The arrival of the Blood Angels was within Luka's expectations; he had already anticipated that the Blood Angels would send someone after he gave Chapter Master Dante that bottle of sanctus wine.
After all, being able to suppress the Blood Thirst was something the Blood Angels absolutely had to take seriously, to the point that even when Sanguinius was still alive, it would have been enough for him to personally make a trip.
However, Luka had not expected that it would be Mephisto and Lemartes who arrived, and that they would bring half a company of the Death Company with them.
"Lord Mephisto, Lord Lemartes, welcome both of you to Rostov II." Although surprised by their arrival, Governor Luka still warmly welcomed the two.
Mephisto politely saluted Luka, then spoke: "Governor Luka, Chapter Master Dante was unable to come personally due to urgent duties. He asked me to convey his apologies. The gift you bestowed holds extremely important significance for the Blood Angels, so I have come personally to discuss this matter with you."
"Lord Mephisto, you are too kind. I was also surprised to discover that the sanctus wine could be of help to the Blood Angels. It is excellent if it can be effective," Luka nodded slightly, showing Mephisto a friendly smile.
Beside him, Kyle Stross, who had been specifically called over, also extended his greetings to Mephisto.
No matter what, he was still a scion of the Blood Angels; the Deathwatch was merely a training program, not an expulsion from their original Chapter.
Kyle Stross also clearly understood why he was called: to prove to Mephisto that the sanctus wine indeed had a sufficient suppressive effect on the Blood Thirst, and that this was not a conspiracy.
Therefore, Mephisto did not stand on ceremony with Luka. He directly investigated Kyle Stross's memories and his physical condition. After confirming that everything was in order, Mephisto finally breathed a sigh of relief, and at Luka's invitation, went with him to the planet's surface.
During the journey to the planet's surface, Luka also pondered why Mephisto had come this time, and why they had brought the Death Company.
The sanctus wine's ability to suppress the Blood Thirst was absolutely crucial to the Blood Angels. It wouldn't be surprising if Chapter Master Dante brought Sanguinius with him, let alone just Mephisto.
However, it was clear that Chapter Master Dante would be very difficult to leave Baal, unless there was a significantly major war in the Imperium that required the Blood Angels Chapter Master to personally lead the forces.
And for the Chief Librarian, who was almost the Chapter's primary combat force, to come personally, this was already enough to express the Blood Angels' emphasis on this matter.
The only ones with a higher status than Mephisto were Chapter Master Dante and the elusive Sanguinius.
The former would likely find it difficult to easily leave Baal, as while the "Three Pillars of the Imperium" might be a jest, the description of them as "Pillars" was by no means an exaggeration.
Calgar of the Ultramarines, Logan Grimnar of the Space Wolves, and Dante of the Blood Angels – these three are currently the most powerful Chapter Masters among all Space Marine Chapters in the Imperium of Man.
Calgar leading the Ultramarines, the Chapter with the most successor Chapters and the largest lineage, goes without saying. The importance of the Ultramarines to the Imperium is self-evident just by looking at how many Ultramarines successor Chapters there are.
Being able to command such a Chapter, which is itself renowned for its combat prowess and its skill in politics and administration, Calgar's leadership ability is a precious asset to the entire Imperium.
The Great Wolf Logan Grimnar is slightly different from Calgar. Although he also possesses powerful leadership abilities and has led the Imperium to victory in critical battles multiple times, the Space Wolves' inherent powerful and outstanding combat capabilities dictate that the Great Wolf Logan Grimnar is the strongest in combat among the three Chapter Masters.
It can be said that if the Three Pillars were chosen as the strongest Space Marines in the 40k era Imperium, some might argue Calgar isn't in the top three, but Logan Grimnar would absolutely have a seat in the top three.
As for the future Imperial Regent of the Dark Imperium, the steadfast pillar of the Blood Angels, Chapter Master Dante, who has lived to become a legend, he only needs to demonstrate one thing to solidify his position.
The most ancient Space Marine in the Imperium today, a super-soldier who has lived for sixteen hundred years and has not yet entered a Dreadnought – his seniority, experience, and achievements are enough to make him a legend, a living myth.
The mere religious propaganda value alone is enough for Chapter Master Dante to stabilize a considerable portion of the Imperium's situation.
Not to mention that over sixteen hundred years, Chapter Master Dante has led the Blood Angels to defeat one enemy after another; his accomplishments, even within the Imperium's ten-thousand-year history, are truly glorious.
In an era before the Gene-Seed Primarchs returned to the Imperium, these three absolutely deserved to be called the Imperium's towering jade pillars and its sea-bracing golden beams.
As for Sanguinius, he is not within the scope of discussion. Although everyone knows of his existence, strictly speaking, Sanguinius is not a person, but a Warp entity.
Even for the Blood Angels themselves, the existence of Sanguinius is a legend.
Apart from the current Chapter Master Dante, only a very small number of Blood Angels have ever seen this being, who is said to be the Primarch's proxy.
Whether this esteemed being appears or not is not something the Blood Angels themselves can decide; or rather, his appearance or non-appearance, in a sense, depends more on whether the Blood Angels have encountered a major event.
For example, during the process of Chapter Master Dante becoming a Blood Angel, Sanguinius did appear, and later saved Chapter Master Dante from dire straits multiple times. Even when Chapter Master Dante fell into the Black Rage, he was woken up by Sanguinius with a loud slap.
In a sense, Chapter Master Dante's ability to live for sixteen hundred years is inseparable from Sanguinius saving his life multiple times.
The random thoughts in Luka's mind did not divert him from the main topic; he was still pondering the meaning behind sending the Death Company.
These are Space Marines of the Blood Angels who have succumbed to the Black Rage; they are marked within the Blood Angels, grouped together for desperate assaults at the most critical moments. Sending them here, did the Blood Angels intend to forcibly seize the sanctus wine?
That's unlikely. Chapter Master Dante wouldn't do such a thing, and Mephisto wouldn't carry out such an absurd order.
Besides, even if they came to seize it, fifty Death Company members plus one Mephisto? Luka didn't think he couldn't handle that force.
Especially since the Blood Angels only brought one strike cruiser. While that thing is indeed quite powerful, there are currently two cruisers and one light cruiser docked in Rostov II's orbit, and Luka could call for another cruiser equipped with a Nova Cannon at any time.
Unless all the Blood Angels had their minds completely warped by the Blood Thirst and the Black Rage, they wouldn't possibly resort to forceful seizure.
So why exactly did Chapter Master Dante send the Death Company? It couldn't be that the sanctus wine also has an effect on the Black Rage, could it?
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