"The God-Emperor loves all of humanity, not any single individual."
Kenmei Isayama had only intended to find some draft paper to scribble a rough report on the Exterminatus for Inquisition headquarters, but he accidentally stumbled upon the original owner's diary.
It seemed Macarnos wasn't exactly a normal person either.
The diary entry was dated to the day Macarnos Elfman received the Exterminatus order from Inquisitor Lord Horst. This was the first time in his young career as an Inquisitor that he had been tasked with executing such a horrific decree.
He used the diary to write down his anxieties and express his unwavering loyalty to the Emperor.
"As long as it ensures the survival of the human race, no sacrifice is too great."
"We Inquisitors are the Emperor's blades. Purging all heresy is our gratitude to the benevolent God-Emperor."
It was just unfortunate for those billions of civilians, who probably died thinking the warships overhead were there to save them.
Kenmei didn't feel particularly emotional about it. In fact, he figured it would be weirder if he felt guilty about killing NPCs in a game—Kenmei had played *Grand Theft Auto* enough to be desensitized.
Pressing the button for the Cyclonic Torpedo felt like someone putting a button in front of him and saying, "Press this and the world before you will be destroyed." Beyond that, he felt nothing—no psychological burden whatsoever.
His only curiosity was whether destroying a planet would grant him some kind of "Planet Destroyer" achievement badge.
Kenmei also felt that his adjutant, Elena, likely harbored no mercy for a planet branded as heretical.
After all, both of them hailed from the Schola Progenium—an orphanage for the children of Imperial heroes and martyrs. Everyone there was a descendant of warriors who had sacrificed their lives for the Empire. Their loyalty was beyond question, having been indoctrinated with the "correct" ideology from a young age.
When his psychic potential manifested, Macarnos Elfman was scouted by both the Ordo Hereticus and the Ordo Malleus. For reasons unknown, he ultimately chose the Ordo Hereticus, dedicating himself to purging enemies within the Empire—his own kin.
"Speaking of which, what am I supposed to write in an Exterminatus report?"
The Imperial Navy fleet had packed up and left, but as the Inquisition's representative, Kenmei still needed to file a detailed report on the Exterminatus. Later, he would have to return to Ordo Hereticus headquarters with the Inquisition fleet for a debriefing.
Administrative work was the worst!
Kenmei sighed. Just as he was fretting over the paperwork, the small obsidian box on his desk that held his Inquisitorial Rosette began to vibrate slightly.
Thinking back on what this meant, Kenmei quickly realized the situation.
It was an internal Inquisition communication. The flickering black-gold light indicated that a high-ranking Inquisitor was establishing contact via the Inquisition's most secure, encrypted channel.
Kenmei pressed a button on the black box. Instantly, the entire room was enveloped in black light particles, becoming incredibly dim.
These unknown particles were rumored to be based on Necron technology. They prevented technological eavesdropping, psychic leakage, and prying eyes from the Warp. Such devices were rare prototypes, circulated only among a select few within the Inquisition.
Soon, a burst of gray flame erupted from the floor in front of Kenmei, slowly forming into a mirror. A silhouette began to manifest from the other side.
It was a man with a solemn, stern expression. His tall, muscular frame stood before Kenmei like a heavy mountain. He wore a crimson trench coat over power armor engraved with exquisite, ancient black patterns, making the red of his coat appear even more vivid than fresh blood.
The Rosette symbolizing the Inquisition on his chest was exceptionally ornate; a crimson skull flickered with a terrifying silver light.
Seeing this familiar face overlap with his memories, Kenmei had no choice but to assume a respectful expression.
"Lord Horst."
Within the Inquisition, Inquisitors were technically peers with equal standing, but everyone knew the unwritten rules.
Horst Eisenhorn, the Inquisitor Lord of the Ordo Hereticus who signed the Exterminatus order for the SPO-2 Homeworld, possessed extensive experience in judging heresy.
"Macarnos. You did well."
This Iron Inquisitor Lord, known for his stern demeanor, smiled at Kenmei for the first time.
The Inquisition's only requirement for the new generation of Inquisitors was ruthlessness: kill all heretics, purify all uncleanness. Abandon all mercy, for mercy was the most worthless commodity in this despair-filled universe. Even if you killed the wrong person, it didn't matter. If you kept killing, eventually you'd get the right one. Better to kill a thousand innocents than let one heretic escape.
The Inquisition had no room for the weak-willed, nor for those unable to swing the butcher's knife at their own kin.
This Exterminatus was also a test for the original Macarnos. Even the most disciplined Imperial soldiers might hesitate to fire upon unarmed civilians of their own Empire.
But Kenmei was different. He strictly executed orders from his superior. To ensure efficiency, he even used the key to activate the Cyclonic Torpedoes, turning the homeworld into a dead star. His performance was outstanding.
Some might say that using twenty-five billion civilian lives just to test an Inquisitor's mettle was excessive.
No. In the vast population of the Imperium of Man, twenty-five billion was equivalent to a small village of thirty people. Using that many lives was a bargain.
The contribution a qualified Inquisitor could make over a lifetime far outweighed the population of a single homeworld.
"It was my duty. All for the Emperor."
Hearing Macarnos's loyal response, Horst smiled with satisfaction and spoke slowly:
"Some may question my right to destroy a world of twenty-five billion souls. But those who truly understand realize that I have no right to let them live."
"Heresy is like a tree. Its leaves wave in the sun, but its roots lie deep in the dark."
"If you merely prune the leaves, break the branches, or cut the trunk, the heresy will only grow back stronger."
It was impossible that there were no traitors among those twenty-five billion living souls. Only by tearing it out by the roots could they prevent such events from happening again!
"No sacrifice is too great. No treachery is too small."
Kenmei could hear the deep hatred for betrayal in Horst Eisenhorn's trembling voice.
But what he heard next made Kenmei's eyes widen.
"Inquisitor Macarnos, you do not need to return to Ordo Hereticus headquarters for debriefing."
"I have a new mission for you!"
Horst Eisenhorn's face filled with rage, his psychic power beginning to distort reality around him.
"Not long ago, an Inquisitor from our Ordo Hereticus went missing. But that is only the official story."
"Our agents have confirmed it!"
"Former Inquisitor Tosak Rome of the Ordo Hereticus has committed a shameless betrayal. He betrayed us, he betrayed the Inquisition, and he betrayed the Emperor!"
"He has become a hateful heretic!"
"And there can be no heretics within the Ordo Hereticus! Never!"
"Therefore, I need you to secretly execute this shameless traitor and uncover the truth behind his betrayal!"