Declare War on the Gods

"The Raven Guard will stand firmly with you, my lord," Villano replied. "Beyond strangling Chaos and annihilating Xenos, the Raven Guard seeks nothing else."

"Beyond what you've said, I seek nothing else from you either, Villano. I'm glad you stand resolutely by my side." Guilliman responded with a faint smile, his gaze shifting to the other Chapter representatives, expectation glimmering in his eyes.

"The Salamanders have always been humanity's most loyal defenders. Any who oppose humanity's enemies are our friends. I am willing to join your ranks, if you do not disdain us," said the Salamander warrior, his skin dark, his face stern, clad in green power armor.

"Loyalty of the heart is rare and precious—there is no reason to find fault with it," Guilliman said.

"The Space Wolves never miss a battle against Chaos or Xenos, Regent. The Wolf Pack shall become the sharpest blade in your hand."

The Space Wolves Chapter representative, adorned with a wolf-head emblem, spoke with a resolute tone.

"I long to wield that blade to victory." Guilliman looked at the Space Wolves representative with humor.

All Chapter representatives declared that their Chapters would obey the Imperial Regent's command, cooperate in purging Chaos forces from Ultramar, and use Ultramar as a base to strike into other regions of the Imperium, preventing the Imperium of Man's destruction.

Having confirmed these Chapters' stance, Guilliman bade them rest well, awaiting the day the fleet would assemble and set out.

A new war was about to begin. Humanity would raise its sword against Chaos and Xenos.

After bidding farewell to his last batch of visitors, Guilliman pondered for a moment in the reception hall, then strode out.

The Honor Guard, clad in Cataphractii Terminator armor, followed close behind.

Calgar, Sicarius, and Phicris were all waiting for him outside.

These were the finest warriors of the Ultramarines Chapter, Imperial heroes of supreme honor, who had crushed countless wars waged by Chaos and Xenos against humanity.

Calgar saluted Guilliman. "My lord."

"No need for formalities, Calgar." Guilliman shook his head. "Come with me to see Macragge City—see how the reconstruction is progressing. We can talk about future matters as we walk."

A hovercraft soon landed before Guilliman—a tourist-class flyer for sightseeing.

As the homeworld of the Ultramarines and the capital planet of the Five Hundred Worlds, Macragge held immense significance. Every year, countless tourists came to pay homage to the Ultramarines' home.

Such tourist hovercraft were common on Macragge, civilian equipment.

When the Chaos forces attacked, these hovercraft were militarized.

This one was no exception. It was clearly retrofitted for combat—heavy steel plates welded onto its hull, weld marks still visible, weapon mounts not yet removed.

Guilliman did not fault the hovercraft. He only wanted to see Macragge City's current state.

The scars of war remained stark and shocking.

Those who had survived Chaos's devastating assault were rebuilding their homes with the Adeptus Mechanicus's aid.

Many Knight Titans had to strip off their weapons and replace them with construction tools, helping people restore normal life as quickly as possible.

Six-legged Mechanicus servitors shuttled back and forth, hauling supplies and patching up ruined structures.

All of Macragge appeared vibrant and thriving.

Of course, beneath it all, there were discordant notes.

As Guilliman surveyed Macragge City, a thunderous explosion suddenly rang out.

Several Thunderhawk Gunships streaked across the sky, heading for the blast site to lay down a blanket of fire on the enemy who had orchestrated the attack.

According to Calgar, it was remnants of Cultists causing trouble.

Chaos's power had been purged, but not all traitors had surrendered. They lurked in the shadows, launching strikes from time to time, trying to sabotage Macragge's reconstruction.

People wore smiles—not just because the Chaos army had been driven out and their home defended, but more importantly, Guilliman's awakening made them see that even in endless darkness, salvation was still possible.

Guilliman stood silently on the hovercraft, offering no comment on the sudden incident. He only gazed in silence at this ancient, scarred, repeatedly rebuilt megacity.

He had crushed the Chaos army with ease—that was true, and it was worth celebrating.

Yet the memory of his first step onto the battlefield echoed in his mind, reminding him just how brutal humanity's war against Chaos truly was.

After the war ended, Macragge was nothing but charred, fragile ruins, with marshes of corpses everywhere.

In space, wreckage floated everywhere, countless Imperial soldiers sacrificed for victory.

That scene was unforgettable.

After surveying, Guilliman looked at Calgar. "You are my most trusted subordinate, Calgar."

"To receive your praise fills me with boundless gratitude," Calgar replied, his face bright with joy.

"I have an extremely important task for you, Calgar. Aside from you, I can hardly imagine anyone else capable of it."

Guilliman continued, causing Sicarius and Phicris beside him to show envious expressions.

To receive such unreserved praise from their Gene-Father was an unparalleled honor.

"Soon, I will assemble the forces to launch a cleansing war across all of Ultramar, thoroughly purging the enemies of the Five Hundred Worlds. But Macragge weighs on my mind. It has just endured the baptism of war. If it suffers another Chaos strike, it would be an unimaginable blow to the Imperium's morale. I need someone absolutely trustworthy to remain on Macragge, to defend this world from further attack."

Guilliman looked at Calgar, his eyes filled with expectation and hope.

A flicker of surprise crossed Calgar's face. He had thought Guilliman would grant him the vanguard role in this war, making him the Primarch's unstoppable, terrible blade.

Instead, the Primarch asked him to stay and defend Macragge, vigilant against Chaos attacks.

"My lord, I wish to—"

Calgar's words were cut short by Guilliman.

"In this chaotic universe, I do not deny the strength of Celestine and Amalrich. They have led the armies of the Imperium of Man time and again, marching against Chaos and Xenos, securing victory after victory. These Imperial heroes each have their own unique brilliance, but they lack sufficient strategic awareness, Calgar. I cannot entrust the important Macragge to their hands. I must place it in the hands of someone rich in strategy and strength, someone who can guarantee victory with absolute certainty."

"Macragge is not merely a capital world—it is the key to humanity's future salvation. The Tech-Priest holds several critical technologies. Under my authorization, he is attempting to spread them far and wide. They will be enough to tip the scales of future battlefields, Calgar. If anything goes wrong, all our efforts will come to nothing."

Guilliman knew what Calgar was about to say. War was what every Space Marine craved most.

But now, Guilliman had to ensure his rear would not be stolen by Chaos.

The technologies in Cawl's hands were vital. They could effectively bolster the Imperium of Man's military strength, sweep away the defeats of the past, and grant the power to face Daemons and traitors head-on.

Leaving Calgar to guard Macragge was the best choice.

"I will not fail your expectations." Hearing this, Calgar could only nod in obedience.

Yet there was some disappointment in his heart. He had bled for the Imperium, won countless glories for the Ultramarines Chapter, and now he was being excluded from the Primarch's Indomitus Crusade.

Guilliman seemed to see through his thoughts and continued, "You can also use this time to prepare a suitable army. Once all of Ultramar is purged and Macragge is no longer threatened, you will command this army as the vanguard, leading the charge in the Indomitus Crusade, opening the way for the follow-up forces, and heading across the Imperium to purge Chaos and Xenos. You wouldn't want to see a Primarch reduced to relying on borrowed troops because he doesn't even have his own Honor Guard Chapter, would you?"

"My lord, do you mean I am permitted to raise an army?"

"Yes, Calgar. A brand-new army, brand-new warriors, brand-new ships, and brand-new thinking. This crusade is not simply about driving out Chaos and sweeping away enemies. Cleaning out the Imperium's deep-seated ills is the top priority. The people of the Reform Council will set out with you, spreading the new Imperial thought and systems to every corner, urging local reforms. When necessary, those stubborn conservatives can be dealt with as enemies."

Guilliman's voice deepened. "I cannot entrust this task to anyone else, Calgar. Only you are worthy of my trust."

"I will do everything in my power to accomplish it, my lord." Calgar's tone had shed its earlier disappointment. Guilliman's trust brought joy to his face.

"Do not disappoint me, Calgar." Guilliman said gravely. "What you guard is not just Macragge, but the future of humanity. Any mistake is the greatest betrayal and harm to mankind."

"I understand, my lord. You will not be disappointed."

In the days that followed.

Guilliman received visitors from all sides, listened to their thoughts and opinions, and made his own decisions.

A week later, Guilliman assembled an army composed of the Imperial Navy, Skitarii, Sisters of Battle, Knight Houses, Titan Legions, the Inquisition, and many other forces.

The problems of Ultramar had to be resolved as quickly as possible, so that he could then lead the army into the void, purge Chaos forces, quell rebellions, and reshape the Imperium of Man.

Standing on the bridge of the Gloriana-class Battleship Macragge's Honour, Guilliman opened the fleet-wide communication channel.

His voice rang through every ship, echoing in every ear.

"It is a joy to fight alongside you all, my brothers and sisters, my kin by blood. The Chaos Gods believe that humanity will become their playthings, toys to be toyed with at will, never to transcend. They have destroyed our homes, hunted our brothers and sisters, and yet they expect us to bow under their dark, terrifying rule. That is nothing but a delusion. From this day forward, humanity will launch a full counterattack against those damned Chaos and Xenos. We will show them with our blades that humanity will never yield."

Guilliman raised his voice, like a rolling thunderclap that shook every heart and resounded in every corner.

"Humanity will never yield! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!"

With Guilliman's roar, the crew, soldiers, knights, Space Marines, Inquisitors, and faithful aboard the ships all erupted in deafening cheers. They responded to Guilliman with fanatical fervor.

"Humanity will never yield! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!"

"Humanity will never yield! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!"

"Humanity will never yield! Long live humanity! Long live the Emperor!"

Every one of them was so frenzied, faces flushed red, shouting mad slogans.

Even from Macragge's surface, cheers rose up. Everyone shouted the same slogan.

Their emotional surges converged, forming a powerful psychic current in the Warp near Macragge. It slammed violently into the raging Warp storms, scattering them and making the Gods themselves take notice.

Amalrich, Celestine, and the others felt all this, their hearts churning like stormy seas, unable to remain calm.

With such a leader, how could the Imperium possibly fail?

Calgar stood on the surface, gazing up at the sky. Around him, countless people shouted along with his Gene-Father. What terrifying charisma and infectious power this was.

"Set sail! Let us sound the death knell for the Imperium's enemies. This time, we fight for the Imperium! We fight for humanity! We fight for the sacred Emperor!"

Guilliman's roar grew ever more impassioned, stirring everyone, filling their hearts with boundless strength.

Amid the cheers, ship after ship set sail, tearing open the veil of reality and entering the Warp.

The flames of war were rekindled. Humanity would never yield to that terrible, dark fate.

Even if they drew their swords to declare war on the Gods themselves, the many Imperial heroes feared nothing.