Ch 4: Leon has terrible ideas
The monster was nowhere to be seen—only its heavy breathing echoed continuously off the cave walls, creating the unsettling impression that it was right next to me.
The cave was incredibly dark, damp, musty, and littered with human remains. With a tad bit of spring cleaning, it might even pass as a sex dungeon. But beyond the towering pile of skulls, the most striking feature was the murals on the walls. Though barely visible, every mural—small or large—depicted one common image: a yellow being wearing a crown made of what looked like fingers.
'Hey, Leon, are we in the Yellow King's primordial cage?'
[Yes, we are quite fucked. No, we're double fucked—fucked beyond comprehension.]
'What are the survival chances?'
[...]
[We are petrified at the entrance to a primordial cage and can't even see the monster to whom we got traded.]
[Not only that—if we did manage to defeat this mana beast in the pitch-black, we'd then have to overcome the abomination deeper in the cave, bypass its traps, and finally have you learn magic strong enough to keep you alive a little longer.]
[In moments, you will be decapitated and then consumed by this "thing." Prioritize your immediate survival rather than wasting time with silly questions.]
Leon was right—our chances of living grew slimmer with every passing second. But what was I supposed to do when I could barely move?
'Leon, you're the idea man—come on, think of something!'
[...]
'Hurry!'
[...]
'Leon, can you hear me?'
[...]
Leon fell silent, as though he had given up on living—or even answering my questions—at this point.
[I have an idea.]
'What is it? Quickly, tell me!'
[We are going to activate all the earthquake-response traps.]
'...'
'And what exactly will these "earthquake-response traps" do?'
[They will burn any living being within the primordial cage.]
[You can wiggle, can't you?]
'Yes, barely.'
[Good enough.]
'If these alarms were created thousands of years ago, would they still work?'
[Yes. The cages were built to withstand the test of time tenfold—the alarms will not fail us.]
[You are going to crash the pile of skulls into the murals, which may or may not activate the traps.]
'Why would that activate the traps?'
[A possible cave shift from an earthquake might reveal a new opening. In any case, if mana beasts try to move deeper, the traps will activate—among other things.]
'How am I supposed to survive the trap?'
[You've survived three hours of this nightmare; surely you'll manage three more.]
Leon was clearly grasping at straws, but at this point, it didn't matter.
[Quickly—shift your weight into the pile.]
Conveniently, the pile of skulls was right beside us (probably designed to make the execution process easier). All I had to do was wiggle into the supporting bottom structure of the pile.
[Closer… you're almost there.]
The strain on my body was immense. Being old didn't help as I fought the petrification venom. But gradually, its effects lessened enough for me to cause the pile to move.
'I almost got it...'
With one final adjustment, a skull shifted just enough to knock the one above it, setting off a domino effect. A massive wave of skulls cascaded deeper into the cave with multiple loud "Cracks!" echoing through the entrance.
[Good shit! Now we wait.]
'Isn't it happening immediately?'
[No—the machinery is ancient; it needs time to function.]
Curiosity roused the monster. It emerged into view—a massive horned toad, its body covered in black scales, rows of jagged teeth lining its mouth, and glowing yellow eyes fixed on the only thing that could have caused such a commotion: me.
Its elongated tongue slowly wrapped around the stone that encased me. Unable to resist, I surrendered to it rather than trying to wriggle free.
With one giant "Gulp," I was swallowed by the toad beast.
[Could be worse.]
'YOU SAID THE TRAPS WOULD WORK!'
[Oh, they will. In fact, this toad may have saved your miserable life.]
Inside the beast's stomach, along with the reek of rotting corpses, there was also the pungent odor of gas. The stench was so strong it seeped even into the toad's digestive chamber.
[Oh boy, here we go. Prepare yourself, Laozi.]
"BOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!"
The loudest explosion I had ever heard boomed through the cave walls. Immense, unbearable heat seared through my body until my consciousness teetered on the brink. My eyes burned as if on fire. Had I been exposed outside the toad, I would have been dead long ago.
What felt like hours passed before the intense heat finally subsided—at least most of it.
-Skill Heat Resistance Acquired- (new)
-Skill Pain Tolerance Proficiency Increased-
The pain became bearable enough for me to open my eyes. I discovered that the entire stomach had been charred to a near-crisp, and the acid had churned enough to loosen the petrification around my joints. With immense effort, I pulled myself out of the toad's mouth.
Everything in the cave was covered in thick, black soot. Leaning against a charred mural, I took a moment to collect myself.
[Wow, you actually survived. For a lousy piece of shit, that's exceptional. Yet, credit where credit is due—you did well, though I did most of the work.]
'Thanks?'
[However, we're not done yet. We need to travel deeper.]
'But that explosion would have woken the Yellow King up, right?'
[Oh, most definitely. But after thousands of years, it's probably grown accustomed to these alarms. By the time we reach the main cavern, it should be back asleep.]
Hopefully, Leon was right. He had yet to be wrong, though that didn't make this situation any less terrifying. After resting against the soot-covered murals, I forced myself to move again. My muscles screamed against the strain of petrification, burns, and fatigue—but if I gave in, I might never wake up.
With every labored exhale, I dragged myself a little further.
[Since most traps have been incinerated, this path will be a bit easier—but not for long. Most, if not all, of the traps are self-repairing, so you must hurry.]
'How much time do I have?'
[Maybe an hour?]
Continuing on, the cave floor sloped downward, and I could see the shattered skull pile at the bottom, crashed into a massive door made of tarnished metal. The metal was scratched considerably but bore no visible dents—its durability was remarkable.
[Once we pass through this door, we'll enter the main cavern of the cage. The traps there are still repairing, but at the end of the main cavern, you'll reach the resting place of the Yellow King. When we get there, you will have to kill it.]
'How!?'
[That is a problem for later. For now, let me think.]
With much effort and my body still starving, I dragged and crawled forward. Leon was right—I had survived the impossible this long, so I might as well defy the odds a little longer.