Chapter 83 - Fire Element

She slowly opened up her eyes, slightly seeing the sunlight that was touching the dried surface. Moreover, her vision was still hazy so she narrowly rubbed her eyes.

"What the-!" As soon as her vision was back in its original state, she had a shocked expression on her face. Or to be exact, the thing she was seeing on the surface piqued her attention.

Riku quickly took a glance at her as he thought Emma was enduring severe pain from that skirmished. "Hey! What happens-?" He suddenly paused, noticing the wound she received was already healed.

To begin with, he took a deep breath to help himself to recover the strength he lost from that battle. He was letting it out softly before checking what was the exact thing that happened to her.

"What's the meaning of that reaction, Emma? Are you hurt? Or something is bothering you?" He asked her politely, didn't mind the screen that occurred right before his eyes. 

Emma seemed couldn't open her mouth, she just simply pointed her index finger at the place where was the red firing crystal located.

Without making any second thought, Riku looked at the location along with a nonchalant expression. But that expression was easily faded away as his eyes were filled with yellow-orange gleaming crystal.

His legs were weakened while slowly walking closer to this thing. He was rubbing his eyes to check if his vision wasn't deceiving him. "No, it can't be? What is this thing doing in this place?"

Moreover, Emma was looked interested in this item, knowing how valuable that kind of drop. She followed Riku and was eager to pick the item. In her mind, if she succeeded to sell it, she can be wealthy in an instant.

Both of them were walking in that area. "Emma, do you know what is this?" He asked him in a deep tone, at the same time, didn't intend to hold the monster's orb for a good reason.

She nodded her head at him along with a broad smile on her face. "Of course, Riku. All the people in this world know that thing as it can immediately give a new magical element." She replied in astonishment, then moved her hand toward the monster orb but Riku stopped her.

"Hey, Emma! Don't touch it! Do you want to burn your hands?" Even he was shocked by what he heard from Emma, still, he warned her.

She was clueless about why this man acting weird. Yet, she listened to him as she was slowly stepping back. "Eh? Why, Riku? This is the monster's element core? I'm sure if someone sees this they'll take it from us without hesitation." That was her opinion.

For Riku, that monster's orb was so dangerous to pick it up by using their hands. Why? Because it can easily burn their hands or melt their bones. That was also his opinion since he didn't have enough information about this, at the same time, he was assuring that no one would hurt.

One thing he was sure, that the high monster's core was really valuable In his world, on top of that, it can upgrade your strength from being a mutant.

"Just wait for a while, Emma. Since we didn't know what the orb could do to us, I think it's way better if we make a distance." He suggested while observing the thing under him.

Moreover, the sunlight was already hitting all over his body, so it means they needed to finish their main job here and went to the next phase.

And all of sudden, Emma chuckled for some reason. "Hahaha! What are you saying, Riku? Even this thing came from that monster it does mean it's also hot." She stopped, then took the core that had the same size as the tennis ball. "Take a look at it? Nothing happens to me, try it."

She offered the monster's core to him. Of course, Riku was bothered holding it as he thought she had just tough hands to endure the pain. "Are you sure about this, huh?" Even though he was afraid a bit, still, he moved his hand and grabbed the core.

Alas, he was holding the core without having any difficulty. Aside from that, this core was giving a mild heat to his hands which made him really comfortable. "Wow... This is amazing, Emma, also the words you have said are actually true." 

The yellow-orange light beamed his eyes and couldn't help himself to wouldn't look at it for a couple of minutes.

"Riku, are you good with that?" In her grasp was the other brown pouch, showing that she wanted to store it in a safe place. Where it wouldn't take any scratches or dust. "Riku? We need to collect those yellow crystals and leave this area as soon as possible. Since we didn't know when the monsters find us and attack."

He narrowly flinched his shoulders as her words helped him to bring back his senses. "Here, Emma." He bestowed the monster's core to her before adding. "Hide it in the meantime and talk in this item once we get back in the village."

Based on his reaction, Emma could easily say Riku was also looked interested in this core. But what she could do? She was not the one who defeat the monster, on top of that, she didn't give him support because she lost her consciousness.

She just simply nodded her head at him, then stored the item inside the magical bag "Okay, Riku, no problem." After that, she took out the other bag where the other Sulfur was located.

"Come on, Riku. Let's put inside all the materials you needed." She suggested while in her mind if that man would give her some appreciation in that core since both of them doing the job in this perilous forest.

"You're right, Emma! Collect all the sulfur you could see as we would make an invention that can annihilate a certain group." He said confidently as it seemed after fighting the Magma Golem some ideas came to his mind on how he would upgrade the landmines.

Since Emma's mind was pointing at the core, she didn't notice the other plan of Riku. Instead of having a conversation with him, she decided to pick all the Sulfur she could see on the surface.

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Thirty minutes had easily passed, the sunlight hitting his body was already affecting him. His movements were started to slow down and having heavy breathing. In his opinion, if this continues this expedition would be affected. Luckily, they were already collected the right amount of Sulfur they needed.

"Riku, are you okay? We can rest for a bit if you want?" She suggested as she felt something strange about him.

Of course, Riku was refused to do what she wanted. "No, Emma, let's just pack the things and leave this place. But I think I can't use my [Fly] ability as of now because some of my strength drained after fighting that monster."

He lied. Riku could still use the [Fly] skill as he had enough mana pool. But the true reason behind this was, he was just simply avoiding the sun.

She frowned her brows, understanding his current situation. "I don't have a problem about that, Riku. We can walk down to this volcano and if we are lucky we might find the item there." She cheerfully said as she already regained her strength.

Riku quickly went to the place where the sun couldn't reach, or to be exact, he was walking under the tall trees, hoping the cold breeze touched his face so that he can recover from this.

The second material they were looking for is called "Potassium Nitrate" which mostly could be found inside the cave and rocks. Bushes, dried leaves, and suspicious sounds were the things he could notice while taking the path down to the cave.

In their minds, even they succeeded to defeat the magma golem, still, they should not lower their guards. Why? Because the monsters would surely appear when that happens, aside from that, they can't accept if one of them would die in this expedition.

"Riku, I'm sure that you're still strong when I wake up. So what's the reason why are you looked exhausted and seemed to fight different monsters in a couple of hours." Emma said what she noticed while her eyes couldn't stop from strolling around. 

Riku didn't know how he was going to explain his situation, aside he hadn't injuries to use an alibi. "I'm good, Emma, I just wanted to rest right now."

The expedition of two continues, looking at a cave or huge rocks to find the potassium nitrate. Although they could find some rocks, unlucky, it was not composed of the components they were looking for.

At this point, he came to his mind to go back to the mystical cave they have expedition not too long ago.. As he was sure that was the right place where he could find that material. "What should I do?"