At present, the Primarchs gathered on Isstvan V numbered three:
Fulgrim and Alpharius/Omegon.
But the Astartes assembled on the planet were far more varied.
Under the Warmaster's instructions, a total of three Legions had successively increased their troop deployments, bringing the total number of Astartes to an astonishing one hundred thousand.
Among them, the Word Bearers made up the largest portion. Next came the Alpha Legion. The Death Guard had the fewest.
That was because the Death Guard had only deployed their First Company to Isstvan V. Their First Captain, Typhon, did not even know what was happening. He still thought this was merely a simple mission assignment.
But as the Astartes looked out across this desolate death world, they could not help falling into silence and confusion.
The enemies the Warmaster spoke of...
Where exactly were they?
In response, Fulgrim looked at the panicked allied forces and revealed a satisfied smile. As an "informed party," he naturally knew what would happen next.
In just a little while, the Warmaster would use the most magnificent method to bring down the curtain on these loyalists!
And then, he would ascend to a brand-new stage!
"Do not worry, Fulgrim. I will convince Ferrus. The other brothers will also recognize our great undertaking soon enough!"
Horus's promise, and that reliable, sunny smile, remained fresh in Fulgrim's memory even now.
Then what else could he say?
The Warmaster had promised him as much.
All he had to do was wait.
"Hmhmhm~"
Seated within his luxurious tent, Fulgrim swirled his wineglass, feeling exceedingly pleased. The moment he thought of what was about to happen, he could not help humming softly.
This was a brand-new chapter!
He and the Warmaster would become the greatest heroes in human history together.
Perhaps even gods!
"Fulgrim, we need to talk."
Among the many Phoenix Guard, one suddenly stepped out of formation and addressed the Primarch directly by name.
"?!"
Seeing this, the rest of the Phoenix Guard angrily activated the force fields on their power spears, intending to discipline this rude fellow.
Fulgrim, however, calmly raised a hand, signaling his sons to stop and withdraw.
He gently swirled the liquid in his goblet, rose, and approached the "son" who had addressed him by name. Then he directly pierced through that layer of disguise.
"Alpharius, or Omegon? My brother, your disguise is as good as ever. I nearly failed to recognize you."
Fulgrim looked straight at his brother as he spoke.
"However..."
Fulgrim kept smiling, but his eyes carried a trace of anger and malice.
"Do not do this again next time. I do not wish anyone to defile my guard, even if that person is my brother."
"Do you not think something is wrong with this planet? And with the Warmaster's orders?"
Alpharius spoke directly.
"What is wrong? The order was for us to garrison this planet and deal with the rebels on it."
"Heh! And then? Where are the rebels? Have you seen them?"
Alpharius questioned him.
"Does that not simply mean the rebels have already been dealt with? Then all that remains is to enjoy victory, my brother."
As Fulgrim spoke, he observed the Terminator armor his brother wore.
To behold power armor that he had personally designed and ordered forged was truly a pleasure.
Ah!
Why would such a perfect work of art exist in this world?
"I suspect the Warmaster intends to purge us! You fool!"
Alpharius could not help cursing.
"No, no, no."
Fulgrim shook his head repeatedly.
"The true fool should be you."
"I am the one who will open a new era alongside the Warmaster, perhaps even surpassing Father. As for you, and those foolish brothers of ours, all of you will become sacrifices."
"Heh..."
Alpharius was not surprised by this statement.
In that case, he could confirm it.
Horus had suddenly gathered everyone in this barren hellhole because something was indeed wrong!
"Brother, if I were to give you a path to step into the new age with us, would you cherish it?"
Fulgrim asked Alpharius with a pitying gaze.
"You still have not realized that you are also one of those being plotted against, have you?"
Alpharius wanted to laugh, but compared to that, he had another matter to worry about.
Omegon.
Ever since that guy arrived in the Isstvan system, he had disappeared. As a Primarch with one soul and two bodies, being unable to sense his other half made Alpharius panic.
He realized that Omegon might be hiding something from him, doing something outside the plan. This could very well cause prophecy and fate to collapse.
"No, no, no. Absolutely impossible."
Fulgrim said with complete confidence:
"I am trusted so deeply by the Warmaster. He personally invited me to open the new era. I shall become his phoenix, assisting him as he ascends the Golden Throne and becomes the new leader of the human species!"
"Our history shall be remembered forever! We may even surpass Father! Hahahahaha—"
"As for you..."
Fulgrim's tone shifted.
He placed his hand on the grip of the [Laer Silver Blade] at his waist. This strangely shaped xenos sword, bright and dazzling in color, was his favorite weapon—even surpassing the [Fireblade] Ferrus had gifted him.
"You have colluded with the Cabal. Those fanatics and madmen will only destroy everything, whether Father's great work or the great work the Warmaster and I are about to create."
The connection between the Cabal and the Alpha Legion was something Bruce had secretly told Fulgrim about. As for what purpose it served, it was simply guidance. In short, Bruce had first drawn some aggro.
If, before the massacre began, Fulgrim lost his mind and ran off to trade fire with the Alpha Legion, wouldn't that make things easier?
"I am doing this for humanity!"
Alpharius loudly retorted.
A silver flash dragged a trace of purple shadow. A sharp blade carrying psychic fluctuations swept across the spot where Alpharius had been standing. He dodged quickly, gripping the power spear in both hands.
"!!!"
Seeing this, the Phoenix Guard once again entered combat stance.
"This is not a battle you can interfere in. It has nothing to do with you. Simply watch properly as spectators."
Fulgrim rebuked them unhappily.
"..."
After receiving the order, the Phoenix Guard obediently continued standing in place.
"Fulgrim, are you planning to betray Father together with Horus?!"
Alpharius questioned furiously.
"Betrayal? Do not make it sound so ugly."
Fulgrim held the silver blade upright in one hand while resting his other hand behind his waist. The blade's mirror-like surface reflected the face of the most beautiful Primarch.
He said coldly:
"Father has been obsessed with that secret plan of his for far too long. The great Great Crusade has stagnated. As his sons, we must do something."
"And the only ones qualified to replace Father in completing this great undertaking and making it even more perfect are myself and the Warmaster."
"You, and those other foolish brothers, are nothing but existences who drag us down."
"Ah! How impressive. To dress such heretical words in such grand and dignified language—you really are the first."
Alpharius was bitterly disappointed in this vain brother.
At the same time, he was deeply contemptuous.
"Alpharius, sever your ties with the Cabal now. It is not too late to join us. Also, have that foolish brother of yours, Omegon, accept the new era the Warmaster is constructing as well."
Fulgrim kindly advised him.
Although Fulgrim looked down on the so-called Cabal, he felt that a Primarch brother trapped by them could still be pulled back.
One more force meant one more bargaining chip for victory.
After all, their future opponent would be that most perfect human: their father. The moment Fulgrim thought that one day, he might fight Father, defeat him, and even turn him into a prisoner, he became unbearably excited.
Alpharius looked at him as if looking at an idiot and said coldly:
"Fulgrim, you take yourself far too seriously."
"Have you considered the possibility that this world has already undergone earth-shaking changes? Horus was originally supposed to become a shameful traitor, but something interfered with all of it."
"Our prophecy has failed. And as the price for this change, this world will only face consequences more terrible and more unpredictable."
"I have been searching for a solution, but that fool Omegon actually..."
Before Alpharius could finish, Fulgrim, displeased, thrust his sword forward. Several fatal flashes of steel carved afterimages like blooming flowers. Alpharius blocked and dodged with his spear.
In theory, that deadly offensive could have killed every Astartes present, yet Alpharius dispelled it in just a few moves, although Fulgrim had indeed been holding back.
"Who understands any of that nonsense?"
Fulgrim ended with one final sweeping slash, then warned:
"I hate riddles, and I do not have time to play riddling games with you."
"You only need to answer me. Will you join us, or refuse?"
"..."
Alpharius rolled continuously to avoid the attack, then crouched on the chair Fulgrim had been sitting in earlier.
"How inelegant you are."
Fulgrim looked at his beloved purple blanket being stepped on like that and grew somewhat annoyed.
"You fool! You do not even know you have been sold!"
For a moment, Alpharius did not even know how to communicate with him.
It was not that Alpharius was deliberately speaking in riddles. Rather, the Cabal was not something that could be explained clearly through words alone!
The Cabal was both Father's enemy and Father's ally!
If this world did not proceed according to prophecy, it would only become more complicated and worse. Especially if the Dark King was not born, another evil god even more terrifying than the Dark King would appear instead.
It would end the human species!
"Even now, you still do not think to beg for mercy? Very well. I will take you down and present you to the Warmaster as a gift for our new era!"
Fulgrim swept his magnificent purple cloak aside, then raised his hand and ordered:
"Attack!"
The next second, the Phoenix Guard moved cleanly and efficiently, stabbing their power spears into their own comrades. Lethal and elegant, there was not a single unnecessary movement.
Once they had dealt with the internal impostors, the Phoenix Guard focused their firepower on the isolated Alpharius.
"Every Phoenix Guard is someone I personally selected. I remember their names, their faces, their personalities, their posture, their souls. With that little disguise trick of yours, who exactly did you think you could fool?"
Fulgrim mocked him.
Back then, the Emperor's Children had only numbered two hundred. Fulgrim had built the Legion from nearly nothing, so he knew better than anyone exactly who belonged to his guard.
The slightest change was enough for him to recognize it.
"..."
Alpharius watched all his sons die while he himself fell into an encirclement, yet he did not panic.
Because he knew Horus was about to act.
And unfortunately, Fulgrim was also one of the targets.
So...
Rumble————
An explosion suddenly rang out from outside.
Immediately afterward, the powerful blast overturned the tent. Yellow sand surged into a violent sandstorm, swallowing everyone within it.
"?!"
Fulgrim swung the silver sword in his hand, cutting through the sandstorm, then raised his head and looked at the sky.
Countless artillery strikes were raining down upon the surface. At the same time, warships were suffering organized, premeditated attacks—including his own fleet.
What exactly was going on?!
Before Fulgrim could figure out what had happened, a projection appeared in the sky above the planet.
Horus emerged with a solemn expression.
Then she began her speech.
"Imperial forces assembled in the Isstvan system. I am Horus Lupercal, Warmaster of the Imperium of Man and Primarch of the Sixteenth Legion."
"In the name of the Warmaster, and in the name of the Master of Mankind, I shall announce one important matter."
"Today, we mourn the death of Angron. Tomorrow, we make the traitors pay!"
"The great Imperium of Man will never allow the Imperial Truth to be trampled!"
"We shall take action and force the shameful traitors to answer!"
The bombardment continued.
So did the Warmaster's speech.
Under the double offensive, both physical and psychological, the Astartes stationed on the ground were thrown into panic.
Among them, the most bewildered was Typhon.
Even after racking his brains, he could not understand how he had somehow been sold out by his good brother Mortarion.
This...
This was not right, was it?
Join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 180)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 285
"Is this chat group even serious?" 150
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (This matter is completely finished.)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 255
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 210
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 305
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (This matter is completely finished.)
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 130
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 155
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 120
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 155
My Harem Is Indescribable 105
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 110
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 110
Still playing traditional Honk 96
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 95
What Should I Do After Switchi 51
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 105
Checking In in Demon Slayer 95
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 105
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 95
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (This matter is completely finished.)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 95
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 90
Why did they assign me to Uma 80
MYGO Beauties 75
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 80
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 100
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 120
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 65
The Uma Musume Who Became 70
I'm Definitely Not the King of 105
After Maxing Out Every Class 110
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 95
I, the Elden Sword Saint 60
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 60
No One Knows Pokémon Better 60
I, Sakazuki, Won't Go Down Tha 69
From Trilobites to Titans 57
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 75
DanMachi: My Party Members Are 86
An Anime Heroine Darkened 60
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 70
Honkai: The Fire Devil 70
Honkai Transformation Cards Volume2/30
Age of Heroes, I'm Just a Back 60
Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 74
At age 8, she co-starred with 42
Honkai: Schicksal Media 30
My patreon : patreon.com/queen_sin
My patreon : patreon.com/queen_sin