What King Norwick heard was the hoarse croak of a crow, like a cough clogged with phlegm. The voice carried contempt that looked down on everything, yet it also held the most sincere invitation.
"I was not the one who reached out to these so-called 'gods.' I have not the slightest interest in you or your kind. It was your hands that reached too far and touched my son."
The real culprit had appeared!
King Norwick raised an eyebrow. He truly had not expected his deductions to touch upon such deep secrets and draw out the existence of a "god."
But he did not believe the other party was a god. It was merely a special existence, or perhaps a powerful psyker whose abilities surpassed human understanding.
"Your son?" The voice let out a "caw-caw" of wheezing laughter, like a severe tuberculosis patient mocking King Norwick between gasps. "He is the offspring of a god. How dare a mere mortal overstep his bounds?"
"Oh?" King Norwick grew interested. The "god" on the other side did not seem to care about revealing information, which gave him many avenues for inquiry. "Then where is his 'godly' father?"
As for the owner behind the book and everything it had revealed, King Norwick did not believe a single word.
Doom was definitely not the offspring of a god. He had confirmed this in his heart, and the "god" before him was the strongest proof.
If there truly were gods who were omnipresent, and any thought that touched upon them would alert them and cause them to appear before the one prying into their secrets, then Doom's father should have come knocking already.
"Mm! How interesting." The speaking book flew once around King Norwick and made an approving sound. "Your thinking is sharp, and you are good at distinguishing truth from falsehood."
"I like intelligent people. I even give intelligent people certain rewards, such as answering a few questions."
The book spun as it flew higher and higher, looking down at King Norwick from above with the arrogance of a superior being.
"But I have no interest in asking questions." King Norwick smiled faintly and flatly rejected its proposal without the slightest hesitation.
"You don't wish to uncover the truth?" the book asked in confusion. King Norwick's answer had been unexpected.
"I have already drawn close to the truth. I don't need some unidentified thing like you to enlighten me."
"But that isn't everything." The voice, wheezing like a severe tuberculosis patient, continued to tempt him, constantly hooking King Norwick's curiosity.
"I don't need to know that much." King Norwick remained unconcerned. What truth was there to some question? What answer was there to everything?
He wanted to know who his son's enemy was, and he had already received his answer.
The more one knew, the easier it was to be misled. What many people believed to be the truth might merely be what an existence hidden in the dark wanted them to see.
Knowing when to stop was what allowed one to keep a clear mind.
"I'm merely a father who wants his son. That's all. I have no desire to learn about you and your mess of gods."
The pages suddenly unfurled with a rustle and let out a derisive laugh. "A father protecting his child? You are awfully good at flattering yourself!"
"You raised him and instilled your ideas in him merely because you wanted to use him to fulfill the long-held ambition of your race!"
King Norwick burst into laughter. "Ha! Now I believe you are a god—the God of Comedy, in charge of ridiculous jokes!"
As he spoke, he cast the book a contemptuous glance and openly admitted his intentions. "You are quite right. I do have such thoughts."
"God?" He suddenly called out to the book flapping in the air, with a hint of disdain. "Where do you think Doom's achievements lie?"
"On this planet? Or in the vast, boundless sea of stars?"
"He is a whale stranded in a harbor. When the tide of fate rises, he is destined to return to the sea that belongs to him. We are insignificant beings by his side, sailors riding the wind on his back as the whale swims toward the ocean."
"Isn't he my son?"
King Norwick turned toward that contempt with an indisputable rebuttal. "He learned my thoughts and will, embraced the expectations I gave him, absorbed everything I taught him, walked the path I planned, inherited me, and surpassed me."
"Doom. Isn't he my son?"
"Of course not!" The voice suddenly tightened. The book drifted before the desk, and a gigantic eye with nine pupils appeared on its cover, scrutinizing him without pause.
"There is no blood bond between you. You are merely an accidental passerby in his life!"
"So the so-called gods are this shallow after all?"
King Norwick shook his head in disappointment. His scornful eyes met that single eye. "Blood is diluted by time. Only an inheritance engraved deep in the soul will never fade."
"I understand now!" King Norwick slapped his forehead, his face showing belated realization.
He suddenly looked seriously at the floating book. The pity in his eyes made it inexplicably uneasy. "You have no children, so you cannot understand the anticipation in your heart. Of course you don't know any of this."
The air fell into deathly silence. The book floating in midair even dropped for an instant before steadying itself again.
Within the Warp, Tzeentch's ever-changing form experienced an imperceptible pause. The radiance reflected through the Crystal Labyrinth also stopped briefly.
The God of Change, Lord of Conspiracy, and God of Wisdom had been mocked by a mere mortal and told that he did not understand the bond between father and son.
The single eye on the cover suddenly opened wide in fury. "Mortal! Take that filthy sentiment out of your eyes!"
The book shouted abuse, raising its distorted voice. "I am the God of Change! I am the God of Wisdom! I see through all fate, and I know every secret."
At that moment, Tzeentch's divine form changed violently. He was in a terrible mood, and his voice came through the book.
"I am the omniscient god, the lord who knows all things."
"Yes! Exactly!" King Norwick sneered without giving an inch, speaking to the master behind the book. "Precisely because you know everything, you cannot experience the boundless anticipation a father holds for his son's future!"
King Norwick shook his head sharply. The pity in his eyes did not fade; instead, it grew even deeper. "Omniscience is a curse. It lets you know everything, but it also leaves you infinitely empty."
"An existence that calls itself a 'god'? Since you know everything, do you know what you want?"
"Of course I do!" The distorted book trembled madly, convulsing in midair as it released a crazed, ear-piercing shriek.
"No, you don't!" King Norwick abruptly rose to his feet and looked upward.
Although the book floated high above, his gaze carried the pressure of looking down from above, and the compassion in his eyes had almost become tangible. "A pitiful existence that calls itself a 'god'—to you, everything is already fated, and everything is only as it should be."
"Bang!"
Suddenly, the One-Eyed Book erupted in blue flames and began burning without a word.
This time, the "god" did not answer him.
The ashes drifting down onto the desk formed a string of characters: "King Norwick! We have a long road ahead of us."
Within the Crystal Labyrinth, the Lords of Change did not dare make a sound, fearing that their master would tear them apart alive.
Just moments ago, Tzeentch had inexplicably flown into a rage and smashed a crystal that recorded lost magic into pieces.
King Norwick had been completely right. Over the endless years, omniscient Tzeentch truly was empty inside. His ever-changing body was the direct reaction to his not knowing what result he wanted.
Being seen through by an utterly insignificant mortal was even more painful to Tzeentch than taking a bite from Nurgle.
"Norwick!" A phantom appeared in Tzeentch's hand. It was a projection of Norwick in reality, and every eye on Tzeentch's body was filled with fury. "There is only one thing you got wrong."
"When Doom came to the Warp, his unpredictable fate was no longer determined by the gods. I am very much looking forward to seeing how far he can go."
With another wave of his hand, Doom appeared in his grasp, cooking mushroom soup. An unfathomable fondness showed in Tzeentch's countless eyes. "I am exceedingly eager to see how far you can go."
Tzeentch closed his hand and snuffed out the phantom, then smiled darkly.
"I need to have a talk with the other three. This man's wisdom is the greatest obstacle in our path!"
King Norwick knew nothing of what was happening in the Warp, nor did he wish to know.
He continued the work in his hands, linking Isaac and the "god" together. The so-called god had given Isaac hints, allowing him to foresee Doom's arrival.
He then drew another line linking the god to the Warp. The god had nowhere to go except the Warp, and only while within the Warp could it use Warp energy.
He linked Doom to the Creator because they were the first relationship, and everything had begun with them.
Why had the god of the Warp hinted to Isaac and made him deliver Doom's amniotic pod so precisely? Naturally, it was because they had snatched Doom from the Creator and wanted to turn him into their own.
Thus, another thin line appeared between the god and the Creator, labeled: Hostile.
After completing all his deductions, King Norwick's face turned grim. He felt no joy or satisfaction at all from uncovering the truth.
He was now fighting alone, with no one able to help him.
And his son was surrounded by enemies on all sides. A starving pack of wolves wanted to tear him apart and feast on his flesh.
Before you continue