210 Space
Great news for those awaiting illustrations! I've purchased a computer, and once I finish my tasks, I'll start working. Thanks to everyone for supporting the book! Because of those who honestly purchased chapters, I can now afford a computer that won't lag.
---
"Long time no see, kid. You're as grown-up as ever."
"..."
Adam looked at Casanova with surprise; he seemed a bit peculiar. Casanova's face was relaxed, but his tone hinted at scheming.
The familiar carefree and attractive smile vanished from his face, and the aura shifted for the worse. Memories flashed in Adam's mind of the time he and Alexander (the skeleton) watched memories together.
"You must have heard by now," Casanova asked, approaching Adam and slowly patting his shoulder. He leaned in and whispered, "About the emergence of Hell."
"You... have a connection to the outside world?" Adam asked in astonishment.
"Hehe..."
"..."
Previously, Adam perceived Casanova as a being inside him, not someone real, able to move and sense the external world. However, Casanova knew about Hell's emergence, and there was no doubt he was a demon, judging by his appearance.
"Don't be so surprised. I'm just older and more experienced than you, so I felt Hell's emergence much faster than you. Soon, you'll feel where it is too."
"I'll feel it?"
"Yes, my friend, you'll feel it. You're not just a new-generation demon. Your blood traces back to ancient times when we lived in Hell," explained Casanova, chuckling, and turned away from Adam. His body started to disappear, but before completely vanishing, he said, "You shouldn't meddle there. Hell has changed too much; I don't want you to die."
"What—"
Before Adam could finish, Casanova vanished as he gradually began to wake up.
---
Crash.
Early in the morning, a loud crash resounded, followed by several consecutive explosions. Adam's bedroom was a mess; his bed and other furniture were split into two.
He stood in the middle of the room with a grim expression, a vein bulging on his forehead. Fortunately, there was no one nearby as his aura erupted, covering the bedroom in a poisonous film.
"Damn! Damn! Damn!"
Casanova's words carried a particular weight. If he spoke of Hell undergoing significant changes, there was a high chance of an extremely hazardous environment. Amarantha might simply not survive.
And the only way to enter another world is to find the entrance to the plane, but even this is an extremely difficult task. And... Hell, in its current state, was a plane that was hard to find an entrance to, and if you did find it, breaking through the barriers would be very difficult.
Hundreds of thousands and millions of kilometers away from their homeland, Veronica and other high-class practitioners were on a mission. They stood in front of a crack from which red liquid flowed.
"Yes, indeed. This is Hell," confirmed Veronica, frowning. She turned to two unknown silhouettes and said, "But even I can't enter. Something is blocking me."
"Hmm..."
Veronica tried once again to direct her magical energy inside, but...
Boom!
An explosion occurred, throwing back several practitioners. Veronica just clicked her tongue, looking dissatisfied.
"Yeah, horror. We found the entrance but can't get in. These bastards know how to give us dumb tasks..."
"Veronica! Watch your language!" reprimanded one of the mysterious silhouettes.
"Why did you say that, you dumb bitch! Is kissing the gods' asses the only thing you're good at?" retorted Veronica.
"..."
These two didn't say anything else to her. And though Amarantha, Elizabeth, and Sierra didn't say anything, it was clear they also agreed. Gods, in the mortal's perception, might be super beings, but for them, they were just one level above. The only reason they couldn't complain was that the gods had control over their world, and killing them would result in the destruction of everything.
And the gods gave orders. While some supported and obeyed them, there were others like Veronica. And they were the majority.
Who likes to be subservient and always listen to someone whose faces you don't see? Of all the gods, the Goddess of Light was the most active, and her control over the other gods was unquestionable.
"I won't waste my time figuring out the entry method myself. Hell disappeared by the will of the Demon King, and even if it reappeared, I haven't received orders from him," said Veronica and began to walk away, ignoring everyone.
"Veronica! Stop!"
Despite their attempts to stop her, the woman still left. Among the practitioners, silence fell.
***
Veronica snorted when she noticed others attempting to break into Hell. She just shook her head and sighed, pulling out a locket with a depiction of a young Adam.
"How I miss you..." she murmured in a tender, caring voice.
"So, here you are. You even wear a locket with his image... I should do the same," a female voice echoed behind her.
Turning around, Veronica saw Amarantha, who was smiling at her cheerfully.
"Amarantha..."