"War alone cannot protect Ultramar."
"The Chaos Gods... are intervening in this war."
Alone, Guilliman's tone was heavy with frustration.
He could keep winning battles, but before the might of the Chaos Gods, his efforts felt meaningless.
Recently, the Primarch had received reports from every front: the Weeping Plague was breaking out on multiple worlds, with more infected every day.
Victims would uncontrollably shed tears during battle—thick, foul-smelling tears, quickly coating their eyelids, causing swelling and blindness.
Those whose mood continued to deteriorate would lapse into days of sobbing, worsening their condition.
The worst cases: the eyes would fester, rot, and eventually be lost forever.
The Mechanicus' biologists concluded the plague was caused by a minute mite.
These mites were rampant, hiding in ration sacks, uniform folds, ammo pouches—even between the pages of Imperial manuals.
They bred at astonishing speeds and couldn't be eliminated by normal hygiene.
Due to the Weeping Plague, many Imperial operations were halted or failed. The newly won battlefields were deadlocked or lost.
Countless soldiers lost their sight and ability to fight, whole units paralyzed.
Curiously, the disease spared Space Marines and Mechanicus members, with only a few cases among the Sisters of Battle.
Realizing the severity, Guilliman rushed to Talasa, leaving the planned campaign to Chief Tactician and Inquisitor Greyfax.
Arriving at the infected camp, Guilliman steeled himself for tragedy and panic—
But, to everyone's surprise, the Primarch's arrival brought a miracle.
Thousands of patients were quarantined in hastily built shelters.
Even through the armored doors, Guilliman could hear the constant weeping within.
The sorrowful sounds pained him deeply.
Ten thousand years ago, he failed to save his father and Sanguinius.
Ten thousand years later, he still could not protect these innocents.
He was still the helpless Roboute Guilliman, forced to watch Chaos trample the Imperium and torment mortals.
Steeling his emotions, Guilliman stepped forward and opened the iron door.
At that moment, the crying and sobbing gradually quieted.
One after another, patients rose from their beds, blinking in delight as their sight returned.
Even those who had gone blind groaned with relief—for the first time in weeks, they slept soundly.
Guilliman's arrival had healed them all.
The rampaging plague faded quietly, the disease-spreading mites dying en masse.
The Mechanicus biologists and medics were baffled, unable to explain this phenomenon.
The Imperial Cult responded swiftly, launching a propaganda blitz:
"This is the Emperor's protection! He sent His son to bring salvation!"
Soon, devout pilgrims flocked from all over to worship Guilliman, while the Primarch himself was too busy rushing between plague zones, forced to delegate the campaign command.
Guilliman had considered abandoning the infected and focusing on war, but his conscience wouldn't allow it.
He could not ignore his suffering people—especially knowing he could save them.
Yet, during Guilliman's absence, Chaos launched a fierce counterattack.
Without the Primarch's genius, the Imperials couldn't secure victory, and the fronts dragged into a war of attrition.
Meanwhile, a growing warp storm was isolating Ultramar from the surrounding regions.
Astropaths and Navigators grew anxious—at this rate, Ultramar would soon become an island in the warp.
During Guilliman's healing efforts, something odd was discovered.
Whenever he arrived, the Weeping Plague disappeared,
But once he left, it flared up again.
Grand Master Voldus of the Grey Knights soon detected the mark of Nurgle.
It was clear this plague was personally crafted by the Plague God.
The Primarch's actions were futile; he hadn't truly healed anyone.
When Guilliman was present, Nurgle simply withdrew his "blessing".
When he left, the plague spread anew.
Nurgle was exploiting Guilliman's humanity, luring him into an endless, doomed struggle.
To stop the Primarch from wasting his efforts, Voldus brought his team to the Macragge's Honour for a meeting.
"You must abandon those people," Voldus said bluntly. "Head to Terra as soon as possible. If the warp storm closes the route, we'll all be trapped here."
"They are the Emperor's subjects," Guilliman shot back. "Protecting them is my duty."
"There are countless more souls outside Ultramar, trapped in war, begging for the Emperor's salvation. You are His son—your true mission is to save the Imperium."
A fierce argument erupted.
Guilliman, like an enraged lion, was terrifying. Many quailed before his wrath.
But Voldus did not yield, even under the Primarch's fury.
Datch, who had tagged along, sat nearby munching sunflower seeds, watching the drama unfold with interest.
The shouting was so intense, he thought they might come to blows.
But Konor Guilliman and Tarasha Euten had taught Guilliman too well.
If it were Perturabo or Curze—those motherless bastards—Voldus would have been torn apart.
In the end, Guilliman reined in his anger, agreeing with Voldus: his efforts to cure the plague were futile.
With agreement reached, they began planning the trip to Terra.
At this point, Datch saw a golden question mark appear above Guilliman's head—finally, a main story quest!
He bounced up to the Primarch.
"Lord Regent, do you have any tasks for me?"
Guilliman, initially annoyed at the interruption, calmed himself when he saw it was the nameless, Emperor-blessed Astartes.
Datch had been active at the front the whole time, cleaving through Chaos hordes and assisting Imperial units.
He'd only come along now because Voldus was visiting the Primarch—and the current main quests all revolved around Guilliman.
Sizing Datch up, Guilliman had a crazy thought—maybe this nameless Astartes could solve the plague.
It sounded like a fantasy.
After all, the plague was Nurgle's work—one of the most evil Chaos gods.
Still, he asked, holding onto hope:
"Can you help me resolve this rampant plague?"
The moment he finished, a mission prompt appeared before Datch.
[Quest: Help the Primarch resolve the Weeping Plague]
The vile Weeping Plague is ravaging Ultramar, and the Primarch is deeply troubled. Please help him end the plague and restore the people's health.
[Reward: 3,000 XP, 3,000 points, +300 Reputation, Pumpkin Power Armor × 1]
Seeing the Pumpkin Power Armor as a reward, Datch nodded frantically.
"I'll help you solve the plague, Lord Regent!"
Task accepted, Datch bounced out.
"Can he do it?" Voldus asked, watching Datch go.
"I don't know," Guilliman sighed. "But now, he's our only hope."
Turning back to the star chart, Guilliman's expression grew grave.
"Let's get back to the main topic—how to reach Terra."
…
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