D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad - Chapter 2148 More Poisonous Exploration

Chapter 2148: Chapter 2148 More Poisonous Exploration

— Kat —

The necklaces were easy to acquire and put on. It was also quite obvious when they were working. They were silvery things with a hint of blue to the metal. The pendant was a thick lump of silver set into a shape Lily recognised as a rune, but not one she actually knew the meaning of. It had a bit spot in the centre though, where a blue gem sat glowing brightly to indicate it was currently functioning. Not only that but now they’d entered into the poison, you could see a quite visible dome around Furen where the poison couldn’t slip past.

After about five minutes of jogging towards their destination, Kat decided to ask, “So… what exactly is this thing we’re looking for? I know you were keeping it a secret before now, but we shouldn’t be overheard anymore so it feels safe enough to ask. Plus, I promise not to turn on you, or prompt Lily to do so. Assuming that’s enough to prove we’re being honest?”

Furen nodded, “I did ask Appoline a few questions about demons so I know you cannot lie. I thank you for giving me a proper promise though it wasn’t necessary in this case. I trust that you will keep me safe if it is at all possible.”

“That’s a bit pessimistic…” offered Kat. *And perhaps a little bit offensive. I mean, even if I’m reduced to Rank 2 Lily isn’t. I don’t think there’s anything down there that can stop us completely. She might be in some danger but with Appoline helping out I doubt anything will cause her permanent damage.*

[That’s one way of looking at it… and she did ’sound’ like that’s what she meant when she said it… but she could also just be telling the truth. That we will keep her as safe as possible.]

*Just a weird way to phrase it in that case instead of just accepting the help but whatever.*

“Perhaps, but it is simply how I am,” agreed Furen. *Ok so I was right that’s what she meant!* “The item we’re looking for is an enchanted power core.”

Kat waited a few moments for the follow up but when none was forthcoming, she had to ask. “What’s an enchanted power core?”

“Ah, of course. You are not from the city… Power Cores are allegedly what were used to set up the major enchantments of the city. There was a limited number of them, all made by the Trapmaster himself during one of his designing sprees. Since then, nobody has ever been able to replicate the design. They don’t seem to wear out either so we haven’t needed to replace them…

“But we also don’t have any extras around for either testing or to run some other useful enchantments. The idea that there’s a spare somewhere? That’s huge and allegedly this facility once had one powering it. Presumably, it’s still there because we’ve never seen one stop working… and that’s what we’re looking for,” explained Furen.

“That does sound useful… what does it look like,” asked Kat.

Furen winced at the question. “Ah… yeah so that’s the one part I didn’t mention. I don’t actually know that…”

Kat frowned. “I thought the whole point was that you DID know what we were looking for? Actually wait, you haven’t lied to me yet so…”

Furen nodded, “I do know what we’re looking for. A power core. I don’t know what a power core looks like. These aren’t necessarily contradictory statements and I’m quite sure there are some obvious places to check. I think my old boss went down into those caves because he assumed the monster there was using the core as an energy source.”

“Wait so monsters eat mana?” asked Kat.

“Not all of them,” Furen countered. “But it’s not exactly an uncommon adaptation, and there are plenty of monsters that just come into being out of nothing but mana. Like slimes for example. So… depending on how well shielded the core is it will likely have at least some monsters around it, potentially powerful ones. It obviously isn’t running the lab, not properly anyway.”

Kat sighed but nodded her head. “Alright that’s all understandable. Do you have… guesses as to what it looks like? Also why don’t you know what they look like if everyone has heard of them?”

“I’m just some random mercenary Kat. You may have done some crazy things like talk to the King but for random citizens like myself? That’s not the sort of thing you can just… do. Like I’ve seen him making speeches and stuff but that’s different. Even Steel is partially a legend. Though you do see him around some more. Oh, and the fancy armoured dudes that were out and about. I’ve never seen them in person either. Titans they were called?” Furen shook her head and continued. “Never mind not important.

“My point is that… even if I haven’t seen a core in person it should be quite obvious and I already have a few ideas as to where it is based on information that alleges where the rest of the cores reside. There is also the fact that they are dense concentrations of mana, even for those with weak mana sense it should be nearly overwhelming,”

“So… can we scout it out at a distance that way? Lily’s mana sense should be decent enough if you lack it,” offered Kat.

Furen shook her head, “No, sadly. Despite the concentrations I alluded to earlier, something about the design keeps the excess mana that would normally radiate out into the surroundings contained. Likely makes things more concentrated or something. You need to be within a few metres to feel it,”

Kat sighed, “Fair enough.”

*What do you think?*

[I mean, I know it’s all true but you’re right something feels a little off with the explanation. Then again, if she’s just going this far to avoid jail or major punishments for sneaking into the quarantine but doesn’t really know the location nor what it feels like that would make sense. I mean, she’s clearly convinced herself that she has a decent chance of finding it, but are you good enough with your eyes to determine ’how true’ something is?]

*No… or at least, I don’t think so. Maybe once or twice? More as a gut feeling I think? Nothing I could consistently rely on that’s for sure.*

[Alright so… we just keep going and keep an eye on her. I don’t exactly expect her to be malicious about it… but perhaps a bit too interested in being the reason we found the core so that we can claim as much to keep her sentencing low.]

*Yeah that’s a fair point. With such… lacking information she probably could’ve just said ’there’s a core down there’ and been just as helpful. More helpful arguably considering we now have to guard her.*

The conversations, both mental and in reality had to be cut short for a moment because they were at the entrance. Lily hopped down from Kat’s shoulder and got her shadows under the fountain, readied herself for a moment before yanking it off the ground. Furen gave her a look but swiftly made her way down the staircase. Kat hopped down after her until she was certain it wouldn’t land on her horns. Lily dropped the fountain, gently of course, and mad her way back to Kat’s shoulders to continue downstairs.

The poison filled the staircase so far, which wasn’t good. As they reached the bottom it became… somewhat better. There seemed to be some sort of enchantment that was trying to keep it out of the rest of the facility and it was doing an… acceptable job? Maybe? There were clear holes in it and the poison was leaking in but it was thinning out quickly. Perhaps there was simply too much space for too little poison or perhaps there was some other enchantment working to reduce it.

Kat glanced Furen’s way. The gem in the centre of her pendant had dimmed noticeably during the walk over but now that they were away from the thickest of the poison it would… hopefully be fine. “How much charge would you say that has left?” pondered Kat.

Furen shrugged, “I don’t really know how dim the light goes. Like, should I be swapping it out just before it dims completely or will I have a minute or two after the light on the gem goes out? From what I know… I think it took us perhaps ten or fifteen minutes to get here so it should still have quite some juice left… but I believe you relayed that it was also concentration based and the poison has gotten worse…”

“Right but it was just up to a point,” explained Kat. “I’m not sure if the little bit you can sort of see on the floors and whatnot is enough to reach that. I’d expect no more than an hour from now though… hmmm…”

[I can keep an eye on the gem if you want. Ears ready for other threats, but eyes on the gem.]

*Thanks Lily.*