00674 3. Meanwhile, at the same time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

At that moment, I suddenly noticed the air against my skin growing noticeably hotter—like stepping from a warm bath into a blazing sauna.

Taking a deep breath to clear my nose, I caught a faint scent of sulfur. Kim Hanbyul didn’t look particularly surprised—probably because she’d been here before—but she was fanning herself repeatedly.

“From here on, you’ll be seeing a slightly different world,” Behemoth said, then strode ahead with long steps. A slightly different world, huh? So far, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. I glanced around, then quickened my pace to catch up with Behemoth, who was already about ten meters ahead.

How much time had passed?

The farther we walked, the stronger the sulfur smell became. Before long, I realized where it was coming from.

The sulfur scent was rising from beneath my feet, seeping up through cracks in the barren wasteland. Through the fissures, a faint red glow flickered. Occasionally, large bubbles formed and popped with a soft plop, reminding me of molten lava.

Then, the cracks in the wasteland began to widen. What had started as tiny fissures spread in all directions, soon revealing the flowing lava beneath. The vast wasteland was gradually being swallowed by the lava, which had formed a path like a river.

Yeah. Just as Behemoth said.

Before I knew it, I was walking along a path flanked on both sides by rivers of molten lava.

Then—

Clang…!

From somewhere nearby came the faint sound of metal striking metal.

Rumble!

Followed immediately by a roar like a waterfall crashing down.

Though the distance made the sounds unclear, I could tell something was definitely going on ahead.

Behemoth suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Just past here, and we’re through.”

His dark metal gauntlet pointed straight ahead.

The path narrowed as it stretched forward, resembling a river of lava. Thick smoke billowed from the molten flow, forming a dense mist.

“The deeper we go, the heavier the steam gets. One wrong step and you could melt away without a trace in the lava, so you’ll need to follow me closely.”

“Oh, no worries about that,” I replied, trying to sound confident despite the warning. Behemoth nodded and gently extended one arm. Before I could wonder what he was doing, Kim Hanbyul awkwardly cleared her throat and stepped forward to grasp his arm.

The two of them then walked into the mist, chatting quietly.

“Come to think of it, this reminds me of the first time I brought you here, miss.”

“It was quite an interesting experience.”

“I enjoyed it too. Though I never expected you to cry so pitifully just because I played a little prank…”

“Shut up.”

“Huh? Shut up? Oh, I remember—you kept calling out to someone. Su…? Some ‘Su’ brother, wasn’t it? Who was that again?”

“I’m sorry. Please be quiet.”

…Why do I keep feeling oddly envious of this Behemoth, the skeletal knight?

Since entering the mist, I walked along, accompanied by their lighthearted banter.

A little while later—

Rumbleeeee!

After what felt like about 200 meters, the mist suddenly thinned, revealing a breathtaking scene unlike anything I’d seen in my previous visits.

A sheer cliff sliced through half the mountain, and from somewhere unknown, a fierce lava waterfall poured down. Below it, a sea of molten rock stretched out, its depth impossible to fathom. Jagged, crimson-hued rocks of all shapes and sizes jutted out, half-submerged in the lava, standing firm.

I never imagined a place like this existed. Behemoth’s words about seeing a different world suddenly felt much more real.

Kim Hanbyul, who had been looking around with a curious expression, spoke up in a slightly excited voice.

“I’m going to step out for a bit.”

“Huh? You’re going somewhere alone, miss?”

“There’s a spot I noticed last time. I didn’t get a good look then, so this time I want to explore it properly.”

“Hmm. That’s fine, but be careful. It’s okay if you pee yourself out of fear like last time, but try to aim for the river if you can.”

Kim Hanbyul smiled slyly and said,

“Shut the fuck up. Suck my asshole.”

Behemoth tilted his head, clearly not understanding the English.

“Huh? Shut the…? Suck my…? What does that mean?”

“It means thanks, but you don’t need to worry. I’ll be back soon~.”

She slicked her lips and cheerfully started walking off cautiously. Behemoth kept tilting his head in confusion as he watched her go, then turned back toward me and asked quietly,

“Does it really mean that?”

“…No. It actually means, ‘Please shut up and suck my asshole.’”

I gave a bitter smile and told him the truth—a truth that might be a bit misleading.

“Hmm. I thought so. But that’s a bit shocking. You didn’t seem like that kind of person.”

Behemoth sighed softly, shaking his head in surprise. Then he muttered, “I respect your tastes, miss, but imagining you into that… it’s pretty filthy.” Just like that, Kim Hanbyul was branded a pervert.

After a moment, Behemoth cleared his throat awkwardly, spread his arms wide, and declared,

“Anyway, welcome to the Great Forge of the Superheated Hell!”

His words caught me off guard. A forge? I’d heard of one, but I never imagined it would be like this. I couldn’t have pictured it.

“Huh? Why the reaction? I thought you’d be more surprised.”

“I am. More than enough.”

“Still, it seems like a surprised that’s not entirely positive.”

“…Well, it’s just…”

“Just?”

“Honestly, I’m a bit let down. I was expecting something more, but this just looks like a beautiful landscape. There’s not even a furnace or an anvil in sight.”

“Hey now. That’s quite an insult to our hell.”

Maybe reading my expression, Behemoth folded his arms solemnly, his voice tinged with wounded pride.

“But I understand. From a human perspective, a forge is a place where fire blazes and sweat drips as hammers strike. And it’s true, there are places like that in hell.”

“Where exactly?”

“…In the Superheated Zone.”

“Hmm. The more I hear, the more fascinating it gets.”

I wasn’t being sarcastic—I genuinely found it intriguing.

“There’s nothing to be amazed about. The forge isn’t exclusive to humans.”

“That could be true.”

Feeling a bit defensive, I nodded lightly. Behemoth scratched his helmet with his rough gauntlet and let out a whistle.

“Anyway, the demons of hell aren’t just creatures who eat and poop. Though each zone differs, it’s a world that’s developing in its own way.”

“Do other demons have self-awareness too? Like Behemoth?”

He nodded emphatically.

“Of course! Many demons are born and live instinctively in this hellish world, but they all have a basic sense of self. Some were even brought in from outside and retained their past personalities, giving them a stronger sense of identity. Some can even speak—like me.”

“Oh?”

“And some use that to their advantage. The forge in the Superheated Zone was built by a demon who was once human. Does that help you understand?”

“I’ll have to see more to be sure, but I get the idea.”

I feigned a bit of awe, and Behemoth’s voice quickened with excitement. Though I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes yet, his explanation made sense, so I nodded slowly.

Then—

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out again, clearer this time. I instinctively turned toward the noise.

“Oh, shoot. We’re almost there, and yet…”

Behemoth looked in the same direction, suddenly flustered.

“Can we talk while we walk?”

“Huh? Aren’t we here?”

“Almost. The Duke is a bit further inside.”

“Oh.”

Right, Gehenna was waiting.

Following Behemoth’s hurried steps, I fell into deep thought.

The Great Inferno is a zone under Gehenna’s jurisdiction, known as the Great Inferno Camp. And apparently, Gehenna called me here to express his gratitude. He said it’s not just empty words, so maybe he’s going to give me something. Could it be something he made himself? Or maybe he’s going to tie a pretty ribbon in my hair and say that’s his gift…

Lost in these somewhat happy (?) daydreams, I was suddenly interrupted.

“I’m not sure if you’ve been told, but this Great Inferno zone is off-limits to everyone except the Legion Commander.”

Behemoth, who had been walking ahead, suddenly spoke in a low voice and tapped the black armor he was wearing with his right hand.

“Do you see this armor?”

“Yes, I see it clearly.”

“Good. I’m not trying to brag, but this armor is a masterpiece crafted right here. It’s a gift personally bestowed by the Archduke.”

“A masterpiece, huh? That’s an interesting way to put it. You must be really attached to this armor.”

“Yes, I can’t help it. Only the Legion Commanders receive these, and the Archduke himself made it.”

“Hmm?”

Gehenna made it?

That caught me off guard. The Archduke of Hell, hammering away at armor? It’s a strange image to picture. Though, I suppose there’s no reason he couldn’t.

“Tell me, when you’re crafting something here at the camp, what do you think is the most important factor?”

Another out-of-the-blue question, but I answered without much thought.

“Hmm… the materials used to make the item?”

“Heh. That’s not wrong. But I think differently.”

“…?”

“I believe it’s the fire.”

“The fire?”

“Yes. How good the fire is, and how precisely the temperature is controlled. In other words, heat treatment is the key. Poor-quality iron can be transformed into a sharp, legendary blade, while even the finest mithril can be ruined. So while materials matter, they’re ultimately secondary.”

I understood what he meant, but why bring this up now?

“Think about it.”

Behemoth suddenly stopped walking and looked around.

“With the best materials here—”

Following his gaze, I saw the sea of flowing lava and the jagged, blood-tinted rock formations jutting out here and there.

“And the strongest fire in this dimension.”

His eyes then shifted deeper into the abyss beyond the cliff.

“Just imagine what kind of masterpiece could be born from that.”

Then, glancing back at me, Behemoth’s eyes glowed a fierce red as he clenched his teeth.

“As for me… I dare not even guess.”

At that moment—

Clang!

A clear, ringing sound echoed once more from the depths of the chasm.

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------

In the next chapter, a piece of equipment that will carry us through to the finale will be introduced.

I put a little extra care into its design compared to the others. Please look forward to it. :)