The suspenseful wait following Noah's departure was finally over. With spatial and psychic shockwaves, the Essentia Exilirum exploded, using its master's vast power to activate and doom everything in that remote part of the galaxy. Nothing could escape its locked maw—not even the gods. Not even its creator.
Guilliman loved order and constants, even though they were rare in this ever-burning galaxy. His uncle was one of them. He had felt like an unbreakable mountain in an ocean of chaos. Even after his stasis, his uncle had been there, and now that man was gone. Like his father, like his dear brothers, like his most beloved sons. Now only a memory remained to grieve.
When he turned around, he found a cube on his desk. His eyes widened as he hadn't even sensed the intruder. He checked every system, yet nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The cube had simply appeared out of thin air. He cursed that Lion was not present—he was alone on the bridge. That had been an oversight.
He called his guards, allowing them to check the cube for anything malicious or dangerous. They found a small symbol on the cube: a crimson sun with a scarlet ring. His uncle's insignia. This was one of his creations. He opened it.
The cube sent a message the moment it opened. The message was weak at first, but every single second it grew stronger and stronger, using every Imperial vox system and more. He shuddered when he read the message. It was just one simple line, yet the power of that message was beyond everything Guilliman had expected:
"The Armies of Mankind! By the name of my own, Assemble!"
The war-torn lands of Armageddon were famous for their Steel Legions. Yet the name "Steel Legions" wasn't actually meant for the Guard regiment—the Steel Legions were not even the correct name. The message reached the planet and was received by those who should have received it.
The ground shook and burst open as the ancient and powerful force that had slept for thirteen thousand years awakened. The Iron Legion of Armageddon stirred and stood ready to serve.
Armageddon was not the only place where the powers of man lay dormant. From the endless oceans of 4546B rose countless titans, boarding the colossal ships that would bring them to their duty. Not just on planets—even in the vast darkness of space, there were numberless fleets hidden and waiting, now awoken and ready.
Some forces were far younger than these machines: The sixteen lost sons of the Emperor heard their uncle's plea and rushed to the Throneworld. Their mission was over.
The message even managed to reach the innermost parts of Terra, passing through the golden walls of the Imperial Palace, reaching the barred Eternity Gate, and passing through that too, finally arriving at the Golden Throne. There sat the rotting carcass of the Emperor, the Master of Humanity. The signal reached him, and he didn't need a machine or screen to understand it.
He felt both relief and sorrow. His closest friend, his brother, was dead. Yet they had won. He allowed his soul to rejoin his body after ten millennia as his form became covered in a blinding golden column of light. The alarms in the throne room went mad as hundreds of Custodians rushed to their master. The energy radiating from the glowing column was so great that not even the Golden Legion could pass through.
When the light dimmed, there stood the Emperor—not the rotting corpse he had been for ten thousand years, but the glorious and mighty savior of humanity. He was furious at the corrupted, stagnated cesspit his empire had become, and his fury would cleanse every filth, purging it with righteous flames.
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I finished my halberd, The Tyrant, but it really feels lackluster. I couldn't capture that burst of inspiration I had for Damian's sword. I'll let him name it. Anyway, The Tyrant is still an amazing weapon—don't get me wrong—but it's a simple one. I just went for absolute power and mobility.
I used a few gravity mechanisms that allow it to change its weight. It can also fuse with my hand, and I can completely alter its shape. It's more like the Ruyi Jingu Bang than a halberd when you think about it. Well, it's still a halberd though, with the pike, axe, pick, and everything.
I also added some temporal elements to it, so it can accelerate and decelerate unnaturally and instantly. It's very tricky in battle. But that's all. Well, you can't always have the same creativity, you know.
Anyway, it's time to return to Wayne Manor. I don't think Bruce will have a problem with my cleansing of Mars, but we'll see.
As I arrived at the Manor, Alfred was the one who welcomed me. "Welcome, Mr. Noah. Master Wayne is in his office. May I interest you in a cup of tea?"
"You are a treasure, Alfred. Please tell Damian I will come the moment I finish talking with Bruce."
Bruce was sitting in his chair menacingly. I sat next to him.
"Do you have an explanation?" he asked calmly. Expected of a man who negotiated with Darkseid. Even planetary genocide wasn't enough to shake him, I suppose. Nice.
"Of course I do. Thousands, in fact, but the most important ones are: Martians are powerful and they are my enemies. I don't need my enemies alive."
"That is the reason for genocide?" he asked, still coldly.
"Yep! Let me clear up the misunderstandings that may occur. I am not a hero; my job is not to save but to protect. Can you promise me that you can beat all of them the moment they land on this planet? Can you heroes save everybody? No! You can't! You guys are not omnipotent—you will be late. You are heroes; your job is saving. I am a king; my job is to ensure that nobody needs saving. So yeah, this is a reason for genocide because outer space is not a civilized place, Bruce. It's a jungle, and in the jungle, only the fittest survive."
His face changed with the emotion I showed. His eyes became more thoughtful as he analyzed my words. I continued.
"Mercy is a luxury that isn't given to the weak, and humanity is weak. We are not the hunters in this vast cosmos. We are prey, and prey cannot afford to empathize with the hunter. You know what? Let me show you instead of telling you. Catch this."
I threw him a USB that Hermes made, filled with the grimdark reality of the Imperium. The raids of the Drukhari, the awakening of the Necrons, the WAAAAGH! Everything. That should ensure they understand what's at stake.
I left his office and entered the therapy room. Damian was waiting for me there.
"So did you bring it?" he asked me with glowing eyes.
"Did you finish your part of the deal?" I smirked. He nodded his head.
"Yep. Jason will try it. It cost me my cookie privileges for a month, so this has to be worth it."
I pulled the blade out and gave it to him.
As he touched the handle, an invisible force field covered his body, protecting him. The blade awakened with power as the disintegration fields came to life. The ruby eyes of the skull in the handguard started to shine while the blade grew darker.
Damian brought me to the training facility as he tried his new sword, and he was like a puppy while he sliced everything in the facility. Duh, that disintegration field can cut through almost anything. The thing that surprised me most was him hugging me while thanking me. I think Bruce is jealous.
As I left him and the Manor, it was time for the world-conquering phase too. I went to Los Angeles because Lucifer Morningstar works at a bar there, and I need his neutrality. I don't think I can take him on myself if he ever invades my mind.
Anyway, as I approached, he was painfully obvious in his location—not that he really hides himself. I opened the door, and there was Lucifer, the Light Bringer. The Devil.
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His eyes narrowed when he saw me, and I remembered that he has some kind of past-reading power. I really wonder what he thinks about me.
Lucifer looked at the man in front of him. Or a God, maybe—he was giving off a mixed presence. As his life opened in front of him, he was shocked by the sheer amount at first. He didn't remember such a long-lived mortal. When he read through it, two names made him doubt his own powers. He immediately erased them from his mind. Such beings' business wasn't worth being a part of.
He didn't really care anyway. He saw the man's plans—they would take quite some time before they affected his life here. He was getting bored of the pub anyway.
They didn't talk much, and the man left the moment Lucifer promised not to pick a side.
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Yeah, Lucifer was a breeze. The man really doesn't care about most things at this point, which leaves me with only Atlantis and human governments.
Atlantis is more important when you think about it. Also, this Aquaman possesses the Trident of Atlan, and boy, that thing is interesting. Anyway, first I will have to deal with some production things for the serum, and Arthur is not at home right now. So, to the lab!
The lab I use for serums is obviously in the ship. Thanks to Ivy, the Roses of Asclepius are being harvested and the microorganisms I need are extracted from them. Then a long selection process occurs. I was waiting for that to end. Now finally, the first phase is finished and it's time for me to start the second.
In the middle of the lab, a giant glass aquarium was filled with all the microorganisms that will turn into symbiotes. Now I add the different materials necessary, and the majority of them die instantly. The ones that survive consume the chemicals and mutate. Then new chemicals, and new mutations.
After a long time and many cycles, you have a bunch of pseudo-symbiotes. Now just add the blood of the host and wait for a few weeks, and voilà—citizen symbiotes are ready.
The Spartan ones require much, much more cycles and materials, and they are not even close to ready, but that should be enough for most. This baby was the key to my world domination back home, and it will be here too.
The first one will go to that Barbara girl. It is a shame she is injured, and I always feel quite a satisfaction healing disabled people. The moment they realize they can see, walk, or hear is just so beautiful and gives me a sense of fulfillment. One little girl wrote me a thank-you note and drew me after I healed her mother—I still have that paper. Oh... I got a bit emotional. How nice. Anyway, back to business.
There is no rest for the wicked, so none for me either.
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AN: Hello again and thanks for reading. I really have not much to say today so just enjoy your days.