Chapter 25: Lava Bog
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POV - Tobias

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who decided to sleep. Rin was currently dozing off in the corner.

There probably isn’t much to do before she wakes up. Now that I’ve managed to stumble into a solution to the constant and uncomfortable heat. I can start to think about other problems.

Specifically, I think I need to find a solution to spiritual attacks. They’re currently the biggest danger we have to deal with.

I don’t believe they’ll be particularly dangerous to me, I’ve built up a spiritual defense while dealing with God-hunter’s attack. Even if they are dangerous, Rin can save me using her power.

But… if they’re targeted at Rin, they’re possibly deadly to her... and even if Rin survives the attack it potentially cause various memory problems.

… similar to the ones I have.

So, possible solutions…

I could try instructing Rin on how to create a soul defense…

Well, it’s an idea.

Not a particularly good one, but an idea all the same.

I barely know what I’m doing when messing around with my soul. I’ve been mostly acting on instinct… Nothing like the technobabble in the soul defense book.

I don’t think I can actually teach it to someone else.

From what I understand, soul defense can basically be divided into two states.

Active and passive defense.

With active requiring constant thought and focus, while passive basically is the opposite.

Passive defense instead requires a sacrifice of some memories to create a permanent barrier… but, this is all speculation.

Honestly, I can’t even assume created my defense in an efficient way. Nor can I assume that it’s safe enough to encourage Rin to use.

Other ideas?

I could have Rin practice with God-hunter and have her learn from defending against God-hunter’s spiritual attacks.

Wait… Staring downward toward God-hunter.

Isn’t it kinda dangerous to be casually carrying around something that could potentially kill Rin.

Note to self: Keep God-hunter far away from Rin.

Currently, I don’t have a clue about how strong God-hunter’s spiritual attacks are.

Unless I discover a method of controlling God-hunter’s spiritual attacks to make them weaker, attempting to use God-hunter to train Rin is a bad idea.

Thus, I can only disregarding the idea.

… Actually, do I even need to teach Rin soul defense? She seems to already know her way around this zone.

She led us right to this place… If she’s already done extensive travel through this zone, she would’ve had to encounter some type of spiritual attack through her journey through this zone.

If it’s like the story, Rin would’ve learnt to avoid those monsters until she acquired an artifact that prevented low level soul attacks.

That doesn’t really help for future zone, but… if I manage to convince Rin to spend a period of time in the residential zone before we move onward, I might be able to find a native to learn soul defense from.

That isn’t really a solution, though... Effectively, the conclusion I’ve reached is, “I’ll deal with it later…”

“Deal with what later?” Rin inquired standing right in front of me.

Errr… Whoops… Hadn’t intended to say that aloud.

Also, I wasn’t aware Rin had woken up... Or was standing in front of me… how long has she being doing that?

Carefully wording my reply, I responded. “Well… it doesn’t matter at the moment. Just thinking to myself.”

Rin observed me suspiciously, before she deciding to give up questioning me and gestured for me pack up.

I don’t think Rin bought my excuse…

…I don’t really have anything to pack up.

Maybe Rin was simply indicating she planned on packing up.

Once Rin was ready to leave, I simply followed behind her.

It’s probably going to be a long journey again… well, it probably won’t be as uncomfortable as last time.

Taking out my <Umbrella of Lies>, I opened it…

It doesn’t actually stop sunlight or heat, due to seemingly letting everything expect myself pass through it… but, I think it has a placebo effect as it makes me feel better.

Besides, it’s possible I’ll be able to eventually discover its use.

I doubt it’s actually useless… discovering it’s actual use though will probably be troublesome.

[Year 2, Day 64… eleven days later.]

We’ve arrived at the lava bog.

To describe it briefly… hmmm, it’s basically a regular swampland… but, replace all the water with lava and all the bugs and wildlife fire styled equivalents.

Like firefly type bugs literally lighting up with fire.

Birds with flaming wings…

…Ugh, then there are the trees… They absorb lava instead of water.

How does it work? How could that even work?

And that’s just the stuff I’ve noticed… What the hell was I thinking when I tried to design an entire ecosystem around fire and lava.

Also… Rin seems annoyed, again.

At least, considering the constant glance backward toward me proceeded by huffing to herself.

Honestly, I have no idea what’s bothering her.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I accidentally ignored her or something though…

Rin’s glaring at me again…

POV Swap – Rin

Glancing back at Tobias.

He’s been acting suspiciously recently.

Tobias hasn’t been talking often, constantly walking behind me, and deflecting questions… overall, it’s extremely suspicious.

Thinking back, he’s been like this since entering this zone, he’s begun.

Annoying.

He’s obviously hiding something.

Does he seriously believe he’ll be able to keep it secret? Or did he believe I wouldn’t notice?

I’ll figure it out, eventually. One way or another.

It’d be easier for both of us if he’d simply told me.

*Hmph…*

With this soul protective leather armor, it should be save enough to travel across the lava bog and to acquire herbs that can create water.

Actually, isn’t this where I initial ran into a spiritual attack?

Fortunately, it was weak. Before that though, I hadn’t realized damage could follow through a reload.

Well, it shouldn’t be a problem with this leather armor.

Once I’ve collected enough herbs, we should be free to wander about collecting the various artifacts throughout the zone.

It shouldn’t take long.

POV Swap – Tobias

Now she’s back to ignoring me… well, I suppose it’s better than glaring at me.

Still, this lava bog seems… dangerous. Even with heat resistance.

Speaking of my new basilisk powers, I’ve tried Flaming Breath and being able to shoot out flame from my mouth is extremely cool.

It was difficult to get the figure out how to activate the ability, but I can basically shoot out small puffs of flame at will.

Which, honestly, isn’t that useful… But, it’s cool!

I mean, it's flames, who doesn’t like flames.

…Actually, is that what’s annoying Rin?

How incredible my new flames are? Or could it be the fact I’m able to shoot out flames?

… I might’ve been playing with them too often.

…and I’m getting distracted.

Anyway… in the story, this lava bog served several purposes.

Firstly, to inform the reader that this seemly desolate planet actually had a fully functioning ecosystem. Thus, subverting the expectation that this planet would be entire desolate.

Secondly, to introduce an element of danger to story because this where Rin first ran into spiritual/soul attacks. (In the form of a Venus flytrap type plant.)

Finally, (and most importantly) it provided Rin with a recharging source of water. There are plants here that intake lava and release water.

Meaning that basically, we can refill our canteens and waterskins here.

Their usefulness doesn’t end there though. By taking several plants and seeds to re-plant them elsewhere, we can use them whenever we need them.

Unless you holding up in a temple, or something similar that contains water and wildlife, it’s the only option for obtaining water in this zone.

… you might be wondering why I mentioned that oddly specific example… well, holing up in a temple is effectively what Stanley and Tracy did in this zone.

I mean, it’s a valid option… but, personally, I wouldn’t recommend it. You’ll only getting weaker and have more trouble with further zones by doing that.

Although, I don’t think that particularly a problem for Stanley and Tracy. They’ve got their own problems and opportunities in that temple.

Wha… Is… is that an alligator?

It certainly seems like one.

Wow, it’s weird seeing the equivalent of alligators swimming and poking their heads above lava…

Speeding up slightly to be closer to Rin.

It shouldn’t be as dangerous near her.

Errr… I mean, I should protect Rin from such a dangerous creature.

Yea, let’s go with that.

Rin seems to be occasionally squatting downward to pick up specific plants… but, they all seem identical to me.

And I literally mean identical. I’ve watched her pick up two seemingly identical herbs, then arbitrarily choose one to keep and discard the other.

I was staring over her shoulder whist Rin’s examined them… and I can’t find a single difference between the two, they literally seems identical to the other one.

What are Rin’s criteria that decided acceptance or denial?

I can’t comprehend it… I’m not exactly a herbologist though.

[Seven hours later…]

Well, this is extremely boring.

I don’t know if Rin is simply acting careful or something…. But, nothing is happening.

No random monster attack, no random lava tsunami, nothing…

The only thing that could possible kill anyone in this swamp is boredom.

Hell, even traveling is normally more interesting than this.

While traveling we’re attacked every hour or so… although Rin normally finishes them off before I even get chance to attack it.

But, at least it's something interesting that's happening.

I want something interesting to happen.

Come on, there’s got to be some deadly beast lurking in the lava pits waiting to eat us…

… I just jinxed us didn’t I.

Whatever, it’ll probably be interesting.

While it’s entertaining to stare at Rin’s wolf-ears… it’s gotten somewhat boring due to overexposure to it.

It’s only an appendage… an interesting and different appendage, but an appendage all the same.

I mean, it’s still interesting, but… fights and dangerous stuff are more interesting.

Wait… Am I becoming an adrenaline junky?

No, I refuse to accept that.

Becoming an adrenaline junky isn’t acceptable, I’m a writer and gamer.

I laugh at adrenaline junkies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I’ll have to fix that… somehow.

This universe is dangerous enough as it is, I don’t need to be taking unnecessary risks simply because I’ve gotten bored or something equally stupid.

I mean, this lava bog is probably extremely dangerous without a guide because you might accidentally stand on loose soil or something and fall into lava… (or those crocodiles might attack you... or one of the many other things in the swamp.)

Rin still seems busy searching for various herbs. I never realized how boring a task it would be to simply go around a place and collect herbs.

Meh, I’ll discover something to entertaining, eventually.

Glancing about the lava bog lazily, I quickly discovered something interesting.

Or more accurately, I discovered something that seems dangerous.

It seems to be a gigantic turtle? Or would it be a tortoise?

I don’t know.

It’s triple my height and quadruple it in length.

It seems to be slowly dragging itself out of the lava toward us. Ummm…

Has Rin noticed this thing yet?

Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, I pointed it out to Rin.

She simply glanced in its direction then causally waved me off, indicating for me to deal with it.

Oh, wonderful.

Glancing back at the gigantic tortoise, I quickly ran through possible strategies.

Considering I have no idea what we might encounter in the future, it’s too dangerous to attempt to petrify it.

It’s probably too slow for it to be a real danger to us if we decided to run away anyway.

Flaming breath would be probably be useless against this thing… It just swam out of lava.

I guess that leaves plain old fighting.

Readying God-hunter, I stepped forward toward it.

It seems rather slow.

I should be able to take advantage of that to either stab through its shell or attack it’s limbs.

Slowly making my way forward into attacking distance. I abruptly leaped forward stabbing God-hunter into its leg.

It released a sound of agony and retreated back into its shell.

Huh?

Uhhh… I don’t know what I was expecting from the tortoise, but that wasn’t it.

Readying God-hunter for another strike, I slashed the shell of the tortoise.

But, I barely managed to do any damage to it.

Well, that might be a problem.

I should have targeted the head initially… but, it was almost triple my height in the air.

If I stab the same place repeatedly, I probably be able to get through its shell.

The places where it’s limbs retracted closed up after they retreated inside it… so I don’t really have many other options.

Actually, is this thing even dangerous? It seems to just be hiding in its shell.

Is it a herbivore or something?

Whatever, it doesn’t really matter. I was getting bored anyway.

This gives me something to do while Rin collects plants.

Besides, I only need to kill another few monsters and my unnoticed ability will rank up.

[An hour later…]

Wow, this thing’s shell is tough.

I stab God-hunter into it, which damages it… but, after a few seconds any damage regenerates.

Fortunately, I’ve figured out a countermeasure.

Leaving God-hunter on the damage prevents its regeneration and continuously pushing downward onto God-hunter allows me to continue damaging the shell.

It took awhile, but I’ve finally managed to breakthrough its shell.

The tortoise let out another cry of pain and its shell started shaking. Almost knocking me off it’s back.

Fortunately, I managed to hold onto God-hunter and kept her pressed into the wound.

It might not be doing much physically damage, but I’d wager that God-hunter is currently wreaking its soul.

Several moments later, the shaking stopped and I felt a burst of mana flow into me.

Alright, probably means it's dead.

Good job, God-hunter!

<Ability: The Unnoticed; Rank up.>

<Ability: The Unnoticed Active: become unperceivable for 0.7 seconds, Cooldown 24 hours, Passive: goes unnoticed by most living things. [Rank 7, 0%] >

Finally! Wow, it took forever to rank up.

Rin seemed to be finished collecting herbs and was simply staring at me.

Errr... How long has she been done?

Confirming with Rin that she was indeed finished.

I indicated for her to lead the way.

We should now have a somewhat renewable water source and I shouldn’t be always parched.

Alright Rin, lead the way.

We’ve got places to be and monsters to kill.

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