Spirit Taming

Chapter 578: Large Boiling Pool

"Yeah, that worked very well. Thank you for letting us know." Isa just smiled as the heat died down immediately. In return,she called on her wind caterpillar to start a small rotation of breeze. She couldn't fuse with it in the same way as the other beasts that partnered with her. However, it was strong enough now to be able to create the smaller breezes that were perfect to help this situation.

"There were so many. We even walked right over them. I bet we even stepped on some. But they didn't even show themselves." Grad checked the bottom of his feet. He felt that this was something astounding. Even the dumbest beasts would move if they were about to be crushed.

"It wasn't that we were stepping on them or anything. It's the fact that they were most likely in the mud beneath the grass." Isa demonstrated by having the crystal golem pick up a chunk of dirt from the earth and crystal dome that had protected them.

Inside the mud, there were smaller leech flies that clearly were not developed enough to be able to harm anything. It was natural that they would live in this mud. "They were in the mud but then they started to smell the blood seeping from the geyser trout. That's what caused them to leave in search of the source. Their feeding frenzy drove them toward us."

"So that's why they didn't come out when the steam toad attacked the heat wave falcon. It was covered in something that stopped the smell of any blood from spreading." Grac understood the lesson that Ella was giving.

This was knowledge that could be used in many places. There were innumerable beasts that could be able to smell the slightest changes in scent. The group knew this well. They had studied enough to be able to know this.

Therefore, if they were in the wilderness, especially the deep wilderness like the violent jungle, then they could use certain skills to hide scents. Specifically, Grace could have her frost finch freeze any blood or in general, the beast in question. That would hide the group's movements and attacks much better.

"It looks like we scared everything off after that one." Jerold was intently looking around the area. Brad was still prepared to guard them, but it was very clear to everyone that they had been left alone. Their entrance in to this dungeon had managed to scare all the beasts that lived here. Every beast that could see and sense them knew that these were stronger predators than them.

"Then that means we can search for herbs or anything else we can use." Maria saw this as a good reason to start their search. This dungeon had been older so it was untouched and the beasts were left to thrive. Between these two things, their group could grow in materials instead of strength. But that was still a reason to be on guard.

"We still need to explore the dungeon too, so the more we have going for us the better." Clark kept the black lighting spear prepared as they began to move about.

While the others seemed more focused on what they could find for herbs or other beasts to battle, Clark was using the analysis from the system. He was checking everything he could. He checked beast tracks, grasses, bubbling pools of water, and whatever else came in to view.

This was a simple challenge for himself. He had to explore the dungeon fully. This meant more to him than what most would expect it to be. The magical map that he had to document the violent jungle appeared to have been more than what he had expected. The skill to make maps also struck him as important.

By investigating this dungeon, Clark knew he could one day make a map of the dungeon entirely. Adding in the analysis from every single thing that he saw along with the evaluations of beasts would be immense. It would also bring tamers toward the deep wilderness areas to explore more.

These tempting maps and evaluations would only grow in popularity though. Once the group began to sell the beast plans for beasts within this dungeon and the violent jungle as a whole, it would be a main talking point. Only the powerful could come here, but many powerful people had children. Beasts that grew alongside children would naturally become stronger.

Imagining that they were beasts used to growing and thriving in deep wilderness areas or dungeons within such areas would mean that those children would be taking a massive leap in strength as they grew older. It was both a way to hook people but also for the group to establish their own power.

The fact that defeating the corrupted families or individuals wouldn't be enough weighed on Clark's mind. He knew that there would always be someone trying to do evil. Using nefarious means to manipulate and use others as tools. Therefore, his group had to create an upstanding alliance of people with purer hearts than others.

Once established with the power that the group had fought for, then they would have a way to shape the future.

'Grand bubbling pool- unique to dungeon

This pool is filled with the flow of many smaller bubbling pools. The water is the hottest here within the dungeon. With this also comes the fact that the toxic minerals are much more concentrated here. This allows for beasts to grow in a unique way. This is also an ideal nesting place for one specific beast.'

Clark paused in his steps as the massive pool came in to view. He could see where the nearby water pools bubbled over and streamed in to this one. But it was also very odd how all the grasses around this area had been flattened.

The only plants that grew up through the grass were stiff looking brown twigs with small purple flowers on the end.

'False saplings- ultra rare

This unique plant takes the shape of a dead sapling. However, the bark is actually the leaves of this plant, taking on a brown color to match the minerals they absorb. The small purple flowers concentrate the toxic minerals in to the nectar. This causes the purple colorations along with an extremely potent poisonous nectar. It is ideal for poison type beasts or beasts with highly acidic stomach acid.

This herb can only grow in places with high heat and toxic water. It can not grow if there are too many other plants growing around it. Some larger beasts often begin growing these due to their need to consume them or just because they find it amusing. This all depends on the beast's intelligence.'

This was not good at all." Hold on. The herbs here are nothing we can just take. There is a beast that should be sitting in waiting in that pool. One that is either eating them or that is smart enough to grow them because it likes the purple flowers." Clark didn't hesitate to warn everyone.

As if it was being summoned, the bubbling waters started to move even more. A vigorous boil as multiple geysers nearby burst up. While Isa and Ella had their best to protect the group again, Clark managed to see the brown webbed foot that stepped on to the flattened grasses before the geyser rain hit the earth and crystal dome.

As the dome was removed, the anxiety of hearing the geyser rain fall then silence increased for the group. They had no idea what had sensed them and what they would see. Clark's eyes narrowed when he saw that the larger than them shape was still halfway in the boiling toxic water.

Two seemingly slimy brown legs attached to a massive body. The slippery appearance of a brown patterned body was too large for even ten men to wrap their arms around. Furthermore, the slime that dripped off its body was melting the grasses but seemingly avoiding the false saplings.

When Clark and the others looked up, they found the large shovel like may and two large brown eyes glancing down at them. Small bits of fire and water energy flitted about in those eyes while a deeper more terrifying toxic poisons energy radiated all around them.

"This is the beast that you think grew those flowers?" Isa spoke somewhat quietly, but even so, the large beast lowered its head a bit. Instead of attacking them, it seemed to understand them to a degree. Its tail even curled around one of the false saplings to protect it from them since it was long enough to leave the pool without the back end of its body.

"We aren't here to fight or steal your flowers. We are exploring since we know this place has never been fully explored by tamers like us. You must be the guardian of this dungeon. It's nice to meet you." Clark made sure to put his black lightning spear away. He was understanding the strength that this beast had, but he had also just used the analysis to understand what this beast was.

He had to act quickly.