Grig Tavern

Orsaga strolled casually down the street, neither provoking anyone nor being provoked.

If one ignored the occasional groups that sprang out around him and fought each other to the death, this place was practically no different from a normal city.

With one kick, Orsaga sent the two unknown species grappling before him flying hundreds of meters away. Admiring the scenery around him, he said, "What harmony. Of the tens of thousands of lifeforms on this street, only a few hundred are fighting to the death. It's so peaceful it hardly feels like the Bottomless Abyss."

"My lord, my lord."

Just as he was sighing with emotion, a voice both sleazy and fawning sounded behind Orsaga.

After a slight pause, he turned around and lowered his head toward the source of the voice.

It was a green-skinned creature a little over two meters tall, with an egg-shaped body, a tuft of white fur on its head, four legs, two arms, and eyes of every color covering its entire body.

Ugly.

That was Orsaga's first impression of it.

This little thing was ugly in a rather distinctive way...

That was Orsaga's second impression after giving it a few more looks.

Seeing how nervous it seemed, Orsaga stroked his chin and asked with some confusion, "Is there something you need?"

Faced with Orsaga's question, it rubbed its clasped hands together and pointed at the two unknown creatures lying unconscious several hundred meters away. Like a shrewd street vendor, it asked, "Excuse me, do you still want those two?"

Orsaga glanced at the two creatures and answered calmly, "No."

The moment he spoke, although the creature's appearance was indescribable, Orsaga could still sense its delight.

It said excitedly, "Then I won't disturb you any longer."

Then, in just a few steps, it ran to the two creatures and, with two sharp cracks, snapped their necks.

It happily carried off their corpses.

It was as delighted as a human who had found money on the road.

Watching this scene, Orsaga nodded in satisfaction. "What simple, honest folk. They even ask before picking up trash."

At the entrance of a shop, Orsaga stopped.

Grig Tavern

The three characters for Grig had clearly been added later. They were crooked and utterly terrible, covering several names beneath them that were probably the names of the tavern's former owners.

Yet as he looked at the tavern before him, Orsaga felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was as though, with his fantasy backdrop as a Demon, a tavern simply had to appear at this moment.

Thinking back on memories from his Previous Life, places like this usually had no shortage of stories and accidents.

Interest appeared in Orsaga's eyes. A quest trigger point from all kinds of legendary epics! I have to go in and see for myself!

So, right in front of the guard, he pushed open the door and walked inside.

The moment he entered, the sight within made Orsaga pause slightly.

"...Why is it sci-fi style...?"

Thousands of lights hung from above, giving the place a dazzling, decadent atmosphere. Several mechanical stages rose and fell in the center, and atop each stage, dozens of female creatures resembling dancers performed different dances.

The moment Orsaga saw those dancers with their wildly varied appearances, he immediately took several steps back. Their looks were truly regrettable and completely failed to meet his standards of beauty.

Still, unwilling to make the trip for nothing, he walked toward the tables.

Ignoring the noisy creatures around him, Orsaga pulled over a chair and sat down.

He casually tossed a Soul Crystal to the bartender. "Get me a drink. Keep the change."

This was an asset kindly sponsored by a passerby, although the sponsor had suffered miserably while providing it.

The bartender, who had more than a dozen arms, pinched the Soul Crystal in his hand and immediately revealed his most perfect smile. "Please wait a moment!"

Before long, the bartender poured unknown liquids from all sorts of bottles and jars, carefully mixing them in a glass.

A vividly colored drink, its surface constantly bubbling with hot vapor, was placed before Orsaga.

"Please enjoy."

Sniffing the bloody scent mixed into the drink, Orsaga raised a brow slightly. There were at least thirty kinds of blood in it.

After taking a light sip, he immediately felt a strange sense of comfort.

A flicker of pleasant surprise passed through Orsaga's heart.

He commented, "Very tasty."

The bartender smiled in reply. "I'm glad you're satisfied."

As he drank the fine liquor in his cup, Orsaga looked toward the other patrons in the tavern. He discovered that only around one-fifth or one-sixth of them were Demons, while most were other species. So he crossed his legs and listened to what the nearby creatures were discussing.

Not long afterward, he curled his lips in disdain.

It was all meaningless chatter and bragging. There wasn't a scrap of useful information...

Seeing his bored expression, the bartender hesitated for a while before asking curiously, "Are you from another Abyss Layer?"

Orsaga looked at him twice. Though he did not understand the point of the question, he still answered, "Yes."

Howling Forest should count as another layer of the Abyss, so there was nothing wrong with that answer.

The bartender sighed. "No wonder the aura of the Molten Wasteland on you is so faint. I truly envy you for being able to travel through this great world. I have never once left this tavern in my life. To me, this tavern is everything."

Orsaga smiled casually and asked absentmindedly, "Oh? Are you bound by this tavern's owner?"

"No."

With a dejected expression, he sighed.

"My parents were outsiders, not Abyss Creatures. For some unknown reason, they entered the Abyss from the outside world. But while drinking in this tavern, they got into a conflict with someone and were killed by other patrons. When the tavern attendants were collecting their bodies, they accidentally discovered that I was still alive in my mother's womb. So they raised me in this tavern and trained me as a servant."

"They have never restricted my freedom, but I know my own capabilities. If I leave this place, I basically won't be able to survive. Even if I barely scrape by, I definitely won't fare as well as I do working here as a bartender. So I have stayed here obediently all this time."

After hearing that, Orsaga cooperatively put on a face full of regret. "That truly is a pity. After all, life outside is far more colorful than it is here."

The bartender's aura was not even quite up to that of a Lower Demon. If he dared step outside the tavern, he really might die on the spot.

As the two chatted.

A sweet, seductive voice came from beside Orsaga. "Handsome, could you buy me a drink?"

Orsaga turned to look and saw a female Demon with a graceful figure gazing at him with alluring eyes.

She had two small horns atop her head, wings on her back, human-like thighs, lower legs and feet resembling goat hooves, and a long slender tail behind her that swayed gently without pause.

Her seductive face, far more enchanting than that of an ordinary human woman, carried a distinctive charm.

A barbed leather whip hung at her waist. She wore revealing armor like lingerie, covering almost nothing beyond a few important areas, making one doubt its defensive power.

A succubus, with the strength of a Lower Demon.

Orsaga looked at her and smiled indifferently. "Sure."

He took out another Soul Crystal and handed it to the bartender. "Get this beautiful lady a drink as well."

Seeing Orsaga's decisive gesture, her face blossomed into a smile, and her expression became even more seductive.

Swaying her hips, she walked to Orsaga's side. With a shift of her body, she sat on his lap without the slightest hesitation, then complained in a coquettish voice, "You're so generous. You're nothing like certain stingy bastards who would rather die than buy me a drink."

As she spoke, she began stroking Orsaga's breastplate. Looking at the Death Tribulation Flower pattern upon it, she sighed in fascination. "Even though you were sitting in the corner, you were the first one I noticed when I came in! What a beautiful pattern..."

Unconcerned by her actions, Orsaga smiled as usual. "This flower is called the Death Tribulation Flower. I'm glad you like it."

Though she was also more than two meters tall, she seemed as small as a toy in Orsaga's arms.

He lightly inhaled her fragrant scent tinged with blood.

As he touched the twin horns atop her head, Orsaga felt as though he were playing with a doll.

Seeing Orsaga smelling her scent, she asked proudly, "How is it? Isn't it fragrant? I just took a blood bath."

Orsaga nodded in agreement. "It is indeed quite good."

Taking the glass handed to her by the bartender, the succubus pressed her face against Orsaga's chest and giggled. "Unlike you Flame Demons, for us succubi, appearance is the most important thing no matter the circumstances."

At that, she raised her head and looked at Orsaga's face. A hint of confusion flashed through her expression. "Come to think of it, I've never seen such a handsome Flame Demon as you. Every Flame Demon I've seen before looked rather unimpressive, yet you're actually this handsome..."

Even by her standards, the Flame Demon before her was nearly flawless in appearance. Perhaps even elves, famed for both their beauty and their pickiness, would be unable to find any defect in him.

Orsaga shrugged nonchalantly and said calmly, "After all, I'm a mutated Flame Demon. That explains everything, doesn't it?"

The Bottomless Abyss was vast and rich in resources. What kind of freaks did it not have?

Was one handsome Flame Demon really a problem?

Don't ask. If you asked, it was the effects of mutation!

It was a universal excuse.

She merely gave him a casual glance and did not pursue the matter further. Instead, she continued chatting and teasing Orsaga, letting out bursts of charming laughter from time to time...

Much later.

Watching Orsaga leave, the seductive look on the succubus's face vanished.

She respectfully took the initiative to greet the bartender beside her. "Lord Grig, do you have any further instructions?"

Of the bartender's dozen or so hands that were wiping glasses, one casually stretched out and waved. He replied blandly, "No. You may leave."

Gazing in the direction Orsaga had departed, Grig thought with interest, A strange Flame Demon. It seems he has quite a few secrets...

Meanwhile, Orsaga, walking down the street, wore a smile and was in an exceptionally good mood.

The Bottomless Abyss really is full of talent. Every one of them is so capable, and the stories they make up are so entertaining. I truly love this place.

Next, I need to find somewhere to settle down. Looks like I'll have to randomly pick another lucky passerby...

Thanks to Wan Fo Wang for the 1,000 Qidian coins!