Taking the Mafia to the Magic World

Chapter 1135: Danger Ahead

The journey through Hell was tiring and long. Traveling for long periods, almost always with more or less similar scenery around could disturb the mind of even powerful experts. Not only that, the countless opportunities that existed everywhere would mess with one’s determination amid a journey.

Vicente and his companions experienced every one of these sensations available to travelers in the dimension as they crossed a long path from their point of entry to the sixth month of their journey.

Facing enemies was not the most difficult thing for the group during these months. Ignoring the countless Reincarnation Wheels available to master was the real challenge for the weaker members of the group, but even Vicente was tempted frequently.

It was enough to challenge and win one of these areas and the power of all of them could grow.

However, challenging independent Reincarnation Wheels had its dangers. There was a reason why part of Hell was ownerless territory, after all.

Many of the unowned territories had tests that were much more difficult than could be achieved in a ’normal’ power range. According to the Devils themselves, there were areas of their dimension that only the Absolutes could master.

Knowledge of these dangers had helped the group to avoid ’opportunities’ in those months, but the critical point had been Larissa’s earlier discoveries.

According to the information Larissa had got, there was a free zone with the heritage of a legendary Absolute near the destination they had in mind. Because of this, their purpose was clear: to reach this place and not take any chances before then!

Thus, the group was reaching the last part of the journey towards the central area of the dimension, having taken the opportunity to raise their domains only when confronted by enemies during this period of travel.

Although large and sparsely populated, Hell had its coincidences. On three occasions, the group had come across beings who identified Vicente and tried to kill them. Two of them were weak enough to put the group in danger, but the third had been a good challenge for Kong and Vicente. In the end, the group won, and they distributed the territories of the defeated among themselves, with Larissa and Rex being the privileged ones.

But these opportunities didn’t change their situation much. Both remained at the same level as when they left months ago.

As they progressed on their journey, their preoccupation shifted away from their advances and focused on the reality that was most pressing for them: the arrival in Lothur Ritter’s domain and the pursuit initiated by the leader of the last group they faced, Devil Qhava.

...

In a dark valley, with red stars in the local night sky, Vicente and his companions were standing around a bonfire, with undead and infernal guardians standing guard around them.

Rex was staring into the red flames, lying to the left of where Vicente and Larissa were sitting on what looked like a log. Kong was standing with his back to the group, observing as far as he could in the gloomy area.

As they advanced towards the center of the dimension, the more ’vulnerable’ they felt. The darkness seemed to be more intense and the mana more violent, so that cultivating there could be opportune or risky. The difference was subtle and one could easily get lost.

It was no coincidence that Larissa, Rex and Kong were increasingly on alert, feeling the invisible oppression of the region while their companion and leader seemed unaffected. This was good, on the one hand, but even so, the ice dragon couldn’t help worrying about the near future.

While Kong felt his anxiety rising, Vicente was concentrating on the small map in his hands, with a smile drawn on his lips.

”We’re close,” he said, breaking the gloomy silence. ”There isn’t much information about where Devil Ritter’s domains begin and end. But his terrible influence terrifies everyone enough for there to be an extensive region of calm around his territory. According to my map, we’ll enter this peaceful region in no more than a week’s journey.”

”That’s good. If our information isn’t out of date, we’ll reach his domains within the month,” Larissa said, as she felt her heart beating fast.

The thought of meeting Lothur again and perhaps the wives of this old friend kept running through her mind. Day after day, she imagined what it would be like to meet them again. Would they be friendly, as they were when they were allies in Concordia? Or had the long time that had passed made them change and everything would be unpredictable?

In all honesty, Larissa feared both. On the one hand, having a monster like Lothur as an opponent would be terrible, but she wasn’t sure what she would do, even if he was friendly. Now she was at Vicente’s side on this journey, and perhaps her old allies wouldn’t benefit from her plans.

Glancing sideways at Vicente after her own comment, Larissa sighed, feeling herself getting closer and closer to a crossroads.

But in the middle of the group’s strategic pause to reassess their position, one of Vicente’s undead approached the group, showing a less than optimistic signal.

The four around the red fire looked at the undead, frowning at the sign of danger.

”Tsk! That old Devil is close to catching up with us. Let’s move!” Vicente stood up, already extinguishing the flames of the fire, giving the signal for the whole group to move.

”Qhava is getting closer and closer to us,” Larissa said as she put her anxiety about seeing her old allies aside. ”That damn woman is powerful. I don’t understand why she’s so interested in you.”

”I believe it’s because of who turned me into a Devil...” Vicente muttered as he climbed back into his carriage.

Kong asked, ”Were she and that person enemies?”

”Maybe...” Vicente didn’t know for sure, not having got as much information as he would have liked on the subject.

Information about Minos hardly existed outside the dimension’s major forces. As he had never been part of these factions, he could only get fragments of the truth.

”But whatever it is, her desire to kill me is real. Let’s not risk it. If she reaches us, we’ll be dead!” Vicente said as his group was already moving again, this time with metallic ’copies’ of them emerging from the ground and heading in a different direction.

Vicente knew Qhava was on the same level as Minos, something that he, even now, didn’t know how to match or even defend against!

...

Some time after Vicente’s group left, three creatures with rocky, black appearances and humanoid silhouettes appeared where the ashes of the group’s campfire now stood.

The only female among them crouched beside the black log and touched it, remaining silent for a few seconds, her mood not at all good.

’He was here.’ Qhava thought to herself, sniffing out the dark trail that had been frightening her for years.

”Let’s hurry. We have to eliminate this creature before it reaches its potential!” She said as she stood up and led her small group towards the footprints left by their targets.

”We’re close to Devil Ritter’s domain, senior. Is it really worth it?” One of the two disciples next to her asked, expressing the same concern as his companion.

But Qhava was determined. ”Lothur Ritter is powerful, but he’s already at his limit. My target, however, is Hell’s chosen one! If we don’t kill him, in a few years he’ll be able to take over the dimension and take everything I’ve achieved. I won’t allow that!”