Warhammer: Starting as a Planetary Governor

"Huh?"

"You're saying… we're going to use the Corruption Network to counterattack into the Chaos Gods' domains?!"

Regent Guilliman couldn't help but jolt upon hearing the Savior's grand plan, his imposing form tense with disbelief.

He suddenly felt… his own mindset was too limited.

While he was still thinking about how to repel Chaos and drive them out of Ultramar, his brother was already planning to strike directly at the Chaos Gods' own lairs.

He pondered the feasibility of such a plan, then shook his head tiredly:

"That would be nearly impossible. We don't have the capacity to send that many troops into enemy territory."

"It's too risky. Doing so could leave Ultramar in an even more dangerous situation."

Guilliman raised his hand and tapped rapidly on his communication console, projecting several data streams into the air:

"According to the latest intelligence, there have been numerous xenos traces near Ultramar, and a faction known as the 'Terror Legion' is lurking nearby."

"Not only that, but other Chaos cultists have been sighted as well…"

He looked up at the Savior, expression grave:

"These reports might not seem threatening at first glance, but I sense a terrifying crisis behind them – a powerful hidden force influencing the entire war."

"I suspect this entire sector has already been surrounded by countless enemies: Chaos Daemons, Ork hordes, Tyranid swarms, Necron tomb fleets, the Aeldari, and of course the traitors."

"Even the frail T'au have dispatched armies."

"They're all eyeing Ultramar, this jewel of the Imperium. The true number of enemies hidden behind these traces is far greater than anyone imagines."

"This place will become an even more chaotic battlefield than the Vigilus System!"

"In this situation, we cannot risk dispatching our armies. Holding the galaxy is the only right choice."

This was why the Regent appeared so weary.

From these fragmented pieces of intelligence, his keen intuition pieced together the hidden and terrifying crisis looming over them – an instinct for war honed by countless campaigns.

"Damn… old Gil's intuition is really sharp,"

Eden thought, slightly surprised by Guilliman's analysis – because it was almost exactly what would soon unfold.

And that was despite Tzeentch's efforts to veil the truth.

Indeed, the Chaos hordes and xenos armies were about to converge upon Ultramar in an unprecedented massive melee.

Of course, the assumptions were accurate – it was only the conclusion that was wrong.

They weren't enemies.

Guilliman's tone softened as he continued, trying to persuade his brother:

"I'm not rejecting your plan entirely. It's just… now is not the time. At least wait until the situation is clearer."

"What if – I'm just saying if – what if everything you just described… were all my people…"

Eden nearly let something slip but quickly corrected himself:

"I mean, allied forces. Those Chaos Daemons and xenos all share one goal – to destroy Nurgle's armies and then invade his domain."

"…What???"

Guilliman was stunned. So all these presumed enemies… were actually allies?!

How in the Emperor's name did his brother pull that off?

It sounded absurd, but there were precedents of Chaos and the Imperium fighting together against greater threats.

He believed his brother wouldn't lie about something so critical.

"Here's the current situation…"

Eden sent Guilliman a file, outlining the allied factions and private communication channels.

He briefly explained the state of their alliance – Khorne, Tzeentch, and Nurgle were at each other's throats, and the war's momentum was shifting.

Before Nurgle's armies were crushed, the Chaos coalition attacking the Imperium was highly unlikely.

Guilliman fell silent for a while after hearing everything, his lips twitching as he tried to hold back a smile:

"If that's really the case, your plan to invade the Chaos Gods' realm… could actually work."

A weight lifted from his shoulders.

Based on what his brother described, with Ultramar and the Scourge Stars surrounded by allies, he genuinely couldn't imagine how they could lose.

It seemed this sector would avoid total annihilation after all.

Eden felt the same – their odds of defeat were nearly zero. The only question was whether they achieved a minor victory, a moderate victory, or an overwhelming triumph.

His core focus now was figuring out how to win while also saving as many worlds and lives as possible, then concentrating their forces to strike deep into the Garden of Nurgle.

"What should we do next?" Guilliman asked, eager for the upcoming strategy.

"Step by step. First, we hold Arcus – it's a vital node. Locate all Corruption Engines and Networks, then have the Dark Mechanicus devise a way to neutralize them."

"When the time comes… I'll tell you what to do."

Eden hesitated, deciding not to mention that Guilliman might die and then be resurrected by their father.

After all, that event probably wouldn't happen anymore.

Besides, if he told him ahead of time, it might produce unpredictable consequences.

Knowing he couldn't die might just make Guilliman even more reckless.

If he threw himself at the enemy thinking he was invincible, only to actually die for real, Tzeentch's grand schemes would succeed.

That would be disastrous.

Eden and Guilliman continued discussing war plans.

For now, the top priority was securing Arcus and preventing it from falling to Nurgle, which could trigger devastating consequences.

In his memory, the Godblight virus had been developed on this very planet.

A virus capable of killing gods themselves – whether Chaos Greater Daemons or Primarchs, it spared no one.

Once unleashed within a star system, it would eradicate all life.

Such a horrific weapon could never be allowed to exist.

Especially since Tzeentch could easily weaponize the Godblight against him – if it killed him, who knew whether the Emperor could bring him back?

He wasn't some "chosen one of the patch notes." He only had one life.

Even a one-in-a-million chance of failure wasn't worth gambling.

Besides, if Tzeentch truly got desperate, it might abandon its plan to kill Primarchs and simply deploy Godblight against the Imperium's core regions.

A single vial dropped on Holy Terra or his own domain…

It would be game over.

Therefore, Arcus had to be defended at all costs, to prevent Godblight's creation.

"This place will need far more medical supplies and decontamination units…"

Guilliman was concerned about Arcus' condition.

With infected gathering en masse, the corruption had grown dangerously strong.

"My transport fleet has arrived."

Eden gestured upwards. In orbit, vast lines of transport ships had entered, crowding the docks.

The logistics fleet had come.

He smiled warmly, his teeth immaculate:

"This planet will get everything it needs."

…

Starport.

The Savior's transport ships docked with the port.

To avoid detection during transit, they had scattered through the Webway to systems near Ultramar before regrouping via Warp travel to Arcus.

Fsshhh—

Massive mechanical arms hundreds of meters long sprayed disinfectant across the ships and disembarking personnel.

A tall woman in a leather uniform and long coat approached the Arcus hospital world's administrator.

She tapped her datapad and projected a document:

"Greetings. I am Furi, commander of the Holy Land Logistics Third Transport Fleet, here under the Great Savior's orders to deliver supplies to Arcus."

"This is the cargo manifest. Please sign for receipt."

Furi's words were brief and to the point, her demeanor all business.

She had risen from the ranks, starting as a mere supervisor on Transport Ship 113, and now she led the entire logistics fleet. This job was second nature to her.

For decades, she had journeyed among the stars, from one planet to another, from one system to the next, crossing entire galactic arms.

Furi had witnessed countless wonders of the galaxy, and just as many hellish nightmares.

Many worlds turned to ash before the transport fleet could even arrive, their human populations dying in wails of agony.

As a mere mortal, she had seen too much of the galaxy's darkness.

Having witnessed so much, she no longer felt the sentimentality she once did. She had grown silent and stoic.

She no longer cared about what fate awaited the worlds she visited.

After all, there was nothing she could change. All she could do was follow orders and deliver her cargo on time.

"By the Emperor… how generous the Savior is!"

The administrator stared wide-eyed at the cargo manifest, praising the Savior in awe.

The Savior's fleet had brought vast supplies – defensive structures, war machines, medical personnel, and elite warriors.

It was enough to turn Arcus into an unbreakable fortress.

Seeing him sign off so excitedly, Furi issued the unloading order.

Shuttle after shuttle launched from the bellies of the massive transports, packed with supplies, descending to the surface.

Thoom. Thoom. Thoom.

The administrator felt faint tremors through the ground and looked up to see towering figures disembarking from the ships.

Each of their steps was thunderous.

Even at this distance, he felt a primal fear of those beings.

He swallowed hard and asked, "By the Emperor… what are they?"

He had never seen such warriors before.

Furi glanced over, unfazed. "Those are the Titans of the Holy Land – Ogryn Space Marines."

"O… Ogryn Space Marines…?"

The administrator was stunned. That was beyond his comprehension.

No Imperial citizen could ever imagine those big dumb brutes being linked with Space Marines – the Emperor's holy Angels of Death.

"They'll be operating here. You'll understand soon enough."

Furi offered no further explanation, crisply closing her data slate and walking away.

As she passed the giant warriors, she greeted them warmly. In truth, she rather liked these towering giants.

Perhaps due to their surgical modifications, these particular Ogryns weren't as dumb as most.

She recalled rumors circulating back home:

Some members of the Gene-Enhancement Institute had become increasingly radical, sparking heated debate. They were rumored to be developing T'au Space Marines… even Ork Space Marines.

Conservatives opposed such experiments fiercely, insisting that the Emperor's holy gene-tech should never be tainted by xenos flesh.

They argued it was better to develop new enhancement protocols tailored to xenos biology, avoiding corruption while expanding technological frontiers.

After all, no one cared about using xenos as research fodder.

Regardless, even the Savior's most conservative factions were far too extreme in the eyes of the Imperium's Inquisition.

A hundred executions wouldn't suffice to purge such heresy.

But the Inquisition had no jurisdiction over the Savior's territories. Much of their enforcement domain had been claimed by the Urth Ecclesiarchy's own Inquisitors.

And the Savior's Inquisitors were even more radical.

Nowadays, those Inquisitors launched aggressive purges everywhere, equipped with superior personnel and weapons, taking countless assignments away from the Imperial Inquisition.

They even enjoyed better public opinion among Imperial citizens.

Faced with this trend, the High Lords of the Imperial Inquisition were scrambling to increase their budget and streamline operations.

Otherwise, at this rate… they might soon be out of a job.

Furi understood little of these hidden political struggles. She only felt that the Savior's realm developing more technology was a good thing.

Only then could they face the deepening darkness of the galaxy.

She arrived at the observation deck, gazing down upon the pale yellow planet below. Once an agricultural world, no traces of green remained.

Billions of infected arrived each day, utterly destroying its ecology and leaving it barren.

From experience, she sensed an undercurrent of Chaos corruption brewing here. She had seen too many such worlds, and her intuition was well trained.

But her eyes showed no worry.

The transport fleet had already delivered everything needed. The Savior's forces would handle the rest.

…

Heavy Quarantine Zone.

A light misty rain fell from the skies.

Wherever it landed, it dissolved filth and contagion, revealing tiny green shoots of grass sprouting anew.

This artificial rainfall covered all of Arcus, created by hundreds of atmospheric regulators deployed by the Savior's purification forces, dispersing diluted cleansing agents.

Infused with life energy, these rains were gradually reviving this dying hospital world.

Splat.

Tiny green grasses were crushed beneath armored boots, droplets scattering.

Chapter Master Dovaro of the Nova Marines, himself a towering Primaris Space Marine, led a squad on inspection of the defensive lines.

In the distance, he saw towers rising rapidly.

Rumor had it these mysterious structures could channel holy energies, completely encasing corruption network nodes to shrink the battlefield.

Arcus had become the linchpin of this entire war effort. No mistakes were allowed.

Wherever the Primaris passed, standard Astartes bowed their heads in respect.

The Imperium's hierarchy was strict, and Space Marines were no exception.

When the Primaris Marines first appeared, their differences and colder combat methods had earned them much resentment among traditional Astartes.

To resolve this hostility, Regent Guilliman had intervened – not only by guaranteeing their worth in the name of a Primarch, but also by integrating them as "sons outside the chapter," fighting alongside standard Marines.

This enmity finally faded only when Chapter Master Marneus Calgar of the Ultramarines himself became a Primaris Marine.

Their superior prowess and countless battlefield achievements eventually earned them respect and high status among all Chapters.

"Stay alert!"

Dovaro commanded in a deep voice. "Lord Calgar has spoken – this world hosts two noble Primarchs. No mistakes can be allowed. We cannot bring shame upon our gene-father!"

At any moment, Nurgle's hordes could launch a massive assault, threatening the largest engagement since the Plague Wars.

Now, Guilliman's and the Savior's elite forces were deployed across their respective sectors.

Among the hot-blooded warriors, an unspoken competition brewed: who was truly stronger, whose forces superior?

No one wanted their own sector to be the first to fall.

That would be shameful beyond words.

Thoom. Thoom. Thoom.

Suddenly, the Primaris Marines heard heavy footfalls as massive shapes approached from the adjacent sector.

When they saw the figures emerging from the mist, their breaths caught.

Even Dovaro gulped. "Emperor's mercy… they're enormous…"

He had heard rumors of the Titan Marines – Ogryn Space Marines – but seeing them in person was staggering.

Each of these warriors stood over 3.5 meters tall, towering two heads above even Primaris Marines.

Their own proud frames felt puny in comparison.

Clad in reinforced Terminator armor, these Ogryn Marines looked nearly as big as a Primarch themselves.

They were like walking Dreadnoughts or Centurion battlesuits.

Worse still, rumor had it they even fielded specialized Dreadnoughts and Centurion units of their own, far more terrifying.

And then… Dovaro saw several four-meter-tall Titan Marines striding past, and his mind nearly went numb.

Were these Primaris Ogryns?!

This Chapter Master wondered silently, doubt gnawing at him:

"Can these big brutes really fulfill the mission of a Primaris?"

He wasn't trying to belittle the Ogryns.

But everyone knew they were slow-witted, incapable of tasks requiring intelligence, let alone guarding delicate frontlines.

Yet, having once been ostracized as a Primaris himself, Dovaro was more tolerant than most.

Had it been a conservative Chapter witnessing this, they would have erupted in rage, denouncing these Titan Marines as heretics, refusing to serve alongside them.

Dovaro and his Primaris warriors stood near the sector boundary, craning their necks to observe the giant Marines, like curious onlookers at a spectacle.

And then… to their utter shock…

The largest Titan Primaris pulled out a complicated schematic, squinting at it and issuing orders to his warriors and Storm Group auxiliaries.

He then pulled out a small booklet and began reading intently.

Huh?!

The Primaris Marines gasped softly, eyes wide with disbelief.

By the Emperor… he was reading?! An Ogryn that could read and study?!

...

Elsewhere…

The Titan Chapter Master, Big Smart-Head Gauss, licked his thumb and carefully turned the pages.

It was a special edition of the Savior's Redemption Codex, filled with elegant hymns and profound poetry – literature that cultivated the soul.

The Redemption Codex now existed in tens of thousands of versions, containing faith doctrines, general knowledge, even cutting-edge scientific data – truly encyclopedic.

It was one of the galaxy's bestselling works.

By any measure, it outclassed the Regent's dull "Toilet Paper Codex."

"The wind of the wastelands, blowing over the battlefield of bones, the oath of blood and fire, echoing within shattered walls… Great Savior…"

Gauss hunched over, trying his utmost to understand the poetic imagery. It wasn't easy for him.

But the Savior had written:

"Never stop learning; knowledge changes fate; think more to become smarter; even Ogryns can possess wisdom."

Indeed, this was a special edition created for Ogryn readers.

Suddenly, Gauss noticed the staring Primaris Marines not far away, their eyes vacant with shock.

He adjusted his glasses, brow creasing in irritation.

"What're those little dumb guys staring at?"

(End of Chapter)

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