And then there's Black Isotta.

The greedy, cruel, powerful great Stigmata Sorcerer that had been around since the ancient times had pushed pillaging to its peak. He intended to rip out all resources that were precious in the world back to the Sorcerer World.

After flying back at the lower sorcerer's tower, Grimm handed in his demon-hunting mission scroll and his crystal ball.

Since they've discovered the flying rats outside the entrance by chance, Grimm's team had to perform an additional mission. Therefore the rewards of his two years of demon-hunting mission increased from ten Sorcerer Essences into fifteen Sorcerer Essences.

The rest of the team members too got a b.u.mp up from their original five Sorcerer Essences to eleven.

Eleven Sorcerer Essences. It would take an Arcane Sorcerer eleven years to earn that amount in an academy. The demon hunters spent not more than two years to earn that. Such was the strength of a demon-hunting sorcerer!

...

Three years later.

In an unnamed burrow of the Burrow World.

The burrow spanned about seven to eight kilometers. It was a small to mid-sized burrow. Other than the Snowthread Worms, there were about ten other weak species that made this burrow their habitat. Yet, none of them formed the apex of the food chain.

Grimm had been searching around the burrow for almost seventy hourgla.s.ses. He only managed to find two.

One of the openings was sixty meters wide, the other was only forty!

Beneath the Mask of Truth, Grimm was having a hard time deciding. He then clenched his teeth and said, "Go back to the last burrow, let's choose a new route."

There were a few other new faces in addition to some of his old members. They were Level 1 Demon-hunting Sorcerers freshly recruited by Grimm.

One of them had a dark complexion, yet his eyes were pure white. He had the rare Eyes of the Night. He was like a fish in the water in the dark caverns of the burrows.

He frowned. "Captain Grimm, shouldn't we decide after taking a look inside first?"

Grimm threw the Dark Sorcerer a glance beneath his Mask of Truth and dismissed him. "Your job is to follow my orders because I am the captain of this team!"

"You…"

The Dark Sorcerer looked around at the rest of his team and saw that none had any huge reaction. He scoffed and reluctantly followed Grimm on his Thousand-eyed Carcinus to go back to the previous burrow to search for another path.

...

Ten years later.

Still on the mission to explore the pa.s.sageways of the Burrow World, Grimm was astounded by the sight of the ice-mud burrow. "Is this a whole new path, or are we back to the Slush Burrow when we first explored the burrows?"

The Myna chipped in confidently, "We'll know if there's a frost jellyfish burrow behind this."

Saris, Nairo, Lou Linman and the rest of the Demon-hunting Sorcerers nodded. Grimm too nodded at the suggestion. He led his team to continue on to the pa.s.sageway above and found no burrow of the frost jellyfish. It was a new route.

...

Thirty years later.

In these thirty years, Grimm, like the rest of the Demon-hunting Sorcerers, were hard at work completing his mission in the expedition to earn Sorcerer Essences which would enhance his abilities in the future.

For thirty years, Grimm had led the small team of Demon Hunters in and out of the Burrow World twelve times. As the captain of the small team, he had earned a hundred and twenty Sorcerer Essences, as well as countless other specimens.

The rich diversity of the Burrow World even shocked some of the old sorcerers that had served many demon-hunting expeditions!

Completing missions was the primary source of earning Sorcerer Essences for the Demon-hunting Sorcerers. For most of the Demon-hunting Sorcerers, getting an honor badge was a great bonus, but not exactly on top of their agenda.

But of course, as they improve their abilities, getting the honor badge would become easier.

After handing in the mission scroll, Grimm looked at his team members.

Among the ten teammates, other than Saris and Lou Linman who were always behind Grimm, the rest of the members had been swapped numerous times. There were always fresh new faces.

Nairo too chose to leave after four missions with Grimm.

Apparently, she was called on by a senior in her academy.

In these thirty years, every time he entered a new burrow in the Burrow World, Grimm felt that he had entered a whole new world to do his mission. He was primarily cautious, and with the Thousand-eyed Carcinus by his side, he had never made any mistake that was irreparable.

After going through missions after missions, Grimm gradually felt that his body has been developed to the max. The crystal ball estimated Grimm's attack strength has peaked at seven hundred and eighty points!

At such a standard, Grimm had not only recovered his weakness from being imprisoned in the Seven Rings, he had even surpa.s.sed his peak during the Shadow World.

The ice marrow crystallization spell, which Grimm had trained for more than a year once again formed on top of his forehead beneath the Mask of Truth. It was emanating a chilling air.

The crowd gathered around.

Grimm explained in a serious manner. "I will soon prepare for a long term experiment as well as a battle. Not to keep things from you guys, the great Black Isotta informed me earlier that he will a.s.sign me to carry out a special mission. Therefore, I need to be ready for this."

Grimm let out a quiet sigh at the end of his speech.

Black Isotta's mission was not going to be easy.

After hearing that the Black Isotta was going to give Grimm a special mission, the crowd's eyes grew envious in secret. Some of the Demon-hunting Sorcerers who were not so close with Grimm still respected his leaders.h.i.+p for all these years.

After some well-wis.h.i.+ng, he left on his own.

"Stinking Myna, I'll see you around. Someday your stomach will be the cause of your death, you glutton!" Leafie the parrot bode them farewell.

The Myna extended its winds. Although it didn't show it, there was some sadness in its heart. "Mind your own business, you lowly parrot."

Anyone would bound to have a connection after quarreling for thirty years.

In the end, Grimm once again stood on the square of the void fortress alone.