Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer

------62nd floor, deserted precipice mine area.

Tenji appeared there with Flame Demon-sensei and Snow Demon-sensei by his side.

With the area riddled with such harsh environment and so many adverse effects, it became a no man’s land. Except Tenji and his group, not a single soul could be seen there.. Only a strong gust of wind swept through the narrow valley.

There, Tenji approached Flame Demon and roamed his hand around him to get a feel of its name. Once he had confirmed what he had to, he looked up at the Flame Demon---who was slighter taller than even himself---and said, "What kind of ascension effect did you receive?"

"Hmm~......It seems so. It is this."

Hearing Tenji's genuine curiosity filled question, Flame Demon turned to face the other side of the cliff. He fixed his gaze on the plains on the other side and held his hand over the sword fixed on his hip.

"Does this sword have any name?"

"Hmm~......yes. It's a sword given to all the members when they started to work as low-ranking prison guard, so it's called torture blade. And yes, it's one of those mass produced swords so it's not that amazing."

"Oh~? Sounds incredible.---Ah, sorry. I interrupted you,"

"No, it's nothing much......then, I am starting."

The gentle expression of the Flame Demon suddenly tensed. The thumb of his left hand holding the scabbard pushed up the 'tsuba' ever so slightly. Following that, a momentary flash of light radiates, showing the reflection of metal. His stance was much more refined than even Tenji, as if he had practiced it for thousands of times already.

Then, the Flame Demon silently inhaled the hair and turned to gaze into the distance with sharp eyes.

"------«Hell Flame Bloom»."

Shiiin! with a strang strength, the sword was swiftly drawn out. The sudden violent drawing caused the red sparks to scatter around from the gap between sword blade and scabbard.

Following the swift and refined movement as Flame Demon completely pulled out his sword, a reddish-black Flame sphere materialized in the air which flew in the direction the sword was drawn.

"Ohh, a long-range attack? That's amazing."

"No, No. It's not that great."

Flame Demon coolly slide the sword back into its scabbard while playing out humble. Though, Tenji had yet to see the real shocker. Boom! The Flame sphere suddenly exploded in the mid-air, creating a beautiful black and red shade flower from the explosion.

"---Ahh, that startled me.......but an explosion huh."

"Yes......lower hell guard's «Hell Flame Bloom» bloomed the flowers of the dead at the end. That should be the reason I guess."

"I see, so something like a tribute to the dead?"

"No......it's a bit different. It blossomed from within the bodies of the deceased. In other words, it got its name since it turns the target into chunks of fleshes. It looks beautiful, isn't it?"

"Ah......is that so."

'Ah, should have expected. As someone born in the hell, there's no way they will have sane moral compasses,' Tenji mussed internally. Then, he turned his gaze towards the Snow Demon who had slipped under the shade of a nearby boulder as he glared at the dryness begrudgingly. Seeing him murmuring, Tenji strained his ears only to hear Snow Demon complaining 'Just destroy the sun, just......"

(......He really isn't good at handling heat huh? Well, for me, this temperature is just about right, not too hot or cold.)

Snow Demon was a sorry sight to see, but that beautiful appearance of him generously subdued that welling pity. Tenji approached the Snow Demon with brisk pace and squatted down to put his eye level on the same as the Snow Demon.

"Can you show me your ascension skill as well?"

"It's so hot, I want to go back......if it's just for a while."

Though he looked extremely reluctant, Snow Demon nevertheless looked straight into Tenji's eyes and replied.

With groggy steps and an expression of disgust masking his face, the Snow Demon left the shade, straightened out his crumpled clothes and stood around the Flame Demon as if confronting him. It really makes them form a lovely scene when the two of them in stark contrast to each other stood together.

"I want to go back......here I go, please listen to the Snow Demon's ascension."

(listen?)

Snow Demons jingled the prayer beads wrapped around both wrists and clapped both palms together like a buddhist monk, and let out a melodious voice, as if it was straight coming out from a musical instrument, that echoed in the valley.

"------Please bestow dead the road-less hell. «Hell Snow Sutra»."

.