I’m Not the Heroine

It wasn’t every day you saw energy existing in both liquid and gaseous forms. The pool churned and bubbled like water filled with dry ice, continuously radiating dense miasma.

“That place is dangerous,” Aria warned. “This isn’t… ordinary miasma.”

Her words confirmed my suspicions.

Is there a difference between the miasma emanating from monsters and the miasma of the Demon Realm itself?

It was like comparing oxygen in its natural state to pure oxygen. Normally, oxygen is essential for life when mixed with other gases, but pure oxygen can be toxic.

Similarly, this pool seemed to be filled with a form of miasma far more potent and malevolent than what we’d encountered before.

Bubble, bubble.

“It looks like that’s where the monsters are coming from,” I observed.

“From that… bubbling miasma pool?”

“But the monsters didn’t look like fish,” Nia pointed out hesitantly.

“Nia, don’t think of miasma as a typical liquid,” I explained. “It’s closer to mana in nature.”

This explained why monsters resembling insects and reptiles could emerge from the pool without requiring specialized respiratory systems.

“Then we should destroy it as quickly as possible,” Aswell declared.

Click.

Both Serelin and Aswell drew their swords simultaneously.

“You won’t be able to destroy it with normal means,” I warned.

A faint stain might be easy to clean with a cloth, but a deeply ingrained mark required far more effort.

“Master Key,” I called out.

Whirrr!

The magical device roared to life, designating Aria and Aswell.

“Both of you, use your strongest techniques.”

Unfortunately, Serelin, Lafiré, and Nia couldn’t contribute much in this situation. Though they possessed powers similar to holy energy, theirs weren’t strong enough to neutralize miasma of this intensity.