Chapter 215: Failure and Success (1/2)

Now then, let’s begin.

The snow country’s hot spring plan -no wait, the big step to revitalize Kaleneon.

Just in case, I went around the hot springs of Lorel and learned about the special traits of the places where hot springs might come out of.

If I search for similar places in Kaleneon and dig a hole there, hot springs should come out.

An unexpected guest is also cooperating, so it is just a matter of time before it succeeds.

“Fuhahaha, it is truly cold! It tenses the body, right Waka-sama?”

He is laughing it off, so I don’t know how cold he actually feels.

Special guest number 1, Neptune Serwhale-san was lively, even within the blizzard.

It seems like he has had experience in the north sea, so this cold should be nothing for him.

Is what I thought but…

“Impossible. This cold is simply impossible. I can’t move anymore; I can’t feel anything. I am dying~uuh~.”

In contrast to Serwhale-san that is practically naked, there’s one girl that is wrapped up in layers of clothing and yet, is sitting down and trembling heavily.

This one here supposedly lived in quite the northern parts of this place though.

“Levi, you are exaggerating. In the first place, you guys live in the sea in winter, so the cold in the land shouldn’t be such a big deal, right?” (Makoto)

If normal people were to jump into the sea in winter, their bodies wouldn’t be able to stand it.

And she is living in a place like that, so her feeling cold in land looked strange to me.

“Waka-sama, excuse me for interjecting, but this place is quite cold. On top of that, the wind here is also strong. I think it would be harsh for most of the sea races.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san does a follow-up for Levi.

Is that true?

I look at Levi once again, and as if denying my words completely, she nods her head up and down.

Eh?

“Is that so? I thought that if the sea race lives in the north, they would be fine with the cold. And when I said there would be somewhat strong mamonos, Levi-san, you were the one who said that you wanted to come.” (Makoto)

When the talk about hot springs came out, I went to do a preview in Lorel, and after that, I returned to Asora where I coincidentally met up with the Neptunes and the other sea races who had come to the town, and from there, it ended up with the talk about hot springs.

At that time, Serwhale-san said that there’s a place where the temperature is increased because of things like the eruptions of submarine volcanoes, and so, they ended up accompanying me to Kaleneon.

He said that within the Neptunes, there’s people that ‘bath’ in the warmed waters.

Bathing when already inside water, I don’t understand that sensation.

It seemed like the battle-junky Scylla, Levi, was interested in the mamonos at the blizzard regions, so she came with us, but…Levi, who was the most vigorous one when we were leaving from Asora, was now the most weakened one. The reason being that it is cold.

“This is impossible~. Fighting in a place like this is suicidal. I want to go back. I seriously want to go home, Waka-sama~.” (Levi)

She is a goner.

I return Levi, who was trembling inside her blanket, to Asora.

Hm, I have found an unexpected weak point.

“If I was lacking a bit more training, I might have turned out that way too. If there’s a fight in the northern lands, it might become fatal. I have earned a nice experience.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san doesn’t seem like he wants to return.

Actually, he looks fine.

“Then, let’s go.” (Makoto)

Resuming our search for hotsprings, I speak out.

But Serwhale-san looks at me and nods as if in admiration.

“…Ehm, is there something wrong?” (Makoto)

“No, I was just impressed. As expected of our master, is what I thought. Even in cold of this level, you are able to move like normal.” (Serwhale)

“Serwhale-san as well, you are totally different from Levi.” (Makoto)

“Me? By nature, we people that live in the sea have the ability to adjust our temperature. But Waka-sama is different. Even though you should be unable to live underwater, you can act in water like normal, and in land, no matter if it is hot or cold, you are able to advance without caring about it. On top of that, if the opponent is in the sky, you are able to reach all the way up there. You are already unrivaled; able to accommodate to any terrain.” (Serwhale)

Land, sea, and air; I have already reached S class when dealing with those.

No wait, that’s not it.

When talking about terrain adaptability, I feel like I am being treated as a hyuman-shaped weapon.

“I am forcing myself by using magic after all.” (Makoto)

“If it’s Waka-sama, you would most likely be able to move freely in the starry sky sea as well. For us Neptunes, there’s a legend that says that when you continue to train yourself, you will become a hero that can even adapt to the starry sky sea.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san retorted to me with a joking tone mixed in it.

Serwhale-san, what a scary person.

“Ahaha, but I was also surprised. To think that a race of the sea would be weak against cold.” (Makoto)

While climbing a mountain in Kaleneon which I have gone to for a decent amount of times, we do idle talk.

It is not a mountain of incredible height, but it is a volcano.

It resembles the underground space I saw in the Lorel hot springs with the magma and the arrangement of the water vein, so I think I can expect quite a bit from it.

“Fumu…It is not only in cold. The races that live in water are weak to the changes in temperature by foundation.” (Serwhale)

“Is that so?” (Makoto)

“Even if we talk about the sea of winter, it is more normal that the water temperature is higher than that of the outside. Just like how people like to play in the sea and rivers at summer, the water is colder than the outside. The temperature change of the water is more stable, and the difference in high and lows is not that big.” (Serwhale)

“…That’s true.” (Makoto)

Putting an example, Serwhale-san makes it easier to understand.

I feel like instead of going into a detailed explanation, he is putting it all together in a way that it can be understood as a whole.

“It is the same with the frozen river you saw just now. Below it, there’s water flowing. The surface is the part of the water that has touched the air and froze, but in the bottom part, the fish and living beings are still continuing with their lifestyle. Of course, it is warmer than the place we are walking in right now.” (Serwhale)

“No matter if you live in the seas of the north, it doesn’t mean that you have adapted to the cold of the north’s land huh. You are saying that the temperature inside the water is easier to live in?” (Makoto)

“Yes. There’s a thick cover of ice on the river; the mountains will be dyed in pure white, and the blizzard will not stop. In that kind of place, it is not an environment that people living underwater would be able to endure. And in reality, the sea races that are participating in the Asora ranking are all suffering by the fire and ice magic.” (Serwhale)

Inside the water huh.

I have learned something new.

“Thanks for the lesson. I was thinking lightly of it, thinking that you guys would be fine since you live inside the water. Ah, it should be around here. Serwhale-san, how is it?” (Makoto)

“Being able to advance without getting lost within this field of vision, as expected of Waka-sama. Please wait for a bit. Hm, it is certainly true that I feel the slight presence of a bath from below here.” (Serwhale)

It is a bit sad that for Neptunes, hot springs equal baths, but I was a bit happy knowing that there’s a race that knows of its existence.

It seems like the other sea races found it dangerous to get close to it, so there’s a lot of races that don’t know of submarine volcanoes and hot springs.

The races living at the shore were also in a similar situation.

The eldwas may have known of it, but it seems like they didn’t think of taking a bath in it.

Anyways, I have received the confirmation of Serwhale-san.

Now there’s only the digging left.

“Now then, let’s try digging. Ah, a guest.” (Makoto)

“Good grief. If Levi had endured for a bit more…no, looking at that state of hers, I don’t think she would have been able to move at all.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san makes a bitter smile.

And then, he slowly takes his stance.

He points forward his trident that surpasses his height.

The numbers are three.

The hot spring challenge is waiting for me, so I don’t mind dealing with them myself.

But even if I say that, they are not enemies I have to bring out Azusa to deal with.

It seems like they are just simple mamonos living in this mountain.

It should be fine with Brid.

“Waka-sama, please leave it to me.” (Serwhale)

Maybe Serwhale-san noticed my movements, he told me not to act.

Well, this person doesn’t seem like he would lose, so I can tell that it would be fine.

When I cancel my Brid, he thanked me.

Can’t be helped. Let’s just do the preparations for digging.

I am simply taking out the tools of the Elder Dwarfs though.

“If you are going to camouflage, do it in a harder to perceive way!” (Serwhale)

The white beast that was poking out its head from the snow and camouflaged in it, was turned to shreds.

Instead of camouflage, it felt like its body had melded with the snow, but…well, for him, something like this is a small deal.

Blue blood and pieces of meat are scattered around.

A headbutt huh.

Even though he has no horn on his head, that headbutt had impressive power.

There’s nothing left of that mamono’s original form.

Next, Serwhale-san thrusts his spear to the right.

He said that the field of vision was bad, and yet, he has a perfect grasp of his opponent’s location.

The spear of Serwhale-san moved as if it was gravitating towards the bird-like mamono that had made a nosedive from the sky.

Being skewered from head to torso, the bird of notable size explodes from the inside and this one also didn’t maintain its original form.

Truly simple and strong.

There’s one who ignored him and plunged at me.

It is fast.

This way of moving, a snake?

“How pretentious!” (Serwhale)

But the movements of the snake stopped.

Ah, the place that seems to be its tail has been pierced by the spear.

And then, I think I heard something resembling a tremor, and…

At the side of the snake, there’s a whale.

“Hah!!”

His fist pulverizes the head of the wriggling snake.

Serwhale-san, even if you left your spear behind, it would have still been fine.

“Splendid job.” (Makoto)

“No, as expected, when it comes to land and on top of that being cold, my movements and senses get duller. I will try even harder in my training.” (Serwhale)

That’s considered duller?

It was a total smashing though.

The mamonos around this area are supposed to be relatively strong, but it seems they were no enemies in the face of a Neptune.

“I see. Then I will be digging so I am counting on you to keep and eye o–ooout?!” (Makoto)

A spiralling spear.

Well, only the pointed part of the spear is a drill though.

I used the spear that was given to me, set it properly right down, and the instant I pour magic power into it…it suddenly began spinning!

No well, I can understand that it spins, since I could tell that from its shape, but I thought it would only be the drill part that would be spinning!

Even the handle part was spinning, moreover, it is spinning with such speed that even I am spinning!!

“Waka-sama?!” (Serwhale)

“I am fiiineee~~~ probably!” (Makoto)

I just have to let go of it.

I could understand that in my head, I could understand, but because of the centrifugal force, it felt like I was being pulled from the outside, and my body reflexively gripped the handle harder.

I can’t explain the reason for my reflexive movement.

For some reason, I was still holding it.

Also, as long as the drill part is not the only part that is spinning, I thought for a second that if we left it to brute force when trying to stop it, it might break.

“U-Uwaa!”

The drill that has wedged into the ground was scattering earth in a grand manner while increasing its speed and going deeper underground.

The voice of Serwhale-san is already far and I can’t hear it.

I use the Magic Armor to block the earth and stones that were spouting forth as the spinning continues to increase in speed and digs underground at lightning speed.

Aside from my eyes spinning around, there’s no real problem, but as expected, I can’t just advance underground until the end of times.

I steel myself and release my hands from the handle.

The spear that was spinning for a while more, had stopped moving by the time I recovered my balance. It settled down, stuck into the ground.

It was an incredible attraction.

For now, I try checking upwards.

“I have dug pretty far~. If it doesn’t work after digging so much, this place is a failure huh.” (Makoto)

It had surpassed the planned profundity by a lot.

But when I confirmed with Sakai, I was supposed to have plunged onto the hot spring before reaching this depth though.

“Could it be, I missed the mark? It is possible. I didn’t know what was happening in the middle of that, so it is possible that the trajectory shifted at some point in time.” (Makoto)

Within the damp and humid atmosphere, I imagine a lot of scenarios.

Of course, I was also determined in having them remodel this spear so it only spins at the tip.

“For now let’s get out of here. If I make some footholds, I should be able to jump out… Wait, humid atmosphere? Damp?” (Makoto)

Ah.

As I was looking up, I suddenly realized.

That this place is actually the correct one, but me being here is pretty bad.

As if confirming me this, the place where I was looking up at, the left side of the earth wall swelled up in an unnatural manner.

Right after, it crumbled.

A massive amount of water -no, boiling water, ended up falling right down at me.

“That was dangerous. It looks like it has quite the high temperature. Seems like it would be hard to enter this water in its current state. Seriously, it is great that I have this Magic Armor.” (Makoto)

The seething boiling water began to fill up the place.

I let my body be pushed by the boiling water, and I float along with it.