Chapter 36: Hidden Passage

{Returning soul: Zaine}

"Zaine... Zaine.. Zaine! Wake up Zaine!"

A familiar voice calls out to Zaine as he slowly opens his eyes.

He can see Amy and Albus sitting around him, with tears coming from their eyes.

"How... How long was I asleep for?" Asks Zaine while still lying down on the ground.

"Your heart stopped for around 2 minutes... And it has only been 5 minutes since we defeated the boss..." Explained Amy while tears dripped out.

"I... I tried healing you... However, your heart stopped completely... We almost gave up, but out of nowhere, it started beating again."

Zaine put up a very complex expression. He knew that consuming the Echidna Tears in HHL before would force the player to re-login, but he didn't expect it to be like this.

Zaine told Amy and Albus that he consumed the Echidna Tears. However, he didn't tell them about the voices he heard while unconscious and the whole disposal of soul ordeal he experienced.

Instead, he told Amy and Albus that it was only a side effect, with it being completely safe.

Little by little, the tears stopped coming out, and they both calmed down.

'It has been three days since I consumed the Echidna Tears, which means it was already nighttime.' Zaine mumbles.

With Amy and Albus's stamina running low, Zaine thought of spending the night at the tower.

They agree and decide to stay in the boss's room to set up the base.

Zaine summons some Ents to prepare the shelter for the night while Zaine creates a fireplace to keep them warm.

It's a simple wooden wall with a sturdy outer layer to keep them safe for the night.

'I'm sure there are no monsters besides the boss we killed, right?' Zaine mumbles while he starts the fire.

The warmth of the fire, combined with their fatigue building up, makes Amy and Albus sleep quickly.

Zaine, on the other hand, gazes at the ceiling while thinking about what he had witnessed.

'I must have made them worried... I should have told them before.' Zaine thought deeply and regretted his action.

He got up and saw Amy and Albus fast asleep. He opens his bag, looking at the various items that he has acquired.

Items:

[Hydra's Scales (Rare)]

[Typhon Scale (Mythical)]

[Resurrection Charm (Mythical)]

[Serpent Egg (Legendary)]

[Resistance Potion x6 (Super Rare)]

'Hmm? When did I receive a Serpent Egg?'

'Oh, maybe it's from when I was about to go unconscious." Zaine thinks in silence, careful not to wake up the Girls.

'The Typhon Scale, I don't think I have ever gotten this.

'What is it used for? Is there any way I can check?' Zaine tried looking at the scale.

It's about the size of his palm. The purple exterior and the weight indicate that it came from a unique and ginormous being.

He looks at the scale carefully, examining its exterior, and tries remembering if he ever saw the item on HHL and comes up empty.

'Maybe if I ask the guild leader, he would have a clue.' Zaine shrugged it off and placed it back inside his bag.

'The Hydra scale would come in handy. I should get it to a blacksmith and create an armor for Albus.'

After examining the items, Zaine lay back down on the ground, his eyes looking at the stars above.

'How are there stars here?' He mumbles while drifting to sleep.

In the blink of an eye, a new day starts.

"Zaine, wake up, it's morning- actually, what time is it? I think we have slept long enough." Amy's voice can be heard waking Zaine up.

Zaine slowly opens his eyes, and a bright sky shines through the nonexistent roof of their temporary shelter, forcing him to wake up.

"Grumbles..." A noise can be heard coming from somewhere.

Zaine looks over. It seems like it's coming from Amy's direction. Her face gets slightly red as their eyes meet.

"Hahaha... I guess I am kinda hungry." Whispered Amy while trying to look the other way.

She rummages her magic bag, hoping to find some ingredients that can be used for cooking.

"Come on, there must be something here. Ah, here's something."

Thankfully, she found several canned foods she has always brought in case of emergencies.

They ate up the food and then continued on their journey. They discussed their adventure for today, whether to continue exploring the tower or return to Avalon.

Zaine personally wanted to progress further. He felt like they were this close to finding something.

And just like they always do, Amy and Albus trust Zaine's judgment and follow him wherever he goes.

Finally, they continue on their climb toward the tower top.

Opening the world map, Zaine can see the shortest path toward the next floor. He continues like usual until something catches his eye.

The corner of the map revealed a pathway blocked by the walls. Zaine asks everyone to stop and commands the Ent to come closer to a part of the wall.

Amy and Albus wonder what Zaine is doing...

"Wait, Amy, can you look at this?"

Through a shared vision that Zaine acquired along his journey, he can share the map with Amy.

"Hmm, that wasn't supposed to be there, right?" Ask Amy while she points at the gap on the map, revealing that there is indeed a hidden path.

Zaine suspicion was correct. He tapped the wall, but nothing felt out of the ordinary.

Zaine tells Albus about the wall, and she turns her arms into her dragon form and starts breaking it.

The thick walls were destroyed in mere seconds, revealing a secret room at the end of it.