"Hahahaha! I knew it! Little Wolf Cub, you're still on my side. You won't let that bastard take you away!" Leman Russ nodded happily after hearing Axis's words.
The little guy I've raised for nearly two years really is on my side. My cheap old man wants to take my little Wolf Cub away? Not a chance.
"Of course. I long to fight on the battlefield. And you just heard what the Adeptus Custodes do: their main duty is to follow the Emperor or guard the Imperial Palace on Holy Terra. That's not for me," Axis said.
In truth, the Adeptus Custodes carried out plenty of secret missions and saw plenty of combat. But their organization was far too strict. Axis wanted a custom enhancement surgery, but that didn't mean he had to become one of the Custodians guarding the Imperial Palace!
Besides, staying on Holy Terra in the future wouldn't be nearly as carefree as staying by the old wolf's side. So remaining with him was the safest choice.
"Still, we'll have to plan this carefully. My father is very strong-willed. Under normal circumstances, he won't agree to let you leave. He thinks highly of you," Leman Russ said.
Who'd have thought the first thing he'd have to do after returning was match wits with his cheap old man?
But no matter what, he wasn't going to let Axis leave his side. There was no room for discussion.
Still, convincing the Emperor to give this kid a Custodian's enhancement surgery and let him stay by Russ's side would be difficult.
"Don't worry. I already have a detailed plan this time. Remember the spaceship I brought with me?" Axis said with a grin.
He had something in his hands that the Emperor wouldn't be able to resist, something he'd desperately want for himself!
The Emperor's desire for it would surpass everything else. He'd even agree to sacrifice a Primarch to get it.
So Axis was 100% sure he could convince the Emperor to approve a custom Custodian enhancement surgery!
"What good stuff have you got, kid? Is there anything special about that escape pod of yours?" Leman Russ asked.
"It's not an escape pod. It's a real spaceship, one that can travel faster than light across the Milky Way. Don't get it wrong," Axis said.
If you thought it was an escape pod, you were dead wrong. The Saiyan ship was compact, but there was no doubt it was an FTL spaceship capable of faster-than-light travel.
And in the Milky Way of the Warhammer Universe, the Emperor understood better than anyone what faster-than-light travel meant.
Even during the Imperium of Man's Dark Age of Technology—the so-called Golden Age—the only method of travel they had mastered was Warp travel. Faster-than-light travel was almost impossibly difficult.
Across the entire Warhammer Universe, only two known species could travel faster than light through Realspace.
The first was the Necrons, who were still asleep, with only a tiny fraction of them having awakened. Their ships could travel faster than light without using the Warp.
The second was the Tyranids, whose forces hadn't yet been discovered in the Milky Way. They used their Hive Ships to travel faster than light, without needing to use the Warp.
Every other species had to travel through the Warp.
Even the mighty Old Ones, who had developed Webway networks spanning the entire Milky Way, had carved them out in the space between the Warp and reality. In theory, that still counted as Warp travel, just an exceptionally safe, efficient, and fast kind.
Travel through the Warp was incredibly dangerous. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn't have secretly started excavating a Webway beneath Holy Terra, intending to connect it to the Eldar Webway.
That way, he could leave Warp travel behind and free humanity from the Warp's hold once and for all.
Bringing out a spaceship capable of faster-than-light travel now was practically beyond measure in the Emperor's eyes.
He'd even trade half the Primarchs for it without a moment's hesitation.
"What does faster-than-light travel mean?" Russ asked.
Having grown up on Fenris, he knew very little about space travel, so he had no idea how dangerous the universe really was.
"Just think of it as a way to travel rapidly back and forth between planets. My ship's design is incredibly advanced.
"It can only carry one person, but it really is equipped with an FTL Engine. And it uses dark-matter energy found throughout the universe as fuel.
"Basically, if that engine could be replicated, it wouldn't even need fuel. It could travel just by being in space," Axis explained.
That was how incredible the Saiyans' little ship was. It had been developed by aliens and was standard equipment for the Frieza Force. The ship was remarkably advanced, fitted with all sorts of black technology.
For instance, there was the Saiyans' special Combat Suit. It was incredibly light, even lighter than ordinary human clothing, but its defensive capabilities were terrifying, and it was extraordinarily stretchy.
As for the materials it was made from, they could even be found on Earth. Why? Because Bulma could make a copy.
And if Bulma could replicate it, there was no reason the Adeptus Mechanicus couldn't.
Even if those Martian grease monkeys were a bit useless, there was still the Emperor!
Besides being a capable leader, politician, and warrior, the Emperor was also a pretty good scientist.
"So you're planning to hand the whole ship over to my father, right?" Leman Russ asked.
Could this special spaceship really convince the Emperor to agree?
"Of course not! You have to reel in a fish bit by bit. For now, let's not tell the Emperor about the FTL Engine.
"There are other things on this little ship that'll whet his appetite. It has a really impressive Combat Suit, a few special Lasguns, and a Scouter. They're all valuable. We can't bring everything out at once, understand?" Axis said.
When fleeing Planet Vegeta, Axis had stolen quite a few things, such as Saibaman seeds and Medical Tanks from the Frieza Army.
The most valuable thing on the ship was the FTL Engine. But there was only one, and he didn't know whether humanity had the technology to replicate it yet.
"Heh! Got it!" Leman Russ gave Axis a knowing look.
Axis and Leman Russ returned to the tribe together, then began taking the ship apart. This time, they'd first bring out a few choice items to whet the Emperor's appetite.
That way, Old Man Gold would obediently give in.
Before you continue