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

At that moment, the distinctive voice of Red Queen echoed. A sharp notification chimed from the wristwatch strapped to Reuel's arm, ringing clearly from outside Rika Minami's bedroom door.

He pressed a small button on the side of the watch. Instantly, a hologram lit up in midair—a sharp-eyed little girl with blazing red hair and a mischievous smile appeared. Red Queen.

"Pervert big bro, when are you coming back to Terra Aeterna? The Mechanicus here are getting more and more annoying!" Red Queen chirped in a teasing tone, her voice childlike and playful—yet with a sharpness that hinted at her true nature.

Reuel let out a heavy sigh. "Relax. I'll be back tomorrow. Just tell the Fabricators to keep building the Imperial Palace. Don't let them bother you."

But Red Queen wasn't done. Her tone shifted slightly—still nagging, but more serious now.

"By the way, big bro… there's a woman who showed up near headquarters."

Reuel's eyes narrowed. "Go on."

"A woman…"

"Spit it out."

"A beautiful woman…"

Reuel scowled. "For fuck's sake, can you finish a sentence without dragging it out? You're getting more annoying, Red Queen. Seriously."

Ever since Red Queen got direct access through his wristwatch system, the AI had become increasingly talkative. And ever since she got exposed to the internet and human forums, she'd gotten even more unhinged—constantly babbling at the worst times.

Red Queen giggled softly. "Her name is Miyamoto Rei."

Reuel's gaze sharpened. "Miyamoto Rei...? She's not dead? Came here alone? That woman really is absurdly lucky. Escaping the Takagi estate in that situation…"

He paused. His mind briefly drifted to a different life—a time when he was just an ordinary guy who read manga and watched anime. He knew who Miyamoto Rei was. And more than that, he remembered how divided the fandom always was whenever Rei and Takashi Komuro came up. Plenty of people—including himself—felt like those two characters were… forced into relevance.

Reuel let out a short sigh. He had no interest in wasting time thinking about either of them.

"Red Queen, contact Yuriko Takagi and Saya Takagi. Tell them to meet with Rei."

Red Queen replied with a casual, "Okay, asshole."

Reuel's brow twitched. "Hey. I thought Takashi Komuro was the asshole? Why am I getting called that now?"

Red Queen grinned, her voice suddenly turning melodramatic like a stage actress. "In novels, a man surrounded by more than ten women is always called an asshole."

Reuel fell silent. He couldn't argue with that. At this point, he really was surrounded by women from across countless worlds—some famous, others long forgotten by time and fandom alike.

"Fine," he muttered at last. "Don't linger too long. Head back to Terra Aeterna. If not, I'll toss you to the Mechanicus and have them use you as a data terminal."

"Hmph! You're a cruel, perverted big brother!" Red Queen ended the call in a spoiled, whiny voice—though clearly she was only playing around.

Not long after, the Astra Militarum guards stationed at the base delivered a report directly to Yuriko Takagi and her daughter, Saya. The moment they heard the name "Miyamoto Rei," both women immediately armed themselves and made haste to the forward post at the airport bridge—ready to face whatever awaited them.

Outer Defense Post, Haneda Airport

The atmosphere at the outer post was tense. The air felt frozen between the tall steel walls lined with barbed wire, deep trenches, and neatly stacked sandbags serving as defensive barriers. Behind these layers of security, sentry turrets stood tall, barrels aimed outward in constant vigilance—ready to shoot anything deemed a threat. Above, dozens of Imperial Navy starfighters launched in disciplined formation, flying off to some distant battlefield.

Amidst that militaristic setting, Miyamoto Rei walked slowly. Her body was covered in dust and sweat, her face looked exhausted, and her torn, grimy school uniform made her resemble a war refugee more than a typical Japanese student. Each step she took carried the weight of a long and grueling journey, wounds not yet fully healed, and painful memories that clung tightly. Yoshioka had died along the way—killed protecting her.

In front of her, rows of armored vehicles stood in intimidating formation. Leman Russ tanks, with their massive main cannons, dominated the front line. Beside them, Hellhounds with their flamethrower nozzles looked ready to incinerate anything that moved. Further behind, the silhouettes of Basilisks and Manticores loomed, artillery platforms capable of leveling entire districts in a single salvo. They looked like metal monsters from another world—because that's exactly what they were.

Rei bit her lip gently.

"If the Takagi family has this much firepower… there's no way their estate was destroyed just by zombies. Maybe the real enemy isn't the undead anymore."

The roar of heavy engines snapped her back to the present. A Chimera APC rolled out from behind the base, its treads thundering steadily over the asphalt. On top of the vehicle, several soldiers stood guard in gleaming black-and-silver armor, holding rifles with designs unfamiliar to this world.

The side hatch of the Chimera opened slowly, and two familiar figures emerged.

Yuriko Takagi stepped out first, radiating noble grace in a deep purple evening gown that starkly contrasted with the military backdrop. Her mature elegance remained intact, but so did her commanding presence. Beside her, Takagi Saya stood wearing her Fujimi High School uniform, still impeccably neat despite how drastically the world had changed.

"Rei! Why are you here alone? Are you hurt?!" Saya shouted, her voice panicked—though still holding that signature tsundere edge.

Yuriko gently touched her daughter's shoulder, signaling her to calm down, then stepped forward. Her gaze locked onto Rei—sharp, analytical, but not without compassion.

"Saya, take her inside. She needs a safe place."

Then, to Rei, she spoke calmly but clearly:

"Rei, come with us. Take a bath, eat… then we'll talk. I'm sure you have a lot to share."

Once Rei's condition was deemed safe, Saya Takagi escorted her into the main complex—a modern mansion now functioning as a tactical command center. Far from the chaos of the outer military post, the place felt like a strange transition zone between war and normal life.

"Rei, take a bath first. I'll wait in the dining room," Saya said, her tone softer than usual.

---

Inside Reuel's Residence at Haneda Airport, Tokyo

Yuriko Takagi entered the living room as she took off her luxurious coat. Her gaze swept across the room briefly.

"Hey, where's Reuel?" she asked, her tone flat but carrying a hint of curiosity.

From the sofa, Shizuka Marikawa answered casually while sipping her hot tea. "Reuel's out, Auntie."

In the corner of the room, Rika Minami had just returned from the military hospital. She was removing her combat jacket when Yuriko's eyes locked onto her immediately.

Yuriko stepped closer, narrowing her eyes sharply—as if observing something of interest.

"Rika Minami? You're back? Good. We're staying here from now on. The barracks are full of men—too noisy, too smelly. Besides..." Yuriko gave a faint smirk, "...I heard you've got a little admirer here, don't you?"

Her tone was somewhere between a dorm head and a harem manager—depending on how one interpreted it. Rika simply gave a faint smile and nodded calmly.

"Fine. I'll stay here."

Yuriko waved her hand nonchalantly. "You all chat. I won't bother you," she said, walking out of the room.

Not long after, she called over two new helpers now assigned to the house: a young woman and a little girl.

"Kiriko, Airi. Prepare tea for everyone and a hot meal for one person. We're expecting a guest—she'll be hungry after her bath."

Kiriko Miyamoto gave a polite nod, while little Airi, Alice's playmate, immediately dashed to the kitchen with a cheerful face.

---

Dining Room, Reuel's Residence

Tension hung in the air like a fog that refused to lift. In the dining room—now serving as an informal briefing space—Saya Takagi stared straight at Miyamoto Rei. After hearing a summary of what had happened, her expression shifted drastically—from confusion to uncontrollable rage.

"What?! The Takagi estate was overrun by zombies?! And Father... is dead?!"

Her voice rose, nearly shrieking.

"Didn't I send three containers full of weapons and millions of rounds of ammo?! We had six thousand guards! How could this happen?! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU PEOPLE DOING?!"

Rei remained silent for a moment. She lowered her head, holding back her emotions. Then, slowly, she relayed Soichiro Takagi's final message. Her voice was flat, but heavy. The words were brief, unembellished—but they struck Saya like a hammer to the chest.

The girl fell silent. Her eyes widened, her lips parted without a sound. Her breath caught in her throat.

From the kitchen, Yuriko Takagi—who had only been half-listening—froze in place. Her hand, holding a teapot mid-air, stopped completely. Though their marriage had long grown cold, the news of Soichiro's death still carved out a wound. He was, after all, the father of her child—and once, a significant part of her life.

But now, her heart had moved on completely. Only one name remained in her thoughts: Reuel.

---

Dining Room — A Few Minutes Later

Miyamoto Rei now stood tall. Her body still tired, but her voice steady. She gave a full report of what happened—start to finish—no drama, no manipulation. Every word she spoke felt like a hammer breaking the silence of the room.

And then—

"TAKASHI KOMURO! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!"

Saya Takagi exploded with rage. Her eyes were red, her body trembling. Her emotions burst forth as the bitter truth set in—that all this tragedy might have stemmed from one stupid decision, or the emotional stupidity of one of her own schoolmates.

"If he hadn't provoked Father, if he hadn't led them out... they might all still be alive…!"

"Calm down, Saya," a gentle but firm voice cut through her fury.

Yuriko stepped forward, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder with the firm warmth of both a mother and a leader.

Then she called out sharply,

"Guards."

The door opened, and a soldier of the Astra Militarum quickly entered, standing at attention.

"Your orders, ma'am?"

Yuriko Takagi didn't hesitate.

"Tell Major Hellsker: deploy all recon drones and fast-response units. Target: a young man named Takashi Komuro. Capture him alive. I want him standing in front of me—explaining everything face-to-face."

"Orders received, ma'am!"

The soldier moved instantly. The message would be delivered directly to the central command—to the hands of Major Hellsker himself.

Miyamoto Rei could only stare, eyes wide. She had never imagined that Yuriko Takagi—whom she had always thought of as just the mother of a high-class family—could mobilize full-scale military force with a single sentence.

---

Command HQ — Office of Major Hellsker

Major Hellsker, a middle-aged man clad in a hand-stitched red Cadia coat, with an Imperial aquila-embossed helmet resting on his desk, turned as a liaison officer entered in a rush.

"Major Hellsker, orders from Lady Yuriko Takagi. Target: a young man named Takashi Komuro. Directive: capture alive."

The major frowned. "Lady? Since when did the Master of Mankind take a consort?"

But after a moment's thought, his expression changed.

"Ah… the woman always by the Lord Emperor's side. Of course."

He turned to his officers and gave a sharp nod.

"Deploy drone units. Send out fast-response troops. Sweep the entire sector within a 20-kilometer radius. Capture the target alive."

"Orders acknowledged, sir!"

Not long after, a holographic report was transmitted directly to Reuel.

---

Secure Hologram Channel

The face of Major Hellsker appeared in blue light. Before him stood a tall figure clad in ceremonial gold-and-black robes, eyes glowing with psionic energy and a calm, unreadable expression.

"Lord Emperor, per Lady Yuriko's request, Cadia Shock Troopers and Kasrkin units are prepped for the capture of one Takashi Komuro. Operation begins in twenty minutes."

Reuel gave a slight nod. "Approve the operation. Do not harm him. Ensure he cannot escape, but keep him intact."

Then he added, expressionless,

"And deploy the Inquisition. One squad of Adeptus Arbites—fresh graduates from the Schola Progenium. This will be good training for them."

"Orders received, Lord Emperor."

The hologram blinked out.

The hunt had begun.