"No problem! Your soul and body are even stronger, so you can draw even more psychic power. It's Warp stuff anyway—I'm just giving you a shield," Guilliman nodded.
With Guilliman's approval, Rhodes didn't hesitate—he spent 20,000 system coins on another monster enhancement.
Miclas had already been maxed out by Rhodes, so no extra coins were needed.
Once selected, the system enhancement began—a strange energy entered Rhodes' body, strengthening body and soul, empowering every cell.
Guilliman watched Rhodes' transformation—this was a mysterious power, not Warp, but something higher-dimensional.
Rhodes' soul visibly grew stronger, his body more formidable—the process lasted over ten minutes.
Guilliman tried to analyze it, to see what made it different from cosmic phantom beast power.
But he found his power couldn't even comprehend this higher-dimensional force. The miracles in Rhodes were simply beyond their understanding.
No wonder Father said Rhodes was humanity's true savior. Without him, even if Guilliman had awakened, he'd only have delayed the Empire's death. Humanity would still perish.
But Rhodes' arrival changed everything. Not only did Guilliman awaken, but he also achieved a true union of soul and body, attaining the state of a lesser god.
This time, Rhodes' physique was boosted again. Miclas, as a close-combat kaiju, gave Rhodes a terrifying physical upgrade.
He also acquired the thermal ray, which could now combine with Gomora's super shockwave, gaining high-heat properties.
Most terrifying of all was Miclas's million-horsepower strength—not just physical stats, but an explosive force.
Now, with Red King's brute strength mode and Gomora's berserk form, Rhodes could unleash thousands of tons of force.
Barehanded, he could punch with 100,000 horsepower—a true human tank. His defense was also enhanced—now even point-blank boltgun fire couldn't break his guard.
Rhodes set himself a new goal: someday, he'd block power fists with his face, and parry power swords with his fingers.
"Looks like you're done! Incredible—your psychic power's increased by at least a third, and your physical strength by half," Guilliman said, surprised to see the new Rhodes.
He was completely different from before!
"Haha! And you're not the same either.
This isn't our end, just our beginning. Don't slack off! With the cosmic phantom beast, you'll get even stronger—don't be satisfied," Rhodes laughed.
"Rhodes! Meeting you is my honor. Don't worry, I'll never slack off! Humanity has so many enemies—I haven't wiped them out yet, nor revived the Empire!" Guilliman nodded.
"Alright, now give me your blessing and protection!" Rhodes said.
Guilliman's body shone with invisible light—a divine power entered Rhodes, forming a psychic shield just like the Emperor's.
It would protect Rhodes' soul from evil Warp entities and allow him to draw on Warp power freely.
"I do feel different now!
I bet I could even be a Navigator in the Warp now—maybe better than most of them," Rhodes said, sensing his new state.
He could vaguely feel his mind and soul about to break some kind of barrier, entering a mysterious space—the Warp.
"Some powerful psykers can indeed do that—directly guiding ships through the Warp.
You could do it before, but now it'll be much easier. Now your psychic power could easily kill daemons, or banish them from reality," Guilliman said.
Rhodes had been able to do this before but was cautious with Warp power.
"Thanks! Looks like giving you my cosmic phantom beast wasn't a waste," Rhodes said, patting Guilliman on the shoulder.
Now both of them were two meters tall—much more harmonious than before when Guilliman was 3.6 meters and a small giant.
The cosmic phantom beast paid off. Guilliman would handle the cosmic beast planet, and Rhodes' psychic power got a nice boost.
Plus, Guilliman would draw the Chaos gods' attention—after all, a lesser god with a body!
If Guilliman knew what Rhodes was thinking, he'd probably punch him.
The cosmic phantom beast had made Guilliman a true lesser god with a body. His power wasn't inferior to some C'tan!
They chatted a bit more, and then Guilliman stayed behind to train in cosmic phantom beast martial arts. Now, both could cut loose and spar.
With a suitable partner, both would improve.
…
When night fell, Guilliman finally took his leave.
Back in his residence, he summoned Tigurius, his Chief Librarian, and gave him the same psychic boost as Rhodes.
He wanted his Chief Librarian—maybe even future legion librarian—to have the strongest psychic power a mortal could possess.
"Thank you for your grace, gene-father," Tigurius knelt to Guilliman after the blessing.
Now his gene-father truly felt like a god! The Emperor blesses the Imperium.
"No need to be formal. You're my gene-son—of course, I'll give you good things. I have a task for you," Guilliman said.
"Your command, great gene-father."
"My brother Rhodes' legion is newly formed and lacks suitable psykers to become Chief Librarians.
I need you to recruit suitable psykers from across the 500 worlds of Ultramar, and beyond, and train them to be Chief Librarians for Rhodes," Guilliman said.
He planned to give Rhodes another gift—a batch of strong, suitable psykers.
"I understand, great gene-father. I'll handle this right away and select the best, strongest psykers.
I'll train them as Rhodes' gene-sons and Chief Librarians," Tigurius nodded.
Guilliman discussed a few details with Tigurius, then sent him off to help form Rhodes' psychic corps.
That night, as Guilliman rested in his room, a strange energy flared around him.
His soul left his body and entered the mysterious Warp. Guilliman could now easily enter the Warp—his soul belonged there.
"I sense your power, my brother—Sanguinius! You're calling me, aren't you!
I've sensed your call since my soul first awakened—come, let's talk, brother. I know you have something to say," Guilliman's soul called through the Warp.
"I'm glad to see you again, my brother Guilliman. You're more perfect than I am now," a soul radiating golden light and white wings descended.
He envied Guilliman's state—a perfect match of body and soul, able to affect the real universe.
"Sanguinius! Why did you call me?" Guilliman asked.
Is it because I have a proper body now?
Does Sanguinius want me to help him get a body, so he can leave the Warp and be resurrected?
Maybe Rhodes could help with that. But Sanguinius can't just use an ordinary body—and cosmic phantom beasts require fusing with a living being, which doesn't work.
"My brother, I need your help. My gene-sons are facing unprecedented disaster—my homeworld, Baal, is about to be destroyed."
"Baal? What happened?"
"The Shadow in the Warp, even stronger than the four Chaos gods, has sent its tendril, Leviathan, to attack my home.
I used my psychic power to slow time in the Baal system, so seven days there equals 100 years outside, waiting for your rescue.
But things have gone beyond my expectations—you must hurry to save them."
"The Tyranids are really that strong?"
"See for yourself. My sons have no hope of victory,"
Sanguinius showed Guilliman a terrifying scene.
"What…what is this?" Guilliman said in disbelief.
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