Blazkowicz concealed the relationship.
Compared to the Astartes forged in youth, legendary warriors who had lived for hundreds of years might refuse gene seed implantation due to their inner beliefs.
To ask octogenarian warriors to face death calmly, they would never hesitate; but to recognize someone hundreds of years younger than themselves as a father, that moral shame was difficult to overcome.
Amidst Blazkowicz's awkward, apologetic expression, thirty-one psychic connections appeared consecutively, in addition to Astelan,
A total of thirty-two warriors were reborn.
From the results alone, it far exceeded his expected bottom line.
The legendary warriors, having faced death countless times, completed their self-transformation with unwavering self-will and an ardent heart unwilling to remain silent.
Blazkowicz's hanging heart finally settled.
As the reborn warriors emerged one by one, there was a mix of joy and sorrow in the Medical Sanctuary Square.
Not seeing familiar figures, the grieving crowds who had lost loved ones trembled as they entered the hall to collect the remaining ashes from the operating tables.
Blazkowicz bowed his head, his eyes closed tightly, and his lips moved slightly as he chanted softly.
As he led the chant, the reborn warriors and the crowd joined in, and the soft murmurs converged into an ethereal elegy, sending blessings to the deceased.
Nearly three thousand old warriors bravely faced death; although their skills had been passed down, much valuable experience and wisdom were lost forever with their passing.
For Argent Nur and the Sentinels, it was an extremely heavy loss.
After the mourning, Blazkowicz had Hippocrates lead the legendary warriors away for physical examinations, body data archiving, and the customization of exclusive auric power armor.
Having arranged everything, his figure vanished with a teleporter, leaving the Denurian surface to head for the Ring Belt Grand Arena.
After two weeks, the grand arena was ready.
When Blazkowicz reappeared, he descended amidst widespread anticipation, standing on the high platform of the amphitheater, overlooking the neatly arrayed warrior formations.
"Gene-Father!"
"King Nowick!"
The Doom Slayers and Sentinels saluted the majestic figure on the high platform with the most solemn etiquette, shouting his name.
The mortals knelt in a tidal wave, and the deafening sound of their prostrations resonated, causing the arena floor to tremble slightly.
Under the gaze of all, Blazkowicz's heroic and extraordinary face seemed to glow; everyone present applauded and submitted to him.
The Emperor bestowed Primarchs with extraordinary charisma, allowing them to conquer the human race in body and mind as leaders.
Undoubtedly, Blazkowicz's external image was incomparably radiant, conforming to the human impression of a heroic king.
He was the embodiment of a great leader, deserving of everyone's submission.
"Rise."
A majestic voice rang out from the high platform, full of gravitas, like the lofty authority of a king, yet also intimately pleasing to the ear, like spring rain nourishing the heart.
The crowd in the Grand Arena's stands surged back again; merely kneeling and standing, the sea of over a hundred million people rolled, a tide like a raging ocean.
Above the amphitheater, an inverted pyramid anti-gravity platform floated silently.
The upper level held alert guards, ready for aerial strikes at any time, while the four sides below projected holographic images, allowing the Denurian citizens to admire the King's demeanor.
Blazkowicz stood tall, slightly lifting his chin to reveal his strong profile; the sound array system transmitted his voice to every corner of the arena: "Today is a great day."
The arena was silent, billions of spectators holding their breath, listening to King Nowick's proclamation.
Scribes from other worlds of the Nur Stars excitedly wielded their brushes, secretly vowing to bring everything they witnessed to all subordinate worlds.
At this moment, the light of the stars dimmed for it.
On the high platform stood the great King; Erica, the Dean of the War College, stood to his left, impeccable, with a ceremonial longsword at her hip, her eyes like an eagle scanning the entire venue.
To his right was the projection of Sophia, the Central Law; though the beautiful lady was a phantom, she was equally worthy of respect, her gaze omnipresent, monitoring all areas reachable by electronic devices.
Blazkowicz Novick gazed down upon his brave and fearless warriors.
Junior, Ra, Elton Senna, Champion Swordsman — Harlan Ogilvy, and other masters were arrayed neatly.
These rarely seen legends were gathered here, proudly puffing out their chests, accepting the review of the great King Nowick.
"In the past years, Argent Nur, through the efforts of everyone, dispelled the old night of ignorance and chaos, marking the end of the 'Era of Decline' and ushering in a new 'Era of Progress.'"
Blazkowicz's expression was solemn, his magnetic voice clear to every ear.
The thoughts of the Denurian citizens sank into the gloomy past as he spoke, their expressions gradually becoming serious. That dark and terrifying era had once overshadowed the stars.
The next moment, eagerness flickered in people's eyes, and tears streamed down their faces; it was precisely because of the rise of King Nowick that the Nur Stars shone once again.
King Nowick's eyes lowered, his gaze sweeping over, and his deep voice gradually rose: "In the long years of conquest, we have regained our past glory; while the army has grown stronger, many problems have also been exposed."
The army looked up, meeting the gaze of the King on the high platform; they knew that after a simple opening, the main theme was about to be revealed.
Army reform!
Although the primary military reform units had received notification from the Central Law two weeks prior, they were still incredibly excited at this moment.
The initial military integration had been very crude; the army operated under a simple framework, constantly exploring forward.
Units discovered problems in combat, then recorded them and sent them back to the War College and Military Academy for optimization.
Now the time had come; the Denurian army would be reorganized to further enhance its combat effectiveness.
"But we will not be idle!" Blazkowicz shouted, raising his head to scan the entire amphitheater, his resonant tone full of power: "The army will undergo its first major reform!"
"Roar!!!"
As his shout fell, the audience erupted in powerful cheers.
In the current Nur Stars, warrior culture was the undisputed mainstream; the entire populace was martial and rejoiced at the prospect of battle.
Army reform meant reorganization; generals and warriors, strategy and force, would compete in the Grand Arena to determine supremacy.
The final results would determine their positions in the military.
Seizing the moment of the audience's high spirits, Blazkowicz nodded, and the holographic projection from the anti-gravity broadcast island displayed the basic structure of the army's reorganization.
People watched closely, then were greatly astonished.
They found that after the reorganization, the Denurian army would be clearly divided, with distinct and specific functions for each role.
The void fleet was separated, forming the "Argent Nur Navy," under the jurisdiction of the Naval Command, specializing in void combat.
The ground army separated from the navy, forming the "Argent Nur Army," under the unified jurisdiction of the Army Command.
Unlike the Imperial Army, the Denurian Army had its exclusive escort fleets and troop transport fleets, which made it more specialized while avoiding further confusion with the Navy.
The most crucial point was that whether Navy or Army, all commanders would be Mortals; the Doom Slayers would not participate, and the command system would be completely separate.
This was the result of Blazkowicz's careful deliberation.
The future belonged to Mortals; rather than letting them become fond of superhuman warriors and then undergoing a painful separation, it was better to keep mortals strong from the start.
Excessive interference from superhuman warriors in command not only distracted the warriors but also made mortals dependent, hindering their ability to utilize their own talents.
Blazkowicz entrusted the fleet to mortals for another important reason: many Denurian citizens had joined the fleet.
As descendants of the Golden Men, those who had not passed the Sentinels warrior selection had physical functions far exceeding mortals, making them excellent candidates for fleet command.
From another perspective, Denurian citizens or Sentinels were different from the Astartes Legions.
The former were indigenous inhabitants, human creations elevated by their own genes; the latter were a technology the Emperor obtained from Warp entities.
One day in the future, the Astartes might retire for various reasons, but the Sentinels would not need to worry.
The first part of the military reform symbolized the independence of the command system, with mortals and superhumans relatively separated.
The second part was the precise division of superhuman forces.
The Destroyer Legion currently had over a thousand warriors, a small number compared to other Legions, but Blazkowicz's progeny were also beginning to form a significant force.
He divided the Legion into ten companies, selecting command talent to serve as company captains, and also holding martial competitions to choose a thirty-man guard.
The reorganized Doom Slayers would unleash their full combat power, becoming a specialized rapid-strike force, directly attacking the enemy's command center.
Integrating with the Mortal Auxiliary Army could indeed improve the efficiency of mortal troops through command, but mortals also dragged down the Legion Warriors.
The same applied to the Sentinels; they would no longer be integrated with the Mortal Auxiliary Army but would be completely independent, optimizing army functions. Superhumans and mortals, from previously mixed units, would be optimized into specialized units.
Although they would no longer fight side-by-side, from the perspective of the entire battlefield, they could better utilize their respective strengths and fulfill their battlefield duties.
What the audience most anticipated were the duels of the Doom Slayers and the strategic contests of the mortal generals.
This was an extremely lengthy selection process, with multiple rounds of combat to select outstanding personnel.
For the audience, it was a visual and auditory feast; people from across the Nur Stars gathered here to watch warriors contend for honor.
"Begin!"
Accompanied by King Nowick's thunderous roar, the contest of wisdom against wisdom, and strength against strength, began.
The ranks gradually dispersed, and virtual pods rose from below the arena; naval officers lay inside, preparing to begin the first day of strategic competition.
The competition format was extremely complex, with various contests to select the most outstanding commanders.
Due to the critical nature of the Navy, the trials would begin with them.