After triggering the [quest], Duanmu Huai went with the Night Guards back into hell to face the demons once more.
Although it sounded a bit arrogant, to be honest, if Duanmu Huai had to evaluate them, then… the demons here were the weakest he had ever seen.
As an [Inquisitor], Duanmu Huai had fought plenty of demons in the game. In his view, the demons under the Four Chaos Gods each had distinctive traits.
The God of Slaughter's demons were savage, bloodthirsty, and terrifying in frontal assaults.
The God of Deceit's demons used ever-changing tricks, endless sorcery and curses, making them a headache to deal with.
The God of Plague's demons were rotting and diseased, polluting the battlefield just by standing there — even if you won, it hardly made a difference.
The God of Desire's demons were not skilled in melee, but their psychic and spiritual manipulation was first-class — if you weren't careful, you'd fall right into their grasp.
But these so-called "primordial demons" of this world… how should he put it…
Other than sheer numbers being a barely acceptable threat, they didn't have much else going for them.
Worse, perhaps because of the influence of the assimilated world, many of these demons had replaced body parts with machinery. But aside from giving them a little extra firepower, it didn't make them much more dangerous.
To Duanmu Huai, these primordial demons weren't as ferocious as the God of Slaughter's, weren't as cunning as the God of Deceit's, weren't as revolting as the God of Plague's, and didn't have the bizarre skills of the God of Desire's.
If they weren't hiding in this corner of the [Warp], they'd already have been wiped out by some Daemon Prince leading troops.
With you lot, and you dare think about ruling the world? That's like a village chief dreaming of becoming an emperor… what's the difference? Forget an Inquisitor or an Astartes — even a random Guardsman with a flashlight could kill you all!
"RAAAHHHHH!!!"
Duanmu Huai charged forward with his warhammer, like a wild beast crashing into the demon horde.
The closer they came to the energy factory, the more demons there were, and the more organized their attacks became. In the wilderness they had attacked in scattered ambushes, teleporting around to harass. But now, they were arranging battle lines, trying to block Duanmu Huai head-on.
At the front, a swarm of hellspawn — about human-sized — rushed forward. They had no special weapons, just claws and brute strength. They were cannon fodder.
Behind them lurked a massive spider-like brain monster, its body the size of a wagon, with mechanical limbs and a cannon mounted above, firing round after round of explosive shells.
Flanking it were two obese demons whose arms had been turned into gun-barrels, spewing torrents of firepower to bury Duanmu Huai under the bombardment.
The Night Guards would've been forced to a standstill under this firestorm. But Duanmu Huai ignored it completely. The blasts hammered his [power armor], yet his pace never slowed. Like a charging rhino, he smashed headlong into the wall of cannon fodder.
"BANG! BANG! BANG!!"
The spawn's claws scraped and hammered against his armor, uselessly. They were sent flying in every direction by his impact, scattering like petals. In one brutal crash, Duanmu Huai broke through their front line and stood before the brain-spider. Raising his warhammer, he smashed it down on the swollen brain.
"SPLAT!!"
The giant brain burst like a balloon. Duanmu Huai spun his warhammer sideways, the sweep tearing open gaping holes in the bodies of the two obese demons beside it. They staggered once and collapsed, dead without a sound.
At that moment, a massive aberrant demon appeared.
Its lower body was like a tank chassis, its upper body like a hulking demon warrior. One arm had been replaced with a steel cannon, the other with a roaring chainsaw, which it swung down at Duanmu Huai.
"CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG!!"
Duanmu Huai raised his warhammer to block the chainsaw. Sparks flew as the teeth screeched, trying to bite through the weapon. He roared, shoving upward with his right arm, while his left hand drew the [chainsword] from his waist and slashed downward.
"SWOOSH!!"
The giant demon split in half instantly, even its tank chassis exploding into scrap metal.
But just as the demon fell apart, a shadow slipped from behind — a serpent-bodied fiend coiled silently around Duanmu Huai like a python, binding him tight.
The next second, he spread his arms wide, and the snake-demon's body snapped into bloody chunks.
Hmph, trying to sneak me?
He stepped forward. The gates of the Yajin energy factory were right before his eyes.
Turning back, he saw the Night Guards, bloodied but still alive.
"How many left?"
"Only three of us now."
The Night Guard captain sighed bitterly. They had already lost most of their number to the demons. By the time they returned to Nur's Ring, fewer than ten remained. And now, following Duanmu Huai back into hell, only three still stood.
There was no helping it. Duanmu Huai's [power armor] was simply on another level, and though he couldn't summon companions, he still had his [spell cards]. The Night Guards' gear… wasn't quite enough.
And since their strength came from the elemental spirits — now imprisoned and desecrated by the demons — they had no blessings or external power to rely on.
"We move forward."
Duanmu Huai looked ahead. According to their intel, three elemental spirits were sealed inside this factory. If they freed them, the enraged spirits would destroy the place themselves.
Their job was to break the seals.
Still… something bothered Duanmu Huai.
Strange. The demons reacted too slowly. According to the king, this factory was built by the Mech race in cooperation with the demons to power their survival. If I destroy it, the Mech will be finished. Shouldn't they be guarding this place heavily?
He had even prepared to face Mech armies alongside the demons…
But nothing?
No way… are the Mech really this useless?
He asked the Night Guards about it. Their answer surprised him. The Mech had advanced technology and nearly endless lifespans. Nearly. In truth, they could still die. After living a certain number of years, they suffered something called "Collapse Form" — and perished completely. Because of this, their numbers were always low.
It made sense. If they had numbers, they wouldn't need the Yajin to serve as their soldiers and vanguard.
Forget it. Either way, our goal is right here.
Gripping his warhammer, Duanmu Huai stepped through the gates.
Now all they had to do was break the seals on the elemental spirits, and everything would be settled.
At the same time as Duanmu Huai stormed the Yajin factory, in Manaria, a completely different scene was playing out.
"Ahhh, so bored! So bored! So bored!!"
Princess Anne of Manaria was rolling back and forth on her bed with a pillow in her arms, looking restless.
"Anne, you've been rather fidgety lately, haven't you?"
Sitting beside her, Guleya set down her book, flicked her tail curiously, and asked.
"Because I want to go adventuring again! But Sir Knight didn't take me this time, and he hasn't even sent a reply yet… I can't help but worry a little if he's alright…"
"Sir Knights should be fine, don't you think?"
"That's what you say…"
Anne pouted unhappily.
After returning to Manaria, she had soon reunited with Guleya, and naturally, they had shared their "travel experiences." Guleya's had truly been sightseeing — Lorena had taken her and Phirin around the Holy City, showing them the famous sites, a calm and pleasant journey.
Anne's trip was different. She went north, fought ghosts and undead, battled cultists and vampires, and finally even joined a war tied to the fate of the Empire — where she played a key role.
Anne recounted all of it proudly, even showing off the medal the Emperor himself had given her in thanks. Guleya had listened in shock, terrified Anne had been hurt — but thankfully, she hadn't.
"Uuuu… I still really, really want to travel with Knight-sama!!"
She smacked her pillow furiously.
"But… Knight-sama's work is usually very dangerous, isn't it?"
Guleyawasn't exaggerating. She herself had once acted with Duanmu Huai against the evil dragon Fafnir, and knew well his reckless courage and near-suicidal stunts. Truthfully, anyone traveling with him needed a very strong heart.
Anne, being lively and adventurous, had never gotten the chance to cause such big commotions at the Academy. Going with Duanmu Huai suited her perfectly. Guleya, on the other hand, preferred peace and quiet, not world-shaking chaos.
But…
"Anne."
Watching her friend sulk, Grea hesitated, then asked softly.
"Do you… like Sir Knight?"
It wasn't strange for her to wonder. She'd known Anne for years and rarely saw her so fixated on a man. Anne cared deeply for people, yes, but Guleya's intuition as a woman told her there was something different when she spoke about Duanmu Huai.
She just didn't know if Anne realized it herself.
"Um… well…"
Anne stopped rolling, hugging her pillow tightly, embarrassed.
The truth was, Guleya's question had hit the mark.
Anne was cheerful and well-liked, unlike the quiet dragon-girl Guleya. Yet, in truth, she too was lonely.
Yes — though friendly and adored, she was still a princess.
The princess of Manaria. And the kingdom's strongest mage.
That identity alone meant no one could interact with her freely.
And at the Academy?
Her classmates might not care about her being a princess, but her overwhelming magical talent created a gulf just the same.
When others struggled, they asked Anne for help. She happily explained, but they never understood her explanations.
She thought she had simplified it enough. But for them, it was still gibberish.
This was the gap between prodigy and ordinary. To her, it was simple; to them, incomprehensible.
What could they say?
Only things like, "As expected of the Princess," or "You're amazing, we could never do that." Words Anne didn't really want to hear.
That was why, when she met Guleya, she immediately wanted to be friends. Both princesses, both lonely. A perfect match.
And Duanmu Huai?
At first, she was just curious about him. But during their travels together, she began to feel something else.
For one, he never treated her differently because she was a princess or his fiancée. Anne had worried he'd exploit that, but he hadn't.
Not that he was some perfect gentleman. He bossed her around bluntly whenever needed. But oddly, that touched her. Even her parents treated her with a certain distance and formality. For Duanmu Huai to act so casually with her made her happy.
That was why, despite the danger, she always wanted to travel with him.
Being at his side let her forget she was a princess and act like an ordinary girl.
At least for now, she felt closer to him than anyone.
Still… didn't that mean she would one day marry Knight-sama? They were already engaged, she didn't dislike him, and he didn't seem to dislike her. So eventually, they'd wed. And then… have children?
Her face went crimson as she recalled what her textbooks had said about that. She wasn't clueless, but… those books described ordinary men.
With Knight-sama's huge, muscular body… would that even work? Wouldn't it break her? And surely he must be… very large…
"WAAAAHHHHH!!"
She buried her burning face into the pillow and rolled furiously across the bed.
Guleya, watching, was completely lost.
Why had Anne suddenly gotten this embarrassed?
What on earth was going on?
(End of Chapter)