Chapter 214: That Earth-Shattering Wisdom of Mars
Hades sat in silence inside the Armoury, head bowed in apparent thought. The mechanical rumble filled the space, but clearly, everyone in the Armoury had long grown used to this atmosphere.
"What's the matter, Hades?"
Hades stood up. Enrique emerged from behind a massive piece of machinery, hands covered in oil, face weathered and worn. The Galaspar conscription had once again challenged the Armoury to its limits. Though they had prepared for it, the sheer demand for armor and infrastructure support had left them swamped.
To Hades, this Master of the Forge looked like he had just walked off the repair lines—his entire aura screamed stay away, like all he needed now was a cigarette hanging from his lip.
"Aren't you busy too? What brings you here?"
Enrique casually stopped walking and waited for Hades to speak.
Hades forced a smile, but he could clearly feel he was running on empty.
"The next batch of Death Guard Trainee Techmarines…"
"Ah, that," Enrique replied simply.
"Alberto! Bring him over!"
He shouted into the depths of the Armoury, then turned back calmly to Hades.
"Those company captains eventually coughed up a list for us. We selected twenty-seven in total this round. Across the last two wars, the Armoury only lost two Techmarine, so the gap isn't too big."
"Still, I figure the Legion's planning to expand, so I pressed those old dogs a little harder and got a few more out of them."
At that moment, this tired, oil-stained Enrique standing in front of him suddenly seemed heroic in Hades' eyes.
"Enrique, you're a good man."
Hades dramatically pretended to wipe a tear, only for Enrique to glare at him.
"Save it. That routine might work on young folks who have a crush on you."
Hades shook his head resolutely.
"No, no, you're wrong. Enrique, both Garro and Branka fall for it too."
Enrique was so stunned by Hades' sheer confidence that he choked on his words. After a long pause, the not-so-eloquent Master of the Forge finally spat out:
"You administrative types are all shameless."
"Watch your tone, Enrique. I might be an admin, but I oversee the Armoury."
Enrique sighed.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about the Armoury, Hades. I know you've got a million things to do. Aside from your surprise projects, the Armoury can handle day-to-day Legion operations just fine."
"We're not some administrative desk jockeys. We don't deal in smoke and mirrors."
Even at the end, Enrique couldn't resist throwing one last jab at administrators.
"Oh, right. Let me show you the most promising recruit from this batch. The kid's got excellent physical specs. I had to pull some serious strings to get him from the company captain."
"He's just a bit... slow."
Enrique hesitated.
"The kid gives me a vibe similar to how you were when you worked—dead silent outside of it."
'Slow? Like me?'
Hades remained doubtful.
As they were talking, someone arrived.
"Greetings, Lord Hades. Greetings, Lord Enrique."
Alberto emerged, followed by a pale-skinned warrior. Hades instantly recognized him.
'Wait a second—that's the kid who was the second to climb the cliff!'
Holy crap, Hades thought. Enrique picked out the most badass one of them all.
"You're Bast?"
Hearing Hades call his name, Bast visibly flinched in surprise, then gave a small nod.
And that was it.
'Yep—definitely not talkative.'
Enrique shot Hades a look that said: See? That's what I meant.
Hades decided to ignore Alberto's desperate glances urging Bast to introduce himself. He could already hear the silent screams of exhaustion in Alberto's soul.
"This batch is ready to be sent to Mars. They've completed all basic training within the Death Guard."
Enrique glanced at Bast, then shifted his gaze back to Hades.
Hades nodded.
"I'll contact Mars right away."
Enrique paused for a moment.
"This time, you should write the recommendation letter for this batch of Death Guard Techmarine trainees."
In fact, there's a section in the Mars recommendation letter that allows the Master of the Forge to add a personal note. The Mechanicus never actually reads this part, so most Master of the Forges write it quickly, or just skip it altogether.
But Hades, of course, wrote his section with utmost seriousness.
He began with a single line praising Magos Yordan, who was in charge of Techmarine training. Then he used another line to politely request that Yordan properly manage this batch of recruits from the Death Guard, noting that they were "full of promise." Finally, he used an entire page to lay out a proposal on how to improve the Mars cafeteria.
Done.
Hades nodded with satisfaction, then turned around and handed the letter to Bast, the one leading this group of recruits. The Techmarine trainees stood in silence, but Hades could feel their subtle tension.
Time really flies—it was already his turn to send off the newcomers. Hades sighed and addressed them:
"Warriors, you're about to begin your studies on Mars."
"There's no need to feel dejected about leaving the Legion for a while. The time you spend on Mars will be one of the rare periods in your life where you can fully immerse yourselves in learning."
"You'll also have the opportunity to communicate and study with other Legions. Mars will offer you that chance."
He paused for a moment.
"Just… avoid the Space Wolves and the Thousand Sons."
Although Hades himself had once had a good relationship with Manning of the Space Wolves, he thought it best this batch of trainees not interact with them. As for the Thousand Sons—he hadn't met them personally, but based on his own judgment, these new recruits should probably steer clear of them too.
Sure, there were some truly insightful individuals among the Thousand Sons… but still—best to avoid.
With heartfelt concern, Hades passed on more advice:
"If you're interested in deepening your understanding of Mechanicum-related knowledge, try interacting more with the Iron Hands, the Iron Warriors, or the Imperial Fists."
"Just remember: don't try to engage the Iron Hands and Imperial Fists at the same time, and absolutely do not bring up Primarchs in front of the Iron Warriors."
"Even though our Legion had a bit of a falling-out with the Iron Warriors in the past, don't carry any prejudice. Don't go stirring up trouble."
"If you're just looking for a friendly chat, the Ultramarines and the Luna Wolves are great. Just be mindful of how they treat you—whether they're sincere or not, at least the conversations will be pleasant."
"Other Legions have their own unique characteristics. That's something you'll have to explore on your own."
Hades lowered his head, thinking if he had anything else to add. Meanwhile, the recruits across from him looked a little stunned.
They'd expected to receive the usual motivational lecture—something along the lines of "Study hard, return soon, and serve the Death Guard loyally," or perhaps some technical advice about training on Mars.
But Hades' speech clearly exceeded their expectations.
It felt more like he was really hoping they'd make friends in other Legions.
"Oh right," Hades suddenly added,
"Once you get there, go find the Ultramarines or any reliable battle-brother and ask them for a copy of the 'The Mars Techmarine Survival Manual.' That thing's probably been passed down for generations."
Hades gave a mysterious smile.
"Not to brag, but that guide is the real deal. It'll seriously boost your learning efficiency."
…?
The Techmarine glanced at one another in confusion. But Hades, as if suddenly remembering something funny, burst into laughter and moved on from the topic.
And so, the batch of Techmarine Trainees set off—carrying Hades' final instructions: eat more and stay healthy.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Some time later, on Mars.
Bast sat quietly alone in the library. Before him lay a slightly yellowed white-bound book. Acting on Hades' advice, he had sought out the Ultramarines to ask for the "good stuff" mentioned by his senior.
A striking Ultramarine gave him a dazzling smile and said:
"Ah, wait—you're from the XIV Legion. I'll go ask the Imperial Fists to get you the original copy."
"That thing's amazing. You've no idea how brilliant it is."
"Whoever came up with it? A genius. An absolute genius!"
The Ultramarine beside Bast rambled on and on, lavishing praise upon the book—speaking of altruism, of mutual support. Bast couldn't quite understand it all, but in the end, the book was handed to him with great solemnity by the warriors of the Imperial Fists.
"It's an excellent piece of work. Please extend my respect to the senior of your Legion—he must have been a great and noble man," the Imperial Fist said with deep reverence.
"His words and spirit once gave me strength in a difficult time."
"If I ever get the chance, I'd love to meet this Techmarine."
"It's true, it's a masterpiece that left me in awe," the Ultramarine added, nodding. He then patted Bast on the shoulder.
"Honestly, I envy your Legion for having someone like him."
Bast stood there, dazed. He dumbly accepted the book. Even someone as slow to react as he was could tell that this was "something special." And apparently, because of this book, other Legions seemed especially friendly toward the Death Guard.
As Bast took the book, every Techmarine present—regardless of Legion—showed expressions of satisfaction. Even the Space Wolves and World Eaters burst into applause.
"Good luck, kids!"
"Give our regards to Senior H!"
Bast, completely overwhelmed, stumbled out of the crowd in a panic. He had no idea how he even managed to push through all those smiling Techmarine.
'So… what exactly is in this book?'
Bast took a deep breath and opened the first page.
His mouth opened in surprise.
The first page was an illustration—
A few simple lines formed a fluffy, cartoonish dog, sitting and wagging its tail in the middle of the page. A small Roman numeral "XIV" was written above it.
The dog was smiling and speaking:
[Hi, I'm H from the 14th Legion. This is a book meant to be built together. If you, in the future, add to this book, please leave your mark here.]
Next to the dog was a messy scribble of a cat labeled "13," a detailed, lifelike bird labeled "9," a wolf with its head held high labeled "16," and a book labeled "17."
But the most frequent figures were geometric shapes—small cubes labeled "7," triangles labeled "4," and long rectangles labeled "10."
'Why didn't they draw animals too?' Bast wondered. The way the geometric shapes kept stacking up made it look like they were about to bury the dog completely.
'So… who is H?' Bast thought quietly. But he had no answer—Hades hadn't told them anything else about the book. So he decided to just call the dog Senior H.
He turned the page.
Senior H was now drawn in the corner of the page, chasing its own tail, spinning in circles.
Then came the actual text:
[The Mars Techmarine Survival Manual]
[Hi! Hello there! If you're reading this, that means you've officially stepped onto the path of becoming a Techmarine.]
[You might be feeling a little uncertain.]
[And it's true—except for a few special Legions, the position of Techmarine can be a bit awkward. This is mostly due to educational traditions and belief systems. But that doesn't change the fact that we play an essential role within our Legions.]
[Without Techmarine' support and maintenance, even the most elite Legion would be unable to reach its full potential. Without Techmarine' repairs and upkeep, the Imperium would be knocked back to the stone age, clubbing each other with sticks.]
[So be clear about your purpose. Techmarine are the backbone keeping the gears turning. Any wise individual will recognize the irreplaceable importance of a Techmarine.]
[So don't hesitate! March bravely down the long, long road of learning—a road so intense it could choke a Space Marine to death with its sheer volume!]
[Here's wishing that every Techmarine may earn a true fortune of their own!]
[In this book, you will find—]
I. Who Should I Believe?
+ Comment Section: How exactly should I treat the Omnissiah? +
1. I choose to believe in the doctrines of the Mechanicus:
- The Mechanicus Doctrine Knowledge Tree
- The Machine God, the Omnissiah, and the Emperor
2. I prefer to keep my own views:
- How to politely decline the prayer invitations from Magos Yordan
- A summary of doctrines often selected for random recitation tests
- How to appear extremely devout
3. How to identify true believers and flexible tech-priests
II. Starting Lesson One
1. You don't need to specialize in everything—knowledge can be deadly in excess
2. Personal Interest vs. Legion Needs Questionnaire: Find the best growth path for both
3. Overview of learning paths (Recommended books, internships, shared reflections)
4. Building your own custom toolkit and servo-skull
+ Comment Section: Show off your loadout! +
III. The Sea of Knowledge Is Endless
1. FAQ of basic knowledge hurdles
2. Comprehensive list of instruments in the workshop
3. [Incomplete—presumably continues—]
IV. Miscellaneous Discussions
1. When knowledge becomes power: how to fight with a tech-wrench
2. How to reasonably punish warriors who look down on Techmarine
3. Upward appeals: Why the Armoury needs more funding
4. Thoughts on cafeteria improvement
5. Gift buying guide when returning to your Legion
6. It's okay to feel bad: mental health techniques for high-pressure environments
V. Techmarine Base Exploration Guide (With Map)
By the time Bast looked up again, it was already deep into the night.
This child of Barbarus had experienced something akin to a spiritual shock and a quiet awakening.
A clear and defined path seemed to unfold in front of him—one that he had never considered before, never imagined.
It wasn't like the solemn and cold atmosphere of the Legion.
No—it was awe.
This book had moved him.
It gave him a vivid, living feeling, full of growth and determination, something that leapt out of every page.
Bast stared at the final page, where the fluffy dog wagged its tail with a silly grin.
Senior H was someone from his own Legion?
Someone this brilliant, humorous, and vibrant—a Death Guard?
Most Death Guard Bast had seen were always serious and silent.
This must be an extraordinary person.
Bast swore to himself that he must meet this senior someday.
At the very least, he wanted to speak to his idol just once.
Much later—after Bast had become unmatched in knowledge—he would return to the book and make his own addition.
He opened the first page again, and beside the original drawing, carefully wrote the number 14.
He wasn't good with words. But he would do his best to meet Senior H.
Wait for me, Senior H.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Achoo!"
'Someone must be talking about me.'
Hades wiped his nose with a frown and waved for the nearest Magos not to worry.
Though… could Space Marines even sneeze?
Hades still had no idea he'd already maxed out his Karma Points and Reputation Level across Mars.