Chapter 219: The First S-Level Equipment Is Born!

In a darkened room, the 'Eye of Peeping Secrets' skill book dissolved into a ray of light, merging seamlessly into Novak's body.

Elsewhere in the house, Yuzuru and Kaguya were still undergoing the intense process of their job transition. Novak chose not to disturb them.

The grueling battle of the day before had allowed them to meet the needs of changing jobs. Now that the sisters' Earthbound transformation was nearly complete, Novak could feel new fluctuations of power from the skill book—particularly in his eyes, where a curious tingling pulsed.

Facing a mirror, Novak focused on his reflection. As he expected, his eyes began to shift. Strange patterns emerged around his pupils, swirling in a web that seemed to bind each eye in a mesmerizing lattice. At first glance, the change was subtle, but under scrutiny, he noticed an eerie duality—two distinct pupils forming, with a dark line extending outward into the whites. It was as though his gaze now held an intense, mysterious allure, radiating depth and power capable of penetrating any veil.

His vision sharpened with startling intensity. In an instant, the darkness around him became as clear as daylight. Gazing back into the mirror, Novak felt a pulse in his mind—a faint whisper of insight:

[Mirror: Common industrial item, composed of standard glass oxides (Na2O, CaO-SiO2); primary component: silicon dioxide…]

He blinked, and the prompt vanished. Even in those few moments, though, he realized the terrifying potential of the Eye of Peeping Secrets. The rune marks gradually faded, his pupils returning to their normal appearance. For now, it was enough to take in—the sheer torrent of information could easily overwhelm him if unchecked.

With this new power settling within him, Novak steadied his breathing and gathered a few items he'd prepared: the Duke of Hell's blood-stained head, the demon duke's crimson horns, and the crafting blueprint for the 'Shepherd's Horn'. He reached out, summoning the flames of hell itself, which began to burn with a fierce, otherworldly glow.

In his hand, a crystal the size of a fist shimmered like jet-black obsidian—the dark crystal treasure also known as Dark Spar he'd received from Aga Reiss. 

It's a pity that Aga Reiss doesn't have the fabled Phoenix feathers and the Flame Core. 

After all, as the Lord of Eternal Night, he held dominion over darkness, not fire. For those rare items, Novak would have to seek out other demon lords from the upper Abyss floors or barter with Zogwort.

Though the 'Shepherd's Horn' would be a formidable creation, Novak felt his anticipation swell for the 'Wings of Underworld Flame' blueprint. Winged armor was a rare and invaluable treasure, and he knew that once crafted, they would provide an unparalleled advantage.

Shaking off stray thoughts, Novak turned his attention back to the items in his possession. Even with the power of the Duke of Hell Zepar weakened by the Cosmic Will, the severed head in his hands still bore the aura of a true Duke of Hell. It seemed like the perfect component for the blueprint he was determined to bring to life.

For Novak, anything below S-rank was no longer worth collecting. It might sound arrogant, but it was simply the truth.

It was almost surreal—Novak couldn't have imagined that his power would reach these heights in just a month since the apocalypse began. Exhaling slowly, he let himself savor the moment, then refocused. With the crafting blueprint in hand, he summoned its power. A pitch-black light engulfed everything around him in an instant.

This was the power of the Cosmic Will—stronger than any divine force and far more elusive. He could feel the blueprint's energy drawing everything together, each component merging under the dark light. Though barely visible in the shadows, he could sense the hellfire's potent fusion wrapping and binding the materials together, slowly shaping the item.

This hellfire, a gift from Aga Reiss, held a unique destructive brilliance. Even as a true demon, Aga Reiss was bound by the original Satan and gained control over the eternal flames of the underworld. These materials were unparalleled—true divine-grade hellfire, an elite dark crystal, and the prized demon horns of an Emperor-level Duke of Hell. If this combination couldn't forge an S-rank 'Shepherd's Horn', Novak might have grounds to accuse the cosmic will itself of foul play.

As if responding to his unspoken complaint, the dark light began to fade, replaced by a dazzling, multicolored glow—a sign of the item's S-rank quality, courtesy of the Cosmic Will. 

Novak's eyes lit up with excitement.

In his previous life, S-rank gear was rare but familiar to him; he'd acquired a few, often with the help of the Dark Goddess Hell Rose. But now, here he was, producing one himself. In the very first month of the apocalypse, he'd forged an S-rank item, infused with the power of a demon emperor.

He licked his lips as he gazed at the item before him. To his surprise, it wasn't what anyone would expect from a helmet or typical headgear—it was a pair of dark horns, radiating with formidable energy.

Without hesitation, Novak picked up the horns and equipped them. Instantly, they seemed to meld into his own head, as if they had always been part of him. The sheer magic of S-rank equipment was apparent in every detail. Novak focused, and all the stats and properties of the 'Shepherd's Horn' flowed into his mind.

[Hell's Call—Shepherd's Horn (S-Rank)]

[Armor – Head]

🔹 Stats:

Spirit +30%Spirit Power +65 (Current Level: 5)

🔹 Abilities:

Devil's Horn – Increases spell chanting speed by +80% and casting power by +30%.Devil's Raving – The wearer hears faint devilish murmurs continuously. Each day endured grants +1 permanent Mental Power.Shepherd – Grants control over beings with lower Mental Power. Effectiveness scales with the user's mental strength.

🔹 Equip Requirement:

Mental Power ≥ 300

🔹 PS: This is your key to Hell...

"HISSS!!"

Novak took a sharp breath, his pulse quickening.