Imperium of Man Terra Aeterna Season 01: Rise of Humanity's War Machin

For the past month, the evacuation process had been ongoing without pause. Tokyo was scheduled to be the last region to be evacuated, marking the final stage of the global-scale rescue operation.

Every military base around the world was now busy sorting logistics, supplies, and critical equipment in preparation for the final withdrawal. Coordination was carried out strictly under the command of the Astra Militarum forces—except in Japan, which had been strategically designated as the final departure point.

At Haneda Airport, which had been converted into a safe zone and a concentration hub for survivors, the atmosphere was relatively calm. There, Police Officer Tajima stood watching the soldiers in their signature green Astra Militarum armor, busy arranging containers, heavy machinery, and military gear. Meanwhile, he and the other local police officers could only glance at each other, confused and without clear directives.

For nearly a month, Tajima, his colleagues, and the survivors had been living at the airport. They had access to food supplies, clean water, and military protection. There were no zombie threats nearby, and for the time being, the place felt secure.

But one thing continued to haunt their minds: the constant nuclear detonations occurring almost every thirty minutes. Bright flashes and towering mushroom clouds could be seen from afar, as if reminding them that the outside world was slowly, truly disappearing.

Worry began to spread among the survivors. Rumors moved fast.

> "What are they going to do?"

"Will the soldiers take us too?"

"Or are they going to leave us behind?"

Tajima felt restless. If the soldiers truly planned to pull out, why was there no announcement? No explanation?

He decided to find Miyamoto Rei, hoping the girl—who was known to be close to certain key figures within the evacuation structure—might know more.

Upon arriving at Rei's quarters, he was informed by a stationed soldier that the girl was currently at the beach. Without wasting time, Tajima immediately made his way there.

When he reached the shoreline, he saw several figures walking toward him. Among them, he recognized Miyamoto Rei and Takagi Saya, accompanied by a few others.

"Rei!" Tajima called out as he quickened his pace.

Miyamoto Rei turned and looked surprised to see her uncle approaching with a serious expression.

"Uncle? What's wrong?" she asked.

"I need to talk to you," Tajima said, getting straight to the point. "Do you know if the military is planning to pull out from here?"

Rei looked stunned. "I… I'm not sure, Uncle. Why? Are they really leaving?"

"You don't know?" Tajima stared at her. "They're preparing all their gear and supplies. It's possible they'll leave very soon."

"I really don't know," Rei repeated. "No one's told me anything. But I'll ask Takagi Saya and her mother."

Without delay, Rei quickly walked over to Takagi Saya, who was chatting with Rika Minami and several other women.

"Takagi Saya," Rei called out, "do you know anything about this? They're saying the soldiers might be leaving this place... is that true?"

"I don't know. Who said we're going to be evacuated?" Takagi Saya frowned in confusion. Her tone carried genuine uncertainty.

"My uncle said so. He said the soldiers are already preparing," Miyamoto Rei replied, watching Saya carefully, trying to read her friend's expression.

"What? The military's pulling out?" Asami Nakaoka exclaimed in shock. "Then... what are we supposed to do?"

"I'll ask my mother. Maybe she knows something," Saya said, realizing everyone was now looking to her for answers. She quickly activated her communicator and called Takagi Yuriko.

"Mom, is it true the military is evacuating?"

Takagi Yuriko's face appeared on the screen, visibly surprised. "How did you find out? We're still in the prep stages… but yes, it's true. In a few days, we're leaving."

"Why do we have to go? Isn't this place safe enough?"

"It may seem that way," Yuriko said, her voice turning serious. "But nuclear bombs are being launched all over the place. The radioactive fallout will reach Japan sooner or later. We have to leave before it's too late. Reuel's forces across the world are being evacuated. Japan is the final extraction point."

"Alright, Mom. I just wanted to know. I'm hanging up now."

Saya ended the call and looked calmly at her friends.

"As you heard. My mom and the others are worried about nuclear fallout. That's why they're leaving."

"Then… what about us? Us survivors… are we going to be taken too?" Officer Tajima asked with a heavy voice. He had overheard the conversation, and now anxiety was creeping across his face.

Saya sighed softly. "I honestly don't know. And I don't want to burden my mom with questions like that. You know how it is—in most cases, the military doesn't bring civilians along."

Tajima nodded bitterly. He knew Saya wasn't dodging the question—just being realistic. "Yeah… we'll see, I guess."

"Saya… if the military really leaves, will we be going with them?" Asami Nakaoka asked, her voice trembling. Her expression showed worry—not for herself, but for her younger sister.

"You?" Saya raised an eyebrow, then gave a faint smirk. "I'm not sure. But your sister… she'll definitely be taken."

"Thank goodness… as long as my sister can be safe," Asami murmured with relief.

"So you don't care what happens to you?"

"I can take care of myself. But my sister? She's still a kid..."

Saya grinned. "Speaking of which, you know why Marina gets to go?"

"Because she's a little girl?"

"Not just that. Because Alice is also a little girl."

Asami frowned. "But Marina's a little girl too…"

"Yeah. But Alice has a badass big brother. Rei saw him. That man owns this whole base. What do you think that means?"

Asami froze. "Don't tell me… the guy from the Middle East I met back then? The one who was with me when I found Marina?"

Saya nodded, her smile full of implication.

"I can't believe it… I spent one night with him… and he's the one running this base?"

"Yup. As long as Alice talks to her brother, Marina's a sure thing. But you? Hm… maybe you'll need to become one of Reuel's women first to get on that evac list." The joke was delivered casually, but it stung just enough.

"Oh come on! Only you would say something that outrageous!" the other girls shouted in unison, catching on to Saya's teasing tone that had gone a bit too far.

Saya chuckled softly, then turned serious again. "Relax, we'll be going too. But the survivors… that's a different story."

She looked at Rei. "You know, Reuel doesn't like survivors. He sees them as cunning, opportunistic, and traitorous."

Rei nodded slowly. "I know. And honestly… he's not wrong. You remember those survivors sent to your house? They slaughtered people just for power."

Asami nodded, her expression hardening. "I remember too. They weren't people. They were predators."

"Well… not our problem anymore. Let's get back to having fun," Saya said, trying to lighten the mood that had suddenly grown heavy. She knew there were too many things they couldn't control—so better to enjoy what time they had left.

---

Right now, the safe zone sheltering the survivors was in a critical state. Panic spread quickly as they watched the green-armored soldiers begin packing up and moving—an unmistakable sign that something was about to happen.

Dozens of civilians rushed toward the police post, crowding the makeshift barricades. They grabbed at the officers' sleeves, demanding answers.

"Officer! Are the soldiers leaving us behind?" shouted a man marked Civilian 157, his voice hoarse with fear.

"What will happen to us? We have nowhere else to go!" cried a woman, her eyes red, nearly breaking down.

Police Officer 12 stood atop a patrol vehicle's steps, trying to look firm even as cold sweat dripped down his temple. "Calm down! The military won't just abandon us!" he yelled, though anxiety churned in his gut.

The crowd began to boil. Tension grew hotter. The emotional pressure of the civilians surged into an almost uncontrollable wave—until suddenly, the growl of heavy engines shook the ground.

The roar of Chimera APCs pierced through the noise, loud and unmistakable. Five units rolled into the safe zone in perfect combat formation. All eyes turned to them, caught between hope and dread.

From the lead vehicle, a Cadia Shock Troopers officer disembarked. His helmet bore the twin-headed Aquila. His armor was pristine, his stride firm. His face showed no emotion—cold as forged steel, made for war, not negotiation.

He walked straight up to Officer Tajima without any pleasantries.

"You're Tajima, Tokyo Branch, Japanese Police?" His voice was loud and flat, like a hammer against concrete.

"Yes, I'm Tajima. Is there something I can help with, sir?" Tajima replied, trying to stay composed as he straightened up.

"Civilian evacuation begins in two days. Japan is the final sector. The rest of the world has already been evacuated. I expect you to keep the survivors here calm and orderly," the officer said, his words clipped, offering no room for argument.

"You and your forces will ensure there's no chaos. No exceptions. No tolerance."

He stared directly at Tajima, then added in a far darker tone:

"Nuclear fallout will reach this area soon. All civilians will be directed to the Hercules-class Dropship. Women and children are prioritized. Everyone else—line up and wait your turn."

"And if there's a riot… don't blame us for being brutal."

Silence. Heavy.

"Are these orders clear?" The officer stared, unblinking.

Tajima swallowed, but for the first time in the past month, he felt… relieved. The green-clad soldiers—cold and ruthless as they were—hadn't forgotten them.

"Crystal clear, sir. Leave it to us. We'll carry it out," he said firmly.

"I hope so," the officer replied before signaling with a hand gesture.

---

The evacuation began. The Cadia Shock Troopers worked side by side with local police. They organized the lines, screening the civilians one by one toward the massive Hercules transport aircraft. At the edge of the field, Terran Marines and Medicae personnel stood guard—helping the wounded, watching for threats.

But of course, there were always those who tried to cheat the system.

Several grown men attempted to slip into the lines for women and children. They were stopped and pushed back.

But when one man snapped and charged the line in a panic, fists clenched and screaming…

There was a plasma burst.

His body jolted, then collapsed instantly. Part of him charred black in under a second.

No second warning was given.

The crowd froze. No one spoke. Fear spread like poison through the air.

After that, no one dared break the line again.

---

Command Center, Haneda Airport – Tokyo

The sky above Tokyo trembled as a Gorgon-class battlecruiser pierced the atmosphere, soaring with elegance laced with an ominous show of force. Aboard it were Admiral Gerard DuGalle and Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed, arriving to join the Master of Mankind, Reuel, in overseeing the final evacuation of a world nearly consumed by fire.

For the past several days, Reuel had been stationed at the Haneda Airport command center, buried in data. Holographic monitors filled the room—evacuation routes, thermal radar, and satellite feeds from across the globe flickered on the screens, forming a comprehensive picture of the ongoing crisis.

"Red Queen," Reuel called out, sitting calmly in a towering command chair that resembled a throne. "How are the preparations? Has the evacuation process been fully completed?"

"Have the Tech-Priests Mechanicus already moved into the underground city to start building the bunker? For the Death Korps in the future?" he continued.

"Yes, Brother. All humans on Earth have been evacuated, including the Astra Militarum and civilians," Red Queen replied.

"Only the Tokyo region remains. The Tech-Priests Mechanicus and the Universal Bulin have already gone underground to begin constructing the subterranean city, and the clone troops have been relocated there as well," she added in a calm tone.

"Brother, Admiral Gerard DuGalle is ready to launch the nuclear bombs on the day you depart, but I would also like to launch a few," she said casually, though with firm resolve.

Reuel nodded slightly. "Hmm... Everyone's been evacuated and the underground city is already under construction?"

"Seems like everything's going according to plan, but... what the hell does this AI girl mean by wanting to launch nukes? Does she want to become Skynet?" he muttered to himself.

"Very well," Reuel finally decided, "Order Admiral Gerard DuGalle to launch Tactical Nukes from the Gorgon-class battlecruiser across the globe. We'll end this nuclear war in one swift stroke."

He then turned to the holographic display. "And as for you, Red Queen, I'll allow you to launch two. I want to strike the JMSDF military base in Yokosuka and see if their underground facility can withstand it."

"Okay, Brother. Just two. I've never played with nukes before," said Red Queen with a smile, as if setting off thermonuclear warheads were just another afternoon pastime.

Reuel went silent. This little lolita wasn't cute anymore. Whether she was just caught up in a novel or truly wanted to play with nukes—he couldn't tell.

---

And so, the day of evacuation arrived.

All survivors were now willing to leave with the military forces. Tokyo was truly empty.

Only Reuel, Creed, Admiral DuGalle, and a handful of the last women at the base remained. The rest had already been sent by Red Queen to Salt Lake City—the world of Resident Evil. They were still confused, unaware that eventually, they would be relocated to colony planets under the Imperium of Man, destined to live within the Hive Cities.

Reuel and his women, alongside Creed and Admiral Gerard DuGalle, began boarding the Gorgon-class battlecruiser. They arrived on the ship's bridge, gazing down at the final view of the Earth from low orbit.

"Red Queen, Admiral Gerard DuGalle, let's begin," said Reuel, reclining in the captain's chair, watching the widescreen display with his women, waiting for the nuclear fireworks to start.

"All right, Brother. Nukes launched," Red Queen confirmed.

Reuel stared at the main screen in the command room. Two nuclear missiles had just been launched by Red Queen. He watched them pierce the sky at high speed, heading straight for the JMSDF military base in Yokosuka. All of Japan's defense systems had already been disabled by Red Queen—the missiles were entirely under her control.

Less than three minutes later, the world shook.

Two flashes of white light split the horizon. The nuclear detonations happened nearly simultaneously, followed by a violent tremor and massive mushroom clouds rising into the sky. The Yokosuka military base vanished from the map—as if it had never existed.

BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!

"Shit, that was amazing! The most spectacular fireworks show ever," Reuel swore with a satisfied grin.

In silence, he thought, No wonder in Naruto, Deidara kept saying 'Art is an explosion!' Now, having witnessed destruction of this scale firsthand… Reuel understood. He truly enjoyed every second of the blast.

The world had been in chaos for a full month. Major nations had been launching nukes at each other non-stop. And now, Reuel had run out of patience. If they wanted to play with fire, he would teach them the true meaning of a "nuclear game."

He began to realize there was a kind of pleasure in explosions like this. In fact, maybe he'd make it a tradition whenever he entered a new universe. If only I had Exterminatus like in Warhammer, he mused, those Xenos planets would be nothing but dust by now.

Reuel activated the command channel.

"Admiral Gerard DuGalle. Order the entire Imperial Navy fleet to ascend into Earth's upper stratosphere. Target altitude: 25,000 meters, or 82,000 feet."

"Understood, Lord Emperor," replied Admiral DuGalle.

"All fleet units, begin ascent to the stratosphere!" DuGalle repeated through the tactical channel.

"Confirmed, General," responded the comms officer aboard the Gorgon-class battlecruiser.

Within seconds, the warp plasma engines ignited. The colossal fleet of the Imperium began punching through the atmosphere, forming high-altitude formations within the stratosphere.

But even from this altitude, Reuel could still see nations on Earth firing off their own nuclear missiles. The world hadn't stopped losing its mind.

He smirked.

"Admiral Gerard DuGalle, you are authorized to launch Tactical Nukes across the globe."

"Orders received, Lord Emperor."

"All fleet units, prepare Tactical Nuke launch from battlecruisers. Target: every major city on this planet," DuGalle ordered.

"Orders confirmed, General," replied the officers in unison.

A few minutes later—

"General, Tactical Nukes are prepped and ready. Awaiting your command," reported the lead comms officer.

"Good. Wait for my countdown. All units, prepare," DuGalle said.

"3... 2... 1... Launch."

"Commence launch!" the comms officer shouted.

Simultaneously, thousands of Tactical Nukes fired from all Gorgon-class battlecruisers. The missiles tore through the upper atmosphere, each locking onto its designated target. With every satellite and air defense system already seized by Red Queen, there was no resistance. The world was completely defenseless.

The missiles raced toward Moscow, Washington D.C., London, Paris, Beijing, Berlin, and hundreds of other major cities.

And then—

BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!

Thermonuclear detonations erupted almost simultaneously around the globe. The sky was filled with massive mushroom clouds. Cities were obliterated, razed to the ground. The entire land surface was hammered by shockwaves. Humans, animals, plants—everything was annihilated.

Reuel watched the screen in silence. But not out of regret. He was in awe.

The aftermath was a symphony of annihilation. Earth, in the Highschool of the Dead universe, had now become a dead planet. No different from Krieg in the Warhammer universe—bleak, lifeless, and scorched.

Reuel reactivated the comms.

"Order all units to return to Terra Aeterna. Once the underground city is complete, Admiral DuGalle will return to retrieve the Tech-Priests Mechanicus and the Universal Bulin."

"Understood, Lord Emperor."

Reuel then opened a rift in time and space—a glowing corridor resembling a Webway gate, bridging the dimensions between universes.

"All right, let's go. We're going home now."

One by one, the warships of the Imperial Navy entered the rift. The Imperium fleet left behind a world no longer worthy of the name "planet." All that remained was dust, devastation, and eternal silence.