"We have failed."
A sigh echoed from the depths of the Warp. The Four Gods watched the battlefield, understanding the inevitable outcome.
The frontline forces were crushed like dry weeds, and the amplification arrays shattered along with them. No Daemon could stop Blazkowicz; he had turned the tide of the battlefield almost single-handedly.
"Are we leaving?" The fervor of war faded. Khorne snapped back from the excitement of the pervasive blood mist, and after a long silence, had to face failure.
Blazkowicz's displayed power brought joy, yet the rout of the Blood God's army filled Khorne with fury at the cowardice of his subordinate demonic Legions.
"We can only leave now." Nurgle comforted his suffering garden, his steady and grotesque voice filled with pity; continuing the fight was meaningless.
The Dark Prince's vitality was gone, and he remained somberly silent.
This joint operation was a total disaster. The demonic army's reputation was ruined, its Legions trampled, and a huge price was paid for nothing.
Their side suffered heavy losses. In a short time, countless true names of demons dissipated into nothingness. Blazkowicz had truly caused damage to Chaos.
"Funding the enemy"—this concept, proposed in secret at the beginning of the war planning, had now become a stark reality, placed in opposition to the gods.
The power of Blazkowicz and his blood descendants grew day by day.
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Every clash the demonic army had with them was like honing a god-slaying blade, making its edge even sharper.
"Go!" Tzeentch readily admitted defeat. "From now on, we need not have any more conflict with him."
"This battle is a profound lesson. Failure can serve as a warning to us; we shall never repeat the same mistake."
Deep within the Crystal Labyrinth, Tzeentch's true self sat cross-legged in the void. Because the outcome of the war had completely exceeded his prophecy, he casually scattered the millions of threads of fate in his hands.
The outcome of the war exceeded his prophecy.
The Chaos God never expected that a meticulously arranged "rehearsal" would be torn through by one person, overturning the favorable situation.
"The next direct confrontation will determine the future landscape."
Tzeentch looked down at the battlefield and casually cast out orders to the demonic army: "My army, leave the Real Universe."
The other Chaos Gods nodded. The situation on the battlefield was clear at a glance; there was no need for further mutual recrimination.
Their respective demonic Legions had done their best, setting aside their schemes to work together against the enemy, yet it still had no effect. It was by no means the fault of any single god.
Though they didn't want to admit it, in a small local battle, the Chaos camp had indeed met with defeat.
The Chaos Gods used their various means to notify their subordinate demonic Legions to withdraw from the Real Universe and end this battle early.
"What about the arrangements for them?" The Blood God exhaled a mist of blood, showing the movements in the Real Universe.
Tzeentch had little interest in the destined fate: "No need to worry about them."
He let out a sharp laugh, his distorted voice filled with unknowable pleasure: "Ultimately, the battlefield here collapsed too quickly. In a true sense, it was the powerlessness of our demonic Legions that ultimately doomed them."
"Let's go." The Chaos God took one last look at Pandora, whipped up a blue storm, and left decisively.
"Hmph!" The Blood God snorted coldly and casually crushed the bloody image, yet still chose to watch. He gazed at the bravery of the warriors swinging their swords.
Slaanesh issued the withdrawal order and immediately left the battlefield, moving away from the blank space devoid of entertainment, his consciousness returning to the Six Circles.
Father Nurgle sighed deeply. He did not leave alone but took all the Nurgle demonic Legions with him.
"Legions of the Blood God!" Andras's whip cracked through the passage, adding power to his roar: "Our god has ordered us to leave!"
Hearing the Commander's order, the Blood God's army began to withdraw from the battlefield, turning into streaks of bloody light as they retreated from the Real Universe.
The sickly green Nurgle demonic army was even faster. The moment the withdrawal order was given, the Chaos God personally took them away, not letting his subordinate army suffer too much.
"Brothers!" Harlan let out a roar, raising the dark light and rushing forward: "Purge the remaining demons."
Seeing the demons about to withdraw, the Sentinels, who had been suppressing their hatred while guarding the gap, could no longer hold back. They rushed out of the defensive line and began to pursue the demonic army.
The armies of the three gods had no heart for battle. The winged ones spread their wings and flew from the ground into the void, withdrawing from the ground battlefield immediately.
"Purge the demons." Valdor raised his spear and shouted, a hint of joy appearing on his face. He hadn't expected the battle to end so quickly and ordered the Custodes units to pursue.
The human army's morale was soaring. They brandished their blades and pursued the demons, grasping victory in their hands and driving out the remaining demonic host.
Greater Demons quickly chanted incantations, abandoning their physical shells at the first opportunity to flee back to the Warp and escape the lethal pursuit of the human forces.
The rest of the demons were in shambles. After losing the command of the high-ranking Greater Demons, they found it difficult to organize a retreat formation and scattered like birds and beasts.
"Truly filthy and malicious creations." Lion retracted his Power Sword and shook off the foul blood staining his shield, his voice full of disdain.
Sanguinius descended from the sky, his wings and armor covered in demonic blood, his spear pointing to the sky: "They have no honor."
The demonic army had surged in like a tide and now receded like one.
They came with aggressive momentum and left in a wretched state.
To escape the humans' pursuit, wherever Sanguinius pointed, demons would kick down their comrades, using the lives of other demons to cover their own escape.
"Are you still worried?" The Great Angel saw his brother's expression. Blazkowicz took off his helmet, his face showing no joy of victory.
"Yes."
Blazkowicz looked up at the departing demons, a look of concern deep in his eyes: "They never act without a plan. Such a grand-scale offensive must have multiple layers of calculation."
"Are you saying they still have tricks up their sleeves?" Lion's thick golden eyebrows furrowed as he raised a hand to brush away the clotted demonic blood from his beard.
His brother's words had alerted him.
To invade, the demons had exploited the concerns of an as-yet-unmet brother to breach the barrier their father had set, ensuring their smooth entry into the Real Universe.
Since the plan was so meticulous, there had to be a backup plan to pin down the armies of the Imperium of Man.
Lion could see that the Emperor valued Pandora highly.
Assuming his brother hadn't plugged the gap and the foul enemies had invaded on a large scale, or if both sides had fallen into a war of attrition on Pandora, their father would definitely have mobilized other armies to come and support.
If at this time—
Other enemies launched an attack, the Imperium of Man would be attacked from both front and back, suffering an incredibly heavy blow.
At that time, the Emperor would be caught in a dilemma—Pandora or the Imperium?
The Emperor would have to make a choice, but no matter which one he chose, the price would be incredibly heavy.
And the inevitable result of that choice would be that the losses would offset any gains, ultimately resulting in nothing but a wasted effort.
Lion's mind raced at the speed of light. The terrifying information analyzed from the battle situation made him break into a cold sweat.
Sanguinius also fell silent. A Primarch's mind was agile, and their ability to connect ideas was extraordinary; with a little thought, they could touch upon the truth.
"I'm not sure," Blazkowicz nodded, retracting the light of the Crucible Sword and forcefully hurling it toward the Warp at the end of the passage: "I don't think things should be this simple."
He pointed at the demons fleeing in panic: "Those beings are cunning and devious, willing to plan for hundreds or even thousands of years to achieve a certain goal."
"They are extremely patient and rarely do anything they aren't sure of. If they don't strike, they don't strike, but once they do, it's an interlocking killing blow."
.
Hearing his brother's description of the demons, Lion felt a chill. His suspicions felt increasingly real, and he couldn't help but feel worried.
"Do you have any clues?" Sanguinius sheathed his sword and wiped the Spear of Telesto, sighing helplessly: "Crisis has never left humanity."
He had thought the Imperium's situation was excellent, that humanity was undergoing a renaissance under the Great Crusade and would eventually stand atop the galaxy.
But reality was so cruel. The galaxy was full of danger, and the seemingly powerful Imperium of Man was constantly facing the risk of collapse.
Blazkowicz slowly shook his head, looking at Valdor in the distance, who had completely driven out the demons and was raising his spear to cheer and boost the morale of the troops: "Not for now."
He thought for a moment longer and shrugged helplessly: "But perhaps very soon, we'll know if the demons have a backup plan."
"Let's rest the troops first." Blazkowicz moved the joints of his armor, blood scabs constantly falling off: "Prepare to welcome the next battle."
"It should be so." Sanguinius gave a brilliant smile, gathering his golden hair: "Look at all this filth."
The Angel's smooth golden hair was covered in blood clots, the strands sticking together almost into dreadlocks.
The atmosphere was rarely relaxed. Lion felt his sticky beard and shook his head helplessly, secretly vowing to always wear a helmet in future battles.
The three of them left the passage side by side, cleaning their bodies and beginning to prepare for the next battle.
They didn't know how much time the Emperor would need to complete the ritual and begin setting up the defensive lines again to prevent the demons from attacking once more.
Sanguinius sent out a message, ordering the Blood Angels Legion to reorganize and prepare for the next battle.
Lion, however, was slightly impatient, eagerly waiting for the Emperor to complete the ritual so he could return to the Imperium of Man.
He keenly realized that the sword of war was already hanging high over the domains of humanity. As the Eldest Son, he had to plan ahead.
He needed to quickly take charge of the First Legion to deal with the upcoming high-intensity war. He didn't want to miss the future wars because of Legion reorganization.
The demons of the Argent Nur Nebula were restless, and the secret war on Pandora had not yet ceased.
At the same time, in the Ultima Orientis Segmentum, the vastest domain of the Imperium—alarms suddenly blared!
On the outer fringes of the Ultima Orientis Segmentum, in regions the Human Expeditionary Forces had yet to reach, the Rangdan fleet surged forth like a tide, heading straight for the human borders.
The xenos raided newly established colonies; the defenders were spread thin, and the Rangdan swept through like autumn leaves in a gale.
The Rangdan ignited the fires of war once more, boldly invading the Imperium of Man.
A large number of controlled colonists became the xenos' most loyal pawns, following the Rangdan fleet as it rapidly expanded and attacked the worlds of the Imperium of Man.
The Rangdan have struck again!
The alarm came from Gyro-Morse; the astropathic warning was transmitted throughout the entire Imperium.
Thousands of warships and dozens of Battle Moons, along with various war machines, entered the system, their Warp fluctuations causing large-scale gravitational distortions.
Watcher Urian looked up from the Watchtower, the shadows of the sky-blotting ships reflected in his eyes.
The former Grand Master of the First Legion showed no fear of death on his face at this moment, only a sense of relief and gratification.
Having stood guard in solitude for decades, he had finally fulfilled the mission entrusted to him by his Primarch and could now face the brothers who had sacrificed themselves under his own vain orders.
Without a moment's hesitation, Urian sounded the alarm for the Imperium of Man.
The fortified Morse Solar System held out for only twenty Terran hours against the absolute firepower before completely falling to the xenos.
This place where the Rangdan had once been defeated was now the first site of resistance against their return.
The xenos showed no mercy, nor did they even attempt negotiation; the fleet's firepower reduced the system to an atomic state, erasing the shame of their previous defeat.
Before the world's destruction, the Astropaths burned their souls, their message piercing through the Rangdan's shielding devices.
The Rangdan are here! The xenos have destroyed Gyro-Morse and are heading into the Imperium's territory.
With no Legions guarding them, the mortal armies had no time to organize resistance; many Human Worlds along the way were conquered, becoming Rangdan-occupied zones.
The Exploration Fleets of the Fifth Legion and the Nineteenth Legion bore the brunt of the attack.
Learning that the Rangdan had returned, the Exploration Fleets—which had only a small number of Legion Warriors—immediately avoided a direct confrontation, turning instead to raid Rangdan supply lines and small fleets to delay the xenos' advance.
While waiting for the main forces to muster, they sent out requests for aid to the War Council and other Legions.
The Exploration Fleets utilized their mobility advantage to organize resistance in human colonies, delaying the Rangdan as much as possible to give the Imperium sufficient time to react.
After paying a heavy price, the main forces of the two Legions assembled and engaged the enemy in void battles; however, even at a terrible cost, they could not stop the Rangdan fleet's advance.
All worlds along the path were occupied by the Rangdan, and in a short time, the war reached a critical and perilous edge.
Ultimately, after deliberation between the two Legion Commanders, they decided to retreat to the Forge World of Shana and wait for reinforcements.
The Legion's high command believed that Shana was of vital importance.
By massing the Legion's fleets here, they would not only have ample supplies but could also draw more enemy fleets in by exploiting the Rangdan's hatred for Shana.
By defending Shana, they aimed to tie down as many Rangdan fleets as possible, creating a window for Imperial forces to muster and providing a pivot point for a later counteroffensive.
During the first Rangdan War, Shana had provided much support to Morse, aiding in its later fortification.
It was precisely because of Shana's support that Morse had the strength to resist.
The Rangdan's hatred for the Forge World was no less than their hatred for Morse; it was perhaps even more intense.
The battle to defend the planet began.
To protect Shana, the Fifth and Nineteenth Legions—accustomed to guerrilla warfare—were forced to abandon their speed advantage and engage in bloody urban combat.
The various Forge Temples dared not be negligent, dispatching Skitarii to assist the Space Marines in defending Shana and resisting the xenos invasion.
News of the Rangdan invasion passed through various channels, taking a week to reach Terra.
The War Council was exceptionally shocked, yet not panicked in the slightest.
The Council reacted quickly, ordering the Legions to assemble and prepare for a counteroffensive against the Rangdan.
Between the Imperium of Man and the Rangdan, there was no option for peace talks or coexistence; both sides were locked in a fight to the death, vying for living space in the galaxy.
Within the Ultima Orientis Segmentum, close to where the incident occurred, Greater Ultramar received the astropathic message, which was delivered to the desk of the King of Macragge.
"Assemble the troops!"
Guilliman's eyes widened with fury; he stood up abruptly from his chair and slammed his palm onto the desk, leaving a sunken handprint.
The mortals in the office instinctively knelt, while the Space Marines looked on, not understanding why the Primarch was so angry.
Realizing his loss of composure, Guilliman took a deep breath and had his attendants relay the contents of the astropathic message.
As the parchment scrolls were passed around and read one by one, the atmosphere in the office grew silent; besides solemnity, rage rose in the hearts of the Sons of Guilliman.
It was those damned xenos races!
Bad memories flooded back; due to a misunderstanding, the Legion Warriors had once mistaken their Gene-Father for a Rangdan and launched a rebellious attack.
"I will notify the Legion to assemble immediately." A Legion Champion reacted quickly, returning the parchment scroll and hurrying out of the Primarch's office.
"Prepare my flagship." Guilliman sat down slowly, pushing aside other work and beginning to sign war orders.
As he signed order after order, the entirety of Greater Ultramar sprang into action, operating for the sake of the massive war effort.
Above the star of the Fire-Wheel Sub-sector, a massive fleet was assembling; the Space Wolves had finished the Ork War and were preparing to return to Terra.
"My Lord."
A Legion Warrior hurried in, jogging into the banquet hall to present a scroll to the Wolf King.
Russ, who was drinking, saw his scion's expression and realized something was amiss; he shook his head to clear his drunken haze and snatched the scroll to read it seriously.
"Fleet, come about!" The Great Wolf growled, ordering the fleet into a new war: "Head for the Forge World of Shana."
He stood up, wiped the remaining wine from his beard, his golden wolf-eyes flashing with sharp light as he looked down at the pack and shouted: "Lads! We are joining the Rangdan War!"
"Awoo~ Awoo~ Awoo~"
Howls echoed one after another in the banquet hall; the Space Wolves were eager to give their all for Russ and the Allfather.
Russ nodded privately, his wild expression completely vanished, replaced by a look of solemnity.
He was close with Blazkowicz and knew well the danger of the Rangdan, and even more so the hidden threat posed by Moribus Solas.
This Rangdan attack was unimaginably perilous, and the fires of war would spread across the entire sector.
"The fleet is to abandon its current mission and proceed to the Forge World of Shana to resist the Rangdan invasion."
In the asteroid belt of the Segmentum Tempestus, the giant vessel Phalanx lay hidden; Rogal Dorn's face was calm as he set down the scroll in his hand.
Since Dorn's return, he had lived on Terra for several years while reorganizing his Legion, during which time he had read many classified documents.
He always kept the Rangdan threat in mind, and in his spare time, he urged his scions to use information on the Rangdan to conduct numerous war simulations.
Now, it was finally put to use!
"As you command." The messenger received the order and sat back on the communication throne to transmit the assembly instructions to the scattered Imperial Fists Legion.
Deep within Segmentum Pacificus, the Iron Hands Legion was rapidly withdrawing; many xenos races facing destruction were left bewildered, watching the human fleet depart with trepidation.
Ferrus had already departed, heading for Shana immediately to prevent the strategic pivot point from falling and the war situation from becoming passive.
On the bridge of the Iron Fist, Ferrus leaned over the command console, his iron arms supporting his body as he watched the leaders of the various clans simulate the war.
Oil stained his face but could not hide his heroism; instead, it added a touch of rugged charm to the Lord of Iron.
"Continue to notify the fleet: this battle will be extremely dangerous, the enemy is more powerful than us."
Remembering the indescribable gravity on Blazkowicz's face when discussing the Rangdan, Ferrus did not dare to underestimate the xenos.
"The Rangdan have launched an invasion?"
On the fringes of the Ultima Orientis Segmentum, Moribus Solas stood before his throne, shock flashing through his silver-grey eyes before being quickly masked.
His brows furrowed as he looked at the information in his hand, appearing very perplexed, with ten thousand doubts surfacing in his heart.
Why? Why would the Rangdan attack at this time? The timing is wrong.
Solas masked his emotions perfectly, so much so that even the Space Marines could not detect them, but standing beside him was another Primarch.
The shock and doubt radiating from his brother were fully observed by Alpharius; the King of Spies played his role without a word, his expression as a Primarch's Equerry showing appropriate disgust: "The xenos are ambitious."
"Their first invasion was thwarted, and now they have returned from the void for revenge."
Solas shook his head slowly, explaining the reason for his surprise with ease: "I had long expected the xenos to return, but it is much earlier than I predicted."
"Divert the fleet." The Primarch sat back on his throne and ordered the fleet to change course: "To Shana."
"Understood." The Legion Warriors were somewhat excited; since the return of their Gene-Father, the Second Legion had only been involved in minor skirmishes and had no significant achievements to speak of.
This time, the Legion would finally be able to show its true strength!
The engines of the Second Legion's fleet roared to life, turning in the void and tearing through the Real Universe to enter the Warp.
The Rangdan invasion was sudden and terrifying, and the entire Imperium of Man was immediately put on high alert. The human race, on its journey of revival, has never feared any Xenos!
On Pandora World, the Emperor's will permeated the crust like a golden tide.
The vibrant ecology of the past was entirely covered in a metallic glow; beneath that dazzling facade was a brutal ecological purge.
Animals faced mass extinction, and plants deviated from their original ecological niches.
All living things wailed, and two mighty forces clashed violently in the depths of consciousness—the danger of this invisible war far surpassed that of mundane blades.
The Emperor's will sealed itself off, ignoring external information, and used its own power to devour the world spirit.
The world spirit wailed countless times: Why are humans so cruel? Why must they erase my will?
In the past, the Emperor had received countless such inquiries. Although he felt apologetic, he never showed the slightest mercy.
For the sake of the human race, the Emperor could bear countless sins.
While assimilating the world spirit, a flash of inspiration crossed the Emperor's consciousness, and he received a public Astropathic Choir Message from the Warp.
Rangdan had launched an attack from the Imperial border!
He was startled, immediately understanding that this was a Chaos Gods' conspiracy, attempting a two-pronged approach, attacking from both inside and out to pressure him.
The Emperor, who had not paid attention to the outside world for a long time, sent out a faint consciousness to investigate the progress of the battle, to weigh whether he could disengage to deal with the Rangdan crisis.
The bridge connecting to the other shore was broken, and the gap created by Magnus's impact remained, sealed with a psychic barrier to prevent Warp contamination.
The demons were gone, and Psykers used spells to burn the demonic bloodstains, removing the last traces left by the unclean entities.
A pivot fortress had been established within the channel gap, fully equipped with various anti-Psyker gear, clearly indicating it had endured brutal warfare.
Outside the channel gap, a round table was set, where Primarchs and high-ranking military officials gathered, discussing something.
"This battle lost thirty sisters," Soulless Queen Zentia said in a low, sorrowful voice, closing her eyes and shaking her head, her topknot swaying slightly as she mourned her fallen Sisters of Silence.
While the Sisters of Silence had extremely strong suppressive power against Psykers and demons, their physiological functions were still much weaker compared to superhuman warriors.
No matter how brutal the training, this gap was difficult to bridge.
In a demonic battlefield surrounded by hordes of demons, even with the Emperors Praetorians' intentional protection, as a counter-unit prioritized by demons for attack, the losses were still significant.
"The Emperors Praetorians lost over a hundred men," Valdor said with a grim expression. For the Emperors Praetorians, this sacrifice was too heavy, "but it was worth it."
Since the existence of the Emperors Praetorians, having gone through the Unification Wars and the Thunder Warriors' purge, the Emperors Praetorians had never suffered such immense losses.
Many warriors sacrificed themselves to protect the Sisters of Silence by their side and to support the regional anti-Psyker nodes.
The sacrifice was necessary; if the Emperors Praetorians had no Sisters of Silence by their side, and the demons were able to unleash their power, the death toll for the Emperors Praetorians would have multiplied several times over.
As he spoke, the Commander of the Imperial Guard's gaze drifted towards the Doom Slayer, who were tidying their power armor.
The Twenty-First Legion suffered no casualties, only their power armor was corroded by Nurgle's virus, looking pitted and unsightly, but otherwise unharmed.
Valdor secretly felt envious; the talent of the Twenty-First Legion truly made the Emperor look at them with new eyes.
The Legion Warriors charged into the Daemon horde like fierce tigers descending a mountain, slaughtering demons as if butchering chickens and dogs. Several charges shattered the morale of the Daemon army.
"The Legion Warriors suffered no losses; equipment needs to be replaced," Blazkowicz said concisely, tapping his finger on the table, and a holographic image popped up, reporting the battle situation.
Nurgle's acid rain continuously corroded, and the radiant golden power armor could not resist the concept of decay, developing supernatural rust, with its protective qualities on the verge of failure.
Blazkowicz nodded upon hearing the report, deftly operating his large hand on the tabletop, ordering Sophia to notify the artisans to prepare brand new power armor.
"The Sentinels is fine," Harlan leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head, a relaxed expression on his face. "As a support unit, there were no casualties. The only injured person was bitten by a Daemon hound turning back while pursuing demons."
After the post-battle losses were stated, everyone nodded with smiles.
Compared to the victory achieved, the losses were acceptable, making it a thoroughly satisfying and almost unprecedented great victory.
"Cheers!" Sanguinius raised his glass, celebrating the hard-won victory.
The Daemon army had retreated, having lost their initial advantage, and the human side was well-prepared; they would not return.
The few slowly rose. Lion El'Johnson, rarely smiling, raised his glass to drink with his brothers, savoring the sweetness of victory.
This first battle upon returning to the Imperium, achieving such a great victory, held significant meaning for him personally.
Not only did he deepen his bond with his brothers, but he also gained a clear impression of the Legion's combat power.
The Astartes were a powerful military force. Blazkowicz, leading a thousand of his sons, achieved such brilliant results, and the First Legion numbered tens of thousands!
He could hardly imagine what glorious achievements he would forge in the galaxy after taking command of the First Legion.
"Cheers."
Draining the wine in his glass, accompanied by beautiful aspirations, Lion El'Johnson seemed to see a smooth galactic journey ahead, with future glory within reach.
The Emperor heard the conversation at the round table and even thought he had misheard.
The Daemon army, which had come with such momentum, failed in the first engagement and then fled with their tails between their legs?
Looking at the warriors of the Twenty-First Legion, the Emperor rejoiced that this was an unparalleled powerful army; they had passed the test of crisis and had not disappointed him.
A golden phantom condensed in the air, a figure materialized from the void, and the Emperor's image floated in the center of the table.
Those seated around the round table quickly stood up. The Emperor's sudden appearance indicated that a new situation had arisen.
The Emperor's will-avatar floated in the void, facing Blazkowicz. Others saw the Emperor facing them, and his low voice spoke of a new crisis: "Rangdan has arrived."
No sooner had he spoken than Sophia's projection appeared beside Blazkowicz, her calm voice carrying a hint of urgency: "Received a broadcast message from Morse; the Rangdan army is returning."
Both sides arrived simultaneously, mutually corroborating the source of the news.
Everyone was not surprised to hear this; instead, they breathed a sigh of relief. The enemy in the shadows had finally revealed itself.
The Xenos race, which was in league with the demons, could not have known that their supernatural allies had already been defeated. From a strategic perspective, their imagined joint attack had failed.
"How much longer do you need?" Blazkowicz's gaze swept past the Emperor, looking towards the glittering Pandora.
He confirmed one thing: Rangdan's origin was inextricably linked to the Chaos Gods, part of a Chaos Gods' conspiracy.
Now, he needed to determine how much time the Emperor required to deploy the next phase of action and gather the Imperium's strength to encircle and annihilate the enemy that dared to offend humanity.
"A month at most." The Emperor pondered briefly, his consciousness phantom stating a relatively precise number.
Blazkowicz slowly nodded, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes, his extraordinary mind rapidly calculating and deducing the upcoming deployment.
One month was neither long nor short.
The Rangdan army might be vast, initially overwhelming, but ultimately it would be annihilated within the vast territories and war reserves of the Imperium of Man.
Moreover, the obstacles for the Xenos army were not just the immense human territory.
"Some Legions should already be engaging Rangdan," Blazkowicz said, tapping the table, and several Legion insignias appeared: Ultramarines, Space Wolves.
"These two Legions will definitely go. Guilliman and the Ultramarines hate Rangdan, and Russ's wolves annihilated the Orks. He experienced the First Rangdan War and knows its dangers, so he will go immediately."
Upon seeing the detailed analysis, everyone's tense expressions relaxed considerably. Two Legions joining the battle immediately would be enough to resist Rangdan's offensive.
"Count me in," Sanguinius said, raising his hand to add his Legion to the holographic projection. "I've long heard of the terror of the Rangdan race, and I will lead my Legion to support my brothers."
The Emperor had no objection, implicitly approving the Blood Angels' participation in the war.
The Blood Angels Legion's emblem lit up. Blazkowicz tapped the table again, adding the Second Legion: "Solas will definitely go."
Perhaps the Rangdan invasion was hinted at by the Chaos Gods; if Solas had any connection to the Xenos, he would never sit idly by.
"And him." The Emperor flicked a finger, and a clenched fist appeared.
"Imperial Fists." Sanguinius mused, "Brother is in the Storm Nebula, very close to the incident site."
Within a few seconds, the general situation was analyzed. The first batch of Legions participating in the Imperium of Man's war would be five, a force sufficient to stabilize the situation.
"Lion El'Johnson." The Emperor's voice was full of majesty, calling his Eldest Son's name, and the latter knelt on one knee beside the table.
The Emperor commanded his son: "The situation here is stable. You and the Commander of the Imperial Guard will go to Terra, take over the First Legion, and then join the Rangdan War."
Lion El'Johnson was surprised at how ferocious these Xenos were, requiring the Imperium of Man to commit a sixth Legion.
"As you command." Surprise turned into solemnity. He slowly rose and nodded to the Commander of the Imperial Guard, acknowledging their upcoming journey together.
"Before you leave, there is one thing I must do to you."
The Emperor's majesty was boundless. The two Primarchs knelt before their father, their heads bowed so low their expressions were hidden.
Blazkowicz's brow furrowed; he knew what was coming next.
To prevent the leakage of knowledge regarding Chaos, the Emperor would erase the memories of his two brothers, making them forget everything that had happened here.
Sanguinius and Lion might have known this would be the outcome. After defeating the demons, they hadn't shown much curiosity and rarely asked about the origins of their supernatural enemies.
"Guidance is better than suppression," Blazkowicz spoke up slowly, speaking on behalf of his brothers.
Witnessing Chaos demons and gaining knowledge of Chaos was itself a double-edged sword that one dared not touch lightly.
The downside was that some might find it hard to restrain themselves, seeking the truth of the Warp, only to fall into the traps of Chaos and become pawns played with by the Dark Gods.
The benefits were subtle.
A wise person knows restraint, refrains from touching the power of the Warp, and takes it as a warning to remain constantly vigilant against Warp incursions.
From another perspective, Blazkowicz could also understand the Emperor's one-size-fits-all policy. This necessity was something only those who truly knew the dangers of Chaos could appreciate.
The Primarchs held high positions of power, commanding entire Astartes Legions.
If they were seduced by Chaos, the impact on the Real Universe would be far more than just a personal matter.
It would trigger a series of chain reactions that even the Emperor might find difficult to foresee.
Knowing all this, Blazkowicz still chose to speak up and help. He believed in his two brothers; they were both wise men.
Sanguinius possessed a noble character. The Angel had single-handedly pulled his Legion back from the brink of destruction. His humanity shone with a lofty and pure light, illuminating everything around him.
Lion was accustomed to silence but was skilled at analysis and observation. He understood the foul nature of demons and thus had no possibility of falling to corruption.
The two kneeling men looked up, casting grateful glances toward their brother.
Despite having anticipated it, hearing the memory erasure mentioned aloud inevitably stirred some complex thoughts within them.
To fight a bloody battle against demons only for it to end like this—a sense of desolation at having their memories stripped away welled up in their hearts, leaving them feeling powerless and regretful.
However, the two also understood that their father's motive for deleting their memories might be a form of protection.
Having seen the descent of Chaos demons, they knew their understanding of the world was somewhat superficial, and that unknown horrors lurked in the depths.
And behind those demons were terrifying existences that even their father had to compromise with, unable to destroy the demons himself, leaving the outcome to be decided by the swords of warriors.
Their brother's courageous words felt particularly precious at this moment.
It wasn't just a simple sentence, but the attitude reflected in the words, representing a deep level of trust.
"Guidance is better than suppression?" The raised hand of the Emperor's phantom slowly lowered, the psychic brilliance dissipated, and the kneeling sons awaited judgment.
He seemed to be contemplating something, then suddenly raised his hand and shot two beams of golden light into the foreheads of the Primarchs.
Blazkowicz curled his lip helplessly, lamenting in his heart that the Emperor's control over Chaos was not something a few words from him could change.
"Do not betray this trust." The Emperor's phantom slowly vanished as the situation took a turn: "When the darkness invades, this light will protect you."
"This matter ends here. The memory will remain as a warning to prevent a future fall into the ugly abyss."
With that, the golden phantom vanished from the round table, and the Emperor's consciousness returned to the depths of the planet.
Sanguinius rose carefully, taking a deep breath to relax his body. That flash of golden light just now had startled him.
"I will remember today forever." Lion walked over, patting his brother's shoulder and wiping away the cold sweat from his forehead.
"He did it to protect you." Blazkowicz explained the Emperor's actions, then instructed Blazkowicz: "Bring two copies of the Chaos Overview."
He said to Sanguinius and Lion, "My brothers, this world is far more dangerous than you imagine."
"If one day—" Blazkowicz's expression turned grave, his gentle tone becoming bone-chillingly cold, like a midwinter wind cutting against his brothers' skin: "I will personally slay any fallen kin!"
Blazkowicz was serious!
A cold killing intent surged from their spines to the back of their heads, their bodies shivering as if blown by a freezing wind. Sanguinius gave a bitter smile: "Maybe we should just let Father delete our memories after all?"
Lion nodded in deep agreement. Their brother's killing intent was real and ruthless; on this matter, there was no room for negotiation.
Touch it and die!
As they were speaking, Blazkowicz came up carrying two books and handed them to the two Primarchs.
The books were incredibly heavy, their edges and hinges forged from Auramite. The covers were inscribed with Forbidden Runes, and there were no titles to indicate their contents.
Sanguinius took the book. As his hand brushed the cover, he felt a sense of empty dizziness deep in his mind, and a flicker of disgust rose in his heart as his psychic senses were heavily suppressed.
"The skin of Soulless Ones?" Jenetia, standing nearby, spoke slowly, sensing the aura of her own kind.
Blazkowicz nodded in response. "The entire book is made from the skin of Soulless Ones. They are kept by specialized personnel and are standard equipment for the Legion to facilitate the interpretation of the profane knowledge of demons."
Lion cradled the book in his arms without flipping through it on the spot. With reluctance in his eyes, he bid farewell to Blazkowicz: "Brother, I am leaving this place."
""
"The Imperial War is imminent. The First Legion is waiting on Terra. I must go to take command of the Legion and join the Rangdan War as soon as possible."
"It is as it should be." Blazkowicz embraced Lion, solemnly patting each other's backs as the bitterness of parting welled up.
The parting of men was not overly sentimental. They stated their reasons, then embraced and departed, looking forward to their next meeting.
"I should go as well." Sanguinius smiled warmly and embraced his two brothers. "I will lead my Legion to the Imperial frontiers to reinforce our other brothers."
"Wait a moment." Blazkowicz remembered something important and pulled them aside, away from Valdor and Jenetia.
The two were puzzled, but out of trust and safety concerns, they followed their brother away from the round table to a secluded corner.
Valdor's expression was grim. The three Primarchs were conspiring and had specifically avoided him—were they discussing something untoward?
He had wanted to follow, but seeing two Doom Slayers stand up to block the path, he realized it was futile.
Helplessly, he also left the round table, giving instructions to the Custodes staying behind—to remain constantly vigilant against Warp enemies, and to keep an eye on the movements of the Warrior King.
The three arrived inside a fortress. Only after Blazkowicz confirmed that Valdor could not hear them did he let go of his brothers.
"This joint operation involves multiple Legions. For the sake of command coordination and unified dispatch, a 'Warmaster' will certainly be chosen to serve as the overall battlefield commander."
Hearing his brother's words, Lion's emerald eyes lit up, and his palms tightened slightly.
This position of 'Warmaster'—it seemed like something he could strive for?
A war between two super-empires could last for over a hundred years. The position of Warmaster would certainly not be held by a single brother forever. Would there be a great chance to compete for it when the rotation occurred?
"Do you need our support?" Sanguinius had no such ambitions and thought Blazkowicz wanted the position of Warmaster.
He felt a bit conflicted internally.
Out of personal affection, he would absolutely support Blazkowicz. But a large-scale theater of war was different from a local conflict; personal prowess had limited utility, and strategic vision was the sole essential factor for serving as Warmaster.
"No." Blazkowicz shook his head in denial, knowing full well his own limitations.
Commanding a large-scale battlefield was extremely complex, requiring strategic maneuvering and anticipation. He was not suited to be a Warmaster.
Hearing the definitive answer, Sanguinius felt much more at ease, but Blazkowicz's next words left him bewildered again.
Blazkowicz looked at his two brothers, his gaze serious and firm. "When nominating the Warmaster, I hope you will choose Moribus Solas."
"Why?" Lion's voice was somewhat muffled, not understanding his brother's intention.
He had never met Moribus Solas and knew nothing about the man. To nominate him randomly seemed somewhat inappropriate.
"Because—" The words were on the tip of Blazkowicz's tongue, but he didn't say them.
He couldn't explicitly say he suspected Solas. After all, suspecting another brother based on limited intelligence was truly unjustifiable.
After a moment of thought, Blazkowicz showed a look of hesitation, not knowing how to explain: "When we rendezvous, I will explain everything."
Sanguinius and Lion exchanged a look. They sensed Blazkowicz's hesitation; the reason behind it must be extremely grave, perhaps even carrying a sort of primordial unease that made Blazkowicz afraid to speak rashly.
"With just the two of us, can we ensure this objective succeeds?"
Lion thought carefully, his question also indicating his stance: he would support Solas's rise to power.
Sanguinius didn't say it explicitly, but there was a questioning look in his eyes as well.
This was sudden. As the various Legions reached the combat zone, a Warmaster would be chosen immediately; they wouldn't wait for long.
In that case, Blazkowicz's vote would be considered void.
Currently, six Legions were confirmed to be going, meaning the six Primarchs had six votes. Perhaps more Legions would arrive, so two votes were not the deciding factor.
"No need to worry about that." Blazkowicz flashed a smile, as if everything was under control. "You can privately contact Russ, Ferrus, or even Guilliman."
"In my name, there is a high probability they will offer their support. This way, we will have at least four votes in our hands."