CHAPTER 10 : LAVA AND BREAD
"Hmm… nice and comfy," Ashwa murmured with satisfaction as he slipped the blood-soaked cloak over his bare skin. He wiped his bloodied fist across the fabric, leaving behind dark, sticky smears.
Musgul’s corpse lay motionless on the cold ground, his skull caved in, the deep indentation on his face a brutal testament to the violence inflicted. The sharp, coppery scent of blood emanated from the gaping wound, seeping into the prison air and spreading a palpable sense of dread.
The inmates, who had been jeering at Ashwa moments earlier, fell abruptly silent. Their mocking laughter dwindled into a stunned hush as they gaped, wide-eyed, at the grisly scene before them.
Ashwa paid them no mind, his focus solely on finding the next stairway. He moved through the prison with a determined stride, ignoring the hushed murmurs and fearful glances. After a considerable search, he finally came upon it—the stairway, but it was guarded by a churning pool of boiling lava.
The molten surface seethed and bubbled, casting an eerie orange glow and sending plumes of acrid smoke into the air. The intense heat radiated outward, distorting the air above it and creating a shimmering haze.
The lava consumed him, his flesh boiling away in an instant, only to regenerate as quickly as it was destroyed. Agonized screams tore from his throat, but he kept moving, each stroke through the burning liquid a battle against the searing pain that threatened to overwhelm him. The demon within whispered with cruel encouragement, its voice a steady rhythm in his mind, "Just a little more, and we’ll be through.”
With each agonizing moment, Ashwa’s resolve only grew stronger. His body endured the unimaginable as he pressed on, unyielding in his pursuit. Finally, he crossed the seething pool of lava, emerging on the other side. He descended the stairs and reached the ground floor.
Ashwa’s feet touched solid ground as he descended the final step, his body still thrumming with the remnants of the lava's searing heat. The dim light of the ground floor revealed a surprising sight: a deserted kitchen, stark and utilitarian, its stainless steel counters and shelves starkly contrasting with the grim surroundings.
The faint aroma of stale bread hung in the air, mingling with the musty scent of the prison. Ashwa’s stomach growled loudly, a primal reminder of his hunger. His gaze swept across the kitchen, and his eyes landed on a loaf of bread, wrapped in a threadbare cloth and resting on a metal shelf.
With a fierce urgency, he crossed the room in quick strides. His hands, still tingling from the lava, fumbled with the cloth before tearing it away. He bit into the bread, the crust crumbling and the soft interior yielding to his hunger. The taste was simple, yet satisfying, offering a brief but welcome respite amidst the chaos.
Unbeknownst to Ashwa, the bread was laced with poison. However, the poison proved ineffective; his body’s unique regeneration ability neutralized its effects. Ashwa’s cells could rapidly repair and expel toxins from his system, rendering the poison powerless before it could cause harm.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
As he continued to eat, his gaze fell on a sharp, gleaming boti chopper propped against the counter, its broad blade designed for chopping vegetables. The boti chopper, with its heavy and precise edge, was a reminder of the kitchen’s intended purpose.
The noise of his ravenous eating filled the kitchen, a stark contrast to the eerie silence of the prison, while the boti chopper remained a silent sentinel, its potential significance unnoticed by Ashwa in his hunger-induced haze.
“I can feel it,” the devil announced, his tone almost smug, loud and clear like an unwelcome party crasher.
Ashwa nearly choked on his bread, coughing as he swallowed. “Whoa, what the hell? Feel what?”
“The magic barrier. It’s seriously OP—like, way overpowered.”
Ashwa frowned, trying to grasp the situation. “Can’t I just break it with brute strength? I mean, it’s just physical force, not some mystical mumbo-jumbo.”
The devil chuckled, the sound more amused than comforting. “Yeah, about that… no dice. Physical or not, this barrier can soak up energy like it’s prepping for the apocalypse. Think nuclear bomb levels, dude. It’s not just gonna let you waltz through.”
Ashwa groaned, rubbing his temples. “Man, this is so damn confusing. What even is magic, anyway? Some kind of cosmic cheat code?”
“Magic’s just energy, bro. Same stuff, different packaging.”
Ashwa tilted his head, a sly grin creeping onto his face. “So, if it’s just energy, does that mean humans can, like, tap into the Wi-Fi too?”
“Obviously,” the devil replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Why do you think the beastmen summoned you guys in the first place? You think they’re stupid enough to call up a bunch of powerless teenagers?”
Ashwa blinked, surprised. “Wait, we really can? Then why don’t we use it?”
“You remember the whole Ragnarok story, right? And how humans kinda forgot about it over time?
“Yeah, that beastman king mentioned something about it.”
“Exactly,” the devil went on. “When humans forgot about that epic showdown, they also lost the know-how to tap into magical energy. Over time, magic turned into nothing more than a fantasy, just lying dormant in your souls, waiting to be rebooted.”
“So what’s the process? Can I also access it?”
“Of course, you’re in prime time for it. You being a teenager is actually the best phase to wake up your magic. That’s why the beastmen didn’t summon a bunch of old folks—they needed fast learners,” the devil explained casually. “But unlocking it’s a bit tricky. You’ve gotta awaken your chakras.”
“Chakras? Like... yoga stuff?”
“Kind of, but way cooler,” the devil replied. “Think of your soul as the core energy source that generates magic. It’s there, but it’s in sleep mode. To use it freely, you need a way to channel it—that’s where chakras come in. They’re like these invisible tollgates between your soul and your body.”
“Tollgates? Seriously?”
“Yep, seven of them. First, you’ve got your root chakra at the base of your spine, the sacral chakra just below your belly button, solar plexus chakra above your navel, then heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra between your brows, and finally, the crown chakra at the top of your head. Get those babies aligned, and boom—magic unlocked.”
Ashwa rolled his eyes. “Cool, cool. So you just gave me the cheat sheet for the power system. Now spill the how. Will ya?”
The devil snickered. “Normally? You’d have to meditate for a solid month, no breaks.”
“A month?!” Ashwa blurted, nearly choking on the thought. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Chill, that’s for normal people. I’ll have you up and running in minutes,” the devil replied with a smug grin.
Ashwa squinted suspiciously. “Wait… how?”
The devil’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “I’ll tell you. But first, we’ve got a small issue to deal with. We’re still stuck in this magical barrier, aren’t we? Gotta handle that first.”
Ashwa groaned. “Right. So how do we—”
Before he could finish, the devil’s gaze flickered toward the boti chopper lying nearby. A slow, wicked grin crept across his face. “And I know exactly how to cut our way outta here. Kekeke.”
CHAPTER 10 END