The Aging Lion, and the Misunderstanding of the Past!

The imposing presence of the First Lord of the Legion, Lion El'Jonson El-Jonson, was far beyond what the likes of Lorca could match.

In just a few seconds, Alvin felt the relief of surviving a near-death experience.

He wiped away the cold sweat and hurriedly retrieved the "medal" from his Personal Space, along with the medal awarded to him by Ultramarines Chapter Calgar on the Alert Star, Guilliman's documents, and later, in the Baal System...

A badge of friendship bestowed upon him by Dante, the Chapter Master!

Alvin brought out all of these things at once.

He was genuinely afraid that the old man, who had just woken up, might suddenly lose his mind and mistake him for one of Chaos's minions, blowing his head off. Then he'd have nowhere to turn to cry!

Expecting the Emperor to make the decisions?

That's even more impossible; he's someone else's own son!

The Lion King lowered his head, looking at the things Alvin had taken out. Although his face remained expressionless, the cold glint in his eyes gradually faded.

He didn't know Dante, nor did he know Calgar.

However, these medals, including Guilliman's documents, cannot be faked, which also proves that this human was carrying an important mission and was not Chaos Sorcerer.

"We'll talk about your matter later."

The Lion King's gaze was icy as he turned and walked toward Zabriel.

He could understand Alvin's situation, but Zabriel was different. He was one of the original members who followed Luther in the rebellion. If he had his reasons back then, the fact that he not only failed to repent immediately after meeting him, but also dared to pull out Bolter and shoot him, the Gene-Father, confirmed that Zabriel was a traitor!

"Traitor!" The Lion King glared at Zabriel, each step he took seeming to contain the rage accumulated over millennia, like a volcano about to erupt!

His gaze shifted downwards, landing on Zabriel. Seeing the insignia of the Dark Angels on the chest of his armor only fueled his rage. "You are unworthy to use the emblem of Deathwing! This is a defilement of the sacred Legion's mission!"

However, the Lion King's angry accusations seemed to have struck a raw nerve, a wound he desperately wanted to Zabriel. He roared at his former "father," "It was you! You abandoned us! You—you're the traitor!"

Metaphor!!!

These two words struck the Lion King to the core.

Even as the Primarch, he was enraged by these words, his pupils suddenly contracting sharply. If it weren't for his millennia of slumber giving him more self-control, he probably would have killed the other party the moment he uttered those words!

"It was you who destroyed our homeland with your own hands!" Zabriel roared hysterically, as if he had given up completely, as if he wanted to vent all the grievances, heartache, pain, resentment, and self-blame he had accumulated over the past ten thousand years in this one moment. "We have never forgotten our mission, nor have we ever dared to abandon the honor of the Legion, but it was you, it was you and that person, who personally destroyed the honor we built, destroyed our homeland!"

"What, what are you saying?!"

Even though the Lion King's brain could process information at a speed comparable to a supercomputer, he was still completely bewildered for a moment.

"Wasn't it you... who fired on my fleet first?"

"No, my father!" Zabriel bowed his head in anguish, his eyes bloodshot. "I—never betrayed the Imperium! It was you who attacked us without asking why, without even giving us a chance to explain. When Caliban exploded, we were thrown into the Warp vortex—for the past ten thousand years, we have borne the shameful name of Fallen Angel, and will never be forgiven!"

The Lion King was stunned.

This seems to be somewhat different from the "facts" he knew!

It was clearly his fleet that was attacked by the Caliban, which is why he ordered the attack. How did it become that they attacked first?

"No, you can't fool me, you traitor."

The Lion King's gaze hardened; he was convinced that Zabriel was a traitor, otherwise he would never have fired upon him.

He was about to take a step when a figure blocked his way.

"Wait, Lion King!"

It was Alvin, sweating profusely, who stood in front of the Lion King. Despite the veins bulging from the pain, he controlled his tone and said gently, "This is all a misunderstanding, including what happened with Caliban. Please calm down and let us explain, okay?"

"Get out of the way!"

However, the Lion King's response remained firm.

The events of that time are shrouded in too many mysteries. He knew very well that there were many suspicious points behind it, but --- Zabriel's attack on him was undoubtedly a rebellion!

"Lion King, I implore you, please calm down."

Alvin forced a smile and said, "I can explain it to you clearly. What happened on Caliban — Zabriel —really can't die!"

Zabirel, whose influence would later determine the major event of the reconquest of the Fallen Angel, and whose personal prestige among them...

It is by no means inferior to the Lion King.

If this crucial wedge is allowed to die, who knows what kind of upheaval it will trigger?!

This is also why Alvin risked his life to protect him.

The Lion King's gaze grew increasingly cold, and the surrounding atmosphere seemed to plummet to freezing point. But this unbearably oppressive atmosphere was suddenly broken!

The tribespeople, who had initially scattered in panic because of the Lion King, actually returned.

And they all stood in front of the Lion King.

"Bad, bad guy!"

"You are not allowed to harm the Guardian!"

"Bad guy! Bad guy!"

The very young children mustered their courage and looked directly at the Lion King resembled a majestic mountain peak.

At that moment, the Lion King was stunned.

Are these humans protecting Zabirel?

"You—call him the Guardian?" The Lion King frowned slightly, his voice like muffled thunder, extremely imposing.

"Yes, yes."

He is our guardian!

"If it weren't for him, we would have been dead long ago!"

The tribespeople answered tremblingly.

Alvin continued, "Lion King, although Zabiriel attacked you, he was neither a minion of Chaos nor a traitor—during your ten thousand years of slumber, he kept his oath and fought against Chaos!"

The Lion King fell silent.

Finally, he sighed, his tense muscles relaxing, his gaze shifting from those who were clearly afraid of him.

Yet, his gaze swept over the humans who dared to stand in front of Zabriel, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Perhaps, he really is getting old.

Looking at the tough Alvin, the Lion King's eyes gradually calmed down from initial anger.

Perhaps it was the complex circumstances surrounding the rebellion, or perhaps it was the guilt he felt towards his offspring, or perhaps it was a combination of factors that caused this once decisive and resolute Lion King to inadvertently reveal a hint of paternal affection.

I need an explanation.

The aged Lion King's gaze remained majestic. Standing there, he seemed to devour the entire moonlight, clad in dark green armor, just like the former Lord of the Legion.

He was willing to stop, not because he believed what Alvin said.

It was because these ordinary people, the humans in the tribe, were willing to plead for the two of them, and even stand in front of him, the Primarch!

In the past, the Lion King believed he would have unhesitatingly punished these people, including the traitors.

Clean them thoroughly together.

However, after the conflict with Luther and the Caliban incident, the Lion King, during his ten thousand years of slumber, finally learned how to be considerate of his subordinates. Or rather, at this moment, he was the true Lion King, not the lion he once was.

Actually, I was really lucky this time.

First of all, the Lion King had just awakened and emerged from that eerie forest, his mind was still in a daze, and his physical functions had not yet fully recovered.

Secondly, the Lion King did not use his weapons, including his sword and shield; he only used his own strength.

Otherwise, Alvin alone, along with a Fallen Angel, would have broken the Lion King's neck in a single exchange.

Now, he is willing to listen to the other party's explanation.

The Lion King, unconcerned about the filth and disorder, sat cross-legged on the ground, a hint of majesty in his calm gaze. "Zabriel, I forgive your rudeness, but—you need to explain to me clearly what happened back then."

The young Lion King will decisively execute his opponent.

But the aging Lion King was willing to give the other party a chance to listen to the thoughts of his offspring.

Time is cruel, it has aged the Lion King, but time is also gentle, it has made the Lion King more understanding.