Alfonso looked at the cane and didn't see anything unusual, however, he did feel that the cane was heavier than usual.

"This red gas…" Though Alfonso.

He turned towards Deko who was gasping for air.

"Where did you get this red gas?" Said Alfonso.

"…" Deko didn't answer.

"Said it, or I will use the cane to drain the last bit of soul power you have on you" Said Alfonso.

"Wait… I will… I will… just… put that thing away" Said Deko.

"Ok" Said Alfonso.

Alfonso put the cane away and waited for Deko to catch his breath.

After some seconds, Deko managed to stand up.

He looked at Alfonso and sighed.

"Just for the record, I just wanted to have the upper hand in the negotiation" Said Deko.

"I know" Said Alfonso.

"You knew?" Asked Deko.

"Although I haven't fight a lot, I do have some experience in life and death battles, I know when people are prepared to kill" Said Alfonso.

"Then, did you have to do this?" Said Deko while signaling his hand.

"I didn't, you were the one to grab my cane, nobody grabs my cane without paying a price" Said Alfonso.

"You are just being pity" Said Deko.

"It's time for you to talk" Said Alfonso.

Deko looked at Alfonso.

"You should be proud"

"Why?" Asked Alfonso.

"There are few people who can grasp the greed of the monarch of the third circle" Said Deko.

"So he already knows that I came…" Though Alfonso.

"You don't look so surprised"

"I came to hell in order to visit the monarch in the first place" Said Alfonso.

"Visit huh?" Said Deko with a small smile.

"So, the monarch of the third circle gave you that red gas?" Asked Alfonso.

"To be more precise, I bought it from him" Said Deko.

"Does he sells this red gas?" Asked Alfonso.

"Yeah, although, it's not cheap" Said Deko.

"How does he obtain this gas?"

"I don't know, however, it seems that this something that he stole from her" Said Deko.

"Her?" Asked Alfonso.

"Lucy's sister" Said Deko.

"Lucy…" Said Alfonso.

"Although, there are few people who are allowed to call her like that" Added Deko.

"What do you mean?"

"You know how do we call her here?"

"How?"

"Queen of Darkness" Said Deko with a bitter smile.

"Queen of Darkness.." Repeated Alfonso.

"I assume that she is from a lower circle" Said Alfonso.

"You bet… she is from the three great circles" Said Deko.

"The three great circles?"

"Here in hell, the first three circles are called lower circles, 99% of the people who died, including champions, end up here"

"As for the other 4 circles, the… things there, are usually things that were born in hell in the first place, they like to call themselves… pure blooders" Said Deko.

"Pure blooders? What a joke" Said Alfonso.

"I know, however, they take pride on that title" Mocked Deko.

"However, among those in the upper circles… there are a few… exceptions"

"Those sisters, Lucy and Carmine, are one of those"

"Exceptions?"

"Yeah, they weren't originality from hell, however, their domain in the death soul arts are top notch even among the pure blooders" Said Deko.

"Lucy gain her reputation about one thousand years ago when she gravely injured the monarch of the six circle, it was one hell of a news" Said Deko.

"She… she injured a monarch… and the one of the sixth circle!?" Alfonso was astonished.

"Yep, everyone thought that she was going to become the new monarch, surprisingly, she didn't, even more, she went down one level, and made her home the 7th circle" Said Deko.

"However, there wasn't any news of her since them… unless until two years ago, when her sister, carmine, suddenly appeared as the guard of the monarch of the third circle" Added Deko.

"She was visible injured, however, she seemed to look at something, something that the monarch was hanging on his neck"

"One could easily deduce that the thing in the monarch's neck was from her, as for how did he got his hands on it, I don't know"

"Since then, Lucy, as well as her sister, stayed here in the lower circles"

"What was it? The thing that the monarch took out from Carmine?" Asked Alfonso.

"If I remember correctly… it looked like a pendulum…" Said Deko.

"I knew it" Thought Alfonso.

"However, how did Carmine get her hands on that pendulum in the first place?" Though Alfonso.

"You don't have more questions, yes?" Asked Deko.

"One more" Asked Alfonso.

"What?"

"How do I get to the third circle… the faster the better" Said Alfonso.

He didn't want to lose more time in the first circle.

"Well, the usual way is to pay Caronte" Said Deko.

"Too much time" Said Alfonso.

Deko though for some seconds.

"Mmm… well, another option could be to ask someone from the third circle to take you there" Said Deko.

"I don't understand"

"You see, usually, there isn't that much difference between a pure blooders and a normal creature that came to hell… in those few differences, one of them is that pure blooders, can teleport immediately to their own circle whatever they feel like, for example, a pure blooder can't teleport to any circle, however, if there is one here, he could immediately go to his own circle… although, if this pure blooder was in the fourth circle, he can't teleport himself back to his own circle" Said Deko.

"That's one hell of an ability" Said Alfonso.

"Sure is it" Said Deko.

"Is a shame that there are none pure blooders in the first circle" Added Deko.

"None!?" Asked Alfonso.

"No, not even one, believe, I know every single person that is currently on the first circle" Said Deko.

"No way… then…"

"There is a third option, however, I don't recommend it" Said Deko.

"What is it?" Asked Alfonso.

Deko looked at Alfonso direct into his eyes.

"Carmine" Said Deko.

"Carmine?" Asked Alfonso.

"This is just a rumor, however, I heard that she has an artifact that can cross between circles faster than the boat of Caronte" Said Deko.

"The monarch should have taken out that artifact for himself" Said Alfonso.

"Yeah, he could… if it wasn't for the fact that this artifact can only be used by his or her owner and cannot be used by others, even if the owner dies" Said Deko.

"…But even so… Carmine IS in the third circle" Said Alfonso.

Deko smiled.

"I wouldn't be so sure, my friend"