I am in pain. Around me, the circling of the tyranid goes on. It's form, a vessel of war on a galactic scale. Then again, so was mine.

I check my body once more. There are some little bioforms trying to dig into my outer layers of armor by my joints. I burn them with warp fire, clearing my body of the wretched things. The slash in my chestplate is deep, but not far enough to be an issue.

I knew increasing my armor was a great idea, even over experimenting with myself. But enough of that. I look up and meet the eyes of my foe.

Half of its face was melted off due to a good shot from my melta, and it's chitin plates had a few dents. It's scythe like arms were close in to its body, likely because I ripped one off after it slashed my damn chest.

It hisses at me, it's body language indicating it wanted to put one of those scythed limbs through my head. I tensed my had, my fingers splayed out.

I need to go for surprise. It is a tough bastard and getting in close is... ill-advised. But before I get the chance to try to nail a round through the creatures head, it opens its maw wide, and spits a literal shit ton of acid at me.

I dodge to the side, firing as I go. I try to angle the slashed chestplate away from the acid as I now advance, and flare my ion shield.

The acid misses, and splashes against the floor. It bubbles and hisses. With little time to look at the now melted floor, I shoot my melta into the head of the beast, while firing my cannon at its arm joints.

It dodges the melta, and rushes me. As it closes, I don't stop firing as I stop advancing. When it reaches me, I faint a strike with my claw, only to instead strike it with my gun when it dodges back. The creature staggers sideways, and gives me a prime opportunity. I step forward and pinch it straight in the head. Not giving it a moment, I step back again, and fire twice inti it's head.

It slumps back, and falls. I don't trust it. While only a beast, it was cunning enough that it could be playing tricks. So just to make sure, I shoot it again and again and again with my cannon until it loses its form.

Now just a pile of flesh, I roar my victory to the crowd, as playing it up wouldn't hurt my chances of getting 'fed'. As I'm led out of the arena, I send a quick message to Karros.

"Be warned. The Dark Eldar gained tyranids. This includes evolved bioforms. Be on your guard, and make sure they die. Do not fall for their tricks." I send.

And soon, I return to my Home. It's dark and dank confines oh so comforting. But, instead of an empty room, I see a large pile of scraps. There are turrets, tracks, and more. As I move things about, I see a few things that get me truly exited. In some of the turrets, there are functional weapons.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

Or, at least, whole enough for my purposes. I lift the first to my head, and I see... an autocannon? Yes. I put it down and grab the next. Another autocannon. Then the next.

This goes on for a while as I try to index each gun I see. This is an opportunity. If I can grow an actual gun for myself, then I will be able to adapt to any situation! I'm genuinely excited.

Right now, I have 3 autocannons, 2 multi-lasers, and 2 heavy bolters. The rest was best used as extra mass.

I first absorbed an autocannon and it's accompanying turret. And I feel... nothing. Wait, actually, I feel a hint of it. Like, I see the autocannon in my minds eye, but it's hazy. Incomplete.

So, I eat another autocannon. And this time, the picture is complete. I feel I can grow it. YES! YEEEEEEEES!! IT WORKS! HAHAHAHAHA! a low growl emerges from me, shaking the room a bit. I flinch, and stop moving. I stay still for an hour, before I dare to move again.

Shit, too exited, but it works! I waste no time in deconstructing my heavy stubber. After a few days, it's gone completely, and it's mental image is ingrained into me.

So, each gun I get, it gets ingrained into my soul. It takes a few to get a full image, but once I do get that image, I'm able to reproduce it anywhere on my body.

But, for simplicity sake, and for the sake of looking like an imperial knight, I begin growing it in the place where my stubber was located. It takes some maneuvering, and some removal of excess material, but eventually, it fits. I begin growing my new gun.

Unfortunately, from the way it's growing, it will take a while. So, for now, I move to eat the rest of the scrap. When I'm done, I check my images, and find a few surprises.

While I have the heavy bolter image, I do not have the multi-laser one. Instead, I get a flamer? How? Were there flamers in the scrap pile? And how do I have the bolter, but not the laser?

Is it about complexity? If so, thats... very unfortunate. As soon as I got this ability, I wanted a volkite weapon. Now, I don't think it's possible. How disappointing.

__________________________

It has been six-ish months now sense I got that ability, and my cannon still isn't done growing! It is, to be honest, extremely disappointing.

I knew it would take time, but this is just painful to me. Perhaps, as with my armor, with practice I could regrow it faster next time.

And while there probably would still be time restrictions, it would be FASTER THAN THIS! AAAAAAAAAAH! Ah. Enough dramatics. I've work to do.

I was currently back in that damn dark hole I call home, and am still trying to bulk up my frame. With my reactor changed, I can take on a lot more mass to my frame, up to a point. Where that point is? I've no clue.

Perhaps titan weaponry... On second thought, most assuredly titan weaponry. That shit is ginormous. As in, some of the guns on those behemoths are bigger then me.

I look around my cell and contemplate my situation again. Not for the first time, I want to get out. But, there have been no good opportunities.

I need to get as many blueprints as I can right now. Perhaps I can use xeno weaponry? Not right now of course. The plan remains the same. To the imperium. But... if the fights keep increasing in difficulty...

I look down at my body. What little I could see was scratched. My sensors detected multiple dents and cuts. Not deep, but definitely problematic.

I may not have much time left before I fight something I can't win against.