Kabir left the Awakened Organization and walked until he found a quiet, empty spot where no one would see him. Once he was sure he was alone, he took out the key and summoned the Gate of Hell. The massive crimson doors rose from the ground, and he stepped inside without hesitation.
A moment later, he emerged back into the red, scorching plains of Hell. Heat rippled through the air, lava pools bubbling in the distance.
"So… what now?" Kabir asked.
"You can hunt devils," Mara replied, "or you can head to the nearby village."
Kabir frowned. "A village? Won't they realize I'm not one of them?"
"Not if you lie," Mara said calmly.
Kabir raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And what about my appearance?"
"That won't be a problem," Mara said. "Hell had an ancient civilization long before the five Devil Kings arrived. They were believed to be ancestors of humans. A few small groups still survive. Just say you're from one of those tribes."
"And they'll believe that?" Kabir asked skeptically.
"Yes," Mara said. "They may try touching your head, though."
Kabir blinked. "Touching my head? Why—"
He reached up and froze.
His fingers brushed against two small bumps—hard, slightly sharp.
"What the—are these… horns?"
"Yes," Mara replied. "They're horns."
Kabir stared into the hot, shimmering distance, stunned.
"Well… that's new."
"But how the hell do I have horns?" Kabir asked.
Mara replied, "They're a sort of… perk of the system."
Kabir frowned. "Perk? What do you mean by perks?"
"Perks like this," Mara said. "Changes to your appearance so you can blend in with the natives of Hell."
Kabir sighed. "So this is the system's doing, huh?"
He looked out over the vast, blazing landscape stretching endlessly before him.
"So where's the nearest village?"
His system flickered, and a message appeared.
Locating nearest village…
Village located.
Town Name: Bullera
Distance: 80 miles
"Eighty miles? Are you serious?" Kabir groaned. "This is what you call nearest? Man… now I have to walk eighty miles. I wish I had a vehicle…"
Mara replied calmly, "You can get one. Hell has beasts that can be tamed and used for traveling."
Kabir raised an eyebrow. "Wait—really? I can tame a beast?"
"Yes," Mara said. "If you can find a good one."
Kabir cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Then I guess I'm going beast hunting first."
"No, you can't," Mara said instantly.
Kabir frowned. "And why is that?"
"Because this area is the Badlands," Mara explained. "The only things you'll find here are sand worms and Lavacarions. And trust me—neither of them are the type you can tame."
Kabir clicked his tongue. "Great… so where can I find something suitable then?"
"The best place is the Blackwood Forest," Mara replied.
Kabir nodded slowly. "Alright… and where exactly is that?"
His system blinked, a crimson notification sliding across his vision.
Blackwood Forest
Distance: 600 miles
Kabir's jaw dropped. "Six hundred miles? Are you kidding me?"
Mara answered calmly, "Hell is vast. And the system only just began mapping your route."
Kabir dragged a hand down his face. "Fantastic. Just what I needed… a six-hundred–mile death march."
Kabir sighed and started walking in the direction of the village.
The heat pressed on his skin, the air thick and heavy in his chest. Every step felt like walking through boiling fog.
"I mean… damn," he muttered. "I only got a little stronger, but the effects are already huge. The last time I was here, I could barely breathe. If it wasn't for the system, I would've died right after that run."
Mara replied calmly, "Kabir, this is just the beginning. And yes — without the system you wouldn't even be standing here. The first time you entered Hell, even F–rank or E–rank awakened from your world would've died instantly. The heat, the gravity, the air… they'd collapse in minutes."
Kabir raised an eyebrow. "But I didn't?"
"No," Mara said. "Because when you completed your first daily quest, your body adapted to Hell's environment."
Kabir exhaled slowly. "So that's why I'm not a burnt pancake right now."
"Exactly."
Kabir had barely walked a mile when something prickled at the back of his neck.
His instincts flared.
He immediately ducked behind a nearby rock, holding his breath.
A moment later, the ground trembled—soft at first, then heavier.
Something huge slithered into view.
A worm-like creature, almost Kabir's size, dragged itself across the scorched soil. Its entire body was wrapped in thick, armored plates, each one glowing faintly from the heat. Three eyes gleamed on its head, shifting around like scanning lenses.
Kabir whispered, "So… that must be a sand worm."
"Yes," Mara replied. "But this one is not a normal sand worm."
Kabir frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Look at its eyes. Three of them."
Kabir nodded. "Yeah, I see them. So… what?"
"That means it's a Beast Lord's cub," Mara said.
Kabir blinked. "Wait—so like… royalty? A prince?"
"In a way, yes," Mara answered.
Kabir gripped his daggers. "Well, if it's just a cub, I can probably kill it."
"Not so sure about that," Mara warned. "You can try your luck, but listen—sand worms don't usually attack unless you provoke them… or if they're in a bad mood."
Kabir peeked over the rock again.
The creature slammed its tail into the ground, sending a burst of dust into the air.
Mara added dryly, "And judging by this guy… he is definitely not in a good mood."
Kabir whispered, "Who cares? It's just a cub. I can defeat it… I think."
Mara went silent.
Kabir gulped. "Hey… why aren't you saying anything? Mara?
Man… now your silence is scaring me."
He peeked over the rock again—
and the Beast Lord cub was already turning its head toward him.
Its three eyes locked directly onto Kabir's hiding spot.
The ground vibrated under its bulk.
Thump… thump… thump…
Kabir froze. "Oh, crap… it saw me."
The sand worm's plates shifted, scraping like metal against metal. Its mouth opened slightly—a low, rumbling hiss echoing from deep inside its throat.
Mara finally spoke, voice flat.
"Congratulations. It has fully noticed you."
"Yeah, thanks for the update!" Kabir hissed back, gripping his daggers.
The creature's tail shot into the air and slammed back down.
BOOOOM!
The ground cracked, sending a shockwave rippling toward Kabir. He dove aside, dust exploding around him.
"Okay, fine! Bad mood confirmed!" Kabir yelled.
The cub lunged.
Its massive body surged forward, armored plates shifting, heat pouring off it like a furnace. Lava-dust blasted into Kabir's face as the worm barreled straight toward him.
Kabir tightened his grip on the Infernal Fang Daggers.
His heart hammered. His muscles tensed.
"Alright," he muttered. "You want a fight… then let's dance."
The sand worm roared, a guttural, vibrating howl and charged, jaws wide enough to split him in two.
Kabir ran to meet it.