The Damned Demon

In the heart of an area in the Pyro Peak mini-dungeon, a group of fifteen individuals stood in a large open space, hemmed in by towering structures made entirely of magma.

The glowing molten rock cast an eerie red light on their exhausted figures, causing their shadows to flicker and dance on the uneven ground. From afar, the rumble of active volcanoes created a constant background noise, occasionally punctuated by the explosive sound of an eruption.

The leader of the group was a tall and statuesque woman with long blue hair that shone in the reddish light. Her bright blue eyes surveyed the area with an intensity to make sure this was the right place to set up a Shelter.

"We're setting up the Shelter Matrix here," Rachel announced, her voice cutting through the rumbling sounds of the volcanoes. She took out a scroll from her bag and unrolled it onto the uneven ground. With a swift motion, she activated the scroll, triggering a glow from the embedded matrix as it spread itself over a large area.

Following Rachel's lead, a man with platinum blonde hair and piercing bright green eyes approached the matrix.

The large two-handed greatsword at his back seemed to dwarf his already imposing figure.

"It took us 15 days to gather enough resources for this Rare Grade Shelter. Let's hope it pays off," Victor said with a subtle smile as he emptied a couple of metal ores into the matrix while Rachel was dumping other materials into it.

"It should. You were right. We can't speed through this dungeon and collect 200,000 shards quickly without this heat slowing us down. This mini-dungeon has essentially forced us to make a Shelter," Rachel said as she wiped off the sweat trickling down her temples with her forearm while continuing to dump the resources.

In the background, a woman with chocolate brown eyes and with hair that was a cascade of chestnut strands, neatly tied in a high ponytail, also joined in.

Amelia held a stack of logs in her arms, which she added to the matrix under Rachel's approving nod.

"Amelia, that's enough for now. The Matrix only needs 400 logs," Rachel called out as Amelia continued to add more logs.

Not far from the group, two young women stood together, their hands clutching their own bundles of resources.

Emiko, with her sharp features and bob haircut, kept her eyes fixed on the matrix, while Yui, with her long black hair and gentle demeanor, watched the matrix with a curious and observant expression.

"Emiko, Yui, come," Rachel beckoned. The two young women approached and added their own resources to the matrix. Emiko with a hard set to her jaw, Yui with a soft smile.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Hunters followed suit, emptying their spatial bags filled with various resources into the matrix. Each addition caused the matrix to glow brighter while causing subtle vibrations.

A mesmerizing spectacle unfolded before the group as the Shelter Matrix worked its magic.

As resources dumped into the matrix vanished into thin air, a pillar of brilliant light suddenly erupted from the scroll, reaching skyward and bathing the entire vicinity in its incandescent glow.

The light soon took form, and when it subsided, a two-storied stone building appeared out of nowhere, standing majestically amidst the fiery terrain.

The Shelter, composed of granite-like stone material, was an imposing structure. Solidly built, it exhibited a simplistic architectural design with a sloping roof, an arched entrance, and multiple windows lined symmetrically on both floors. Despite its austere design, it emanated an aura of robustness and safety.

A glowing shield, barely visible, encased the entire building, flickering with a serene light that spoke of powerful protective magic.

All around, the Hunters could only stare at the sight, awe reflected in their eyes at the surreal spectacle of a building manifesting from nothing.

"This Shelter," Rachel began, breaking the silence as she gestured towards the structure, "can withstand even the attacks of fifty B-rank Hunters for a good while," Her voice echoed with a hint of pride as she admired the product of their collective effort.

Amelia, standing beside her, let out a soft scoff, "Only fools would dare to attack us, especially when we hold such a large advantage by staying inside a Shelter. They would be like sitting ducks outside," she confidently said, her eyes flashing defiantly.

Victor, who was observing the Shelter from a distance, merely shrugged in response, "That might be true, Amelia, but it's not like we're going to hole up inside this Shelter the entire time. The real battle will be out there," he countered, gesturing towards the threatening volcanic landscape surrounding them.

Amelia rolled her eyes silently upon hearing his smart-ass response.

Rachel pursed her lips as she mulled over Victor's words. Turning her gaze from the structure, she watched as the rest of the Hunters began to enter the Shelter with expressions of relief and curiosity.

A look of doubt flickered her face as she asked, "Do you think we should form an alliance with more people to get through this mini-dungeon quicker? Already more than 2 months have passed, and by now, we know that the higher dungeons will take more time to advance. Our Shelter could easily accommodate at least five more," she proposed, her voice ringing with determination and a hint of eagerness at the prospect of expanding their group and advancing faster.

Amelia shook her head, her ponytail swinging, "That may not be good, Rachel," she firmly responded, locking eyes with her, "We shouldn't form any more alliances. The more people we have, the longer it would take for us to accumulate shards, especially considering we are all from different groups in the end."

Rachel still looked hesitant as Amelia added, "Besides, managing a large group can be difficult. As it stands, the Hunters we have with us now are talented B and A Rank Hunters. I see no need to add more into the mix. There might also be arguments and troubles regarding sharing of resources and other possible conflicts if we have too many people."

Victor, who had been silently listening, interjected with a shake of his head, "I don't think managing a larger group would be a problem," he began, his green eyes gleaming with resolve, "As long as they know who's running the show, things should run smoothly. Besides," he added, his gaze moving to meet Rachel's, "I'm confident we can still collect a lot of shards. Some mini-quests, for instance, often require a lot of manpower as we know. Having more people could be advantageous."

Amelia's brows furrowed, ready to counter Victor's argument when something else stole her attention.

Victor's relaxed demeanor suddenly changed; his ears perked up, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He swiftly turned his gaze towards one of the towering magma structures.

With a loud, commanding voice that echoed throughout the fiery field, Victor called out, "There is no point in hiding from us. Come out while I am still patient."

The quiet tension following his statement hung in the air like an oppressive veil. The other Hunters shared confused glances as they looked in the same direction as Victor.

From behind the towering magma structure, a group slowly emerged. At their lead was a towering, muscular figure, scars etching stories of battle onto his skin.

His square jaw, obscured by a thick beard, was set in a grin as his icy-blue eyes fixed on Victor.

A gruesome necklace made from the fingers of demons hung around his neck, making Emiko and Yui wince in disgust, and even Amelia frowned upon seeing them.

Rachel furrowed her brows as she and Amelia easily recognized who they were.

They were called the Demon Rippers.

Because of their various tendencies and actions, some say they were demons in human skin but with allegiance to their own kind. And despite how menacing they were, they had a large number of people around the world impressed by their existence and the terror they brought to demons.

Rumors say they and their people controlled a large part of the black markets selling all kinds of questionable items, though none of these were able to be proved.

The other Hunters who had entered the Shelter also came out and held their breaths, with some of them having apprehensive looks.

The man in front of them was someone who had quite an infamous reputation among the Demons and even in their own world.

Axton Marlowe or The Butcher…the alias he or people gave him. They also recognized the others behind him.

Behind Axton was Rourke or the Fiend, a wiry man with a smug grin walked, the glow of the magma revealing sharp, angular features and his predatory green eyes. His fiery green hair was a stark contrast against the lava-lit backdrop.

Then Elias or the Serpent, a dark-haired man, followed, his grey eyes sharp and cunning, his lean figure shrouded slightly in the shadows cast by the molten structure. His mouth was busy sucking on what seemed like an eyeball, his expression delirious.

A broad-shouldered behemoth of a man was next, the orange glow of the magma reflected in his blazing ember-like eyes.

Cain or the Inferno had wild red hair and burn-marked skin that bore an uncanny resemblance to the volcanic landscape around them.

Gildon or the Jester, a wild, curly-haired man, his mirthful eyes belied by a malevolent grin, was at the rear, his lanky figure bringing up an almost jester-like appearance.

Among them, Gildon and Cain were dragging two naked demon women with dark orange skin behind them on a leash, their vacant expressions almost lifeless, their bodies riddled with barely healed cuts, and their eyes gouged out, leaving behind only bloody holes. They followed him on all fours, their pitiful existence making the gruesome scene even more chilling.

Axton raised his scarred hands in a friendly gesture, his icy eyes fixed on Victor, "Sir Victor," he began in a voice smooth as oiled silk, his smile never faltering, "Apologies if it seemed like that but we had no intention of sneaking around. We were merely trying to approach your distinguished group for a potential…alliance. I am sure even though your team is capable enough to survive this entire quest, our 'special' set of skills and abilities might make things easier for your team."