“Make sure to collapse the path behind us, Rexy,” I tell her. By the time we reach the seabed, I don't want the ocean flooding that magma-filled hellhole. That would almost certainly trigger a rather unpleasant volcanic explosion.

I push, little by little. This body feels no pain or fatigue, which, ironically, has become a special kind of mental torture. I am stuck in an endless workout montage with no music and only one exercise: pushing. So, I take breaks to practice some fighting techniques.

Gotta keep the mind occupied, right?

Rexy makes a surprisingly great training partner. Between pushing that infernal machine, I practice dodging and sparring with him. With each session, I get a little better at controlling this impressive body.

Time crawls by. Or maybe it’s sprinting. I honestly can’t tell. I don’t have a watch, a calendar, or even a sundial. All I know is I have to keep pushing. And that red-hot machine shows no sign of cooling down.

Rexy leaves and returns countless times. Once, she proudly trots back with the carcass of an Umbrynus, which I promptly reject with a grimace. “Seriously, Rexy? That’s just…gross. Do you know where that’s been?” He looks genuinely confused, tilting his massive head.

Another time, Rexy brings back some live Umbrynus, which I use for… let’s call it “interactive combat training.” They always end up as Rexy’s lunch, of course. She’d look at me with those big, puppy-dog eyes, as if to say, “Did I do good, master?” I’d just sigh. “You did good, Rexy. Now, try not to get any bits stuck in your teeth.”

I continue 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? What if… Hundreds of thoughts race through my head as I continue to push. “Maybe I should have left with Bailey,” I mutter to myself.

An unknown amount of time passes. Days? Weeks? Maybe even months, though I doubt it stretched into years.

Immortality. So this is it? I take another small step, driven by a purpose that, in the grand scheme of things, 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. Nope. Not today, existential dread.

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 his massive head, sending droplets of condensed steam flying.

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

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“Arrrher!” Rexy protests, giving me a playful nudge with his snout.

“Okay, okay. Just kidding,” I say, patting Rexy on the head. “Seriously though, I guess this is it.” I give him another pat. “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, his big eyes fixed on me.

“You have to go. I don’t know what’ll happen when the seawater comes crashing in,” I tell Rexy, gesturing towards the now-visible cracks in the ceiling where the water is pouring through. “To be honest, I don’t really know you. I might have Val’s body, but… well, I only arrived in this world recently. It’s complicated.”

“Arrga?” Rexy looks even more confused, tilting his head.

“Dr. Keyser is dead. I’ll take care of this. You’re completely free,” I assure Rexy. He seems to finally understand, giving my face a quick, wet lick with his long tongue before turning and lumbering towards the tunnel he’d dug. “And remember to collapse the tunnels behind you.” I call after him.

Rexy turned and lumbered back into the tunnels, which promptly sealed themselves shut behind him with a low rumble. Now, it was just me and the damp, echoing silence of this cramped, soon-to-be-flooded space.

This really did feel like solitary confinement. Good thing my sentence was about to be commuted—by seawater, no less.

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 impromptu seabed excavation.

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 its top. Way too much steam was building up, like a pressure cooker about to go off.

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, toes crossed, everything crossed.

I located the main source of the dripping water, which was now more like a small waterfall. 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 and a fresh deluge of water gushing down, instantly soaking me.

Landing back on the cavern floor with a splash, I launched myself upward again—a second, third, fourth time… With each leap, I hammered at the ceiling, a relentless, circular pattern of punches chipping away at the rock’s stubborn 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 sea above held it back, creating a noisy, turbulent mess.

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.