Chapter 1: Hikigaya Hachiman Returns From Despair
"They all said it was an illusionary dream, but I believe this is the Emperor's grace for my loyalty."
Hikigaya Hachiman sat in a chair, quietly lost in thought as he looked at the bustling streets outside the window.
Ten years had passed since he returned to his peaceful hometown, and he had long promised his family to sheath his fangs and live a good life.
But Hikigaya Hachiman's memories as the Champion Captain of the Blood Angels Chapter, 3rd Company, were still as vivid as if they were happening right before his eyes.
Who could understand? He unexpectedly experienced a transmigration to Warhammer after all.
Hikigaya Hachiman could see the skies of Terra covered by relentless artillery fire unleashed by countless traitor battleships just by closing his eyes. His nose could still catch the smell of smoke and gore from the brutal battlefield.
The Imperial Primarchs, led by Horus, initiated an unprecedented betrayal. As a member of the loyalist faction, Hikigaya Hachiman boarded the Vengeful Spirit with Sanguinius, the Primarch of the Blood Angels, to confront Horus directly.
In the end, Hikigaya Hachiman achieved a mutual kill with the three Chaos God-empowered Captains of the Sons of Horus, ending his turbulent and magnificent life.
Having earned countless honors throughout these long years, he felt no regret about his death.
"If only I could see the skies of Baal one more time."
Hearing the distant footsteps outside the door, Hikigaya Hachiman put away his melancholy, his entire body instinctively tensing up, entering a state of combat readiness.
But he immediately realized that the world he was currently in was no longer that chaotic, dark era.
"Have I really gotten used to it?"
Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head, picked up the water glass on the table, and took a sip.
Before long, a beautiful, short-haired woman in a suit skirt opened the door and walked in, a look of apology on her face.
"Sanguinius-sensei, I'm so sorry, I apologize for making you wait."
Seeing Hikigaya Hachiman sitting by the window, she sincerely apologized with her hands clasped together in a bow.
"It took a little time because I was hosting a new author."
"It's alright, Machida-san.
I was the one who didn't call ahead or notify you in advance."
The woman before him was his editor, Sonoko Machida, and 'Sanguinius' was the pen name Hikigaya Hachiman used to commemorate the great father of their Chapter.
"What's wrong? Is there something strange about my face?"
Noticing Hikigaya Hachiman's strange look, Sonoko Machida touched her own face.
"Do you feel discomfort in your shoulder recently?" Hikigaya Hachiman asked.
"Thank you for your concern, Sanguinius-sensei. Come to think of it, yes."
Sonoko Machida rubbed her stiff shoulder with a sigh.
"My left shoulder does feel a bit sore."
'It would be strange if it didn't hurt, with something like that standing on your shoulder.'
From Hikigaya Hachiman's perspective, a green, monkey-like monster was standing on his editor's left shoulder.
"Machida-san, could you please take one step forward?"
"Hmm, sure."
The editor took a step forward, looking puzzled.
A flash of scarlet light ignited in Hikigaya Hachiman's usually calm eyes.
He raised his left hand and drew an incredibly fast, sharp arc in the air, but without directly touching the editor.
However, the moment the green monkey-like monster on Machida-san's shoulder was passed over, it was as if it suffered a terrifying, crushing force. It was violently reduced to purple juice and dispersed into the air before it could even let out a scream.
Hikigaya Hachiman lowered his hand.
"Try to see if your shoulder is better?"
Sonoko Machida said, surprised and delighted, "It seems it really is! That's amazing!"
Actually, after Sanguinius-sensei made that strange movement, she could immediately feel her body shedding a thousand-pound burden.
"Thank you!"
"It's just a small trick."
Even though Hikigaya Hachiman did not possess the formidable physical strength and psychic power he once had as the Champion Captain of the Blood Angels 3rd Company after returning to this world, he still had more than enough ability to annihilate mere Xenos.
Hikigaya Hachiman didn't elaborate. The monster on the editor's shoulder was a unique creature of this world.
Ordinary people couldn't see it, and the official definition for this thing was a Curse Spirit, a type of Xenos born from human malice.
For Hikigaya Hachiman, this was something more repulsive than those green-skinned runts; they were everywhere in the air, like bacteria.
"Actually, I came here today to hand in the manuscript."
At the mention of the manuscript, Sonoko Machida's eyes lit up, and she was incredibly excited.
"Could it be The Horus Heresy, which was previewed in your Warhammer series The Imperial Great Crusade?"
Hikigaya Hachiman merely wanted to write down his experiences, but he hadn't expected the series to be quite well-received in this world.
He nodded and took out a thick stack of papers from his bag. The Horus Heresy was clearly written in strong, forceful handwriting on the top.
"The exams are coming up soon, so out of the original four volumes, I've only completed two.
I'll give you the other two volumes in a few weeks."
"Oh my gosh, Sanguinius-sensei, this is a huge surprise!
Your fans will surely be moved to tears knowing how hard their author works."
Sonoko Machida solemnly took the manuscript from Hikigaya Hachiman and said earnestly, "I will provide my revision feedback as soon as possible."
"No rush, I'm not in a hurry."
Hikigaya Hachiman tidied up his school bag, then picked it up, looking like he was about to leave.
"Machida-san, I have to go pick up my sister, so I won't bother you any longer."
"Oh, then I'll see you out."
"No need, please continue with your work."
Hikigaya Hachiman declined Sonoko Machida's offer.
As he walked out the door, he saw a tall girl with long black hair, also wearing a school uniform, waiting by the entrance, holding a large stack of what looked like manuscripts.
Out of politeness, Hikigaya Hachiman nodded to her and then left.
The proud, long black-haired girl hadn't expected the person coming out of the premium VIP author reception room, which was only open to industry elites at the company, to be such a young male peer.
She also recognized the school uniform the boy was wearing; it was the uniform of Shuchiin Academy, a private, prestigious school for young ladies and gentlemen.
The girl knocked on the open door, alerting Sonoko Machida, who was organizing the manuscripts inside, to her arrival.
"Editor Machida, I still have many questions about our discussion."
"Oh, Utaha."
Sonoko Machida was carefully organizing and clipping the first two volumes of The Horus Heresy before preparing to seal them in a bag. She looked up and saw Kasumigaoka Utaha.
This black-haired girl was the very promising new author, Kasumigaoka Utaha, whom Sonoko Machida had just been hosting.
"Hold on, let me organize these manuscripts first."
Rarely seeing the usually unreliable editor looking so earnest and serious piqued Kasumigaoka Utaha's interest.
So, the boy who just left was here to hand in a manuscript.
Kasumigaoka Utaha walked closer and, with just a glance, caught sight of the five characters: The Horus Heresy. She couldn't help but tremble.
"It's The Horus Heresy!!!"
Three years ago, the combination series, a two-part work: The Emperor + The Imperial Great Crusade, burst onto the scene, sweeping through the entire Japanese literary world and setting the record for the highest annual sales.
And the preview on the last page of The Imperial Great Crusade was the third book in the Warhammer series: The Horus Heresy.
"Really?"
"It's true, but remember to keep it a secret.
You absolutely cannot tell the outside world that the first draft of The Horus Heresy has been completed."
Sonoko Machida gave Kasumigaoka Utaha a warning in advance, her tone very serious.
"You wouldn't want to be served a court summons before you've even entered the working world, would you?"
"I won't. Then, was that boy Sanguinius-sensei!!"
Upon receiving confirmation from Machida-san, an incredible idea further formed in Kasumigaoka Utaha's mind.
"Is that the author who writes sci-fi war as if it were a memoir?
How can he be so young?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha had assumed that the person capable of writing such profound and dark Gothic space opera would be an old man, not someone only nineteen years old.
"Utaha-chan, geniuses exist in this world."
Sonoko Machida sealed the bag. The required revision feedback would need to be the collective result of eight other top editors besides herself; she couldn't shoulder such a massive responsibility alone.
"Some people are born to dominate the world!"