The Aeldari

In a sense, the Thought Seal was an outright dark technology—a means to firmly implant a belief in someone through mechanical techniques.

The human brain was remarkably intricate, with different neuron clusters governing distinct regions.

There was even a dedicated neural area for judging truth from falsehood.

Take the proposition "water is poisonous," for example.

This proposition required repeated scrutiny—what kind of water, what it contained—before reaching a conclusion on whether water was toxic.

The process of thought and decision-making was exceedingly complex.

Yet the Thought Seal could bypass all of that, arriving directly at an answer. When certain information entered the brain, by exerting influence on a part of the neural network, it could force the brain to make a judgment without thinking, believing that information to be true.

In other words, once the Thought Seal declaring water poisonous was stamped into someone's mind, that person would genuinely regard all water as poison.

Given the complexity of the Imperium and the particularity of his own identity, Guilliman decided to employ this technology.

Guilliman had no choice; he had to stand firmly on humanity's side.

The Emperor also stood on humanity's side, but that didn't necessarily mean He stood on Guilliman's side.

And with Guilliman being both a transmigrator and possessing a Cheat...

If the Emperor deemed him an enemy, a potential threat to humanity, He might well decide to eliminate him.

At that point, stuck on Terra, Guilliman would be caught outright—wouldn't that be the end?

The Adeptus Custodes, those recluses, had no small amount of grievances against the Primarchs. With a single command from the Emperor, they'd waste no time taking Guilliman down.

Some Conservative Factions, the stubborn holdouts—these people, in the original timeline, had been deeply dissatisfied with the resurrected Guilliman's alterations to the Emperor's works and his reforms of the Imperium's bloated bureaucracy. Some had even outright rebelled, refusing to obey Terra's commands any longer.

These bastards were all latent threats.

Beyond these dangers, the incursions of Chaos were equally thorny.

He couldn't very well forge weapons himself, only to have traitors turn them against humanity!!

That would be truly disastrous.

Guilliman needed some trump cards. He would stamp the Thought Seal onto those new recruits.

Make them harbor an unyielding hatred for Chaos and everything associated with it, while also elevating his own command authority above the Emperor's. That way, even if the Emperor turned hostile, Guilliman could at least retreat intact, without being trapped and killed on Terra.

Cawl stared at the smiling Guilliman, his high-speed processing core stuttering for a moment.

He had already read the data stored in the memory banks, so he naturally knew what the Thought Seal technology was.

"My Regent, this Thought Seal technology..."

Cawl's tone carried confusion. Was this technology truly fit for application?

"You know the current state of the Imperium of Man, Cawl. We have no retreat left. The Imperium has endured for ten thousand years, yet it retreats step by step before Chaos, growing weaker by the day—worse than in the era of the Great Crusade. How can such a state withstand the ever more terrifying wars ahead? If this continues, humanity will inevitably be utterly destroyed by Chaos.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. We need an army absolutely loyal to humanity, to the Imperium—a force that is reliable, that fully obeys our commands and intentions. You've seen the corruption of Terra's bureaucracy, the rigidity of the Adeptus Mechanicus. If we don't make changes, do you truly believe we can overcome the horrors of Chaos??"

Guilliman had no intention of revealing his own ulterior motives. He'd string Cawl along for now.

Cawl's brow furrowed slightly, a strange light flickering in his electronic eyes. After a moment, he reached a decision.

"I will carry out your commission, my Regent." Cawl bowed, the hum of machinery accompanying his gesture.

Guilliman broke into a smile.

"Good. Go, and complete the task I've set for you. I want to see this army as soon as possible. I need it to stabilize the Imperium's current chaotic situation."

Ending his conversation with the Tech-Priest Cawl, Guilliman summoned the leaders of the Ynnari—Yvraine and Visarch—preparing for a face-to-face discussion.

The Imperium of Man had never been fond of Xenos, and the people of Ultramar would not trust alien races operating within their worlds.

Before he led his forces out to purge the remaining Chaos forces from the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar, he had to settle the matter of the Ynnari, this Xenos army.

The Ynnari were not part of the Imperium's order; they were a force from the ancient Xenos race—the Aeldari.

For reasons of their own, they had chosen to aid Cawl, Celestine, and the others in resurrecting Guilliman.

They had put in considerable effort to bring him back, and Guilliman couldn't very well just kill them outright—that would be truly inhumane.

The Aeldari were slender in build, their appearance similar to humans, save for their ears, which were distinctly pointed.

They were exceptionally beautiful, carrying an aura that humans could never replicate.

Yvraine and Visarch entered through the great doors, bowing slightly.

A gesture of respect toward the Regent of Humanity.

Guilliman studied them both. Even in an age of beauty filters, he had to admit the Aeldari were indeed pleasing to the eye.

Their waists were impossibly slender—Guilliman seriously doubted they could bear the weight of their armor.

"No need for formalities. Speak to me directly. I have many mysteries that require your answers."

Guilliman bid them rise, his gaze fixed on the pair.

It was worth noting that the Aeldari were a key factor in the birth of one of the four Chaos Gods—Slaanesh.

The Aeldari were an exceedingly ancient race, rumored to have once participated in the War in Heaven.

In the War in Heaven, their creators were destroyed, and the hostile Necrons fell into slumber.

They claimed the position of galactic overlords and entered their most prosperous era.

In that prosperity, they gradually descended into depravity, plunging into an abyss of endless desire.

The entire race sank into a sea of hedonism, indulging themselves without restraint.

Their unchecked thoughts and souls churned within the Warp, creating a tremendous resonance that awakened and nourished an ancient and terrifying entity.

The birth of Slaanesh unleashed a soul storm of horrific magnitude, causing the vast Aeldari Empire to collapse outright.

The scream of the newborn Chaos God tore through the physical universe, forming the Eye of Terror that bridged the Warp and reality.

Countless Aeldari had their life force and psychic energy drained from them, becoming nourishment for Slaanesh.

Even the gods the Aeldari once worshipped faced crisis in this terrible catastrophe—some were destroyed, others imprisoned.

Only those Aeldari with the foresight to avoid participating in their society's degeneracy, and those who fled early into special spatial nodes and Webway cities, managed to survive.

The souls of the Aeldari are constantly watched by Slaanesh; the moment they die, they fall into its grasp, suffering torment and becoming part of its sustenance, teetering on the edge of annihilation.

Yet their technology and psychic power remain formidable, making them a force in the galaxy not to be underestimated.

The Ynnari, led by Yvraine and Visarch, even assisted Cawl and his group in escaping the pursuit of Chaos forces from the Cadia battlefield, allowing them to safely reach Macragge.

"The stars have been torn asunder. The greatest calamity the galaxy's living beings are about to face is upon us. Once the power of Chaos breaks free from the Warp, the galaxy will meet its end. I am pleased that our two races can form an alliance to jointly resist this crisis."

Guilliman nodded. "I too am delighted by this alliance. It is an immense honor for the Imperium to receive your aid."

"We are about to depart, but there are things I must warn you of. Cawl's technology is indeed powerful; it healed your body. Yet your true wound lies in the soul. That you can truly walk among the living relies on the power of Ynnead. If you cherish your life, from now on, never remove your armor. Have no worry—this armor's resilience far exceeds your imagination."

"I do not wish to discuss this matter, nor do I wish to probe what lies behind the power that awakened me!! But I still want to give you a warning: if you desire humanity's friendship, you must treat us with sincerity. Any underhanded schemes will only erode humanity's mercy and trust toward you. I hope that when we meet again, it will not be with blades drawn on a battlefield."

Guilliman smiled slightly. He did not wish to probe the matter. He had been resurrected; whatever schemes the Aeldari had for him no longer mattered.

With the Database and the Dominion Template, he could handle everything with ease.

He only wanted to give Yvraine a warning: if she played tricks, the Ynnari would regret it in the future.

Though they were his saviors, when it came to the choice between his own life and humanity's survival, he would not hesitate for a moment to draw his blade against the Aeldari.

"We shall heed your warning. May we meet again as friends, not foes."

After performing a salute, Yvraine turned and left.

"Then let it be so. Finally, I wish you a swift victory. Show our common enemy a thing or two."

"And I wish you martial fortune, Roboute Guilliman," Yvraine said. "The eyes of the gods and your traitor brothers are already upon you. Survive as long as you can."

With that, she turned and walked out. Visarch, who had remained silent throughout, offered the Primarch a warrior's salute before also turning to leave.

Guilliman furrowed his brow. A wave of exhaustion washed over him.

This universe was full of monsters!!

Every single one who showed up was a shrewd operator, not easy to fool!!

After finishing with the Aeldari matters, Guilliman pressed his communicator. "Let the Planetary Governors and Chartist Captains who have been waiting so long come in. I have things to discuss with them."