Entering Apocalypse in Easy-Mode

A few minutes later, footsteps came from the staircase leading down from the second floor.

Clyde looked up and saw Samuel descending the stairs with Arven and Don. The spearman walked toward them with his usual calm expression, his equipment already prepared for the day’s mission.

When he reached the lobby, his eyes briefly passed over Leyan and Maira before settling on Clyde.

Samuel gave him a small nod. "You’re here."

Clyde nodded in return.

Samuel then turned toward the others. "All right. Let’s go over today’s mission."

The three of them straightened and listened.

"Our objective is clear," Samuel began. "We’re entering a Ruin to retrieve a Demon artifact. According to the information we received, the artifact is somewhere inside an abandoned settlement. The exact location has already been marked, but we don’t know what kind of threat is guarding it."

Maira frowned slightly. She asked, "Do we know anything about the artifact itself?"

"Not much," Samuel admitted. "But the energy signature is strong enough that the scouts believe it could be useful to us." He paused before continuing. "If we can safely bring it back, the Council may be able to use its power to strengthen the fortress’s defenses. It could also potentially be used to improve the equipment and abilities of our fighters."

Leyan nodded thoughtfully and said, "So this isn’t just about retrieving another artifact without clear use like usual."

"No," Samuel said. "Sivagadh needs every advantage it can get. The Higher Beings and other kinds of threats are becoming more dangerous, and we can’t rely on the fortress’s existing defenses forever."

Clyde listened silently.

The objective sounded straightforward, but he knew better than to assume a mission involving a Demon artifact would be easy.

Once Samuel finished the briefing, the six group members gathered their equipment and left the hotel.

They made their way through the fortress toward the portal in the middle of the square.

The portal was already active, with several groups preparing for their own missions. The three portals shimmered, each one connected to a different Ruin.

Samuel led the group toward their designated portal.

He reached into his equipment and pulled out the amulet provided by the fortress.

He held it against the portal.

The moment the amulet touched the magical barrier, the runes began to glow.

The surface of the portal rippled.

"Stay together," Samuel said. "Once we’re inside, follow the designated route."

Everyone nodded.

Samuel stepped through first.

Clyde followed immediately after him, with Leyan, Maira, Don, and Arven close behind.

The sensation of passing through the portal lasted only an instant.

Then the world changed. Heat struck Clyde’s face the moment he emerged.

This Ruin was engulfed in flames.

Buildings stretched across the burned landscape, but many of them had already been consumed.

Some of them had collapsed completely, leaving only blackened foundations and piles of ash behind. Others were still burning, their structures crackling beneath the flames.

Thick soot covered almost everything. The ground was black. The walls were black.

The remains of the trees were reduced to twisted, charred shapes.

Smoke filled the air so heavily that breathing became difficult. Every breath carried the bitter taste of ash into their throats.

Maira immediately covered her mouth. "Damn. The air is terrible."

Leyan narrowed his eyes and looked across the burning settlement.

"The entire place looks like it was destroyed by a massive fire. What kind of scenario has this world been through?" Asked the elf.

Samuel remained focused as he studied their surroundings.

Clyde looked ahead.

The flames illuminated the ruins with an unnatural orange glow, thick smoke drifted across the streets like a living fog.

Somewhere beyond the burning settlement was the Demon artifact they had come to retrieve.

Clyde tightened his grip on his sword.

The Ruin had not been destroyed by some ordinary monster. A huge level threat was still in here, Clyde was certain of it.

"Let’s move." Samuel started walking, and the others immediately followed him.

The six of them already understood that separating was not an option, especially in a Ruin they knew almost nothing about.

The burning city provided poor visibility, and the thick smoke made it difficult to determine what might be waiting beyond the next street. Staying together was the safest choice.

They moved through the streets with Samuel leading the way.

They had not gone far when aggressive movements appeared through the smoke.

Several monsters emerged from between the burning buildings. Their bodies were covered in patches of blackened flesh, their eyes glowing through the soot that coated their faces.

One of them let out a low growl before charging.

Samuel stepped forward.

His spear flashed and pierced the monster’s chest. The creature collapsed before it could reach him.

Another monster rushed toward Leyan, but he moved aside with practiced ease and drove one of her daggers into its throat.

Maira followed with a slash of her curved sword that struck the creature attacking her and sent it crashing into the remains of a burning wall.

Clyde barely needed to move. Lightning flickered around his hand.

The moment a monster approached him, a bolt tore through its body and reduced it to a smoking corpse.

The remaining creatures were quickly killed.

The entire encounter lasted less than a minute.

Samuel glanced around to make sure there were no more enemies nearby before continuing forward.

"Keep moving."

The others followed.

They continued deeper into the Ruin, passing burned houses, streets, and piles of ash that had once been buildings. The further they went, the thicker the smoke became.

Clyde stopped. Only for a moment.

Something had touched the deepest part of his soul.

It was a faint energy. So faint that he almost wondered whether he had imagined it.

Clyde’s eyes narrowed. He knew that feeling. It was a presence he had not sensed in a very long time.

Asmodeus. One of the Demon Kings.

In his previous life, Asmodeus had once served beneath him after he got touched by the Ancient One’s power. The Demon King had been one of Clyde’s subordinates in secrets and although circumstances separated Clyde from that existence, he could still recognize that familiar presence.

It was incredibly weak, almost buried beneath the countless energies permeating the Ruin.

But it was there.

Clyde slowly looked toward the depths of the burning settlement. A faint smile almost appeared on his face.

This was an opportunity.

If the presence truly belonged to Asmodeus, then Clyde might be able to establish contact with him again. He could not yet tell what condition the Demon King was in, nor whether Asmodeus would even recognize him in his current body.

But if he could reach him, things could become very interesting.

Clyde resumed walking with the others, keeping his discovery to himself.

He needed to confirm it first. If it really was Asmodeus, Clyde needed to find him.

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