BXBX NOVEL Chapter 797 The Search For The Cup Continues X
The corner led Lee Seng and Olivia to a small drop. The water was spilling into this room and it might've explained why there was no water source anywhere near the main room. With Lee Seng's help, Olivia and Lee Seng lowered deeper into the drop. It smelled more like a natural cave that was carved away by water.
"I don't think the water was always here." Olivia guessed. She pointed at different parts of the cavern. "These formations made because of the water spilling in here. It's been carved from weather over hundreds of years. Wherever this water is going, I think it's where our Naga friends went."
The water sparkled with light every time Lee Seng took a step. It moved forward, lighting a path in the darkness. Lee Seng lit up the area with golden light, allowing Olivia to see better. Large stalactites hung from the ceiling, collecting water at their points and releasing them.
A strange burst of energy alerted Olivia. She turned, noticing something was smoldering at the drop of the room. Lee Seng stopped and looked at Olivia. He began to ask what was wrong when he saw it. A burnt husk clutching something.
"I want to go… home…" Gabs whispered. She clutched Sally in her arms and looked at Olivia and Lee Seng. Purple energy grew around Gabs and Sally. It quickly burst, filling the space around the twin Nagas. "I want to go home!" The space exploded with wind. The waters shot in every direction as Gabs and Sally lit up in pure purple light.
[Evolution is occurring.]
Lee Seng clicked his tongue and gripped his katana. Olivia watched with her hand on her dagger. Two became one. What once clutched another, was now just one large Naga. A poisonous breath flew out, filling the space. Lee Seng's fingers drew a rune and held it as a large purple-scaled Naga flew straight for Olivia.
Lee Seng clicked his tongue and released the rune. A blast of cold ice flew outwards. The Naga screeched and swung it's claws at the ice. Poison seeped out of the large Naga's claws, shattering the ice as it whipped its tail at Olivia and wrapped her. Frozen poison crashed into the waters, turning to nothing. Olivia grunted as the Naga quickly constricted her from doing anything.
Lee Seng flew forward, raising the Sun Blade as he pushed his right hand at the Naga. The golden cosmos fluttered around the Naga and Olivia, forcing the Naga's tail to fly off. Olivia dropped to the ground and Lee Seng swung the Sun Blade. The Naga screeched as the hot blade gouged a cut in their tail.
The Naga jolted across the walls, launching itself straight for the humanoids. Lee Seng and Olivia jumped out of the way, listening to the ground and water explode as the Naga quickly whipped its head in Lee Seng's direction. It jumped at Lee Seng, swinging its claws straight for Lee Seng's neck.
Lee Seng blocked the attack with two tails and retaliated with two more tails. The Naga wrapped itself around Lee Seng's four tails. Lee Seng wrapped his remaining tails around the Naga and grunted as he swung the Naga straight into the ground. The Naga grunted in pain as Olivia lifted her hands up.
"Paralyze!" Olivia shouted. The energy in the Naga's body froze, growing ice cold. Lee Seng held the Naga in place as she fought to break out of Lee Seng's hold. Olivia rushed forward, brandishing the dagger as water and earth grew around her. She jumped straight for the Naga, collecting the energy straight into her dagger. The dagger pierced the Naga, pulling energy as the water and earth sharpened.
Olivia released into the Naga, who erupted in a poisonous cloud of screams. The Naga's tail whipped, throwing Olivia off and ripping Lee Seng's tails from its hold. The Naga grasped Lee Seng's energy tails, pushing purple energy as it tossed Lee Seng across the room.
The Naga roared, releasing a cloud of poisonous smoke in Olivia's wake. The Naga hopped away, landing close to Lee Seng. The Naga bared her fangs and growled. It readied their claws, drawing energy into them.
"Venomous Strike!" The Naga flew at Lee Seng, slashing at him. Lee Seng dodged right and blocked with his tails. The Naga's strength grew and with it, Lee Seng's. Lee Seng pushed the Naga away with his tail, battering it with a flurry of blows with his tail before trapping it in its spot. It shrieked as gravity pushed down on them. The Naga couldn't move!
Lee Seng drew a rune in front of the Naga's eyes. He showed it the rune and watched as fear grew in their eyes. Lee Seng smiled and rushed forward, piercing the Sun Blade into her chest. The Naga screamed in pain as Lee Seng crushed the rune.
Lee Seng pulled the sword out, watching the flames billow out. The Naga screeched while Olivia flew out of the poisonous smoke with her hands around the golden protection mask. Lee Seng pulled energy into the blade and slashed at the Naga's head. In one swoop, the head flew off, leaving the burning body to submerge with the water.
[Double Spirit Naga has been slain!]
Lee Seng huffed as he released the Sun Blade. The Naga's body lit up and disintegrated into purple wisps. They floated around, not doing anything.
"What's that?" Olivia asked.
"You can see it?" Lee Seng turned to ask. Olivia nodded. The purple wisps didn't move out of place. They simply floated in their spot, waiting for something to happen. Lee Seng turned his attention back to the wisps. He reached out for it and watched as all of the wisps flew into him. "Wo-woah!"
Lee Seng stepped backwards, almost tripping on his own feet. Lee Seng's body glimmered in purple before fading. Lee Seng waited for the Broodmother AI voice to say something but got nothing. Olivia waited for Lee Seng to say nothing, but got nothing.
"So…" Olivia finally spoke up after a moment of silence. "What happened?"
"I… don't know." Lee Seng shrugged. He turned to look at her. "Do I look different."
"No."
"I don't feel different." Lee Seng sighed. He shrugged it off and looked at the direction where the water was flowing. "I guess we'll continue following that way." Olivia agreed and walked with Lee Seng.
"Just so we're on the same page… did the two Nagas fuse into one huge Naga lady thing?" Olivia asked.
"Yup." Lee Seng replied.
"Was it something they could always do or…"
"The AI in my head told me they evolved." Lee Seng looked at her. "Watch your step." Lee Seng and Olivia slowly descended downwards.
Keng, Calis, Ritsuka, Evan, Liz and Manny climbed the top of the steps. They were covered in nasty liquids and were finally out of danger. Liz and Evan looked at the yellow waters below.
"D-do you think they're fine?" Evan asked. Ritsuka stared down the stairs while Keng and Calis were having a silent conversation with each other. Evan looked to Liz who didn't answer. "Are they? Do you think they drowned in that?"
"I can't get in contact with them, still." Ritsuka sighed. He turned to look at the others. "I don't think we're being chased anymore, either." Calis and Keng finished their silent conversation and turned to look at the rest of the group. Manny sighed and nodded.
"We should continue forward then." Manny decided. Liz and Evan turned to protest, but Manny continued before they could say anything. "Lee Seng is with Olivia. Lee Seng can tell where they are by doing that seismic sense thing."
"That nasty liquid will flow out of the city at some point." Calis pointed out.
"I guess I can't talk to Lee Seng. Our connection doesn't work." Keng told the gorup. He sighed and Calis put a hand on his shoulder. "The-they'll be fine. We'll continue our jobs and hope that we find each other at some point."
"I agree." Manny nodded.
"Are you sure?" Liz asked. "Y-you know Olivia's… y'know." She tilted her head and looked away like she was hinting at something they all knew.
"I know." Manny nodded. "Lee Seng's smart to understand the situation they're in."
"They both are." Liz stressed.
"Exactly." Manny looked at Liz. "So, they both know to keep personal matters on the side until this is all over." The group nodded and Calis glanced behind him. "We should continue forward. We'll stick to hopping the roofs and looking around for now. Maybe the cup is somewhere high."
"If water's pourin', we found it." Keng said with a southern drawl.
"When'd you learn to be a Southerner?" Ritsuka asked.
"Dunno. Lee Seng?" Keng shrugged.
"Come on." Manny motioned. "Let's go."
They continued up the staircase to the top. The door was rusted shut and with a little bit of "love," Keng blasted the door open with no issue. They stepped up onto the rooftop and Keng immediately went to the edge and looked below.
"That's not going down anytime soon…" Keng sighed.