Chapter 778 - Danger zones (Patreon)

As we fight our way through the forest, I continue to work on handling the increased amount of mana in my poor man’s [Mana Crown]. I use [Manifestation] to further strengthen it and make needed modifications.

The longer I have to deal with it, the more I appreciate what the skill called [Mana Crown] actually did. It isn’t as simple as creating storage and letting all the mana in. The crown must have kept modifying itself according to the volume of mana while keeping it from spilling or constantly radiating like a lighthouse.

Of course, there was a problem with the original skill, and there is a problem with my homemade version. The more mana there is in the crown, the more difficult it is to take out.

I think that applies to all crowns, no matter what kind of energy they store. At some point, the internal pressure becomes so great that you cannot just easily take a thread of stored energy and use it. Every time you reach in, a valve opens, and if the pressure is too high for your capabilities, you have no chance of stopping it. It would likely melt your brain or rupture your body, and all those fun things.

I also remember that bodyguard guy from Mindblender City. I think he used to have an [Impact Crown]? He was unable to use it at all, he just kept storing more and more energy inside, serving as a last-resort weapon. His mindblender master used him as deterrence with a dead man's switch. If the master died or commanded it, all the energy his bodyguard stored over the years would be released at once, ruining the day for everyone in a huge area.

I think it is safe to say my crown now holds much more energy than his did. It is a constant stream of mana that I have been storing for over three months, with the addition of Ignition Heart thermal energy turned into mana while two out of three seals are lifted. That is like a Champion’s thermal heart working at 30% or so, as the last seal holds back the heart the most. By my estimations, the first seal is 10% and the second one additional 20%.

That amount has now tripled thanks to my new best friend… no, not just a friend but my brother, Rex Gwyn. May he terrorize this floor for as long as possible, and might I meet that glorious beast outside of the tutorial.

I know it, and everyone knows it, but somewhere in this universe, there must be people who have been storing their chosen energy in a crown for millennia. I am even willing to bet all my mana stats on that.

There is just no chance someone didn't get the very same idea I have had so many times. I imagine some old guy with a Level 90 [Fire Crown], holding so much stored fire that he can't use it anymore. When he dies one day, he will take whatever planet he is on with him, as that crown contains more than enough fire to do that and, for a brief moment, turn it to a small sun.

“We are still just small fries, aren’t we?” I whisper to Biscuit, whom I continue to carry.

(Food?)

“Not the edible kind of fries. I meant that we are still weak.”

(Food.)

“Well, sorry for causing you to want to eat fries now that I reminded you of them. Where would I get them from anyway?”

(Friend. Help. Would.)

“True. But a true friend isn't the one to feed you fries, but the one who carries your lazy, snuggly ass around. Show me antlers,” I say.

In reaction to that, Biscuit, in his puppy form, grows those tiny antlers of his and looks up at me. (Not biting? Let friends bite?)

“They can handle this much easily. You and I are here for bigger fish. And before you ask, not an actual fish. We know how these floors work, so it will become dangerous. You try to stay with the others at all times. I will be moving around a little if needed.”

(Maybe meet deer,) Biscuit says and stares at me with a question.

I sigh. “If we see any, you can go after it, and I will stay with the group.”

Almost shaking in excitement, he presses against my face, poking me with his antlers and nose while licking my skin.

***

According to the map, we approach one of the danger zones. As we draw closer, a distant sound presses through the forest, carried easily between larger clearings. A strong wind moves through these pathways, carrying that sound, a constant pitch that shifts just enough that it’s impossible to get used to it or let it fade into the background.

Everyone is becoming more irritated, even as it all begins to feel like some sort of alien music. It feels like constant pressure on our minds, so Sophie takes the lead by sending the monsters she is manipulating ahead of us.

During that I notice that Tess has become better at locating phantom, camouflaged, or straight-up invisible monsters. Of course, with my hatred toward anything unnatural like that and the months I’ve spent improving my own senses, she can’t match me, but she is getting really good. I’m certain she can even see mana signatures through the trees, and I mean dozens of them, and far into the distance.

I’ve always found her optical senses interesting because they don’t require you to send your mana ahead to scan and locate someone. You just see.

Yes, I’m sure there are scary assholes who can sense if you even so much as look at them, but since looking gathers less information, I think it’s better for scouting without the risk of being detected.

Some time ago, I think she mentioned she improved her sight with a passive and a supporting skill. Every once in a while, I wonder how she sees the world, especially at nights when I see her sitting quietly, her gaze fixed on the stars in the night sky.

I cut those thoughts short when one of Sophie’s monsters halts. It’s one of the leopards, and where it stopped it starts swaying from side to side, almost like it's vibing to some sort of rhythm we can’t hear.

Sophie furrows her brows and tightens her control over it. The leopard takes a few more steps before stopping entirely.

"There are thousands of monsters like that," Tess says, putting her hand on Sophie’s shoulder. "Within a certain distance from the centre of this danger zone, they seem to stop. The more powerful ones are still standing there, likely for months, maybe years already. There are also thousands of corpses of the ones that died in that trance."

"It shouldn't break my control like this. I entirely took over their minds," Sophie says.

I can see she is trying and trying. Sophie is steadily raising the pressure she exerts on the leopard she manipulates, pouring more of her will into it as if brute force alone might push it forward.

Almost in reaction to her effort, the leopard stops swaying and then lets out a loud, sudden, aggressive noise, so distorted and unnatural that I am sure its throat tore itself apart.

The leopard twists around, its body breaking in the middle with an audible crack, and its ribs pierce the sides. More muscles and bones tear as it charges toward Sophie. Each leap breaks more of its body, causing it to run on revealed flesh and bone while organs pop from its torn belly. Its maw opens so wide the jaw dislocates, and blood flows out over the fur.

It continues to screech as loud as it can while moving with a speed that is killing it, but it's many times faster than anything it should be capable of.

From the ground, rock spikes pierce through the middle of its body, but the leopard continues to push. Its eyes burst open with blood flowing like tears as it strains, tearing its body in half and leaving the back portion behind as it pulls itself forward with what remains of its front legs toward Sophie.

A massive hand made of rock forms, trapping the creature inside and squeezing it with a sickly crunch. For a moment, there is silence, and then we notice the back half of the body moving, twisting in the same way to reach us until another stone hand squishes it.

I don’t think I have ever seen such a pure feeling of hate. Even though it was many times weaker than the stronger opponents I have faced, the feeling I got from it unnerves me more than many of them.

No one says anything for a while until Izzy’s Fragment of Eternal Fire moves. A flame made of green, blue, and purple colors moves across the ground like a living snake and quietly burns what remains of the monster.

"Please, let’s not go there," our empath says quietly.

Thinking it over, Tess glances at me with a lifted eyebrow in a silent question, and I nod.

"Let’s leave," Tess says, and there is no one disagreeing with her.

***

There are a few demon tribes we avoid along our way further north. Unfortunately, we find no deer, but the danger zone we reach this time seems less dangerous than the previous one. Though, there is still the possibility that we can't even sense what is threatening us and are getting hurt in a way we can't fathom. This is where we rely on Lily, who doesn't seem to notice anything and constantly monitors the situation.

As with many danger zones, this one is marked by a cleared-out area. There are fewer trees, and even monsters seem to actively avoid it until we reach a center that is just a mile wide and cleared of all growth. At the center of that space lies the body of a demon. It is a man who has had both of his horns sawn off in a way that looks like it was done after his death. A hole is burrowed through the entire length of his chest where the demon heart is missing.

So far, it looks like one of the oldest bodies we have found. The skin is even paler than the usual demon pale and shriveled as if shrunken. The body that used to be muscular is now thin and fragile looking.

Our healer is there first before anyone can stop her, putting her hand on the corpse’s shoulder. I watch as Tess lowers the hand she had lifted to stop her and turns to our healer, who is already examining it.

Lily says, "It is hard to say how old it is, it could be anywhere between a hundred and a thousand years. He didn't seem to have had mana traits or a very mana-conductive body and instead went for body strengthening. Probably a kinetic heart, too. The bones are still very durable. Like, very, very durable. Even the rest is in a surprisingly good state. I don't think any normal monster would even be able to take a bite. I also think there is a trait that might redirect any kinetic attack back into the attacker, but I’m no kinetic energy specialist. I think even rain or stronger wind can cause that trait to activate. With how powerful the storms can be here, it is probably what cleared out the area."

Tilting her head, she lifts her hand and moves it down to tap the corpse’s arm. She does it in a gentle way, like gently hitting the back of the head of an unruly child.

Following that, she is thrown away. Her entire hand evaporates into a pink mist, and the entire front of her body and face are stripped down to the skin and flesh, and I quickly absorb as much kinetic energy as I can before it can hurt her more seriously.

Lily does not even fall after all of that, only slides backward as her body regenerates at a speed that is difficult to track with the naked eye.

When everything is back in place, she quickly turns around, and we look away while Tess brings her new clothes. When Lily is dressed, Tess doesn't even shout at her, though our healer likely expects it.

I watch as the tall blonde just looks at her with an expression that mixes strong fear of what could have happened with anger and disappointment. I think it is the last one that makes Lily feel the worst. She would probably prefer the screaming.

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