A Core Ship From The Start

Relentless showers were drenching the entire city, which was shrouded in darkness, without a single flicker of light. It appeared like a graveyard of the dead.

Only a pallid light illuminated the battered street before them.

With a War Hammer in his hand, Duanmu Huai walked along the road. The searchlight above his head cast a dazzling white glow, tearing through the darkness and illuminating everything in sight.

While keeping an eye on what was ahead, Duanmu Huai glanced at the map data that appeared on the helmet in front of him—a reward he obtained after rescuing the captives from the city hall, a Reconnaissance Servo Skull. It could scan the surrounding environment and display all life responses on the map.

Well, it was indeed a good help for Duanmu Huai.

The downside was that the Servo Skulls looked too ugly.

Upon his initial arrival on the surface where he thwarted the Evil God’s ritual and rescued Elisa, Duanmu Huai acquired a repair Servo Skull, mainly used for Power Armor repairs. Now he has obtained a Reconnaissance Servo Skull, both of which are useful “external plugins” for a Judge.

All Servo Skulls are made from human skulls. They retain the human cranium and part of the vertebrae and are mechanized into drone-like devices.

Aside from anything else, they emanate a strong villainous vibe on the surface. A pale skull floating around the Black Knight would easily be mistaken as some creation of the Undying Spirits by those who do not know the truth…

But these things were indeed useful. Servo Skulls are small, not easy to spot, and capable of silent flight. They are simply the best scouting drone units. Even in places like ventilation ducts, they can enter without any obstruction.

In fact, because of the help of the Reconnaissance Servo Skull, Duanmu Huai several times preemptively identified ambushing enemies and greeted them with a blow from his Thundering War Hammer as they foolishly charge out.

“Wow, this guy is quite something.”

Watching Duanmu Huai smashing a group of Ratmen into a meaty pulp once again, the Elf Scout muttered under her breath.

She did not take action with Duanmu Huai. After all, what the Elf Scout was good at was scouting and exploration. She possessed decent swordsmanship, but it seemed like he did not need her by his side.

The Elf Scout had dealt with Ratmen on more than one occasion. She knew how formidable these creatures were, but they were like putty in the hands of this Steel Knight, absolutely powerless to fight back.

But what about that little girl…

The Elf Scout turned her gaze towards Ogis trailing behind her. Duanmu Huai said she was his last resort and wouldn’t let her take action unless they encounter something troublesome. The Elf Scout just assumed Ogis was a mage—many mages indeed possess potent spells, but their personal fighting abilities are usually average. That’s why Duanmu Huai has been protecting her.

However, what puzzled the Elf Scout was that she could not perceive any signs of life from this young girl, and yet she did not seem like an undead creature such as a vampire…

Both these individuals were enigmatic and odd.

Upon reaching the temple gate, Duanmu Huai stopped.

The grand entrance of the temple before him was sealed, and the exterior was piled with wooden crates and other items as if to deny any entry.

“Seems like we can’t go in this way. Should we change routes?”

The Elf Scout drew closer, asking softly. But after glancing at the map displayed on the panel, Duanmu Huai shook his head.

“No, we don’t need to.”

With that said, Duanmu Huai tightened his grip on the War Hammer, bent his body, and strode towards the temple’s entrance, sealed by assorted items. Suddenly, his backpack blasted hot white-blue flames, providing a huge propelling force that sent Duanmu Huai hurtling towards the entrance, crashing into it headfirst!

“BOOM!!!!!”

The fragile entrance sealed by crates and sundries could not withstand Duanmu Huai’s onslaught, disappearing in pieces. The momentum carried Duanmu Huai directly into the temple, as he rapidly scanned the surroundings, absorbing every detail of the temple in an instant.

All the temples share a similar structure, a spacious hall in the front for preaching and prayers, and living quarters for the clergy in the back. This one was no exception, except those gathered around the Divine Statue were not devout believers but filthy, pungent Ratmen and Evil God Cultists, seemingly embroiled in some sacrilegious ritual.

Duanmu Huai’s intrusion clearly came as a surprise to these Ratmen, but by the time they turned their heads to comprehend the situation, Duanmu Huai had already soared across the grand hall to land in front of the wizards who were partaking in the ritual. Their bloated bodies were teeming with plagues and toxins—these wicked wizards were the Filthy God’s most loyal “children.”

But none of that mattered to Duanmu Huai.

“WHOOOOOOSH!”

The Thunder Hammer swung down, aiming for one of the fat wizards. At the same time, a dark green barrier emerges from the wizard’s side, attempting to block the Thunder Hammer’s assault.