"Corruption" from the Emperor

Approximately three Terran hours later.

The first to return to the Bridge was the Adeptus Custodes.

"Apologies, Lord Rowan, but I bear grim tidings. This Strike Cruiser, by my assessment, has lost the ability to navigate the Warp."

Leonardo strode into the Bridge with long, swift steps, his Terminator Armor gleaming with golden light. "The Gellar Field and the Warp Engine have both been corroded by Chaos Heresy. When purified by Our Lord's glory, they suffered irreversible damage. Furthermore, most of the weapon systems are offline. Some Macro Cannons can still fire with enough manpower, but the multitude of point-defense guns that fused with the ship under the Warp's influence are largely useless."

"Very well."

Rowan accepted the news quickly.

He had already mentally prepared himself for this.

Even now, though Rowan could control the ship's Machine Spirit, that didn't mean the Strike Cruiser no longer needed a crew—some equipment still required human operation.

Rowan looked at Leonardo and asked, "Do you know how to repair or manufacture a Warp Engine? If so, I could draw from your memory and use my Reality Warping Ability to fix it."

"Apologies, Lord Rowan."

Leonardo shook his head. "Even though the Adeptus Custodes possess a broad knowledge base, I still do not understand how to construct a new Warp Engine or the structure of devices like the Gellar Field."

"Alright, I understand."

Rowan nodded. "So this ship now only has intra-system travel capability, roughly akin to a Chartist Fleet—unable to achieve faster-than-light travel."

"I have grasped the situation. Thank you for your help."

Leonardo glanced around the Bridge, hesitated for a moment, then still asked, "Lord Rowan, have you... manufactured all these weapons and equipment here?"

The moment the Custodes had entered the Bridge, he noticed the drastic change in the environment.

It was clear that Rowan hadn't spent these two hours doing nothing, simply waiting. Instead, he had used the time to renovate the Bridge space with his Reality Warping Ability—the traces of fierce battle were nearly invisible now.

In one corner of the Bridge, a multitude of various Astartes equipment sat quietly—including MK7 Artificer Power Armor, Cataphractii Terminator Armor, and even over a dozen Dreadnoughts.

Hearing this, Rowan smiled faintly, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes. "These are the 'handy little tools' we'll need next."

Seeing this, Leonardo understood that he could no longer dissuade him.

Now, though his time with this "human" who called himself Rowan—still shrouded in many mysteries—had not been long, he had come to know him somewhat.

This chosen one of Our Lord was highly opinionated and possessed rich combat experience. Though his appearance was no different from an ordinary mortal, seeming quite harmless, he was in truth exceptionally dangerous.

What was rare, Leonardo thought, was that Rowan also possessed astonishing wisdom and an endless stream of ideas, with an extremely open mind—a type rarely seen in the now-rigid Imperium.

And what was even harder to judge as good or bad was that his so-called Reality Warping Ability could bring every marvelous idea that sprang from his mind into reality.

Perhaps this was why Our Lord had chosen him to save the future of the Imperium of Man.

After waiting a while longer, Sibyl and Lucia returned together.

Following behind them as they entered the Bridge were a large number of Chaos Space Marines, suspended in the air by psychic force.

These Astartes had all been stripped of their Power Armor and weapons, bearing various mutilated and twisted marks. Most had fallen unconscious, and even the few who remained awake offered no resistance.

Rowan swept his gaze over them and counted.

—One hundred and thirty-three in total.

"These are all the heretics we successfully subdued. Some resisted too fiercely to be captured alive, so we executed them on the spot. As for our original ship, the situation is dire."

Sibyl spoke first, reporting: "I conducted a thorough search with psychic arts and found no other survivors. They all fell under the successive assaults of Xenos and heretics."

Rowan nodded, indicating he understood.

He walked toward the Chaos Astartes, who had just been set down and lay scattered haphazardly across the floor.

Fortunately, the Bridge was spacious enough to accommodate so many.

These Chaos Astartes lifted their heads to look at the approaching Rowan. Their appearances were utterly repulsive: pallid skin, twisted and mutated limbs, hollow black sockets for features, faces completely unlike humans—enough to inspire fear and disgust in anyone with a shred of sanity.

At that moment, those still awake began to speak, raising a cacophony of noise:

"Ha, the False Emperor's lapdog, since when did you grow so kind?"

"Hehe, you want us to serve you? Fine, just bring me pleasure... hahahaha..."

"The Lord of Pleasure above! Slaanesh above! Aaah!"

Even with their limbs tightly bound, some with arms and legs severed, they writhed together in a demonic frenzy, as if forgetting their current predicament.

Rowan said nothing, a faint look of pity in his eyes.

He drew the Solomon's Ceremonial Sword from his waist, activated his Reality Warping Ability, and channeled the Emperor's Holy Power contained within the blade.

In an instant, illusory Golden Flame rose up, enveloping all the Chaos Astartes.

One Chaos Astartes opened his eyes in confusion.

Then, like a tidal wave, memories flooded into his mind, and the psychological distortion wrought by Chaos Corruption was instantly dispelled.

He stared blankly around him, seeing only inhuman, twisted faces everywhere. From the pitch-black eye sockets of his former battle-brothers, he clearly saw his own fallen reflection, identical to theirs.

"No, no..."

A single tear slid slowly down his cheek. "In our pursuit of so-called 'perfection,' what kind of monsters have we become!"

As all the Astartes gradually regained consciousness, cries, shouts, and agonized screams rang through the Bridge.

Some could not bear the torment and guilt in their hearts, even resorting to slamming their skulls viciously against the Ceramite floor, seeking release.

"Heh, what a pack of foolish heretics."

As a Demon Inquisitor, Sibyl showed only disgust at the sight, her tone icy as she said, "Lord Rowan, I do not think this is a good idea."

"These heretics, fallen so deep, no longer deserve to bask in the glory of the Divine Emperor!"

Leonardo and Lucia said nothing, but their eyes subtly conveyed their displeasure.

After all, this scene was far too inconsistent with the extreme ideology of the Imperium of Man.

They all held to one principle: never try to understand the thoughts of a traitor, for thinking breeds heresy.

"...There will be a proper arrangement, I promise."

Rowan reassured his team, then stepped forward toward the crowd still caught in chaos.

"[Silence]!"

A single soft shout, carrying an invisible force, swept through everyone's thoughts like a gentle breeze, gradually calming them.

"Without a doubt, you have committed grave sins."

Rowan's voice was clear and powerful, echoing through the Bridge. "But I, Rowan, as the Emperor's Contractor, will give you a chance to atone. If you can find release in the endless battles ahead, you may return to the Golden Throne and let the Emperor judge your sins."

"You will receive no rewards or glory in battle from now on, no pleasure or leisure—only atonement, to save more humans and create greater benefits."

He paused briefly, pointing to the rows of power armor nearby:

"If you are willing, then stand up. These power suits will become your new prison."

Rowan's words struck with force, carving themselves like chisels into the hearts of every former Blissful Angels Chaos War Band Astartes.

In the end, they struggled to rise, supporting one another as they walked toward that array of power armor.