On the remote, desolate shores of Afric Island, a man brimming with determination stood before an ancient, towering spire. The tower lood atop a massive rock formation resembling a circus tent. Its spiraling design resembled the horn of a unicorn, with an intricately carved massive door that appeared more ornantal than functional.
"What is this place, Guild Leader? Is this map even real? Why has it brought us to this isolated island with no way forward?"
One guild mber questioned, they had collectively failed to open the tower's supposed entrance.
"Exactly! We've searched every inch of this rock, and there's no way forward. Are you sure we weren't deceived?"
The lone woman in the group murmured irritably.
"I don't know why the map brought us to a dead end, but there has to be a reason!"
The guild leader responded, his voice heavy with worry.
"Uh... Could it be that the map we found is fake?"
Another guild mber suggested, seeing no clear path forward.
"Impossible. We've already encountered the clown guarding Roche Roger's weapon, and I've ford a contract with the Infinite Whip! Let's think this through. There must be another explanation. I refuse to believe this map is fake or that it's led us to a place that's not connected to the path to Roche Roger's tomb."
Aswa said with a stern tone, unwilling to accept the possibility that the map he had spent tens of millions of coins to obtain could be counterfeit. Moreover, the Infinite Whip, said to be a divine weapon, had already astounded him with its mind-blowing attack power.
"Then what could be the reason, Guild Leader?"
The woman asked, exasperated. They had been stuck at this location for almost an entire day with no progress, as the map's trail ended abruptly here.
"Should we just try breaking it down, Guild Leader?"
Another guild mber proposed.
"Does it even have a real entrance? The whole tower looks more like a solid block of stone. Even the carved windows seem completely sealed off."
One of the n comnted.
"We won't know unless we try. We've tried everything else to no avail. I think Ma's suggestion is worth a shot."
Aswa nodded in agreent.
"So, who wants to go first? Regular attacks probably won't work, and worse, they might damage our weapons."
Ma assessed cautiously.
"What if we use skills instead of basic attacks?"
"Or maybe the Guild Leader should give it a try. After all, your weapon is a divine one."
The woman suggested. Aswa shook his head, replying with a somber tone.
"Even though it's a divine weapon, its attack power is just one. There's no way it'll make a dent in this stone door, Rose. You all give it a shot first. If it still doesn't work, I'll try my weapon."
With that, his team mbers took turns using their skills to attack the stone door of the tower. No matter how powerful the skills were, the door remained unscathed, not even a scratch marring its surface.
"It's no use, Guild Leader. We've tried everything, but we can't even make the door budge. Honestly, I'm exhausted."
Lost Martial Artist admitted, his voice heavy with fatigue.
"Guild Leader, why don't you give it a try? It's almost nightfall, and who knows what kind of nocturnal beasts roam around here. If we still can't open the door, we should consider retreating to the mainland for safety."
Ma suggested, glancing at Aswa, who was already preparing himself. In his hand was an old, worn brown leather whip, looking as if it might tear apart with one strong swing.
Aswa tightened his grip on the whip, focusing intensely. He planned to strike the stone door with all his might, though he doubted the whip's re one-point attack power would have any effect on the solid structure.
Snap!
Aswa swung the whip with all his strength, sending its tip lashing forward at lightning speed. To everyone's shock, the braided leather whip tore apart mid-strike. Aswa and his team gaped in disbelief as the whip transford. It morphed into a tallic staff, retaining its original length but now segnted into hundreds—if not thousands—of tiny joints. The structure allowed it to bend and twist fluidly, resembling a whip in its movents.
"Oh!"
Everyone exclaid in unison, excitent lighting up their faces. This was the true form of the Infinite Whip. Though it lacked intricate patterns or jewel embellishnts, its elegance and functionality exuded the majesty of a divine weapon, rivaling any other divine-class armant.
"This is amazing, Guild Leader! Now we'll definitely be able to open that door!"
Lost Martial Artist's voice trembled with excitent. Aswa nodded, confidence swelling in him. The divine weapon in his hand was extraordinary, and he was certain it could turn the massive stone door to rubble with ease.
Snap!
"Ah!"
Aswa swung the whip once more with all his might. This ti, the weapon spun like a drill shape and pierced the stone door. To everyone's surprise, the weapon coiled and lodged itself firmly into the door, slipping out of Aswa's grip. The team stared at the scene, bewildered. They had not thought that their guild leader's whip wielding skill would be this bad. Instead of shattering the door, it seed the whip had drilled straight into it.
"Why are you all looking at like that? Mistakes happen, okay? I'm not exactly an expert with whips!"
Aswa barked defensively, his tone tinged with irritation to mask his embarrassnt. Determined to retrieve his weapon, he strode toward the door.
Reaching for the whip's handle, Aswa pulled with all his strength. A deafening rumble filled the air as cracks spread across the stone door, which then slid open. Everyone turned to gape at Aswa, then at the door, and finally at the whip—now twisted into sothing resembling a door handle.
"So that's how you open the door..."
Rose's mouth was agape.
"It truly lives up to its na—able to be anything."
Ma was clearly impressed by the versatility of the Infinite Whip. He speculated that its form had to adapt to the situation, and in this case, it had transford into a doorknob.
"I think it should be called the 'Swiss Army Weapon' instead,"
rlin's Top Protege suggested. Boron and Lost Martial Artist imdiately nodded in agreent.
"Well, the door's open now, so we might as well head inside the tower."
With that, the group disappeared into the dark interior of the towering structure.
.....
The most unexpected thing for Chang Long was finding herself in a romantic partnership within the ga. What made it even more surprising was that her partner was none other than a young man she had t only recently. As the newly-minted couple, she and Thankhun followed Ling Lan—the beautiful NPC who had given them the couple's quest—back to her residence so she could explain the mission's details. Devi-chan and Kamaku Hayasa floated behind at a noticeable distance, avoiding eye contact with each other. Both bore tense expressions but remained silent, save for the occasional muttered comnt from Devi-chan:
"If Heaven's heir finds out about this..."
Once the rookie couple arrived at Ling Lan's residence, she swiftly served tea and snacks, then presented them with a portrait of Zhi Yuan. She began recounting the tale of her past romance with him, a key part of the quest narrative. anwhile, the pets and spirits waited outside, not wanting to intrude. Big glanced at Chang Long's pets awkwardly, unsure how to act around the divine beasts Kitsune and Hulu. Ultimately, he kept his distance, occasionally casting hesitant glances their way. The ghosts, too, divided into two distinct groups—those belonging to Chang Long and those to Thankhun. Both groups seed equally uncertain about how to interact now that their masters had suddenly beco a couple without prior warning.
Ling Lan gazed wistfully at Chang Long and Thankhun for a long mont before beginning her story, one that they would need to endure as part of the mission.
"Zhi Yuan and I were born into very different families. Zhi Yuan ca from a proud lineage of honorable warriors, while I hailed from a prosperous rchant family, living in comfort and luxury. I can still rember the first ti I t him. That day, the sky was clear, and the weather was perfect. I was out enjoying a stroll with my governess, wandering through the marketplace. And then, he appeared from around the corner. He didn't capture my attention at first glance, but as we spoke, I found myself drawn to him unknowingly...
Zhi Yuan was a confident man, bold in both words and actions. Despite his rough exterior, he had a tender side. The first ti we held hands, I was both shy and excited. His hands were large and marked with scars, yet warm and gentle. I had never experienced such feelings before—this special emotion for soone, a feeling I ca to know as love. I realized I loved Zhi Yuan, and my love for him grew deeper with each passing day. His warm embrace, his gentle smile—they filled my heart with joy. But then...
One day, five years ago, Zhi Yuan was sent on a mission in the Gobi Desert. It was a secret mission known to only a few. Before he left, he promised he would return quickly and take as his wife. I waited... and waited. I missed him, worried for him. Days turned into months, months into years, yet Zhi Yuan never ca back. No one ntioned him. In the end, my family ordered to marry the son of another rchant family, but I refused. I wanted to wait for Zhi Yuan, my first and only love. Pressured by my family, I had no choice but to feign madness to escape the marriage. I've waited all this ti... hoping that soday I would see him again, to be held in his warm embrace once more."
Tears stread down Ling Lan's cheeks once again. Neither Chang Long nor Thankhun said a word as they listened. To Chang Long, true love only existed in fairy tales, and this was just another part of the ga's scripted story—a sorrowful tale that still managed to stir so pity for Ling Lan. Thankhun, on the other hand, remained silent, leaving Chang Long to wonder whether he was genuinely moved or simply about to fall asleep.
"Zhi Yuan disappeared in the Gobi Desert?"
Thankhun finally asked after Ling Lan fell silent.
"Yes, he vanished in the Gobi Desert. He once told there was a hidden military camp there, unmarked on any map. But I don't know where it might be in the desert."
"Um... That's pretty vague. Are we supposed to search the entire desert?"
Chang Long said with so frustration.
"Not entirely. The day he left, I saw him off. Zhi Yuan rode westward from Longshan City. That's all I know."
Ling Lan replied.
"That's still better than searching the whole desert. At least it saves us so ti."
Thankhun said.
"True. If that's all, we'll take our leave,"
Chang Long said, standing and preparing to go.
"Wait! Don't forget—you two are supposed to be a couple. So parts of this mission will require you to, uh... prove your true love. If you fail, then my hope of reuniting with Zhi Yuan will be dashed..."
Ling Lan said with a sorrowful expression. Her ntion of proving true love was t with sharp, murderous glares from both Chang Long and Thankhun.
"Anything else we should know?"
Chang Long asked curtly, wondering if this NPC was so sort of con artist.
"Uh... Once you leave the city boundaries, your pets and companions will be sealed. However, you'll be able to summon them in ergencies."
Ling Lan's voice grew even softer as she noticed the stunned expressions on the faces of the freshly paired couple.
"Maybe we should cancel this right now!"
Chang Long threatened, her frustration evident.
"Please, Chang Long."
"Fine, fine. I'll do what I can," Chang Long huffed, exhaling sharply through her nose before walking away. Thankhun silently followed her out, saying nothing.
.....
For nearly ten seconds, Siegfried of the Pendragon Guild was in a comatose state. If not for the Recovery skill slowly restoring his health, he would have been long gone and awaiting respawn. Though Siegfried's condition was visibly weakened and drained, his determination to defeat the AI Commander remained unshaken.
The AI Commander looked at Siegfried in disbelief. His ultimate skill was devastating, one that no opponent had ever survived. Yet the man before him had miraculously escaped death. With what little strength he had left, Siegfried raised his sword and drove it with all his might into the AI Commander's chest. The Commander was too weakened to resist further.
"You... you've won, boy!"
The AI Commander said with a bitter grin before his form dissipated into white light. All that remained was a golden circular pendant, about the size of a palm, lying on the ground. Siegfried bent down to pick it up, and at that mont, the remaining AI soldiers also disappeared in flashes of white light. A booming system announcent echoed across the ga:
"The Pendragon Guild has successfully captured the special area located near the cliffs by Troy. This area will now be under the guild's control for one month, after which it will beco contestable again."
Cheers erupted from the allied guild mbers, but to Siegfried, the sound seed distant and faint. His body crumpled to the ground as he lost consciousness. His friends rushed toward him, their faces filled with concern.
When Siegfried opened his eyes again, he was disoriented. The sounds of commotion still filled his ears, even though he thought the battle had already ended. Alard, he sat up abruptly, grabbed his sword, and hurriedly exited the tent. His thoughts raced with worry for his sister and his friends. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious or what had transpired in that ti. If the battle was not truly over, would his friends not be at a disadvantage now?
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