Chapter 41

As the second leg of the Dungeon Crawler race begins, Carl's team prepares to depart for the pit stop forty kilometers away. Dr. Metcalf plots an optimal route avoiding the Temple of the Exploding Snake Goddess and a dangerous river crossing. Meanwhile, Carl attempts to reconcile with Osvaldo via message, learning troubling details about corrupted memorial crystals and the involvement of the god Ysalte, while nearby competitors position themselves to attack.

Dr. Metcalf presents over forty possible routes to the pit stop, with distances ranging from thirty-five to nearly one hundred kilometers. The AI recommends a winding path that avoids the Temple of the Exploding Snake Goddess by veering off the direct route, crossing the I-Sure-Hope-These-Piranhas-Haven't-Learned-to-Fly River at a shallow point, and looping around a southern cannibal village to reach the dirt road into Upano. The route deliberately circumvents boss monsters and quests. Donut raises concerns about tracking placement when separated. Carl notes the team lacks a threat radar and relies on manual observation. As rain begins to fall outside their containment bubble and a shield activates to protect them, Carl observes Lucienne and Dwight screaming at the Dominators below. Concerned about potential attacks from the womantaurs and team Flamengo, Carl realizes he failed to establish a specific strategy to protect Corky, whom he considers essential. Carl sends a message to the distant Osvaldo seeking to reconcile. Through their exchange, Carl learns that Osvaldo had two memorial crystals: one for the god Tupa (corrupted) and another for Ysalte, the god Paz killed, which Osvaldo gave to the goat. Osvaldo reveals a new quest to determine why the memorial crystals are malfunctioning. Osvaldo also expresses his conviction that everyone who contacts Carl dies, including his friends Paz, Anton, and Sister Ines. As the race start signal turns from red to yellow with seconds remaining, Quemada is found sobbing, expressing existential doubts about reality itself.