Warhammer: Empire Reboot

If they don't want to come back, they don't have to.

The fact that the Lord of the Supreme War Court, the Dark Side of the Empire, personally received Guilliman's private envoy was a sufficiently grand gesture.

While arranging the reception plan, he also felt a growing sense of anticipation for the visit.

What Guilliman wants, Evelyn will know when she arrives.

…………

Ultra Warrior Base.

The transport waiting area is a standardized space managed by the cornerstone sequence.

Titus stood on the left side of the waiting area.

He wasn't the tallest among the original Space Marines, but he was extremely well-proportioned.

Every piece of the blue power armor had been carefully repaired, but deep within the shell remained some old marks that could not be completely erased—some from Tyranid acid, some from the Chaos Champion's power sword, and some from even earlier wounds he was unwilling to mention.

The courtroom's cells, interrogations, questioning, repeated soul scans, and a century-long spiritual ordeal.

After he came out, no one apologized to him, and he did not ask for an apology.

He simply returned to the Ultramarines and continued fighting.

Titus lived for hundreds of years, and the experiences he went through made his character extremely calm and composed.

Yuriel Ventris stood beside him.

The fourth company commander was a different type from Titus. Ventris was more outgoing, more charismatic, and more like a hero in the traditional sense.

Ventris was enthusiastically explaining the static force field to Titus.

Is this your first time using this?

Titus nodded: "I haven't been back from Blackwatch for long, and I haven't used it in garrison operations."

"You'll experience it for yourself."

Ventris spoke with the superiority of someone who had been there: "The first time I used it was on the front lines in Nakmonde. At the time, my abdomen was pierced through by the bone blade of a Tyrannosaurus, a frontal penetration, with my intestines hanging out of its shell. According to the standard evacuation procedure, the nearest field hospital would be two days away."

He gestured with his hand to indicate the location of his wound.

"The Cornerstone Sequence Communicator helped me call for stasis field evacuation, and it took no more than two minutes from when I fell to the ground to when I appeared at the Maklag Military District Hospital."

Titus's eyebrow twitched.

"Two minutes? From Nakmund to Maklag?"

“Two minutes,” Ventris emphasized. “The medic said that if I were evacuated according to standard procedures, I would have bled to death on the way.”

Titus looked ahead at the stasis field portal that was resetting.

"Is this thing even more powerful than the Eldar's web?"

"I've never used Netway before. This is completely different. It's a kind of spatial folding in the real world, with zero risk."

Titus seemed to be deep in thought.

After leaving, he had to readjust to many changes in the empire.

He only learned about the addition of the original Space Marines, the tearing of the Great Rift, and the independent operation of the Imperium's Dark Side after he came out.

The system established by Lawson, the Dark Side Ruler of the Empire, was more advanced than he had imagined.

“It seems that the one who holds the seal has indeed done a lot,” Titus said.

A cold snort came from behind.

The 2nd Company's chaplain, Andros, stood three steps behind the two men.

He wore a black cloak with the Imperial Church's cross emblem and the Ultramarines' priest's badge hanging on his chest.

He was younger than both Titus and Ventris, but his face bore a serious, stern expression beyond his years.

"A warlord establishing a private power structure that transcends the imperial administrative system and adopts foreign technology—are you sure this is great?"

Ventris turned and glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Andros, now that you're in the dark side of the Empire, you can report the Seal Bearer, or even the Lion King!"

Andros pursed his lips and did not answer.

Titus did not take advantage of Andros's misfortune; he harbored no hatred towards Andros.

In the Blackwatch cell, he realized something: Andros's report on him wasn't entirely malicious.

Andros genuinely believed that his judgment was correct.

He was a person who was completely shaped by the dogma of the state religion. His worldview was black and white, with no gray areas.

While it was understandable, Titus had no intention of engaging in idle chatter with him.

Some scars don't need to be reopened, but they also don't need to be pretended not to exist.

Not far away, Evelynn leaned against the wall of the waiting area, her arms crossed over her chest, sizing up the three Ultra Warriors.

"You can go in now."

The four people walked toward the portal of the static force field.

The light curtain engulfed the four people, and when they reappeared, it would be the dark side of the empire.

Vigilant Star, the Pinnacle of the Dominion, is thousands of light-years away from Macrag.

Titus looked down at the foot he had stepped out with.

From one end of the Milky Way to the other, Ventris was not exaggerating.

Guides with foundational sequences led them along the corridors of the spire area.

The corridor was wide, with gray-white alloy walls, even and soft lighting, and a floor so clean it reflected light.

Titus's gaze swept along the way.

He saw many things that were not standard equipment of the Empire.

In the display area on the side of the corridor, there are several gray-painted mechs.

Titus recognized the design: the Tau XV8 Crisis Combat Suit.

However, these XV8s have clearly been modified; the proportions of the cockpit are incorrect, and the interfaces of the weapon hardpoints are not in accordance with the TIA standard.

Further ahead, a row of Eldar jet motorcycles were neatly parked on the maintenance rack.

The streamlined skeletal vehicle was painted with the Imperial double-headed eagle emblem and gray paint, and a Keystone Sequence maintenance worker was performing maintenance nearby.

Ventris leaned closer and whispered, "Tau mechs with Imperial paint schemes, Eldar motorcycles with double-headed eagles. The Marksman's style is certainly unconventional."

Andros's hands clenched unconsciously; he seemed to be enduring great discomfort.

Ventris glanced at him and laughed: "Andros, you're not going to report this? That's not like you!"

Andros gave him a cold look but didn't say anything.

He's not stupid.

He knew he was now standing in the heart of the Supreme War Court, the dark side of the Empire, in the territory of the Sealholder.

To comment on the use of alien technology by the Seal Bearer here is as foolish as criticizing the Wolf King in front of a pack of wolves.

The main hall of the Royal Court.

Lawson stood in the hall waiting.

He was not wearing formal dress or ceremonial armor, but only his everyday command attire, with the insignia of a handprinter on his chest.

Ilancia stood to his right, her long white hair braided into a battle braid, her face cold and refined.

The four people entered the hall.

Evelyn's gaze first fell on Lawson, and then naturally swept over Ilancia beside him.

For a fleeting moment, her steps slowed imperceptibly by half a beat.

Ilancia stood so naturally.

She was not positioned to the side or rear, nor was she given the polite distance one would expect from an advisor from another race, nor was she deliberately hidden among her staff and guards.

She stood to the right of Lawson, in the light of the Royal Court, in a position where everyone could see her.

Evelyn suddenly felt a very subtle emotion.

She thought of Guilliman.

Guilliman certainly respected her and trusted her. In many instances, his trust in her even surpassed that of most of his human allies.

But in Terra, within the power arena of the Imperial Holy See, he could never do that.

He would not allow an Eldar woman to stand openly beside the Regent, under the gaze of Imperial nobles, inquisitors, state priests, and Space Marine officers.

Lawson is different.

He seems to care nothing about what others think.

He took Ilancia with him, brought her to the main hall of the Royal Court, and brought her into the light of the highest power in the dark side of the Empire.

Open and aboveboard, without any concealment.

Eve suddenly understood why Saim-Han was willing to cooperate with this human, why Ilancia was standing here, and why the dark side of the Empire could have become what it is today in just a few years.

This man not only possessed strength, but also a kind of brutal frankness.

Evelyn's first impression of Lawson subtly improved at this moment.

She bowed slightly, performing a standard and elegant Spirit Clan greeting.

"You must be Lord Lawson, the Dark Side Ruler of the Empire, the Lord of the Supreme War Court, and the Acting Regent of the Dark Side Armies."

She recited all of Lawson's official titles.

"The Regent Guilliman expresses his sincere admiration for all that you have done in the dark side of the Empire."

She straightened up, a genuine smile playing on her lips: "On behalf of Guilliman, I would like to express my gratitude for your contribution."

Lawson smiled; he was very pleased with Evelyn's attitude.

"Empress Evelyn, welcome to the dark side of the Empire."