Unexplained Repetition and Obsession

"Hmm, is it evening already?"

It was sunset (6 PM–7 PM), the sky dim yet not entirely dark.

The palace, illuminated by numerous lamps, gleamed as brightly as the sunlit day. The vaulted ceiling, decorated with colorful glass reliefs of mystical beasts, coiled and spiraled several dozen meters above the ground.

"What a surprise… What's wrong with me? I actually spent so long contemplating such a matter."

Throwing off the blanket draped over her, Selene, dressed in a pure white gown accented with only a few pieces of delicate jewelry, stretched and yawned as she stepped out of the bedchamber.

Before her lay 360 steps, carved from polished marble, leading up to the main hall. Alongside the stairs stood towering pillars, adorned with golden relief bands inlaid with precious stones.

Everywhere were sculptures of mythical beasts—poised to leap, roaring ferociously, or crouched ready to pounce—each exquisitely carved and lifelike.

Ignoring the attendants kneeling behind her, Selene walked onto the expansive terrace before the hall. She gazed up at the darkening sky, her voice softly breaking the silence:

"Troublesome… Take them all. No matter how crude the children's accomplishments may seem, they should always be brought home to meet the 'parents.'"

Conquest and unification were never tender acts; they were often birthed in violence and destruction. And since war was inevitable, why not… cut through the chaos with a sharp blade?

Only after enduring the tyranny of domination would people come to appreciate the virtues of orderly governance.

As for why she was so repeatedly fixated and invested in this issue, Selene couldn't quite say.

Was it obsession? A lingering thought from past memories? The Empress's sense of irony? Instinctual hatred embedded in her very being? Or perhaps a longing born of her genetic origins?

Perhaps it was all of these.

"This body… No, I should say my body's memories. K-404… my true 'mother,' my 'father,' the creators to whom I owe my existence… Hmph…"

"I'd really like to meet you."

Lowering her head slightly, one hand covering her face, Selene's scarlet eyes burned with a sinister glow.

"I wonder, would you be pleased to see such a wretched experiment like me…?"

Gulp.

Sensing Selene's sudden shift in mood—her agitation and, perhaps, latent anger—the attendants around her froze in fear. Nervousness lined their faces, their throats dry as they swallowed hard. Sweat dripped from their brows as they avoided even the slightest sound.

Though Selene rarely reprimanded her servants, let alone punished them, everyone in the palace understood one thing: they dared not provoke her.

Even the mildest disturbance could spell doom, and it was best to tread carefully, especially when the Empress was in a foul mood.

Finally, Selene calmed herself, reining in the sharp edge of her aura. Only then did the attendants dare to lift their heads.

"Your Majesty… are you—?"

"I'm fine," Selene interrupted, her tone light as she smiled faintly. "It's getting late. Serve dinner."

Turning without another word, she strolled back into the chamber, hands clasped behind her back.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Honestly, why do I let such trivial matters bother me…? I'm no longer a lone pufferfish fighting upstream; I'm an Empress at the zenith of power."

Though they couldn't understand what Selene was muttering about, none of the attendants dared to ask.

Once Selene had left, one of the attendants straightened up, only to notice some of his colleagues still prostrate on the ground, trembling.

Back in her chamber, Selene lay sprawled over a small table, reviewing reports submitted by Budo and the Astartes Legion commanders.

"For now, Alex's First Legion leads in conquest efficiency, followed by Budo's Second Legion. Then come Leiva's Third Legion and Robert's Thirteenth."

"Hiss… It seems I'm as just as ever. Awarding the first pseudo-Imaginary Tree to Robert wasn't favoritism—his Ultramarines earned it. Their rapid growth rivals even the founding three legions."

Her expression darkened as she muttered, "Though Leiva's Third Legion has the lowest efficiency among the founding legions, Robert catching up deserves recognition."

Naturally, other legions would receive their own pseudo-Imaginary Trees and capital worlds in time. However, the timing and level of prosperity would vary—it was essential to introduce some challenges.

Selene believed rewards should be hard-earned; anything gained too easily wouldn't be cherished.

Shaking off her scattered thoughts, she picked up her pen and began to write directives.

She instructed the Imperial Science Bureau to dispatch experts to assist the Ultramarines' Conquered World—28, the newly established capital world of Ultramar, to upgrade its production facilities.

Pausing mid-sentence, her eyes gleamed mischievously. She amended her orders, directing Dr. Fashion, the Imperial Science Bureau's chief researcher, to personally oversee the upgrades.

"This world's anti-Spirit CR-Unit technology is intriguing. Both the Fraxinus-class ship from Ratatoskr and DEM's Goetia warship have valuable insights to offer."

Surely Dr. Fashion would relish the opportunity to study and adapt this technology.

Specifically, Selene emphasized extracting core templates from the CR-Unit systems and integrating them with Astartes power armor or enhancing the survivability of mortal auxiliary forces by utilizing Honkai Energy.

Satisfied, she moved to another document.

"Budo and the others held an informal gathering. I see Sanguinius didn't attend—his Blood Angels must still be embroiled in critical battles."

"Even Alyssa's 'Sisters of Battle' unit joined him. I suppose their campaign isn't over yet."

Her gaze sharpened, and she clapped the table with sudden intensity.

"Summon Leiva immediately!"

"Leiva is still in the capital, isn't he? That slippery eel! I ordered support for the Blood Angels, and all he did was send the Knightmare Frame unit and a token Astartes detachment."

While Leiva technically fulfilled her orders, his interpretation was too literal for her liking.

"Send word: General Leiva is to personally lead his forces and support the Blood Angels now. I said personally—make sure he understands that!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Selene, the kind and benevolent Empress, could never harbor ill intentions.

She simply felt sorry for General Leiva, who seemed far too idle (she couldn't stand seeing someone with less work than her) and decided to give him something to do.

"And also, inform Budo: draw forces from other legions to deploy first. Order Sanguinius and General Leiva to follow up after their campaigns conclude."

After entering the designated orbit, the surface of the planet—mostly vast oceans with minimal landmass—required minimal propulsion to sustain the movement of floating fortresses and small spacecraft due to centrifugal force and inertia from the planet's rotation.

The Grand Line, Red Line Mainland Front, Sabaody Archipelago.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Buzzing hums—!

Due to the minimal landmass in this world, Sanguinius was reluctant to employ orbital bombardments—the islands were far too fragile.

The primary combat strategy remained the Astartes' specialty: drop pod assaults.

"Pirates! This is Sabaody Archipelago, a forward base for Marineford! Justice cannot be defiled by the likes of you!"

Wearing a crisp uniform and draped in a Justice cloak, a Marine garrison commander bellowed as he swung his longsword in a powerful strike.

"Too slow."

The crimson-armored Astartes officer dodged the slash with a sidestep, thrusting his lightning claw—imbued with Honkai energy's disintegration field—directly into the Marine's face.

There was no question—his head was smashed to pieces.

"They primarily use melee weapons, flintlock guns, and muzzle-loading cannons. Their technological level seems quite low…"

Killing such an opponent didn't excite the Astartes warrior in the slightest; if anything, it felt monotonous.

"For justice! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

As he pondered, a group of Marines clad in white sailor uniforms charged toward him, brandishing single-edged sabers and shouting their battle cries.

He made a sharp downward gesture with his fingers.

"Advance! For Selene—!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bright orange flames erupted from his boltgun, and a hail of explosive bolts filled the air.

"Argh!"

The standard explosive rounds tore through the charging Marines, shredding their skin to reveal bloody flesh and bone. The bolts punctured further, leaving squirming innards exposed before detonating and reducing their victims to gruesome remnants.

"Iron Body!"

Some Marines attempted to use Tekkai (Iron Body), a technique from the Marine Rokushiki (Six Powers). The results? Not ideal.

Normally, a bolt round passing through human flesh wouldn't trigger its secondary explosive core. However, when techniques like Tekkai or Haki were used to harden the body, it changed everything.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The bolts struck the hardened bodies, triggering massive explosions. Some didn't even have time to scream before their flesh was torn apart, bones splintering and organs reduced to a bloody mist.

Flintlocks versus boltguns—what kind of mismatch is this?

Without advanced use of Armament Haki to mitigate the damage, they were entirely outclassed.

"Lady Alyssa, how does it feel to face such a lopsided battle?"

A golden-armored giant with a height exceeding 3.5 meters—taller than any Marine Admiral—asked in a resonant voice. His ornate armor gleamed with red gemstones embedded in his chestplate and pauldrons.

His flowing golden hair could make any goddess weep in envy, his angelic face was strikingly handsome, and the massive, pure white wings on his back completed the image of a heavenly being.

If one were to describe him, "angel" would undoubtedly be the first word to come to mind.

Standing beside him, Alyssa cut an adorable figure as she asked seriously:

"Commander Sanguinius, their technological level seems quite low, doesn't it?"

Although Alyssa was trying to appear stern, her natural demeanor betrayed her.

"They call their governing body the World Government. It seems to be a loose federation. Their currency is something called Belly?"

Sanguinius produced a stack of confiscated paper currency.

"Their individuals' power levels vary greatly. It seems that their bounty posters correlate with strength?"

At his words, a squad of Astartes soldiers dragged forth a trembling merchant. The man didn't need to be forced to his knees—he collapsed voluntarily.

"I ask, you answer," Sanguinius commanded.

"What kind of creature is that? An alien?" Alyssa pointed at a green-blue skinned humanoid with gills, emerging from a destroyed building.

"T-That's… a Fish-Man, my lord," the merchant stammered, surrounded by heavily armored warriors.

"A Fish-Man? So hideous. They're nothing like the mermaids Her Majesty described. Are you lying to me?" Alyssa wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"D-Dare not, my lady! The mermaids you mention are a different species. They're distinct from Fish-Men!"

"Mermaids… Fish-Men?" Alyssa leaned closer, her curiosity piqued.

Suddenly—

"Die, you filthy humans! We Fish-Men are the superior race!"

The captured Fish-Man, his hands bound, lunged forward, his massive jaws snapping toward Alyssa's arm. To him, such a delicate human had no means to resist.

Crunch!

The Fish-Man's sharp teeth met something harder than steel. His teeth shattered instantly.

"How dare you!"

"Disgusting." Alyssa, her face filled with contempt, flared with radiant blue light.

Crackle! Sizzle!

The Fish-Man, bathed in the light, was instantly cooked, emitting a tantalizing aroma. Alyssa grimaced, wiping his saliva off her arm, and slammed the charred body into the ground.

Sanguinius approached, his expression unreadable. He raised his knee and stomped down on the Fish-Man's head.

Squish!

The creature fell silent.

Elsewhere, in Area 13 of the Sabaody Archipelago, inside a bar named Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

An elderly man with long, curly white hair, a beard, and a distinctive scar running down his right eye sat nursing a drink while reading the latest news.

"Hey, hey, are you sure this is okay?"

"The fires of war have spread across all four seas overnight. Even Sabaody Archipelago hasn't been spared. They say the Celestial Dragons were wiped out. Young Monkey D. and his crew are supposed to reunite soon… Will they be alright?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon: 

Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven