Naviga, Minerva, and Minasa stood at the edge of the volcanic path, observing the icy aftermath caused by the crystal-level treasure. The path to the fire giants' home was entirely frozen, a surreal contrast to the earlier oppressive heat.
Naviga retrieved a red satin dress and a matching red bra from her storage ring and approached Minerva.
Without hesitation, she helped Minerva dress, working quickly and efficiently, as there was no one else present apart from Minasa.
Minasa, acting as a shield of modesty, ensured Minerva was covered throughout.
Once dressed, both Minerva and Naviga drank universal essence potions to replenish their energy, followed by healing potions to mend their wounds.
The potions coursed through their bodies, restoring vitality and closing up visible injuries.
Afterward, Minasa handed each of them five additional potions and some talismans, a precaution for the challenges ahead.
Minasa turned to Minerva and asked, "What's the plan now, Young miss?"
Minerva, her expression resolute, replied, "Aunt Minasa, I think we should eat something first to regain strength. After that, you can remove the ice blocking the path, and we'll investigate the fire giants' home."
Minasa nodded in agreement. Naviga pulled a small spread of food from her storage space—simple yet sustaining provisions she had prepared that morning.
They sat and ate in silence, the tension of the earlier battle still lingering in the air. The food provided a welcome respite, refueling their bodies for the next step of their journey.
Some time later, they approached the entrance to the fire giants' lair. The icy barrier stretched deep into the volcanic pathway, glistening faintly under the returning heat of the volcano.
Minasa stepped forward, her hand glowing with power as she readied to clear the path. With a single powerful strike, her hand slammed into the ice, sending cracks spidering through the frozen mass.
Boom!
The ice shattered, and the force of Minasa's slap rippled through the pathway.
The fractured ice began to melt under the renewed volcanic heat, water flowing freely and turning into clouds of steam as it evaporated.
Minasa watched as the ice continued to weaken and finally disintegrate completely, the once-blocked entrance now clear.
Satisfied with her work, Minasa glanced at Naviga and Minerva. "The path is open. Be careful in there." With a knowing look, she vanished into the surrounding air, leaving the two younger women to continue on their mission.
Minerva and Naviga walked cautiously along the path of the fire giants. The ice is slowly melting, leaving puddles of water and billowing steam, the volcanic heat had already begun reclaiming the area.
Minerva ignited a flame in her hand to light their way as they ventured deeper into the remnants of the fire giants' space. When they reached the place where the earlier battle had unfolded, they found it devoid of life.
Here, ice was also shattered by Minsa, showcasing the strength of her slap.
The ice that had once imprisoned the fire giants had not only melted but destroyed them entirely, leaving no trace of their cores or essence.
Minerva turned to Naviga and said, "Navi, let's search for any clues about how to get to the next volcano mountain."
Naviga nodded, and they split up to explore. They scoured the open space thoroughly but found nothing of significance.
Eventually, they moved toward the caves that had once served as homes for the fire giants, particularly the two massive caves belonging to the strongest of the giants.
Naviga visit one of the large caves, Minerva take another one, The entrance of the cave is even larger than the two story house in modern world, inside cave ceiling that disappeared into the shadows and walls that glistened faintly with volcanic residue.
The floor was black and uneven, resembling hardened magma. Naviga lit a flame in her hand—despite being a Yin elemental magus, she could manipulate basic Yang elemental fire when necessary.
She delved deeper into the cavern, the fire casting flickering shadows on the walls.
The cave widened as she walked, its expanse almost overwhelming. Finally, she reached the end, where the true contents of the cave came into view.
Piles of bones were scattered throughout, forming hills of white and gray. Massive bird skeletons, beast remains, and even fragments of creatures she couldn't identify filled the space.
It was clear the fire giants had consumed these creatures, their remains left to rot in the oppressive heat,Or newly eaten.
Naviga's gaze shifted to another part of the cave—a mound of bruised and crushed bones that appeared to have been arranged deliberately.
The arrangement resembled a makeshift bed, likely where the fire giant had slept. She frowned, disturbed by the macabre scene.
Naviga called upon her chip, "Chip, scan the area for anything unusual. Search every place".
A light emerged from her eyes as the chip activated, sweeping the room with a soft glow.After a few moments, the chip's voice echoed in her mind.
"Host, there is an anomaly beneath the mound of bones. The ground below is not solid magma—it appears to be a softer, hollow layer."
Naviga's eyes narrowed as she approached the area, the flickering flame in her hand illuminating the bone pile. "Under the bones, huh? Let's see what you're hiding." She prepared to clear the mound, ready for whatever secrets lay beneath.
She approached the pile of bones and infused her hand with universal essence before slapping the bones.
The bones on the surface were destroyed, but the pile was immense, and her efforts seemed to have little effect. She slapped the pile twice more, managing to clear a portion of it, yet the mud beneath remained unresponsive.
Naviga crouched down, studying the area closely. She could sense a slight dampness in the mud, likely from the melting ice and water that had seeped into the ground. Without the water and the assistance of her AI chip, this spot would have been nearly impossible to detect.
Even to the naked eye, it appeared indistinguishable from the surrounding ground.
After a moment of observation, she drew her sword and began digging. Slowly but steadily, a small pit formed as her sword hit something solid.
Excited by the discovery, she dug faster, creating a pit about the height of her hand. Before her lay a wooden piece, partially buried. She lit a small fire in her other hand to get a better look.
The wooden piece was square in shape, its surface etched with black runes. Curious, she tapped it lightly with her sword—nothing happened.
She then slashed at it, but there was still no reaction. As her sword moved beneath the piece to lift it, she realized it wouldn't budge. It seemed firmly rooted, as though it extended further underground.
"It seems this piece goes deeper than I thought. I'll need to dig a larger pit if I want to take it out," she mused. She slashed and thrust at the ground around the piece, hoping to provoke a reaction, but there was none. So she resumed digging, widening the pit.
The process was slow, and as she dug deeper, the size of the piece became more apparent—it was much larger than it initially seemed.
Running out of options, she decided to step on the piece itself, hoping it might yield to the added pressure. The moment her foot made contact, a mechanical noise filled the air, and the piece shifted slightly downward.
She immediately realized the significance of her action.
A small smile spread across her beautiful face. Consider the concept of the creator.
Typically, a key for a hidden door operates as if it were part of the wall or requires a hand or blood; however, who would have guessed that stepping on a wooden section would activate the mechanism of the hidden door?. "This must be a trigger hidden door mechanism or something like that," she thought.
The presence of such a device reinforced her suspicions. She and Minerva had already doubted the origins of the fire giants' setup after seeing the runes in the underground prison.
This confirmed their theory—it was likely the work of humans controlling the fire giants.
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