Chapter 693: Herbivore Demon... But Still A Demon
’Seems like I just found myself a place to settle for the meantime,’ Liam thought as he kept his eyes fixed on the underwater cave entrance.
The more he stared at it from across the river, the more appealing the place became in his mind. Having a shelter like that carried far more advantages than disadvantages. A cave whose entrance rested directly beneath the river and was barely noticeable even at close range meant very few things would ever find him easily. Unless someone already knew it was there, they would most likely pass by without ever noticing it existed.
And beyond simple concealment, the cave could serve as a proper storage point for food and supplies. Wildlife would have a much harder time sniffing out anything hidden there, especially with the river masking scents and movement. Compared to sleeping in hollow trees or exposed ruins, the cave offered something Liam would be lacking for days... security.
The only irritating part was the method of getting there. He would have to swim through the river every single time, and worse, swim against the current to reach the submerged entrance. Even for someone with his stamina, repeatedly forcing himself through rushing water was going to be exhausting.
But that annoyance was insignificant compared to the real problem.
The river itself.
A river this deep and this isolated had a high chance of already belonging to something. And if a demon lurked beneath those waters, then entering the cave would mean stepping directly into its territory.
Which meant Liam only had two real options. Either he prepared himself to kill whatever lived in the river and claim the territory as its new ruler... or he figured out a way to reach the cave without provoking a fight in the first place.
Unfortunately, the second option sounded far easier in theory than in practice.
His encounter with the evolved Gravecoil back in the swamp had already left a lingering impression in his mind. Even now, the memory of that creature’s unnatural movements and terrifying presence still crawled beneath his skin. It wasn’t enough to truly shake him mentally, but it had definitely planted caution deep into his instincts.
Because of that, Liam already found himself imagining something massive lurking beneath the river despite not sensing anything unusual at all.
’Don’t know why, but I feel a strong urge to make that cave mine,’ Liam thought as he continued staring at the dark opening beneath the water.