Trench Crusader Universe, Holy Roman Empire's Capital, Vienna:
Following a comprehensive assault by the 1st Company of the Dark Angels, this heavily industrially polluted city had officially become a "subordinate asset" of the Human Empire.
Squads composed of auxiliary troops and clones patrolled the streets and districts of Vienna, using public broadcast systems to inform local residents of the necessary regulations and precautions.
Meanwhile, teams of androids and T-800 units went door-to-door, registering the identities of the local population and collecting blood and tissue samples.
The engineering corps, living up to their reputation as "infrastructure maniacs," worked tirelessly to construct basic infrastructure aimed at improving the residents' standard of living.
Elsewhere in Vienna, the Dark Angels could be seen in action. These towering giants worked alongside the Investigation Bureau and joint reconnaissance units to purge fanatical worshippers still loyal to God and the forces of Heaven.
However, ever since Lyon "shot God to death" and nearly dismantled all of Heaven, these zealots had lost their source of power.
No longer capable of staging "apocalyptic summoning" terror attacks, they were left weak and scattered. Still, the Dark Angels, who exhibited an almost obsessive "perfectionism," continued their relentless efforts to purge even the slightest remnants of these heretics.
At the same time, elite troops from the Heresy Inquisition, Greek demigods, and Grey Knights joined forces with the main body of the 1st Company of the Dark Angels to push across the Trench Crusader (13) Earth's various regions.
While Hell and Heaven were on the verge of becoming Imperial assets, their lingering influence on Earth-13 and humanity persisted, as numerous factions continued to exist.
On Earth-13, outside the frontier towns already occupied by the Human Empire, there was no networked media.
This meant that other human factions would take days, if not months, to realize that both Hell and Heaven had been "destroyed."
Even the citizens under the Holy Roman Empire's rule remained ignorant of the fact that their emperor, their pope, and even their nation no longer existed.
In the villages and towns surrounding Vienna, residents had only heard the sounds of intense gunfire and artillery, leading them to believe the war had reached the heartland. However, none of them could have imagined that their soldiers, knights, nuns, and other "weapons" created from cloned flesh had been utterly defeated in mere moments.
The locals assumed that, as always, the Holy Roman Empire had emerged victorious under "God's protection" after the sound of battle subsided.
To quickly consolidate control, and because Lyon was not a particularly patient gene-primarch, the strategy chosen was one of complete military unification.
With Athena coordinating on the front lines and Garen Clovis overseeing field command and logistics, the advancing main forces faced virtually no resistance.
Inside the Mirror Hall of the Holy Roman Empire's palace:
"Lyon, the data obtained from the assault on Heaven, combined with the so-called death of God, is sufficient for the Biologis Division to begin surgical treatment on the captured knights and nuns."
Standing to the left of the throne, Serene, the intelligent AI, reported to Lyon, who was seated on the throne. Her violet eyes emitted a faint glow, as usual, as she continued,
"Based on the Biologis Division's analysis and my calculations, the success rate of surgery for the nuns is 96.7%.
For the knights, the success rate is 81.5%.
Since the Emperor has entrusted this decision to you, I ask: should we proceed with treating the captured knights and nuns to integrate them into the Empire's armed forces?"
After finishing her report, Serene stared impassively at Lyon.
Ranked as the third gene-primarch, Lyon sat on the throne, his immense physique—true to his giant stature—requiring a specially designed seat crafted by the Legion's engineering division.
While listening to Serene's report, Lyon cast a cold gaze at the group of "Imperial officials and generals" assembled in the hall.
Ten Holy Knights, clad in custom Terminator armor, were tasked with guarding these officials and generals from the now-defunct Holy Roman Empire.
Some of the Holy Knights intentionally placed their deactivated power claws inches from the terrified officials' heads, causing many of them to tremble uncontrollably, with some even losing control of their bladders.
If Lyon were to give the word, the Holy Knights would waste no time executing these men, ensuring their final moments were filled with absolute terror.
A few of the more conscientious officials and generals—those who had genuinely sought ways to lead humanity to victory against Hell and its demons—had already been selected by the Investigation Bureau, Biologis Division, and Serene for continued service.
However, those standing before Lyon now were individuals who had abused their power, shirked their duties, and indulged in excesses, believing that Hell could never possibly invade Europe's heartland during their lifetimes. Their sense of responsibility paled in comparison to that of the frontline soldiers, knights, or even church nuns.
"I understand." Lyon glanced at Serene and said,
"Inform the Biologis Division at the forward base to prepare immediately for the surgeries to treat the knights and nuns."
"As you command."
With a nod, Serene exited the hall.
Once she was gone, Lyon's gaze, now openly disdainful, returned to the officials and generals before him. His voice was cold as he issued his next order:
"Take them to the city center and publicly announce their crimes—how they neglected their duties and indulged in luxury.
Then leave their fate to the local residents. No need to sully your hands."
"Yes, Father."
The Holy Knights, hearing Lyon's command, ceased their intimidating postures and called in auxiliary troops stationed outside to escort the officials and generals away.
As silence returned to the Mirror Hall, Lyon closed his eyes, taking a moment to rest.
Simultaneously, the primarch began to contemplate whether he should request his father, the Emperor, to assign him full oversight of the Trench Crusader universe.
Although this universe was relatively impoverished in terms of resources and population, its potential as a recruitment ground for high-quality soldiers was promising.
Just as the Doom (03) universe under his governorship was home to resilient and fiercely determined humans, ideal candidates for Astartes implantation, the inhabitants of the Trench Crusader universe were deeply devout.
Previously, their faith had been in God. Now, it would be redirected toward the Emperor of Mankind.
The Inquisition's nascent "State Religion" was already taking shape and could absorb the people of the Trench Crusader universe, enlisting them as Battle Knights and Battle Sisters for the Imperial Church.
Furthermore, Lyon's Dark Angels Legion could incorporate these fighters into its ranks, bolstering its ability to counter the Warp and supernatural phenomena.
Suddenly, Lyon's eyes snapped open, and he turned his head slightly, peering out the floor-to-ceiling window to the eastern horizon.
For a brief moment, he caught a glimmer of golden light flashing across the sky.
The sight gave him a peculiar sense of familiarity—as though one of his brothers had descended from the heavens and entered this universe with a dramatic arrival.
A new sibling?
Sensing that one of his brothers had arrived in a manner reminiscent of his own childhood fall from the sky, Lyon's gaze betrayed a hint of anticipation.
"You, follow me."
"Yes, Father."
Rising from his throne, Lyon led ten Holy Knights out of the palace.
On the palace square, he boarded his personal Thunderhawk gunship. Through his power armor's private comm channel, he connected to the forward base's wired relay station to report the anomaly to his father in the main universe.
Upon receiving the Emperor's response—"Meet your new brother personally"—Lyon provided the pilots with approximate coordinates and set off toward the east of Vienna to search for his "new little brother."
Meanwhile, approximately 600 kilometers east of Vienna, in a small village:
"Oh my God… This child fell from the sky!"
"Could he be the Son of God?"
"Has God sent him to help us defeat the demons and Hell?"
"It's a miracle! An absolute miracle!"
"Wait… what if it's a demon's trick?"
A group of villagers had gathered around a shallow crater in the village center, engaging in heated debate over its occupant.
At the center of the crater lay a pale-skinned, cherubic infant, giggling with delight. The more people that surrounded him, the happier the child seemed to become.
But soon, hunger appeared to take hold, and after a few moments of smiling, the infant began sucking on his thumb.
The child appeared somewhat "bald," with sparse hair and barely visible eyebrows.
What kept the villagers from approaching him directly was the fact that this infant had fallen from the sky, creating the crater that now marred their village's brick-paved road.
These uneducated villagers, whose understanding of the world came from their parents, friends, and the church, naturally regarded the unscathed child as the "Son of God."
"Make way!"
At that moment, an elderly nun with severe burn scars on her left cheek and scratch marks at the corner of her mouth pushed through the crowd and entered the crater. She declared,
"I sense no taint or corruption from this child. He must be the prophesied Son of God.
We should notify the Pope and have the Holy Knights sent to protect him."
As she spoke, the battle-hardened nun, who had once fought fiercely against the
forces of Hell, bent down and extended her hands, intending to lift the infant into her arms.
However, as soon as her hands approached—
"Waaaah! Waaaaah!!"
The once-smiling child burst into loud cries, clearly resisting the nun's touch.
!?
The nun froze, unsure of what to do.
If she forcibly picked up the child, she risked being accused by the villagers of "abusing" the so-called Son of God. Yet leaving him there seemed equally unacceptable.
To encounter such a miraculous event in one's lifetime was almost impossible. If she could be the first to hold the Son of God, she might even gain God's favor and receive Heaven's blessings.
Boom—Boom!
Before the nun could resolve her inner turmoil, the roar of Thunderhawk gunship engines echoed through the village.
"Dear God! What is that?!"
"A flying iron ship?!"
The villagers scattered at the sight of the low-flying gunship, some rushing back to their homes, while others, driven by curiosity, peeked through the gaps between buildings.
The nun, however, stood her ground, striving to maintain composure as the Thunderhawk landed in an open area nearby.
When the ramp extended—
Thud, thud.
The heavy steps of ten Holy Knights echoed, their imposing figures coming into view.
Following them was Lyon himself, standing over five meters tall and without his helmet.
!!!!
The nun, gazing at these angelic warriors and the massive figure of the gene-primarch, could no longer maintain her composure. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed beside the crater.
Raising a trembling hand, she pointed at Lyon as he approached, stammering,
"W-who… are you?"
…
Unhelmeted, his handsome face exposed, Lyon frowned slightly at her audacity but chose to ignore her. He continued walking into the crater.
"Waaaah… haha!"
The infant, who had resisted the nun's touch moments ago, immediately broke into a wide smile upon seeing Lyon. Reaching out with his chubby hands, he signaled for the primarch to pick him up.
The nun, stunned, realized that these towering figures and the so-called Son of God were intimately connected.
Meanwhile, in the Emperor's private office:
Standing behind a floor-to-ceiling window and gazing over the Imperial Palace, Samuel Young (the Emperor) observed the events unfolding through a holographic screen in front of him.
'So, it's him?'
Despite his long experience and emotional control, Samuel couldn't help but sigh internally as he recognized the infant's features.
The new arrival in the Trench Crusader universe was none other than the most infamous, reviled primarch from the Warhammer 40k universe—the primarch of the Word Bearers Legion: Lorgar Aurelian.
With his pale eyebrows, distinct facial features, and the psychic resonance felt by Lyon, Samuel was certain that this was the very same Lorgar who had devoted his body and soul to the Chaos Gods in the Warhammer 40k universe.
To be honest, among his many sons, Samuel was no stranger to betrayal and corruption. Primarchs like Horus, Magnus, Angron, Fulgrim, and Perturabo had all fallen, yet Samuel still regarded them with fairness.
But Lorgar…
Samuel's brows furrowed slightly.
The memory of the Horus Heresy gave Samuel a particularly poor impression of Lorgar. To him, Lorgar was an overly insecure "man-child" with an extreme need for validation.
However, Samuel soon chuckled to himself.
Now that the infant Lorgar was his "biological" son, Samuel decided to view him from a fresh perspective, free from the shadow of the Warhammer 40k narrative.
After all, Lorgar's innate talents could greatly benefit the development of the Human Empire.
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