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Chapter 261: The Royal Atlan Mech
🕑 Added 2025-09-01 13:25:48 +0000 UTCChapter 261: The Royal Atlan Mech
As the giant humanoid mech strode forth, Lucan recognized it in an instant. It was an Atlan mech, specifically the Royal Atlan once piloted by the king of the Sentinel warriors of Argent D'Nur. Its originally dark green armor was adorned with brilliant gold filigree, and two metal horns, like those of a daemon, jutted from its head. Two massive siege cannons were mounted on its shoulder pauldrons.
The most ostentatious feature was the cape billowing from the mech's back. While Lucan felt it was entirely unnecessary and probably just got in the way, he had to admit it looked cool as hell.
The mech's power source was drawn from the Wraiths of Argent D'Nur, a special power utilized by the Night Sentinels known as "Wraith Elementals." They were a form of higher, perhaps even higher-dimensional, life. They not only empowered the Night Sentinels but also served as the energy source for Argent D'Nur—a power comparable to psionics.
Damon and the other Night Sentinels watched, completely mesmerized.
"My Lord... I want one..." Damon stammered. "Didn't you say our powers come from the DOOM Slayer? If he can summon one, can we?"
"Don't ask me... I have no idea," Lucan replied. "You want one? I want one too! A humanoid mech... isn't that way cooler than some Titan?"
The Atlan mech knelt to the ground, extending a hand to lift the DOOM Slayer and place him within its cockpit. Plugging the connectors into his chest, the DOOM Slayer could control the machine through a combination of manual and neural interfaces.
Facing the behemoth that was Khorne, the Atlan's siege cannons fired again and again, forcing the Blood God back. The continuous impacts even knocked him from his feet and sent him crashing back onto his Brass Throne. However, the powerful bombardment caused no real damage. The ruined parts of Khorne's body regenerated in the blink of an eye; this physical form was merely a vessel condensed from his will. Within his own domain, an endless supply of power would mend his body.
The DOOM Slayer then piloted the Atlan through the portal and charged into Khorne's realm, a giant spear held in its hand as a melee weapon. The two mountain-sized combatants began their one-on-one duel in the arena Khorne had prepared. The divine power of the Blood God clashed with the energy of the Wraith Elementals. The shockwaves from their absolute power toppled the towering spires of skulls. The Greater Daemons of Khorne, beings who brought untold disaster to mortals, did not even have the right to intervene.
Through the still-open portal, everyone on the battlefield could witness the titanic struggle. Khorne's massive brass greatsword split the ground, forming immense chasms, while the heavy tread of the DOOM Slayer's mech could carve out canyons. The Atlan's heavy fists and spear repeatedly struck Khorne's physical form, while the Blood God's divine power continuously assailed the DOOM Slayer's will. Khorne's greatsword even managed to send the Atlan mech flying. Before long, the mech was covered in wounds.
The watching Khornate daemons trembled in fear. They had never imagined that anyone could engage Khorne in such a direct battle, let alone inflict such damage. The thrill of this combat was also intoxicating for Khorne. The other three Chaos Gods never dared to face him in a direct confrontation, but the DOOM Slayer met his challenge head-on.
The true manifestation of the DOOM Slayer's power was not in world-shattering, reality-altering abilities like a god. His terror lay in the fact that it seemed impossible to truly kill him. No matter how strong his opponent, he would continuously grow stronger through combat and slaughter until he could defeat or kill them.
Khorne was beginning to learn this firsthand.
Controlling the battered Atlan, the DOOM Slayer struggled back to his feet and saw the mech's integrity meter dropping sharply. He glanced at the surrounding daemons of Khorne—an endless ocean of them. They were the perfect health packs.
The siege cannons no longer targeted Khorne, but instead swiveled towards the surrounding daemons. Faced with this sudden change of target, the lesser daemons screamed about a lack of martial honor before being utterly annihilated. The mech's shattered armor was restored to pristine condition.
This sight left Khorne completely bewildered. Just a moment ago, he thought he was about to crush this presumptuous foe, only to find him perfectly fine again. Their battle had already lasted for half an hour. Even Khorne's Brass Throne had been overturned.
Every time the Atlan was on the verge of collapse, the DOOM Slayer would harvest the lives of the surrounding daemons.
Khorne also realized that his own power was diminishing. Every punch and stab from the Atlan that struck his body was stealing his strength. And by harnessing this stolen power, the DOOM Slayer was growing stronger and stronger. The daemons he killed were extensions of Khorne's own divine power; to devour them was to weaken Khorne himself.
If the battle continued, with one growing stronger as the other grew weaker, Khorne realized that his opponent would truly reach a point where he could be killed. He did not know how long the DOOM Slayer could last; he assumed the Slayer would fight to the very end.
Realizing that the surrounding daemons were only providing aid to his enemy, Khorne did something he had never attempted in his countless millennia of existence.
At that moment, across the entire human galaxy, countless mortal and xenos followers of Khorne suddenly felt their strength being stripped away. The blessings they had earned through battle, blood, and skulls began to leave their bodies without warning. They couldn't believe it. Why would the great Blood God take away their power? They had served him so diligently.
From mortals to Astartes, from the Black Legion and the Red Corsairs to every common Chaos warband, anyone whose power originated from Khorne was profoundly affected. Khorne was revoking his gifts.
He knew this would have a devastating impact on the spread of his faith in the mortal realm. After all, who would want the blessings they had worked so hard for to be taken away without reason? If word of this got out, who would dare to believe in him in the future? But Khorne needed this power. He had to defeat the DOOM Slayer as quickly as possible.
On various planets within the Imperium, wars instigated by Khornate cultists were raging. Suddenly, the Imperial forces found that their divinely empowered enemies had been reduced to ordinary mortals. Though they did not know what had happened, Khorne's actions had inadvertently saved these Imperial worlds.
It was not just the blessings granted to mortals that were recalled. Within the Realm of Chaos, vast legions of Khornate daemons began to dissipate. The Greater Daemons let out howls of madness as their very being was reabsorbed into Khorne. All their power returned to the Blood God himself. Keeping them around would only provide the DOOM Slayer with more health packs. Khorne could always spend some time to reshape them later.
At this moment, Khorne's individual combat power was terrifyingly strong, but in another sense, he was also incredibly weak. He was strong because all of his dispersed power was now concentrated in himself. He was weak because if the other Chaos Gods were to declare war on him now, he would have no legions to command. If the other three were to attack, they could even tear apart his domain; he could not possibly face them all alone.
Therefore, he had to end this fight as quickly as possible. If he could defeat the DOOM Slayer, seize this unknown power, or claim his soul, he felt he could truly become the most powerful being in the warp. He imagined a being strong enough to fight him, his power and soul reshaped into his own Greater Daemon. Then, the DOOM Slayer could lead his Khornate legions to conquer the other three, and perhaps even the Anathema.
However, Khorne's worries about the other three gods were unnecessary. His actions had left them in such shock they couldn't imagine who he was fighting. What could possibly drive Khorne to do something that could shake the very foundations of his faith? It was a choice they would only make in their most desperate, final moments. The three gods tacitly agreed to wait and see the outcome rather than get involved.
On Cadia, the portal to Khorne's realm was closing. Lucan looked out at the now-empty plains. All the Khornate daemons had vanished, leaving only the mortal renegades, their faith now shattered.
As the warp gate sealed shut, Lucan gritted his teeth and paid for another ten minutes for the DOOM Slayer.
"Khorne, you really shouldn't have..." Lucan mused. "You just had to let him in. Otherwise, the DOOM Slayer couldn't have done anything to you. Without a way into your domain, it's all just empty talk."
Lucan was certain that after seeing what happened to Khorne, the other three gods would never fall for the same trick. He extended the time as much as he could, hoping the DOOM Slayer could weaken the Blood God as much as possible.
