Arch walked back toward Foxxy, his gait still carrying that lingering, ethereal elegance. He reached out and plucked the phone from the beast's mouth, ending the recording with a satisfying click. Even behind the hollow eyes of the Ram Skull, you could tell he was beaming with pride.
"Yup... that's the one. Let's do some reviewing later," Arch muttered, his voice echoing slightly inside the bone mask. He looked around the shrine one last time, the rows of skeletons staring back. "Let's get out of here, Foxxy. The smell is finally starting to bug me... honestly, if I stay any longer, I might puke. Not very good for one's health' ain't?"
Arch didn't bother walking back. He extended his hand, the blue dome of the ROOM flickering to life.
"Shambles."
In an instant, the stale, deathly air of the shrine was replaced by the thundering roar of the waterfall and the crisp, clean scent of the Kibi forest. Arch took a deep breath, feeling his lungs clear.
"Huu... that was one hell of an experience," he sighed, finally pulling the Ram Skull off and shaking out his long, white hair.
His stomach gave a sharp growl, reminding him that transforming into a thirty-foot Hydra and raiding ancient tombs was hungry work. He opened the System Interface and navigated to the Food Tab.
"System, give me the works. High-tier Japanese lunch. I want the quality to match the scenery."
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[System Notification]
Order: Premium Washoku Set (Sashimi, Wagyu, Miso, & Tempura)
Cost: 3 Points
Delivery Status: Incoming...
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The air in front of Arch began to ripple. The System tab expanded, transforming into a shimmering, old-fashioned sliding door that led to a dark void. Then, a massive, pale finger—looking like it belonged to a cosmic giant—poked through the door. Balancing on the very tip of its fingernail was a sleek, polished steel box. The finger placed the box gently on a flat rock and vanished as the door snapped shut.
ARCH: the door style change again? And a new delivery finger.
Well...who cares...as long as the foods is always good 😋😋
He opened the steel box, and the steam carrying the scent of soy, ginger, and seared beef filled the air. He and Foxxy wasted no time. Arch ate with refined grace, while Foxxy tore into his portions with animalistic joy.
For the next hour, the "Green Grave" was peaceful. Arch leaned back against a mossy tree, scrolling through the photos on his phone. The Bone Throne shots were even better than he'd hoped. The way his white hair contrasted with the black horns of the ram... it was a masterpiece. He felt his frustration from earlier—the "Pretty Boy" trauma—finally start to fade into a comfortable, food-induced coma.
"Huu... that food was really top-notch," Arch whispered, letting out a small, unrefined burp. He patted his stomach, looking out at the waterfall that hid the secret path to the port.
After exactly sixty minutes of rest, Arch stood up. He reached his arms high above his head, his joints popping as he gave a long, satisfying stretch.
"Alright, break time is over," he said, his red eyes sharpening as he looked toward the horizon. "Let's go, Foxxy....
Arch stood at the river's edge, watching the crystal-clear water rush past the mossy banks. He squinted, trying to dredge up a half-forgotten memory from his old life—some piece of "wisdom" that felt like it belonged in a shitty motivational poster or an old adventure manga.
"Let's follow this river," Arch mused, tapping his chin. "What was that riddle again? Where it goes... it goes around? Or it flows...?"
He looked down at Foxxy. "Hey, Foxxy, was that right? Something about a river going in circles?"
Foxxy just stared at him, his head tilted so far to the side it was almost upside down. The snake-fox had survived the Void, a Hydra transformation, and a bone-throne photoshoot, but he clearly had no idea what the fuck Arch was talking about.
"Hmph. A bigbody for such a small brain for philosophy, aren't you?" Arch grumbled. He paced the bank for a second, then suddenly stopped. He slammed his right fist into his left palm with a sharp smack.
"I get it! I remember now!" Arch grinned, his red slit-eyes bright with sudden clarity. "Like a river, go with the flow and trust that you will reach your destination."
He let out a loud, boisterous laugh that echoed through the trees. "Yup! That's it! It's cheesy as hell, but it'll do for today. Gurarararara!"
Arch took a deep breath, his posture shifting from a relaxed tourist to a commander ready for the sea. He stood at the edge of the bank, the wind catching his long white hair and whipping it behind him. He raised a hand, pointing dramatically toward the distant horizon where the river disappeared into the mist of the Kibi mountains.
"Yosh, yarodomo shukkou da!" (Alright, you bastards, set sail!)
He yelled it with the confidence of a wanna be adventure mc, even though he was currently standing on solid ground next to a fox-snake.
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--------- to be continued------