Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2108: Buried in lava

A pool of molten lava was the only thing capable of radiating such a glow, and that was precisely where Lupus was gesturing.

I peered downward once more to confirm the location before shifting my gaze back to Lupus.

Her expression remained completely unchanged, even as I stared at her, seeking some sign of doubt.

It appeared she held absolute certainty that this spot concealed the pillar.

Given her conviction, there was really only one course of action left for me to take.

"Ifrit, are you able to shift this?"

I wasn't entirely convinced Ifrit could manage the task, yet there were no other options; I possessed no means to manipulate this lava if Ifrit couldn't find a way to clear it.

Upon manifesting, Ifrit remained silent, drifting toward the lava pool for a closer inspection.

After returning to my side, Ifrit stated, "It is possible."

I exhaled a breath of relief, though I could sense a nuance Ifrit had left unsaid. It seemed the task would be quite arduous for Ifrit to accomplish entirely on its own.

"Accept my power."

Ifrit appeared startled by the offer, yet offered a nod, its presence radiating far more confidence immediately afterward.

Our contract necessitated that I supply power whenever it required the use of more potent abilities. Clearly, this was no ordinary lava if it demanded additional power to overcome.

Then again, this environment was originally forged by divine energy.

It was hardly surprising, therefore, that Ifrit required a boost to handle such residue.

With access to my strength, Ifrit plunged directly into the magma, causing the surface to split. A distinct line appeared upon the lava, forcing the molten substance to retreat from the center point.

Although a channel soon formed, nothing was immediately visible beneath the surface.

This was the heart of a volcano, after all, and the lava was not easily displaced. It seemed the pool was of significant depth, suggesting it would take time to reach the floor.

Ifrit persisted, pushing aside increasing amounts of the molten rock.

Eventually, an object emerged from the depths.

Upon seeing it, we couldn't help but exchange confused glances, as we had no inkling as to what the object was. It was a massive boulder, yet it had not been adrift; it had clearly been anchored deep within the flow all this time.

After studying it for a moment, I leaped down toward the rock formation.

As I descended, I drew the Staff of Earth and angled it toward the boulder. The moment the tip pierced the stone, fissures spiderwebbed across the surface before it shattered into fragments.

The cracks had permeated the entire structure, causing the rock to crumble into nothingness.

With the obstruction destroyed, the item hiding inside was revealed.

It was the final pillar we had been seeking.

Landing beside the pillar, I couldn't suppress a look of apprehension.

The reason for the pillar's inactivity had become painfully clear.

Having been submerged within the lava for ages, its presence had cooled the surrounding fluid, encasing itself in the thick stone shell we had just broken.

Whether the pillar suffered permanent damage remained an open question.

We only knew for certain that the rock had effectively severed its connection to the other pillars.

Approaching the structure, I examined it closely before sighing in relief. "It is still functional."

My companions cast skeptical looks my way, but I knew it worked; I could still perceive the pulses of divine energy emanating from within. This was an artifact of the gods, after all, and not so easily destroyed.

In truth, I should have anticipated this, given that Lupus led us straight here.

If she had been tracking anything, it was the divine energy locked within this pillar. The fact that the energy persisted meant the device remained operational.

Setting those concerns aside, I reached out to channel my own divine energy into the pillar.

As the energy flowed inside, the artifact reacted with a familiarity that we all recognized. The resulting force was so violent that Ifrit no longer needed to manually displace the lava.

The mere pressure released by the pillar was sufficient to hold the magma at bay.

"When the gods placed this array, it appears they gave little thought to the terrain," I mused to myself.

It had not been an issue until now, but the lava pools were certainly complicating matters.

Regardless, the issue was easily resolved, suggesting there were no further threats lurking below.

In that case, the process mirrored our previous experiences.

Once the array energized, a path leading deep into the earth opened up just as it had before.

Without further hesitation, we walked inside, only to quickly realize that this place was far from simple.