Chapter 885 - 884

"You... You think I'm afraid of you?"

The Minister of Economic Affairs had taken two haymakers to the face, leaving blood streaming from his nose.

He pointed furiously at Yari, but merely stamped his feet from a safe distance, no longer daring to charge forward.

Deep down, the senior civil official regretted neglecting his physical training. He could not even withstand two punches from one of those brutes.

While he hesitated, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the best fighter in the entire civil administration, launched himself at the war faction.

"Come on! If I take so much as one step backward today, I'll make a public self-criticism!"

The Minister of Internal Affairs roared as he charged. He was so powerfully built that he looked almost like an Adeptus Astartes.

The New Imperium's civil officials no longer used machinery and excessive bionic modifications to twist their bodies beyond all recognition as their predecessors once had.

However, they still underwent genetic enhancement procedures, primarily to strengthen their bodies and minds so they could withstand the extreme demands of Imperial administration.

Naturally, those technologies had been carefully refined. They preserved the purity of the human genome wherever possible, and their benefits would gradually be inherited by future generations, improving the physical constitution of the entire species.

Only then would humanity be able to endure even greater pressures and confront even more formidable enemies in the future.

Humanity's population was already vast enough. If the species could advance another step in both physical and mental ability, it would produce an enormous evolutionary leap.

Bam!

The Minister of Internal Affairs tensed his muscles and sent a clerk from the war faction flying with a single punch. He then seized a heavy document binder and charged at Yari.

His physical abilities were no worse than those of the officials from the Ministry of War.

After all, whenever a major crisis occurred, the Ministry of Internal Affairs faced a workload no less intense than fighting a war. The only difference was that their lives were not usually in danger.

Moreover, he and several other officials regularly participated in hand-to-hand combat and counter-assassination training. That way, they could defend themselves in a critical situation and continue serving the Imperium.

Those were the qualities every loyal Imperial civil official ought to possess.

Their counter-assassination training was particularly brutal. At its highest difficulty, they were expected to face an assassination attempt by a Tyranid Lictor without the protection of a security detail.

Apart from a handful of civil officials, very few could escape the claws of those terrifying xenos assassins.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, however, had successfully passed the highest level of counter-assassination training and survived a Lictor's attack. That alone proved his strength.

He was also the conservative faction's trump card whenever the civil administration held meetings with the war faction, their foremost champion and vanguard.

Clang!

Yari's mechanical hand blocked the crushing blow from the heavy document binder. His single mechanical eye flashed crimson.

Naturally, he did not fire the miniature melta beam built into his eye. That would violate the rules, and the shot would be stopped by the field shields covering the entire meeting hall anyway.

"Ptooey!"

"You old bastard, is that all the strength you've got?"

Yari launched a saliva attack, then smashed his forehead into the Minister of Internal Affairs and left the man seeing stars.

He proceeded to dodge the spit hurled by several other conservatives. It was considerably easier than avoiding bullets on the battlefield.

Even while charging through a storm of gunfire, Yari was rarely hit.

"Damn you! Damn you!"

After being spat in the face, the Minister of Internal Affairs saw red and grappled with Yari. They exchanged one brutal punch after another, their blows even cracking the air with bursts of compressed force.

More conservatives and members of the war faction rushed over to help, plunging both sides into a chaotic melee.

The conservatives were generally weaker, but they had superior numbers. For a time, they fought the war faction to a standstill.

What the hell?

Rogal Dorn stared at the heated spectacle inside the meeting hall, his head buzzing. He had even stopped taking notes.

He turned toward Guilliman.

"Brother, is this how officials of the New Imperium conduct their meetings? It seems... unusually lively."

Given their physical abilities, anyone unaware of their identities might have mistaken them for a group of Space Marine recruits brawling.

Some of those officials were nearly as strong as genuine Adeptus Astartes even without any armor.

More importantly, public brawls during a formal meeting were virtually unprecedented in the history of the Imperium's highest institutions.

Back on Holy Terra, civil officials had almost universally come from the nobility. They maintained decorum in public, rarely engaging in anything more heated than a sharp argument.

"This is a good thing."

Guilliman nodded firmly as he spoke. He had grown increasingly fond of using one of Brother Eden's favorite expressions.

"Differences in political positions and personal values will inevitably breed resentment and hatred. Rather than allowing those emotions to remain buried, take root, and eventually produce bloodshed, it is better for them to fight openly and vent their anger."

Guilliman strongly approved of how the New Imperium's highest officials resolved their disputes.

The old Imperium had been different. Its senior officials, nobles, and warlords might have behaved amicably in public, but hatred and murderous intent had festered beneath the surface.

They had longed to slaughter their political opponents and exterminate their entire families.

That attitude had produced an endless succession of assassinations and bloody purges among Holy Terra's ruling elite. The violence had even spread to the High Lords of Terra.

The shadow of murder had hung over meetings at the very pinnacle of Imperial authority. Ambitious conspirators planted assassins inside council chambers, smuggled in lethal weapons, and purged everyone who opposed them.

Such incidents had occurred many times.

During the age of the old Imperium, Holy Terra had been a paradise for conspiracies and assassinations. Political purges were routine, and countless lives had been lost because of them.

That chaotic political environment had severely hindered the Imperium's development.

Since the formation of the New Imperium's Royal Court, however, not a single act of political murder had occurred.

Its highest officials might brawl openly during meetings to vent their emotions, but they never reached the point of genuinely wanting to kill one another. Their conflicts remained within controlled boundaries.

Brother Eden had used institutions and laws to disperse the darkness surrounding the highest levels of Imperial power.

Guilliman understood what his brother had accomplished.

Eden had introduced competing factions and oversight systems among the ruling elite, allowing different voices to be heard and preventing the Imperium from becoming rigid and stagnant.

At the same time, he retained supreme authority and kept every political struggle within acceptable limits.

That allowed him to set the Imperium's direction at critical moments while preserving its vitality.

Achieving both was extraordinarily difficult.

"If we brothers had settled our disagreements with a proper fight back then, perhaps there would have been much less hatred between us," the Khan sighed.

In those days, the Primarchs had maintained a facade of harmony under the Emperor's supervision. Beneath that facade, however, their suppressed emotions had grown increasingly intense, and there had been virtually no meaningful communication between them.

In essence, the Emperor had merely papered over the cracks. It had never truly resolved their problems.

The New Imperium's senior officials were different. Although they held conflicting political positions and values, those disputes did not escalate until they were drawing blades and wishing one another dead.

Of course, that was also because every faction ultimately sought the same destination.

They all placed the Imperium above everything else, and a comprehensive oversight system kept their struggles under control.

Suddenly, every senior Imperial official involved in the melee stopped moving, as though they had simultaneously received an order.

They immediately ended the brawl and returned to their seats.

"Brother Eden has finally sent word..." Guilliman announced.

His face lit up with joy.

That meant the meeting would finally reach a conclusion. More importantly, the Imperium could finally act.

His brother must have found a path to victory.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Zabok, the living-metal governor and Phaeron, hurried into the meeting hall with obvious urgency.

He went directly to the war faction's section and nodded in greeting to Yari and the others. They appeared to be on excellent terms.

Despite being a living-metal entity, one of the Savior's military commanders, and a principal leader of the Sacred Soul Cult, Zabok had never been rejected by the war faction.

The main reason was simple.

He was an even more committed warmonger than they were.

Every day, he proclaimed that human blood was the noblest in the galaxy and that all savage, inferior xenos had to be exterminated to preserve the Imperium's rule.

He was practically the war faction's most devoted supporter.

The conservatives looked at Zabok with considerable displeasure.

In their eyes, he was a fanatical member of the war faction. Like the officials of the Ministry of War, he constantly shouted about human supremacy and the need to exterminate every xenos species.

Those people thought of nothing but war and showed no concern for the Imperium's actual stage of development.

Consequently, this living-metal Phaeron, a xenos who identified himself as a pureblooded human, was not popular with the conservatives.

That remained true even though they favored preserving and exploiting useful xenos to advance humanity's prosperity.

The meeting hall fell completely silent. Everyone turned their attention toward Zabok.

He had personally returned to the Royal Court with the latest intelligence from the Pariah Nexus. More importantly, he was the servant and messenger of the great Savior, His Majesty the Emperor of the Imperium.

He had come to deliver Eden's latest command.

"My noble compatriots, the damned Necron xenos have grown intolerably arrogant..."

Zabok's face was filled with grief and fury. His opening words were so characteristically excessive that several listeners nearly lost their composure.

His voice echoed through the hall.

"Those mechanical shells dare to violate the Imperium's territory and harm human souls with their xenos veil. Their crimes are unforgivable.

"They are no longer ordinary xenos. This is especially true of the Silent King, the ruler of those aliens. He seeks nothing less than humanity's destruction.

"How utterly detestable!

"We humans must attack without reservation and teach them the price of trespassing upon the domain of the galaxy's rightful masters!"

The moment the self-proclaimed human Phaeron opened his mouth, he revealed himself as a dyed-in-the-wool member of the war faction.

Yari and the others applauded his speech, while conservatives such as the Minister of Economic Affairs frowned slightly.

"This... is also the will of His Majesty the Savior!"

As Zabok spoke, he removed an insignia from his chest.

The insignia, forged from True-One alloy, floated into the air after leaving his hand.

It bore the image of the Sun of Hope and radiated brilliant light and a sacred aura.

"May the Savior protect us!"

"All hail the great Emperor of the Imperium!"

The insignia represented the Savior and Emperor of the Imperium. Its presence was equivalent to the arrival of Eden himself, and everyone bowed or saluted it.

Through those gestures, they expressed their reverence.

Even Primarchs such as Guilliman inclined their heads to show their respect.

Supreme authority could tolerate neither discourtesy nor insult. Maintaining that principle was essential to preserving humanity's rule.

Zabok looked proudly at the officials paying tribute to humanity's sovereign, sharing in the reflected glory.

"The Savior has issued his decree. Humanity shall launch an unrestricted total war against the Necron Empire.

"There shall be no compromise and no retreat. The war will continue until the Silent King's rule has been shattered and humanity has achieved final victory.

"Anyone who obstructs this sacred cause shall be regarded as an unforgivable traitor to humanity and the Savior. They will face judgment!"

Zabok bowed with the utmost reverence as he slowly conveyed the will of the Savior and Emperor of the Imperium.

Naturally, the spoken declaration was merely ceremonial. The true contents of the decree had been engraved within the Supreme Insignia, ensuring that nothing could be distorted or altered during its transmission.

"Ha! We're finally striking back against those damned xenos!"

"For humanity! For the Savior!"

Once the decree had been delivered, Yari and the other members of the war faction leaped to their feet. They struck their fists against their chests and roared in excitement.

They were not alone. Everyone else present immediately rose and declared their acceptance of the decree.

Any hesitation in the face of a supreme decree was unacceptable. The Inquisition would act immediately.

In fact, the moment the Supreme Insignia appeared, its signal had already been detected by the Inquisition and the relevant oversight agencies.

The Inquisitors were already mobilizing.

They would supervise the execution of the supreme decree and tolerate no one who offered false obedience, secretly defied it, or twisted the Savior's will.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Before long, the sound of leather boots striking the stone floor echoed through the meeting hall. Every step followed the same meticulous rhythm, carrying an aura of icy severity.

Deville entered the chamber wearing a black greatcoat and a red armband.

He was a Lord Inquisitor known as the Grim Reaper of the Imperium.

Also called the Savior's Loyal Hound, he was one of the most powerful and feared Lord Inquisitors in the Imperium.

His presence struck terror into the hearts of Imperial officials.

The last time this Grim Reaper of the Imperium had appeared, he had arrested or executed several members of the Imperial elite in rapid succession.

Even the Lord Inquisitor who had originally requested Deville's assistance had been arrested.

It had been terrifying beyond words.

Naturally, such a "dangerous individual" would never be deployed unless a case involved the supreme decree or crimes committed by the highest levels of the Imperium.

After all, an excessively harsh atmosphere of surveillance could sometimes restrict people's thinking. It might make officials overly cautious and indecisive, ultimately harming the Imperium's development.

That consideration did not apply during a period of total war.

The moment Deville entered the meeting hall, his blade-like gaze instinctively swept across every senior Imperial official present.

It was both an inspection and the sternest possible warning.

Several senior officials felt their hearts lurch when their gazes met his. They immediately looked away.

No one wanted to attract the attention of the Grim Reaper of the Imperium.

Doing so meant facing guilt and judgment from which escape was nearly impossible.

"Savior preserve me..."

The Minister of Economic Affairs turned pale, and his legs nearly gave way beneath him.

He suddenly remembered that his predecessor had been arrested by Deville. The man's entire family had been swept up along with him.

Otherwise, the current minister could never have risen to his present position so quickly.

The former Minister of Economic Affairs and his family were still serving sentences of penal labor on a frozen world at the galaxy's edge.

"I... I haven't violated any regulations, have I?"

Sweat poured down the Minister of Economic Affairs' back.

Supporting himself against the stone table, he struggled to maintain his composure while frantically searching his memory for any instance when he might have abused his authority or committed a crime.

Fortunately, as a senior official who had graduated from the Academy of Loyal Scions, he was sufficiently loyal to the Savior. He had never secretly violated the Imperium's rules and regulations.

Nor had he committed any crimes.

"Praise the Savior."

After examining his conduct, the Minister of Economic Affairs released a deep sigh of relief.

He looked toward Deville, the Grim Reaper of the Imperium, and straightened his back. His confidence returned almost immediately.

Even so, the senior Royal Court official decided that once he returned home, he would conduct a thorough investigation of his family and report all relevant findings to the oversight agencies.

Now that the supreme decree had been issued, the Imperium would enter a state of total war. Regulations and oversight would become increasingly stringent, and everyone would be required to obey them without exception.

If he and his family wanted to pass safely through this extraordinary period, or even use it to advance further, he would have to hold himself to stricter standards and demonstrate even greater loyalty.

Only then could he accumulate merit and receive the rewards he deserved.

The arrival of Deville had put more than the Minister of Economic Affairs on edge. Every senior Royal Court official in the chamber became vigilant.

They understood that both they and the Imperium were about to face a tremendous trial.

"My lord, your loyal hound offers you his highest respects."

Deville ignored everyone else.

He approached the Supreme Insignia, knelt, and bowed with absolute reverence.

If Bayev was the Hand of the Savior, then Deville was the Savior's Scourge of Judgment, wielded to terrify every disloyal soul.

He respectfully accepted the Supreme Insignia and examined the contents within, confirming their authenticity.

"This is His Majesty's Supreme Insignia. Its contents are authentic and unaltered."

The Lord Inquisitor and Grim Reaper of the Imperium passed the Supreme Insignia to Bayev, then stood rigidly beside him like a silent statue.

Regent Bayev's expression was solemn as he raised one hand and projected the contents of the Supreme Insignia throughout the meeting hall.

His voice thundered from the hall's vox-amplifiers.

"The great Savior and Emperor of the Imperium has issued his supreme decree. We shall obey it without reservation.

"Everyone... the war has begun!"