Chapter 112: Raphael

After Naimi Xisi collected the few dozen grams of Hell Oil from the ground, he couldn't help but marvel at how wealthy the former owner of this "Scale Armor Heaven" must have been, or perhaps three ten‑thousand years ago such a rare commodity as Hell Oil wasn't valuable at all?

Just these few dozen grams of Hell Oil are enough for Naimi Xisi to craft a tremendously powerful Magic Item; one of Hell Oil's most basic functions is to grant the Magic Item bizarrely strong abilities according to the user's will.

Because Hell Oil possesses the alchemical property known as "Perfect".

For example, the vast majority of Frelen Magic Items essentially function by releasing a spell x times, a presentation that aligns well with the goals of novice Mage enchantments.

They merely need to sacrifice a sufficient price to the Magic Net, and they can imprint a Spell Model that automatically restores Spell Slots each day onto a Magic Item.

Under normal circumstances, ordinary Mage Spell Slots are extremely scarce, so such Magic Items that increase the number of castings are especially attractive to them.

But beyond this form, many Magic Items also possess bizarre functions, such as the necromancy staff in Naimi Xisi's hand—which can double the effect of Animate Dead.

This enchantment cannot be found in any existing spell, and naturally cannot be achieved by imprinting a Spell Model.

At such times, Mages still need to resort to sacrifice, and unlike imprinting a Spell Model, realizing this imagined function requires supplying the Magic Net with an enormous amount of magical gems—or human lives.

And this price is unaffordable for ordinary people; only Drow elves living in a slave society can easily afford it.

It is said that some Archmages possess a powerful Magic Item called the "Supermagic Staff", which can add potent supermagic effects to spells, achieved by sacrificing large quantities of magical gems.

Of course, truly top‑tier Archmages have a more convenient and economical method: using this Hell Oil from the infernal realm—just a few dozen grams can bestow a Magic Item with wondrous functions that Spell Models cannot achieve.

And this is possible precisely because of Hell Oil's "Perfect" property; its universal black liquid can serve any role in the forging process, no matter how fanciful the imagination, provided one has sufficient enchanting skill.

After a brief rest, the three of them passed through the room and then traversed several halls that harbored lethal threats.

There was a room dominated by a black‑skinned tree about 20 feet tall and encircled by a 10‑foot radius. Its massive roots protruded from the soil like poisonous snakes. Though the tree itself remained still, when the three entered, the roots were instantly ripped from the earth, spewing terrifying venom continuously.

There was also an open chamber whose walls were covered in reliefs, but as soon as an intruder moved, the walls on both sides would emit a flawless six‑ring spell called "Solar Flare Ray".

Fortunately, the vast majority of such magical traps are not lethal to Naimi Xisi; his reconnaissance via Arcane Sight, Plastic Energy shielding spell, and protection from the Death‑Preventing Barrier essentially eliminate any chance of being harmed by magical traps.

The only thing he was somewhat worried about was that the former owner might have left behind some guardians of terrifying power.

After dealing with a group of Purgatory Treefolk who had lived here alone for ages and gone mad, Naimi Xisi and the others opened the door leading to the final room.

The iron gate creaked open with a "creak", revealing a glass walkway before the three; the three‑meter‑wide glass path overlooked a bottomless abyss, faint roars could be heard from below, and scarlet flames flared on both sides of the walkway as if welcoming the outsiders.

Aoduo Li was about to step onto it when Naimi Xisi suddenly grabbed her. "Wait, someone seems to be over there," Jiafuna Si said with a wary expression.

Looking closely, at the far end of the several‑hundred‑meter‑long glass walkway stood a rustic iron gate, six massive chains sprawling across it, locking the central switch, and before this gate stood a man with his back to them.

The man wore aristocratic attire of red and blue, his black hair meticulously styled and swept to the nape, as if sensing the newcomers; his figure instantly vanished into a swirl of black mist.

In the next instant, he appeared before the three.

The man turned, his splendid, handsome visage displayed before everyone.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." The man's handsome face broke into a meticulous smile; he raised a hand and bowed, greeting the crowd with elegance.

"Who are you?" Naimi Xisi furrowed his brow, having detected a strange odor.

The pungent scent of sulfur, and the darkness‑filled magic of a Cambion—no mistake, Naimi Xisi was certain.

A Cambion, as the term goes, is the offspring of a devil and a humanoid race; for any Cambion, one of its direct parents must be a true devil.

Compared with tieflings—beings born of devilish influence—Cambions are undeniably a more noble race, possessing power closer to that of their devilish parent and unquestionably regarded as kin within devil society.

The power range of Cambions is extremely high, generally matching the upper limits of their devilish parents; a Cambion born of a succubus and a human may only rival low‑level adventurers, but one born of a Deep Prison Infernal (the highest devil race in Hell, counterpart to the Abyssal Balor) and a human woman can easily defeat a 12th‑level professional.

Of course, unlike tieflings who can roam Frelen freely, Cambions, like their devilish parents, are tightly restricted by the Crystal Barrier system; though not completely barred like demons, they can only project powerless images, and only after a cultist blood sacrifice can a devil possess a corporeal form in the Prime Material Plane capable of wielding power.

"A lion stands watch, a pitch‑black night, male and female hunters, no match for the beast." The elegant man recited the riddle in a lyrical, aria‑like tone.

"And I am the beast." The man flashed a dangerous smile, his sharp fangs bared, hinting at his master's cunning nature.

"Upon first meeting, you may call me Raphael."

Naimi Xisi sneered, "What beast? Clearly a Cambion."

As if confirming his words, the man gladly nodded, "Ah, indeed, a clever Juan Ce Long, you have seen through my identity."

The man withdrew his smile, his eyes bearing arrogance; even when facing a rare True Dragon, his gaze still held that self‑admiring superiority.

"I am the proprietor of the 'House of Hope', the merchant who gives the lost hope, the Lord of the Eighth Circle of Hell—son of Grand Duke Mephisto, the Eighth Circle Count of Hell—Raphael."

Sorry, time is short; I'll split the six thousand words into three chapters, with two more chapters to follow later (end of this chapter).