《Excuse Me, I Was Trying to Rest in Peace!》


 Ch 0: prologue

    Lying on my deathbed, my breathing slows, and my heart weakens. Looking back at the life I¡¯ve lived, I feel¡­ well, relieved. Mostly.


    There are some regrets, of course, but what¡¯s life without a little regret? It¡¯s like a turkey without gravy¡ªperfectly edible, but missing a lot of taste.


    You could say it was an experience of a lifetime. Or, you know, my lifetime.


    My philosophy was to live and experience every moment I had. Which, given the circumstances, was about to be significantly fewer moments. After saying my goodbyes and looking at my loved ones one final time, I know, albeit unwillingly, that it¡¯s time.


    As I slowly close my eyes, my life flashes before me.


    It¡¯s a highlight reel, but without the cheesy music.


    I was born near the turn of the century on a planet called Earth.


    Pretty standard stuff.


    I was lucky to have loving parents and a happy childhood, which allowed me to grow up running under the sun, making new friends and new connections. It was the most carefree time of my life.


    Back then, my biggest worry was whether I¡¯d get to stay up late to watch TV.


    Ah, simpler times.


    School was tough, but with wonderful friends, we helped each other through all the ups and downs of being a teenager, eagerly anticipating the freedom and responsibilities of adult life. Turns out, ¡°responsibilities¡± was the keyword there.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Adult life was¡­ different from expectations. There was much less freedom. I was burdened with the crushing responsibilities of living¡ªbills, work, social life, and lack of sleep.


    Adapting, but not losing myself to the norms of society, took a lot of courage and determination. Through all the craziness, I squeezed in time for my own hobbies. You gotta have a little ¡°me time,¡± even if it¡¯s just playing a game of D&D with friends.


    The love of my life appeared early in my adulthood. After experiencing parts of life together, we realized we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. With much anxiety and excitement, we ended up marrying and having a child.


    I¡¯ll never forget the day I became a parent¡ªthe day when all the joy and dread of being a parent started. Every moment with my family was precious: the crying, the feeding, the homework, the chores, the lessons, the events, the concerts, and the vacations¡ªthey were everything to me.


    I would do anything for them, even throwing my morals and reasoning out the window sometimes to defend them whenever anyone wronged my loved ones.


    Hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.


    There were tough times, with all the crazy geopolitics, wars, and different economic cycles on this planet. Many times, I wished I could do something, but I wasn¡¯t ready to give up what I had.


    Focusing on living my life, surrounding myself in the comfort cocoon of my family and friends, somehow everything worked out for me.


    I¡¯ve always lived with compassion; it felt wonderful to have helped someone in their time of need.


    Having lived on Earth for more than eighty years, my life was starting to lose steam and slow down. Even if there wasn¡¯t as much excitement to experience for the first time anymore, there was still much I could do.


    In retirement, I kept busy learning and working. It gave me a sense of purpose, and my loved ones all supported me as much as they could.


    At this age, many would say I was very wise and smart. I saw myself as a very reasonable and practical person.


    Being able to control my emotions and impulses very well kept me healthy. I¡¯ve always loved to laugh and enjoy life¡¯s better moments. They say laughter is the best medicine.


    All this for a happy ending. This is it, the story ends here, right?


    Well¡­ yeah. Unless there¡¯s a sequel. But I rather doubt it.

 Ch 1 (1/4): Isekai?!

    I am always curious about what happens next. What happens after death? Well, looks like I¡¯m about to find out. As my body relaxes and my thoughts begin to drift, a sudden burst of golden light floods my vision.


    Where am I? The light at the end of the tunnel?


    Being the staunchly non-religious type, I always figured the end was just that¡ªthe end. Period. I try to close my eyes again, only to discover a slight problem¡­


    No eyelids¡­ no body?!


    Before I can fully process this rather significant development, I¡¯m yanked upwards, drawn into the golden light.


    It¡¯s like a slightly bumpy elevator ride to¡­ who knows where.


    And as if that wasn''t enough, my memories start to fade, like they¡¯re being siphoned away. Experiences, emotions, all of it disappearing! The sensation of losing myself washes over me.


    My consciousness is being evicted!


    But then, as if by magic, the shape of a body starts to form around me, and my vision sharpens.


    I¡¯m getting my body back! A noticeably younger one, at that!


    Landing on something solid, a familiar warmth spreading through me. The scent of my parents¡¯ cooking wafts into my nose. It smells like¡­ home. Familiar surroundings, familiar faces, slowly come into focus. The comforting sound of laughter fills the air.


    My home, my family, my friends¡ªthey¡¯re all here. It¡¯s like a family reunion.


    Minus the forced small talk with that weird uncle no one actually likes.


    Before I can soak in the warmth of a family hug, though, a dark void rips everything apart. The scene dissolves, the temperature plummeting.


    Strands of shimmering, iridescent light pierce my newly reformed body, yanking my consciousness away! They drag me downwards into the inky blackness.


    Oh, come on! I was just getting comfortable!


    Slowly, my senses return. I¡¯m lying flat on a smooth, temperature-less surface. Gradually, I manage to pry my eyes open.


    Am I in hell?


    My vision is entirely monochrome, a world of blacks and whites, yet strangely clear.


    I¡¯m on a raised table. The place looks like a bomb went off. Debris is scattered everywhere, wrecked machinery lies in heaps, some still smoldering.


    Is this a lab? Well¡­ at least it¡¯s not hell.


    My tightly clenched fist slowly unfurls. Lying in this unfamiliar room, every sensation feels¡­ off. My heart isn¡¯t hammering, my stomach isn¡¯t doing somersaults. Well, no heartbeat or stomach to speak of, actually.


    I¡¯m feeling surprisingly¡­ empty. Like a hollowed-out gourd.


    My mouth feels like the desert, but I don¡¯t feel thirsty. I consciously take a deep breath; the pungent, acrid smell of burnt machinery and metal stings my nostrils. I quickly exhale. To my surprise, I don¡¯t even need to breathe. Huh.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    I wiggle my fingers and toes, then try moving my arms and legs. My limbs move¡­ differently. Smoother, somehow. No pain, though. Slowly, I push myself into a sitting position on what appears to be a metal table and look around.


    ¡°Hello? Anyone?¡± I call out softly, my voice sounding strangely pleasant. Almost¡­ melodic. A rapid, quiet scraping sound reaches my ears, and something shifts in the corner of my eye.


    Someone¡¯s here.


    An awfully injured old man lies crumpled in the corner of the room.


    He looks like he¡¯ll lose a fight with a rusty spork.


    Cautiously, I slide off the table and move toward him, one careful step at a time.


    The old man reaches a trembling hand toward me. When I get close, his wrinkled hand grabs my arm with surprising strength. Instinctively, I try to pull back. ¡°Val¡­ Sa¡­ v¡­ e me,¡± he rasps, his voice like dry leaves skittering across pavement.


    His hand drops, and his entire body¡­ turns to dust. Just like that. Poof. I stumble back, blinking.


    Definitely not standard-issue death.


    Suddenly, the hair on my head erupts in a white, iridescent glow, as if it¡¯s suddenly come to life. It surges toward the pile of dust, like a miniature, glowing tidal wave. With a bright flash, my vision is once again filled with golden light.


    I¡¯m back?!


    But instead of being back home, with my family and friends, all I see are thin iridescent strings tugging a speck of orange light toward me. It seems to be entangled with golden strings as well.


    It¡¯s a full-on cosmic tug-of-war.


    After a moment, the speck of light shatters into pieces, like a dropped lightbulb. A tiny shard is pulled toward me. As it does, memories and visions flood my mind.


    ******


    My old, wrinkled hands scribble furiously in my notebook, symbols and words blurring together.


    ¡°I¡¯m on the precipice!¡± I declare. ¡°The very secrets of the universe, a new dimension of existence, are within my grasp. Everything I¡¯ve ever desired¡ªimmortality itself¡ªis almost tangible. So close. So tantalizingly close.¡±


    I stride over to a massive machine filled with swirling blue liquid, a figure suspended within. With a hiss, the liquid drains away, and the doors swing open. I carefully lift the body and lay it on the central table.


    The hairless form is perfectly proportioned, slim and fit. Every curve adheres to the golden ratio, devoid of any visible reproductive organs or distinguishing sex characteristics. The eyes are closed, the facial features equally flawless.


    It¡¯s¡­ remarkably attractive.


    ¡°This form¡­ this vessel¡­¡± I murmur, running a hand along the fair, soft, silky-smooth skin. ¡°It¡¯s the culmination of my life¡¯s work. Perfection, finally achieved.¡± I lean in, whispering into its ear, ¡°Val, my finest creation, you are a testament to my genius.¡±


    Sweat trickling down my face, I gingerly press the button before me. The surrounding machines hum to life, emitting rings of light that ripple toward the body. My hands clench into fists as I watch, my whole body starting to shake uncontrollably.


    The empty space above the body¡­ tears open.


    ¡°Ahaha!¡± I roar. ¡°The dimensional barrier has shattered! That hidden plane, hovering just beyond our perception, is now open to me! I, Dr. Keyser, have rewritten the rules of reality! My name will echo through the ages!!!¡± I jump and cheer, laughter and ecstatic screams filling the lab.


    Suddenly, iridescent strings shoot out from the tear. They attach to and envelop the body on the table, a speck of light traveling down them from the void and into the form.


    Wait a second¡­ Was that¡­? Is that how I got here? He was the culprit?!


    ¡°But¡­ this wasn¡¯t calculated! This wasn¡¯t part of the design!¡± I yell, ripping a sparking contraption from a nearby machine. I sprint towards the table.


    The strings vanish into the body as abruptly as they appeared, and the tear snaps shut. The rings of light pulse outwards, followed by a blinding flash.


    ¡°NO! Ahhhh¡­¡± A jolt of intense pain shoots through me, like every single nerve ending is getting severed.


    I find myself lying lifeless on the floor. Then, a voice. ¡°Hello? Anyone?¡±


    Gasping, I force my head up, following the sound. In the dim light, the body¡­ is moving¡­ off the table¡­ towards me. It stumbles a little, but there¡¯s no mistaking it.


    It¡¯s me. Or, at least, I think it''s me, it¡¯s wearing a face I can¡¯t recognize.


    Where did my calculations fail? This¡­ this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. I can¡¯t die¡­ I can¡¯t die¡­ not yet¡­ not yet¡­ The thought echoes in my head like a broken record as I grab its arm. ¡°Val¡­ Sa¡­ v¡­ e me.¡± I manage to croak out, my voice barely a whisper.


    ******

 Ch 1 (2/4): Isekai?!

    Darkness. Then, the lab snaps back into focus. Dr. Keyser is gone¡ªreduced to a pile of dust on the floor. Not even a bone remains. It¡¯s like he spontaneously combusted.


    What in the world was that?!


    I slowly push myself up. Next to the dust pile, I see the contraption the old man had pulled from the machine in my vision. I pick it up and press the button, but nothing happens.


    I turn, scanning the room with all my senses. Nothing¡¯s alive, nothing¡¯s burning, and it¡¯s eerily quiet.


    I slump to the floor, relief washing over me. Then it hits me: That memory¡­ It was Dr. Keyser¡¯s. It was what actually happened here.


    Why did I just see that? It was like a first-person movie, but way more disturbing.


    I sit there, blankly staring, trying to calm down. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I clutch my head and shake it.


    Don¡¯t panic. Definitely not time to panic. Why am I panicking?! This is totally normal, right? Waking up in a destroyed lab in a body with no organs after dying. Totally normal! Things can¡¯t possibly get any worse. Right?


    My mind races, trying to piece together everything I remember. It¡¯s like trying to complete a puzzle with half the pieces missing.


    One thing¡¯s for sure: this isn¡¯t the afterlife I signed up for! I didn¡¯t need or want a second chance. My life was good.


    I was satisfied. No regrets. I was this close to a heartwarming reunion with my family and friends! If this was an isekai, WHY did it have to be a dying old man who dragged me here? Shouldn¡¯t it have been a beautiful, clumsy goddess who tripped and accidentally reincarnated me with overpowered abilities? Or at the very least, a handsome, apologetic god with a sincere apology and maybe a cheat sheet? Where¡¯s the tutorial?! Did I miss the memo?


    Some memories of my life on Earth are still intact, but most of my later memories are gone. Just images and fragments remain. Thankfully, most memories from before my thirties are still there.


    I¡¯m a thirty-year-old consciousness, seeing fragments of my ¡°future.¡± However, that ¡°future¡± is already in the past.


    At least I¡¯m not old anymore¡­ Silver linings, I suppose.


    My knowledge, experience, and everything is currently stuck around the time I was thirty. Somehow, my consciousness was transferred¡ªor reincarnated¡ªinto this stupid body, in god knows where, after passing away on Earth.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Val, the name given to this body by the Doctor. Not bad for a name. That¡¯ll be my name in this world, in this crazy isekai! I guess I have a name now. Progress!


    The visions of my family and friends were probably the afterlife planned for me. I was in that hidden plane, but most of my family and friends were well and healthy when I died.


    Why were they in the afterlife with me?


    Dr. Keyser¡¯s crazy experiment took me away from my family and friends. It also caused the explosion that destroyed this place and killed him.


    Why me? Why did it have to be me?! I was resting in peace! I was perfectly happy being dead.


    Furiously, I stare at the pile of dust again.


    Humph! He got what he deserved!


    Trapped in this body, not even knowing what I am. I take a deep breath and slowly exhale. Looking down, I feel my new body.


    For some reason, I don¡¯t look exactly the same as the body in the vision. I run my hands over my face, touching my hair. It¡¯s soft, thin, smooth, but incredibly strong. I try pulling it, but not a strand breaks off.


    Hooray! I am not bald!


    Aside from not having a heartbeat and not needing to breathe, there¡¯s no digestive tract, no sensation of hunger or thirst. There¡¯s nowhere to excrete waste.


    No bathroom breaks! That¡¯s¡­ actually kind of nice.


    Smooth scales cover my body from the neck down, regulating my body temperature. I don¡¯t feel hot or cold, and I don¡¯t sweat.


    This wasn¡¯t in the vision either. Where did the scales come from?


    This new body is definitely not human. I don¡¯t know what I am, and I can¡¯t even tell if I¡¯m alive!


    Fury surges through me as my fist punches into the ground, creating a crater and shaking the floor. Whoops. I jump back, startled.


    Well, that¡¯s new. Superpowers? Hmm¡­


    I check my fist. Not even a smudge on the scales.


    This body definitely needs some road testing.


    Flopping back down, I¡¯m suddenly swamped with memories of my family and friends. Hawaii vacations, those perfect cool waves on a blazing summer day, crazy parties, sunset dinners on the beach with lobster that practically melts in your mouth, the heart-melting smiles of my love and child¡­


    We said our goodbyes, but I really want to see them again. I did see them again, in the afterlife, bathed in golden light.


    I could go back to that warmth. All I need to do is, you know, pop back over to the afterlife. I must return to the afterlife!


    A wave of calm washes over me. If death is nothing to be scared of, then what¡¯s the big deal?


    ¡°Ahahahaha¡­¡± I could just end it myself! Jumping up and promptly bash my head into, well, everything.


    Bang! Clank! Clash!


    Nothing. No pain, no blood, not even a tiny scratch.


    This ridiculous body is way tougher than a human¡¯s. I flop back to the floor, rubbing my head and suddenly remembering all those anime and movies I¡¯ve binged. Trapped in this body, I gotta get out of here.


    If I¡¯m stuck here and can¡¯t even starve to death, this is going to be one hell of an eternity.


    Dragging myself up, I spot that contraption I found earlier.


    Is this thing even good for anything?


    Walking toward the machine where the contraption had been placed in the visions, I find everything completely destroyed by the explosion.


    Well, that¡¯s just great.

 Ch 1 (3/4): Isekai?!

    A deformed gate shimmers into existence at the far end of the lab. I sprint over and yank it open. It reveals a staircase. I bolt up the steps and reach a wall with a handle. I pull it; the wall pops open, and I shove it the rest of the way.


    I find myself in a living room. A small, dome-shaped apartment living room, and thankfully, nobody¡¯s home. A table and chair huddle on one side, a couch sits squarely in the middle. Four more doors line the room. I check them out one by one.


    First, a bedroom, complete with a bed and a closet. Next, a kitchen-looking place. The next door reveals a bathroom. The last door sports a series of locks. I unlock them all and push the door open. It leads to an enclosed cave with a big lake.


    Maybe there¡¯s a way out.


    I walk around the lake, and little creatures swim and crawl in the water and around the cave. They scatter and hide when I walk by. I¡¯ve never seen anything like them. They don¡¯t seem aggressive, though, just¡­ skittish.


    At the edge of the lake, a small, half-submerged vessel catches my eye. I rush over and see it¡¯s a mini-submarine. But the latch is locked. I don¡¯t want to break in¡ªit might be my only ticket out of this underwater grotto¡ªso I leave it alone. For now.


    Nothing else interesting around the lake, so I head back to the dome-room and close the cave door.


    Sinking into the couch, I sigh. It seems there¡¯s nothing else large or intelligent around here. I look around the room again and notice a hole in the wall, shaped exactly like the contraption I found amidst the explosion debris.


    I go over and pop the contraption into the hole¡ªperfect fit! It clicks into place with a satisfying thunk.


    Getting a little excited, I press the button. The room lights up with a bright, cool white light! And¡­ and¡­ nothing else.


    I press the button again, and the lights go off.


    ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­¡± I facepalm. ¡°Seriously? Of all the things it could be¡­¡± It¡¯s just a freaking power switch¡­


    When the light pops on, my vision does a quick change from black and white to full HD color. Checking myself out again, my hair¡¯s gone silver, and the scales on my skin are white and iridescent, similar to opals.


    The same color as the strings from my visions.


    The scales are kite-shaped and overlap. I try to pick one off; it won¡¯t budge.


    Guess I¡¯m stuck with them.


    The door I came through is now covered by a large painting I hadn¡¯t noticed before. It depicts a massive golden sphere floating in the dark, made of tangled strings. Millions of tiny golden lights glimmer within the mesh that makes up the sphere, and more strings reach down into the vast darkness below, while others come in from all directions, wrapping and tangling themselves into it. It¡¯s a mesmerizing sight, both beautiful and unsettling.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Something is definitely not right here¡­


    Wandering back through the rooms, I end up in the bedroom and check out the closet. There are a couple of sets of clothes in there, which I quickly throw on to cover myself, even though they¡¯re way too small. It just feels weird to be naked, even when nobody¡¯s around.


    There¡¯s also a gun-like device and a small dagger.


    I immediately put the gun to my head and pull the trigger. A flash of light shoots out, but my head¡¯s fine. Not even a headache. I try slicing my neck with the dagger¡ªagain, not even a scratch.


    Seriously?


    I need to find a better weapon. There¡¯s gotta be something in this world that can wreck this body. This is getting ridiculous.


    I rummage through the bed and find a box underneath, containing a key, a metal card, and two gold-colored bars. I wonder if it¡¯s real gold¡ªit sure feels real. The weight, the way it catches the light¡­


    Yep, definitely feels like gold. You know what they say: Finders keepers, losers¡­ well, he¡¯s dead¡­ So, finders keepers.


    Next, I head into the kitchen. A storage area has what looks like food and cooking stuff, but I don¡¯t recognize anything. The food, especially, looks super weird. This food isn¡¯t anything from Earth. I wouldn''t even know where to begin.


    So, I¡¯m probably not on Earth anymore, at least not the one I know. The old guy seemed totally human, and in that memory, he spoke and wrote in English. There¡¯s some cooked food and half-eaten stuff on the counter.


    Is this even edible?


    eyeing a particularly lumpy, greenish blob with suspicion. Deciding to take the plunge, I pinch off a tiny piece and pop it into my mouth. I chew cautiously.


    Huh. I can still taste! It doesn¡¯t taste good, mind you. Or smell great, for that matter. But taste is there. That¡¯s a win. I loved cooking and eating back on Earth. Good times.


    I swallow the questionable morsel, silently praying it isn¡¯t going to give me food poisoning.


    It definitely wasn¡¯t fresh.


    Right after I swallow, I feel a little brust of energy in my stomach. Then¡­the food just¡­vanishes. I let out a long breath. My abdomen feels completely empty.


    How does this body even work? Does it need water and food? This body doesn¡¯t seem to have any way to get rid of waste. Do I just turn everything into energy? Would I even get fat? Eating and not getting fat is a dream come true!


    This body, which clearly has a serious disregard for basic biology and physics, raises so many questions it¡¯s giving me a headache. If I wasn¡¯t so focused on getting back to the afterlife, this body would be seriously amazing. It seems to function perfectly fine without needing water or, apparently, generating any waste.


    Could I be stuck in this thing forever?


    The thought of being stuck in this body forever is seriously freaking me out. I have to find a way to destroy this body or at least get my consciousness out of it.


    I glance back at the remaining food and take a deep breath.


    Okay, panicking won¡¯t help. At least I¡¯m still me, with free will, able to move around and check out this world.


    With a tiny spark of renewed optimism, I eye another weird-looking food item. It resembles a shriveled purple fruit. Tentatively, I take a bite.


    ¡°Blegh!¡± I immediately spit it out, utterly disappointed.


    This world would be miserable if all the food tasted like that!

 Ch 1 (4/4): Isekai?!

    Entering the bathroom now, and there is a sink and mirror, as in all bathrooms. I head inside. Standard sink and mirror setup. Getting a closer look at my face in the mirror, I confirm it¡¯s the same one I saw in the vision.


    My eyes are open now¡ªshiny golden eyes. And thankfully, it¡¯s still a pretty human face. Actually, it¡¯s very attractive by Earth standards.


    ¡°Not bad, not bad at all,¡± I mutter to my reflection. I run my hands over my face.


    So this is Val. If I¡¯d had this face back on Earth, I could have totally been a pop star. I even look young again.


    There¡¯s a shower! I turn on the water and stick my hand in it. Still can¡¯t feel any temperature difference on my skin.


    Guess my body¡¯s a perfect temperature suit. There goes freezing and burning to death as options¡­


    Finding nothing useful in the bathroom, I head back to the lab behind the painting. This time, all the lights are on, and everything is much clearer than the black-and-white version I saw before. The table I was on is in the middle of the room, surrounded by machines wrecked in the explosion.


    There¡¯s a pile of dust in the corner, where the old guy used to be. I poke through it again, but there¡¯s nothing else. He¡¯s totally turned to dust.


    I¡¯ve never seen anyone die like that. It¡¯s straight out of an anime.


    After some careful searching, a notebook pops out from under the rubble. The one with all the writing from Dr. Keyser that I saw in my visions. Luckily, it¡¯s not damaged. The scribbles inside are really hard, if not impossible, to read, but it¡¯s definitely in English.


    Talk about messy handwriting¡­


    I spend a long time trying to decipher the notebook. It¡¯s crammed with experimental data and results.


    Apparently, Dr. Keyser was obsessed with this idea of a hidden plane, a higher dimension. He theorized it''s folded up in a way we can¡¯t physically perceive or interact with, which, honestly, sounds like someone¡¯s been reading too much sci-fi. He tried a bunch of ways to unfold this dimension, though.


    That¡¯s where I was after I died¡ªthe afterlife, the higher dimension. So, he wasn''t entirely wrong, I guess.


    Dr. Keyser found a way to unfold it. With a ton of energy and some seriously complicated machines¡ªmost of which are now scrap metal, courtesy of the explosion. This body¡¯s a big part of it, too.


    Did he know what was in that dimension? It¡¯s a pretty big question.


    This body, designated Vitruvian Artificial Life, or Val for short, is a homunculus he made. But frustratingly, there aren¡¯t any details on how he made it. He just wrote that this was the only body he made that could handle the energy needed for the process.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    My consciousness transferring into this body from the dimension above wasn¡¯t part of the plan.


    Oops. That little mistake cost him his life. Talk about unintended consequences.


    I spend more time digging through the rubble, but I don¡¯t find anything else useful. Most of the lab books are burnt to a crisp. The few that are left are written in some language I don¡¯t understand. It looks vaguely like chicken scratch mixed with hieroglyphics.


    I spend the next few days, or what feels like days, testing and getting used to this body.


    It¡¯s like getting used to the controls of a new video game, except instead of playing games, I¡¯m¡­ existing. The tutorial level is definitely over, though.


    I can easily lift way bigger and heavier things than I should be able to. My movements and reaction time are crazy fast. I can run super fast and jump crazy distances.


    So, super strength and agility. Score.


    I also try out some punches and kicks, careful not to accidentally wreck the already half-wrecked lab and bury myself alive.


    Wow, this totally makes me an isekai protagonist after all! I wonder if I¡¯ll run into a cute elf girl or a demon lord soon?


    Jumping into the lake, I test out more of my body¡¯s perks. Swimming¡¯s a breeze since I don¡¯t need to breathe. My vision underwater is still crystal clear.


    It¡¯s like having built-in goggles.


    The lake water tastes super salty¡ªI¡¯m guessing it¡¯s seawater. My tongue can feel the coolness of the water, but my body doesn¡¯t register the temperature or pressure. It¡¯s a strange sensation. There¡¯s an opening at the bottom of the lake.


    That¡¯s gotta be my way out.


    Besides not needing to eat, drink, or breathe, I also don¡¯t need sleep. But I do rest sometimes to get my thoughts organized.


    It¡¯s kind of like defragging a hard drive, I suppose.


    I try making some better food, but the ingredients taste awful. They must have mostly gone bad. There has to be better food in this world¡­


    I¡¯m craving a burger.


    The more I get used to this body, the more trapped I feel. It¡¯s like a shell, a shackle for my consciousness. Extremely powerful, yet cursed armor I can¡¯t take off. I¡¯m starting to think this ¡°isekai adventure¡± might be a bit more complicated than I initially thought.


    The key I found in the bedroom fits the submarine. After checking it out, I practiced driving it a bit. The gas tank seems full, which is a definite plus. I could¡¯ve just swum out, but I want to take some stuff with me, and the sub makes things way easier.


    Efficiency is key, after all.


    I pack up everything useful¡ªmetal card, gold bars, the gun, some cloth, and a little food, just in case. I also fashion a small waterproof metal box from some machine scraps for the notebook. After a quick leak test, I pack everything inside. The gun stays right next to me in the sub, and the dagger¡¯s tied securely to my leg. Safety first!


    Standing at the edge of the lake, I glance back at the place that was my¡­ temporary housing, shall we say? It¡¯s time to leave.


    Finding a way to break free from this shell is now my top priority. Thoughts buzz through my head as I hop into the sub and sink to the bottom. I spot the cave opening and follow it, driving for what feels like ages. There are even more weird sea creatures down here, but I don¡¯t recognize any of them.


    It''s like an underwater alien zoo.


    Finally, I emerge from the cave, probably smack-dab in the middle of a huge ocean. Slowly, I float to the surface. ¡°Finally!¡± I yell as the submarine breaks the surface. Taking a deep breath, I look up at the sky and am stunned by what I see.


    One thing is certain: I¡¯m definitely not on Earth anymore. This is going to be¡­ interesting.

 Ch 2 (1/4): Disturbance

    Two crescent moons hang in the cloudless night, one larger than the other. The big one glows with a blue hue, its smaller companion with a red one.


    Stars blanket the sky. I¡¯ve never seen so many back on Earth; it¡¯s almost magical. Almost.


    Too bad I don¡¯t recognize a single constellation. They''re probably not even constellations.


    The submarine rocks gently in the dark waves. I climb out for a better view. The waves lap softly against the sub¡¯s hull. A light breeze brushes my face. It doesn¡¯t feel like an open ocean. I inhale deeply, the familiar scent of salty seawater a comforting reminder of Earth.


    Scanning the horizon, I gradually make out the shapes of mountains and land in every direction, some closer than others. This is an inland sea.


    Well, that¡¯s a new one.


    The gentle lapping is abruptly shattered by a series of loud bubbling noises. Before I can scramble back inside the submarine is launched skyward, then crashes back into the sea with a resounding splash.


    I¡¯m pretty sure I swallowed some of that.


    Struggling to stay afloat, I¡¯m confronted with a massive mouth filled with dagger-like teeth. Well, I thought to myself, this might be my chance to finally break this cursed body. Sharp teeth clamp down on me. A thick blue liquid blooms into the surrounding water. The water now has a rather unpleasant metallic and acidic tang.


    It tastes like¡­battery acid?


    Looking down at my perfectly intact body, I curse inwardly, realizing the liquid isn¡¯t mine.


    The creature recoils, twisting and coiling. It¡¯s a giant alien looking sea serpent, covered in scales, sporting a couple of pairs of flippers and a long tail. Its triangular head has two pairs of tiny eyes and an absurdly large mouth. The mouth, once full of sharp teeth, now sports several broken stumps. A thick stream of blue liquid gushes from its jaws.


    Guess this creature can¡¯t break this body either. Bummer for both of us, really.


    During my time in the lab, I try to find weaknesses in this body.


    It¡¯s not exactly a hobby, more of a¡­ preemptive measure. Honestly, if something could break this body, it¡¯d be a dream come true. Real peace, finally!


    My biggest fear isn¡¯t death. Honestly, if something could break this body, it would be a dream come true. Real peace, finally!Stolen novel; please report.


    My biggest fear isn¡¯t death; it¡¯s being stuck like this forever. Some sort of sealing ritual, maybe¡ªsome way to trap or isolate this body.


    An eternity in solitary confinement? Now that¡¯s my worst-case scenario. So, I absolutely must prevent any possibility of that. Or worse¡­ being eaten! That would be the ultimate indignity.


    The submarine is still intact and bobs cheerfully on the surface. I eagerly start swimming toward it, but another long, massive body blocks my path. This creature makes the last one look like a guppy.


    It whips its tail, and a crushing force slams me into the seafloor. I frantically stir up the water, trying to hide among the rocks.


    Seriously, why are they attacking me? Do I look that delicious?! Am I radiating some kind of irresistible seafood aroma I¡¯m not aware of?


    The larger sea serpent swims near the surface, while the smaller one races to the bottom. The blue liquid has stopped flowing from its mouth. It furiously thrashes, smashing its body against everything on the seafloor in a watery tantrum.


    Taking advantage of its little meltdown, I carefully sneak around it and swim back to the surface, pulling the dagger from my leg as I go.


    When I¡¯m close enough to the larger serpent, I stab and slice into it with all my might. Another wave of that blue fluid erupts, showering my face.


    Honestly, does this stuff ever stop flowing? It¡¯s like they¡¯re filled with it.


    The large sea serpent twists and turns violently, clearly not enjoying my impromptu acupuncture session. I seize the opportunity and rush toward the submarine. Freedom is so close!


    I grab onto the hull and start climbing, but before I can haul myself back inside, the sea starts swirling around me. Losing my grip, I tumble back into the water with a splash.


    Below me, the large sea serpent is swimming in a circle at an unimaginable speed. The water around me twists and turns into a small, rapidly growing whirlpool, dragging everything down.


    Seriously? Just my luck, the creature has a special move. Of course it does. Why wouldn¡¯t it?


    While the larger sea serpent creates the whirlpool, the smaller one launches itself at me from my blind spot.


    Oh, look, they have a combo attack too. How¡­ original. I¡¯m starting to think these guys took lessons from anime.


    It attacks again and again, snapping its jaws, trying to take a chunk out of me. It can¡¯t even pierce my skin, thankfully, but I¡¯m being tossed around in the water like a sock in a washing machine.


    I jab my dagger into its head and body whenever I get a chance. Slowly, the water around us begins to darken, turning a murky shade of blue.


    As I scan for the smaller serpent, bracing for its inevitable return, I¡¯m suddenly plunged into absolute darkness.


    Great. Just great.


    The water around me thickens, turning into something like thick, sticky glue. My body is squeezed from all directions. I push, stab, and slice blindly, my dagger meeting resistance at every turn.


    My mind races as a wave of claustrophobia washes over me. I keep stabbing with the dagger in every direction, a frantic mantra echoing in my head.


    Oh no oh no oh no no no no no¡­ This is definitely not ideal.


    The viscous fluid continues to thicken, enveloping my entire body. I feel myself being dragged down, down, down through the endless darkness.


    I really hope this isn''t how it ends. Ending up trapped in giant monster¡¯s goo, at the bottom of the sea. That would be a truly undignified demise.

 Ch 3 (1/2): Suspicion

    The first sign of truly delectable food in this world! I follow the tantalizing aroma, practically bursting through the jungle undergrowth. A small, unassuming hut nestled amongst the trees, a peculiar metallic contraption parked beside it. Wisps of white smoke curled lazily from its chimney.


    I bounded up to the door and rapped sharply.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I called out.


    A sudden cacophony of clattering ladles and clanging knives erupted from within.


    ¡°Er...hello? Is anyone...about?¡± A rather stout man cautiously opened the door a crack, peering up at me with wide eyes.


    ¡°Now, hold on. Who are you, then? And¡­ how¡¯d you manage that?¡± The man¡¯s voice trembled slightly as he clutched a knife tightly, his gaze fixed on the trail I¡¯d blazed through the jungle.


    ¡°I¡¯m Val. I walked¡­¡± I glanced back at my route, a comical trail of mangled traps marking my passage.


    Oh, wow¡­ I was so focused on the smell I didn¡¯t even register those¡­


    ¡°Sorry¡­ about those¡­¡± I mumbled awkwardly.


    ¡°Right. What¡¯s the purpose of this, then?¡± The man asked, still visibly shaken.


    ¡°I got a little lost in this jungle, and I caught the scent of your amazing cooking¡­¡± I inhaled deeply. ¡°Though¡­ it¡¯s starting to smell a tad burnt now.¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡± The stout man slammed the door shut and scurried back inside.


    After a flurry of frantic noises from within, the man reappeared.


    ¡°Lost, are we?¡± He studied me with a mixture of confusion and suspicion, his eyes widening as he took in my appearance.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ hopelessly lost¡­ perhaps you could spare a bite?¡± I peered past him into the hut.


    That food smelled divine. I had to taste it.


    The stout man lowered his knife slightly. ¡°Just¡­ stay put for a moment,¡± he said softly, before promptly slamming the door in my face again.


    I waited outside, gazing up at the sky. The sun hung high overhead. It was probably around noon. A rather ominous thundercloud seemed to be brewing closer to the beach where I¡¯d started.


    The salty-sweet air from the hut now carries the enticing aroma of perfectly balanced spices. My stomach would be growling¡ªif I had a stomach, that is.


    The door creaks open again. ¡°Come in¡­ Looks like the heavens are about to open.¡±


    I step into the tiny, sparsely furnished hut. It''s incredibly simple, practically bare. The door closes behind me with a soft thud.


    The stout man bustles past. ¡°Here, sit. Make yourself¡­ as comfortable as you can,¡± he says, gesturing to a small table with two chairs.


    And there it is. On the table, the pot. The magnificent pot. A tantalizing blend of spices, meat, and vegetables, laced with a hint of something utterly unique, wafts from within. Some scents are familiar, others decidedly not. It resembles a curry or beef bourguignon, but with ingredients that look nothing like earth¡¯s.


    I carefully lower myself into a chair.


    The man, still looking a tad nervous, sets out plates and utensils.


    We sit facing each other. He scoops a generous portion of the stew onto my plate.


    This body doesn¡¯t need sustenance, but my non-existent stomach is practically begging for this.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± I blurt, unable to contain myself, and eagerly plunge my fork into the plate, spearing a chunk of meat coated in the rich sauce.


    The moment the first bite hits my tongue, a wave of nostalgia washes over me. It tastes remarkably like home, like Earth. The taste, the smell, the texture¡ªit¡¯s an explosion of familiar sensations, all harmonizing beautifully as I chew and swallow.


    It¡¯s even hot! I can actually feel the warmth in my mouth. Apparently, that¡¯s the one part of me that retains some sense of temperature.


    After I¡¯ve devoured the first few bites, the chubby man finally relaxes, a smile spreading across his face. ¡°Goodness me, you look like you''ve missed a few meals!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ sorry¡­¡± I sheepishly stop shoveling food into my mouth and glance up at him. He looks quite young, really. Human, mostly, but there¡¯s something subtly¡­ off about him.


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty more where that came from. Don¡¯t be shy,¡± the man says, shoveling another ladle of food onto my plate. ¡°I¡¯m Bailey. And where might your travels have taken you from?¡±


    ¡°A faraway place,¡± I say, popping another spoonful into my mouth. ¡°Somewhere you¡¯ve probably never heard of.¡±


    Bailey pours himself a glass of something greenish and suspiciously viscous. ¡°Care for a sip? It¡¯s¡­an acquired taste. And tell me, how did you manage to get all the way out here?¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks.¡± I eye the slimy liquid with suspicion. ¡°I just walked. Wandered the world, you know?¡±


    Bailey takes a hesitant sip of his concoction. ¡°Folks don¡¯t usually just¡­stroll into the wilds. Especially not this part.¡±


    ¡°I got lost and kept walking,¡± I say, gazing out the window.


    Bailey follows my gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t get many visitors, let alone ones who wander right to my doorstep.¡±


    ¡°I am¡­¡± I swallow a large mouthful of food. ¡°Sorry about the traps, by the way.¡±


    Bailey eyes me closely. ¡°You¡­seem alright. Considering¡­¡±


    ¡°Good¡­good you¡¯re well. Those¡­things outside¡­they¡¯re meant to¡­well.¡± Bailey takes a larger swig of his drink. ¡°Ha.¡±


    Crack¡­BOOM! A sudden clap of thunder punctuates the awkward silence.


    I should try getting struck by lightning next¡­that might do the trick¡­


    Bailey gestures toward the torrential downpour outside. ¡°This¡­this is the Elemental Wilds. You can get all sorts out here. Rain, sun, thunder, fire¡­even earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes. All within¡­well, a day, easy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­intense¡­¡± I follow Bailey¡¯s finger to the window. ¡°Are there others living around here?¡±


    ¡°Only the Mesoselenian usually settle in the Wilds. But¡­even they tend to steer clear of this part. Too unpredictable, even for them.¡± Bailey glances over me. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re sure you¡¯re alright? Nothing¡­nothing feels¡­off?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be better. This food is amazing.¡± I realize I¡¯ve already devoured the entire pot. Bailey keeps refilling my plate as I eat, and a warm energy spreads through me.


    Suddenly, a realization strikes me. I stare Bailey straight in the eye before dramatically collapsing onto the floor, going completely limp. I keep my eyes closed and my body still.


    Bailey lets out a shaky breath.


    ¡°Now¡­really. Who are you?¡± Bailey approaches cautiously and attempts to roll me over, struggling slightly with the dead weight.


    He checks my pulse and breathing. He stumbles back, eyes wide. ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s not right. Ionacoca doesn¡¯t kill. It just¡­knocks you out. There¡¯s no way¡­¡± He quickly drips a couple of droplets of extremely bitter liquid into my mouth.


    I keep my eyes stubbornly shut.


    After a few brisk slaps to my face, he recoils. I hear him rummaging through my bag, then the distinct clink of him trying to open the locked box containing the notebook.


    Then, a thud. He¡¯s dropped to his knees. ¡°Those¡­those are his clothes. And¡­his card. How¡­? Why¡­?¡±


    I crack open an eye. He¡¯s buried his face in his hands.


    He begins pleading, even attempting some rather pathetic CPR. ¡°Please¡­no. Please wake up. I¡­I have to know. Where¡¯s Master Keyser? Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Who is Dr. Keyser to you?¡± I ask, opening my eyes fully.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± He screams, executes a clumsy roll, and scrambles to his feet all at once. He snatches the gun he¡¯d taken from my bag and points it at my head. ¡°What¡­what in the name of all that¡¯s holy¡­are you?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± I say, pushing myself up from the floor and plopping back into my seat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, and you certainly can¡¯t hurt me. Whatever you put in that food clearly doesn¡¯t work on me. So, let¡¯s all take a breath and chat.¡±


    Bailey takes a shuddering breath before slowly rising and sinking back into his own seat, the gun still wavering in my direction.


    I begin explaining what happened, carefully omitting the details of the afterlife and the visions I saw. I tell him how I woke up in Dr. Keyser¡¯s lab and watched him turn to dust right before my eyes.


    Bailey¡¯s eyes widen, and tears begin to stream down his cheeks. He lowers the gun, slumping in his seat like a punctured balloon. ¡°So¡­that¡¯s it then. Master Keyser¡¯s¡­gone.¡±


    He explains that he¡¯s here to find Dr. Keyser. He¡¯d learned the doctor was living in this area and had been searching high and low for what felt like an eternity.


    All he ever wanted was to work for Dr. Keyser. He¡¯d looked up to him since he was a child. Dr. Keyser was the one who saved his mother when no one else could.


    I offer him Dr. Keyser¡¯s notebook and ask if he can decipher it.


    He carefully reads through the pages. By the time he finishes, the rain has stopped, and the sun is beginning to set.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re Val! Well, I¡¯ll be!¡± His eyes snap back to me, beaming with an almost unsettling mix of excitement and hope. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re his last work, then!¡±


    ¡°You can read his notes! What else does it say?!¡± I grab his arms with both hands, my excitement mirroring his.


    ¡°Oof!¡± he yelps, his smile faltering slightly.


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I quickly let go, wincing.


    Bailey rubs his arm gingerly, giving me a slightly wary look. ¡°Right. Well¡­ that last bit¡­ that made sense. The rest¡­went right over my head."


    I bury my face in my palms, groaning.


    Why did you have such awful handwriting¡­ Are you a real doctor by any chance? These letters are like a chicken scratching on parchment.


    Bailey¡¯s brow furrows with worry. ¡°But¡­ you need to be careful. Keep yourself covered up. What Master Keyser did¡­ well, it isn¡¯t exactly¡­ allowed.¡±


    He explains that everything to do with creating artificial life and artificially prolonging life is forbidden by the Anunnaki, god-like beings worshipped by humans.


    He adds that I don¡¯t look like anything on this planet. Nothing has scales like mine, and nothing has golden eyes pointing back at his own blue ones¡ªwhich, he admits, was one of the reasons he was so suspicious. Also, nothing should have made it to his door; all the traps were laced with poison.


    He was especially surprised that the poisoned food hadn¡¯t affected me. He¡¯d put enough Ionacoca in it to knock out anything for a week with just one bite!


    Well, you know, he was hiding in a cave¡­ I suspected he was probably doing extremely illegal things. Especially after what he did to those sea serpents.


    But it all makes sense now, knowing I¡¯m Dr. Keyser¡¯s creation.


    He makes more food, and this time he joins me.


    I tell him that, being newly created, I have no knowledge of this world. So, as evening falls, Bailey shows me a map. It has continents and oceans, much like Earth.


    Bailey points to a large body of water in the middle of a continent. ¡°This is the Elemental Wilds. Like I said, no one in their right mind lives here. Too much¡­ weather. I was actually just packing up to leave myself.¡±


    I point at the many large and small blue squares scattered across the map. ¡°Are these all cities?¡±


    "Aye, cities and mines. Now, about those two gold-looking things in your bag¡­ they aren¡¯t gold. Not exactly," Bailey explains.


    I pull out the two bars and place them on the table.


    "Those are Adamantine. Dug straight from the ground of Mesoselenia, then covered in gold. They used to give ¡®em to the Annunaki. In exchange, the Annunaki would give folks¡­ well, knowledge. Truth. The Mesoselenians use ¡®em for other things, but they can¡¯t dig up much of it.¡± Bailey looks grimly at the bars. ¡°That¡¯s about what a big mine pulls up in two years.¡±


    I¡¯m rich! I¡¯m loaded!


    Bailey¡¯s expression turns serious as he sees my grin. "You shouldn''t go showing those to just anyone. They''re worth¡­ more than you can imagine.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­

 Ch 3 (2/2): Suspicion

    Before Bailey can elaborate, a massive earthquake interrupts us.


    We drop to the floor. Bailey dives under the table. Luckily, the hut is well-built, but even so, cracks spiderwebs across the walls.


    "Right then! Uh¡­ maybe¡­ maybe we should¡­ call it a night," Bailey says, crawling out from under the table, dusting himself off. I wholeheartedly agree.


    Bailey quickly fashions a makeshift bed of vegetation on the floor and gestures for me to relax on it. He heads back to his bed in the vehicle outside.


    I lie on the makeshift bed late into the night. Then another earthquake hits.


    An aftershock?


    I head outside. Bailey is already there.


    "Goodness! Look at that! All that shakin'' today¡­ this isn¡¯t safe. Not anymore,¡± Bailey says, gesturing towards the widening cracks spreading across the ground. ¡°Say¡­ would you direct me to where Master Keyser kept his¡­ cavern?¡±


    ¡°I can show you where it is. But where will you be going after?¡± Looking into the dark jungle, I notice some small creatures flitting past.


    "Well now, I can''t rightly say about that just yet. But there''s always a new pot to stir, a new road to wander, eh?" Bailey returns to the hut and starts packing.


    ¡°Can I come with you?¡± I follow him inside. ¡°It¡¯s always good to have a companion, right?¡±


    Bailey chuckles, shaking his head good-naturedly. "Just here for the grub, are we? Well, can''t say I blame ya! As long as you leave a bit for me, you''re welcome to tag along."


    I help Bailey pack until dawn. As the moons fade and the sun rises, we load everything into his vehicle¡ªa flying contraption. "This little beauty set me back a pretty penny, I tell ya!"


    We lift off and head towards the beach.


    After a smooth touchdown on a dry patch near the shore, Bailey gathers some plants and camouflages his vehicle. He carefully sets up traps around it. "Best to be on the safe side, wouldn''t you say? Can''t be too careful out here. Besides, it''s the only way we¡¯re gettin'' outta here!"


    We return to where I hid my submarine. Luckily, it¡¯s still there. I drag it back into the sea, and we dive into the dark abyss. Bailey takes the controls this time, and he¡¯s a much better pilot than I was. The submarine has a lot of functions I didn¡¯t know about, like a map and autopilot. We return to Dr. Keyser¡¯s cavern without much trouble.


    I thought I¡¯d never come back¡­ and here we are, a day later¡­


    Returning inside, I stop Bailey cautiously. Everything looks even messier than I left it.


    Had someone been here?


    After a closer look, I realize it¡¯s because of the earthquakes. They¡¯d shaken everything. There are also cracks in the floor. I flick on the lights.


    "So¡­ this is where he made his home. Master Keyser¡­ he suffered a good deal here," Bailey says, tears welling in his eyes.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much up here. All his work, or what¡¯s left of it, is in the lab downstairs,¡± I say, pointing to the painting.


    "That''s¡­ that''s¡­ by the stars¡­ that¡¯s it. The Annunaki treasure¡­" Bailey¡¯s eyes widen, and he takes a shaky breath. "That''s¡­ that¡¯s the one they¡¯ve been searchin'' for¡­"


    ¡°What now?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°This thing is a treasure? Of the gods?!¡±


    ¡°Aye¡­ it is,¡± Bailey says. He freezes for a moment, then nods slowly. ¡°There was talk of a painting. Stolen from the Annunaki. They¡¯ve been huntin¡¯ for it for ages. Still are, I reckon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± I carefully touch the painting, taking a closer look. It just looks like a normal painting. The gold looks a little off, but that¡¯s it.


    ¡°I never knew¡­ not a thing,¡± Bailey says, moving closer and peering at the painting, even sniffing it curiously. ¡°The materials¡­ goodness. The finest you could find, I¡¯d wager. All that gold¡­ it¡¯s mixed with Adamantine. The whole frame, the canvas itself¡­ Adamantine covered in gold. And there are other thin'' in there too¡­ rare stones, even plants, by the looks of it.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    So¡­ this Dr. Keyser is a master thief?!


    ¡°So¡­ should we take it? We could use some money for our travels, you know,¡± I say, smirking and rubbing my hands together.


    ¡°No¡­ no way,¡± Bailey says, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t fit in any submarine, that¡¯s for certain. And nobody¡¯s got the coin for somethin¡¯ like this. Even if they did¡­ they wouldn¡¯t dare. Not with the Annunaki still looking.¡±


    ¡°We could just, you know, take the frame and melt it down or something.¡± I try to pry a piece of the frame off with my bare hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ no. That isn¡¯t right. Any way to work Adamantine, to shape it or anythin''¡­ those are secrets kept tighter than a drum. Once it¡¯s set in gold, it¡¯s practically indestructible¡­¡± Before Bailey can finish, my hand slips.


    The scale on the back of my hand drags along the frame. Sparks fly everywhere. My hair flares up in iridescent light, dancing in the air.


    Hundreds of thousands of hair strands poke into the painting and frame, and the entire painting glows golden.


    My consciousness is yanked to the upper dimension, beneath the golden sphere.


    The visions are becoming clearer each time I¡¯m here. Strands of iridescent strings extend from beneath me into the darkness below, like roots. Many golden strings from the sphere are entangled with these roots.


    Specks of light in many different colors rise up the roots. A scant few fade to translucence before exiting and falling back into the darkness.


    Most of the specks turn golden, and golden strings pull them into the sphere¡¯s warm embrace.


    As I watch, the light from the iridescent strings suddenly intensifies. The roots multiply and thicken. Branch-like structures form around me, enveloping me in a small, tree-like formation.


    The next moment, I snapped back to reality.


    Bailey stood behind me, face ashen, still gawking at the painting. His jaw hung open wide enough to swallow a small melon.


    The painting looked¡­ decidedly less shiny.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ gone. All of it. Every last bit,¡± Bailey whispered, shuddering.


    ¡°You mean¡­ the Adamantine in this painting¡­ is all gone?!¡± I clutched a handful of my hair, which promptly reverted to its usual silver.


    ¡°That¡­ that was probably more Adamantine than anyone¡¯s seen in¡­ well, years. Maybe even a decade,¡± Bailey said, slowly sinking to the floor behind me. His voice was heavy with despair.


    I joined him on the floor.


    My disappointment¡­ was profound.


    A quick check of my bag reassured me. The two gold-plated adamantine bars were still safely tucked away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Master Keyser made¡­ but you¡­ you¡¯re somethin'' else entirely,¡± Bailey muttered, staring at me with wide, unfocused eyes.


    I couldn¡¯t tell Bailey about the higher dimension and the afterlife. Some things were better kept to oneself¡­ at least for now.


    We rested for a while. Bailey whipped up a quick snack in the kitchen. Turns out, the ingredients weren¡¯t half bad. I was just a culinary disaster in this world.


    Back in the lab, it was still the chaotic mess I¡¯d left it in.


    We approached the corner where Dr. Keyser¡¯s dust lay.


    Bailey crumpled to his knees, a choked sob escaping him. ¡°Master Keyser¡­ I finally found you¡­ after all this time¡­¡± His voice cracked, tears streaming down his face. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re¡­ gone¡­¡± He buried his face in his hands.


    I stayed with Bailey for a long while. Eventually, the worst of his grief subsided, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.


    You will see him again¡­ eventually¡­


    Bailey carefully gathered all the dust into a prepared vase. He carried the vase to a secluded corner, dug a small hole, and gently placed it inside. ¡°Rest easy, Master¡­ Thank you¡­ for everythin''.¡±


    After everything, Bailey and I survey the wreckage of broken machinery. ¡°Blimey,¡± Bailey says, shaking his head in astonishment. ¡°This is somethin'' else entirely. This technology¡­ it¡¯s far beyond anythin'' I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡±


    I show him a couple of books that had been indecipherable before.


    ¡°These look like Mesoselenian. If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ they might be about magic,¡± Bailey says, running his fingers lightly across the texts.


    ¡°What is magic in this world?¡± Bailey had mentioned it before. The thought flickers through my mind: maybe magic is the key to freeing my consciousness.


    Bailey explains that humans can¡¯t use magic. The Mesoselenians, however, can wield some magic-like abilities using adamantine, which is precisely why they¡¯re kept far away from any adamantine mines. The Mesoselenians¡¯ magic is fairly basic¡ªphysical enhancements, minor elemental manipulation¡ªnothing that compares to current human technology.


    With adamantine being so valuable and rare, even the Mesoselenians mostly use human tech these days. They¡¯re even starting to make their own technological advancements and share them with humans. Magic is only used by Mesoselenians on rare occasions, for traditional ceremonies or dire emergencies.


    The Annunaki, apparently, are the only ones who can truly use magic. Although Bailey¡¯s never witnessed it himself, legends say they can perform feats that completely defy physics and reality.


    ¡°What you can do¡­ it isn¡¯t somethin'' you see everyday. It goes against¡­ well, everythin''. The Annunaki¡­ they wouldn¡¯t take kindly to somethin'' like that. They might¡­ want to take a very close look,¡± Bailey says, his brow furrowing with concern.


    Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­


    Another earthquake hits, much stronger than the last. The cracks in the ground widen dramatically.


    ¡°RUN!¡± I yell, grabbing Bailey by the arm and making a dash for the gate. Just as we¡¯re about to reach it, the ground beneath us crumbles away.


    ¡°Ahhhh!!!!!!¡± We¡¯re suddenly weightless, plummeting into the abyss.


    This stupid isekai! Talk about a clich¨¦ plot line!

 Ch 4 (1/2): Uncover

    Normally in novels, there¡¯d be a conveniently placed lake or something to cushion our fall.


    I glance down. No lake. Just solid rock rushing up to meet us. I yank the screaming Bailey towards me, pulling him on top. I¡¯m not sure how much fall damage I¡¯d take, but I¡¯m certain Bailey won¡¯t survive this without some¡­ emergency cushioning.


    I hug him close. The instant before impact, I push Bailey upwards with every ounce of strength in my hands and feet. My body slams into the unforgiving rock below.


    Crash!


    I land squarely on my back, creating a small crater. Yet, still no pain. And I¡¯m still conscious. Huh.


    Bailey flies up a short distance before landing on his stomach with a soft oof. He¡¯s not badly injured, just fainted from the sheer terror of it all. I grab him by the torso and scramble to the side, dodging the rocks raining down around us. The earthquake finally stops.


    I lean against a wall, cursing internally. All that, and not a single scratch. Even the rocks crumble to dust when they hit me. What gives?


    After a moment, Bailey¡¯s eyelids flutter open.


    ¡°That was¡­ close,¡± I say, helping him sit up a little.


    ¡°Thank¡­ thank you¡­ I¡­ I truly thought¡­ that was it¡­¡± Bailey gasps, clutching his chest. His hands tremble. ¡°How¡­ how did you¡­? My life¡­ I¡­ I owe you¡­ I don¡¯t know how I can ever repay you¡­ thank you¡­¡±


    It takes him a while to recover. He¡¯s understandably shaken by the near-death experience.


    I pat him on the shoulder. ¡°I could really go for a good meal when we¡¯re out of here.¡±


    Pushing myself to my feet, I look back up the way we fell. ¡°Yeah, that was a pretty rough landing. Glad that¡¯s over.¡±


    Once Bailey¡¯s finally over the worst of the shock, he pulls out a handheld device. A bright light illuminates the area.


    ¡°We¡¯re¡­ a good few hundred meters down, at least. The air¡¯s breathable, thankfully,¡± Bailey says, his hand steady as he points the small device around the chamber.


    ¡°There¡¯s gotta be a way out. Just¡­ hoping we don¡¯t get another one of those shakes.¡± He nods towards a faint draft. ¡°Seems like the air¡¯s movin¡¯ this way. Let¡¯s head that direction.¡±


    Is he Doraemon? Come to think of it, he kinda looks like him too.


    I trail closely behind Bailey. ¡°Cool gadgets. You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a flying drone to scope this place out?¡±


    ¡°I ain¡¯t got the coin for somethin¡¯ that fancy, that¡¯s for sure. But I wasn¡¯t intendin¡¯ to end up as critter feed out here, so I took a few precautions. Glad nothin¡¯ got smashed in that tumble.¡± Bailey leads us forward, and a blue glow suddenly spills out from ahead.


    Up close, the glow emanates from a substance coating a large patch of the cave floor. It looks like someone spilled a bucket of luminescent goo.


    ¡°What¡¯s that stuff?¡± I ask Bailey.


    ¡°Never seen nothin¡¯ like this before. Never been this far underground neither.¡± Bailey kneels to examine the glowing substance.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s a first for everything.¡± I poke it with my boot. The substance feels like clay and doesn¡¯t smell of anything. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    Bailey nods, and we skirt around the glowing patch. We continue until we reach a large opening in the wall. Bailey points. ¡°There¡¯s a draft comin¡¯ from here. Fresh air, too.¡±


    The opening leads into a tunnel, quite different from the cave we were in. Bailey stops at the entrance. ¡°Looks like someone dug this out.¡±


    I drag my fingers across some unusual, shallow markings on the walls. ¡°Probably a long time ago. We should keep going, before another earthquake hits.¡±


    ¡°Aye, if we get another shake like that, we could be stuck down here for a good while,¡± Bailey says, hurrying into the opening. I follow quickly.


    Those markings look like they¡¯re made by pickaxes and chisels. Someone dug this a long, long time ago. The markings are almost completely weathered away.


    Something else feels off. It¡¯s too quiet. Besides the occasional drip of water and Bailey¡¯s heavy breathing, there¡¯s nothing. No small creatures, not even bugs. It''s like a subterranean library, except instead of books, we have rocks.


    ¡°Are we going deeper?¡± I ask. I feel like we¡¯re constantly moving downwards.


    Bailey glances at his device. ¡°Aye, goin¡¯ deeper underground, it seems.¡±


    I stop. ¡°Why would the exit be deeper underground?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know, but it¡¯s where that fresh air¡¯s comin¡¯ from.¡± Bailey points at his device.


    Suddenly, a loud alarm blares from Bailey¡¯s device. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Bailey quickly drops his bag, pulls out a mask, and tries to shove it onto my face.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°What are you doing? What¡¯s happening?!¡± I try to fend him off.


    "Get it on! Quick! The air''s goin'' bad! We ain''t got much time!" Bailey yells as the alarm blares.


    I yank my mask off. ¡°Where¡¯s yours?!¡±


    "I''m...I''m fine. Just..." Bailey stammers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it! No time to explain, I am immune,¡± I interrupt, swiftly forcing the mask onto his face, adjusting the straps.


    A thick blue smog instantly fills the cave. The alarm screams.


    ¡°Which way?!¡± I shout at Bailey.


    He¡¯s frozen, eyes wide, clearly struggling to process the sudden toxic atmosphere.


    ¡°Which way?!¡± I repeat, louder.


    Bailey flinches, snaps back to reality, frantically waves his device around, before finally pointing down a tunnel.


    I grab Bailey¡¯s bag in one hand and his arm in the other, and we bolt. After a frantic couple of minutes, the tunnel opens into a larger cavern. The alarm on Bailey¡¯s device mercifully cuts out.


    "By the stars...I...I almost...that was it..." Bailey stares at me, eyes still wide with shock. "Just...how...? You''re...You''re fine?"


    ¡°I am Val, a perfect homunculus created by your dear Master Keyser,¡± I announce with a grin.


    I place my hands on Bailey¡¯s shoulders, lean in close, and fix him with a serious look. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare risk your life for mine ever again! I don¡¯t want your death on my conscience.¡±


    Bailey freezes, stammering. "I''m...I''m so sorry. I was just..."


    ¡°I know you were trying to save me. I know you feel indebted from before. But you don¡¯t owe me anything. I saved you because I need you, and I need you alive!¡± I say firmly.


    Bailey¡¯s eyes well up with tears. "I didn''t think...I didn''t think you''d care, not after...well, after I tried to...you know. Especially considering we only just met."


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind you trying to poison me, I totally understand. I was a complete stranger who showed up at your door, after all.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain everything right now, just remember I am Val. I am Dr. Keyser¡¯s perfect creation. I am not going to die easily,¡± I tell Bailey, giving his shoulders a reassuring pat. He manages a relieved smile.


    Geez¡­ If we¡¯re going to be traveling together for a bit, he can¡¯t keep interrupting my plans to return to the afterlife.


    Bailey shuffled forward a bit, finding a decent spot to rest. ¡°So, what was that smog?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t tell ya what it was, but this little gadget said it was nasty stuff,¡± Bailey replied, holding up his device.


    After fiddling with it myself, I asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it tell you what it detected?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t build the thing myself, mind you, but it seems to do the trick. That blue fog nearly got the better of us. I got a snout full of it, and I tell ya, it felt like my lungs were on fire!¡± Bailey said, snatching the device back.


    ¡°Okay, I guess your money was well spent. Saved your life.¡±


    ¡°Aye, worth every coin!¡± Bailey said, chuckling. He rummaged through his bag and tossed me some food.


    At this point, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he pulled out a time machine.


    As we rested, small critters scurried past, some familiar. ¡°These little fellas are bottom feeders,¡± Bailey explained. ¡°They¡¯ll eat just about anything that¡¯s gone to the great beyond around here. Harmless, they are. Unless you¡¯re already six feet under, that is! Hahaha!¡±


    We hadn''t seen any of these in the previous tunnel or cave. This place should be safer. ¡°What else you got in that bag of yours?¡± I asked, curiosity piqued. ¡°Any other cool gadgets?¡±


    Bailey opened his bag, revealing its contents: a bewildering assortment of spices, herbs, and other paraphernalia. I stared, speechless. ¡°Why do you carry so much of this stuff?!¡±


    ¡°These are my most prized possessions,¡± Bailey explained. ¡°Traveled the world to find ¡®em all. All so I could cook up a good meal for Master Keyser. Shame he¡¯s¡­¡± He trailed off, gesturing to the items. Most were spices and dried herbs, some clearly poisonous, others rare and exquisite. A few bottles of medicine were tucked in amongst them.


    Well, I guess there¡¯s no time machine after all.


    After our short break, we got up and kept moving. And there it was¡ªlight! We had to be close!


    Bailey and I rushed forward, blissfully unaware. It wasn¡¯t sunlight. Nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to see.


    We emerged into a massive cavern. The light came from enormous, glowing crystals sprouting from the ceiling hundreds of meters above, illuminating the entire space. Below them lay a vast, abandoned city, completely overgrown with vegetation.


    ¡°How deep are we?¡± I asked, staring at the sight.


    ¡°Near about four hundred meters down¡­¡± Bailey read from his device.


    Maybe it¡¯s just an isekai thing, I thought. ¡°Who lives this far underground?¡±


    ¡°Not that I¡¯ve ever heard of¡­¡± Bailey racked his memory.


    ¡°Do you feel hot or anything?¡± I asked. Usually, it¡¯d be sweltering this deep down.


    Bailey wiped his sweaty palms. ¡°I¡¯m sweating like a hog, but it ain¡¯t the heat. Should we take a gander? That fresh air¡¯s gotta be coming from somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded, and we headed down into the city.


    Everything looked frozen in time. The plants hadn¡¯t damaged the structures at all; it was like someone had been pruning them.


    Bailey looked intensely interested in the vegetation. ¡°Do you recognize these plants?¡± I asked.


    He plucked a bit, examined it closely, and then took a cautious nibble. ¡°They look familiar, alright, but¡­not quite the same as any I¡¯ve seen before.¡± He chewed thoughtfully. ¡°Tastes familiar, too.¡±


    ¡°These are edible?¡± I picked a few and tasted them. I promptly spat them out. They were horrendous.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re not exactly a five-star meal on their own,¡± Bailey said with a grin.


    He explained that the plants resembled surface crops¡ªthe stuff Mesoselenians grew for food. However, they all looked and tasted slightly different.


    At least Bailey won¡¯t starve anytime soon.


    We entered a few homes. They were empty, but it looked like the occupants had left in a hurry. Broken pots and pans littered the floors.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Bailey tripped on something, managing to keep his balance. The object that tripped him turned out to be the city¡¯s first resident¡ªor at least, part of one.


    A couple of long bones lay bare on the ground.


    ¡°Whose bones are these?¡± I asked.


    ¡°These look like Mesoselenian bones, but¡­they¡¯re not quite the same.¡± Bailey pointed to the bone¡¯s width, considerably thicker than any Mesoselenian bones he knew.


    ¡°Okay, I have a theory. This is a city belonging to ancient Mesoselenians¡ªa large group that lived here underground, isolated from the rest of the world. They abandoned it for some reason, and this is what¡¯s left,¡± I said. Bailey was still examining the bones and plants.


    ¡°Aye, fascinating indeed¡­This is something else entirely. Never seen or heard of anything like it,¡± he muttered, continuing to look around.

 Ch 4 (2/2): Uncover

    The ground suddenly lurched, another quake? Before I could grab Bailey, hundreds of small heads erupted from the earth. Heads that resembled cicadas, only these were colossal. Time to bolt!


    I snatched Bailey by the torso again and leaped onto a nearby building. More and more heads emerged, thousands, millions¡­ They began munching on the vegetation, devouring the plants in a wave of clicking mandibles.


    "These are...Kavriades! But...so many of ''em? And look at the size of ''em! They''re plant-eaters, though, so no need to fret," Bailey said, utterly fascinated.


    Trypophobia much!


    ¡°We should keep moving,¡± I said to Bailey, but he was already halfway down the building.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I hissed, scrambling to reach him.


    ¡°Give me a hand!¡± he whispered back.


    Does he have some weird fetish?!


    "Kavriades only mate once every ten years, you know. Their eggs are rarer than hen''s teeth...and delicious! They call ''em green caviar. I had just a wee taste once...never forgot it." Bailey explained, seeing my bewildered and slightly disgusted expression.


    ¡°Say no more, let¡¯s get some¡­¡± I followed him down.


    ¡°Why are we sneaking around? Shouldn¡¯t we let them finish and come back later?¡± I whispered, tiptoeing closer.


    ¡°Once the egg¡¯s is laid, we have very little time before it gets fertilized. Once fertilized, they are not good anymore,¡± Bailey said, pulling a massive jar out of his bag.


    Where did he even get that?!


    We crept closer. Just as I was about to grab one, Bailey stopped me.  "We can''t touch ''em! If we spook ''em, they''ll spray somethin'' awful. That''ll warn the whole lot of ''em. Then we''re in real trouble!"


    Bailey got down on all fours, crawling slowly across the ground, or as slowly as his rather round frame allowed. He positioned the jar near a Kavriades¡¯ backside, and out it came. Bailey swiftly pulled the jar away before the creature finished, collecting only a small portion. He moved on to the next one, and the next. In no time, he¡¯d quietly filled the entire jar with the green, caviar-like eggs.


    He then produced a smaller jar, refilled it with practiced ease, and quietly returned. He handed me the jar, pointed towards a nearby building, and whispered, ¡°Best be movin¡¯ along.¡±


    We reached the rooftop without incident. ¡°Phew,¡± Bailey breathed, visibly relieved. I grinned and popped open the jar for a sniff. It smelled faintly of the sea. Bailey then produced a rather ornate-looking spoon and scooped up a small portion for each of us.


    We placed the spoonfuls on our tongues, and a wave of salty, savory, and subtly sweet flavors washed over us. As I gently bit down on the tiny, glistening pearls, they burst with a sweet tang of wine and a delicate hint of seafood.


    Lost in the delightful taste of this ¡°green caviar,¡± we were oblivious to the sudden shift in atmosphere. An eerie silence descended. I glanced down and saw that the tens of millions of Kavriades had all turned their gaze directly towards us.


    I nudged Bailey, who was still happily licking his spoon. ¡°You think they know we¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Who¡­? What¡¯s that?¡± Bailey blinked, finally pulling his attention away from the spoon. He followed my gaze and looked down the side of the building. The Kavriades¡¯ eyes burned with an unsettling intensity.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just looking at something else. We should probably go,¡± I suggested, already moving towards the other side of the roof. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t think they know we just ate their eggs, do you?¡±


    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t¡­ we¡¯re a good distance off. They didn¡¯t even react when I took them,¡± Bailey said, glancing nervously around. ¡°Unless¡­¡± He trailed off, hurrying to catch up. He peered over the edge.


    We were surrounded. Millions of eyes stared back at us. Suddenly, a low rumble echoed through the air as the Kavriades unfurled their wings. The entire swarm began to rise, a living wave surging up the side of the building. ¡°You never mentioned they could fly!¡±


    I grabbed Bailey by his bag and the scruff of his neck, leaping from one rooftop to the next. We sprinted towards the largest building in the city, the Kavriades pursuing us like a relentless, buzzing tide, rapidly closing the distance.


    ¡°What do we do?!¡± I yelled, Bailey dangling precariously in my grasp.


    ¡°Hold on tight! Don¡¯t let go!¡± Bailey yelled back. ¡°Aaaagh!¡±


    We reached the largest building, and I dropped Bailey unceremoniously onto the ground. ¡°This way!¡± I shouted, pointing towards a nearby door. We burst inside and slammed the door shut behind us, bracing against it with all our might. We could feel the Kavriades slamming against the door in relentless waves.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°I thought they only ate plants!¡± I exclaimed.


    ¡°Just because they eat plants doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t squash us flat!¡± Bailey retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s gonna die! Are they afraid of anything?!¡± I asked, panicking.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve no idea!¡± Bailey replied, his voice laced with despair.


    ¡°Give me that small jar!¡± Bailey shoved the container of tiny green pearls into my hand. ¡°You go first! Get deeper inside, find a hiding spot. I¡¯ll lure them away. I¡¯ll be fine!¡± I tossed my bag aside and yelled, ¡°GO!¡±


    Bailey glanced back one last time before scrambling inside and slamming the doors behind him.


    Alright, let¡¯s see if you guys can free me.


    I popped the remaining caviar into my mouth. Heavenly¡­ I timed it perfectly, waiting for the lull after a wave of attacks. Then, I burst through the door.


    ¡°Come get some!¡± I shouted, green ooze still dripping from my lips.


    I leaped to a neighboring rooftop. The massive swarm followed, a buzzing, rumbling, biting, ripping mass. They swarmed around me as I stood perfectly still.


    Nothing. Still nothing¡­ no feeling, no pain¡­ absolutely nothing.


    Disappointed, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to test this body¡¯s limits.


    I closed my eyes, focusing my mind. Images of every anime and kung fu movie I¡¯d ever seen flashed through my head.


    I couldn¡¯t use magic, but plenty of my favorite anime didn¡¯t rely on it. A certain bushy-browed sensei and his insane taijutsu sprang to mind.


    With epic background music playing in my head, I prepared for a limit test. This time, my focus was solely on speed and accuracy. Killing these bugs wasn¡¯t hard; a solid hit to the head did the trick.


    I focused my vision on one creature at a time. My enhanced reaction time and reflexes made everything seem to slow to a crawl. With pinpoint precision, I began systematically punching through their heads.


    I threw punches as fast as I could, my fists extending and retracting like pistons, ripping through the air with whip-like cracks.


    The heads of the bugs I hit, and even a few behind them, exploded before my fist even connected.


    ¡°Asakujaku!¡± I roared, my middle school syndrome making a triumphant return.


    I¡¯m so glad Bailey isn¡¯t around to see this. Strange¡­ so many of them bit the dust and my hair didn¡¯t even flicker.


    I soon smelled burning smoke somewhere. Then, a bright light blasted through the swarm.


    Whoa¡­ definitely not me¡­


    "Run!" Bailey¡¯s voice cuts through the air. A couple of flaming Molotov cocktails sailed through the air and exploded around me.


    The flames roared, scattering the swarm, which wisely kept its distance. Through the thick smoke, I scrambled back to Bailey and we bolted back indoors. The creatures didn¡¯t seem keen on pursuing us.


    I rounded on Bailey. ¡°I told you to run! What if they came back for you?!¡±


    "I...I think...I seem to recall they weren''t too fond of fire," Bailey mumbled softly.


    Seeing his crestfallen expression, I instantly regretted my harsh tone. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± I said, softening my voice. I walked past Bailey, grabbing my bag and changing into some fresh clothes.


    ¡°Come on, buddy. This place looks like some kind of important building. Let¡¯s check it out,¡± I said, turning back to Bailey with a bright smile.


    Bailey¡¯s face lit up. "I''m comin''! I''m comin''!" he chirped, hurrying forward with a wide grin.


    We entered the building.


    This place reeks of ritual¡­ The walls are covered in carvings. It¡¯s incredibly dark inside. Bailey uses his device and a flashlight to examine the walls. ¡°Do you know who carved these?¡± I asked.


    "Likely carved by the old Mesoselenians, I reckon," Bailey replied after a closer look.


    ¡°Any guess what it¡¯s about?¡±


    "Haven''t the foggiest about that bit," Bailey said with a shake of his head.


    We made our way down the building. Thankfully, the stairs were still intact. The rooms were remarkably well preserved, but completely empty and coated in dust. Each room was tiny. There must be hundreds of them.


    They emptied everything before leaving. These living conditions¡­ It¡¯s like they were living in jail cells.


    On the ground floor looms a massive door. We carefully push it open, a cloud of dust billowing out to greet us. Thankfully, Bailey¡¯s gadget doesn¡¯t trigger any alarms. A colossal statue stands solemnly in the center of the room.


    "Right then, I''m certain now. This city''s ancient Mesoselenian, through and through," Bailey declares, pointing at the statue.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡± I murmur, awestruck by the sheer size of the statue and its intricate details.


    Bailey explains that the Mesoselenians believed in reincarnation after death, and this is a statue of their deity. Legend says this deity purifies the soul after death and returns it to this world. They call it Nyotha, which translates to Purity.


    ¡°Their deity is a tree?¡± I mutter, staring at the massive tree-shaped statue.


    We circle the statue. An altar stands in each of the four corners of the room.


    Sssss¡­Sss¡­Ssssss


    ¡°Listen¡­ something¡¯s here,¡± I whisper, alerting Bailey.


    Bailey quickly moves beside me. "Where at? I don''t see nothin''." He draws his gun and scans the area.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s underground.¡± I lie flat on the ground and press my ear to the stone.


    Sss¡­Sssssss¡­Sss


    ¡°It¡¯s below us, quite far below.¡± I draw back my fist.


    "Whoa there! Steady on! This place is worth more than all the gold in the world!" Bailey yells, grabbing my arm.


    We stand up. I suggest we search for a switch or a hidden door.


    All the isekai novels I¡¯ve read suggest this place must have a secret passage or room¡­


    We look around. I try to budge the altars. They''re immovable. I examine them carefully. The ground around them looks a bit¡­ off. I wipe away the dust. There''s a distinct tile directly beneath each altar.


    I press down hard on one altar. It sinks slightly. I quickly tell Bailey. We try pressing on all the altars individually. They all depress.


    We decide to try pressing all four at the same time. We use Bailey¡¯s bag on one altar, a large stone on another, and we each press down on the remaining two.


    Click¡­ whoosh¡­ whoosh¡­ whoosh¡­ whoosh


    Arrows shoot out from all four directions¡­


    ¡°Bailey!!!¡±

 Ch 5 (1/2): Elements

    I charged towards Bailey, momentarily forgetting a cardinal rule of adventuring¡ªtraps! How could I be so dense? It¡¯s practically a trope in every novel!


    Bailey scrambled to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?!¡± I checked him over for injuries, my hands fluttering across his limbs.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, I¡¯m alright! Remember, I build traps for a living. These little things are nothing!¡± Bailey puffed out his chest, a wide grin spreading across his face.


    The arrows, embedded deep in the stone walls, were a testament to their force. Yet, miraculously, neither Bailey nor his bag had suffered a scratch. These arrows could pierce stone, but bounced right off them.


    ¡°What¡¯s your bag and clothes made of?¡± I asked, genuinely curious. They looked like ordinary leather.


    ¡°Now this is something special!¡± He patted his bag proudly. ¡°They say this stuff¡¯s tougher than nails, stronger than any iron you¡¯ve ever seen. Woven from some kind of critter¡¯s silk, they say. And I¡¯ll be, they weren¡¯t exaggerating!¡±


    ¡°I reckon there¡¯s a certain way things are meant to go on each table. Certain items, certain weights, I¡¯d wager,¡± Bailey mused, beginning his search.


    I dusted off a nearby table. Each one, I noticed, had a subtle but distinct indentation.


    We circled the hall, scanning for ritualistic items or anything of use. We came up empty. Had everything been removed when the place was abandoned?


    ¡°Maybe we should just leave,¡± I suggested, disheartened. ¡°Whatever¡¯s underneath probably isn¡¯t that important. It might even be empty.¡±


    ¡°Might be nothing inside, might be something interesting. We won¡¯t know until we have a peek. I¡¯m dying to see what¡¯s underneath. A bit of adventure never hurt nobody, right?¡± Bailey chuckled.


    Turning my thoughts to the mechanism, I asked Bailey, ¡°Do you know anything special about the Mesoselenians? Anything symbolic or ritualistic?¡±


    ¡°Nothing too specific, really. They used Adamantine for their rituals, and they were big on¡­ well, purity,¡± Bailey replied.


    An idea sparked. I rummaged in my bag, pulling out one of the adamantine bars and placing it on the altar. It slotted perfectly into the indentation. The altar slowly sank a fraction.


    Did Dr. Keyser know about this place?


    I marked the altar¡¯s descent and placed stones on it until it reached the same depth. Then, I moved to the next altar and repeated the process. One by one, they sank. Finally, we reached the last one. I told Bailey to wait outside, just in case there were any more nasty surprises lurking.


    As the last altar clicked into place, the hall rumbled, and dust rained down from the walls. The massive statue began to descend, revealing a spiral staircase in the newly formed hole.


    These people really had a thing for digging¡­


    I called Bailey back in. ¡°Anything amiss down there?¡±


    Bailey pointed his device near the entrance. The alarm remained silent. ¡°Should be alright¡­ for me, at least,¡± he replied.


    We descended the stairs. It was unbelievably clean down here. I took a deep breath. The air even smelled pleasantly sweet.


    I stopped Bailey. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this seem a little¡­ suspicious? This place is way too pristine for somewhere abandoned for possibly thousands of years.¡±


    "Aye, we''re all good here. I''m tougher than I look! Let''s not waste any time, shall we?" Bailey said enthusiastically.


    ¡°There might be traps,¡± I said, a little worried.


    "Don''t you fret, I''ll look after myself. Regular traps ain''t no bother to me. Poison gas, though...that''s a different kettle of fish. I''ll keep this little beauty handy." Bailey said, holding up the device.


    Sssss¡­ Sssssss


    A flash of gold zipped across our feet. I instantly stepped on it.


    We both knelt down. A small, gold, slug-like creature wiggled and screeched under my boot.


    ¡°Any idea what this is?¡± I asked, holding the squirming creature out to Bailey.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be! Never seen anything quite like it. This place is crawling with all sorts of oddities¡­¡± Bailey crouched down for a closer look. ¡°Now, there¡¯s something familiar about this one. Reminds me of a Geodyte, the kind you find in the mines. But these are far too small. Even the young¡¯uns are about an arm¡¯s length. And the color¡­ they¡¯re usually a greenish-blue, like copper left out in the rain.¡±


    ¡°Ewww,¡± the image of an arm-sized slug flashed through my mind.


    ¡°Are they dangerous? I think there must be a lot more of these,¡± I asked Bailey.


    ¡°Geodytes are dangerous because of how big they get¡ªsome of ¡®em can grow as big as a small house. They ain¡¯t venomous, though, so this little fella¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Bailey continued his examination.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Size of a small house?¡± A shiver ran down my spine.


    Suddenly, the small creature glowed, and a ball of blue lightning erupted from its body. I quickly cupped it in my hands. Lightning sparked out, followed by a puff of smoke, then¡­ nothing.


    For the first time, I felt a tingling sensation in my palms. Carefully, I opened my hands. The lifeless creature lay there, its color turned dark brown, as if it had been overcooked.


    ¡°And that?¡± I looked at Bailey.


    ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s magic!¡± Bailey stared, eyes wide. ¡°Creatures don¡¯t¡­ they don¡¯t use magic. Ever.¡±


    ¡°You mean that¡¯s magic? As in, real magic?¡± I was thoroughly confused. ¡°I thought you said the Annunaki were the only ones who could use real magic.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ this is like Mesoselenian magic. That was¡­ lightning magic. There are other kinds, but¡­ that¡­ that shouldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Bailey shook his head, bewildered.


    ¡°We should really be extra careful here then¡­ if these things can use magic¡­¡± I warned him.


    We continued down, encountering many more of the small creatures. When we finally reached the bottom, a tunneling passage became visible.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the way we¡¯re going then,¡± I muttered.


    We walked deeper into the secret passage until we reached the end. A massive door blocked our path. Bailey and I pushed with all our might, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.


    I worried about more traps.


    This was the point in a novel where life-threatening danger would usually appear.


    ¡°Bailey, back up as far as you can without losing sight of me,¡± I instructed.


    I examined the door. There was a slot-like space on its surface. And wouldn¡¯t you know it, it was the same shape as one of my adamantine bars. I inserted the bar into the slot, and the entire door lit up and swung open. I quickly retrieved the bar and tucked it back into my bag.


    My precious¡­


    Sssss¡­ssss¡­Sssss


    As the door creaked open, a swarm of tiny gold slugs scurried across the floor, disappearing into every nook and cranny in the walls.


    I held up Bailey¡¯s device. The alarm remained stubbornly silent. Peering inside, I saw nothing out of the ordinary¡ªso far. I waved Bailey over.


    ¡°Ready?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Bailey replied, hefting the gun.


    We cautiously stepped through the doorway. Another grand hall stretched before us. Torches lined the walls. Bailey snatched one and lit it.


    In the flickering light, the hall¡¯s walls came to life with beautiful paintings. Bailey and I began lighting all the torches.


    When we finished, the magnificent artwork stood revealed in all its former glory.


    We carefully examined the paintings. They depicted an ancient tale from eons past.


    The land was fertile, fields overflowing with crops. The sun shone brightly. The tiefling-like people lived in harmony, farming, hunting, fishing, and mining.


    Until one night, a giant red moon appeared in the sky.


    ¡°This planet didn¡¯t always have two moons?!¡± I exclaimed, turning to Bailey.


    ¡°Not that I know of¡­ never heard tell of such a thing,¡± Bailey replied.


    The massive new red moon shone down, and then came the floods. Massive waves of water washed over the land. Everything was swept away. The daily flooding came and went, again and again.


    The ancient tribes fled to the mountaintops. One group found a large cavern high on a mountain, extending deep inside. With nowhere else to go, they ventured into the depths.


    They struggled daily in the darkness, many perished, and they made terrible sacrifices. But fortune finally smiled upon them. They discovered a massive deposit of adamantine in the cavern.


    Using their knowledge of magic and the adamantine, they not only survived underground but thrived. They rebuilt their city below the surface. This temple was built in honor of their deity, whom they believed had granted them this chance of survival.


    ¡°So¡­ how long ago do you think this was?¡± I asked, glancing from the wall painting to Bailey.


    ¡°Uh¡­ there¡¯s absolutely nothin¡¯ about this in any of our histories. Not a word,¡± Bailey explained.


    He elaborated, telling me that humans had over ten thousand years of recorded history. The Mesoselenians, on the other hand, hadn¡¯t developed writing until relatively recently. All their knowledge and history was passed down through stories. But nothing resembling these paintings existed in any of them.


    ¡°Do you have anything to record all this? Like a camera?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Cam¡­era? Hmm¡­ never heard of such a thing. Though this contraption does take pictures, and¡­ well, it records what it sees,¡± Bailey replied, holding out his device.


    ¡°¡­That works¡­¡± I muttered. It was basically a smartphone¡­


    We continued exploring the hall. It seemed to have once been used for rituals, but there wasn¡¯t much left.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd. Did they really clear everything out?¡± I asked Bailey.


    He glanced at his device again, then pointed at a wall at the end of the hall. ¡°There¡¯s fresh air comin¡¯ from that wall¡­ I wonder where it¡¯s leadin¡¯?¡±


    We walked over. I tapped my knuckles on it; it sounded hollow. Bailey reflexively grabbed my arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t break the place,¡± I reassured him. He gave an awkward chuckle and released me.


    My gaze snapped back to a painting on the wall. "Bailey, stand back," I instructed, reaching out to touch the artwork. The painted red moon felt¡­ loose. As if it could be rotated.


    I turned it slowly, a distinct click echoing through the vast hall.


    Suddenly, three wickedly sharp spears shot from the wall. They still couldn¡¯t pierce my body. Impressive, but still no match for my¡­ resilience. I glanced back at Bailey, who gave me a reassuring thumbs-up.


    Next, my attention landed on the depiction of an adamantine bar. This one seemed designed to be pressed. I obliged, a couple of times, another click confirming the action.


    The air above me shimmered, then erupted in a torrent of flames. These weren''t ordinary flames, though. A genuine warmth spread through me¡ªa sensation I hadn''t felt in¡­ well, since I got this body.


    Then, as quickly as it began, the inferno vanished, leaving behind the distinct absence of my clothing.


    Indestructible body, yes. Indestructible wardrobe, not so much... I need to get whatever Bailey¡¯s wearing.


    My gaze swept over the painting again, searching for any other interactive elements. Nope, nothing. Despite the satisfying clicks I¡¯d managed to elicit from the artwork, the far wall remained stubbornly, almost mockingly, in place.


    A low groan escaped my lips. These traps, these ridiculously over-engineered mechanisms¡­ utterly useless. It was almost insulting.


    The clicks weren¡¯t a sign of progress, then, but¡­ what? An activation signal? Had I somehow managed to activate the trap on myself? Where did I go wrong?

 Ch 5 (2/2): Elements

    Bailey rejoined me, shaking his head. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s a bust.¡±


    ¡°Any clue what I did wrong?¡± I asked.


    Bailey started examining the painting with me. He ran his fingers over the red moon, tracing its grooves. ¡°That moon looks a bit peculiar. The markings are all wrong. If you turned it¡­about like that¡­¡± He rotated the moon¡¯s image roughly thirty degrees. I quickly yanked him back and stood in front of him, bracing for traps. No clicks, no spears. Good.


    We moved on to the adamantine image. I explained to Bailey that I¡¯d pressed it seven times last time.


    ¡°Try four this time,¡± Bailey suggested. ¡°There are four altars upstairs, so maybe four¡¯s the magic number.¡±


    Knowing the flame trap was particularly nasty, I told Bailey to stand well back. I slowly pressed the image: one¡­ two¡­ three¡­ four¡­ Nothing. No searing jet of fire.


    Okay, my clothes are safe for now¡­


    The last image was the tree. ¡°I pulled it down last time, trying to make it look rooted,¡± I said to Bailey. ¡°That didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Maybe it¡¯s meant to float?¡± Bailey mused, stepping back to a safer distance. ¡°Like it should be the last one, and you just...gently ease it down until the door opens."


    I carefully pulled the tree image down, centimeter by centimeter. It reached the bottom, and click. The bullets shot out again, adding a few more holes to my already ventilated clothing.


    Bailey squinted at the wall painting, then placed his hands on the tree. Before I could stop him, he gripped the edges of the image and pulled it straight out.


    The trap didn¡¯t trigger.


    ¡°Just didn''t seem right, somehow.¡± Bailey said. ¡°The image...it looks out of place. Like it doesn''t belong in this paintin''...or even in this world."


    I paused, then glanced up. There it was: an empty slot high on the wall, directly above the mural.


    I told Bailey to step back again, then jumped and climbed the wall, being careful not to damage the painting. I carefully placed the tree image into the slot.


    Click.


    This time, the wall at the end of the hall developed a thin slit.


    I snatched Bailey¡¯s device and approached the opening. No alarms blared, and Bailey hurried over. Together, we shoved the section of wall inward and slipped through.


    Another long hallway stretched before us, also decorated with wall paintings. These depicted what looked like Tiefling-like ancient Mesoselenians.


    ¡°These are supposed to be Mesoselenians?¡± I asked Bailey.


    "No, nothin'' I recognize...these folks...I''ve never seen their like." BBailey stammered, clearly perplexed.


    ¡°So, the current Mesoselenians don¡¯t look like these?¡± I asked, thoroughly confused.


    "No...they''re much like us, really, ''cept they''ve got the same dark skin as these folks. But no horns, and their faces are...well, different." Bailey clarified.


    As I cautiously stepped into the hallway, the floor tiles remained solid. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m being too paranoid,¡± I muttered. I took another step, and a volley of bullets whizzed past.


    Of course¡­


    I marched ahead of Bailey, acting as a human trap detector. Bailey trailed behind, his device and mask clutched in his hands, carefully following my footsteps.


    As we proceeded, I triggered a veritable symphony of traps. They came in all elemental varieties: water, thunder, wind, and fire. I narrowly dodged a jet of flames this time.


    I really should have packed more spare clothes¡­


    The painted eyes on the walls followed our every move, sending shivers down our spines.


    The end of the hallway quickly approached, revealing another doorway. Thankfully, this one wasn¡¯t locked.


    I went through first, with Bailey close behind. We found ourselves in a cavern containing a massive, bizarre machine. And it was still running¡­ cranking and turning with a slow, rhythmic motion.


    "It''s been runnin'' the whole time..." Bailey breathed, his voice filled with awe.


    ¡°Any idea what it does?¡± I asked.


    Bailey and I examined the machine closely. It pressed directly against the wall, scraping and pushing. Wires snaked into it from underground, and a thick tube led off somewhere into the depths of the cavern.


    "Looks like it''s diggin'' somethin'' off the wall..." Bailey replied.


    We followed the tube deeper into the cavern.


    Ssss¡­ssss¡­SssssSsssThis tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    The hissing from before intensified tenfold. Bailey and I slowed, and I motioned for him to dim our lights. We peered around the next bend. The tube opened into a larger chamber containing what was once a conveyor belt system, now a rusted, skeletal mess. From the tube¡¯s opening, however, flowed a steady stream of fine, glittering particles that had accumulated into a sizable mound.


    A large, golden, slug-like creature was coiled atop the dust pile, surrounded by hundreds, perhaps thousands, of smaller versions, all nestled within and around the glittering heap. Bailey stared, blinked, and rubbed his eyes, as if trying to clear his vision.


    "That''s more like a Geodyte, a young''un. But that pile of dust over there..." Bailey whispered, his gaze fixed on the mound.


    ¡°Why are they all clustered on it?¡± I asked, squinting. The dust had a distinct orangey-gold, almost copper-like sheen.


    "That dust has Adamantine in it. Not much, from what I can see, but there''s a bit there."  Bailey murmured, pointing towards the pile.


    We carefully retreated from the chamber, retracing our steps back to the great hall.


    ¡°So, what now? That¡¯s the adamantine source back there, and that machine¡­it¡¯s been running for who knows how long¡­¡± I said to Bailey as we settled down to chew on some more dry meat.


    ¡°Aye, that machine''s been runnin'' for ages, by the looks of it. Must be made of some powerful stuff. Nothin'' should last this long, ''specially without any upkeep. Makes you wonder what''s keepin'' it goin''.¡± Bailey mused, working his way through a particularly tough piece of meat garnished with a few green caviars.


    We considered our options. First, we could backtrack to the city and search for another way out¡ªthe safest bet. Unless, of course, the Kavriades were still out there hunting us, and considering the green caviar Bailey had on his meat, that would be a problem.


    Second, we could attempt to sneak past the Geodytes and their Adamantine dust pile, continuing our search for an exit within the cavern. This was significantly riskier, given that Geodytes were apparently capable of using magic.


    Our third option was for Bailey to stay put while I dealt with the Geodytes, then return for him. This, however, meant I¡¯d be forced to slay a bunch of creatures for no real reason.


    After careful consideration, Bailey and I agreed on the second option. If we didn¡¯t disturb the nesting area, the Geodytes probably wouldn¡¯t attack.


    After a good rest, we geared up and headed back to the dust pile nesting area. We crouched low, carefully circling the mound. We were almost around it when¡­ ¡°Achoo!¡± Bailey sneezed.


    Of course¡­


    The massive slug noticed us, but instead of attacking, it just stared, guarding the pile like a dragon its hoard. We slowly backed away, keeping our distance until we¡¯d made it almost all the way around. That''s when I slipped, stumbling a couple of steps closer to the slug. I thought I was in the clear, but then my hair flared up again!


    Oh¡­ this isn¡¯t going to end well¡­


    The iridescent strands plunged into the adamantine dust pile. Within seconds, the pile¡¯s sheen vanished.


    I expected to be pulled into the upper dimension, but this time, I felt an aura forming around me, and time seemed to slow. A deafening screech pierced our eardrums.


    ¡°Run!¡± I yelled, grabbing Bailey¡¯s arm, but it was too late. The massive slug was joined by a horde of smaller ones, effectively surrounding us.


    Many of the surrounding slugs began to glow, then abruptly turned brown and dropped lifelessly, followed by a sudden gust of wind. The gust intensified into a whirlwind swirling around us.


    "What do we do now...?" Bailey¡¯s voice trembled slightly as he nervously waved his gun around, unsure what to shoot. Another batch of slugs glowed, then met the same fate.


    The aura around me started to warm. I instantly grabbed Bailey and shoved him out of the wind¡¯s circle. The moment he was clear, flames erupted from thin air, engulfing me in a fiery tornado.


    The aura around me concentrated around my still-glowing, iridescent hair. The aura felt strange, like it had become a part of me. Senses traveled along my hair, as if it had become a new limb.


    That¡¯s new¡­ I gotta do something! Or Bailey¡¯s toast! Literally!


    I thought back to the time my hair transformed into the sea serpent. As I did, the iridescent strands, as if under my direct command, twisted and wrapped around my entire body this time, transforming me into the serpentine form.


    My vision snapped into the sea serpent''s body, as if it were my own. With fragments of the serpent¡¯s reawakened memories swirling within me, I wrestled control of the colossal form.


    This body wasn¡¯t built for land travel, but I managed a swift tail swipe, shattering the fire tornado¡¯s hold. Bailey stared at my iridescent form, jaw agape¡ªagain.


    He¡¯ll get used to it¡­ eventually.


    With another deafening screech, thousands of the small slugs lit up like living Christmas lights. I scooped up Bailey in my mouth¡ª"swallowed" him, technically¡ªand held him gently inside, before lumbering deeper into the cavern as quickly as I could.


    A massive lightning bolt instantly pursued us, but I pressed on, unfazed. The gargantuan slug, however, moved with shocking speed, once more blocking our path.


    I rammed my head into it, slamming it against the cavern wall. The impact shook the entire cavern. The slug squished, then rebounded, sending me staggering. It shrieked again, its voice echoing through the tunnels.


    I swung my tail, smashing it against the rocks above the slug. Jagged shards rained down, piercing the creature. Many of the smaller slugs were crushed in the rockfall.


    Swarms of the remaining slugs swarmed over the larger one, glowing and pulsing, channeling various elemental attacks into the broken rocks, shattering them further. They then began sealing the large slug¡¯s wounds, rapidly healing it.


    I turned and bolted deeper into the cavern before it could fully recover. A large underground river appeared before us, flowing into a partially submerged tunnel. Luck, it seems, was finally on my side!


    Without hesitation, I plunged into the water. The slug pursued us to the riverbank, screeching in frustration, before halting at the water¡¯s edge. In a final, desperate attempt, another massive bolt of lightning streaked after us. It fried many of the smaller creatures in the water. Fortunately, we emerged unscathed.


    I swam with surprising ease, keeping my head¡ªand Bailey within¡ªabove the surface as much as possible. I didn¡¯t stop until we reached solid ground.


    With the echoes of the slug''s screech still ringing in our ears, I scrambled onto the shore. The moment we were both on dry land, my sea serpent form dissolved, and my hair returned to its usual long, silver strands.


    Bailey and I collapsed onto the ground, side by side. We exchanged a look.


    Laughter erupted from both of us, echoing through the cavern.


    "By the stars, that was incredible! I didn''t think we''d make it through!" Bailey whooped, his face alight. "Never had such a wild day in all my life! That was fantastic!"


    ¡°Yeah, I thought you were a goner for a second there,¡± I replied, grinning. ¡°Thankfully, everything worked out!¡±


    Bailey immediately peppered me with questions. "What in the world was that?! Did you always know you could do that?! What was that thing?!..."


    ¡°All I can tell you is that it was a massive stroke of luck. I have no idea how this¡­ hair of mine works. Trust me, if I knew, I¡¯d tell you,¡± I assured him.


    "You''re tellin'' me you don''t know?! Bailey sat up, incredulous. ¡°After all that carryin'' on, you don''t even know how to control it?!"


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    "Well, I''ll be¡­" Bailey chuckled, then flopped back down, still grinning.

 Ch 6 (1/4): Source

    Bailey and I continued our conversation about the creatures we¡¯d encountered. We agreed they were likely feeding on the adamantine, which explained their strange coloration. It seemed they¡¯d also learned to utilize the material, much like the Mesoselenians.


    ¡°Well, as long as that machine keeps running, they¡¯ll have a steady supply. It¡¯ll just take a while,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°So, which way now?¡± I asked, turning to Bailey.


    ¡°Seems that way, alright,¡± Bailey replied, pointing towards a tunnel branching off to the side.


    We got up and started towards it. I stopped Bailey again. ¡°This place is awfully quiet¡­ again.¡± I cautioned him to keep his mask handy and to keep an eye on his device. We proceeded cautiously into the tunnel, thankfully free of the blue fog.


    However, a familiar eerie blue glow emanated from the tunnel¡¯s end. What wasn¡¯t familiar was the cacophony of heavy breathing, gnawing, and a disturbingly wet, nipping sound.


    Another nest¡­ this time occupied by half a dozen rodent-like creatures.


    "What in the world is goin'' on with the size of everything here?" Bailey exclaimed, eyes wide.


    ¡°So, what are these now?¡± I asked with a sigh. When could we just get back to safety? This adventure was seriously overstaying its welcome.


    "Looks like the work of Umbrynus. They must''ve dug these tunnels. And looks like they''re havin'' a snack. That blue goo...well, that''s what''s left over after they''re done eatin''." Bailey said after a closer look.


    I touched and smelled it¡­..


    A closer inspection revealed a network of tunnels branching off from the main nest.


    ¡°Any idea which way we should go?¡± I asked Bailey as he swept his device around.


    "Sorry, can''t tell ya this time. Too many tunnels, and I can''t figure out which one''s got the fresh air. Too much air movin'' around." Bailey said, shaking his head.


    As we considered our options, the glowing blue goo scattered around the nest abruptly began to evaporate. Simultaneously, a deafening alarm blared from Bailey¡¯s device. He frantically fumbled for his mask.


    ¡°Turn it off!¡± I yelled, but it was too late. By the time Bailey finally silenced the alarm, we were completely enveloped by the blue fog, and the Umbrynus had surrounded us.


    I yanked the laser gun from my bag and fired at the largest rodent, hoping for a disabling shot, or at least a good scare. The oversized rat twitched to the side, and while its armor-like fur scorched, the blast didn¡¯t penetrate. Figures.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    I tossed the gun to Bailey. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just shoot anything that gets too close!¡±


    I punted a smaller rat away as Bailey scrambled to escape the encircling horde.


    The massive rat I¡¯d shot earlier swiped at me with its claws. I didn¡¯t bother moving, taking the hit full-on. Sparks flew, and the rat¡¯s claws shattered against me.


    Of course they did. What was I expecting?


    The other rats tried to body-slam and pile on, but I dodged nimbly, narrowly avoiding each clumsy attack. I retaliated with a flurry of punches and kicks, connecting squarely with several rodent snouts.


    Bailey was having a rough time of it. The laser gun was keeping the rats at bay, but the fog was still messing with his breathing and vision.


    Suddenly, the rats changed direction, charging Bailey en masse. He panicked and held down the trigger, a searing red beam lancing out. The rats scattered in every direction, several sporting fresh burns on their faces. The continuous blast was too much for the weapon, though, and it promptly sputtered and died.


    Seizing the opportunity, I slid under a larger rat, bracing myself with my arms and one leg before launching a powerful upward kick with the other. My foot connected with the rodent¡¯s abdomen, and it shrieked in pain. A geyser of crimson liquid erupted, thoroughly drenching me. Lovely.


    My hair flared with that familiar iridescent light, piercing the rodent¡¯s skull as my consciousness shifted to the upper dimension.


    Familiar territory. It¡¯s starting to feel like coming home.


    I was fully encased within the small, tree-like structure. Its branches seemed even thicker than before, though it was still dwarfed by the golden sphere illuminating everything.


    Purity?


    A distinct green speck of light rose from the roots this time, and a fresh wave of memories flooded my mind.


    ******


    Darkness. Utter darkness. Not a single glimmer of light. But right next to my ears, I hear the distinct sounds of a much larger creature. I instinctively crawl closer, seeking its warmth. The comforting scent of safety fills my nostrils. Ah, bliss.


    Day after day, I eat, crawl, and dig. Not a care in the world. We happily rummage through the earth like furry little excavators.


    One perfectly ordinary day, as we¡¯re enjoying a peaceful nap, a completely new scent drifts in. It¡¯s quickly followed by the pungent stench of danger. The earth rumbles ominously, and the ground beneath us splits open. Many of my companions scream beside me, before abruptly falling silent.


    Yikes.


    I scramble, digging and moving as fast as my little claws can carry me. Digging and moving. I don¡¯t stop until the awful scent finally fades.


    This cycle continues for what feels like forever: eating, crawling, sleeping, digging, escaping. The familiar sounds and scents around me constantly shift and change. Some return, some vanish forever, never to be heard or smelled again. It¡¯s like a bizarre, subterranean revolving door of sensory input.


    The rumbles seem to be following me. They keep happening every so often. I manage to escape each time, thank goodness. But many others¡­ well, they aren''t so lucky.


    Resting once more, a sharp, piercing sound assaults my ears. We all instinctively surround the source. Heat! I whirl around, but it¡¯s too late. The intense heat still scorches my fur. Everyone else manages to stay safe¡­


    Furious, I lash out with my claw toward where the heat came from, but all I get for my trouble is more pain.


    I sense more heat from the side, so I change direction and charge. The burning heat hits me again. I try to hide, but suddenly, something gets under me. Pain explodes through my insides. And then¡­ nothing. All my senses vanish.


    ******

 Ch 6 (2/4): Source

    My vision snapped back to this dimension. Time resumed its relentless march, which had paused while my consciousness was elsewhere.


    Bailey¡¯s eyes were wide, and he stood frozen in shock. Again. I felt a low rumble beneath my feet, and the rodents scattered in a frenzy. Some bolted, others frantically dug deeper into the earth.


    I tugged on Bailey¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Quick!¡± I closed my eyes, extending my senses. Using the memory of that unfortunate rodent, I relied on hearing and smell to navigate the maze-like tunnels.


    We reached another open area, finally stopping so Bailey could catch his breath. We were well clear of the fog now; Bailey checked his device before pulling off his mask.


    "I''m not even gonna bother askin¡¯," Bailey said, gasping for air, a strained smile on his face. "I''ll just assume it''s one of your¡­ magical somethin''s."


    ¡°We have to get out of here quickly. There¡¯s something else in these tunnels,¡± I explained. ¡°Something that eats those rodents for lunch. It¡¯s also the source of the rumbling.¡±


    "The cause of the quakes? Eatin'' those giant Umbrynus for lunch?!" Bailey exclaimed.


    ¡°Probably not all the quakes, but it definitely eats more than one for a meal,¡± I clarified. ¡°Remember those large caverns and tunnels? Some are natural, some dug by the rodents, some by the ancient Mesoselenians, but most of the bigger ones we were in? Those are this creature¡¯s work.¡±


    "What...what''s it like?" Bailey asked, his voice trembling slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. All I know is the slithering sound it makes and the awful smell¡ªthe smell of death,¡± I said, patting Bailey¡¯s shoulder to reassure him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not hunting us for lunch; we¡¯re too small for its appetite. But we still need to leave. I know the way, but I can¡¯t tell which direction is out. Any idea?¡±


    Bailey consulted his device again and pointed. "It''s¡­ somewhere that way." We rested a little longer before venturing back into the tunnels.


    Those rodents were impressive diggers, creating hundreds of decoy nests to avoid becoming a meal. Though, clearly, it wasn''t a foolproof strategy.


    Bailey and I continued through the tunnels, carefully avoiding any with a blue glow. That marked their territory and served as a deadly warning to intruders.


    We encountered the blue fog a couple more times, but now that we were prepared, it wasn¡¯t much trouble to avoid it.


    After what felt like an eternity of walking, crawling, and climbing, we finally emerged at the bottom of a massive sinkhole. The crescent moon cast a dim glow through the dissipating fog.


    "We actually made it!" Bailey cried.


    ¡°We¡¯re still kind of underground, but at least we can see the sky. We were down there for almost a day,¡± I said, glancing around.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    We made our way to the edge of the sinkhole. "That¡¯s quite a drop,¡± Bailey observed, looking up.


    ¡°Yeah, not gonna be easy¡­¡± I replied. ¡°How far are we from where we started?¡±


    That''s a good stretch. We must be under a mountain. We''ve come a long way today." Bailey said, examining the readings on his device.


    ¡°Okay, you should rest for the night before we make this climb,¡± I told Bailey.


    We set up a makeshift tent for him, where he promptly crashed. I stayed up for watch. A few unwelcome visitors popped by throughout the night, but I managed to take care of them all.


    As the sky brightened, the sinkhole began to awaken and come to life.


    Bailey slowly emerged from the tent. "That was a good night''s rest. Thanks."


    ¡°Alright, now for the hard part,¡± I said, looking up at the cliff face.


    "There''s a funny smell about..." Bailey said, sniffing the air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± I took a sniff, and an awful stench assaulted my nostrils. ¡°We need to move! Now!¡±


    Before we could even think about starting our climb, the ground around us shook violently. A massive, pale white, dinosaur-like head erupted from the earth. Then, an equally massive lizard-like creature hauled itself completely out of the ground.


    "That''s what''s been eatin'' the Umbrynus?!" Bailey whispered.


    ¡°Yes, I believe so,¡± I replied. ¡°Recognize it?¡±


    "No idea. Doesn''t look like anythin'' I''ve ever come across."  Bailey shivered slightly.


    The dinosaur-lizard slowly moved toward us, its eyes locked on me¡­ How and why was it coming for us?!


    Why?! Do I smell or look like those rodents?!


    I shielded Bailey, backing us against the cliff wall. Readying myself for another battle. The creature moved closer, but it didn¡¯t charge or attack. It just very gently and slowly advanced.


    It slightly opened its mouth, and a long tongue emerged, gently wrapping around me, as if¡­sensing my presence. It quickly retracted its tongue.


    ¡°Aheehehe,¡± it tilted its head back, gargled, and then spat two golden ores from its stomach, right in front of us.


    "Concentrated Adamantine ore?!" Bailey exclaimed, his eyes wide with confusion. "Is it...is it givin'' it to us?!"


    ¡°Stay back,¡± I whispered to Bailey. As I crept closer, my hair flared with that iridescent light again, like a disco ball had exploded on my head. This startled the creature, making it stumble back a couple of steps.


    Strands of glowing hair snaked out and enveloped the ores. As they did, I felt a denser aura of energy thrumming around me. Time slowed again, like someone had hit the slow button on the universe, and that tingling sensation returned to my scalp.


    Driven by an irresistible curiosity, and maybe a touch of madness, I slowly reached out to touch its head. It tilted its head down towards me in response, as if anticipating my touch. The moment my fingers brushed its rough hide, more strands of my glowing hair joined, as they made contact with the creature, fragmented memories flashed through my mind like a slideshow.


    *******


    Through a glass window, the younger Dr. Keyser worked tirelessly in his lab.


    A glass container held a swirling blue liquid¡ªand something that resembled an embryo.


    I looked for the orangey gold rocks for Dr. Keyser.


    Digging and carrying machine parts to a magma chamber.


    The glass contrivance of blue liquid now contained a fully formed body. Val.


    I fled the lab.


    Digging and feasting.


    Seeing the machine within the magma chamber again, deep underground.


    The machine looks like it¡¯s gotten bigger.


    The machine looks like it''s bloating up.


    Fear¡­ a bone-deep, primal fear¡­ filled me.


    ********

 Ch 6 (3/4): Source

    I drew my hand back. ¡°Have we¡­ met before?¡± I murmured to the creature. Piecing together the fragmented memories felt strangely like reconnecting with an old friend. The creature nudged its head against my hand, a warm, scaly weight.


    Since I can¡¯t extract memories without causing harm, I¡¯d only gleaned snapshots¡ªfleeting images of its past. I paused, sifting through them.


    ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re not on the menu?¡± Bailey whispered from behind me.


    ¡°Probably not,¡± I whispered back. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be very appetizing anyway. This creature escaped from Dr. Keyser¡¯s lab.¡±


    "It got out of Master Keyser''s lab...?!" Bailey murmured, a puzzled frown creasing his brow. "If it ain''t lookin'' for a meal, then what''s it want with us?"


    ¡°I think it might need my help,¡± I mumbled to Bailey. ¡°This place isn¡¯t just a sinkhole. It¡¯s the mouth of a dormant volcano! But there¡¯s still magma deep down. Someone¡¯s using a machine to siphon power from it.¡±


    The massive, reptilian creature bumped my shoulder with its head. ¡°Garaaaha,¡± it rumbled, making a sound that almost sounded like agreement.


    After properly processing the images, I explained to Bailey, ¡°That machine¡¯s malfunctioning. It¡¯s going to blow if we don¡¯t do something. And that could reawaken this whole volcano.¡±


    "What?! Well, come on then, let''s move it!" Bailey yelled.


    ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ if that machine goes boom¡­ everything here, this entire underground city¡­ everything will perish¡­¡± I said, patting the creature¡¯s head. ¡°Let¡¯s call you Rexy.¡±


    It was the first name that popped into my head, since it did resemble a certain other large reptile from a movie from my past life.


    ¡°Garaaaha,¡± the creature rumbled, nodding in what I assumed was agreement.


    ¡°How are you with machines?¡± I turned and asked Bailey.


    "Not ideal...I''ve got a few ideas, but I''m no Master Keyser." Bailey shook his head and replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, still better than me,¡± I replied, then proceeded to sketch the machine I¡¯d seen, explaining its workings to Bailey as I drew.


    Bailey slowly nodded, then explained his understanding of the device. Apparently, it was a converter, but it had been converting and collecting energy without anything to expend it on. Since the incident that claimed Dr. Keyser, the machine had malfunctioned. It might be possible to reverse the process and slowly release the energy back into the magma, preventing a catastrophe.


    By the time we¡¯d figured everything out, the sun was high overhead. Bailey suddenly snapped his fingers, as if struck by a sudden realization. "Oh, no you don''t! You''re not gettin'' rid of me now, not after all we''ve been through! I''m stickin'' with you!"


    I smiled at Bailey before explaining, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll be much safer up here. You won¡¯t last in that high pressure and heat. Remember, I am Val, Dr. Keyser¡¯s best creation. I am not going to die down there.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    I patted Rexy. ¡°Please help my buddy up to safety. I¡¯ll go with you to that machine and see what we can do.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Rexy rumbled again, then scooped Bailey onto its back before he could object further. I hopped on behind him. Rexy charged up the wall, Bailey clinging on for dear life, and we made it all the way to the top of the cliff face.


    Bailey gives me a worried look. ¡°Thank you¡­for everything.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic! I¡¯ll be back!¡± I say with a laugh. ¡°You should get as far away from here as you can.¡± I turn back to the hole, ready to descend with Rexy, then pause. I grab my bag and toss it up to Bailey. ¡°Just in case! Don¡¯t want it getting crispy! Keep it safe!¡± I yell.


    ¡°You¡¯d best come back in one piece!¡± Bailey¡¯s shout echoes off the cliff walls.


    ¡°Okay, Rexy, lead the way!¡± I say, giving Rexy another head rub. Rexy charges back into the hole it came out of, heading straight down. It¡¯s a wild ride, but thankfully, this body is indestructible.


    We plunge deeper and deeper, through a maze of existing tunnels, until we reach the massive, hellish cavern where the machine is located.


    Rexy carefully navigates around pools of molten magma. Good thing I don¡¯t feel temperature, or I¡¯d be a crispy critter down here. Suddenly, I¡¯m extra grateful for this indestructible body.


    Once I deal with this machine¡­ maybe I¡¯ll try jumping into the magma.


    We get close enough to the truck-sized machine for me to hop off Rexy. ¡°Good boy,¡± I whisper, patting its head. ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll let you know if I need backup. If things get hairy, you run!¡±


    Rexy gives me a confused look before settling down to wait.


    I reach the machine. It¡¯s completely bloated now, covered in a network of web-like cracks. I examine the controls¡ªthey¡¯re all melted into a useless blob. Okay, reversing this is officially off the table.


    How is this thing even still running?


    I glanced around the machine. Several thick tubes plunged deep into the magma, and a massive, frayed cable¡ªclearly meant to lead somewhere¡ªdangled uselessly.


    Right. Plan B: sever the power source. I gripped one of the tubes, which glowed a furious red. A quick tug proved fruitless. I tried hauling on it, then resorted to punching and kicking it with all my might. It didn''t budge an inch.


    I feel so pathetically weak. If only I had more adamantine¡­ I could transform into something stronger. A pang of regret shot through me. I really shouldn''t have given all those adamantine bars to Bailey.


    ¡°Do you have any more ores?¡± I yelled back at Rexy.


    Rexy shook its head vigorously.


    I made another futile attempt to yank the tube free from the magma. Then, I stared into the molten pool and plunged my hand in. Nothing¡­ I felt absolutely nothing, not even the warmth from the earlier trap.


    I scooped up a handful of magma. It was surprisingly viscous, almost like thick honey. On a whim, I stepped onto the pool and stomped my foot. The moment I did, the liquid lava solidified under my weight. A non-Newtonian fluid! How fascinating.


    A daring, if slightly insane, idea began to form. ¡°I¡¯m going down,¡± I announced to Rexy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Rexy shot me a look of pure shock as I jumped into the magma.


    So much for these clothes.


    Eyes closed, I kept my hands firmly on the tube as I slowly sank, deeper and deeper. It felt no different from sinking into a pool of water¡ªwell, more like a pool of jell-o.


    I reached the end of the tube, which was shaped like a massive anchor. No wonder I couldn¡¯t pull it up! I sank below it, hoisted the anchor above my head, and then, using my legs and feet, began rapidly treading the viscous liquid below.


    Just as I¡¯d imagined, I started rising. Like climbing an invisible staircase, I pushed myself upward through the magma, stomping harder and faster with each ¡°step.¡± I lost track of time until I finally burst back through the surface, tossing the anchor onto a nearby solid rock with a satisfying thump.


    Rexy bounded over, jumping excitedly and letting out a delighted ¡°Arghhh!¡± as if giving me a standing ovation.


    I glanced at the remaining tubes and quickly got to work. One by one, I pushed the anchors up through the magma. With each successful retrieval, Rexy would jump and make more complimentary noises, like a hyperactive, prehistoric cheerleader.


    It felt like eons before all the anchors were up. Good thing I didn¡¯t get tired in this body.


    My initial plan of a dramatic magma dive for a happy ending, however, was clearly not going to work out. Back to the drawing board.

 Ch 6 (4/4): Source

    Okay, the machine didn¡¯t seem to be gathering energy as fast anymore. That was a start, at least. Now I had to move this thing somewhere safe to dispose of it. If I left it here, this whole area might eventually melt. And if the machine went critical again in the future¡­ well, who knew how long it would take for all that gathered energy to dissipate? This thing was a ticking time bomb.


    How am I supposed to even get this thing out of here? Rexy can¡¯t touch it; it¡¯d be a crispy critter before it even budged. One step at a time, I suppose¡­


    With all the anchors now on the ground, the machine¡¯s base finally came loose. I can actually move it! By pushing it along the ground, I manage to shift it¡­ a couple of centimeters at a time. Progress is progress, right?


    ¡°Rexy, which way to the bottom of the sea?¡± I ask her. She¡¯s staring at the slowly inching machine with wide, amazed eyes. ¡°Just point in the right direction and lead the way.¡±


    It¡¯s a good thing there¡¯s solid ground to push this thing on. Too bad I couldn¡¯t break off the anchors. The joints are practically welded to the machine, and the chains? Forget about it. They''re way too strong for me to even think about snapping.


    Slowly, I push the machine, step by painstaking step. Rexy, bless its heart, helps by digging a gently sloping path for me. And so, we begin our epic, centimeter-by-centimeter journey toward the bottom of the sea.


    I told Rexy to collapse the path behind us, so by the time we reached the seabed, the water wouldn¡¯t flood that magma-filled hellhole. That would almost certainly trigger a rather unpleasant explosion.


    I pushed, little by little. This body feels no pain or fatigue, which has become a special kind of mental torture. I took breaks to practice some fighting techniques.


    Rexy makes a great training partner. Between pushing that hot machine, I practiced dodging and fighting him. With each session, I got better at controlling this impressive body.


    Time crawls by. I don¡¯t have anything to tell the time. All I know is I have to keep pushing. And that red-hot machine shows no sign of cooling down.


    Rexy left and returned countless times. Once, he brought back the carcass of an Umbrynus, which I promptly rejected. ¡°Seriously, Rexy? That¡¯s just¡­gross.¡±


    Another time, Rexy brought back some live Umbrynus, which I practiced fighting. They always ended up as Rexy¡¯s lunch, of course. He¡¯d look at me with those big, puppy-dog eyes, as if to say, ¡°Did I do good, master?¡± I¡¯d just sigh.


    I continued the routine: push, fight Rexy, push, fight Umbrynus, push. Slowly spiraling upwards¡ªthat¡¯s my only purpose right now.


    Why did I agree to this mess? Why do I even care if this thing explodes? What if it explodes anyway and destroys everything? Hundreds of thoughts raced through my head as I continued to push. ¡°Maybe I should have left with Bailey,¡± I muttered to myself.


    An unknown amount of time passed.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Immortality. So this is it? I take another small step, driven by a purpose that ultimately won''t even affect me. A darker thought flickers through my mind: What if I just let it explode? Would that set me free? I quickly shove the thought away.


    I continue pushing, the dry walls steadily becoming damp. The cave has basically turned into a sauna. ¡°Did we finally make it?¡± I mutter. We stand in a large open space Rexy dug out. Water pours down on us from above, even though we¡¯re underground, instantly turning to steam.


    ¡°You know how to swim?¡± I ask Rexy, who shakes its massive head.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re not a fan of water. No wonder you smell like that,¡± I say with a chuckle.


    ¡°Arrrher!¡± Rexy protests.


    ¡°Okay, okay. I guess this is it.¡± I pat Rexy on the head. ¡°Thanks for sticking with me this whole time. You kept me from going completely bonkers. You should get out of here now, and go far, far away. I¡¯ll finish the rest.¡±


    ¡°Arr,¡± Rexy says, looking reluctant.


    ¡°You have to go. I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen when the seawater comes crashing in,¡± I tell Rexy. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t really know you. I might have Val¡¯s body, but I only arrived in this world recently.¡±


    ¡°Arrga?¡± Rexy looks confused.


    ¡°Dr. Keyser is dead. I¡¯ll take care of this. You¡¯re completely free,¡± I assure Rexy as it licks my face with its long, wet tongue.


    ¡°Now go, and don¡¯t come back! Though, maybe we¡¯ll meet again in the distant future.¡± I gave Rexy¡¯s hide one last affectionate pat. ¡°And remember to collapse the tunnels behind you.¡±


    Rexy turned and lumbered back into the tunnels, which promptly sealed themselves shut behind it. Now, it was just me and the damp, echoing silence of this cramped space.


    This really did feel like solitary confinement. Good thing it wouldn¡¯t last much longer.


    I waited in the darkness, letting time tick by so Rexy could get a good head start before I began my own ascent¡ªor rather, my dig into the seabed above.


    Alright, time to get this show on the road!


    I stood up and glanced at the steady stream of seawater dripping from the cavern¡¯s ceiling. If I just stayed put, this whole place was going to blow. Way too much steam was building up.


    After a quick mental risk assessment, I decided this was probably the best course of action. The seawater would cool the machine, and the immense pressure at the bottom of the sea would hopefully contain any potential explosions. Fingers crossed.


    I located the main source of the dripping water. Gathering my strength, I launched myself upward in a powerful uppercut. My fist connected with the cave¡¯s roof, the impact sending shockwaves through the rock. A torrent of water gushed down, instantly soaking everything below.


    I didn¡¯t stop there. Landing back on the cavern floor, I launched myself upward again¡ªa second, third, fourth time¡­ With each leap, I hammered at the ceiling in a relentless, circular pattern, each punch chipping away at the rock¡¯s resistance.


    Then¡ªwhoosh. The roof finally gave way with a deafening roar. A monstrous wave of seawater crashed down, slamming into me and the machine with the force of a runaway train. The flood engulfed us, dragging us into its chaotic, churning depths.


    Around the machine, the water sizzled and hissed, instantly transforming into clouds of steam. The steam tried to expand, but the crushing weight of the ocean above held it back.


    The process repeated, each cycle of pressure and heat roaring like a battle between fire and water. Steam hissed, and bubbles popped in rapid succession.


    Finally, as the violent process reached its end, the machine¡¯s fiery red glow dimmed, fading to a cold, ominous black. A small sea creature that had been beside me now floated lifeless and thoroughly cooked as I slowly bobbed to the surface.


    Woohoo! Crisis averted. I hope Rexy has a fantastic adventure. And man, I could really go for some of Bailey¡¯s cooking right now.

 Ch 7 (1/4): Civilization

    My face breaches the water¡¯s surface. The twin moons shine just as brightly as the first time I¡¯d seen them. The Blue Moon, round and radiant, bathes the sea in a cool, ethereal glow, while above it, the Red Crescent Moon arches delicately.


    I¡¯ve spent most of the night floating, pondering my next destination. I rack my brain, trying to recall the map Bailey had shown me. Honestly, I have no clue where I am. But if I remember correctly, there¡¯s supposed to be a town or city east of here, beyond those mountains.


    I wonder where Bailey is. He¡¯s probably already made it out of the elemental wilds. I have no idea how long it¡¯s been since we parted ways. ¡°Hopefully,¡± I mutter to the sea, ¡°we¡¯ll meet again soon.¡±


    The sun¡¯s light peeks over the eastern mountains. Confirming my bearings, I start swimming briskly toward the sunrise. I need to cover some ground before I inevitably lose my sense of direction again. Luckily, the shore isn¡¯t too far off.


    By the time the sun is high in the sky, I¡¯ve made it to land. It isn¡¯t the same beach I¡¯d been on before. A dense forest looms just beyond the shore. The vegetation has changed, too. Gone are the tropical plants; now, thick, backcountry woods surround me.


    In the distance, the snow-capped peaks of a mountain range pierce the sky. I head into the forest, making my way towards them. Just like before, the sounds of nature envelop me. Tiny creatures chirp and buzz, the wind rustles through the leaves.


    It¡¯s almost¡­ peaceful. And the best part? No more mosquitoes! Take that, tiny bloodsuckers!


    Keeping a low profile, I stealthily move through the forest, hoping to find some larger game. A prey to skin¡ªI can¡¯t stand being naked¡­ It¡¯s just too weird.


    Plenty of creatures roam the forest, but nothing big enough to cover me. I slowly tread forward. Suddenly, I spot tracks on the forest floor. Fresh and large, they look almost like a bear¡¯s.


    Quickly following the footprints. Soon, two roars rip through the trees. Following the tracks and the sound, I find two massive, bear-like creatures with long tails bawling at each other.


    They don¡¯t notice me, so I keep my distance and wait for the fight to end. They¡¯re really going at it. Surprisingly, the smaller of the two is winning. It¡¯s more agile, dodging several swipes from the larger creature.


    The battle ends quickly. The smaller creature lands a decisive swipe on the other¡¯s eyes and a bite on its throat. The larger creature bleeds profusely before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Nature is as brutal as ever.


    I kept my distance, my flashy hair already a beacon for trouble. No need to draw more attention to myself.


    The smaller creature leisurely dug into the larger one¡¯s chest, eventually ripping out what looked like a heart. The victor then limped off, its trophy dangling from its jaws.


    I waited a few more moments to ensure the coast was clear. By the time I approached the massive carcass, small scavengers had already begun their cleanup. I shooed them away, reaching the creature¡¯s side.


    Then I realized a rather awkward truth. I had no tools¡­ Nothing at all. That dagger was probably still swimming around in the sea serpent¡¯s stomach, or perhaps enjoying a nice vacation on the ocean floor.


    I found a rock and smashed it, hoping for some sharp fragments. It only crumbled into rubble. I scanned the area for obsidian, a volcanic glass that would be perfect for the task. There should be some around. After all, there was a volcano in the area¡­ a long, long time ago.


    After smashing a few more boulders, most of which turned out to be just rocks, I found one containing what looked like fossilized sea creatures. And then, finally, there it was: the glassy, black stone.


    Hurrying back to the carcass, now swarming with small scavengers again, I shooed them away with a sigh. Then, I hauled the carcass to a different part of the forest. I really didn¡¯t want to be around when the big one came back.


    I found a clearing next to a small lake and got to work on the obsidian. Using another rock as a hammerstone, I flaked and chipped away, trying to replicate the techniques from those survival videos I¡¯d binged in my past life.


    It¡¯s way harder than it looks on the videos. After countless failures and shattered obsidian shards that vaguely resemble pointy rocks, I finally managed to create something that almost looked like a knife. I proudly carried my masterpiece back to the carcass.


    Starting at the chest cavity, I began peeling back the fur and thick hide, carefully slicing through the connecting tissues and widening the opening.


    Unfortunately, one knife wasn¡¯t enough. I broke and remade several before I could fully separate the hide from the underlying muscle. Good thing I¡¯d stumbled upon such a large chunk of obsidian.


    Once I¡¯d skinned the creature, I soaked the fur in the lake, rinsing away the blood. I also collected a few bones, all the teeth, and anything else that looked remotely useful, leaving the rest of the carcass to the eager scavengers. They wouldn¡¯t go hungry tonight.


    I hurried through the forest, gathering some plant materials along the way, until I reached the foot of the mountain. There, I found another cave. Just as I stepped inside, the heavens opened up again. I didn¡¯t venture too far in, still a little traumatized by my previous underground adventure.


    Inside, I focused on the fur and leather. I¡¯m no master tailor, but with makeshift bone needles and plant thread, I managed to cobble together some rudimentary clothing. When I was done, I wrapped the remaining materials into a bag. I might need it later; this makeshift outfit isn¡¯t exactly built to last.


    As I finished, the rain began to ease, then stopped altogether. I was about to head out when a low rumbling sound stopped me dead in my tracks. A truly foul odor wafted out from the depths of the cave, followed by the familiar dinosaur-headed lizard crawling into view.

 Ch 7 (2/4): Civilization

    A wave of exhilaration washed over me. ¡°Of course you found me again,¡± I said, grinning. ¡°You found me the first time, after all.¡± I wasn¡¯t too surprised. Rexy had been in this area far longer than I had. ¡°You still reek!¡± I added with a laugh, giving its head a hearty pat.


    In response, its long tongue wrapped around me in a sloppy, enthusiastic hug, its gargantuan body wiggling with excitement, tail thumping rhythmically against the cave wall.


    ¡°Seriously, how do you keep finding me?¡± I asked Rexy, who promptly poked me with its snout, as if offering the most obvious answer in the world. I supposed it could smell or sense me somehow.


    ¡°So, what do you want to do now? Travel with me?¡± I asked Rexy.


    ¡°Arrerrgh,¡± Rexy trumpeted in agreement.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve got nothing to feed that appetite of yours,¡± I said worriedly. ¡°According to Bailey, the rodents away from here aren¡¯t nearly big enough. And, well, your size? It¡¯s going to draw so much attention.¡±


    ¡°Aheehehe,¡± she tilted her head back, gargled, and then spat out a neck leash-like item.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked, holding up the surprisingly well-preserved leash. Rexy then nudged its neck against me. ¡°It¡¯s¡­for you?¡±


    ¡°Arrerrgeeg,¡± Rexy rumbled, nodding its massive head.


    I carefully clambered around Rexy¡¯s neck, fastening the leash. A dense aura suddenly enveloped Rexy, and before my eyes, it began to shrink. In a matter of moments, it was no bigger than a small gecko.


    Dr. Keyser is definitely a comic book supervillain.


    I let Rexy crawl onto my arm. ¡°That¡¯s from Dr. Keyser?¡± I asked. Rexy nodded in my hand.


    Carefully placing Rexy back on to the ground and then removing the leash. She promptly swelled back to her original, bus-sized proportions.


    I examined the leash closely, then looped it around my own waist as a belt. Nothing happened. I guess this item is Rexy exclusive.


    ¡°Guess that solves that,¡± I remarked. Rexy responded with a massive, toothy grin.


    ¡°Arrgegr,¡± Rexy rumbled, dipping her head in a bow.


    I clambered onto Rexy¡¯s back, and it promptly stood. ¡°By the way, you should really take a bath,¡± I remarked. Rexy instantly bucked me off and bolted.


    ¡°Wait! You need to clean up a bit! that smell is a bit too¡­noticeable!¡± I yelled, chasing after it. ¡°There¡¯s a delicious snack by the lake!¡± I added as an incentive.


    Rexy finally skidded to a halt. ¡°Follow me,¡± I said, leading it back to the lake where I¡¯d left the carcass.


    When we arrived, only about two-thirds of it remained. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the snack,¡± I pointed out. Rexy immediately went to sniff it, then jumped excitedly and took a massive bite.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Rexy devoured the rest in a few quick chomps. ¡°Now jump in for your bath!¡± I called out.


    ¡°Arrger?¡± Rexy whined, giving me its best puppy-dog eyes before trying to make another getaway. I grabbed its tail, holding on tight.


    Rexy reluctantly waded into the lake. The water instantly began to bubble and turned a vibrant purple. Small fish and other critters floated to the surface, belly up.


    How many years has it been since you last bathed¡­?


    After a while, the purple water dissipated, and the lake returned to its usual crystalline clarity. I took a cautious sniff¡ªRexy¡¯s¡­ unique aroma had thankfully faded.


    I asked Rexy if she could locate Bailey, but she shook her head. We retraced our steps to where we¡¯d left him. He was long gone, undoubtedly safe and sound, probably already whipping up another culinary catastrophe.


    I sat in the forest, contemplating our next move. Rexy lay beside me. I should probably find other people, or a town¡ªthe original plan when I¡¯d escaped Dr. Keyser¡¯s lab.


    ¡°Think you could carry me over that mountain?¡± I asked Rexy.


    ¡°Arrgr?¡± Rexy looked puzzled and began digging another hole in the ground.


    ¡°No¡­ no¡­ I can¡¯t go underground again, it¡¯s too much. I need sunlight,¡± I said, shaking my head. Rexy promptly stopped digging.


    I climbed back onto Rexy¡¯s back. ¡°So, we¡¯re going over the mountain,¡± I reiterated. ¡°Bailey¡¯s map showed a town on the other side. Do you know where it is?¡±


    ¡°Arrger,¡± Rexy nodded and took off toward the mountain.


    Rexy ascended the mountain effortlessly. We were halfway up when it decided to take a break and vanished in search of food¡ªjust like old times underground.


    Rexy led us through a long valley nestled between the twin peaks, finally emerging on the other side. I took advantage of the height and caught my first proper glimpse of the city, and the sheer alienness of it hit me again. I¡¯m definitely not on Earth anymore.


    The city sprawled across the rugged mountain basin like a cluster of soap bubbles, a dazzling display of glass and polished metal. These towering, translucent domes encapsulated vibrant green spaces, tiered skyscrapers, and bustling streets.


    Lush gardens cascaded down terraced levels, weaving through clusters of futuristic architecture. Streams of water tumbled down artificial cliffs, creating the illusion of miniature waterfalls and rivers.


    The domes were interconnected by a network of crystal-clear tubes, resembling veins in some colossal, living organism, with sleek, high-speed vehicles zipping through them.


    I noticed that at the heart of each dome, colossal machines descended deep into the ground. Their gargantuan structures resembled metallic roots burrowing into the basin¡¯s core. I muttered to myself, ¡°Guess these are the mines Bailey was talking about.¡±


    Despite the sun dipping below the horizon, the city¡¯s domes glowed like giant pearls, their interiors bathed in a soft, ethereal light that seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once. High above, flying vehicles zipped and zoomed, weaving intricate patterns between the domes and the darkening sky.


    I considered my immediate needs. Namely, cash. I glanced at Rexy. ¡°You got any more adamantine?¡±


    Rexy shook her head.


    ¡°Any other ores? Gold? Silver?¡±


    Rexy looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded.


    Rexy set me down and dashed back into the forest, promptly vanishing underground. After the sun fully disappeared, Rexy returned, dropping two egg-sized ores at my feet.


    I picked one up for a closer look. Under the moonlight, it gleamed with a rich golden hue, shot through with veins of pure gold. ¡°Perfect!¡± I gave Rexy a grateful rub between the ears.


    Pointing Rexy towards one of the roadways, we began our slow descent down the mountain. We followed the road, drawing closer to the city¡¯s outskirts.


    Once we were close enough, I clipped the leash on Rexy. It shrunk back down to gecko size, promptly scrambling up my back and nestling into my hair.


    I pulled my furs and leathers tighter around myself, trying to blend in. I remembered Bailey¡¯s warning¡ªkeeping a low profile is very important. Given my¡­ distinctive appearance, I needed a way to enter the city without attracting unwanted attention.


    Now, how do I get into the city¡­

 Ch 7 (3/4): Civilization

    If it¡¯s anything like human society on Earth, this would be the best time to sneak in, since it¡¯s late at night.


    I made my way to one of the entrances. There were very few people around, and everyone entered by tapping a metal card of some sort.


    Guess this isn¡¯t a good way to get in¡­


    Large, floating truck-like vehicles were going in and out of the domes on the other side. Probably merchandise and supplies for the people living there. I followed the truck-like vehicles as they went through inspection before entering the domes.


    Security is quite light. I tried to make sure I wasn¡¯t being watched. Not a single human was around. The vehicles opened their loads, which were scanned before closing and departing. I quickly snuck onto one of the trucks that had just finished inspection. This one was filled with vegetable and fruit-like items. I hid behind one of the boxes, and the truck closed its load. Before long, the truck started moving.


    The vehicle was extremely smooth; not a single item shifted with the starts, stops, and turns. When we finally arrived, tiny eyes lit up on the bottom of the boxes. The truck load opened again, and tiny robots woke up and carried all the boxes of food off the truck. I quickly followed and hopped off.


    It¡¯s still very late, but it¡¯s brightly lit under the dome. I¡¯m finally inside. This place is unbelievably clean and beautiful. As I walked along the street, there wasn¡¯t anyone else around. However, robots were everywhere, cleaning and maintaining the city.


    I can¡¯t believe this is just a small mining city.


    Wandering around on empty streets isn¡¯t a good idea; I¡¯m going to draw too much attention to myself. I promptly made my way into a small alley. I¡¯ll need to find a pawn shop of some sort to get some money for the gold ores.


    Suddenly, I realized something. Although there are stark differences, why is this isekai so similar to Earth?


    Everything should be worlds apart. Humans are still here with the same universal language¡­ The creatures are different, but there are still lots of similarities. Humans are a lot more technologically advanced.


    Annunaki¡­ those are Mesopotamian gods¡­ Are they real? Even the native people here are called Mesoselenians¡­


    Well, I know there¡¯s an afterlife. Is there really a creator too?


    As I pondered this reality, the night went by quickly and quietly. When the morning sun rose, the dome slowly came to life. The robots had left the streets, and people had started their days.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Interestingly, no one seemed to be in a hurry. Unlike the world I¡¯m from, where everyone seems to be rushing somewhere in the morning, here, everyone moves at a more relaxed pace.


    I wandered the streets carefully, trying not to draw any attention, before arriving at a business-looking district. I saw a massive building but soon realized it wasn¡¯t a shop. A gavel and a sign that read ¡°Petralis Auction House¡± hung above the entrance. Not exactly what I was looking for. A little disappointed, I was about to leave.


    ¡°Good morning, honored guest,¡± a voice stopped me. A tall, slim man quickly came in front of me and bowed. I quickly shut my eyes before he looked up.


    ¡°Esteemed¡­ guests¡­ My apologies. You have arrived at the Petralis Auction House. The commencement of the auction is not until noon; your arrival precedes it by some hours. Might I arrange for a conveyance to return you to your lodgings? Or, should you have accommodations reserved in conjunction with the auction, I would be pleased to escort you there to await the proper time,¡± the man asked in a very sophisticated and polite voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for an auction,¡± I said, confused, still keeping my eyes shut.


    Do I look like a million bucks?! Maybe if I still had that adamantine¡­


    ¡°My deepest apologies. I confess, observing your¡­ exceptional attire, I presumed you were here in anticipation of the auction. A regrettable misjudgment on my part,¡± the man continued.


    These furs and leathers are extraordinary?!


    ¡°Well, I see you¡¯re a man of great fashion sense!¡± I replied, bolstering my confidence. Pretending, of course. ¡°Well, I¡¯m looking to sell some stuff. Do you mind telling me where a pawn shop is?¡±


    ¡°A¡­ pawn shop?¡± The man sounded utterly shocked. ¡°I must implore you. Should you possess items of value you wish to divest yourself of, I urge you to consider our establishment. Our appraisers are without peer, and we assure you the most advantageous valuations for your treasures. Our commission rates are, I venture to say, the most reasonable within the city,¡± the man said with a gentle, guiding touch to my arm.


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­ I¡¯ll show you what I have to offer.¡± I couldn¡¯t say no to someone like this. ¡°Arrarrha!¡± I heard a faint laugh from the little creature hiding in my hair.


    ¡°Could you also get me a pair of dark shades? As you can see, my eyes aren¡¯t well,¡± I asked the man.


    ¡°Indeed. It would be my honor.¡± The man escorted me inside and led me to a room. I had to keep my eyes shut the entire time. If anyone saw these eyes, god knows what would happen.


    Moments later, he returned and handed me a pair of dark shades. I asked to use the bathroom to put them on. Can¡¯t be too careful.


    In the bathroom, I made sure I didn¡¯t sense anyone else nearby before opening my eyes again. The pair of shades the man gave me looked very elegant.


    When I put them on, they suddenly changed and morphed into a perfectly fitted shape for my face and eyes. The change almost gave me a heart attack¡ªif I had one.


    Wonder how much these cost.


    I left the bathroom, and the man was patiently waiting outside. ¡°Thank you for the shades.¡±


    ¡°Please, allow me to show you about.¡± The tall, slim man showed me around the auction house, including the auction room and the VIP guest lounge. We ended up in a large, extravagant meeting room.


    ¡°If you would be so kind as to wait a moment, I shall summon our master appraiser.¡± The man bowed and backed out of the room.


    Rexy came out of my hair. ¡°What do you think he wants from us?¡± I played with Rexy¡¯s tiny chin.

 Ch 7 (4/4): Civilization

    Soon, I heard footsteps. "Important? Important?! The gavel falls in two hours! Two! No additions. Absolutely not. Unless¡­ well, let''s just see." A booming voice echoed from the other side of the door.


    "Master Appraiser! Your presence is urgently requested! You simply must examine this." The first man''s voice followed, sounding strained.


    The doors burst open, and a truly enormous man filled the doorway. ¡°Well, well, what have we here then?¡± The instant his gaze landed on my fur clothing, his eyes widened, then practically glowed. His jaw dropped, hanging open wide enough to swallow a dragon¡¯s egg whole, and he stared intently.


    He lunged forward, but I instinctively scrambled back. He blinked, recovering his composure with a visible effort. ¡°Good heavens, where are my manners? My deepest apologies.¡± The large man executed a surprisingly graceful bow. ¡°Theodore Vogue at your service. Theo will do nicely.¡± He extended a hand for a shake.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Val.¡± I took his hand; his grip was firm but not crushing.


    ¡°And this, of course, is Wilfred. You¡¯ve met Wilfred, yes?¡± Theo said, gesturing to the tall, slim man from before. His eyes, however, remained glued to my clothing and bag. ¡°Do have a seat. Comfortable? Excellent. Now then, what wonders have you brought before me today?¡±


    I carefully retrieved the two egg-sized gold vein ores Rexy had provided and placed them on the table before Theo. ¡°I was hoping you could tell me how much these might be worth.¡±


    Theo snatched up the ores and began a close inspection. The more he examined them, however, the more his expression soured. He exchanged a pointed look with Wilfred.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll permit me,¡± Theo said, gesturing towards the window with the ores, ¡°I¡¯d like to take a closer look at these¡­ under the natural light. Just a moment.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied.


    He pulled Wilfred aside, and as he inspected the ores, he spoke to Wilfred in a hushed tone.


    Good thing I have good hearing.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Just¡­ gold? Yes, high purity, I grant you, but¡­ merely gold. Hmm.¡± Theo muttered to Wilfred.


    ¡°I am uncertain, sir.¡± Wilfred cast a discreet glance back at me, lowering his voice to a near whisper. ¡°It is possible this is a¡­ test. A measure of our integrity in valuation.¡±


    Theo¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°Wilfred! Ten thousand. Special order. And a note for the Boss. Immediately.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Wilfred nodded quickly and hurried from the room.


    Theo returned, beaming at me. ¡°I¡¯ll be frank. You nearly had me there. Almost. But no. These¡­ they¡¯re just gold. Rare for the common folk, perhaps, but for us? Trifles. One, perhaps two thousand each. At most.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Before I could get a word in, Theo cut me off.


    ¡°Come now, we both know you didn¡¯t come here for these. Let¡¯s see the real reason you¡¯re here. Show me what you intend to auction.¡± Theo said, his eyes still glued to my bag.


    Wilfred returned, placing a black metallic card on the table in front of me.


    ¡°Ten thousand. A small token. A gesture of¡­ goodwill. From the Petralis Auction House. For a¡­ prospective associate.¡± Theo said, pushing the card towards me.


    I took the card and looked at it closely. So, this is like a gift card? ¡°Thank you for your generosity,¡± I said with a smile. I¡¯ll just play along.


    I grabbed my bag and tossed it onto the table. ¡°Take a look.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect, but Theo¡¯s eyes widened considerably as he opened the bag, revealing layers upon layers of folded hides, interspersed with teeth and bones.


    ¡°If I may¡­?¡± Theo said, almost drooling onto the table.


    I gestured for him to proceed. He eagerly unfolded everything, laying it out meticulously. ¡°Marvelous¡­ Simply marvelous¡­ How¡­ Never mind. Forgive my indiscretion.¡± Theo quickly composed himself.


    He retrieved a tablet-like gadget and began scanning and recording everything on the table. ¡°Yes¡­ Three hundred years, undoubtedly. Extraordinary¡­ A bit damp, hasn¡¯t been properly cared for, I see. But¡­ remarkably fresh. Not even a week old. Remarkable¡­ Yes¡­¡± Theo muttered, continuing his inspection, measuring, and recording.


    The door burst open once more, and an elegant and beautiful young lady with silky, long black hair entered. She wore a futuristic dress that clung tightly to her, showcasing her extraordinary figure. She cat-walked into the room, holding a long, thin, straight pipe in her hand, puffing out smoke.


    "Ooh, my, my¡­ what treasures have the winds blown in? Such¡­ interesting wares." The lady¡¯s elegant finger glided over the fur, pausing before me. "So, you''re the one who brought these little beauties to my attention? How¡­ fortunate." Her gaze met mine; it felt like daggers trying to pierce my soul.


    ¡°Boss!¡± Theo scurried to her side and began whispering urgently into her ear. ¡°Genuine. Absolutely genuine. Hide and fur from a live Oroskaros. At least three centuries old. Teeth, some bone fragments as well. All from the same beast. Without a doubt. We¡­¡± The young lady abruptly pushed Theo away.


    ¡°I must say, I''m simply thrilled you''ve chosen to grace my humble establishment with such¡­ exquisite rarities," the young lady said, a flirtatious smile playing on her lips.


    ¡°Allow me to present our proprietor, the esteemed Miss Raven Jin,¡± Wilfred announced. She casually sat down across the table and crossed her legs, resting her feet on the table''s edge.


    ¡°Great to meet you,¡± I said, leaning back in my chair.


    These fur and leather items are extremely rare and valuable, I see. Too bad I couldn¡¯t take more parts of the carcass.


    ¡°Can you spit that creature back out?¡± I whispered to Rexy in my hair. I could feel it furiously shaking its head. Too bad¡­


    Raven exhaled a few more puffs of smoke, her eyes continuing to assess me from head to toe. I sat across from her, putting on the performance of a lifetime, pretending to be high society.


    Hopefully she doesn¡¯t notice.