Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 802 - 801 - Inquisitor

The Starbreaker Empire Demon Prefecture was essentially the army training grounds and breeding grounds all combined into one.  There were regulated areas set by the Fiends that the demons did not defy but inside those areas was the demons to run amok or train.

If Lind was there, he would see some similarities to the brutality of the Blood Empire but taken to extremes.  The political games that ended in murder and general slaughter were common in that empire but in the Demon Prefecture it was like all bets were off.

A look could get one killed and it was not unusual that a night of carousing could end in blood.  There were only 3 exceptions to that chaos.

Children under 10 were safe.  Even the most bloodthirsty demon would carve out a safe path for a child inside the prefecture.  They were, of course, not intentionally kept near the rowdy areas but some still lived inside them.

The other exception, by extension, was pregnant women.  Any demoness that was pregnant was generally pampered and kept separate from the rest of the population until they gave birth.

The final exception was decoration dependent.  Anyone where a black robe with gold or red lining was not to be touched for any reason.

The lining was inscribed with powerful effects that anyone who dared attack them would die without knowing how.

The Fiends were easy to see on sight with such robes but the demons with them sometimes had corpses around them.

There was one insignia, however, that even the most drunk and violent demon would sober up on sight.

It had a crimson sword with 2 gold lightning bolts on either side.  That emblem marked a particular office demons feared more than any other.

The Inquisition Office had several responsibilities.  The most common was finding and punishing traitors.  Demons, especially younger ones, were often an issue but some Fiends had been caught by them as well.

In district 7, essentially a large brothel, a demon with powerful limbs was quietly walking down the cobble streets without once being stopped.  His obsidian eyes were blind but he clearly used his cultivation aura to see.

He was a peak Nightfall but his foundation was far more profound than those in the same realm.  His lavender skin was covered in scars but his close cropped fiery hair emphasized his black robe and enhanced the emblem on his right breast and back.

He also had a dark metal staff that had a serpent on its head.  The eyes of the snake glittered with virulent green Qi.

He towered over the demoness following him but she too had the same emblem minus the golden lightning bolts on her black robes.  She was a very slim girl, barely in the Purgatory Realm yet her pale cobalt eyes glittered with anticipation.

"You need to be able to calm yourself, Exia.  If your target can read you too easily, you lose the advantage."  The demon spoke without stopping and she straightened her back.  Her dark blue hair was tied back into a bun but a twisted horn barely poked out on the left side.

"Pardon, master, it is just that you have decided to investigate the strange beast incidents."  She spoke about the last 2 years as the villages in all directions suffered from rather strange beast disruptions.

All the signs of a beast tide seemed to come together, yet all that happened was their patrols were getting exhausted.  Resources were being wasted when nothing had happened.

Further, each incident was instigated by the roar of a beast no one could identify.  The main reason being that at times the roar seemed to come from empty air!

It was causing havoc and a few deaths due to panicking farmers!

None of their stock was missing yet but it was only a matter of time before a mistake was made and true chaos was unleashed.

"You are wrong.  I am not investigating the beast issues."  He did not sound disapproving but she looked stricken at his words.

"But master–"  He held up his hand before pointing towards one of the well built taverns.  It had 4 levels above the ground floor.

Compared to the other establishments they had passed, it was rather quiet.  Both of them walked towards the entrance.  The hulking demon at the door bowed low and opened it wide.

The smell of wine and good food wafted out but neither noticed as they found a rather luxurious entrance with plush red carpeting lined in gold and black.  The pale walls had simple decorations of tassels hung from the ceiling as simple fire crystals flickered on the center area of every few sections of the ceiling.

It made the hall look as if they were almost outdoors with fires all around.  The carpet looked like a path of blood but neither paid much attention to the corridor until they came to a wide desk.

It was nearly black in color but the wood was not painted, it was a demonic tree called bloodwood.  It came from a tree that matured by consuming the blood of beasts or men.

If it turned black, it was near the peak of the grade 5.

A gorgeous demoness with dimensions that would make most men weep sat up smartly as the pair came to her part of the desk.  Her male coworker stood up out of respect as well!

"Great Inquisitors!  How may we help you?"  She bowed low and with the deep v-neck on her dress it left little to the imagination but neither of the pair reacted.

"Slight correction.  Exia is my student.  She is doing well but has much to learn.  I am Inquisitor 2nd Class Orion.  You should have patrol leader Neel here."  He did not ask questions but left no doubt of his target being present.  The demoness nodded quickly before crushing a jade stone under her desk.

On the off chance an Inquisitor arrived, special jade stones were created to get an instant response from those that were summoned.  A small commotion followed as a demon with 3 horns on his bald head were snared on something with sequins of green, gold, and blue but it was too snarled to confirm what it was.

The man had his chest exposed as his shirt was wide hope and still in his undergarments otherwise.

He knelt instantly in front of the pair.

"This humble one answers your summons, lord Inquisitor!"  Exia smiled for a moment before blanking her face once more.

"You are enjoying yourself a great deal, Patrol Leader Neel.  Care to explain why you have allowed an enemy to spy on us for so long?"  All in the room jumped at Orion's words.  Exia seemed to grasp something while the 2 receptionists looked in glee at the kneeling demon.

Neel had sweat break out as he quickly tried to explain.

"Lord Inquisitor Orion, I am but the 1st Leader of Overseer–"  Orion held up his hand and it was like it was the hand of judgment.

"Yes, Overseer Yan has been eviscerated in the Square of Accountability."  The bland name was intentional for its true purpose as an execution ground.  Both Fiends and demons hung there, if enough of their body was left, to be examples to others.

Neel lost all color and Exia sneered at him but Orion glanced at her so she quickly cleared her face.  He sighed.

"Your record is very good and I am not here to punish you.  Your reports were actually very helpful.  You were the one that put forth someone who could be irritating the beasts.  I agree with it.  So, why have you taken no action?"  His words made Neel relax until the last one.

"Um, I was not allowed to–"  Orion's aura flared and despite being a Nightfall, it felt like a Hell Realm demon was before them all.

"An Overseer can be troublesome but patrol leaders are not restricted from acting on their own.  Instead, you have wasted your time in places like this establishment."  Now, Orion's voice became cold.  "Nearly a year since you suggested the thought in a report but you have done nothing."

Neel shook like a leaf on the wind but before he could speak, the staff thumped into the ground.  A wave of poison Qi rolled out faster than anyone could hope to react.

Neel tried to move but a hand grasped him by the back of his neck and slammed him into the carpet as it melted due to the poison!

"You dare to run away?  I gave you a chance to defend yourself but the truth was you raced back here every time you were deployed and did nothing.  So, before you die, who actually thought an enemy was out there?"  Neel tried to hold his breath but the poison simply seeped into his skin!

Pain made him scream but the hand on his neck never flinched despite also absorbing the poison.

"Weak!  You are pathetic as a patrol leader.  Now, give me a name and if you do not lie, your death can be made painless."  Orion did not yell nor get stern, he simply continued in the cold tone.

"Gel!  It was Sgt Gel!"  Neel screamed and Orion smirked at last.  Exia knew that meant Orion already knew but was always willing to be wrong.  Confirmation made her master happy.

"As promised."  A thick green liquid appeared and dissolved Neel instantly.  The man only had time to look horrified before he no longer existed in the world.

"For the damage."  A bag was tossed to the voluptuous demoness who bowed very low with her companion.

"Sgt Gel is currently outside the outer wall in the villages if I recall correctly, Master."  Orion actually patted her head in appreciation.

"Quite correct, let us go."  They left the brothel with barely more than a ripple but those that saw the damage in reception before it was repaired knew what had happened without being told.

Only 1 being could cause that kind of damage without repercussions.  All thanked the spirits for their mercy it was not them and went back to their various activities.