Broken stored the Unique-grade Emberclaw Gauntlets and the Legendary-grade
Abyssbreaker Greatsword into his inventory. His stamina was running low, and he wasn’t eager to face another battle in this condition.
Once more, he surveyed the battlefield, scanning for any loot he might have missed. Over the past few days in Hell, he’d amassed a decent collection of items-some useful, others destined for storage or trade. Most were Epic-grade, which, while powerful, weren’t currently essential for him but could be invaluable to others later.
But man, my inventory space is almost full. This is getting annoying, He thought.
He knew he needed to level up more before he could upgrade his inventory capacity, but that would take time. The higher a player’s level, the more experience was required to advance, and for Broken, the grind was slowing him down. His battles in Hell had been relentless, keeping his level in check despite his constant fighting.
Ironically, his passive leveling system seemed to progress faster when he wasn’t constantly hunting monsters, a reversal of what most players experienced. All the fighting in Hell had throttled his level gains. Still, he wasn’t complaining. The loot and skills he had gained were invaluable.
However, he had other plans in mind beyond combat. With two production skills- Blacksmith and Golemancer-he intended to spend more time crafting and creating. He was especially focused on Blacksmithing, driven by his goal of becoming the first player in Immortal Legacy to achieve a Legendary-grade Class in the craft. That pursuit would take priority for now, demanding more of his time and energy.
As for Golemancy? Yes, it fascinated him. The idea of creating different types of golems was exciting, but he planned to ease into it once he returned to Slumdon Town. He already envisioned an army of golems defending his territory. And as he leveled up the class, he aimed to eventually craft another Blackthorn, a legendary golem, for himself. The future of his creations was bright, and he intended to take his time mastering the craft.
For now, though, his thoughts turned to the next steps, knowing that both his blacksmithing and golem-making ventures would soon push him into uncharted territories.
That night, Broken decided to stay at the camp Ivana had set up earlier, nestled in the open area of the forest by the cliffs. Blackthorn, the golem, stood watch nearby, its presence offering a sense of security. Though only a few hours remained until morning, they spent the night under the stars, enjoying the peaceful moment.
Ivana prepared dinner, roasting meat over the fire, the rich aroma filling the cool night air. She handed Broken a plate, her face glowing with enthusiasm.
They ate together, savoring the simple yet delicious meal, the crackling fire and starry sky adding to the quiet, serene atmosphere. As the night deepened, Broken felt Ivana lean against him, and when he looked down, he saw her peacefully asleep on his shoulder.
With a soft smile, Broken gently shifted her head to rest on his chest, wrapping his arm around her to support her as she slept. The warmth of the moment settled over him, and he stayed like that for a while, enjoying the quiet companionship.
Once he was sure Ivana was soundly asleep, Broken carefully lifted her and carried her to the tent. He laid her down gently, brushing the stray strands of hair from her face before closing the tent flap, leaving her to rest.
The night stretched on, and Broken, who had spent countless nights in the cave, found the open sky and fresh air refreshing. It wasn’t boring at all, and before long, the first light of morning began to break through the trees.
As the morning arrived, Broken quietly left the camp, leaving Ivana still asleep. He had a promise to fulfill-he was supposed to help Shadow Wolves with their raid boss hunting.
But something puzzled him. Why hadn’t they discussed the strategy with him? Was his only role really just to cast all his water-based skills, nothing more?
Maybe they’re confident enough to handle the raid boss on their own and just need my water-based abilities to weaken it, he thought, shrugging off the uncertainty.
They met at the edge of the forest, the members of Shadow Wolves approaching him with enthusiasm. And yes, there was a buzz in the air-today they were finally leaving Hell and heading back to Yunatea.
Even the Shadow Wolves, who were accustomed to dealing with demons, didn’t seem eager to linger in this place any longer. According to Marlene, a few of them had fallen in battle while rescuing slaves recently, and the emotional toll had been heavy on the group.
Subaru was the first to reach Broken, throwing an arm around his shoulder in his usual friendly manner. “Broken… hahaha, we’re heading back to Yunatea today!”
They began walking into the forest together. “Hey, you had fun here, right? Hahaha, next time, join us again on one of these expeditions!” Subaru laughed, clearly in high spirits.
But from behind them came a loud, disapproving cough. It seemed someone didn’t quite agree with Subaru’s casual invitation.
Broken smiled, understanding how the Shadow Wolves might view him as an outsider. From their perspective, he was more of a lone wolf, someone who did most things on his own. Even during the slave rescue mission, many of the Shadow Wolves had fallen, which likely made Broken feel like more of a burden than a help to them.
As they journeyed, they encountered several monsters along the way. Broken summoned Tiger Lily to deal with the creatures, using the powerful summon to dispatch them quickly and keep the group moving smoothly.
“We’re almost there!” Subaru called out excitedly, pointing ahead. “Hahaha, the demon’s tricky, Broken. It can revive after being killed, but no worries. You just cast your water-based skills, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Broken nodded, glancing in the direction Subaru had pointed.
Wait… isn’t that the place where Infernak was? He frowned, trying to recall. I don’t remember facing any particularly strong demons around there…
No way… could they be talking about Infernak? he thought, a sense of unease creeping in. That didn’t sound right.
As they continued moving, the group was already preparing for battle, but Broken couldn’t shake the sinking feeling.
If the Raid Boss they’re after is really Infernak… Well, he and Ivana had already killed that demon the night before.
Subaru rallied the group. “Alright, everyone, get ready. We’re about to face our target again. We can’t fail this time, because this is our last chance. The demon takes anywhere from three to six weeks to revive, but our scout confirmed yesterday that the Raid Boss has respawned.” They advanced cautiously, weapons drawn, closing in on the spot where the Raid Boss was supposed to respawn. But as they arrived, confusion swept through the group-the expected demon wasn’t there.
“Where the fuck did the demon go?” one of the Shadow Wolves muttered.
“Did someone steal it from us again?” another grumbled.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me! Huah…!” Subaru shouted, his frustration turning to a dramatic
cry of despair.
And yes, Broken’s suspicions were confirmed. The Raid Boss they had been hunting was indeed Infernak, the demon he had killed twice already.
He swallowed hard, glancing over at Marlene, whose expression was unmistakably one of
irritation. Her gaze locked onto him, and she approached with a tense look.
She leaned in and whispered, “I want to talk with you.”
Broken nodded, exhaling quietly. “Me too.”