Once the new batch of gene-seed had been cultivated, the Emperor immediately summoned both Axis and Kasha.
As for Lion El'Jonson, after escorting Axis back to Holy Terra, he had departed on the Great Crusade in accordance with the Emperor's orders, and thus had not remained on Terra.
For the Lion, the Emperor's commands always came first.
Before long, the two arrived at the Emperor's underground laboratory.
In the center stood a massive incubation chamber, within which lay neatly arranged vials of gene-seed templates.
"These are your gene-seeds, far more perfect than any I have cultivated before, untainted by the warp. We have also diluted the potency of the S cells: at most, they can increase the bearer's combat power fivefold. They will never be able to achieve the fiftyfold or even hundredfold increase you are capable of," the Emperor said with a faint smile as he led Axis.
"When I used my ki to purify the gene-seeds of Magnus, the Lion, and Russ, they too became the perfect kind, untainted. Although I couldn't deal with the inherent issue," Axis replied.
"The Lion has already reported this to me," the Emperor said, not elaborating further.
Yet, even when refined, the gene-seed of a Primarch was still fundamentally linked to the Warp.
At their initial creation, they were perfect, but over time, certain events led to their gradual contamination by Warp energies.
This was almost inevitable.
Axis's ki could indeed cleanse the Warp-taint, but there was no guarantee that the Warp would not infect them again in the future.
Only Axis's own gene-seed could the Emperor guarantee would never be corrupted by the powers of the Immaterium.
"Axis, now infuse these gene-seeds with your ki. Then we will begin the trials," the Emperor instructed.
"In the early stages, the experiments will be unstable. Can we use test subjects instead of my brothers?" Axis asked.
After all, it was still the Emperor's theory at this point. There was no complete, successful prototype had yet been produced.
Axis had no intention of letting his Space Wolves, who had fought and bled alongside him, risk their lives.
When the Wolves had first arrived on Terra, Leman Russ had taken them aside, spoken with them in private, and revealed part of the truth. They were willing to accept Axis's gene-seed, but Axis was determined to safeguard their lives.
"Very well. We will use test subjects. I have already used an earlier version of your gene-seed to cultivate certain enhanced organs. Some neophytes who underwent implantation were placed into stasis. These new seeds may yet save them."
The Emperor glanced at Malcador, who nodded in understanding and departed to bring the dormant subjects from storage.
Axis, meanwhile, placed his palm against the incubation tank containing the gene-seeds, channeling his ki into them.
This time, he drew upon part of his Super Saiyan power, after all, these seeds had been cultivated from S-Cells, and they responded eagerly to Saiyan energy.
The moment they touched Axis's ki, the gene-seeds became highly active, greedily absorbing the golden Super Saiyan aura.
Without missing a single one, Axis implanted within each a ki-seed to ensure they could survive within their future hosts.
Dozens of minutes later, Axis finished implanting the seeds of ki.
Every gene-seed was now unusually active, each faintly radiating a golden glow.
"Amazing. Your gene-seed is the most unique I have ever seen. It may be possible to use it to create a specialized Adeptus Astartes Chapter dedicated solely to combating the abominations of the Warp," the Emperor said.
He and Malcador had long discussed forming a force entirely immune to the influence of the Immaterium, a Chapter that would exist solely to hunt daemons.
This Chapter would be small, no more than a thousand warriors, yet every single one would be an elite among elites.
Their armor would be Terminator pattern, sanctified with the ashes and blood of the Imperium's finest psykers, each plate inscribed with holy enchantments. From the very start of their training, they would be taught the nature of daemons, until they became the Imperium's ultimate anti-daemon force.
"A Chapter specialized in fighting daemons of the Warp?" Axis looked at the Emperor in surprise.
Could this be the legendary Grey Knights, the Emperor's final gift to humanity before taking the Golden Throne?
"That's right. If your gene-seed proves a perfect fit, I intend to select the finest warriors from your Legion to form a secret Chapter, an Imperial shield against the creatures of the Immaterium," the Emperor said.
Axis was at a loss. So he was to become the Gene-Primarch of the Grey Knights? The thought was almost absurd.
If he had never been sent into this altered timeline, whose gene-seed would the Grey Knights have been created from?
It was the gene seed cultivated from the genome of the Emperor of Mankind himself
"Father, if you did not have Axis's gene-seed, whose would you have used to form such a Chapter?" Kasha asked the question that had been on Axis's mind.
"That is classified Imperial intelligence. If Axis's gene-seed proves viable, the plan will proceed with his, and the alternative will be unnecessary," the Emperor replied.
In truth, he had planned to use his own as they would be battling the daemonspawn on behalf of mankind. But the process, however, carried certain risks.
If Axis's gene-seed could serve the purpose, the Grey Knights would be created from his.
"No problem. But my gene-seed doesn't carry much potential for psychic power, and my descendants won't be able to use ki. Are you sure they could still stand against daemons?" Axis asked.
He might be a psyker himself, but his gene-seed lacked psychic ability, and his ki was even less likely to pass on.
At best, the warriors would gain a form of Super Saiyan transformation.
"That is simple enough to solve. We will implant your gene-seed into psykers. I will personally bless each seed with my psychic power," the Emperor said.
If he could sanctify Axis's gene-seed. The result would be a Chapter with extraordinary resistance to the Warp.
"Very well, I'll cooperate. But to the outside world, will they be considered my sons?" Axis asked.
"Of course. Otherwise, that golden transformation would be impossible to explain, anyone with eyes could see the truth. However, this Chapter will be independent from your Legion and operate in complete secrecy.
"Every member will be a psyker, clad in sanctified Terminator armor, armed with the finest consecrated weapons, and trained in the most advanced anti-daemon techniques," the Emperor said.
This Chapter would never be known to the general populace. Only the highest echelons of the Imperium would be aware of their existence.
So it seemed he was indeed destined to become the Primarch of the Grey Knights.
"Because all of them will be psykers, their numbers will never exceed a thousand, perhaps only seven or eight hundred. I have two possible names, 'Grey Knights,' hidden in the shadows of the Imperium, or 'Golden Knights,' since your gene-seed will give them that golden transformation. Which do you think fits best?" the Emperor asked.
"I like both. But isn't one Chapter too few? Why not make two? One called Grey Knights, the other Golden Knights?" Axis suggested, eyes gleaming.
"At most, only one such Chapter can be created. Do you think I would not make more if I could? Why not have your Legion be the Golden Knights, and this special Chapter be the Grey Knights?" the Emperor replied.
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Powerstones!!!!!