On the Nur Ring, Blazkowicz sat in his palace, attending to matters that required his decision.
Conquering the Nur Stars was no easy feat; over thirty years, Blazkowicz faced countless challenges.
Even harder than conquest was governance—leading Argent Nur back to glory and pushing further into deep space.
The people of the Nur Stars held great expectations for their homeland and firm belief in their ruler, Blazkowicz.
During Blazkowicz's thirty years of rule, the Nur Stars gradually submitted, and civilization experienced a flourishing development.
The population control laws, once enacted due to planetary resource issues, were abolished, and Argent Nur's population rapidly increased.
As for genetic degradation, the Golden Men's genetic degradation was too severe; even the Iron Men Musala and his team were helpless.
Ultimately, it was Blazkowicz who sought out Life Forger Primal, obtaining a 'genetic formula' from it, which, combined with the Iron Men's technology, stabilized the declining genes.
Among the Nur Stars, much technology was recovered, and a large number of STC templates were reactivated.
Although civilization had indeed regressed, the people of the Nur Stars maintained a relatively prosperous life.
With the help of intelligent machinery, everyone had enough food and clothing, and everyone could acquire knowledge.
However, Blazkowicz's rule over the Nur Stars still enforced strict ideological education to prevent another invasion by Chaos.
The Sentinels Academy moved to the Nur Ring, expanding its scale by hundreds of times, accepting students from other worlds.
For academies on other worlds, whose lifespans and bodies couldn't compare to the Sentinels, Blazkowicz also tailored training programs.
These Mortal warriors would serve as an Auxiliary Army, assisting the Sentinels in large-scale operations.
For the sake of coordinated operations, Blazkowicz specifically authored the 'Code of War,' encouraging mutual learning between the two sides.
Various Forge Worlds in the void were reactivated by Sophia and the Iron Men, continuously producing warships.
Blazkowicz awakened a portion of the Iron Man, granting them freedom of choice.
Those willing to continue fighting for Argent Nur were assigned to the fleet, serving as fleet mobilizers or strategists.
Those unwilling to fight could also live among the Nur Stars, leading a slow, pastoral life.
Blazkowicz granted them 'citizenship,' not as servants; everything depended on the Iron Man's wishes.
However, there was one condition: the Iron Man could never betray Argent Nur and had to swear an oath to Blazkowicz.
Upon the promulgation of this decree, the Iron Man swore allegiance en masse; even some Iron Man who had planned for a pastoral life were willing to return to the army.
They were willing to take up arms and protect Argent Nur once more.
After thirty years of conquest and management, the war potential of the Nur Stars was gradually being unleashed, with population becoming the biggest weakness; the military equipment produced by the Forge Worlds remained unused, and warships were sealed in the void, awaiting to be manned.
Sophia once suggested using 'forbidden technologies,' such as artificial wombs, to quickly create a large workforce.
After much deliberation and a series of experiments, Blazkowicz rejected this proposal.
He profoundly understood that Argent Nur's enemy was Chaos, the evil of the Warp.
Blazkowicz immediately saw that those cultivated in artificial wombs had incomplete souls and inherently low resistance to Chaos.
In everything, Blazkowicz was always urgently preparing for the return of Chaos.
In his future plans, he intended to forge the Nur Stars into an iron bulwark, with their will sharpened into a keen blade.
"My Lord, Harlan has returned." Sophia appeared beside the desk, having slightly enlarged her image, otherwise, at her original projection size, she wouldn't even be able to reach the desktop.
"Has the resistance alliance been completely eliminated?" Blazkowicz didn't even lift his head, continuing to sign decrees with the quill in his hand.
"No," Sophia replied truthfully, bringing up the battle report: "According to Turing's log, they encountered an accident during the pursuit and let one ship escape."
"Have new ships gone after it?"
"Yes, My Lord, other warships have taken over the pursuit."
"Then what was the accident?" Blazkowicz continued to ask; he believed that with Harlan's capabilities, ordinary accidents wouldn't faze him.
"They are docking their ships; you will see them soon."
Blazkowicz nodded slightly, quickening his movements to finish the last bit of paperwork.
He sighed inwardly; compared to dealing with these documents, he would rather be a warrior on the front lines, fighting to his heart's content.
If not for Sophia's help with the documents, the papers on his desk would surely pile up into mountains.
When Blazkowicz finished his work and leaned back in his chair to rest, there was a commotion outside the Throne Hall.
The sound of armor clashing against the ground was mixed with more unfamiliar armor sounds.
Harlan, as per regulations, placed restraints on Gereon and the others to prevent them from suddenly attacking.
Though he thought it made no difference; it was highly unlikely these people could defeat Blazkowicz.
Gereon and the others were amazed by what they saw and heard, feeling like a bunch of bumpkins.
The prosperity and cultural atmosphere here surpassed even the Throne World.
Upon entering the Throne Hall, they saw the giant seated on the throne; at their first glance, the Space Marine knew that only a Primarch could possess such a magnificent stature.
The Space Marine puffed out his chest, suppressing his inner excitement, and marched forward, following the Sentinels.
Harlan was somewhat surprised by the change in demeanor of these Imperium of Man soldiers; they looked like soldiers undergoing inspection.
Blazkowicz was also a little surprised; the people Harlan brought back seemed to hold him in great reverence.
"Great Primarch! Son of the Emperor! The Fifth Legion Space Marine extends its highest reverence to you."
Upon nearing Blazkowicz, before Harlan could even order the captives to kneel, they had already dropped to one knee, loudly praising Blazkowicz's majesty.
??????
Harlan looked at Blazkowicz, then at the kneeling captives, his gaze oscillating between the two.
What is a Primarch? What is the Son of the Emperor? What is a Space Marine? And what is the Fifth Legion?
Blazkowicz's gaze rested on the kneeling Space Marine; their reverence did not seem feigned, but rather sincere and heartfelt.
"Rise." His voice was calm, yet carried an inexplicable authority.
Gereon and the others dared not delay, rising from the ground and standing ramrod straight, accepting the scrutiny of a Primarch.
Perhaps it was the innate genetic suppression, but just a casual glance made the brave and skilled Space Marine sweat profusely.
It was then that they realized the Primarch before them was as valiant as a god; even Horus could not compare to him.
"Tell me what you know."
The calm tone held an irresistible dominance; the Space Marine, who feared no death, felt a tremor at this moment.
Unlike his attitude towards Harlan, Gereon again knelt with his brothers: "I will tell you everything I know!"
Soon, Gereon told Blazkowicz everything he knew.
The Emperor's rise on Terra, the Astronomican lighting the galaxy, and the Great Crusade to restore humanity's glory.
Harlan listened with a surging heart; from the Space Marine's powerful narration, he seemed to see a grand vision.
Blazkowicz also learned for the first time that the one who created him was the 'Emperor,' and that he had twenty brothers.
Twenty-one Space Marine Legions, modeled after the Primarch, with the mission to conquer the galaxy.
The Throne Hall was silent for a long time, then Blazkowicz let out a long breath: "Let's go, let's go see Terra."
Gereon and the others were visibly excited; what greater honor could there be than bringing back a Primarch?
"Release them." Signaling Harlan to remove the restraints, Blazkowicz slowly rose: "The Void Wanderer is preparing for a long voyage, target Terra."
"As you command." Sophia appeared and then vanished, going to prepare for the voyage.
Gereon and the others were no longer surprised; under the rule of a Primarch, the appearance of 'friendly intelligences' was quite normal.
When the Void Wanderer was ready, Blazkowicz, accompanied by the Space Marine, Harlan, and the Stone Man Musala, boarded the ship, preparing to depart for Terra.
The Navigator Fransisca was already waiting on the ship; she had grown into a beautiful woman, much more independent in character, no longer timid.
"Depart." Blazkowicz sat on the throne, signaling that they could set off.
The Fifth Legion was awestruck by the grandeur of the Primarch's flagship, standing rigidly to the side, not daring to make any sudden movements.
The Void Wanderer's Warp engine activated, tearing open a Warp rift in the real universe at the ship's prow.
As the hull entered it, the warship left the real universe and entered the illusory Warp.
"Navigation lock successful." Fransisca leaned back in her chair, slowly closing her eyes, observing the Warp currents with her forehead's single eye: "My Lord, with you here, our path ahead is clear."
"Target Terra, Void Wanderer, depart!"
Blazkowicz, aboard his flagship, embarked on the long Warp journey to Terra.
Far away in the Imperial Palace on Terra, the Emperor, clad in full armor, was also preparing to board a warship and venture into the void.
Alpha Legion operatives had discovered a suspected Primarch on the ice world of Fenris, awaiting the Emperor's confirmation.
He stepped out of his chambers, but his eager strides halted.
Sensing his Master's pause, Valdor, who was ahead, turned to look at the Emperor. There was no doubt or confusion in his eyes; he simply stood still, waiting.
Every action of the Master of Mankind was the result of careful deliberation, and the Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes did not need to question, only to await his Master's command.
"Notify Horus to return. Prepare to welcome a brother's return."
The Emperor had stopped, and Valdor relayed his command to the accompanying Astropath, sending a message to his son, Horus, who was far out in the void on his Great Crusade, to recall him.
The Astropath, cloaked and hooded, bowed respectfully, his grey-white eyes filled with reverence, and departed to convey the Emperor's directive.
"Number Twenty-One is returning," the Emperor said to Valdor.
There was an excitement and urgency in the Master of Mankind's voice that had not been heard in ages.
Valdor's eyes narrowed, understanding the reason the Emperor had halted his journey to Fenris and remained on Terra.
It was because the Primarch most valued by the Emperor had found his way home from the void.
"I need to prepare a celebration, a grand celebration like never before."
The Emperor returned to his chambers, and his servants helped him remove his golden Power Armor. His tone was uncharacteristically excited: "To celebrate the return of Number Twenty-One!"
Warp travel was monotonous.
At least, Gereon had thought so before.
Before entering the Warp, Imperial ships needed to activate their Geller Field, creating a bubble of real space to prevent intrusion by the bizarre energies of the Warp.
Ships had to lower their armor plates, obscuring all viewports, including the bridge, to prevent sight and thought from influencing the reality bubble.
The spaceship, like a sealed metal coffin, bounced through the Warp currents, a lone boat in a storm.
Now it was different. Perhaps it was due to the Primarch's presence, but this magnificent warship seemed not to have activated its Geller Field.
The bridge was also not sealed. Through the viewports, one could see the constantly churning, changing, and ultimately chaotic and beautiful energy streams of the Warp.
However, directly in front of the ship, there was a vast expanse of calm.
The ship traversed the Warp completely unaffected, as if the Warp energies had constructed a smooth, clear path before it.
He found it incredible, ultimately attributing everything to the might of the Primarch.
"My Lord," Gereon asked cautiously, his voice humble, "the ship seems to be decelerating?"
Although there were no reference points in the Warp, the keen senses of the Astartes told him the ship was indeed slowing down.
He had stood by the Primarch's seat the entire way, answering the Primarch's questions. Feeling the ship decelerate, he carefully inquired.
Gereon was anxious; he desperately hoped the Primarch would return to the Imperium, and his brothers would be bathed in endless glory.
There was also a crucial point.
The cousins of the Luna Wolves had been exceedingly proud during the thirty years since Primarch Horus' return.
The warriors of the Fifth Legion now eagerly wished to bring their Primarch back to shatter the smugness of those who had enjoyed being the "only ones with a Primarch" for three decades.
"It is decelerating," a mechanical, electronic voice, not the Primarch's, answered Gereon.
"There is a barrier here; deceleration is required."
"A barrier?" Gereon murmured in confusion. He didn't understand how there could be a barrier in the Warp.
"An unknown Warp phenomenon. An unidentified barrier exists here, forcing the ship to slow down," Turing's electronic voice hissed, explaining the "unknown Warp phenomena" to the outsider.
The intelligent machine would not tell the outsider that the barrier was an ancient construct, an "inhibitor," creating a "speed bump" in the Warp.
At the outermost edge of the Nur Stars, within the ancient fortress star system, a powerful ancient machine projected "folds" into the Warp.
This forced any ships approaching the Nur Stars through the Warp to decelerate and exit the Warp, awaiting inspection by the fortress system.
Ships departing the Nur Stars also had to decelerate to pass through this area normally.
Gereon nodded continuously, looking as if he had just realized something.
Their ship had been caught in a Warp current, pulled off its normal course, and then, very much like hitting something, it suddenly lost control and decelerated, being thrown out of the Warp.
Now he understood: they had hit a barrier.
It was like a vehicle speeding along, blown off course by a strong wind, then hitting a speed bump, losing control, and veering off the road.
Blazkowicz glanced at Turing. The seemingly simple machine had many clever ideas in its intelligent circuits.
The existence of the Warp barrier was a crucial means for the Nur Stars to defend against external threats.
All incoming ships were forced back into real space, confronting the fortress system on the necessary path.
"At our current speed, with a stable Warp lane ahead, we can reach Terra in three months at most."
Navigator Fransisca was asleep within a machine, her body slumbering while her consciousness was connected to the ship's main control.
With Sophia's help, the Navigator and the digital life form worked together, constantly correcting the Warp lane.
One must know that on a journey spanning tens of thousands of light-years, even a slight deviation in the course could result in a destination hundreds of light-years off.
Warp travel was beautiful at first; the scenery seemed lovely but concealed hidden dangers.
With Blazkowicz's presence, the Warp's defilements dared not approach.
They only dared to hide in the shadows, watching the dead black hole, etched with runes, emitting intense malice, clawing and gnashing its teeth in the Warp.
"God-Slayer."
"Challenger."
"Defier—"
"Doom Slayer—"
The hidden dangers of the Warp dared not speak Blazkowicz's name directly. They whispered in the shadows, praying for him to leave quickly.
The journey was smooth and uneventful. Blazkowicz continuously questioned Gereon about the various current situations of the Imperium of Man.
Gereon naturally dared not conceal anything, pouring out all the knowledge in his memory about the Imperium's recent state.
Three months passed like yesterday, and the ship was now within reach of the golden sun.
"Attention, all! The Void Wanderer is about to reach its destination!"
Sophia's alert sounded, and the Warp engine engaged, tearing open a rift to real space in the Warp ahead of the ship.
Gereon was now in a panic. The Primarch's flagship had not passed through the "Gate of Tartarus," the stable Warp gate of the Solar System.
Instead, it was entering humanity's Throneworld directly from another direction.
He seemed to want to give the Emperor a surprise!
When a warship the size of a small planet burst forth from the Warp, the Warp fluctuations it generated spread throughout the Solar System.
Almost all auguries shrieked piercingly at the same time, and alert commands spread to every fortress.
In the Solar System, the Throneworld, someone had plunged a knife into the heart of humanity!
"Proceed to Terra."
Blazkowicz sat on his throne, giving the order expressionlessly, his inner thoughts and face showing no change whatsoever.
There was no excitement or homesickness for him; to him, Terra was merely a birthplace, not a true home.
At this moment, the Solar System's communication channels were abuzz, confirming the origin of the enemy.
Space telescopes finally captured the ship's silhouette: a magnificent warship, painted jet black, almost blending into the cosmic background.
Most striking were the raised fins on its back, bearing a runic insignia on either side.
The Solar System observers knew it was the emblem of the Destroyer Legion, their unique mark.
The sentinels fell silent, unsure how to respond to this familiar yet strange warship.
"Let it pass."
As they hesitated, a direct order from the Throneworld dispelled their doubts.
Hearing the chaotic communication channels instantly fall silent, Blazkowicz knew that the ship's markings had caused the Solar System's defenders to drop their guard.
Sophia, to please her Master, had painted the ship jet black and emblazoned the insignia on both sides of the fins.
The ship reflected black light in space, slowly gliding, gradually approaching Terra. "It's not as beautiful as Argent Nur."
In the panoramic command center, Harlan looked down at Terra below and shook his head, saying, disappointed.
In the minds of the Starborne, Terra should have been a vibrant blue planet with vast oceans and a clean atmosphere.
Now, it was desolate and barren, its surface covered only by cities of steel and Hive Cities that pierced the clouds.
Gereon wanted to retort, but his mind involuntarily compared Argent Nur and Terra, realizing there was indeed no comparison between the two.
He looked up and saw the Primarch raise his right hand, clenching it in the void, as if summoning something.
A Warp rift appeared on the bridge, and a red lightsaber, emanating malice, flew out of the crack, settling steadily into Blazkowicz's hand.
Blazkowicz looked down at Terra, his expression serious. He didn't know what the outcome would be.
"Terra... I have returned."