Primarchs and Astartes

"I believe you will become even more powerful in the future; you are a combat-oriented Primarch," Emperor said.

Each of the 21 Primarchs he created had a corresponding role: some were leaders, some administrators, some developers, some scholars, some specialized in Psykic Power, and others were combat-focused.

He had infused Leman Russ with canine genetic material, intending for him to serve as an executioner of sorts in the future.

"Is that so? It seems I have other brothers, then. What is my rank?" Leman Russ sat up and asked, looking at Emperor.

"You are the sixth Primarch I created; you are ranked sixth," Emperor replied.

"Sounds decent. It seems I will have many brothers. Am I the only one lost out there?" Leman Russ asked.

He had previously suspected Axis's identity, wondering if Axis came from the same place as him or might even be one of his brothers.

But now that Emperor was here and had not mentioned anything regarding Axis, he immediately dismissed that thought.

"You are the second Primarch I have found. The first was Horus, who is the Primarch of the 16th Legion," Emperor stated. (Regarding Alpharius: his own account claims he never left Holy Terra and was secretly raised by Emperor, but this is merely his own claim. In official history, Horus is universally recognized as the first to be recovered.)

"I can't wait to meet this brother. He commands the 16th Legion, so does that mean I also have a corresponding legion of my own?" Leman Russ asked.

"Correct. For each of you Primarchs, I have used your genetic material to create a batch of Space Marines.

The Astartes are the superhuman warriors I created, utilizing the Gene-seed extracted from you 20 Primarchs.

Every Astartes is a crude copy of you Primarchs; their entire foundation is derived from your Gene-seed.

Therefore, every Space Marine of the Sixth Legion is equivalent to your genetic offspring, and you are the gene-father to them all.

By implanting the Gene-seed and undergoing 19 superhuman organ augmentations, they possess combat prowess far exceeding that of ordinary soldiers, as well as an extremely long lifespan, with power far beyond what mortals can imagine.

They are the main force of the future Great Crusade. Once you return, you will command your own Space Marine legion—the Empire's Sixth Legion." Emperor gave Leman Russ a brief introduction to the Space Marine legions.

The Astartes were his pride; they were an extremely mature force. While they might not match the Thunder Warriors in raw power, they were more stable, safe, efficient, and easier to mass-produce.

"You just said you created 21 Primarchs! Why are there only 20 legions?" Leman Russ asked, feeling a bit puzzled.

"This involves certain Imperial secrets that you are not to inquire about. You only need to know that once you return, there will be a Space Marine legion under your command.

You may recruit new soldiers on this planet; your tribal warriors can all undergo Astartes Surgery to be transformed into Space Marines," Emperor said.

The specific manufacturing process of the Primarchs was an absolute secret of the Empire, so aside from the Imperial Chancellor Malcador, he would not tell anyone—not even the Primarchs themselves.

"So, the warriors of my tribe can all become these Astartes, right?" Leman Russ asked.

Possessing formidable strength and a long lifespan was something all mortals dreamed of.

"Correct! However, the younger the age, the higher the success rate of the transformation. It is best to be an adolescent in puberty; that is the most suitable time for Astartes Surgery, and the success rate is highest," Emperor said.

"Then what about the adult warriors in my tribe who have followed me all this time?" Leman Russ asked.

"For adult warriors, I have also developed a transformation protocol with a 100% success rate, though it consumes significantly more resources.

This surgery can only be applied to those extremely close to you. Each Primarch has a limited quota of only 10," Emperor said.

He had naturally considered certain things; as Primarchs were scattered across the galaxy, they would inevitably encounter different people.

Their adoptive fathers or brothers would be assets to the Primarchs in the future, so he had specifically developed a perfectly safe transformation surgery for adults.

It was just that the resources required far exceeded those for ordinary Space Marines, so it could only be used on adult males who were extremely important to the Primarch and were of a more advanced age.

"One last question: how does the combat power of these Astartes compare to this kid, Axis?" Leman Russ asked, pointing at Axis.

Hearing this, Axis rolled his eyes. Don't underestimate a Saiyan, alright?

It wasn't that he looked down on Space Marines, but Space Marines really didn't measure up in front of a Saiyan.

Once he reached adulthood, he could easily destroy a city; could an Astartes do that without any weapons, relying solely on their physical body?

He could even easily blow up a planet; could an Astartes do that?

The only attraction the Astartes held for Axis was their long lifespan. Although a Saiyan's lifespan was longer than a human's, it still paled in comparison to an Astartes.

However, Axis wondered if he could truly undergo the Astartes surgical transformation.

Would implanting the Gene-seed destroy his Saiyan bloodline?

His Saiyan bloodline was his only trump card for survival in this dark and dangerous Warhammer Universe.

This was a power he absolutely could not abandon, yet his lifespan remained a massive dilemma! Axis did not want to be a mere flash in the pan in this universe.

"Without the use of weapons, the combat power of an Astartes is far inferior to Axis. If weapons are used, that is another matter entirely," Emperor said.

"Haha, did you hear that? Axis, you will soon become my true genetic offspring," Leman Russ looked at Axis with a smug expression.

The look on his face seemed to say, See, kid? You're going to be my son after all, and the blood-related kind at that.

But soon, Emperor shattered his fantasy, leaving Leman Russ deflated.

"No! This child will not become your genetic offspring. He will not become an Astartes; I have other arrangements for him," Emperor said.

"On what grounds? This is my Wolf Cub," Leman Russ said, feeling very unconvinced.

"On the grounds that I am stronger than you, and that you have just sworn your loyalty to me and must obey my commands," Emperor said, leaving Leman Russ speechless with a single sentence.

"Then, Emperor, what arrangements do you have for me?" Axis asked.