[You have obtained 4 piece of Low-Quality Infernal Core Ore]
[You have obtained 1 piece of Medium-Quality Infernal Core Ore]
[You have obtained 3 piece of High-Quality Infernal Core Ore]
[You have obtained 1 piece of Medium-Quality Scorched Bone Fragment]
[You have obtained 2 piece of Low-Quality Dimensional Ember Shard]
[You have obtained 5 piece of Medium-Quality Dimensional Ember Shard]
[…]
[You have obtained Mask of Scorched Fury – Helmet (Unique)]
[You have obtained Infernal Heartplate – Chest Armor (Legendary)]
Broken inspected the loot from the battle, and while much of it was the usual fare, this time he stumbled upon something unexpected-two pieces of armor. One was a helmet, the other a chest plate.
The helmet was Unique-grade, a demonic helm with curved horns and cracks running through its dark metal surface, from which flames flickered. It was nearly identical to the one Broken wore, though this version was of a lower grade.
This would be perfect for Ivana, he thought, feeling a wave of relief. He wouldn’t need to keep searching for a mask to hide her face anymore. With this helmet, not only could Ivana conceal her identity, but she’d also have a look that matched his own, giving them a strikingly similar appearance.
The second item was a Legendary-grade chest armor-the Infernal Heartplate. It reminded him of the chest armor he had already acquired, the Molten Bulwark, which he had looted from the young master demon. Although both were chest armors, they were distinct in their properties. After analyzing the Infernal Heartplate, he saw that it leaned more toward defensive capabilities, providing superior protection compared to his current gear.
This is perfect for Ivana too, he thought again. Both the helmet and the chest armor were well- suited to her, especially given her shielder role. These items would enhance her defenses while allowing her to mirror his fiery appearance.
He smiled, feeling genuinely happy. Especially after her recent level drop, getting these new items-especially a Legendary-grade chest armor-was a huge boost for her. Her current armor set was good, but this was a serious upgrade.
“Ivana, try on these two items. They’re perfect for you,” he said.
Ivana nodded and put on the helmet and chest piece. The transformation was immediate. Now, she looked almost identical to Broken, both sporting a demonic, fiery appearance. Her blond hair flowed out from the back of the helmet, dancing with flames, but luckily, it wasn’t burned by the fire. The whole look was strikingly cool.
“Do I look awesome in this?”
“Yes, it suits you perfectly.”
Since Ivana’s dimensional storage could only hold a single armor set and weapon, she didn’t have room to store her old helmet and chest armor. So, he helped by storing those pieces for her, letting her equip the new ones instead.
Although that meant she wouldn’t gain the full armor set bonus, he could always return her old pieces when she needed them. Still, something about this fiery look they shared excited him. He wanted to explore the Hell with her in these matching armors, and their new mounts made them look even more synchronized-like a fierce, unstoppable duo.
As Broken and Ivana were enjoying their exploration of the forest, continuing their hunt, a sudden notification popped up. It was a message from Charmelyn.
Huh?
[Charmelyn: “Broken, I think you’re going to like this…”]
The message was brief, but it came with an attached location on a map. To his surprise, the marked spot was just outside the forest, along the road leading toward the city.
What could be there? he wondered. Without confirming anything, he turned to Ivana. “Let’s head out.”
The two of them-now dubbed the Flame Riders-charged swiftly out of the forest, the flaming hooves of their mounts, Blaze and Flare, scorching the ground beneath them. They sped across the wide, dry plains, the heat from their steeds leaving trails of embers in their wake. As they neared the foothills, they found the perfect vantage point to oversee the road that led into the small demon town.
It was the dead of night, the air still and quiet, with nothing but the faint howl of the wind around them. Yet, Charmelyn had drawn their attention here for a reason.
Standing atop the hill, the Flame Riders gazed down from their elevated position, their fiery mounts casting an eerie glow across the landscape. Broken scanned the area below, while Ivana sat quietly beside him, both of them waiting for whatever surprise Charmelyn had
planned.
Nothing moved in the distance. Just an empty road bathed in the moon’s pale light.
“What do you think Charmelyn is trying to show us, Broken?”
Broken remained silent for a moment, his eyes scanning the distant horizon. Then, he caught a glimpse of faint red lights moving steadily toward them. Something was approaching.
“I’m not sure,” Broken finally replied, reaching for the Bow of Artemis and activating the Hawk’s Eye skill. His vision sharpened, and the distant scene came into focus-a convoy of demon carriages. Each carriage was pulled by Charfire Equine, the same fire horses they were riding.
“Demon carriages?” Broken murmured quietly.
Ivana giggled. “Do you think Charmelyn is hinting that we should rob them?”
Broken furrowed his brow and glanced at her. “Well, I have done that before. And yes, it was a successful robbery. I got a Legendary-grade item and these two cool horses,” he said with a smirk, gesturing to their mounts.
Ivana smiled, her eyes twinkling as she nodded, letting him take the lead on what to do next.
He turned back to observe the demons again. There were at least 20 to 30 demons accompanying the carriages, though it was unclear what kind of demons might be inside. But the carriages resembled those used by the demon young master he had encountered before.
While we’re in Hell, we should seize every opportunity.
“Ivana?” he said, leaving the question hanging in the air.
“Yes, let’s do it,” she answered eagerly.
Hearing those words from Ivana struck him as strange. This was the same kind, warm- hearted, good-natured person-arguably the nicest in all of Yunatea-now ready to dive into something so dark and dangerous.
Am I responsible for leading her down this path? he wondered with a laugh, imagining the
absurdity of it all.
“Are you sure robbing a group of people doesn’t go against your principles, Ivana?” Broken
teased.
Ivana giggled. “They’re demons, and I trust you… so, I’m fine with it.”
Broken chuckled at her response. “Alright, let’s hope these demons are carrying something valuable, so we don’t attack them for nothing.”
Ivana nodded. “Charmelyn showed us this opportunity, so I think she knows something worth
our time.”
“I think so too,” Broken replied.
***
The carriage rolled through the night, its wheels crunching the gravel beneath with a steady rhythm. The black iron structure gleamed under the dim light, its windows shrouded with thick, blood-red curtains. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, seething with anger. Sitting on the plush, yet darkened seat was a figure-a demon with a lizard-like head. His scales shimmered with an eerie crimson glow, and his sharp, reptilian eyes burned with fury. Clawed hands gripped the armrests, nearly crushing them as the weight of his rage filled the
-confined space.
“They killed my son,” the demon hissed.
His lieutenant, in the corner of the carriage, shifted uneasily.
“Yes, Lord Rithrath. The attackers… They call themselves the Void Reaper.”
Rithrath’s lips peeled back into a snarl, exposing razor-sharp teeth.
“Void Reaper,” he spat. “I will go on a rampage in the town. I will find them. And when I do…”
He paused, his claws digging deeper into the armrests, “I will slaughter anyone who dares stand in my way. They will beg for mercy before I crush their pathetic lives.”
His fury only grew. “They think they can hide from me,” he muttered under his breath. “I will burn that town to the ground, and when I find those responsible, I’ll tear their hearts from
their bodies.”
His lieutenant nodded, fear lingering in his eyes. “Shall I prepare more troops, my lord?”
Rithrath’s gaze narrowed, his tongue flicking out briefly. “Yes,” he hissed. “Prepare them. This town will be bathed in blood by the time I am done.”
With that, the demon sat back, eyes burning with vengeance. No one would escape his wrath.
“Void Reaper… I will tear your body apart while you’re still alive!” the demon growled, its voice deep and dripping with hatred.frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓