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Ch. 319 The Joy of Hell
🕑 Added 2024-03-10 16:00:08 +0000 UTCIf they were on Earth, the drink in front of Russell and Doom would be considered a so-called dark beverage.
Though they weren't sure about the taste, at least its appearance was quite dark.
While Doom didn't say a word, Russell could tell from his expression that he had no intention of trying it.
'I definitely won't drink this stuff!
If you're interested, go ahead and drink it yourself!'
Seeing Doom's determined look, Russell turned his head to glance at the demon Paris and the other demons in the tavern.
The demon Paris picked up the large tankard in front of him and started drinking enthusiastically.
After downing the entire barrel-sized drink in one go, he had a satisfied expression on his face.
Most of the other demons in the tavern were also drinking the same potent liquor as them. Judging from their expressions, they seemed to be quite pleased with the taste and sensation of this strong spirit.
Observing the reactions of Paris and the other demons, Russell picked up the glass in front of him and gently sniffed it before taking a sip.
The aroma was somewhat normal, and it didn't smell like a dark beverage.
However, Russell still had some reservations about its appearance.
After thinking for several seconds, mainly due to his trust in his Kryptonian physiology, he brought the glass to his lips and took a sip.
He was mentally prepared.
If the taste of this stuff didn't agree with him, he would spit it out immediately and rinse his mouth with bottled water from his system's inventory.
However, as the liquid, which looked like molten lava and emitted a strange green glow, entered his mouth, Russell couldn't help but reveal a look of surprise.
This...
After savoring the taste of the spirit in his mouth, he put down the glass and asked the demon Paris, who was still drinking heavily, "What is this called, and how is it made?"
Upon hearing his question, the demon Paris immediately put down his glass and respectfully replied, "This is called the Joy of Hell, and it is made by mixing the blood of Joy Demons and Flame Demons in a certain proportion."
Blood of Joy Demons and Flame Demons?
Hmm...
Russell hadn't expected that the drink in front of him was actually made by mixing the blood of Joy Demons and Flame Demons.
However, he quickly understood the reasoning behind it.
Although demons in Hell were also flesh and blood creatures, they were fundamentally different from typical flesh and blood beings.
Demons were high-energy beings.
Even the small demon who had served them the drinks could be seen as a walking energy crystal from a certain perspective.
As high-energy beings, demons had a substantial amount of energy within their blood.
Although Russell currently thought of himself as a human from Earth, he was well aware that he was fundamentally a different species from Earth humans.
His powerful Kryptonian physiology had a strong demand for energy.
And the blood of demons, precisely because of its high energy content, provided a perfect source.
If he were an ordinary human, the moment the blood entered his mouth, he would feel like he was swallowing molten lava.
But the power of the Kryptonian physiology allowed him to disregard these minor side effects and truly savor the flavor of this blood.
Furthermore, mixing the blood of Joy Demons and Flame Demons was quite a clever choice.
Flame Demons naturally had high temperatures in their blood, and Joy Demons possessed some joy-inducing abilities, providing a delightful experience.
When the two were mixed, not only did they not conflict with each other, but they also mutually enhanced the effects.
Having figured out the name and recipe of the "spirit" in front of him, Russell picked up the glass once again and took another sip.
Not bad!
Really not bad!
Though, fundamentally speaking, it wasn't liquor but a blood product.
But one couldn't help but admit that the texture and taste of this stuff were both excellent.
The blood of Flame Demons brought a fiery sensation, while the blood of Joy Demons evoked an instinctive feeling of pleasure.
It seems that demons also know how to enjoy life!
Russell silently sighed in his heart.
Then, he finished the liquid in his glass in one go.
Refreshing!
Although he knew it was the blood of Flame Demons and Joy Demons, Russell still gave it a high rating.
Apart from the fact that it was blood, which went against human habits, everything else was quite good.
Although Russell had never had the habit of directly drinking blood like a vampire, he wasn't particularly averse to blood-related products.
In the hometown of one of his parents, which is also a blood-related product but has a quite delicious taste.
Compared to the "Joy of Hell," these were just different in form, one being solid and the other liquid.
As long as he thought of the demons from Hell as livestock like pigs or sheep, he could enjoy these beverages without any psychological burden.
"Another one!"
Russell said to the little demon who introduced himself as Claw 169.
"Of course, my lord!"
The little demon waiter replied promptly.
After giving the order to the little demon, Russell turned to Doom and asked slowly, "Are you really not going to drink?"
"As long as you temporarily enhance your physique with magic, you can truly taste the essence of this stuff."
Although Russell had proven with his actions that the taste was excellent, Doom still shook his head.
Then he said slowly, "You know, right now, you're starting to resemble a fallen god."
Doom's tone was serious.
But Russell paid no attention to it at all.
If drinking a bit of demon blood could turn him into a fallen god, then his willpower would be far too weak.
He was well aware that demon blood carried the taint of Hell.
However, as soon as this blood entered his body, it was purified by his divine sun-powered physiology, turning into pure energy to nourish his body.
Half an hour later.
After sampling the most famous drinks in the tavern, Russell left the place contentedly.
He had only tried the ones whose recipes he learned from the demon Paris.
As for those whose ingredients and methods were unknown, he had no intention of consuming them.
However, the one that left the deepest impression on him was still the first one, the "Joy of Hell."
After leaving the tavern, Russell and his companions wandered around the city.
The demon Paris and Doom silently followed behind him.
With Paris's explanations, Russell also sampled some Hellish snacks that he found acceptable and had a good taste.
Although most of these were made from demon flesh, as he thought of demons as livestock, he had no psychological burden in consuming them.
Soon, Russell had depleted Paris's savings completely.
When Paris couldn't even produce a single Red Soul Coin, Russell had considered engaging in some underworld activities that he hadn't done in a long time to earn more Soul Coins for his journey through Hell.
However, at that moment, Doom said to him, "Stop playing around; it's time to do what we came here for."
With that, Doom pointed to the cylindrical barrier, which was under the effect of invisibility magic.
Although Russell had superhuman vision, his abilities were limited to the physical realm.
Upon seeing Doom's action, he cast a spell, activating his True Sight.
A golden magical light flashed in his eyes, allowing him to see through Doom's invisibility magic and reveal Johnny within the cylindrical barrier.
When Johnny had first been imprisoned inside, he was as weak as a critically ill patient who had been suffering for a long time.
Now, Johnny's condition had deteriorated even further.
He seemed as though he could take his last breath at any moment.
"All right, let's get to work!"
Afterward, Russell dispelled the magic he used to disguise his human appearance, revealing his true form.
"One person on each side?" Russell asked Doom, although he didn't explicitly state it, he was confident Doom understood his intention.
His meaning was simple: one person would handle each side and eliminate all the demons in this town.
"I'll take the right!" Doom quickly responded.
Then he cast a lightning spell.
A bolt of silver-white lightning, as thick as a water bucket, descended from the sky and struck directly at one of the demons, turning it into charcoal.
"Good!"
Seeing Doom take action, Russell didn't waste any time. His eyes emitted a red light.
Heat vision!
He didn't plan to use magic; he intended to physically deal with these demons.
Seeing Russell and Doom ruthlessly slaughtering the demons in the town, Paris couldn't help but doubt who was the real demon among them.
Under Paris's watchful eyes, Russell and Doom displayed astonishing efficiency.
In less than ten minutes, they had completely exterminated all the demons in the town.
Of course, Paris was an exception.
Paris was a guide, not an enemy, at least not for now.
After Russell and Doom had dealt with the demons in the town, a strong malevolence gathered above the town like storm clouds racing towards it.
These were the malevolent spirits formed from the resentments of the town's demons.
Although these malevolent spirits couldn't harm Russell and Doom, they did dispel the invisibility magic on them.
In fact, even if these malevolent spirits hadn't dispersed their magic, they would have voluntarily lifted their magic and unleashed their human presence without hesitation.
Otherwise, Mephisto wouldn't be able to locate them immediately.
"Stay a hundred kilometers away from here."
"After the battle, if I don't find you first, you can leave."
Seeing that Paris had been obedient all along, Russell decided to spare his life for now.
"All right, my lord!"
Paris said respectfully.
Just as he was about to take off with his wings, he added, "My lord, you probably don't need my advice, but I want to tell you something."
"If you end up fighting Lord Mephisto for real, make sure not to let Lord Mephisto reveal his true form."
"Don't let Lord Mephisto show his true form?"
Russell looked puzzled as he asked Paris, "Why can't he reveal his true form?"
"Well, I heard it from others."
"They said that if Lord Mephisto reveals his true form, he will lose his sanity and become a puppet controlled by the will of Hell."
"Although Lord Mephisto is the Lord of Hell, he is not the true ruler of Hell."
"The true ruler of Hell is the Great Will of Hell, and Lord Mephisto is just a chosen representative."
"If it's the Great Will of Hell itself taking action, my lord, you might face unimaginable difficulties."
Paris didn't know why he was telling Russell this information.
Logically, he should have wished for Russell and Doom to die at Mephisto's hands.
But just as he was about to leave, his intuition told him that he would meet Russell again in the future.
So, he decided to disclose this information to Russell, considering it an early investment.
If Russell and Doom didn't die at Mephisto's hands, it meant they had the strength to rival Mephisto.
Getting in good with such a powerful figure in advance wouldn't hurt him.
Moreover, if Russell and Doom did die, he wouldn't lose anything.
At this moment, Paris displayed the cunning that a demon should possess.
"All right, I understand!"
"If the information you provided is accurate, and I still have the chance to meet you, I can help you rise in rank and become a true high-ranking demon."
Russell saw through Paris's intentions, but he didn't reject Paris's approach.
In fact, he appreciated Paris's cunning.
If Paris had been foolish the entire time, he wouldn't have been interested in him. But if Paris possessed the shrewdness that a demon should have, it was a different story. A shrewd Paris was worth cultivating to some extent.
"Very well, my lord!"
"I will await your arrival in the distance!"
With that, Paris waved his wings and left the town filled with demon corpses.
"It seems you're getting a bit interested in that big demon."
Doom chuckled and said.
"Well, he's not bad. I don't like followers who are completely clueless."
Russell replied with a smile.
Time passed slowly.
Mephisto didn't keep them waiting for long.
A few minutes later, as they sat in the center of the town, they felt the terrifying aura of Mephisto approaching the town at top speed.
There was no need to ask; this was Mephisto's aura.
Feeling Mephisto's presence, Doom stood up and took out a magic ring from his pocket.
"Inside this ring, there are some magic books I've collected and books related to divine powers."
"The reward I promised you, you've probably guessed it yourself."
"These are additional rewards for your assistance."
The simple magic ring traced a standard parabolic trajectory in the air and fell directly into Russell's hand.
"Good!"
Russell didn't refuse and stored the magic ring inside the system space.
At the beginning, Doom had promised him a method that would allow him to reach the level of Skyfathers within a year. However, as soon as Doom mentioned this method, Russell had already guessed it.
Along with this, he had also guessed the method Doom mentioned that would grant him partial authority from Mephisto.
So, when Doom offered another reward now, Russell could understand.
Just as Russell placed the magic ring into the system space, Mephisto arrived in the town.
Shortly after, he appeared before them instantly.
The town, which had just been like daylight, instantly darkened with Mephisto's arrival, as if it had suddenly turned into deep night.
Strictly speaking, there was no night in Hell.
"You even brought help this time. It seems you're determined to win this time."
Mephisto's gaze first swept over Russell, then landed on Doom as he spoke to him.
