CHAPTER 335: THE MIST FEELS LIKE MINE

Zain stepped through the gate first, followed closely by Velra, Savra, and Zelia.

The metal doors behind them shut with a heavy clang, cutting them off from the city.

Now they were inside the Outer Zone of the Devil Nest.

The land ahead looked strange.

The ground was cracked and black, the rocks twisted in shape.

The air shimmered faintly with a red mist that slowly swirled like smoke.

Zain stopped after just a few steps.

He reached out with his senses, trying to feel the ether in the air.

A deep frown formed on his face.

He slowly inhaled, letting the strange ether enter his body to test its effect.

But instead of burning him or weakening his body like the guards warned...

...it did the opposite.

The red mist sank into his skin, and his body absorbed it completely.

No pain or even corrosion on his body.

Only a strange, familiar warmth.

Zain clenched his fists.

This ether... It’s 95% the same as mine. The Heavenly Demon Ether.

Velra stopped walking too. She looked around, confused. "Wait... isn’t this..."

She turned quickly toward Zain.

"Zain. This ether... it feels almost like yours, doesn’t it?"

Zain gave a slow nod. "Yeah. It’s really similar. Almost the same as mine."

Zelia and Savra turned to face him.

Savra crossed her arms. "The same, huh? That’s rare."

"Ether usually has different traits. Even corrupted zones don’t match someone’s exact energy."

Zelia added, "For it to feel that close... It’s not a coincidence."

Velra gave a small smile. "Well, I guess those supreme weren’t wrong. This really is the perfect place for you."

Zain let out a short breath and smirked. "Yeah. Perfect."

He looked ahead into the deeper mist. "Let’s keep moving."

Without another word, the girls followed him.

No one hesitated.

As they walked, Zain’s mind kept spinning.

’Even if the ether here is corrosive and poisonous, it shouldn’t match mine.’

’Corrupted ether always has different patterns. Different energy structures. But this...’

He looked down at his hand. A strand of red mist brushed across his skin.

Instead of burning him or causing pain, it simply sank into his palm.

It was absorbed completely without resistance.

’This ether... it reacts like it was made for me.’

Zain wasn’t afraid but curious.

He clearly knew that his ether wasn’t natural. It didn’t exist in this world until he made it.

Using his system, he had fused the local world’s ether with his past life’s Heavenly Demon qi.

That fusion became his unique energy, Heavenly Demon Ether.

It was a personal creation. A secret power that only he should have.

There was no way the same qi could exist in this world.

No one else had lived the life he had. No one else had the system. No one else had the knowledge.

And yet, this mist felt almost the same.

Zain narrowed his eyes.

’So what’s hiding in this Devil Nest...?’

He was going to find out.

---

As they moved deeper into the Outer Zone, the red mist thickened.

Velra looked around. "It’s getting heavier."

Savra took a deep breath and stretched. "Feels like home."

Zelia had her hand on her blade the whole time, silent but alert.

Zain walked ahead, calm and focused. The strange feeling in his body hadn’t faded.

The ether here still responded to him. Too familiar and close to his Heavenly Demon Ether.

Then, from between twisted rocks, movement appeared.

A group of devils came out, ten of them.

They looked like beasts, but not normal ones.

Their bodies were twisted.

Some had extra limbs, others had no eyes but large jaws.

Their skin was rough, covered in spikes and patches of black scales.

Red mist poured out of their bodies like steam.

Velra made a face. "Ugh. Gross."

Zelia spoke softly. "Mutated too far. No mind left."

Savra smirked. "Zain, you’ve never really seen me fight before, right?"

Zain glanced at her. "No. Not seriously."

She cracked her knuckles. "Then watch closely."

Zain smiled. "Sure. Show me, Savra."

Savra stepped forward, her heels clicking against the stone.

The devils let out strange growls and charged toward them.

Savra didn’t move at first.

Then she raised one hand, and the ground lit up.

[Sacred Flame Rite]

A ritual circle appeared under her feet, glowing in patterns of red and gold.

Lines spread out like fire veins, forming a full ring. Her flame aura surged.

"The boost is ready," she said calmly. "Let’s burn."

She raised her other hand and flicked her finger.

[Flame Invocation]

A burst of flame spells erupted at once.

From that one flick, over a dozen flame bolts shot forward like arrows.

Each one burned with sacred fire, glowing brighter within the ritual zone.

The devils screamed as the flames hit them.

Some tried to charge through, but more fire came, flame arcs, lances, and waves.

One after another, in rapid-fire.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground shook slightly from the heat.

Zain watched closely. "Not bad."

Velra whistled. "She’s not holding back at all."

Zelia nodded. "Efficient."

Savra didn’t stop.

She flicked her finger again, and three more lances of flame pierced through the remaining devils.

They dropped to the ground, their bodies smoking.

The red mist around them began to break apart.

Savra stepped forward again, fire swirling at her feet, and waved her hand.

The flames vanished instantly.

She turned to Zain. "So? What do you think?"

Zain smiled. "You’re better than I expected."

She placed one hand on her hip and smiled. "Told you. I don’t follow anyone weaker than me."

Velra laughed. "Looks like she’s trying to impress the boss."

Savra gave a wink. "Maybe."

Zain walked past the burning corpses. "If that was your warm-up, then keep it coming. We’ve just started."

They all moved forward again.

More red mist swirled ahead.

And somewhere deeper... stronger devils were waiting.

But now, Zain had no doubts.

His girls could fight.

And Savra had just shown them why she was the former leader of Flame God Cult.