Hot Springs and Barbecue

1.4k energy.

There were many things that required energy. After all, it was the sole currency of the system.

Not only was it used to purchase from the shop and to upgrade skills and the dungeon, it was also required to activate skills and even magic. Even though Riva had mana, her capacity was irrelevant since she could directly substitute by exchanging energy for it.

Additionally, energy was also a representation of Riva's life force. It was what kept her moving and would be consumed when she got hurt and healed her wounds. Basically, each point increased her survivability and life expectancy.

When Riva first got the system its currency had been life energy. She had to worry about each and every point, unsure if she would see the next day. Truthfully it had just been a few days since she since then, and she already reached a point where she no longer needed to worry about her basic survival. If she didn't get hurt or spend her energy in any other way, no, even if she did, as long as she didn't exceed her automatic recovery rate, she was near immortal.

She needed neither food nor sleep and wouldn't age either, although she still felt a carving for the living, and even that was within the acceptable and controllable range. Many would be envious of her current state. If she were to live quietly and peacefully she could possibly live forever. In theory, she didn't have to fear for her life.

But in those few days, she already showcased a near uncanny ability to attract and seek trouble. Fate, the relic tucked away in her inventory, played no small role in the matter.

But Riva had no intention to stop pursuing the truth of her past. She might not have remembered much since she started out, but going after her past had definitely returned a lot of her humanity and sense of self.

At first, revenge had been her sole target. Those that caused her death had to pay! It was the only connection to her former self.

Things changed a bit, she still wanted her revenge. But more than killing those responsible, she wanted to know why? Why did she have to die?

A new system window pulled her from her thoughts.

['Victor' requests entry to the dungeon. Allow?]

[Y/N]

+++ +++ +++

Victor was on his way to his boss. He used the connection as his compass. It directed him to a spot in the middle of nowhere. He was certain that this was the right place, but there was nothing here.

[Request entry?]

[Y/N] A new magical square with text appeared in his vision.

Entry to what? What was Y/N? He looked around helplessly. Without a way forward he tried giving an answer, "Okay, I want to enter?"

[Waiting for host response] The magical square's text changed. Again, Victor understood the words but not the meaning.

He decided to wait and didn't need to do so for long to get the next surprise.

The turquoise square disappeared and the surrounding space rippled. Then, out of nowhere, a tear opened up.

"A dungeon gate!" Victor's voice shook with terror.

This was insanity!

How did it appear just like that?!

Even more, it barely had any mana signature at all. And the one it exuded was that of a normal human.

Victor did his best to calm his nerves.

There was no way this was a dungeon. There was no way this was a dungeon, it had to be a high-level spell. A teleportation spell inspired by dungeons maybe? That could explain the signature.

Even then, could only be awed by his boss' strength and magic talent. If he didn't experience it here he wouldn't have thought this kind of spell to be impossible to cast for a single individual and without the help of advanced alchemy, complex runes, and a magic tool.

Victor stepped into the portal. He had to fight back the typical nausea that came with traversing space.

Since he had traveled to many dungeons throughout his life he easily regained his bearings. This was essential because the momentary weakness after entering a gate often spelled death… for his targets that was. What better moment for a sneak attack?

He had entered wide open plains lit by the glittering stars that dotted the night sky above.

There was someone waiting for his arrival, someone he immediately identified as his new boss.

It was a human female, dressed in stained and ruffled clothes, that were crusted with dirt and blood. Her hair was long and mint green, the same color as her eyes.

"Riva!?" Victor blurted the name from his memories.

"Yeah? That's me, I did tell you to call me that. No honorifics, okay?" She replied slightly confused.

"No… I mean yes, of course. But that's not what I meant. It's you! I can't believe you're alive!"

Riva, now confused for real, asked "It's nice that you're happy to see me but why? You weren't gone that long, I wouldn't die so easily in such a short time."

"Not long? It's been years! The last time I saw you was during the mission. You know, the...?"

"You remember!"

Victor shuddered. Riva's demeanor had changed. Gone was the simple human, the eager glint in her eyes instilled fear.

Victor's barely sustained calm finally caved.

"NO! I don't remember! I have zero idea what's going on. I'd like to know what the hell happened? How did I get here? Am I really undead? How? And what's with this strange magic? Can you explain the magical square that keeps appearing in my mind? I don't get what it's saying but it's connected to you, isn't it? And while we're on the topic, how did you become my boss? I should be under a different contract? And what was that portal? Where are we even? What's up with this space? This looks like a dungeon! Then how does it work? How could you summon such a thing? Is it a relic? And how come you're alive? Didn't you die? Wait, are you undead? Then why…"

"STOP!" Riva's shout halted Victor's flood of questions.

"Take a deep breath!" She ordered.

He complied. He was a total mess, but he couldn't go against her direct orders.

Riva suddenly pulled a set of male clothes from somewhere and threw them over. "Go calm down and get dressed. I'll wait here."

It was only then that Victor realized that he hadn't been wearing anything! The shame finally put an end to the mess in his head. He quickly used the clothes to cover his privates.

Riva just grinned "Never fear, you had a convenient pixel filter while in my inventory."

Victor had no idea what a pixel filter was supposed to be and how inventory fit into the mix.

Riva looked him up and down "You need a bath." She commented. "It's a waste to wear those fresh clothes in your state."

"Do you have to stare?" Victor complained.

Riva just shrugged and glanced at her own clothes. "Give me a second. I'll try something." Her gaze became focused albeit at nothing in particular. "After all, I've got more than enough energy to spare."

What happened next, completely knocked Victor off his feet.

An insane amount of mana gathered from nowhere and immediately began changing the nearby landscape. The grass plains caved inwards to form a basin which was layered with Stone slabs. At the side, a bigger rock formation materialized and from it sprung fresh water that quickly filled the new basin.

"This way it's going to overflow," Riva mumbled and shortly after a spillover formed from where the water continued as a small creek.

"To think the first thing I'd build would be the most cliche possible. Though it's not quite there yet. I can freeze the water thanks to the ice dragon properties but I have no means of heating it."

She turned to Victor who was sitting on the floor mouth agape. His reality was completely overturned. Nothing made sense.

He must have died and entered a god's realm! There was no other explanation.

"Hey Victor, you remember how to cast a fireball?" Riva asked him.

"Yes," He answered already with a bad premonition.

"Can you use it to heat the water?" Came the ridiculous request.

"Sure." He didn't question and immediately got to work.

All the while he spied a wild boar that was panickedly running about. Another confused fellow.

"That is?" Victor asked gesturing in its direction.

"My new pet. I'm still looking for a name."

He nodded towards the boar to acknowledge his new companion. It obviously shared his plight.

Victor had completely lost the will to question his circumstances. He had been called to a god's realm to heat water? Okay. What next? How else could he misuse his fireball magic?

"A barbecue?" He grumbled self mockingly.

"That's a brilliant idea!" Riva immediately accepted his sarcasm for fact.

Victor shot another look towards the boar. Sorry my confused friend I might have just doomed you.

"From henceforth thou shalt be known by the name Barbecue!" Riva declared while striking a dramatic pose, pointing at the desperate animal.