"Life is merely the Emperor's currency; no sacrifice is too great."
Kenmei Isayama hadn't expected that the very first mission he'd undertake in this new body would be an Exterminatus.
As an Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus, the dogma written specifically for the [Exterminatus] was, of course, burned into his mind.
"The Inquisition has no room for the weak-willed or the hesitant. Only through unwavering action and conviction can humanity survive."
It meant that in the face of absolute loyalty, Exterminatus was the final resort that had to be employed.
Exterminatus.
In High Gothic, this term referred to a massive military operation designed to obliterate a planet's entire biosphere and every living thing upon it.
It was used only when the cost of holding or reclaiming a world was deemed too high, or when the threat of Chaos mutation, horrific plagues, or Daemonic incursions spreading to the rest of the Imperium was too great to be contained by conventional means.
Only then would the Imperium resort to such inhumane, genocidal slaughter. The final result was always the same: the total destruction of the planet subject to the decree.
Usually, the signing of an Exterminatus order required the joint authority of high-ranking generals from the Astra Militarum, the Imperial Navy, and the Adeptus Astartes. The assessment process was painstakingly careful, never letting go of even the slightest hope of saving the planet—even if the cost was filling the trenches with human lives.
Because these planets were Imperial territory. The humans on them were Imperial citizens—their kin.
But the Inquisition was the exception.
In the eyes of the Imperium's coldest executioners, there was no room for sympathy. Even if innocent civilians remained on the planet, they were treated no differently than the enemy. All were viewed as potential vectors for heresy.
It was just as that white-haired old man had told Macarnos Elfman when he became an Inquisitor in Kenmei's memories:
"It is better that one hundred innocents die by the Emperor's wrath than for one person to kneel before a Daemon and become a heretic."
The Inquisition's power came from the Emperor Himself. As the cruelest executioners of the Imperium, Inquisitors could exercise supreme authority in His name.
If an Inquisitor deemed it necessary, they could simply remove their Rosette—the symbol of their office—sign the Exterminatus order, and force its execution without explaining themselves to anyone.
Once signed by an Inquisitor, the order was effective immediately. Nearby Imperial Navy fleets, Astra Militarum regiments, and Astartes battle barges would be commandeered to coordinate with the Inquisition's own black fleet.
Typically, a massive combined fleet would be deployed. These warships, large and small, would rain dense firepower upon every inch of the planet's surface until not a blade of grass remained.
The unimaginable authority possessed by Inquisitors was something that even they found awe-inspiring.
A friend of the body's original owner, a Daemonhunter of the Ordo Malleus named Traviam Frast, had once held up his Inquisitorial Rosette and joked:
"I carry this seal with me everywhere. It's such a small, unassuming little thing. It looks completely ordinary. Yet, as long as I have this, I can sign an Exterminatus order and effortlessly consign billions, perhaps tens of billions of souls, to their graves."
Kenmei, as an Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus, now held that same terrifying power.
However, the original owner, Macarnos Elfman, would never have exercised the right to sign an Exterminatus unless his brain had short-circuited. It was a surefire way to torch one's future prospects.
The consequence of an Exterminatus wasn't just wiping out a village; it was the annihilation of hundreds of billions of lives and all species on a planet, turning it into a dead rock.
Sacrificing an entire world and incalculable lives... even for the ruthless Inquisition, which answered to no one, bearing the weight of such a sin was not easy.
Specifically, the Inquisitor who ordered such extreme action would face intense scrutiny from their peers later on. They rarely met a good end.
If the Inquisition's internal review deemed the Exterminatus "unnecessary," the Inquisitor would pay a heavy price. They would be declared a heretic, arrested immediately, and most likely executed on the spot.
This particular Exterminatus order came from Kenmei's superior, signed by one of the Inquisitor Lords of the Ordo Hereticus, Horst Eisenhorn.
This Inquisitor Lord, known for his drastic and hardline methods, had personally visited the planet and assessed the situation: The SPO-2 Homeworld was beyond saving.
Since Lord Horst was busy with other matters, he had delegated the supervision of the Exterminatus to Inquisitor Macarnos Elfman.
And now, Macarnos had been replaced by Kenmei Isayama, who would be the one to pull the trigger on planetary genocide.
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Clack. Clack. Clack.
The echoing sound of footsteps, one heavy and one light, approached from the far end of the Black Ship's corridor.
Walking toward the viewing deck was a tall man with a stern expression, wearing a long black trench coat. His gaze was as sharp as a sword, striking fear into anyone who dared look him in the eye.
Pinned to his collar was the skull-shaped 'I' badge—the Inquisitorial Rosette. Wearing this meant possessing power that superseded all central government agencies.
Holstered at his waist was a double-barreled bolt pistol, its stock stamped with the Aquila. The sound of his thick leather boots hitting the deck carried an oppressive weight.
It was Kenmei's first day as an Inquisitor, but he knew one thing for sure: he had to look the part.
Beside him walked the Battle Sister, Elena, a slight smile on her face. Her white habit swayed gently as she moved, and Kenmei could catch the faint, pleasant scent radiating from her.
She maintained a respectful distance, staying half a step behind him. The two walked in silence.
The original Macarnos was a man of few words, and he and Elena were old partners—much like how the Ordo Hereticus and the Adepta Sororitas were inseparable allies.
Kenmei glanced out of the viewing glass at the fleet gathering in the void. Dozens of massive Inquisition Black Ships were assembling. These weren't the standard Black Ships used to transport unsanctioned Psykers to Terra.
Though they shared the name, they were entirely different beasts.
Inquisition Black Ships were specialized Strike Cruisers used for combat operations. These warships combined the best features of Imperial Strike Cruisers and Battlecruisers, boasting ferocious firepower.
Because they were here for an Exterminatus, they were loaded with high-yield Macro-cannons and various planet-killing weaponry. These terrifying arms symbolized the Emperor's wrath, bringing death down upon the heads of heretics.
"When will the Imperial Navy fleet arrive?" Kenmei asked, noting that the cannons on the Inquisition ships were already charging in the dark vacuum of space.
"The Navy fleet is currently in Warp transit and cannot be reached. They are scheduled to rendezvous at the designated coordinates in one hour," Elena replied.
"I see. Looks like our fleet arrived first."
Kenmei looked into the distance. He could just make out a beautiful planet in the starry void. Its surface was a mix of lush green land and blue oceans.
That was the target: SPO-2 Homeworld.
However, according to Inquisition data, Kenmei knew this planet was undergoing a horrific plague. Sixty-five percent of life on the surface had already perished. Corpses littered the world.
This terrible plague wasn't something Imperial medical technology could cure. It was the power of one of the four Chaos Gods—Nurgle, the Plague God.
If the plague on this planet were allowed to spread, it would transform into a Plague World, eventually infecting neighboring planets and the entire system.
For this reason, Inquisitor Lord Horst Eisenhorn had signed the Exterminatus.
The planet, along with the remaining thirty-five percent of survivors, would be utterly destroyed by the Emperor's fire.