The Integration of the Empire's World

"How could I possibly surrender... ROAR!!"

"Wrong answer..." Before the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds could finish, the purple light in Selene's hand flashed once more. The virtual claws gripping the connection between the dragon's head and body tightened, and another giant virtual claw appeared, locking onto the dragon's thrashing body.

Crackle, crackle—!

No matter how much the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds struggled—using lightning, storms, even its razor-sharp tail hairs—nothing worked.

The two massive purple-red virtual claws twisted, one clockwise and the other counterclockwise, as if wringing out a wet cloth. The entire dragon's body began to creak under the immense pressure.

"It seems the pain has clouded your judgment... Fine, let me make it hurt more!"

With Selene's command, the claws twisted even harder. The Dragon of the Eastern Clouds's body, covered in thick silver hair and tough scales, stood no chance.

Rip—! Tear—!

Blood splattered as patches of the dragon's silver-white scales and fur were torn off, leaving its muscles exposed. The beast let out a bloodcurdling scream.

ROAR!!

"Now, I'm done wasting time. Either you submit to me, or I will tear you apart, piece by piece!" Selene's voice was cold and filled with murderous intent, her crimson eyes gleaming with cruelty.

Gulp—

Off in the distance, aboard the flagship, Wave watched the scene with wide eyes, swallowing nervously. The sight of the mighty Dragon of the Eastern Clouds being toyed with like a ragdoll in Selene's grip was terrifying. Especially when she uttered the words, "tear you apart, piece by piece." It sent shivers down his spine.

This was their new Empress?

Wave, standing beside his teacher, Wilson, whispered carefully, "Teacher... Isn't the Empress a bit too... ruthless?"

At that moment—

BOOM!

"I... I will submit... ROAR!! Aghhh!"

With a final pained roar, the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds's stormy aura dissipated entirely. The once terrifying beast now appeared weak and vulnerable. The oppressive purple-red aura created by Selene loomed over it like a death sentence.

One, two, three, four... Countless purple-red virtual claws materialized and surrounded the dragon, pressing down on it and peeling away large sections of its scales and fur. Blood flowed freely, staining the icy battlefield below.

Selene's crimson eyes stared coldly at the defeated creature as she spoke, "You mentioned conditions? I didn't quite catch that. I'll ask one last time: submit, or die!"

The Dragon of the Eastern Clouds could feel every fiber of its being screaming in pain. Its head drooped low as its golden eyes, once filled with pride, now reflected despair. It could barely lift its head, and its body, ravaged by pain, no longer obeyed its will.

Faced with Selene's relentless power and the threat of being torn apart at any moment, the dragon finally yielded.

"I... I submit..."

"A wise choice." In an instant, the menacing aura surrounding Selene vanished. The crushing pressure that had been weighing down on the dragon's massive body eased.

Gasp, gasp—

The Dragon of the Eastern Clouds took deep breaths, its body shuddering from the trauma. It looked at Selene with a mixture of exhaustion and caution.

After a brief pause, the dragon asked in a weak voice, "What... what do you plan to do with me now, Empress?"

"Imprinting."

As Selene's words fell, the virtual claws that had been binding the dragon's body dissolved into a purple-red liquid, seeping into its wounds.

"What is this..." The strange sensation of the liquid repairing its broken flesh made the dragon want to cry out, but it held back, fearing Selene's wrath.

"Don't resist. It's a master-servant imprint. While healing your injuries, it will allow me to control you more easily. I don't trust you yet."

Upon hearing this, the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds sighed deeply and closed its eyes in resignation. It had no choice.

In the world of danger beasts, strength ruled above all. Submission to a more powerful force was the only way to survive.

Perhaps, in time, the dragon thought, it could outlast Selene. What was a century or two to a creature like it? But little did it know that Selene was immortal.

After a while, Selene spoke again, "Most of your injuries have been healed. You should be able to fly now, correct?"

"Yes..." The Dragon of the Eastern Clouds cautiously flexed its body, feeling its regained mobility.

"Good. You may return to your lair. I've imprinted a location marker inside you. I will summon you when needed. And remember, if you dare disobey or delay... well, you know what will happen."

"I... understand." The dragon, having regained some strength, immediately flew towards its distant lair, not daring to linger any longer.

"Oh, and one more thing," Selene called out just as the dragon was about to leave. "The tidal wave I caused earlier... You will handle that. If I receive any complaints about a flood, I'll skin you alive."

Without turning back, the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds nodded and sped off even faster, disappearing over the horizon.

...

With a soft laugh, Selene turned her gaze upward, watching the sunlight glint off the now-calm sea.

"Everything's in place. Now, it's time to bring this world under control."

"Seamless integration, preserving all the laws of this world... merging perfectly with the Honkai dimension."

Selene mused quietly, knowing that now all she needed was to wait for Budo's victorious return. Once true control over the world was established, the world consciousness wouldn't need to fight back. It would naturally bestow blessings upon Selene because she had already become the ruler of the entire world.

The empire under her reign was even larger than during the era of the First Emperor, with dominion no longer confined to just humans. The Dragon of the Eastern Clouds stood at the pinnacle of all the danger species in this world. By subduing it, she had effectively subdued one of the largest and most powerful groups of this world.

In a pleasant mood, Selene slowly descended onto the flagship's deck, her tone gentle as she asked, "Now, tell me how your navy provoked the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds..."

Though Selene's voice was warm and friendly, as if she were easy to talk to, neither Wilson nor Wave dared to relax. After all, they had seen with their own eyes the brutal state of the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds.

Just as Selene finished speaking, there was a sudden thump as the naïve young man, Wave, dropped to his knees. Under Selene's confused gaze, he stammered, "Imperial Navy Officer Wave greets Your Majesty, I beg for your mercy."

Seeing Wave mumbling to himself, confessing his earlier complaints about the Empress and pleading for punishment, Selene's eye twitched slightly. She turned to Wilson, asking, "What's wrong with him?"

Wilson, the fleet admiral of the Imperial Navy, quickly bowed and responded with proper decorum, "Your Majesty, please forgive Wave's rudeness. He is... well, a bit inexperienced."

In truth, Wilson was equally baffled. Though he had heard Wave mutter something earlier, Selene hadn't even said anything about it, so why had the kid knelt down on his own?

With a sideways glance at Wave, Wilson sighed internally. His apprentice, Wave, was a good, upstanding young man, a new hope for the Imperial Navy. Honest, brave, and dependable—but... not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

He signaled for a few soldiers to take the embarrassed Wave away from the deck.

"Hmm, I quite like his honest nature... He's an Imperial Arms user, right?" Selene said thoughtfully.

Wave—a side character who felt more like a protagonist than Tatsumi.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Wave is indeed an Imperial Arms wielder. He possesses the armor-type Imperial Arm [Carnage Incarnate: Grand Chariot]," Wilson replied.

"Very well, I've taken a liking to Wave. I'll be conscripting him. You don't have any objections, do you, Wilson?"

"It is Wave's great fortune to be recognized by Your Majesty. I thank Your Majesty on his behalf," Wilson said, deeply bowing.

"Let's head back to your fleet's home port first."

...

That evening, back at the imperial palace, Selene leisurely strolled down the long palace corridors, her luxurious gown trailing behind her, the only sound being the soft click click of her golden high heels against the gilded floors.

Everyone around her—servants, maids, and even the imposing gold-armored Imperial Guards—held their breath, fearful of making any noise that might disturb the highest ruler of the empire.

"Your Majesty... Where is Lord Sebas?" asked Alyssa, walking just behind Selene. Her soft voice carried a hint of curiosity as she stroked her chin.

In Alyssa's memory, Sebas was always the one eagerly vying for the Queen's attention, yet this time, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh? Little Alyssa misses Sebas?" Selene, in a good mood, turned around and gently ruffled Alyssa's hair with a soft smile.

"Mmm, mmm~" Alyssa closed her eyes, making a cute, contented sound like a little animal purring as Selene tousled her hair.

"Sebas is probably still out conducting field surveys. Who knows what kind of palace design he'll come up with this time... I'm actually quite curious myself," Selene mused.

At that moment, a gold-armored Imperial Guard approached with heavy steps, bowing low before cautiously speaking, "Your Majesty, General Esdeath has awoken in the side hall. Shall I summon her?"

"Bring Esdeath... and also that navy officer, Wave. Have them meet me in the central courtyard."

"At once!" The guard stood up straight and resolutely marched off to carry out Selene's orders.

As the attendants opened the corridor doors, Selene stepped into the palace courtyard and gazed up at the star-filled sky.

Everything was almost ready... Ten years of waiting.

Meanwhile, the gold-armored guard quickly made his way to the side hall, where Esdeath had just woken up and where Wave was looking rather lost.

"General Esdeath, Officer Wave, please follow me. Her Majesty has summoned you both," the guard said in a low, respectful voice.

...

In the grand palace, Wave, dressed in a pristine navy uniform, followed the towering gold-armored Imperial Guard with measured steps.

In the resplendent halls, only the attendants who served the Empress and the silent gold-armored guards moved about. The place was bustling, yet completely silent, making it feel all the more imposing and intimidating to Wave, who was accustomed to the rowdy life of a naval camp.

Selene's presence loomed over the palace like a shadow. Unlike the former young emperor, Selene wielded real power and authority, making her even more fearsome.

"General Esdeath, why do you think Her Majesty conscripted me?" Wave asked in a hushed voice, glancing nervously at Esdeath, who was walking calmly beside him.

"Don't worry, Wave. If the Empress has taken an interest in you, it means you have value. I went through the same thing when I joined her service," Esdeath reassured him.

Soon, they arrived at the central courtyard where Selene was waiting.

As the inner attendants pushed open the pavilion's glass doors, the two of them saw Alyssa kneeling beside a reclining Selene, who was casually marking up some documents.

"Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty!" Esdeath and Wave greeted Selene in unison.

"Oh, you're awake. Please, sit." Selene gestured to the plush mats in front of the low table. "How do you feel, Esdeath, after fighting a massive enemy like the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds?"

Kneeling before Selene, Esdeath smiled wryly, "I feel... that I am still far too weak. Thinking back, I realize how arrogant I was—except for Your Majesty, I hardly paid attention to anyone else."

"Recognizing that is a step forward. You'll have plenty of chances to grow stronger in future battles. Besides, your Imperial Arm, [Demon God Manifestation: Demon's Extract], isn't well-suited for fighting a massive and powerful enemy like the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds. Its sheer size gives it an overwhelming advantage."

In the natural world, size alone doesn't always determine strength, but for certain massive creatures, their sheer bulk made them almost unstoppable forces of destruction. The Dragon of the Eastern Clouds, with its colossal body, could cause earthquakes just by rolling over. It was, quite literally, a force of nature.

"Rest assured, once this world is unified, what I promised you will be yours," Selene said with a smile, handing over the documents she had been working on.

"However, for now, your task is to finish unifying the world. This document details the new unit I've assigned to you..."

"A new unit?" Esdeath raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Is it really necessary? I could simply go to Budo and take command of the army. I guarantee that in one month, I'll wipe out those so-called revolutionaries in the south."

Esdeath glanced at the document and read aloud, "Special Police Unit..."

Members:

Imperial Assassination Unit: Cornelia, Akame, Kurome, Natala

Imperial Incineration Unit: Bols

Imperial Guard: Seryu Ubiquitous

From the Imperial Navy: Officer Wave?

At this, Esdeath shot a questioning glance at Wave, who sat nervously beside her.

"Your Majesty, all of these are Teigu or Shingu users, correct? You want me to command them?"

Tap tap tap

Selene lightly drummed her fingers on the low redwood table and said with an amused tone, "That's right. Your army has been handed over to Budo. Rather than moving forces around, it's more efficient to form a new elite special police unit under your command."

"Though few in number, their individual strength is exceptional. You'll act as a strike force, sent wherever you're needed, like firefighters putting out blazes. Isn't that perfect for you?"

"Your squad is waiting for you at the Imperial Guard headquarters. Get to know them. As for team cohesion, you can work that out on the battlefield—starting with the southern rebels."

Esdeath, by now accustomed to Selene's whims, processed the new task in silence for a few moments before resolutely accepting, "I will not fail you, Your Majesty."

"Good... Now," Selene said with a grin, "make sure to eradicate the southern rebels completely within two months. I don't want you to just crush their main forces. I want you to root them out entirely!"

"And think of a codename for your special police unit."

"A codename?" Esdeath seemed a bit puzzled, wondering why Selene was leaving that decision to her.

After a brief pause, Esdeath answered, "How about... 'Jaegers'? We are the hunters who pursue our prey."

"Jaegers it is then..." Selene thought to herself. Then, with a wave of her hand, she dismissed them. "Alright, your mission is clear. Now go meet your team. Don't disappoint me."

"Understood!"

...

"This will be quite interesting..." Selene murmured, watching Esdeath and Wave walk away.

The idea to form the Jaegers had been a sudden whim, sparked by her encounter with Wave.

Since all the key personnel were conveniently gathered in the capital for Selene's coronation, it had been easy to assemble the team.

"I've added Cornelia, Akame, and Natala to your group. As for Run, I'm keeping him for now," Selene mused as she scanned the roster.

"Run—a well-read, courteous scholar and Imperial Arm user. He has the potential to be a great civil official. Sending him to fight as a soldier would be a waste."

Sigh "I just realized... I don't have many capable of handling internal affairs. It's all a bunch of warriors who only know how to fight..."

...

A month later, victory reports began trickling in from various campaign fronts.

Opening the [World Chronicle], Selene could see that her imperial forces had swiftly crushed all opposing factions, symbolized by the rapid expansion of her dominion across the map.

The southern gate of the imperial capital now displayed the heads of many rebel leaders, the most prominent among them being the newly appointed head of the southern rebellion.

Rumor had it that he had slipped away from the imperial army's encirclement, only to have the misfortune of running into Esdeath's newly-formed Jaeger squad.

There was no escape after that. His head was swiftly severed, preserved in lime and niter, and sent to the capital to be displayed on the city walls.

Now, only the remnants of the rebels needed to be mopped up.

After nearly two weeks of waiting, Selene finally received the world consciousness's blessing.

This was a significant moment. The world's consciousness, normally impartial, had actively chosen to bless her, acknowledging Selene as its rightful ruler.

Because Selene had seized control of the empire and unified most of the world, the world consciousness now regarded her as its new ruler.

The world consciousness was not a sentient being; it was more like a program with a certain level of intuition. By default, it would bless whoever was the legitimate ruler of the world. The First Emperor had come close to this, but he had only unified most of the human world, leaving the danger beasts unconquered.

Selene, on the other hand, had gone a step further. She had united an even larger realm than the First Emperor, and she had also subdued the Dragon of the Eastern Clouds, the apex of the danger species.

The world consciousness now actively recognized Selene as the true ruler!

Unlike in the Jackie Chan Adventures, where its unique laws had been forcefully destroyed by the Honkai's invasive, the Empire's world would retain its laws and grant them to Selene.

This meant that as long as she remained in this world, Selene could control its natural phenomena—things like the rare Orichalcum or the evolution of danger species—at will!

"Now, it begins... Ten years of waiting. It's finally time to reap the fruits of my labor!"

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