Chapter 95: The Last Landmark (1/2)

After a night of rest and cultivation. Rei, Ren and Jagu by using the energy stones we got from underground all experienced a breakthrough. Along with the items they got from the storage necklace, their strength increased to a level.

I also got the time to cultivate and a night's progress led me to less than half of what's needed to have another breakthrough.

When they heard that, they also started to think I'm a monster. Just like that certain Barbarian Girl.

It's not that it's fast. It's all attributed to this unknown inherent energy in here. My Adaptability was now at 10%. It's the biggest progress I got in one night considering I only actively cultivate it for a few hours.

Now there's that notion of staying here for at least a year to train. By the time I come out, it's possible that I will be stronger than the heroes or even a Transcendent.

Err… but that's considering everything will stay the same and nothing will change in any of the worlds.

Some of the Heroes might even die during the year that I will disappear.

With my existence as the catalyst to prevent their doom, if I really did it. I might come back to see everything in ruins.

That will be… tragic.

I'm still progressing faster anyway so this selfish thought of mine was shelved.

However, as long as we're here, I will use every opportunity to increase my strength.

”Ruin Dwellers again?”

Jayna asked as she jumped back from the arm that's about to grab her leg.

Her sparkling green vines changed properties to become sparkling red vines. When it wrapped around the arm of the Ruin Dweller, it started to burn to a crisp.

When she pulled it, the arm was cut off even before the Ruin Dweller fell to the ground.

That's how strong her Earthfire enhanced her skills. She could stand on her own now. The Earthfire filled her lack of offensive power.

When we restarted our exploration it's already a few hours before we stepped on another Ruin Dweller territory. The theory about them being just territorial was proven with this.

”Stall them for me. I'll channel the same Higher Spirit.”

Yumiko declared. With that Higher Spirit to flush these diggers out, it will be easy for us to kill them. However…

”No. Yumiko, we just need to leave their territory, it's actually a waste of time to kill them like the first time.

I advised her not to and after pondering for a bit, she nodded.

There's really nothing to gain at killing those thick armed creatures apart from wasting our time.

With us only reacting to those who will try to grab us from beneath the ground, we soon passed their territory and arrived at a wide clearing.

While passing through it, we already found some traces of the previous expedition. Even if the paths changed, the place is still the same so sooner or later we'll see that last landmark they reached. The map just said an altar and danger. As to what kind of danger, those who survived were the ones who ran away first so they also don't know.

Apart from observing any walls if there would be something like the Earthfire Essence, we're also looking out for any landmark. With the first one proven to be a passage to an underground ruin, we decided to avoid them if possible. If we encountered someone like that old man, and someone not as bored as him, it would really spell death to us. There will be a time in the future where we will come back here but for now, we have to avoid them.

The clearing was proven to be long and barren. On some parts of it, we encountered more skeletons but unlike what we saw from the underground, these skeletons didn't have any storage necklaces. Someone already took them or they're from a different group than those who died there.

Another hour of cautious walking, we encountered a new enemy. To not be seen by them, we hid somewhere out of their sights. Though they're as ugly as the Ruin Dwellers, they're bigger than them. They're bipedal as well but if I could compare them to something within my knowledge, I would call them Ogres.

With reddish-brown skins, towering height, ugly faces as well as those stone clubs they're wielding, they're really like an Ogre.

The ones we encountered look like they're patrolling the area but Jagu noticed something from one of them.

”That's a fur of the same type of Spirit Beast as Abe.”

He pointed to the fur pelt that was covering one of the Ogres' lower body.

”Are you sure?”

Yumiko turned to him for confirmation.

”The Spirit Beasts are brutal. You probably only encountered the Queen, King and us Transformed Spirits, but those below our level, it's a dog eat dog world. So it's common to find the fur or pelt of the same species as you.”

The way he described the life of the Spirit Beasts, I guess even with the Spirit King and Queen leading them, it's still hard to control those at the bottom.

”That's a clue about the previous expedition but are they still surviving? If they all became the source of hides and furs for them…”

Jagu continued. He's pessimistic about their chances.

”There's still a possibility that some of them are still alive. What do you think, Daisuke?”

Yumiko said before asking me for my opinion. We already told them that we're leading together so, in every event, me and Yumiko will decide on what to do. Of course, I still let her do the thinking first then I will support or reject her idea. Then after that, she will also do the same.

”The possibility exists. Isn't that enough reason? We just have to be cautious as they look like they are more organized than the Ruin Dwellers.”

They're even sending patrols like this. It's possible that their lair is near.

”Alright. Let's do this fast and we'll let one of them run back to lead us where they were staying.”

Yumiko presented her plan.

”I will then use the Orb of Concealment if we ever need to escape. It's already prepared.”