Chapter 488

Like a vast shoal of fish crossing a river, a colossal fleet was slowly sailing toward the Baal star system. This fleet was one of the Primarchs created by the Emperor of the Human Imperium, and it was the Indomitable Crusade launched by Roboute Guilliman.

This was a grand expedition of epic scale, sparked when the Primarch of the Adeptus Astartes, Roboute Guilliman, returned to Imperial Terra and flew into a rage.

He discovered that the Imperium was no longer the one his father, the Emperor, had founded ten thousand years ago; it had rotted to a point he could scarcely accept.

Thus, Roboute Guilliman used his superior wisdom to successfully convince the High Lords of Terra, and he removed those High Lords unwilling to obey his commands.

This utterly corrupt Imperium was hurtling toward its doom, but the return of Primarch Roboute Guilliman gave the dark, decaying Imperium a forced gasp of breath.

At this time, the Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Cawl, also provided Roboute Guilliman with a mighty army of Space Marines.

This Space Marine army was secretly researched and prepared by Belisarius Cawl over ten thousand years.

From remote planets, suitable youths of conscription age were selected, brought to Mars' secret base, trained as recruits, and then given the Primaris upgrade.

Over ten thousand years, Cawl secretly produced over a hundred thousand Primaris Space Marines; this army would become the absolute trump card for Roboute Guilliman's revival of the Imperium. (The Primaris Space Marines accounted for 75% of all Space Marines in the Imperium, a truly terrifying military force.) Furthermore, all successor chapters of the Primaris Space Marines gathered under their genetic progenitor, on Oktara 500 World.

He also provided Roboute Guilliman with vast numbers of mortal troops and an extraordinarily large fleet.

Besides this, all the High Lords, the nobles of Terra, and every planet that could be contacted also dispatched their own armies.

Even the Imperial Guard regiments that had never left the Emperor's Palace in ten thousand years—the Imperium's strongest fighting force, the Legion of the Damned—were persuaded by Roboute Guilliman to finally emerge from that most sacred Emperor's Palace and join the ensuing war.

Compared to the Space Marines, the strength of the Imperial Guard was as different as heaven and earth; five Imperial Guardsmen could easily slaughter hundreds of Space Marines.

After years of preparation, Roboute Guilliman assembled a fleet not weaker than that of the Emperor's Great Crusade, and launched his own galactic crusade.

This galactic crusade aimed to reclaim all planets that had fallen to the Imperium's dark side due to the Great Rift.

Once everyone had assembled, the crusade fleet departed, with Macragge Guilliman leading the assembled fleet into the surging, tumultuous waves of the Immaterium.

Because the Immaterium storms were now excessively violent, Roboute Guilliman's crusade fleet could only traverse the Immaterium by means of continual short-range jumps.

Even so, the risk was extremely high; each entry into the Immaterium resulted in several warships going missing, and some ships' Gellar fields would malfunction.

In an instant, these pressure-space demons—filthy with nauseating slime, the Plaguebearers of Nurgle, the alluring Slaanesh daemons, and the brutally violent Bloodthirsters—would manifest.

They would appear throughout the ship's corridors, beginning fierce combat with human crewmen, aboard the *Hera's Oath* warship.

Inquisitor Greyfax led a squad composed of Battle Sisters and Space Marines, resisting the Immaterium's corruption.

Many captains prayed to the Living Saint Selcius for blessings, hoping the divine light of this Emperor's Angel would safeguard them, despite the fleet continually enduring assaults from various terrifying foes.

But now leading this crusade fleet was a genetic progenitor resurrected from ten thousand years of history; even in the face of difficulty, the crusade pressed on, reclaiming one planet after another.

Whenever the fleet completed an Immaterium jump, Guilliman had his Astropaths search the dark void for all information fragments about the Imperium's current state; but due to the Immaterium storms, much of the information they gathered.

was chaotic and incomprehensible; the clearer distress calls, however, depicted the grim state of each Imperial world under Chaos influence.

Vast star systems had already been ravaged by unnatural phenomena, daemon invasions, xenos incursions, and mutating plagues, while the number of psykers had increased enormously.

And this surge in psykers also brought great social upheaval; however, with the arrival of the Imperial great army, with the coming of the Indomitable Crusade, and with the emergence from ten thousand years of slumber of the genetic progenitor resurrected from history.

All resistance was crushed, countless worlds were retaken by Roboute Guilliman, and the entire Imperium was restoring order.

"The Baal star system, and also the Mortis star system, were once the domain of the Blood Angels Space Marine Chapter; this was once the territory of the Great Angel Sanguinius; after ten thousand years of development, the Blood Angels have always protected these two star systems, especially the Baal star system.

But just a few decades ago, a tendril fleet of the Tyranid xenos reached here; the Imperium dispatched large reinforcements to the Mortis star system.

But then the Great Rift erupted, the entire Imperium and the Baal star system lost contact, and we now do not know what condition this star system is in." Guilliman's navigator spoke.

"I know this place; this was once Sanguinius's recruiting ground, and also a system under his protection.

Just like my Oktara 500 World, so navigator, give me a detailed report—what do you think the Baal star system's situation is now? Have they already been overrun by those buggers?" the Primarch Roboute Guilliman asked.

The Tyranid xenos are another alien species I developed during my slumber; this species is extremely terrifying, having suddenly appeared in the galaxy a few hundred years ago; they devour planets along their path, turning them into utterly dead star systems.

After analysis and data inquiry, although I have never seen this particular species, I still believe its threat is no less than that of the Ork armies during the Beast Wars, or even the Imperial-facing space undead.

This is a species born for war, just like those green-skinned Orks.

To ensure this Blek Crusade proceeds smoothly and can respond to the latest xenos species emerging in the galaxy.

Roboute Guilliman also brought large numbers of Imperial Guard into his fleet to deal with sudden situations.

"Currently, based on some returning imagery, I can confidently say the Baal star system has not been devastated by the Tyranid fleet, for if the Tyranid fleet destroyed a star system.

then there would be no life response on that planet, not even the nuclear energy of its core would remain, and even the gaseous energy of gas giants would be sucked dry by the Tyranids." The psyker aboard the ship spoke.

This is clearly not a world destroyed by Tyranids, so the 82 star system should still exist, but for some unknown reason, the Baal star system and the adjacent Munificent star system have not replied to our signals.

"Currently, the commander of the Blood Angels Space Marine Chapter is a man named Dante; I have read his records—he is a veteran who has lived over 1,600 years, a top-tier warrior.

If he is still alive, I even wish to make him Regent of the Imperium's Dark Side, so that after I conclude this crusade, he can stabilize the situation in the Imperium's Dark Side." Roboute Guilliman nodded and spoke.

This man named Dante, commander of the Blood Angels Space Marine Chapter, is a veteran of countless battles; his second-in-command, Calth, greatly admires him.

When the other party had been chapter master for several hundred years, Calth was still a recruit, so Roboute Guilliman immediately realized that this man named Dante was a very suitable political figure.

He has military prestige, political prestige, and is very suitable as Regent of the Imperium's Dark Side; although I myself could undertake a great crusade, I must remain on holy Terra to oversee the Imperium's grand strategy.

I cannot remain in the Imperium's Dark Side, so the Imperium's Dark Side needs a spokesperson.

After several days of travel, the vast beyond compare crusade fleet also entered the Mortis star system.

But strangely, this Mortis star system before our eyes is completely unlike the Mortis star system recorded in Imperial archives.

The Imperial records state the Mortis star system has only a few industrial worlds, agricultural worlds, and monastery worlds, but here, the planets suitable for human habitation, large and small, number over a dozen.

And besides humanity, the Imperium crusade force also discovered some special species; on half of the planets in this system, large numbers of greenskins live. Even more strangely, within a single star system, half the planets are inhabited by greenskins.

Logically, these greenskin forces should have long since clashed with humanity; why then have the two sides not erupted into war?

"Indeed very strange, but also explainable, Lord Guilliman, have you seen those fellows outside the Mortis star system?"

They are the Tyranids; vast Ork armies are currently fighting these Tyranids, and providing them with transport, logistical support, and even weapons and equipment are humans." The Space Marine Chapter Master Calth spoke.

"So you mean the Blood Angels Chapter Master Dante has allied with these xenos?" the leading Battle Sister immediately paled and asked.

In the eyes of these Imperial Ecclesiarchy adherents, any alliance with xenos is treason; the Battle Sisters detest such betrayal intensely.

"No! Chapter Master Dante and the Blood Angels absolutely will not betray the Imperium; I can guarantee this.

But I simultaneously face Ork and Tyranid invasions, so no Space Marine force can withstand them.

Therefore, if I were Chapter Master Dante of the Blood Angels, I too would choose to ally with humanity." Calth spoke.

Sometimes these Imperial Ecclesiarchy people are utter lunatics; frankly, I have no fondness for them at all.

Although these battle nuns were extremely brave when fighting, their attitude and the hardline Imperial Church doctrine were unacceptable to the Space Marines.

I also put myself in their shoes; if I were in the same position, I would also ally with these green-skinned orcs to fight against these dangerous Tyranid swarms.

Over the years, we have launched the Great Crusade and encountered some Tyranids; these creatures are the most dangerous species in the galaxy, without exception. Primarch Roboute Guilliman nodded and said.

After I slept for ten thousand years, the state religion of the Imperium became even more extreme, and even if I put myself in their position, I, Roboute Guilliman, would also choose to ally with the orcs. These orcs are very fond of war.

During the Beast Wars, they were outright madmen; this warlike species only cares about fighting, and nothing else matters.

Some High Lords back then also proposed using orcs to deal with the Tyranids, but if they won, they would end up breeding an unimaginable super-monster. An Imperial Inquisitor spoke up.

The Octarius War back then was when a human Inquisitor used special means to lure the Tyranids onto the orcs' turf, resulting in an unimaginably massive war between the two sides, and thus the Intermundane Line was established.

I still have one thing that puzzles me: there shouldn't be so many habitable planets in the Mortis System, should there? Crusade Squad Leader Calgar spoke up.

A few hundred years ago, I also visited the Mortis System and the Baal System once, and toured the grounds of the Blood Angels.

I am still familiar with this place; there simply aren't this many habitable planets here, especially since some planets are actually moons, which is clearly artificial.

These orcs should not have the capability to terraform a planet, especially into a life-bearing world like this. A Tech-Priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus spoke up.

Terraforming a planet is extremely difficult; the human Imperium can also terraform planets, but only by turning some into hive worlds or forge worlds or similar.

Only planets naturally suited for habitation like Holy Terra can be turned into agri-worlds or paradise worlds.

"Primarch, previously Dante might not have been able to, so he chose to ally with these green-skinned orcs because he had no reinforcements otherwise, but now your army has arrived, and our Crusade has come.

He no longer needs to ally with these xenos species; we can reorganize the Tyranids in the outer Mortis System and also wipe out these green-skinned orcs entirely." A Battle Sister spoke up.

"No! We cannot actively attack these orcs, at least for now they are still in an alliance with us, and I must find out what happened.

I need to know how this kind of agri-world terraforming technology works." Roboute Guilliman spoke up.

Transforming a large physical planet outside the habitable zone into an inhabitable agri-world or paradise world.

If the human Imperium exerted full effort, it could be done, but it would take several hundred years to form an atmosphere and make the land fertile.

But now the Baal System and the Mortis System are merely out of contact for a few decades.

To transform all physical planets within a star system into habitable worlds in such a short time is simply impossible.

Moreover, the orc population here is enormous; facing such a vast horde of orcs as enemies is not a good choice.

Roboute Guilliman participated in the Beast Wars and knows exactly how much power these green-skinned orcs can generate when they reach their final evolutionary form.

Those few beasts could match Primarchs in physical strength, although only in physical terms. (Here I clarify: whether ancient orcs or those orcs from the Beast Wars era that could match Primarchs,

they are only capable of matching the human body in physical terms, but the warp nature is what makes Primarchs special; otherwise, the Emperor would have mass-produced Primarchs long ago.

Even if they were expensive to produce, the Emperor should also be able to replenish some of them.) Now!

Suddenly, a terrifying aura enveloped Roboute Guilliman's flagship; a figure about two meters tall, looking more like a green-skinned human orc, suddenly appeared aboard the ship.

The newcomer was Luode; after discovering this Crusade fleet, Luode had been monitoring it until it entered the Mortis System, then he used his spatial abilities to jump directly onto their ship.

"Welcome to my domain, gentlemen. I am the Ork Overlord of this place, or you may also call me the Ork Emperor Luode." Luode smiled and spoke.

"Damned xenos, how dare you tread this sacred ground? How dare you call yourself Emperor?" A Battle Sister standing nearby roared, raised her chainsword, and without hesitation swung it at Luode's head.

"Hold it!" Roboute Guilliman grunted coldly, barehandedly caught the Battle Sister's sword, and blocked her attack.

You idiot, haven't you noticed how strong the opponent is? Able to appear here silently and unseen.

The opponent's strength is absolutely above mine, and can even truly match my father the Emperor.

For in that very instant, when Roboute Guilliman saw Luode, he felt an unimaginable fear rise from the deepest part of his heart.

I will die! If I act against this presence before me, I will be killed.

The opponent's strength far surpasses that of a Primarch, and may even truly reach the level of my father the Emperor.

"Wise choice, Primarch Roboute Guilliman." Luode spoke.

"The Emperor is the supreme being of humanity, and also my father, Your Excellency; can you refrain from using this title to refer to yourself?" Guilliman turned to look at Luode and spoke.

"Oh! This might be difficult, for I am about to rule over you humans, and also the orcs." (End of Chapter)