C27 Wolves Of The Imperium

I spread my arms, my black and red cloak billowing in the wind.

"WILL YOU BE THE FURY OF ARES? THE NIGHTMARE OF OUR ENEMIES?"

Then, I raised the reaper high above my head, its meteorite black steel glinting in the sunlight.

"WILL YOU TEAR THE STARS FROM THE SKY AND CLAIM GLORY IN HIS NAME?"

Something snapped. A soldier in the front dropped his cigarette, his fingers twitching.

Another soldier beside him straightened his back, his posture no longer slouched, but rigid. Determined. One of them clenched his jaw, his knuckles going white.

Then, a single voice tore through the silence.

"YES, IMPERATOR!"

It started as a low, desperate growl. But then another voice joined.

"YES, IMPERATOR!"

Then another. And another.

"YES, IMPERATOR!"

Like a thunderclap, like a storm breaking through the sky, the entire 18,000 man formation erupted.

"YES, IMPERATOR! YES, IMPERATOR! YES, IMPERATOR!"

Their roars rippled through the field, shaking the earth, rising like a storm, like a tidal wave of fury and purpose.

Their voices carried power, resolve, and something that had been long buried pride.

I spread my arms, my blood red cloak billowing in the wind, my crimson eyes burning like embers as I roared to the heavens.

"THEN HOWL!"

I thundered, my voice cracking through the air like a war drum.

"HOWL FROM THE DEPTHS OF YOUR SOUL! LET THE WORLD TREMBLE AT YOUR CALL! LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE WOLVES!"

I pointed at them, my fist clenched, my voice carrying the weight of command, of destiny.

"LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE IRON FENRIRS!"

The soldiers felt it. The fire, the rage, the unity.

"IRON FENRIRS!"

A thousand voices rose as one, their cries shaking the skies.

"UUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

A howl. Not human. Not beast. Something greater. Something ancient. I grinned, my own fury igniting, my breath steaming in the cold air.

"IRON FENRIRS!"

I threw my head back, howling with my men, my voice joining theirs, becoming part of the storm.

"IRON FENRIRS!"

And then. A shadow moved beside me. A presence greater than all of us. Lupa's golden eyes flashed, her ears perked, and she howled.

"AAAAAAAAAHHUUUUUUUUU!"

Her howl split the heavens, piercing the very fabric of reality itself, echoing into the mountains, the valleys, the skies above Nova Roma.

For a moment, just a moment the wind itself seemed to pause. The earth trembled. The Imperium had heard its wolves. And the world would never be the same again.

...

January 4. Imperial palace gym.

The clanking of metal echoed through the vast, marble floored gym, the rhythmic sound of iron against iron reverberating through the air.

Sweat dripped from my forehead, my breath ragged, my muscles burning as I pushed through the final rep.

355 kilograms.

The steel bar trembled under the sheer weight, my arms flexing, my veins bulging, my entire body screaming in exertion.

To my sides, two of my death squad troopers stood like statues, their assault rifles slung across their backs, watching my form with dead serious expressions.

They weren't here just to guard me.

They were here to make sure I didn't f*cking die by crushing my own throat under a mountain of iron.

My chest tightened, my arms nearly giving out but I pushed through.

With one final, inhuman burst of strength, I locked out my arms and racked the barbell with a heavy CLANG.

I sat up immediately, my entire body pulsing, my heart slamming against my ribs like a war drum.

For a second, I swore I was about to pass out, my vision swimming, my breath coming in sharp, heaving gasps.

I clenched my fists, staring at my palms, my forearms twitching from the sheer strain.

Human Peak Potential. That's all I had reached so far.

I wiped the sweat from my brow, exhaling sharply. This wasn't enough. Not even close to enough.

By the way I wrote it, I should be able to bench twice this thanks to the genetic restructuring serum and once my body fully matured, coupled with the other augmentations I planned for myself, I should be pressing four times this weight like it was nothing.

I wasn't just training to be strong. I was training to be a f*cking monster. So that I could be killed only by spaceship grad weaponry.

One of my death squad troopers stepped forward, offering me a cold, metal canteen.

"Imperator."

I took it, unscrewed the cap, and downed the freezing water in one go, feeling it rush down my throat, cooling my burning insides.

I stood up, rolling my aching shoulders, my muscles screaming in protest.

"Thanks,"

I muttered, tossing the canteen back.

"Alright enough for today"

The soldier responded, falling into step beside me as I headed toward the Imperial bathhouse.

The moment I stepped inside, the faint scent of essential oils and burning incense hit me.

The bathhouse was beyond luxurious, a masterpiece of hellen architecture blended with modern opulence.

Tall, marble columns stretched high into a vaulted ceiling, adorned with intricate golden carvings of ancient wars and d*vine conquests.

The massive central bath was carved from a single slab of white marble, steaming with heated water infused with minerals, its surface shimmering under the golden glow of torchlight and electric chandeliers.

Along the edges, smaller pools, cold plunges, hot baths, massage stations, each designed for the ultimate restoration of the body.

My death squad spread out instantly, taking positions around the perimeter, their black uniforms blending into the deep shadows, their eyes scanning every corner of the room.

I didn't even have to issue an order. They knew their job. Protect me. Always.

I walked toward the changing area, stripping off my sweaty gym clothes, tossing them into a gold inlaid laundry chute.

As I caught my reflection in one of the massive gilded mirrors, I paused. My body was growing just as I should be.

My body was noticeably taller and larger, my shoulders broader, my chest thicker, my muscles sharper, the ridiculous amounts of calories and nutrients I was consuming beginning to reshape my frame entirely.

I wasn't just getting stronger. I was growing. I ran a hand down my abs, feeling the dense, iron hard muscle beneath my fingers.

"Hmmm at this rate I should hit puberty after about 2 months..."

I muttered to myself as I stepped forward, descending into the steaming marble bath, the heated water engulfing my sore muscles, the warmth seeping into my very bones.

I let out a long exhale, leaning back against the smooth marble edge, letting my body sink deeper into the water. Silence. Absolute silence.

For the first time in days, there was no shouting, no marching, no killing, no politics.

Just me. The bath. The faint crackling of torches.

And the ever present shadow of war looming over my Imperium.

I tilted my head back, staring at the high, mural covered ceiling, my thoughts drifting.

It didn't take long before I closed my eyes only for the sounds of footsteps to reach my ears.

As they did my death squad commander knelt beside me, his voice a mere whisper.

"Imperator, Praetor Maximus, commander in chief of Cerberus, has arrived."

I cracked open one eye, letting out a slow, tired exhale.

"Let him in."

The commander gave a slight nod, rising without another word.

He motioned toward the death squad trooper standing In front of the Praetor dressed In service uniform who immediately stepped aside.

As the trooper did he stepped forward, his black knee length leather boots clicking against the polished marble floor, before coming to a stop exactly three steps away.

He snapped his heels together, raised his gloved hand to his service cap, and saluted sharply.

"Hail, Imperator."

I barely moved, lifting one wet, lazily raised hand out of the water in an almost dismissive wave.

Maximus lowered his salute instantly, removing his cap and holding it at his side.

"You wanted to see me, Imperator?"

I sat up slightly, my arms draping along the bath's edge, steam rising around me like mist.

"Yes."

I snapped my fingers, and another death squad trooper stepped forward, carrying a black leather suitcase in both hands.

He set it down on the ornate golden table beside the bath, unlocking it with a soft click.

Inside stacks of official documents, schematics, sealed envelopes, and classified blueprints.

Maximus' sharp eyes immediately flicked over the files, but he didn't touch them not yet.

One of my death squad troopers pulled out a thick stack of papers, handing them directly to Maximus.

The cerberus commander took them, his fingers flipping through the pages with silent efficiency.

I leaned back slightly, watching his face as I spoke.

"These are the new upgrades for Cerberus. effective immediately, starting with civilian/economic department, army, navy and air force departments"

Maximus didn't respond at first, his eyes scanning the files, taking in every single line of text, every small detail, his mind already calculating, analyzing, adapting.

I continued.

"Your organization will now oversee not just counter intelligence but every single aspect of our internal and external operations. No exceptions."