Chapter 115: One by One, Sent for Physical and Mental Reconditioning
"Welcome to the first step of change."
A low voice echoed in his ear, carrying a certain mechanical coldness.
Seth's vision gradually cleared. He saw the black knight standing before him, the tools in his hands gleaming with a cold light. His heart began to race, his breathing coming in short, buzzing gasps, as if he sensed some irreversible change was about to descend upon him.
Smack!
A manual was slapped onto Seth's face. He instinctively wanted to resist, but when he raised his hands, he found that he was not restrained, only stripped of his armor and placed on a surgical table. He looked around and saw that, besides this black knight who had single-handedly defeated two of his companies, the Chapter's Sanguinary High Priest and an Inquisitor were also at his side.
"Inquisitor!"
Seth's pupils suddenly constricted. It was an almost instinctive reaction to lash out and kill. Then he was firmly pressed onto the surgical table by an iron hand.
"The modification surgery requires the approval of the Inquisition. If you don't want to cause trouble for Karna in the future."
With a single name, Arthur had calmed the ferocious beast.
"Your mind should be clear enough now. Take a good look at the modifications in the manual."
Seth really wanted to rage. At the very least, facing this knight who was like a great dragon hunting a small bird, he should have argued for the dignity of the sons of the Angel. So he picked up the manual that was still on his chest and began to study it carefully.
Aglaia let out a sigh of relief. She was only here to provide certification for the transmigrators' modifications. Out of professional ethics, she had to understand the detailed procedure of this surgery, and whether there were any Chaos or xenos factors at play.
She hadn't gone down to the planet yesterday. Her precognition had told her that if she had, it would have brought her no good. So she had stayed on the ship, busy writing her report on Pierdra for Terra, and also communicating with the Archmagos to prevent herself from getting "lost in the Warp" again for saying something she shouldn't have. Then today, she had been notified by Arthur to come and approve a surgery.
The power of the Inquisition was immense. Even if the internal Ordos had their own leanings, to the outside world, the Inquisition had the authority to investigate anything that seemed amiss. And if an incident was already under investigation by another Inquisitor, then any subsequent Inquisitor would decisively abandon their own investigation.
Whoever finds it, is responsible for it. This was an unwritten rule among Inquisitors. So, if an Inquisitor wanted to protect something, it was actually very easy.
And—
Aglaia looked at Arthur with gratitude. The transmigrators were truly easy to serve. They wouldn't mess with her by using forbidden knowledge like the Archmagos did.
It was a detailed modification plan. To adapt to a suit of power armor that was in a constant state of overload, the soldier would be implanted with an organ called a "muscle coil" to allow the body to coordinate with the armor's power output. At the same time, to ensure the lifespan of each warrior in the face of the side effects of these exterminatus weapons, an organ for storing stem cells would be added to the chest. This organ would store healthy stem cells and gradually release them at the appropriate time, spreading them throughout the body via the circulatory system to repair permanent damage caused by radiation or other factors.
Finally, a small regulatory device was installed externally, which needed to be adjusted once a month to ensure the organs functioned properly. It could be installed in the power armor's recycling module.
The organ cultivation process, the surgical examples, the operational procedures—all were systematically annotated with the Codex as a base. Any questions could be answered with scientific and detailed explanations. Aglaia could also observe and verify the process, and quickly came to a conclusion.
Hmm, compared to the heretical body modifications of the Iron Hands, their inhuman Dreadnoughts, and the various ruins left by their deceased Primarch that were buried with heretek... this technology, which was designed to increase the survival time and combat effectiveness of Destroyer company members, had no heretical elements.
As for the Destroyer company itself, a configuration explicitly forbidden by the Codex Astartes... Aglaia felt that after seeing the Nemesis Chapter and their Gloriana-class battleship, which could still operate at full firepower despite their Chapter being limited to a thousand men, it was necessary to ignore this problem.
But isn't this surgical procedure a bit too detailed?
Aglaia looked around. She felt that she could probably perform the surgery herself just by following this manual. She then remembered that this surgery, after being approved by Dante and the Sanguinary High Priest, had invited the Apothecaries from all the Chapters to observe, under the good name of "joint supervision by brother Chapters."
The surgery itself was fine, but it seemed the lords were intentionally trying to spread this kind of technology.
Well, it's not her business.
Aglaia felt that she just needed to give her certification. The surgery was fine. As for the rest, to avoid getting lost in the Warp herself, she decided to ignore it for now. Every time she wanted to do something extra, Aglaia would think of her late mentor, and sincerely believe that she should not do things beyond her capabilities. Running around with the lords, listening to them tell a bit of past history to send back to Terra to complete her performance review was perfect. She still wanted to live in her villa.
"The Tears of the Angel?" Seth asked, his voice filled with excitement as he locked onto the title. "Can we become the 'Tears of the Angel'?"
As expected, you can't expect the Blood Angels' brains to be for anything other than fighting.
"This is the Destroyer Death Company. Karna has other requirements for the members of the 'Tears of the Angel' besides combat effectiveness. For example, a member should be a wise man who can bring hope and strength to those around him."
Seeing that Gabriel had no intention of refusing, Arthur simply injected the anesthetic. He then pulled over the cultivation tank at his side and began to implant the various organs.
You want to be the 'Tears of the Angel' in your current state? In your dreams.
"Then what is the purpose of this surgery?"
Seth felt that the black knight was quite cultured. If it had been him, he would have just cursed him out, telling him that a slave who was addicted to the Thirst had no right to join the Tears of the Angel.
"The reason for the surgery is that Karna intends to lead you into battle together. But you are too weak. You cannot keep up with him," Arthur said bluntly, as a form of retaliation for this sole candidate for the Flesh Tearers' Chapter Mastership having been rude to him.
The knight's technique was skilled. Seth didn't even feel any pain, yet his mind was kept clear. He could even see his own chest cavity being opened, and the knight using sterile forceps to carefully place the organs inside and then begin to suture.
Seth believed his physique was slightly different from other Blood Angels, but Arthur was still able to accurately control the anesthetic dosage based on his constitution and skillfully perform the organ implantation.
"Your... your skill is exquisite," Seth said, swallowing the words "how many people have you dissected" after recalling Karna's teaching.
"Practice makes perfect."
Recalling the series of arrangements Ramesses had given him, Arthur felt that there were few people in the entire galaxy who were more familiar with the Astartes' body structure than he was.
Hemostasis, filling with repair gel, reinforcing the skeleton, suturing the wound.
"Done."
The medical equipment stopped operating and was then stored in the backpack behind him. Seth looked at the knight, who had returned to his unremarkable appearance, showing no special features. He then looked down at the faint suture lines on his body, recalled the scene of the man instantly knocking him down, and felt that this guy could probably tear the entire Flesh Tearers Chapter to pieces with his bare hands.
"This is the organ regulation device. To use it, you plug it into the new nerve-cluster in your chest cavity. I have already given the manufacturing method to your Sanguinary High Priest. Remember to get a new one if it breaks."
This device was actually a substitute for the "Sinew Coils," an organ with an excessively high Warp-component. It didn't have as many additional functions as the Sinew Coils, but it could ensure the normal operation of the new organs and, to a certain extent, promote the secondary development of a Space Marine.
Don't ask how the transmigrators got it. Just be sincerely grateful for the contributions of the daemons.
"Are you ready for the second step of change?"
Seth moved his body, feeling the unprecedented power brought by his new form. He had a premonition that he could become even stronger.
"Yes! I can't wait!"
"Good." The black knight nodded.
Dawnlight - Parish School
"Uncle," Erica and Cylene said, looking curiously at the tall giant beside them.
They were in different departments and shouldn't have been together, but today they had heard that a new pre-school course was being offered, and all children under the age of nine were required to attend. The two little ones had naturally chosen to stick together.
"Are you here to attend the class too?"
"..."
Seth's stiff mouth twitched. He looked at the book placed in front of him, then at Karna, who had just walked out from behind the lectern.
"Yes," he replied, his voice as gentle as he could make it.
(End of Chapter)