When Duanmu Huai reached the deepest part of the Yajin factory, only the last Night Guard remained at his side. He was covered in wounds, breathing heavily.
"I can feel… the call of the elemental spirits…"
The Night Guard raised his head, staring at the massive sealed iron gate ahead.
"They… are right beyond this door…"
"Stand back."
Duanmu Huai spoke casually. He walked up to the sealed steel gate, placed his hands into the cracks—then pulled. The gate, fixed immovably into place, screeched and groaned as metal tore and bent under his strength. Without the slightest concern, Duanmu Huai stretched his arms outward and forced the door apart. With one heavy shove—
"BOOM!!"
The steel gate cracked and fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. Duanmu Huai gripped his warhammer and strode inside. The battered Night Guard, dragging his wounded body, followed him into the chamber.
Before them stretched a massive hall, like an observation platform. At its far end yawned a seemingly bottomless abyss. From within it, columns of azure flame erupted upward like pillars of fire, shackled by thick iron chains, radiating a cold blue light.
If Duanmu Huai was not mistaken, this was the "elemental spirits" the Night Guards spoke of.
Hmm… not exactly the kind of "spirits" I was imagining.
He had half expected to see three beautiful maidens imprisoned here. Clearly, that was wishful thinking.
But beside them was an even more horrifying sight.
Along the rails at the edges of the abyss, metal cages moved forward like pieces on an assembly line. Inside each cage were Yajin— or rather, their souls.
Their souls were to be refined, squeezed, and converted into energy within this factory. They were drawn out from their eternal rest with the elemental spirits, imprisoned here, and drained away…
Seeing this, the Night Guard clenched his teeth and looked toward Duanmu Huai.
"Inquisitor…"
"I know."
Duanmu Huai nodded, then strode forward, intent on shattering the chains binding the spirits.
But just as he took a step forward, several circular red portals suddenly appeared before him. From within them emerged tall figures, blocking his path.
These demons were massive, with long horns curling from their heads, clad in dark green armor, wielding axes and blades in both hands. But when the Night Guard beside Duanmu Huai saw them, his eyes immediately turned bloodshot.
"Traitors!!"
"You know them?"
Duanmu Huai glanced at the Night Guard curiously. The latter nodded fiercely.
"Yes, Inquisitor. They were once proud Night Guards themselves, but they betrayed their vows and their faith! They sold themselves to the demons and to the Mech race!"
"We simply made the right choice."
One of the demon guards sneered, interrupting him. Its eyes glowed with evil crimson light as it mocked the bloodied Night Guard.
"Look at you, pitiful wretch. The elemental spirits you believed in have already been captured. What is there left to cling to? The Queen shall truly descend upon this world and rule over all. No one can ever…"
But he never finished. Duanmu Huai raised his hand and grabbed him through the air. The demon guard's body flew toward him helplessly, and before it could react, a massive warhammer crashed down, smashing its head into pulp.
"BANG!!"
The corpse collapsed onto the floor. Duanmu Huai tightened his grip on the hammer and fixed his gaze on the other guards.
"You betrayed humanity. You abandoned the people and the country you were sworn to protect. You sunk so low as to kneel to xenos and Chaos. You are no longer loyal. And so, your existence has no meaning. Die, traitors!"
"What are you!?"
Furious at their comrade's death, the other demon guards roared, drew their weapons, and charged at Duanmu Huai.
"To die!!"
To an [Inquisitor], anyone tainted by Chaos was an enemy, especially traitors who had sold both body and soul. Such wretches were the highest priority for extermination by the Inquisition. In every age, whenever an Inquisitor encountered such corruption, the only outcome was death.
So, when the demon guards lunged at him, Duanmu Huai did not hesitate. He roared and swung his hammer.
"Fools!"
One demon guard did not dodge at all. Instead, he rushed forward, raising both hands. A crimson shield of hellfire energy formed before him, bracing against the oncoming warhammer.
"You cannot imagine the power of the demons—"
He never finished boasting. The hammer smashed straight through the energy shield, slammed into his face, shattering his jawbone, teeth, and eyes, blasting his head away like a baseball.
The decapitated body staggered, blood gushing from its neck, then collapsed to the ground. But no one spared it a glance. Duanmu Huai had already caught another, who had tried to sneak attack while his comrade distracted him.
"Even true demons are no match for me. And you—mere trash tainted by Chaos power. Where do you find the confidence to think you can defeat me?"
Duanmu Huai's voice was cold as his gauntleted hand gripped tighter and tighter. The iron fingers pierced the skull as easily as cracking an egg. With one brutal squeeze—
"SPLAT!!"
The demon's head exploded into gore, fragments of skull and brain matter dripping from Duanmu Huai's palm.
"You have lost the purity of humanity."
He sneered, looking at the twisted, horned fragments of the crushed skull.
"Then only purification remains."
Duanmu Huai was not one of those extreme xenos-hating Inquisitors, but to him, any human who forsook humanity to worship Chaos was a traitor beyond redemption.
The only fate for them was to be purged in fire.
He tossed aside the corpse and strode onward. Those corrupted Night Guards who had sold themselves to Chaos could not hold him for even half a minute before they were slaughtered to the last.
He reached the platform, raising his head to the roaring columns of flame.
The elemental spirits.
Well… first time meeting them, and I don't feel much. Whatever. Just break the chains.
He raised his warhammer and struck the bindings.
"BANG! BANG! BANG!!"
One by one the chains shattered. The prison holding the spirits shook violently, until at last, with a final strike, a column of azure fire erupted like a freed dragon, bursting upward, tearing through the ceiling and soaring into the sky.
"—————————!!"
Duanmu Huai could not hear the elemental spirit's roar, but the shockwaves in the air carried its rage. Well, being imprisoned and exploited by invaders from another world probably isn't pleasant.
The blue fire surged outward, consuming the cages that held Yajin souls. Then, in a flash, it vanished into the sky. Only a single ember drifted down, landing in Duanmu Huai's hand.
At the same time, system prompts appeared before his eyes.
[Hidden Quest: "Peace of the Soul" – Stage One Complete]
[Quest Evaluation: Outstanding]
[You have freed the imprisoned souls, but their fury has not yet been soothed! Only blood for blood can restore their peace!]
[Reward: Elemental Spirit's Mark — You have earned the spirits' recognition. From this moment, you command an unmatched army!]
[Hidden Quest: "Peace of the Soul" – Stage Two Activated]
[Objective: Destroy the demon armies and the Mech race. Avenge the Yajin!]
[Blood must pay for blood!]
As expected, the quest had more stages.
Duanmu Huai raised an eyebrow. Good. This matched perfectly with his advancement requirements. Complete the quest, and he'd complete his class advancement at the same time.
But…
The system says I now command an army. Where is it?
He looked around in confusion. But when he turned back, he was startled. Behind him, tens of thousands of Night Guards in ghostly form were kneeling in reverence before him.
So that's it.
He understood immediately.
With the Yajin civilization destroyed, the elemental spirits no longer had any faith or guardians. So they handed the souls of the fallen Night Guards to him and vanished. Come to think of it, I remember in the game, lots of ghost fleets were raised like this… never thought it'd happen to me one day.
Still, an army of spectral soldiers was certainly a force to be reckoned with.
Now, his next step was clear—eliminate the Mech race and the demons.
But where had they gone?
He questioned the Night Guard spirits and learned the truth. Before he arrived, the Mech had already joined forces with the demons to attack another human-inhabited planet. Their goal was to assimilate it into hell, just as they had done with Nur's Ring.
Well, no wonder there were so few enemies here!
Now that he knew the target's location, Duanmu Huai had only one task left.
Head to that planet, tear apart the arrogant Mech race, and crush the demon armies to pieces!
(End of Chapter)