Going for a daily update? I woudn't count my blessings just yet
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"???"
Stunned by such a matter-of-fact tone, both Leonardo and Sibylla experienced a brief moment of mental blankness. Could the words of the Empire even be arranged in such a combination?
"Clone"? "A batch"? "Custodes"?
Do you want to take a moment to look back and rethink what you just said?
To be honest, if anyone else—say, a radical Inquisitor or a Tech-Priest—had uttered those words, Leonardo wouldn't have hesitated for a split second. He would have started "zero-frame" and sliced the offender into mincemeat.
However, considering the identity of the person before him and the Emperor's views on the matter, he barely managed to keep his cool and began to explain slowly.
"Lord Adam, you may not understand the sanctity of the Legio Custodes."
Leonardo's expression was solemn. "Every single Custodian is a perfect creation, resulting from the investment of countless Imperial resources and biological techniques directly from the Emperor himself. Because of this, we carry the glorious mission of guarding the Golden Throne."
"To use biological cloning technology on us would be an act of extreme desecration. Not only that, I guarantee that the end product would not be a noble Custodian, but merely a pathetic, twisted biochemical monster."
Listening from the side, Sibylla and Chiuve nodded repeatedly, finding his answer quite reasonable.
Having spent time together, they had grown somewhat accustomed to Adam's frequent and wild "brain-holes." They didn't know what this being's past was or where he came from, but he often showed utter disdain for the various dogmas of the Imperium. His thinking was incredibly erratic; while the results were usually good, the process was a massive trial for the nerves of those around him.
For this reason, Leonardo skipped the long-winded lecture on the glorious mission of the Custodes and went straight to questioning the final result. He hoped Lord Adam would drop the idea.
But, as expected...
"No, you might have misunderstood me," Adam said with a confident smile. "When I say 'cloning,' I don't mean it in the biological sense. That was just a term to make it easier for you to understand."
"A more accurate term would be 'replication' or '3D printing.' Using my reality-warping abilities, I can follow the body data we've gathered and replicate them one-to-one, crafting a batch of Custodian bodies."
Oh, so that's it.
Then it actually becomes quite feasi—
Like hell it does!
Sibylla and Leonardo's eyes twitched. That just makes the problem even bigger, doesn't it?
"With all due respect, that would be a futile effort. They would be shells without substance," Leonardo interjected, stepping forward so forcefully that his armor clattered loudly.
"Every Custodian must undergo a mental reshaping. Knowledge from every field of human endeavor is poured into our minds, making every Custodian a master of multiple disciplines, especially in combat techniques."
"The things you intend to craft—let's call them 'creations' for now—those creations would not only lack polished skill, but their willpower could never be compared to a true Custodian."
"What if those creations fall? What if they are used by the Chaos Gods of the Warp? The consequences—"
He didn't finish. Such a bleak future didn't need further elaboration; any rational human could easily grasp the danger.
"There's no need for such a reaction," Adam waved his hand dismissively. "I am well aware of the consequences. And I have already devised a countermeasure."
"What countermeasure?" Everyone present looked puzzled.
"Are you familiar with the Legion of the Damned?"
"The Legion of the Damned?"
Realizing something, Leonardo's eyes widened. Legends of this legion were spread throughout the galaxy. As an Eye of the Emperor who wandered the stars, Leonardo had even fought alongside them and confirmed with his own eyes that they were composed of human warriors whose souls had returned to the Golden Throne—extensions of the Emperor's own power.
Wait, could it be—?
It was exactly that.
Stormcast Eternals, kid!
Adam didn't keep them in suspense any longer. Using the spatial perception inherited from the Void Dragon, his senses suddenly expanded, piercing upwards until they hit a hazy veil. It was the veil between the Warp and reality, separating the mental from the physical.
It was common knowledge that C'tan are gods of the material realm; so separated are they from the Warp that if a C'tan shard were to enter it for any reason, it would instantly shatter and disintegrate. This fact was even recorded in the Black Library.
However, for what Adam wanted to achieve, this was more than enough.
His reality-warping power activated, slowly dissolving that veil like acid, annihilating it into nothingness. A sudden psychic surge appeared in the air, startling everyone present.
Then, Adam raised his hand. The golden double-headed eagle emblem on his arm, which could link directly to the Emperor, shone brilliantly. His intent almost became physical, transmitted directly through his reality-warping ability.
Adam: "Neoth, time to pay up, send some subordinates over to help."
The Emperor: "Wololoooo"
Adam: "???"
The chaotic thoughts lacked almost all reason; a massive amount of static flooded Adam's brain. He frowned and began to concentrate. Using his own impression of the Emperor, he repeatedly chanted mentally, pouring in solid intent until he finally found an anchor.
As for the anchor? Naturally, it was the image of the Anatolian youth who called himself Neoth, whom he had seen at the very beginning.
Finally, a weary voice came through.
*Received.*
In the next moment, a brilliant golden flame bloomed out of thin air in the room without warning.
Everyone present scrambled back to avoid the reach of the flames, then watched with awe at this divine miracle sent by the Emperor.
Figures began to emerge quietly in the air. They were clad in pitch-black armor, unlike the shining Auric armor of normal Custodians. Their black plates bore no traditional patterns, only dancing flames and black skulls. Just looking at them caused a surge of inexplicable courage to well up in one's heart.
The Legion of the Damned had descended upon the world.
"Please," Adam said, gesturing behind him.
With that simple movement, the floor of the laboratory began to warp and writhe, and sculpted statues rose from the ground. These were Custodians standing at attention with spears, their helmets removed to reveal stoic faces—flesh and blood, not lifeless inorganic matter.
The Damned Custodians stepped forward, their flames leaving unnatural trails in the air and their burning footprints leaving behind ashes that did not fade.
Silently, they walked into the bodies that belonged to "them."
Everyone present was awestruck by this consecutive miracle of resurrection, their eyes wide and jaws dropped. For the first time, they felt their meager vocabulary was being severely challenged.
After a long time, the supernatural phenomena finally vanished.
Hundreds of Custodians, standing as sharp as blades and radiating an unbelievable aura of solemnity, appeared before their eyes.
Finally, three leading Custodians slowly stepped forward and stopped in front of Adam.
"Care to introduce yourselves?" Adam asked.
The three leaders looked at each other before speaking.
"Custodian Tribune, Ra Endymion."
"Custodian Tribune, Diocletian Coros."
"16th Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes, Andros Lonsdray."
Then, they looked at the human before them and spoke solemnly.
"Contractor of our Lord Emperor, favored by the Great Power of the Emperor and yourself. We have now returned from the Golden Throne to the material universe to join this most glorious crusade."
Holy cow, they're all heavyweights.
Ra Endymion was born during the Unification Wars, a Custodian during the Great Crusade, son of a water thief, the golden jailer of the daemon-sword Drach'nyen, a Tribune with eight hundred and seventy-one names. During the War within the Webway, he vanished into the depths of the Webway with Drach'nyen under the Emperor's direct orders.
Diocletian Coros was a Custodian during the Great Crusade, successor to Ra Endymion, participant in the War within the Webway and the Siege of Terra. He was among the few who followed the Emperor onto the Vengeful Spirit and survived. His memoirs, The Master of Mankind, survived ten thousand years and are still read by Custodians today.
Meanwhile Andros was 16th Captain-General in the 41st Millennium. Though high-ranking, he was slightly less famous than the previous two and died unexpectedly, falling into a trap due to a false prophecy and perishing under the siege of Warp daemons. His successor was the current Captain-General, Trajann Valoris.
"By the Emperor!"
"By our Lord!"
"By the Omnissiah!"
Seeing these predecessors, who had existed only in ten-thousand-year-old myths and legends, walk into reality, the massive shock left everyone utterly stunned.
Adam, however, was a bit dissatisfied.
Why are there so few Custodians? Alexander Macedon is being a bit stingy.
He had originally hoped the Emperor would send a continuous stream of Custodians, perhaps enough for him to enjoy being a "Drill Sergeant of 800,000 Custodians."
Of course, Adam knew in his heart that this wasn't very realistic. Since the Unification Wars, the Imperium of Man had been at war for twenty thousand years, and the total number of Custodians ever created probably didn't even come close to 800,000—maybe 80,000 would be more accurate.
"Welcome," Adam nodded.
Then he turned slowly to the others and asked a question.
"Tell me, with this kind of lineup, even without a formal identity, wouldn't other Imperial departments be willing to follow my command?"