Chapter 50: The Price of Dominion
The Master of Mankind devoted Himself wholly to the forging of the new engine.
Long had He contemplated this undertaking. The theoretical frameworks had been wrought in the depths of His mind during the earliest campaigns of reunification.
Now came the crucible of manifestation, to birth theory into reality through will and artifice.
The celestial computers of the Angel Civilization, Lieyang Star's divine calculation engines, and the Super God Academy's astrocomputers bent their considerable processing power to His design.
For two months and more, the Emperor labored, weaving dimensional lore with the chaotic essence of the Immaterium itself.
When at last the work was complete, He gazed upon an engine that integrated the forbidden knowledge of dimensional manipulation with the raw, terrible power of the Warp.
Such was its potency that He would not suffer its proliferation among the masses. One guardian alone would bear this burden, one sentinel to stand watch over His New Empire until the day when all realities would kneel beneath the Aquila.
He summoned those of worth: Holy Kesha's successor, Angel Queen Yan, whose wings bore the authority of Merlot Heaven; Lena, the Living Sun of Lieyang Star; Han Sen and the warriors of the Xiong Bing Company; and General Du Kao, among other high-ranking officials of Earth Civilization.
"Behold the Dimensional Engine," the Emperor declared, His voice carrying the weight of absolute certainty. Data-streams cascaded through the chamber's hololith displays.
"It grants dominion over dimensional ascension and descent, wedded to the immortal power of the Immaterium."
"What this universe terms the void, we name the Warp, the Sea of Souls that exists beyond dimensional barriers. Within its roiling depths, consciousness endures beyond the death of flesh. When the corporeal form is destroyed, the soul finds sanctuary in that realm, awaiting resurrection when new matter is shaped."
The assembled mortals absorbed His words as He transmitted the sacred data packets directly to their minds.
"The power of this engine surpasses any super gene or divine body enhancement wrought in the known cosmos," He continued.
"Yet such power demands absolute dedication. The chosen bearer must accept the Thought Steel Seal, an unbreakable covenant to defend both the Shenhe body civilization and the Human Empire."
"This seal shall bind both flesh and spirit in eternal service. Once forged, it can never be undone."
Du Kao's weathered features creased into a frown. "To strip away a person's emotions, their very self, is this not too severe a price? Even for the protection of civilization and Empire?"
The Emperor's golden gaze fixed upon the mortal general with the patience of one who had witnessed the rise and fall of species beyond counting.
"We know not the form the ultimate fear shall take," He replied.
"Should these void-born entities possess powers of corruption beyond mortal comprehension, what then? If our chosen guardian succumbs to their whispered promises and turns the very weapon meant to protect us against us?"
"The Gene Engine that should shield civilization would become the blade that pierces its heart. The Thought Steel Seal is insurance against such catastrophe. This is why the Dimensional Engine shall not be granted to many."
"We require but one, a devoted martyr who shall bear this burden alone."
Silence claimed the assembly. None dared step forward beneath the weight of such terrible responsibility. The Thought Steel Seal was no mere duty, it was the death of the self in service to something greater.
"I will do it."
The voice cut through the quiet like a blade.
All eyes turned to Han Sen as he stepped forward, his young face set with grim determination.
"I am the Galaxy Power, the blade that cuts through fear itself. Was this not the purpose of my creation? To stand against the void-born?"
"Han Sen," Zhao Xin whispered urgently. "Consider this carefully. There can be no retreat from such a path."
"I have considered it," Han Sen replied, his voice steady as ceramite. "War demands sacrifice. Better that one should fall than all should perish. I have witnessed too much death, lost too many comrades. In North Star, I wondered when my time would come."
"Perhaps that time is now. None are better suited. None have greater need."
His resolve was adamantine. He strode past his companions to stand before the Emperor.
"Upgrade me, Boss. I am ready."
The Raven materialized before Han Sen, and with its presence came the cessation of time itself. The chamber fell into crystalline stillness, all save the young warrior held in temporal stasis.
"Think carefully, Han Sen," the Raven spoke, its voice carrying echoes of distant worlds.
"Once you don the golden crown, love itself becomes a stranger to you. No warmth of affection, no tender regard, only the cold fire of duty shall remain."
Han Sen's eyes widened at the sight of the speaking corvid. "How can this bird talk?!"
"He is my companion, Han Sen," the Emperor explained, His voice carrying across the frozen moment.
"His words carry wisdom. Can you truly cast aside all that makes life sweet? To know only loyalty and guardianship until your final breath?"
The young warrior fell silent, wrestling with the magnitude of the choice before him. When he spoke again, his voice carried the weight of absolute conviction.
"I can."
The Raven studied him for a long moment, then nodded. It had said what needed saying.
Time resumed its natural flow, and the creature faded from perception, unwilling to create unnecessary distraction among the mortals.
After deliberation, the assembly confirmed Han Sen as the chosen recipient. He was escorted to the enhancement laboratories, where for two full days the Emperor's artifice worked upon his mortal frame.
When Han Sen emerged, he had been transformed. To demonstrate his new capabilities, he raised his hand, and brilliant radiance bloomed in the air before him.
Within a twenty-meter radius, reality itself collapsed into two dimensions, a feat that defied comprehension. With a casual gesture, he restored the flattened space to its proper configuration.
Stunned silence gripped the observers.
"Han Sen, that's incredible," Chen Yaowen breathed.
"Absolutely devastating. Hua Ye won't stand a chance against this," Zhao Xin added with fierce pride.
"This time, I'll crush that bastard," Han Sen replied, and though his words echoed his old bravado, something fundamental had changed.
Qiangwei noticed it first, the way his gaze had transformed. Where once his eyes had held desperate longing whenever they fell upon her, now there was only calm.
The awkward desire, the fumbling attempts at courtship, all had been burned away, leaving only serene purpose.
She had never truly considered accepting his affections, yet inexplicably, she felt a hollow ache at their absence. It was a loss she could not name.
With the Empire established and Han Sen ascended to his new role as guardian, the Emperor turned His attention to one final task before departure.
Death God Karl required settling.
The architect of so much suffering skulked within the Dark Nebula, plotting fresh atrocities. Left unchecked, he would surely sow more chaos across the cosmos.
Even if total destruction proved impossible, he must be crippled beyond recovery.
More importantly, the Emperor desired that Raven study Karl's space displacement technology, the art of achieving instantaneous travel through positional manipulation rather than transit through the Warp.
Such knowledge might prove superior to Immaterium-based faster-than-light travel.
The Angel Civilization possessed coordinates to the Dark Nebula. Using their navigation data, they opened a wormhole to the Nether World, intent on bringing Karl to account.
The wormhole collapsed.
They found themselves adrift in the void, the target planet visible in the distance, a world shrouded in midnight mists.
"The Nether Civilization has activated a spacetime interdiction field," Zhixin reported, her voice tight with frustration.
"The computational requirements to breach it are enormous. We would need to commit celestial-grade cogitators for extended periods, all while defending against Karl's interference through the Big Clock. Any disruption would force us to begin anew."
"Can we not simply blast through?" Zhao Xin suggested.
Zhixin shook her head. "The barrier draws power from a stellar source through wormhole conduits. The energy supply is effectively infinite."
The Emperor stepped forward, extending one gauntleted hand toward the distant star that burned like a crimson eye in the darkness.
"Reina is too slow. I shall handle this."
"According to relativistic principles, even the smallest mass, when accelerated to sufficient velocity, can shatter stars."
For the Master of Mankind, stellar destruction was trivial. He could snuff out suns with psychic force, hurl them into the Warp's depths, or unmake them through pure physical law.
A mote of light gathered at His fingertip, then streaked toward the distant star at light speed.
"Do you know what day it is?" Raven asked suddenly, perched upon Valdor's ceramite pauldron.
"By Terra's reckoning, it should be the fourth day of the weekly cycle. By Earth's calendar in this reality, the fifth day," the Captain-General replied with characteristic precision.
"Wrong." Raven shook its head.
Valdor remained silent for a moment, his pride in his perfect recall stung. "My memory is absolute. I cannot err."
"The sun is about to be shot out by the Big Guy," Raven observed with dry amusement, "so today should be Monday."
Valdor: "..."
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