Warhammer: Dawn of Annihilation

The five hundred worlds controlled by the Ultramarines are widely regarded as the brightest jewels in the empire.

Public security is exemplary, and the standard of living for the people is generally ahead of that found on any other planet in the empire.

During the Horus Heresy, when the loyal forces were scattered across the galaxy, Guilliman even considered using the five hundred worlds as a secondary base for humanity's struggle against chaos. He envisioned forming a Second Empire alongside the other two Primarchs—the Primarch of the Dark Angels Legion and Sanguinius, the Primarch of the Blood Angels.

Of course, this plan was never realized, as they soon discovered that the Emperor was not dead after all. The three Primarchs disbanded the Second Empire, leading a contingent to support Terra and sealing the records related to this incident.

Although it never came to fruition, the potential of the five hundred worlds is clear to see.

The five hundred worlds represent Guilliman's source of confidence, and there is simply no room for failure.

Upon hearing of his revival, some planetary governors who aren't doing too badly, as well as rogue traders with substantial influence, have made their way to Macragge.

Others are either trapped in dire situations or unwilling to obey the commands of a resurrected Primarch.

The Emperor and the Primarchs have become legends, myths, and distant memories. Ten thousand years are enough to change many things.

The once-held imperial truths have been forgotten, and the despised state religion now holds a position on the Supreme Council of Terra.

The Mechanicum is growing more isolated and conservative, while the Terra Council has become more rigid and pedantic.

The empire, already weakened by the Cadia incident, is losing vitality at an alarming rate, and it has become increasingly difficult to respond swiftly.

After a millennia of decay, the forces of all factions have become deeply embedded in the fabric of the empire, and the constant drain of resources makes it increasingly difficult to hold things together.

Those unwilling to heed Guilliman's call are on the sidelines, unwilling to risk having their power stripped away by a suddenly revived Primarch.

Centuries of ruling have made them believe that the rights they hold are inherent to them, symbols of their superiority. Anyone who threatens this is automatically their enemy.

Guilliman has no interest in confronting them at the moment. His priority is to focus on the worlds that are still willing to support him.

He must reform the system, reshape the old structure, and build the five hundred worlds into a solid foundation. Only then will he be able to support his next grand plan.

He needs to optimize the population structure, introduce conscription, re-establish a fair system of wealth distribution, and encourage the production of more food and weapons.

The bloated bureaucracy and aristocratic system must be streamlined to reduce financial strain and improve efficiency.

It's also crucial to improve the education system for all people, establish an independent research body free from the influence of the Mechanicum, and develop more military forces and technical personnel for his impending campaign.

The Mechanicum and the Empire have only formed an alliance, with each occupying a seat on the Terra Council.

Guilliman is not the Emperor. He cannot guarantee that the Mechanicum won't fall out of his control at any given moment.

One pressing issue he must consider is: if the Emperor is revived and chooses to declare Guilliman a traitor to the empire, which side will the Mechanicum take?

Will they side with the divine Omnissiah, or will they support the revived Thirteenth Son of the Empire?

The answer is evident. While there may be some within the Mechanicum who will support him, they will be a minority.

Guilliman must establish his own scientific research institution and create an autonomous research structure to process the vast amounts of knowledge stored in the empire's databases.

To accomplish all of this, he requires the help of these planetary governors.

The souls born under the red light should never have allowed these families to hold such power over the common people.

Yet, the complexity of this world is far greater than that of his original universe.

Even though he is a time traveler, he remains a Primarch. With the help of the ruling template, he has the potential to acquire powers beyond imagination.

But he cannot exercise total control over every world.

The empire is simply too vast, and the means of communication and navigation are inefficient.

Moreover, there is no sufficiently powerful artificial intelligence at his disposal.

The forces of Chaos, evil gods, not only pollute flesh and blood but can also invade the network.

In this world, there is no way to use the super-intelligent systems from his home universe to manage the empire.

Nor can a single intelligent system be entrusted with command over too many combat units.

If one were to take the route of intelligence, and it were to be corrupted by demons, the units under its command would fall into chaos and turn against humanity.

The power of the Chaos gods has grown too vast, and there are far too many viruses and demons at their disposal to corrupt and destroy systems.

Developing large-scale intelligence in this universe and entrusting the entire empire to a single intelligence system would be tantamount to inviting death.

Thus, each colonized planet retains a certain degree of autonomy, and the planetary governors hold essential power that cannot be bypassed.

In addition, another important figure is the Rogue Trader.

The history of the Rogue Traders stretches back to the Great Crusade, more than 10,000 years ago, when the Emperor issued the first document granting such power. Since then, they have played a crucial role in the empire.

Responsible for intergalactic trade, they even have the authority to trade with alien species, often amassing unimaginable wealth.

Some Rogue Trader families span dozens or even hundreds of galaxies, a testament to their immense power.

Where the Imperial Navy goes, the Rogue Traders follow.

Where the Imperial Navy cannot go, it is the Rogue Traders who venture.

They scavenge wreckage from battlefields, explore areas where the light of the astrotorch cannot reach, and search for relics and remnants of humanity's golden age.

Far from the Emperor's Radiance, they trade with aliens.

This group plays a vital role in the empire's economy, and they also provide significant tax revenues, which help support the empire's vast military and bureaucracy.

Without their assistance, Guilliman would likely have to finance his efforts alone.

After all, the Ultramarines don't have the luxury of time to amass wealth themselves.

Dealing with aliens and Chaos has already exhausted their efforts.

In the grand hall, Ziller, dressed in fine clothes, and a group of planetary governors and rogue traders, all pledged their loyalty to Guilliman.

But Guilliman, sitting at the head of the round table, was unmoved by their words.

He tapped his fingers on the table before speaking.

"I need a parliament. This parliament will help me implement my policies and carry out my will. I don't know who among you is willing to serve me."

Guilliman's gaze swept over the assembled crowd.

He needed a parliament to help him formulate policies and promote his goals.

As he embarked on his mission to conquer each world, all planets must be reshaped according to his desires, rather than left to their own devices.

This action would undoubtedly provoke the anger of numerous imperial factions.

The Terra Council, the Mechanicum, the nobles from various star systems, the merchants, and others would all oppose him, as it would threaten their interests.

But Guilliman had no choice. In an age where the Four Gods have risen and the Emperor remains in a deep sleep, it is utterly impossible to allow the planets to continue as they were.

Law and order have deteriorated in many worlds. Criminals rule the streets, the powerful take advantage of the weak, and in critical moments, the rich and powerful abandon the people to their fate.

In some worlds, the average life expectancy is as low as thirty years!

What a terrible state of affairs this is.

In such a world, the question is—why wouldn't people turn to the power of Chaos?

They have already hit rock bottom. Even if Chaos is destructive, how much worse can it get?

Guilliman must take control, transform each world, and establish a system of relative equality where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Only by doing so can he have no fear.

These reformed worlds will continue to provide talent and soldiers, ultimately securing the future of the human empire.

Ziller and the others exchanged uneasy glances. Guilliman's words were bold and somewhat concerning.

Could it be that the Primarch plans to follow in his brother's footsteps and rebel against the Emperor's authority?

They weren't sure whether the words he spoke were genuine or whether he was testing their loyalty.

Guilliman, however, saw their hesitation. "This is not an act of betrayal. Although I've just awoken, I can already see the state of the empire. Ignorance and fear have taken over. The former glory and reason have vanished, leaving behind a zombified state. Tinkering with it may prolong the empire's life, but it will only further deviate from my father's dream. Necessary reforms will strengthen our empire, and only then can we fight the forces of Chaos and the alien threat."

Having said this, Guilliman paused, looking at the planetary governors and rogue traders, his voice steady but forceful: "Are you willing to serve me? You can make your decision freely, and I promise I will not harm you for it. But know this:

The power of Chaos is growing stronger by the day. Meanwhile, our empire is divided, nearly half of humanity's territory has lost the protection of the Imperial Astrotorch, and is being ravaged by aliens and demons. You've all witnessed the corruption and stagnation within the Terra Council, and the archaic and closed nature of the Mechanicum. If we fail to act, my father's dream will perish, and humanity may face extinction. As Regent of the Empire, Lord of Ultramar, and Primarch of the Ultramarines Legion, I ask for your support."

At these words, many planetary governors and rogue traders looked around in stunned silence, unsure of what to make of Guilliman's bold declaration.