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

Azur Lane Universe – Minato Port

When the space-time channel reactivated, the Imperium of Man immediately followed through on the trade and scientific cooperation agreements previously established with the Azur Lane fleet.

In return for the Vanguard Fleet's support in constructing Terra Aeterna's new capital, Reuel's side regularly sent metals, oil, and other strategic resources from various planets to Minato Port.

That day, a ship from Essex's fleet docked at the main pier—carrying dozens of Bulins, tiny work creatures loaded with minerals from Terra Aeterna and several satellite planets. Alongside the physical cargo, they also brought bundles of technical data copied from Akashi.

"This much?!"

Even for White Eagle, the maritime conglomerate and richest carrier manufacturer in the Azur Sea, the supply volume from Reuel this time was staggering. The shipment equaled a decade's worth of normal consumption at the port.

"We've expanded mining zones in the Balkan Peninsula," Ayanami declared proudly, hands on her hips as she watched the unloading. "The mineral reserves run deep, and there are still tons of untouched rare metals on other planets."

"And now, no one dares interfere. Oil and rare metals from across the galaxy... they're ours. Take as much as you want."

They weren't wrong. No matter how vast the port's facilities or how massive the warehouses, it all paled compared to Terra Aeterna's logistics scale.

The world of Azur Lane was ocean-dominated, and deep-sea exploration was still hampered by limited technology and constant Siren threats. As a result, resource production now depended entirely on the speed of the Bulin and Manju workforce. Hundreds of thousands of them worked nonstop—chugging oil like water and melting ore within hours. As if the supply was infinite.

Besides, crude oil had little value for Terra Aeterna's internal needs. It was no surprise the Bulin production and construction sectors had become brutally efficient—almost terrifyingly so.

"Waaaah—!"

The shipgirls who greeted Essex could only gape. They'd thought the Vanguard Fleet would be struggling in a foreign world—clearing wilderness, building from scratch, surviving in multiverse chaos.

But reality far exceeded expectations. Word had even spread that some of the loli shipgirls had gone to space—and were ready to be modified into orbital warships.

---

Amid the hustle and bustle of the port, the Commander made a direct request.

"The port needs to begin developing new technology immediately," he said firmly.

In response, Essex handed a stack of documents and blueprints to the main engineering team.

"Can the facilities here manufacture this equipment as soon as possible? We need to test it in simulations and real combat."

An aircraft carrier girl flipped through the pages, her eyes sparkling at the unfamiliar specs.

The documents were filled with details of Gundam-universe technology: plasma cannons, beam sabers, portable energy shields, new reactor thrusters, and neural synchronization systems—a thought-based control system for mecha.

And that was just the start. There was still a pile of tech from Warhammer and StarCraft untouched.

"Plasma cannons I get… But beam sabers? Melee weapons?! Are we seriously supposed to study this?"

"And this... telepathic framework? Controlling mecha with the human mind? But we already have Mental Cubes and shipgirl rigs."

"Hey, check this part out. Akashi wrote about some weird red-robed guys with skull symbols. She says they're called the Mechanicus."

"If we meet them, we're supposed to back away immediately. Apparently, they like... abducting test subjects."

"Creepy. Can we just shoot them on sight?"

"According to Akashi, she's still trying to decipher all the tech from the Commander's universe."

The shipgirls from the research team looked confused—but deeply intrigued. A mix of curiosity and unease made the briefing room atmosphere borderline chaotic.

"Ayanami uses a ship-cutting sword, right?" one technician chimed in. "If we can make a beam saber, wouldn't she be the perfect test pilot?"

"Whether it works or not, it's worth trying everything. Who knows what might fit?"

Essex smiled. She was known as a strict but charismatic instructor.

"Alright. We'll test everything one by one. Thank you, Commander."

White Eagle finally nodded and approved the project's execution.

---

Several Days Later – Deep Sea, Siren Territory

Far beyond the safety zone of Minato Port, the sea grew silent and thick—where sunlight faded and communication radar began to distort. This was Siren territory—the eternal overlords of the dark ocean.

Thousands of unmanned warships with asymmetrical designs and black-red armor moved without a sound. Each emitted thick black smoke from its engine stacks, as if the sea itself was being choked by toxic vapor.

Their command structure was strictly militaristic: destroyers, cruisers, battleships, and carriers, all arranged by tonnage and function. Yet above all of them stood the high-tier Sirens—unique units that served as the brains and controllers of each local fleet.

---

At the center of the formation, perched on a shark-shaped metallic capital unit, sat a white-haired girl with a lazy posture. Her hair was tied in a long ponytail, eyes glowing bright yellow, her body wrapped in a modified sailor uniform.

Purifier.

"Ughhh—bored out of my mind."

She stretched, letting the dim light fall on her expressionless face. Unlike Azur Lane's shipgirls, most Siren vessels were nothing more than hollow steel frames with no minds. Conversations were rare.

Normally, she entertained herself by bullying the port or provoking scouting ships. But lately, things had changed. Both sides had grown overly cautious, and the frontlines were filled with nothing but watchful stares across hundreds of nautical miles.

---

Suddenly, a sharp alarm shattered the quiet:

"Alert! Azur Lane fleet detected 177 nautical miles ahead! Total units: 75. Speed: 30 knots."

"Huh?!"

Purifier sat upright, her expression flipping from bored to thrilled.

"You girls usually just hide in Minato Port. Now you're coming to me? Tsk tsk tsk... did the shipgirls forget their meds?"

Grinning, she ordered her fleet to full alert.

147 nautical miles…

97 nautical miles…

65 nautical miles…

Silhouettes emerged through the fog. Waves crashed against the ships' hulls, reflecting unfamiliar metallic gleams.

"Carriers, prep for—"

The sentence stopped short. Purifier's raised hand froze mid-air.

She stared.

And for the first time in a very long time—she was confused.

The shipgirls approaching didn't wear their usual naval uniforms. No standard rigging, no classic gear. Instead, in the hands of the fleet's leader—a flagship from White Eagle—was a glowing red beam saber, two meters long, pulsing with plasma energy. In her other hand, a blue energy shield.

Behind her, dozens of other shipgirls carried similar weapons.

"What the hell is this?! Where are your riggings?!"

Purifier shouted, half-panicked, half-impressed.

What she saw looked like a squad of space knights charging from the ocean's surface. Not naval troops, but high-tech infiltrators from another universe.

"Charge up! Defensive formation!"

But before the formation could fully lock—

"Attention, everyone! This is just a weapons field test. Don't take it too seriously! Focus on data collection!"

yelled the flagship, her voice loud yet composed.

"Understood!"

And then battle broke loose.

---

Krek—la—la—LA!

"Boom!!!"

The first wave of shipgirls surged forward. The sound of metal crashing and energy bursting echoed all around. Beam sabers slashed with precision, cutting through the hulls of Siren destroyers and frigates like a hot knife through butter.

The Sirens' mass-production fleet fell one by one. Even their armored units struggled against this new technology.

However, just as the Siren formation was almost ready to retaliate with full force—

"Retreat!"

The order came suddenly. As if pre-programmed. The shipgirls released a smoke screen, and within moments, the entire test fleet vanished from the battlefield—leaving behind a trail of destruction and a mountain of unanswered questions.

---

Some destroyers could even be seen logging experimental results during the withdrawal:

"Trial One: Beam Saber BS-X481. Moderate production difficulty. Low resource consumption. Effective against Siren units up to cruiser-class, but failed to damage heavy warships and elite units."

"Additional note: Ayanami claims this saber is no more effective than her standard ship-cutting sword."

"Recommendation: Add micro-fusion generator or enhance plasma particles for deeper penetration."

---

Purifier sat on the wreckage of the fleet, staring at the empty sea stretching endlessly before her.

Her expression was a mix of irritation, confusion... and a hint of disbelief.

"What the hell... just happened?" she muttered quietly.

"Don't tell me—they used me as a lab rat?"

The sea fell silent again. But that feeling—like a thorn stabbing her pride—refused to fade.

"Hmph. So you want to play experiments, huh?" A thin smile formed at the corner of her lips. "Fine... in that case, I can play even crazier."

This time, it wasn't a smile out of boredom.

It was a challenge.

"Unbelievable… baiting me and then running off like that?"

She clenched her fists, her teeth grinding in anger.

"Next time I'll catch each one of you... and make you train nine hundred times... Nine hundred times!!"

Even after the enemy fleet vanished, Purifier remained frozen in place. It took her a moment to think clearly.

The actual damage wasn't too bad—carriers and main battleships were almost untouched.

As for the frigates and destroyers that got wrecked?

No big deal. In the Siren Stronghold, small ships like those could be reprinted anytime.

But it wasn't the material loss that bothered her. It was the way she was treated.

Some shipgirls had slashed at her with lightsabers—not leaving a single scratch, but enough to make her feel mocked. Humiliated.

"Ugh... Maybe they were just bored being stuck at the port and needed some fresh air," she mumbled, trying to console herself.

And since there wasn't much real damage, she decided not to dwell on it further.

---

The next day

"Alarm! Alarm!"

The blaring siren woke Purifier from her comfortable nap under the sunlight.

"Azur Lane fleet detected! 176 nautical miles southwest! Count: 30 units! Speed: 36 knots!"

"What?!"

"They're back?!"

Her spirit ignited again. She jumped up and led the Siren forces to prepare for interception.

But this time... something was different.

The shipgirls weren't carrying lightsabers.

Nor shields.

They looked normal enough. But—there was something odd.

Beneath their hulls... strange devices were visible. Some kind of thrusters?

"ACTIVATE THRUSTERS!"

The command rang out clearly from Enterprise.

BOOOOM!!!

In mere seconds, the shipgirls blasted into the sky like they'd been launched by jetpacks. At dozens of meters up, they began unpacking naval gear and firing artillery down at the Siren formation below.

Several carriers and heavy warships were overwhelmed.

Due to the excessive weight and disproportionate thrust, some of them lost balance and came crashing down into the sea, creating enormous splashes and shockwaves.

"Ugh… I knew those 460mm guns were too heavy..." groaned a fox-eared girl, trying to dry off her soaked tail.

"..."

"..."

"...Is this... performance art?" Purifier could only gape.

She was used to seeing aircraft fly—man-made machines, conventional tech. But this...

Shipgirls. Flying.

Actually hovering in the air and attacking from above.

Before the Siren fleet could form a proper counterattack, the shipgirls had already retreated. Disappearing again, like a passing breeze.

In the middle of their escape, some of them even managed to... take notes?

Trial Two: Light-pulse propulsion system.

Capable of quick air launch, but can't be used with too much naval equipment.

If overloaded... you crash into the ocean.

Best suited for destroyers. But production cost is absurdly high and energy consumption is insane.

Recommendation: look for ways to boost energy efficiency...

"..."

"..."

"You girls... been drinking too much coolant, huh? Brains frozen solid?" muttered Purifier, slowly shaking her head, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

---

Day Five

"Go!!! Capture that big-eyed cutie alive!!"

A group of shipgirls charged in with thermal axes in hand. Their battle cries echoed across the sea, like kindergarteners playing war.

Purifier just dodged lazily. She could've blasted them away with a single shot... but for some reason, she didn't.

---

Day Seven

"Shoot her! Shoot her! Shoooot!!"

This time, a squad of destroyers showed up with beam rifles half the size of their bodies. They fired colorful rays from long range—easily over three kilometers away.

The beams glittered brightly, striking Purifier's energy shield like... a tacky disco party.

Effect? Big fat zero. But it was still annoying. Like being hit with confetti nonstop for two hours.

Meanwhile, as usual, they were busy documenting everything.

"Trial Four: Merlin beam rifles. Effectiveness not significant compared to standard naval weapons."

"Effect on Siren units: nearly zero."

"Recommendation: switch to large-caliber weapons... or anti-shield rockets."

---

A week... ten days... two weeks...

Their pattern didn't change.

Show up. Fire a few shots. Run.

Sometimes they managed to sink a frigate or two. Sometimes they couldn't even scratch the shield.

Purifier had tried chasing them in the early days. But eventually, she gave up.

A waste of energy.

Frigates and destroyers could be reprinted anytime. As cheap as fast food.

And without realizing it... this whole thing turned into a kind of entertainment.

Every time the radar picked up an Azur Lane fleet, Purifier's reaction was no longer alertness or anger—but curiosity.

"Well then... what ridiculous toy did they bring today?"

Strange, sure.

But that's how it went.

A weird little game started to form. No agreement, no words spoken.

The shipgirls never attacked seriously.

And Purifier never really struck back.

---

A few days later

"So," said one of the humanoid Sirens floating beside Purifier, "are we really not gonna teach them a lesson?"

Purifier was lazily sprawled out on the hull of a wrecked ship, her legs dangling into the water, one hand stirring the ocean's surface casually.

"What for? We can't get into their harbor territory anyway. Besides..." She yawned. "...their new weapons are weird. But funny."

"Funny?"

"Entertaining," she corrected. "If they show up again, it means I get a new show."

The Siren raised an eyebrow, not quite getting it. But didn't argue.

Purifier pointed to the horizon.

"Look. They're back."

The shipgirls appeared like a small parade line in the distance, piercing the sea fog and entering the zone under Purifier's watch. Their formation was loose. No pressure. More like a parade than an invasion.

Purifier raised her body, sitting upright, eyes narrowing with curiosity.

"What are you bringing this time?"

At the front, Meng—a tiny girl with wide eyes—charged forward confidently, hands on her hips like a battle commander. Her attitude was way too confident for someone who ran every time her weapon failed.

"..."

"..."

The shipgirls exchanged glances, a bit confused.

The vibe was... off.

The Siren before them wasn't acting aggressively. In fact, one might even say—friendly?

And the most surprising part...

She could talk now?

"I don't mind you playing around all you like," said Purifier, crossing her legs as she sat smugly atop the half-destroyed hull.

"Those weapons... are useless against me anyway."

Her smile appeared faintly, hinting at either satisfaction—or mockery.

"If I'm in a good mood, maybe I'll let you all go home without losing a single bolt."

She knew their new weapon specs well. Over the last few days, she'd studied their attack patterns. The designs were creative, weird, sometimes outright silly, but... their firepower was still far from a real threat. On par with mid-class warships. And there weren't many of them.

Her shields? Not one had gotten through.

"Hey!"

Some of the shipgirls were busy near the back of the formation.

They were hauling a massive experimental weapon—about five meters long, nearly 300mm caliber. The shape was odd: short, fat, like a distorted version of a battleship cannon, hooked up to a humming red energy generator.

"Why are you bringing a cannon?" asked Meng, confused. "And... where are your uniforms?"

"We're not sure if it's safe to mount directly on ship frames," one of them replied, wiping sweat from her brow. "Still in testing phase."

"Exactly," added another. "Besides... it's an experimental device. Very unstable."

"Oh boy... alright."

Purifier raised both hands like she was surrendering to their madness.

"Go ahead."

Her tone was relaxed, full of confidence. Way too much confidence, actually.

"She seems pretty easy to talk to," whispered one of the small destroyers, giggling.

"High-tier Sirens usually have insane durability," said Prince of Wales calmly. "So even if it fails, no one's getting seriously hurt."

"Sorry, Big Sis Purifier."

"—FIRE!"

Zi——

Golden light gathered at the tip of the cannon barrel. Heat shimmered in the air, making the sea surface tremble gently.

"Energy weapon?" Meng muttered, eyes sparkling. "Has development gone this far?"

BOOM!!

The explosion that followed ripped through the air, echoing across the horizon. The recoil was so massive several shipgirls operating the cannon were thrown back—one even fell into the sea, yelling, "THIS WASN'T IN THE SIMULATION!!"

A burst of red-gold energy sliced through the Siren formation like a hot knife through butter. Two heavy-class warships were instantly destroyed, their armor melting and scattering.

And Purifier—still standing casually when the shot fired—didn't have time to dodge.

"Oh—oh—oh—OH—OOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH——!!!"

Her voice echoed as her body was launched into the sky, swallowed by the wave of the blast.

Several scraps of shipgirl clothing were sucked up by the shockwave, fluttering behind her like confetti, following the trajectory of what was now a small falling star disappearing over the sea's edge.

"..."

"..."

Silence.

A few shipgirls stood frozen, staring at the sky where Purifier vanished.

Meng blinked. "She's... still alive, right?"

One of the girls quietly opened her notebook, sighed, and began to write.

---

Sixteenth Experiment

Weapon: MGX-2235 Multi-Phase Fire Beam Cannon

Effect: Able to penetrate Siren heavy ship defenses. Proven effective in harming high-tier Sirens.

Technical Notes:

Extremely high energy consumption

Extreme recoil, requires advanced stabilization system

Suitable for heavy-class or stationary warships

Field Notes:

High-tier Siren in this area seems... unusually relaxed

Possibly lurable into harbor territory with a simple decoy