Reality Ascension

As Rowan's words fell, everyone reacted differently.

Lucia believed Rowan's words almost immediately, unable to suppress the joy spreading across her face.

As if she had anticipated it all along, Sibyl showed no particular reaction.

As for Leonardo, when he heard this news that sounded like a fairy tale, his first reaction was sheer disbelief.

If the foul creatures of the Warp could be dealt with so easily, and eradicated root and branch, how could they still be causing endless harm to the Imperium of Man?

But soon, Leonardo seemed to think of something, and the suspicion on his face gradually faded as he fell into contemplation.

Earlier, the Warp Demon possessing the Chaos Space Marine had reacted violently when faced with death by plasma.

And just now, that Slaaneshi Daemon Prince had even shown signs of attempting suicide rather than dying at Rowan's hands.

This way... it seemed there was indeed evidence to support it.

"You... have the ability to completely annihilate demons?"

Speaking with difficulty, Leonardo coughed a few times.

Though his body was still corroded by Slaanesh Venom, a torment that would test even the will of an Adeptus Custodes, he still managed to force out these words.

"Naturally. I think that's obvious."

Rowan said, his gaze sweeping over Leonardo and Lucia as his mind stirred slightly.

The next moment, the wounds and corrosive curses on both of them vanished as if time had reversed.

Freed from the burden of exhaustion and injury, Leonardo's superhuman mind immediately sharpened, and many previously overlooked details coalesced and surfaced in his thoughts.

"Lord Rowan, based on the previous battle, may I understand..."

He chose his words carefully, his tone cautious, "that you need to obtain souls through killing to enhance your abilities?"

"Correct."

Given the clear display just now, this was something that couldn't be hidden, and Rowan had long been prepared for it, admitting it openly.

Since advancing to Tier 3 Reality Warper, his confidence had grown considerably.

Hearing Rowan's words, the other three exchanged glances, a strange feeling rising in their hearts simultaneously.

Needing a massive number of souls... wasn't that just like the Chaos Gods?

The moment this thought surfaced, the three, with their extensive experience fighting Chaos, immediately associated it with many ominous things—like "Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne" and other blasphemous concepts.

However, these thoughts didn't linger long in their minds before being quickly dispelled.

"The Divine Emperor/Emperor/My Lord has His own considerations. There must be profound meaning in it. We need only follow."

After a moment, it was Sibyl who spoke, asking a key question:

"Has your growth now reached its limit?"

Rowan shook his head. "Not at all. I've only just barely satisfied the requirements for one advancement, but the next stage will be even more demanding."

"How many souls?"

"...About ten billion."

Rowan focused his perception briefly, then answered seriously, "It requires the consumption of ten billion human souls."

Noticing the subtle and strange expressions on the three faces, he immediately emphasized, "Yes, I mean souls equivalent to ten billion ordinary humans. No other special requirements. And it doesn't have to be humans alone—Xenos or demon souls work just as well."

"That... isn't that requirement too simple?"

Even Sibyl, who called herself a Puritan Inquisitor, was greatly tempted by this and pressed further, "Do you mean that sacrificing ten billion souls would allow someone with combat power already near the Primarch level to keep growing stronger?"

It was like having a red button right in front of them.

Press it, and ten billion Imperial citizens vanish. Reward: one Loyalist Primarch returns.

For any Imperial—be they Astartes, Battle Sister, or Inquisitor—the thought would be, "I'd smash that button without hesitation."

Not pressing it would mean you weren't truly Imperial.

"No, don't get too excited."

Rowan shook his head, pouring cold water on the idea. "For me to complete the next stage of advancement, besides the soul count, there's another very troublesome condition. I'm a bit stumped by it."

"What condition?"

Everyone's hearts tightened.

"Ten billion souls really isn't that hard."

Rowan explained, "Just finishing off that Slaaneshi Daemon Prince earlier gave me souls equivalent to a hundred million people. If I go support a few larger battlefields, gathering the remaining amount shouldn't be too difficult."

"But the other requirement isn't so simple."

He shifted his tone, "For the next advancement, I also need to obtain something—Authority."

Sibyl, Leonardo, and Lucia exchanged blank looks, clearly not understanding the true meaning of this.

What exactly was Authority?

"Enough. I have my own plans for this matter—you need not concern yourselves."

Rowan sighed and spoke.

If the process of elevating his Reality Warping Ability from Tier 1 to Tier 3 could be called a [Completion], then the path ahead should be termed [Reality Ascension].

In Foundation terminology, [Ascension] refers to the process of transitioning from the mortal realm to the divine. To reach the level of a Tier 4 Reality Warper, indistinguishable from a living god, Rowan must obtain an [Authority]—a power tied to divinity. (Note)

But of course, in the richly endowed world of Warhammer, Rowan deduced from his past knowledge and observations that there were roughly two avenues to pursue:

One was the Warp, and the other was the material world.

For instance, a Warp Minor God—including the Warp essence of a Primarch—or a material-world deity, such as a C'tan Shard, both fell within the realm of possibility. As long as he could acquire one, the path to ascension would be unimpeded.

In Rowan's view, if he were truly in a rush to ascend, the simplest and most brutal method would be to head straight to Macragge in the Ultima Segmentum, find the local tourist attraction—that Blue Man who had been sleeping peacefully in a Stasis Field for ten thousand years, the Thirteenth Legion's Primarch Roboute Guilliman—and stab him dead.

Of course, that was the worst of the worst options, and Rowan had virtually no intention of choosing it.

After mulling it over briefly, he soon recalled a future war between the Imperium of Man and the Necrons.

925.M41, the War of the World Engine.

The C'tan Shard, the World Shaper "Igraniah."