Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2089: It’s colder

Following that caution from the flame elemental ancestors, I had no desire to linger in this location any longer.

Meanwhile, the red gem appeared far more vibrant than upon my initial arrival.

Thus, I merely performed a swift infusion of divine energy prior to departing.

The flame elementals seemed eager for me to contribute further, yet they remained silent in the end. After all, they witnessed the toll those injections had taken on me over the recent days.

It was evident that I had pushed myself hard lately, given the weakened state of the red gem I observed.

This made it difficult for them to voice any complaints now that stability had returned.

I had no intention of speaking up either, still unsettled from my discussion with their ancestors. At that moment, I simply craved solitude to process my thoughts.

Yet upon emerging to the surface, a sense of unease gripped me.

The surface terrain was undoubtedly frigid, but today's chill felt distinctly altered.

This went beyond the warming of the underground space; a noticeable shift had occurred above.

This forbidden area epitomized icy desolation, yet the cold intensified beyond its norm.

As soon as I surfaced, I hastily erected my usual protective shield. Simultaneously, I noticed the guards had wrapped themselves tightly while awaiting me.

Clearly, they struggled against the biting cold during their vigil.

"When did it change?" I inquired of Klein, who stood ready.

He pondered briefly before replying, "Not long ago, a sudden plunge in temperature hit, forcing us to bundle up quickly."

Upon hearing this, I furrowed my brow and pressed, "Precisely when did the temperature drop?"

Klein hesitated, then considered carefully before answering, "About an hour ago."

After his words, he gazed at me expectantly for clarification, but I offered none.

Instead, I adopted a contemplative expression while aligning the timeline in my mind.

After a moment's reflection, I confirmed the events aligned perfectly.

Shortly after my encounter with the ancestor but prior to infusing divine energy into the red gem, the flame elementals conducted yet another ritual. Their aim was to gradually restore vitality to their domain, prompting these periodic ceremonies.

I held no objections, as this aligned with my original purpose.

However, it now appeared that my hypothesis held true: these rites influenced the surface land.

The reason we hadn't detected changes in the rock elementals' territory was its subtlety. Their impact above drained the land's vitality, rendering it infertile.

For already desolate ground, further barrenness proved hard to discern without markers.

Here, though, the escalating cold served as a stark indicator.

Evidently, what manifested below depleted something from above.

If this represented creation, it felt profoundly amiss.

Indeed, when I employed creation divine energy, no such extraction occurred. My creations materialized from nothing.

Admittedly, they drew from my divine energy, but it wasn't mere transformation.

This truly suggested irregularities in the divine energy bestowed upon the elementals by the gods. It hardly resembled authentic creation-attuned relic power.

Was it a divine gift or perhaps a cunning snare?

No, the ancestral elemental divine energy rang true, and the gods themselves guided me here. Thus, the bond between elementals and gods appeared genuine.

Still, an elusive discrepancy nagged at me, just beyond grasp.

"Is staying here an issue?" I eventually questioned Klein.

He blinked in surprise but shook his head, responding, "We stock ample supplies and can replenish as needed, so that's no concern."

After a brief hesitation, he continued, "But if the cold worsens, that's another matter. Magic and garb can only shield us so far."

His companions behind him nodded in unison.

I concurred, well aware of magic's boundaries.

For the moment, however, I needed to complete my tasks here before resealing the site.

Currently, my sole recourse was to urge the flame elementals to halt further ceremonies. Without them, the surface chill shouldn't intensify.

Convincing the hopeful flame elementals to cease these revitalizing rites would prove challenging, no question.