After the dust of the Unification Wars on Terra had settled, The Emperor's gaze turned toward the broader interstellar stage, and his next plan began to quietly unfold.
As his profound foresight indicated, with the fall of the Aeldari and the birth of a new Loki in the Warp, the Warp storms across the The Galaxy / Milky Way began to subside, signaling that the time he had been waiting for was finally ripe.
Under The Emperor's unparalleled and meticulous planning, the newborn Imperium was like the rising sun, its light growing more intense by the day.
Terra, the ancient homeworld of humanity, would become the new starting point for this grand undertaking.
New Warp navigation and communication technologies were being urgently established, while Legions composed of gene-enhanced soldiers were taking shape within the Imperium's veins like a torrent of steel.
Those factions that had taken advantage of the chaos to loot and pillage would face the hammer of reckoning;
And those human colonies that had been isolated for centuries would be brought back into the Imperium's fold, returning to the embrace of Terra.
Humanity would once again unite under a single banner and government.
In The Emperor's name, the voice of the Imperium would echo throughout the The Galaxy / Milky Way, proclaiming a new era for mankind.
Meanwhile, Mars, the Red Planet, had undergone a transformation vastly different from Terra's.
After a brief period of anarchy, the Tech-Priests there, relying on their fanatical faith in machines and superior wisdom, defeated the Mutantss and unified their home.
These Tech-Priests possessed a thirst for knowledge that bordered on paranoia and a worship of machinery that was nearly religious.
They had visited Terra multiple times, sometimes even raiding it, just to search for remnant technologies they could bring back and adapt for their own purposes.
However, when they saw the devastation of Terra, their hearts were filled with shock; they believed Terra no longer had anything worth saving.
At the same time, massive combat machines known as Titans were being manufactured in the factories of Mars; they were symbols of the Adeptus Mechanicus's power, steel behemoths that were invincible on the battlefield.
For over a thousand years, the Adeptus Mechanicus had been observing and waiting in secret, their patience as steadfast as rock.
Whenever there was a brief lull in the Warp storms, they would send out exploration fleets, including complete Titan Legions and thousands of servants and Tech-Priests.
Some of these expeditions lost their way in the mists of the Warp or fell on distant Worlds.
But others succeeded in establishing Forge Worlds—replicas of Mars—which became extensions of the Adeptus Mechanicus's power and their new strongholds in the galaxy.
Fragmented information was sporadically transmitted to Mars, but it wasn't until the Great Crusade that the Forge Worlds and Mars re-established their long-lost connection.
Even before The Emperor's fleet arrived at Mars, the Adeptus Mechanicus had already known of his existence.
They held a complex mix of awe and curiosity toward this supreme ruler of humanity.
Now, facing the visiting Emperor, the Adeptus Mechanicus showed ample sincerity, their attitude both cautious and respectful.
Surprisingly, The Emperor not only agreed to negotiate with Mars but was even willing to grant Mars numerous privileges, which at the time seemed almost unimaginable to many.
Thus, through the joint efforts of both parties, the Treaty of Olympus was signed, and the Adeptus Mechanicus became one head of the Imperial Aquila, standing side-by-side with The Emperor's forces.
In the wars to come, the Adeptus Mechanicus would use its powerful mechanical Legions and deep technological foundation to demonstrate why it was the other head of the Imperial Aquila.
————
Seeing the current state of Mars, people everywhere felt that this Universe was getting a bit crazy, didn't they?
["This is a bit abstract; how are machinery and religion linked together in one group?"]
["They couldn't possibly be worshipping machines as gods, could they?"]
["Don't say it, that really is a possibility. But are there no normal humans left in this World?"]
["On Earth, technological warlords fighting among themselves bred a super tyrant, and Mars bred a technological religion. And this is the political center of humanity? Won't the other star systems just become a chaotic brawl for lunatics?"]
Super God World
"This is simply like mixing science and superstition together to create a brand new monster."
Yan expressed great shock at the Adeptus Mechanicus's behavior of worshipping machinery as a deity.
Deep doubt was revealed in her eyes, as if she were trying to understand this peculiar belief system.
In her World, technology and faith were two completely distinct fields.
Yet the Adeptus Mechanicus fused them together, an act that seemed unbelievable to her.
"In a sense, even Morgana's ideas are advanced compared to theirs. However, one must admit that their mechanical technology is indeed very impressive. At least in combat, those mechanical creations look quite powerful."
Although Hexi expressed disdain for the ignorant behavior of the Adeptus Mechanicus, she also objectively acknowledged their technological strength.
"Powerful they may be, but I still feel that this faith of worshipping machines as gods is a bit twisted."
Keisha's voice rang out; she had to admit she was starting to become interested in the human race.
To think they could come up with so many different variations.
————
Within the grand architecture of the Imperium, the Adeptus Mechanicus was like a brilliant star, shining with a unique light.
It was not only the second head of the Imperial Aquila but also an indispensable pillar of the Imperium's power.
The reason the Adeptus Mechanicus could attain such a lofty status, aside from its immortal merits, was largely due to its powerful war legions—the Skitarii, the Legio Cybernetica, and the Titan Legions.
The Skitarii, as the primary war force of the Adeptus Mechanicus, had a complex and diverse personnel composition, mainly consisting of volunteers, conscripts, and prisoners.
These warriors, carrying faith and loyalty to the Machine God, threw themselves into the endless fires of war.
However, their fates were not smooth sailing. The Radium Carbines used by the Skitarii Vanguards, while immensely powerful, also brought lethal radiation.
This radiation severely saturated their bodies, making approaching them almost synonymous with seeking Death.
Ultimately, the radiation would even penetrate their heavy armor, slowly dragging them into the abyss of Death.
To adapt to the harsh terrain of Mars, the Skitarii Vanguards underwent extreme augmentations.
Their legs had the portions below the knees removed and replaced with mechanical reinforcement devices.
This modification not only gave them greater mobility but also enabled them to survive in the most dangerous war zones of the The Galaxy / Milky Way.
Their mechanical augmentations and the surrounding radiation effects made them the most feared presence on the battlefield.
The Legio Cybernetica were pure killing machines; their existence was solely to eliminate all enemies.
And the Titans, as the God-Machines, were the pinnacle of the Adeptus Mechanicus's power.
However, these powerful entities had not yet fully revealed themselves to the audience.
Even so, the mere existence of the Skitarii had already caused many viewers to feel deep dread and fear.
While Space Marines were awe-inspiring, what the Skitarii triggered was pure terror.
After all, using machinery to replace flesh was still a distant concept for many civilizations; some even firmly believed in the strength of the flesh and looked down upon the power of technology.
In the forum, such existences sparked heated discussions. Many questioned: can such beings still be called human?
["How can the creations of these guys be worthy of the name Titan!"] one user posted angrily, their voice full of dissatisfaction and doubt.
["Is someone who is almost entirely mechanical still human? Aren't these just monsters! Monsters!"] another user followed up, their tone carrying a hint of fear and disgust.
["This is impossible; how can such modifications not lead to Cyberpsychosis! This is impossible! This is definitely not human! Definitely not!"] Some users could not accept this reality, their voices filled with terror and confusion.
————
Warhammer World
"It seems our counterparts are a bit too much like flowers in a greenhouse."
"They're making a fuss over just the Skitarii of the Adeptus Mechanicus; if they knew what our machines were made of, they'd probably just turn tail and run!"
The Lord of Iron had always looked down upon these weaklings who would fear a few augmentations; in his eyes, there was only power and progress, and he felt only contempt for the weak struggling in fear.
"But I still hope they can change some of their behaviors; in their eyes, there is only data, and even living people are just replaceable consumables."
Unlike the coldness and disdain of the Lord of Iron, Corax focused on the livelihoods of the people.
His voice carried a hint of worry and sympathy; he thought of the Forge Worlds he had seen during the Great Crusade, those Planets destroyed by the Adeptus Mechanicus's mad augmentation plans, and the rumors within his own Legion regarding their homeworld.
In those rumors, the people of the homeworld were ruthlessly augmented, losing their humanity and becoming nothing more than a pile of data and parts in the eyes of the Adeptus Mechanicus.