Chapter 26 Gear and Clues

Iryoku wiped his face clean, stood up, and began investigating the room further. He approached a makeshift table where several old papers were scattered across its surface. One of them caught his attention—a drawing of dots connected by various lines, forming a network that resembled a galaxy or perhaps a map.“I think I’ve seen something like this before,” he muttered to himself, trying to recall where.

He picked up another paper, this one covered in faded, barely legible letters. Squinting, he tried to focus on the text. “Dammit, where’s Reika when I need her?” he grumbled, frustrated by his inability to decipher the characters.

Continuing his search, Iryoku noticed a strange white substance in one corner of the room. It was spread across the ground, resembling wax. Curious, he reached down and pulled off. It stretched without breaking and felt surprisingly strong. As he tugged on it with both hands, testing its durability, the substance began to glow faintly.

“What’s this?” he murmured, curious, before placing it back where he found it.

His exploration brought him to another section of the room, where he noticed markings etched into the floor. They were circular patterns surrounded by even stranger symbols he couldn’t understand.

Finally, he returned to the papers on the table, determined to make sense of them. Again and again, he focused his eyes on the faded text, until finally, a few words became coherent: “my… d… Deborah… d… le…” The only complete word he could read was “Deborah.”

“Deborah,” he said out loud, testing the name.

“Grrww,” the woman responded from the bed.

Iryoku turned to look at her. “Your name is Deborah?” he asked, pointing at her.

She let out another growl, softer this time, as though trying to speak. She got up, walked toward him, and wrapped her large arms around him in a tight hug. Her big body pressed against his, and his face ended up squished between her tits. The soft, warm sensation distracted him for a moment, and he couldn’t help but enjoy it—though he quickly reminded himself this wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

He gently pulled away from her embrace and said again, pointing to her, “You are Deborah,” then pointed to himself, “Iryoku. Iryoku.”

The woman tilted her head, as if trying to mimic his words. “Iryu…gggrrr,” she managed to say, her growls blending with the attempt to speak.

Iryoku’s face lit up. “Yes! You’re learning fast!”

The woman, now Deborah, saw his smile and returned it with a bright smile of her own. The simple gesture warmed his heart.

Satisfied, Deborah returned to the bed and lay down beside the skeleton, curling up as though seeking comfort from her presumed parent.

Iryoku sighed and stretched his sore body.“Well, I guess I should rest as well,” he muttered. He sat on the ground, leaning his back against the side of the bed, and let his eyes close. I wonder how the girls are holding up... I hope they’re okay, he thought.

With his body finally at ease, he slipped into a deep, much-needed sleep.

Iryoku suddenly felt his body heat up during his deep sleep, pulling him back to consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he realized he was surrounded by Deborah’s body—she had climbed down from the bed and curled up beside him on the floor. Her slow, steady breathing was oddly comforting, and he couldn’t help but look at her with pity.

In his mind, he thought, I need to find a way to get out of here. And you’re coming with me.

Not long after, Deborah yawned—a very human-like yawn—but Iryoku caught sight of her large canine fangs glinting in her mouth.

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“Good morning, sunshine. Did ya sleep well?” he asked with a smirk.

She looked at him for a moment before wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug as her legs stretched downward. He felt the air squeezed out of his lungs.

“Okay, okay, I’m glad to see you too!” he said, tapping her arm as a sign to loosen her grip.

Deborah finally released him and stood up. Iryoku checked his wounds and was surprised to find that the burn marks from the dragon had only slightly improved, though all his other wounds were nearly healed. Grateful for the partial recovery, he brushed the dirt from his clothes and followed her out of the room behind the waterfall toward the small lake.

Iryoku walked toward the ashes of the previous night’s bonfire and crouched down to inspect it. Deborah appeared out of nowhere and stood beside him, watching expectantly as she glanced at the fire’s remains.

“Okay, I get it—you’re hungry,” Iryoku said, rolling his eyes. “But we need more meat,” he added, gesturing with his hands in an attempt to make her understand.

Deborah tilted her head at him before turning around and sprinting toward the cavern wall with inhuman speed. She leaped several meters into the air, scaling the wall effortlessly before disappearing from sight.

“Well, I guess that’s where the exit is,” Iryoku muttered to himself, not too worried about her safety given her strength.

His gaze shifted to the skeletal remains of the dead wolf nearby, and an idea struck him. He drew his only remaining dagger—the other one was lost somewhere—and approached one of the wolf’s claws. With a careful swing, he tapped the claw against the blade. To his shock, the claw sliced his dagger clean in half with ease.

“I knew it,” he muttered, holding the broken blade in disbelief. “These claws and fangs are insanely strong. I could definitely use this.”

Iryoku tried to separate the bones from the skeleton, but no matter how much he strained, they wouldn’t budge. “Shit, I’m not strong enough,” he groaned, frustration creeping into his voice.

Before he could come up with another solution, a sound caught his attention. He turned toward the noise and saw Deborah bounding toward him with the body of some sort of reptilian beast slung over her shoulder. She carried the massive creature as if it weighed nothing, a triumphant smile plastered across her face.

“Well, I guess this Amazonian can help me with it,” Iryoku said with a chuckle, waving at her. She approached him eagerly, still beaming with pride over her catch.

After a filling meal, Iryoku said, “Yes, just like that—pull right here,” pointing to a specific joint on the werewolf’s skeleton as he instructed Deborah.

“Grwwr,” Deborah growled softly in acknowledgment, her hands effortlessly separating the dead wolf’s fangs and claws as if they were twigs. She handed him an assortment of pieces, including the two largest upper canines.

Iryoku held the massive canines in his hands, testing their weight. He flipped them into the air, caught them deftly, and began mimicking slashing and thrusting movements with a grin on his face. Each motion felt fluid and natural, as though the blades were made for him. He then filled a small made up bag with the remaining fangs and claws.

Crouching low, he suddenly leaped into the air, performing acrobatic twists and spins to test the balance of his new weapons. The way they sliced through the air was perfect. When he landed softly on both feet in a fighting stance, he quickly pulled a couple of blades from his bag and threw them toward a tree with swift precision.

The look of satisfaction on his face said it all as he stepped backward, sliding his feet in a smooth, almost dance-like motion—something resembling the moonwalk.

“This is great,” he muttered, turning the makeshift daggers over in his hands with admiration.

Deborah sat on the ground, completely captivated by his display. Her silver eyes sparkled with excitement as she clapped her hands together, making soft growling sounds like a child witnessing something amazing.

Iryoku glanced at her reaction and chuckled. “That’s right, honey—I know I’m awesome,” he teased, flashing her a cocky smile while placing an open palm in front of his face.

Deborah suddenly stood up and mimicked his fighting pose, crouching slightly and holding her hands up as if wielding invisible weapons. Then, she attempted to copy Iryoku’s moonwalk but couldn’t quite get the movement right.

Iryoku laughed, louder this time. “I think the Thriller dance would suit you better,” he joked, clearly amused by her playful attempt. He then lifted his hands, mimicking claws, and moved them from side to side. Deborah imitated him perfectly, making him laugh even more.

“You’re really something, girl. You’ve got talent,” he said with a grin.

After some tinkering with the remaining bones and the beast’s leather-like fur, Iryoku stepped back to admire his work. “Well, it doesn’t look too bad,” he muttered to himself.

What he had crafted was a crude but functional set of armor. The wolf's fur and leather were bound together with its bones, forming an eerie yet effective ensemble. It didn’t just look intimidating—it offered far superior protection compared to his worn-out old armor.

Fully geared up, Iryoku turned toward Deborah. She stood there watching him, her silver eyes sparkling with curiosity. Her innocent yet alluring smile only added to her otherworldly beauty.

With a confident grin, Iryoku rested one hand on his hip while pointing with the other and said, “Alright, let’s find a way out of here.”

Deborah mirrored his grin and pose, her face lighting up with enthusiasm as she looked at him.