Chapter 199. The Burning Wastes 1

The Burning Wastes was a vast landmass dominated by four massive volcanoes positioned at each cardinal direction. At its center lay rivers of magma, steaming vents, and deep gorges carved through the scorched earth. The air was thick with sulfur, ash, and smoke, making every breath a struggle. The temperature alone was enough to cook a Rank 1 adventurer within minutes, and even those at Rank 2 wouldn’t survive a full day without proper protection. The toxic atmosphere and unbearable heat would eventually claim anyone who remained exposed for too long.

It was an environment that was utterly inhospitable, yet Bastion and the girls intended to remain there for an entire century.

“Hm… it’s not as hot as I thought it would be,” Seraphina said as she walked around in her regular red mage gown.

“That’s because you’re a fire mage,” Lilia replied with a sigh.

Unlike Seraphina, who was empowered by the environment, Lilia had to wear an entirely red mage robe covered in powerful fire-resistance enchantments, along with a mask designed to filter the smoke-filled air. Ariel and Elyra wore red-and-black full-body leather armor paired with similar masks, while Bastion wore the same heavy black armor, though his had been fully enchanted for fire resistance. Their equipment and weapons were also crafted with natural fire resistance, as ordinary materials would have melted, burned away, or become dangerously hot to touch. This allowed them to thrive in the environment as long as their gear remained functional.

“I guess we should start getting familiar with the area,” Bastion said, drawing everyone’s attention. “Ely, explore the labyrinth and take note of the surrounding rooms and pathways. Out of all of us, you’re the only one who can navigate it without getting lost thanks to our connection. Also, station your shadows throughout the area to ensure we’re prepared for any ambushes.”

“Yes, Master,” Elyra replied before melting into the shadows and disappearing into the corridor behind them.

“Ariel, scout the entire area and test all of our weapons. I want to know how effective our inventory is against the creatures here. If anything proves too difficult for you to handle alone, lure them back to us and we’ll eliminate them. I’d also like a map of the area, including common spawn points and any visible resources you can identify from the air.”

“Got it!” Ariel said as she spread her white wings, which were adorned with red gemstones that extended the fire-resistance enchantments to them before taking off to explore.

“Lilia, I’d like a permanent barrier set up. You can customize the barrier’s background image however you want.”

“Oh, good. I don’t want to spend the next century staring at this hellish landscape,” Lilia said as she moved toward a relatively flat section of land near the wall of the room.

“I guess I should help her with that and set up a more comfortable residence,” Seraphina suggested. “What about you?”

“Me?” Bastion said with a smile as he released Pebbles. “I’m going on a geological survey.”

The reason the Burning Wastes were chosen over every other room Hodge suggested was because the group needed a reliable source of ammunition for long-term hunting. Their current inventory was insufficient, as most of their bullets were only Apprentice Rank or Rank 1, making them ineffective against heavily armored Rank 3 opponents.

The bullets themselves weren’t the main issue. Any sufficiently dense material of at least Rank 2 quality would work. The real challenge was finding a suitable propellant. After a century of research, Bastion and the girls had only discovered a few alternatives to fire crystals.

Apprentice Rank gunpowder was one option, but its lower output made it better suited for artillery rather than compact firearms. Electricity could also be used to create gauss rifles or railguns, something Bastion had built and tested, but it suffered from the same drawback. The required equipment was too large and impractical for Bastion’s preferred style of compact, mobile weapons.

Explosion Runes were another possibility, as they only required raw mana and a suitable container to function. However, each bullet would have to be individually crafted and infused with mana, making mass production impractical. Wind crystals were the only viable alternative capable of replicating a fire crystal’s explosive force by generating sudden bursts of high pressure.

However, since a place like the Burning Wastes existed, continuing to rely on fire crystals was simply the most practical choice. Fire crystals naturally formed near magma, making the area an ideal source of propellant, while monster drops or possibly rare Rank 2 metal ore veins could provide the materials for the bullets themselves. Everything they needed was accessible in one location, which also provided a dangerous environment suitable for their leveling.

An hour later, Lilia was the first to complete her task. She finished establishing a sterile environment capable of protecting them from the extreme heat of the Burning Wastes. It was based on the same barrier she had created in the hidden cavern within the Great Forest’s swamps, using a Rune Circle composed of the Clean, Air, and Barrier runes. However, this version had been enhanced with additional Heat, Protection, Wind, Movement, Weather, Balance, Light, and Illusion runes, all expertly inscribed onto mana conduits that allowed the system to operate automatically as long as it had a steady supply of mana.

The result was a massive barrier roughly the size of a mansion. It regulated the internal climate, maintaining a comfortable temperature while circulating fresh air. From the inside, the harsh landscape of the Burning Wastes was replaced by the illusion of a peaceful meadow beneath a clear blue sky. The four volcanoes in the distance were replaced by majestic green mountains overlooking a tranquil countryside.

It would’ve been a pleasant place to live if not for the blackened ground beneath their feet, a constant reminder that their peaceful sanctuary was surrounded by one of the most hostile environments imaginable. Worse, the barrier did nothing to stop creatures from attacking if they discovered their presence.

To prevent that, Lilia surrounded the area with a wide variety of magical traps. Some were simple Area and Freeze runes designed to slow or weaken enemies, while others created massive pits filled with water or instantly erected 10-meter walls of earth to divide and funnel entire armies. She had prepared a considerable number of traps, ensuring that any approaching threat would have to overcome multiple layers of defenses.

Finally, she added over a dozen defensive positions equipped with golems operating stationary autocannons. Even with lower-ranked ammunition, their sheer numbers allowed them to overwhelm nearby intruders while also serving as an early warning system in the event of an attack. Together, they formed an effective defensive perimeter.

“That’s that,” Lilia said as she proudly inspected her work. “The traps and golems should be enough for now until I have a better understanding of what we’re up against. The barrier should last about a week before it needs more mana injected into it. The heat here is simply too intense, causing it to drain far faster than normal. I wonder if I could use the properties of Bastion’s Corruption attribute to convert the surrounding fire mana into neutral mana and feed it directly into the barrier…”

Shaking off the heavy research topic, Lilia turned her attention to Seraphina, who had already begun working on a courtyard surrounded by five mushroom houses. These were the same species of spores Seraphina had purchased in bulk from the Kingdom of Spores, where they were known to last for centuries with proper maintenance. Each mushroom house had been specifically bred and customized for its occupant. They had thick white stalks supporting wide brown caps, creating sturdy two-story structures.

At the center was Bastion’s home, which functioned as a forge with high fire resistance and sound dampening. Beside it were Lilia’s, designed with strong magic resistance for her experiments and enchanting, and Seraphina’s, which contained dedicated workshops with plenty of space. Next to them were Ariel’s, a standard luxurious residence, and Elyra’s, which possessed both fire resistance and sanitation features so she could cook without issue.

Together, they now had a much more spacious home compared to their carriage’s cramped rooms. Though "cramped" was somewhat subjective, considering their quarters were still far superior to those found in luxury inns or even the rooms of many nobles.

As an added benefit, each mushroom house naturally purified the surrounding air. The only drawback was that they required both water and meat as fertilizer. However, that was easily provided by feeding them Elyra’s food scraps and the occasional torn limb left behind after defeating dungeon monsters.

“Oh… this is quite pleasant,” Lilia said as she stepped into the courtyard, taking in the sight of Seraphina tending to a makeshift alchemy garden blooming at the center of the mushroom homes.

“Isn’t it?” Seraphina said proudly, kneeling beside a cluster of strange, glowing plants. “I knew these spores would come in handy someday, so I’m glad I bought so many of them. The carriage is comfortable enough, but it gets a little cramped when you have years’ worth of research materials, ingredients, and experiments piled everywhere.”

“That’s because you’re a slob,” Lilia replied, glancing toward the carriage in the distance. “You could always have Elyra clean it for you, but you refuse.”

“I have proudly developed my own organization system, thank you very much,” Seraphina said with complete confidence. “It just happens to look like a mess to everyone who isn’t me.”

Lilia could only sigh as she looked around the courtyard. Despite the absurdity of Seraphina’s reasoning, she had to admit the place was impressive. The soft glow of the mushroom houses, the carefully arranged garden, and the clean air created a peaceful little sanctuary in the middle of a land that should have been completely uninhabitable.

Suddenly, a telepathic message from Ariel drew both girls’ attention.

‘I may have fucked up up a little, hehe~’

In the distance, a cloud of black dust and flaming debris began to rise, swirling around the center of the room like a black fiery tornado. It continued to grow larger as the ground started to tremble.

As the cloud expanded, the shapes within it gradually became clearer. A stampede of red and black monsters was charging in their direction, with Ariel flying ahead of the horde while bombarding them with a pair of autocannons. Closely behind her, a swarm of orange bats followed in pursuit, rapidly gaining on her position as she raced toward their newly built home.

Lilia and Seraphina could only stare at the approaching disaster in disbelief. Ariel had only been sent to scout the area and test their weapons against isolated monsters, not to start a stampede.

‘Halp!’

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