Elsewhere, on Macragge, the Homeworld of Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines, several Ultramarines were performing guard duty.
These Warriors, clad in blue Power Armor, maintained solemn expressions. They were guarding no ordinary objective, but a special Stasis Field that contained their Gene-Father.
After the Horus Heresy, Roboute Guilliman had been stabbed in the neck by a poisoned sword wielded by the traitor Primarch of the Third Legion, Fulgrim. That weapon, steeped in Chaos Poison, nearly claimed the life of the great Primarch.
"Time for rotation, brother," two Ultramarines stepped forward and gestured to their comrades.
Inside the Stasis Field, Guilliman's body was preserved in the posture of his final moment of life; Time was virtually suspended in this Space.
Before entering the Stasis Field, Guilliman had entrusted Archmagos Cawl to prepare for his Resurrection while simultaneously demanding the development of stronger Gene-Warriors.
The battles against the Astartes who had betrayed the Emperor and fallen to Chaos made Guilliman realize the inadequacy of the original Space Marine Combat Power. For the future of the Imperium, he needed to create more powerful Warriors.
Just then, the air suddenly rippled with gold. A massive golden Portal appeared out of nowhere near the Stasis Field.
The Ultramarines immediately entered Combat Status. Their Power Armor hummed as it activated, and their weapons instantly charged.
"Protect the Father!" the Captain roared, but the Portal slowly expanded, enveloping the entire Stasis Field.
A figure of suffocating majesty emerged from the Portal—a memory etched into the Gene-Seed of every Space Marine—the Emperor.
His appearance instinctively caused all Ultramarines to drop to one knee, even though they had never personally seen the Guardian of Mankind.
"Your Majesty!" The Ultramarines cried out in unison, their voices filled with Reverence.
The Emperor's voice sounded directly in their minds: "Children, do not be afraid. We are here to save him."
In truth, the Emperor's character of old would never have explained so much to ordinary Warriors.
But now, he patiently comforted these Ultramarines.
Had ten thousand years of sitting changed his nature? Or was it the joy of knowing the Imperium of Man could now be saved? Or perhaps the previous betrayal had made him realize his mistakes?
It was none of these. The Emperor merely used his Ability to Foresee the Future to choose the method Ian would prefer and be most receptive to.
He was still the cold, ruthless Emperor who loved Mankind as a whole but cared little for individual beings.
"Time is short," Ian said to the Emperor. "There are several others we need to retrieve."
The Emperor nodded. Golden Energy surged from his hands, enveloping Guilliman in the Stasis Field.
Next was Vulkan, Primarch of the Eighteenth Legion, the Salamanders, who was once the closest of the Primarchs to ordinary Mankind.
Ian located Vulkan directly by searching the Immaterium Information.
Unlike the other Primarchs who had been found, Vulkan's state was more unique—neither asleep nor dead, but in a strange state of being between existence and non-existence.
"Interesting," Ian narrowed his eyes. "His Soul seems to be scattered across multiple locations in the Immaterium, yet maintains some kind of connection."
Nearly ten thousand years ago, Vulkan fell into an Energy Generator during a final battle with the Orks. That Energy was enough to instantly destroy any being, including a Primarch's physical body.
However, the Orks' Collective Subconscious believed he couldn't be killed. The Orks' unique Waaagh! Power protected Vulkan's Soul.
As Ian acted, chaotic Energy in the Immaterium began to gather in an orderly fashion. Countless Light Spots flew in from different directions, converging in his hands.
A humanoid outline gradually took shape.
As the last Soul Fragment was collected, the entire arrangement suddenly emitted a dazzling light. Within the light, a tall figure was vaguely visible—that was Vulkan's Soul.
"Time to come home, my child," the Emperor extended his hand. Golden Energy surged from his fingertips, enveloping Vulkan's Soul.
"Hurry up, next one!" Ian finished, opening a Portal to the next destination.
Fourth stop, the Portal opened on the edge of an Immaterium Vortex.
Immaterium Storms swept through, carrying various distorted Energies, like an endless Storm of Chaos.
"Have you found his location?" the Emperor looked toward the chaotic Vortex.
"This guy is really well hidden," Ian began to sense. "His Mental Fluctuations are very scattered, as if he intentionally concealed himself."
As Ian spoke, several Ravens suddenly flew through the Immaterium, their black feathers particularly conspicuous in the purple Immaterium.
"I guess these Ravens should be able to lead us to Corvus Corax."
The Emperor nodded: "Corax has always had a special connection with these creatures."
"Found him."
Ian clapped his hands together, then suddenly pulled them apart, tearing a rift directly through the Immaterium.
Deep within the rift, a figure in pitch-black Armor was faintly visible, surrounded by countless flying Ravens.
"Long time no see, Father," Corvus Corax's voice drifted from the depths of the Immaterium, calm yet carrying a hint of Sarcasm. "I thought you wouldn't come looking for me."
"Every lost child deserves to be found," the Emperor's reply was brief and powerful.
Afterward, they found Jaghatai Khan and Leman Russ.
The many Primarchs gathered in the Emperor's Grand Hall. Guilliman and Lion El'Jonson, the first to arrive, had already recovered under the nourishment of the Body Stones.
With all the surviving Primarchs present, a secret Meeting began.
As the Emperor spoke of Ian's deeds, all the Primarchs directed looks of Respect toward him.
Then a prompt sounded in Ian's mind.
[DING... INTERDIMENSIONAL ENERGY VALUE IS FULL, NUMBER OF MODULES TO BE DRAWN *1]
After changing the Fate of the Emperor and several Primarchs, the World Energy had filled up once more.
At this moment, Ian had no mind to exchange words with the Primarchs and the Emperor. He immediately immersed his consciousness in the Transmutation Tablet.
He began the draw.
[DING... MODULE DRAWING IN PROGRESS]
[DING... MODULE DRAWING SUCCESSFUL]
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE RECEIVED EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE UPGRADE]
If Endless Greed was the ultimate Matryoshka Doll of Matter, then Equivalent Exchange Upgrade was the ultimate Matryoshka Doll for acquiring EMC Energy Value.
This Mod features higher-tier Energy Collectors, raising the Energy Collector level from MK3 to MK16. The highest-level Energy Collector, MK16, is also called the Ultimate Collector.
The Ultimate Collector can provide $1 \text{T}$ EMC Energy Value per second. And that's not all.
The Ultimate Collector, when combined with a Personal EMC Link and 6 Ultimate Relays, can also be crafted into the Ultimate Power Flower Pot.
And one Ultimate Power Flower Pot can produce $48 \text{T}$ EMC Value per second.
Most importantly, this item can be accelerated by the Watch of Flowing Time, but Ian wouldn't dare place it in a world outside of MC.
He was afraid that he might accidentally drain the world of its Energy.
Moreover, he would never lack EMC Value again, because the Equivalent Exchange Upgrade Mod also contains an Ultimate Artifact called the Ultimate Star. It can be crafted from eight Ultimate Power Flower Pots and one Dragon Egg.
It can also be crafted using 4 Alchemy Tomes, 4 Dragon Eggs, and 1 Nether Star.
This Artifact can unconditionally duplicate any item, with a Duplication Speed of one item per second. This means that Ian can now make his EMC Value increase exponentially with a simple flick of his finger.
With this Artifact, his EMC Value could reach Pseudo-Infinite.