Infinite Metaverse

Chapter 20: Transformation Complete

"They shall be my finest warriors, these men who give of themselves to me. Like clay I shall mould them, and in the furnace of war forge them. They will be of iron will and steely muscle. In great armour shall I clad them and with the mightiest guns will they be armed. They will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness will blight them. They will have tactics, strategies and machines so that no foe can best them in battle. They are my bulwark against the Terror. They are the Defenders of Humanity. They are my Space Marines and they shall know no fear."

—The Emperor

***

Fu Qinghai opened his attribute panel in his mind.

{Name: Fu Qinghai (True Name)

Reincarnation Number: 60731920

Race: Space Marine (Bioengineered Human)

Height: 237 cm

Weight: 281 kg

Abilities: Tony Stark Electronic Backup (17% Completion)

Reincarnation Equipment: None

Assimilation Points: 990

World Anchors: X1

Reincarnation Lives: X2}

His race had changed from "Space Human" to "Bioengineered Human."

He didn't know how long he had been unconscious in the incubation pod. Just as he was about to ask Kurnos, he saw Ogotai and Taral rushing in.

Ogotai breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Fu Qinghai sitting on the metal box, covered in probes.

"How is he, Magos?" Ogotai asked first.

"He has mutated," Kurnos said calmly, observing the data on the workstation's screen.

"Uh..." Ogotai was taken aback.

Fu Qinghai also turned to look at Kurnos.

Kurnos knew what Ogotai wanted to ask and explained without waiting for him to speak.

"I don't yet know the nature of the mutation, but I can confirm that his gene-seed has mutated."

Kurnos' meaning was clear: he had informed them of the mutation, and it was up to them to decide whether to include Fu Qinghai's future gene-seed in the White Scars' gene-seed repository.

Kurnos added, "Don't worry. His physical indicators are all normal. He can become a qualified Space Marine."

Mutations during the long process of gene-seed inheritance were not uncommon. Some were beneficial, granting the Marine unique abilities or enhanced traits. However, most mutations were detrimental, such as the Blood Angels' genetic flaws, the "Red Thirst" and the "Black Rage."

Some mutations had significant side effects. For example, the future Mantis Warriors Chapter, a successor of the White Scars, would sometimes enter a trance-like state during combat, reacting with near-prescient speed and slaughtering enemies with unparalleled precision. However, in this state, they could not distinguish friend from foe.

This combat state was a unique ability of Jaghatai Khan, the Primarch of the White Scars. However, Khan could enter and exit this state at will, without the side effect of indiscriminate killing. This made him one of the top three most powerful Primarchs in terms of personal combat ability.

Ogotai asked, "Was it caused by the accelerated cultivation process?"

Kurnos replied, "Uncertain, but I believe so."

Ogotai nodded slowly. "Understood, Magos."

Kurnos said, "You can take him now."

Ogotai bowed slightly. "Thank you for your efforts, Magos. On behalf of the White Scars, I salute you."

***

On the way back, the mortal crew members were astonished to see the towering figure of Fu Qinghai, draped in a linen robe, following Ogotai and Taral.

After the boarding action, only seven Space Marines remained on the 'Shortsword'. For a frigate, this was still a considerable number, and every crew member knew each Marine by sight. They were surprised to see a new one today.

Those who had seen Fu Qinghai before were even more shocked. A year and a half ago, he had been a lanky kid trailing behind Ogotai.

Yes, a year and a half ago. To be precise, Fu Qinghai had spent 15 standard Terran months in Kurnos' incubation pod.

A year was enough to make a short-lived Earthling feel as if a lifetime had passed.

But for the humans of the Warhammer 40K universe, accustomed to the vast spans of interstellar travel, it was nothing.

Ogotai sat stiffly in his wheelchair, leading the way, but Taral, who knew his old friend well, understood what he was thinking.

'Too fast. It was far too fast!'

Initially, the two hadn't known why they were escorting Magos Biologis Kurnos Anastasio to Mars.

The reputation and importance of a Magos Biologis were well-known among the Space Marines. But why so many Space Marines were hidden on a single frigate, separated from the main fleet, was unclear to them. Now, they had some idea.

Kurnos' ability to create a Space Marine in just a year was enough to shock them—and the entire Imperium.

Both Ogotai and Taral had undergone the complete process.

Normally, becoming a Space Marine required years of selection and training, followed by the gradual implantation of the 19 superhuman organs, one at a time, waiting for each to fully develop before implanting the next.

Some candidates had been stuck for a decade between the gene-seed implantation and the final step, the Black Carapace.

The two didn't know that Kurnos had used numerous secret Mechanicum techniques and consumed his precious, irreplaceable reagents to accelerate Fu Qinghai's development.

"How many Magos Biologis are there in the Imperium? It's impossible for every Genetor to be involved in the creation of Space Marines," Taral said abruptly as they walked.

Ogotai knew what Taral was getting at. The burly man with the bowl cut nodded slowly, agreeing with his companion.

Ogotai said, "You don't need to tell me. I know that even all the Apothecaries in the Legion combined might not be as skilled as one of Magos Kurnos' little fingers—if he still has such things."

"Or perhaps Kurnos used techniques on Locke that, from a cost perspective, shouldn't have been used on an ordinary Space Marine," Ogotai added.

Taral was stunned. What techniques could be more costly than creating a Space Marine, the elite of the Imperium? Then it hit him.

"You mean... the Custodes?"

Taral knew little about the Assassinorum's enhanced assassins or even the organization itself. The only thing he could think of that surpassed Space Marine creation technology was the Emperor's personal guard, the Custodians of the Imperial Palace.

He then asked, "But why would he do that?"

Ogotai shook his head.

They would soon find out.