Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2107: Volcano zone

"Boom!"

Undeniably, this region was hazardous, serving as an active volcanic zone.

In reality, it proved even more treacherous than the volcano harboring Ifrit’s dungeon.

While that had been a solitary peak, we were now navigating an entire volcanic range.

Countless volcanoes stretched out before us, each one vomiting torrents of lava.

There was no question that this environment was perilous, yet here our party stood.

We had arrived because this region was categorized as a taboo zone, serving as the home to one of the elemental tribes.

Consequently, we lacked the luxury of choice; we had to reach them to provide assistance.

Had I not possessed Ifrit, traversing this land would have been nearly impossible given the sheer volume of lava erupting all around us.

However, Ifrit successfully diverted the majority of the molten rock, carving a path toward the volcanic stone pillars that jutted from the earth.

These structures were clearly the components forming the perimeter of the array designed to seal the elementals.

Such distinct pillars were difficult to overlook.

Upon locating the first one, I acted immediately, channeling my divine energy into the surface.

Yet, on this occasion, there was no responsive glow.

It wasn't that I failed to sense my divine energy entering the pillar; the issue was that this energy refused to propagate.

Upon closer inspection, it felt as though something was fundamentally wrong, as the structure seemed weaker than it should have been. It appeared as if an external force was siphoning the divine energy directly out of the array.

The sensation was unsettling, but it confirmed that the array was compromised.

The difficulty lay in our complete lack of knowledge regarding how to repair such a mechanism.

Since these arrays were imbued with divine energy by the gods, only a deity should have the capability to rectify them.

At the same time...

"If the array has failed, does that indicate something has happened to the elementals?"

This haunting thought immediately surfaced in everyone’s minds.

Their logic held merit; after all, the primary purpose of the array was to maintain the seal and ensure the safety of the elementals. A failing array was, by definition, a catastrophic omen.

It was highly probable that the residents of this zone had met an unfortunate fate.

"It is likely an issue with the array itself. We shall investigate the nodes to see if we can identify the cause."

Despite my words, my internal confidence remained low.

Beyond the uncertainty of what resided beneath the surface, I doubted our ability to even locate the nodes of such a massive construction.

Standardizing against the previous arrays, this one was undoubtedly gargantuan in scale.

Without a trail of divine energy to lead us, pinpointing the specific nodal anchors would be a Herculean task. It felt like scouring an endless haystack for a needle, given the expanse of the land and the modest size of each pillar.

As we debated our next move, Lupus suddenly stepped forward and stated, "Proceed in that direction."

We cast our gaze toward where she gestured with her snout, but the landscape appeared entirely barren.

However, the expression upon Lupus’ face was resolute as she pointed. For her to display such conviction, she must have had profound justification.

Consequently, I chose to follow her lead.

"She acts as a god’s messenger, so she must understand what she is doing. Remember, it was the gods who dispatched us to this place."

Although a few skeptical expressions lingered on the faces of the others, they eventually conceded, and we followed in Lupus' tracks.

After traveling for some time, we reached another pillar.

This one mirrored the appearance of the previous ones we had encountered.

It did not appear that this specific pillar was the point of failure.

Seeing this, Lupus did not pause, pressing onward toward the next marker.

With Lupus leading the way, we quickly arrived at the next site.

Yet, there was nothing irregular about this one either.

The same held true for the next, and then the next one after that.

It did not seem like a single part of the array was broken; rather, the entire region felt fundamentally corrupted, as if an invisible force was suppressing the environment and preventing the array from functioning.

The more we searched, the more it seemed the true problem lay with the elementals themselves.

It was a binary choice: either the array was defective, or a calamity had befallen the elementals, rendering the array useless.

Nevertheless, we refused to yield until we inspected the final pillar.

We knew from experience that this array consisted of six pillars in total. Having already vetted five, it was only logical to examine the last one.

As Lupus directed us toward the sixth point, I couldn't refrain from asking, "Are you certain it is here?"

She remained silent, continuing her ascent.

When we finally arrived, I felt compelled to ask once more, "Are you absolutely sure it is here?"

This time, Lupus met my eyes with an intensely serious gaze and offered a singular nod.

I could only stand in silence, staring at the glowing lake that shimmered before me.