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

Raccoon City, Arklay Mountains — Main Villa

Waking up in the middle of the day, Reuel looked at Jill Valentine, still fast asleep beside him. He had no intention of waking her.

Jill had been exhausted last night, and Reuel himself had asked her to rest longer.

He kissed Jill softly on the forehead, then walked into the bathroom.

Inside, Reuel stared at his own body. This body of the Emperor of Mankind is truly extraordinary, he thought. I haven't even reached one percent of my original strength, yet my performance last night… two full hours with Jill, and I didn't even feel tired. It's incredible. There's nothing else to say but—impressive.

According to the system, in order to fully unlock the powers of the Emperor of Mankind faster, he would need to conquer other universes... or form alliances with them.

After finishing his shower, he got dressed and went downstairs. Upon entering the kitchen, he saw Alice cooking.

"Good morning, Alice," Reuel greeted as he walked up to her. He hugged Alice from behind and kissed her cheek.

"It's already late, you know? You slept in way too long. It's almost ten," Alice said, gently pushing Reuel away. She handed him a sandwich that was already prepared.

Reuel walked to the dining table with the sandwich in hand, then sat down without saying much. A moment later, Alice followed—she poured a glass of juice and placed it in front of Reuel before sitting across from him.

"Reuel, what's your plan for the future?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

"A plan?" Reuel wiped his mouth slowly. "First of all, you have to stay alive. The future only matters if you're still alive."

Alice stared at him for a long time in silence. Reuel stared back, his gaze hardening.

"Alice, have you ever thought… that you're different?"

Alice frowned. "What do you mean?"

"That maybe… you're humanity's last hope."

Alice let out a short laugh, almost mocking. "Then why don't I know that? What are you even talking about?"

But Reuel remained serious. His sharp gaze didn't falter.

"You know about the T-virus, right? Most people turn into monsters after exposure. But you… you merged with it. Not only did you survive—your body became stronger. Stable."

Alice shook her head, murmuring softly, almost in disbelief. "That's impossible… No one's ever told me that."

"I'm not lying, Alice. I'm being serious." Reuel leaned toward the table. "I can't tell you everything just yet… but trust me. I care about you. And I won't hurt you."

Alice stayed silent. Her eyes scrutinized him, trying to read his face.

"If you're really being honest… then why can't you tell me the reason now?"

Reuel just gave a faint smile. He stood up and walked behind Alice. Gently, he brushed her long hair with his fingers and embraced her calmly.

"Darling, it's not time yet. But I promise… you'll know soon."

Suddenly, he raised his hand. From the empty air, a metal case appeared and dropped lightly onto the table. Alice flinched, turning quickly.

"You… just now… how did you—"

"Secret," Reuel cut in, brief. "It's not time for explanations."

He looked at the box for a moment, then said flatly, "This T-virus was stolen by me from Spence Parks. Now I'm asking you—do you want to inject it?"

Alice tensed. "This... this is the T-virus that Spence Parks stole?" her voice was low. "Since when did you get it? Why don't I remember anything?"

He opened the box using a password—a numeric combination identical to the one from the first Resident Evil movie, which he had observed closely.

Inside, neatly stored side by side, were the T-virus and its antidote.

"This will really make me stronger… without side effects?" she asked softly, almost a whisper.

"Yes. There will be a major crisis on Earth in the next few days. If not, I wouldn't let you touch it."

Alice looked at the virus, then stared sharply at Reuel. "This is a viral outbreak crisis… isn't it?"

"Let's say this is the end of the world. The apocalypse for what's left of humanity," Reuel said softly, his tone heavy with weight.

"It can't be stopped now?" Alice asked quickly, her voice tinged with diminishing hope.

Reuel shook his head. "We're too weak."

He looked deep into Alice's eyes, as if he wanted to imprint each word on her soul.

"Only when we become stronger... can we save more people."

A brief silence followed.

"I'll inject the T-virus." Alice's voice broke the stillness—firm, without hesitation.

Reuel was almost in disbelief. "You're serious?"

"Yes," Alice answered confidently. There was no doubt in her eyes.

Reuel nodded slowly. "That's good."

Before he could say anything else, a voice came from behind the wall.

"What are you two talking about?"

"What's going on? What are you talking about?" Jill Valentine appeared from behind the wall, her hair still a mess, wearing a gray tank top and shorts. Her eyes immediately locked onto the metal case on the table, suspicious.

She walked over briskly and looked inside. "What is this?"

"T-virus," Reuel replied flatly. "Alice is going to inject it."

"Are you fucking insane?" Jill snapped, glaring at Reuel like she was about to slap him. "She'll turn into a monster if you inject that shit into her!"

Reuel placed a hand on Jill's shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"Relax, Jill. Alice... she's the only one in the world who can integrate the T-virus perfectly. She'll be fine."

Jill stared at him for a long moment, holding her breath. "You sure? Don't lie to me."

"Of course not. I'd never lie to you—especially not to Alice."

Jill finally stepped half a pace back. "Alright... if you've made your decision. I'm not going to interfere."

Reuel nodded. "Jill, tell James and Sergeant Darek Thorne. Have them update the current situation."

"I'll do it now." Jill turned and walked off, her steps quick but heavy.

Reuel turned to Alice. "Let's go upstairs. I'll inject it."

He picked up the metal case and guided Alice to her room.

---

In Alice's room...

Reuel activated the comm from the bracelet connected to the Red Queen.

"Red Queen, can the T-virus be injected directly?"

"Yes, big brother. It can be injected directly," Red Queen's voice responded through the speaker, calm and neutral.

"Good."

Reuel asked Alice to lie down on the bed. He carefully opened the ampoule containing the T-virus, then slowly injected it into Alice's arm. She closed her eyes, her breathing soft, and soon drifted off.

"Red Queen, how long until she wakes up?"

"Around four hours, big brother," Red Queen replied.

Reuel looked at Alice's sleeping face. Please... let nothing go wrong.

He gently stroked her cheek, his mind drifting. In the first Resident Evil film, Alice fought Umbrella alone. She battled across the world for more than a decade. Beaten, tortured, betrayed.

She became harder. More mature. Colder.

But here and now... Alice looked peaceful. Still just as strong. But also... more human.

Still the same... or at least, almost.

Reuel laid down beside her, and in a weariness he hadn't realized, he too drifted off to sleep beside her.

After three in the afternoon, Alice slowly opened her eyes. Dim light from the window filtered through the curtains, and as her consciousness returned, she felt a hand resting on her chest—calm, warm.

Reuel was asleep beside her, his breathing steady. Alice gave a faint smile, then gently moved his hand away. The moment she touched him, Reuel woke up instantly.

"Alice, you're awake!" he said quickly, his voice filled with both relief and nervousness. "When did you wake up? How do you feel now?"

Alice slowly sat up on the bed, stretching her body.

"Just now... and I feel fine. Nothing strange or painful." She looked at Reuel, who still seemed worried, then smiled. Something had changed inside her—not just physically. The feeling came without warning. Warm. Calm. Maybe... this was love.

"Come on, let's go downstairs. Jill must be worried," Reuel said, gently taking her hand.

---

Living Room.

Jill sat on the sofa, her chin resting on her hand, eyes staring blankly out the window. A plate of cold steak lay untouched on the table. Her thoughts were drifting somewhere far away.

"Jill," Reuel called softly.

Jill turned quickly, then stood up. "Reuel! Alice!" Her eyes immediately scanned Alice's condition. "Did it work?"

"Yes," Reuel replied. "A complete success. Alice is going to be much stronger."

Alice stepped closer and held Jill's hand. "Thank you for worrying. I'm really okay."

"How do you feel now?" Jill asked, still full of concern.

Alice took a deep breath. "There's a new strength in my body. I can't fully understand it yet... but I feel much stronger than before." Her smile returned, but this time it carried a different energy—more confident.

"Alice," Reuel said as he sat down and gestured toward the table. "The power you're feeling... most likely, it's telekinesis."

"Telekinesis?" Alice frowned, confused. Jill glanced over too, intrigued.

"Psionic power, in common terms. But what you have isn't the result of mental training like in science fiction stories." Reuel lifted the cup in front of him. "It's more like a side effect of biological mutation. With focus, you can move objects... or destroy them. But the source isn't pure thought—it comes from your body's integration with the T-virus. Pure biotechnology."

"So... a kind of biological superpower?" Alice concluded.

Alice nodded slowly. "Then I need to train it. I want to control my power...."

"How are James and Sergeant Darek Thorne's investigations going?" Reuel asked.

"The situation's a mess. Attacks are happening everywhere, the police are overwhelmed," Jill replied, her face tightening.

"Aren't you a cop too? Why aren't you out there?"

"I was suspended a long time ago—just for digging too deep into Umbrella," she said bitterly.

Reuel nodded slowly. "Then the situation is worse than we thought. Raccoon City can't hold out much longer."

"I'm afraid they're going to open their nest," Jill muttered, her voice heavy. "Once they let the zombies out… this city's finished."

Reuel knew that all too well—that was the historical trajectory of Raccoon City in the Resident Evil universe. The city wasn't just a red zone; it was the stage for nuclear annihilation. He'd already done the math. Letting Jill and Alice stay was a massive gamble.

"No way," Jill said, shaking her head. "Umbrella wouldn't go that far."

"They're not human anymore, Jill. They're a corporate entity stripped of morality. If everyone dies, who's left to buy their products?" Reuel stared straight at her.

They both still refused to believe that possibility. And Reuel couldn't blame them. They didn't know what he knew—about the cloning tech in the Antarctic branch, about the human production lines created as pawns for experimentation. Umbrella had already crossed every line.

Suddenly, a deep voice echoed from the doorway.

"Report to the Eternal Light."

A Kasrkin stood tall, giving a full military salute, helmet bowed in flawless discipline.

"Speak," said Reuel, calm but radiating authority. The air around him seemed to tighten with sheer gravity.

"Sergeant Darek Thorne has transmitted directly from the Raccoon sector. The infection is spreading uncontrollably. Undead entities are openly attacking the civilian population."

Reuel narrowed his eyes. This fast? Just one day. Had Umbrella really opened the nest—without Red Queen?

"Order Thorne and Operator James to immediately activate the evacuation protocol. No delays. We move to the next phase."

"With absolute devotion, Eternal Light."

The Kasrkin stepped back three paces, turned around, and walked away, his mission clear.

Reuel drew a deep breath, then turned to the two women before him.

"Jill. Alice. Raccoon City has fallen into chaos. At first, I wanted to evacuate you both to a safe zone. But now… the city might already be sealed off. There's no guarantee we can get out."

"I'm not leaving," Jill said firmly, standing tall.

"Me neither. I'm not abandoning them," Alice added, eyes sharp with resolve.

"All right, none of you are going anywhere without my permission first," said Reuel, his voice calm but carrying an authority that brooked no argument. "Now eat. I'll prepare the weapons and gear."

Without waiting for a response, he stepped out toward the backyard.

A few seconds later, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.

From the system armory, Reuel began pulling out pieces of standard U.S. military combat equipment one by one. M4 assault rifles complete with grenade launchers, high-tech bulletproof vests, metal ammunition crates, and other tactical gear were lined up neatly like a parade formation.

Then, a low vibrating hum shook the air. The sound of rotor blades began to rumble, rattling the windowpanes.

A Black Hawk helicopter slowly descended into the yard, followed by two Apache gunships maneuvering precisely before landing in a perfect triangular formation.

Behind the kitchen window, Jill and Alice could only stare at the scene, stunned expressions frozen on their faces.

"…You're seeing this too, right?" Jill whispered, eyes wide in disbelief.

"I'm seeing it," Alice replied, barely audible.

Meanwhile, Reuel remained calm and focused. His system armory was indeed capable of summoning technology and equipment from other universes, including far more extreme Warhammer combat vehicles. But he chose not to summon that arsenal this time.

The reason was simple: his Tempestus Scion squad had only ten members left, led by Sergeant Darek Thorne—an elite unit from another universe that knew no mercy. The rest were modern troops under the command of James, Reuel's longtime comrade since the escape mission from The Hive.

With such a small formation, Warhammer vehicles like the Chimera APC couldn't be used to their full potential. Even now, the two active Chimeras and five Taurox Primes were already stretching their logistical capacity to the limit.

That's why Reuel chose not to summon additional Warhammer vehicles—not yet.