The Hell expedition team paused beneath the dense, shadowy trees of the forest, taking a moment to catch their breath and recharge. They ate in silence, their energy and stamina slowly returning after the grueling battles they’d faced.
Broken, on the other hand, sat off to the side, deliberately keeping his distance. It wasn’t just that he had no desire to talk to anyone-he genuinely couldn’t be bothered to try. Socializing had never been his strong suit, and deep down, he believed he needed no one, as long as he could achieve his own ends.
Still, there were a few things nagging at him that he wanted to sort out. Craving some solitude, he found a nearby tree and settled against its sturdy trunk. He pulled out some food Ivana had prepared for him and ate quietly, lost in his own thoughts.
“Polly, can you come out?” he whispered.
He had tried this before, once or twice since entering Hell, yet each time, there had been no response. Polly, who would usually appear with little effort, even without being called, remained absent. This time was no different.
“Gaia,” Broken whispered, calling upon another name.
“Yes, Master,” came the soft, echoing voice in his mind. “Are you wondering why the fox hasn’t responded to your call?”
“Yes,” Broken replied. “Please tell me if you know the reason.”
“Most likely, it is because this is a different world. Unlike me, who stays within the ring, the fox resides in the Spirit World. Crossing into this realm is much more difficult than crossing into Yunatea.”
“Will she never be able to come to me here?”
“She will, if you force her a bit.”
At the mention of forcing her, Broken shook his head slowly. “No, it’s okay.”
Polly had always been a great asset to Broken, enhancing his mobility with her incredible speed, agility, and ability to run along vertical surfaces. In battle, she could deal devastating damage with her clones, and she had helped him countless times, especially during the Trial Domain. But if coming to Hell could harm her in any way, Broken wasn’t willing to risk it.
For now, he decided to hold back his desire to summon the four-tailed fox, knowing it wasn’t worth the potential cost.
Broken still held onto the habit of saving Monster Cores and Monster Soul Stones for Polly and Gaia. Most of the time, he handed them Monster Cores, but when it came to the Monster Soul Stones, the spirits often turned them down-either because the stones didn’t resonate with the type of monster they came from, or because Broken needed them for something else. But today, he had come across something different-an Elite Monster Soul Stone with nature elements, something Gaia had previously mentioned she preferred.
He discreetly shifted his body to shield the item from view as he pulled it from his inventory, not wanting to draw attention from the others.
[Elite – Demonwood Sentinel Monster Soul Stone Lvl. 212]
“Tell me, Gaia, are you interested in this Monster Soul Stone? It has both Nature and Demon elements. I’m not sure if something like this would be useful to you.”
“That’s certainly an odd one, Master, but I can sense a strong energy from the soul stone. It’s making me… drool just looking at it.”
Drool? Broken raised an eyebrow, uncertain whether Gaia was joking or if she genuinely found the stone that enticing. Either way, it seemed to have caught her interest.
“You can take it if you want, and if you feel it’ll be fine for you to consume.”
“With pleasure, Master,” Gaia responded.
Broken smiled faintly at her enthusiastic reply. “You’re always so honest with your answers, huh?”
“Well, it’s my right to get the best nourishment I can, isn’t it? Although, I was hoping you’d offer something like this a bit sooner.” freёwebnovel.com
“You know Monster Soul Stones aren’t like flowers you can just pick off the side of the road, right?”
“Yes, Master, I know that,” Gaia replied.
Broken pressed the Soul Stone to the ring, and it was swiftly absorbed into its depths. Spirits could grow stronger by absorbing energy from Monster Cores and Monster Soul Stones. While Monster Cores acted like a meal to regenerate their stamina, Monster Soul Stones were far more powerful-they could boost their progress, sometimes unlocking new skills or even evolving them into new forms. Though usually, more than one was required for such transformations.
Broken had done the same for Polly in the past, and as a result, she had grown another tail and revamped her skill set, becoming more powerful and aggressive. He knew Gaia was already incredibly powerful in her current state, providing him with amazing support and abilities. But if he could supply her with enough compatible Monster Soul Stones, there was no doubt she could unlock something even greater.
The ultimate goal was for Gaia to recover her full potential as a Mythic-grade Spirit- something Broken was determined to help her achieve.
“How does a demon soul taste?” Broken asked with a playful smirk.
“It’s a bit tough, slightly burnt-well done,” Gaia responded with a teasing tone. “But the energy’s strong. And I think I’m close to getting a new upgrade.”
“You don’t have to use human food terms to describe it,” Broken chuckled.
“I meant it literally, Master.”
“But an upgrade?” His interest piqued at the word. Something stirred within him- a small spark of hope. It would be incredibly helpful if Gaia could receive an upgrade, especially with how much he relied on her abilities in critical moments.
His ultimate wish had always been to summon Gaia whenever he wanted, for as long as he needed. Yet that goal felt distant, almost impossible, as Gaia always limited her time in the physical realm to conserve her strength.
Still, when summoned, she was a force of nature-capable of extensive healing, wielding massive vine arms in combat, and commanding up to twelve Nature Beasts, each with unique forms, skills, and roles in battle. If her powers truly upgraded, it could change everything, especially here in the depths of Hell.
[Queen Gaia – Nature Goddess Spirit has received a significant boost and is currently
developing an upgrade.]
“Eh?” Broken furrowed his brow as the notification appeared before him. “So the upgrade is really happening now?!” he said, his excitement building.
[Upgrade in progress-this process will take some time.]
Bright green streaks of energy began to radiate from Queen Gaia’s Fate Ring, the light so
intense it could be seen from far away. Broken quickly shifted his body, trying to shield the glow, but it was no use-it was far too strong.
Realizing he couldn’t hide it, he stood up and moved even farther away from the group, hoping to keep the dazzling spectacle out of their sight as Gaia underwent her upgrade.
A few members of the Shadow Wolves noticed Broken walking off and started questioning it.
“Where’s he going?” one of them asked.
“I don’t know, maybe he’s sulking because no one cares about him, hahaha.”
“You guys are being a bit harsh,” someone else chimed in.
“Ch, he’s an outsider. He should be grateful to us. We’re the ones he needs,” one of them
scoffed.
“I’ve seen people like him before-introverts who always stay by themselves but secretly want someone to invite them to join in.”
Calista, overhearing the conversation, tilted her head thoughtfully. “I feel like that
sometimes.”
“Really, Calista? Then go talk to that fool. Maybe he’ll cry and thank you for finally noticing
him,” one teased.
Calista hesitated, the comment lingering in her mind. Should I? she wondered.