Chương 12: Chapter 11

Corin ended up taking two easy bounties, clearing them with ease and netting three silver. The giant bat endeavor proved far more lucrative, netting him 22 silver after expenses, putting him at a solid 25 silver total. This once more gave him a decent step toward repayment, but not nearly enough. He hoped and prayed that his next vision would yield something of real value. Otherwise, he feared he'd either be unable to pay his debt, or die trying. Neither was ideal.

Still, as he supped on his double-gristle stew, he knew he finally had both the potential and capability to pay it off. Now that he actually had a class, he was far, far stronger than he'd been before. Between Bolt, Spark, Minor Heal, and Tether, there wasn't much he couldn't at least attempt without needing anyone else's help. It was with this comforting thought that he climbed onto his quasi-bed, and soon found himself falling asleep, eager to see what the next day, and the next vision, would bring.

[< Foresight > leveled up!] [Further information will now revealed to you.] [Fire bu~ ~tfix: <0% fire resi~ to 100% patc~] [Hotf▒7 hours, 56 mi▒ ~ining] Corin shot awake. Foresight. It leveled up. He had little time to commiserate, as whatever message he'd received had an actual time limit attached to it. That meant that like the Bag of Holding change, this was important enough for the world to Turn before its normal schedule - and that meant it was big. He stared at the text, trying to decipher it.

It was clearer now, somehow, likely thanks to Foresight improving.

'Fire bu~ ~tfix': he had no idea what that meant, but "tf" appeared again in the second fragment, this time next to "Hot". Hotfix, maybe. Still meant nothing to him. Something to do with fire, probably. After that: something about fire resistance, some number climbing to 100%. Could dipping below 0% actually push fire resistance to 100%? No. That'd be absurd. Broken.

But if something really was broken, it seemed to Turn outside of schedule, like it did with the Bag of Holding - and there was less than 8 hours left on this one. Corin thought wildly, doing his best to think of if this were true, then how the hell he'd be able to exploit it. Many creatures used fire in their attacks, it was one of the most common elements. But there had to be a better way, a better exploit.

He thought about places with fire, about what valuable items or equipment or ore could be found with this exploit. Then, it hit him: Emberreach. It was practically impossible to even enter without massive fire resistance. High-level fire creatures roamed freely all around it. Only specialized, high-level adventurers with proper fire resistance gear could handle it competently. But, if he had 100% fire resistance, then he'd be completely shielded, both from environmental harm and from their fire attacks.

But I don't have a 100% resistance to claws and teeth. But that means I'll just have to avoid fighting them. But monsters don't usually respect consent in regards to mortal combat. But I can just run, no? Probably not, no. Do I have a choice, with that debt payment coming in? Probably not, no. So that's it then? I'm going to Emberreach? Probably yes, yes. Fuck.

Corin rolled up his parchment and stood up, keenly aware that it was only minutes past midnight and that he somehow needed to go under 0% fire resistance (he fortunately currently only had a miniscule amount) and get to the Emberreach and retrieve something of decent-enough value to make it all worth it, all in under 8 hours. Best get started then. Corin left the tavern in a rush, scattered torches providing small, flickering light to guide his way.

He somehow needed to get below 0% fire resistance when just about every store was closed, leaving him with a single, uncomfortable choice. The black market. It was an open secret that the Guild kept the black market on the outskirts running. A leash instead of a ban, useful for keeping the gangs and smugglers in check rather than driving them somewhere beyond the Guild's reach. They sold just about everything there, for a price. But something that gave negative fire resistance couldn't be worth much, right?

Hell, maybe they'd just give it to him for free.

"60 silver?!"

"Take it or leave it," the black-merchant said with a shrug.

"I know what it's worth."

"It's worth literally nothing, it's a cursed amulet that gives negative fire resistance!" Corin exclaimed in return, careful to keep his voice down. Two men stood by the entrance, clearly employed for the sole purpose of knee-breaking; a vocation they apparently took very seriously.

"Everything's worth something to someone," the man said with a grin.

"Maybe you want to give it to someone as a present."

"I don't think that'd make for a very good present," Corin replied flatly.

"Not if you want them to burn to death," the man said.

"Then it makes for a perfect present." Corin had little time to argue, nor haggle. After several minutes of searching, this was the only item he'd found that lowered fire resistance - and after all the looks his Bag of Holding had already drawn from the more unsavory locals, he had no desire to linger any longer than necessary.

"40 silver," Corin countered. The 'merchant' let out a laugh.

"50, final offer. If you try haggle more, I'll just raise the price." Corin thought for a moment, the internal timer in his head ticking down in dreadful succession, keenly aware that he needed enough coin left over to get a decent horse." 45?" Corin left with the cursed amulet, and 55 less silver in his now-near-empty coin pouch. He now had just a few silver left to rent a horse for the day, and for that amount, he'd definitely not get a particularly good one.

He checked his resistance: If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. [Fire resistance: 4%] Shit, my gear still provides some fire resistance. He had to test if his theory was correct at all (ideally before he dove headfirst into a volcano) but he'd hoped he wouldn't have to disrobe to do so.

That presumption proved incorrect, and he soon found himself in his underwear on the outskirts of town, glancing around nervously to make sure no one was watching before checking his fire resistance stat once more: [Fire resistance:???] Well. That's new. With that thought and a large gulp accompanying it, he approached a burning torch and slowly, gingerly put his arm towards the flame, first putting his fingers close to it. He felt the warmth of it, held his breath, then put his whole hand over it. Then, nothing.

Warmth, sure, but the actual burn wasn't there. He marveled, putting his whole arm over the fire, to no effect. It still felt warm - pretty damn hot, really - but there was no damage. Holy fuck, it actually worked. He checked his parchment once more, noting the time: [Hotf▒7 hours, 56 mi▒ ~ining] It had been around 90 minutes since that vision, meaning that he had a little over 6 hours to fulfill his goal.

Emberreach was a four-hour horse ride - on a good horse, one that he was not likely to get - meaning that he'd have some degree of time to actually take advantage of this. Best get a horse, then. Corin went to the Guild stables, approaching the single, sleeping guard outside of it. He gently nudged him awake.

"Sorry, but I need a horse for the day," Corin said, as the guard blinked blearily.

"Gods, are you skipping town?" the guard eventually said.

"What time is it?"

"The present. No time quite like it," Corin replied, taking out his coin pouch and emptying it onto his hand.

"What can... three silver, fifty seven copper get me for the day?" The guard briefly stared at the pittance, then let out a laugh.

"Not much, my friend." Corin had declined the donkey, and was instead granted a horse that looked like it had fought in both Succession Wars and lost each of them. He wasn't sure if walking would have been quicker, but he mounted it all the same, and it began a slow trudge in the direction of his map. She was apparently named 'Lightning', which would have only made sense if she was previously, grievously struck by it.

He urged it forward, but the horse simply let out an unimpressed neigh and continued at its pitiful pace.

"Come on Lightning, please," Corin whispered.

"I'll give you all the hay you want when we get back. Hell, I'll even let you eat my bed." Unfortunately for Corin, Lightning did not seem to understand Common tongue, and instead seemed perfectly content to trudge along at a harrowing pace. Corin noted that it had a slight limp in its front right leg, and then he had a sudden idea. He patted its shoulder.

"Ok, how about a little pick-me-up?" Corin cast Minor Heal on the horse, and she immediately bucked in surprise, nearly throwing him. He hung on all the same, and the horse took a few experimental steps forward, its limp seemingly gone. It let out another neigh, a somewhat more positive, optimistic neigh this time, and began trotting at a pace akin to a child learning to crawl.

"That'll have to do," Corin said, feeling the time tick away every second. Hours passed without incident, Corin sticking to the main roads throughout, since once you got far enough from the city, danger lurked at every unlit corner. The torches lighting the way grew sparser with every mile, leaving more and more darkness to swallow him whole. Corin knew there were scouts and patrols throughout, but that did little to assuage his fear of ambush. Monsters weren't the only thing he had to worry about.

Man's greatest predator was man, after all, as the bandits that regularly ambushed travelers seemed so eager to prove. After another harrowing 30 minutes of unbroken darkness, the sky slowly began to light up. He was both confused and dismayed. If it was already sunrise, he'd have little to no time left to take advantage of the fire resistance - but then realized it wasn't the sunrise at all.

[Location unlocked: Emberreach] Bubbling magma belched in brief motes of light, a towering volcano standing at the center of the whole catastrophic place. He caught a brief glimpse of a fire drake flying overhead, both a beautiful and terrifying sight. He didn't know how much time he had left, exactly; an unfortunate reality when faced with the prospect of bathing in fire sans-resistance, especially in his underwear. Well, no time to waste.

Corin sighed, then disrobed, placing all but his underwear and his leather shoes onto Lightning, then finding an inconspicuous tree to leash her to. He looked absolutely fucking ridiculous.

"I'll be back soon enough," Corin said, and Lightning neighed in what he assumed was an affirmative reply - though Corin, in turn, did not speak Horse. He looked around, hoping the area was safe enough, then loosened the leash a little, enough for it to come undone with sufficient pull. He didn't like the idea of Lightning being unable to run from danger, as much as the prospect of her running off with all his clothes did not please him.

Thus, he was left with his underwear, his leather boots, his Bag of Holding, and his chipped hammer - which was now seriously showing signs of wear, the poor thing. He walked toward the massive volcano, thoroughly regretting every single decision he'd made in his life up to this point. He knew there was high-level loot everywhere, fiercely guarded by high-level monsters. He just didn't know where. He glanced up at the volcano. Not a fucking chance I'm going up there.

He walked over the sharp obsidian ground, his boots doing little to blunt the discomfort, and went in search of glorious bounty. He found not-so-glorious combat instead. Altogether a poor trade. [Magma Slug - Lv. 18 {Uncommon}] HP: 140/140 Threat: Very High Corin made eye contact with the slug - or, at least, as much eye contact as you can make with a slug - and it let out a low, wet gurgle, somehow managing to sound annoyed. Thereafter, it belched a spout of liquid flame at him.

In that moment he knew he'd have to truly test whether his theory was correct, so taking the hit was necessary, though it wasn't like he could have dodged it regardless. The attack slammed into him, the force of it enough to knock him down backwards. The landing hurt - landing on uneven, sharp rock generally did - but miraculously, the fire didn't. It blazed across him, thick and burning, clinging to his skin.

Despite the heat being viscerally, undeniably real, every animal instinct in him screaming to run, the fire didn't cause a single point of damage. He was completely immune. He narrowly dodged the second belch regardless, unwilling to test if he was also immune to falling down jagged chasms, and approached the slug with hammer in hand. He slammed it into what he assumed to be its brain. A decent hit, though when he pulled the hammer back, he found his hammer to be somewhat deformed from the blow.

Shit, resistance gets iffy when dealing with other creatures, right? Corin soon realized he'd have a copper puddle instead of a copper hammer if he kept this up, and figured his time was better spent elsewhere. He fled from the slug, a few more belches coming his way but, fortunately, accompanied by no real damage. He dodged chasms and giant salamanders in search of valuable loot, and came up tragically short. He didn't know how much time he had left, and he had a feeling he'd find out the hard way once it ran out.

Still, he'd spent everything he had on this. He had to get something out of it, no matter what, as the prospect of burning to death somehow seemed preferable to whatever Lionel had planned for him. Then he spotted a glimmer in the distance: a golden, glowing chest, near the top of the volcano. It would be a rough climb, but temptation and desperation together sent him scrambling up the slope, cutting his hands on sharp rock the whole way, until he finally crested the top and got his first full look at it.

[Rare Chest] Contains {Rare} loot! Practically salivating at the sight, Corin took a few cautious steps toward it, certain something must be guarding it but seeing no signs of any resistance, subsequently considering himself very lucky indeed. A sharp flap of wings made it very clear that no, no he wasn't: [Fire Drake - Lv. 36 {Rare}] HP:???

Threat: Immense Corin looked up to see that same fire drake that had flown overhead previously, and it had the look that said, quite clearly, that's mine, and also go away, and, somehow most clearly, you look fucking ridiculous being up here in your boots and underwear. Giving Corin no time to ponder the implications of avian material possession, the fire drake instantly came down at him, unleashing a torrential blast of fire that engulfed him entirely.

He could still see its approach through the flames, and he knew that while its fire could do nothing to harm him, it was still perfectly, terrifyingly capable of harming him in untold other ways. Corin leapt backwards, the drake's talons crashing into the rock where he'd just stood - and he kept falling, backwards, downwards, down toward the bubbling lava below.