"And that's the last one."
Abe commented after killing the last Ruin Dweller around. He turned back to his Humanoid form and walked back to our group who's already crowding around near the shining object which lured us here.
"Hey. Don't be so complacent. That's what happened to Kupa."
Rane reminded her companion. She still couldn't get over what happened to that guy. If the same thing happened to her, what would that Kupa do, I wonder?
Well, since it's already done and the other rebellious Spirit Beast somehow became obedient already, the group finally had time to relax and see what it was that those Ruin Dwellers were protecting.
Are they really protecting it? None of them went near it when they were flushed out, did we only coincidentally step into their territory?
Err… They're already dead, there's no use speculating over it now.
After Yumiko killed the giant Ruin Dweller, it's only a matter of time before the flushed out creatures were annihilated.
Without wasting any time earlier, Jayna and I picked up our pace before helping Rei and Ren. We left the 4 Spirit Beasts to settle their side by themselves.
"Still be wary of our surroundings. We're only at the entrance and we already encountered something like that. Those who went in here before us probably didn't see this thing."
I commented before I pointed to the shining object.
My Adaptability wasn't warning me about it so I judged that it's safe. However, the area around it isn't.
From a distance, it looks like a gemstone but upon reaching a 10-meter distance from it, the temperature rises.
"Can we go near it?"
Rane asked. The object was truly eye-catching especially for females, Jayna noticed it because of that and probably Yumiko also has an inkling about it.
"Let me try."
The rebellious Spirit Beast volunteered. After what he did earlier, is this him atoning or he's also eyeing that thing?
"If you're thinking of pocketing it, think again. The one who saw it first will be the one to decide who gets it. That's what we agreed upon."
Jagu reminded him and upon hearing it, he seemingly froze which meant Jagu's remarks were spot-on.
Before coming in, we already decided on that system. To avoid scrambling or fighting for an item, it will be the first discoverer who will acquire the decision rights for any item we will stumble upon. If he or she chose to take it for themselves, he or she will lose any chance for the next item that will be discovered.
"It's Jayna who first saw it. It doesn't matter who can take that out from the wall, she will have the rights on whether she will take it or give it to someone else."
Yumiko reminded us. She's also staring intently at the shining object like Jayna and Rane. It's really beautiful and even if it's a useless gemstone, making it into an accessory will certainly add charm to her or any other woman who will wear it.
For that guy to have that thought, he's really troublesome.
"Since I have the rights for it, I can't ask anyone to take it for me. I will go."
Jayna declared before she turned her head towards me and spoke.
"Watch over me, Daisuke."
"Un. I'll pull you out of there if something happens."
I nodded and used the three boosts to her. Also, I handed back the earring she gave me when we were escaping from the fortress. She still has one but giving it back to her meant additional security for her.
Jayna understood my intention so she took it and wore it on her ear where it was originally worn.
Materializing her Rivers for extra protection, Jayna started traversing the distance between her and the shining object.
At the 9-meter mark, Jayna stopped for a while to feel the change in temperature.
After confirming that it's still bearable, she continued.
At the 5-meter mark, she stopped once again and this time, she's already perspiring due to the high temperature. Using one of her Rivers, she covered her nose and mouth, maybe to use it as something like a filter.
At the 2-meter mark, her skin has started to change color due to the extreme heat. By then she already willed three of her Rivers to try and reach the shining object.
However, when her Rivers passed by the 1-meter mark, even as a manifestation of Spirit Energy, it instantly burned and dissipated.
"It's too dangerous!"
Rei exclaimed. Jayna is like a little sister to her even if the girl is the one older in age. Rei and Ren matured early after being kidnapped by the Dark Elves after all.
"Daisuke."
Yumiko looked at me. She didn't need to say anything. When I saw her Rivers instantly dissipated, I already set my foot inside the 10-meter mark.
I don't know if this 10-meter area restriction was because of the shining object or something else. But Jayna wouldn't be able to get it at this rate, that's why I have to step in and support her there.
Immediately traversing the 5-meter mark, like her, I felt the sudden rise in temperature. It's truly hot as if you're being cooked inside a pan, the air was also so stuffy that it's getting harder to breathe.
When I reached the point where she's already an arm's reach, my Adaptability picked up something that could possibly be the source of this extreme heat and the 10-meter area restriction.
Five obscure rocks were protruding out from the wall in a circular pattern around the shining object, if one didn't reach this distance, they wouldn't be able to notice it due to the blending of its color.
Before dealing with that, I grabbed Jayna's arms and pulled her back.
She's already about to lose consciousness because of the extreme heat, if I was a step slower, she'll fall over the scorching ground.
I put her in my arms before turning around to take her out. Using Flash Step inside this area was somewhat restricted due to the stuffy air surrounding us, so I walked her back and dropped her in front of Rei to tend for her.
After making sure that she's alright, I turned back and plunged myself once again inside the area.
When I reached the 2-meter mark where Jayna was standing earlier, I tried shooting Air Bullets to the protruding rocks, but just like Jayna's Rivers, the Air Bullets were all dissipated before hitting it.
I looked around me and pulled out my sword, if there's something that won't disintegrate immediately then it's only that.
I stomped my feet, shattering the ground beneath me. Using my Sword to stab at one huge scorched rock chunk, I filled it with the necessary energy for an Energy Explosion. Aiming it to the protruding rock on top of the shining object, I threw it with full force to make use of the acceleration.
As soon as it passed the 1-meter mark, the stone chunk started burning vigorously.
Because it's a huge chunk of scorched rock, the fact that it's already scorched made it harder for the fire to melt it down immediately.
Even so, it's size of a huge chunk visibly melted before my eyes as it traversed the last meter.
In the end, only a small rock, the size of a baseball managed to reach the protruding rock
Though small, it was already good enough as the contained Flux Energy inside it burst out upon contact and exploded.
Boom!
When the protruding rock shattered from the force of the explosion, the extreme heat that's already about to turn my natural skin into reddish-brown instantly cooled down.
Realizing that, I cheered to myself mentally.
It works! I succeeded!
With that thought in mind, my feet passed the 1-meter mark and arrived at the shining object just before its shine weakened after the heat subsided.
I grabbed it and immediately felt how the stone was already ice-cold.
However, right after it, my Adaptability worked its wonder which instantly helped me understand what kind of object this is.
Earthfire Essence. Just from its name, it's the essence of a Mystical Flame called Earthfire. As to how rare this is, without reference, I have no idea.
Its functionality is that it can power up a set-up like that Protruding Rock Formation which generated a 10-meter scorched zone. I also have no idea what a Formation is but I can guess since I experience it myself. By destroying one of those rocks, the formation crumbled and shattered which deactivated the use of the essence, hence the shine on it dimmed and cooled down.
One other functionality of this Earthfire Essence is that its Earthfire properties can be absorbed and assimilated by someone using any type of Energy. If Jayna chose to assimilate this Earthfire Essence, her Spirit Energy will start to naturally possess the properties of an Earthfire, giving her a natural control over a Mystical Flame.
Since I understood what this Earthfire Essence can do, even I am tempted to take it for myself but yeah, I'm the one who proposed that system and this is most possibly Jayna's good fortune.
This place is a higher dimension, higher than the World of Spirits or even the Invading World. This kind of item will not possibly appear in any of the 30 worlds that the heroes were summoned into. It's an item that's currently beyond our comprehension.
I don't know if the Principal has any idea about this, I have to ask him but considering we're just at the entrance, what more can we encounter in this Unknown Ancient Ruins?
There are probably far more worlds higher than us out there and this Unknown Ancient Ruins is probably just a cut-out piece of a world that fell in the World of Spirits.
Whether someone placed this dimension in the World of Spirits or not, no one knows. And I also have no way of knowing.
After acquiring the Earthfire Essence I went to Jayna who already recovered and put it on her hand.
"What's this?"
Jayna asked. I confidently put it on her hand with a smile which led her to guess that I knew what kind of item it is.
"Use your Spirit Energy and absorb it. You'll see."
I answered her, still maintaining that smile.
Though extremely puzzled, she heeded my instruction.
Upon hearing what I said, the others also started to curiously look at it.
I'm urging Jayna to absorb it so they already accepted that the item will not fall in their hands.
"You know what kind of item that is?"
Yumiko went next to me and asked.
"Yes, just its name and functionality. And it's thanks to my Adaptability. Watch her."
I smiled at her and urged her to also watch the process.
A River of Spirit Energy materialized in front of Jayna. She willed it to completely cover the Earthfire Essence with her own Spirit Energy.
Even without any instruction, as soon as her River touched its surface, the Earthfire Essence started to be dissolved while a greenish-red flame blazed out of it before circling along Jayna's materialized River.
When the essence was completely dissolved from her hands, Jayna unconsciously stood up and transformed into her Nature Nymph form. Her 4 Rivers also instantly materialized as it started to assimilate the greenish-red flame. All of her Rivers and her Transformation could be seen to be changing slowly as a line of greenish-red flame slid and coiled along it as if a snake in the water. Her natural-green hair also wasn't spared as it started to have a reddish hue on some parts.
The Earthfire Essence was rapidly changing everything about Jayna's Spirit Energy, her Rivers, her Transformation and even her hair.
Not long after it, everyone once again gasped in amazement as Jayna also experienced an unexpected breakthrough. Her 5th River materialized without any difficulty and just like the other four, it's already coated with the greenish-red flame.
"Amazing! What kind of item was that?"
Yumiko exclaimed as Jayna's assimilation of the Earthfire Essence ended.
Jayna was standing from she was as she started observing the changes within her.
"Something beyond our current comprehension."
I could only answer as such. I also have no idea about its origin. If not for my Adaptability, I might just treat it as some kind of precious gemstone due to its beautiful appearance.
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