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

Reuel ignored the emotional reunion between the two old friends, Shizuka Marikawa and Rika Minami, who were still locked in a tearful embrace. Without saying a word, he walked off with the Imperial Guard officers toward the command center of Haneda Airport, Tokyo.

Upon arrival, Reuel studied the airport layout displayed on the tactical screen. Calmly, he issued orders to Major Hellsker.

"Renovate this entire place to meet Imperial Guard standards. We're making Haneda our command center and safe zone," he said firmly.

He then led an emergency briefing with the officers using whatever equipment was available. It was clear a large-scale operation was about to begin.

"Establish the first defensive line on the eastern side," he ordered swiftly. "Second and third lines go up in the northern and southern sectors. On the west, we'll set up a military zone. The terminal area will be converted into a temporary camp for civilians. The parking lot becomes ground logistics storage, and the runway must be prepped for heavy military aircraft."

Reuel paused for a moment, then added, "Contact the Tech-Priests. This airport needs to be modified to receive dropships and aerial war machines of the Imperial Guard."

He pointed to a section of the map.

"This is the only access to central Tokyo. If there are any wrecked commercial planes blocking the path, dump them into the ocean or send them to the Tech-Priests for recycling. I'm not letting our starfighters get stranded because of useless scrap metal."

Reuel then turned to Major Hellsker and Chris Redfield from Legion Alice.

"Management of this zone is yours, Hellsker. Chris and his clone troops will be under your command as well."

"Understood, God Emperor." Major Hellsker saluted with the double-headed eagle gesture before immediately stepping out to begin clearing the runways ahead of the arriving Imperial reinforcements from orbit.

Reuel turned to his escort. "Take us to the resting quarters."

"Yes, God Emperor."

The soldiers escorted Reuel and his entourage to the general manager's office. But upon entering, Reuel froze in place.

"This… is a fucking suite," he muttered. The room had been transformed into a luxurious resting chamber, complete with grand decor and high-end amenities—even though the safe zone hadn't been fully secured yet.

Reuel let out a faint smile. Typical Warhammer fanaticism... The Emperor's comfort comes before the defense lines.

The suite consisted of five separate rooms and one main office. A place worthy of a galactic ruler.

Reuel sank into the sofa, then glanced at Alice, who was sitting nearby. The little girl looked energized.

"Tired, Alice?" he asked gently.

"I'm not tired at all! That was my first time on a helicopter! I've even been on a big ship before! And look—my green Space Marine doll!" she beamed. "A grandpa in green armor—he said his name was Creed—gave it to me!"

Alice held the doll up proudly, her face glowing with joy.

"He said this is one of the Emperor's angels. He'll protect me if any bad guys try to hurt me."

Reuel smiled warmly. "Hold onto that doll tightly, Alice. One day, the Emperor's angel really will come to protect you."

"Yay! Alice has a protector now!" she cheered.

"Perfect for you, little Alice. Now, let's get back to playing." Reuel ruffled her hair gently.

After playing for a while, Reuel stood and walked over to the large window overlooking the runway.

The view rendered him silent. The commercial planes were completely gone. Haneda was no longer a civilian airport—it had become a war base, brimming with armored vehicles and Imperial Guard war machines.

From the suite's window, Reuel watched as the world was being reshaped by the Imperial Guard.

Down below, soldiers began forming the first line of defense. Infantry units with lasguns and flamers spread out in organized formations, while heavy teams set up bolters behind sandbag barricades. Autocannons were stationed strategically at wide vantage points, and missile launcher crews patrolled in shifts, passing around crates of ammunition.

Guard.

Reuel's gaze shifted to the parking area—once filled with civilian vehicles, now overtaken by a full display of Imperial firepower. Leman Russ, Chimera, Hellhound, Basilisk, Wyvern, and even the massive Baneblade super-heavy tanks were parked in perfect military formation.

He nodded slightly, satisfied.

Further down, the cleared runways—now devoid of commercial aircraft—had been repurposed into aerial logistics hubs. Valkyries, Vultures, and Vendettas buzzed overhead, some landing to unload women and children survivors, others ferrying reinforcements from orbit.

Flak Hydra anti-air units guarded the perimeter, their cannons raised skyward and always ready. Each Valkyrie rotation ran like clockwork—swift, precise, and without a hitch.

Seeing everything running smoothly, Reuel summoned the attendants.

Before long, rows of servitors and human servants arrived carrying silver trays laden with food. The long dining table was lavishly set, offering dishes from across the globe—European roasted meats, Japanese sushi, Middle Eastern kebabs, and warm loaves fresh from the oven. The mouthwatering aroma filled the room like a royal banquet fit for an Emperor.

Alice and Shizuka Marikawa sat down immediately and began eating with childlike enthusiasm.

"Lord Reuel, come eat! Or we'll finish all this ourselves!" Shizuka shouted cheerfully, cheeks puffed with food.

"Eat as much as you like. There's no way you two could finish all of it," Reuel chuckled. The way Shizuka ate—so gleefully, like a child unaware of her age—was almost endearing. Somehow, none of those calories ever showed… unless you counted where they all seemed to end up. A biological mystery not even the Tech-Priests of the Mechanicus would dare to explain.

Not far away, a purple-haired woman stood and bowed politely. Her manner was refined, with an air of quiet professionalism.

"My name is Rika Minami. I look forward to working under your guidance," she said in elegant, formal Japanese.

Reuel stood as well, replying with a thin smile and a polite sarcasm that barely masked his dry wit.

"A pleasure, I'm Reuel. And I, too, humbly ask for your guidance," he replied lightly, drawing soft laughter from others at the table.

The atmosphere warmed. Everyone returned to their seats, enjoying the meal and exchanging small talk. Amid the tension and chaos of the past hours, this moment of camaraderie felt like a much-needed pause.

Soon after, a Sergeant from the Imperial Guard entered and saluted with the double-headed eagle.

"Your Majesty, the God Emperor, Colonel Minka Lesk sends her regards."

Reuel turned swiftly. That name was far from unfamiliar.

"Colonel Minka Lesk will oversee military operations in this zone. Major Hellsker remains in charge of base infrastructure. Request the Tech-Priest Mechanicus to accelerate construction. We have all necessary materials, so there's no excuse for delay. Build the military zone and safe zone immediately," Reuel instructed clearly.

When Minka Lesk finally appeared, Reuel couldn't hide his surprise. He recognized her face instantly.

There she is... he thought. The face from posters, from wallpapers, from every Warhammer YouTube thumbnail that ever mentioned Cadia...

Back then, just seeing her in promotional art had left fans awestruck—despite the battlefield grime and scars, her presence always shone through. But now, seeing her in real life, clean and standing tall as a Cadia officer—Reuel was momentarily speechless.

She's even more beautiful in person, he thought, stunned.

"At your command, Your Majesty, God Emperor," Colonel Minka Lesk saluted with the Aquila before turning to begin coordinating logistics and defense around the military sector.

Reuel decided to walk around Haneda Airport, inspecting firsthand the progress of the safe zone being built for civilian survivors. The Cadia Shock Troopers worked tirelessly—efficient, disciplined, like tireless machines forged by war.

Haneda was no longer a civilian transportation hub. It had become a fortress of the Imperium.

---

Meanwhile, at the Takagi residence...

Since Reuel's departure, the entire estate had been filled with tension and confusion. The events of that day had been too overwhelming to process. A foreign man—Middle Eastern in appearance—had suddenly shown up with a fully armed force and nearly wiped them out in mere minutes.

"Boss, our food supplies are running low," whispered one of Soichiro Takagi's trusted men. He knew the head of the family was in a fragile mental state, and didn't dare speak too loudly.

"How long can we hold out?"

"Maybe a week, if everyone only eats once a day."

"How many people are we sheltering right now?"

"More than 1,500 from the Takagi family… and about 3,000 other survivors. They're crammed into tents outside—about twenty people per tent."

Soichiro let out a long sigh. "Arm the young and the strong. Power's out, comms are down… We need to be ready for the worst."

His thoughts felt heavy. The EMP bomb that went off earlier had crippled the entire electrical grid of Tokyo. No radio broadcasts, no cell signal, no help. Just darkness… and fear.

On the other side of the estate, Komuro Takashi sat on the ground, body exhausted and face pale. Miyamoto Rei approached him, concern etched on her features.

"Komuro, are you okay?"

"I... I'm fine," he replied, gasping. But in his heart, he knew that was a lie. He wasn't okay. The more he thought about what happened earlier, the clearer one thing became in his mind:

I shouldn't have knelt.

He had wanted to be a hero. A leader. But who would follow someone who trembled in fear before the enemy… and then got on his knees? He felt his pride had shattered. No one looked up to him anymore. Takashi Komuro had once tasted the sweetness of being hailed as a savior… and that made it so easy for him to grow arrogant toward Reuel.

Ironically, Reuel hadn't even intended to kill him. But Komuro—he had destroyed himself first, consumed by fear.

"If only we had supported Reuel back on the school bus… maybe things would've turned out differently," Rei murmured, her voice barely audible, filled with regret.

"Reuel's a villain!" Komuro suddenly snapped, sounding more like he was defending himself. "If we follow him, he might kill us someday… or… or treat you like he treated Takagi's mom!"

The words brought Rei to silence. Komuro had lost control. He felt wronged, but still ended up being targeted by Reuel. And whether it was out of frustration or shame, he yelled at Rei.

The room fell into silence.

Miyamoto Rei stared at him, stunned. Kohta Hirano, standing not far away, also turned toward them quietly. Then he shifted his gaze toward Takagi Saya—the only thing occupying his mind at the moment.

Takagi Saya sat frozen in her chair. Her expression was blank. Her eyes stared into nothing, unfocused. One question echoed in her mind over and over again: Why did this happen?

Her father had tried to seize Reuel's car. Komuro had tried to take Busujima Saeko and Marikawa Shizuka away from him. But in the end, it was her own mother who was taken away by that man.

Why?

Saya's gaze slowly shifted toward Komuro. She began to piece things together in her mind. Was it Komuro who convinced my father to go after Reuel's car? Did my father act on his own… or did someone whisper something to him beforehand?

What Takagi Saya didn't know was this: she was dangerously close to the truth.

The fact was, Takashi Komuro had been the first to spread the rumor that the man in the vehicle was from the Middle East. He was also the one who warned that Reuel carried strange, advanced, and deadly weapons. He planted the seed of fear in Soichiro's mind, whispering that the man could one day seek revenge. And from there—without even realizing it—the chain of destruction had begun.

That evening, zombies started to appear near the estate. At first, just a few. But as soon as gunfire echoed out, more began to arrive. Thankfully, the fences still held. The zombies were taken down before they could breach the perimeter.

After the chaos died down, Soichiro Takagi began to reflect. It was clear this place could not serve as a permanent stronghold. They needed to find a new place of refuge—and everything would depend on how the situation evolved day by day.

He looked up at the darkening sky. In the distance, fire raged from burning buildings. The night air reeked of smoke and blood. In silence, his thoughts wandered to Yuriko Takagi—his wife—who was now, perhaps, in the arms of another man. His mind darkened, and pain gripped his chest.

But from that despair, a new resolve was born.

He would arm the survivors. He would go to the police station. He would find weapons. And he would hunt down Reuel—

With despair… and vengeance.

---

The next morning.

Reuel woke up earlier than usual. He turned to the side of the bed, only to find it empty—Saeko Busujima was already up.

Moving at a leisurely pace, he stepped out toward the airport parking lot, which had now been turned into a military base. The morning air was still cool, and the sun had just begun to cast its golden glow on the horizon.

There, he saw Rika Minami exercising. The tight tank top and shorts she wore showed off her slim frame and well-toned muscles. A few Imperial Guard soldiers were watching her, clearly impressed and more than a little enchanted—some had even openly declared themselves her devoted fans.

"Women these days… waking up earlier than the soldiers," Reuel muttered with a small smile, shaking his head slightly.

He then made his way toward the beach. In the warmth of the morning sun, Saeko Busujima was practicing with her katana. Her movements were fast, precise, mesmerizing—like a deadly dance in harmony with nature. Her training outfit clung to her body, highlighting every muscle, every calm breath. She looked like a warrior and an artist all at once.

Reuel simply sat on a large rock nearby, observing her in silence. Saeko noticed his presence. She glanced his way, but said nothing. There was no need. Reuel had seen every side of her, and between them, silence was enough to speak.

When her training ended, Saeko sheathed her sword and walked over. They exchanged a brief glance and a faint smile—quiet, but meaningful.

Then the two of them walked back toward the airport terminal, side by side, wrapped in a silence that felt familiar and comforting.

But as they reached the entrance to the departure hall, a commotion broke out. Loud voices echoed in the distance. Reuel turned and saw a group of people locked in a heated argument—airport staff and several Imperial Guard soldiers.

Reuel approached. In the center of the crowd, Rika Minami was trying to defuse a situation on the verge of exploding. The number of soldiers was limited, while the crowd of civilians grew more aggressive—some even pointing fingers and nearly getting physical.

The tension was thick. A few soldiers had already raised their lasguns, fingers hovering near the trigger—ready to shoot at the slightest threat.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Reuel raised his bolt pistol and fired into the air. Three rounds cracked through the sky—loud, commanding, halting every movement and every voice.

The crowd froze. All eyes turned to him.

"What's going on here?" he asked, calm but cold. "What are you arguing about?"

An Imperial Guard officer stepped forward and saluted. "Your Majesty, Emperor… they claim to be members of the Diet, ministers, governors, CEOs, and tycoons. They're demanding accommodation, gourmet meals, and full protection."

The officer barely held back his anger. If it weren't for the Emperor's orders, he would've thrown them outside the gates as bait for the xenos. To him, these pampered elites were nothing but dead weight.

Reuel looked at the group with a flat expression. "If you have other demands, speak now."

One of them—a man in a wrinkled but still expensive suit—shouted, "I'm a member of Parliament! I demand a 24-hour escort, proper food, and a private villa. We can pay!"

"Yes! We can too! I need a king-sized bed!" another chimed in.

"I won't sleep crammed in with commoners!" a woman added, draped in excessive jewelry.

Reuel resisted the urge to throw them into a Tyranid pen. But he had another plan. These people were Japan's elite. It would be far more interesting to let their fate be decided by someone who stood on equal footing in the social hierarchy: Soichiro Takagi.

"Rika Minami," he said softly, glancing at her. "Do you have any comrades here?"

Rika shook her head slowly. "No… All of my comrades are gone," she replied, voice laced with pain.

Reuel held her gaze for a few seconds, then turned away. "Let's go."

Just then, a Cadia Shock Trooper officer stepped forward with firm, confident strides. He stood at attention and gave a military salute—right hand to chest, the signature gesture of the Imperium, marked by the double-headed eagle.

"Your Excellency, God Emperor, what are your orders?"

Reuel glanced back at the guarded crowd.

"Send them to the Takagi residence," he said flatly. "Hand them over to Soichiro. We don't have the time or resources to pamper people like this. Let him decide what to do with them."

"Understood, Lord God Emperor," the officer replied firmly before stepping away to carry out the order.

Reuel didn't look back. He walked forward, flanked by Rika Minami and Saeko Busujima. The fate of the elites was now in the hands of Soichiro Takagi—a man who, like them, knew how expensive power was, and how cruel this new world had become.

When he arrived at his temporary quarters, Reuel found everyone already awake. Without saying much, he instructed the staff to prepare breakfast. After a shower and a change of clothes, he sat down at the large dining table, surrounded by the beautiful women who now shared his life.

A new day began—full of intrigue, power, and a silence only understood by those who had lost too much.