Eternal Thief

After sorting her emotions and shedding tears for a while, Noa finally calm down and for some reason, she felt refreshed and euphoric after releasing all of her sentiments. 

Her eyes were now clear of any doubt or hesitation, and what remained was everlasting resolve and determination. 

Noa looked behind toward Ace's direction and saw he was calmly looking at her with a faint, knowing smile on his demonic face. 

A hint of embarrassment flashed past her eyes as she complained, "I'm sorry for showing such an embarrassing sight to the Leader!" 

"Don't mention it, sometime we all have our moments." Ace said nothing else since she might take it the wrong way.

Ace wasn't a mortal brat or youngster with no experience whatsoever anymore. Although he was only eighteen, he had robbed many people of their memories and some of them lived for two centuries. This was enough to change his entire mindset and view of things in a certain way. 

"Forget it. Tell me about your new refinement technique? I'm eager to know why all the demon race is crazy about it?" 

Ace quickly change the topic, and he was also telling the truth about his interest in this refinement technique that can make a demon's body as tough as a grade weapon! 

Furthermore, from Noa, he found out that his body was probably as strong as a grade-1 weapon or even higher. Since they both interact because of his exact reason. He did not know about this since he never fought someone physically, nor was he required to. 

Besides, he had no idea how his body become so strong, even reaching this level without his knowledge, but he had his suspicions that it was related to heavenly punishment somehow, but he didn't have any solid proof. If not for the pool liquid he bathed in the duke's mansion prison, he still probably remained ignorant about this point. 

Thereby, he was planning on utilizing his powerful physique. It was just that he did not know how yet! 

Noa's eyes also shone with excitement as she recalled the Night Demon Body Transformation Technique. She nearly overlooked it because of her burst of emotions and embarrassment. 

Now that Ace mention it, she quickly arranged a large amount of information in her knowledge sea. 

However, Noa's eyes suddenly turn gloomy as the information on the Night Demon Body Transformation Technique was arranged completely. 

Ace also notice the change in Noa's emotions and asked, "What's the matter? Don't tell me you don't receive complete technique? Even if that's the case, you'll get it eventually as you progress with it." 

He was too familiar with the system's ways and this was a very normal event for him since he still had many seal skills in his knowledge sea. But he always got significant information after he progressed in them, so he never complained about it. 

"N-no, 'Goddess' gave me complete technique from 1-Star Night Demon Body to High-stage Night Demon Legendary-Grade Body. I-it… it is just that the materials needed to reach higher levels are so rare and some of them I never even heard of them before…

"Furthermore, one needed to be an alchemist to concoct the refinement liquid and the strange thing is this alchemist had to be… me or whoever cultivate this technique. I can't ask for anyone's help in the process of concocting, or I can never use the refinement liquid!" 

Ace's eyes narrowed when he heard about this particular requirement to practice this refinement technique, and it was simply asking the person to become an alchemist. 

But it was much harder said than done because alchemy was never easy and only a handful of people had a talent for it among thousands. That's why a high-level alchemist status wasn't any low than a rune crafter because both of them were too rare.

"I can still learn alchemy and even complete the requirement of possessing the same grade bloodline as the refinement liquid grade with 'thief assassin shop' help. 

"However, it even described that I had to acquire a special fire to successfully concoct refinement liquids of legendary grads! If this fire was what I'm thinking it was, then I'm destined to never possess a Legendary Demon Body!" Noa's depressed voice sounded, and her eyes become listless in the end. 

Ace's frown deepened as he asked, "What kind of fire?" 

He never heard of alchemists needing a special fire to refine anything before. As far as he could tell, those alchemists used some kind of fire stones if they don't have fire Qi in refinement. 

Ace even had the memories of blue grade alchemists, and he knows as much as a blue grade alchemist about alchemy, even if he never tried it before. He was confident in concocting blue-grade pills after some practice! 

"A Fire Spirit!" Noa's voice was a little hoarse as she spoke while clenching her fists. 

"Fire Spirit, what's that?" Ace had never heard of this name before. That's why he quickly questioned.

Noa had used to Ace's ignorance after traveling with him for days, and she knew his knowledge about this world was quite shallow as if he lived in some backward village before. 

Sometimes she even doubted his status as the Leader and how he got the approval of the Goddess? But she never dared to state her mind out loud, afraid of offending him and 'goddess'.

However, the matter regarding the fire spirit was a top-secret that was only known by the top three races of this world. Not even humans know about it despite their status! 

"It's only a legend that was reverberating in our race for the past hundred years that in the last gathering of three ancient races (Devils, Demons, Hunters), no one returned alive from the 'Fiery Hell Secret Realm' except from one Devil that was on the brink of death. 

"Rumor has it before he died, he only utter two words… 'Fire Spirit' and after that not only three ancient races become excited and almost gone mad, but they send more people to get this 'Fire Spirit' and even put a huge reward on it.

"But whoever goes after it never came back alive and like this, the fiery hell secret realm closed with no one getting their hands on this 'Fire Spirit'. But the three races' stance was clear, they will come back again for it at the next gathering when the secret realm opened again!

"However, I don't know if this was true or false since this news was leaked from the royal zone eighty or so years ago, and it was a hot topic back then. But it slowly died down as time passed. But to this day, no one has neither confirmed nor denied it. 

"My tribe was still around back then, so we naturally got the wind of this news, and it also became quite popular between us as well. That's why when I read the name 'Fire Spirit' in the requirement, my thought instantly wander to that incident.

"But I still don't know if this was merely a false rumored or true, much less snatching it from three ancient races or even come back alive from that secret realm. That's why I said I'm destined to never possess the legendary body." Noa mumbled dejectedly in the end. 

Ace's eyes shimmer with uncertainty when he heard Noa's explanation about this Fire Spirit and this 'Secret Realm'. His attention also landed on 'three ancient races gathering' as well. 

"So, you're telling me this fire spirit is something that three races wanted so bad they didn't mind paying any price? But they just don't send their elite there. If they wanted to retrieve it, why ask others?" Ace had to ask since this didn't seem right to him. 

"Who knows? I'm just like you about this as well. We demons outside the royal zone don't even know what 'Fiery Hell Secret Realm' was and where it is. If this news wasn't leaked from the royal zone, no one probably knew about these things." Noa shook her head dejectedly. 

"System, what's a fire spirit and Fiery hell Secret Realm?" Since he can't get anything out of Noa, he turned to the all-knowing system. 

"[Fire Spirit: An undying Fire born in an extreme environment filled with pure Fire Qi]

[Secret Realm: An independent space, a space fragment, a secret world, a manmade space, a…]"

Ace's eyes turned sharp and shone with astonishment and elation as he read the information about two things he just asked! He never imagined the system would disclose this kind of information so easily without batting an eye or asking for TP in return, like always. 

'Is it because my authority level increase?' Ace couldn't help but wonder.

Nevertheless, he was happy since it was a good thing, and after reading the details about those two things, especially the long list about 'Secret Realm', his heart raced. 

This suddenly broadens his horizons and understood just how much he still lacked in knowledge department and view of this world. He suddenly wanted to go there and explore this secret realm. 

"Royal Zone, huh." Ace muttered softly as his eyes shone with a thievish glint!