Belisarius Cawl's words were like a bucket of cold water, splashing over the heads of many high lords, even Trajan.
The Trazyn the Infinite was indeed a detestable figure. He had stolen far too much from the Imperium—whether it was people or pieces of history. He was nothing but a disgraceful thief. Many organizations within the Imperium had long taken note of him, and even the Officio Assassinorum had sent assassins to eliminate him. But the result? All those assassins ended up as part of his private collection.
The Imperium was well aware of his actions, and they even had some guesses about his methods. After all, stealing once or twice might go unnoticed, but stealing repeatedly would undoubtedly attract attention. The Imperium had considered dealing with him, but his lair existed within a hidden pocket dimension, heavily fortified and well-defended.
Even some Necron dynasties had sought to deal with Trazyn the Infinite, but the problem was that no one could find a way into his domain. Without access to his Tomb World in the pocket dimension, any plans to deal with him were nothing but empty talk. All anyone could do was remain vigilant against his constant raids.
This was why Trazyn the Infinite was infamous across the galaxy. Despite his relentless plundering, no one had been able to stop him. Belisarius Cawl speculated that this ancient Eldar clan had likely been tricked by Trazyn the Infinite more than once in ancient times.
"This matter is mine to handle. I can find his lair and figure out a way to bring you all inside," said Rhodes.
A pocket dimension? A spatial barrier?
Those might pose a challenge to others, but not to Rhodes. The Trazyn the Infinite had made one fatal mistake: he had stolen Rhodes' miniature Pedan spaceship, which happened to be a tracking device.
Sure, Trazyn's lair was hidden inside a pocket dimension, but Rhodes could still drag him out. This was something the Ace Killer could do, and even the Dark Giant Daram could accomplish. Rhodes had too many ways to get in.
"Are you certain, Lord Loki? You can lead the Imperium's forces into his lair?" asked Trajan.
"I'm certain. I can take you all inside," Rhodes nodded, giving Trajan and the high lords a definite answer.
"Trazyn the Infinite isn't just your enemy; he's the Imperium's enemy as well. I support taking him down."
"This war will require extensive preparation," one high lord objected. "And don't forget, the Leviathan Hive Fleet is still a threat to the Imperium's sacred territories. Many regions have already suffered attacks from the Tyranid swarms. Can we afford such a war in the short term? And what would the Imperium gain from it? Capturing a mere thief?"
This remark plunged some high lords into silence. If not for the Tyranid threat, they might have had the resources to mobilize over 40 Space Marine chapters. But now, with the Tyranids looming, the T'au expanding their influence, and Chaos forces stirring in the shadows, could the Imperium truly afford such a massive campaign—just to deal with a thief?
"This isn't just about catching a thief," Trajan countered. "It's about repairing the Golden Throne. You need to understand this. We have a strong justification for dealing with him, but the most important reason is to fix the Golden Throne. That should be clear to all of you."
This wasn't an ordinary war—it was about repairing the Golden Throne. A war that would not only punish an enemy of the Imperium but also secure the future of humanity.
The two high lords who had opposed the plan fell silent. This wasn't a debate about whether or not to fight. It was a war that had to be fought because the one proposing it held the key to the Imperium's survival. If the Imperium refused, the Golden Throne would go unrepaired, potentially dooming humanity to extinction.
"To mobilize 40 chapters will take significant time. Captain-General Trajan, how many of the Custodes can you deploy for this operation?" asked another high lord.
"This is to defend the dignity of the Imperium and the Emperor himself. The Custodes can make an exception and take action this once. I can deploy 1,000 Custodes for this campaign," Trajan replied.
The Custodes would act to uphold the dignity of the Imperium and protect the Emperor. After 10,000 years of recovery, the Adeptus Custodes had been fully restored to their strength, and their numbers had even grown. The current Custodes were stronger than they had been 10 millennia ago.
"Then it's settled. Once I've repaired the Golden Throne, we'll go after this Necron overlord. I'll handle breaking into his pocket dimension. As for the spoils of war, anything that belongs to the Imperium will go to you. Everything else will belong to me," Rhodes said.
The Trazyn the Infinite's interest in the Imperium's belongings mostly revolved around cloning Primarchs, Space Marine chapters, Sisters of Battle, and notable figures or entire regiments. But to Rhodes, those weren't important. His focus was on other treasures within Trazyn's collection.
"We agree. And how many troops can your family contribute to this campaign?" Trajan asked.
The Imperium wasn't particularly fond of Xenos technology, after all.
"At least 100 Mechanized Titans, all of which are on par with your Warlord Titans. As for the rest of my forces, I'll keep that a surprise. You'll see when the time comes," Rhodes replied.
After finishing the Golden Throne, Rhode planned to upgrade his flagship-grade mothership to its peak, which would mark the official formation of the King Joe Legion. Leveraging the three forge worlds acquired through the Empire's trade agreements, Rhodes also intended to produce several Ultrawarriors. In addition, other large monsters would join the fray when the time came.
"The Empire's military mobilization will take some time," Trajan remarked.
Assembling such a massive force would require years, even just to gather them all in one place. Sitting quietly nearby, Belisarius Cawl remained silent. He had hidden about 100,000 Primaris Space Marines on Mars—far more troops than the typical 40 Space Marine Chapters, which would only amount to around 40,000 marines. His secret force could easily meet the Empire's needs.
However, there was a problem—those Primaris Marines could only be deployed after Roboute Guilliman's return. Otherwise, the High Lords of Terra or even the Captain-General might eliminate him at the first opportunity. Over ten millennia, Cawl had secretly assembled a force equivalent to three or four full Space Marine Legions from the Great Crusade era.
Moreover, all these marines were equipped with his newly developed Mk X power armor, along with advanced bolter weapons, chainswords, and power swords.
"One of Leviathan's tendrils has already reached the Underworld System, and beyond it lies Baal, the homeworld of the Blood Angels Chapter. We must redirect some of our forces to support them," one of the High Lords stated.
"Even with emergency redeployment, this war will require at least a decade of preparation, if not longer," another High Lord sighed.
Rhodes glanced playfully at Belisarius Cawl, who was still seated nearby. They probably have no idea that Cawl could meet their military needs right now—perhaps even double the required troops without any real effort.
But Rhodes wasn't in a rush. He thought to himself: Once Guilliman awakens, I'll let him handle the bill. After all, I've fixed his throne—it's only fair he pays for it.
"My family has an ancient seer who prophesied that a great figure would soon return to your Imperium. I believe he'll cover the costs when he arrives. Within a year, we'll be ready for this war. At that time, I can open the Webway and lead you there. There's no need to mobilize your current Space Marine Chapters. When that great figure returns, he'll bring an army with him," Rhodes said with a smile.
He glanced at Belisarius Cawl, flashing a grin that made the Mechanicum's Archmagos visibly uneasy. Does this bastard know about the 100,000 Primaris Marines I've been hiding? Cawl wondered.
And that great figure he mentioned—could it be Roboute Guilliman?
Cawl calculated quickly in his mind. His new suit of armor, designed specifically for Guilliman, would be completed in two months—enough time before the war began. Once Guilliman awakened, those Primaris Marines could indeed join the battle.
Rhodes' remarks left Trajan and the High Lords visibly shocked. A war within a year? And without mobilizing their forces? Where would the soldiers come from?
"Very well, we'll trust your family's prophecy. Are you sure we don't need to assemble the Space Marine Chapters?" one High Lord asked skeptically, with a hint of sarcasm. If this backfires, it's on you.
"You only need to mobilize some mortal troops—around a few million should suffice," Rhodes replied. "This war will primarily rely on elite forces. Mortal soldiers would only serve auxiliary roles, like cleaning up the battlefield."
After confirming these arrangements, the High Lords conducted a symbolic vote. The proposal for war against the Trazyn the Infinite was approved with ten votes in favor and two against. Once the vote concluded, the High Lords dispersed.
Captain-General Trajan headed deep into the Imperial Palace to arrange accommodations for Rhodes' scientists. Meanwhile, Belisarius Cawl approached Rhodes and asked, "Lord Loki, who exactly is this great figure you mentioned? And what army were you referring to?"
"With the Archmagos's intellect, you surely already know who I'm talking about—and where that army is," Rhodes replied with a smile.
So he does know about the Primaris Marines! Cawl thought, alarmed. But how? I've hidden them so well!
"I'll take my leave," Cawl said, nodding curtly before turning to leave.
"Archmagos, I'll be paying you a visit in the near future," Rhodes called after him with a chuckle.
Cawl's steps faltered for a moment before he continued out of the room, his mind racing.