This Is Our Warhammer Journey

"Yeah, it's just the four of us now."

"Hey, I’m just being a regular artsy guy, don't go emo on me."

"Alright, back to the point."

Romulus chuckled and shook his head, pulling a chair out and sitting down.

"Guess what the flagship of the explorer fleet is called?"

"The Steel Soul?"

"That's no fun, bro."

Romulus was still trying to act cool.

"For us, we need you to emphasize the member of the Adeptus Mechanicus."

"Who else could it be other than Belisario Khorl?"

Pierd Star System, Little Pierd Star Cluster.

As the Mandeville Point rippled, an elegant space fleet tore through the veil of reality.

The safety of the Sharkfleet's warp travel was commendable; perhaps it was the years of experience gained from operations in the space beyond the reach of the Astronomican. Even after dragging a strike cruiser and a chunk of Ork scrap metal, they returned safely.

On the bridge of the *Nikol*, which had reopened after returning to realspace, Arthur, who had just finished a duel, stood shoulder to shoulder with Tyberos at his invitation, watching the sharks.

Yes, sharks.

A great white shark from Earth.

At least, after the passive data entry, the label that appeared on Arthur's panel was this.

It was truly remarkable. In this vast universe, apart from his companions, Arthur had spotted something from his era aboard a ship returning from the immaterium.

"Do you know it?"

Tyberos followed Arthur's gaze to the great white shark in the aquarium. His long experience fighting alongside the Dark Angels made him particularly sensitive to the feelings of the Sword Guard beside him.

He was sure that Arthur's gaze was fixed on that shark.

It was a strange thing because the bridge of the *Nikol* was a giant aquarium, housing dangerous species from oceans across different worlds. Many warriors invited to the bridge were drawn to the massive, terrifying predators.

But Arthur was fixated on that ordinary-looking great white shark.

Few knew what that shark represented anymore.

"It’s from Terra."

Arthur freely admitted, his face showing a melancholic expression.

"But the ocean that raised it is no more."

Arthur was genuinely saddened.

Anyone who knew that the planet, which had once been exactly like his homeland, had transformed into the sacred Terra would feel the same way.

It was the pain of the split between time and space.

Even the Sisters of Battle who followed the Angels were affected by the sorrow.

"..."

Tyberos, watching the figure beside him—who might have been someone he should address as elder—relaxed his hand slightly, a sudden urge rising within him to wake up the ancient, eternal *Venerable* from his home and chat with him.

Only a few words had made an exceptional Dark Angel Sword Guard retreat into himself, and Tyberos felt like he was the first one to have witnessed that.

"How did you learn this title?"

Tyberos awkwardly changed the subject, looking at Cahulangi, who had entered the bridge.

"Lord of Shadows?"

Arthur also noticed his gaze.

"Yeah."

"Because it once belonged to Arkas Fal."

Arkas Fal, the 30k Terran-born Raven Guard Chapter Master.

Arthur, who understood Romulus' straightforward approach, answered the question bluntly.

He then nodded to Cahulangi, who had just come to stand beside him, and began to walk away with the Sisters of Battle.

He still understood the atmosphere. Now that the fleet had left the warp, it was probably time for the sharks to report, and standing there wouldn't be appropriate.

"..."

Cahulangi watched his daily loot update leave, seeing Arthur in a low-pressure state. He eventually resisted the urge to call out to Arthur.

"You pissed off the great Arthur, didn’t you, Lord?"

"..."

The two stared at each other for three seconds.

"Did you go to their think tank again?"

"Yeah."

"Still didn’t manage to steal anything useful."

"Yeah."

At the mention of this, Cahulangi felt a bit embarrassed.

That so-called think tank, led by Rameses, was very good at pretending to be clueless. Despite knowing a great deal about the immaterium, they were vague on many details.

He had to admit, the person in charge really was a master of the immaterium.

"Or should we talk about the grey tax, my lord?"

Cahulangi suggested.

Tyberos activated the holographic projection, which displayed a message from the Adeptus Mechanicus.

"Belisario Khorl, the Sage from Mars, has agreed to handle the tax for this time. Also, alongside the Sage, the Black Templars have sent us and the Deathwatch an invitation to discuss a combat briefing about cleansing the Dark Eldar xenos infesting the Sage's flagship."

"They're not the Deathwatch."

Cahulangi tactfully reminded him.

Tyberos' face remained unchanged.

"I know."

"It’s the Ultramarines and the Blood Angels. Perhaps some Imperial Fists are among those Ironclads."

Cahulangi shared the intelligence he had gathered.

"Not just them."

Tyberos clenched his fist. Recent battles had been too frequent, and the brief moments of ease now felt somewhat uncomfortable.

He began to think back to the records of the Dark Angels in the Chapter archives—was there anyone of such a large, gladiatorial build? But he found nothing.

No, Arthur seemed more like someone who chose to fight in the gladiatorial style simply to get stronger, not because he enjoyed it. He was rapidly adapting to this era, learning from the sharks’ accumulated experience over the past ten millennia.

"Who told you this?"

Tyberos asked.

"Those mortals."

Feeling like his words might be misunderstood, Cahulangi quickly added,

"They never hid their origins. They merely borrowed the identity of the Deathwatch and even openly ignored the Codex by recruiting Astra Militarum soldiers as mortal auxiliaries. You know, with their equipment and combat style, once they entered Imperial sight, it would be impossible to hide."

"As for how they manage to store such vast war machines, that’s probably a secret we shouldn’t pry into."

"Yeah."

Tyberos nodded in acknowledgment.

The Sharks have an astonishing awareness when it comes to not prying into secrets.

They were even granted the ancient artifact Voidglass by the Voidfather. These warriors, who obviously come from extraordinary origins, wouldn’t find it surprising if one of them had a pocket space or something like that.

As for the Voidglass that was stolen from the Chapter...

Just thinking about it made Tyberos feel a headache.

And that frustration quickly turned into anger, driving Tyberos' gaze to the culprit aboard the Mechanized Ark.

Those damn xenos.

"Reply, the Sharks will provide assistance."

"Then—"

Infected by this pale fury, and awakened by the blood of the Raven Guard, the terrifying desire for slaughter stirred within Cahulangi, who exhaled sharply and asked,

"Do we need to inform Lord Romulus?"

"Of course."