Eroking
patreon
Chapter 222: Arrival at Macragge
🕑 Added 2025-08-15 14:00:27 +0000 UTCChapter 222: Arrival at Macragge
On Macragge, the Ultramarines did not neglect the arrival of the Custodes and the renowned Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus, immediately dispatching troops to welcome them.
In the core region of Ultramar, within the star systems directly controlled by the Ultramarines, the wealthy Chapter had its own navy, the scale of which was comparable to any fleet within the Imperium.
Accompanied by a Thunderhawk gunship provided by the Ultramarines, the group headed for the landing field of Macragge. However, the entire planet exuded a grim and murderous atmosphere; it had already entered a state of high alert. Transport ships were constantly flying back and forth between the warships in orbit at a frequency far exceeding the norm, carrying all sorts of supplies. And upon arrival, Lucan had also discovered that the Ultramarines' warships had left the starport and were in battle formation. The fixed star-forts and orbital defense platforms were also operating at full power.
Lucan looked through the cockpit glass at the homeworld of the Ultramarines below. The continuous, towering architectural complexes represented the richness of this world. Fertile farmlands, magnificent natural landscapes, manufacturing centers, and industrial-military complexes all existed on this world, demonstrating that the sons of Guilliman had also inherited his wisdom in governance. It was truly a case of wanting it all: politics, economy, culture, and industry. They had successfully made industry and ecology coexist on this planet.
A large number of surrounding worlds supplied Macragge. Macragge was only the second planet Lucan had now seen that could compare to his own Agathos. The fact that it was a Primarch's homeworld also granted it a special tax exemption from the Imperium, which was one of the important reasons it could develop so well.
The saying "The true Imperium is in Ultramar, the capital of the Second Empire is on Macragge" was, it seemed, not just a joke. It was probably difficult to find a place in the entire Imperium more suitable for ordinary mortals to live than Ultramar. If Lucan had to choose, he would not choose the rumored three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment on Terra that was worth an entire planet. If you were struggling on Terra, it would be very difficult to ever get ahead in your life. But if you were struggling in Ultramar, you might actually have a chance to achieve a class leap.
The Ultramarines, following the Codex Astartes written by their gene-father, had limited the number of their Chapter. This also meant that they had delegated much of the control of the 500 worlds to mortals, and their own control was limited to a few planets around Macragge. But the Ultramarines still maintained their influence within the 500 worlds. It could be said that every planet in Ultramar was a recruiting world for the Ultramarines. On these planets, there were a large number of military academies that cultivated reserve forces for them.
And in the worlds under the direct control of the Ultramarines, the society of the entire planet was relatively stable. This stable social environment also meant that large-scale rebellions rarely occurred on these planets. The Ultramarines believed that mortals were worthy of protection and respect. Therefore, the people also believed in the Ultramarines and believed that under their leadership, their lives would become better. The habits of the Ultramarines also influenced the ordinary humans on these planets. They believed in the importance of honest labor, and that power should be in the hands of those who were capable.
If any family produced an Ultramarine, that family would regard it as an eternal honor, and the entire family would benefit from it. On many planets, statues would even be erected for those who successfully joined the Ultramarines. Countless families sent their most outstanding sons to the Ultramarines to be tested. And unlike the extremely high mortality rate and exceptionally cruel selection process of many Chapters, although the selection of the Ultramarines was also very dangerous, the Chapter's Apothecaries would still treat the injured and those with potential during the trials, even if they failed.
Upon returning to their planets, they could still stand out among ordinary people with their own experience and past learning. They could choose to become Chapter serfs or become a glorious member of the Ultramar Auxilia. These failures were not because they were not outstanding, but because there were people who were more outstanding than them—the equivalent of being the top student in both liberal arts and sciences, as well as the top in physical exams, on every planet.
The stable recruitment method and stable gene-seed had also become important factors in the Ultramarines' ability to mass-produce troops.
Walking out of the Thunderhawk, Lucan saw the well-equipped Ultramar Auxilia near the landing field. The physique of some of them was almost on par with that of an Astartes. Lucan suspected that if the Ultramarines lowered their standards a little, these people could also be transformed into Astartes. The "Smurfs" of the Legion era weren't just 250,000 strong; they were always 250,000 strong. It was enough to give Horus a headache. How could they never be killed off? Sons of blue, grandsons of blue, endless and inexhaustible.
Lucan looked ahead. An Astartes in the garb of a Librarian, along with two other Ultramarine veterans, was waiting for them not far away. Lucan even saw the laurels and the iconic faceplates on them. A huge and exquisite storm shield and a power sword were their weapons.
"Holy crap... is that the Ultramarines' Honour Guard stretcher-bearer squad?"
Without these "Smurfs" known as the Honour Guard, both Guilliman and the ICU War God Calgar would probably have been long gone. And for a Librarian to be protected by two Honour Guards, Lucan felt he had already guessed his identity.
The huge metal container holding the Armour of Fate was also being unloaded from the Thunderhawk by Cawl. It contained not only the artifact itself, but also a full set of donning equipment.
"Lord Tigurius, they are truly the Custodes."
At this moment, the one who had come to welcome Lucan and the others was not Calgar, but the Chief Librarian of the Ultramarines, Tigurius. Looking at the full six Custodes and the great Archmagos Cawl, Tigurius's face was also solemn.
"The Custodes have actually come out of Terra? What has happened in the Imperium? An Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and a Rogue Trader with the status of a Living Saint... why have they suddenly visited Macragge?" Tigurius thought to himself.
Combined with the recent cult uprisings that had suddenly appeared in various parts of Ultramar, and even on Macragge itself, Tigurius had a bad premonition.
A massive Chaos fleet, accompanied by xenos pirates, had suddenly appeared near Ultramar, attacking some resource planets and small settlements. And they had also discovered the identity of these invaders. The name of the Red Corsairs had made the Ultramarines tense up. They knew that the enemy invading Ultramar was not some nameless entity, but a massive Chaos warband.
The sudden attack had already nearly broken some of the weakly defended planets. The Dark Mechanicum of Vashtorr, when facing Lucan's tech-priests, had seemed a bit pathetic. But when facing the conventional fleets of the Imperium, their Chaos scrap-code could still play a powerful role. Not to mention, this time, Vashtorr had acted personally. The Chaos scrap-code he had personally created was enough to paralyze the firepower systems of Imperial warships and their defense platforms. Conventional means could hardly counter it. This made the Chaos breakthrough for a time seem as if they were in an undefended land.
And the appearance of the Renegade Astartes and this minor warp god had also forced the Ultramarines to dispatch their Chapter's forces to protect these worlds. The oaths the Ultramarines had signed with these worlds made it impossible for them to stand by and watch.
The astropathic reports sent back from various places also let the Ultramarines know that this invasion was no ordinary one. The report of Vashtorr's appearance, in particular, had made Calgar personally leave Macragge to try and banish this minor dark god.
