ã€ŠExcuse Me, I Was Trying to Rest in Peace!ã€‹


 Ch 0: prologue

    Lying on my deathbed, my breathing slows, and my heart weakens. Looking back at the life I¡¯ve lived, I feel¡­ well, relieved. Mostly.

    There are some regrets, of course, but what¡¯s life without a little regret? It¡¯s like a turkey without gravy¡ªperfectly edible, but missing a lot of taste.

    You could say it was an experience of a lifetime. Or, you know, my lifetime.

    My philosophy was to live and experience every moment I had. Which, given the circumstances, was about to be significantly fewer moments. After saying my goodbyes and looking at my loved ones one final time, I know, albeit unwillingly, that it¡¯s time.

    As I slowly close my eyes, my life flashes before me.

    It¡¯s a highlight reel, but without the cheesy music.

    I was born near the turn of the century on a planet called Earth.

    Pretty standard stuff.

    I was lucky to have loving parents and a happy childhood, which allowed me to grow up running under the sun, making new friends and new connections. It was the most carefree time of my life.

    Back then, my biggest worry was whether I¡¯d get to stay up late to watch TV.

    Ah, simpler times.

    School was tough, but with wonderful friends, we helped each other through all the ups and downs of being a teenager, eagerly anticipating the freedom and responsibilities of adult life. Turns out, ¡°responsibilities¡± was the keyword there.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Adult life was¡­ different from expectations. There was much less freedom. I was burdened with the crushing responsibilities of living¡ªbills, work, social life, and lack of sleep.

    Adapting, but not losing myself to the norms of society, took a lot of courage and determination. Through all the craziness, I squeezed in time for my own hobbies. You gotta have a little ¡°me time,¡± even if it¡¯s just playing a game of D&D with friends.

    The love of my life appeared early in my adulthood. After experiencing parts of life together, we realized we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. With much anxiety and excitement, we ended up marrying and having a child.

    I¡¯ll never forget the day I became a parent¡ªthe day when all the joy and dread of being a parent started. Every moment with my family was precious: the crying, the feeding, the homework, the chores, the lessons, the events, the concerts, and the vacations¡ªthey were everything to me.

    I would do anything for them, even throwing my morals and reasoning out the window sometimes to defend them whenever anyone wronged my loved ones.

    Hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

    There were tough times, with all the crazy geopolitics, wars, and different economic cycles on this planet. Many times, I wished I could do something, but I wasn¡¯t ready to give up what I had.

    Focusing on living my life, surrounding myself in the comfort cocoon of my family and friends, somehow everything worked out for me.

    I¡¯ve always lived with compassion; it felt wonderful to have helped someone in their time of need.

    Having lived on Earth for more than eighty years, my life was starting to lose steam and slow down. Even if there wasn¡¯t as much excitement to experience for the first time anymore, there was still much I could do.

    In retirement, I kept busy learning and working. It gave me a sense of purpose, and my loved ones all supported me as much as they could.

    At this age, many would say I was very wise and smart. I saw myself as a very reasonable and practical person.

    Being able to control my emotions and impulses very well kept me healthy. I¡¯ve always loved to laugh and enjoy life¡¯s better moments. They say laughter is the best medicine.

    All this for a happy ending. This is it, the story ends here, right?

    Well¡­ yeah. Unless there¡¯s a sequel. But I rather doubt it.

 Ch 1: Isekai?!

    Curiosity always drives me¡ªwhat comes next? What happens after death? Now, I¡¯m about to find out. As my body relaxes and my thoughts drift, a bright golden light suddenly fills my vision.

    Where am I? Is this what everyone sees, a light at the end of a tunnel?

    Never religious, I always imagined the end to be just that¡ªthe end, nothing after. I try to close my eyes again, only to realize I can¡¯t¡­

    No eyelids¡­ no body?!

    Without control, I¡¯m pulled upward toward the golden light. It¡¯s like being on a slightly uncomfortable elevator to¡­ somewhere. As it happens, my memories start to fade, as if they¡¯re being absorbed, consumed. More and more memories, experiences, and emotions disappear. My consciousness is being taken away!

    As they do, the shape of my body begins to form around me, and my vision clears. I¡¯m getting my body back! It feels a lot younger, too!

    Landing on a surface, a familiar warmth envelops me. The smell of my parents¡¯ cooking fills my nostrils. It smells like home. A familiar space and familiar faces slowly take shape around me. The soft, pleasant sound of laughter reaches my ears.

    My home, my family, and friends¡ªall here. It¡¯s a family reunion, but without the awkward small talk with unwelcome distant relatives.

    Before I can embrace the warmth of my family¡¯s hugs again, a dark void tears everything apart. Everything fades, and the temperature drops below freezing.

    Strands of iridescent strings pierce my newly formed body, yanking my consciousness away! They drag me downward into the darkness.

    Slowly, my senses return. I lie flat on a smooth surface, unable to feel any temperature. Gradually, I open my eyes, little by little.

    Is this hell?

    My vision has no color; everything is in shades of black and white, but I can see clearly.

    I lie on a table elevated from the ground. It looks like a bomb dropped here. Everything is scattered, laid to waste. Destroyed machinery is everywhere, some still smoking.

    Is this a lab? At least¡­ at least it¡¯s not hell.

    My tightly clenched fist slowly relaxes. Lying in this unfamiliar room, every sensation feels odd. My heart isn¡¯t racing, my stomach isn¡¯t twisting. No heartbeat, no sensation of a stomach.

    I¡¯m feeling surprisingly¡­ empty.

    My mouth is dry as a desert, but I don¡¯t feel thirsty. I consciously take a deep breath; the pungent, acrid smell of burnt machinery and metal fills my nose. I quickly exhale. To my surprise, I don¡¯t even need to breathe.

    I try moving my arms, legs, hands, and feet. My limbs move differently than before, but there¡¯s no pain. Slowly, I push myself into a sitting position and look around.

    ¡°Hello? Anyone?¡± I call out softly, the pitch of my voice unfamiliar. I sound so¡­ pleasant. A rapid, quiet grasping sound reaches my ears, and something shifts in the corner of my eye.

    Someone¡¯s here.

    An awfully injured old man lies in the corner of the room.

    Cautiously, I crawl down from the table and move toward him, one step at a time.

    The old man reaches his hands toward me. When I get close, his wrinkled hand grabs my arm. Instinctively, I pull back. ¡°Val¡­ Sa¡­ v¡­ e me.¡±

    His hands drop, and his entire body turns to dust before my eyes. I pull back quickly. That¡¯s not normal when someone dies.

    Suddenly, the hair on my head lights up in a white, iridescent color, as if alive. It charges toward the dust. With a bright flash, my vision is again filled with golden light.

    I¡¯m back?!

    But instead of being with my family and friends, all I see are thin iridescent strings pulling a speck of orange light toward me. It seems to be entangled with golden strings as well. It¡¯s an epic tug-of-war.

    After a moment, the speck of light shatters into pieces. A tiny piece is pulled toward me. As it does, memories and visions flood my mind.

    ******

    With a pair of old, wrinkled hands, symbols and words are furiously scribbled in my notebook.

    ¡°I¡¯m on the precipice. The very secrets of this universe, a new dimension of existence, are within my grasp. Everything I¡¯ve ever desired¡ªimmortality itself¡ªis almost tangible. So close. So tantalizingly close.¡±

    I walk to a massive machine filled with a blue liquid encasing a body. The liquid drains, and the doors hiss open.

    I carefully lift the body and lay it on the table in the center of the lab.

    This hairless body is the perfect height, with a slim and fit build. Every aspect adheres to the golden ratio, with no visible reproductive organs or prominent sex traits. The eyes are closed, and the facial features are equally perfect.

    That body is remarkably attractive.

    ¡°This form¡­ this vessel¡­ It¡¯s the culmination of my life¡¯s work. Perfection, finally achieved.¡± I run my hand along the fair, soft, silky-smooth skin. ¡°Val, my finest creation, you are a testament to my genius,¡± I whisper into its ear.

    Drenched in sweat, I cautiously press the button in front of me.

    The machines surrounding the body light up, creating multiple rings that ripple into it. Watching, my body starts shaking uncontrollably, my fists clenched tight.

    The empty space above the body tears open.

    ¡°Ahaha! The dimensional barrier has shattered! That hidden plane, hovering just beyond our perception, is now open to me! I, Dr. Keyser, have rewritten the rules of reality! My name will echo through the ages!!!¡± Laughter and screams of ecstasy fill the air as I jump and cheer.

    Suddenly, many iridescent strings reach from the torn void.

    They attach to and envelop the body on the table, and a speck of light from the void travels through the strings and into the body.

    Was that¡­? Is that how I got here? He was the culprit?!

    ¡°But¡­ this wasn¡¯t calculated. This wasn¡¯t part of the design,¡± I scream, ripping a contraption out of the machine.

    I run as fast as I can toward the body.

    The strings fade into the body, and the torn void snaps shut. The rings of light pulse outward, followed by a bright explosion.

    ¡°NO! Ahhhh¡­¡± A moment of intense pain follows.

    Lying lifeless on the ground, a voice is heard. ¡°Hello? Anyone?¡±

    Gasping for air, my head is forced around to look at where the voice is coming from. In the darkness, the body moves off the table toward me.

    Is that¡­ me?

    Where did my calculations fail? This¡­ this wasn¡¯t supposed to be the outcome. I can¡¯t die¡­ I can¡¯t die¡­ not yet¡­ not yet¡­ These thoughts repeat in my head as arms grab me. ¡°Val¡­ Sa¡­ v¡­ e me.¡±

    ******

    Everything goes dark. When my eyes open again, the lab comes into view. Nothing remains of Dr. Keyser¡ªonly dust scattered across the floor. Not even bones.

    What was that?!

    As I slowly stand, I notice the contraption the old man pulled out of the machine in my vision, lying beside the dust pile. Picking it up, I try pressing the button, but it does nothing.

    Turning slowly, I examine the room with all my senses. There¡¯s nothing alive in the lab, nothing burning, and everything is quiet.

    Dropping to the ground in relief, a realization hits: That memory was from Dr. Keyser, the old man. It¡¯s what happened here.

    Why did I see it? It¡¯s like watching a first-person movie, but way more disturbing.

    Sitting there, staring blankly, I try to calm down¡­ ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡± I hold my head and shake it.

    Don¡¯t panic. This is not the time to panic. Why am I panicking?!

    This is totally normal, right? Waking up in a destroyed lab in a body with no organs after dying. Totally normal! The current situation can¡¯t be worse. Right?

    I¡¯m running through everything I remember and everything that¡¯s happened until now. It¡¯s like trying to assemble a puzzle with half the pieces missing.

    One thing is clear: this was not the afterlife I wanted! I didn¡¯t need or want a second chance. My life had been good. I was satisfied. No unforgivable regrets. I had almost had a warm reunion with my family and friends!

    If this was an isekai, WHY did it have to be a dying old man who pulled me here? Shouldn¡¯t it have been a beautiful, clumsy goddess who tripped and accidentally reincarnated me with overpowered abilities? Or at the very least, a handsome, apologetic god who offered a sincere apology and maybe a cheat sheet? Where was the tutorial?! Did I miss the memo?

    It seems some memories of my life on Earth are still intact, but the majority of later memories are missing. Only images and fragments remain. Most memories before my thirties are preserved.

    I¡¯m a thirty-year-old consciousness, seeing fragments of my future. However, that ¡°future¡± is already in the past.

    At least I¡¯m not old anymore¡­ Silver linings, I suppose.

    My knowledge, experience, and everything is currently stuck around the time I was thirty. Somehow, my consciousness was transferred¡ªor reincarnated¡ªinto this stupid body, in this stupid place, after passing away on Earth.

    Val, the name given to this body by the Doctor. Not bad for a name. That¡¯ll be my name in this world, in this crazy isekai!If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    I guess I have a name now. Progress!

    The visions of my family and friends were probably the afterlife planned for me. I was in the that hidden plane but most of my family and friends were well and healthy when I died.

    Why were they in the afterlife with me?

    Dr. Keyser¡¯s crazy experiment took me away from my family and friends.

    It also caused the explosion that destroyed this place and killed him.

    Why me? Why did it have to be me?! I was resting in peace! I was perfectly happy being dead.

    Furiously, I stare at the pile of dust again.

    Humph! He got what he deserved!

    Trapped in this body, not even knowing what I am.

    I take a deep breath and slowly exhale. Looking down, I feel my new body.

    For some reason, I don¡¯t look exactly the same as the body in the vision. I run my hands over my face, touching my hair. It¡¯s soft, thin, smooth, but incredibly strong. I try pulling it, but not a strand breaks off.

    Hooray! I am not bald!

    Aside from not having a heartbeat and not needing to breathe, there¡¯s no digestive tract, no sensation of hunger or thirst. There¡¯s nowhere to excrete waste.

    No bathroom breaks! That¡¯s¡­ actually kind of nice.

    Smooth scales cover my body from the neck down, regulating my body temperature. I don¡¯t feel hot or cold, and I don¡¯t sweat.

    This wasn¡¯t in the vision either. Where did the scales come from?

    This new body is definitely not human. I don¡¯t know what I am, and I can¡¯t even tell if I¡¯m alive!

    Fury surges through me as my fist punches into the ground, creating a crater and shaking the floor. Whoops. I jumped back, startled.

    Well, that¡¯s new. Superpowers? Hmm¡­

    I check my fist. Not even a smudge on the scales.

    This body definitely needs some road testing.

    Flopping back down, I¡¯m suddenly swamped with memories of my family and friends. Hawaii vacations, those perfect cool waves on a blazing summer day, crazy parties, sunset dinners on the beach with lobster that practically melts in your mouth, the heart-melting smiles of my love and child¡­

    We said our goodbyes, but I really want to see them again.

    I did see them again, in the afterlife, bathed in golden light. I could go back to that warmth. All I need to do is, you know, pop back over to the afterlife. I must return to the afterlife!

    A wave of calm washes over me. If death is nothing to be scared of, then what¡¯s the big deal?

    ¡°Ahahahaha¡­¡± I could just end it myself!

    I jump up and promptly bash my head into, well, everything.

    Bang! Clank! Clash!

    Nothing. No pain, no blood, not even a tiny scratch.

    This ridiculous body is way tougher than a human¡¯s.

    I drop back to the floor, rubbing my head and suddenly remembering all those anime and movies I¡¯ve binged.

    Trapped in this body, I gotta get out of here. If I¡¯m stuck here and can¡¯t even starve to death, this is going to be one hell of an eternity.

    I drag myself up and spot that contraption I found earlier.

    Is this thing even good for anything?

    Walking toward the machine where the contraption had been placed in the visions, I see everything is completely destroyed by the explosion.

    A deformed gate appears at the other end of the lab. I sprint over and yank it open. It leads to a staircase.

    I bolt up the stairs and reach a wall with a handle. I pull it; the wall pops open, and I shove it the rest of the way.

    I¡¯m in the living room. A small, dome-shaped apartment living room, and nobody¡¯s home.

    A table and chair sit on one side, a couch in the middle.

    Four more doors line the room. I check them out one by one.

    First, a bedroom, complete with a bed and a closet. Next, a kitchen-looking place. The next door reveals a bathroom.

    The last door has some locks. I unlock them all and push the door open. It leads to an enclosed cave with a big lake.

    Maybe there¡¯s a way out.

    I walk around the lake, and little creatures swim and crawl in the water and around the cave. They scatter and hide when I walk by.

    I¡¯ve never seen anything similar. They don¡¯t seem aggressive, though.

    At the edge of the lake, a small, half-submerged vessel catches my eye. I rush over and see it¡¯s a mini-submarine. But the latch is locked. I don¡¯t want to break in¡ªit might be my only ticket out¡ªso I leave it alone.

    Nothing else interesting around the lake, so I head back to the room and close the door.

    Sinking into the couch, it seems there¡¯s nothing else large or intelligent around here. I look around the room again and notice a hole in the wall, shaped exactly like the contraption I found in the dust.

    I go over and pop the contraption into the hole¡ªperfect fit!

    Getting a little excited, I press the button. The room lights up with a bright, cool white light!

    And¡­ and¡­ nothing else.

    I press the button again, and the lights go off. ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­¡± I facepalm.

    It¡¯s just a freaking power switch¡­

    When the light pops on, my vision does a quick change from black and white to full HD color. Checking myself out again, my hair¡¯s gone silver, and the scales on my skin are white and iridescent, similar to opals.

    Same color as the strings from my visions.

    The scales are kite-shaped and overlap. I try to pick one off; it won¡¯t budge.

    The door I came through is now covered by a large painting.

    It depicts a massive golden sphere floating in the dark, made of tangled strings. Millions of tiny golden lights are within the mesh that makes up the sphere, and more strings float in from below, becoming tangled in it. The sphere looks warm and cozy, but there¡¯s a creepy vibe.

    Something is definitely not right here¡­

    Going back through the rooms, I wander into the bedroom and check out the closet.

    There are a couple of clothes in there, which I quickly throw on to cover myself, even though they¡¯re way too small. It just feels weird to be naked, even when nobody¡¯s around.

    There¡¯s a gun-like device and a small dagger.

    I immediately put the gun to my head and pull the trigger. A flash of light shoots out, but my head¡¯s fine. I try slicing my neck with the dagger¡ªagain, not even a scratch.

    I need to find a better weapon. There¡¯s gotta be something in this world that can wreck this body.

    I rummage through the bed and find a box underneath, with a key, a metal card, and two gold-colored bars inside. I wonder if it¡¯s real gold¡ªit sure feels real. The weight, the way it catches the light.

    Next, I head into the kitchen. A storage area has what looks like food and cooking stuff, but I don¡¯t recognize anything. The food especially looks super weird. This food isn¡¯t anything from Earth.

    So, I¡¯m probably not on Earth anymore, at least not the one I know.

    The old guy seemed totally human, and in that memory, he spoke and wrote in English.

    There¡¯s some cooked food and half-eaten stuff on the counter.

    Is this even edible?

    Wondering if I can even eat, I pop a tiny piece of food into my mouth. As I chew, I realize I can still taste, even though the food doesn¡¯t taste or smell great. I¡¯m so glad I can still taste. I loved cooking and eating back when I was alive on Earth. I swallow the food, hoping it hasn¡¯t gone bad, but it definitely wasn¡¯t fresh. Right after I swallow, I feel a little surge of energy in my stomach. I can also feel the food just¡­ disappear.

    I let out a long breath, and my abdomen feels totally empty.

    How does this body even work? Does it need water and food?

    This body doesn¡¯t seem to have any way to get rid of waste. Do I just turn everything into energy? Would I even get fat?

    Eating and not getting fat is a dream come true!

    This body, which totally ignores biology and physics, raises so many questions. If I wasn¡¯t trying to get back to the afterlife, this body would be amazing. It seems to work without using up water or energy.

    Could I be stuck in this thing forever?

    The thought of being stuck in this body forever freaks me out. I have to find a way to destroy this body or at least get my consciousness out of it.

    I look back at the food and take a deep breath.

    At least I¡¯m still me, with free will, able to move around and check out this world.

    With a little spark of optimism, I try another weird-looking food.

    ¡°Blegh!¡± I immediately spit it out, totally disappointed.

    This world would be miserable if all the food tasted like that!

    I get a closer look at my face. It¡¯s the same one I saw in the vision. My eyes are open now¡ªshiny golden eyes. And thankfully, it¡¯s still a pretty human face. Actually, it¡¯s very attractive by Earth standards.

    ¡°Not bad, not bad at all,¡± I mutter to myself in the mirror.

    I run my hands over my face again. So this is Val. If I had this face back on Earth, I could totally be a pop star. I look so young again.

    There¡¯s a shower! I turn on the water and stick my hand in it. Still can¡¯t feel any temperature difference on my skin.

    Guess my body¡¯s a perfect temperature suit.

    There goes freezing and burning to death as options¡­

    Finding nothing useful in the bathroom, I head back to the lab behind the painting.

    This time, all the lights are on, and everything¡¯s way clearer than the black-and-white version I saw before.

    The table I was on is in the middle of the room, surrounded by machines wrecked in the explosion.

    There¡¯s a pile of dust in the corner, where the old guy used to be. I poke through it again, but there¡¯s nothing else. He¡¯s totally turned to dust.

    I¡¯ve never seen anyone die like that. It¡¯s straight out of an anime.

    After some careful searching, a notebook pops out from under the rubble. The one with all the writing from Dr. Keyser that I saw in my visions.

    Luckily, it¡¯s not damaged. The scribbles inside are really hard, if not impossible, to read, but it¡¯s definitely in English.

    Talk about messy handwriting¡­

    I spend a long time trying to decipher the notebook. It¡¯s full of experimental data and results.

    The experiment¡¯s about this idea that there¡¯s a hidden plane, a higher dimension. We can¡¯t see it because it¡¯s folded up in a way we can¡¯t physically perceive or interact with. He tried a bunch of ways to unfold that dimension.

    That¡¯s where I was after I died¡ªthe afterlife, the higher dimension.

    Dr. Keyser found a way to unfold it. With a ton of energy and some seriously complicated machines. This body¡¯s a big part of it, too.

    Did he know what was in that dimension?

    Did he know what was in that dimension? This body, called Vitruvian Artificial Life, or Val for short, is a homunculus he made. But there aren¡¯t any details on how he made it. He just wrote that this was the only body he made that could handle the energy needed for the process.

    My consciousness transferring into this body from the dimension above wasn¡¯t part of the plan.

    That little mistake cost him his life.

    I spend more time digging, but I don¡¯t find anything else useful. Most of the lab books are burnt to a crisp. The few that are left are in some language I don¡¯t understand.

    I spend the next few days, or what feels like days, testing and getting used to this body.

    I can easily lift way bigger and heavier things than I should be able to. My movements and reaction time are crazy fast. I can run super fast and jump crazy distances.

    So, super strength and agility. Nice.

    I also try out some punches and kicks. I have to hold back, or I might accidentally wreck the whole place and bury myself alive.

    Wow, this totally makes me an isekai main character after all!

    Jumping into the lake, I test out more of my body¡¯s perks. Swimming¡¯s a breeze since I don¡¯t need to breathe. My vision underwater is still crystal clear.

    The lake water tastes super salty¡ªI¡¯m guessing it¡¯s seawater. My tongue can feel the coolness of the water, but my body can¡¯t feel the water¡¯s temperature or pressure. There¡¯s an opening at the bottom of the lake.

    That¡¯s gotta be my way out.

    Besides not needing to eat, drink, or breathe, I also don¡¯t need sleep. But I do rest sometimes to get my thoughts organized.

    I try making some better food, but the ingredients taste awful.

    They must have mostly gone bad. There has to be better food in this world¡­

    The more I get used to this body, the more trapped I feel. It¡¯s like a shell, a shackle for my consciousness. Extremely powerful, yet cursed armor I can¡¯t take off.

    The key I found in the bedroom fits the submarine.

    After checking it out, I practiced driving it a bit. The gas tank seems full, which is great. I could¡¯ve just swum out, but I want to take some stuff with me, and the sub makes it way easier.

    I pack up everything useful¡ªmetal card, gold bars, gun, some cloth, and a little food just in case. I also make a small waterproof metal box from machine scraps for the notebook. After testing it for leaks, I put everything inside.

    The gun stays next to me in the sub, and the dagger¡¯s tied to my leg.

    Standing at the edge of the lake, I glance back at the place that caused my imprisonment.

    It¡¯s time to leave. Finding a way to break this body apart is now the goal.

    Thoughts buzz through my head as I hop into the sub and sink to the bottom. I spot the cave opening and follow it, driving for ages.

    There are even more weird sea creatures, but I don¡¯t recognize any of them.

    Finally, I come out of the cave, probably in the middle of a huge ocean. Slowly, I float to the surface.

    ¡°Finally!¡± I yell as the submarine breaks the surface.

    Looking up at the sky, I¡¯m stunned by what I see. One thing is certain: I¡¯m definitely not on Earth anymore.

 Ch 2: Disturbance

    Two crescent moons hang in the cloudless night, one larger than the other. The big one glows with a blue hue, its smaller companion with a red one.

    Stars blanket the sky. I¡¯ve never seen so many back on Earth; it¡¯s almost magical. Almost. Too bad I don¡¯t recognize a single constellation.

    The submarine rocks gently in the dark waves.

    I climb out for a better view.

    The waves lap softly against the sub¡¯s hull. A light breeze brushes my face. It doesn¡¯t feel like an open ocean.

    I inhale deeply, the familiar scent of salty seawater a comforting reminder of Earth. Scanning the horizon, I gradually make out the shapes of mountains and land in every direction, some closer than others.

    This is an inland sea.

    The gentle lapping is abruptly shattered by a series of loud bubbling noises.

    Before I can scramble back inside, the submarine is launched skyward, then crashes back into the sea with a resounding splash.

    Struggling to stay afloat, I¡¯m confronted with a massive mouth filled with dagger-like teeth.

    Well I thought to myself, this might be my chance to finally break this cursed body. Sharp teeth clamp down on me. A thick blue liquid blooms into the surrounding water.

    The water now has a rather unpleasant metallic and acidic tang.

    Looking down at my perfectly intact body, I curse inwardly. Then I realize the liquid isn¡¯t mine.

    The creature recoils, twisting and coiling.

    It¡¯s a giant sea serpent, covered in scales, sporting a couple of pairs of flippers and a long tail.

    Its triangular head has two pairs of tiny eyes and an absurdly large mouth.

    The mouth, once full of sharp teeth, now sports several broken stumps.

    A thick stream of blue liquid gushes from its jaws.

    Guess this creature can¡¯t break this body either.

    During my time in the lab, I try to find weaknesses in this body. It¡¯s not exactly a hobby, but more of a¡­ preemptive measure?

    My biggest fear isn¡¯t death. Honestly, if something could break this body, it would be a dream come true. Real peace, finally!

    My biggest fear would be some sort of sealing ritual¡ªsome way to trap or isolate this body. An eternity in solitary confinement? That¡¯s my worst-case scenario. So, I absolutely must prevent any possibility of that fate. Or worse¡­ being turned into¡­ I mustn¡¯t get eaten! That would be the ultimate indignity.

    The submarine is still intact and bobs cheerfully on the surface. I eagerly start swimming toward it, but another long, massive body blocks my path. This creature makes the last one look like a guppy.

    It whips its tail, and a crushing force slams me into the seafloor. I frantically stir up the water, trying to hide among the rocks.

    Seriously, why are they attacking me? Do I look that delicious?! Am I radiating some kind of irresistible seafood aroma I¡¯m not aware of?

    The larger sea serpent swims near the surface, while the smaller one races to the bottom. The blue liquid has stopped flowing from its mouth, thankfully. It furiously thrashes, smashing its body against everything on the seafloor in a watery tantrum.

    Taking advantage of its little fit, I carefully sneak around it and swim back to the surface, pulling the dagger from my leg as I go.

    When I¡¯m close enough to the larger serpent, I stab and slice into it with all my might. A fresh wave of blue fluid erupts, showering my face.

    The large sea serpent twists and turns violently. I seize the opportunity and rush toward the submarine.

    I grab onto the hull and start climbing, but before I can get back inside, the sea starts swirling around me. Losing my grip, I tumble back into the water.

    Below me, the large sea serpent is swimming in a circle at an unimaginable speed. The water around me twists and turns into a small, rapidly growing whirlpool, dragging everything down.

    Just my luck, the creature has a special move. Of course it does.

    While the larger sea serpent creates the whirlpool, the smaller one launches itself at me from my blind spot.

    Oh, look, they have a combo attack too. How¡­ original.

    It attacks again and again, snapping its jaws, trying to take a chunk out of me. It can¡¯t even pierce my skin, but I¡¯m being tossed around in the water like a sock in a washing machine.

    I jab my dagger into its head and body whenever I get a chance. Slowly, the water around us begins to darken, turning a murky shade of blue.

    As I scan for the smaller serpent, bracing for its inevitable return, I¡¯m suddenly plunged into absolute darkness.

    The water around me thickens, turning into something like thick, sticky glue. My body is squeezed from all directions. I push, stab, and slice blindly, my dagger meeting resistance at every turn..

    My mind races as a wave of claustrophobia washes over me. I keep stabbing with the dagger in every direction, a frantic mantra echoing in my head. Oh no oh no oh no no no no no¡­

    The viscous fluid continues to thicken, enveloping my entire body. I feel myself being dragged down, down, down through the endless darkness.

    Gathering every ounce of willpower I possess, I clear my mind and, with a mighty heave, stab once more with all my strength. This time, instead of pulling the dagger out, I keep pushing and slicing, tearing at the goo with both hands. I tunnel my hand, then my arm, head, shoulders, and the rest of my body into the rip I create.

    The fluid around me slowly begins to thin.

    The dagger strikes a solid mass in front of me, like hitting an iron wall. I wriggle closer and stomp onto the solid mass. It cracks under my weight, and I dig myself in further.

    Finally, my dagger slices through, creating an opening. Salty water rushes in, covering my hand, then my arm, my face, and finally, the rest of my body. I widen the opening and kick back, freeing myself.

    Back in the embrace of the seawater, I glance back at the dark blue cloud of viscous fluid. Within it, the large sea serpent is coiled into a tight ball, twisting and writhing.

    A deafening, high-pitched scream pierces through the water. Covering my ears, I turn and swim back towards the surface. Thankfully, I can still see the submarine floating above.

    I rush towards it, swimming as fast as I can.

    But halfway there, I¡¯m yanked downwards again by my leg.

    Why?! I taste horrible! You can¡¯t even chew me, you¡¯ll get a blockage swallowing me! Why?!

    The smaller serpent refuses to let go, even as I kick furiously at its head. Frustration boiling, I raise my dagger with both hands.

    Aiming for the center of its skull, I thrust downwards with lightning speed, hoping to end this once and for all. But before the blade can connect, a massive tail swipes my arm aside, and my dagger plunges into the serpent¡¯s eye instead.

    It twists its head, and the dagger slips from my grasp.

    The tail swipe, of course, came from the larger serpent. It wraps itself around the smaller one and carefully extracts the dagger from its eye with its mouth. Then, staring right at me, it swallows the dagger whole.

    Seriously?

    It¡¯s definitely intelligent. Is the smaller one its offspring? A pang of guilt strikes me, quickly followed by annoyance. Why are they attacking me?! There are, like, a million other things they could be eating!

    Weaponless, I tread water, keeping my eyes locked on the two serpents. My other weapon is inside the submarine, but these two aren¡¯t giving me a chance to retreat.

    As I weigh my options, the two creatures lunge. The larger serpent clamps its jaws onto one of my legs, while the smaller one latches onto my opposite arm. They twist their heads, trying to tear me apart.

    Nice try, unimpressed. It¡¯s no use; my body remains stubbornly intact, without so much as a scratch.

    With my free arm, I pull back and punch the already damaged eye of the smaller serpent. I push my hand deeper into its eye socket, firmly gripping the inner structure to prevent it from pulling away.

    I swing and kick at the larger serpent, but it maintains its grip on my leg.

    Fine. Little one first!

    I dig deeper into the smaller serpent¡¯s eye socket with both hands. Finding a firm grip, I hold on tight as it thrashes and twists. With my other hand, I make a fist and punch repeatedly at the same spot on its skull.

    As I punch, the larger serpent pulls harder, dragging us all towards the seafloor. It twists its body around mine, wrapping tighter and tighter, trapping my punching arm and squeezing with increasing force.

    But I refuse to let go of the squirming smaller serpent.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Managing to wiggle my arm free, I gather all my strength for one final punch.

    When my fist lands, I hear a sickening crack, and the serpent¡¯s skull caves inward. Blue liquid oozes from the wound. With one final push, my fist sinks deep into the skull.

    The smaller serpent gives a final twitch, its strength utterly spent.

    A deafening, anguished screech fills my ears as the serpent¡¯s body floats sideways, lifeless.

    Suddenly, my hair flares to life again, each strand regaining its iridescent sheen. As if with a mind of its own, it twists into a spear and effortlessly pierces the smaller serpent¡¯s head. Another flash of light erupts.

    When my vision clears, instead of the expected golden light, a massive golden sphere hangs above me.

    It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s just like the painting in Dr. Keyser¡¯s living room, only, you know, a tad bigger. Okay, way bigger. It practically fills my entire field of vision. It looks like an endless number of specks of light nested within the sphere.

    Is this the true form of the bright light? Dr. Keyser definitely knew more about this dimension than he let on.

    Just like in the painting, trillions upon trillions of tiny lights, connected by shimmering golden strings, swirl within the sphere. They flicker like miniature golden stars, but they dim the closer they get to the center. It¡¯s mesmerizing, if not slightly overwhelming.

    From the darkness below, a dark red speck of light drifts upwards toward the sphere. But before the golden strings can reach it, iridescent strings shoot out from behind me.

    Talk about a dramatic entrance.

    The iridescent strings ensnare and entangle the red speck, preventing the golden strings from touching it. They then pull the speck towards me, and as they do, memories flood my mind in a torrent of vivid visions.

    ******

    My eyes snap open in the freezing depths, a shiver wracking my tiny body, punctuated by a silent, underwater scream of hunger. Two enormous, serpent-like figures glide into view. Mom and Dad. They¡¯re our providers, our protectors.

    One of them looks strikingly familiar¡­

    I¡¯m not alone. Five other little versions of myself wiggle around in this deep-sea nest. Six siblings in total.

    Time passes, and we grow, slowly but surely, inch by painstaking inch. One day, Dad, the larger of the two, departs the nest. Probably off to grab some takeout.

    Our peaceful existence is abruptly shattered by two piercing beams of light.

    A small submarine materializes from the murky water.

    Dr. Keyser¡¯s sub? What¡¯s he doing down here?

    The submarine¡¯s lights focus on us, and two metallic claws extend, reaching for us.

    But before they can snatch us up, a massive tail slams into the submarine, sending it reeling.

    Mom unleashes a flurry of tail strikes, thrashing the sub repeatedly. It zips and dodges, weaving erratically up and down, side to side, narrowly avoiding each blow.

    Through the sub¡¯s clear viewport, I spot him¡ªa much younger-looking Dr. Keyser.

    As the submarine continues its frantic evasive maneuvers, a hatch on its underside pops open, and something drops out. A blinding flash of light erupts.

    I¡¯m temporarily blinded. Everything¡¯s a blurry mess for what feels like an eternity.

    When my vision finally clears, our nest is in ruins, a jumbled mess of debris. Only two of us hatchlings remain amidst the wreckage. The water around us is now tinged with a strange blue liquid.

    Before we can even process what¡¯s happened, a metal claw clamps down on us.

    It almost yanks us into a glass container when a piercing, high-pitched shriek cuts through the water. A grievously wounded serpent wraps herself around the submarine.

    It¡¯s Mom! She¡¯s not giving up on us.

    Suddenly, a wave of agonizing, numbing pain surges through my body, and everything goes black.

    When I come to, all I see is one of the larger serpents, severed in two, lying lifeless on the seabed.

    It¡¯s Mom.

    Dad returned, encircling Mom with a low, mournful moan.

    The submarine was gone, leaving me alone in our ruined nest.

    That bastard had killed the serpent and taken their children!

    I nudged close to Dad, resting against him. He gently wrapped his tail around me.

    After laying Mom to rest on the seafloor, we left our old home. We relocated to a new spot, much deeper than before. Every so often, we returned to Mom¡¯s resting place, lingering for a while before leaving again.

    A long, long time passed. I grew much larger¡ª Dad got bigger too..

    This time, as we left Mom¡¯s resting place, I saw it again. That submarine, floating mockingly on the surface¡ªthe thing that had shattered our family. The cause of all of Dad¡¯s grief.

    My blood boiled. With a roar, I charged, sending the submarine flying into the air. As it crashed back down, a small creature tumbled into the water. Blinded by fury, I clamped my jaws down on it. It felt like biting a jagged rock¡ªa sharp pain shot through my mouth.

    The little pest scrambled towards the surface. I couldn¡¯t let it escape back inside. Thankfully, Dad was there. He slammed the creature back down to the seafloor. I gave chase, smashing and crushing everything in my path, but it still managed to wriggle away.

    When I looked up, I saw Dad swirling in a furious circle, faster and faster, creating a whirlpool that dragged the submarine and the creature back into the depths. I lunged again and again, trying to tear something off¡ªa limb, a hand, a foot, anything! But nothing budged, and the creature stabbed me repeatedly.

    Before I could retaliate, Dad opened his massive maw and swallowed it whole.

    Just when I thought it was over, as I prepared to finish off the submarine, the unthinkable happened. A hole burst open in Dad¡¯s side. He roared in pain, twisting and thrashing as that small, deceptively fragile creature emerged from his body.

    Impossible!

    As it tried to flee, I bit its leg again, determined to drag it back down. Not again. Not after everything. As it raised its blade, I braced for the worst, but Dad intervened once more, swatting the blade aside. It went off to the side, and embedded itself in one of my eyes.

    Dad helped me yank the blade out, then promptly swallowed it.

    In a final, desperate attempt, we each grabbed one of its limbs, hoping to tear it apart. But the little monster was incredibly tough. Nothing we did seemed to hurt it.

    Suddenly, I felt a hand reach into my empty eye socket and grip my skull. I thrashed and twisted, but it was no use. Punches rained down on my skull, one after another.

    In one excruciatingly painful moment, it all ended. I could no longer feel my body. Everything went cold again.

    ******

    When the memory stream ends, the dark red speck of light becomes translucent. As if it has all the colors absorbed, returning to its most innocent form. It drops silently back into the darkness.

    My vision snaps back to the middle of the sea.

    As if time has been rewound and replayed, my hair returns to its normal silver color, and the smaller serpent remains motionless, still clutched by its empty eye socket in my hand.

    The larger serpent releases me, its massive coils loosening as it hurriedly wraps itself around the smaller one. Protecting its head from any further fisticuffs, it cradles the body gently, but it¡¯s too late.

    I loosen my grip, letting the smaller serpent¡¯s lifeless form drift away. The larger serpent guides the body softly to the sea floor, laying it down with utmost care.

    It looks at the still form in agony, wrapping itself around it and emitting soft, mournful sounds¡ªa lullaby, comforting its child into an eternal sleep.

    The larger serpent then turns its gaze toward me. Its eyes meet mine, filled with unfathomable grief, the stare piercing my chest like a thousand icy daggers. I can feel its sorrow, raw and all-encompassing.

    I had a family once. I can¡¯t even begin to fathom the despair this creature must be feeling now.

    They mistake me for Dr. Keyser because of that blasted submarine!

    Regret and dread wash over me, leaving me rooted to the spot. My mind spirals, consumed by thoughts of all the ways this could have played out differently.

    If only I knew¡­ If only I hadn¡¯t used that submarine. If only I¡¯d tried running. If only¡­ I had been the one to die. It¡¯s not my fault. It attacked first. It wouldn¡¯t let go. It¡¯s not my fault!

    The agonizing thoughts engulf my mind, and even darker ones surface.

    Should I kill it? Killing it would reunite it with its family in the afterlife.

    The serpent lies beside its child, motionless.

    I should just end its misery. They¡¯re just animals, after all.

    I clench my fist.

    Just one swift, powerful kick, directly into its skull, would do it.

    I sink down onto its head. As if accepting its fate, it doesn¡¯t move. It looks at me with lifeless eyes and then closes them.

    Deep within me, I¡¯m practically begging for a different outcome. Just as I raise my feet above my head, poised to deliver a swift, merciful end, my hair flares up again.

    Strands of it twist and solidify, reforming into the smaller serpent. It¡¯s like its consciousness has returned for an encore.

    It whispers softly beside the larger serpent¡¯s ear. The larger serpent¡¯s eyes snap open, life returning to its gaze. It murmurs a soft reply before closing them again, this time with a hint of peace.

    Strands of my hair pierce the larger serpent¡¯s head, and a dark blue aura envelops it. Memories surge into my mind. I see visions of the two serpents meeting, their love, their care for their children, her death, his sorrow, this fight, and finally, his child¡¯s death.

    All memories of his love and family flood into me. The serpent¡¯s aura brightens, fading to pure white. His eyes clear, the despair gone. All his wounds close.

    The smaller serpent gently nudges the larger one¡¯s head before dissolving back into strands of hair, returning to their normal color.

    It¡¯s done. I¡¯ve absorbed all his memories of his family. It¡¯s as if they never existed for him.

    I¡¯m not sure if it was the right thing to do, but it feels like the smaller serpent¡¯s last wish for its father.

    The larger serpent glances at the smaller serpent¡¯s body, a flicker of confusion in its eyes, before swimming off into the dark sea.

    Not exactly the happy ending I was hoping for. Guess reviving the dead isn¡¯t one of my hair¡¯s special talents.

    I slowly ascend to the surface. As I break through and clamber back onto the submarine, a ray of light pierces the darkness.

    A sun, remarkably like Earth¡¯s, rises over the horizon.

    The seawater glitters in the sunlight, the wind picks up. The distant land and mountains sharpen into view.

    Every scrap of fabric on my body is shredded, yet my skin is without a single scratch.

    Destroying this body is going to be a real pain¡­

    I run my hand through my already dry hair. Not a drop of water stays anywhere on my body when I return to the surface. Examining my hair, I once again try to control it or light it up, but nothing works.

    I run a hand through my already dry hair. Not a drop of water clings to me as I resurface. I examine my hair, giving another futile attempt to control it or make it glow, but nothing happens.

    It¡¯s only lit up three times: twice when something died right in front of me¡ªthat seems to be the trigger. The last time, I had no clue what set it off, and the effect was completely different. I didn¡¯t even see the golden sphere then.

    In all cases, though, it seems I¡¯m absorbing memories through my hair, memories from whatever it was attached to. I wonder what other nifty skills or abilities are hiding in my character tab¡­

    After a couple of minutes of flailing around and looking like a complete idiot, I give up. No skill tab, no character sheet, no system¡­nothing.

    ¡°This is a trash isekai,¡± I mutter. ¡°Let me go back to my afterlife!¡± I yell at the sky, half-hoping some bored deity might actually hear me.

    I yank off the wet cloth and scramble back into the submarine to change. Once I¡¯m back in the driver¡¯s seat, I scan the horizon for the nearest large landmass and point the sub in that direction.

    Half-submerged, I speed toward the land, keeping a sharp lookout for any more aquatic attackers. Thankfully, the trip is uneventful, and I reach a red sandy beach by the time the sun is only halfway up the sky. The sun definitely seems to be moving slower than back on Earth.

    As I approach the beach, I throttle back and find a secluded spot to beach the sub. I climb out and heave the vessel further onto the sand.

    The submarine is surprisingly sturdy. After everything it¡¯s been through, it only has a few minor dents. I head back inside and gather all my belongings.

    I cautiously make my way inland from the beach. The plants and animals I encounter aren¡¯t aggressive, but absolutely nothing looks familiar. Most of the plants have enormous leaves, and some are laden with huge, dangling fruits.

    The vegetation is lush and tropical, and the air is thick with humidity. I hear bird-like calls mixing with low roars echoing around me¡ªsome close by, others far off in the distance.

    Every so often, I take a deep breath, just to get a sense of my surroundings. Some areas smell foul, like animal droppings, while others have a pleasant, sweet scent.

    As I venture deeper into the jungle, a particularly interesting aroma catches my attention. It smells like a blend of spices¡ªvery familiar spices, the kind you¡¯d find back on Earth.

    Someone¡¯s cooking¡­

 Ch 3 (1/2): Suspicion

    The first sign of truly delectable food in this world! I follow the tantalizing aroma, practically bursting through the jungle undergrowth. A small, unassuming hut nestled amongst the trees, a peculiar metallic contraption parked beside it. Wisps of white smoke curled lazily from its chimney.

    I bounded up to the door and rapped sharply.

    ¡°Hello?¡± I called out.

    A sudden cacophony of clattering ladles and clanging knives erupted from within.

    ¡°Er...hello? Is anyone...about?¡± A rather stout man cautiously opened the door a crack, peering up at me with wide eyes.

    ¡°Now, hold on. Who are you, then? And¡­ how¡¯d you manage that?¡± The man¡¯s voice trembled slightly as he clutched a knife tightly, his gaze fixed on the trail I¡¯d blazed through the jungle.

    ¡°I¡¯m Val. I walked¡­¡± I glanced back at my route, a comical trail of mangled traps marking my passage.

    Oh, wow¡­ I was so focused on the smell I didn¡¯t even register those¡­

    ¡°Sorry¡­ about those¡­¡± I mumbled awkwardly.

    ¡°Right. What¡¯s the purpose of this, then?¡± The man asked, still visibly shaken.

    ¡°I got a little lost in this jungle, and I caught the scent of your amazing cooking¡­¡± I inhaled deeply. ¡°Though¡­ it¡¯s starting to smell a tad burnt now.¡±

    ¡°Ahh!¡± The stout man slammed the door shut and scurried back inside.

    After a flurry of frantic noises from within, the man reappeared.

    ¡°Lost, are we?¡± He studied me with a mixture of confusion and suspicion, his eyes widening as he took in my appearance.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ hopelessly lost¡­ perhaps you could spare a bite?¡± I peered past him into the hut.

    That food smelled divine. I had to taste it.

    The stout man lowered his knife slightly. ¡°Just¡­ stay put for a moment,¡± he said softly, before promptly slamming the door in my face again.

    I waited outside, gazing up at the sky. The sun hung high overhead. It was probably around noon. A rather ominous thundercloud seemed to be brewing closer to the beach where I¡¯d started.

    The salty-sweet air from the hut now carries the enticing aroma of perfectly balanced spices. My stomach would be growling¡ªif I had a stomach, that is.

    The door creaks open again. ¡°Come in¡­ Looks like the heavens are about to open.¡±

    I step into the tiny, sparsely furnished hut. It''s incredibly simple, practically bare. The door closes behind me with a soft thud.

    The stout man bustles past. ¡°Here, sit. Make yourself¡­ as comfortable as you can,¡± he says, gesturing to a small table with two chairs.

    And there it is. On the table, the pot. The magnificent pot. A tantalizing blend of spices, meat, and vegetables, laced with a hint of something utterly unique, wafts from within. Some scents are familiar, others decidedly not. It resembles a curry or beef bourguignon, but with ingredients that look nothing like earth¡¯s.

    I carefully lower myself into a chair.

    The man, still looking a tad nervous, sets out plates and utensils.

    We sit facing each other. He scoops a generous portion of the stew onto my plate.

    This body doesn¡¯t need sustenance, but my non-existent stomach is practically begging for this.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± I blurt, unable to contain myself, and eagerly plunge my fork into the plate, spearing a chunk of meat coated in the rich sauce.

    The moment the first bite hits my tongue, a wave of nostalgia washes over me. It tastes remarkably like home, like Earth. The taste, the smell, the texture¡ªit¡¯s an explosion of familiar sensations, all harmonizing beautifully as I chew and swallow.

    It¡¯s even hot! I can actually feel the warmth in my mouth. Apparently, that¡¯s the one part of me that retains some sense of temperature.

    After I¡¯ve devoured the first few bites, the chubby man finally relaxes, a smile spreading across his face. ¡°Goodness me, you look like you''ve missed a few meals!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ sorry¡­¡± I sheepishly stop shoveling food into my mouth and glance up at him. He looks quite young, really. Human, mostly, but there¡¯s something subtly¡­ off about him.

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty more where that came from. Don¡¯t be shy,¡± the man says, shoveling another ladle of food onto my plate. ¡°I¡¯m Bailey. And where might your travels have taken you from?¡±

    ¡°A faraway place,¡± I say, popping another spoonful into my mouth. ¡°Somewhere you¡¯ve probably never heard of.¡±

    Bailey pours himself a glass of something greenish and suspiciously viscous. ¡°Care for a sip? It¡¯s¡­an acquired taste. And tell me, how did you manage to get all the way out here?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks.¡± I eye the slimy liquid with suspicion. ¡°I just walked. Wandered the world, you know?¡±

    Bailey takes a hesitant sip of his concoction. ¡°Folks don¡¯t usually just¡­stroll into the wilds. Especially not this part.¡±

    ¡°I got lost and kept walking,¡± I say, gazing out the window.

    Bailey follows my gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t get many visitors, let alone ones who wander right to my doorstep.¡±

    ¡°I am¡­¡± I swallow a large mouthful of food. ¡°Sorry about the traps, by the way.¡±

    Bailey eyes me closely. ¡°You¡­seem alright. Considering¡­¡±

    ¡°Good¡­good you¡¯re well. Those¡­things outside¡­they¡¯re meant to¡­well.¡± Bailey takes a larger swig of his drink. ¡°Ha.¡±

    Crack¡­BOOM! A sudden clap of thunder punctuates the awkward silence.

    I should try getting struck by lightning next¡­that might do the trick¡­

    Bailey gestures toward the torrential downpour outside. ¡°This¡­this is the Elemental Wilds. You can get all sorts out here. Rain, sun, thunder, fire¡­even earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes. All within¡­well, a day, easy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­intense¡­¡± I follow Bailey¡¯s finger to the window. ¡°Are there others living around here?¡±

    ¡°Only the Mesoselenian usually settle in the Wilds. But¡­even they tend to steer clear of this part. Too unpredictable, even for them.¡± Bailey glances over me. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re sure you¡¯re alright? Nothing¡­nothing feels¡­off?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be better. This food is amazing.¡± I realize I¡¯ve already devoured the entire pot. Bailey keeps refilling my plate as I eat, and a warm energy spreads through me.

    Suddenly, a realization strikes me. I stare Bailey straight in the eye before dramatically collapsing onto the floor, going completely limp. I keep my eyes closed and my body still.

    Bailey lets out a shaky breath.

    ¡°Now¡­really. Who are you?¡± Bailey approaches cautiously and attempts to roll me over, struggling slightly with the dead weight.

    He checks my pulse and breathing. He stumbles back, eyes wide. ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s not right. Ionacoca doesn¡¯t kill. It just¡­knocks you out. There¡¯s no way¡­¡± He quickly drips a couple of droplets of extremely bitter liquid into my mouth.

    I keep my eyes stubbornly shut.

    After a few brisk slaps to my face, he recoils. I hear him rummaging through my bag, then the distinct clink of him trying to open the locked box containing the notebook.

    Then, a thud. He¡¯s dropped to his knees. ¡°Those¡­those are his clothes. And¡­his card. How¡­? Why¡­?¡±

    I crack open an eye. He¡¯s buried his face in his hands.

    He begins pleading, even attempting some rather pathetic CPR. ¡°Please¡­no. Please wake up. I¡­I have to know. Where¡¯s Master Keyser? Where is he?¡±

    ¡°Who is Dr. Keyser to you?¡± I ask, opening my eyes fully.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± He screams, executes a clumsy roll, and scrambles to his feet all at once. He snatches the gun he¡¯d taken from my bag and points it at my head. ¡°What¡­what in the name of all that¡¯s holy¡­are you?!¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± I say, pushing myself up from the floor and plopping back into my seat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, and you certainly can¡¯t hurt me. Whatever you put in that food clearly doesn¡¯t work on me. So, let¡¯s all take a breath and chat.¡±

    Bailey takes a shuddering breath before slowly rising and sinking back into his own seat, the gun still wavering in my direction.

    I begin explaining what happened, carefully omitting the details of the afterlife and the visions I saw. I tell him how I woke up in Dr. Keyser¡¯s lab and watched him turn to dust right before my eyes.

    Bailey¡¯s eyes widen, and tears begin to stream down his cheeks. He lowers the gun, slumping in his seat like a punctured balloon. ¡°So¡­that¡¯s it then. Master Keyser¡¯s¡­gone.¡±

    He explains that he¡¯s here to find Dr. Keyser. He¡¯d learned the doctor was living in this area and had been searching high and low for what felt like an eternity.

    All he ever wanted was to work for Dr. Keyser. He¡¯d looked up to him since he was a child. Dr. Keyser was the one who saved his mother when no one else could.

    I offer him Dr. Keyser¡¯s notebook and ask if he can decipher it.

    He carefully reads through the pages. By the time he finishes, the rain has stopped, and the sun is beginning to set.

    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re Val! Well, I¡¯ll be!¡± His eyes snap back to me, beaming with an almost unsettling mix of excitement and hope. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re his last work, then!¡±

    ¡°You can read his notes! What else does it say?!¡± I grab his arms with both hands, my excitement mirroring his.

    ¡°Oof!¡± he yelps, his smile faltering slightly.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I quickly let go, wincing.

    Bailey rubs his arm gingerly, giving me a slightly wary look. ¡°Right. Well¡­ that last bit¡­ that made sense. The rest¡­went right over my head."

    I bury my face in my palms, groaning.

    Why did you have such awful handwriting¡­ Are you a real doctor by any chance? These letters are like a chicken scratching on parchment.

    Bailey¡¯s brow furrows with worry. ¡°But¡­ you need to be careful. Keep yourself covered up. What Master Keyser did¡­ well, it isn¡¯t exactly¡­ allowed.¡±

    He explains that everything to do with creating artificial life and artificially prolonging life is forbidden by the Anunnaki, god-like beings worshipped by humans.

    He adds that I don¡¯t look like anything on this planet. Nothing has scales like mine, and nothing has golden eyes pointing back at his own blue ones¡ªwhich, he admits, was one of the reasons he was so suspicious. Also, nothing should have made it to his door; all the traps were laced with poison.

    He was especially surprised that the poisoned food hadn¡¯t affected me. He¡¯d put enough Ionacoca in it to knock out anything for a week with just one bite!

    Well, you know, he was hiding in a cave¡­ I suspected he was probably doing extremely illegal things. Especially after what he did to those sea serpents.

    But it all makes sense now, knowing I¡¯m Dr. Keyser¡¯s creation.

    He makes more food, and this time he joins me.

    I tell him that, being newly created, I have no knowledge of this world. So, as evening falls, Bailey shows me a map. It has continents and oceans, much like Earth.

    Bailey points to a large body of water in the middle of a continent. ¡°This is the Elemental Wilds. Like I said, no one in their right mind lives here. Too much¡­ weather. I was actually just packing up to leave myself.¡±

    I point at the many large and small blue squares scattered across the map. ¡°Are these all cities?¡±

    "Aye, cities and mines. Now, about those two gold-looking things in your bag¡­ they aren¡¯t gold. Not exactly," Bailey explains.

    I pull out the two bars and place them on the table.

    "Those are Adamantine. Dug straight from the ground of Mesoselenia, then covered in gold. They used to give ¡®em to the Annunaki. In exchange, the Annunaki would give folks¡­ well, knowledge. Truth. The Mesoselenians use ¡®em for other things, but they can¡¯t dig up much of it.¡± Bailey looks grimly at the bars. ¡°That¡¯s about what a big mine pulls up in two years.¡±

    I¡¯m rich! I¡¯m loaded!

    Bailey¡¯s expression turns serious as he sees my grin. "You shouldn''t go showing those to just anyone. They''re worth¡­ more than you can imagine.¡±

    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.

    Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­

 Ch 3 (2/2): Suspicion

    Before Bailey can elaborate, a massive earthquake interrupts us.

    We drop to the floor. Bailey dives under the table. Luckily, the hut is well-built, but even so, cracks spiderwebs across the walls.

    "Right then! Uh¡­ maybe¡­ maybe we should¡­ call it a night," Bailey says, crawling out from under the table, dusting himself off. I wholeheartedly agree.

    Bailey quickly fashions a makeshift bed of vegetation on the floor and gestures for me to relax on it. He heads back to his bed in the vehicle outside.

    I lie on the makeshift bed late into the night. Then another earthquake hits.

    An aftershock?

    I head outside. Bailey is already there.

    "Goodness! Look at that! All that shakin'' today¡­ this isn¡¯t safe. Not anymore,¡± Bailey says, gesturing towards the widening cracks spreading across the ground. ¡°Say¡­ would you direct me to where Master Keyser kept his¡­ cavern?¡±

    ¡°I can show you where it is. But where will you be going after?¡± Looking into the dark jungle, I notice some small creatures flitting past.

    "Well now, I can''t rightly say about that just yet. But there''s always a new pot to stir, a new road to wander, eh?" Bailey returns to the hut and starts packing.

    ¡°Can I come with you?¡± I follow him inside. ¡°It¡¯s always good to have a companion, right?¡±

    Bailey chuckles, shaking his head good-naturedly. "Just here for the grub, are we? Well, can''t say I blame ya! As long as you leave a bit for me, you''re welcome to tag along."

    I help Bailey pack until dawn. As the moons fade and the sun rises, we load everything into his vehicle¡ªa flying contraption. "This little beauty set me back a pretty penny, I tell ya!"

    We lift off and head towards the beach.

    After a smooth touchdown on a dry patch near the shore, Bailey gathers some plants and camouflages his vehicle. He carefully sets up traps around it. "Best to be on the safe side, wouldn''t you say? Can''t be too careful out here. Besides, it''s the only way we¡¯re gettin'' outta here!"

    We return to where I hid my submarine. Luckily, it¡¯s still there. I drag it back into the sea, and we dive into the dark abyss. Bailey takes the controls this time, and he¡¯s a much better pilot than I was. The submarine has a lot of functions I didn¡¯t know about, like a map and autopilot. We return to Dr. Keyser¡¯s cavern without much trouble.

    I thought I¡¯d never come back¡­ and here we are, a day later¡­

    Returning inside, I stop Bailey cautiously. Everything looks even messier than I left it.

    Had someone been here?

    After a closer look, I realize it¡¯s because of the earthquakes. They¡¯d shaken everything. There are also cracks in the floor. I flick on the lights.

    "So¡­ this is where he made his home. Master Keyser¡­ he suffered a good deal here," Bailey says, tears welling in his eyes.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much up here. All his work, or what¡¯s left of it, is in the lab downstairs,¡± I say, pointing to the painting.

    "That''s¡­ that''s¡­ by the stars¡­ that¡¯s it. The Annunaki treasure¡­" Bailey¡¯s eyes widen, and he takes a shaky breath. "That''s¡­ that¡¯s the one they¡¯ve been searchin'' for¡­"

    ¡°What now?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°This thing is a treasure? Of the gods?!¡±

    ¡°Aye¡­ it is,¡± Bailey says. He freezes for a moment, then nods slowly. ¡°There was talk of a painting. Stolen from the Annunaki. They¡¯ve been huntin¡¯ for it for ages. Still are, I reckon.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± I carefully touch the painting, taking a closer look. It just looks like a normal painting. The gold looks a little off, but that¡¯s it.

    ¡°I never knew¡­ not a thing,¡± Bailey says, moving closer and peering at the painting, even sniffing it curiously. ¡°The materials¡­ goodness. The finest you could find, I¡¯d wager. All that gold¡­ it¡¯s mixed with Adamantine. The whole frame, the canvas itself¡­ Adamantine covered in gold. And there are other thin'' in there too¡­ rare stones, even plants, by the looks of it.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    So¡­ this Dr. Keyser is a master thief?!

    ¡°So¡­ should we take it? We could use some money for our travels, you know,¡± I say, smirking and rubbing my hands together.

    ¡°No¡­ no way,¡± Bailey says, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t fit in any submarine, that¡¯s for certain. And nobody¡¯s got the coin for somethin¡¯ like this. Even if they did¡­ they wouldn¡¯t dare. Not with the Annunaki still looking.¡±

    ¡°We could just, you know, take the frame and melt it down or something.¡± I try to pry a piece of the frame off with my bare hands.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ no. That isn¡¯t right. Any way to work Adamantine, to shape it or anythin''¡­ those are secrets kept tighter than a drum. Once it¡¯s set in gold, it¡¯s practically indestructible¡­¡± Before Bailey can finish, my hand slips.

    The scale on the back of my hand drags along the frame. Sparks fly everywhere. My hair flares up in iridescent light, dancing in the air.

    Hundreds of thousands of hair strands poke into the painting and frame, and the entire painting glows golden.

    My consciousness is yanked to the upper dimension, beneath the golden sphere.

    The visions are becoming clearer each time I¡¯m here. Strands of iridescent strings extend from beneath me into the darkness below, like roots. Many golden strings from the sphere are entangled with these roots.

    Specks of light in many different colors rise up the roots. A scant few fade to translucence before exiting and falling back into the darkness.

    Most of the specks turn golden, and golden strings pull them into the sphere¡¯s warm embrace.

    As I watch, the light from the iridescent strings suddenly intensifies. The roots multiply and thicken. Branch-like structures form around me, enveloping me in a small, tree-like formation.

    The next moment, I snapped back to reality.

    Bailey stood behind me, face ashen, still gawking at the painting. His jaw hung open wide enough to swallow a small melon.

    The painting looked¡­ decidedly less shiny.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ gone. All of it. Every last bit,¡± Bailey whispered, shuddering.

    ¡°You mean¡­ the Adamantine in this painting¡­ is all gone?!¡± I clutched a handful of my hair, which promptly reverted to its usual silver.

    ¡°That¡­ that was probably more Adamantine than anyone¡¯s seen in¡­ well, years. Maybe even a decade,¡± Bailey said, slowly sinking to the floor behind me. His voice was heavy with despair.

    I joined him on the floor.

    My disappointment¡­ was profound.

    A quick check of my bag reassured me. The two gold-plated adamantine bars were still safely tucked away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Master Keyser made¡­ but you¡­ you¡¯re somethin'' else entirely,¡± Bailey muttered, staring at me with wide, unfocused eyes.

    I couldn¡¯t tell Bailey about the higher dimension and the afterlife. Some things were better kept to oneself¡­ at least for now.

    We rested for a while. Bailey whipped up a quick snack in the kitchen. Turns out, the ingredients weren¡¯t half bad. I was just a culinary disaster in this world.

    Back in the lab, it was still the chaotic mess I¡¯d left it in.

    We approached the corner where Dr. Keyser¡¯s dust lay.

    Bailey crumpled to his knees, a choked sob escaping him. ¡°Master Keyser¡­ I finally found you¡­ after all this time¡­¡± His voice cracked, tears streaming down his face. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re¡­ gone¡­¡± He buried his face in his hands.

    I stayed with Bailey for a long while. Eventually, the worst of his grief subsided, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.

    You will see him again¡­ eventually¡­

    Bailey carefully gathered all the dust into a prepared vase. He carried the vase to a secluded corner, dug a small hole, and gently placed it inside. ¡°Rest easy, Master¡­ Thank you¡­ for everythin''.¡±

    After everything, Bailey and I survey the wreckage of broken machinery. ¡°Blimey,¡± Bailey says, shaking his head in astonishment. ¡°This is somethin'' else entirely. This technology¡­ it¡¯s far beyond anythin'' I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡±

    I show him a couple of books that had been indecipherable before.

    ¡°These look like Mesoselenian. If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ they might be about magic,¡± Bailey says, running his fingers lightly across the texts.

    ¡°What is magic in this world?¡± Bailey had mentioned it before. The thought flickers through my mind: maybe magic is the key to freeing my consciousness.

    Bailey explains that humans can¡¯t use magic. The Mesoselenians, however, can wield some magic-like abilities using adamantine, which is precisely why they¡¯re kept far away from any adamantine mines. The Mesoselenians¡¯ magic is fairly basic¡ªphysical enhancements, minor elemental manipulation¡ªnothing that compares to current human technology.

    With adamantine being so valuable and rare, even the Mesoselenians mostly use human tech these days. They¡¯re even starting to make their own technological advancements and share them with humans. Magic is only used by Mesoselenians on rare occasions, for traditional ceremonies or dire emergencies.

    The Annunaki, apparently, are the only ones who can truly use magic. Although Bailey¡¯s never witnessed it himself, legends say they can perform feats that completely defy physics and reality.

    ¡°What you can do¡­ it isn¡¯t somethin'' you see everyday. It goes against¡­ well, everythin''. The Annunaki¡­ they wouldn¡¯t take kindly to somethin'' like that. They might¡­ want to take a very close look,¡± Bailey says, his brow furrowing with concern.

    Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­

    Another earthquake hits, much stronger than the last. The cracks in the ground widen dramatically.

    ¡°RUN!¡± I yell, grabbing Bailey by the arm and making a dash for the gate. Just as we¡¯re about to reach it, the ground beneath us crumbles away.

    ¡°Ahhhh!!!!!!¡± We¡¯re suddenly weightless, plummeting into the abyss.

    This stupid isekai! Talk about a clich¨¦ plot line!

 Ch 4 (1/2): Uncover

    Normally in novels, there¡¯d be a conveniently placed lake or something to cushion our fall.

    I glance down. No lake. Just solid rock rushing up to meet us. I yank the screaming Bailey towards me, pulling him on top. I¡¯m not sure how much fall damage I¡¯d take, but I¡¯m certain Bailey won¡¯t survive this without some¡­ emergency cushioning.

    I hug him close. The instant before impact, I push Bailey upwards with every ounce of strength in my hands and feet. My body slams into the unforgiving rock below.

    Crash!

    I land squarely on my back, creating a small crater. Yet, still no pain. And I¡¯m still conscious. Huh.

    Bailey flies up a short distance before landing on his stomach with a soft oof. He¡¯s not badly injured, just fainted from the sheer terror of it all. I grab him by the torso and scramble to the side, dodging the rocks raining down around us. The earthquake finally stops.

    I lean against a wall, cursing internally. All that, and not a single scratch. Even the rocks crumble to dust when they hit me. What gives?

    After a moment, Bailey¡¯s eyelids flutter open.

    ¡°That was¡­ close,¡± I say, helping him sit up a little.

    ¡°Thank¡­ thank you¡­ I¡­ I truly thought¡­ that was it¡­¡± Bailey gasps, clutching his chest. His hands tremble. ¡°How¡­ how did you¡­? My life¡­ I¡­ I owe you¡­ I don¡¯t know how I can ever repay you¡­ thank you¡­¡±

    It takes him a while to recover. He¡¯s understandably shaken by the near-death experience.

    I pat him on the shoulder. ¡°I could really go for a good meal when we¡¯re out of here.¡±

    Pushing myself to my feet, I look back up the way we fell. ¡°Yeah, that was a pretty rough landing. Glad that¡¯s over.¡±

    Once Bailey¡¯s finally over the worst of the shock, he pulls out a handheld device. A bright light illuminates the area.

    ¡°We¡¯re¡­ a good few hundred meters down, at least. The air¡¯s breathable, thankfully,¡± Bailey says, his hand steady as he points the small device around the chamber.

    ¡°There¡¯s gotta be a way out. Just¡­ hoping we don¡¯t get another one of those shakes.¡± He nods towards a faint draft. ¡°Seems like the air¡¯s movin¡¯ this way. Let¡¯s head that direction.¡±

    Is he Doraemon? Come to think of it, he kinda looks like him too.

    I trail closely behind Bailey. ¡°Cool gadgets. You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a flying drone to scope this place out?¡±

    ¡°I ain¡¯t got the coin for somethin¡¯ that fancy, that¡¯s for sure. But I wasn¡¯t intendin¡¯ to end up as critter feed out here, so I took a few precautions. Glad nothin¡¯ got smashed in that tumble.¡± Bailey leads us forward, and a blue glow suddenly spills out from ahead.

    Up close, the glow emanates from a substance coating a large patch of the cave floor. It looks like someone spilled a bucket of luminescent goo.

    ¡°What¡¯s that stuff?¡± I ask Bailey.

    ¡°Never seen nothin¡¯ like this before. Never been this far underground neither.¡± Bailey kneels to examine the glowing substance.

    ¡°I guess there¡¯s a first for everything.¡± I poke it with my boot. The substance feels like clay and doesn¡¯t smell of anything. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    Bailey nods, and we skirt around the glowing patch. We continue until we reach a large opening in the wall. Bailey points. ¡°There¡¯s a draft comin¡¯ from here. Fresh air, too.¡±

    The opening leads into a tunnel, quite different from the cave we were in. Bailey stops at the entrance. ¡°Looks like someone dug this out.¡±

    I drag my fingers across some unusual, shallow markings on the walls. ¡°Probably a long time ago. We should keep going, before another earthquake hits.¡±

    ¡°Aye, if we get another shake like that, we could be stuck down here for a good while,¡± Bailey says, hurrying into the opening. I follow quickly.

    Those markings look like they¡¯re made by pickaxes and chisels. Someone dug this a long, long time ago. The markings are almost completely weathered away.

    Something else feels off. It¡¯s too quiet. Besides the occasional drip of water and Bailey¡¯s heavy breathing, there¡¯s nothing. No small creatures, not even bugs. It''s like a subterranean library, except instead of books, we have rocks.

    ¡°Are we going deeper?¡± I ask. I feel like we¡¯re constantly moving downwards.

    Bailey glances at his device. ¡°Aye, goin¡¯ deeper underground, it seems.¡±

    I stop. ¡°Why would the exit be deeper underground?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know, but it¡¯s where that fresh air¡¯s comin¡¯ from.¡± Bailey points at his device.

    Suddenly, a loud alarm blares from Bailey¡¯s device. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Bailey quickly drops his bag, pulls out a mask, and tries to shove it onto my face.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°What are you doing? What¡¯s happening?!¡± I try to fend him off.

    "Get it on! Quick! The air''s goin'' bad! We ain''t got much time!" Bailey yells as the alarm blares.

    I yank my mask off. ¡°Where¡¯s yours?!¡±

    "I''m...I''m fine. Just..." Bailey stammers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it! No time to explain, I am immune,¡± I interrupt, swiftly forcing the mask onto his face, adjusting the straps.

    A thick blue smog instantly fills the cave. The alarm screams.

    ¡°Which way?!¡± I shout at Bailey.

    He¡¯s frozen, eyes wide, clearly struggling to process the sudden toxic atmosphere.

    ¡°Which way?!¡± I repeat, louder.

    Bailey flinches, snaps back to reality, frantically waves his device around, before finally pointing down a tunnel.

    I grab Bailey¡¯s bag in one hand and his arm in the other, and we bolt. After a frantic couple of minutes, the tunnel opens into a larger cavern. The alarm on Bailey¡¯s device mercifully cuts out.

    "By the stars...I...I almost...that was it..." Bailey stares at me, eyes still wide with shock. "Just...how...? You''re...You''re fine?"

    ¡°I am Val, a perfect homunculus created by your dear Master Keyser,¡± I announce with a grin.

    I place my hands on Bailey¡¯s shoulders, lean in close, and fix him with a serious look. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare risk your life for mine ever again! I don¡¯t want your death on my conscience.¡±

    Bailey freezes, stammering. "I''m...I''m so sorry. I was just..."

    ¡°I know you were trying to save me. I know you feel indebted from before. But you don¡¯t owe me anything. I saved you because I need you, and I need you alive!¡± I say firmly.

    Bailey¡¯s eyes well up with tears. "I didn''t think...I didn''t think you''d care, not after...well, after I tried to...you know. Especially considering we only just met."

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind you trying to poison me, I totally understand. I was a complete stranger who showed up at your door, after all.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t explain everything right now, just remember I am Val. I am Dr. Keyser¡¯s perfect creation. I am not going to die easily,¡± I tell Bailey, giving his shoulders a reassuring pat. He manages a relieved smile.

    Geez¡­ If we¡¯re going to be traveling together for a bit, he can¡¯t keep interrupting my plans to return to the afterlife.

    Bailey shuffled forward a bit, finding a decent spot to rest. ¡°So, what was that smog?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t tell ya what it was, but this little gadget said it was nasty stuff,¡± Bailey replied, holding up his device.

    After fiddling with it myself, I asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it tell you what it detected?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t build the thing myself, mind you, but it seems to do the trick. That blue fog nearly got the better of us. I got a snout full of it, and I tell ya, it felt like my lungs were on fire!¡± Bailey said, snatching the device back.

    ¡°Okay, I guess your money was well spent. Saved your life.¡±

    ¡°Aye, worth every coin!¡± Bailey said, chuckling. He rummaged through his bag and tossed me some food.

    At this point, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he pulled out a time machine.

    As we rested, small critters scurried past, some familiar. ¡°These little fellas are bottom feeders,¡± Bailey explained. ¡°They¡¯ll eat just about anything that¡¯s gone to the great beyond around here. Harmless, they are. Unless you¡¯re already six feet under, that is! Hahaha!¡±

    We hadn''t seen any of these in the previous tunnel or cave. This place should be safer. ¡°What else you got in that bag of yours?¡± I asked, curiosity piqued. ¡°Any other cool gadgets?¡±

    Bailey opened his bag, revealing its contents: a bewildering assortment of spices, herbs, and other paraphernalia. I stared, speechless. ¡°Why do you carry so much of this stuff?!¡±

    ¡°These are my most prized possessions,¡± Bailey explained. ¡°Traveled the world to find ¡®em all. All so I could cook up a good meal for Master Keyser. Shame he¡¯s¡­¡± He trailed off, gesturing to the items. Most were spices and dried herbs, some clearly poisonous, others rare and exquisite. A few bottles of medicine were tucked in amongst them.

    Well, I guess there¡¯s no time machine after all.

    After our short break, we got up and kept moving. And there it was¡ªlight! We had to be close!

    Bailey and I rushed forward, blissfully unaware. It wasn¡¯t sunlight. Nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to see.

    We emerged into a massive cavern. The light came from enormous, glowing crystals sprouting from the ceiling hundreds of meters above, illuminating the entire space. Below them lay a vast, abandoned city, completely overgrown with vegetation.

    ¡°How deep are we?¡± I asked, staring at the sight.

    ¡°Near about four hundred meters down¡­¡± Bailey read from his device.

    Maybe it¡¯s just an isekai thing, I thought. ¡°Who lives this far underground?¡±

    ¡°Not that I¡¯ve ever heard of¡­¡± Bailey racked his memory.

    ¡°Do you feel hot or anything?¡± I asked. Usually, it¡¯d be sweltering this deep down.

    Bailey wiped his sweaty palms. ¡°I¡¯m sweating like a hog, but it ain¡¯t the heat. Should we take a gander? That fresh air¡¯s gotta be coming from somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded, and we headed down into the city.

    Everything looked frozen in time. The plants hadn¡¯t damaged the structures at all; it was like someone had been pruning them.

    Bailey looked intensely interested in the vegetation. ¡°Do you recognize these plants?¡± I asked.

    He plucked a bit, examined it closely, and then took a cautious nibble. ¡°They look familiar, alright, but¡­not quite the same as any I¡¯ve seen before.¡± He chewed thoughtfully. ¡°Tastes familiar, too.¡±

    ¡°These are edible?¡± I picked a few and tasted them. I promptly spat them out. They were horrendous.

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re not exactly a five-star meal on their own,¡± Bailey said with a grin.

    He explained that the plants resembled surface crops¡ªthe stuff Mesoselenians grew for food. However, they all looked and tasted slightly different.

    At least Bailey won¡¯t starve anytime soon.

    We entered a few homes. They were empty, but it looked like the occupants had left in a hurry. Broken pots and pans littered the floors.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Bailey tripped on something, managing to keep his balance. The object that tripped him turned out to be the city¡¯s first resident¡ªor at least, part of one.

    A couple of long bones lay bare on the ground.

    ¡°Whose bones are these?¡± I asked.

    ¡°These look like Mesoselenian bones, but¡­they¡¯re not quite the same.¡± Bailey pointed to the bone¡¯s width, considerably thicker than any Mesoselenian bones he knew.

    ¡°Okay, I have a theory. This is a city belonging to ancient Mesoselenians¡ªa large group that lived here underground, isolated from the rest of the world. They abandoned it for some reason, and this is what¡¯s left,¡± I said. Bailey was still examining the bones and plants.

    ¡°Aye, fascinating indeed¡­This is something else entirely. Never seen or heard of anything like it,¡± he muttered, continuing to look around.

 Ch 4 (2/2): Uncover

    The ground suddenly lurched, another quake? Before I could grab Bailey, hundreds of small heads erupted from the earth. Heads that resembled cicadas, only these were colossal. Time to bolt!

    I snatched Bailey by the torso again and leaped onto a nearby building. More and more heads emerged, thousands, millions¡­ They began munching on the vegetation, devouring the plants in a wave of clicking mandibles.

    "These are...Kavriades! But...so many of ''em? And look at the size of ''em! They''re plant-eaters, though, so no need to fret," Bailey said, utterly fascinated.

    Trypophobia much!

    ¡°We should keep moving,¡± I said to Bailey, but he was already halfway down the building.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I hissed, scrambling to reach him.

    ¡°Give me a hand!¡± he whispered back.

    Does he have some weird fetish?!

    "Kavriades only mate once every ten years, you know. Their eggs are rarer than hen''s teeth...and delicious! They call ''em green caviar. I had just a wee taste once...never forgot it." Bailey explained, seeing my bewildered and slightly disgusted expression.

    ¡°Say no more, let¡¯s get some¡­¡± I followed him down.

    ¡°Why are we sneaking around? Shouldn¡¯t we let them finish and come back later?¡± I whispered, tiptoeing closer.

    ¡°Once the egg¡¯s is laid, we have very little time before it gets fertilized. Once fertilized, they are not good anymore,¡± Bailey said, pulling a massive jar out of his bag.

    Where did he even get that?!

    We crept closer. Just as I was about to grab one, Bailey stopped me.  "We can''t touch ''em! If we spook ''em, they''ll spray somethin'' awful. That''ll warn the whole lot of ''em. Then we''re in real trouble!"

    Bailey got down on all fours, crawling slowly across the ground, or as slowly as his rather round frame allowed. He positioned the jar near a Kavriades¡¯ backside, and out it came. Bailey swiftly pulled the jar away before the creature finished, collecting only a small portion. He moved on to the next one, and the next. In no time, he¡¯d quietly filled the entire jar with the green, caviar-like eggs.

    He then produced a smaller jar, refilled it with practiced ease, and quietly returned. He handed me the jar, pointed towards a nearby building, and whispered, ¡°Best be movin¡¯ along.¡±

    We reached the rooftop without incident. ¡°Phew,¡± Bailey breathed, visibly relieved. I grinned and popped open the jar for a sniff. It smelled faintly of the sea. Bailey then produced a rather ornate-looking spoon and scooped up a small portion for each of us.

    We placed the spoonfuls on our tongues, and a wave of salty, savory, and subtly sweet flavors washed over us. As I gently bit down on the tiny, glistening pearls, they burst with a sweet tang of wine and a delicate hint of seafood.

    Lost in the delightful taste of this ¡°green caviar,¡± we were oblivious to the sudden shift in atmosphere. An eerie silence descended. I glanced down and saw that the tens of millions of Kavriades had all turned their gaze directly towards us.

    I nudged Bailey, who was still happily licking his spoon. ¡°You think they know we¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°Who¡­? What¡¯s that?¡± Bailey blinked, finally pulling his attention away from the spoon. He followed my gaze and looked down the side of the building. The Kavriades¡¯ eyes burned with an unsettling intensity.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just looking at something else. We should probably go,¡± I suggested, already moving towards the other side of the roof. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t think they know we just ate their eggs, do you?¡±

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t¡­ we¡¯re a good distance off. They didn¡¯t even react when I took them,¡± Bailey said, glancing nervously around. ¡°Unless¡­¡± He trailed off, hurrying to catch up. He peered over the edge.

    We were surrounded. Millions of eyes stared back at us. Suddenly, a low rumble echoed through the air as the Kavriades unfurled their wings. The entire swarm began to rise, a living wave surging up the side of the building. ¡°You never mentioned they could fly!¡±

    I grabbed Bailey by his bag and the scruff of his neck, leaping from one rooftop to the next. We sprinted towards the largest building in the city, the Kavriades pursuing us like a relentless, buzzing tide, rapidly closing the distance.

    ¡°What do we do?!¡± I yelled, Bailey dangling precariously in my grasp.

    ¡°Hold on tight! Don¡¯t let go!¡± Bailey yelled back. ¡°Aaaagh!¡±

    We reached the largest building, and I dropped Bailey unceremoniously onto the ground. ¡°This way!¡± I shouted, pointing towards a nearby door. We burst inside and slammed the door shut behind us, bracing against it with all our might. We could feel the Kavriades slamming against the door in relentless waves.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°I thought they only ate plants!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Just because they eat plants doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t squash us flat!¡± Bailey retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s gonna die! Are they afraid of anything?!¡± I asked, panicking.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve no idea!¡± Bailey replied, his voice laced with despair.

    ¡°Give me that small jar!¡± Bailey shoved the container of tiny green pearls into my hand. ¡°You go first! Get deeper inside, find a hiding spot. I¡¯ll lure them away. I¡¯ll be fine!¡± I tossed my bag aside and yelled, ¡°GO!¡±

    Bailey glanced back one last time before scrambling inside and slamming the doors behind him.

    Alright, let¡¯s see if you guys can free me.

    I popped the remaining caviar into my mouth. Heavenly¡­ I timed it perfectly, waiting for the lull after a wave of attacks. Then, I burst through the door.

    ¡°Come get some!¡± I shouted, green ooze still dripping from my lips.

    I leaped to a neighboring rooftop. The massive swarm followed, a buzzing, rumbling, biting, ripping mass. They swarmed around me as I stood perfectly still.

    Nothing. Still nothing¡­ no feeling, no pain¡­ absolutely nothing.

    Disappointed, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to test this body¡¯s limits.

    I closed my eyes, focusing my mind. Images of every anime and kung fu movie I¡¯d ever seen flashed through my head.

    I couldn¡¯t use magic, but plenty of my favorite anime didn¡¯t rely on it. A certain bushy-browed sensei and his insane taijutsu sprang to mind.

    With epic background music playing in my head, I prepared for a limit test. This time, my focus was solely on speed and accuracy. Killing these bugs wasn¡¯t hard; a solid hit to the head did the trick.

    I focused my vision on one creature at a time. My enhanced reaction time and reflexes made everything seem to slow to a crawl. With pinpoint precision, I began systematically punching through their heads.

    I threw punches as fast as I could, my fists extending and retracting like pistons, ripping through the air with whip-like cracks.

    The heads of the bugs I hit, and even a few behind them, exploded before my fist even connected.

    ¡°Asakujaku!¡± I roared, my middle school syndrome making a triumphant return.

    I¡¯m so glad Bailey isn¡¯t around to see this. Strange¡­ so many of them bit the dust and my hair didn¡¯t even flicker.

    I soon smelled burning smoke somewhere. Then, a bright light blasted through the swarm.

    Whoa¡­ definitely not me¡­

    "Run!" Bailey¡¯s voice cuts through the air. A couple of flaming Molotov cocktails sailed through the air and exploded around me.

    The flames roared, scattering the swarm, which wisely kept its distance. Through the thick smoke, I scrambled back to Bailey and we bolted back indoors. The creatures didn¡¯t seem keen on pursuing us.

    I rounded on Bailey. ¡°I told you to run! What if they came back for you?!¡±

    "I...I think...I seem to recall they weren''t too fond of fire," Bailey mumbled softly.

    Seeing his crestfallen expression, I instantly regretted my harsh tone. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± I said, softening my voice. I walked past Bailey, grabbing my bag and changing into some fresh clothes.

    ¡°Come on, buddy. This place looks like some kind of important building. Let¡¯s check it out,¡± I said, turning back to Bailey with a bright smile.

    Bailey¡¯s face lit up. "I''m comin''! I''m comin''!" he chirped, hurrying forward with a wide grin.

    We entered the building.

    This place reeks of ritual¡­ The walls are covered in carvings. It¡¯s incredibly dark inside. Bailey uses his device and a flashlight to examine the walls. ¡°Do you know who carved these?¡± I asked.

    "Likely carved by the old Mesoselenians, I reckon," Bailey replied after a closer look.

    ¡°Any guess what it¡¯s about?¡±

    "Haven''t the foggiest about that bit," Bailey said with a shake of his head.

    We made our way down the building. Thankfully, the stairs were still intact. The rooms were remarkably well preserved, but completely empty and coated in dust. Each room was tiny. There must be hundreds of them.

    They emptied everything before leaving. These living conditions¡­ It¡¯s like they were living in jail cells.

    On the ground floor looms a massive door. We carefully push it open, a cloud of dust billowing out to greet us. Thankfully, Bailey¡¯s gadget doesn¡¯t trigger any alarms. A colossal statue stands solemnly in the center of the room.

    "Right then, I''m certain now. This city''s ancient Mesoselenian, through and through," Bailey declares, pointing at the statue.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡± I murmur, awestruck by the sheer size of the statue and its intricate details.

    Bailey explains that the Mesoselenians believed in reincarnation after death, and this is a statue of their deity. Legend says this deity purifies the soul after death and returns it to this world. They call it Nyotha, which translates to Purity.

    ¡°Their deity is a tree?¡± I mutter, staring at the massive tree-shaped statue.

    We circle the statue. An altar stands in each of the four corners of the room.

    Sssss¡­Sss¡­Ssssss

    ¡°Listen¡­ something¡¯s here,¡± I whisper, alerting Bailey.

    Bailey quickly moves beside me. "Where at? I don''t see nothin''." He draws his gun and scans the area.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s underground.¡± I lie flat on the ground and press my ear to the stone.

    Sss¡­Sssssss¡­Sss

    ¡°It¡¯s below us, quite far below.¡± I draw back my fist.

    "Whoa there! Steady on! This place is worth more than all the gold in the world!" Bailey yells, grabbing my arm.

    We stand up. I suggest we search for a switch or a hidden door.

    All the isekai novels I¡¯ve read suggest this place must have a secret passage or room¡­

    We look around. I try to budge the altars. They''re immovable. I examine them carefully. The ground around them looks a bit¡­ off. I wipe away the dust. There''s a distinct tile directly beneath each altar.

    I press down hard on one altar. It sinks slightly. I quickly tell Bailey. We try pressing on all the altars individually. They all depress.

    We decide to try pressing all four at the same time. We use Bailey¡¯s bag on one altar, a large stone on another, and we each press down on the remaining two.

    Click¡­ whoosh¡­ whoosh¡­ whoosh¡­ whoosh

    Arrows shoot out from all four directions¡­

    ¡°Bailey!!!¡±