The effect of the Speed 255 potion quickly passed. Everything around him sped up, and Zeke felt a bit unaccustomed to it.
His head was dizzy and heavy, like he had just gotten off a roller coaster.
Taking out a water bucket to wash his face, he felt much better. Zeke returned to the Arx Angelicum.
On the way, he saw a few Magos Biologis enthusiastically studying the Tyranid corpses on the ground.
That was just how the Adeptus Mechanicus operated: wherever there was research material, they would absolutely arrive at the first possible moment. They were always researching, but what about the results?
Don't ask, cause there were none.
Zeke also saw a group of strange Space Marines wearing red and gold uniforms, bearing all the colors and decorations found on the Blood Angels.
They were obviously not Blood Angels, but Primaris Space Marines brought by Guilliman.
They would serve as fresh blood, joining the heavily depleted Blood Angels Chapter to replenish some of their combat strength.
The Blood Angels wouldn't accept these outsider Primaris so easily. The stubborn faction would consider it a pollution; once the Blood Angels had Primaris, they would no longer be the Blood Angels of old.
These were all things for Guilliman to worry about. Zeke just wanted to quickly find Guilliman and properly interrogate him about why he had arrived so late.
He only arrives after I've already driven the Tyranids out of Baal? Stepping over countless bug corpses, the number of Ultramarines around him gradually increased.
Cobalt blue banners fluttered at the four corners, the symbol of Ultramar dotted upon them with silver threads, its arms encircling the laurel-crowned Imperial Aquila.
Standing guard at the top of the stairs leading to the gates were the golden-armored warriors of the Adeptus Custodes. The Custodes had arrived as well.
The main doors opened rapidly with a sharp pneumatic hiss, revealing more of the Honour Guard—all of whom were Ultramarine veterans.
From a distance, Zeke could hear the conversation between Guilliman and Sicarius.
"What? The Tyranids have retreated and the war is over? Baal has been successfully saved? and the Blood Angels' genetic flaw has been solved too?"
"So fast?"
Fast? With Speed 255, of course it's fast. Zeke pulled back the flap of the blue barrack tent.
On a pure golden throne surrounded by hundreds of decorations, Guilliman listened to Sicarius's report, his expression shifting unpredictably.
He was only late by one day, yet so much had happened. To think he had even brought the Custodes along out of fear of insufficient troop strength.
He didn't expect to miss even the tail end of the war.
"Zeke, let me explain." Seeing Zeke's confrontational look, Guilliman's super-brain instantly came up with a hundred excuses.
"It's not that I was too slow, it's that you were too fast."
"Is that so?" Zeke smiled radiantly.
"No need to support me," Dante's weak voice came from outside the tent.
Zeke and Guilliman's conversation was interrupted; the two exchanged a glance.
"It's Dante," Guilliman sat back down on the throne and took the Emperor's Sword in his hand.
When talking with Zeke, Guilliman didn't project the majesty of a Primarch because the other party was his savior; But when meeting others, the necessary hierarchy between superiors and subordinates had to be maintained. This was military regulation, and it was beneficial to both sides.
Zeke decided to postpone this issue and stood to the side of the tent.
Dante limped toward the barrack tent of the central command. He stamped his foot and stood at attention.
At the entrance, Dante shook off Albinus's arm, pushed open the tent flap, and walked in as proudly as possible.
Even though he had already learned the news that a Primarch still lived, seeing it with his own eyes was completely different.
Guilliman was an unparalleled noble, a monument in the flesh. With a clatter, Dante fell to his knees and lowered his head.
"Is it truly you? Are you still alive?"
Guilliman stood up, set the Emperor's Sword aside, and walked down the steps.
"Rise, Dante," Guilliman said softly. "I will not accept humility from a man such as you. You are one of the few in this era who has earned the right to speak with me as an equal."
"Rise, now."
Guilliman grabbed Dante's shoulders and lifted the Chapter Master's upper body.
"I heard you nearly died in the battle just now," Guilliman said.
"Yes, it was a close call." Dante nodded numbly. "I still can't believe it. Is this a dream or a hallucination?"
"Neither. I am alive, and I have returned to save the Imperium," Guilliman said.
"Forgive me, my Lord..." Dante covered his face in agony.
"I have failed. I summoned all the Chapters of the Blood, and in order to save Baal, I have lost them all."
"In the end, the one who solved everything was the human beside you. He did a thousand times better than I did."
Dante cast a grateful look at Zeke, who was standing beside Guilliman.
You can't say that. Zeke shook his head. You can't compare battle records with a Minecraft player. Dante had done well enough. Before Zeke arrived, he had held Baal for so long.
The series of measures he took, such as executing Exterminatus on the planets near Baal, were decisive and effective. If it weren't for him, Baal absolutely wouldn't have held out until Zeke arrived.
Speaking of which, Zeke quietly whispered to Sicarius beside him, "How many troops do the Blood Angels have left after this battle?"
"It's tragic," Sicarius's loud voice was on full display.
"Eight Chapters have been completely wiped out. About six Chapters have been damaged to the point of permanent unrecoverability."
"Most of the others have only one or two warriors left. Not a single one can maintain the strength of more than half a company."
"Out of over thirty thousand Blood Angels, only a few hundred are left. The Blood Angels are arguably extinct in name."
As Sicarius's voice echoed in the barracks, Guilliman's face twitched, barely maintaining a smile.
Dante's face lowered even further; he was almost on the verge of tears.
Forgetting that this macho man Sicarius had an emotional intelligence of absolute zero, Zeke turned his head aside, pretending he wasn't the one who just asked the question.
Sicarius looked at the tent that had suddenly gone silent and scratched his head. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong just now?"
Guilliman tried hard to tug the corners of his mouth upwards, forcing a smile, and placed a hand on Dante's shoulder.
"I know the grief in your heart, Dante, watching your former comrades die." Guilliman reminisced about the desolate loneliness of seeing only unfamiliar faces when he was just resurrected. "Let us listen to some good news to ease the mood."
"In light of your outstanding performance, I have decided to appoint you as the Imperial Regent north of the Eye of Terror. All forces here are yours to command."
Dante stiffly turned his head to look at Guilliman. Guilliman gave him an encouraging look. "Only you are worthy of this duty, Dante."
"I understand. I will do my best." Dante emanated the lifeless aura only found in a corporate slave clocking out of work at midnight.
"Alright, since you two are done chatting, it's time to talk about things between us, Dante." Zeke stepped forward. "You know, my fee for saving people is very expensive."
Guilliman had paid with the Armor of Fate. Considering how exhausted Dante was, Zeke decided to be generous and give him a zero percent discount.
Dante straightened up and listened respectfully. Paying a reward for being saved was perfectly normal. He hadn't even had the time to thank Zeke for solving the Red Thirst and Black Rage yet.
"Take me underground to your Arx Angelicum." Zeke pointed downward.
Dante's heart skipped a beat.
"I heard the remains of the Great Angel are hidden there."
--
Goal = 500 (Not Complete)