Entering the Gas Zone (2)
We'd fully entered the gas zone now, taking in our surroundings.
"Hmm..."
"Whoa..."
"We expected it, but..."
The gas zone was a devastation. Hell itself would feel inadequate by comparison. The sky overhead was a murky haze, and volcanic ash rained down endlessly from who-knows-where. The ground was littered with twisted, desiccated gray trees snapped like twigs, while half-cooled lava oozed thickly in patches here and there. Massive bones—probably from demon beasts—jutted out sporadically. The scorched earth was cracked everywhere, belching volcanic heat, and naturally, there wasn't a trace of life to be seen.
"Trip once, and you're kissing lava. Don't want that? Watch your step."
"Kissing lava? Creative word choice, Professor."
"Save the chit-chat. Oxygen's precious."
Their voices crackled over the comms. Ryan ribbed Beowulf, only for Ricardo to shut it down.
Just as Beowulf said, this place was a total shitshow. Visibility was crap—barely a few meters ahead—and sudden obstacles kept tripping us up.
"Kyaa!"
"Careful."
Like that. I caught Alice as she stumbled over a tree root. Third time, by the way.
"S-sorry... I can't see shit..."
"It's fine."
After bailing her out a few times, she started scanning the ground obsessively. Now she was clinging to my arm like gum on a shoe. Annoying, but better than her diving into lava. I let it slide.
We pressed on.
"Huff... huff."
"Hoo."
"Hah... hah..."
Seven people, and all you heard was breathing. Through the breather, it was just your own breaths and the crunch of footsteps on the ground. Not weird, really. No room for small talk.
The viscous, dark-red gas clung to us, subtly hindering movement, and the heat was brutal even inside the suits. Hot, stuffy, poor visibility, uneven footing. Like trudging through the guts of some living beast. Never done it, but that's the vibe. Unpleasant all around. Who'd wanna chat here?
[Grrr! Kraaak!]
[Gwaaak!]
A few demon beasts spotted us navigating the hellish terrain and charged.
"Demon beasts live even here, huh? Tough bastards."
"Agreed. Needlessly resilient lives."
Combat time. We each handled them in our own style.
But a problem cropped up.
[Beep!]
"Wh-what? What's wrong?"
Alice summoned a spirit, but it freaked out the second it appeared and dove back in. Same with the others—they bolted from her wrist like it was poison.
Spirits hated this gas, apparently.
...Tricky.
Without summons, Alice was just a normal girl. A tough spirit like that auditorium croc might hold up, but those guzzled mana. I told her to hold off until I said otherwise.
Meanwhile, I eyed the incoming demon beast.
—Thwack! Crunch!
Couldn't deploy tentacles or armor in the hazmat, so bare fists it was. Black demon blood splattered my suit.
Gonna need to wash this later.
Had to avoid damaging the suit too. A hassle for me, if not the others.
Short skirmish over.
"Everyone okay?"
"Fine here. Others seem good too."
"Mere demon beasts can't scratch this holy body."
"A priest of the great goddess handles this with ease."
Team checked in. Meanwhile...
"......"
Alice stood with hands clasped, head bowed. Down about being dead weight.
She'd have whined and cried for home a week ago. Grown a bit.
I smiled faintly and patted her shoulder.
"Chin up, Cadet Alice. Not your fault."
The others caught on and chimed in.
"Not your fault, Miss Alice."
"Indeed. Who knew spirits hated gas?"
"They're right. No one's blaming you."
"Still... spirits are my job..."
Ricardo stepped forward, hand on chest.
"No. I brought you without confirming spirits' tolerance. My fault most."
"Yeah. Not on Alice. Right, fishboy?"
Beowulf called to Kairon, hanging back. He grumbled, then...
"......Hmph. Yeah."
My eyes widened. Unexpected. Thought the guy didn't do comfort. Grabbing her wrist during the demo felt like yesterday. Guess he'd warmed up. Not a total asshole.
"See? Even fishboy says so. Cheer up."
Z-Team, Ricardo—everyone rallied for Alice.
"...Thanks."
She nodded, smiling, eyes a bit misty. Still cries easy. Long way to go.
Reinvigorated, she grabbed my arm again. Mental care done.
"Alright, let's move."
Deeper in we went.
Two hours of searching later.
"Dammit, no sign of the bastard."
Beowulf's voice over comms. No high-rank demon beast in sight.
"Oxygen's getting low."
The breather's top-left gauge blinked red at 15%.
"Oxygen below 15%. Factoring return, we descend now."
Ricardo sounded exhausted, defeated. We'd scoured the mid-slope for two hours—nothing. Just ash piles and sporadic demon beasts. Terrain and fights burned oxygen fast. Keep going, and we'd run dry soon.
"Pull back. Regroup at base, plan next."
"Agreed."
Everyone nodded. No one here was dumb enough to push and risk wipeout. Disappointing, but necessary.
We turned for HQ.
—Thoom.
"Hm?"
"Professor? Something wrong?"
"Nah, thought I heard... a thoom."
"Thoom? Haven't heard anything..."
Asked the others.
"Thoom? Nope. Hearing things?"
"Didn't hear it. Lava sounds, maybe?"
"This one heard no such thing."
"...Okay?"
They all missed it.
Misheard?
My senses were sharp, but maybe. Then—
—Kuuuuaaaang!!!!!
"Kyaaak!!"
"Ngh! What the—?!"
"Uwaak!!"
A massive roar echoed from afar. Then—
Underfoot.
—Kuuuung!!!
An ear-shattering blast erupted from below. The ground shook. Earthquake.
"Down! Ground's collapsing!!"
Beowulf's yell hit as a huge fissure snaked across the surface like a serpent. Instinct kicked in—we scattered behind fallen logs and massive volcanic rocks.
—Thoom! Thoom! Kwarang!!
—Kwang! Koong! Kwarang!
Minutes of violent shaking. The quake ravaged the whole zone. Barely-standing trees shattered; rocks flew everywhere.
Finally, it subsided.
Vibrations stopped. Ricardo sighed.
"...Let's move. More delay's dangerous—"
"Hold still."
Everyone froze.
"Professor? What's up?"
Alice's voice trembled. Couldn't answer. All my focus was on the gas ahead.
—Thud.
"......"
Started as a faint rumble, like a rockfall.
—Thud.
Didn't stop. Steady intervals, growing louder, clearer.
—Thud.
"Han Seongjin, oxygen's critical. We need to—"
"Shh."
I cut Ricardo off, finger to lips. Suit hid it, but he got the vibe and shut up. Others followed, watching me.
—Thud!
Loud enough for all now. Pebbles jumped in sync. Something approached. We knew it. Everyone hunkered deeper behind cover, breaths held.
"......!"
Ryan pointed ahead.
Through the gas fog, a massive shadow took shape. Towering, easily several meters tall.
—Thud!
[Grrr...]
A monster. Four legs covered in thick purple... something. It lumbered past us slowly.
—Rumble...
Overwhelming demonic energy. Strong enough to feel through the suit. I swallowed.
Finally. The high-rank demon beast. Instinct screamed it.
Everyone froze. Alice clamped her mouth, sweating bullets, staring. I narrowed my eyes at it.
Purple gunk blanketed from back to head, swollen and pulsing like slime.
...Purple slime?
"......!"
Flash of recognition. I'd seen that purple before. Unforgettable.
It meant one thing.
Demon-beastified monster.
From the Helm Mountains dungeon. That was the high-rank demon beast of Kargas Volcano.