My Life as A Death Guard (Warhammer 30K Male MC)

The Endurance, First Company Training Hall

Now.

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This is the largest training hall aboard the Endurance. 

The vast gray metal walls stand silently in the distance, the ceiling impossibly high, with lights beaming directly down, bright and blinding. 

The hall is divided into different sections: physical training, shooting range, combat zone... Squads of Space Marines march through, and from the observation deck on the second floor, countless streams of white and green flow in an orderly manner.

The occasional crackle of the translator, the heavy thud of power armor on the floor, the sound of horns, heavy breathing, blades cutting the air, and the roar of gunfire echoed throughout the hall.

Veteran Laine of the First Company felt a sense of pride. 

He wanted to boast, but his actions spoke louder than words. 

Laine was leading the three-man squad he was training, heading toward the combat cage.

The path to the combat cage wasn't particularly busy. Using the combat cage for recruits was a bit premature; it wasn't that the recruits couldn't handle it, but rushing them into sparring without developing proper combat techniques and methods wasn't the best approach.

However, the training results of Laine's three-man squad had been exceptionally fast.

From what Laine knew, the three in his squad — Calas Typhon, Huznir, and Morag — had been elite members of the rebel forces on Barbarus.

This was precisely why they had been assigned to Laine, a veteran trusted by Barasine.

Both Laine and Barasine were part of the moderate faction that welcomed the return of their Primarch.

Laine felt that some of his comrades were too stubborn. After all, the return of the Primarch was inevitable. 

Early on, before many Primarchs had been found, things were different, but later, those Legions without a Primarch would gradually see their resources and weapons supplies dwindle.

There was no need to oppose the return of their Primarch. The Primarch would lead the Legion to new heights, winning the Emperor's favor.

The glories of the past were behind them, and the grand future was the dream!

With his confidence that the Primarch Mortarion could lead them to great victories in the Great Crusade, Laine took his role in training the recruits seriously.

His three trainees did not disappoint. Though they had some initial struggles and minor conflicts, Laine, having been through it himself, knew what it was like. When he was a new recruit, he hadn't liked the veterans either.

Huznir was a tough one. His gaze had been fierce and intimidating at the start of training. It wasn't until Laine had shown off some of his skills that Huznir had begun to settle down.

Morag, on the other hand, was a lively character but dutiful, following Laine's training plan to the letter. Even during free time, he'd ask Laine where he recommended the recruits spend their leisure time.

As for Calas Typhon... Laine was sure he hadn't misjudged. He was the real reason Barasine had assigned Laine this group of three.

With his veteran's intuition, Laine had known from the start that Calas Typhon was a deep thinker.

Barasine had later confided in him, hinting that Calas Typhon had held a high position in Mortarion's rebel forces and had a close relationship with their Primarch.

That explained everything.

Once the Primarch returned, at least half of the high-ranking positions in the Legion would be filled by people from his homeworld.

That's how it was with every Primarch. Even Roboute Guilliman, known for his openness, had ultimately granted the title of Honor of the Ultramarines to those from Macragge, not Terra-born veterans.

No one could stand in the way of the Legion's progress. 

Rather than resisting the return of the Primarch, it was better to forge good relationships with the future Barbarus-born leadership before they solidified their power.

Laine knew this, and so did Barasine. 

As the Captain of the First Company, Barasine knew full well that Mortarion likely didn't view him favorably, even though Barasine was the leader of the moderate faction among the Terra-born Death Guard, the one most welcoming of the Primarch's return.

On the day their Primarch was found, the strategic room had been filled with blinding white flashes on the forward display, while the rest of the room remained ominously dark.

Barasine had stood before the screen, eyes locked on the intelligence reports flashing across it.

Laine had stood behind him.

"Laine, in the future, there may be some things you'll need to handle," Barasine had said.

Laine looked at the backlit figure before him.

Without acknowledging him, Barasine continued, "Ever since I inherited this position from Weis, I've been prepared for this."

Laine tried to speak, but his voice came out hoarse, "Perhaps you should remain optimistic."

Barasine had let out a self-deprecating laugh, pounding his chest with his fist.

"You know," Barasine had said, "when they notified me, I felt... a connection to our Primarch."

"Our Primarch is a tough warrior. He'll lead us to glory in the Great Crusade."

Barasine's voice had lowered further.

"Don't worry. I've fought my way through with the Dusk Raiders. I'll arrange everything."

"It's just... there are some things I'm destined not to do myself..."

The strategic room had been filled with silence.

Without further words, Laine had stood at attention and saluted.

"Dusk Raider Laine, I guarantee the mission's success! Commander Barasine, rest assured!"

Barasine hadn't moved, standing like an unyielding stone in the command seat of the strategy room.

Finally, there had been a nearly imperceptible sigh.

"For the Emperor."

Back in the training hall, Laine, almost showing off, presented the Mechanicum's creation to the three recruits — a smooth, curved hemisphere of a cage, with the combat servitors silently resting above in the duel cage's ceiling.

Huznir was eager and ready. Without further delay, Laine summoned the combat servitors.

"Combat drill alpha-3, medium lethality."

The drill is to start with a tough one, to knock some of the arrogance out of the hard-headed recruit.

Veteran Laine watched with a smile as Huznir charged forward, not expecting him to last more than three moves.

Of the three, Laine thought Morag might be the only one who is barely able to handle the alpha-3 combat drill.

As for Calas Typhon, he could probably take on an even higher difficulty.

But Laine wasn't rushing things. 

Even though he knew it was important to build a good rapport with Calas Typhon, some recent details had made him aware that this man was hiding something.

Typhon was smart. He had already received the favor Laine had shown him, but Laine knew that people like him would never fully align with you.

They would always seek what they truly wanted.

With such people, you couldn't show all your cards too early. You had to bait them, make them feel like the favor they received was something they earned through their cleverness.

Only then would they cherish it.

As for the small details, Laine narrowed his eyes as he looked at Typhon.

There had been a slight weakening in Calas Typhon grip strength during training, an unconscious tremor, and tiny scars in places where it should never be injured in normal training.

Laine wasn't like these oblivious recruits. He folded his arms and smiled kindly, watching as Huznir was sent flying by the combat servitor inside the cage.

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