Drink Up, Lucius

After undergoing a series of comprehensive physical examinations, Kasgar was returned to the Emperor's Children Legion's recruit camp.

The Space Marine augmentation process usually lasted five to ten years.

During that time, recruits were generally assigned to the Legion's scout companies and took on reconnaissance-related duties.

Only after completing the final procedure—the implantation of the black carapace—would recruits receive the power armor that would accompany them for life, barring the unlucky ones who ended up in a Dreadnought, and become full-fledged Space Marines.

Each Legion trained its recruits differently and for varying lengths of time. The Emperor's Children Legion, in pursuit of absolute perfection, extended its training period even further than most Legions.

In addition to the essential training required of ordinary Space Marines, study on Mars, court etiquette, art, painting, and more were compulsory subjects for every Son of the Emperor.

Only once every recruit had received sufficient training, only once each of them could do everything perfectly, would they be granted the duty of becoming a true Son of the Emperor.

Furthermore, the entire Legion was severely depleted, with very few veterans remaining, so the Emperor did not place excessive performance pressure on them.

This allowed the Third Legion to remain safely in the rear and complete the preparations required for the expedition.

Thus, before Kasgar could formally enter battle, he still had to continue his training.

"Keep it up, Lucius."

"You're so lucky. You get to enjoy our master's perfect cooking. I'm just—so jealous of you."

"Jealous my ass!"

Lucius was furious.

Though he cursed, the sword in his hand did not dare pause for even a moment.

The recruit across from him, meticulously swinging a training sword, was the new disciple of Sword Saint Aqua, a newcomer of Terran descent.

Saul Tarvitz.

Lucius disliked him greatly.

Perhaps it was more accurate to say he envied him.

Still, compared to that guy Kasgar, Saul was far more pleasing to the eye.

Comparison was what revealed Saul Tarvitz's value.

"Who was it that shouted he absolutely had to win just now? Huh?"

"If you want to eat it so badly, go eat it yourself—!"

Smack!

Just as he was about to argue with Kasgar, Saul spotted an opening and brought his sword down squarely upon Lucius's shoulder.

"My apologies."

Saul Tarvitz's expression remained unchanged, and he showed little excitement at defeating his opponent.

He merely stepped back a few paces and let out a quiet breath, grateful that he had escaped the tragic fate of Aqua's dinner.

"Drink up, Lucius."

"This is your—fate."

Kasgar smiled as he handed him a cup of liquid glowing with an eerie green light.

"W-What is this?"

"Space Marine Nutrient Porridge. It helps with your recovery and growth."

Sword Saint Aqua neither confirmed nor denied it.

"Drink it quickly. Tell me how it feels afterward so I can improve the recipe."

Lucius wore a bitter expression.

He cautiously leaned closer and took a sniff.

Then his originally handsome face twisted into a pained knot.

He was only a recruit, but Nutrient Porridge was not supposed to glow green, was it?

Huh?

"Not being disturbed by external factors is the prerequisite for becoming a qualified gladiator."

Aqua spoke impatiently, apparently very dissatisfied with Lucius's performance just now.

"A bet is a bet, Lucius."

Lucius took the cup with trembling hands. He looked once more at the thick liquid radiating that strange green glow, then raised his head to look at Sword Saint Aqua.

But unfortunately, he could not find even a trace of pity in her eyes.

Today, he was doomed.

"Fine! I'll drink it!"

With the courage of a man facing death, he poured the entire cup of liquid down his throat in one go!

"Ugh, ugh, ugh..."

"Urgh... aargh—"

".Ah."

His eyes immediately rolled back, his limbs stiffened, and he collapsed to the ground, wriggling a few times like a maggot.

He was dead.

"Stop pretending. Get up and continue training."

Aqua irritably kicked Lucius, who lay on the ground without any sign of life.

"If you don't get up within three seconds, you'll have to drink it again tomorrow."

Upon hearing that, Lucius instantly sprang into the air and landed on his feet at astonishing speed.

A standard military stance, resolute eyes.

And fear of tomorrow's miserable fate drove him back to life so he could continue serving the Emperor!

During the three months of Kasgar's augmentation, such fights and farces had constantly played out between the recruits Saul and Lucius.

Saul was equally gifted with the sword, yet he was someone who disliked drawing attention to himself.

But under his mentor Aqua's threat of dinner, he had no choice but to bring out his true skill against Lucius.

Winning brought no reward, but losing brought punishment.

As a result, in their contests, Lucius lost far more often than he won.

That continued until Kasgar completed part of his augmentation and returned to Aqua to continue his training.

After his augmentation, Lucius eagerly rubbed his hands together, intending to recover the dignity he had lost to Kasgar before.

Fine, he could not beat Saul Tarvitz, but surely he could beat Kasgar?

But unfortunately, he truly could not beat Kasgar either.

The Emperor's special augmentation of Kasgar seemed to have made him faster and stronger than ordinary Space Marines.

Though he was still a Space Marine with two hearts and three lungs, his actual combat metrics were already not far behind those of a newly made Adeptus Custodes.

Written as Space Marine, read as Adeptus Custodes.

Lucius had already struggled greatly against Kasgar before. Now, when facing him, he had completely lost any chance to strike back.

This was unfair!

Lucius had wanted to shout that.

But having just downed a huge cup of "Nutrient Porridge," he seemed to have little strength left to shout.

"Saul, Lucius, rest for a while. Leave the arena to Kasgar and me."

"The three of you are all talented. Watch the changes in our sword techniques carefully. As for the rest, you'll have to comprehend it yourselves."

As Aqua spoke, she leaped onto the training cage.

"Come up, Kasgar."

"Let me see how much you've improved these days."

"Alright."

Kasgar nodded with a smile and leaped into the ring.

Sword strikes like a gale erupted around the two of them, accompanied by a crisp, pleasant clatter.

Even though Saul and Lucius were both swordsmanship prodigies, the techniques of the two before them still left their eyes dazzled.

The stalemate continued until, half a minute later, Aqua knocked Kasgar to the ground with a single strike.

Half a minute.

Seeing this, Saul and Lucius could not help narrowing their eyes.

Even if their instructor had held back somewhat, lasting half a minute against Sword Saint Aqua Duna meant that, in terms of combat ability, Kasgar already possessed the qualifications to become a company captain.

An incompletely augmented recruit could already achieve such a feat. Once he completed all his augmentations and his swordsmanship improved further...

How terrifying would his combat ability become?

"Continue?"

Aqua raised her head and asked with her sword held aloft.

"Continue."

Kasgar, fallen on the ground, showed no sign of defeat in his eyes—only endless fighting spirit.

To be able to fight at full strength against the strongest Sword Saint of the Great Crusade, even if he had to eat her cooking, it was still more than worth it!

"Good."

Though she was cold, she still revealed a rare smile.

Deep within the Imperial Palace.

A hunched old man in a flax-colored robe walked through the magnificent marble halls, the tapping of his Psychic Power staff echoing continuously across the floor.

The old man found him.

"My lord."

"Forgive my bluntness, but during these days of observing Number Twenty-One, I have not discovered even the slightest Psychic Power talent in him."

He had not sensed anything particularly remarkable from Kasgar.

Could he have mistaken the person?

"That is normal. Do not worry, my friend."

"Before his true awakening, his potential will continue accumulating like a volcano."

"And when will this volcano erupt, my lord?"

"Perhaps soon. Perhaps never."

He answered.

"Just as that boy Horus awakened from a street thug into a primarch in an instant, if he wishes to truly unleash his strength, he still needs..."

"An opportunity. A moment of realization."

"Ah, that hurts so good..."

After a day of thoroughly satisfying training, Kasgar strolled leisurely toward his room.

"Hm? What's this?"

At the base of his right thumb, there seemed to be an extra fine golden-red crack that had not been there before.