Solo Dungeon Streamer-I Am Overpowered

Chapter 151: Difficult Way Forward

The platform's faint hum lingered even after the battle ended. Its glyphs continued to glow softly, bathing the clearing in an eerie, flickering light. The mist swirling around the basin felt thicker now, carrying a weight that pressed against us like unseen hands. Kijin slumped onto a nearby rock, catching her breath as her barrier fizzled out of existence.

"Next time, I'd like a heads-up before I get dragged into a fight with a magic rock monster," she said, rubbing her temples. "And by 'heads-up,' I mean a 'No, Kijin, it's not worth your sanity.'"

Raijuu was prowling the edge of the clearing, his nose low to the ground. His body language screamed tension, though his growls had subsided to a soft rumble. Tenko was busy reviewing the footage on her camera, her sharp eyes analyzing every frame as if looking for a hidden answer.

The chat, of course, had its usual commentary:

: Tsukasa, maybe next time don't activate the ancient death trap? Just a thought.

: Kijin carried, Raijuu MVP, and Tsukasa... well, you're there, I guess.

: That crystal is reacting to everything except Tsukasa's social skills.

I ignored the trolling. Years of streaming had given me a thick skin when it came to my audience's sense of humor. Instead, I focused on the crystal, now pulsing faintly in my hand. The energy from the platform hadn't dissipated entirely—it had shifted, creating a faint path of light that pointed deeper into the forest.

"This isn't just a waypoint," I said, holding up the crystal. "The platform is directing us to something else. It's part of a bigger network."

Kijin snorted. "Great. More glowing breadcrumbs into the abyss. Just what I wanted."

"The abyss is still better company than Tsukasa," the chat chimed in.

: Confirmed: Kijin would rather fight monsters than talk to her summoner.

: She's not wrong, though.

Raijuu barked sharply, breaking our moment of banter. He stared into the mist, his ears swiveling toward a faint sound we couldn't hear. Kijin was on her feet in an instant, her hands glowing faintly as she prepared to summon her barrier.

"Relax," I said, though my own grip on the crystal tightened. "If something was coming, Raijuu wouldn't just bark—he'd attack."

"Maybe he's just tired of you," Kijin shot back.

: Can't blame him. We're all tired of Tsukasa, and we're not even there.

: Plot twist: the crystal glows brighter when Tsukasa stops talking.

Tenko finally looked up from her camera, her expression serious. "The carvings on this platform are different from the obelisk," she said. "They're more... directional. It's like they're trying to guide us instead of just reacting."

"Guide us where?" Kijin asked. "Because if it's another fight like that last one, I'm filing a complaint with HR."

: Kijin's about to unionize the Shikigami.

: Imagine being overpowered but still bad at your job. Couldn't be us.

Despite the constant ribbing from the chat, I knew they were just as curious as we were. With the crystal's faint path leading us forward, we had no choice but to move. The only way to understand the Shifting Isle's defenses was to press deeper into its heart.

The path grew steeper as we ascended, the forest becoming denser and darker with each step. Thick roots jutted out from the ground like natural traps, threatening to trip us at every turn. The air was cold and damp, and the faint mist from the basin seemed to follow us, curling around our legs like a living thing.

Raijuu led the way, his movements deliberate and cautious. Kijin followed close behind, her hands glowing faintly in case another ambush came. Tenko was behind me, her camera trained on the path ahead, capturing every detail for both posterity and the chat's endless speculation.

The chat, unsurprisingly, had plenty to say:

: Are we sure Raijuu isn't leading you guys to your deaths? He seems done with this.

: Kijin's glowing hands are the real star of the stream. Can we get a highlight reel?

: Tenko's professionalism is wasted on this group. Tsukasa, do better.

"I'd like to remind you all," I said, addressing the chat directly, "that I'm the reason this stream exists. Without me, you'd just be staring at a dark forest."

: Without you, the forest might actually survive.

: This man really out here thinking he's the protagonist.

"Keep talking," Kijin muttered. "The monsters might leave us alone out of pity."

We reached the top of the slope and found ourselves overlooking a massive waterfall. The cascade tumbled into a circular basin below, its surface shimmering faintly in the dim light. At the center of the basin stood a stone archway, its carvings glowing faintly through the mist.

"That's it," I said, holding up the crystal. Its light pulsed in sync with the glyphs on the archway. "The next waypoint."

The chat immediately lit up with warnings and jokes:

: It's another trap. Call it now: Tsukasa activates it, Kijin has to save the day.

: Raijuu's already scouting an escape route. He knows how this ends.

: Tenko's just waiting for the highlight moment where Tsukasa messes up.

The descent into the basin was treacherous. The rocks were slick with moss and spray from the waterfall, and one wrong step could send us tumbling into the water below. Raijuu navigated the terrain with ease, but the rest of us struggled to keep up.

Kijin slipped once, catching herself on a jagged outcropping. "Next time, remind me to wear cleats," she grumbled.

: Kijin almost fell. If she had, Raijuu would've started a new party without you.

: Tsukasa's leadership really showing here. Everyone's just barely surviving.

We reached the base of the basin and approached the archway. The crystal's glow brightened as we drew near, its pulse syncing with the glyphs. The air around the archway felt charged, thick with static energy that made my hair stand on end.

Before I could examine it further, Raijuu barked sharply. From the mist, another figure emerged. It was humanoid, but its body was sleek and angular, made of the same black stone as the previous creature. Its glowing blue eyes locked onto us, and it began to move.

"Here we go again," Kijin muttered, summoning her barrier in a flash of light.

The chat was ready for round two:

: It's another one! Let's see if Tsukasa can hit it this time.

: Kijin vs. the Isle's guardians. Tsukasa vs. his own incompetence.

: Raijuu and Kijin are the real heroes here. Tenko's the witness.

The figure stepped onto the water, its movements impossibly smooth. The glyphs on the archway flared brightly, and the crystal's light surged in response. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't going to let us pass without a fight.