Terrarian in the Dungeon Chapter 111

After eating the large fish, Ahri sighed with relaxation before I asked curiously. "So do you have any plans for the near future then?"

Ahri, at hearing my question, paused. Then she said quietly as she looked up towards the thick canopy that blocked the sight of the early morning sun above us. "I am currently between grand adventures. At least planned ones."

Yeah, it was always those 'unplanned' grand adventures that got you.

"Well, even though I said I was here to relax for a bit. I am always looking for trouble if it's available." I said cheerfully and with no shame, which made Ahri roll her eyes at me.

"Hmph, maybe I should see how strong you actually are before I pull you into the trouble I regularly get into." She retorted teasingly with her nine tails swaying a bit behind her.

"I think you are just a little hungry for more than just fish, aren't you?" I said rather pointedly with Ahri giggling and saying softly.

"Oh... I will only take a bit off the top. Just a little nibble on your lifeforce. Unless you are scared of losing a layer of flesh?" Ahri teased with clear innuendo that made me shake my head as I knew she was an essence eater.

She needed to drain the life force of living beings to survive. Similar to a gumiho, but instead of eating flesh from her victims. She could just drain their life force directly with her magic.

Still, even though I was here to relax. I couldn't exactly refuse a fight that was offered to me straight to my face, could I?

"I am game for something, if you are." I said finally with an open smile, and the fey-sounding forest went quiet over the next few moments as Ahri's teasing smile faded and she looked at me more seriously.

Then she held up a gleaming ball of essence that was her innate essence-stealing ability. And she said with warning. "Good, if you collapse... I won't eat you, don't worry." Ahri finished with a giggle before she stepped back, and I stood up at the ready as well.

Then, as I took out a sword to brace myself, Ahri threw her essence-stealing ball towards me.

I side stepped the life force draining orb that shot past me at high speed and as it flew past me. I swung my sword through the ball and even with the sword separating me from the orb.

I felt my magic, strength, and vitality were even being drained through my sword! 'Can't block the orb. It just goes through my own magic with it's etheral nature of being spiritual hooks that rip out my life force and such.' I mused to myself.

And then I dashed to the side as the essence ball came back towards Ahri but spinning through the air to hit me from behind.

All the while, Ahri spun in the air to create a dozen balls of blue fox fire that began flying towards me as well. But her fox fire? Not only could I easily block it via the blade, but the fire couldn't get past my armor rating at all.

Seeing her fox fire not working, and I knowingly dodging her essence thief orb, she dashed forward and swung herself past me with her tails smashing into my sword with a loud clanging noise as she supercharged her tails with power to make them as strong as metal.

Then, as she dodged a sword swipe, she slapped towards my head that I dodged, but as I dodged her own swipe but she then blew me a kiss that formed a tiny red glowing heart that shot into me.

For a brief moment, my mind was fogged over as I just stared at Ahri, but then my magic resistance and strong willpower threw off Ahri's charm. Even as she swung her tails at me like a battering ram, I was able to react in time.

With a heavy thud, I was hit by her tail, but I had braced myself,f so although I felt an ache in my chest at the force of the impact?

I was able to grab one of her tails, making Ahri whine and I had to let go as Ahri stepped closer to me and sent a charm into me that made my mind null again for a second, allowing her to get her tail out of my hands.

"Illusions aren't fair!" I called out with some irritation even as I dodged the essence-stealing orb that shot past me.

"Say's the man using a sword! What if you cut off one of my tails?" Ahri snapped back shamelessly, which made my face twitch.

We kept fighting with Ahri's essence thieving orb managing to drain a bit of my life force when I couldn't dodge her attacks completely. But likewise, I scored a couple of cuts on her form, but she was... Extremely agile.

Like I could teleport right in front of her, but she could go from standing up right to doing the limbo and perfectly dodging blows in but a moment. As she used her tails as tools to move through the air or even brace herself on the ground with.

Finally, I put away my sword as Ahri's swaying tails calmed down, and I noticed in terms of physical energy I was running at half a tank, though I had more mana at least.

"Hmm, that was a lovely little morning stretch... And breakfast ufufu." Ahri said teasingly as she was visibly invigorated from the life force she drew from me.

"Yeah yeah, you are quick on your feet honestly." I said with a small smile as though I was much stronger physically then Ahri, even faster as well. But she had supernatural agility and extreme dexterity that allowed her to dodge and block my blows though she was very much on the backfoot.

Combined with her essence-stealing orb, I couldn't block or destroy? She was able to more than hold her own during a light sparring session. As it wasn't like I was going to take out some magic weapons and start carpet bombing her...

I obviously wasn't that petty... Truly.

Still, as we both settled in for a moment of relaxation, we kept up quiet conversation. "Mt Targon... It's the magical center of this world at least. It's extremely dangerous not only because the mountain peak goes beyond the world's atmosphere. But also there is gods, Darkin, and worse that are roaming the brutal mountain range." Ahri spoke thoughtfully after I brought up the mountain.

Because I knew that merely just the act of climbing up to the peak of Mt Targon was worth at least a level. To say nothing of the countless trials I would need to face to reach the peak.

And Ryuu was a perfect example in that I didn't need to rush back to Danmachi for each level. Sure, it would be good to go back somewhat regularly to become stronger at my base level.

But it wasn't wholly needed as I could stockpile the Excellia as Ryuu did for years, and she jumped up like two levels throughout a couple of days to let said updates settle in her body.

"If someone is going on a spiritual journey. Then Mt Targon is the place for that. Well, this area is also good." I added a bit sheepishly as I could feel through my mana as the countless tiny spirits roaming through the area.

Ahri giggled at how I added the final bit, and after a moment of thought, she ended up saying thoughtfully. "Mt Targon, huh? I haven't been there before as it's a hotbed of issues. And quite literally across the world."

I shrugged and added on. "From what I know... It would be faster to sail across the sea to reach Mt Targon. If it wasn't for the unknowable horrors filling the sea, and other sea monsters anyway."

Mt Targon was quietly literally the farthest main location from Ionia. In Earth terms it would be like living in Los Angelus and deciding to go to Australia. But instead of crossing the ocean through the Pacific, I went through Africa, Asia, and then the Pacific islands to reach Australia.

That was obviously an extremely slow way to get there. But crossing the deep ocean here in the world of Runeterra was a coin flip if you died to either pirates or the horrors that filled the ocean.

"What about you then? What's the furthest you've been from Ionia?" I asked curiously.

Ahri sighed and, with a gaze that was away from here, she spoke. "I had to help deal with some troublesome ghosts that wouldn't stay dead over in the Shadow Isles... Somewhere, I am not too enthused to return all things told."

The Shadow Isles weren't 'too far' from Ionia, mostly to the far south, but still a shit hole of a land that for Ahri, especially, who had to feed off of life force? Yeah, I imagine trying to feed off of the undead didn't exactly go well.

Still, Ahri shifted forward a bit and said with a small smile. "Come with me for a bit, Jake. I want to show you something."

I raised an eyebrow at that and still I followed the fox woman and as she walked ahead of me... I truly noticed something that took away from the joy that was a voluptuous fox woman.

'Having nine tails swaying about means I can't see that ass swaying as well. A damned shame I tell you.' I thought with some amusement before I responded to Ahri who began talking about the local herbs that were either highly toxic... Or a very potent psychedelic.

"Oh and these dragon tongue vines. They release a numbing agent that when it wraps around their prey will leave them strung up and their blood pressure and life force surging until they die of a heart attack... Or something worse." She finished with a shake of the head.

Meanwhile... My face twitched as I said flatly. "The men die of their blood being too thin, as they would get a nose bleed from the excess of life force, right?"

To which Ahri giggled as I knew we were both skipping how these vines were apparently a potent aphrodisiac which was what caused the excess life force. Still, I followed Ahri who happily led me to a small waterfall near a cliffside.

And as we approached the waterfall, I raised an eyebrow as I could feel the heat from the water along with the steam that came from the heat. But not only was the waterfall at a hot temperature, but the water was both pink for some reason, but also a lesser tonic that would aid in healing it felt like.

"You wanted a spiritual journey? Here come meditate under the waterfall, these waters are called the Washing Soul River in the common tongue for a good reason."

She shifted a bit and looked at the river before saying quietly. "The waters will perfectly flow over your body, they will take over the heating of your body, the beating of the water will pump your body's blood, and the minerals within the water will operate your nerves as well."

Two eye's looked at me with her saying firmly. "You want to grow spiritually? Survive half an hour of meditating under the falls, then. And your soul will grow in strength as it takes a strong will to leave the comfort of the falls."

I frowned as I kneeled down to inspect the falls and and the water itself. And yeah... The water's were basically a low-quality elixer in of it self. So it made sense as to how the waters would perfectly merge with the human body and with the spiritual bullshit that was constantly overflowing in this area?

Her words made sense. And as for Ahri laying out a trap for me for some reason? Yeah no, even though Ahri would easily kill someone for her survival or otherwise. She wasn't the type of person to do such a trap.

"Hmm thank you for showing me this. Though I am curious, why are you showing me all this and spending so much time with me? I would have thought you would be rather skittish?" I asked a bit curiously.

Ahri was silent for a long moment before she said bluntly. "You have a large amount of Life Force. As much as a Darkin who had taken over their host, or a lesser godling. Being around you keeps me satiated so that my hunger doesn't get any worse."

Whelp... That was fair enough and made plenty of sense with how I had strengthened my life force with the Terraria life points, adding items I had consumed.

So, although she had a reason for being around me. I couldn't blame her as she didn't make it weird.

"Whelp if I die, you can use my... I don't know, use my spine for a coat rack, I don't know." I said, shaking my head as I threw off my jacket and shirt before I climbed into the hot 'water' and began swimming towards the waterfall.

And I couldn't help a gag of laughter into the water as Ahri ever so helpfully called out. "Oh no, I don't have any coats. I will still happily drag your corpse out and make sure you get buried... Minus, a few nibbles I might take!"

I swam into the waterfall, and I quickly found there were large flat rocks that had been beaten smooth by countless millennia of the rushing water just beneath the waterfall.

Even as I sat down in a meditative position, I could feel my body, mind, and soul disconnecting as the spiritually charged waters acted as a sort of conduit for my soul and mind to replace my body.

With my body being run almost automatically by the waters themselves and I could feel my heartbeat slowing greatly and only beating when larger splashes of water smashed into my back.

Along with my breath being a constant, slow, and heavy breath that resulted from the ebbing and more powerful deluges of the water flowing onto me.

'I see why this is a training method for the mind and soul... If I let go of my connection to my body. My soul will be dragged out along with the river, leaving my body to die naturally.' I mused to myself.

Although the Falna helped slowly improve the soul, most particularly with the actual act of leveling up. My soul was already greatly strengthened due to all the Terraria Accessories it hosted.

Still although it's effects weren't nearly as 'good' as it should have been for a more normal person. I could still feel how my soul's connection with my body was strengthening as I had to knowingly keep my mind and soul tethered to my body.

'Hmm, this could be a good way to train like sages who dwell with their mind and soul partly out of their body.' I mused before I faltered a bit as I realized this training wasn't so simple.

Because the water's did have an effect on my very soul, so with the constant running down my form. It was a constant push on my soul to separate it from my physical form.

So I had to keep readjusting to make sure my soul... Wasn't going to just slip off into the fucking river and I be fucked over.

-

After a good bit, I heard Ahri's voice speak out. "Jake it's been half an hour! You still alive in there?"

I threw myself forward out of the waterfall and into the hot water with my form shuddering as my nerves and intentions to move had a bit of a delay in them. 

Still, I called out as I swam backwards more comfortably towards the shore. "Yeah, I am still alive! No nibbles for you!"

Once I got to the shore, Ahri huffed and grabbed my arm to help pull me up and as I staggered a bit when I stood up. Ahri gave a short laugh that spoke of cruel amusement as she said quietly. "Hmm, maybe we should spar again? I bet you won't be trying to use your sword on my poor tails this time?"

To which, even as I held up a hand to forestall any such sparring, I said honestly. "Yup you are right. I can hardly see straight, so I will just be using wide range magic to blow up everything around me."

"You would destroy this holy land of the spiritual side of the world?" Ahri retorted clearly teasing just as a loud bird called in the distance.

But... To be honest? That bird call kinda reminded me for the bird call signals that Xahya and Rakan made when we did our little invasion on the Noxian army.

"Ehh, I have no problem winning or even drawing even in a fight, even a sparring match. But I refuse to lose and just be bullied." I answered shamelessly, which made Ahri snort in derision.

For the next few minutes, I got myself back under control, though I knew that any real soul-based growth would be happening over the next few days, if not weeks, as I slept and relaxed.

Still, after I was walking fine and we made our way back to my campsite. I looked at Ahri and asked curiously. "So what now? I am going to relax for a bit and read." 

The fox spirit gave me an appraising eye before she teased me. "Hoh? Is this asking for privacy... Or are you asking me to rejoin you in your bed this time instead of a hammock?" 

My lips twitched at the 'warning' in her teasing still I shrugged and said with a grin. "I certainly wouldn't say not to some extra warmth. But I imagine you got some things on your mind as well. And I need to make up a mental map if I am going to make my way over to Mt Targon as my end goal in visiting this world of Runeterra."

If I did want to make such a trip... I really should make up a mental list of where I would be going, and to see if I could try to pick up some of the local 'legends' and champions to fuck with so I could get some training.

Ahri at my words gave a slight start before she smiled, but it was a thoughtful one instead of teasing or even sensual smile. And she just slowly nodded before she said. "I see, then yes, I have some of my own thoughts to contemplate then. I will be back by sundown, then to make sure the spirits haven't stolen your mind."

And with that lovely mental image, Ahri giggled as she stepped back into the mist that surrounded the depths of the surrounding forest and I soon lost vision of her.