Reborn as Humanity’s Emperor Across the Multiverse

In the underground hangar of the "13th" frontline base, transport ships, assault craft, and aerial gunships stood ready. Ground crews equipped with engineering mechs or mechanical exoskeletons, assisted by T-800 Terminators, carried out final inspections on all vehicles.

Four thousand elite guards from the Joint Reconnaissance Force, clad in McP-type power armor and armed with hard-light weapons, boarded transport ships, waiting for deployment. 

Among them were Athena, wielding the Spear of Victory and adorned in golden armor, accompanied by over 400 Greek minor gods who also boarded their designated transports.

The most striking combat unit, however, was a group of 400 "unorthodox" Astartes, averaging nearly three meters in height: the Grey Knights.

Their power armor resembled medieval heavy knight armor, significantly bulkier than the Titan-pattern power armor typically worn by Astartes. This was the custom-designed Sanctuary Terminator Power Armor, tailored specifically for the Grey Knights by the Atlas Research Division.

As part of the Imperial Corporation, Atlas had begun developing Terminator power armor alongside Titan-pattern armor. After assimilating the dwarven engineers from the Terila Sector ("07"), they began using dwarven steel—far stronger and more flexible than Titan alloy—to construct Terminator armor.

Years of research led to the creation of several models, such as Iron Cavalry, Hades, and Unyielding. These armors were prohibitively expensive, equivalent in cost to ten or more Titan IV power suits. Consequently, Terminator armor was not freely distributed among legions but was reserved for elite forces like company captains, champions, or honor guards directly under a Primarch's command.

The Grey Knights, however, were a unique case. Though technically part of the Heretic Inquisition, they answered solely to the Emperor himself. All 4,000 of them were uniformly equipped with Sanctuary Terminators, which featured external armor forged from rare mithril.

The 400 Grey Knights in the hangar bore additional inscriptions in Chinese characters on their armor, with some displaying paper copies of the Codex of Humanity attached to their pauldrons. Remarkably, these paper codices emitted a faint golden glow.

Their weapons included wrist-mounted twin-linked storm bolters and melee arms such as power spears, glaives, and hammers. To deploy with the main forces into the hellish territory shrouded by dense clouds, they required Thunderhawk gunships specially designed for Astartes.

Despite being powerful, the Sanctuary Terminators lacked the "instant teleportation" capabilities typical of advanced Terminator designs. While existing teleportation technology allowed for short-range transport, efforts to miniaturize the Ark teleporter for personal use had proven disastrous. Early experiments with D-class personnel often resulted in missing limbs or partial bodies being teleported to unknown locations. 

These failures rendered the miniaturized Ark teleporter impractical, and it was permanently shelved. The Research Division now awaited Dr. Catherine Halsey's reverse-engineering of Forerunner teleportation technology, which promised greater safety and stability.

Thus, the Grey Knights relied on transport ships to accompany the main force to Hell's Gate near Jerusalem.

---

The operation's core forces, the 1st Company of the Dark Angels, had already deployed into low orbit aboard their fleet, which included:

- One Carthage-class supercarrier,

- Two Valiant-class super-heavy cruisers,

- Six Paris-class frigates,

- Twelve Fides-class frigates,

- And one Phoenix-class support vessel.

The fleet carried not only nearly 1,000 fully matured Dark Angels but also over 20,000 auxiliary troops, engineers, mechanics, and logistical personnel. Including Terminators, Hunters, and cloned bioweapons, their total strength ranged between 25,000 and 30,000.

Every legion's 1st Company symbolized the legion's prowess and prestige. Though Primarch Ryan feigned indifference toward mundane affairs, he was notably generous when it came to his "sons." Even before the Empire's formation, Ryan had worked through "legal and compliant" channels to secure significant resources for the Dark Angels.

After the main forces aboard transport vehicles began their incursion into Hell's territory, the Dark Angels' fleet lowered its altitude, entering the atmosphere to provide immediate fire support. The thick clouds covering Hell's territory contained psychic interference that disrupted ordinary communication and scanning, necessitating the fleet's proximity.

---

Inside the hangar, almost all ground forces had boarded their vehicles. Selene, clad in a form-fitting combat suit and wearing a face-concealing helmet, entered a Thunderhawk gunship under the escort of two Grey Knights. 

Once preparations were complete, the ground crew vacated the hangar and signaled the pilots. The hangar's roof gates opened, revealing the murky sky above.

Pilots activated their crafts and moved out in formation. Hundreds of transport ships, assault craft, and gunships formed an overwhelming aerial fleet that blotted out the sun as it headed southeast toward Jerusalem.

From her vantage point aboard the Thunderhawk, Selene used her cybernetic eyes to observe the transformed terrain below. The once-toxic and desolate region surrounding the frontline base had been revitalized by the Flower of Purity, a project that introduced green vegetation and purified the atmosphere. For the first time, residents could breathe without masks.

As the fleet departed, ground personnel waved their arms in a gesture of hope, silently wishing success for their comrades heading into battle.

---

Flying above the clouds, the fleet navigated by instruments. Suddenly, Soap McTavish's voice resonated through the communications channel:

"Attention all units. Local time is October 9th, 16:36. The '13th' Frontline Base is now launching a full-scale assault against Hell's forces in this universe.

"Intelligence indicates that local powers such as the Holy Roman Empire and Tsarist Empire have already mobilized armies to combat Hell's invasion. Our occupation of frontier towns besieged by Hell's forces, along with the capture of numerous knights and church nuns, has earned us hostility from the Holy Roman Empire.

"However, due to Hell's sudden offensive, they have not yet engaged us directly. Should their forces attack us during this operation, all units have authorization to retaliate freely."

Soap paused, his tone intensifying. "Remember, this universe's ruling elites are puppets of Heaven's forces. Sooner or later, we will have to cleanse them. 

"Good hunting, everyone! Glory and rewards await us. For the Empire! For the Emperor!"

"FOR THE EMPIRE!" 

"FOR THE EMPEROR!" 

A thunderous chorus erupted across the communication channels.

---

As the fleet advanced, Selene's cybernetic eyes spotted something unusual about 20 kilometers northwest: a small but lively town.

Zooming in with the Thunderhawk's surveillance equipment, she saw its residents had undergone severe mutations. Some had grotesque faces with asymmetric eyes, while others had rotting skin or bone spurs replacing their arms. At the center stood a corrupted knightly colossus, a massive structure on treads that served as a mobile cathedral, dormitory, and fortress. This once-magnificent machine was now covered in blood-soaked spikes and human remains, signifying its allegiance to Hell.

After confirming the town held no research value, Selene marked it on the fleet's map. Within moments, a Vulture gunship fired a tactical hydrogen warhead at the location. 

A miniature sun erupted over the town, incinerating everything in an instant. The ensuing shockwave and mushroom cloud obliterated the surrounding area, leaving it purified of corruption.

---

The fleet continued toward Jerusalem, flattening dozens of corrupted towns along the way. To the Imperial forces, it was as effortless as stepping on a bug during a casual stroll. Despite Hell's and Heaven's presence, the Trench Crusade universe remained a low-level civilization bound to Earth. For the Imperial Empire, eradicating this planet was a trivial task.

Yet, the Empire delayed this assault for a reason: to convert. 

Occupying frontier towns allowed the Empire to allocate resources to provide food, shelter, and modern amenities for local populations. Athena, the Grey Knights, and the Greek minor gods frequently appeared in person to teach the locals how to integrate into Imperial life.

In just one month, nearly all frontier town residents abandoned their faith in Heaven, becoming devout followers of the Emperor and the Codex of Humanity. 

Even the simplest villagers could distinguish who gave them food, jobs, and safety. As modernization took hold—electricity, water, and even old-style TVs becoming household staples—the Empire prepared to broadcast the annihilation of Hell's forces, cementing its authority and divinity in this universe.

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