Chapter 582

On the planet Solmunnas, within Tarasyn's Galactic Museum of History,

the entire planet is now half-submerged within a hidden subdimensional reality bubble, one of Tarasyn's protective measures after the Silent King took notice of him for collaborating with Anar Kaier,

Solmunnas was, millions of years ago, the crystallization of Necron art, culture, and history, and itself embodied Necron technology,

this planet is less a planet than a Dyson-sphere-sized structure, its outer shell composed of countless drifting nanomachines that form facets to absorb energy, become clouds to sustain the atmosphere, or harden into a resilient shell protecting the museum beneath.

Under Tarasyn's leadership, Sanguinius, Guilliman, Fulgrim, Belisarius Cawl, and Zhou Yun walked through this vast museum.

They came here to communicate with the Necrons; Anar Kaier was using his former political influence to spread Zhou Yun's offer among the Necrons and attempting to establish direct contact with the Silent King,

and during this time, Tarasyn invited Zhou Yun and the Primarchs to tour his museum.

"This is the Ancient Beastmen; in older eras, we called them Krok."

Tarasyn walked at the front of the group, describing the artifact with a tone that, for a Necron, bordered on fervent,

it was a colossal creature twelve meters tall, its body composed of gnarled, deep-green muscle, mostly covered in rough exoskeletal armor, its face obscured by a helmet, hiding its exact features,

"He is the ancestor of today's Orks, a bio-engineered weapon of the Old Ones, dangerous, cunning, lethal, and endless. What your humans face today is merely a degenerate form."

"Of course, like today's Orks, the Ancient Beastmen depended on war for survival; the current level of warfare in the galaxy is insufficient to sustain them, which is why they have degenerated into today's Orks."

"Theoretically, if the intensity of war could reach the scale of the Heavenfall War, the Ancient Beastmen might yet reemerge within the Ork genetic sequence."

Tarasyn explained in great detail—not because he sought to flatter anyone, but simply because he enjoyed doing so,

Solmunnas welcomed all visitors; Tarasyn operated this museum to preserve galactic history so that future generations might remember.

"This reminds me of Ullanor," Fulgrim said, a faint smile on his lips.

The Ullanor Victory—the Emperor himself led the campaign, crushing the largest Ork empire of the Great Crusade, with Warmaster Horus standing beside the Emperor,

Horus personally slew Ullak Ulg, the ruler of the Ullanor Ork empire,

and it was at the celebration following the Ullanor Victory, witnessed by Primarchs including Fulgrim, Sanguinius, Jaghatai Khan, Lorgar, Magnus, Angron, Mortarion, and others, that the Emperor personally crowned Horus as Warmaster and declared his withdrawal from the Great Crusade.

That was the peak of the Great Crusade, a moment of infinite glory, when all seemed full of hope—even the most cautious could not deny that humanity was rising again.

Merely recalling that moment, Fulgrim's lips curled into a smile; though he was not the protagonist, merely participating in it made him feel blessed by the sun of honor.

Sanguinius paused slightly, surprised Fulgrim would bring this up, but after a brief moment, he too showed a faint smile similar to Fulgrim's,

even though the galaxy later burned and the Empire nearly collapsed, at least that moment remained in their memories radiant with glory.

"How wonderful—that moment made the future seem filled with endless glory, the moment humanity began to rise again," Fulgrim sighed.

Only Guilliman's expression remained cold, utterly unable to resonate with Sanguinius or Fulgrim,

for he had not attended the Ullanor Victory, had not witnessed the Emperor's coronation of the Warmaster, had felt none of its glory,

Guilliman had instead focused on the political significance of the Emperor granting Horus the title of Warmaster,

recalling that moment, Guilliman felt only pain and regret,

as a mature statesman, he should have recognized the danger of the Emperor bestowing such immense power upon Horus, the potential for rebellion,

indeed, among the Ultramarines, some Astartes with foresight had already sensed this possibility: the potential for conflict among the Astartes themselves.

But Guilliman, trusting his Primarch brothers, harshly rejected such talk—even punishing the ringleader with the red helm.

Now, looking back, it was too late to regret; he wished he had acted differently.

"What I saw was not honor, but the collapse of a great edifice."

"It should have been the beginning of humanity's rise, yet it became, through our errors, the start of ruin."

Guilliman spoke with a near-cold tone.

Fulgrim was stung by Guilliman's words; his lips curled slightly, revealing faint displeasure.

"So? When, then, was the true beginning of humanity's resurgence?"

"When you crowned Sanguinius as Emperor of the Second Empire?"

Fulgrim said with sarcasm.

Guilliman merely gave him a cold glance:

"It is now. Today."

"I will not repeat the mistake of Ullanor."

Fulgrim sneered: "As if all of humanity now rests upon your shoulders—where does that leave Sanguinius? Where does it leave our Father? Where does it leave Belisarius Cawl?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yun's lips twitched slightly,

Fulgrim's words stirred unpleasant memories,

the Great Betrayal was an event Zhou Yun had cycled through countless times in his dreams and still could not face calmly,

having Guilliman and not having him were two entirely different things—and if Guilliman were an enemy, it was hell-tier difficulty.