Divine Awakening: My Game Drops Increase Infinitely-Chapter 127 : Second Journey to Hell (1)

The passage where Axton had been teleported to led straight into the realm of the undead — and back again.

That alone meant one thing.

The undead still had a path connecting their realm to the City of Anarnia. They could launch an attack at any time if they wished.

That realization tightened Axton's chest. If the undead could still invade, then Queen Lamia must have sent him here for a reason.

Perhaps she wanted him to close the passage entirely, or maybe she intended for him to enter and slay whatever lingering undead still hid inside. Axton wasn't sure which one was true.

"I'll just check the place out," he muttered under his breath, his voice echoing softly in the eerie silence. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"See what's going on in there."

He stepped closer to the entrance, his eyes narrowing as a low rumble echoed from within.

The sound grew louder, like heavy footsteps scraping against stone. Axton paused mid-step, his instincts flaring.

The faint aura coming from the passage wasn't human. It wasn't undead either. It was something… mixed.

Then, a figure appeared from the darkness of the tunnel — walking out with a confident stride. The glow from the torches caught on his armor and weapons, reflecting sharp glints of light.

The man grunted in frustration, brushing off ash and blood from his sleeve. "Tch! These undying creatures are a pain in the ass," he said out loud, his voice rough but familiar. "I've lost count of how many times I had to kill them."

Axton froze instantly.

That voice… he knew it. He blinked several times, his hand unconsciously tightening around the hilt of his Bone Blade.

The man hadn't noticed him yet, too occupied muttering curses about the undead. But Axton couldn't mistake that face — rugged, scarred, and filled with the same bold arrogance he remembered from before.

After all, this was the very man responsible for Axton obtaining his Earth Dragon in the first place.

His eyes widened in disbelief. "You…?"

The man finally turned toward him, his brow furrowing before recognition flashed in his eyes.

"Jackal… the Hunter," Axton said slowly, almost to confirm it himself.

Hearing his name, Jackal raised his head fully and smirked. "You know m—oh?" His grin widened as realization struck. "It's you. The little brat that messed with the Great Wolf. Hahaha!"

Axton was left speechless.

Of all the people he expected to see here, Jackal was the last. The last time they met, the man had been gravely injured and on the verge of death.

"How are you still alive?" Axton asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Last I remember, you were seriously wounded and barely breathing."

Jackal only shrugged, as if that incident was no big deal. "Heh. I told you, didn't I? I knew you were different. You had great potential — I could feel it even back then."

There was something about the way Jackal spoke — confident, nonchalant, but with the experience of someone who had survived countless near-deaths.

Even now, standing in front of him, Axton couldn't help but feel a strange respect for the man.

Jackal exhaled and gestured toward the dark passage behind him. "This city is cursed. I'm sure you're already aware of that much."

Axton nodded slightly. The air here was heavy — he could feel the lingering presence of dark magic all around.

Jackal continued, his voice lowering. "Only by killing the undead creatures inside can we permanently lift the curse."

Axton turned his gaze toward the tunnel once more. He could still hear faint groans echoing from within, the restless whispers of spirits that refused to rest.

"But there's a problem," Jackal added grimly.

Axton looked back at him. "What problem?"

Jackal clicked his tongue and rubbed his chin. "They're endless. You kill one, and another takes its place. It's not just a curse from the undead anymore. I have reason to believe this whole mess goes deeper — beyond the undead race."

Axton's curiosity was piqued. He folded his arms, his expression darkening. "Go on."

Jackal's eyes gleamed. "I believe the source of this curse… is connected to the Demon Race."

That caught Axton's full attention.

'Demon race?' he thought sharply, recalling his time trapped in their infernal realm. The memories flooded back — the oppressive heat, the endless cruelty, the powerful demons who ruled with no regard for life.

Jackal went on, unaware of the thoughts swirling in Axton's mind. "I've been searching for a way to confirm the connection, maybe even find a path that leads to their realm. But so far, I haven't been able to find one."

For a moment, silence fell between them. The only sounds were the crackling of distant flames and the soft hum of the cursed passage.

Then Axton finally spoke. "What if I have a way to get there?"

Jackal froze, his head snapping toward Axton. "You do?" he asked, disbelief written across his face.

Axton scratched his jaw lightly and looked to the side. "What… if?"

Jackal stared at him for a long moment, then laughed loudly. "Hahaha! You haven't changed at all. Still full of secrets, aren't you?"

"Something like that," Axton replied casually, though there was a glint of determination in his eyes.

Jackal's laughter died down, replaced by a serious tone. "Then we need to move as soon as possible. If you really have a way, it could change everything."

Axton, however, raised a hand. "There's one problem," he said quietly. "It can only take one person."

Jackal frowned. "One person?"

"Yeah," Axton confirmed. "But don't worry. I'll handle your undead problem while I'm at it. Just make sure you're ready to reward me when I get back."

Jackal smirked. "This little thief… you really haven't changed."

He didn't know if Axton was bluffing or being serious, but one thing was certain — this young man wasn't one to be underestimated. He'd seen what Axton was capable of firsthand, and if he said he could enter the Demon Realm, then Jackal was willing to trust him.

"Fine," Jackal said at last, nodding. "If you succeed, I'll make sure you're rewarded handsomely. You have my word."

Axton smiled faintly. "Good enough for me."

With that, he turned and began walking away, leaving Jackal behind as he moved toward a quieter part of Anarnia — somewhere isolated where no one would interrupt what he was about to do.

He stopped in a small clearing surrounded by crumbled walls and broken statues, remnants of Anarnia's once-majestic beauty. The faint wind carried whispers of the dead, but Axton ignored them. His focus was absolute.

Although he was now powerful — perhaps one of the strongest in the human world — he never allowed arrogance to cloud his mind. Overconfidence led to mistakes, and in Hell, one mistake could mean death.

He considered calling upon his soldiers from Atlas City to accompany him but quickly dismissed the thought.

They weren't strong enough yet.

Facing demons of that caliber would only lead them to slaughter. He would not risk their lives needlessly.

"No," he murmured to himself. "This one's mine."

He summoned his inventory window and brought out one of the glowing crimson keys — the Hell's Key.

It pulsed faintly in his hand, radiating heat and ominous energy. Even holding it too long sent tingling sensations crawling through his skin, as though his soul recognized the danger it represented.

Taking a deep breath, Axton clenched his fist and whispered, "Let's open the gate."

A red vortex swirled in front of him, expanding rapidly as black chains twisted around its edges. A chilling wind rushed through the air, howling like lost souls.

Then…

Ding!

[You have opened the Gate of Hell]

[Hell's Keys remaining: 2]

[You will be transported to a random location in Hell]

[Do you wish to continue?]

[Yes / No]

[Note: Declining will restore the Hell's Key you planned to use.]

Axton exhaled slowly.

The location he would appear in wasn't under his control, and the thought of being thrown into an unknown area of Hell might have terrified anyone else. But not him.

He had faced worse.

Maybe it was because he had grown so much stronger… or because fear no longer had any hold over him.

"Yes," he said firmly.

The moment he gave his answer, the Gate of Hell flared to life and pulled him in, devouring his entire form in a burst of crimson light before vanishing completely.

The wind stilled. The clearing fell silent once again.

And far away — deep in the endless inferno that was the Demon Realm — the skies suddenly trembled.

A dark crimson message appeared across the burning heavens for every demon to see.

The demons stopped what they were doing and stared upward in shock as glowing runes spelled out a chilling notice.

[World Announcement]

[The realm has been invaded by a human]

[Mission: Stop the Human Invasion]

[Rewards will be distributed according to contribution scores]

The notification flashed repeatedly, echoing through every region of Hell until all its denizens had seen it.

The demons murmured among themselves, some laughing, some sneering.

"A human again?" one demon scoffed.

"I heard the last one ran away screaming," another replied. "Looks like they never learn."

"Yeah," a third demon added. "They say the presence of the Ox Demon King sent him packing with his tail between his legs."

"I hope it's not the same Khan guy."

"Well, he's their strongest from what I heard when Quiala invaded them. I'm almost sure it's him again. You know, maybe he's back to heal his wounded ego."