NABC Chapter 329: Chapter 329 - Who was the Extra Person?
Chapter 329: Chapter 329 - Who was the Extra Person?
Chapter 329: - Who was the Extra Person?
The door to Broken's study creaked open, and the first thing that came into view was a multi- level food trolley. It was Ivana who pushed it in, dressed in a white dress and smiling as she stepped inside.
"Ivana?"
"Hi, I'm glad you haven't left yet, Broken," she said, stopping the trolley.
Ivana picked up a package from the trolley and showed it to him. "Here, I brought some bread. You can keep it for a few weeks." Then she grabbed another package. "This is another option if you get tired of what's already here."
"Uhm..." She pointed to something on the bottom tray. "This one boosts strength. It'll be good to eat before, uhm... monster hunting."
She stood up straight again, still smiling. "I made sure there's enough food for four weeks, maybe more. But if it's not enough, I'll bring more for you tomorrow morning."
She took a breath and smiled warmly. "Is there anything you'd like me to cook?"
Broken chuckled softly at her words. "You prepared all of this? I might have to take out my greatsword from my inventory just to make space for all this food."
"Really? Is it not enough? Your inventory is pretty big, isn't it?"
Broken carefully stored the food away, piece by piece, into his inventory. Once everything was tucked away, he turned back to face Ivana. "Luckily, there's still enough space."
Ivana giggled and smiled again. They stood there for a moment, facing each other, their eyes meeting in a quiet pause.
"You said you would... to take me... on every adventure you're going to do,. right?" she asked softly, their eyes still locked on each other.
"Yes," Broken replied quietly, though Marlene's concerns resurfaced in his mind-why they couldn't bring NPCs along on this journey.
"I'm not the one leading the expedition, and they've forbidden anyone but me from going." He paused. "I'm sorry... but I'll bring you along for our next expedition."
Silence settled between them.
"I'll be heading to Hell for the first time," he said softly. "I don't know what I'll be facing." He fell silent again. "I just don't want something-"
"To happen to me?" Ivana finished his sentence.
Broken nodded.
"Aren't all the expeditions you'll be doing in the future going to be firsts?" she said with a small smile.
Broken couldn't deny it; he nodded again.
He glanced at the unfriendly stares from the others. Should he be concerned about this... or
not?
"I've seen how you fight. I'm confident you'll handle your role well," Marlene added.
They moved swiftly into the forest, following the lead of the red-haired girl, while Broken walked beside her, eager to hear more details about the expedition.
"Once the portal opens, only nine people can enter before it closes," Marlene explained. The rest of the group followed in silence, hanging on to her every word.
"The portal will reopen in 30 days. So, congratulations-we're in for a month-long vacation
in Hell."
She smirked before continuing. "If you die, you'll revive at the same spot a few hours later. It's not exactly an escape route from Hell, so we might as well make the most of this little 'vacation.' There are treasures there you won't find in Yunatea. This journey is worth it." After a while, they arrived at a clearing where the trees began to thin. "Once we're inside, we'll have only each other to rely on," Marlene said, her tone serious.
She pulled something from her inventory-a headgear accessory adorned with horns that seemed designed to fit snugly on the head. Handing it to Broken, she said, "Demons aren't too fond of outsiders, so we use this to blend in, posing as one of them."
[Infernal Mask of Deception]
[Grade: Elite]
[Durability: 87/100]
[Weight: 221]
[This mask, adorned with dark, twisted horns, allows the wearer to take on the guise of a demon, complete with glowing eyes, sharp fangs, and a swirling aura of malevolent energy.]
It was a mask that occupied the helmet slot, which meant if they used this item, they wouldn't be able to wear a complete set of armor. But that was still preferable to having more enemies
to contend with inside.
Everyone then donned their disguise items. Broken, who was currently wearing the Obsidian Shroud-Clothes to cover his armor, now sported a pair of horns on his head and his eyes glowed a deep red. His vision tinged slightly crimson, almost like wearing colored contact
lenses. It was quite a unique item.
Marlene tossed something onto the ground, and a swirling energy portal materialized. Understanding the plan, the group began entering one by one-first the lead tanker, then the melee fighters, and the others in order. Soon, only Marlene, Broken, and the remaining tanker
were left.
Marlene motioned for Broken to go next. He stepped into the portal, with Marlene following close behind. They emerged in what looked like the same forest, and Marlene appeared beside him. But suddenly, the portal began shrinking rapidly as the last tanker tried to pass through. "What the hell!" Marlene shouted in alarm. "Someone unauthorized got in!" she exclaimed. The portal snapped shut before the tanker could enter, signaling the group had reached full capacity. Yet, there were only eight of them standing there. So who was the mysterious ninth?