"Enemy attack!"
"Enemy attack!!"
The piercing alarm rang out across every corner of Tizca, the City of Light.
"Ork warships and an Imperial battleship have crashed into a civilian pyramid in the northwest quarter. Evacuate the area immediately!"
Tens of thousands of Imperial Guard soldiers rushed toward the crash site in tight formation, while the streets quickly filled with people.
The fleeing crowds streamed past the Imperial Guard. They had no idea what they were about to face, but that didn't stop them from running for their lives.
"Damn it! What are the orbital ships even good for? They couldn't spot a battleship that huge!" A Commissar in an Imperial Guard uniform stood there, cursing at the top of his lungs.
"Uh, Commissar. I think the ships appeared suddenly over Tizca. They didn't pass the orbital ships." The new trooper muttered beside him.
His uncle worked aboard one of those orbital ships, after all, so he couldn't help grumbling when the Commissar clearly didn't know the situation.
"You're new here, aren't you?" The Commissar glanced at him.
The soldier foolishly replied, "Yeah! Heh, I'm honored to have joined the Imperial Guard."
Unlike the elite Astartes, whose gene-modification process was complex and had a low success rate, the Imperial Guard was the Imperium's largest fighting force, made up primarily of ordinary human soldiers.
They carried out ground operations, relying on their numerical advantage and tenacious fighting spirit to battle the Imperium's enemies.
One Imperial Guardsman might be insignificant, but what about ten trillion?
"I heard from the troops up ahead that the Orks aboard those ships are incredibly tough. I've decided to give you an important mission." The Commissar patted him on the shoulder.
The soldier sensed trouble. "Commissar, I can't do much on my own..."
"I've got a Basilisk self-propelled gun here. Take it up there and blast the bastards!"
The Commissar cut him off and shoved a Basilisk self-propelled gun at him.
"No, Commissar. I—"
The rookie pointed at himself, about to say something, when the Commissar kicked him straight into a Chimera armored personnel carrier.
"Kid, you're done for! The Commissar told you to keep firing. Get ready to trade in your ears for mechanical ones when we get back."
The veteran beside him gave the rookie a pitying look, then wrenched the steering wheel and sped toward the crash site.
Then they saw an Ork sweeping through tens of thousands of Imperial Guard soldiers. Even the shells from heavy cannons were easily swatted aside.
"Gulp~ Bro, are Ork Xenos really that strong? We can't even stop one of them?"
The rookie swallowed, his mouth dry and his eyes wide with shock.
It was like watching a Hulk rampage through everything. To the Ork, they were nothing but tiny ants.
"Wait, that's not right! Since when are Ork Xenos this strong?"
"They used to go down in one shot! And why is this Ork only smashing weapons?"
The veteran frantically scratched his head. This was nothing like the battles he remembered.
Had the Orks evolved to this level?!
In the end, when in doubt, blanket the area with firepower. The veteran turned to the rookie and shouted, "What are you waiting for? Fire!"
"Oh, right!" The rookie jolted and hit the firing button.
Rumble~
The deafening blast left the rookie's ears ringing. He saw the veteran beside him saying something, but couldn't hear a word.
All he could do was frantically reload, then fire, fire, and fire again.
Then he saw the veterans staring at him in horror. He turned and shouted, "What are you saying? I can't hear you! Speak up~"
When he sensed a shadow blocking out something above him, he turned around again—and saw that the cannon barrel, which had been aimed at the enemy, had bent a full 180 degrees to point right at him.
"You were having a great time shooting, huh?! I told you I was the Primarch of the Imperial Soul Drinkers, and you just kept firing!"
"Kid, you've got guts."
Francis yanked him up, not expecting him to be so easily frightened. The soldier passed out on the spot.
The veterans around them all stared down at the ground, not daring to say a word.
"Francis, come back. We have more important things to do." Leman Russ waved awkwardly from the side.
"Sixth Brother, did you do this on purpose? You waited until they'd made a mess of me before showing up." Francis narrowed his eyes at Leman Russ.
Francis had climbed out not long after the crash.
But the moment he emerged, he ran into a group of Imperial Guard soldiers. No matter how many times he told them he was one of the Imperium's own, they refused to believe him and attacked with all kinds of dangerous weapons.
If he hadn't done his best to avoid causing casualties, there would have been no room left on the ground for the bodies.
Just as he'd reached the end of his patience, Leman Russ finally came down from the battleship with his men and stopped the fighting.
"How could I? We're brothers! The situation was unusual, and it took us ages to find an exit."
When Francis still didn't believe him, Leman Russ pointed to the repair crew behind him. "If you don't believe me, look. They're still throwing up. You piloted that battleship way too hard~"
Francis: "..."
"By the way, when can you turn back? You still look like an Ork, so it's no wonder they attacked you."
At the question, Francis's heart sank. "I think I ate quite a lot. I don't know how long it'll last."
Leman Russ: "..."
The Adeptus Custodes and the Soul Drinkers: "..."
A single Ork surrounded by a group of Astartes made for a bizarre sight. Whether Imperial Guardsmen or civilians saw them on the street, they all found it strange.
Francis even found himself clasping his hands in front of him.
Until.
They reached the Pyramid of Light at the center of Tizca.
The Thousand Sons stood in two lines along either side of the road.
Only after everyone had gathered did a great gate slowly rise within the pyramid.
Magnus strode toward them with a spring in his step.
"Leman Russ, since you came all this way, you should've brought a gift."
"Here, put that Ork in the lab. We'll study him later."
Magnus looked like an ancient pharaoh, radiating nobility.
Everyone: "..."
"Little Ma? You can't even recognize me?" Francis stared hard at him.
"Little Ma? This Ork can talk! He's incredibly valuable for research. Quick, get a bigger cage for him."
Magnus exclaimed. This was the first time he'd ever seen anything like it.
Just as the Thousand Sons beside him were about to approach, Leman Russ hurriedly cut off this dangerous conversation. "Hey, hey, Magnus, take a closer look. This is the Primarch of the Soul Drinkers—and our brother!"
At that, Magnus's tiny brain, crammed full of psychic power, struggled to process the information. "Isn't he just an ordinary..."
Leman Russ secretly wrote an 11 on his hand, then pointed toward the Soul Drinkers behind them, who were glaring menacingly.
Magnus looked back and forth between the Soul Drinkers and Francis.
Finally.
Magnus's mind buzzed as the realization hit him. His eyes widened like saucers, and he stammered, "The... the... the Eleventh Primarch isn't dead! And his Eleventh Legion isn't dead either!"
You couldn't blame Magnus. All their brothers' memories of Francis had been erased.
"But why is the Eleventh Primarch an Ork?"
Faced with the question, Francis flushed for once. "Ahem, there was a slight accident. I'll have to stay in Ork form for a while."
Some things weren't suitable to discuss out in the open.
Leman Russ coughed lightly and continued, "Well, these are matters between brothers. We'd better go inside to talk."
"Let the warriors rest properly first. It's been a tough journey for them."
The three brothers left Magnus's pyramid. At their direction, the Soul Drinkers and Thousand Sons headed to the monastery to rest together.
The Adeptus Custodes and the Sisters of Silence remained near the pyramid.
The pyramid's interior was complex and mysterious.
As the three stepped inside, the first thing they saw was a passageway made of pure gold, its walls studded with glittering jewels that shone with enchanting light.
At the end of the passage lay a spacious hall. A colossal statue stood in its center, depicting Magnus in ornate armor, holding a staff, his gaze deep and imposing.
Psychic resonance crystals surrounded the statue, giving off a soft glow.
The walls around the hall were carved with intricate runes and patterns. They recorded Magnus's research and discoveries concerning the Warp, as well as the glorious history he and the Thousand Sons had shared.
"Tsk!" Francis felt a little envious.
Leman Russ, on the other hand, was fine with it. He just thought it was too gaudy.
In an inner chamber, Magnus turned around abruptly, rubbing his hands together.
"Heh heh, has Father finally come around?"
Francis: "???"
Leman Russ: "???"
Before you continue