"Kuryak! This thing… this thing is a monster! Even after we working together, we can't even make him flinch!"

A Demon Hunter, clad in bone armor, was fighting with two Soul Slaves that had were burning with Spirit Flames. Despite having the advantages of bone armor, bone sword and even a pair of bone wings, the Demon Hunter was still breaking sweat in trying to fend them off.

One of the Soul Slaves looked like a lizard that had countless bone spikes grown on its back. Leaping around agilely with its four-meter long body, Spirit Flames were burning on every single one of its spikes.

The other Soul Slave, though, was an elemental creature that was formed by cl.u.s.ters of water vapors and Spirit Flames. Changing its shape and size constantly, the creature wobbled around the Demon Hunter, striking whenever it found an opening.

Behind the Demon Hunter, a mini Cerberus was flying in the air while repeatedly firing rays of black beams from its third eye.

Despite the black beams landing on the Soul Slaves repeatedly, they did not seem to be affected by these attacks.

Kuryak?

Seeing the mini Cerberus, Grimm quickly realized that this bone armor Demon Hunter was Roqhiroo—the Demon Hunter that Gabriel mentioned earlier.

Grimm quickly looked toward the direction Roqhiroo was shouting at.

There was a sorceress standing on a thirty-meter flying pyramid. On top of the pyramid's altar, two dozen magic inks of various colors were floating in the air.

Scarlet red runes were s.h.i.+ning brightly above the pyramid, like countless eyes that were trying to peek through the cloak of night.

Four Soul Slaves, burning with gray Spirit Flames, were circulating the pyramid fending off the sorceress.

Every single of these Spirit-Flame-burning Soul Slaves were agile and proficient in battle. They seemed to have been transformed into Level 1 creatures as they collaborated perfectly with one another.

The sorceress had no choice but to retreat into a defensive stance with her flying pyramid.

This guy… he could control so many powerful Soul Slaves all at the same time!

Looking at the Dark Sorcerer above, Grimm couldn't help but ponder.

"So, this is the power of Spirit Sorcery."

The Dark Sorcerer had not even shown his hand yet. Releasing his six Soul Slaves was enough to send out the intense pressure that could petrify Grimm—like when he saw the power of the Sun Child during his rookie era.

So… this was "Third Ghostpepper"—the sorcerer who Gabriel was worried about. He was indeed powerful.

It was then, Grimm saw it. There was the glimmer of a Rank 2 Demon Hunter Honor Badge's aura pulsing from this Dark Sorcerer!

Grimm couldn't believe his eyes.

Rank 2 Honor Badge.

It was much more difficult to acquire than acquiring a Rank 3 Honor Badge. The difficulty was probably ten times… no… a hundred times higher!

The elites might be able to acquire a Rank 3 Honor Badge through perseverance, wit and luck… but to get their hands on a Rank 2 Honor Badge? That was an almost impossible task to any Level 1 Demon Hunter. Or at least that was what Grimm thought.

The stronger one was, the more things one could do to alter the incidents and battles to be tipped to his favor; this would then increase one's chance of getting higher rank Honor Badge.

If a Level 1 Demon Hunter wanted to manipulate just one thing or incident to aid him in gaining a Rank 2 Honor Badge, it was a really difficult thing to accomplish.

In fact, this was quite difficult for even the Level 2 and Level 3 Demon Hunters. Thus, to most people this was an impossible task—one that would need to set aside own life to accomplish.

"Shashasha! Kuryak! Roqhiroo! If you want to compete with me, you don't have a lick of chance at all if you challenge me head on. Oh, don't worry. Seeing that we go way back, I won't kill you. Just give up. Shashashasha…."

After laughing maniacally at the two Demon Hunters, his scarlet red eyes suddenly turned toward Grimm coldly.

Grimm felt a freezing s.h.i.+ver striking his spine as cold sweat drenched his back.

Level 1 sorcerer? d.a.m.n. He was like a Level 2 monster!

This guy was probably the kind of genius, ones that the other Demon Hunters talked about all the time, that could fight Level 2 sorcerers head on.

"Shashasha! Puny little sorcerer, flee now or die!"

The cold threat that was delivered by Third Ghostpepper pierced through Grimm's heart. He was serious and that was no need to doubt his words.

If it were the usual cold and logical Grimm, he would quickly turn and flee. He wouldn't care about pride in situations like this at all.

Fighting with an overwhelmingly powerful enemy head on was foolish.

Yet, with a st.u.r.dy conviction, Grimm did not leave. He had a strong reason to not give up.

Third Ghostpepper coldly looked at Grimm with his scarlet eyes.

Rushes of murderous scents quickly surged in the air.

The way he looked at Grimm… was different from the way he looked at Kuryak and Roqhiroo. No, this was the look that Dark Sorcerers would throw at his enemy, one that he had the intent to kill.

Originally, Kuryak and Roqhiroo wanted to let Gabriel through their defense and work together to fend off the monstrous Third Ghostpepper, increasing their chance of acquiring the spot in Demon Hunter Consociation.

Yet, with Grimm's appearance… Kuryak saw a glimpse of hope!

"Hey you, Demon Hunter! If you would be so kind as to aid us and seize the right of taking out the Black Sorcerer, I am willing to pay fifty Sorcerer Essences for your trouble!"

Hearing Kuryak loudly exclaim at him, Grimm looked at her.

This sorceress… she looked like a younger version of Brianna—pure, innocent… but much wiser than Brianna.

"Good sir, I will add on another fifty Sorcerer Essence. If you give us a hand, a hundred Sorcerer Essences will all go to you!"

Roqhiroo was able to sense the pulses of Rank 3 Honor Badge from Grimm; fearing that he would flee from the battle, Roqhiroo cried out his offer.

Trying to make a decision, Grimm floated in the air not moving a muscle.

Seeing Grimm's unwillingness to flee, Third Ghostpepper slowly raised his staff in the air and a semi-transparent bubble started to emerge from its tip.

There was no need to waste his time with words anymore.

As Third Ghostpepper was activating his sorcery to fight him, Grimm suddenly cried out.

"I need you to retract a Hattori Bug from one of your apprentices. She's my wife Lefay. What is your condition in exchange for this?"

Everyone on the scene was stunned as they heard this!

Hattori was the first to respond.

The flames of hope were ignited in his eyes. A small chance of escape suddenly beaming in the midst of this despairing situation? There was no way he would give up on this chance.

Struggling against the energy webbing that was still enveloping him, Hattori replied.

"You're Grimm, right? If you get me out of this predicament and ensure a safe route to the Black Domain, I will wait for your and Lefay's arrival there!"