Okay, the machine didn’t seem to be gathering energy as fast anymore. That was a start, at least. Now I had to move this thing somewhere safe to dispose of it. If I left it here, this whole area might eventually melt. And if the machine went critical again in the future… well, who knew how long it would take for all that gathered energy to dissipate? This thing was a ticking time bomb.

How am I supposed to even get this thing out of here? Rexy can’t touch it; it’d be a crispy critter before it even budged. One step at a time, I suppose…

With all the anchors now on the ground, the machine’s base finally came loose. I can actually move it! By pushing it along the ground, I manage to shift it… a couple of centimeters at a time. Progress is progress, right?

“Rexy, which way to the bottom of the sea?” I ask her. She’s staring at the slowly inching machine with wide, amazed eyes. “Just point in the right direction and lead the way.”

It’s a good thing there’s solid ground to push this thing on. Too bad I couldn’t break off the anchors. The joints are practically welded to the machine, and the chains? Forget about it. They're way too strong for me to even think about snapping.

Slowly, I push the machine, step by painstaking step. Rexy, bless its heart, helps by digging a gently sloping path for me. And so, we begin our epic, centimeter-by-centimeter journey toward the bottom of the sea.

I told Rexy to collapse the path behind us, so by the time we reached the seabed, the water wouldn’t flood that magma-filled hellhole. That would almost certainly trigger a rather unpleasant explosion.

I pushed, little by little. This body feels no pain or fatigue, which has become a special kind of mental torture. I took breaks to practice some fighting techniques.

Rexy makes a great training partner. Between pushing that hot machine, I practiced dodging and fighting him. With each session, I got better at controlling this impressive body.

Time crawls by. I don’t have anything to tell the time. All I know is I have to keep pushing. And that red-hot machine shows no sign of cooling down.

Rexy left and returned countless times. Once, he brought back the carcass of an Umbrynus, which I promptly rejected. “Seriously, Rexy? That’s just…gross.”

Another time, Rexy brought back some live Umbrynus, which I practiced fighting. They always ended up as Rexy’s lunch, of course. He’d look at me with those big, puppy-dog eyes, as if to say, “Did I do good, master?” I’d just sigh.

I continued the routine: push, fight Rexy, push, fight Umbrynus, push. Slowly spiraling upwards—that’s my only purpose right now.

Why did I agree to this mess? Why do I even care if this thing explodes? What if it explodes anyway and destroys everything? Hundreds of thoughts raced through my head as I continued to push. “Maybe I should have left with Bailey,” I muttered to myself.

An unknown amount of time passed.

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Immortality. So this is it? I take another small step, driven by a purpose that ultimately won't even affect me. A darker thought flickers through my mind: What if I just let it explode? Would that set me free? I quickly shove the thought away.

I continue pushing, the dry walls steadily becoming damp. The cave has basically turned into a sauna. “Did we finally make it?” I mutter. We stand in a large open space Rexy dug out. Water pours down on us from above, even though we’re underground, instantly turning to steam.

“You know how to swim?” I ask Rexy, who shakes its massive head.

“I guess you’re not a fan of water. No wonder you smell like that,” I say with a chuckle.

“Arrrher!” Rexy protests.

“Okay, okay. I guess this is it.” I pat Rexy on the head. “Thanks for sticking with me this whole time. You kept me from going completely bonkers. You should get out of here now, and go far, far away. I’ll finish the rest.”

“Arr,” Rexy says, looking reluctant.

“You have to go. I don’t know what’ll happen when the seawater comes crashing in,” I tell Rexy. “To be honest, I don’t really know you. I might have Val’s body, but I only arrived in this world recently.”

“Arrga?” Rexy looks confused.

“Dr. Keyser is dead. I’ll take care of this. You’re completely free,” I assure Rexy as it licks my face with its long, wet tongue.

“Now go, and don’t come back! Though, maybe we’ll meet again in the distant future.” I gave Rexy’s hide one last affectionate pat. “And remember to collapse the tunnels behind you.”

Rexy turned and lumbered back into the tunnels, which promptly sealed themselves shut behind it. Now, it was just me and the damp, echoing silence of this cramped space.

This really did feel like solitary confinement. Good thing it wouldn’t last much longer.

I waited in the darkness, letting time tick by so Rexy could get a good head start before I began my own ascent—or rather, my dig into the seabed above.

Alright, time to get this show on the road!

I stood up and glanced at the steady stream of seawater dripping from the cavern’s ceiling. If I just stayed put, this whole place was going to blow. Way too much steam was building up.

After a quick mental risk assessment, I decided this was probably the best course of action. The seawater would cool the machine, and the immense pressure at the bottom of the sea would hopefully contain any potential explosions. Fingers crossed.

I located the main source of the dripping water. Gathering my strength, I launched myself upward in a powerful uppercut. My fist connected with the cave’s roof, the impact sending shockwaves through the rock. A torrent of water gushed down, instantly soaking everything below.

I didn’t stop there. Landing back on the cavern floor, I launched myself upward again—a second, third, fourth time… With each leap, I hammered at the ceiling in a relentless, circular pattern, each punch chipping away at the rock’s resistance.

Then—whoosh. The roof finally gave way with a deafening roar. A monstrous wave of seawater crashed down, slamming into me and the machine with the force of a runaway train. The flood engulfed us, dragging us into its chaotic, churning depths.

Around the machine, the water sizzled and hissed, instantly transforming into clouds of steam. The steam tried to expand, but the crushing weight of the ocean above held it back.

The process repeated, each cycle of pressure and heat roaring like a battle between fire and water. Steam hissed, and bubbles popped in rapid succession.

Finally, as the violent process reached its end, the machine’s fiery red glow dimmed, fading to a cold, ominous black. A small sea creature that had been beside me now floated lifeless and thoroughly cooked as I slowly bobbed to the surface.

Woohoo! Crisis averted. I hope Rexy has a fantastic adventure. And man, I could really go for some of Bailey’s cooking right now.