Chapter 88 - At The End Of The Day, I Cannot Deny Myself
The land within the Inferno Lands resembled a barren, fiery wasteland. There was no trace of water, only small lakes of molten lava bubbling ominously. Every few moments, monsters roamed through the molten rivers with ease, adapted perfectly to the extreme conditions. The air was thick with heat, and every now and then, fiery geysers erupted from the ground, shooting plumes of ash and molten rock high into the sky. If anyone failed to pay attention, the falling debris could easily be their undoing, and they wouldn't even know what hit them.
"So what is your mission again?" Solan asked, raising an eyebrow at the group. He couldn't fathom why anyone would willingly come to such an inhospitable place. "I'm just here for research, you know, a man of science and magic. Honestly, we should head somewhere more... scenic." His tone was playful, but it was clear he meant it.
Cohn, clearly irritated, shot a sharp look at him. "As I recall, we didn't ask you to join us. We're only tolerating you because of the conditions. If you're going to complain, do it somewhere else—where someone actually cares." His voice was cold, dripping with contempt.
Brigs sighed but didn't intervene. Clearly, Cohn was still annoyed by Solan's presence, but at least Gale was trying to keep things civil. She smiled at Solan, trying to diffuse the tension. "Come on, Cohn. Don't be too hard on him. Even for Warlords, this place isn't exactly a vacation spot. Let's think of it from a research perspective. If we keep a good relationship, we might even work better together when trouble hits."
Solan's eyes glinted as he shot a glare at Cohn. "So you don't seem to like me for whatever reason. That is fine. Your team members seem to be good people, so I will tolerate your little outburst. However, if you insist on pressing the matter, I'll have to be a bit impolite and trust me, I enjoy that."
Before the situation could escalate, Gale stepped in with a forced laugh. "No harm done! Cohn's just a bit rough around the edges. Right, Cohn?" She shot him a look that said, cut it out, but Cohn only clicked his tongue in annoyance. Solan then noticed the wind seemed to dance around Haruto.
"So, Kage, was it? You know, you're the first elemental I've seen who the elements seemed to love. Well, I supposed that's not entirely true; you're just the first I haven't seen set themselves on fire." Solan said jokingly.
It was well-known that elementals who channeled elements directly without an outlet were considered extremely rare as controlling that which is naturally occurring could result in the upmost disaster, as Haruto had already found out experimenting with the Earth and Water elements. Even though he still relied on his finger device to create sparks, he noticed his capability was increasing the more he used his magic.
From Solan's experience, even if by some miracle someone managed to master one element, they usually stopped there as learning multiples and mastering them were extremely hard. The reason is being able to utilize multiple elements together required an extreme understanding of each's foundation. If Solan knew that not only did Haruto have multiple elements, but could cast them simultaneously, he'd nearly faint! Having element magic wasn't the end. One still had to create individual skills that fit their fighting style. Doing it with one was challenging, but creating multiple skills that fit each element, and their fighting style was something else. It took an enormous amount of effort and even less ever achieved the desired result!
"I admit, the learning curve is quite different from your average stone. It definitely is a magic one has to respect and give careful thought too, otherwise they may end up destroying themselves in the process." Haruto responded in a pseudo serious manner.
Solan nodded appreciatively. Cohn, still fuming, muttered under his breath, "Anyone with fighting ability wasting their talents on research is an idiot." Cohn said this just loud enough to seem to be thinking to himself but ensured everyone could hear him.
Everything about Solan rubbed him the wrong way. His flamboyant character, his obvious waste of talent and the profession he has chosen to pursue. The nonchalant personality of Solan irked him and he felt it was a slap in the face of all fighters and warriors.
Gale became annoyed by Cohn's constant picking, but she understood his personality. However, to not cause any more friction in the group, she had no choice but to bear with it, at least until the mission was completed.
Brigs frowned and realized from the moment they met Solan, Cohn had been constantly insulting Solan every chance he got. Cohn was a friend, but he would only allow so much. He didn't like flexing his leadership role but if Cohn continued, he'd have a good reason to make an exception. What surprised him though was how Solan was so laid back about everything. He could tell Solan was more than meets the eye regarding fighting prowess, but could he only be restraining himself just because he did not want to risk everyone's lives due to the security conditions?
Solan, however, had been picked up on the animosity Cohn was exhibiting towards him. 'It has been quite some time since I've entertained such an amusing little game.' He shot a glance at Cohn, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Oh, you think so? You're more than welcome to test that theory once we've reached our destination. Unless all you do is bark."
This wasn't Solans first run in with this type of person. The person who felt they could tell him how to live his life. He would choose his path on his own. This very mentality is what caused him to leave his family and explore the world. But he did wonder if perhaps Cohn was secretly trying to impress his teammates.
Cohn smirked as he heard the request. "Is that a challenge?" He hoped for this as he could finally show Solan the difference between them. If he had issued the challenge Brig might have seen him as intentionally causing problems. But since Solan challenged him, it was within his right to accept. Now he could show Solan the vast difference between choosing to be a researcher and choosing to be a fighter.
Haruto hearing this, wasn't sure if this was conducive to the mission. Sensing the tension between the two, he turned to Brigs. "Are you really going to let them go at it?"
Brig, surprisingly calm, just smiled. "They'll work it out. Besides, if Solan's wasting his talent, Cohn should have no problem proving that, right?"
Solan shrugged nonchalantly. "I have no intention of going down without a fight. If I lose, well... I'll just have to blame my wasted talent, won't I?"
Gale and Haruto exchanged puzzled glances. Did Brig know something they didn't? Solan was confident, and Brig seemed almost... amused.
As they continued their journey deeper into the Inferno Lands, the ground began to tremble. Without warning, cracks formed beneath their feet, and molten lava shot into the air.
"What the hell is that?" Solan stated as a hybrid lava-human creature appeared in front of them.
Brig grit his teeth as he was hoping to not run into one of these. "It's a damn Lava shadow! They can't be harmed by regular physical attacks. Everyone! Make sure you only use magic-based attacks, or you'll regret it."
The Lava Shadow let out an eerie, distorted cry and lunged toward the group, its body shifting like liquid flames.
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Brigs wasted no time. He reached for his buckler shield and drew his greatsword, which glowed faintly with a blue aura. He looked like a knight from some ancient legend, his stance firm, ready to face the monstrous creature. With a deep battle cry, he charged at the beast.
Haruto watched in awe at Brigs quick decision making. 'Wait... Is he pulling aggro like in the games?' He had seen this tactic in MMORPGs, where tanks would attract the enemy's attention so others could attack safely. Was Brig actually doing that in real life?
Brig closed the distance between him and the Lava Shadow. As the aura around his sword intensified, he swung it with tremendous force. "Ferocity Slash!"
The blade struck the creature's molten body, and the Lava Shadow screeched in pain. Though its body was made of lava, Brig's magic-coated blade cut through its defenses. So physical attacks can work if they're laced with magic, Haruto realized.
The Lava Shadow retaliated, launching a molten fist toward Brig. He raised his buckler just in time, the impact sending a shockwave through his arm. But the heat from the attack was overwhelming—the metal began to glow red-hot, searing his skin.
Brigs grimaced but didn't retreat. His arm burned, but he pressed forward, readying himself for another strike.
Haruto, Gale, and Solan sprang into action, magic crackling in the air as they prepared to take down the creature. Cohn, too, readied his weapon, his earlier disdain momentarily forgotten as they all focused on surviving the battle ahead.