The air in Leticia's room seemed to still hold the invisible ripples left by Terrania's whisper.
the fifth calamity.
This name, carrying a complex mix of fear and anticipation, left a faint but impossible-to-ignore scratch on the dark canvas of the universe through the collective consciousness of countless beings.
Leticia extended a finger, and in her pitch-black pupils, the deep blue halo of the Authority of [Knowledge] rotated slowly like a silent deep space.
She attempted to trace the source of this new title, following the thread captured by Terrania.
Her consciousness instantly crossed immeasurable distances, skimming past dead planets and passing through cold nebulae.
She "heard" it.
She heard the cold characters typed by an Inquisitor into a top-secret file.
She heard the terrified screams emitted by a Thousand Sons sorcerer amidst blood and divination.
She heard the unconscious mutterings in the dreams of countless mortals influenced by her actions.
These fragments of thought were too many, too chaotic, like a storm of billions of fireflies, making it impossible for her to pinpoint any specific source.
"Has the influence already begun to spread uncontrollably..."
Leticia withdrew her power and gently rubbed her brow.
She realized she was like someone who had cast a pebble into the water, not expecting that this small stone would trigger a tsunami in the unfathomable depths that even she could not fully perceive.
The Subspace, the deepest part of that eternally boiling sea of chaos.
A brass throne, built from billions of skulls, stood silently in the center of an endless ocean of blood.
Sitting upon the throne was a terrifying entity that could not be described by any mortal language.
The Blood God, Khorne.
He heard the new name quietly circulating in the universe.
the fifth calamity.
In Khorne's eternally burning will, for the first time, a trace of emotion bordering on "pleasure" emerged.
He appreciated this name.
It was full of power, brought fear, and was in itself a grand legend dedicated to "war."
But appreciation was one thing.
A thief must pay the most tragic price for her theft.
The probing of words and the prying of wills had ended.
Now, it was time for claws and blood.
"The Bloodthirsty Fiend—!!!"
Khorne's will, like the simultaneous eruption of billions of volcanoes, transformed into a tangible sound wave that resounded throughout the entire bloody realm.
The endless sea of blood boiled instantly, and beneath the surface, a terrifying giant beast, as massive as a mountain range, rose slowly and respectfully from the plasma and bones.
Its entire body was covered in a sturdy shell like cast brass, and a pair of sky-blocking, tattered leather-like wings on its back flapped slowly, each stroke whipping up a foul-smelling hurricane across the blood sea.
Its left hand tightly gripped a hideous giant axe capable of splitting a starship.
Its right hand was wrapped in a long whip made of spinal bones, burning with hellfire.
The most bloodthirsty, most powerful Greater Daemon under Khorne's throne, who had slaughtered countless worlds—the Bloodthirster, The Bloodthirsty Fiend.
This brass behemoth, beneath the throne, respectfully and humbly lowered its hideous, bull-like head.
"Find that thief."
Khorne's will, devoid of any emotion, contained the purest tyranny in the universe.
A blood-red energy, condensing the essence of the "Mark of the Hunt," shot down like a meteor from the throne and branded itself deeply into the soul of The Bloodthirsty Fiend.
"Bring back my daughter, Angronia."
"As for the one who calls herself a goddess..."
Khorne's will paused for a moment, as if savoring the impending bloodshed.
"Bring her skull back."
"Offer it to my throne!"
"As you command!!!"
The Bloodthirsty Fiend let out a roar that could shake the entire Subspace, filled with endless joy and a thirst for slaughter.
It turned abruptly, and the giant axe burning with hellfire, carrying the momentum to tear everything apart, slashed fiercely toward the void!
Riiiiip—!
The veil of the material universe, like fragile fabric, was forcibly torn open, creating a massive, blood-red rift that continuously spewed chaotic energy.
The mountain-like, massive body of The Bloodthirsty Fiend, carrying the Blood God's unquestionable command and endless rage, was the first to rush into that rift.
Behind it, in the endless sea of blood, tens of thousands of smaller Bloodthirsters and countless Khorne demons of various forms, like a school of sharks smelling blood, screamed and roared, converging into an unstoppable torrent of blood and following it into the material universe.
A direct hunt from the Evil God had begun.
genesis, bridge.
The piercing alarm sounded once again, tearing through the tranquility inside the warship, sharper and more urgent than the last time.
The blood-red lights stained every corner with an ominous hue.
"Goddess!"
Valeria's perfectly tailored black uniform seemed soaked in blood under the red light.
For the first time, her usually heroic and striking face showed undisguised shock and horror.
She stared fixedly at the central holographic star map.
On the star map, the blood-red skull mark representing the "Mark of the Hunt" was swelling and pulsing frantically at a speed visible to the naked eye!
It was no longer a mark.
It had become a door!
A door to hell that was being forcibly smashed open from the other side!
A terrifying aura, pure, tangible, and filled with endless slaughter and tyrannical will, had pierced through the barriers of reality, injecting itself into the air of the bridge like cold venom.
This aura alone made the elite mortal crew on the bridge, screened by Griffin IV, feel a sense of suffocation; their eyes were bloodshot, and their hands trembled uncontrollably.
"Alarm! Detected ultra-high intensity Subspace entity approaching rapidly! Distance... incalculable! It... it has locked onto us!"
Valeria's voice trembled with extreme shock.
Almost at the same time, two figures appeared on the bridge like ghosts.
Fogremia was in her shimmering pink-purple crystal power armor, holding a gorgeous longsword, her deep purple eyes filled with unprecedented gravity.
Angronia was wearing her dark red-bronze power armor, her red hair like fire, and the Battle Intent that had just subsided in her amber eyes was once again burning like a volcano.
They could all feel it.
That familiar, nauseating aura approaching rapidly.
It was the majesty of their former "father," the purest slaughtering will of the Blood God's realm.
"It's The Bloodthirsty Fiend."
Angronia's hoarse voice sounded like two pieces of metal rubbing together.
"One of Khorne's most powerful lackeys."
Fogremia's lips curled into a cold arc, carrying a trace of disdain, but more than that, vigilance.
"It seems that 'father' couldn't wait to send someone to clean house."
Just then, Leticia's figure appeared silently in the captain's seat.
She was still wearing that simple black robe, her black hair reaching her ankles, her face as calm as an eternal lake reflecting the stars.
As she sat there quietly, the suffocating, violent aura on the bridge seemed to be smoothed out by an invisible hand.
"Valeria."
Leticia spoke, her voice calm and clear.
"Report the disparity in combat power."
Valeria snapped back to reality; she forced herself to look away from that terrifying mark and brought up the desperate conclusion just reached by the analysis machine.
"Goddess... based on the enemy's psychic intensity and legion scale, our... our win rate is infinitely close to zero."
"We cannot even... guarantee the integrity of genesis during the enemy's first strike."
The bridge fell into a dead silence.
Infinitely close to zero.
This was a cold and cruel verdict.
Leticia finished listening to the report without speaking.
She slowly turned her chair, her gaze sweeping over her three most important Sisters in turn.
Valeria, heroic and spirited, but unable to hide her worry now.
Fogremia, proud and cold, but with fingers gripping her sword turning slightly white.
Angronia, with Battle Intent soaring, but trembling slightly deep in her soul due to that familiar aura.
And Terrania, who had been following her closely since just now, clutching her hem with her small hand.
They were her family.
Everything she swore to protect.
"Existing power is not enough."
"The speed of growth is too slow."
"Facing an enemy of this level, relying solely on the power of me and my Sisters, the cost is too high."
In Leticia's mind, the Authority of [Knowledge] was spinning wildly at an unprecedented speed.
"I need... more power."
"A... brand new power model capable of qualitative change."
An incredibly bold, even insane idea exploded deep in her soul like lightning tearing through the darkness.
She stood up slowly and walked step by step to Fogremia.
"Fogremia."
Leticia reached out and gently stroked her first Sister's flawless cheek, feeling the imperceptible tension beneath her cool skin.
"Sister needs your help."
Fogremia's purple eyes trembled slightly, all gravity and vigilance turning into absolute focus and devotion at this moment.
"Offering everything to you, my Goddess."
"Your children, the Emperor's Children Legion," Leticia's voice was soft but carried an unquestionable power, "they are perfect vessels, carriers of art. But it is not enough."
Leticia's gaze moved past Fogremia's shoulder to Angronia and the newly joined World Eaters Sisters who were also preparing for battle.
"The same goes for them. The flames of anger are hot enough, but they lack guidance."
"I want to bestow upon them, and all our warriors, a brand new power."
Leticia turned and took Terrania's small, warm hand.
She brought Terrania to her side, letting her stand shoulder to shoulder with her, facing Fogremia and Angronia together.
"From today on, the power of our Sisterhood will no longer come solely from me."
Leticia's voice echoed throughout the bridge, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"I will take Divine Charm and the Authority of [Knowledge] as the foundation."
She glanced at Terrania beside her; the little blonde girl seemed to feel something and nodded vigorously.
"Nia will take Vitality and the Battle Intent as the pillars."
"We will jointly construct a brand new power cycle."
In Leticia's eyes, a light shone like the beginning of creation, unprecedented.
"All warriors who follow us will receive the blessing of these four 'Creation Powers' after being reborn! They will become more agile, more valiant, wiser, and possess greater resilience!"
"And they," Leticia's voice rose sharply, carrying a divine majesty and proclamation, "every prayer filled with faith, every battle fought to protect companions, all their loyalty and courage will turn into the purest power, feeding back to me and Nia!"
"This is a closed loop! An eternal cycle where the more united we are, the stronger we become!"
The entire bridge fell silent.
Fogremia and Angronia, these two former Primarchs, were completely shocked beyond measure by Leticia's declaration, which could be called "creating a pantheon."
This was no longer a simple bestowing of power.
This was... creating a brand new, living belief system of their own!
"Now," Leticia's gaze swept over everyone, "we have no time."
"Fogremia, Angronia, gather all your children."
"Valeria, assemble all the loyal warriors under your command."
"A grand ceremony is about to begin."
A confident and composed smile curled on the corners of Leticia's mouth, a smile that seemed to dispel all the blood and unease on the bridge.
"Before the Blood God's messenger arrives, we will let him see..."
"How a true new god arms her legion."
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