"Lord Rhodes, I request to join the mission to Fenris and resign from my post as Vice-Legion Commander," Titus said.
"You can join, but why resign?" Rhodes asked.
"Lord Rhodes, I am more suited to leading charges than commanding a legion of 100,000.
I'd rather be a brigade or warband leader—or your personal bodyguard," Titus said.
He could handle being a company commander, and barely manage as a warband leader, but leading 100,000 was out of his depth.
Managing so many leaders and subcommanders left him lost; he'd only been a second company commander in the Ultramarines for ten years!
How could Titus command 100,000 Space Marines? In the Great Crusade, that would be the scale of a Primarch's army!
"Titus, what do you mean? You've been doing well; your troops are brave and proven in war.
Why do you say you're unfit?" Rhodes asked.
This trusted subordinate seemed to lack confidence. Was it because he wasn't picked for Fenris?
"Sit down and tell me everything on your mind." Rhodes patted Titus's shoulder.
Titus exhaled and nodded, beginning to speak his mind.
"Lord Rhodes, I've realized my abilities. In combat, I excel—I have full confidence in defeating any foe.
In courage, I fear nothing, not even a Chaos God.
But when it comes to high-level command, I fall short—even some brigade commanders in our legion are better than me," Titus admitted.
After a year with Rhodes, the feeling grew—maybe he wasn't fit to be vice-commander.
"Oh, so you feel your command skills are lacking?"
"Yes, Lord Rhodes! My grand command ability is way behind Lord Creed and Marshal Avarich— even Tyberos and the Black Templar Marshals are stronger," Titus said.
"You have Chaplain Magro's support and your Deathwatch brothers.
Within your smaller force, many are more capable, but your position is vital because you have their trust. You unite them.
I don't need you to be a grand strategist—your subordinates will advise you!
Just lead them. Frankly, I'm not great at large-scale command either," Rhodes said.
All his vice-commanders had leadership qualities. Former Cadian Governor Creed could command a planet's defenses or 100,000 Marines. He also had his daughter and former Cadian officers; their legion was the strongest.
Another was Black Templar Marshal Avarich—all Black Templar Marshals could lead an expedition.
Compared to them, Titus had only ever been a company commander. But even so, he'd been made a Deathwatch adjutant after returning to the Ultramarines.
He was trusted, and his combat experience was rich. Being a vice-commander was fine.
Rhodes explained all this to Taitus.
"I know what you're thinking, Titus. You've even defeated a Custodian!
Before following me, you'd been a company commander, faced Orks, Chaos traitors, and nearly a Daemon Prince.
In the Deathwatch, you fought Xenos; on our first meeting, you fought Tyranids.
You've been with me through many campaigns—I'm very satisfied with you. If you say you're unfit, you're saying I chose wrong.
Were your past achievements fake? Be confident," Rhodes smiled.
It seemed the arrival of Black Templar Marshals, Creed, and the Space Sharks made Titus doubt his abilities.
"Lord Rhodes, thank you for your trust!
I understand now. I won't let you down. My command skills are lacking, but I can learn from my peers," Titus said firmly.
"Good! This time, you'll go as Vice-Commander, with Tyberos and the new Black Templar Marshal, to Fenris," Rhodes decided.
"Yes, Lord Rhodes. Thank you for your confidence. But there's one more thing you should consider!" Titus said.
"Oh? What's that?"
"Lord Rhodes, you should form your own personal guard, like an Honor Guard!
They should be outside all chains of command, your private guard—at least 100 warriors, the strongest in the legion.
The standard should be Custodian-level—able to easily defeat a Custodian," Titus suggested.
Ultramarines had a guard for their Chapter Master and Primarchs. Now, with Rhodes' status, he needed a similar unit.
The new Astartes were all designed to match Custodes, so the standard should be easily defeat a Custodian.
"Haha, you've thought it through! If you want to organize this guard, you can handle it," Rhodes agreed.
He didn't really need a guard. If someone could kill him and all his monsters, a guard wouldn't help.
With his current powers, even 100,000 Primaris would be nothing—one Ultra Shockwave, one Super Strength punch, a psychic snap, and he could wipe out thousands of Marines in an instant.
At a certain level, numbers are just numbers. Super lifeforms could exterminate a planet's population.
But he didn't want his men to lose heart, so he agreed to Titus's request.
"Thank you, Lord Rhodes! Marshal Avarich and Vice-Commander Creed fully support this—we'll pick the best to form the guard. Wherever you go, they'll follow," Titus said.
"Good. By the way, Titus, you're one of my earliest followers.
An Ultramarine veteran was upgraded by me to a super lifeform with gigantification.
The Custodes have also been upgraded, becoming warriors the size of the Emperor's avatars. You, as my chief champion, should have this ability too," Rhodes said.
As a vice-commander, his men should be able to giant-size. Cosmic Beasts can't be handed out easily, but Ultra Beasts are fine.
Yapool's Ultra Beast augmentation is mature. For those who want to keep a human form, just merge extradimensional energy and Emperor Avatar flesh to become gigantic.
"Lord Rhodes, you—are you granting me this gift?" Titus asked.
He was already stronger than most Custodians and could solo several. But as a super lifeform, his power would leap.
"Yes! The tech is mature. I'll grant it to you. We'll use gigantification to awe the Space Wolves—time those pups learned to obey," Rhodes laughed.
The Custodians were almost a number now. Aside from the already-upgraded giant Custodian, the rest only bullied original Marines; against veteran Primaris, they had no edge.
Of course, not counting simplified versions—those with only 19 of the gene-boosting organs still lose to Custodians.
This time, going to Fenris, Rhodes would use force. The Wolves respect strength; if you grovel, they'll look down on you.
Use fists, not words!
"Lord Rhodes, I accept this gift, and will serve you better as vice-commander and bodyguard," Titus said.
Rhodes nodded and took Titus to Yapool and Balt's laboratory.
After explaining the situation, Yapool activated the Ultra Beast machine.
They brought four Emperor Avatars to provide flesh, which Rhodes then healed with system points.
With enough flesh, Titus stood before the Ultra Beast synthesizer, received red extradimensional energy, and began the fusion.
Since he was a direct subordinate, Rhodes didn't hold back—Titus got the full set of Ultra Beast powers, optimized.
He could survive in space, fly, fire beams, breathe fire, feel no pain, and berserk transform—all included.
…
A few hours later, a flash of light from the machine revealed a 65-meter-tall muscle giant in silver and red armor.
"Titus, how do you feel?" Rhodes asked the gigantic Titus.
"Amazing, Lord Rhodes! I feel like I could punch through an Emperor-class Titan, and I can fly," Titus replied.
"Not just feel—you really can now survive in space, fly at will, and fire beams about as strong as the Specium Ray," Rhodes said, satisfied.
He had Titus spend a few hours getting used to his new form.
…
The next morning, Rhodes went to the palace to see the Emperor, Guilliman, and Magnus before heading to Fenris.