Supernatural Beings: Strive Survivors Vol. 2 (Steady Update)

Strive 176: Walking Through The Tunnels

Kibishi's POV

Warrppp!!!

We were all inside the lower tunnel thanks to the teleporter. With the new mini upgrades of our super codes, we can tank more hits than usual, although the clothes can still get dirty.

With all gear up and ready to face the challenges,  we all hop off the teleporter and set out!

Leap! Leap! Leap! Leap! Leap!

We all landed on the ground and stood up. Yosei dusts herself and looks around the tunnel. As you expected, it is as dark and gloomy as the first layer.

"It seems like the patterns are the same regarding the tunnels, huh?" Yosei says with a bright smile.

"And it's as deadly as the first layer tunnels, too," Tao commented while playing with a device that seems to be a tracker.

"What are you up to, Tao?" Kuma asks curiously.

"I WAS trying to put in the code to track any sign of organic life form, but it kept showing an error. Our tech isn't that advanced, so I must downgrade the coding to make it comprehend its process. Which leads to more error, more fixing, etc." Tao explains. Tao frows her brows and then looks bored. "Haah, error again. Perhaps the coding was too much." Tao placed her left hand under her chin. "Maybe I can rearrange the software and install a fresh patch so that it can consume the code. Oh! Hmm..." Tao went from smiling to frustrated.

Beep! Beep!

"Figures, error again. What if I dumb it down some more?" Tao narrows her eyes and types away once more.

Beep! Beep!

"Error. Hmm..." Tao shook her head and put the device away. "It's not reading, so we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way," Tao says calmly.

"You mean run around and kill creatures like crazy?!" Kuma says excitedly.

"No,"  Tao flat-out rejected that suggestion with a cold expression.

"Ouch! I can feel that from here!" Kuma says with a cold sweat while looking nervous.

"By the old-fashioned way, I meant to look for the right route to the upper tunnel for the second layer. Now, how we do it is the problem." Tao explains.

"There's my heart. We can try that." I suggested.

"No, we won't need that," Tao says as she quickly rejects my offer. Tao looks at Jir. "Jir, I want you to detect any life form as we move forward. That way, we can at least be prepared for battle."

"Huh?" Jir raises her brows.

"As we battle the Cetus, this thing comes to mind. I have been thinking about it for a long time because I worry about Kishi's health. The creatures are life forms that have the energy to detect. Though faintly, that'll be enough to track them at least down. At least, that's what I think. For example, the Cetus tracks us down by using magic to enhance Jir's sight for its gain." Tao explains with a calm expression."

"Ah, that's smart, Taoreta." Yosei places her hands on her hips. "Though, you also made an error in that statement there."

"And what error would that be?" Tao asks while looking at Yosei with a surprised look.

"What that Cetus did is beyond my capability as of right now." Jir started to explain.

"Huh?" Tao looks shocked at Jir's answer. "I don't understand. You guys are magic users, right? So looking for life forms SHOULDN'T be that hard once you put your mind to it."

"Ah, that's because magic is a complex thing, Taoreta. One doesn't just turn the switch on and call it a day. It takes years of training and increases of knowledge of that magic." Yosei smiles confidently and raises her index finger. "You see, even I would have difficulty to track down a single life force. The best I can do is within the range of this area to the max. The only way to gain that is through a life-and-death experience.  The more tragic it is, the more influential the detection is. I nearly died when I was younger, followed by that traumatic experience two years back with the devil's body parts attacking the middle city. Because of that, if I want to, I can try to detect the tunnels for some life force, but it'll cause so much pain that I won't be able to move for a while. The brain will be so fried that the chance of you being a vegetable will increase by a certain percentage."

Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!

We all began walking as Yosei gave her explanation.

"It's one of the reasons why Jir never tried to overdo her magic and chose a style that compliments her way of fighting. Her spears are made so that she can enhance them and draw a magical current towards the weapon and cast it. The more she uses the magic, the more powerful it becomes. Not even I, the girl who can increase her body and mind with magic, can ever come close in close range comeback.  Thanks to Jir's trauma and her will to protect her friends, she set a condition which ties to her life force."

"Life force?" I ask with a worried expression.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I, too, do the same, but I always break my condition whenever my life is about to end. I don't want to die, you know. But Jir is a monster whenever it comes to her terms and will to want something. Sometimes. When she's not crying her eyes out for mercy, hehe!"  Yosei gave a sneaky chuckle, which made Jir narrow her eyes in anger.

"Even with that being said, wouldn't it be better if you two try to make a way to detect them? Surely, it wouldn't be hard if you increased your magic, yes? Unless I'm mistaken." Tao commented. 

"..." Yosei became silent. She then turns serious. "...That's hell. I don't want to practice that type of magic uses. " Yosei says with a deep voice, sounding disgusted by Tao's idea.

"Why not?" Kuma asks curiously.

"That's like asking Kibi to rip his heart out to find a dead and put it in there. You got to be careful and not use that ability so much. One will turn crazy after doing it." Jir explains.

"I mean, it's not like it'll be all the time, right?" I said.

"No," Yosei's eyes turn dull. "Once is enough to drive one crazy.  You'll have to die and come back to life to handle that type of stuff, and that concept is wild and not realistic.  No one can be raised from the dead. Therefore, that mastery of magic is crazy in itself. I heard some can achieve it, but that's from long ago. I don't believe in it, but it is fun to be inside that. Anyway, with that being said, only those who face death can sense life forces from afar. But it'll be too painful to try out one hundred percent. Just thinking about it is giving me a headache."

Yosei shakes her head and gives a warm smile at Tao. "At any rate, with that being said, if it comes down to it, then we'll try it out, Taoreta."

"I see. Sorry for asking..." Tao apologizes with a frown.

"Nah, it's no big deal. Magic has always been a touchy yet awesome subject, no matter where you go. Along with being complex, of course." Jir says with a bright smile.

"..." I stare at the ground.

Death leads to more power, huh?

....Funny, to me, that makes so much sense. I don't know why, but it makes so much sense.

Huh.

I wonder why I understand this more than anyone around here. Judging by their hearts, it seems like they're finding it a bit hard to believe but will accept the answer that Yosei gives them.

"At any rate, we should find some tunnels soon enough, so there's no need to use that now," Yosei said.

"Right. Sorry for bringing that up." Tao apologizes. 

"No, there's nothing wrong with that. If anything, it'll give us an option before relying on Kibishi's heart. Anyway, let's keep moving!" Yosei said.

Step! Step! Step!

To Be Continued...