"BOOM—!!!"
A deafening explosion thundered across the sky. Three gunships became enormous fireballs, their fragments raining down.
Guilliman's figure darted through smoke and flames like an angel carrying out the final judgment.
Every Chaos Space Marine who escaped the explosions—or had been aboard the other gunships to begin with—was swiftly and precisely slain by him, without exception!
As the high-altitude winds gradually swept the smoke away, all the Ultramarines looked up at the sky.
Macragge's sunlight poured down unhindered, cutting through the gloom that had once shrouded the world.
And there, against the backdrop of the clear blue sky and blazing sun,
a towering figure stood four meters tall, clad in brilliant blue Fate Armor, floating silently in the air.
He seemed to stand within the sun itself, as though he were its incarnation among mortals.
He gazed gently down upon his domain, upon his loyal sons, his eyes filled with a father god's love and resolve.
After a brief silence came a frenzied roar, like a tumultuous sea of voices, uniting in a single name that shook the heavens:
"Gene-Father—!!!"
"Gene-Father—!!!"
"Gene-Father—!!!"
The thundering cries of "Gene-Father" echoed through the ruins of the sanctuary. Their fervent faith and joy seemed almost enough to melt the cold steel.
Yet Guilliman, standing at the center of everyone's attention, showed no trace of ease on his resolute face. Instead, a deep solemnity weighed upon him.
He basked in his sons' devotion, but what filled his mind was the grim reality now facing the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar.
The Great Rift—the terrifying scar that stretched across the Milky Way, torn open when Abaddon's Thirteenth Black Crusade brought down the Blackstone Fortress and destroyed Cadia.
It had dragged a third of the Imperium's territory into the clutches of Chaos.
His Five Hundred Worlds lay directly in its path. Countless Chaos Warbands rampaged across them, laying waste to all life.
He even knew that his brother, the First Primarch, Lion El'Jonson, was trapped in that dark domain at this very moment.
(If only I'd awakened a decade or two earlier...)
Guilliman sighed silently to himself.
(The original Guilliman woke up to this mess, and now it's landed squarely on my head too.)
*(If I'd been resurrected even a few decades earlier, with the Viltrumites' absurd top speed of twenty billion times the speed of light,*
*I'd have charged straight into the Eye of Terror and twisted Abaddon's head off to kick it around like a ball!)*
At the thought of that speed, even Guilliman, now fused with Viltrumite nature, couldn't help inwardly mocking the original comic's writer for their outrageous sense of scale.
Twenty billion times the speed of light!
With nothing but one's own body!
That meant a Viltrumite could cross more than a hundred thousand light-years in a single day!
By comparison, the Imperium's dangerous and unstable Warp travel, and even the Eldar's ancient Webway, seemed to move at a snail's pace.
With such incredible speed, he could traverse every corner of the Milky Way in a single day, as if touring his own garden.
Of course, he had no desire to do that, but at the very least, thoroughly cleansing every trace of Chaos within Ultramar was well within his capabilities.
Guilliman slowly descended.
First Captain Agemman, Second Company Captain Sicarius, Chapter Master Calgar, Chief Librarian Tigurius, and the other Ultramarines leaders immediately gathered around him.
They dropped to one knee, their posture utterly reverent.
Guilliman's gaze first settled on Calgar. His voice was gentle, yet carried unquestionable authority. "You've worked hard, my son.
"Now, formally hand over command of the Legion to me."
Calgar bowed his head and answered solemnly without hesitation. "Of course, Father!
"Our lives and honor belong to you. The Ultramarines will always heed your call and follow your lead!"
"Excellent."
The moment Calgar's words fell and command was transferred on the level of will, a long-absent, cold, mechanical voice rang out deep in Guilliman's mind:
[Ding! You have obtained supreme command of the "Ultramarines Chapter." Governance Points +10,000.]
(Right, there's also this Strongest Regent System!) Guilliman suddenly remembered.
The chaos of his awakening and the battles that followed had nearly made him forget it existed.
(System, what can I redeem with Governance Points right now?) he immediately asked inwardly.
In an instant, a faintly glowing list appeared before him, visible only to his eyes.
Most of the items on the list bore a distinctly Viltrumite style:
· Viltrumite Body Repair Pod: As long as the subject is not completely dead, placing them inside gives them a very high chance of being restored to full health.
Price: 50 Governance Points each.
· Faster-than-light engine (Viltrumite custom model): Can reach half the standard cruising speed of a Viltrumite (approximately ten billion times the speed of light).
Price: 1,000 Governance Points each.
Manufacturing blueprint: 5,000 Governance Points.
· Intra-planetary Instant Teleportation Device: Modified from Earth technology, it enables precise instant teleportation within a single planet.
Price: 200 Governance Points per set (covers major strategic locations).
An interstellar teleportation network requires a large number of devices connected in parallel.
The list continued downward, displaying all kinds of Viltrumite technological weapons, shields, power systems...
Guilliman's heart gave a sudden leap!
At their height, Viltrumite technology had been among the most advanced in the entire universe!
Though their individual strength was immense and they rarely relied on external equipment,
their superbrains and near-infinite lifespans had also enabled them to reach staggering heights in scientific research.
(Faster-than-light engine!)
His attention was immediately caught by the item.
This was technology even the Emperor had dreamed of obtaining!
With it, the Imperium's warships would truly be able to soar through the stars of the Material Universe.
They could completely free themselves from their reliance on the dangerous Warp, making even the ancient Webway pale in comparison!
(One engine costs 1,000 points, and the blueprint costs 5,000... Its speed is half that of a Viltrumite... so that's ten billion times the speed of light?!)
"Are you sure that number is ten billion times the speed of light?"
Even with his expectations already high, Guilliman couldn't help confirming it in his mind.
[Confirmed.] The system replied without hesitation.
An immense surge of excitement swept over Guilliman!
Ten billion times the speed of light!
What did that even mean?
If he redeemed ten engines and installed them on the Legion's main fleet,
the Ultramarines Legion's mobility would reach a terrifying level beyond the comprehension of any enemy—including Chaos, the Eldar, and the Tyranids!
Within the Five Hundred Worlds, they could reach any battlefield to provide support in an hour, if they wished!
It would be faster and more reliable than even the most stable form of Psionic Energy teleportation!
Before you continue