It's Squishy!
"Squishy!"
Thwump!!
Vulcan, clutching the Ice Orb like a madman, charged ahead and swiftly cleared out the corrupted spirit clones. He did discover another way to use the Ice Orb in the process, but he didn't switch weapons. Instead, he kept smashing them directly, shattering their skulls with his own hands.
The reason was simple. It felt good.
That heavy, sticky grip followed by the satisfying pop was just too fun. Rather than enchanting a weapon for the job, he stuck to swinging the orb itself.
Damage 0 received.
On the other hand, their flame attacks did absolutely nothing to Vulcan. Sure, the "corrupted" label made them more than ordinary fire, but his armor was Legendary grade. With its extraordinary materials, he didn't even break a sweat against blasts from mere clones.
The one-sided beatdown continued until he'd wiped them all out—or so he thought. More clones kept crawling out from somewhere, but with Vulcan in peak condition holding the line, the Fire Cultists took zero damage.
Holy spell Ring of Fire completed.
Holy Ring of Fire descends upon Hirros Dormant Volcano.
Stabilizing the surging fire energy.
Before ten minutes were up, he'd swept the clones clean and waited for the spell to finish. Right on cue, it activated. A red ring formed high above Hirros Volcano, slowly descending like a blanket. It wrapped around the caldera like a cloud cap, tightening gradually until the volcanic activity ground to a halt.
The power of Kabura, god of fire, had quelled the volcano.
Rumble rumble rumble—
"Did it work?"
Sudden Quest: Spell Completion
With the quest completion alert and the volcano's imminent eruption fizzling out—vibrations fading—it seemed resolved. But Vulcan's instincts screamed otherwise. The spell had worked, but corrupted fire spirit clones were still emerging.
"Huff, huff. For now, yeah. No immediate explosion. This buys everyone time to evacuate."
"Evacuate? What?"
The cultist's response turned Vulcan's suspicion into certainty. They never intended to fully stop the volcano. Their Ring of Fire was just a temporary lull to let Schnell Village escape.
"If it were natural, we'd have decades. But it's not."
Vulcan flinched. Do they know what I did? No way. Still, guilt pricked him. He quickly schooled his face into confusion.
"Not natural?"
"Yes. Recently, the fire spirit at Hirros Dormant Volcano's core started acting strange. Born from the volcano's energy, its changes rippled outward—inexplicable phenomena, monsters around Hirros turning aggressive. Probably warped by the altered energy... And today, the volcano reactivated."
"R-right."
Good—they didn't know about the ley line tampering. As long as he kept quiet, no blame.
"But it's odd. We'd been monitoring it, preparing spells like Ring of Fire. Didn't expect sudden rampage. Something happened to it—corrupted by some force, or shocked by someone. If we can't calm its rage, Hirros could erupt again anytime."
He couldn't just walk away. What if his meddling with the fire essence caused this?
"So, shamelessly... Vulcan, could you check the core? We'd go, but the spell drained us..."
"Mm. Got it."
Not just exhaustion, probably. But no reason to refuse a quest. Immune to fire attacks? Perfect against a fire spirit. Free ride.
Volcano's Spirit
📍 Something's changed with Hirros Dormant Volcano's fire spirit, managed by Kabura Temple.
📍 Descend to the core, assess the fire spirit, report, and take action.
🎁 Rewards: Varies by outcome, Kabura Temple support
...Huh?
Volcano's Spirit
[Main Scenario Quest]
📍 Success Condition: Investigate Hirros Volcano's fire spirit 0 / 1
🎁 Rewards: Performance-based, Kabura Temple support
A Main Scenario Quest? Bizarre, but examining it closely, it fit his existing chain. More like a branch—securing Kabura Temple's support after their hesitation.
Like this, huh?
The other two temples might offer similar quests for support. Valuable experience, and performance-based rewards scaled huge for top results. No way he'd skip a Main Scenario one. The Divine Mark and Ring of Fire already proved their worth.
◈ Ruby ring condensed with Kabura's holy fire power.
◈ Power of Fire: Adds fire damage proportional to attack power
◈ Increases fire resistance
◈ Token granted only to those recognized by Kabura Temple.
◈ Infused with Kabura's holy power; grants strong fire power, amplifies holy attacks.
◈ Spirit +30 when held
◈ Vitality +10 when held
◈ Strength +10 when held
◈ +10% to all fire enhancement effects
"Just check it out?"
"Yes. Examine as much as you can. If irreversible, find a way to dispel it—but since it shares energy with Hirros, killing it might trigger eruption. Best to calm or purify if possible. But don't push too hard."
"As much as possible," but spells it all out. Basically, "do more than scout."
Purify or dispel...
That was the plan anyway. Vulcan stood and headed for the cave linking to the clone-spawning core.
—A mere fire spirit? Easy pickings.
Kuuh, back in my prime, even a spirit king wouldn't dare meet my eyes.
Too strong for Vulcan's level normally, but report and bail? Nah. A fire spirit—incarnation of flame—couldn't hurt him.
"Heh heh heh! Freebies giving you indigestion?"
—Nah, that's the joy of item power. Kuhahaha!
Tud didn't mind spoon-feeding either. Just nagged about building real strength for true item power peaks.
Thwump! Thwump! Pop! Boom!!
En route, more corrupted clones and local monsters popped up, but they were no match. Ice Orb in one hand, Serpent of Despair in the other—anything that appeared crumbled instantly. No need for Power of Fire; fire did zilch.
"That's... the fire spirit?"
—As I suspected.
Deep in, facing Hirros's true boss, Vulcan grimaced and tilted his head. Humanoid flame form, sure—but the face and color were off. Dusky crimson-black flames, layered like strata, exuding eerie menace.
"Suspected what?"
—Tainted by demonic energy. Pure flames purge it, but only to a point.
"So, how?"
Whoosh!
The corrupted fire spirit noticed Vulcan. Savage flames swirled, promising ash.
Demonic energy invades your body.
Roona's divinity protects you.
Kabura's divinity protects you.
Damage 0 received.
—Two ways: Annihilate with counters, or beat pure flame into it till purified.
"Grrr... What are you?!"
No damage. Even flame-mixed demonic energy was harmless to Roona- and Kabura-blessed Vulcan. Only one-sided violence left.
Choices: Destroy or purify? Immune to physical like clones, but Vulcan could do both. Ice Orb might melt/break, but Glacial Heart inside? Manageable. Unlikely at its level anyway.
"Simple!"
Brief thought, easy pick. Cultists warned destruction risks eruption. Not their preference; max reward meant best choice.
"Power of Fire."
Whoosh!
Pure, holy flames erupted around Vulcan—Ring of Fire's skill. Fire damage added proportional to attack; he charged undaunted.
"Insolent fool. Die!!!"
Bursting through its flame breath, he closed in.
"Flame of Justice!"
Switching to un-melted Judgment Mace from Hador's Nest, he smashed down, activating the skill like a greeting. Holy flames leaped to it, burning black energies.
Flame incarnation—no fire damage, but goal was purging demonic filth. No issue.
Then, Serpent of Despair enchanted with fire sliced chunks off.
"Hammer and blade make great conversation!"
"Burn! I'll purify you in death!!"
Its body flickered like a candle in Vulcan's wind-blasted strikes, but it raged harder. Mind the minor physicals; harmless otherwise. Vulcan stuck close, painting with sword strokes—each carving black tumors, fading its dark hues.