Seraphs of the Emperor’s Judgment

Chapter 108: Forging the Heart (2)

"You are very bold. No one has ever dared to insult an Astartes like this."

Soshyan clenched his Gauntlets. The sound of metal grinding against metal made Haomo's shoulders twitch involuntarily. He knew the other party could easily crush his head.

But he did not regret it in the slightest.

"But I must admit."

Suddenly, the Astartes' posture changed. That overbearing aura also dissipated, and he looked at the boy calmly.

"You have passed the test."

"What?"

Haomo was stunned. Vayu lifted his head in bewilderment, looking upward.

"Do you know why this is? Do you know of that Great Rebellion?"

Hearing this term, Haomo carefully dug through his pitifully meager knowledge, but ultimately shook his head."A long, long time ago, in a grand war, the Angels followed the Emperor's footsteps and launched a Great Crusade to unite all of humanity. However... the Emperor's most favored son, the Warmaster Horus, gradually grew dissatisfied in his heart and betrayed his father, destroying the Emperor's great undertaking before it could be completed."

This knowledge was so shocking that Haomo's eyes widened, and his mouth unconsciously hung slightly open.

"Half of the Emperor's sons joined Horus's rebellion. What followed was a bloody and cruel mutual slaughter among brothers, with all warriors swept up into it. The significance of this test lies exactly herein... I wanted to see whether you could uphold your own principles when your superiors ordered you to commit atrocities. And Haomo held onto his bottom line."

Haomo was instantly dumbfounded, stammering as he spoke:

"B-But..."

"Saying this might be too early for you. However, the qualities you embody are especially precious in the lower hive, where Mutual Deception is the norm just to survive. I know what kind of place that is. The people born there are all far too engrossed in profit and survival, yet you were able to transcend both."

Soshyan paused and looked back at the horizon. The sun had completely sunk beneath the earth.

"Betraying one's brothers for personal gain and glory is the first step toward eternal damnation. To an Astartes, temptation is the greatest threat he will face. When promised immense strength and power, what kind of person's faith in the Master of Mankind would not waver? Do you understand?"

Haomo looked down at Vayu, intense emotions surging in his heart.

"You seem to be a smart boy. You must forgive these tricks I used in the test."

A trace of guilt appeared in Soshyan's voice.

"But... then... we all passed."

Taking a glance at Vayu's sorrowful face, Haomo said softly:

"He also... he also held back."

"This was a test prepared for you, not for him."

Hearing this icy sentence, Vayu sobbed and pressed his head to the ground.

"You passed the test, but this good friend of yours did not. Either you killed him, and would then be demoted to a Chapter Serf, spending the rest of your life on the lower decks reflecting on your actions. Or you let him go and enter the next round of screening. But no matter what choice he made, he is unqualified to join the Chapter."

"Why?"

Vayu cried out.

"Why are you doing this to me!"

For the first time, Soshyan turned his head to face this defeated boy.

"Because we have to do so. Haomo has his value, while you are but one in billions. Everyone has their own meaning of existence, and you have already fulfilled yours... We are in an era of total war. For you to be able to fulfill such a valuable meaning in life is already a privilege."

Soshyan turned back to look at Haomo.

"This is only your first step. More grueling trials await you after this. I cannot guarantee that you will make it to the end either."

"Without my protection, he will die."

Haomo still held onto his fantasies regarding his good friend.

But Soshyan subsequently and ruthlessly shattered this delusion.

"You are not wrong. But precisely because he must rely on others to survive, he was eliminated from the very beginning, just like how I planned to eliminate you earlier. It's just that now, he has an additional reason for failing. The selfish desires he displayed will make it difficult for him to resist temptation in the future. This flaw cannot be accepted. Therefore, I made this ruling, and my ruling is irrevocable."

Soshyan's words were like a heavy iron hammer, smashing ruthlessly onto the hearts of the two boys.

"Vayu..."

Haomo looked at his good friend, but the other boy lowered his head. Blood, snot, and tears mixed together and flowed onto the ground.

"It's true, what he said is true! I wanted to kill you in order to become an Angel, and you know it too."

"But you are my good buddy, you are definitely qualified!"

"No—I am too weak."

Vayu whispered with sobs:

"Go, Haomo, ignore me. I really did want to kill you back then. My heart was completely seized by the desire to become an Angel... There's no way I could pass the test."

"Do not worry. At the very least, he will survive for now."

Soshyan extended a hand to Haomo.

"He might be a pathetic failure now. But long into the future, if both of your lives were laid out fully before you, you might end up envying him."

Saying this, Soshyan suddenly recalled that small chapel, and those memories.

"Once you truly become an Astartes, your life will be filled with hardships and tribulations. All materialistic desires and enjoyments will depart from you, and death might very well be your greatest reward. Do you accept this kind of fate? If you still have doubts, you should raise them now; I will allow you to leave."

Haomo looked at Vayu once again.

Even though he was still enduring pain, that boy managed to squatted up,

crying tears yet nodding with a smile to encourage his good brother of the past.

"Go, Big Brother! Go do what you want to do, become an Angel. Spread your wings and fly! Fly to the heavens! I will pray for you in the mortal realm."

Soshyan's extended hand was still waiting for Haomo's response.

This Space Marine remained as motionless as a statue.

Time seemed to have frozen.

Finally, Haomo broke the stagnant time. He reached out his dirty, bloodstained hand and grasped this large, armored hand.

The metal that formed the armor was as warm as flesh and blood, trembling slightly with the inner workings of hidden machinery.

At the same time, Soshyan also grasped Haomo's hand, completely covering it.

"I will definitely become an Angel and serve the Emperor."

Looking at the boy's resolute face, Soshyan revealed a rare, faint smile. This boy, whom he had previously not favored, displayed qualities that pleasantly surprised him.

The caliber of this batch of new blood seemed quite good.

"Alright, let us go then."

As he spoke, Soshyan released his hand and turned around.

At this time, Haomo, who was foolishly following behind him, suddenly asked:

"My Lord, I-I still don't know what you are called."

"Me."

Soshyan tilted his head and said with a smile:

"My name is Soshyan Alexei, Chapter Master of the Astral Knights."

Haomo was flabbergasted. His little brain had received so much stimulation today that it outright crashed.

It wasn't until the roar of the Thunderhawk preparing to take off and Soshyan's calling voice sounded that he finally snapped back to his senses. He scrambled over and jumped onto the Thunderhawk's cabin deck.

As this colossal flying beast roared into the sky, Haomo looked down at the ground. That figure he was incredibly familiar with gradually faded away, just like the him of the past...