Do Not Kill Him

Deep within the Macragge's Honour, time flows in a different way.

Guilliman stood in the cell, the embers in the eye sockets of the demon skull on his shoulder flickering like a heartbeat.

His mind worked at a speed far beyond what ordinary people could comprehend, analyzing the profound meaning behind his father's simple action.

He pointed at Magnus, then shook his head—don't kill him.

He points to Magnus, then to himself—a father-son relationship.

A deeper implication was conveyed in the ripples of Psionic Energy, and Guilliman's consciousness, enhanced by Smart Atoms, picked up the unspoken message:

Magnus had no other choice but to... obtain a new heir to rekindle his hope.

The Emperor had prepared this spark of hope ten thousand years ago.

A cold, calculating sensation emanated from the Son of War essence within him, a sensation that transcended emotion.

"The strategic value of a single Primarch is immeasurable."

The Chaos Gods can wage a thousand-year war to seize the Primarch Soul.

That's a good suggestion.

Guilliman's thoughts turned to that question: What kind of offspring?

The answer emerges automatically from the chain of logic.

A warrior who inherits powerful Psionic Energy energy?

An army that is almost entirely composed of Psyker?

A killer expert specializing in demons?

Grey Knights.

Psionic Energy sword secretly forged by the Emperor during the Dark Ages, the deepest secret of the Council of Terra, and the nemesis most feared by demons.

Every Grey Knights is a top-tier Psyker selected from the Imperium's trillion-strong population, and then transformed into the ultimate anti- Psionic Energy unit through inhuman training and genetic modification.

At this moment, aboard the Macragge's Honour, there was indeed a Grey Knights Supreme Grand Master accompanying him— Voldus, a top-tier combatant who had come to Ultramar with the Belisarius Cawl to assist in handling matters related to Chaos.

"The child outside."

Guilliman's voice pierced through the heavy doors of the cell.

"Father."

The Ultramarines ' response came instantly, without any delay.

"Summon Supreme Grand Master Voldus of the Grey Knights. Tell him I have important matters to discuss with him."

"I will obey my father's command."

The footsteps faded into the distance.

Guilliman turned to Magnus, whose red-skinned Primarch remained slumped, his single eye vacant.

But deep within that void, Guilliman detected a faint fluctuation—something long dead had been stirred when the Emperor's projection appeared.

In another area of the warship, there is the private chapel of Voldus Supreme Grand Master the Grey Knights.

There were no ornate decorations, no icons or candlesticks, typical of the Imperial Cult; only pure practicality and a somber atmosphere.

The walls are unfinished gray alloy, the floor is a non-slip grid, and the only light source comes from a cool white lighting strip on the ceiling.

In the center of the room, a simple meditation cushion sits on the floor.

Voldus knelt on the cushion, his Power Armour removed, leaving him only in a black, form-fitting combat suit.

His eyes were closed, and his hands were placed flat on his knees with his palms facing up.

His breathing was slow and deep, each inhale creating a faint ripple of Psionic Energy in the surrounding air.

He was praying.

It is not about praying to the Emperor for protection or power— the Grey Knights ' doctrine holds that true piety lies in action, not in supplication.

He was performing "Purification Meditation," a mandatory course passed down by every Supreme Grand Master: to organize one's consciousness, strengthen the Psionic Energy barrier, and ensure that there are no cracks in the mind that demons can infiltrate.

"... My heart is like a mirror, untouched by dust."

My will is as firm as iron, unyielding and unyielding.

"My body is a blade, dedicated to cutting down the unclean..."

The prayer is recited silently in the heart, each syllable accompanied by Psionic Energy resonance.

He could feel the boundaries of his consciousness, that mental fortress built by decades of rigorous training—solid, cold, and impenetrable.

But that's not enough.

Voldus opened his eyes; they were gray eyes, so light they were almost silver.

He stood up and walked to the weapons rack on the other side of the room.

There lay his armor—a Terminator Armour that had been passed down for a thousand years and blessed by the Supreme Grand Master of all time.

The silver-gray paint has countless fine engravings, each representing a confrontation with a demon.

The shoulder armor bears the emblem of the Grey Knights: a sword piercing a demon's skull.

The breastplate is covered with even more runes, anti- Psionic Energy spells personally inscribed by generations of masters.

He reached out and gently stroked the oldest rune in the center of his breastplate.

That was left behind by the first Supreme Grand Master, and it is said that a trace of... is sealed within it.

Voldus ' hand paused.

A fragment of the Primarch's soul.

This is the Grey Knights's most crucial secret, and the true source of the Supreme Grand Master's power.

Each new mentor inherits that fragment through a special ceremony upon succession—its Primarch is unknown; it could be Sanguinius, Dorn, or some long-lost Gene-Father.

Those fragments allowed the Supreme Grand Master's Psionic Energy power to surpass the limits of mortals, making him capable of directly confronting even Greater Daemon or Daemon Prince.

But 122 years ago, the previous Supreme Grand Master Kaldor Diego, was dragged into the depths of the Warp by an elaborate trap while carrying out an extremely dangerous mission.

The last messages he sent back were fragmented warnings and a roar, after which the Psionic Energy link was completely severed.

Kaldor is not dead— the Grey Knights can sense that he is still fighting somewhere in the Warp.

However, the fragments of his Primarch were also lost.

Voldus was urgently appointed as the new Supreme Grand Master.

Without any inheritance ceremony or the blessing of fragments, all he possessed was his own talent, training, and unwavering loyalty to the Emperor.

Therefore, he had to be even stricter.

More focused.

It is even more flawless.

Every day, he trains for four hours more than a regular Grey Knights.

Each time he meditates, the depth to which he delves into the Sea of Souls is awe-inspiring.

He studied all the books about demons, debated with the demonologists of the Inquisition, and even personally dissected the captured Chaos Spawn to understand its weaknesses.

Because he knew that without the support of the Primarch fragment, he had to make up for the innate gap through sheer hard work.

Until one day, he truly deserved the title of "Supreme Grand Master".

"Knock knock."

A knock came at the door, steady and restrained.

Voldus instantly entered battle mode.

The Psionic Energy barrier was fully activated, and consciousness swept across the area outside the door—there was no Chaos contamination, no hostility, only a powerful life force and the unique energy signature of the Ultramarines' Power Armour.

"Enter."

The door slid open, and an Ultramarines stood outside.

Voldus recognized him: Sergeant Cassius, a member of Guilliman's SS, who was known for tearing a Daemon Engine apart with his bare hands in a previous battle.

"The Supreme Grand Master."

Cassius nodded in acknowledgment, his movements precise yet carrying a certain... ease.

Voldus noticed that the Ultramarines was not carrying Bolter, but only a Power Sword at his waist.

But his posture showed that it was not negligence, but absolute confidence—he didn't need long-range weapons.

"Lord Guilliman invites you to the Special Prison Area."

"I have important matters to discuss."