Chapter 378: Quest update
Chapter 378: Quest update
The words hit him like a physical blow. Ever since he had arrived on this planet, every piece of information—from Snow’s data streams to Vladimir’s apocalyptic plans—indicated that Kraken was a dead end. It was a terminal anomaly, a corrupted, bleeding rock destined to be harvested for billions of souls to feed a dead God. The concept of life returning to this world, of the dark energy being purged to restore natural flora and fauna, was something he had never even considered possible.The low-tier creatures continued to murmur in reverent tones around the fire, but Kyle had heard more than enough.
Slipping backward into the deep shadows of the ridge, he deactivated his Shadow Walk, his mind racing with a million new questions as he navigated the dark terrain back to the basalt cavern. He stepped inside the narrow entrance, tossing the leather pouch of Lunar Mist Snails onto the stone floor with a dull thud.
He stared intently at the horned deer insignia on his hand, his crimson eyes burning with a dangerous intensity.
"You knew," Kyle said aloud to the empty, quiet cave. "You knew they were baiting those monsters to find you. What exactly are you trying to accomplish on this planet?"
The cavern remained completely silent, the deer choosing to remain buried deep within his core, leaving Kyle alone with the weight of a changing war. At that exact moment, a soft, groaning sound came from the corner of the cave. Elara’s fingers twitched against the dirt, her eyes slowly beginning to flutter open.
Kyle picked up one of the silver-shelled Lunar Mist Snails, his thumbs cleanly popping the uncorrupted creature from its luminescent casing. He placed it over a small, localized ember of his level 1 Dark Flames, burning away the residual moisture until the rich, mana-dense meat was perfectly seared. The scent that filled the basalt cave was surprisingly clean—entirely free of the foul, metallic rot that usually characterized Kraken’s flora and fauna.
He didn’t look up as a sharp, ragged gasp echoed from the far corner of the cavern.
Elara sat up abruptly, her back slamming against the smooth basalt wall. Her hand instantly flew to her throat, her eyes widening in sheer bewilderment as she felt the unnatural surge of vitality coursing through her veins. The 3-week life crystal blessing was actively pulsing inside her chest, creating an invisible, impenetrable barrier against the planet’s toxic dark energy. Yet, the moment her gaze landed on Kyle, her expression turned entirely hostile.
"Get away from me, demon," she hissed, her voice raw and laced with venom. She tried to channel a kinetic push through her fingers, but her hands merely sputtered with a few pathetic, dying grey sparks. Her mana core was completely empty, bone-dry from her last-ditch effort against the Nabuyak.
"If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have wasted my time cooking," Kyle said calmly, his tone completely flat. He picked up a wooden shard lined with three perfectly prepared snails and tossed it across the cave floor, landing right at her feet. "Eat. It’s Lunar Mist Snail. It’s completely uncorrupted. It’ll jumpstart your mana core so you aren’t completely helpless."
Elara stared at the food with intense suspicion, her stomach betraying her with a loud, aggressive rumble. She glared at Kyle for several long seconds before her survival instincts finally won. She snatched the wooden shard and forced herself to chew. The moment the mana-rich food hit her system, a soft, audible sigh escaped her lips. A faint, healthy color returned to her cheeks, the micro-bursts of kinetic energy around her lower limbs settling into a resting state.
Kyle watched her finish before he leaned forward, his crimson eyes locking onto hers with absolute focus. "Now that you’re fed, let’s return to our previous conversation. You know Yua. Where is she?"