“Wow, oppa, look at this!”
Kim Hanbyul let out a small gasp as she held out her hand. In her delicate palm rested a large ore, its surface a blend of deep reds and blacks. The overall dark hues gave it a gloomy vibe rather than a pretty one, but Hanbyul seemed genuinely pleased. Honestly, her taste was pretty unique.
I couldn’t let that thought slip out, so I just nodded.
“Yeah, I’m looking.”
“It’s really beautiful, right? The colors are so rich…”
“Is that so? That’s unexpected.”
“Hmm? What do you mean by unexpected?”
Hanbyul turned her head and looked at me, eyes slightly narrowed.
“Well, I just thought girls usually like colors that look pretty or cute. Like pink, for example.”
“That’s a misconception. The idea that all girls like pink is a stereotype society created. People often associate pink with femininity, but it’s not a rule.”
Hanbyul gave me a teasing look, crossing her arms tighter and leaning in closer. It felt nice, but also a bit overwhelming. I scratched my philtrum awkwardly, trying to gently pull my arm free when—
“Oh, there you are. I was looking for you for a bit. Haha.”
A rough, buzzing voice came from somewhere nearby. I glanced over, and sure enough, there was Behemoth, rubbing his thick-gloved hands together as he approached.
“So… how do you like our famous black heat ore from the Black Ascension Hell?”
“Yeah, at first glance, I really like it. But it’s not just about looks, right?”
Hanbyul nodded and then spoke with a confident tone.
“Of course. The great thing about black heat ore is that it’s effective no matter how you use it.”
“No matter how you use it?”
“Exactly. Usually, ores are valuable because you smelt them and craft them into items. But this black heat ore? Not quite. You can melt it in your mouth, grind it into powder and drink it—there are many ways to get good effects. Of course, the best way is to make it into an item. And it’s very economical for that. This ore has a strong tendency to bond tightly. For example, if you were making a sword, just embedding a small piece in the center can give you effects similar to a solid blade.”
“Similar, huh? So it’s not quite as good as a solid piece?”
“Ah, you have to understand, miss. It can deliver about 60 to 80 percent of the effect of a solid blade.”
“Hmm, that’s pretty good. Anyway, please pack a lot for us.”
Hanbyul let out a light sniff and muttered with a haughty expression. Behemoth bowed deeply and said, “Of course, madam. Thank you for your continued patronage.” Watching the two of them laughing like that, I couldn’t help but think they were like a traveling salesman trying to make a sale and a lady trying not to be swayed.
“Um, about packing it… it’s not a problem, but…”
Behemoth, still rubbing his hands and bowing, suddenly leaned in with a subtle voice.
“What is it? If it’s not a problem, just go and get it.”
“Well, it’s just that the amount is quite large.”
“So?”
“I was hoping you could help.”
Hanbyul looked utterly dumbfounded for a moment. She glanced at me, then realized who Behemoth was addressing, and shifted her gaze back and forth.
“You want me to help?”
Her voice trembled slightly. Behemoth nodded emphatically.
“Th-that’s impossible! Then oppa should help too!”
“Oh, one helper is enough. More than that would be a waste of manpower.”
“But you’re the legion commander! Can’t you send your beasts?”
“Unfortunately, they’re all on life-risking missions right now. I can’t pull them away.”
Despite the barrage of protests, Behemoth responded smoothly and stepped forward with a clank of his armor. Suddenly, I felt Hanbyul clutch me tightly.
“Come on, come on. Don’t be so stiff—just help us out. It’s for everyone’s benefit, right? Ha ha ha.”
Still, Behemoth skillfully pried Hanbyul’s arms off me and hoisted her up in one motion.
“I’ll take the lady with me. Please…”
With a sly trailing off, Behemoth started running off somewhere.
Surprisingly, Hanbyul didn’t resist much. Maybe she’d given up. She quietly rested on Behemoth’s shoulder and slowly drifted away. But the sharpness in her eyes as she looked at me from her lifted position was unmistakable—as if to say, “I know exactly what you’re planning now.” When I forced a smile and waved lightly, she puffed out her cheeks and turned her gaze away. Judging by her attitude, Hanbyul had definitely caught on.
A little later.
“So, do you like the black heat ore?”
As expected, after Behemoth took Hanbyul away, Gehenna appeared out of nowhere. She must have been waiting for Hanbyul to disappear.
It was always the same. More precisely, this routine had been repeating since the Great Scorching Hell: introducing the local specialty, Hanbyul and I marveling at it, then Behemoth finding some excuse to take Hanbyul away (really, to separate her from me), and finally Gehenna showing up. It was like a plan to leave just Gehenna and me alone.
If this happened once or twice, maybe it’d be forgivable. But it kept happening, so there was no way Hanbyul hadn’t noticed. At some point, she seemed determined to stay by my side. Yet Behemoth ignored that completely and forcibly took her away. For example, in the Fusion Hell section…
“I have a habit of liking girls who like butts!”
“W-what nonsense is that all of a sudden?!”
“Come on! Let’s go hang out!”
“Let go! I said let go!”
Yeah, that was a bit much. Of all things, to spout nonsense like that while asking her out.
Anyway, I think that’s when Hanbyul gave up. She must have realized the unchanging truth: no matter how logically she argued against Behemoth’s actions, she’d still end up dragged away.
“What are you thinking about?”
I gave a wry smile, wondering how I’d handle the aftermath, when I suddenly felt a light touch. Gehenna was standing right beside me, her eyes subtly flushed as she stared.
I shook my head calmly.
“Nothing. More importantly, thanks for the black heat ore. I’ll put it to good use.”
“Oh? Well, I’m glad you like it. So now…”
Gehenna trailed off, lowering her gaze slightly. Even after such a passionate night yesterday, she still couldn’t keep still. From what I’d seen over the past few days, Gehenna definitely had a flirtatious streak. The way she always looked at me with burning eyes, and how her reactions changed completely during our encounters.
But she seemed hesitant to start the conversation herself, fiddling with her hands silently. I smiled and spoke up.
“Can we talk for a bit?”
“No. I don’t want to.”
And she refused firmly.
“Why? You don’t want to talk to me?”
“It’s not that…!”
She looked displeased, narrowing her eyes and giving me a sharp glare.
“I’m not falling for it anymore.”
“…?”
“You just want to use the excuse of talking to twist words around… and then enjoy watching me get all desperate.”
“…Damn.”
Caught. Judging by her expression, she’d definitely figured it out. Too bad—I wanted to see her flustered like that just one more time.
“Sorry.”
Resigned, I raised both hands in surrender.
“Really, your masochistic nature is hard to keep up with.”
Gehenna shook her head, then unclasped her arms and slowly lowered her hands. The glowing red light around her faded, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful, shyly exposed naked form, like a natural wonder. She cleared her throat awkwardly and looked at me with eyes full of expectation.
“So, then… how are you planning to play with me today?”
“Play with you? That’s harsh.”
I replied lightly, tightening my belt. As the glory of the sun was released, the glory of the heavens slipped down helplessly along with it.
There was a reason Gehenna spoke the way she did. In a way, it was all my fault. Not because of anything else, but simply because, in an effort to give my best, I’d tried out various positions every time we were together—and the problem was that Gehenna had grown to really enjoy it. She’d call me sadistic, say I was toying with her, but it was obvious she herself was both enjoying and anticipating it. I mean, just look at her now—her eyes sparkling as if to say, “Honey, how are you going to make me feel good tonight?”
“Come to think of it, what should I do tonight?”
As I peeled off the shirt and pants I was wearing underneath, I found myself deep in thought. Honestly, my knowledge about sex was pretty limited, and I was starting to hit my limits.
“Missionary, cowgirl, side-by-side, spooning, the ‘fairy’s descent,’ 69, scissoring, rotating, fellatio, paizuri, bukkake, cunnilingus…”
Going through all the positions we’d tried over the six stages we’d passed through, I suddenly realized I was naked too.
“Why don’t you come here and hold me first?”
Gehenna tilted her head for a moment but then came over without hesitation and gently wrapped herself around me. The soft, warm skin pressed against me, and my scattered thoughts quieted, sharpening my focus.
I ran my hands along her slender, supple waist, then cradled her thighs as if supporting her, slowly lifting her up. As her hips rose, her legs slithered around my back like snakes.
By now, we were so familiar with each other that words were unnecessary.
Holding her thighs, I aimed the tip of my penis at the center of her entrance. Feeling her lower abdomen already soaked and dripping, I carefully slid inside. The sensation of warm flesh enveloping me was followed by the smooth contact of her hips against my thighs.
“Ahh…!”
Gehenna parted her lips, letting out a soft moan. Her arms slid down from my shoulders to wrap around my neck. Glancing down, I saw her breasts pressed gently against my chest, her lashes trembling as she squeezed her eyes shut. No wonder—I could feel a faint vibration from my own shaft. She welcomed me tightly, as if thrilled by my entry, leaving no room to slip away.
After a moment, Gehenna opened her eyes slightly, smiling softly and nodding just a bit. She seemed satisfied. I let out a breath of relief and focused all my attention on her sticky, melting naked body. One hand still supporting her hips, the other wrapped around her back, I caught the sweet scent of her skin right at my nose.
A little while later.
“Mm… haah…!”
Just as I began to move my hips slowly, Gehenna let out a heated moan and arched her neck back. Seeing the graceful curve of her throat, I felt desire surge uncontrollably. Picking up the pace, I thrust harder, and her full breasts and lava-colored hair rippled like waves.
A breathless heat swept over us in an instant.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Gehenna’s Hell is divided into eight stages, which is why it’s sometimes called the Eight-Layered Hell. From the bottom up, the stages are: Mugwan, Great First Heat, First Heat, Great Punishment, Punishment, Fusion, Black Victory, and finally, Ascension Hell. Right now, Kim Soo-hyun is in Black Victory Hell—the second stage. Tomorrow, he’ll ascend to the top layer, Ascension Hell, and the side story will conclude with his return to the human world.
On a slightly different note… Is there any side story you’d like to see in Memorize? As I mentioned before, I’m currently working on a visual novel, and we’re considering including side story content as a clear bonus. Any kind of story is fine—whether it’s from the first playthrough or the second. If there’s a particular part you’d like to see, please let me know. I’d really appreciate it. (__)