Nimrod observed as squads of warriors from the Third Regiment bore forth an array of items, presenting them before his august presence.
His discerning gaze swept over the offerings, alighting upon a lung spider and the auxiliary materials for a Sequence 9 "Monster" potion—ice crystal butterflies among them.
Bukayo, with a gesture toward the assembled treasures, spoke with earnest conviction.
"My lord, you hold little interest in gold or mundane riches, yet you appear profoundly captivated by extraordinary creatures and rare artifacts, as evidenced by your command to procure the largest lung spider—the Black Widow."
"I have deliberately gathered these items to offer as tribute to you."
"Some I encountered in the underhive, others I unearthed within the false king's treasury. I know not which might earn your favor, so I preserved all that are uncommon, leaving the choice to your discerning judgment."
Nimrod, upon hearing these words, could not but marvel at Bukayo's astuteness. Among his followers, only Bukayo had perceived his inclinations and acted to cater to them with such offerings.
[This presents an opportune moment to craft a persona!
As my endeavors grow, procuring potion materials personally will become increasingly arduous. By cultivating a reputation as one who covets rare "artifacts," my actions will be greatly facilitated.
Moreover, as the adage goes, "when a superior harbors a preference, subordinates naturally align with it." With more followers and gene-kin presenting tributes, the variety and quantity of potion materials I acquire will assuredly multiply.]
With this realization, Nimrod resolved to display his delight openly, ensuring his satisfaction was unmistakable.
He strode purposefully toward a crystal cage, his mighty hand seizing it. He scrutinized the butterfly within, its form shimmering like ice, and let forth a hearty laugh.
"Splendid! Splendid! Splendid! I am exceedingly pleased!"
Bukayo, witnessing Nimrod's exuberance, resolved inwardly to redouble his efforts in collecting such peculiar relics to offer to the divine figure he served.
In the ensuing standard months, the commanders of other regiments gradually learned of Nimrod's singular personal penchant.
They, too, emulated Bukayo's example, resulting in a prodigious surge in the diversity and volume of potion materials at Nimrod's disposal.
Lung spiders, ubiquitous in every underhive, became the quarry of relentless hunts orchestrated by the regiments.
Nimrod continued his transformation of the second layer of the Nation of Disorder's true space. Relying on his superhuman memory, he replicated environments of sewage pits and pipelines, completing the preliminary reshaping of a one-square-kilometer expanse.
Thereafter, he introduced thousand-foot serpents and lung spider juveniles into this domain, alongside other creatures not used in potions, to serve as their sustenance.
Nimrod spared no expense, compounding potions to elevate his vetted subordinates into Beyonders.
Howard Finde's protégé, Yasin, was anointed as an "Arbites."
Thierry's nominees, Buuka and Gyurgyur, followed his path to become "Warriors."
Upon attaining Beyonder status, their capabilities were markedly enhanced.
Maria and two other "Assassins" infiltrated various hives, eliminating commanders and sowing chaos.
Nimrod led his regiments in rotation, subjugating hive after hive, until, on the eve of Vostonia's frigid winter, he had conquered all thirty-three hives.
Vostonia was a planet of biting cold, characterized by protracted winters punctuated by fleeting springs.
Yet, with colonization and the rapid industrialization spurred by the Adeptus Mechanicus's arrival, the planet's climate had gradually warmed.
Over millennia, this transformation extended the combined duration of spring, summer, and autumn to surpass that of winter.
In the past century, Vostonia's average climatic cycle comprised one hundred and four work cycles of spring, eighty-five of summer, one hundred and thirty-nine of autumn, and two hundred and seventeen of winter.
On the first work cycle of the approaching winter, within the grandiose hall of Tezwok Hive, a ceremony was convened to formalize Nimrod's ascension as Vostonia's monarch.
The Primarch sat enthroned, his regal form framed by thirty-three black lances, each impaling a golden crown of varied size and design.
These crowns, once worn by the kings of each hive, bore testament to Nimrod's conquests; twenty-three of their former bearers had fallen by his hand.
Eschewing Vostonia's traditional crimson ceremonial gown, Yelena Kurnikova, the inaugural Prime Minister of Vostonia's cabinet, donned a black gown favored by the monarch to preside over the rite.
Her gaze drifted to the right, where representatives of the thirty-three hives' nobility stood assembled. The corner of her eye caught the Adeptus Mechanicus's delegation—Magos Kaminsky and representatives of the altars' Tech-Priests.
Finally, her sight returned to the forefront, where she knew Howard and the regimental representatives were Nimrod's true confidants.
Yelena spoke slowly, her voice imbued with solemnity and an unyielding authority.
"Esteemed lords and ladies of the nobility, honored guests of the Adeptus Mechanicus, we gather here to bear witness to a historic juncture in Vostonia's annals—the dawn of a resplendent new era."
"For millennia, false kings usurped power for their own ends, treating hives as personal fiefs. Vostonia stagnated, its hive-dwellers languishing in untold misery."
"Xenos invasions severed our food supplies, while heretic uprisings imperiled the hives. Vostonia teetered on the brink of annihilation."
Her tone shifted abruptly, ignited with fervent zeal.
"In this darkest hour, King Nimrod descended from the heavens!"
"He slew the false kings, purged the xenos, and eradicated the heretics, uniting a fractured Vostonia."
"He restored order and kindled hope. He is Vostonia's savior! He is Vostonia's monarch!"
Yelena turned, facing Nimrod and the assembled nobles to her right, her voice resonating through the hall.
"Lords and ladies, pledge your loyalty to the new king."
With that, she faced Nimrod directly, adhering to Vostonia's most ancient rite. She knelt on one knee, her right hand pressed to her chest, her voice resolute and devout.
"I, Yelena Kurnikova, pledge my loyalty to King Nimrod! Whatever my king commands, I shall obey; whatever my king desires, I shall fulfill! This oath I swear, unto death!"
The nobles and Howard's contingent followed suit, dropping to one knee.
"We pledge our loyalty to King Nimrod! Whatever our king commands, we shall obey; whatever our king desires, we shall fulfill! This oath we swear, unto death!"
Their voices converged like a tidal wave, reverberating through every corner of the hall.
As the chorus subsided, the hall fell into a momentary silence, like the ebbing of the tide.
"I accept your fealty!"
Nimrod's voice thundered like a storm, imbued with unassailable authority and power.
His words struck like a hammer upon the hearts of all present.
His gaze, fierce as a torch, swept over the rising assembly before settling on the Adeptus Mechanicus's representatives.
Kaminsky withdrew from a memory of Nimrod claiming a crown, stepping forward with measured deliberation.
His voice, modulated by a mechanical vox-unit, carried an icy solemnity.
"King Nimrod."
Kaminsky's words rang with the precision and force of meshing gears.
"May the wisdom of the Omnissiah guide your path. May the glory of the Machine God bless your reign. Your will shall drive Vostonia's workings like sacred gears; your authority shall endure like imperishable machinery."
He inclined his head slightly, the red glow of his augmetic eyes flickering.
The Adeptus Mechanicus members behind him intoned in unison, their voices synchronized like the hum of precision machinery.
"May the Machine God shield you! May the Omnissiah's radiance forever illuminate Vostonia!"
As the ceremony unfolded, in the Mikhailovsky Hive, all twenty-nine surviving Magos of Vostonia, save Kaminsky, convened at Altar One.