Its burning orange eyes were completely gone—replaced by a deep, suffocating crimson.
Thin crimson light slowly flowed through the cracks covering its volcanic body, as if molten blood had replaced the lava inside it.
Nobody moved.
The oppressive, sulfurous heat of the Hell Zone hung heavy in the air, thick with the stench of scorched earth.
Success stared at the towering beast, her lips trembling.
“…I…” “…Did I really do that?” The creature slowly turned, basalt scales grinding together with a harsh metallic scrape.
Its crimson eyes settled directly on her, but it didn’t attack.
It simply stood there, waiting.
Success instinctively took a step backward.
“I-I don’t understand…” Ayomide kept his eyes glued to the monster, his grip tightening around the broken sword in his hand, feeling the searing heat radiating off its body.
*No skeletons.
No rotting flesh.* *This one is strange,* Ayomide thought, his brow furrowing slightly.
*I’ve seen necromancers in stories before—normally they raise skeletons.
But yours isn’t a skeleton.
And it doesn’t really look dead either…
It’s like something standing right between life and death.* “I don’t know what it is either,” Success whispered, her hands shaking.
“It isn’t attacking,” Ayomide muttered low.
Adesewa’s dark eyes remained on the crimson-eyed beast.
It wasn’t alive.
Yet it wasn’t behaving like a corpse either.
Her gaze shifted quietly toward Success, then back to Ayomide.
*She makes him speak more,* Adesewa observed silently, her face completely expressionless.
*He even smiles around her sometimes.
They argue.* Adesewa turned her attention back to the battlefield, a subtle shift in her posture.
*She isn’t useless anymore.
Maybe…
having someone like her beside him isn’t bad.* A loud, reverberating roar shattered the quiet across the volcanic field, vibrating through the soles of their foots.
The remaining Ashmaws stopped hesitating.
They charged, their heavy, rock-crushing footsteps shaking the black earth beneath them and sending waves of blistering heat rolling forward.
Ayomide’s golden-crimson eyes hardened.
The memory of the Crimson River still burned inside him.
*The world doesn’t reward good people.
The world only rewards those willing to take.* “Pay it with your life!” he barked at the lead monster, forcing his authority forward.
Nothing happened.
The Ashmaw didn’t stop.
It didn’t flinch.
Its massive basalt claws tore through the ash, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
Ayomide’s eyes narrowed sharply.
*Nothing?* “Pay it with your life!” he tried again, pouring every ounce of his intent into the command.
Still nothing.
The monster was already within striking distance, its heated maw gaping open, radiating a sickening wave of thermal heat.
*So either I’m doing something wrong…
or they’re too strong for me to force the payment right now.
Is it because I’m asking for something beyond my current authority?* His eyes flashed with cold calculation.
*I’ll try asking for something weaker next time.* The charging horde reached them, and these beasts were far from simple physical threats.
The lead Ashmaw’s volcanic scales suddenly flared with intense, blinding heat—activating its *Obsidian Hide*, hardening its basalt armor to an unnatural density as the air around it shimmered with distortion.
Adesewa disappeared.
*BOOM!* Adesewa’s heavy strike collided with the Ashmaw’s hardened scale armor, but this time, the blow barely cracked its shell, echoing like metal striking anvil.
The monster swung its tail in retaliation, forcing Adesewa to jump backward as the kinetic shockwave tore through the black rock.
At the same time, another Ashmaw opened its jaws wide.
Molten light gathered deep within its throat before spewing out a searing stream of *Magma Breath*.
“Move!” Ayomide shouted, grabbing Success by the collar and diving out of the way as superheated liquid rock melted the basalt ground where they had stood a second before, spitting white-hot embers into the air.
A third Ashmaw shook its body violently, releasing an *Ashstorm*.
A thick, choking cloud of burning, ember-filled ash swept over the area, obstructing their vision and burning their throats with bitter sulfur.
Ayomide coughed, his eyes watering through the burning mist.
*These things aren’t just brute force.
They have abilities.
They’re using the terrain.* Through the dense ash, an Ashmaw surged forward, its massive claws glowing with molten energy—a deadly *Crimson Claw* aimed directly at Ayomide’s neck.
He brought the broken sword up to block, but the raw kinetic power of the strike threw him back several meters, his boots scraping deep grooves into the volcanic ground as sparks flew from the impact.
Ayomide gritted his teeth, his arms trembling from the impact.
*They aren’t just strong.
They have abilities—endurance, heat, raw physical power.* His golden-crimson eyes glinted in the dark.
*Which means…
those are things that can be taken.* Three Ashmaws closed in on him through the clearing ash, preparing a simultaneous surge of *Molten Rush*.
Ayomide stepped forward, locking eyes with the central beast.
A sudden, suffocating stillness fell over the immediate area, as if the battlefield itself had been forced to hold its breath.
That strange, heavy pressure returned to his chest—the sensation of unseen scales tipping in his favor, auditing the battlefield.
*Everything has a price.* The thought came naturally now.
*You owe a debt.
Pay what you owe.* His fingers tightened around the broken sword.
*If you owe a debt…
then something can be collected.* His lips parted.
“Collect.” *BOOM!* A low, resonant hum vibrated through the air, like the striking of an ancient iron bell.
The lead Ashmaw suddenly staggered.
Its *Obsidian Hide* lost its dark, metallic luster.
Its movements slowed as if its legs had been anchored to the earth, its volcanic muscles visibly weakening as the molten glow inside its hide dimmed to dull ash.
At the exact same instant, a surge of raw, invigorating warmth spread through Ayomide’s body.
His breathing became easier, the suffocating heat of the Hell Zone and the burning ash in his lungs suddenly manageable.
The heavy exhaustion in his arms vanished, replaced by dense physical strength and heat resistance stolen directly from the beast.
Ayomide stared at the monster, a sudden revelation striking him like a bolt of lightning.
*I took something from it.* Not its life.
Not its body.
*Its strength and endurance.* A faint, sharp smile appeared on his face.
*So that’s what happened.* He flexed his fingers, feeling the stolen vitality humming through his veins.
*This power really can give me what I take.
I’m starting to understand it, little by little.* His eyes shifted toward the remaining Ashmaws.
*If I defeat stronger creatures…
I can collect more.* For the first time, Ayomide looked at the monsters differently.
They weren’t simply enemies anymore.
They were resources.
*From this day onward…
anyone who stands in my way will become another debt to collect.* “AYOMIDE!” Success’s terrified voice pierced the chaos.
Two Ashmaws were closing in on her fast, one of them drawing back its claw as crimson light gathered along its edge.
Before Ayomide could sprint across the gap, Adesewa blurred into motion, dropping one with a brutal axe-kick to the skull, bypassing its defensive scales through pure impact force.
She offered no words, only a razor-sharp glare as she pivoted to block the next one.
The second Ashmaw opened its maw, molten energy swirling for a close-range *Magma Breath* straight toward Success.
Success froze.
Her mind went completely blank.
*BANG!* The crimson-eyed Ashmaw she had revived threw itself into the path of the blast.
Taking the brunt of the superheated liquid, its own crimson-imbued body absorbed and withstood the heat using its natural *Volcanic Adaptation*.
It thrust its heavy head forward, slamming its body into the attacker and shoving it back.
Success stared, breathless.
“It…
it protected me again…
It’s actually fighting for me!” Ayomide slid beside her, keeping his blade raised.
“You stay behind us.” Success flinched, looking up at him nervously.
“What?” “Use that ability,” Ayomide said, his voice flat and tactical.
“Fight.
Me and Adesewa will protect you while you learn.
If you can raise another one, e go increase our rate of winning.” Success hesitated.
Her fingers tightened around the edge of her worn clothes.
She glanced at Adesewa, then at Ayomide.
Both of them were already fighting monsters while she stood behind them.
*Again…
they’re protecting me.* Her expression tightened.
“Are you saying I’m weak?” “Right now, you can’t fight physically,” Ayomide cut her off, not sugarcoating it.
“So don’t force it.
Just try raising more of them to fight for us.
We’ll keep them busy.” Then his expression hardened, his golden-crimson eyes locking onto hers with absolute seriousness.
“For now, you’re still at my side.” Success’s expression fell slightly.
“And you’re useful to me,” Ayomide continued.
“So I’ll protect you.
I won’t let anything happen to you while you’re with me.” Success’s heart skipped a beat.
She quickly looked away, her face flushing despite the surrounding heat.
*He acts so cold…
talking about ‘usefulness’…
but he really does care about me.* Ayomide, completely unaware of what was going through her head, continued: “But don’t misunderstand.” Success looked back at him.
“There may come a day when I’m not there,” his voice dropped, turning ice-cold.
“When that day comes, you either fight for your life…
or accept your fate and die.” Silence fell between them for a breath.
Success’s dark realization transformed.
*He’s not asking me to stay behind because I’m useless.
He’s giving me something I can actually do.* Success clenched her fists hard.
The fear was still there, but something stronger replaced it.
“…Okay.
I understand.” As one of the Ashmaws crumpled under Adesewa’s relentless fists, the corpse lay still on the black rock.
Success took a deep breath.
She locked her eyes onto the fallen beast and reached into that strange, crimson well within her soul.
“Manifest.” The fallen Ashmaw’s body trembled.
Crimson light burst through its shattered scales, turning its dead orange eyes into glowing crimson orbs.
It slowly stood, bowing its head toward her.
Success gasped.
A distinct mental thread connected her mind to the newly manifested undead.
Heat suddenly rushed through her body.
Her eyes widened.
*I can feel it…* She instinctively raised one trembling hand.
Crimson energy gathered around her fingers—the sensation was strangely familiar, the exact same heat she had felt surging from the Ashmaw’s maw.
Success stared at the small, flame-like glow forming in her palm.
“…I can use it too?” She pointed toward the nearest wild Ashmaw.
A concentrated stream of crimson-hot energy suddenly burst from her hand.
*WHOOSH!* The blast struck the volcanic ground beside the monster, spraying molten rock across its scales.
Success stared at her own hand in disbelief.
“…I really can…” A small smile appeared on her face.
For the first time since entering the Hell Zone, she didn’t feel completely helpless.
“Then…
let’s fight!” Ayomide watched the stream of crimson heat erupt from her hand.
A subtle smirk touched the corner of his lips.
*She really is useful,* he thought, his golden eyes narrowing with dark satisfaction.
*Using her properly will definitely benefit me.* Beside him, Adesewa blinked, her eyes widening slightly in genuine surprise as she glanced at Success.
*She’s actually drawing power from them…
She’s becoming stronger.* Success pointed forward, commanding her growing squad.
“Attack!” Her first undead stepped forward, unleashing a stream of *Magma Breath* against the wild Ashmaws, while the second used its *Obsidian Hide* to draw their aggression.
Adesewa appeared behind an Ashmaw, driving a ruthless elbow straight into its spine.
*CRACK!* The beast stumbled hard.
Ayomide was already there.
“Adesewa,” Ayomide called out.
She didn’t speak.
She didn’t hesitate.
She simply met his eyes with a sharp nod and launched forward.
*BOOM!* Adesewa’s follow-up punch shattered the Ashmaw’s skull against the volcanic rock.
She glanced at him once; Ayomide had already turned toward the next monster.
No explanation was necessary.
Ayomide slowly raised his hand toward the remaining group of beasts.
Several Ashmaws remained.
They were wounded, exhausted, but still attempting to gather energy for another *Ashstorm*.
He looked at them.
His breathing steadied.
The air around him pressure-locked into a dense, inescapable gravity.
*Everything has a price.
You owe a debt.* His golden-crimson eyes glowed with a sharp, terrifying light.
“Collect.” *BOOM!* An invisible, crushing pressure swept across the entire battlefield.
The sound of shifting, invisible balance scales resonated through the air.
Every remaining Ashmaw staggered simultaneously.
Their muscles weakened, their movements turned sluggish, and their glowing volcanic scales dimmed to cold gray stone as their attributes were forcefully drained away.
Ayomide felt a massive surge of warmth flood through his body.
His grip tightened around the broken hilt, his strength and speed rising to a whole new level.
A small smile appeared on his face.
*So this is what I can do.
I can take what they have…
and make it mine.* “Adesewa!
Success!” They moved as one.
Adesewa shattered heads, Success’s crimson beasts tore through the flanks with empowered *Crimson Claws*, and Ayomide’s blade flashed with newly acquired speed.
Within minutes, the remaining monsters fell.
Success stepped forward over the last fallen Ashmaw, raising her hand once more.
“Manifest.” A third crimson light flared up, bringing another undead Ashmaw into her ranks.
Three crimson-eyed beasts now stood quietly behind her, completely obedient.
She looked at them, then at her hands, awe painting her face as the physical strain on her body faded further.
Ayomide rested the broken sword on his shoulder, exhaling a long trail of hot air into the ash-filled sky.
“You okay?” he asked Success.
Success nodded.
He glanced at Adesewa.
Adesewa gave a short, firm nod, her knuckles bleeding black blood.
*He checks everyone before himself,* she thought quietly, her gaze resting on Ayomide, then shifting briefly to Success’s brightened face.
*He’s learning how to use his power.
And he isn’t fighting alone anymore.* Only then did Ayomide’s shoulders relax.
“I’m fine too.” Far away…
*GROOOOOWL…* A deep, subterranean roar echoed through the endless volcanic wasteland.
The ground beneath their boots shuddered violently, throwing up clouds of loose ash as a sudden wave of scorching, thermal air currents swept across the field.
The sound was far louder, far heavier, and carried far more crushing pressure than any Ashmaw they had faced so far.
The brief relief vanished instantly.
Ayomide slowly looked toward the distant darkness where the air distorted with pure heat, his golden eyes cold and unyielding.
“…Let’s keep moving,” he said.
“We still have to find our way out.” Adesewa fell into step beside him without a sound, and Success gestured for her three undead to follow closely, maintaining a protective perimeter.
Together, the three walked deeper into the Hell Zone.