Chapter 156: Avemoth

Chapter 156: Avemoth

Astrid was flying through the air at high speed, the air would have battered against her hair if not for the Mind Barrier around her body blocking it.

Recalling what happened back in the dining hall, Astrid felt warmth bubble within her.

Leena truly was the best sister. She understood her, and knew what she had to do to make her proud.

Despite travelling at a speed she dreamed of when she was a little girl, it would still take her six whole hours to reach the centre of the Eyamos jungle. Although that was just the Great No-Eyed One’s vague estimate on her current abilities.

A sense of competitiveness arose within her. Six hours? She would beat it. Rekindled with a sudden need for victory, she surged the mana within her right eye as her speed increased further.

Bugs splattered against her Mind Barrier but she ignored the System notifications from the kills, they weren’t worthy of her attention.

The rest of the way was rather boring. Most of the monsters could no longer stand up to her psychic might, the only ones capable of putting up a fight were the kings–but they were dead.

Sighing at her greatness, she gazed at the rapidly approaching mountain. It had three peaks, two smaller ones were attached side-by-side onto the taller one. Where the smaller peaks were sharp, the one in the middle looked as if someone had sliced it with a supernatural sword strike.

It was smooth like glass.

A few more minutes and she hovered near the top of the middle mountain. Just like the picture depicted, it was hollowed out at the top. A thin layer of hardened molten rock covered the hole, hiding the volcanic tunnel from the world.

Steam arose from the layer of rock in the middle. It was definitely active, that much was certain.

Now how do I get in? Astrid tilted her head and gazed at the thin layer of rock.

She could rely on her usual method and blow it up, but tampering with an active volcano didn’t sit right with her. What if she activated it somehow and it erupted?

The psychos tribe made her aware that it wasn’t just simple minded beasts that resided within the jungle. As an explorer it would go against her conscience if she caused irreversible damage to the world and its inhabitants.

After all, not everyone, or thing here was out to kill here. There were innocents.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

So Astrid flew around the mountain looking for an opening, a cave, or anything that would allow passage without damaging the structural integrity of the mountain. But her wish wasn’t granted.

Ah screw this. Astrid flew down to the ground and sat with her legs crossed. Sending out her Psych Domain, she closed her eyes to focus on the ground underneath.

Although she couldn’t connect to the matter of what wasn't in front of her, she could still see it thanks to Psych Domain.

There was a few tunnel systems a good distance below her, but none of them were directed toward the mountain.

Astrid also discovered something strange, as soon as the tunnels reached a certain point, they curved around, and travelled in a direction away from the mountain. It was as if whatever had created the tunnels was scared away from something within.

Avemoth. Astrid grinned. I’ll find you.

Filled with renewed vigour, Astrid flew to every corner of the mountain range in an attempt to find an entrance. And finally, she found it.

Sitting above a rocky outcrop, Astrid’s mind sunk into the ground just like she had been doing for the past two hours. A large tunnel made its way straight toward the active volcano. Millions of matter specs moved at high speed within. It meant it was either lava, or water.

Now that she finally had the objective, Astrid followed it all the way until she stopped at an enormous pool of water.

Come on then. Astrid taunted them by signalling for them to attack.

Incensed by the sudden appearance of a fleshy human, the fish shot toward her at high speed.

Good-bye! Astrid’s mind swept out like an apocalyptic wave. She [Crashed] the matter all around her as the monsters completely vanished from the attack.

Astrid swept the impure water to the side with Psychokinesis and gazed at her handy work. Most of the fish were obliterated, and the few stragglers that had managed to survive, instantly fled from the scene.

Shaking her head, she was too lazy to chase after them. Besides, she could barely fit in the small holes within the wall. The thought of having to squeeze into a pitch black hole didn’t sit well with her.

After thwarting the attacking fish, Astrid continued on her way.

She was expecting the rest of the journey to be fraught with danger. Monsters lurking within every corner of the darkened caves, or ancient traps capable of skewering her body into a meat-kebab.

But that didn’t happen.

It seemed that the inhabitants of the cave refused to travel any further. It was void of life. Astrid didn’t mind. They were just an annoyance to her anyway. Squishing bugs wasn’t fun–she wanted a challenge.

Strangely as she flew through the tunnels, she saw a speck of orange light in the distance. It took only a second before she broke past the light, and entered an enormous cavern.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

In the centre of the cavern an intense heat radiated against her skin–causing her to instantly begin perspiring. But that wasn’t what surprised her, it was the... thing in the centre.

It looked like a hulking rock with etchings engraved into its surface. It rested, or floated atop a layer of molten rock. Hot steam billowed from underneath it as it reached high up into the sky where she presumed it would be the volcano’s opening.

Because of her voidbent bones, the heat already made her uncomfortable. Taking a step to the side, she cautiously walked around the edge of the cavern. She wanted to get a better look at another angle.

Was the engraved boulder Avemoth? No way, right? Astrid pondered. According to the Great No-Eyed One, Avemoth was, well, a moth. Just that it was capable of controlling the earth–and the lava along with it.

Never did he say it was just an unassuming rock.

But although on the surface it didn’t lack the scary description, Astrid could feel the raw mana radiate within its body. It was breathtaking.

She had never encountered such pure mana before. Apart from her eye, that was.

Now that she had walked to the other side, she squinted her eyes. Astrid wasn’t sure if it was because of her unusual Class, but she could somehow make out the eyes of the primal beast from within.

It was obvious the monster was curled up. Was it in a deep sleep? Astrid wondered, but that was as far as her curiosity would take her.

From the System mission, it was clear what her objective was. She had to kill it.

Willing her psychic mana from her eye, she controlled it into her palm. A purple swirling dark energy caused the air to squirm in resistance, but the ball was simply too powerful.

Astrid aimed it forward, she was about to let go of it when the monster’s body unfolded. Its magnificent wings spread out. They glowed in a fluorescent red-orange hue that reflected against her pupils.

It had such magnificent eyes. They were like molten glass pearls, freshly forged. But to Astrid, they were delicious fruit ripe for the picking.