Realm Wars

Chapter 107: Puddle

Ryu and the others looked over at the Eitherbells swarming the sky, and they swallowed hard.

The veins in Kai's head pounded like it was about to burst. He grabbed his hair and pulled it like he was going crazy. "So you're telling me. . ." 

Kai inhaled and exhaled. "You're telling me to just leave all these treasures. .. All these riches that could make me live like a king and buy as many properties and women I want. .. you're telling me to just leave it all behind?"

".. ." Seraphina looked at Kai's desperate face and nodded. "If you want your life, then yes."

"N-Nrgh!" Kai wanted to shout, but since he feared that the Leviathan was in this place, he smacked his mouth shut with his fist and bashed his head against the rock.

Jane almost fainted in shock and disappointment while Theodore held his sister in a panic.

"S-sis! D-don't die!"

Ryu had a headache just from watching Kai and Jane's reaction. If it were the Lost Jewel, he would understand. But if it were just an item and materials that they could live without, then they'd rather keep their life and find other treasures and items.

Seraphina clapped her hands and beamed. Wanting to lighten the mood, she said in a cheerful tone, "Don't be too disappointed, everyone. There are probably more Either Crystals deeper inside the cave that had fewer Eitherbells guarding it. Or probably other treasure and items that are far rarer than Ether Crystals."

Kai's wailing face turned serious as he wiped the blood from his forehead and nose. "Let's go."

Jane shot to her feet. "Lead the way."

".. ."

".. ."

"S-sister, wait for me," Theodore called and scampered next to his big sister.

Ryu shook his head, and Seraphina just beamed. 

As they swam their way into the mountains of rocks, Kai wanted to cry out loud again. Maybe if he closed his eyes, he wouldn't have to see the mountain of riches that he would lose.

Damn it!

Jane embraced herself with her hands. She was afraid that in a fit of greediness, she'd blackout and snatched all the crystals she saw.

At the side, Theodore just shook his head for his sister's embarrassing behavior. Sometimes, Jane forgot that she was a noble lady when it came to rare items and treasures. Another reason why she wanted to become a mercenary besides escaping her marriage. She wanted to explore the world and collect pretty rare items.

"Damn. All these paths are giving me the headache." Kai clicked his tongue when they tumbled another fork in their way. This time, it has four paths. It was not like the two paths before where they could just turn back when they were led to a dead-end and chose the other. 

This time, the path split in four directions.

"S-should we use a twig to decide?" Theodore suggested. That's what they did when they didn't know which direction to take.

"Good idea if twigs are lying around," mocked Kai.

Blood rushed in Theodore's face, and Jane glared at Kai.

Kai shrugged. "A man had to take criticisms and negative feedback in order to grow."

Jane crossed her arms. "Then what do you suggest we do?" 

"Ryu, any idea?" Kai said, passing the responsibility to him.

Ryu wanted to hit Kai's head but decided not to waste his energy on him. He took a whiff, but his nose still wasn't working underwater. He then sauntered just at the entrance of every path to see if his back would react. .. but unlike before, his back remained cold.

Ryu shook his head.

"Then should we split and check each path first and come back here after an hour to report what we find?"

All attention went to Seraphina.

Jane tilted her hips. "What happened to remain in a group?"

The smile on Seraphina's face didn't lessen despite Jane's hostility. "Since it's just Eitherbells here and they wouldn't attack us unless we take their crystals, I think it's safe if we explore on our own."

Kai hammered his fist against this palms. "That's a good idea. We should split up first and check the trails to see which is safe and come back here after an hour," he said with a serious face and voice like the idea came from him.

With no other idea, the group eventually split. Ryu took the far left, and Kai took the far right. Seraphina entered the footpath near Ryu while Jane and Theodore took the route beside Kai's.

As he advanced at the pathway he took, Ryu surveyed his surroundings. It was still the usual mountains of rock, and gleaming to his sides were the Either Crystals enticing him to pick a few. But the numerous Eitherbells floating just above keep him grounded.

Besides, that, was the path. .. getting narrower? Ryu thought.

Maybe it would lead to another dead end? 

It was a dead end. 

There was nothing in his pathway but walls of mountains, and at his front was another rocky mountain that couldn't be swam over in just a day.

He was lead in a small area where only a deep blue puddle was on the seafloor. Ryu looked at the puddle and dipped a finger on it. It looked safe, and nothing was out of the ordinary except that his finger couldn't feel the bottom of the puddle.

Confused, Ryu pushed his entire hand into the puddle and was shocked when his skin felt a cold breeze. There was air underwater!

Ryu dipped his head onto the puddle, eyes popping open. He saw a large cave utterly devoid of water on the other side of the puddle. And to his surprise, numerous crystals and stones lined its walls were glowing as well as the tiny creatures that freely roam around the cave gave light to the place. There was also another tunnel at one of its walls.

It was like a whole new dimension inside!

Ryu thought about his next move. Should he check it first? But the height made him have second thoughts. It was like hundreds of meters from where he was and the ground of the cave. If he jumped, he'd surely break some bones. The best way was to climb down and up. 

But. . .

The puddle was at the center, and the nearest wall was hundreds of meters from where he was. The only way down and up was through a rope or a spell that lets him float.

Ryu rose to his feet and shook his head. A reflex to remove the water from his hair and face. However, he forgot that he was still underwater, so that was useless.

Since he couldn't reach this newly-found place, he'd have to go back to the others and inform them about his discovery. Maybe the others had a way.