Warhammer 40k : Starting as a Primarch

"It is said that at the beginning of the Diaspora, the Emperor, in a humble act, discovered a portal to the realm of the Immortal Gods. He gained their trust by promising treasures that only those on the verge of godhood could offer. The gods bestowed a portion of their power upon the Emperor, who used it to delve into science and ultimately unlock the secrets of creation."

The Emperor thus created twenty-one demigod Primarchs and, in doing so, broke his covenant with the gods.

When creating the Primarchs, the Emperor infused them with divine power, leading to a wry nickname for the Primarchs in the Warp: great demons clothed in human skin, living within the real universe.

As each Primarch matured, the essence of the Warp within them began to awaken. By embracing this essence, the Primarchs became entities of Chaos capable of traversing the Warp freely.

This transformation resembled the demon ascension blessed by the Four Gods but was fundamentally distinct.

If the Warp essence of a Primarch were likened to a company:

Accepting the blessing of the Four Gods to become a daemon is akin to selling the company, receiving a payout, but becoming an employee thereafter. Embracing one's Warp essence is akin to going public. By growing stronger, one could rival established giants such as the Emperor or the Four Gods.

Dukel had now reached this point, realizing the nature of his personal Warp essence.

"But if my Warp essence is essentially a network server," Dukel pondered, "then what's in the system?"

Using the computational power of the Heart Network, the Progenitor sought to deduce the answer.

Unfortunately, limited data meant he could only form two hypotheses:

The second Primarch awakened their Warp essence ten millennia ago. Upon traveling through time and space into this body, their essence manifested as a system influenced by the traveler's consciousness. The system itself used supreme power to forcibly alter the properties of the second Primarch's body.

Dukel considered the first hypothesis more plausible but did not dismiss the second entirely. Without sufficient evidence, he ceased diverting computational resources toward an answer.

There were gaps in the memories of the original body, leaving the ultimate truths for his future self to uncover. The hidden history would be revealed in due time.

In the real world, Dukel's eyes seemed to pierce into the distant future.

Insight into his essence brought a palpable growth in power, accompanied by cheers and faith swelling around him.

The road ahead was fraught with thorns. Dukel could sense the malice lurking in the Warp. This was no ordinary journey—it was a hunt for the Primarch.

But Dukel would show all beings, mortal and immortal alike, that the galaxy and the Warp were his hunting grounds.

With his spirit now fully connected to his essence, Dukel decided it was time to upgrade his spiritual cultivation methods.

Mental energy, which decomposed and purified Warp energy, was now fully integrated into his essence. This novel system, distinct from conventional psionics, would be a revelation to his enemies.

Dukel concluded his speech amidst raucous cheers.

He retained dozens of planetary governors to draft future policies jointly. The Ministry of Military Affairs was formally established during these discussions.

Nearly 10,000 members now belonged to the Heart Network, their numbers ever-growing. These individuals would assist the Primarch in orchestrating wars yet to come.

A new research institute was also founded, where the Mechanicus collaborated with Imperial scientists to adapt and advance technologies perfected by Dukel. This heralded a new era for the Empire's stagnant, even regressing, technological tree.

A new fleet, a rejuvenated Second Legion, and advanced technological support were all being prepared.

Dukel also announced the creation of a massive academy on Ophelia VII, rivaling the size of a major city. Named the Imperial Cathedral, Dukel would serve as its first dean. The academy would nurture talent for science, religion, culture, military, and governance.

After two weeks of intensive discussion and numerous decrees finalizing the Empire's future direction, Dukel returned to his quarters.

By now, the Heart Network boasted nearly 20,000 members, all elites bound by unwavering loyalty.

Dukel then encountered something unexpected: the first psyker had joined the Heart Network.

Reading her memory, Dukel smiled in recognition. Anna, the little girl he had saved, possessed an exceptional gift for fire magic. In an empire where psykers often faced grim fates and bleak futures, Dukel represented her only beacon of hope. Her absolute faith in him earned her a place in the Heart Network.

"Squeak!"

The sharp noise made Anna curl her toes instinctively. She whispered Dukel's name in her heart, seeking the strength to endure the tormenting sound.

Time passed until the sound ceased.

"Bite!"

A pleasant chime followed, and a translucent panel materialized before her eyes.

Confused but curious, Anna found herself in a vast, dark space. A holographic screen displayed scrolling messages:

"The Ultra Brain Assist System is on sale? Forget it, I've already bought it." "Notes on spiritual cultivation techniques, 10 points each—don't miss out!" "Oka Planet demon expulsion mission, 3-for-1 deal!" "Ophelia VII black market cleanup—any info from sisters in the Order of Nuns? Payment offered!"

As she read, Anna's breathing quickened. Just then, a new prompt appeared:

[High-level fire magic psyker talent detected. Upload to the Heart Network? Reward: 5000 points.]

[Caution: Uploading will result in the loss of this talent.]

Anna stared, stunned, before making her choice without hesitation.

"Upload!"

To her, psychic power was a curse, not a blessing, and she felt no attachment to it.

"Congratulations! You've earned 5000 points."

At the Heart Network's core, Dukel held a ball of energy containing Anna's psychic talent. It was rapidly being analyzed.

Understanding his essence had granted Dukel many abilities, chief among them mental control over Heart Network members. He could modify memories, alter subconscious thoughts, strip psychic talents, or even retrieve a member's soul into the Heart Network upon death.

In many ways, Dukel, Lord of the Heart Network, was no different from a Chaos God of the Warp. All souls within the Heart Network ultimately belonged to him.

Even if Anna had refused, Dukel could have taken her talent by force. However, he preferred voluntary submission.

The Heart Network's computational power surged, and soon Anna's psychic talent was converted into blessings and listed in the Heart Network Mall:

Blessing: Burning Disinfection – 100 points Blessing: Breath of Fire – 500 points Blessing: Fiery Incarnation – 1000 points Blessing: Fire Spirit Shield – 500 points Blessing: Manipulation of Fire – 300 points Blessing: Natural Law – 200 points

Soon, prompts echoed in the ears of Heart Network members, announcing the new items.