Guilliman’s words, “Continue the meeting,” acted like a reset button for the strategy room, which had just experienced a mini emotional rollercoaster.
The undeniable calmness and decisiveness in her soft, delicate voice caused the gathered Imperial elites to perk up, quickly gathering their scattered thoughts and refocusing their attention back to the cold reality and data.
Calgar was the first to respond.
He straightened his chest, his expression beneath the tactical mask turning resolute once more: “Yes, Father!
I will continuously and with full effort send the highest priority summons and an announcement of your awakening to all Ultramarines successor chapters and loyalist chapters across the entire galaxy that might receive the signal!” He even secretly vowed to himself that he would not only send it, but send it in various ways, using different encrypted channels, different rhetorical styles, and he even considered whether to attach a…
uh, never mind, the image of the Primarch might not be suitable for transmission via unreliable astropathic communications, at least not right now.
But the emotional impact of the text must be strengthened!
They must know that Mother has not only awakened but is waiting for them to come home!
Imagining the excitement of those blue warriors fighting bitterly in despair across the galaxy when they suddenly received this summons from their home world, from their gene-Primarch, Calgar felt the burden on his shoulders lighten slightly, and he gained another ounce of motivation.
Guilliman’s gaze turned to the Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus on her right.
She knew that in the original plot, one of the greatest gifts Cawl brought to Guilliman was the Primaris Space Marines.
This was the brand-new, upgraded version of the Astartes he had secretly developed and perfected during Guilliman’s ten-thousand-year slumber.
With the Empire’s forces stretched thin, this was undoubtedly a timely help, perhaps even the key to turning the tide of the war.
“Archmagos Cawl,” she began, her emerald eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of imperceptible, “prophetic” understanding, “regarding what you mentioned before, those warriors built based on brand-new gene-seed and technology…
the Primaris Space Marines.
How is their progress now?” This question was like a switch, instantly igniting all of Cawl’s “workaholic” modules.
A flash of brilliance crossed his human left eye, and the red light of his mechanical right eye became steady and bright.
The previous tragic atmosphere of “visiting a grave” was swept away, replaced by a confidence and fanaticism belonging to a top technical authority.
“Primarch!” Cawl’s voice rose several decibels in excitement, carrying obvious pride, “A complete success!
No, a perfect success that exceeded expectations!” He impatiently waved his mechanical arm, quickly operating the data pad in front of him.
Immediately after, the holographic projector in the center of the strategy room hummed to life.
Light converged, and a holographic image of a tall, majestic, and powerful blue power-armored warrior slowly rotated into view before everyone.
The warrior in the image was clad in Mark X “Tacticus” power armor, similar to the traditional blue armor of the Ultramarines but with more precise details and lines that were more streamlined and powerful.
Just standing there quietly, it exuded a more imposing and intense sense of pressure than an ordinary Space Marine.
“Please look, Primarch, everyone!” Cawl’s voice was like that of the most professional tour guide, filled with pride, “This is the Primaris Space Marine!
During the ten thousand years of my slumbering watch, based on the genetic blueprints of the Emperor and the Primarchs, and combining the most cutting-edge results in biology, genetics, and mechanical augmentation, I have optimized, strengthened, and sublimated them into the new generation of Astartes!” He pulled up a detailed data panel, with key indicators listed prominently beside the holographic image: [Physique] Height generally between 2.5 and 3 meters, significantly a head taller than existing “old” Space Marines (average 2.2 – 2.5 meters), with a broader frame and significantly increased muscle density and bone strength.
[Constitution] Basic physiological indicators such as strength, neural reaction speed, endurance, self-healing ability, and environmental adaptability have comprehensively surpassed the existing Astartes warrior standards, with some items seeing an improvement of 30% – 50%.
[Genetics] Adopting a brand-new, extremely stable, and near-perfect gene-seed lineage, the failure rate for genetic mutation and organ rejection has been suppressed to an astonishing below 0.001%, almost eliminating traditional augmentation risks like “Black Carapace” fusion failure.
Traits inherited from the Primarch are better expressed and more easily and stably passed down.
[Organs] Retaining all 19 standard Space Marine augmentation surgeries, and adding three brand-new, more efficient enhanced organs (Belisarian Furnace, Magnificat, Sinew Coils), further enhancing their explosive power, sustained combat capability, and tactical adaptability.
[Equipment] Standard issue is the custom-built Mark X “Tacticus” power armor, with comprehensive improvements in protection, mobility, and system integration; the main weapon is the MK II Bolter, which is superior in range, power, and accuracy; and it is equipped with new heavy support weapons such as Plasma Incinerators and Boltstorm Gauntlets.
Cawl spoke almost incessantly, and with every piece of data he recited, the red glow on his face (the human part) grew brighter, and the light in his mechanical eye shone more intensely.
These Primaris Space Marines were the crystallization of his ten thousand years of painstaking effort, the most precious gift he offered to the awakened Primarch and the endangered Empire.
In the holographic image, the model of the Primaris Space Marine performed several tactical maneuvers.
The joints of the power armor moved smoothly and silently, and the posture of raising the Bolter to aim was as steady as Mount Tai, full of the beauty of power and precision.
The strategy room fell silent.
But this silence was completely different from the previous heaviness or cuteness.
It was shock, disbelief, and the prelude to ecstasy!
A light of hope erupted in Celestine’s eyes; she seemed to see the light of the Emperor shining in a new form.
Greyfax’s tightly pursed lips relaxed slightly; although still vigilant, she had to admit the astonishing nature of this technological power.
Vordus nodded slowly; as the leader of the Grey Knights, he understood better than anyone what stable and powerful gene-seed meant.
Chaplain Mathieu’s lips were already trembling with excitement, almost starting to compose a new hymn.
And the most intense reaction came from the Ultramarines.
Agemman, Sicarius, Tigurius…
all the blue-armored warriors present were staring fixedly at the holographic image and data, their breathing beneath their tactical helmets becoming noticeably heavy.
They could understand those data points and what every single improvement meant — stronger power, faster reaction, tougher bodies, more stable inheritance, and superior equipment!
These were not just “recruits”; these were super-warriors who comprehensively surpassed them, the “old relics”!
After ten thousand years of darkness and decline, had the Empire actually achieved such an astonishing leap in military technology?!
The clouds of despair seemed to have been ripped open by this sudden, dazzling dawn of technology!
However, the shock Cawl brought was far from over.
Guilliman asked at the right moment, her emerald eyes filled with just the right amount of surprise and anticipation: “That’s great, Cawl.
This is truly…
an inspiring achievement.
So, how many such Primaris Space Marines have you brought?
How many…
can be immediately deployed to Macragge, into the battles of Ultramar?” Cawl puffed out his chest, his mechanical parts emitting a slight metallic friction sound, and answered in a clear, proud tone, as if announcing a universal truth, with resounding impact: “Reporting to the Primarch!
Currently, the Primaris Space Marines that have successfully completed augmentation, are in stasis, and can be awakened and deployed into battle at any time, in the secret warehouses on Macragge and its surroundings, total —” He paused deliberately, enjoying (or rather, vengefully savoring) the expressions of everyone holding their breath, and then spat out the number, one word at a time: “Twenty-nine thousand!” “Twenty…
nine thousand?” Calgar repeated subconsciously, his voice somewhat dry.
Nearly thirty thousand!
This was equivalent to almost seven times the total strength of all loyalist Astartes in the current Ultramar region!
And they were comprehensively enhanced versions!