Warhammer, about my years with the Wolfpack

"Supreme. Those who rely solely on the power of faith are nothing more than a minor nuisance in the eyes of the true superiors," Ramon said.

"Who then can restrain my father and the Traveler?" Guilliman asked again.

"The only ones left are themselves and those they value. In terms of power, human civilization will not produce beings more powerful than them. They are already the ceiling of galactic civilization at this stage, whether in the physical universe or in the subspace," said Ramon.

"You should feel lucky, Lord Guilliman. Because of their existence, we don't have to face the evil gods of the Warp directly. When someone shields you from the wind and rain, you shouldn't complain that they also shield you from the sun. If you want to change, then please become the one who shields others from the wind and rain." After saying this, Ramon bowed slightly and stopped talking.

While Qile's Ecclesiastical warships were rapidly breaking through, on the other side, the Traveler believers from Huangquan No. 8 and Lucius's Forge World were also contributing to the battle in their own ways.

Compared to the exhilarating power of faith of the state religion, the faith of the Traveler Cult felt more cold and rigorous. It was an ultimate precision, a calm and thoughtful application of the power of faith.

"Fellow believers, fellow members of the Fifth Order. Please allow us to use the opening of the tenth chapter of Traveler's Narrative to cover the smooth progress of our fleet." The Great Sage Castin said to the Mechanicus sages, Legion casting masters, and great craftsmen of the industrial world who were sitting together.

If the state religion's use of the power of faith involves consolidating faith with an unwavering will and then applying it with the same effortless abandon as pouring water, then the high-ranking intellectuals of the Traveler Cult are different. They believe in the Traveler. They too believe that divine power is far superior to their own, yet they nonetheless study it.

The research clearly showed that divine power was truly unbreakable. Divine power was a matter of knowing for sure, but difficult for those who didn't. Without a certain level of character, it simply wasn't possible. However, these academic leaders still took note of the power of faith. After all, it was a much lower level of power, and it was a third power besides science, technology, and psychic powers.

After extensive research, the Traveler Cult developed a systematic method for controlling and utilizing the power of faith through willpower, calculation, and interpersonal communication. These methods were then compiled into various texts, including the Traveler's Narrative.

Then, these studious and adventurous travelers discovered a problem: the same tome had different effects on different people... The same content might accelerate a fleet when used by some, but obscure it in fog when used by others.

Normally, one person's mental power is insufficient to utilize this set of scriptures; everyone must work together. To ensure that everyone works in the same direction, the Traveler Cult has developed a device called a "Mind Synchronizer" to coordinate everyone's thoughts, allowing their minds to form a combined force to achieve a single goal.

As for where this technology came from? It also includes some of the technology of the Randan aliens. After all, in terms of the conditions for the birth of the brain eaters, there are probably few species in this galaxy that can surpass the Randan aliens in the field of mental synchronization.

Faced with this situation, the Traveler welcomed it. Generally speaking, He did not restrict believers' use of the power of faith. He also welcomed this "flourishing" phenomenon. After all, the Traveler himself enjoyed exploration and experimentation. As long as it stayed within certain limits, He would not interfere. He had no intention of establishing a standardized system.

After all, in the 40K era, the most powerful and capable of stirring up trouble were always the scholars. You could say these guys might be naive or foolish at times, but you can't say they couldn't stir up trouble. In fact, other sects couldn't even learn what they did. After all, no matter how generous the Traveler or how open-minded the Traveler's sect was, you can't use the power of the Traveler's faith just because you don't believe in them. That goes against the fundamental laws of the Warhammer universe.

As the "high-ranking intellectuals" of the Warhammer universe synchronized their thoughts, a dozen or so Great Sages began chanting a difficult-to-understand scripture. First, a dozen voices, then a few, and finally a single voice. Amidst the nearby choir's chorus, a pale blue force of faith permeated the entire fleet, enveloping the Traveler Fleet and the surrounding Ultramarines. In the distance, the Word Bearers' warships, in their magic array, faced the enemy forces gradually shrouded in smoke and decisively opened fire.

Unfortunately, the dense barrage of shells and light beams almost penetrated the small fleet blessed by the power of the traveler's faith, and the latter continued to move forward, riding the wind and waves.

"The rocks ahead are blocking the way, destroy them!" As a voice sounded, all the warships of the Traveler Sect quickly changed their formation, and the choir changed from the original chorus to a duet. With the blessing of the strange rhythm and the power of faith, the machine spirits became excited. They looked at the existence in front of them like experienced hunters, analyzing its weaknesses, not only the model of the warship and its combat experience, but also the weaknesses of this magic circle at the metaphysical level.

A moment later, accompanied by the high-pitched beeps of the Machine Spirits, all the warships suddenly locked onto a single ship within the magic array. All their Nova Cannons were immediately trained in the distance, accompanied by flashes of pale blue light. Shell after shell flew out. A moment later, the distant Khorne Daemon warship froze in place, as if frozen, before shattering into countless fragments. Then came the second and third cruisers.

"We have opened a gap in the magic array. If we continue, we can destroy the entire magic array." An officer of the Imperial Navy said excitedly as he looked at the enemy ship that was shattered by one blow.

"Pass through here immediately, quickly." The spiritual body that gathered more than a dozen great sages was not optimistic, but immediately ordered the fleet to pass quickly and not to stop. The reason was very simple. The spiritual body had discovered that in the distance, several warships that were not occupied by demons were becoming demons!

Otherwise, why do we say that divine power is a higher-level power? Even though Lorgar's divine power is not his own, and even though Lorgar knows little about divine power, the power of a higher level is itself a kind of crushing. The Imperial Fleet can temporarily open a gap, but it cannot destroy this magic formation.

“The Traveler Cult seems to be more methodical in its use of the power of faith,” said Guilliman.

"Yes, there is no power that cannot be analyzed," Ramon said. "My Lord, you should give up some of your thoughts. After all, even a group of Mechanicus followers pursuing mechanical ascension are using the power of faith."

Using the power of faith is different from absorbing it. The former involves simple wielding, while absorbing it directly elevates the absorber's status. The absorber must battle with a blend of self-awareness and faith. If the absorber wins, they have a chance to advance further; if they lose, they will be contaminated or even assimilated.

However, no matter how much Guilliman feared the power of faith, it was still useful for now. With the power of the Ecclesiarchy and the Traveler Cult, Guilliman's Ultramarines fleet still opened a path to the Abyssal Terror! Stepping on the blood of his companions, Guilliman finally saw the warship that was even larger than an ordinary star fortress.

"Welcome, Guilliman." When the Ultramarines' fleet approached the target, almost everyone heard a voice that was arrogant and contemptuous.

"Lorgar! You traitor! You are guilty of heinous crimes. Sooner or later..." Guilliman cursed, but before he could vent his emotions, he was rudely interrupted by Lorgar.

"Shut up, you idiot. Honestly, Guilliman, I envy your fate, but I'm appalled by your stubbornness. Perhaps one day I'll die at the hands of some being, but I certainly won't die at your hands! You don't deserve it. At least, I've worked hard for my own ascension!" Lorgar roared. "You haven't. You've given up everything. You don't understand the meaning of our existence."

"I believe that humans in the future should be a rational, intelligent, and civilized race, rather than vassals of a certain god. Our courage, wisdom, and virtue are enough to defeat all enemies." Guilliman retorted.

"Don't fool yourself, Guilliman. Everything you value and rely on is worthless when facing true power! You don't think that you can destroy the Randan aliens by relying on the Primarch and the Legion, do you?" Lorgar laughed.

"Well, Guilliman, you have come to my door, so I will give you a chance, come!" As Lorgar spoke, a hole opened on the side of the Abyssal Terror that was large enough for the cruiser to enter and exit.

"My subordinates will not stop you. Come on, Guilliman!" Lorgar issued a challenge.

"Guilliman, if you can't succeed this time, then I'll seriously consider replacing you." Meanwhile, the Traveler, who continued to paddling on the sidelines, saw everything happening on the battlefield from a higher dimension, including the conversation between Lorgar and Guilliman. Honestly, the Traveler suddenly felt a bit sorry for Lorgar, and a deep sense of disappointment for Guilliman.

The Traveler really admires Guilliman, and also believes that if Guilliman can become the future Prime Minister, it will bring great benefits to mankind. It is precisely because of Guilliman's ability and character that the Traveler told Guilliman many secrets and paths that must not be known to mortals.

However, a person's success cannot be achieved solely by the push of others; it must also depend on their own efforts. Their own individuality is the fundamental factor. But Guilliman refused to move forward. Even now, he still felt resistance within him. However, the Traveler's patience was limited. Millens of years had taught him that kindness and opportunity were not eternal. If Guilliman was unwilling to embark on this path, then he would have to leave the opportunity to others.

The Traveler's goal was to build a divine temple for human civilization. As any primitive being knows, there's strength in numbers. Naturally, the gods also follow this principle. Before Slaanesh's creation, the Eldar gods effectively suppressed both the Warp and the physical universe. Truth be told, humanity's ability to safely navigate the Warp back then was largely thanks to the Eldar gods.

Now, the baton has passed to Humanity. Humanity is so vast, its distribution even wider than that of the Eldar, and its population far surpasses theirs. How can the Emperor and the Traveler alone be enough? Even if true gods can't emerge quickly, a few demigods will do. Guilliman was originally the Traveler's first candidate for godhood. But that doesn't mean the Traveler and the Emperor don't have backup plans.

Both Rus's fiefdom and Ferrus's cosmic corporation could provide the two Primarchs with sufficient power of faith. Perturabo, gifted by the Lord of Radiance, didn't need to follow the path of faith. Jonson was also favored by the Traveler, and the Dark Angels had many recruiting worlds, so he could also try. Sanguinius was even more so, and he might become the second Head of the Imperium in the future. If Guilliman still couldn't make it this time, then he could just stay as Chancellor.

Chapter 432: The Death of Erebus (6K)

"Lord Guilliman, I am going to complete my mission." Ramon said to Guilliman before boarding the Abyssal Terror. "I have sensed the true source of the rebellion."

"What is the real source of the rebellion?" Guilliman asked curiously.

"Yes, a guy named Erebus. He and Kor Phaeron deceived Lorgar. I sensed his presence and I want to get rid of him." Ramon said.

"Go and carry out your mission. I can handle this here." Guilliman said, looking at the thousands of carefully selected victorious officers and soldiers of the Ultramarines and the Iron Torrent behind him.

"Don't you need the help of my Legion? Erebus still has a large number of minions." said Guilliman.

"No need, the Supremes are ready." Ramon said.

"Then I wish you success," said Guilliman.

"Take care of yourself." Ramon saluted and left.

"Is this disappointment in me?" Guilliman felt a little disappointed. After all, in many previous battles, Ramon had always accompanied him on the battlefield, or he had gone to the battlefield while Guilliman stayed behind. But this time, Ramon was carrying out his own mission, which made Guilliman feel a little uncomfortable.

"Trazim, are you going to do your own thing too?" Guilliman said to Trazim who was leaving.

"Yes, respected Primarch, this is your battlefield. People always have to face some things alone. We can help you, but we cannot replace you. Do you understand what I mean?" Trazyn turned his head and stared at Guilliman for a moment with his modified prosthetic eye.

"I sense your disappointment in me, and Ramon feels some of it, too. I originally thought that after spending so much time together, we should understand each other." Guilliman understood some of the reasons. If it was the Traveler and the others who had previously coaxed him forward, it seemed their patience had reached its limit.

Ramon wasn't afraid of death. After all, he was already a great demon walking the mortal world. Ordinary psychic attacks couldn't completely kill him. If he died, he could just go back and read the progress bar. Lorgar had divine power, but he couldn't use his precious power on a mere servant of the Emperor. He had his own plans.

Lorgar's lack of effort wasn't just noticeable to the Traveler, but also to Ramon. Therefore, in Ramon's eyes, the outcome of the battle between Guilliman and Lorgar was already determined. If Guilliman didn't absorb the Faith, he would be severely beaten by Lorgar, but his life wouldn't be in danger, as Lorgar wouldn't dare to kill him. As for the Ultramarines who followed him, few would survive. With or without Ramon, it really made no difference.

So, rather than accompany Guilliman in a battle whose outcome is already predetermined, and then witness Guilliman's rage and wailing, it's better to do something more practical. As for whether Guilliman could awaken the Warp Essence in a life-or-death situation, that's hard to say. After all, in the background, awakening the Warp Essence isn't guaranteed in life-or-death situations. Let's not even talk about Ferrus, who was beheaded. Vulkan was tortured and killed countless times by Curze, even going insane, yet he didn't awaken the Warp Essence either.

Curze was beaten to ecstasy by the lion, but aside from the first kill, he was always taught a lesson by the lion. Did Curze awaken the essence of the Warp? How to awaken the essence of the Warp is a metaphysical question. Without a deep understanding of oneself and a strong obsession, it is impossible to awaken the essence of the Warp. After all, after awakening, it is truly amazing.

The Raven King awakened, forcing Lorgar, blessed by the Four Gods, into autism. The Khan awakened, battered and wounded, and fought back against Mortarion with such tenacity that even Mortarion exclaimed, "It's impossible." And considering Guilliman's current state, even if the Ultramarines were defeated, he might not even awaken to the essence of the Warp. Guilliman's pursuit of narrow rationality is even more terrifying than a thought stamp.

"I will defeat Lorgar, I swear! I will fulfill my obligations and responsibilities, no matter what means!" Guilliman said firmly.

"Then I wish you good luck," Trazyn said, and he left with the vest.

--------

"You seem very excited?" Ramon looked at Tarasim who was walking beside him and felt that the other party was a little puzzled.

"Of course, it's a pleasure for me to be able to eliminate the cancer of a civilization," said Tarasim.

"I always thought you were a collector," Ramon said, looking Trazyn up and down.

"Yes, I am a collector. I have collected the remains and records of countless destroyed civilizations. I have read through these records and have felt deeply moved. Sometimes, the decadence and darkness they contain make me furious. I can't calm down my anger all day long, and I even have to change my body."

"So, your original soul stemmed from anger?" Ramon asked curiously, looking at Trazyn. Trazyn already had a soul. This was due to the Traveler's influence, as well as Trazyn's own emotions. Yes, emotions. Trazyn had emotions, and when emotions reached a certain level, they could give birth to an evil god. It wasn't impossible for a rudimentary soul to form.

"It's somewhat related. Later, I tried to hypnotize myself, and I felt that Xigouqi's way of dealing with the world (the Eldar's great clown) was quite good, so I became what I am now." Trazyn tilted his head. "That's what you call a fun person."

"However, all this is just a cover-up and suppression. My anger towards the evil of civilization must be vented eventually, and that guy named Erebus is very suitable for venting. I will destroy him, from objects to spirits, from the real universe to the subspace, from space to time!" Trazyn said gritting his teeth.

"So what exactly is Erebus?" Ramon asked.

"Civilization's cancer, its inevitable evil and sin," Trazyn said after a moment's thought. "Living organisms can develop cancerous changes, things that grow unchecked and uncontrolled. Civilizations are like this, too. Civilizations have their mainstream. When positivity and pioneering spirit become the mainstream, the entire civilization thrives. But when a civilization degenerates, that degeneration takes a unique form."

"For example, Slaanesh?" Ramon asked tentatively.

"Slaanesh counts as one. Erebus counts as one to some extent, but he is not as strong as Slaanesh. He is a collection of human evil thoughts. And then he hits it off with Chaos." Trazyn said.

"Isn't Erebus too weak? Slaanesh has become a god." Ramon said.

"This is a very complex logical question. Humanity will become the master of the galaxy; this is destiny. And destiny cannot be violated. Therefore, human civilization is thriving and flourishing. Even though there are many sins within it, the overall situation is not problematic. This destiny makes the Emperor powerful, and it also gave rise to beings like the Traveler."

"According to destiny, humans should have powerful gods. Human destiny is upward. The sin represented by Erebus is just one of the disgusting stains. But because of the intervention of the evil god of chaos, the pollution has expanded. And when the evil god gradually fails, this stain should be temporarily erased." said Trazyn.

"Will there be guys like Erebus in the future?" Ramon said with a frown.

"Of course, a living being's own immune system is constantly fighting various cancers. The same is true for a civilization, like the two sides of a coin. The fallen side must always be dealt with. And once it cannot be dealt with, the Necrontyr and the Eldar are a lesson for us. Do you understand?" said Trazyn.

"So, Erebus is just a slightly larger cancer, but it doesn't require the gods to take action personally?" Ramon said.

"That's right, and the Gods of Order have prepared a perfect ending for this guy." A smile appeared on the mechanical face on Trazyn's vest.

In reality, the Traveler knew more than Trazyn. He knew the consequences of humanity's fall. If humanity prospered, the Emperor would be the God of the human race. But if humanity fell or perished, the Emperor would truly return to the Void Throne. The fall of the Eldar would lead to the birth of Slaanesh, which would then devour the Eldar gods. And if humanity were to perish, it would be the Emperor's dark turn. No one would be happy! Let's perish together.

So, the traveler really doesn't understand what the evil gods are trying to do. Isn't it better for everyone to live a good life?

--------

"Let us see who seeks to challenge the mighty Erebus." Erebus, staff in hand, gazed at Ramon and Trazyn. "One is the great demon of the Emperor and the Traveler, the other is a remnant of the undead of an ancient civilization." Erebus made no effort to conceal the sarcasm in his words.

"Fuck him!" Trazyn had no intention of engaging in any further conversation, and immediately opened a four-dimensional maze! As the saying goes, a single arrow pierces the clouds, and a horde of thousands descends upon the enemy! Swarms of Death Mark warriors, ghosts, ghost arks, and giant zongzi were all thrown out. To Ramon's surprise, he even saw a "table lamp" inside. (In the background, the Necrons had some kind of fixed defense system, capable of attacking Titans.)

And that's not all. Trazyn even carefully took out a fragment emitting a faint blue light from his pocket and placed it on his scepter.

"Fragments of the Star God?! Are you planning to take everyone away?" Ramon was completely shocked. He didn't expect that Taraxin would be so decisive in using weapons of mass destruction.

"So, act quickly. I can't guarantee that my scepter can bind this fragment for too long." Trazyn showed a cruel smile on his face.

"Hurry up!" Ramon picked up his staff and waved it in the air. In an instant, an elliptical light gate appeared before his eyes, then rapidly expanded. A passage connecting the real universe and the Traveler's Domain was formed. Then, swarms of Warp beings, or Traveler Demons, rushed out of the Domain!

"You're being too extreme. This isn't good..." Trazyn said weakly, observing the gradually changing space and time around them. The Traveler didn't directly intervene; it was the Navigator Star Chart that did all this. After all, just because the Traveler didn't take action didn't mean his minions wouldn't. And his minions were formidable, capable of dealing with the Randan War Moon, empowered by the Randan Mastermind. And when the divine realm connects with the real universe, the former will naturally erode and even assimilate the surrounding space and time.

If Trazyn's current methods were to destroy time and space, then when the divine realm unfolded, it would distort everything in the non-divine realm! Various supernatural phenomena began to flash. As the warp army entered, a blue light began to envelop the entire battlefield.

The Khorne Daemon Engines surrounding Erebus were instantly purified. The more fortunate Daemons were banished wailing into the Warp, while the less fortunate were likely utterly annihilated. However, this wasn't the end of the matter. Once the Daemons at the heart of the Daemon Engines had been eliminated, the frugal Traveler wouldn't let go of the mechanical husks. They were quickly infected by the Traveler's power and authority, becoming his own Daemon Engines...

Then, the Traveler Legion, the Necrontyr's horde of undead, and the transformed Daemon Engines launched a charge against the Word Bearers' forces. It was an absolutely devastating encounter, with all manner of scientific and metaphysical weapons raining down like raindrops. Whirlpools and rifts in space and time appeared out of nowhere, leaving the rebels utterly unaware of their deaths. The entire battle could only be described as a crushing defeat.

"Damn it, how could this happen?" Erebus was also shocked by the scene before him. He had never expected that he would receive such an "honor" and enjoy the highest "treatment" among mortals in the rebel army.

"Angeltai, stop them! I'll go get reinforcements!" Erebas gave the order as he retreated to the back, and then he prepared to open a portal and run away.

"Sir, I will complete the task." There was a chill in Angertai's eyes.

"This is a treasure blessed by the Chaos Gods, powerful enough to allow me to leave this place. Haha, Lorgar, I am the true Son of Chaos, and you are but a puppet. Your fate is sealed. In the future, I will realize my vision of destroying the gods." Erebus began to cast a spell. A portal gradually took shape. The fact that it could still be opened under the current circumstances was proof enough that this portal was also a life-saving gift from the Chaos Gods.

I have to say, Erebus really wins the favor of these subspace scum.

"Hurry up, hurry up, it's almost there," Erebus said anxiously. However, just at this moment, when the portal was about to take shape, a huge figure passed over Erebus's head. Just as Erebus was surprised, Angertai had already unfolded his enchanted warrior form, landed behind Erebus, and stabbed Erebus in the back with the ritual dagger in his hand!

"Angeltai! You betrayed me!" Erebas suddenly burst out with amazing strength. He struggled to break free from Angeltai's grasp, and then threw out a powerful psychic lightning.

"Treachery and assassination can sometimes be a good thing, right? The evil of civilization." Angertai's voice became shrill and hoarse. A mocking smile appeared on his once demonic face.

"The most extreme betrayal and cruelty will give birth to demons. So what do you think will be born from turning from evil to good and killing a villain?" The God of Laughter asked with a smile, playing with the dagger in his hand.

"As a god, you actually assassinated a mortal?! As an Eldar god, you actually collaborated with the Necrontyr? Your vileness and shamelessness are beyond my comprehension and understanding!" Erebus trembled. He began to lose control of his body. The ritual dagger and the power of the Harlequin were destroying him from the very beginning.

"I can't die, I can't die, the Chaos Gods will..." Erebus looked at the taking shape portal. He could already see the Chaos Realm in the distance. It was the intersection of the four realms of the gods. There was blood, Slaanesh's luxurious palace, Nurgle's garden, and Tzeentch's dazzling crystal maze.

However, a faint blue light suddenly appeared above the portal. This light slid from top to bottom, and the entire portal was wiped out, like an exploding soap bubble! Trazyn rushed to the battlefield, and the C'tan fragment in his hand directly closed Erebus's escape route.

At the same time, Ramon flashed behind Erebus, stabbed him decisively at the wound, and then turned around.

"You stabbed me with that?" Erebus turned and saw the weapon in Ramon's hand. He was completely shocked. Not only was the traveler's divine power on it painful, but he also realized that the weapon Ramon used to stab him was a fork. Judging from its appearance, it should be the kind used for eating.

"What are you looking at? This is also a divine weapon!" Ramon said seriously.

"Ah..." The angry Erebus began to swell, and the evil beneath his human skin gradually got out of control under the divine power and various attacks. His body swelled into a ball of flesh full of malice, covered with tentacles and eye stalks.

"Another cup of holy water!" Ramon said nothing, throwing a bottle of golden liquid at the other man. The origin of this golden liquid was questionable. Even the Emperor was extremely taboo about it, but it was said that this bottle of water might be, perhaps, probably the Emperor's mouthwash?

But no matter what, this bottle of "holy water" was still quite effective. Like concentrated acid, it directly burned away large chunks of Erebus's flesh.

"Hurry and finish this fellow off. The battle between the Emperor and Khorne is almost over," the Laughing God, who had taken control of Angertai's body, said sternly. As for Ram? The poor fellow was hiding in a corner of Angertai's soul, cowering and daring not to utter a word.

"For the Gods of Order!" the Great Clown roared with a rather wicked chuckle. Then, leading the charge, the sharp blade in his hand flew up and down, slicing through the target like slicing a slice. Each piece of flesh, after being ripped away, dissolved into a puff of black smoke under the burning divine power. Erebus, already losing his mind, wailed meaninglessly.

On the other side, Trazyn also used the fragments of the Star God in his hand to gradually crush Erebus's body. The blue supernatural light made the malice from the subspace and the mind disappear into nothingness. Ramon used the holy relics of the travelers to build a barrier here. This space was completely isolated.

Erebus was helpless against such a powerful onslaught. After all, while his essence looked rather repulsive and imposing, if a fight truly came to a head, Angertai, controlled by a great clown, would be enough to resolve all problems. The fact that so many powerful beings came to deal with him could be understood as a reflection of the galactic civilization's deep-seated malice towards such beings!

"Erebus, when we kill you with assassination and cunning, light will be born. After all, we don't need to follow the rules for someone like you who exudes malice and decay from head to toe."

"Besides, don't you believe in Chaos? Does Chaos follow rules?" The big clown attacked without relaxing his verbal attacks on the latter.

"Ah..." Finally, with a wailing cry, everything about Erebus turned to ash. His spirit, his body, and even his very essence were all annihilated in that moment. Thus, the cancer of human civilization was removed. Perhaps there will be another Erebus in the future, but that is a matter for the future.

"Your Majesty, what are you going to do next?" Ramon asked respectfully, putting away the weapon in his hand.