The crater had to be over a thousand meters wide and almost as deep. It was like looking into a whole other world down there and one that was hard to comprehend.

I could see serpents and other monsters swimming in the hot pools of lava below, but there was also a small town that I could just barely see in the far-off distance. Many creatures were moving down below, but it was nearly impossible to make them all out from this distance. ​​

“Pretty interesting place? This is actually the smallest fire lake on the island, but the other two are controlled by the other two Demon lords, and the last one is controlled by a Fire Wurm. This one contains the more timid monsters, and it also houses Fireden, who watches over the area,” Mex explained as we walked up to the edge of the crater.

“You said that there was a Magma Spider that was causing trouble here; where is she, and what is a Magma Spider?” I asked curiously.

I didn’t see anything in the crater that looked like a giant web, but maybe she had another way of attracting and trapping her victims.

“No, you won’t see Liza right now; she only comes out at night. So, you will have to come and explore Crata’s nightlife to catch her, but that is for another time, now you get to watch something that I always enjoy,” Mex said, and then he turned to the crater and yelled out Fireden’s name across the crater.

At first, there was only the echo of this voice, but then I noticed something starting to happen in the biggest lake of fire. The surface was beginning to stretch and move, and it began to swell up.

I watched as little tiny monsters started to let out small screams that I could barely hear from so far away, and they started to run from the fire lake. The lava became a giant hand that pulled a body and a massive wave of lava that all the screaming monsters were caught up in and then slowly pulled itself out.

“Hey! I thought you said that these guys were not titans!” I shouted out in shock at Mex, but he just grinned at me.

“Fireden is only about thirty five meters tall and hardly considered a titan. When you make it to the mainland, you will be able to meet real titans, but they aren’t even the scariest of what you will meet,” Mex explained to me calmly as the skyscraper of a lava coated man started to stand himself up.

I initially thought that the giant was killing the monster, but I could see monsters moving around inside him. Some with just their heads poking just out of his flowing lava skin, while others were swimming around.

“Fireden is the protector of this area, and all the creatures love him, but they don’t get all swept up when he comes to see me. This is why you will have to be careful; Fireden is a kind and gentle soul that will help you build up your Physical and Magical resistances,” Mex explained as we stepped back; Fireden was getting closer now, and he was climbing up the side of the crater.

“So I will need to watch out for him to make sure that I don’t accidentally get turned into carbon?” I asked as we continued to back up.

The heat was out of this world; even with my body trying to get used to it, I was still boiling over. Not like it would make a difference, there was no getting used to pure fire.

“No, I want you to make sure that my daughter does not get hurt! I don’t care what you do, but I would prefer you not die. I am putting in a lot of effort for all of this to help you, but I am sure you know that I am only trying to do what is best for my daughter. Now, stop asking stupid questions, and let’s get this over with,” Mex said, a bit perturbed.

“Sure, fine, you’re the boss,” I said, spinning my finger in the air, but that got a glare from Mex as the Fire Elemental poked his head up about their ridge.

“You know, a bit of fear might give you a bit more understanding, or maybe some more common sense!” Mex growled at me, and I shrugged.

I was sure that he was trying to use his fear aura or whatever it was on me, but my System made me like grease, and Mex’s fear was just a watered-down stare. I understood what he meant, though, and I nodded to him in understanding.

Mex turned from me, looking a bit less peeved, but I could understand what he was getting at. He wasn’t doing this for me; this was to help his daughter, so helping me was the best way to achieve his ends.

This was using me, but I was also using him to get stronger so that I could survive in his world, but I needed him more than he needed me. If I died, he would just have to wait for another person to stubble through that gate just like I did.

I would be dead, and I would also never get to see the girls again. I didn’t want either of those things to happen, so I would take all of this far more seriously now.

“Sorry, I am focused now. Still trying to wrap my head around all of this,” I said with a half-smile, but Mex turned his head and looked at me thoughtfully as the massive head of fire poked over the ridge thoroughly.

“Don’t try to wrap your head around this world; you will hurt yourself,” Mex told me with a severe look, but that made me roll my eyes, and Mex smiled. “There is a lot to learn in this world, and too much for one day, so just absorb what you can and pay attention to the important parts.”