Chapter 23 : The Past Legacy

-M29. 671. Terra. Oculus Terran Academy-

Itami scanned and studied the massive arcology before him with interest. The arcology is made with white crystal-like metal. It was glimmering in regal white, ornamented with golden artistic perfection.

"Alexander, how many students are in this arcology?" Itami asked the Ferrous Mind.

"Twenty million students are currently present in this installation, Lieutenant." Artificial Intelligence simply answered.

"Twenty million students?!" Itami shouted in shock, followed by his Japanese peers. "How can you educate that number of students?"

"Thanks to our Coordinator template, humanity grows more brilliant. Thus, we can easily create geniuses. Our study focused on specialization and adaptation, resulting in nothing beyond the student's range or knowledge. Ferrous Mind's intervention accelerates their studies." Alexander proudly proclaimed.

"Remarkable. This would be the answer to the teacher shortage. Yet, you also have more talented people to fill other roles." Aizawa praised.

"Indeed. Every Imperial Citizen has their own role in the Imperium's society. With that, we never lack any human resources within our nation." The artificial being told them. "You think it was a meritocracy, don't you, honored Aizawa."

"My apologies. But I must stand that reading other people's minds is crude, Alexander." The Diplomat rebutted.

"My apologies, but I must do that for security measures." The statement made the Japanese brows raise.

"Why?" Kuribayashi asked.

"Many of our enemies are capable of mind-reading. Psychic firewall to every citizen is mandatory." It replied with a sign of tiredness behind Alexander's voice.

"Imperium master over technology is amazing," Kurata muttered in awe.

The Ferrous Mind chuckled in amusement, drawing confusion from the Japanese. "You have seen nothing yet. Well then, Let's enter the Academia."

They made their way to the front gate. The massive gate became even larger when they came closer to it.

"Place your hand on the gate," Alexander gently instructed to Itami.

"L-Like this?" Itami placed his hand on the golden gate.

Instantly, a shimmering glow emitted from the golden lines. The metal door turned into trillions of golden Omniphages, revealing the rich architecture inside the Academia.

A grandeur room made from white metal melted in gold. Grand is rich with architectural marvels beyond the Japanese and their world can build. Mortal students and transhuman teacher walk side by side.

'Amazing." Kuribayashi said to herself.

"If this is compared to yen. This room alone will cost tens of billions of yen. No, maybe even more." Kurata added, eyes still plastered with wonder.

A beautiful woman stopped their steps before them. Her features are perfect, flawless white skin shows its beauty and a pair of sapphire eyes stared at them. There was no mention of her hair, long white hair tied in a ponytail.

She wore a white shoulderless dress. It is masterfully woven in perfection to its most minor details.

"Greetings, people from Japan. My name is Alicia Ventrona Dalkia. I will be your guide." She said in flawless Japanese. Even her vocabulary used the honorific language.

All male JSDF could not help themselves as they were blushing heavily. The female, fortunately, managed to hide their blush.

"Greetings, Lady Alicia." Aizawa bowed his body in honorific means.

"I'm sure Japanese people want to know your culture in this far, far future," Alicia replies with a smile.

"Of course, Lady Alicia."

"Very well, follow me." Said the white-haired lady gracefully, taking the first step.

The Japanese follow her deeper into the arcology. Magnificently crafted structures only greeted their sight, beauties at an impossible level of architecture. Something peculiar stole their attention.

"Lady Alicia," Itami called.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" She answered with a regal composure.

"I've seen Imperium's mastery over technologies, but why do they still use books?" Itami pointed at several students who were holding books in their hands.

"The answer is quite simple." Alicia softly addressed. "It's to remind us of our origins. In this M29, digitalized information is easy to acquire. Books, on another side of the coin, are essential to preserving the original idea. It also implies that we must document everything in hard or soft copy."

"I don't know why. It feels ironic." Kuribayashi muttered under her breath.

It piqued Itami's curiosity "How so, Kuribayashi?"

"In our world, digitalized books are much more common. It did not count the younger generation, which prefers the Internet over actual books. Furthermore, our new generations are mainly interested in manga." Kuribayashi noted, shrugging.

"That's why the Emperor had instructed us to preserve this as a symbol of culture, " Said Alicia softly. "Here we are."

They arrived in front of the lift. Alicia touched its metal skin, opening another teleporter. "You first, Mr. Aizawa." Alicia addressed politely.

Aizawa nodded, taking the first step as the light of teleportation consumed him. Itami and the rest follow the diplomat. They appeared in gigantic complexes filled with wonders as far as their eyes could go. But besides those marvels, they are greeted by the most uncommon sight in the M29.

"Welcome, honored guests!" Women in Yukata bowed their heads with respect, lining both sides. Their Japanese is flawless, as if they were born for it.

The Japanese could not stop their jaw from dropping from their place.

"What?" Itami's voice is the one that shatters the silence.

"His Majesty had commissioned the Historia Order to be the one who greets you on our tour," Alicia informed them.

"They... It was special for us?" Itami asks, trembling.

"Yes, of course. Everyone in Historia Orde has been collecting many relics from your era." Alicia pressed a button on her bracelet, immediately transforming her dress into a red Yukata with cherry blossoms motives on it. What the Japanese saw was breathtaking as the dress magically changed into Yukata.

"How did you do that?" Kuribayashi asked, almost shouting.

"Let me guess, Imperium mastery over technology?" Itami concluded with a sigh.

"Yes, it is," Alicia answered with a small chuckle. "Let's start our first tour."

_____________________________

The Japanese had enjoyed their time in the Schola. These luxuries, these honoraries, and this hospitality were provided as if they were in Japan. No, that would be an understatement. It is just like the nobility in feudal Japan mixed with the modern Japanese tradition.

"I must admit, Lady Alicia. This hospitality is remarkable." Auzawa commented as he drank green tea in a ceramic cup that was interestingly similar to a 19th-century Japanese ceramic cup.

"We are grateful you are pleased with it," Alicia replied softly.

"But still." Aizawa glanced at the cup. "This ceramic cup. Pardon if I'm wrong, but this cup. Does it come from the 19th century?"

"Well, indeed it is." The Imperial bluntly answered.

"But isn't that very precious to your nation? Furthermore, it was older than our culture." Aizawa asks, face clouded in confusion.

"Indeed. But then, our duty is a top priority. Besides, we already had the permit to use it. That was a highly complex permit to make." Alicia's regal voice was tattered slightly by her tired tone.

Aizawa only began to imagine the complicated process of the permit. Someone like Alicia, who had received genetic manipulation, can feel tiredness; it only brings discomfort for the diplomat. Because of that, Aizawa switched the topic.

"How can you preserve this cup? Moreover, keeping its structure clean even after thousands of years old?" Aizawa asked.

"We used stasis field." She answered, regaining her composure.

"Stasis field?"

"Our piece of technologies that manipulate the stream of time. The stasis field enables the user to accelerate, rewind, or stop the time inside its range." She stated that it was not a big deal.

"What?" Aizawa was baffled by it.

"Just like its name. Stasis field, freezing the cup from the time axis." The Imperial takes a sip of her green tea.

Aizawa only smiled wryly as his mind tried to find another topic. "The Emperor told me that these two weeks would be special days. May I know why?"

After hearing this question, Alicia's eyes beamed with joy, albeit she kept it hidden behind her calm demeanor. "You mean our victory day?"

"Victory day?"

"It is the day when Federations defeated the Aeldari Dominion." Alicia's eyes glimmered with excitement. Her eyes spokes the volume of this ceremony.

"It seems like a massive ceremony." Said Aizawa, following the flow of the conversation.

"Indeed it was. The entire Imperium shall celebrate it, as Terra will act as its center." The white-haired woman smiled broadly.

"Glad to know, Lady Alicia. But like other festivals or celebrations, it must have the main show." Said the Japanese man innocently.

"Indeed... A parade." Alicia replied with a calculating tone.

"A parade?"

_________________

Itami could not believe his eyes and sense. His blood raced through his body like streams of unending adrenaline.

"I can't believe the ending would be like that!" He screamed.

"The story is pretty much predictable to have such an ending," Kurata commented.

"But still... It was unfair." Itami replied, eyes filled with denial.

"In that manga, everything is unfair." He said in a whisper. "At least my waifu is still alive."

The current location is inside Digital Reality in Academia's Noosphere.

The place is specially created to serve the narration of the story. Anyone inside it can feel the entire atmosphere in real time. For now, they are watching a relic from a bygone age, an animatio.

"This is one among thousands of animatio we managed to secure until this day," Alexander told the pair of otakus.

"Amazing... I can feel everything inside this digital consciousness."Said Kurata, waving his hand. " I can feel the air and even the dust."

"It's just one among our countless. There are more." Alexander's sentence invite glimmering faces from the Japanese.

"Can we see them?" They said in unison.

"Of course." The Ferrous Mind uses its ability over technology to change the landscape of the digital realm.

"Uwoh!" They shouted in excitement.

On the other hand, Alexander only ponders. The Ferrous Mind could not find the enjoyment and the culture of this animatio. Indeed, it was entertaining. But to contrast the ancient songs and poetries, the animatio did not possess the same level of superb artistic value. Some are compelling, but nothing surpasses the amazing Van Gogh works or other brilliant artists.

Something did not sit well with the impossibly complex artificial intelligence—something it cannot express in words.

____________________________________________________________

Kuribayashi found her tour as the most interesting experience in her life. She walked using Alexander's direction. On both sides are women who had been picked to be her guides.

"I must say, Miss Kuribayashi, your world and culture are fascinating. I can utter it as a masterpiece in its time." Said the woman in blue Yukata to her.

"Well, we have many creative people to support it." Kuribayashi smiled wryly. The history that the Imperium's servant had shown her is basically fragmented pieces of history.

She pitied it. But at the same time, she felt grateful because many had been preserved and survived even thousands of years into the future.

"Your collection of our history is more than impressive. But I'm curious about your own culture, Lady Ambrisia." Kuribayashi asked the woman in red Yukata.

"Ah, You want to know our culture, then. Very well, we will provide it for you," The woman named Ambrisia smiled, waving her hand and signaling Alexander.

"Acknowledge." A path from the supposedly metallic wall suddenly manifested.

"Where will it lead us?" The brunette asked in confusion.

"It will take us to the room where we need to answer your question." Ambrisia smiled optimistically.

They entered with Kuribayashi not far behind them. It did not take long for them to arrive at the location. It is a massive room worth of books and scrolls. The vastness of this room only expanded as Kuribayashi scanned further.

It is tantalizing to learn more.

"Come here, please," Ambrisia called, already positioned herself near a wide ruby table.

Kuribayashi nodded, drawing closer to the ruby table. With a wave of the Imperial's hand, the table's surface displays a wide selection of book names. The book in question flies towards them by touching one of the book names.

"It would be the one you seek, Miss Kuribayashi." Said Ambrisia.

"Thank you," The Japanese answered with a smile. But she noticed something. "Please, don't call me Miss. It made me feel old. Besides, I don't have a boyfriend."

"What? That was surprising for someone like you who doesn't have a boyfriend yet," Lagita, the name of the woman in blue Yukata, asked with pure shock.

"My look is average. Even my younger sister is much more beautiful than me." Kuribayashi admitted.

"That would be correct," Before Kuribayashi could respond, Lagita continued. "But your status as our most honored guest and your status as people from Old Earth telling me something else. With those things, any noble would die to marry you."

"Eh?'

"My words were not a dupe, Kuribayashi. Any noble would die to marry you. Every noble inside the Imperium is wealthy enough to buy Old Earth's Japan if they want." Lagita responded, holding a smirk from appearing.

"I-I don't care about money!" Kuribayashi defended. "I prefer a strong man. A soldier, to be exact."

"Soldier? Every imperial citizen must attend conscription when they turned 45." Ambrisia smirked. Kuribayashi flushed in embarrassment.

She quickly recovered her gesture. "A-Anyway. Let's return to our main topic,"

"Of course." Ambrisia opens the book. "Well, what do you want to learn from us?"

"Rebirth." Kuribayashi started. "Why did you call your nation's transformation from Federation state into the Imperial state a rebirth?"

"The history is quite complicated. The Federation exists around M22 until M27. Before that period, we were fragmented sector-wide nations. The fragmentation evolved into a union. Then that union must be reforged for us to survive." Ambrisia turned her eyes to the book.

"The Third Galactic War," Kuribayashi said grimly. "I've heard that name several times mentioned by the Solar Guardians. That's the main reason for your nation's rebirth. But why?"

"Third Galactic War. A name that suggested the theatre was the Milky Way Galaxy. But the wounds of that war extend infinitely beyond that." Lagita's voice soured, face darkened.

"Wait. If the theatre were just Milky Way Galaxy, should the wound only extend around this galaxy?" Kuribayashi could not find the logic. War that set the entire Milky Way Galaxy as its theatre must only affect the whole galaxy alone, satellite galaxies to the most extreme prediction.

"Third Galactic War is a war between literal gods, Kuribayashi." This one is Alexander, who answers her question in the most neutral voice the Japanese have ever heard.

"Gods? Wait, I don't understand." Kuribayashi rubbed her temples. "You guys hate gods but also use the terms. This war... What is it?"

"A war between gods. A war between immortals." Alexander began. Using his psychic power, the Ferrous Mind tapped into the brunette's mind.

*Trillions of nanomachines devoured the entire world*

*machine that could rewrite the entire law of causality*

*Impossible tower that is capable of changing the fabric of the entire universe*

Kuribayashi gasped for air, filling her lungs. Her face paled as she endured her urge to throw up.

"What... What are those?" Kuribayashi demanded, her face devoid of any colors.

"Fragments of memories when the Third Galactic War raged across the galaxy," Alexander stated.

"I saw the law of causality butchered like a plaything. I saw the universe scream!" Kuribayashi frantically shouted.

"Yes, what you've seen are our Omniphages taking the entire Aeldar's Pleasure planet, our Monitor Engine that rewrites the causality to wipe out Aeldari's attack force. The last is Aeldari's reality engine, designed to wipe us all. But fortunately, we are their equals for a reason, after all." The Man of Iron reassured.

"That war... Impossible for a galactic-level civilization."

"That what you call hax, Kuribayashi," Ambrisia said to the Japanese wryly.

"Power in that magnitude... How can you fix the cosmos? No, how can you win in the first place?" From the Japanese point of view, the wounds are unfixable and cannot be healed, no matter the odds. The impossibility among the impossible they are won.

"Thanks to Emperor's Astronomicon and seven legions of Adeptus Logos." The Ferrous Mind explained.

"Astronomicon and Adeptus Logos. Logos, is that your pinnacle of transhuman hierarchy?" Kuribayashi asked, trying to stand on her feet.

"Yes." The red Yukata Imperial replied tentatively. "Solar Guardian ranked at the lowest, followed by Dominator Magistratus ranked third, Adeptus Astartes as the second, and the final one is Adeptus Logos."

"Is there a reason why that hierarchy must exist?" She asked, eyes radiating turmoil.

"Solar Guardians are designed to be born from mortal to being our direct guardians. Magistratus rise from Solar Guardian, acting as ruler and the next step of our evolution. The Astartes will be our sword to master the stars, crafted from newborn babies... And then the Logos." She paused.

"What's wrong?" The brunette asked, staring at Ambrisia with a demanding look.

"Adeptus Logos, they are solely created by the Emperor to be our craftsmen."

"Craftsmen of what?"

"Our ascension. They are created to create the path to our birthright as a species, achieving infinity and surpassing those self-proclaimed gods." The burning hatred radiated from her words, eyes hungry for retribution shining bright.

"I see... If... That war is your reason to hate gods... I have none to object." The female Japanese sighed in tiredness.

"Glad you acknowledge that," Alexander replied.

Kuribayashi glanced at the book, taking an interest in a certain passage. She cleared her throat to speak.

"Only in death does duty end." Kuribayashi grimaced.

"That is an unofficial culture of the Imperium of Man. As long as you stay alive, the longer you must serve in your life. Don't get me wrong; utopia will be your reward for this service." Ambrisia added before Kuribayashi could retort her statement.

"So... This is the Imperium of Man."

"Imperium always serve those who are worthy, protecting the weak, cultivating the primitive, and the destruction fit anyone dares to point their weapons at us."

(An: sorry it was a late update. But I've been busy. I hate to say this, but I will take hiatus for several weeks. I appreciate all of your support. See you)