A Sorcerer's Journey 405 An Expedition into the Infernal Spirit World I

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Grimm, Wicky, Solumn, Millie, and Claudia flew back to the headquarters of the Dark Demon-Hunters.
Since they knew precisely when the Demon-Hunting expedition would begin, the five of them went ahead after registering themselves with no time to waste.
However, at the huge hexagonal rooftop deck of the Dark Sorcerer headquarters, there were already a million other Dark Demon-Hunter Sorcerers gathered.
There were still Dark Demon-Hunter Sorcerers coming in from all directions.
The sheer number of the sorcerers was amazing.
Normally, a Void Fortress that spanned ten kilometers could hold about a hundred thousand Dark Demon-Hunter Sorcerers while some of the larger Void Fortresses that were twenty kilometers in width could hold anywhere from twenty to thirty thousand sorcerers. But now…
The five-men party landed on a relatively open area on the deck.
Grimm's Rank-1 Honor Badge caused a huge commotion. Wherever Grimm led Wicky, Solumn, Millie, and Claudia, the Dark Sorcerers around them who could feel his presence would stare at them. They would even take a few steps back to clear a path for them.
His presence made Wicky, Solumn, Millie, and Claudia, who were following him feel astonished. The feeling of constantly being watched by the many Level 1 and 2 Demon-Hunter Sorcerers at the same time felt overwhelming.
A sorceress that had a Rank-3 Honor Badge saw Grimm. There were a few mechanical marionettes hovering around her.
That…
It was indeed the aura of a Rank-1 Honor Badge!
The green-eyed sorceress was amazed! At the same time, she held off two of the mechanical marionettes that were about to fly ahead of her with her will. She disappeared into thousands of green leaves and reappeared in front of Grimm.
"O' Respected Demon-Hunter, you've got a Rank-1 Honor Badge, which means that you could enter the Battle Command room of the Void Fortress and draw up the plans with them for this Demon-Hunting expedition. Are you heading to the Void Fortress's Battle Command room right now?"
Grimm nodded. Beneath the Mask of Truth, he replied calmly. "Naturally."
So, a sorcerer who had earned a Rank-1 Honor Badge could bypass the procedure of choosing their own missions like the Dark and Bright Sorcerers on deck?
It made sense.
After all, a sorcerer who had earned a Rank-1 Honor Badge had the privilege of sending out direct missions to the Battle Command based on his own experience and understanding of the Foreign World Expedition.
With such a privilege, why would he wait for the Battle Command's arrangement like a typical sorcerer who had only earned a Rank-2 or 3 Honor Badge?
On the other hand.
A mechanical marionette guided Claudia to a distant place. It must be due to her Rank-3 Honor Badge. Only Wicky, Solumn, and Millie remained.
The Level 2 green-eyed sorceress who had earned a Rank-3 Honor Badge was summoning a mechanical bee through the Battle Command.

Grimm said to Wicky, Solumn, and Millie. "When the time comes, you should follow the orders of the Battle Command or arrange your own missions. Once I have obtained any clue regarding the Infernal Codec, I will send out private missions to you guys using my Rank-1 Honor Badge privilege."
"Okay."
"Um, understood."
In a brief moment that followed their agreement, a buzzing sound came from the sky.
The mechanical wings were flapping in high frequency, leaving only a shadow image. The mechanical bee came down from the sky at a high speed and landed directly in front of Grimm at an empty space on the deck.
"Please."
The green-eyed sorceress gestured with her hand.
Grimm nodded. Under the eyes of more than ten thousand Demon-Hunter Sorcerers, he flew calmly into the mechanical bee.
Kchik. The hatch on the mechanical bee was then tightly shut.
Within the hold of the mechanical bee, Grimm was the only one who occupied the ten-seater vehicle, as if it were his private ride. The pilot in charge of the mechanical bee asked, "O' Respected Rank-1 Honor Badge Demon-Hunter Sorcerer, are we going straight to the Battle Command?"
"Straight on."
After that, at his will, Little Myna appeared on his shoulder. The mechanical bee shot off at high speed.
"Caw? This is…"
The Myna was puzzled for a moment. He asked in a confused state, "Where are we headed off to?"
Grimm was holding back his laughter beneath the Mask of Truth. He felt embarrassed for the Myna and asked teasingly, "Where do you think we're headed? Hmph! How are you getting on with Leafie?"
"We're fine...caw? Pfft! What do you mean getting on! If it weren't for her forcefully pulling me out for a spin, I wouldn't be seen going around with a lowly parrot, hmph."
The Myna was smug.
A while ago, Lou Linman suddenly showed up with Leafie the parrot at Grimm's Demon-Hunter castle. Leafie invited Little Myna to play, which really inflated its ego.
Before it left, Little Myna gave Grimm a smug expression. Its tail was about to rise up to the heavens.
Grimm smiled and did not say anything further.
Grimm surveyed the surroundings. Contented, he said, "As expected from the Black Isotta. Such a huge fortress as well."
However, the mechanical bee did not fly into the deck of the Void Fortress. It merely followed a few other voidships that were flying into the underground hold of the Void Fortress.
After passing through the wide metal hold of the basement, a huge, complex metal arm swayed around the mechanical bee. The arm turned a few rounds as the mechanical bee came in for a landing.
Kchik. The hatch was opened.
"Follow me, master."
There was already a Level-1 Sorcerer waiting at the hatch of the mechanical bee. The Sorcerer did not mind that Grimm was also a Level-1 sorcerer. He called him master at first sight.
"Hmm."
Grimm nodded. He clutched his Sabbatical Goat Staff and walked towards a Level-2 sorcerer in front of him.
His Sabbatical Goat Staff hit the metallic floor, producing metallic clangs. The Void Fortress did not seem to have all its apparatus engaged.
They seemed to be lacking some kind of core…
After pondering for a while, Grimm suddenly understood.
What they lacked was a key, or a soul. This key, and soul, was the repetitive declaration by a Stigmata Sorcerer who was leading the expedition to the Principal Will of the Sorcerers World.
Figures…
Now, Grimm was no longer a stranger to the Void Fortress. Instead, it gave him a cozy feeling, as if he was at the heart of the Sorcerers World.
Even if the mechanical apparatus were under the control of some Sorcerer who wished to assassinate him, it would be impossible as he had already gained the attention of the Principal Will of the Sorcerers World.
"Master, the Battle Command is right ahead."
The sorcerer in charge of welcoming Grimm stopped in his footsteps and pointed at a huge door ahead of them.
"Hmm."
Grimm nodded and strutted towards the huge metallic door.
A few red-colored rays landed on top of his body. There was even a red spot for Little Myna. It was some kind of investigating device made by the Mechanical Sorcerers.
With but a simple move of Grimm's own will, which was as easy as summoning Little Myna, the red lights were switched off in an instant.
Kchak, kchak, kchak.
Three energy cannons, loaded with extremely terrifying armaments pointed downwards. Grimm passed through two powerful magical arrays as if they were clear bubbles. They did not pose any threat to Grimm at all.
Kchik! The huge metal door that led to the Battle Command opened.
Grimm, as well as Little Myna who was perched on his shoulder, took a peek inside.
A queen-ant class mechanical marionette led six soldier-ant class mechanical marionettes and bowed at Grimm. However, since the queen-ant class mechanical marionette did not take the shape of a human, its posture was extremely bizarre.
Generally, a queen-ant class mechanical marionette was the pinnacle of mechanical marionette technology. Its value meant that it could no longer be used as cannon fodder.
On both sides of the door, the hideous-looking creeping vines could sense Grimm's Sorcerer's Will and brushed themselves against Grimm like a kitten.
Grimm raised his left hand.
He gently petted the greasy and hideous-looking vines like his own pet. The colorful vines then retreated with contentment.
At this moment, the sorcerers who were busy planning and assigning missions looked at Grimm.
"Hmm? A low-level sorcerer with a Rank-1 Honor Badge?"
There was nothing strange about a Rank-1 Honor Badge Sorcerer appearing in the room.
Basically, after one or two missions, a few Rank-1 Honor Badge Demon-Hunter Sorcerers would show up. But normally, those were Level-3 Demon-Hunter Sorcerers who were specially invited by Stigmata Sorcerers.
For the Level-3 Demon-Hunter Sorcerers, it was easier to earn a Rank-1 Honor Badge through completing special missions assigned by some of the more powerful white-robed sorcerers' organizations. On the other hand, for a Level-3 sorcerer to earn an Honor Badge by changing the tide of a Demon-Hunting expedition?
Common sense would dictate that it was almost impossible.
If a Stigmata Sorcerer could not achieve it, how could a Level-3 great sorcerer do it?
Other than pure skills and intelligence, luck was also an essential part of earning a Rank-1 Honor Badge.

Chapter end