VI

There are two figures in a room that look like an office, one sitting behind the table, one standing in front of the table. "How the subjects doing, BG-209?" Nine ask a techpriest.

"The subjects have been showing positive results on the gene that been injected into them." Reply BG-209 mechanically. "With subject XIII (13), XLVIII (48), CXIII (113), CDXIII (413), and DCCXXIX (729) having the best compatibility with the gene."

"That's good. There been a long time since we have this much subjects that have such high compatibility." Nine nodded and ask. "What about the mental stability? Any signs of rejection or instability in the psyche?"

"No notable signs of mental rejection, at least not yet. The gene integration process is long, but those five subjects have demonstrated a higher than average tolerance to the procedure. Their mental state remains stable, though continued monitoring is advised, especially for Subject 13—there are minor anomalies in his neural activity, but nothing concerning for now." BG-209 reply.

"Subject 13," Nine mutters thoughtfully. "Keep a close watch on him. I sense that he may be the subject that finally succeed our program." His gaze sharpens. "I trust you will ensure that any issues are dealt with before they become a problem."

BG-209 nods mechanically. "Affirmative, arhcmagos. I will monitor the subjects closely and take appropriate action if any instability arises. The project remains on schedule."

"So now, how much subjects we have lost?"

"We have lost about 64.8% of our subjects, most of this come from the geneseed implementation process, as all of them fail." BG-209 reply. "With small number that fail come from the subjects inside the capsules that fail to accept the gene."

"Very well, at least now we have the subjects that have higher success rate." While feeling slightly annoyed by the results, Nine is still quite statify with the results. "Make sure the rest of the subjects have the protein they needed to grow, and make sure they get the gene injection on the assigned time." Nine order to the techpriest.

"Understood " BG-209 reply, then bow slightly to Nine and leave the room.

1 month have pass since Richard enter the capsule. In this 1 month, people from age 10 to 15 have been put into geneseed implementation process and all have fail. While people under age 10 have been keep inside the capsules to grow and been injected with the gene to make the body adapt to it, but there are also some people that fail.

"4113 years have passed since the project was started," Nine states into the air, his voice echoing slightly in the room. "We have finally found a way to increase the success rate, and a possible success at hands."

Eleven servo-skulls hover in front of the table, their mechanical whirring filling the silence. Each skull displays a shadowy figure, their outlines flickering in the dim light.

"Indeed," one figure responds, marked with a VI (6) insignia on its attire. "With so many resources and so much time poured into it, we can finally see results. The adjustments to the gene-seed protocols have finally show some progress."

"If this time we achieve success," the figure adorned with an X (10) insignia states, its voice steady and measured, "even if it's just one subject that survives, we can use it to produce more geneseed. This would significantly increase our success rate for the next process. It's possible we could even discover ways to further enhance compatibility."

Nine leans back in his chair, contemplating the implications. "Indeed, with one viable subject, we could not only replicate the geneseed but also analyze it in detail. The potential for refinement is immense."

"Keep us updated Nine." Figure with II (2) insignia say. "Make sure to clear any trails that might lead to you, I have news that some inquisitors are searching for some suspicious individual from one of the sector that you visited 587 years ago."

Another figure with VIII (8) continue. "Indeed, the trail they following is too recent, I hope you can lay low for sometime, especially when there are enough subjects now."

"Why?" Nine ask, puzzle by this request. "Can't you just eliminate them before they found something, just like before?"

"Unfortunately, the inquisition suffer heavy losses recently, so losing anymore of them are bad for the Imperium." Reply VIII. "Even though the plan is important, but the Imperium is more important."

"Understood," Nine sigh. "I will return to the forge world then, to continue the plan and there are other plans that needed me there anyway."

With that, the displays faded, and the servo-skulls drifted away, leaving Nine alone with his thoughts. 'Hopefully, this time, there will be subjects that succeed, even if there's only one,' Nine thought, reflecting on the immense resources and time invested in the project.

Nine push the button on it communication device that connect to the ship bridge, and say. "Navigating officer, set course for Anvilus Nine, we returning to the forge world."

"Understood, Archmagos," the officer reply.

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It's been 5 years since Richard arrive on that Lunar class cruiser. Almost 5 years since you arrive at the forge world, at least according to the servitor that assigned to him, as he's still in the capsule when he arrive.

"My lord, it's time for your test." The servitor say to Richard mechanically. "Understood, lead the way then." He reply back. Then, he just follow the servitor down the hallway.

He can still remember that it's been almost 3 years since he awaken by the techpriest from the capsules. And when he arrive at the resting room which he is guided by the servitor, he see the number have reduce greatly from the start, and lucky, all of his roommates also here. Vincent, Nathaniel, Edgar, Tristan, Dorian, Lucian, Isidore, Alistair and Thaddeus are the names of his roommates, each as say before, come from a branch of your house, that have more close blood to Richard. But he only able to stay in the room and talk with them for about 15 minutes, before Nine walk into the room and all of the chatter stop.

"With all of you waken, you all now have acquire the right to know what you are getting into." Nine spoke loudly, with the help of the speaker at his mouth. "All of you will participate in this process of changing all of you into the Emperor angels, the space marine."

The moment Nine finished the sentence, all of them showed a mix of reactions—shock, anticipation, and a trace of fear. The air felt electric as the weight of his words sank in, and murmurs filled the room.

"Space marine?!"

"I can become the Angels!!"

After couples of seconds passed, Nine slammed his axe, which Richard just realized it's existence, onto ground to silence all the talks. "Now, as the time are limited, you all will be guided to a room, where you will be transform to space marine immediately."

With that, Nine leave the room and servitors enter and guided you all separately to different room. When Richard enter his room, it's have a same capsule that he sleep in and a surgery table, but he weren't expected to see Nine in the room too.

"Ah," Nine turned his head to Richard, his mechanical features gleaming under the sterile lights. "You have arrived. Now get on the table so the surgery can begin," he instructed, waving one of his machine hands toward the operating table.

"Mister Nine," Richard replied, surprised by his presence. "Why are you here? Are you overseeing my surgery?" Richard asked, noting the 3 other tech-priests present in the room, their robes adorned with various insignias.

Nine shake his head. "No, I'm the one will be doing surgeon on you." Nine reply. "As, among all people, you're the one the have the highest success rate, thus I shall be the one the operating." Nine point at the 3 techpriest and say. "They're just here to record the whole process, and if I require helps, they will be providing it."

Even though Richard is surprised the results of this, he nodded his head, and headed to the table and lay down on it. "Good, now I will inject you with anesthesia." Nine nodded, and inject him with the needle from one of the his machine hands. With that, he closed his eyes.

It's been 3 months since he close his eyes. When he open his eyes, the implementation already completed, his height grow to 7.9 feet, taller and larger than normal space marine.

When Richard arrive at the training room after having a short rest, he didn't see anyone, other than him and Nine, who is already in there.

"Mister Nine," Richard bow slightly towards him. "Did I arrive to early, as I didn't see anyone, other than me are here?"

"No," Nine shakes his head. "Unfortunately, you're the only one that survive the implementation, even the other 4 than have higher rate also fail." Nine reply, solemnly, probably because Richard the only success, or other unknown reasons that he don't know.

"Is that so." Richard say, sadly. Remembering his roommates that he just know for that short period of time.

"But, don't be sad." Nine say, looking directly into his eyes. "With your success, we can use your geneseed to produce more stable geneseed that can increase the success rate for the future participate." Nine say, trying to encourage him. "For now, you will be doing training to let you get use to your body, and then you can do training with equipping the power armor and the weapons, while doing dialy and weekly test so that we can monitor you progress and the geneseed situation."

"Understood, I will do my best to not let you down." Richard reply, pushing aside the sadness. "Mister Nine," he quickly call out to him. "do the promise from before still effective, above me bringing a person with me?"

"Promise?" Nine thinking. " Ah... Of course, if you meet all my requirements, then I will keep to the promise." Nine say, nodding while walking out of the room.

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Now, the servitor just bring Atharion to the test room. The moment he enter the room, he hear Archmagos Nine, which you learn his rank during the one of his early testing, when he hear from one of the techpriest. "Atharion, are you ready? If you past this final test, than I will make the promise happen, and you will have more brothers soon."

Atharion nodded silently, and sit on the bed at the center of the room, surrounded with many machine and lines that he already know for. While the testing process ongoing, his minds drift back to the days after he completed the surgery, he have been requested to change to a new name to show of your reborn into space marine on the third day. So, he choose Atharion, a name inspired by the goddess Athena, known for her wisdom and strategic mind in battle. Richard hoped that by adopting the name, he could carry a piece of that wisdom into his new life.

While Atharion still deep in his thoughts, Nine is typing on a machine, just beside the bed. 'Well, all the requirements have been reach, while there are some mutation happen, but it's still stay within the accept scop.' Nine think while checking all the data that have been show on the screen.