Lord of the Time: I Can Reincarnate Infinitely

The squad was still reeling from narrowly escaping the shuriken traps when they heard a distant, ominous rumbling above them. Looking up, they saw a massive volume of dark water, suspended precariously over the passage, enough to submerge a 2 km stretch of road. Panic set in as they realized the full extent of their predicament.

"Water... How is that even possible?!" Rolf exclaimed, his voice echoing off the damp stone walls.

Elina, usually the calmest, gripped her staff tightly, her face pale. "This is... this is like a nightmare," she whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

Tomas, who was about to activate his technique, froze, staring up at the looming water. "There's no way we can outrun that," he muttered, defeat edging into his voice.

Caleb, despite his years of experience, felt a little sluggish. How could fucking water enough to submerge to km road appear above them!?

'Never seen anything like this. This is unreasonable! It seems I might need to reveal some of my strength.'

Markus, the leader, knew that desperate measures were required. "I didn't want to use this so early... but it seems I have no choice," he said, his voice steady despite the situation. With a determined look, he punched the ground, and suddenly, thousands of bats made of sharp winds swirled around them, forming a protective barrier against the shurikens. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire

The wind bats fluttered around them, a whirlwind of protection, but the relief was short-lived. The dark water above threatened to crash down any moment, and the tension was palpable.

"I can maintain this barrier, but I can't cast another Ki technique without dropping it," Markus explained, his forehead creased with concentration. "And honestly, even if I could, I'm not sure anything in my arsenal could stop that much water."

The squad exchanged despairing looks, understanding the gravity of Markus's words. The realization that they might not make it out began to sink in, each member grappling with their own fear and frustration.

Elina clutched her staff closer, trying to think of any possible solution in her repertoire of support skills. Rolf looked around, searching for any structural weakness in the tunnel that might offer an escape. Tomas clenched his fists, his mind racing through every technique he knew, but finding none suitable for such a massive threat. Caleb stood silently, his experience telling him that sometimes, the forge's fire could be too much to handle.

...

As the situation grew increasingly dire, Caleb knew he couldn't just stand by. Despite his initial reluctance to fully reveal his capabilities, the threat of the massive overhead water forced his hand. Quietly, with a subtle movement that none of his teammates noticed, he summoned his three shadow assistants. These were not ordinary helpers; they were powerful, mystical entities capable of feats beyond the ordinary, hidden from the detection of even the most sensitive Ki techniques.

As the shadows slipped from Caleb's side, the dark water above them, suspended and threatening, began to stir. The shadow assistants, formless and nearly invisible, approached the water. They started at one end of the looming water mass and worked methodically towards the other. To the unsuspecting eye, it looked as though the water was slowly being absorbed by an invisible force, disappearing into thin air.

The process was silent but visually striking. The dark, ominous water seemed to thin out, gradually becoming more translucent as the shadows devoured it. The water's surface, once a menacing, undulating mass, began to calm, its once violent swirls smoothing out into nothingness.

During this three-minute ordeal, the squad members' reactions varied wildly. Markus, focused on maintaining his wind barrier, didn't immediately notice the change. Elina, who was frantically searching her mind for any spell that might help, looked up and gasped as she saw the water mysteriously vanishing. "What's happening?" she whispered in awe.

Rolf, ever the straightforward thinker, blinked in confusion, his mouth agape. "Is the water just... giving up, or what?" he muttered, trying to make sense of the scene.

Tomas, who was always keen on figuring out puzzles, squinted at the ceiling, trying to discern any trickery or device that might be causing the water to disappear. "How is this possible?" he questioned, his curiosity piqued but baffled.

As the last of the water vanished, leaving the passage dry and the threat nullified, the squad looked around in bewilderment and relief. Caleb, seeing their astonished faces, simply shrugged, a slight smile playing at his lips. He decided to keep the true nature of his intervention a secret for a little longer, enjoying the momentary peace and their puzzled expressions.

...

As the team resumed their cautious trek through the underground passage, relieved but still on edge after the inexplicable disappearance of the dark water, they couldn't help but discuss the strange events that had just unfolded.

"I mean, seriously, where did all that water even come from?" Rolf pondered out loud, his voice echoing slightly in the narrow, stone-lined passageway. "It's not like we're under a lake or something."

Elina, walking closely behind him, nodded in agreement. "It was completely unreasonable. Just hanging there... and then it's gone. I really hope that's the last of the traps. My heart can't take much more of this."

Tomas, always the thinker, added, "We should stay alert, though. If they managed to suspend a lake's worth of water above us, who knows what else they've rigged up here?"

As they continued, Markus's recent display of his Ki technique became the next topic of conversation. "That was the first time you used the Gale Shield in front of us, Markus," Elina remarked, a tone of respect in her voice. "The way those wind bats shielded us was incredible."

"Yeah, never seen anything like that before," Rolf chimed in, looking over at Markus with a mix of awe and curiosity. "How did you even learn to do something like that?"

Markus smiled modestly. "It's a family technique, honed over generations. It's not just about creating wind; it's about shaping it, giving it form and purpose. I was just glad it worked when we needed it most."

Throughout the conversation, Caleb walked slightly apart, interjecting his own brand of humor here and there. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say they were trying to give us a quick bath with that water trap. Good thing they forgot the soap, huh?" His light-hearted jokes brought smiles and occasional chuckles from the group, easing the tension as they navigated the dimly lit passage.

As they neared the end of the passage, the light from their torches flickered against the walls, casting long shadows. The corridor finally opened up into a larger chamber, the torchlight unable to reach the far walls.

"Well, here we are," Caleb said, peering into the dark expanse. "Let's just hope the welcoming committee is friendlier than the last one."

His comment drew a round of nervous Wlaughter from the squad as they stepped together into the chamber.