The SSS Ranked Villain's Return-Chapter 333: Circles

4 hours later...

Stop humming, Neraxis pleaded. My heartbeat is already loud enough... It sounds like explosions are going off whenever you hum..

[My bad...] Evangeline giggled innocently. [But it kind of feels like we've been walking in circles. I was humming to measure how far we walked and what we saw on the ground. Frankly, we passed by the same spot twice in the last four hours.]

Do you think we're stuck in a loop? But Jane is leading us... he trailed off, glancing at Jane's petite back. I think after doing this over 40 times, she'd know what she's actually doing, you know?

[Ehh... I don't know... wanna ask her?] Evangeline brought up, and just as he was about to say no, she spoke up.

"Small tits, are we there yet?"

Jane's eyes widened as she turned around and placed a single finger on Evangeline's lips. "Shh... If you're going to be annoying and talk, the least you can do is whisper. I don't know what or who dwells in this forest. I only know a path to get out of here."

"So you say," Evangeline whispered back. "But we've been walking around in circles for the last couple of hours. You sure you know what you're doing?"

Jane's brows twitched. "You might not have realized what I'm doing since you're too busy flirting with your boyfriend. However, every single time a loop happens, it means I complete a circle. We're on our 7th circle now, and there's only a single one left."

"So after we cross it, we get out?" Neraxis asked.

She nodded slowly and stopped replying as she continued her walk forward.

I guess that cleared up a few things, didn't it? Neraxis remarked.

[Yeah, but why would there only be 8 circles?] Evangeline commented. [There seems to be one missing.]

His brows furrowed. What do you mean?

[Hmm... well, have you heard of hell?] Evangeline asked.

The place where evil people go? Yeah, why not. I heard that's also the nesting place of demons or something, Neraxis replied.

[Yep, and hell has 9 circles.] She took a deep breath. [Each one's worse than the last. First is Limbo—it's kind of like being forgotten by everyone you know. Very creepy. After that, you go through challenges that test your Lust, Gluttony, and Greed. Kind of like with the Sovereigns, you know?]

Oh? Do you think their origin is in hell? Neraxis mused.

[Dunno.] Evangeline shrugged and continued. [Anyways, starting from the 5th circle, your beliefs are tested, then your moral compass, and finally your mind. There are trials for each, but I don't know most of them. I was only stuck in Limbo before I managed to break out.]

His eyes widened. You broke out of hell...? I feel like that's a story you should've maybe brought up during dinner, no?

[Hehe...] Evangeline trailed off. [Maybe. But I still have other stories to share... but aside from that, the 8th circle has something to do with deception. As for the final circle... I don't know. I don't think anyone knows, if I'm being honest. It's a close-guarded secret between the higher demons.]

Hearing her mention all these things made him realize how little he knew. He was stuck on his world where the strongest people barely reached Saint rank. And yet, there were millions, if not billions or trillions of other worlds out there.

I really need to wrap things up in my home world and get out. But I need to secure my family somehow. I don't want them being killed while I'm away.

But since Evangeline brought up the fact that there were 9 circles in hell, and likely 9 circles here, he couldn't help but feel like there was some sort of connection.

After all, why else would the Sovereign of Lust, Violet, be here?

A few minutes passed, and finally, Jane halted, turning to the two of them with an exhausted expression.

"We crossed all the circles. We can leave now," she announced.

Yet as he looked around, he couldn't help but feel as though nothing had changed. It was still eerie, and it almost seemed as though if he kept going, he'd find something.

Maybe even the entrance to hell.

Neraxis chuckled. Probably not. That might be too far-fetched. But whatever, we're done here.

"So how do we get out?" Neraxis asked.

"We walk," Jane replied plainly. "The same way we came from."

"...?" Neraxis tilted his head, but just as he was about to ask more questions, Evangeline stepped in.

"What happens if we continue going forward?"

Jane's brows furrowed. "Nothing. We repeat the loop. Do you want to spend hours here again?"

Even though Neraxis didn't have his usual abilities that came with his affinity, he was able to tell one thing—and that was the fact that she was lying.

If anything, from the way she carried herself, it seemed as if she was really bad at lying, since even Evangeline noticed it.

"Small tits..." Evangeline muttered, narrowing her eyes. "You said 16 expeditions managed to pass this place. How many died in the next part?"

Jane looked on in silence before finally answering.

"Eleven."

"And after that?"

"Four."

"...So only one was left in the end? What happened to them?" Evangeline asked suspiciously. "For a group who managed to get that far, it just doesn't add up, you know?"

"...It's none of your concern—"

Before Jane could even finish her words, Evangeline summoned a blood javelin and threw it right at her.

Jane's brows furrowed as she raised a hand, catching the javelin in midair.

However, that was exactly what Evangeline was aiming for, as the javelin lost its shape and turned into blood before traveling up Jane's arm.

A frown appeared on her face as she attempted to get the blood off by purifying it—and to no one's surprise, it worked.

She was much stronger than them, and he didn't even want to try guessing her level.

But now, judging from her expression, and that she had entered a fighting stance...

She might be a little angry.