Another Fulgrim

"Etc!"

Almost at the same moment that the Laerda uttered those words, Kasgar reached out and stopped Trazyn from putting the Laerda into his pocket.

"Lend it to me for a moment," Kasgar said, his expression calm as if he hadn't felt a single emotion.

"You have one minute to tell me why you said that."

He stared at the Laerda that had been blaring just moments before. "If you say this is just to avoid being added to a collection, I'll annihilate you right now!"

"So where is Fulgrim now?!"

"Right there." The Laerda could see the constantly flickering, leaping golden-red flames in the opponent's eyes.

"Right here! I, I am Fulgrim."

". hey-hey."

Seemingly to cover up its embarrassment at saying this, the Laerda even gave a couple of nonchalant chuckles at the end.

Kasgar: "."

The Laerda made him laugh in anger.

Sometimes, when people are so angry that they are speechless, they will laugh.

Bear!

The next moment, burning Psychic Flame instantly covered the entire slender blade.

Let's just break this sword.

How dare they try to deceive me with such information, and even insult Fulgrim!

If only I had known, I should have burned this guy to ashes in the temple back then!

"Friend, according to the cooperation agreement, this is my collection."

Trazyn tried to stop the other party from melting the Laerda into scrap metal, but ultimately withdrew his hand.

However, seeing that the human's emotions seemed to be in an extremely unstable state, after thinking for a moment, Trazyn finally decided not to provoke the other party any further.

Go ahead and cause trouble, you living dad.

Who can out-argue you?

"Still no effect?"

Kasgar pulled the flames away from it with some confusion.

If he was previously unable to completely eliminate it due to his own lack of strength, now an inextinguishable fire has been ignited in his heart, and his current Psychic Power is in no way inferior to Magnus's.

(And most importantly, Kasgar is smarter than him.)

Faced with a creature from the Warp, his flames should theoretically have 100% power to completely wipe a Greater Daemon from this world.

But the reality is that no matter how much Kasgar burned the Laerda, the demon residing within it remained unaffected.

"Laerda? What's going on?"

He swung the slender blade, but clearly, there was no response from the other party.

But in the next moment, a hazy purple mist gushed out from the sword.

"Kasgar, do you know why I've never shown you my true form?"

"Because you don't have any original self, you just parasitize others?"

"."

The mist gradually solidified before Kasgar's eyes, forming a physical entity—a humanoid figure with cascading, silvery-white, luxurious hair and a magnificent, vibrant purple-gold upper body armor, which, combined with her serpentine lower body, created an appearance of unparalleled nobility.

As for her face, it was a face that Kasgar knew all too well.

"This is."

Kasgar's eyes widened in shock at that moment.

Fulgrim?

Not just Fulgrim, but Fulgrim in snake form!

That's clearly the form one would have after being corrupted by Slaanesh!

How could this Laerda possibly contain Fulgrim in her corrupted form by Slaanesh?

If what it says is true, then wouldn't that mean that Fulgrim really was abducted by Chaos, just as it claims?

No!

Impossible!

The scene that unfolded before him was enough to leave him stunned for several seconds before he came to his senses.

Then, in the next instant, raging flames engulfed Kasgar itself.

He would eradicate all these illusions—whether corrupted or not, Kasgar would not easily let go of the Laerda demon that dared to display the scene Kasgar feared most at this moment!

This is absolutely an illusion created by that Laerda to gain my trust!

You Laerda, you'd actually pretend to be Fulgrim just to save your own life!

"I don't believe it!"

"You demon, show me your true form!"

Quickly snapping out of his daze, Kasgar shook his head and used Psychic Flame to cleanse himself of any potential charm or other negative effects.

Clearly, as a former Slaaneshi Daemon, the Laerda possesses an inherent allure for seducing people.

But clearly, this couldn't fool the Hero Kasgar!

How could he be fooled by such a petty trick!

Bear!

However, despite the continued burning of the flames, the illusion of "Fulgrim" not only did not disappear, but instead twisted and coiled around Kasgar in a serpentine form.

Unpurified by Kasgar's Psychic Flame, the demonic entity within that Laerda was actually able to resist this power that traced back to its origin!

"Don't come any closer!!!"

"Kasgar, you kept telling me not to come any closer, but what's wrong with your mind?"

Exist

"Well."

Then, "Fulgrim" sighed softly and gently placed her hand on Kasgar's helmet.

Let me tell you the reason behind all of this.

Is the Laerda actually Fulgrim?

It is, but it isn't.

Or rather, her birth originated from Fulgrim.

In the original timeline, after the Laerda seduced Fulgrim to kill Ferrus and manipulated his body, no one knew its true name or what abilities it possessed within the Slaanesh faction.

This is clearly illogical.

That was the greatest contributor to the tragic outcome of Horus Heresy, its merits comparable to...

It's no exaggeration to say that the Laerda changed the original plot, allowing Isstvan V to directly overpower Fauci with a relentless hammer blow.

Such ferocious Iron Hands —besides these ten thousand, there are hundreds of thousands more!?

If it weren't for the Laerda's power that ultimately led to the death of one Primarch and the fall of the other, Isstvan V would have already been the scene of the final battle of the Horus Heresy.

Or perhaps Fulgrim never fell into evil, and in the end, he and Fethulhu were directly defeated by Horus, who was empowered by the Four Gods, on the Istvaan III.

With such a brilliant record, even the Chaos Gods would favor him greatly.

A Greater Daemon capable of tempting the Primarch corruption could not possibly be so disliked by the Chaos Gods, and ultimately disappear from this world without even a name.

A comparison will make it clear—even if Lucius's chosen one, Lucius, could be killed by stepping on a Slaanesh, Slaanesh would still resurrect him without holding a grudge.

How did it ultimately disappear without a trace, its name unknown, never to appear in the world again?

Therefore, there is only one possibility.

The demon residing within the Laerda has never been Greater Daemon Slaanesh any other strange creature.

That is Fugrim himself.

Or rather, its existence stems from Fugrim's own arrogance and the inferiority complex hidden beneath that arrogance.

From the moment the Primarch joined the Great Crusade, she bore an unbearable burden of pressure.

As the only legion among all legions qualified to wear the Aquila Emblem, Fulgrim firmly believed he could do it perfectly, cultivating the Emperor's Children Legion into the most perfect, powerful, and enviable legion.

But clearly, this is impossible.

Moreover, Fulgrim's so-called perfection does not exist in the Great Crusade.

Suffering from a kind of schizophrenic illness, Fulgrim split himself into two beings—one being the seemingly perfect Violet Court Phoenix in front of everyone, a symbol of striving for perfection even when imperfect.

Secondly, he feared and resented the exhaustion and hardship that came with pursuing perfection, and had a self-destructive desire to completely abandon it all.

The whisper in his ear was not from the demon residing within the Laerda, but from himself.

After killing Ferrus, he chose to escape everything, numbing all his senses through indulgence.

Primarch Fulgrim's choice.

From the moment it was born in the Warp, the first thing it sensed came from the Ravens, a race that worshipped Slaanesh (although Slaanesh had not yet been born at that time), and in their ritual, it possessed this blade imbued with Slaanesh's blessing, waiting for a certain moment in the future.

The true owner of the Laerda will pull it from its seal.

In the Warp, proof is eternal. Although neither the Laerda nor the Slaanesh were ever born, their power has already transcended time and space, being imbued into this blade.

"But... that's not right!"

Kasgar's expression suddenly became agitated. "Then your birth means that Fulgrim is destined to fall into corruption, and I can't save her?"

That was indeed the case before.

According to the Emperor's design, it might be more worthwhile to use the Emperor's Children Legion, who value honor but are extremely proud, as a bargaining chip compared to the Iron Hands, which possesses powerful firepower and dark technology.

In the end, even if the Sons of the Emperor manage to escape unscathed from the Horus Heresy, their fate will still be to be corrupted and degraded by the hedonism that permeates the legions.

Even though the loyal Iron Hands were so obsessed that they replaced their entire bodies with machinery to create the only pure vegan Dreadnought in the entire Chapter (without flesh inside), their strikes against humanity's enemies were never insignificant.

His burning desire for revenge against the Primarch can even unleash his most powerful fighting abilities.

But the arrival of Kasgar broke this established deal between the Chaos Gods and the Emperor.

This predetermined outcome was forcibly disrupted by the intrusion of a higher-dimensional being, namely Kasgar.

With Kasgar, whom Fulgrim always held dear, her Great Crusade, though tedious and fraught with setbacks, ultimately led her to become a glorious Imperium Warmaster, and the Emperor's Children Legion became the most perfect legion (at least for the time being).

No matter how hard or tiring the Great Crusade was, the thought of giving up never crossed their minds.

She would persevere for Kasgar.

Kasgar, of course, wouldn't trade his own Fulgrim with anyone.

He chose to believe in himself, and with his power, which was in no way comparable to any Primarch, he forcibly reversed the course of the Horus Heresy.

Perhaps they didn't succeed completely in the end, but from that moment on, Fulgrim resolved never to give up again and to work hard together with Kasgar toward the future.

Because that was their [agreement].

"So, who exactly are you? And where is Fulgrim right now?"

"Perhaps you are still worried about Fulgrim's whereabouts, but I can assure you."

Seeing Kasgar's low spirits, the Laerda seemed to feel sorry for him and said, "While your beloved Fulgrim herself isn't in the best condition right now, she hasn't been corrupted by any power."

Call.

Kasgar was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"But Fulgrim didn't fall as planned, so where did you come from?"

"Now that Fulgrim hasn't been consumed by Slaanesh, you should theoretically cease to exist?"

"That little bit..."

"If you want an explanation, I can explain it."

"This is what Fulgrim, in his guise as the piercing Laerda, said."

Although Fulgrim has overcome her excessive obsession with perfection with Kasgar's help this time, she has fallen into a different kind of predicament.

"Kasgar!"

"Have you forgotten what you did during the Great Crusade?!"

"Huh? Me?"

"That's right, it's you!"

The "Fulgrim," transformed from the Laerda, approached Kasgar.

Her already perfect face became even more alluring and beautiful under the influence of Slaanesh (completely different from that ugly 40K pawn!), and the serpentine body that gradually coiled around her caused Kasgar a strange restlessness.

"While you were busy running around during the Great Crusade, did you ever consider that she might be unhappy?"

As he spoke, a hint of resentment crept into the voice of the Laerda, as if Fulgrim were truly speaking to Kasgar.

"You have too many women around you!"

That swordswoman Aqua!

And there's also the Apothecary, Melusine!

And Primarch Philus!!

And Angel!

She Angel, even more perfect Fulgrim. Even Fulgrim, who had always considered herself the most beautiful woman in the world, felt inferior for the second time!

(The first time was with the Emperor)

(Can men be this beautiful?)

Even the perfect Angel often seek out Kasgar to fix the Legion's genetic defects!

Who knows how she and Kasgar resolved their "genetic defect"!

Although Fulgrim knew about Kasgar's Psychic Flame, she couldn't help but think about it in detail.

During the Great Crusade, Fulgrim could only watch as Kasgar urged him to travel between the various legions.

After visiting Philus, she went to the Angel, then to the other male Primarch, and barely had any time to spend with her Fulgrim.

--She's like an incompetent husband.

Although Fulgrim will no longer feel the agonizing urge to self-destruct due to stress, she will still be displeased by Kasgar's friendships with other female Primarch and their offspring (?).

Then I kept it inside.

Jealousy, unease, and an inferiority complex lurking beneath pride, along with the constant fear of losing Kasgar, were all gnawing at Fulgrim's heart.

Until the very end, just before Kasgar was about to explode in the battle with Horus, she was teleported away by Curze's Psychic Power. In the fear of losing Kasgar, the fear and pain in her heart resonated in the Warp.

The Laerda was born at this moment.

"Only at the moment of its complete birth will I know the ins and outs of all this."

"Fulgrim" concluded.

"Although I am not Fulgrim herself, I can assist you in finding her as you travel the world, aided by my senses."

"Kasgar, would you be willing to take me in now?"

"."

He fell silent.

Although the sight of the snake-like Fulgrim form put Kasgar on high alert, he couldn't muster any anger even if he wanted to when faced with such a stunningly beautiful face that was among the most beautiful in the entire universe.

Although his ten thousand years of time were but a fleeting moment in the Stasis Field, and although Kasgar knew that humanity was in imminent danger when he awoke, his first priority was to find a way to save the Imperium of Man.

But.

"Well."

"Come with me."

With a gasp from the other party, Kasgar grabbed the floating phantom "Fulgrim" and pulled it back to his side.

"Why are you so rough? But I like it too."

"Because you are not Fulgrim, you are just a negative emotion of hers."

Kasgar seemed to have calmed down. Facing the Laerda that seemed somewhat unafraid of him, he said unhappily, "I'm not going to tell you anything. Once I find Fulgrim, I'll wipe you out completely. Don't even think about trying to seduce me with your Slaanesh- infused moves, understand?"

"Whee."

"Okay, okay, but I'm still part of the Fulgrim, you know. Let Mommy give you a good sniff~"

"Stay away from me!"

"Sorry, Trazyn, this one is mine too. You should find something else good to add to your collection."

Trazyn: "."

Wonderful.

Seeing such a rare sight, even his old metal bones seemed to have become thousands of years younger.

"The spoils are divided, my friend, I should be leaving."

Looking at the now sparsely populated Blood Ravens Relic Vault, the two cosmic thieves exchanged a smile.

Both Kasgar and Trazyn returned home laden with spoils after their trip.

An atmosphere of mutual respect arose between the two like-minded individuals.

"Remember my words—if any good relics come along in the future, I will exchange them with you for that shipload of gene seeds with Sword Saint Aqua."

"Goodbye."

As Trazyn weaved a ghostly green teleportation rift before his eyes with his staff and stepped out, only Kasgar remained in the entire space.

--If we don't count the Laerda.

"He's gone now," Kasgar said to the Laerda in his hand after the other man had completely left.

"Now, tell me how to find Fulgrim."

"Although I can sense Fulgrim's presence, this sense is still too weak—I cannot pinpoint her exact location at the moment."

"I can feel that at the moment of my birth, there were many more fragments of emotion scattered throughout this world, just like me."

(Like Old Man Huang?)

"Then what should I do?"

"That's for sure--"

The Laerda paused for a moment. Since she awakened and recognized her true identity, she seemed to have become much more lively.

"Her favorite person is naturally you—to find those fragments, the most likely places are the places you two experienced together; she's most likely to linger in those places..."

In other words, Kasgar needs to retrace the path of the previous Great Crusade and search for everything related to Fulgrim along the way.

"It's not entirely hopeless."

"Perfect timing, my Sons of the Phoenix can be considered to be in its initial stages of completion."

Kasgar felt a surge of pride. "Where do we go for our first step?"

Now that the Sons of the Phoenix has completed the initial preparations for all aspects of the Chapter, including weapons, equipment, personnel, fleet, and logistics, it's time to engage in some small-scale battles.

The first step, of course, is to find the largest piece.

"As for where exactly Fulgrim's greatest worry and inferiority lies, you know without me saying, don't you?"

Kasgar nodded.

Besides the Angel Sanguinius, Kasgar couldn't think of a second candidate.

As for where the Angel are, that's naturally where they're being attacked by the Tyranid swarm.

"Baal II."