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

"Of course I know. They're all my classmates and teachers from Fujimi High School," Takashi Komuro replied, staring at Reuel with a firm gaze.

Reuel narrowed his eyes. "Heh... I hope so. And I hope you won't regret your decision today."

As soon as he said that, Reuel's gaze shifted toward Kōichi Shidō, who was still standing there—like a parasite refusing to let go. For a moment, Reuel considered killing him right then and there. But he quickly dismissed the idea. Killing Shidō would be a waste of time and offer no real benefit.

Kōichi Shidō felt the pressure. Though frightened, he tried to hide his nervousness with a fake smile and said,

"Sir, allow me to introduce myself, I'm Ko—"

SMACK!! THUD!

A brutal slap landed on Shidō's face before he could finish his sentence. His body crashed to the floor, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Without expression, Reuel pulled the chainsword from his back and activated it.

VRRRRRRRRT—KRRRRAAAANG… CHAK-CHAK-CHAK…

The engine roared savagely, echoing inside the bus.

"Don't talk to me. Don't try any shit with me. Or I'll kill you right now," said Reuel coldly, his voice sharper than the spinning teeth of his weapon.

Kōichi Shidō nodded rapidly, his face turning pale.

"Hey! Who gave you the right to hit someone like that?!" shouted Takashi Komuro, his temper exploding. He glared at Reuel, ready to stand against him like some half-assed hero.

Bloodless bitch, Reuel thought, letting out a quiet sigh.

His eyes swept across the bus. The students who had come with Shidō had already backed away, faces panicked, avoiding Reuel's gaze. They all knew—one wrong move, and they could be next.

Reuel turned to the other six.

Busujima Saeko looked as calm as ever, wiping her wooden sword with a cloth. Takagi Saya appeared indifferent, legs crossed as she sat. Rei Miyamoto actually looked pleased, smiling like she was watching a soap opera. Shizuka Marikawa was still focused on driving, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, Kohta Hirano, though still gripping his weapon, was clearly nervous.

"You really want to defend him?" Reuel asked Takashi coldly, word by word. He truly couldn't understand why this kid always ended up being the source of problems.

This idiot will get himself and everyone around him killed.

"He's our teacher! If you hit our teacher, why shouldn't I stand up for him?" Takashi shot back loudly, gripping his baseball bat like it was some holy weapon.

Reuel looked at him flatly. One sentence echoed in his mind: You're an idiot.

He held a bolter pistol and a chainsword. Even without those weapons, Reuel knew he could kill Takashi in less than a second.

At that moment, a voice came through Reuel's communicator—an Inquisitor in orbit.

"God Emperor, grant me permission to initiate Exterminatus upon this heretic who has defiled Your glory."

"No need. Do as you please."

"Understood, God Emperor."

What Reuel didn't know was that the Inquisitor had already begun his plan—drawing a massive horde of zombies toward the school bus.

"Do what you want. Just don't regret it. I'll get off this bus when we reach the city. After that, you're free to do whatever," said Reuel, shrugging, then walking over to Busujima Saeko and sitting beside her.

The atmosphere inside the bus went dead silent. The only sounds were the rumbling engine and the strained breathing of those still tense from everything that had just happened.

"You're leaving?" Busujima Saeko asked softly, her voice barely a whisper, yet clear in Reuel's ears.

She looked into Reuel's handsome face, and for a moment, her mind drifted to all the times he had saved them—again and again. Her heart beat faster than usual.

"That's right," Reuel replied. "There's a Western saying: 'Don't look for what divides you, look for what unites you.' You're all from the same school. So act like one family. Got it?"

He gave her a small smile, his gaze gentle. In his heart, Reuel knew—Saeko had always been his favorite character when watching this anime. Beautiful, strong, classy. Someone you'd want to marry. What a shame, Reuel thought, that she had to fall for Takashi Komuro, that annoying dumbass.

"I don't really understand… But they are afraid of you," Saeko replied quietly.

She glanced around, and Reuel followed her gaze, saying nothing.

The school bus continued driving along the riverbank. Outside, the roads were filled with fleeing vehicles, running people, and panicked faces flashing past the windows. Strangely, the presence of so many people brought a sense of comfort to the passengers—as if they weren't alone in this collapsing world.

But Reuel knew, up ahead, there was an unavoidable traffic jam. The road would be blocked. This bus would stop—and when that happened, they'd all be trapped. Surrounded by zombies.

Gradually, the bus slowed, joining the queue of vehicles ahead. In the sky, a commercial airplane flew past—followed by military helicopters flying low, like predatory birds seeking prey.

The situation outside grew more chaotic. More and more cars piled up, and more pedestrians wandered about with vacant stares. Some waved or saluted at the soldiers, others just ran without direction.

Screeeeech!

The bus brakes screeched sharply. The road ahead was completely blocked. Vehicles were scattered everywhere, a total mess. At the end of the bridge, dozens of American soldiers and Japanese police stood guard—forming a barricade.

"Shizuka, open the door. I'm getting off here," Reuel said calmly.

Shizuka Marikawa, hands still on the steering wheel, turned with a worried expression.

"Mr. Reuel... You don't have to go. We'll be safe once we cross that bridge..."

Though she often appeared clumsy and sometimes airheaded, Shizuka wasn't that stupid. In a situation like this, she knew exactly who had been protecting them all along. Reuel.

"Just open the door, Shizuka. Your school friends don't like having me around."

Reuel looked around. Everyone averted their eyes, like little kids scared of being punished. Only Takagi Saya still looked at him—but with an expression he couldn't quite read.

The bus doors opened. Reuel stood, then glanced at Saeko and Shizuka.

"We'll meet again," he said shortly, then stepped off the bus.

As soon as he disappeared from sight, the atmosphere inside the bus subtly shifted. Some people sighed in relief. Others simply remained silent with unreadable expressions.

Busujima Saeko watched him leave without saying a word. But inside her, something felt empty. A strange feeling she had never experienced before. She couldn't even name it.

Takashi Komuro looked a little more relaxed now. Deep down, he had truly feared that Reuel might actually kill him. Rei Miyamoto, sitting beside him, merely glanced up briefly before turning her gaze away—saying nothing at all.

Takagi Saya lowered her head, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Kohta Hirano, the chubby guy, fidgeted with his nail gun, trying to shake off the tension.

Only Shizuka Marikawa muttered quietly—over and over—like she was trying to convince herself.

"We'll meet again… We'll meet again…"

Around the main road, chaos reigned. Shop windows were shattered, a foul stench hung heavy in the air, and blood-covered corpses lay scattered everywhere.

Reuel had chosen to part from the group because he couldn't perform a check-in while he was with them. In that case, it was better to leave and find another location. As he walked, Reuel muttered irritably. If this system had a human form, he'd have punched it already. Just how the hell does this damn check-in mechanism even work?

Any zombies he encountered were shot without hesitation—each one cleanly taken down with a shot to the head.

Now that no one was around him, Reuel no longer held back. Wherever he walked, blood and mangled undead flesh were left in his wake.

The sky gradually darkened. Reuel decided to search for Rika Minami's residence, a location he vaguely remembered from a scene in the anime—even if just a glimpse. If he could reach a recognizable street, odds were good he could find the house. He hoped to spend the night there... and of course, perform a check-in.

Several minutes later, he reached a street that matched what he remembered from the show. Rows of traditionally styled Japanese houses stood eerily still, almost untouched by the surrounding chaos. And finally, he saw it—Rika Minami's home.

But before he could get closer, three figures in gleaming black armor emerged from an alley in front of the house. They were Inquisitors.

Reuel looked at them and asked immediately, firm and fast:

"Well? Have you secured all nuclear facilities on this planet?"

One of them bowed respectfully and replied, "God Emperor, all nuclear facilities have been fully secured."

"Good. And what about Ursarkar E. Creed and Gerard DuGalle?"

"The Castellan has deployed the Imperial Guard across the globe, while simultaneously stockpiling all food supplies in a secure location," one Inquisitor reported. "Admiral DuGalle is currently assisting in relocating the rescued civilians to a safe zone."

"And Japan?"

"Untouched, as per your previous instruction, God Emperor."

Reuel nodded slightly, satisfied. "Very well. You three will maintain watch over this area. Kill every last zombie. Send their bodies to the Mechanicus—let them turn the remains into servitors. What a waste it would be to destroy them outright."

"Understood, God Emperor. Orders will be carried out immediately."

Without another word, the three Inquisitors dispersed, sweeping the area and slaughtering zombies one by one, the night filled with the sound of gunfire and roaring machinery.

Reuel walked toward Rika Minami's house. After shooting a few zombies scattered in the yard, he used a key prepared by Red Queen to unlock the front door.

The house was quiet. Reuel stepped inside, scanning the interior. But when he tried to activate the check-in function, there was no response.

He sighed, collapsing onto the sofa, then started speaking into the air. "System, I know you can hear me."

No answer.

"System, are you there? If I can check in, tell me how!"

A few seconds later, a flat digital voice replied:

"Ding. Host, enter the location and figure it out yourself. The system will not provide detailed instructions."

Reuel narrowed his eyes, annoyed. "That's not helpful at all."

"Ding. The system can only inform the host of nearby check-in locations."

Reuel snorted. "So what you're saying is, I have to figure it out like some idiot?"

No reply.

Frustrated, Reuel contacted Red Queen. "What about the satellites? Have you hacked them yet?"

Red Queen's signature cheerful voice responded instantly. "Big Brother, I've taken over all of them. This universe feels a lot like where I used to be. But... the zombies here are way more messed up."

"Then find a suitable place to build a base. We need a safe zone around here, Red Queen. Alice and the other women will come eventually. We need something permanent."

"Okay! I'll find a good spot for you, Big Brother!" Red Queen replied enthusiastically.

Reuel nodded. With that settled, he stood up and casually made his way to the large bathroom in the back of the house.

Right now, there was only one thing he needed: a hot shower.

---

Elsewhere, inside the school bus...

After Reuel's departure, things inside the bus had stabilized—for a while. But the peace didn't last long. Slowly but surely, Kōichi Shidō began seizing the moment.

With his faux-wise expression and tone like a fanatic preacher, he resumed doing what he always did—brainwashing the students. His words were now laced with pseudo-religious rhetoric and propaganda about "salvation through obedience."

If any of the Sisters of Battle from the Imperium had seen this, she would've immediately screamed, "Heresy!" and decapitated Kōichi Shidō on the spot without a second thought.

Shidō stood in the middle aisle of the bus, speaking loudly, his voice theatrically dramatic like he was delivering a sermon.

"We need to choose a leader if we want to survive together. We need order, we need... direction!"

From the front row, Rei Miyamoto crossed her arms and sneered.

"You want to be the leader?" she asked sarcastically.

Shidō looked at her with full confidence. "Yes. I'm a teacher. Older than all of you. I have more life experience. I'm certain that under my leadership, we'll have a better chance at survival."

His gaze then shifted to Busujima Saeko and Takagi Saya, as if daring them to object.

TAP! TAP! TAP! TAP!

The sound of clapping echoed through the bus. A few students already taken in by Shidō's doctrine started clapping enthusiastically, their expressions blank—like puppets controlled from behind the curtain.

Takashi Komuro just stared at Shidō in silence, his face unreadable. Maybe deep down he was disgusted, but his tongue seemed frozen. He knew—just like everyone else knew—that Shidō was poison, but for now... no one dared to challenge him openly.

Meanwhile, the chubby guy sitting in the back kept staring at Takagi Saya with a blank look, like someone completely lost. His gaze was sharp, yet empty, making the atmosphere even more uncomfortable.

On the other side of the bus, Takagi Saya, Busujima Saeko, and Miyamoto Rei were quietly discussing.

Rei began the conversation.

"The road ahead is blocked. Police barricades and Self-Defense Forces. We have no idea when it'll be cleared."

Shizuka Marikawa, who sat in the driver's seat, turned around, her expression innocent but confused.

"Then... what do we do? The road's closed. If they don't let us through, are we supposed to wait here forever?"

They all knew—at the evacuation posts controlled by the Japanese Self-Defense Force and the U.S. military, everything was strictly limited. Food and water were in short supply, and there was no way they'd let everyone in at once. The only solution would be to wipe out all the zombies first... and that clearly wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Takagi Saya let out a soft sigh, then pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose with her usual flair. The gesture made Rei roll her eyes in clear irritation.

If Reuel had seen that moment, he would've already shouted from a distance:

"Hey! Don't copy that damn brat Edogawa Conan who does nothing but take showers with Ran Mori, you bastard!"