I'm Still Alive

Guilliman withdrew his hand, gave a disgruntled snort, but his eyes held amusement:

"I'm still alive and well, standing on Baal's land cutting down bugs! Who gave you permission to 'die' so easily?"

Before Titus could recover from the shock of the slap and the words, Guilliman had already raised his other hand, his fingers like knives, and slashed across his palm, which was made of light!

There was no scene of blood splattering, but rather an intensely rich, blue-gold radiance emanating from the earth, radiating boundless vitality and an indescribable fluctuation of order.

Like the most precious liquid gemstone, it flowed out from the "wound".

Within that light, there seemed to be miniature nebulae swirling, and the symphony of the birth and death of atoms.

Guilliman placed his glowing palm directly in front of Titus's slightly open "mouth".

"Drink it, my son. Feel it, savor it."

Guilliman's voice became deep and guiding, "Once you've 'digested' this gift, you'll no longer be the 'normal' Ultramarines you once were."

Your life form and the essence of your power will embark on a completely new stage.

The blue-gold light, like a living thing, actively flowed into Titus's consciousness.

An indescribable feeling exploded within him—it wasn't swallowing, but rather as if the very "essence" of his being was being permeated, enveloped, and reshaped by this light!

"In this Milky Way, there will be very few beings that can truly threaten your new form."

Guilliman continued, his tone carrying a fatherly pride and a hint of absolute authority befitting a "giver," "Moreover..."

He leaned down, bringing his voice close to Titus's "ear," which trembled slightly from the immense energy impact, his voice clear and domineering:

"Under my protection, you will live on, fight on, and witness until the future I desire truly arrives."

"I, Robert Guilliman, will not allow you to walk away like this, understand?"

Guilliman burst into laughter, the sound echoing in this space of consciousness, filled with an irresistible will and exuberant vitality.

However, having just received a tremendous gift and whose consciousness had begun to connect with some deeper power, Titus felt a familiar wave of weariness wash over him, originating from the depths of his soul.

It wasn't physical exhaustion, but rather the longing for complete relaxation and permanent rest after the long struggle had finally ended and the highest faith had been seen.

He subconsciously and slightly "swayed" his consciousness, as if resisting the new life imposed upon him, a life full of power but also signifying endless responsibility.

"No... Father... I'm... so tired... I'm really tired..."

His thoughts conveyed an almost pleading emotion. "I've been misunderstood for so many years... I've fought for so long..."

I finally got to see you... why... why do you still want me to 'live'...?

He wanted to rest, to sleep forever in this warm light, like a true dead person.

"Tired?!"

Guilliman raised an eyebrow, his voice suddenly rising in a tone of undisguised arrogance, "Tiredness is no excuse! Get up and get to work!"

He even "lifted his foot" and made a feint kick, and an undeniable force slammed into Titus's consciousness.

"I haven't even said I'm tired yet!"

I'm still fighting the bugs in Baal, still dealing with a bunch of messy things in Terra, and still thinking about how to get this messed-up Milky Way back on track!

"You, as the son, why are you complaining of being tired before your father?! Huh?!"

This kick and this roar, like a thunderclap, shattered Titus's slumber and retreat.

He jolted awake, his consciousness instantly becoming incredibly clear and focused!

When he looked up again, he no longer saw blurry light and shadow, but Guilliman's incredibly clear face, filled with both anger at his lack of ambition and anticipation.

An endless stream of blue-gold "blood," imbued with divine power, was flowing from the palm of the Gene-Father, continuously infusing into his "body" and transforming everything about him.

"You're awake? Good."

Guilliman looked at Titus's eyes, which had refocused and ignited with fire, nodded in satisfaction, and the "anger" on his face transformed into a brighter, more confident smile:

"Don't worry, my son. Cast aside those old, weary, and pessimistic thoughts."

He straightened up, opened his arms as if to embrace the entire space of consciousness, to embrace the infinite possibilities of the future it represented, his voice loud and alluring:

"The world you're about to face will be far more wonderful than any picture you've ever imagined... I promise!"

Looking at his father's spirited and confident demeanor, as if he had everything under control, he felt a surge of new energy within him, almost overflowing.

An extremely disrespectful, yet strangely apt, thought suddenly flashed through Titus's mind:

Holy shit... my dad's.

Of course, he kept it to himself, not daring to let the thought slip out in any way.

Because Guilliman seemed to sense something, he glanced at him with a half-smile, and then...

"Smack!"

Another precise and powerful "big punch" landed on Titus's face, which had just become more solid!

"What are you standing there for?! Get to work!"

Guilliman withdrew his hand, pointing to the faint sounds of the Baal battlefield echoing from below the consciousness space:

"The bugs aren't all gone yet! The Blood Angels ' brothers are still fighting desperately!"

Do you expect me, as the father, to personally go down and crush every single bug?! Huh?!

"Yes, Father!!!"

Titus dared not hesitate or be tired any longer, and suddenly straightened his "body" and gave a perfect Ultramarines salute.

All the weariness, confusion, and longing for rest were completely slapped away and shattered by those two slaps and the father's "unreasonable" command!

Instead, there was a boiling fighting spirit, the ecstasy of rebirth, a touch of curiosity about the future, and...

An unparalleled awe and pride in the unfathomable power and will of the Gene-Father.

He could feel an endless power surging from the deepest part of his soul, a sublimation of Guilliman's divine bloodline, an indirect gift of the Vitruvian physique and the authority of Smart Atoms.

This power is so real, so immense, it seems as if a gentle squeeze could shatter a star!

"For Ultramar! For the Emperor! For the Lord Regent --!!!"

Titus let out a silent roar, and his consciousness radiated a dazzling blue-gold light.

Then, like a shooting star, he plummeted towards the real battlefield below— Baal —where he awaited to fight, prove himself, and write a new legend!

Behind him, at the highest point of the consciousness space, Guilliman stood with his hands behind his back.