After speaking with Ragnir and the other dwarfs and learning their purpose for coming to the Galactic Core, Datch received the mission completion notification.
[Mission Complete! Congratulations on going to the Galactic Core region, investigating the space dwarfs, and uncovering their intentions in the Nachmund warzone.]
[Quest Rewards: 2,500 EXP, 2,500 Points, +500 Reputation, Truth Spray ×1]
With a single thought, a small bottle of unique shape appeared in Datch's hand.
The bottle was about the size of his palm, completely transparent, and contained a misty liquid that emitted a faint golden glow.
The words "Truth Spray" were written on the bottle in a cartoonish font.
[Item: Truth Spray]
Spraying this on a target forces them to speak the truth for a certain period of time.
Review: "Thanks to this wonderful gadget, His Majesty the Emperor no longer has to worry about me being deceived by Tzeentch!"
After examining the item for a while, Datch put it away.
This item could be used to deal with cunning daemons like Tzeentch and force them to tell the truth.
Ragnir stared at the Nameless One in front of him, then seemed to remember something and hesitantly asked,
"Nameless One, I have a question."
Datch had already received the quest reward and no longer wanted to deal with the dwarf NPCs.
However, when he looked up, he saw a golden exclamation mark above the other party's head, so he put on a warm smile again.
When completing missions, it was natural for players to start arrogant and then become humble — that was their nature.
"Ragnir, what do you want to ask me?"
Ragnir unconsciously reached for the scorched Great Book of Grudges hanging at his waist and gently stroked its burnt spine.
"Was it you who made the Great Book of Grudges suddenly start telling dwarf jokes in the bar?"
Datch looked slightly awkward. He hadn't expected the NPC to be so sharp and notice the connection.
"It was me."
Ragnir's anger erupted like a volcano. His face turned bright red.
His eyes widened as if they were about to spit fire.
But he didn't act impulsively. Instead, he took several deep breaths to suppress his anger.
He took the scorched Great Book of Grudges from his waist, opened a brand-new page, and carefully wrote in dwarf script:
That bastard, the Nameless One, made my Great Book of Grudges tell dwarf jokes in public. I will definitely take revenge.
There is no such thing as too late for a dwarf's revenge.
This grudge will be remembered for now and brought up again when the opportunity arises.
Datch grinned at the sight.
"Ragnir, is there something you want to ask me for help with?"
Ragnir's expression grew even darker.
"No need. Thank you very much. Please don't trouble yourself."
With that, he turned around and waved to the other dwarfs.
"Let's go."
Ragnir clearly had no experience dealing with the Nameless One.
He had to complete the mission, yet he still wanted to run away?
Datch took a palm-sized wind bottle from his game inventory.
He removed the cap, and a strong gust of wind blew out from the bottle's mouth, creating a field of wind with a whooshing sound.
Ragnir and the other dwarfs were enveloped by the wind, lifted into the air, and spun around.
"What did you do?!"
The furious Ragnir shouted at him.
"Put us down!!"
The dwarfs flailed their arms in the air, trying to grab onto something.
But their short fingers only brushed against empty air and grabbed nothing.
Datch ignored the dwarfs' shouting and calmly asked again in a steady tone,
"Ragnir, is there something I can help you with?"
Ragnir tumbled through the air, his face flushed red with anger and dizziness.
"Put us down, you bastard!"
Datch ignored the dwarf's anger and asked once more.
"Ragnir, is there something I can help you with?"
"Helping us get out of here would be appreciated… hurry up…"
"Skip."
"This bastard, I want to…"
"Skip… Ragnir, is there something I can help you with?"
"Go to the port and help us cut the ship loose so we can pass through," another dwarf shouted.
"Skip."
"Ragnir, is there something I can help you with?"
"Aaaah...!!!"
Ragnir's face twisted with anger and dizziness as he wildly swung both arms in the air.
His hair was disheveled by the wind, and his beard fluttered as well, making him look like a stray dog that had been blown away.
Datch blinked and repeated innocently,
"Ragnir, is there something I can help you with?"
Ragnir was overwhelmed by an unprecedented sense of despair and completely broke down.
What kind of place is this?
What kind of place is this?
I want to go home.
I want to go home.
Standing at the edge of despair, Ragnir suddenly remembered the crisis his clan was currently facing.
The Votann Core owned by their clan was gradually degrading into an ordinary relic.
This was a terrifying thing for the dwarf race.
Perhaps this Nameless One, who possessed power comparable to the Creator, could help solve their problem.
Ragnir took a deep breath and spoke in a calmer tone.
"Nameless One, the Votann Core passed down in our clan has had its processing speed significantly decrease over time! Signs of degradation have appeared!"
"I heard that you have the power to turn corruption into miracles. Please help repair the Votann Core and reverse the process of degradation."
The moment he finished speaking, a new mission notification appeared in Datch's vision.
[Mission: Help Ragnir repair the degraded Votann Core and restore it to its optimal state.]
The Votann Core was an artificial intelligence created during humanity's Golden Age that stored all the information humanity needed in space.
It contained weapon specifications, military and survival theories, standard forging templates, knowledge from various fields, family data, and more.
It also recorded data on countless generations of furnace descendants and forged iron descendants.
However, the massive amount of data had reduced the Votann Core's computational efficiency, causing its performance to gradually degrade.
If it was not repaired in time, this core that had existed for thousands of years could completely collapse and bring ruin to the entire clan.
Quest Rewards: 3,000 EXP, 3,000 Points, +1,500 Reputation, Random Light Giant Summon Card ×1
Datch's gaze fell on the quest reward items.
Light Giant random summon card again.
He had already obtained two "Light Giant" summon cards, which had summoned Tiga and Dyna respectively.
Later, he had also obtained transformation devices for the two Ultramen and could now transform using his own power.
Who will be summoned this time? Gaia?
This way, the Heisei Three Heroes will be complete.
Using the Light Giant summon card would likely grant him a transformation device to summon an Ultraman.
This time, I should also get the Ultraman Gaia transformation device.
That way, like the new generation Ultramen, I can borrow the other's power.
With the power of the Heisei Three Heroes, I won't have to worry about lacking combat power even at the end of the game.
That way, I can fight the Four Chaos Gods head-on.
"Understood. I'll help solve the Votann Core problem."
Datch nodded and accepted the mission, then released the wind to free the dwarfs.
Ragnir and his companions landed awkwardly and glared at the Nameless One who had made them look so foolish.
However, they remained calm and did not take action.
The power the Nameless One displayed through various means was far too terrifying for them to oppose.
Of course, this matter would definitely be recorded in the Great Book of Grudges.
…
Datch and the dwarfs boarded the ship and left the Galactic Core region. Not long after,
High Sister Corinne Helesana arrived with the Imperial fleet.
The veil of space was torn, and light of contradiction overflowed from the rift.
Immediately afterward, warships appeared one after another.
Each was decorated with a massive double-headed eagle emblem and huge cannons on both sides that emitted a cold metallic sheen under the starlight.
The lead battleship was like a moving cathedral. Its hull was densely covered with spires, arched windows, and reliefs of holy statues.
The void shield on the prow frequently flickered as it entered realspace, then stabilized like a translucent eggshell enveloping the entire massive ship.
"Everyone to your stations," Corinne's voice echoed through all the warships via the communication line. "In the name of the Nameless One, seize control of this sector."
The Imperial fleet blockaded all routes and, over the following days, continuously deployed troops to the Galactic Core to suppress hostile forces.
Although some gangs and heretical sects attempted to rebel, they quickly became forgotten corpses lying in the streets.
The Imperium used the most direct method to declare to the local residents who the true ruler of this land was.
Daisy lived with her parents and two younger brothers in a dirty, messy house.
The walls were made of rusted metal plates, and the ceiling was low and suffocating.
In the corner was a pile of various scrap materials the family had collected — damaged circuit boards, broken tools, empty cans, and so on.
For the past few days, Daisy had been feeling anxious, worried that the gang would punish her.
However, as time passed, the demon-like gang members never appeared again.
When Daisy confirmed that the noise outside had stopped, she went out and saw gang members' corpses scattered across the street.
Effigies of gang leaders and cult leaders were hanging like teru teru bōzu in various places such as streetlights and iron bridges.
Imperial soldiers patrolled the streets to maintain order, and temporary supply distribution points had been set up in the square.
Boxes of grain were piled up like small mountains, and next to them were buckets of purified drinking water in transparent containers.
"Citizens of the Imperium, please line up to receive food."
When a soldier spotted Daisy, he pointed to the line and told her to join it.
Daisy was afraid of being seen as a malicious troublemaker, so she said nothing more and obediently joined the line.
When it was her turn, a servant of the Ecclesiarchy dressed in simple robes handed her a bag of food and a small bucket of water and smiled at her.
"May the Nameless One protect you."
Daisy accepted them, nodded blankly, and returned home with the food and water.
Daisy's family was surprised when she brought food back.
When they learned that the subsidies were being distributed by the Imperium, they all praised the Nameless One.
The food package contained staple foods, vegetables, and meat — considered a luxurious meal in the Galactic Core.
Most people were lucky if they could even obtain synthetic food or nutrient paste.
However, just as Daisy and her family were thanking the Nameless One and eating dinner, the door suddenly opened.
Imperial soldiers in black armor entered in formation.
Immediately behind them came Battle Sisters in power armor, each carrying an explosive gun with serious expressions.
Daisy and her family trembled in terror and immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
High Sister Corinne Helesana entered. She stood in front of Daisy and looked down at the kneeling girl.
Daisy didn't have the courage to raise her head and could only stare at the other party's boots. Her body wouldn't stop shaking.
"The kindness of the Nameless One far exceeds our imagination."
Corinne's voice was heard, gentle and warm.
"Whether poor or rich, it made no difference to him. He simply held compassion for the suffering of the world."
The next moment, Daisy felt a strong hand placed on her shoulder.
"Child, stand up."
After being helped up, Daisy looked up at the High Sister with a face full of terror, like a frightened fawn.
"Don't be afraid, child. You carry the aura of the divine," Corinne said gently. "You have received the blessing of the Nameless One."
"Are you willing to fight for the Imperium and for the Nameless One?"
"I…" Daisy's voice was mixed with surprise and unease. "Is that okay?"
"Of course," Corinne nodded. "You have received the divine blessing and are qualified to become one of our sisters."
"You shall wear armor, wield sharp blades, and fight for him until death."
Daisy looked at the fighting Battle Sisters, her face filled with excitement and anticipation.
She had never imagined that she would one day become sisters with these devout people.
"Come with me," Corinne said to Daisy.
Thus, Daisy was taken away from her home.
As she stepped out of the house, she heard her parents' sobbing and her younger brothers calling "Big sister!" from behind.
Daisy did not turn back. She resolutely followed the priestess and accepted her fate.
…
The dwarf spaceship's Warp travel speed was not as fast as that of Human Imperium ships, but because their Geller Field was more stable, the voyage was smoother.
Unlike the Human Imperium, the dwarf race did not need the Astronomican. They could navigate using the Votann Core's projection into the Warp.
They could also complete Warp travel without psykers with the help of Pathfinder Ironborn, greatly reducing the risk of daemon invasion.
The first thing Datch did after boarding the dwarf ship was, of course, to search through everything on board.
NPCs worked hard to save money, but in the end, wasn't it all for the players to use?
Along the way, Datch skillfully opened cabinets and searched for the dwarfs' currency and valuable collections.
"Hmm, this looks good."
"I'll take this too."
"Oh? That's interesting."
Datch dug three feet into the ground like a swarm of locusts passing through.
The dwarfs followed behind him in surprise.
Ragnir couldn't help but twitch his lips.
As you know, this is the Nameless One — an existence even the gods find troublesome.
If you didn't know the circumstances, you'd think this was a habitual thief who crawled out from some hidden place!
Ragnir wanted to intervene, but considering the other party's various methods, he decided to back down.
Whatever.
They're not worth much anyway.
Leave him be.
After Datch opened many treasure chests and obtained a rich harvest, he finally drank with the dwarfs.
"Pour me a drink."
Ragnir looked at the Nameless One, poured wine into a glass, and pushed it in front of Datch.
Datch had no idea how strong dwarf ale was. It was so potent that it could even be used as fuel if thrown into a tank's fuel tank.
Even though Primaris Space Marines had metabolisms far superior to ordinary humans, they still couldn't handle this kind of alcohol.
Datch picked it up, took a sip, found it quite tasty, and downed it in one go.
Then, he forgot everything that happened afterward.
When he opened his eyes, it was already the next day.
When it was time to drink a second time, Datch wisely redeemed an item from the game store in advance.
[Item: Thousand Cups Without Drunkenness Badge]
Effect: While wearing this, no matter how much you drink, you won't get drunk.
Review: "From now on, you are the god of the dining table."
Datch pinned the badge to his chest and returned to the restaurant.
When the dwarfs saw him, they all smiled and warmly invited him to drink.
Getting the Nameless One drunk was an achievement worth bragging about.
Datch picked up a glass, took a sip, and noticed that the alcohol had no effect at all. He downed it in one go and continued pouring more wine.
As the Nameless One kept downing drink after drink, the dwarfs' smiles gradually disappeared, replaced by expressions of disbelief.
Ragnir's eyes widened, his mouth opened wider and wider, until he was completely stunned.
"How are you so resistant to alcohol?!"
"This alcohol isn't that strong," Datch said. "I can drink a few more."
The dwarfs, who refused to admit defeat even in unfavorable situations, began drinking in an attempt to defeat the Nameless One in the realm of alcohol.
Unfortunately, after the drinking contest, they collapsed one by one, lying on the table and snoring loudly.
Ragnir was the last one standing. His face was as red as a boiled shrimp, his eyes were unfocused, but he still forced himself to raise his glass.
"I… I can still…"
Before he could finish speaking, his head tilted to the side and he fell asleep on the table.
"You just rinsed your mouth and you're already down??"
Datch lightly tapped Ragnir's head and laughed heartily.
…
After several days of smooth Warp travel, the spaceship finally arrived at its destination — the Eternal Star.
The moment the Pathfinder Ironborn played a message indicating they were approaching their destination, the ship suddenly shook violently and dropped out of the Warp. When the porthole shutters opened, a star burning like a fireball came into view.
After continuing normal navigation for a while, the ship entered the inner ring of the star system, and the dwarfs' homeworld appeared in Datch's vision.
The planet's surface was covered in heavy metal structures, with countless towers piercing through the clouds and extending into near-orbit.
The towers were covered in countless lights, like countless eyes twinkling in the night sky.
The planet was surrounded by a massive orbital ring, and countless spaceships were docked there, as if orbiting a star around the sun.
But at this very moment, those spaceships were urgently taking off.
From the communication line came an ear-splitting, urgent alarm.
"Warning! Warning! Ork forces are invading!"
"We must stop them."
"..."
Datch's gaze pierced through the void and looked at the planet's surface, which had turned into a battlefield.
A massive number of Orks were attacking the Eternal Star.
Ork warships were trying to break through the orbital defense network, and landing craft rained down on the ground like a storm.
Countless soldiers charged relentlessly toward the dwarf defense lines.
Flashes of artillery fire exploded across the planet's surface, and thick smoke rose, covering half the sky.
The dwarfs' fortresses were gradually being eroded. Towering metal towers collapsed with deafening explosions.
Ragnir noticed the ground battle and became enraged.
"Those damn green-skinned Orks actually invaded our homeworld again! Do they think dwarfs are easy to bully?!"
…
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