Xiao He looked at the muscled Slana baby sitting in the egg fluid and debris, with a huge snot bubble on its face and eyes as blank as a newborn calf's. He then looked down at the little Kurz in his arms, who had just been scared into crying and was sobbing. Xiao He felt overwhelmed.Jeden cub Primarchy wystarczył, żeby sobie z nim poradzić, a teraz pojawił się "czysty", umięśniony idiota twierdzący, że jest stworzeniem Starych?
He felt like he wasn't a Druid, but a cosmic babysitter!
Just as he was so worried that he wanted to pull his hair out, his peripheral vision caught the cold metal face of the Lord of the Verdant. On the face covered with living metal, below the flame-burning eye sockets... it seemed... very subtly pulled upwards.
A cold, stiff, but absolutely "smiling" arc flashed and disappeared! Xiao He quickly lowered his head, pretending to comfort Kurz, while mentally complaining furiously: "My lord, you're enjoying the show, aren't you?!"
The large Slana baby seemed to have finally focused its attention entirely on Xiao He and the "little thing" in his arms. Its huge amber vertical pupils were full of pure curiosity. It clumsily lifted its giant hand, covered with scales and bone claws, pointing at Xiao He and Kurz, and let out an excited and indistinct gurgle from its throat: "Yi... Ya! Poof!" The giant snot bubble burst, smearing mucus all over half its face. It just blinked in confusion and licked it with its forked tongue...
Xiao He: "Uh..." The scene was too much to bear.
Xiao He had to look at the Lord of the Verdant. Under its scrutinizing gaze, he had no choice but to brace himself and carefully examine this "large baby". Putting aside its outrageous muscles and giant head, just looking at its blank eyes and clumsy movements... hmm, it was actually a little bit endearingly ugly? Xiao He tentatively, carefully reached out to the Slana baby, aiming for its broad forehead covered in small scales.
The Slana baby didn't dodge, it just tilted its huge head and watched Xiao He's hand approach with curiosity. When Xiao He's fingers touched the scales on its forehead, he felt a strange sensation: rough, with a metallic coolness and the hardness of rock. Although it had just emerged from the stasis fluid, it felt as dry as a lizard's skin baked in the sun...
The texture... was a bit strange, but it inexplicably made him want to... "play" with it?
Xiao He was startled by the sudden thought of "playing with it" in his mind and quickly withdrew his hand. Just then——
*Buzz!*
An extremely heavy sense of intent instantly enveloped the entire pyramid space! The Lord of the Verdant's burning soul fire suddenly turned towards a direction within the pyramid, its cold metal body tensed, and the green gem on its scepter erupted with a blinding light! A storm of intent, mixed with shock, disgust, and a trace of... imperceptible tension, swept through Xiao He's mind:
"Damn it! Tarasyn?! How could he have gotten here so fast?!"
The Lord of the Verdant's figure instantly blurred, as if activating some kind of phase transfer device to leave its original position!
However, at the very instant its figure was about to disappear——
*BOOOOOOM!!!!*
A deafening roar, far more terrifying than any previous sound, erupted! A beam of light, indescribable in color, as if condensed from the pure concept of destruction, descended like divine punishment! It accurately and silently pierced through the thick metal dome of the pyramid and the layers of energy shields! The dazzling light instantly filled the entire exhibition hall, casting the cold metal structure in a stark white light!
At the center of the light, a figure hovered elegantly. It also wore ornate and complex living metal armor, but its style was completely different from the Lord of the Verdant, possessing a temperament that blended cunning and extravagance. It wielded a scepter topped with a complex polyhedral crystal. The flames burning in its skull's eye sockets were a deep purple, exuding a playful and greedy air of seeing through everything.
Tarasyn the Endless!
Xiao He's eyes narrowed instantly, his heart nearly stopping! The renowned collector had appeared in person! He subconsciously hugged Kurz tighter, while subtly using his body to shield the Slana baby, which was still licking its snot.
Tarasyn seemed to not notice the pierced dome or the Necron Warriors on standby below. His voice, with its unique metallic friction, resonated directly in everyone's consciousness, full of false enthusiasm:
"Ah! My dear Dehanna! How many silent centuries have passed? It is truly delightful to meet you again in your meticulously arranged... hmm, 'verdant' abode! Do you know, in order to find the last item you chose, I have searched almost every corner of the galaxy! This persistence, even I am moved by it!"
The Lord of the Verdant - Dehanna - reappeared beside the blinding beam of light, her intent crashing down on Tarasyn like millennia-old ice:
"Tarasyn! You temporally challenged, treacherous thief! You have violated the ancient pact! You used those vile ants who only know how to excavate scrap metal, using your filthy phase core as bait, to drive them to this place, defiling my sanctuary and disturbing my eternal slumber! A full ten thousand cycles early! I will remember this 'surprise'!" Her scepter pointed directly at Tarasyn, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Tarasyn's purple soul fire leaped joyfully, ignoring Dehanna's reprimand. His purple "gaze" swept past Dehanna like a searchlight, landing on Xiao He.
"Oh? What have we here?" Tarasyn's voice held a hint of surprise at a new discovery, "An... interesting human? Your eyes tell me you know who I am? This is unusual..."
Xiao He's scalp tingled instantly! It was over! He had attracted the attention of this old monster!
He forced himself to remain calm and did not answer. Kurz in his arms seemed to sense Tarasyn's extremely uncomfortable "stare" and squirmed uneasily.
Tarasyn's attention was immediately drawn back to Kurz.
"Hmm? This little one..." His purple soul fire scanned Kurz, as if appraising a rare treasure, "This life aura... this spiritual light... Oh! I remember! Isn't this the creation of that guy who always glows gold in the Warp and pretends to be profound with a stern face? A Primarch! Yes, they call them Primarchs! Ha! What a good day! My collection catalog can be expanded with a few more unique treasures!"
"Insolence!"
Dehanna's figure flashed instantly in front of Xiao He, shielding his greedy gaze with her metal body. The scepter in her hand erupted with a powerful green light, and the surrounding Necron Warriors instantly activated, countless emerald muzzles locking onto Tarasyn in the air.
"Tarasyn! State your purpose! Otherwise, this will be the end of your collection!"
Tarasyn seemed unconcerned by the deadly weapons. He elegantly hovered in the air and spun around, his purple soul fire glinting with cunning.
"My purpose? My dear Dehanna, you and I know it well. Just like the ancient ballad sang, 'In Dehanna's garden, lies the seed of the universe'... Ha! Of course, no such ballad exists! I made it up! However, the fact that I dream of obtaining that thing in your hand is true... Of course, if I could still dream." Then, his gaze fell on Xiao He and the Slana baby behind her, "But now it seems your garden has also produced a more... 'lively' surprise? That human you so nervously protect behind you, and that... hmm, rather 'adorably clumsy' big fellow? Right! Shouldn't these damned ancient humans be on a place called Holy Terra? Yes, Holy Terra! Why are they here with you?"
Tarasyn's ocular lenses scanned Xiao He before returning to Dehanna.
"Although I am certain that, given your obsession with those 'little green things', you will never hand over that item... I must still ask, for the sake of our meager, almost non-existent 'friendship': Dehanna, are you really not going to... transfer that item to me? I can give you many... many interesting collectibles in exchange! Don't rush to refuse, alright?"
Answering Tarasyn was a emerald destructive beam that tore through space! Dehanna's scepter unleashed its attack! Wherever the beam passed, even light seemed to be swallowed!
The moment the beam hit him, Tarasyn's figure blurred and distorted like a reflection in water, easily dodging it. He hovered at the edge of the broken dome, his purple soul fire carrying a hint of regret, but more of a "just as expected" playfulness.
"Ah, what a pity. Still so violent, my sister." His metallic voice echoed in the vibrating space, "But it doesn't matter... I believe that one day, you will bring it... and come to me voluntarily. After all, the fun of collecting lies in waiting and surprises, doesn't it?"
Before his voice faded, Tarasyn's figure flickered a few times like a poor signal, and along with the destructive beam that had pierced the pyramid, he instantly vanished without a trace. Only the giant hole in the dome remained, along with the dim daylight from the surface of Catachan that shone in.
The dazzling light disappeared, and the exhibition hall was once again shrouded in the pyramid's own eerie green glow. Silence spread like a cold tide. Only the faint breeze blowing in from the hole in the dome, carrying the scent of the jungle, reminded them of the brief but thrilling encounter that had just occurred.
Dehanna (Lord of the Verdant) remained suspended in place, the light of the green gem on her scepter slowly receding. Her soul fire-burning eye sockets, through the giant hole, gazed at the heavy clouds covering the sky of Catachan. Her cold metal face showed no emotion. But within her invisible psychic fluctuations, an indescribable vigilance and... a hint of solemnity surged.
Xiao He held Kurz, shielding the Slana baby, which was still looking bewildered and trying to put its toes in its mouth again. His back was drenched in cold sweat. Tarasyn's last words, like a cold curse, lingered in the silent pyramid— "You will bring it... and come to me voluntarily."
He looked down at the blank little Kurz in his arms, then at the silly, large Slana baby next to him, and finally his gaze fell on the cold green-glowing metal back in front of him.
————
The daylight leaking from the hole in the dome cast pale spots on the cold metal floor. The air was filled with ozone, burnt metal, and a faint...Zapach rybi-słodki z powierzchni dżungli. This scent seemed so out of place at this moment.
Xiao He's heart was still pounding. Tarasyn's purple soul fire and greedy words were like clinging maggots, sending chills down his spine. He looked down at Kurz, who had finally quieted down but still had fear in his big eyes, and then at the muscled Slana baby sitting on the ground, still blank and ignorant, trying to explore its nostrils with its giant paw. An unprecedented pressure almost suffocated him.
What did it mean to be targeted by Tarasyn? It meant you would become a "collection." It meant your life, your freedom, everything about you would be stripped away, stuffed into that lunatic's stasis field, and become a cold exhibit in his endless collection room! And Kurz, a Primarch cub, and this "blank slate" Slana of unknown origin and potential, were irresistible temptations for Tarasyn!
No! Absolutely not!
Xiao He suddenly raised his head and looked at the cold green-glowing metal back in front of him, suspended beneath the broken dome—Dehanna. She was silent, her soul fire burning quietly, gazing through the hole at the oppressive sky of Catachan. Within her invisible energy fluctuations, cold anger and a hint of... perhaps even she herself was unwilling to admit, solemnity surged.
"Ho-honorable Lord of the Verdant, Lord Dehanna..." Xiao He's voice was a little dry, breaking the suffocating silence, "What... what do we do next? Tarasyn he..."
Dehanna slowly turned around, her flame-burning eyes locking onto Xiao He like searchlights. Her cold intent, with a soul-piercing scrutiny:
"It seems you have a deep understanding of that temporally challenged, unscrupulous thief. Being targeted by him... you should understand what that means. Eternal stasis, becoming a lifeless 'treasure' in his countless display cases." Her gaze swept over Kurz in Xiao He's arms and the Slana baby on the ground, the implication clear.
Xiao He's heart sank to the bottom. Of course, he understood! Precisely because he understood, he felt despair! In the face of the Endless, they, as "mortals," had almost no room to resist.
Just as this shadow of despair was about to swallow him——
[Ding! Detected host in special spacetime node (core area of Necron Lord's tomb) and facing a major survival crisis. Special Sign-in Reward has been issued!]
[Reward: "Talisman of Perpetual Form" (One-time use)]
[Ability Description: This talisman contains the miraculous power of cosmic creation. The user can select an item or a non-human intelligent life form (requires consent) and temporarily transform its form into a highly anthropomorphic (kemonomimi form). During the transformation, the target's aura will be completely altered, its physical structure will approach that of a humanoid creature indefinitely, and its original energy system will be temporarily masked or transformed into an anthropomorphic representation (e.g., flames become hair, ice becomes skin). The caster can end this state at any time. Note: Form transformation may cause unpredictable short-term shifts in the target's psychological and behavioral patterns.]
Information about this magical talisman instantly flooded Xiao He's mind. He was stunned at first, then his heart leaped, almost bursting through his chest! Holy cow?! Kemonomimi transformation technique?! This system... giving this kind of reward at this time?! This... this is simply... this is simply...