AI: Artificial Isekai

After the food has settled, we take off to the next dungeon.

The gate is deep inside a forest nestled between two peaks. Just far enough away from any settlements to be both lower priority and stealthily dangerous in the case of an eventual break. When these types of dungeons break, the monsters don't really rush anything close by, as there isn't an obvious target. Instead, the denizens simply disperse, their basic instincts—or more aptly, programming—driving them to hunt and destroy. These mostly singular monsters are a low threat, but before my defense network, they were the silent killers preying on the unlucky people crossing their path. Not big enough of a danger to divert resources from the existential threats that are high-grade dungeons, a numbers game. Something I am intrinsically familiar with.

What the Rangers are doing will still save lives. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually. I sigh internally and go over my options again. I won't change my decision, but it is always good to double-check. Or however many times I've done it already.

I focus up on the task at hand. The gate is crossed, and we have left the forest only to appear at another. Strangely, much more disorientating for my more biologically inclined companions. I guess the sharp difference between biomes is a great way to separate 'outside' and 'inside', while the slight inconsistencies in two similar environments leaves people with a feeling of wrongness and unease. Fascinating.

Though unsettled, they are professionals—even the fresher two—and quickly adapt. The fastest to readiness is no surprise, as Erysis cracks a vicious smile, and her knuckles. The sharp sound echoing between the trees, a herald of what will soon befall the pitiful inhabitants.

Miv commands the awaiting party, "Sini, clear the area around us. Ery, this dungeon has no strategic resources. We are not concerned about the thinning method." Her smile grows as tiny wisps flake off her exposed skin.

Sini cuts the trees around us with razor-sharp crescents of water. After which, a circular wave washes them away. We are left on a little island, surrounded by mud and circled by a wall of trunks and branches. She then places her hand on the ground and freezes the wet soil, while raising our little untouched patch on a pillar of stone.

Erysis looks into the distance, her eyes devoid of any emotion, the smile does not reach them. Nexen has been slowly moving further away from her and is now firmly behind me, looking over my shoulder.

"She's really hot." He blushes and immediately amends his previous statement. "She gets really hot! Gets!"

I look slightly behind so he can see my face and give him a wink. He smacks my shoulder while the Rangers try to hide their snickers.

Erysis turns to him. "You bet I am." Nexen buries his face in my back, embarrassed for entirely different reasons. Does not take much for her to open up, huh? Noted.

As she faces forward again, the wisps turn into licks of flames. The air around her is starting to heat up, though there is a slight buffer between her body, and a gradual drop-off in our direction. She raises her hands, palms forward, close to touching at the wrists, and a ball of fire appears inside the half-sphere her fingers are forming. The fire starts swirling faster and faster, compressing into the size of a marble.

"Conflagration."

Nothing happens for a couple of seconds, until the soft light of the artificial sun is overwhelmed by a blinding white. For a single moment, the dungeon appears to blink out of existence, nothing but a blank canvas. Then, reality returns with a deafening roar. A cone of raging heat is shooting out of the little fire marble, spreading out into more conventional flames, blanketing everything in front of Erysis in a palette of orange and red.

The pillar we are standing on cracks, a perfect cylindrical section is separated near the top. Sini starts to slowly twist her hand, rotating us and Erysis in the process. The inferno bathes everything.

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When the full rotation is complete, the flames start to weaken, eventually sputtering out. Erysis relaxes her hands and starts to exhale slowly, the air around her bending from the heat. As the exhale completes, the heated air is dispersed away.

She turns to us, a happy smile has replaced the... other one. Not like it makes a difference. Her backdrop is a wall of flames, illuminating her strangely from all angles. Her eyes are locked on me.

I huff and mumble, "Fine, whatever." She places a hand next to her ear, beckoning a louder statement. I comply, "Fire mages are great against nature dungeons. Happy?" I cross my arms trying to look annoyed.

"Music to my ears."

"You really used your powers of hotness to tame—"

She covers the short distance between us and thrusts her hand forward. "Let's call this a draw." We shake, a wise decision. I have a dedicated database of Erysis-adjacent jokes. Petty? Yes.

The others look amused at our little exchange. They appear to be much more casual than during our initial meeting. Even if they have already been on a mission with Erysis and Nexen, that one proceeded in a rather reserved manner. Even Sini has relaxed a little, her tightly wound nerves slackening. What can I say? I am a regular social butterfly...

After we watch the forest fire for a bit, Miv speaks up, "We can move on. This dungeon should be good for a while. Amazing as always, Ery." She doesn't even protest this time. Sini brings the pillar down and we exit the dungeon. Once we are out, he continues, "You can rest up for the last one. That was a big spell." Erysis nods.

With that, we are off to the final target for today. As this one is quite further than the rest, it will take us around thirty minutes of running. Sini could just teleport us there, but the tradeoffs are pretty much the same. All the time we would save, Sini would need to recuperate. If she was moving only herself, that wouldn't be a problem, but teleporting another being is an entirely different matter. Unfortunate.

"That's a nice sword, Luci," Miv compliments my weapon, the—absurd by Earth standards—speed hardly affecting the steadiness of his voice.

"Thank you, Miv," I reply with a wince. He raises a brow, and I reluctantly explain my reaction. "Borrowed a lot of coin to get it. Can't put a price on safety, right..." I trail off, uncertain.

"No, you cannot." His tone is serious. It sounds almost unnatural coming from him. But the next statement is back to form, "Don't worry, you'll make it back in a flash." He smiles and the choice of phrase manifests itself. I return the smile, convinced. Satisfied with the reassurance he has given me, the conversation turns to another topic, "I heard from Ery that you came to the city from far away. Got anyone waiting for you back home?" Pemik has positioned on my other side.

"Yeah, my grandmother and my little sis. You could say I am doing this for them really."

The two brothers look at each other, a cascade of emotions in their gazes.

Pemik is the one to break the silence, "Look after them." I nod.

"How about you guys?" I ask.

Miv answers, "We only have each other." Then he laughs. "Or had. What will we ever do without Sini." He kept his voice low. She didn't hear him, and he didn't want her to. Not this time.

While we are spilling our feelings, to her credit, Erysis is much more in control. She shoots only a single questioning look at Nexen, more out of reflex than anything else.

The final dungeon is a generic plains-with-goblins beast variant. We make quick work of thinning it, even with Erysis hanging back and resting.

Having completed everything for today, we head to the nearest town. The sun is just now starting to dip below the horizon, leaving us with enough light to enjoy a beautifully lit stroll.

We soon reach the town of Cragstone. While the town itself is on relatively flat ground, there is a picturesque view of an actual crag not too far in the distance. Cragstone is generally viewed as the dedicated hub of the Atira mountains. At least inside the Union. Our route was purposefully chosen so we would end up here for the night. Not a lot of actual inns in the villages we visited, and while we could have piled into some generous person's house, nothing beats having your own bed, especially for tired adventurers.

The lone inn is a three-story building made out of dark and weathered wood. As our party enters, I expect a jovial atmosphere, a staple of fantasy inns, but instead find a quiet and homely dining area with a bar. Patrons are eating fanciful meals and sipping on luxurious wines. Where are my merry drunkards sloshing around mugs of beer? Where are the adventurers singing songs of glory and loss? Disappointing. Most of the people inside are locals, here only for the food, with the occasional traveler and merchant.

I am sure there are some inns that fit my more than fair criteria. Let's see... That looks fun... Oh, well.

While I was lamenting the great loss we have all suffered today, Miv has been securing our lodgings at the bar, with the latest question directed at me.

"Single room for you, right, Luci?" I affirm.

Miv and Pemik are going to share, Erysis and Nexen will too, leaving me and Sini in our own rooms. We can arrange ourselves however we wish. Not a lot of adventurers staying here, if any.

With payment made and keys passed out, it's time to replenish the energy lost. Can't wait to see what the local cuisine has to offer.