This is our Warhammer journey

Chapter 445 Ryan: I'll Blow Up Caliban! (4k)

As the population gradually evacuates, the remaining combat forces are able to focus on combat missions and begin transporting weapons of mass destruction through spacetime rifts.

Expanding the control of combat forces within the fissures in the planet's surface, maintaining the scheduled activation of 'weapons of mass destruction,' and completing the cleanup of the Caliban operation are the primary objectives of the Dawnwings at this stage.

To achieve this goal, Dark Angel squads began operating around the world. Behind this large-scale operation was the mobilization of a large number of troops and a series of conflicts and skirmishes.

As the most experienced person in the world in using extinction orders, Ryan served as a technical advisor and directed and executed this operation after ending the space war.

"I am probably the first Primarch to carry out an extermination order on his own homeworld."

After hearing Ramses' explanation, Ryan, who had just wanted to share a resounding victory with his brothers, couldn't help but sigh, and the joy in his heart dissipated.

"The future is already set: Caliban is broken, Ryan is missing, and the Dark Angels Legion is split. Even if you do nothing, the future will not change."

Ramses said, "Also, the first to use the Extinction Order to blow up their home planet was Koz, but Nostramo is an adamantite planet with a layer of soil covering its surface, so it couldn't be blown up."

It's really bizarre. With basic resources like Nostramo, after returning to the Empire, he could have lived a life of luxury just by selling the mines. The Mechanicus might even have been shamelessly trying to convert the Nostramo satellite into a forge world for shipbuilding. I don't know how he ended up like that.

However, considering that half of the Primarchs' home planets were basically in dire straits, it's understandable.

Well, all I can say is that each Primarch has their own unique talent in management.

"You're making fun of me again."

Ryan sniffed; the noise reminded him of Magnus.

He was somewhat used to it, but Ramses's remarks always maintained a certain level of restraint and never involved personal attacks. Plus, since he had never fought Arthur before, it wasn't easy for him to lash out.

The relationship between these two is obviously very good. Given Ramses' shamelessness, he might even pull off a dishonorable tactic like mixed doubles.

"How can telling the truth be called fabrication?"

Ramses casually chimed in.

"Caliban was never a suitable place to live, especially after the Kaliban behemoths were all dead. It's so close to the Eye of Terror and it's polluted with chaos everywhere. It's okay as a military node, but as a place to live, it's a disaster. It's fine for a Primarch to give his fellow villagers two good orbs to live in, but we all have to suffer together."

"I have never asked the Emperor for any reward."

Ryan couldn't help but correct him.

Demanding control of multiple planets to benefit his own legion—what's the difference between him and the ambitious Guilliman?
Ryan genuinely believed that this was not something he should be involved in, and that was precisely why everything that happened in Caliban, and Luther's choice to betray due to hardship, oppression, and self-doubt, had always been something Ryan could not understand.

He still doesn't quite understand it.

He had clearly put aside all desires and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the duties entrusted to him by the emperor. Even the War General only dared to think about it in his heart. Why couldn't others do it?
Ramses couldn't help but smile.

Although Ryan and Perturabo have the same demands, the biggest difference between them is that Ryan is straightforward and means what he says. If he says he doesn't want a reward, he really doesn't want it, and if the Emperor just says "oh," he really doesn't give it to him. Perturabo is the same way. He doesn't want something himself, but he gets upset when the Emperor doesn't give it to him.

Therefore, it's really great to have someone like Ryan as a subordinate. He's strong, skilled, and doesn't have many demands. If he encounters unfair treatment, he might even use self-deception. You don't have to worry about him rebelling.

However, becoming a leader is a pure disaster. It doesn't mean that subordinates will compete, but if you lead everyone and they can't get ahead, it's no wonder that most Dark Angels sigh and complain.

Master Ya was right when he said the Primarchs didn't know they could do more.

You see, Caliban wants Ryan to be a local tyrant, and Dark Angels wants Ryan to be a Warmaster, but Ryan isn't greedy. There's nothing wrong with being an executioner. He can just keep the rest to himself.

You underestimated yourself!

“You’re the leader. The Primarch is placed in the Imperial framework as the heir to the throne, not a saint.”

Ramses and Ryan argued.

Ryan can say 'loyalty is the reward' because he is the Primarch, and he can truly live with dignity based on this belief.

The others died with dignity, either in some nameless corner during the Great Crusade or in Caliban's factory. The key point is that they never had a good life and could only receive the ending of "loyalty is the reward".

How can you expect people who grew up in this environment to love you and the Empire?

Ramses couldn't help but shake his head, feeling that Ryan was a typical example of a major failure in education, spending the time he should have been receiving education playing Monster Hunter.

"I think you can learn from us. We know you're not as bad as the stereotypes suggest. You just didn't fight well and didn't manage the internal morale issues within the legion. But you still need to let others know what kind of person you are, right? Otherwise, what if we let you lead the Caliban rebellion again with soldiers who don't know their generals and generals who don't know their soldiers?"

The other end of the communication fell silent after Ramses spoke, followed by a rustling sound.

"."

With a stern face, Ryan glanced down at the robed figure who was also trembling all over. After directing the drilling team to deploy earthquake bombs in the strata, he rode the Stormbird to the next location.

He needed to advise on the deployment of the extermination orders in various locations to ensure that the explosions were evenly distributed. In order to save face in front of his brothers, Ryan also did not want any mishaps to occur in the events he was involved in.

This extermination order is a delicate task. It requires cutting the planet into fragments that can just pass through the rift, then dragging them across the rift using a gravity traction device, and finally assembling them in another dimension. Therefore, the most direct method of destruction is impossible.

Ryan's current suggestion is to pour energy into the core of Kaliban, and then simultaneously detonate earthquake bombs at various locations on the surface to tear open the strata. As the internal energy expands, Kaliban will be evenly split into fragments.

As for how to inject energy into the planet's interior, that's not something Ryan should worry about.

Ryan had considered trying to save them, but apart from Redros and others, everyone else was in favor of blowing up Caliban, and no one even wanted to stay in this timeline.

The Dark Angels community is no longer my personal domain.

After assisting the garrison at the Zero Hour Node in dealing with a wave of Nurgle army charges, Ryan stood amidst the smoke and thought.

wow~
A squad of knights bowed respectfully to him as they escorted the earthquake bombs, transported by heavy transport planes, through the pass cleared by Ryan.

They walked briskly and with great enthusiasm.

"."

Ryan remained silent.

He felt he needed to talk to Arthur about what he would be responsible for in the future, as this somewhat chaotic command was not something he, who preferred to make structural adjustments and control over the legion, was used to.

However, Ryan did not find Arthur, but he did find his followers on his way to the next location.

This is much easier, because he has countless followers.

Ryan couldn't help but think sourly.

The attack aircraft formation defended the sky, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could clearly see the soldiers slowly advancing below.

Prior to this, these soldiers had been fighting an increasingly lonely and arduous battle.

The battle lines continued to shrink, filling the remaining space in the city ruins. The advancing enemy was no longer a rabble of cultists who had come from other planets through ritual portals.

These poor wretches completed their mission as human sacrifices in the process of dying. Now, all that appears are rebellious Space Marines and demons. These monsters hunt in packs, lurking ahead of the army like hungry wolves.

Ryan noticed that they were sheltering a considerable number of civilians.

These soldiers had to be careful and only act when necessary, remaining hidden most of the time as they moved through dark alleys and across ravaged artillery zones. The artillery positions at the evacuation points cleared a path for them with extremely precise fire and concealed their presence with massive explosions.

Ryan, on the other hand, didn't need to think so much. The aftermath of the Great Rebellion had instilled in the Lion a deep-seated hatred for these chaotic creations.

When he found them, he began to assess whether the risks of providing support were acceptable.

However, he is the Primarch, and there is nothing he cannot bear.

Then the demons that were chasing the living died.

They didn't even know who killed them before they died. The Primarch's powerful strength manifested in every aspect, driving the combat troops to fight even more fiercely.

But Ryan stood still, looking behind the army.

He probably really shouldn't have done that.

Ryan noticed the refugees who saw him but instinctively tried to run away.

Their already weary spirits were stretched taut the moment they saw him, their attention focused on every tiny movement of Ryan, every shift in his aura, even the tremor of his cloak. To think that mortals could perceive the actions of a Primarch was truly a pipe dream.

Ryan couldn't help but scoff at the thought to himself.

There will always be some among them who may hate him, and as the truth of the Caliban war spreads, their numbers will increase day by day. But for no reason, the sense of satisfaction and pleasure that comes from seeing the people of Caliban still alive always makes him willing to take such risks.

Ryan didn't know where this feeling came from, but the thought that Ramses was still watching him meant that running away would only invite ridicule.

And so, Ryan chose to meet with these troops.

At first, he thought they were just a group of troops retreating to the core area, carrying a group of refugees in hopes of finding shelter. Since the beginning of the war, these desperate and hungry refugees had been flocking to those evacuation areas.

Of course, these poor people would be slaughtered in droves, but there always seemed to be more people who would appear to protect them with their weapons, search the rooms, and wrap the staggering ones in long, warm cloths.

These people are not retreating.

Ryan quickly noticed the difference in these soldiers.

They were well-organized and orderly, marching like a regular army, all carrying laser guns, shotguns, and power tools, and even wearing Void Armor that greatly enhanced individual combat capabilities.

A Space Marine cautiously approached him.

He was wearing a uniform that was unfamiliar to Ryan—an outer lining over his armor, a heavy half-cloak draped over his shoulders, a high-powered laser rifle in one hand, and an incongruously thick bundle of cloth in the other, with a child's head barely peeking out and huddled in his arms.

"grown ups."

The Space Marine asked, "What is it?"

Ryan found himself staring at the child.

"who are you?"

he asks.

"Baltasar, sergeant, now serving the First Legion."

Baltasar indicated that he was organizing teams of refugees to cross the safety zone.

"Same with everyone else."

"Then...this?"

“It’s a survivor.”

Baltasar had a full face and bright eyes. He didn't look like a veteran, but his young body exuded a strong sense of resilience.

This makes sense; whether in the past or present, everyone who survives to enter the Astartes procedure is extraordinary.

“We are conducting the last round of humanitarian aid, but no one is willing to take care of him, so we have to come and wait for the logistics to arrive so that he can be registered and evacuated with us.”

Is this behavior worthy of praise?
This will slow him down, hinder his aim, and prevent him from completing his mission.

Those refugees
Ryan looked at the refugees with empty hands and subconsciously thought this, then slowly shook his head.

The refugees were struggling to survive, but this was a flower of humanity blooming in the mire of inhumanity. The original intention of the various Caliban Knights was for the strong to band together and protect their compatriots to survive on a planet surrounded by giant beasts. Countless knights have lost their lives to save others, and such behavior is beyond reproach.

"."

Recalling the various beliefs that had once flowed from his own mouth, Ryan suddenly realized how time had alienated him.

In the beginning, he left the jungle, integrated the Order of Order, hunted the Caliban behemoth for the safety of the Caliban people, discussed political affairs with Luther, drank heartily with the Order of Order, and built good relationships.

At that time, he was the guardian of Caliban and the leader of the Order of Order. He would be happy for the worship his people developed as their lives became safer, and he would think about how to make his people live better.

Until he met the emperor himself.

He accepted the duties bestowed upon him by the Emperor on behalf of the entire Caliban, but he no longer fulfilled his responsibility to rule Caliban.

Luther, Zaharie, and countless subjects of Caliban all regarded him as the true ruler of Caliban from beginning to end, but Lane lost this awareness after setting foot in space.

All you need to do is say "okay".

He said he no longer intended to rule Caliban personally, and that they could develop on their own.

Recalling what Ramses and Arthur had told him, Ryan fell into a brief daze.

He believed he had not failed Caliban and had upheld the code of chivalry he had established. But when he placed himself in the position of Caliban's ruler, could he honestly guarantee that he had kept his own creed?

He considered himself to be loyal to the end, but when he met the emperor and took on greater responsibilities, how long had it been since he cared about the people he protected behind him?
"Snap out of it, boss."

Just as Ryan was engaging in a rare moment of self-reflection, Ramses' voice roused him.

"I have a name."

Ryan couldn't understand why Ramses was always reluctant to call him by his name properly.

He disliked Horus and such gang-like titles.

"That's what I call the nineteenth one too."

"That's fine."

Ryan accepted the title immediately.

"What's the mission?"

Their tone became much more polite.

"Quickly take everyone and get out of here, Master Ya is about to start up."

Ramses reminded the other party not to be lost in thought.

However, for the Primarch, thinking takes only a moment, and even the warrior right in front of Ryan did not realize that he was thinking.

"What."

Just as Ryan was wondering, a bright light suddenly appeared on the horizon.

He looked up, following the direction from which the light was coming, and saw it was in Aldruk, in Angel Castle.

It was a light like a supernova explosion.
-
Despite having only known Arthur for a short time, yet feeling a deeper connection than his brothers who had known him for centuries but remained strangers, Ryan still harbored resentment over being spared his life due to a miscalculation in the duel.

He will not give up on challenging Arthur. He will learn from this defeat and, just as he defeated Koz, rely on his own strengths to win the next battle.

He believed he could handle that kind of pressure; the Primarch's pride wouldn't allow him to admit that he would always be weaker than his brother.

but--

just now.

At this moment.

Right here in Caliban.

Ryan took a deep breath and looked at the increasingly bright radiance on the horizon.

He admitted that he was overthinking things.

　P.S.: Characters appearing in the story

　　Ryan: He had a tug-of-war with Ramses, and then reflected on whether he was really not human.
　　Ramses: Constantly monitoring Ryan's mental state, and occasionally indulging in verbal sparring.
　　Dark Angels: Enthusiastic about Bombing Caliban
　　The rescue teams said they didn't care about the pressure of the rescue efforts, because it was their responsibility.

　　Civilians: I'm scared! Help!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)