Warhammer: Love? Chapter 206: Praise

On a small scrap space station orbiting Karl-2 sat a "luxurious" Ork encampnt. The core structure was the disassembled and reconstructed hull of an Imperial frigate, with the prow modified into a command tower overlooking the entire camp. The signature colorful clouds of the Hokage Clan, inlaid with gold, were carved in the most prominent positions.

Circling the periter of the entire stronghold was a standard 30-kiloter Waaagh! GP track. Dazzling plasma light strips were welded along both sides, and the curves featured gravity segnts and jump platforms identical to those used by Elf-Gork. Even the spectator stands were built from layered plates of salvaged starship armor, capable of holding over a million Boyz simultaneously.

This was the coolest camp on all of Karl-2, a stronghold that every Hokage Boy took pride in. Since Elf-Gork's championship victory and the two major wins against the Imperial fleet, the Hokage Clan's reputation had skyrocketed like a rocket. Boyz seeking to join the clan crowded the camp gates. Once an erging minor clan, it had now vaguely beco a force on Karl-2 that could not be ignored.

On the camp's track, Hokage Boyz rode Squigs at high speeds at all tis. The roar of guns, the cheers of the Boyz, and the bellows of the Squigs blended together. A Waaagh! field enveloped the entire area, so dense it felt like a tangible green substance.

However, in the main control room at the top of the command tower, there was no atmosphere of celebration. Raynor stood before a massive holographic map, his fingers constantly flipping through data. He did not imrse himself in the glory of the two major victories; even the boost to the Waaagh! field caused by the clan's surging reputation was treated rely as a byproduct of his plan.

His gaze was fixed solely on the core of power at the top of Karl-2. Raynor knew very well that a few local victories could not damage Karl-2's foundation. Even if he took out Chandler or assassinated Siss now, as long as he didn't solve both simultaneously, the Greenskin clans of Karl-2 could still rally together and remain a hard stone at the doorstep of Brevis, ready to launch a Waaagh! tide at any mont.

To thoroughly take down Karl-2, the only way was to eliminate both Siss and Chandler at once. But how to ignite an "earth-shaking" civil war was the problem. Although Siss now had reasons to move against Chandler, the conflict between them was not yet intense enough. To escalate the tension, Raynor had to start with Siss.

Therefore, since Chandler's last ergence from seclusion, Raynor had deployed an intelligence network targeting Siss that had been operational for a full half-month.

The first line of intelligence ca from the Hokage Jonin Boyz he had personally trained. These Boyz were the best at utilizing the purple ninja suits and had undergone rigorous ninja training. Rising through the ranks from Genin and Chunin, their levels of infiltration and practical combat were high. They blended into the camps of various clans, middle-tier workshops, and even frontline defense outposts. Amidst the fus of mushroom wine and the bragging of the Boyz, they slowly dug out every rumor regarding Siss.

They brought back countless fragnts of information. Siss had once, during a landing battle on Dorido, wiped out ten entire companies of the Astra Militarum using psychic detonations single-handedly, destroying over a hundred Leman Russ tanks in the process. He never participated in the wine parties or loot-sharing of the major clans and had zero interest in any power struggles outside of Ragna's orders. He rarely even left his own camp, spending most of his ti in the Core District guarding the interstellar communicator left by Ragna.

The second line ca from a dozen marginal Weirdboyz he had bribed with massive amounts of premium teeth and rare Warp knowledge. These Weirdboyz, marginalized by mainstream clans, were the only group on Karl-2 capable of empathizing with Siss. They were also among Siss' few confidants.

The information they provided revealed that besides being an exceptionally rare and powerful psyker among Greenskins, Siss had a specific past. Siss was born in an ordinary Boyz camp on Dorido and had awakened his psychic talent from birth. However, frequently harassed by Warp whispers, Siss had been sowhat deranged and was rejected and isolated by his own kind. It was Big-Gullet Ragna who, during a Waaagh!, personally discovered Siss' power and promoted him all the way to the position of second-in-command. Consequently, Siss held a near-obsessive absolute loyalty toward Ragna.

Furthermore, his psychic strength was unfathomable. In terms of individual combat power, one Weirdboy asserted that with their assistance, Lord Siss was sufficient to crush 99.9% of the beings in the Dorido Greenskin Alliance. Yet, he never had the mind for power or profit, remaining on Karl-2 in the role of an "overseer," content to be the blade in Ragna's hand used to keep Chandler in check.

Combining these lines with the triangular relationship Raynor already knew between Chandler, Ragna, and Siss, a clear web of relationships was outlined before Raynor. He had found the key breaking point.

Siss' greatest strength was his Alpha-level psychic combat power and his absolute loyalty to Ragna. But his greatest weakness was hidden precisely within that. He had no power base on Karl-2. As a paratrooped overseer, he had no support from any clan other than his direct squad of over a hundred Weirdboyz. He had never even thought about recruiting other forces.

Moreover, the Greenskin race was naturally full of rejection and suspicion toward psykers. The Big Bosses of the major clans were respectful on the surface, calling him "Boss Siss," but behind his back, they always excluded him as an outsider and never truly accepted him. He excelled at psychic suppression on the frontal battlefield and crushing enemies with raw power, but he knew nothing of power dynamics and political maneuvering—or rather, he disdained to understand them.

Siss believed he had the strength to solo-kill Chandler, but Chandler now possessed the cha Secret Vault. At the mont Chandler developed the "Most Waaagh! cha," could Siss really still defeat him?

And for a Siss who could not defeat Chandler head-on and lacked his own faction, facing a Karl-2 Greenskin legion that would likely defect with Chandler... there was only one possible outco: he would be defeated by Chandler, after which Chandler would launch a Waaagh! and begin a final showdown with Ragna.

Siss must have thought of this too. He no longer possessed his previous confidence and composure; anxiety was beginning to take root in his heart.

Raynor intended to seize that sliver of anxiety and lead Siss into a trap.

"Itachi, you've been standing here all day. Want so mushroom beer?"

With the empowernt of the "I fink, so it is" (Ork logic) field, the current Itachi was indistinguishable from an ordinary Ork, capable of tasting Greenskin delicacies like mushroom beer and squig stew.

The voice of Tooth-Rich ca from the doorway. This Grot, who only reached Raynor's waist, had long ago shed his forr submissiveness. He wore a custom-tailored set of power armor, with a gem-encrusted laspistol hanging at his hip. Around his neck was a necklace of teeth, all made from the finest "Big Gold Toofs." Two fully ard Hokage Jonin Boyz followed behind him, maintaining the air of a Clan Boss wherever he went.

Only in front of Raynor would he drop his facade and return to his true self.

He placed a bucket of chilled mushroom beer on the table and followed Raynor's gaze toward the holographic star map. Seeing the three nas flickering across the screen—Siss, Chandler, and Ragna—the emotions in his eyes beca complicated.

Raynor turned around, took a swig from the bucket, and spoke.

"Tooth-Rich, you're just in ti. I have sothing to discuss with you."

"What we need to do next is to attach ourselves to Siss and infiltrate the core power circle of Karl-2. I need you to—"

"Itachi."

Tooth-Rich suddenly interrupted him, looking directly into Raynor's eyes. This Grot, who was usually laughing and joking in front of Raynor, now held an expression of desperate, "burn-the-boats" honesty.

"I know what you're doing."

Raynor froze. His hand tightened around the beer bucket, and his gaze turned instantly cold. Tooth-Rich did not flinch; he took a step forward, his voice firm.

"I've guessed it. Your ultimate goal isn't to make the Hokage Clan the strongest on Karl-2."

"You want to incite a civil war on Karl-2, to make Boss Ragna and Boss Chandler break apart completely and shatter the planet from within, don't you?"

The air in the control room solidified instantly. Raynor's gaze was like a knife, locked onto Tooth-Rich as countless thoughts raced through his mind. He had suspected Tooth-Rich might know sothing, but since the Grot had played dumb, Raynor hadn't pushed it.

But now that the Grot had "self-destructed" and revealed the truth, Raynor began to calculate: should he kill Tooth-Rich right here to eliminate future trouble? Or should he use the system's forced control to turn this Grot into a complete puppet?

Tooth-Rich seed oblivious to the killing intent. He continued, his voice carrying a hint of self-mockery and determination.

"Whatever Itachi wants to do, I will help him unconditionally!"

Tooth-Rich had guessed long ago that Raynor wasn't a true Greenskin. He looked down at his hands—hands that once only picked up scraps left by Orks, but now held the authority of a powerful clan.

To be honest, Raynor's disguise was excellent. But he lacked the innate bloodlust, impulsiveness, and reckless madness of a Greenskin. Or rather, he only faked it. He was too calm, too precise. Every operation, no matter how crazy, had a hidden purpose. This was not sothing an Ork could do.

There were also many subconscious habits—the way he ate, spoke, and looked at other Greenskins—that weren't quite right.

He looked at Raynor, his eyes devoid of fear, filled only with gratitude. Raynor didn't respond, but Tooth-Rich didn't care. He didn't care who Raynor really was or what he intended to do.

"What was I before? The lowest of the low on Karl-2. A Grot that any Ork Boy could kick or spit on."

"They stole my things and treated like a toy, watching get chased by Squigs for amusent."

"My companions... so were crushed underfoot, others used as bait for those terrifying bugs, leaving nothing behind."

Greenskin society, driven by the law of the jungle, had never shown Tooth-Rich a shred of kindness. He felt no sense of belonging to this race.

"You gave everything I have. You made the Boss of the Hokage Clan. You made those Orks who wouldn't even look at before bow and salute when they see now."

"You gave dignity. For , that is enough."

Even if it ant betraying his own kind, he didn't care. "Ingratitude"? To Greenskins, that was never a derogatory term anyway.

Raynor looked at the Grot before him. His grip on the beer bucket slowly loosened. He remained silent for a long ti before finally letting out a soft sigh. He had calculated Siss' weakness and Chandler's ambition; he had calculated the greed of every clan. But he had failed to calculate that the first person to see through his secret would be the Grot he had initially treated only as a puppet.

"Fine..."

Raynor put down the bucket and tapped the holographic projection, showing Tooth-Rich the core mission of swaying Siss. Raynor did not dare to face Siss—a powerful psyker—alone. If Siss discovered his "impurity," his long-term plan would go up in smoke. He decided to let Tooth-Rich, as the leader of the Hokage Clan, et Siss to earn his trust.

Tooth-Rich nodded heavily, his eyes full of resolve.

Three days later, outside Siss' room in the Core District of Karl-2. Tooth-Rich adjusted his armor and spoke to the Weirdboy at the door with quiet dignity.

"Tooth-Rich, leader of the Hokage Clan, requests an audience with Boss Siss. I have matters of great importance regarding the safety of Karl-2."

The Weirdboy looked at the Grot before him, a hint of admiration showing on his face. In the Greenskin world, Grots were the lowest existence. For Tooth-Rich to rise from the bottom to this level earned so respect.

After waiting for over half an hour, the Weirdboy returned and led Tooth-Rich into a room. Siss did not et him in the main hall, but in a cluttered storage room. Clearly, Siss remained disinterested even toward the rising star of the Greenskin factions.

Tooth-Rich didn't mind. He stood straight in the center of the storage room, not trembling like other Grots. He didn't look around; he simply stood quietly with a composed air.

Ten minutes later, footsteps carrying heavy pressure ca from the doorway. Siss walked in. He wore dark green robes, his exposed arms covered in runes, with green psychic fluctuations flickering around him. Just standing there, he created a sense of impending storm. His clouded gray eyes swept over Tooth-Rich with undisguised scrutiny.

Tooth-Rich felt as if every inch of his being was being seen through by the Ork.

"A Grot... what 'matters of great importance' could you have regarding the safety of Karl-2?"

Siss' voice carried a psychic hum that made the dust in the room vibrate. "You have one minute."

Tooth-Rich looked up, eting Siss' gaze, and spoke directly, piercing the deepest thorn in Siss' heart with a single sentence.

"Boss Siss, I have co only to remind you."

"The day Boss Chandler erges from seclusion after cracking the cha Secret Vault... may very well be the day Boss Ragna's authority begins to crumble!"

Tooth-Rich's single sentence caused the psychic pressure around Siss to skyrocket instantly!

A gray-blue psychic storm erupted in the side hall, making Tooth-Rich's robes flap violently in the gale. Yet, he remained standing straight, without so much as a furrowed brow.

"Presumptuous!" Siss roared, his voice carrying a world-shaking fury.

"Every Greenskin on Karl-2 is loyal only to Boss Ragna!"

"Chandler is a major general under Boss Ragna; he would never have a change of heart!"

"A Grot like you dares to co here and sow discord?!"

He spoke with righteous indignation, but in truth, even he couldn't convince himself of those words. For the past month, he had lost sleep over this very issue. Chandler's laboratories ran day and night. The chanical army of the Deathskulls Clan was growing larger by the hour. The Boyz across Karl-2 were all discussing how Chandler was going to build the "Most Waaagh!" ultimate cha to lead them on an unprecedented Great Waaagh!.

These words were like needles pricking at his heart. He simply didn't want anyone to see through his concerns and his insecurity.

Tooth-Rich didn't argue with him, nor was he intimidated by Siss' presence. He simply continued calmly.

"Boss Siss, the humans have a saying: 'When the general is in the field, he may ignore the orders of the sovereign.'"

"Boss Ragna is in the Dorido system, tens of millions of kiloters away."

"But Boss Chandler is right here on Karl-2, holding the top kboy teams, the strongest fleet, and the soon-to-be-unlocked ultimate cha."

He took a step forward, his voice suddenly rising, precisely piercing the core essence of the Greenskin race.

"Boss Siss, you know better than anyone that we Greenskins only recognize the Boss who can lead us to the most 'Waaagh!' battles and seize the most loot!"

Tooth-Rich was being this bold because he was already prepared to give his life to repay Raynor's kindness. Seeing that Siss hadn't struck him down, he felt relieved and continued his verbal assault.

"Yes! Ragna is indeed the Boss of all Greenskins in Dorido, but he is far away. He can't lead the Boyz on Karl-2 to raid the 'Umies' or launch a Great Waaagh!"

"But Chandler can!"

"Once he unlocks that ultimate cha, he only needs to raise his arm and say he's leading the Boyz to tear through Brevis and into the humans' nest. Can those Boyz, with battle etched into their very instincts, resist following him?"

"At that ti, who will still rember Boss Ragna far away in Dorido?"

Siss' lips moved as if to retort, but he couldn't find a single word of rebuttal. The psychic storm around him dissipated unconsciously, leaving only a face full of gravity. He knew better than anyone that everything Tooth-Rich said was the truth.

In the Greenskin world, strength was always respected. Ragna's prestige was built through battle after battle. But if Chandler could launch a grander Waaagh! and lead the Boyz to seize more things, the Greenskins of Karl-2 would abandon Ragna and turn to Chandler without hesitation.

"Even if what you say is true, what can be done?" There was a hint of undetectable exhaustion in Siss' voice.

Siss also knew that once Chandler's cha was completed, no matter how strong his psychic powers were, it would be difficult to kill him quickly. And as long as he couldn't kill Chandler in short order, he—with only a hundred or so Weirdboyz—had no way to stop an entire Greenskin army empowered by a Waaagh! field.

This was his greatest point of helplessness. He was a sharp blade, but a blade cannot stop a tsunami.

Tooth-Rich looked at him, his eyes filled with sincerity and the empathy of a fellow outcast.

"That is why I am here. I represent the Hokage Clan to offer our loyalty to Boss Siss and Boss Ragna."

"Our Hokage Clan is an absolute loyalist faction for Boss Ragna."

"We are willing to follow Boss Siss unconditionally, helping you develop your own direct forces and keeping an eye on Chandler's every move."

"Even if Chandler rebels, we will do our utmost to protect Boss Ragna's supre status in the Calixis Sector."

"We have the top mobile units on Karl-2 and the Boyz best at infiltration. We also have a steady supply of teeth and resources—all of which can be placed at Boss Siss' disposal."

Siss looked up at Tooth-Rich, surprise appearing in his eyes for the first ti. He looked at the Grot before him, seeing his dignified manner and the sincerity in his eyes, and suddenly saw a reflection of himself.

Was he himself not also an anomaly? In this Greenskin world where only fists were recognized, he was a freak who fought with psychic power. He was excluded and feared by all clans. No matter how strong he was, no one truly accepted him. He had nothing but his loyalty to Ragna.

And this Grot was the sa. Aside from everything Raynor had given him, there was no place for him in this Ork-dominated world. Two outsiders unrecognized by the Greenskin world resonated at this mont.

The psychic pressure around Siss vanished completely. He gave Tooth-Rich a slight nod. For the first ti, his voice lacked disdain and detachnt, containing only recognition.

"Very well. I accept the Hokage Clan's allegiance."

Earning Siss' trust was only the first step of Raynor's plan. Two days later, Raynor took Tooth-Rich and launched their first expansion move: rounding up the remnants of the Blood Axe Clan.

The Blood Axe Clan was no longer as glorious as it once was. Ever since Raynor frad them for leaking information to the Imperium, they had faced a joint purge by the old established clans. The Big Boss who had planned the attack on the Hokage supply point had his head taken by the Bad Moons Clan during the chaos and hung at their camp gate for public display.

The teeth and resources they had accumulated over an entire year were carved up by the other clans. Their core mines, workshops, and territories were all seized. The remaining hundreds of thousands of mbers could only struggle for survival in the radioactive waste zones on the outskirts of Karl-2.

Lacking food and clothing, their weapons rusted, and with only a few Squigs left, their strength had plumted to the weakest clan on the planet. They were at risk of total extinction at any mont.

But Raynor knew very well that as one of the oldest Greenskin clans on Karl-2, the Blood Axes' skills in assassination, infiltration, and plotting were top-tier among Orks. As long as they were given a chance to breathe, it wouldn't take long for them to recover their strength and beco the formidable Blood Axe Clan once again.

When Raynor's fleet majestically entered the waste zone, the remnants of the Blood Axe Clan raised their guns and hid behind debris, nervously watching the newcors.

But when they saw what was being hauled on the transport ships, they were all stunned. Boxes of premium Big Toofs, ship after ship of choppas and scrap rifles, freshly made stew and mushroom beer, and even several hundred healthy Squigs. To the current Blood Axe Clan, these items were a godsend.

Raynor jumped down from a vehicle and looked at the new leader of the Blood Axe Clan who stepped forward—a Big Boss with a cybernetic eye on his forehead, known as "Three-Eyes."

Raynor went straight to the point and stated his conditions.

"I give you two choices," Raynor said in a tone that allowed no negotiation.

"First, I take my people and wipe out all of you stragglers right now to give an account to the major clans of Karl-2."

"Second, submit to Boss Siss and follow the orders of the Hokage Clan. Bring out all your skills in assassination and infiltration."

"In return, the Hokage Clan will help you retake your territory, restore your strength, and avenge the purge you suffered. Furthermore, 5% of the monthly Waaagh! GP dividends will be allocated to you."