51 New World

[Hello?! Anyone here?]

*Knock knock*

This is the 10th time I repeat the above action. Still no answer. If I am to be serious about protecting this forest I need a weapon. Swordsmanship without one is completely useless.

There are often stories about a master swordsman fighting with a stick. From having tried it in recent times I can conclude... Either these stories are bullshit or I'm too unskilled. Either way, it is not an option for me.

Now, how do I open this? There is no doorknob. I try to push. I can't pull.

*Clears throat*

[Open sesame!]

That secret technique didn't work?! Talk about an entire childhood education down the drain! If physical means and gimmicks don't work... I try to inject mana in it slowly.

[Please open for me!]

No reaction whatsoever. No matter what I do it doesn't budge. Why didn't ghost mention anything about it?< I keep waiting by the side but there is no change whatsoever.

Out of boredom, I decide to use magic. I start invoking one vine spears one after another. So many that this spell of mine is bigger than the boulder. All aimed at the door.

[Damn stuck door. If you don't open soon, I swear I'll annihilate you!]

I'm just jesting as I can't really trash the dwarf's door. That's when it opens by itself. When I see what lies behind it, I start running away. But then I feel a suction power dragging me backward.

[No! Never mind! You can stay closed! I'll be on my way!]

NOOOO!

****(POV)

I can feel the insane amount of power he is using. This is one way to knock haha. I still can't believe how terrifying he became. In such a short time too. Anyway, for now, I need to rest. Using secret techniques constantly took its toll. Even then the only reason I was never defeated my abundant experience. Still, a small price to pay for the growth that happened. I am satisfied.

****

No matter how much I resist I'm getting sucked inside! What kind of door is this?! First, it doesn't open. Then it does wide when I start insulting it.

Now, this! I can feel intense heat radiating from it. Whatever is on the other side is dangerous for sure. I really shouldn't be going there. Amidst my screams and my struggles, I get dragged inside.

Until finally I cross it. It then closes behind me. I'm screwed! I can feel myself falling down. I can feel myself going upward. I can feel myself moving sideways at high speed. The feeling is weird as fuck.

I'm lost. All I can see is a fiery red glow. I'm not sure what is up and down anymore. I'm not sure if I'm still alive. I'm not even sure if….

*Thud*

I fall to the ground. Face first. I think I'm fine. Still, this place is unbearable. The environment itself is making me uncomfortable. The ground itself is scorching. It hurts a little.

I can feel layers of my skin starting to melt. Then some sap-like blood makes it slightly cooler. Shit, this is bad. I quickly get up. As fast as humanly possible.

The sole of my feet is getting charred. Picture yourself walking on coal. Then imagine the coal on fire. Then start walking on that. The only thing I have going for me is that this body has a nice regeneration ability. Or not…

I can already feel myself weakening. Ah, I see. This body is made of nature magic. Everything was golden in a forest. As I check my surroundings, I can't help but stare.

Also, twitch a bit. This is madness. I totally called the dwarf having a big underground forge connected to magma. I was wrong. Oh, so wrong.

I don't know how... But this is a motherfucking volcano. The earth is cracked at places. From these cracks a red glow radiating heat.

Far in the distance, there is a rocky mountain. From time to time I can see some magma bursting out. This is bad! Is this thing active?! Why would the old ghost ever send me…?

Oh… Fucking piece of shit. Fucking old dead annoying geezer! I wanted to get revenge on him at some point. I wanted to teach him a slight lesson. Not anymore. I will fuck him up. This is insane.

What are the chances that I truly die here? Let me see, if there was a meteorologist he would say: The weather for today is heavy sulfurous fog with a chance of magma precipitation. If there was a divination expert he would say: I can see an omen of death surroundings you.

If there was anyone with common sense here, he would go: No shit! This is a fucking volcano! Sulfur, magma, and death are a given, you cheats!

*Sigh*

In normal times I would really want to simply lie down for a little while and cry. Not here, not fucking here. This place is too damn hot. Lying down would be torture, pure and simple.

Slowly getting cooked alive sounds the worst! Like that one old torture method. They would build a metal bull and put someone in it. Brazen bull it was called. Then they would light a fire under their victim. There would be fresh air airflow to prevent suffocation. Honestly, it kinda is crazy how imaginative mankind can be for that stuff.

So yeah, dying this way is not on my list. If anything, I'd rather jump into magma than slowly die roasted. But that is a thought for later. I want to live. No matter what.

What I do is simple. I hop away from the volcano. I say hop because I'm trying not to touch the ground. Right now I wish transmigration came with a sneakers add-on. Then again, I could have made myself some shoe in the forest.

How am I supposed to do that, however? It always baffled me how every protagonist in isekais manages to craft himself some clothes after a while in a forest. I mean, sure. People do adapt. But clothes all of a sudden?

I call bullshit. At least to the design of clothes. At best covering oneself with big leaves is easy. Anything animal-based is rather hard. Leather needs processing after all. Still, right now I'm regretting not having footwear.

I'm slowly progressing. Sadly the landscape doesn't seem to be changing much. This means that this place is MASSIVE! Should I already start counting the days?

How long will I be here? How long can I even survive? I will just take it one step…eh one hop at a time. If anyone recorded my struggles it would be hard to take them seriously.

I must look like I am dancing to an external observer. Then again, I really wish I could meet someone. I need to ask a local about this place. I need to find the dwarf. Somehow.

Should I just use the bear's trick? To scream as loudly as I can and hope for the best. I'm conflicted. On one hand, I could get help easily. On the other hand, I'm not sure if there are hidden dangers.

Usually, I wouldn't worry too much. I would go near Yggdrasil and scream away. Here, however… I'm already suffering and there is no enemy. At all.

This is peaceful. Really peaceful. Somehow this is making me even more jittery. I feel like this is the calm before the storm. In this case the calm before the volcanic eruption.

Am I overthinking this? Probably. Still, no one would be at peace walking here. ...Actually, maybe those guys that are seriously trying to die. That one dude that ran into a tornado for instance. The one in that viral video on earth.

But I do have a plan. If I am to die, I want to leave a legacy behind. Like that Pompeii example. With its residents turning into …well you know. I wanna be that guy that later gets put into a museum. Of course, I would adopt a pose right before dying. One that would definitively prevent the exhibit from being Pg-13 haha.

I'm kidding haha. Also, not really. I really hope everything will be fine.

Wait, what is that at the horizon?

Nice!