An obvious fact is that Roboute Guilliman is a Primarch. Whether in personal combat prowess or mental calculation, he stands at the absolute pinnacle of the Imperium of Man. Combined with his upbringing on Macragge—and the rarity among Primarchs of having both parents present—he possesses an immense understanding of societal mechanics and a healthy, functional psyche.
Moreover, even among all the Primarchs, Guilliman is a titan of logistics and calculation. Perhaps only Lorgar Aurelian of the Seventeenth Legion could rival him in this regard—but Lorgar had turned traitor during the Horus Heresy. Thus, among the loyalist Primarchs, Guilliman is almost irreplaceable.
However, the problem lies here: he committed a mistake similar to many authors—he was forced by irresistible circumstances to abruptly cease his "updates."
"...Just like with the Codex Astartes?"
Adam finally couldn't help but speak up, interrupting Guilliman's impromptu exposition of his grand blueprint.
Guilliman's face fell instantly. Mentioning this was like forcing him to don a mask of pure agony. Especially over the past day, when Guilliman prepared to reorganize the Victrix Guard and the Invictatus Suzerains—an act clearly violating the Chapter organization rules in his own Codex Astartes—several veterans from the Ultramarines Chapter had watched him with hesitant, worried gazes. Some had even offered subtle admonitions, urging him not to violate the Codex.
In that moment, Guilliman experienced exactly what it felt like to be trapped by one's own web.
"That was just an... accident," Guilliman said with some helplessness, attempting to defend the epic tome he had written ten thousand years ago, which had now become near-dogmatic. "The state of the Imperium at the time required a set of standardized regulations to prevent the possibility of another Astartes Legion rebellion. Even I could not have foreseen that future generations would uphold it as absolute truth, to the point of becoming rigid and stagnant."
"Hard to say." Adam shook his head, his tone carrying undisguised skepticism. "I mean, what if this Codex Constitutional has just barely begun, and you—just like last time—encounter a traitorous brother, get hot-headed, and get yourself 'sent' again? Who's going to finish writing it for you? I can't exactly go into the Warp to find Lorgar Aurelian and ask him to ghostwrite the sequel for you, can I?"
"I will not fail as I did ten thousand years ago." Guilliman's voice steadied, carrying the unique confidence of a Primarch.
Hearing him remain so stubborn, Adam finally laughed out of frustration.
"Then, let's have a post-match review!" Adam suddenly raised his volume, speaking seriously. "The Battle of Thessala. Mr. Guilliman, please explain why you lost your cool back then, insisted on boarding the Pride of the Emperor, and threw your life away? And then left behind a mountain of 'legacy code'?"
He took a step forward, pointing a finger at Guilliman. This movement caused the Victrix Guard in the rear to tense up instantly, though they restrained their reactions.
"Speak! Was there a problem with how you played this match?"
Guilliman fell silent. Every detail of the Battle of Thessala was deeply etched into his memory. He could not deny that he had indeed been dominated by impulses of rage and revenge at the time.
Adam didn't stop, his speaking speed getting faster and faster.
"At that time, the Imperium wasn't exactly lacking in other high-end combat power! Leman Russ was there, Jaghatai Khan was there, Rogal Dorn was also there! Why was it ultimately you, the Imperial Regent, who chose to personally jump in for a duel?"
"Even if the battle was unfavorable and you were surrounded by enemies, couldn't you have just stayed back and commanded the fleet in a void war? Don't tell me that strategic brain of yours—the one supposedly at the top of the Imperium—couldn't analyze which was more damaging to a crumbling Empire: losing a fleet, or losing the Imperial Regent and a Primarch?"
"Who gave you this kind of confidence? Was it winning that duel in the simulation against a Corvus Corax who wasn't even wearing power armor?"
"Or was it during the Great Heresy, when you fought Lorgar—whose combat power is considered bottom-tier among Primarchs—and an Alpharius who might not even have been the real one, that you managed to build up this much ego?"
"Speak up! Have you gone mute?"
Guilliman felt a daze wash over him. How long had it been since he was scolded so directly and sharply? As Primarchs, their status in the Imperium was supreme. Even if someone held a differing opinion, they would usually express it in an extremely subtle manner. A questioning like this had almost never happened.
However, Adam's identity was too special. He was not only the key figure in Guilliman's awakening but also held immense favor for resurrecting those precious sons. This heavy debt of gratitude made it difficult for Guilliman to refute him directly.
Not to mention, what he said was actually correct.
Guilliman sank into silence, his brow furrowed, clearly beginning to reflect in earnest.
Adam raised his hand and pointed directly at the group of Victrix Guard behind them, who had turned to stone and were standing frozen.
"Coincidentally, speaking of this topic, aren't there eyewitnesses here?" Adam's gaze swept across them. "Captain Andros, Captain Thiel. You two, won't you say a word?"
The two who were named shuddered slightly.
Andros—the first Captain of the First Company of the Ultramarines Legion, the hero who had died protecting the Primarch aboard the Pride of the Emperor—was now standing here again due to Adam's reality-warping abilities. He wore his helmet, hiding his expression, but his posture as he stood there silently was somewhat complex.
To be fair, even seeing his genetic father being scolded like this, Andros felt little anger in his heart. Because what Lord Adam said... actually made quite a lot of sense. He still clearly remembered how he had almost knelt before Guilliman on the flagship back then, begging him to stay, but he couldn't dissuade the latter who had completely lost his head. There was truly no other way.
However, Captain Thiel, whose personality was more active and unconventional, finally spoke up after a moment of silence.
"Lord Guilliman, you indeed need to pay attention to this point."
Guilliman nodded heavily, acknowledging his son's counsel. Then, he heard his favorite son suddenly change the subject. Captain Thiel turned his head and looked at Adam.
"However, Lord Adam, you don't seem to have much ground to stand on regarding this either."
"Huh?" Adam froze for a moment.
"Regardless of how critical the specific situation was," Thiel said, "performing a boarding action with only two people, targeting the Hive Fleet of the Tyranids directly, and facing or even destroying the Hive Mind... such an act, even from the perspective of an Astartes, can only be described as excessively reckless."
He paused, seemingly recalling the feeling at the time.
"Back then, while in the state of the Legion of the Damned, I could clearly perceive from the direction of the Golden Throne... an emotional fluctuation bordering on frantic. He almost immediately dispatched us, the Legion of the Damned, and Saint Celestine."
Thiel concluded, his tone incredibly sincere.
Zip!
Guilliman's body snapped toward Adam, casting a gaze filled with speechless irony directly at him.
After all that talk, you're exactly the same?
And you actually have the nerve to scold me?!
Adam spread his hands and said loudly, "How can that be the same?"