*(My body… is yearning to devour this Warp energy? Is this a trait of Viltrumites? Or is it a latent potential I possess as a Primarch that has never been awakened until now?)*
Guilliman’s mind raced.
*(No, it is highly likely a brand-new mutation born from the fusion of the two! Viltrumite Smart Atoms—creations at the absolute peak of materialism—fused with my Warp-born essence as a genetic Primarch. Their combined capacity to influence and interact with the Warp must have been vastly magnified! I just wonder to what extent I can manipulate it…)*
Without the slightest hesitation, Guilliman gave in to the hunger within his body.
He took a step forward, voluntarily striding into the dispersing mist of blue energy.
Like a whale swallowing water, or a black hole trapping light, the blue smoke, which had been destined to return to the Warp, was captured the moment it brushed against Guilliman’s flesh.
Snared by an invisible, powerful vacuum, it was pulled forcefully—like a hundred rivers rushing to the sea—flooding madly into his body!
Within the gaseous energy, a lingering, terrified psychic ripple of the daemon’s final thoughts seemed to flutter.
They writhed and contorted, trying to escape this unnatural consumption, but all their efforts were in vain.
In just a few breaths, Guilliman had devoured every single wisp of the blue mist, leaving absolutely nothing behind.
A vast, pure sensation of energy instantly surged through his limbs and bones!
He could clearly feel a tangible increase in his strength, both physically and mentally.
Though the increase was not staggering—only about one-thousandth stronger than before—it was a genuine, undeniable advancement!
*(That Tzeentchian daemon just now was far weaker than a Greater Daemon, probably only on par with a Primaris Space Marine… And yet, devouring such a creature boosted my strength by a thousandth?!)*
Guilliman was inwardly shaken.
*(My body can actually absorb and digest Warp energy directly to strengthen itself?!)*
He understood the implications of this all too well.
In the grim universe of Warhammer 40,000, the avenues to gaining power were exceptionally limited and came at an astronomical cost.
For a mortal to transcend, they had to either survive the near-fatal trials of Astartes transformation or fall to Chaos and embrace its twisted blessings.
As for genetic Primarchs like him, they already stood at the apex of biological might.
To take even a single step further was as difficult as ascending the heavens!
they had simply reached the limit of their potential.
At their creation, the Emperor had set an insurmountable ceiling on their power.
But now, Guilliman saw an unprecedented path of infinite possibilities open before him!
His body had become a crucible capable of digesting Warp energy and converting it into nourishment for himself!
Furthermore, after consuming the Tzeentchian daemon, he felt as though fragments of knowledge and embryonic forms of power had seeded themselves within him.
With a subtle shift of his mind, a wondrous sensation bloomed.
He gestured gently toward a nearby Ultramarine who was watching him with curiosity.
Guided by his will, the golden shimmer of Smart Atoms on his palm intertwined with a thread of his newly acquired blue psychic energy.
The Ultramarine suddenly felt an invisible force envelop him, dragging his body forward a few floating steps toward Guilliman against his will!
But he was a hardened warrior, after all.
With a low growl, his power armor’s servos whined and roared.
Relying on his formidable physical strength and sheer willpower, he resisted the traction and planted his feet firmly.
Guilliman lowered his hand in a timely manner.
*(If I unleash this newly acquired psychic spell with all my might, I can probably toss around one or two ordinary Space Marines at will. But complete suppression or finer manipulation is currently beyond my reach.)*
Even so, this was monumentally good news!
He had gone from a “physical-only” Primarch with virtually zero psychic aptitude to a hybrid powerhouse capable of casting rudimentary psychic spells!
This was undoubtedly a qualitative leap!
*(Ultimately, the power of the material universe has its limits. No matter how strong a Viltrumite is, blindly charging into the chaotic depths of the Warp to face the true forms of the four Chaos Gods would surely end in disaster.)*
Guilliman’s eyes shone brighter and brighter, like burning stars.
*(But if… if I can continuously hunt Warp creatures, seize their power and essence, and constantly strengthen myself… then one day, I might grow to stand on equal footing with the Chaos Gods, or even surpass them!)*
The allure of power was eternal.
In the material universe, Guilliman was confident he was already among the absolute peak of existence.
Yet hanging over his head were terrifying entities like the C’tan, who were the literal incarnations of universal physical laws.
Though Viltrumites were powerful, they still paled in comparison to fully realized C’tan who could manipulate the laws of physics at a whim.
*(But if… my Warp essence grows to rival a Chaos God, and I can move freely in the material world, projecting conceptual power into reality… then the physical laws controlled by the C’tan may not even match the sheer breadth of ‘influence’ I can wield!)*
With this thought, a clear strategy crystallized in his mind.
*(It seems that even if we acquire faster-than-light engines in the future and can bypass Warp travel… for me, Warp travel is something I can never do without!)*
*(Only by proactively venturing deep into that realm of chaos can I seize the initiative in hunting, finding and destroying more Warp creatures to absorb their power!)*
After all, the great Warp lacked many things, but it had chaos in spades—and an inexhaustible supply of daemons and dark gods’ energy!
A blood-soaked path leading to the supreme throne, paved with the corpses of daemons, seemed to unfold before Guilliman’s eyes.
…
Inside the VIP suite on Macragge, an air of pure luxury washed over the senses.
The walls were inlaid with rare gems harvested from the Five Hundred Worlds.
Soft light filtered through carved crystal windowpanes, bathing the interior in a shimmering glow.
Every detail reflected the host’s immense respect for their guest.
Yvraine woke upon a massive white-gold bed layered with snow-white down quilts.
Her snow-white hair cascaded down her smooth shoulders like a waterfall.
A pair of deep, emerald-green eyes slowly fluttered open, carrying the serene detachment unique to the Aeldari.
She calmly surveyed the room—a chamber belonging to humans, yet surprisingly aligned with her own aesthetic tastes.
She had already stayed on this blue planet for a week.
According to her original plan, after fulfilling her mission to awaken Guilliman, she would observe for two months at most before quietly departing back to Aeldari space.
But now, she felt that the plan had to change.