Kenji's POV:
"Up! Down! Up! Down! Up…" I repeated as I moved in and out of my staircase.
If you're wondering what I'm doing, I'm testing out the strange gravity thing happening around my staircase. It wasn't psychically pushed into place, and there wasn't anything gluing my soles to the ground either. I don't know why or how, but for some reason whenever I leave my staircase, gravity actually gets flipped on its head and it flips back when I return to the stairs.
"Ugh! That's kind of trippy! Still, this is kind of weird! Logistically, I mean!" I said as I started feeling sick from the constant reversal of up and down.
A long time ago, something like flipping gravity on its head would have seemed impossible, I mean, it's not like there is a convenient gravity element that would let you do that, but that was before I met the boss. Even if I don't know how to do it myself, I've taken enough lessons on enchantment magic to understand that a little gravity trick is far from impossible. What's weird about this situation is the scale of it.
There is an entire lake of lava right above me. I can't say how much since I wouldn't know how to make it myself, but I know enough to understand that enchantments of this scale would be pretty large and require a lot of maintenance on top of needing a hefty supply of energy to maintain. It's not something you'd normally see sitting over an old, abandoned labyrinth.
"Which means, there might be-? Ah, there!" I said as I spotted something.
Above, or below, or? Whatever! The thing I spotted was a golden fortress sitting in the middle of the lava lake.
Enchantments can be eroded over time or damaged from overuse and stop working. I can't say how long it's been running, but since the lava is still on the roof, I figured there might still be someone here maintaining it. And if there is someone here, then they might know the way out. Which is why I flew up, or down I guess to see if anyone was there. However, just as I was getting close.
*Splash**Sizzle*
"WHAT THE-!"
*Gulp**Splash*
Just as I was getting a little close to the surface of the red-hot waters, a coal-black, whale-sized catfish suddenly jumped out at me and swallowed me whole.
I've never imagined what it would be like to be swallowed whole before. I mean, between the equestrian mountain range and the beast wave during my ascension to nascent soul, I have definitely worried I might end up being eaten by a magical beast once or twice, but not whole and you know, still alive. Though, that last one might not be the case for much longer if I don't do something soon.
*Sizzle*
You'd think the biggest problem I'd would be the acid, which I mean, there is some, but there is a lot less of than I thought there'd be inside a stomach, but no. My biggest problem is the lack of air inside this fish.
"Can't… Breath! *Cough*"
I can probably hold out for a little bit as being a nascent soul has it's perks, but I do still need to breathe. Also, it doesn't help that it's really tight in here. I don't know whether I slid past its stomach and into its intestine or something, but shortly after being swallowed, I've been feeling the fleshy, slimy, and sizzling walls pushing up against me, squeezing the air out of my lungs.
"Damn … it! Let me out!" I muttered as I pushed against the very gross walls while covering myself in fire to try and burn my way out.
*Slap*
I don't know what I was expecting from a fish that lives in a pool of lava, but it turns out its insides are heat-resistant. Also…
*Slap*
After getting slapped in the face by the gross wall, moist with what I think might be stomach acid, I realized that I can't tear my way out with my bare hands. The slimy walls are too slippery making it hard to grab properly, and when I do manage to grab on, it's too stretchy. Even if I could, I don't think I have the arm space to rip any of it off. I really need to breathe soon.
*Sizzle*
The struggle had tired me out a bit, which made this whole not breathing thing so much worse. Hence, I tried not moving too much in order to conserve energy until I could come up with an idea.
*Sizzling*
I could probably break out of here if I used my aura form, but then I might just end up suffocating outside the fish instead. Even if I got out, I'd still be submerged in lava. Being a fire cultivator, the heat wouldn't kill me, but given how exhausting that form is, I might not have time to get to the surface before drowning. I guess I could try-!
*Sizzling*
"Ngh!"
Yep, that's acid.
*Sizzling*
Interrupting my thoughts, I felt a growing burning feeling in my left eye, followed by the rest of my body. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not knee deep in acid here, but there are still some, and while being a fire cultivator means I'm highly resistant to heat, I'm not acid proof. I really need to breathe.
*Sizzle*
*Thump**Thump*
My lungs feel like they're on fire. I don't think I've got much time left. I need to focus.
*Sizzle*
*Thump**Thump*
"Ugh!"
Damn, that really stings. Why'd I have to get acid in my eye.
*Sizzle*
*Thump**Thump*
My head is pounding and it's getting hard to think. What was I doing again?
*Thump*
*Sizzle*
*Thump*
It's getting hard to move, but I think something is glowing.
*Thump*
*Sizzle*
*Thump*
It's behind me. I'm trying to reach for it, but it's hard to move.
*Sizzle*
*Thump*
I see a light. It's … red.
*Sizzle*
…
Somewhere on the 1st floor, a group of individuals led by an old man containing a certain purple-haired individual, could be seen trying to navigate a room full of MC Escher-like stairs with some very confusing gravitational element.
However, the group seemed to have shrunk slightly since they first entered the underground. This is not because they had lost anyone along the way, mind you. The labyrinth itself is relatively safe to travers, but it is massive and confusing to say the least. Due to the prevalent bending of gravity and the occasional twisting of space here and there, even if given a map, this labyrinth makes it a directionally challenging task to navigate your way to the end. The group has spent almost a week reaching this point. They had not been expecting to spend this long down here in search of just one person and so yesterday, they sent a few to go get supplies while the rest continued on.
Though nascent souls can last quite a while on very little food and sleep, when giving chase like this, it is important to maintain a certain level of nutrition and rest to stay in good condition for when you encounter your target, especially so when you're expecting the target to fight back.
"I think I found the exit!" A man standing on the roof said.
Hearing his words, the men scattered along the various surfaces of this room began confusedly backtracking to the rooms entrance before following the directions of the man on the roof.
"Thank god that's over!"
"This better be the last room!"
"My head is still pounding from all these impossible stairs!"
The group complained.
Walking through the exit to the 1st floor, the group found themselves atop a platform above a sea of molten rock. To their right, there was a set of stone stairs, etched into the wall, leading down to another platform just shy of the magma. Ahead of the platform there were a number of stones peaking out from the red-hot water as the tides rose and sank.
"AW!" The group behind the old man moaned collectively.
"Quiet!" The elderly man said to his complaining subordinates.
"Yes, sir!" They all replied in a tired tone.
"*Sigh* You! Go back to the checkpoint! Once the others return with supplies, guide them here! We'll send someone to guide you through the rest!" The old man said, pointing at the unfortunate soldier appointed to return to the headache-inducing labyrinth.