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

While tears streamed down her cheeks, Busujima Saeko looked at Reuel and spoke softly, her voice trembling with fear and doubt.

"Do you really not mind me... being like this? I… I'm a bloodthirsty woman, Reuel…"

Reuel shook his head slowly, meeting her gaze with firm empathy.

"Saeko, you didn't do anything wrong. You defended yourself from someone who tried to hurt you. That's not a sin. That's survival. You don't have to carry this guilt."

Saeko's heart warmed, the burden on her chest slowly growing lighter. Reuel's words touched the deepest part of the emotional knot she had carried alone for so long.

"Reuel... will you always like me... even though I'm like this?"

Reuel nodded with conviction, his eyes locked onto hers.

"As long as you want me by your side, I'll stay here. I'll always love you with all my heart, Saeko. You're the first woman I've ever loved in this world."

And in his heart, Reuel murmured, Yeah... I'm not lying. Saeko really is the first woman in the High School of the Dead world. Sure, it might be different in another universe. But now… is this what it feels like to be a Casanova? I almost feel like an asshole...

Saeko fell silent for a moment, staring at Reuel with wide eyes. Her face slowly flushed, and her heart raced out of control. She wasn't used to hearing such words from a man—genuine, unfiltered.

Reuel leaned in, bowed his head, and kissed her gently.

That night, the two of them spent their time together in a silence filled only with heartbeats and soft whispers. Saeko felt happy. She felt safe. For the first time, she was loved—not for the mask of strength she wore, but for who she truly was. And Reuel accepted her, completely.

(What happens next? Feel free to use your imagination.)

---

The next morning, as sunlight filtered through the curtains, Reuel woke up early. He turned his head and saw Busujima Saeko still asleep beside him—her face peaceful, unburdened.

Not wanting to wake her, Reuel got up quietly and headed to the bathroom.

After showering and freshening up, he opened his spatial storage system, pulled out a variety of fresh and ready-to-eat foods, and neatly arranged them on the table.

Now, he just had to wait for Saeko, Shizuka and Alice to wake up. Breakfast was ready.

"Big Brother, I'm awake!"

Little loli Alice appeared cheerfully in the kitchen, holding her puppy in her arms. Her eyes widened the moment she saw the table full of food. Her face lit up instantly, and she ran over to the dining table with excitement.

But before she could sit down, Reuel greeted her first with a warm hug and a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Little Alice, did you brush your teeth and wash your face?"

"Yes, Big Brother!" she answered quickly with a proud smile.

"Good. Then you may eat."

Alice immediately sat down and began digging into her breakfast with glee.

Not long after, a lazy voice echoed from the stairs.

"Good morning, Reuel… Eh? Where did this little girl come from?"

Shizuka Marikawa rubbed her eyes, blinking in confusion when she saw Alice sitting sweetly at the dining table.

Without asking any more questions, she joined them and helped herself to the food, shoving it into her mouth without hesitation.

"Waaah, this is sooo good! Sooo good!"

Shizuka ate with childlike enthusiasm, her cheeks puffed out with food. Alice, sitting next to her, giggled softly, and soon the two were practically racing to see who could eat faster.

A few minutes later, Busujima Saeko emerged from the bedroom. Her steps were slow, legs slightly trembling, her body visibly weak. When she spotted Reuel, she shot him a sharp glance—though it was also tinged with embarrassment.

Reuel immediately stood up and pulled the chair beside him.

"Saeko, come here. Sit and eat. The food's really good."

Saeko walked over reluctantly and sat down. Her cheeks were faintly red. She gave Reuel a quick glance, then muttered in her head.

This bastard… he went way too far last night. Dressing me up in all kinds of weird outfits like it was some cosplay session… and he didn't even let me rest. Now my whole body aches—back, hips, neck, shoulders… everything.

Shizuka turned and called out, her mouth full of food.

"Saeko! Eat some! I swear it's super good!"

Reuel watched Shizuka closely. The woman ate with an absurd level of enthusiasm, shoveling food into her mouth while downing milk in worryingly large amounts. She was like a child trapped in an adult's body.

This girl… so cheerful, so innocent, and… her boobs are insanely big.

Does all the food just go straight there?

After breakfast, they all gathered in the living room. The atmosphere had settled. Shizuka sat hugging a pillow, Alice curled up in Reuel's lap, and Saeko leaned slightly against him.

"Lord Reuel, what's your plan going forward?" Saeko asked seriously.

"We'll stay here for a few days. Some of… my subordinates will be arriving soon."

Saeko turned to him with a puzzled expression.

"You still have subordinates? I thought you said it was just your little trio of weebs?"

Reuel gave a small smile. "Well, they're my 'weeb friends'. We used to be refugees in the final days before the outbreak."

Deep down, he knew that wasn't the full truth.

If they found out that the Imperial Guard was already in Earth's orbit… how would they react?

Shizuka chimed in, resting her chin on the pillow.

"Lord Reuel, if you still have subordinates, why not just call them here? Tell them to protect us."

"They'll come… just not yet," Reuel replied, deliberately keeping his tone mysterious.

Suddenly, barking came from the balcony.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Alice screamed, "Big Brother! There's someone outside!"

Reuel and Saeko immediately rushed to the balcony. From above, they saw chaos on the street. A large group of people—easily over a hundred—were gathered, beating a few others. Some were dragging people off and handcuffing them like prisoners.

Their bodies were covered in tattoos. Some wielded metal pipes, bladed weapons, even firearms. The way they moved, coordinated, and carried themselves made one thing clear—they weren't just random street punks. These were professional gangsters, and they meant serious business.

Some of them began to harass the women they had captured along the way. Screams, cries, and chaos filled the air.

When Busujima Saeko saw this from the balcony, fury exploded inside her. "These fucking bastards…" she growled, gripping her wooden sword and preparing to leap down.

But Reuel stopped her quickly, grabbing her arm.

"What the hell are you thinking? They're armed. You could die," Reuel said sharply, his voice cold and forceful.

"Stay here. Wait for me."

Without waiting for a reply, Reuel jumped down from the second floor to the street. Midair, he summoned his weapon from the system storage: a bolter pistol—a high-caliber heavy firearm typically used by Space Marine.

The moment his feet hit the ground—

BOOM-THUMP!! BOOM-THUMP!!

Loud explosions echoed. With each pull of the trigger, the bolter rounds tore through the crowd with brutal force. Bodies exploded, limbs flew, and blood drenched the asphalt.

In seconds, dozens of them were reduced to minced meat.

Reuel fired without hesitation. This wasn't just a massacre—it was an execution. He targeted the gangsters for one reason: they preyed on the weak, wasted food, and had become trash in the apocalypse.

The ones who survived screamed in panic, scattering in every direction. But when one of them tried to aim a weapon from behind a car, Reuel shot him in the head without even turning.

BOOM—

His skull shattered like a watermelon.

The rest froze. No one dared to move. Reuel's terrifying aura hung in the air like the blade of death.

Even the survivors he'd just rescued looked at him in fear.

"Leave now," Reuel said flatly. "Haneda Airport is a safe zone. Go there."

Without waiting for a response, he turned his back. The survivors, still trembling, quickly muttered their thanks and fled. They grabbed abandoned weapons and food, then bolted as fast as they could.

Reuel then turned his gaze to the eight or nine gangsters still alive.

He gave a cold grin.

"Drop all your weapons. Stand by the wall."

The gangsters hesitated. Most of them still unsure whether to comply or bolt.

BOOM-THUMP!

Another bolter round exploded the head of one of them. The rest immediately panicked, tossing their weapons away and lining up against the wall, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.

Reuel walked toward them at a casual pace.

"You've got some brains. The zombies out there aren't gone yet, and here you are—raping and killing for fun. If you're so eager to 'play'... then play right here."

Seconds later, the sound of the earlier gunfire had drawn attention. Growls, shuffling steps, and monstrous moans approached. The zombies were coming, drawn by the scent of fresh blood.

The gangsters began to panic. They could see the shadows of the undead closing in and tried to run.

But before they could—

VRRRRRRT—SKKRAK!

Reuel swung his chainsword, slicing off one of their legs. Flesh tore, bone shattered, and blood sprayed violently.

Agonized screams tore through the air.

"GYAAAAAHHHH!! HNGHH—AAAHHHHH—S-STOP! STOOOP!!"

"AAAAAARRRGGHHHHH!!! GHHHRRGHH—HHAAAK—N-NGH!"

"I-I don't wanna die! Please! Save me!"

"I swear I won't do it again! Please…!"

But Reuel remained silent. His face showed no emotion whatsoever. He gave them a single glance, then turned his back and walked away—leaving them to be devoured by the incoming zombie horde.

Their screams gradually faded… replaced by the sound of tearing flesh, snapping bones, and the ravenous moans of the zombie.

After mercilessly slaughtering the gangsters, Reuel immediately activated his communication system and contacted the Inquisitors.

"Your Holiness, God-Emperor of mankind… am I worthy of receiving this honor? Are there any orders I must execute at once?"

The Inquisitor's voice came through, nervous yet filled with reverence. But Reuel wasted no time on pleasantries.

"There is filth abducting humanity, right next to where I rest. Had I not ordered this area to be completely cleansed? Explain this failure."

Reuel's tone was cold, nearly devoid of emotion, but it carried a divine weight that brooked no argument. The Inquisitor on the other end immediately panicked.

"Forgive me, Most Holy One. I have failed… I entrusted the task to two new acolytes. They will be punished. I will personally see to the completion of the purge."

"Do it. Do not let a single piece of that trash escape. Save those who can still be saved — but show them the Imperium offers no mercy to those who toy with human life."

"By Your will, God-Emperor. For the Imperium, I swear I will finish this."

Once the comm channel was closed, Reuel returned to Rika Minami's villa. His body was still soaked in fresh blood, the scent of gunpowder lingering in the air. Busujima Saeko looked at him wordlessly. She knew that, in these final days… mercy was weakness.

Not long after, a cheerful voice broke the silence.

"Reuel! Look what I found!"

Shizuka Marikawa came running with excitement, grabbing Reuel's hand like a child who had found buried treasure.

Reuel followed her, and they arrived at a hidden room. A vault door stood open — filled with military-grade firearms.

Rika Minami's armory. That tomboyish woman was famous for her sharpshooting skills, and her gun collection was legendary. Now it was all laid bare before them.

Shizuka smiled proudly, her eyes sparkling like a child waiting for praise.

"Reuel, I found it! I searched so hard for it... hmm... aren't you going to praise me?"

Reuel chuckled.

"Good work, Shizuka. I'll cook something delicious for you later."

Shizuka looked thrilled, her cheeks tinged pink. Reuel stepped forward and hugged her gently.

"Thank you, Shizuka."

Shizuka closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the warmth of his embrace, then opened them again with a playful flutter of her lashes.

"Wow... Lord Reuel, why are you thanking me? I just wanted to help you…"

Their eyes met. Her soft brown eyes locked with his golden ones. Her face flushed red. She looked down slowly, a shy smile lingering on her lips.