MTL NOVEL Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Rotten Vale!
"Ugh…"
In a daze, Su Yi could hear chaotic noises around him.
What happened?
Fragments of memories flashed through his mind—Black Diablos, Glavenus, Bazelgeuse, the collapsing cliff, and the bottomless abyss he had fallen into!
Su Yi jolted awake!
That's right! I fell into the canyon's fissure! Where am I now?!
He quickly lifted his head, only to be met with intense soreness throughout his body, weakness in his limbs, and a burning pain across his skin.
"Aoooh!"
"Gawk!"
Two familiar cries echoed beside him.
In the dim light, Su Yi could make out a Great Jagras and a Kulu-Ya-Ku, both standing their ground against something noisy and aggressive.
"Su Yi, nya! You're awake, nya! That's great, nya!" Rucao's excited voice called out.
"Where… is this?" Su Yi asked as he struggled to his feet with Rucao's help.
Hiss! Haaah! Ssshaa!
The unsettling sounds of reptilian hissing echoed around them, rising and falling in a chilling chorus.
Su Yi focused his gaze and spotted eight or nine large lizards with dark black bodies covered in yellow patterns. Like a pack of wolves, they circled him and his companions, constantly harassing them.
At some point, Great Jagras and Kulu-Ya-Ku had emerged to fend off these creatures.
"Those are girros's! I'm in the Rotten Vale!?" Recognizing the lizard-like monsters, Su Yi immediately realized his location.
Seeing Su Yi awake, both Great Jagras and Kulu-Ya-Ku instinctively positioned themselves closer to him, standing guard.
"Thank you both!" Su Yi patted them gratefully. He had no idea how long they had been protecting him. His heart swelled with appreciation.
"But if those annoying creatures are here… then that means their leader—the Great Girros—must be nearby as well." Su Yi frowned.
And as if summoned by his words…
A smaller yet more menacing figure emerged from the darkness, stepping between the Girros pack.
Its color was similar to the Girros, but it had something they didn't—a wide, cobra-like frill on both sides of its neck.
The leader of the Girros pack—the Great Girros.
"Hraaah-oooh!"
The Great Girros opened its mouth and let out a piercing cry, revealing two long, venomous fangs similar to those of a viper. Yellow-green paralytic venom dripped from its fangs, making it look even more terrifying.
At its command, the surrounding Girros scurried forward, baring their fangs as they closed in on Su Yi and his allies.
"You think I'm easy prey?! Great Jagras—Dragon Claw! Kulu-Ya-Ku—Heavy Rock Smash!" Su Yi commanded coldly.
Great Jagras let out a savage roar and slashed with its razor-sharp claws, instantly swiping away several incoming Girros. Blood splattered as some unfortunate ones were even disemboweled on the spot.
Meanwhile, the Kulu-Ya-Ku gripped a large rock in its nimble hands, using it as a weapon to smash the skulls of the Girros one by one. Each impact produced a sickening crack as bones shattered.
"Hraaah-oooh!"
The Great Girros let out another loud howl, its neck frill vibrating wildly, amplifying the sound further into the abyss.
Within seconds, five or six more Girros slithered out from the shadows, as if appearing out of thin air. They seemed endless.
If the Great Jagras was like a gang leader roaming around with its pack, then the Great Girros was the true mafia boss—the kingpin who could summon countless minions at will.
"Take down the leader, and the rest will scatter!" Su Yi declared, directing the Great Jagras to charge at the Great Girros.
After swatting away countless Girros that threw themselves at it, the Great Jagras closed the distance in an instant.
"Use Dragon Claw!" Su Yi commanded.
The Great Jagras raised its glowing claws, imbued with draconic energy, and swung down viciously at the Great Girros.
The Great Girros attempted to counter, but it was no match for the fully empowered Great Jagras. In a single, crushing blow, it was slammed to the ground.
"Body Slam!" Su Yi gave the final order.
The Great Jagras lifted its bulky frame and came crashing down.
A shrill, pain-filled cry echoed as the Great Girros writhed under the attack. Its minions desperately surged forward, attempting to rescue their fallen boss.
"Tail Whip!"
Great Jagras obeyed and lifted its tail, its long, slender tail covered in pale green scales. With a powerful swing, it lashed out at the incoming Girros, sending them flying.
"One more Dragon Claw!"
"Aoooh!"
The Great Jagras let out a thunderous roar, slashing its sharp claws at the Great Girros, leaving several deep, gruesome wounds on its body. The once-intimidating predator visibly weakened, its movements sluggish.
"Didn't expect my next capture to be a Great Girros." Su Yi pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it toward the Great Girros.
Smack!
The Poké Ball bounced off and fell to the ground without any effect.
"Huh? Poké Balls from the Pokémon world can't capture monsters? Does this mean I can only use the system's Capture Balls to catch them?" Su Yi muttered in surprise.
That meant he had to use the system-given Capture Balls sparingly.
Su Yi quickly switched to his remaining seven Capture Balls and threw one at the struggling Great Girros. In an instant, the monster was sucked into the ball.
Ding!
The ball shook violently.
Ding!
It shook again.
Su Yi frowned. Did I not weaken it enough?
Boom!
With a loud crack, the Great Girros broke free, panting heavily and eyeing Su Yi warily.
"ROAR!"
A terrifying roar echoed from deep within the Rotten Vale.
"What was that?!" Su Yi tensed. The constant ambushes were making him anxious.
The Great Girros, already wounded and hearing the distant roar, turned tail and ran without hesitation.
"Hmph! Trying to escape?" Su Yi recalled the Great Jagras, hopped onto Kulu-Ya-Ku, and chased after the Great Girros by following its tracks.
The remaining Girros, seeing their leader flee, immediately scattered like frightened beasts.
Deep in the Rotten Vale
Large parts of the Rotten Vale were filled with thick miasma—breathing it in would harm the body, and prolonged exposure could be devastating.
However, there was a temporary solution—burning away the miasma to create a short-lived, breathable area.
Seated on Kulu-Ya-Ku's back, Su Yi held Larvesta in his arms, using Ember to burn away the toxic fog as they advanced.
As they navigated the Vale, the surrounding scenery grew increasingly unsettling—rotting flesh, twisted remains of unknown creatures, and eerie insects producing strange noises.
"So this is the Rotten Vale, nya? Cough, cough, it smells terrible, nya! Why is it like this, nya?" the Palico asked, covering its nose.
"Cough… This place is a giant graveyard," Su Yi explained. "Besides corpses that fall from the Coral Highlands, this valley is also the final resting place of ancient, powerful Elder Dragons."
"See that massive skeleton?" Su Yi pointed ahead at a colossal ribcage protruding from the rocks and soil. "That's the remains of the massive Elder Dragon, the Serpent King Dragon, Dalamadur."
"Whoa, such a huge bone, nya! So we're walking on top of some gigantic monster's remains, nya?!" the Palico exclaimed.
Su Yi chuckled. "Fascinating, isn't it? Welcome to the New World."
Carefully, Kulu-Ya-Ku navigated past bones and decaying flesh, making its way up a winding slope. The further they climbed, the thinner the miasma became, making it easier to breathe.
"ROAR!"
The terrifying roar echoed again, causing the scoutflies guiding them to tremble in fear.
Su Yi's expression darkened. "Great… another terrifying beast. Now, let me think—what monsters roam the Rotten Vale again…? Oh crap, why can I only think of those 'police officers'?"