nimrod had collected potion ingredients including Siren Stones and rapeseed, enough to cultivate "Sailors" and "Cultivators."
However, he would not casually turn just anyone into a Beyonder. An assessment was necessary.
Nimrod already had a preliminary plan for this. He could not personally assess every Beyonder from start to finish, especially after returning to the Imperium.
He decided to establish a recommendation system. Beyonders personally cultivated by him would recommend talented individuals to him, after which he would keep those people by his side for final observation.
"Vieri, your task is to rebuild Trani and restore its food production capacity as quickly as possible."
"By your command, my king."
Vieri respectfully accepted the order. After learning that Nimrod had slain Zhangya, the trace of dissatisfaction he had felt from being forced into submission disappeared completely. He now sincerely submitted to the godlike giant.
"Malena..."
Nimrod looked at the Shaman. Before he could speak, she spoke first.
"I wish to accompany you to Vostonia."
Nimrod had not expected Malena to make such a request, and he asked curiously.
"Why do you make this request?"
Malena's tea-brown eyes shimmered, and a look of yearning appeared on her face.
"I have long wished to travel to the sea of stars and see the world beyond."
"Now that I finally have the opportunity, I wish to follow you and serve you."
Nimrod nodded slightly. Malena was a powerful Psyker, even stronger than Thierry. Bringing her along would give him a capable subordinate, while removing this highly prestigious Shaman from the Cradle of the Sea would also allow Szczesny to control this world for him more effectively.
With that in mind, he spoke.
"Very well. You will leave with me."
After Nimrod returned to the Piszczek with Malena, Jorginho, and the others, he ordered it to set sail. He then returned to his quarters, entered the "Nation of Disorder," and prepared the "Savant" potion.
Several legion members have asked when Nimrod will return, so I will explain here.
First, I did not force the timing of his return to coincide with the release date, even though that would have improved the initial subscription numbers. Second, as for the plot of Volume One, there are still twelve plot points left to write. Once they are finished, he will return to the Imperium and begin Volume Two, "Great Crusade."
Note: not every plot point can be completed within a single chapter.
Let me explain my thoughts. Nimrod will not simply possess a cheat ability—the potion system and Primarch genes—and obtain everything while lying down. Before returning to the Imperium, he will establish a small state on the level of a Rogue Trader Dynasty.
GW has not clearly defined Rogue Trader Dynasties. Most of the Agamemnus Dynasty's assets were concentrated on a single ship, yet it was still called a dynasty.
My definition is possessing a powerful fleet and a self-sustaining world system.
A self-sustaining world system consists of an administrative planet, an agricultural world, an industrial world, and at least one type of economic world capable of generating enormous economic value.
Vostonia is an administrative planet and industrial world; the Cradle of the Sea is an agricultural world. Later, there will be Warp travel to seize an economic world in another star system.
I do not want to rely on genetic descendants to accomplish this. That would be too easy and would not reflect his own efforts.
Of course, after returning, he will send legions to conquer a large number of worlds.
Those familiar with the circumstances of the Primarchs' returns should know that no Primarch accomplished this, including Guilliman and Dorn.
Finally, I know that most readers hope for his return as soon as possible. I will appropriately speed up the pace, but I still need to finish the necessary plot points listed in my outline.
Volume One is expected to have seventy chapters in total, and the release will come after his return.
Before you continue