Ki That Can Resist Warp Erosion

During the month spent on the spaceship, the Emperor conducted several minor experiments, only to discover that the power of Axis's Ki could not be inherited through bloodlines, nor could it be acquired through later study.

This power, however, could enhance one's physical constitution and even, to a certain extent, resist the psychic power of the Warp.

The Emperor had once experimented and found that this Ki energy possessed a remarkably strong resistance to Warp energies.

In other words, this boy Axis was unaffected by the Warp because the power of his Ki was actively resisting the chaotic energies of the Warp.

Many scholars argued that the chaotic energy of the Warp was devoid of good or evil; it was chaotic, neither benevolent nor malevolent.

The Emperor, however, scoffed at this notion. He was absolutely convinced that the chaotic energy of the Warp was pure evil.

Psykers who utilized Warp energy would, if they were the least bit careless, play with fire and burn themselves. Not a single one of those demons or lesser gods birthed within the Warp was friendly toward the creatures of the material universe.

If it were truly neither good nor evil, then it should not cause such significant negative impacts on humanity.

But the reality was that while Warp energy could grant a person immense power, it simultaneously corrupted them.

Warp energy was highly corrosive. Perhaps the Warp had been neutral in the past, but ever since the birth of those four massive, evil entities, the nature of its energy had changed.

If ordinary humans lacked the protection of a Geller Field, their very genes would be infected by Warp energy if they remained in the Warp for too long.

The Emperor had been searching for a way to counter the erosion caused by Warp energy, but although the human race's psychic potential was not as high as that of the Aeldari, it was still remarkably significant.

It surpassed many ordinary races within the galaxy; this was an undeniable fact.

Humanity could not escape the Warp—at least not yet. Even the Webway was, in truth, a part of the Warp, merely a special regional corridor created by a group of ancient beings.

The Aeldari claimed that the Webway was developed by their ancestors, a divine gift created by their gods.

But that was not the truth; the Aeldari were merely inheritors. A far more powerful and ancient civilization had developed the Webway—a race tentatively named the Old Ones.

"I think I understand your thoughts now! You hope that when this child grows up, he will be able to confront Chaos!" Malcador looked at the Emperor with a face full of shock, seemingly incredulous, yet a glimmer of understanding flickered in his eyes.

Others assumed the Emperor was a grand strategist, a hegemon, a born monarch, a natural leader, and a true god.

But in reality, only he understood that his old friend had no interest in power whatsoever. Had it not been for his own entreaties back then, the Emperor would never have come out of seclusion to lead humanity and establish the Imperium of Man.

What he enjoyed most was hiding in the shadows of history, playing the role of an inconspicuous little man, and observing human history.

After the catastrophe of the Cybernetic Revolt and the baptism of the Warp storms, humanity had reached the brink of extinction; the Emperor had been forced to step forward.

Because he loved humanity deeply—his love for mankind surpassed all else.

But in truth, this old friend was quite lazy. If possible, he would rather have others complete the tasks at hand; after all, a person's strength was limited. That was why he had created the Primarchs. Halfway through the Great Crusade, he would return to Holy Terra to focus all his efforts on researching the Webway, intending to choose a leader and heir from among the Primarchs to continue leading the Great Crusade.

If Axis's Ki could provide a certain level of resistance to Warp energy, then this child was undoubtedly the best candidate to confront Chaos.

The Primarchs were susceptible to the influence of Chaos due to the nature of their Warp-based essences, carrying a fifty-percent chance of falling, but this child would not.

"I will not place the future of humanity on a single person! Axis is merely an insurance policy."

"Just like Horus, and like all my Primarchs, if one day any of us should meet with an accident—be killed by those evil existences in the Warp or be trapped by their schemes—these children we have nurtured will become the vanguard against the Warp and continue to lead the human race," the Emperor said. (A note here: some fans claim the Emperor is too human, but the Emperor has always possessed profound humanity; it was only after ascending the Golden Throne that his divinity took precedence. If he were not deeply human, he would have long since risen from the Golden Throne and ascended as a Dark King. It is his love for the human race that sustains him even now, as the Corpse Emperor.)

"Very well! We have plenty to keep us busy, but the Great Crusade cannot do without you," Malcador said.

"If I am not there, do I not have you?"

"Besides, other than for crucial campaigns and searching for the Primarchs, I shall remain on Terra to complete this child's augmentation with you," the Emperor said.

As the Primarchs continued to return, less critical battles could be delegated to them; unless it was a decisive campaign, he did not need to be present.

Malcador nodded, agreeing to the Emperor's plan.

Over the next few days, the Emperor explained many things about the Imperium of Man to Axis and had him repeatedly condense his Ki to test it against his own psychic power.

"Axis, today is the day of your augmentation. You must prepare yourself. This process is not ordinary; you must lie within the Incubation Tank until the transformation is complete."

The augmentation for an ordinary Adeptus Custodes required lying in an incubation chamber for over a decade, let alone the physical augmentation of a Primarch that Axis was about to undergo.

This was entirely different from the surgeries for the Astartes.

"I am ready! I'll just treat it like taking a nap, right?" Axis said.

For the sake of a long life and a more powerful physique, Axis felt that a few decades of sleep was worth it.

"Correct! Just think of it as falling asleep. However, while you dream, I will use certain devices to instill knowledge into you."

"You will learn the knowledge of the Imperium, as well as some military tactics and discipline," the Emperor said.

"I understand, Emperor. During my slumber, I will study this knowledge," Axis replied.

The Emperor nodded at Axis and led him and Malcador into the deepest reaches of the Imperial Palace.

Here, Axis saw the massive Golden Throne, but the place they were headed was even deeper and more secretive.

The path ahead was such that only the Emperor and Malcador could accompany Axis; not even the Adeptus Custodes were qualified to follow.

The trio arrived in a vast, secret laboratory, the very place where the Primarchs had been born.

"This is it, Axis," the Emperor said, looking at him.