NCCnovel Chapter 308 Bathing in the Plague Vat
Chapter 308 Bathing in the Plague Vat
Russell struggled to his feet, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth, his golden psionic energy now dim and lifeless. Kugas's scepter swung down again, carrying an unparalleled corrupting power. Russell barely managed to raise the Blood Drinker to block, but was sent flying again by the immense impact, crashing heavily to the ground.
"Golden Man, your golden light is no longer working." Kugas's voice was like the tolling of a rotting bell, filled with endless mockery. His massive body slowly approached, each step causing the ground to tremble, and the thick fog of plague swirled around him, as if cheering him on.
Russell gritted his teeth, trying to gather his psionic energy again, but it felt as if all the power within him had been drained. His vision began to blur, and he heard Astran's furious roar in his ears: "Russell! Hold on!"
In the distance, Astram was leading the Grey Knights in a desperate charge towards Russell's direction, but Death Lord Grox and his elite guard held their path firmly. Grox brandished his Plague Scythe and sneered, "Don't rush, Grey Knights, your 'Golden Light Man' act isn't over yet!"
Russell struggled to his feet, the Blood Drinker trembling in his hands, the Fire Kirin Laser Gun on his back exhausted. He knew he was no longer able to fight, but even so, he straightened his spine and looked at Kugas with unwavering determination.
"Even without the golden light, I will not yield to you stinking monsters!" Russell roared, raising the Blood Drinker and charging at Kugas one last time.
Kugas let out a disdainful snort, and with a light flick of his scepter, Russell was sent flying again, crashing heavily to the ground. His body had reached its limit, and blood gushed from his wounds, staining his armor crimson.
Just when Russell was almost in despair, a deafening roar of artillery fire suddenly erupted in the distance. Cato Sicarius's voice came through the communicator: "Russell! Hold on! We're coming!"
The Ultramarines' Thunderhawk gunships descended from the sky, unleashing a torrent of explosive fire upon the Demon Engines. Cato Sicarius led the charge, his power sword flashing as he cleaved several Nurgle demons in two. However, the sheer number of Demon Engines was overwhelming, and the Ultramarines' reinforcements were firmly held back on the perimeter.
"Russell! We've been stopped! You have to hold on a little longer!" Cato's voice was filled with anxiety.
Russell gave a bitter laugh; he knew he could no longer hold on. Kugas's figure blurred in his vision, and the aura of death loomed over him.
However, just as Kugas's scepter was about to fall, a dazzling light suddenly burst forth from Russell's body. The light, like the rising sun, dispelled the surrounding plague fog, and even Kugas was forced to take a step back.
"What is this?!" Kugas's voice carried surprise for the first time.
Russell himself was stunned. He felt an unprecedented power awakening within him, a pure and powerful psychic energy, as if bestowed by an emperor. His Blood Drinker once again shone with a dazzling golden light.
“It seems the Emperor hasn’t given up on me yet,” Russell murmured to himself, then suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp as he looked at Kugas.
Kugas's expression turned serious. He raised his scepter, attempting to attack again. But this time, Russell was faster. Like a golden lightning bolt, he instantly appeared before Kugas, the Blood Drinker slashing down with unparalleled power.
Kugas's scepter was cleaved in two, and his massive body staggered backward, his decaying flesh emitting a piercing screech as it burned under the golden psionic energy.
"This is impossible!" Kugas roared in fury, but his body had already begun to crumble. Under the purification of the golden psionic energy, his corrupting power was completely disintegrated.
However, just when Russell thought victory was in sight, Kugas's body suddenly erupted with an even more terrifying corrupting power. His wounds healed rapidly, and the corrupted flesh reformed, becoming even larger than before.
"You think you can defeat me like this?" Kugas's voice was filled with endless sarcasm. "Nurgle's blessing is infinite!"
Russell's heart sank; he knew he had exhausted all his strength. His golden psionic energy dimmed once more, and his body began to sway precariously.
Kugas gave him no chance, his massive hand grabbing Russell and lifting him high into the air. Russell tried to struggle, but Kugas's strength was too great; he couldn't break free.
“Your power is quite amusing, mortal,” Kugas sneered. “Lord Nurgle would certainly love a toy like you.”
Seeing this from afar, Astram and Cato Sicarius tried desperately to rush over, but Grox and his elite guards blocked their way.
"Russell!" Astram roared, his voice filled with despair.
Russell looked at his comrades in the distance, a bitter smile appearing on his lips: "I'm sorry, brothers... I did my best."
Kugas let out a maniacal laugh, then vanished into the plague fog with Russell. On the battlefield, only the roars of the Grey Knights and Ultramarines, and the endless stench of corruption, remained.
Russell's fate seemed sealed. But even so, a glimmer of hope still burned in his heart—as long as he lived, there was still a chance. For the Emperor, for humanity, he would never give up.
…………
Deep within Kugas's corrupted realm, a colossal jar of plague stood in the center of a decaying hall. Inside, dark green pus churned, emitting a nauseating stench. Russell was mercilessly thrown into the jar by Kugas; the moment his body touched the viscous liquid, he felt an excruciating, agonizing pain.
“Enjoy yourself, Golden Man,” Kugas’s voice was like the tolling of a rotting bell, filled with endless mockery, “Let me see how long your divine body can last.”
Russell struggled agonizingly under the ravages of the plague. His skin rapidly festered, and his flesh dissolved in the pus, threatening to devour him completely. However, just as his body was almost entirely decaying, the golden psionic energy within him erupted once more, repelling the plague's power. His flesh regenerated at a visible pace, restoring him to his original form.
But soon, the plague struck again, and Russell's body began to rot once more. His face contorted, and a low, painful growl escaped his throat. Yet, golden psionic energy surged once more, engaging in a tug-of-war with the power of the plague.
Kugas stood by the jar, watching the scene with great interest. His laughter, like a rotting bellows, was filled with cruel pleasure: "How amusing! This mortal body can switch back and forth between Nurgle's blessing and the Emperor's protection. His suffering is simply a magnificent performance!"
Death Lord Grox walked to Kugas's side, a hint of curiosity appearing on his rotting face: "This human is indeed extraordinary. His golden psionic energy can actually resist the corrupting power of Nurgle, which is unique among the mortals we have ever seen."
Kugas nodded, tapping his scepter lightly on the ground. "Indeed, his power intrigues us. Lord Nurgle will surely love such a toy. We can use him to figure out how to break the Emperor's protection, and even transform his power into our own tools."
Grox grinned maliciously, "Should we increase the dosage? Make his pain even more intense?"
Kugas waved his hand: "No, take it slow. We must completely break his will and make him willingly accept Nurgle's blessing. Only then can his power truly be used by us."
Russell, inside the vat, heard their conversation. Despite the excruciating pain his body was writhing in, his will remained steadfast. He gritted his teeth and murmured, "The Emperor... grant me strength... I will never yield..."
His golden psionic energy erupted once more, repelling the plague's power. However, Kugas merely sneered, waving his scepter and injecting even more corrupting energy into the vat. The plague's concentration instantly increased, and Russell's body began to rot again.
“Struggle, mortal,” Kugas’s voice echoed in Russell’s ears like a nightmare, “your resistance will only make this game more interesting.”