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"Let's look for it first."
Russell stood in the abandoned settlement's central plaza, turning in a slow circle as he considered the problem. Somewhere beneath his feet, dozens perhaps hundreds of demons huddled in what they thought was safety. The entrance to their refuge had to be nearby, but where?
For the next hour, he and his summoned cards conducted a systematic search that would have made professional archaeologists proud. They checked every building, examined every suspicious pile of rubble, investigated every shadow that might conceal a hidden passage. Nami used her weather sensitivity to detect unusual air currents that might indicate ventilation shafts. Luffy's rubber body squeezed into spaces too small for normal exploration. Yoriichi's blade probed suspicious sections of walls and floors.
Nothing.
The demons had hidden their escape route well too well for conventional searching methods to uncover. Russell's frustration grew with each fruitless minute. The entrance could be anywhere: concealed by illusion, hidden beneath a perfectly fitted stone, or even sealed behind a wall they'd built after entering.
This really isn't working.
Russell recalled his cards with a gesture, their forms dissolving into motes of light that returned to him. He needed a different approach, and fortunately, Arrogance had options.
The symbiote shifted at his mental command, accessing a gene module he'd acquired during yesterday's harvesting expedition in the Gray Ridge Mountains. The [Master Digger] module came from a creature that had resembled a mole crossed with a badger—ugly as sin but supremely adapted for underground life.
Russell watched with mixed fascination and disgust as Arrogance transformed his hands. Fingers elongated and thickened, nails becoming curved claws designed to tear through earth and stone with equal ease. The muscles in his arms reconfigured for digging leverage. Even his shoulders broadened to provide better anchoring for the excavation motion.
I had originally thought it was a funny, useless module, Russell mused, flexing his new claws . They scraped against stone with a sound like fingernails on chalkboard, leaving shallow grooves. But I hadn't expected it might actually be used here.
The irony wasn't lost on him. Of all the combat-focused modules he'd collected enhanced strength, improved reflexes, natural weapons it was the utility option that proved most valuable. There was probably a lesson in that, but Russell was too focused on the immediate problem to philosophize.
"In the end," he sighed, the sound strange coming from Arrogance's altered vocal cords, "if there's no other choice, we can only see if we can just dig a hole to get in."
But not just any hole. Russell might be frustrated, but he wasn't stupid. Digging straight down would deposit him directly in the middle of the demon population not exactly conducive to stealth or survival. He needed intelligence on their layout, numbers, and disposition before making any dramatic entrances.
He recalled most of his cards, keeping only Unohana manifested. Her serene presence was a calming influence on his frayed patience.
" Unohana ," he said, "I have to trouble you again."
She inclined her head slightly, already understanding what he needed. Her hands moved through the precise gestures of spell preparation, magical energy gathering around her like invisible silk.
"Bakudō #58: Kakushitsuijaku."
The detection spell pulsed outward for the second time, but now with more specific parameters. Rather than just confirming presence, Unohana was mapping the underground space determining depth, layout, and concentration of magical signatures.
The process took several minutes of intense concentration. Russell watched her face for any sign of what she was discovering, but Unohana's expression remained as placid as a mountain lake. Finally, she opened her eyes and turned to him.
"I have roughly determined their location," she reported in her soft voice. "They should be halfway up the mountain. The space is extensive—multiple chambers connected by passages. The greatest concentration of signatures is toward the center, with smaller groups scattered throughout."
Russell nodded, mental gears already turning. A distributed population made sense for underground living don't put all your eggs in one basket. It also meant he could potentially infiltrate a less populated area without immediately alerting the entire colony.
"Show me," he requested.
Unohana gestured, and he followed her down the mountain slope. They moved carefully, avoiding loose stones that might tumble and announce their presence. The forest grew denser as they descended, the twisted trees pressing close enough that their branches formed a canopy blocking what little light filtered through the dimension's perpetual clouds.
Finally, Unohana stopped at an unremarkable section of the mountainside. To Russell's eyes, it looked identical to every other moss-covered rock face they'd passed. But he trusted her judgment implicitly.
"Here," she said, placing one delicate hand against the stone. "Beyond this point, approximately thirty meters horizontal distance, the signatures begin. This is as far from their center as we can start while still accessing their space."
"Perfect." Russell dismissed her with a grateful nod. "Thank you for your help."
Alone now except for Arrogance, Russell examined his chosen entry point more carefully. The rock here was granite hard but not impossibly so. Natural fissures in the stone would help guide his excavation. Most importantly, they were on the opposite side of the mountain from the abandoned settlement, meaning any noise he made would be directed away from demon ears.
"Ready, partner?" he asked the symbiote.
Arrogance's response was to sharpen their claws further, adding a serrated edge that would help break apart stone more efficiently.
"Let's do it."
Rather than maintain direct control during the laborious digging process, Russell made a tactical decision. He handed over their body's operation to Arrogance, then settled his consciousness into a meditative state. This was one of the great advantages of having a symbiote partner he could rest and recover while Arrogance handled the physical labor.
The excavation began with careful precision. Despite their enhanced strength, digging through solid rock was no simple matter. Each claw strike had to be placed perfectly to exploit natural weaknesses in the stone. Too much force risked creating vibrations that might alert their quarry. Too little meant wasted effort.
Arrogance worked with patience, carving out a tunnel just large enough for their enhanced form to move through comfortably. The excavated stone was packed into the tunnel walls rather than removed no point leaving an obvious pile of debris outside their entrance.
Time lost meaning in the darkness of their growing tunnel. Russell floated in meditation, occasionally surfacing to check progress before sinking back into restful trance. He trusted Arrogance completely for this task.
Hours passed. Or perhaps minutes time moved strangely in the belly of a mountain. Russell existed in a pleasant twilight state, aware but not actively thinking, present but not engaged.
Then Arrogance's voice echoed through their shared consciousness, rough as sandpaper but tinged with satisfaction: "Russell. We should be almost through."
Russell opened his eyes when had he closed them? and resumed active control. The transition was seamless, like stepping back into a well-worn coat. He found himself at the end of a tunnel that stretched back into darkness, their enhanced vision showing every chisel mark and stress fracture in the walls.
Before him, the rock had thinned to a mere hand's breadth. Hairline cracks let through the faintest illumination not daylight, which didn't exist in this dimension, but something artificial. Torchlight, perhaps, or some form of magical illumination.
Russell glanced back down the tunnel they'd created. It curved slightly, following the mountain's natural contours. At least fifty meters of solid rock separated them from the outside world. They'd literally carved their way into the enemy's stronghold.
"Thank you for your hard work, Arrogance," he said softly, meaning every word. The symbiote had labored for hours without complaint, turning an impossible task into merely difficult.
Russell extended his magical senses with extreme care, trying to get a read on what awaited beyond that thin barrier of stone. He expected to feel the hollow space of a cavern, perhaps the movement of bodies, the flicker of demon auras...
Nothing.
He frowned, pushing his senses harder while still maintaining stealth. Still nothing. According to his magical perception, there was nothing but solid mountain on the other side of that wall. Yet his eyes could see light seeping through cracks, and Unohana's spell had confirmed presence beyond.
It seems this is a trick played by those demons, Russell realized. Some kind of perception shield, probably. It would explain why previous cardmakers hadn't discovered this underground refuge. Standard magical sensing would pass right over it, registering only natural stone.
No wonder the previous cardmakers didn't find this underground space, he thought with grudging admiration. Their magical power must have been deceived or blocked.
It was clever, really. Most cardmakers relied heavily on their magical senses for reconnaissance. Why waste card slots on specialized detection when your own abilities usually sufficed? But that overreliance created a blind spot these demons had exploited beautifully.
If not for Unohana's specialized spell something specifically designed to detect magical signatures rather than physical spaces he would have passed right by as well. The demons probably didn't even know such detection methods existed. Their perfect hiding spot had one fatal flaw.
"Now," Russell whispered to himself, placing his clawed hands against the final barrier, "let's see the true face of these demons."
He applied pressure gradually, feeling the stone crack and crumble. No point in a dramatic entrance that would alert everyone. Better to slip in quietly and assess the situation before
The wall gave way more suddenly than expected. Light flooded in, momentarily dazzling after hours in darkness. Russell blinked, vision adjusting rapidly, and found himself staring at...
A demon. Squatting. With its pants down.
The creature was humanoid in basic shape but decidedly not human. Pointed ears not elegant elf-like points but ragged, fur-covered things like a wild dog's—sprouted from its head. Its skin was mottled gray-green, texture somewhere between leather and scales. Yellow eyes with horizontal pupils went wide with shock.
Russell was equally stunned. Of all the possible scenarios he'd imagined for first contact, interrupting a demon's bathroom break hadn't made the list.
For a heartbeat that stretched like eternity, predator and prey stared at each other in mutual disbelief. The demon's mouth opened, throat working to produce what would undoubtedly be an alarm cry. Its hands scrambled for its fallen pants in a gesture so absurdly human that Russell almost laughed.
Almost.
Instead, he moved with the speed that Arrogance's enhancements provided. One massive black and red hand clamped over the demon's mouth before it could make a sound. The other grabbed its throat—not crushing, not yet, but making the threat clear.
The demon's expression transformed instantly. Shock became terror as it realized its situation. Its hands abandoned the quest for dignity, instead clawing ineffectively at Russell's grip. Then, as sometimes happened in moments of extreme fear, biology took over.
The smell was... unfortunate.
"Now I speak, you answer," Russell whispered directly into one of those ragged ears, his voice carrying the dual-tone resonance of human and symbiote. "Blink if you understand."
The demon's eyes blinked so rapidly it looked like it was having a seizure. Yellow tears leaked from the corners—whether from fear or the effort of suppressed screaming, Russell couldn't tell.
He gradually loosened his grip on its mouth, ready to clamp down again at the first sign of alarm. The demon gasped, drawing in a desperate breath. And in that moment, Russell saw its expression change.
Fear transformed to rage. Helplessness became hatred. The demon's mouth opened wider, throat expanding for what would be a scream to wake the dead
Arrogance moved before Russell could even form the thought. Dark red tendrils flowed from their hand like liquid , forcing themselves between the demon's lips and down its throat. The creature's eyes bulged impossibly wide, hands scrabbling at its neck as the symbiote invaded its body.
"Mmmph!" The strangled sound was barely audible. The demon's struggles grew frantic, then weak, then ceased entirely. It stared at Russell with eyes that held disbelief.
Information flooded Russell's consciousness as Arrogance analyzed their victim:
Gene module extracted: [Scent Gland Production][Scent Gland Production]: Special organs, called scent glands, can be condensed in the body. With these, an organism can emit gases with toxins and confusing abilities through its own excretion outlets. (Note: This gas has no effect on organisms with the same organs.)
"Huh," Russell murmured as the demon's body went limp. "That's actually useful."
The ability explained several things how the demons might mark territory, communicate through scent, or even wage chemical warfare. The immunity factor was particularly interesting. If he used this module, he'd be protected from similar attacks.
"Hey, why couldn't you just be obedient?" Russell asked the corpse rhetorically. The black and red giant hand adjusted its grip, now cradling the demon's head almost gently. "One blink for yes would have made this so much simpler."
But the failed alarm attempt had given him an idea. A terrible, wonderful idea.
"Arrogance, how was your observation just now?" he asked. "Did you get enough detail?"
"No problem," the symbiote responded with confidence.
"Excellent." Russell's expression went cold as he made a practical decision. With casual strength, he crushed the demon's skull between his palms. The wet crunch echoed in the small space, but no louder than breaking kindling. Bone and brain matter oozed between his fingers before being absorbed by Arrogance—waste not, want not.
He'd just been handed the perfect infiltration opportunity. This demon had been alone, indisposed, and now very dead. No one would miss it immediately. And thanks to Arrogance's [Shape Change] ability...
Russell's body began to shift with wet, organic sounds that would have horrified any observer. Bones cracked and reformed. Muscles stretched and contracted into new configurations. Skin color shifted from pink to mottled gray-green. The transformation was thorough—not just external appearance but matching the demon's height, build, even its slightly hunched posture.
The torn, dirty clothes the demon had worn were next. Russell stripped them from the corpse with efficiency, trying not to think too hard about the various stains and smells. The rough fabric scratched against his transformed skin as he dressed, completing the disguise.
He paused to collect the one useful thing from the corpse a black iron-level biological material that registered as [Half-Human Weasel] (Blue). Not impressive, but every material had potential value. Waste not, want not.
The corpse itself needed disposal. Russell dragged it back through his tunnel, leaving a faint trail of various fluids he tried not to identify. Once back in the darkness of his excavation, he arranged the body carefully.
Finally, he sealed the tunnel entrance with rubble and dirt, packing it tight enough to look like natural cave-in. A few artfully placed larger stones completed the illusion. Anyone finding this would assume poor demon had been relieving himself when the wall collapsed, crushing him. Unfortunate, but hardly suspicious in an underground environment.
Russell took a moment to study his reflection in a puddle of... something. The transformation was perfect. Arrogance had captured every detail the pattern of scales, the exact angle of the ears, even the way demon's left eye drooped slightly. He practiced the demon's hunched walk, the way it had moved its hands, the nervous twitch in its jaw.
Time to see if this acting practice pays off.
He emerged from the small side cave where demon had sought privacy, immediately dampening his magical senses to the absolute minimum. These demons knew about cardmaker abilities they'd hidden from magical detection successfully. Any probe, any extended aura, might mark him as an intruder.
The underground space was more extensive than he'd imagined. Rough-hewn tunnels branched in multiple directions, lit by some kind of phosphorescent moss that grew in patches on the walls. The air was thick with unfamiliar scents—demon musk, cooking food, waste, and something else his new scent glands identified as fear pheromones. The entire colony was scared.
Good. Scared people make mistakes.
Russell had barely taken three steps when a rough voice boomed from around a corner:
"Grak! Why are you taking so long to take a shit!? The patrol leader's looking for you, and I'm not covering your ass again!"
Russell's mind raced. He had no idea what Grak sounded like, how he moved beyond those few moments of terror, or what his relationship was with the approaching demon. One wrong word, one out-of-character gesture, and his infiltration would end before it began.
Time to improvise.
(End of Chapter 122)
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