Meanwhile, in the front row, [I'm Not the Regent I'm Just Passing By Guilliman] had finally recovered from his shock.
His eyes now shone with fanatical excitement, a brilliance far greater than anything he'd ever displayed upon discovering some priceless treasure.
He stared at Helovia with unmistakable admiration.
It was the kind of look a collector might give a masterpiece they'd spent their entire life dreaming of seeing.
Of course, Helovia wasn't some collectible.
She was a living, breathing person.
But he had been one of the strongest advocates for choosing her as Crimson Dawn's first Primarch.
He'd gathered information, analyzed the advantages and disadvantages, and argued tirelessly in her favor.
Ultimately, he'd helped secure the decision that allowed her to undergo the transformation.
Now that he could finally see the results with his own eyes, how could he possibly remain calm?
"DRAGON GIRL!"
His voice trembled with excitement.
"IT'S REALLY A DRAGON GIRL!!!"
He turned toward Tax Bro, practically glowing with enthusiasm.
"TAX BRO! ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!"
"MY DREAM OF HAVING A DRAGON GIRL PRIMARCH!"
"I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS FOR YEARS!"
"AND TODAY IT FINALLY CAME TRUE!!!"
Tax Bro was every bit as excited.
He stared at Helovia, his eyes filled with pride and admiration.
He remembered the little girl who had once needed to be coaxed with lollipops.
The same girl who had unleashed her psychic abilities during the crisis in their old town and saved his life.
And now...
That little girl had become a demigod.
He could practically imagine going back to the real world and bragging about it to his own daughter.
We raised a demigod.
Sure, that might not sound quite as impressive as some Level 29 master claiming he'd personally trained a god.
But Tax Bro had a feeling their demigod could beat that so-called god into a pile of teddy bear cookies.
"She's incredible..."
He couldn't help murmuring.
"That presence. That physique. That dragon tail..."
"She's ten thousand times cooler than I imagined!"
White Scars leaned back in his seat, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"Next time I go racing, I'm bringing her along."
"Once she activates her Draconic Divine Manifestation, those flaming dragon wings have got to be pretty damn fast."
Schrödinger Bro said nothing.
But his eyes were filled with quiet satisfaction.
He remembered the eleven-year-old girl in the Redblaze Wasteland who had once listened attentively as he taught her how to control her psychic abilities.
And now that same girl stood before them as a Crimson Drake Primarch.
He had witnessed her entire journey.
Blood Angel's gaze settled on Helovia's familiar face and those molten-gold eyes.
He remembered the first time he'd introduced the ideals of Crimson Dawn to the miners of the Redblaze Wasteland.
Back then, a thin, fragile little girl had been hiding among the crowd.
She had watched him with enormous dark-green eyes, carefully listening to every word he spoke.
And now...
That little girl had become Crimson Dawn's Primarch.
Someone powerful enough to protect everything they'd built together.
Blood Angel felt his eyes sting.
His father back in the real world had often criticized him, accusing him of wasting his life and neglecting his responsibilities.
But looking at everything before him now, he felt that every sacrifice had been worthwhile.
No matter what happened next, no matter how their story eventually ended, Crimson Dawn had existed.
They had tried.
They had fought to make something better.
And that alone made everything worth it.
He didn't cry.
He simply nodded to himself.
Farther toward the back of the hall, several players from the game's third closed beta were equally speechless.
They had entered the game less than two months earlier.
Most were still struggling to adapt to this world, saving Imperial Coins in hopes of buying better equipment.
They had heard stories about Crimson Dawn, about Paul Dawn, and about the legendary veterans from the first closed beta.
But actually standing in the presence of a real Primarch?
That was something completely different.
The overwhelming pressure.
The extraordinary presence.
The unmistakable majesty of a demigod radiating from within.
For the first time, they truly understood how insignificant they were by comparison.
Even breathing seemed to require conscious effort.
Meanwhile, the noise inside the conference hall continued to grow.
Some players were already flooding their Chapter channels with messages, telling their friends to come see the dragon girl.
Others pulled out cameras they'd purchased locally and began snapping pictures of Helovia as quickly as they could.
A few had even started recruiting people on the spot, declaring that they were establishing an official fan club for the Dragon Girl Primarch.
Paul stood at the podium, watching the ridiculous spectacle unfold.
He helplessly shook his head.
Then he raised his hand.
It was a small gesture, but the entire conference hall instantly fell silent.
More than ten thousand pairs of eyes turned toward him.
Paul slowly looked across the gathered crowd.
When he spoke, his voice was calm, yet it carried a strength capable of stirring the hearts of everyone present.
"BROTHERS!"
"Thanks to the Kyber Crystal we've mined over all these years, and the tireless work of the Tech-Priests of our Crimson Machina Chapter..."
He paused.
His gaze sharpened.
"Crimson Dawn hasn't merely gained a Primarch!"
The chamber became completely still.
Everyone held their breath.
Paul continued.
"We've also mastered..."
"THE METHOD FOR MASS-PRODUCING CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME ASTARTES!"
The conference hall exploded into an uproar.
"MASS-PRODUCING?!"
"HOLY FUCK!"
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
"YOU MEAN WE CAN BECOME DRAGON-SCALED ASTARTES WITHOUT BUYING THE TRANSFORMATION FROM THE SYSTEM STORE?!"
Paul raised his hand again, signaling everyone to quiet down.
Once the shouting subsided, he continued.
"Of course, the process is extremely demanding."
"Candidates must undergo rigorous screening and extensive training before they're even allowed to attempt the transformation."
"And even after all that..."
"The success rate is only thirty percent."
His gaze swept across the hall.
When he spoke again, his voice was even more solemn.
"But regardless of the risks..."
"These will be Crimson Dawn's own transhuman warriors."
"Our very own demigods."
"A powerful force capable of expanding our territory, launching expeditions against heretics and xenos, and defending the homes we've built."
His voice suddenly rose, echoing through the enormous chamber.
"THE CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME SHALL PROTECT EVERYTHING CRIMSON DAWN HAS CREATED!"
"UNTIL THE FINAL DAWN!"
As those words rang through the hall, Paul's dark-golden eyes turned toward the Crimson Drake Starflame Primarch standing beside the podium.
Toward her thirty sons.
And in that instant...
A cold, commanding voice rose from below.
There was a will behind that voice that seemed powerful enough to melt everything in its path.
It echoed through the entire conference hall.
"WITH MY LIFE..."
Thirty-one voices rose together.
"WE SHALL KINDLE THE FLAMES OF THE CRIMSON DRAGON..."
"AND LIGHT HUMANITY'S PATH TOWARD THE DAWN!"
Helovia's voice grew louder.
More resolute.
The thirty warriors of the Crimson Drake Guard roared alongside her, their voices shaking the immense chamber.
"MY BLOOD—"
"IS MY FLAME—"
"WITH OUR BLOOD, WE SHALL BURN AWAY—"
"ALL ENEMIES OF THE DAWN!!!"
The final words erupted from deep within their chests.
It was a roar filled with the heat of dragonfire, a cry carrying the thunderous resonance of a dragon's bellow.
A sound capable of setting the blood of every listener ablaze.
The entire conference hall erupted.
More than eleven thousand figures rose to their feet simultaneously.
Their voices merged into a single deafening wave.
"CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME!!!"
"CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME!!!"
"CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME!!!"
The thunderous chanting shook the ground.
Even the enormous Dawn Tower seemed to tremble faintly under the force of their voices.
Among the crowd, [I'm Not the Regent I'm Just Passing By Guilliman] had completely abandoned his usual attempts to appear composed.
He was waving both arms wildly, his face flushed bright red with excitement.
"PRIMARCH HELOVIA ELNOR OF THE CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME!!!"
"DRAGON GIRL!!!"
"DRAGON GIRL!!!"
Tax Bro was cheering just as loudly.
His booming voice somehow managed to rise above the surrounding uproar.
"CRIMSON DAWN IS FUCKING AWESOME!!!"
"AND OUR PRIMARCH IS EVEN MORE FUCKING AWESOME!!!"
[Execute Old Man the War Criminal] and [Papa Nurgle Loves All Mankind], those two lifelong rivals, had completely forgotten about arguing with each other.
They were too busy applauding and cheering.
[Have You Been Loyal Today?] leaned back in his seat, watching the thirty-one crimson-armored figures.
The smile on his face grew wider and wider.
And farther away, [Selling Flatbread Outside the Imperial Palace on Terra] was cheering too.
Although what he was shouting was a little different from everyone else.
"I'M SWITCHING CLASSES!!!"
"I'M GONNA BECOME A CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME ASTARTES!!!"
"I'M GONNA BE THE CHAMPION OF THE CRIMSON DRAKE STARFLAME LEGION!!!"
"AND NOBODY'S GONNA STOP ME!!!"
Beside him, [Selling Cola Outside the Imperial Palace on Terra] calmly delivered the finishing blow.
"What about your wife and kids?"
"They're still waiting for you to come home for dinner."
"Little Sunny, Charlie, and baby Nora."
[Selling Flatbread Outside the Imperial Palace on Terra]: "..."
"CAN YOU STOP BRINGING THAT UP EVERY FUCKING TIME?!"
--
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