Warhammer: Lord of the Endless Monster Horde [287]

"Do you know why the Grey Knights created from your gene-seed are immune to the influence of Chaos, and why you cannot sense them at all?" the Emperor spoke.

Rhodes' guess was indeed correct—the Grey Knights did use Magnus's gene-seed, but it was an improved version by the Emperor.

Magnus was the only Primarch whose gene-seed could perfectly adapt to and enhance psychic powers. If the Emperor wasn't using Magnus's gene-seed, whose would he have used?

 But this couldn't be told to the Grey Knights; if they learned their gene-seed came from a traitor Primarch, these loyal Grey Knights wouldn't be able to accept it.

"Father, I am truly curious! How did you create the Grey Knights? And why can't I sense them at all?" Magnus asked.

Ordinarily, there is a unique connection between a Primarch and his gene-sons—a bond that surpasses mere blood, a psychic link in the Warp.

"For the new batch of gene-seed, to ensure their safety, I infused every single one with my psychic power. These gene-seeds are protected by my holy psychic force.

I also bestowed a fragment of your remaining bright-sided soul upon each generation's Supreme Grand Master of the Grey Knights!

This has been passed down for generations. Precisely because of this bright soul fragment, they have no connection with you, since they are the gene-sons of your bright side.

Under the protection of your bright soul fragment, in the ten thousand years since, not a single Grey Knight has ever fallen to betrayal, and they have excellent resistance to demonic energies," the Emperor explained.

Of course, the Grey Knights' recruitment standards were also extremely strict, with rigorous screening and training—Macador handled all of it personally.

The most important measure was mind-wiping. Although the Grey Knights were intelligent, they were basically emotionless. When inducted, even some memories would be erased. They would only be loyal to the Emperor, with nothing but loyalty in their hearts.

"So, father! Is it possible that the bright side of my soul fragment can save me?" Magnus suddenly realized something and asked.

"That's right, my child! When you were killed by Leman Russ, your soul split into five fragments.

Your most loyal son, Ahriman, recovered four of them for you, but the one containing your humanity, your bright soul, I kept. These bright fragments are your chance for rebirth, your opportunity to return to the ranks of humanity," the Emperor said.

"But father, a single soul fragment isn't enough to restore me. If I break free from Tzeentch's control, I'll simply perish," Magnus shook his head.

A single soul fragment wasn't enough to support his resurrection as a human.

"You don't know, my child!

 I entrusted your bright-sided soul fragment to the first Supreme Grand Master of the Grey Knights. After his death,

the soul fragment would possess the next Supreme Grand Master. Every Grand Master is a top-tier psyker, the most powerful in the Imperium.

Some Grand Masters' powerful souls would even nourish your bright soul. These righteous souls would help your soul grow stronger.

Besides, whenever the Grey Knights are not on a mission, they pray in the chapel.

They're praying to their gene-father. All the Grey Knights think I am their gene-father, but in truth, that person is you. So their devotion is channeled into your bright soul fragment.

Accumulating over ten thousand years, plus my psychic reinforcement from time to time, your bright soul fragment has now regained immense strength.

As long as you reclaim your bright soul fragment, and I help you with my psychic powers, you can completely break free from Tzeentch's control and be resurrected—stronger than ever," the Emperor declared.

Over these ten thousand years, the Emperor had carefully preserved Magnus's bright soul fragment, letting each Supreme Grand Master nourish it with their soul.

The soul fragment could both protect the Grand Master and slowly restore its own strength, growing continually stronger.

Before Rhodes appeared, this bright soul fragment of Magnus was the Emperor's ace in the hole.

If the Imperium faced a dire crisis, the Emperor could ignite this soul fragment within the contemporary Grey Knights Grand Master, boosting him to Primarch-level strength.

But afterward, the mortal body would be unable to withstand the soul of a demi-god and would explode and die.

Now, this bright soul fragment could achieve its greatest value—it could repair Magnus's damaged soul and let him be resurrected as a human.

Between a gene-Primarch who can be used indefinitely and one who can only be used once, the Emperor knew which was more valuable.

Rhodes, beside them, showed a shocked expression!

No wonder the Greyknights Master was so powerful—he had a Magnus soul fragment inside him all along.

"Father, you, you did so much for me.

I—I'm such a fool. I never realized, I never realized," Magnus knelt in regret.

He never imagined that, after betraying the Emperor for ten thousand years, his father still preserved the bright side of his soul.

Generations of Supreme Grand Masters had nourished it with their souls, and the Grey Knights had worshipped it to strengthen it.

Magnus was deeply moved—his father had done so much for him in silence.

But as for himself? He only thought of hurting this great father!

"I understand, father. I will pull myself together. I will, like Horus, atone for my sins,

I will take revenge on Chaos! I will never bow to them again," Magnus said, half-kneeling with determination.

At this moment, Magnus's will was firmer than ever! He would once again fight for his father, the Emperor, intending to deceive Tzeentch and take revenge.

"Rhodes will prepare a suitable body for you, and I will restore your soul's energy. There is also an Emperor avatar with the Grey Knights.

I'll immediately notify the Grey Knights to have this generation's Supreme Grand Master come and return your soul fragment, so you can be fully resurrected," said the Emperor.

"But! Father, will the Imperium accept me again? Will my gene-sons, the Grey Knights,

Will they accept a father who once erred?" Magnus asked, a bit nervous.

"You were following my orders, infiltrating the forces of Chaos to gather intelligence on the Chaos Gods. Now you've returned with vital information; you have always borne humiliation for the greater good.

For the Imperium's benefit, you didn't hesitate to endure ten thousand years of infamy, infiltrating the four Chaos Gods, and carrying out a secret mission I gave you. You are a hero of the Imperium," the Emperor said.

Rhodes, standing beside them, stared in astonishment at the Emperor's avatar.

Emperor, you are something!

Magnus was a traitor, but with your spin, he instantly becomes a lone hero undercover in enemy territory! This is some next-level whitewashing.

"I—father—I'm ashamed, I…" Magnus blushed at these words.

He had never carried out any secret mission!

"Magnus, you spent ten thousand years among Chaos, and you know the details of all the Greater Daemons and Daemon Princes under the four Chaos Gods, and the Chaos agents hiding within the Imperium," the Emperor immediately gave Magnus a perfect excuse.

"Father! I—I… you're right!

I know all the names of the Greater Daemons, their weaknesses, and how to banish them—Slaanesh, Nurgle, Khorne, Tzeentch, all of them.

I also know the weaknesses of the Daemon Princes. With this knowledge, they can be easily defeated and banished to the Warp.

With proper manipulation, the right items, and powerful psykers, they could even be killed outright.

I also know methods to easily remove Chaos Daemons, how to defend against them and various countermeasures.

And I know all the cultist organizations still hiding within the Imperium. If you need them, Father, I can reveal them all at once," Magnus said, practically exposing all of Chaos's secrets.

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction.

Magnus's bright soul fragment is the best proof of his undercover status—it explains everything perfectly!

"Yes! Magnus, you never betrayed anyone. You simply followed your father's orders to go undercover," said the Emperor.

"Magnus, you are a hero of our Imperium!"

Guilliman and Horus chimed in supportively.

Magnus even began to doubt his memory—had he been undercover on the Emperor's orders?

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