"What's wrong? You've survived countless near-death attacks but can only fight back like this? Ti's running out. At this rate, you won't be able to avenge her, and you'll also lose most of the mining area to my guild,"
Demos taunted.
"Why waste ti talking to him? The weak will always be weak. It's better to kill him painfully and be done with it,"
sneered Beleth de Montes, the Pirate King, who suddenly appeared beside Demos. He shot Siegfried a mocking look.
"Shut up, Beleth. A demon like you will never beco the Supre King. History will repeat itself. You and your heirs will suffer agonizing deaths, just like in the days of old!"
Heaven appeared next to Siegfried, retaliating against the arrogant Pirate King. Beleth's already fearso visage twisted into an even more terrifying expression.
"Big words for cowards. Without your pack ganging up on , do you think you could ever win? Even five-on-one, I killed three of you before you managed to bring down. Rember that, Heaven? Rember the taste of my claws tearing through your heart and crushing it to pulp right before your eyes? Ha, ha, ha."
Heaven gritted his teeth in rage, the horrifying mory of his brutal and grueso death at Beleth's hands flashing, it was still fresh in his mind.
"Calm down, Heaven. That guy won't win or beco the Supre King. I'll avenge you,"
Siegfried said calmly, his recovery skill gradually restoring his body. Standing tall once more, he faced Demos without fear.
"Oh? You've got so nifty healer skills, huh? Looks like I'll need to kill you with a single blow then,"
Demos remarked excitedly, observing Siegfried's partial recovery.
Siegfried raised his Caduceus and assud a defensive stance, his gaze unwavering. Determined to take down the demon before him. Demos laughed at Siegfried's seriousness, launching himself high into the air before diving at incredible speed. Siegfried sidestepped and countered with a thrust of his blade.
Slash
Both fighters were sent flying in opposite directions, each sustaining severe injuries. Bloodied but resolute, Siegfried pushed himself upright. Demos, clutching a deep wound across his abdon, rose with a mocking smirk playing on his lips.
"Is that all you've got? This is boring. I expected more from you… Aghh!!"
Demos clutched his wound, screaming in agony as his body convulsed. Sweat poured from his skin, and every vein in his body pulsed violently as if boiling under imnse pressure that he could not make sense of. He glanced at Siegfried who stood in distance in shock.
"How does it feel, tasting pain for once?"
Siegfried asked, his gaze cold as he watched Demos writhe in tornt.
"Y… you. What did you do to !"
Demos rasped angrily, his voice dry and cracking.
"Just a little skill to let you experience so pain for yourself. Anyway, I think we've claid enough of the mining area by now. But taking you down will be satisfying—call it revenge."
The young man responded evenly, sheathing his sword and turning to walk toward his comrades, who were seated nearby tending to their wounds. Their faces lit up with joy and admiration—Siegfried had defeated one of the most formidable and feared ranked players.
Shunk!
"Still so naïve, Siegfried of Pendragon. Turning your back on an enemy still alive is as good as committing suicide. You know, the skill you used on is quite a good amount of harrowing. See, I'm still trembling from pain. So much pain that I just want to kill you."
Demos was standing re inches away behind Siegfried, whispering by his ear. The players nearby froze in shock.
"Ugh! Y... you..."
Siegfried choked on his own blood, his face stunned. He had not thought soone on experiencing such excruciating pain could muster the strength to rise and deliver a lethal blow.
Demos' body radiated heat as if engulfed in flas. Blood poured freely from the deep gash in his stomach and even from all his seven orifices. He heaved labored breaths, pulling his claws violently from Siegfried's chest. Blood sprayed everywhere from the talons that pierced through his chest, leaving Siegfried teetering on the brink of his last breath.
"Hehe, I won't die... alone. Arrgggh!" Demos growled before his body erupted into flas. His agonized scream pierced the battlefield.
Siegfried let out a faint laugh as he fell to his knees. His companions rushed to his side, hoping to save him. He tilted his head upward, gazing at the clouds in the sky.
"Chang Long..."
He whispered faintly like the wind before his body dissolved into white light and disappeared.
.....
Chang Long tilted her head toward the sky, lost in thought. She felt as though she had heard soone calling her na—a voice as soft as the wind, filled with yearning. Yet there was nothing but a small wisp of cloud drifting across. She glanced around; no one seed to have noticed her distraction. Everyone else was relaxing, so peering into the sea in hopes of spotting a rmaid.
"Strange..."
Chang Long murmured to herself.
"What's strange, missy?"
Devi-chan asked curiously.
"I thought I heard soone calling just now,"
she replied, deep in thought.
"Not so strange, considering how close we are to the Mist of Death. It's hard not to hear weird whispers around here," Devi-chan replied. Chang Long nodded and leaned over the side of the boat, gazing into the still water. She squinted at the vague shadow of sothing circling below the surface.
Suddenly, the figure shot out of the water at high speed. Chang Long pulled her head back in shock as the creature, half-man, half-shark twisted midair before plunging back into the sea. She gaped in astonishnt, along with the others who had witnessed it.
"A level 58 Sharkman beast has appeared."
"What the heck was that thing!"
Sea Breeze shouted, his wide eyes fixed on the massive figure disappearing into the depths.
"A Sharkman—a half-human, half-shark beast!"
Captain Columbus murmured in a muted tone,
"How are we supposed to get into the water like this?"
Chang Long could not help but feel uneasy.
"Sharkn are a species that live in the Abyssal Sea. They act as sentries, the frontier guarding the path to the underwater city,"
Captain Columbus explained.
"Sentries? That ans we'll have to fight them, won't we? That would waste even more ti,"
Chang Long muttered, glancing at Ackeran, who remained silent. When he noticed her looking at him, he finally spoke.
"Sharkn are weak against rmaids. If a rmaid acknowledges you, you might be granted passage to Aquamarine City,"
Ackeran said in a calm tone.
Chang Long turned her gaze to the vast Abyssal Sea. Sharkn were surfacing and circling the Bloodied Angel. These Sharkn were muscular, with shark-like lower bodies, pale gray skin, a large dorsal fin on their backs, and fins on their elbows. Their webbed hands ended in claws resembling rows of shark teeth, while not frighteningly long.
"Everywhere I look, it's just Sharkn. Not a single rmaid in sight," Sea Breeze said anxiously. He was more interested in seeing a real rmaid than the hulking, shark-like figures. However, the sheer number of Sharkn could spell danger for the Bloodied Angel.
"Can't we just show them the rmaid's heart? It's a rmaid's, after all,"
Chang Long asked Ackeran hopefully.
"Considering how you obtained the rmaid's heart, do you think they'll let soone who killed a rmaid and ripped out her heart walk free? Forget entering Aquamarine City; they'd more likely swarm you in vengeance."
Ackeran's words stopped Chang Long mid-action as she was about to pull the heart from her bag. Alard, she withdrew her hand and accidentally bumped against a carved wooden box inside her bag. Curious, she pulled it out.
"What's that box?"
Devi-chan asked with interest.
"Hmm... I think Brother Jie gave this to . It's... Oh. That's it! Now I can reach Aquamarine City without drowning!"
Chang Long exclaid excitedly, her outburst drawing everyone's attention, their face puzzled.
With a smile of triumph, Chang Long lifted the wooden box for all to see and laughed heartily, knowing she now had way to visit Aquamarine City. Captain Columbus, Sea Breeze, Kitsune, Hulu, Brownie, and the ghosts turned their eyes to her in unison.
"Shape-shifting pills. Brother Jie gave these to !"
"Shape-shifting pills?"
Sea Breeze repeated, confused.
"Does its characteristics as the na suggests, Chang Long?"
Captain Columbus asked, excitent creeping into his voice.
"Uh-huh, I've already used two before. They last about an hour with a one-day cooldown. So this box lets you transform once a day,"
Chang Long explained.
"So we'll have to wait on the ship, huh?" Sea Breeze deflated. If there were no limits, he would have loved to use the pill to explore Aquamarine City for himself.
Chang Long took one pill from the wooden box, then stashed it back in her bag. She sealed away all her pets since none of them could follow her into the underwater city.
"So, what are you going to transform into, Chang Long? Even if you make it underwater, the Sharkn won't let you into the underwater city without a rmaid's endorsent,"
Sea Breeze asked worriedly. Captain Columbus nodded in agreent. Even if Chang Long transford into so sort of sea creature, she would still be a stranger to the Sharkn.
"What if I transform into a rmaid myself?"
Chang Long suggested.
"Still a stranger rmaid to them, but at least they might not attack you right away,"
Sea Breeze speculated.
"But will an hour be enough for reaching the city and searching for what you need?"
Captain Columbus expressed his concern.
"Don't worry. I have a guide. As long as I can get down there, Ackeran will lead straight to the Mirror of Truth without wasting ti searching," Chang Long reassured them before popping the shape-shifting pill into her mouth. Closing her eyes, she imagined herself as a rmaid. Her body began to glow brightly, and she transford. Her hair grew long and flowed down to her waist, while her legs fused into a shimring, elongated fish tail.
"Whoa..."
Both n gasped in unison, utterly astonished. Chang Long as a rmaid looked like an entirely different person. Her upper body, though appearing bare, was actually covered in delicate, skin-toned scales. Her round, blue eyes sparkled under her thick lashes, and her lips were full and rosy. The scales on her tail were a radiant blue, glimring like gemstones in the sunlight.
"Hurry up and get in the water. I'm drying out over here,"
Chang Long urged the two n, feeling her skin lose moisture rapidly.
Captain Columbus carefully picked her up and gently lowered her into the water beside the ship, all while the Sharkn nearby watched curiously.
The Sharkn swam closer, surrounding Chang Long. Their gazes were full of suspicion, but Chang Long braced herself and greeted them with a smile.
"I got lost far from ho. Thankfully, they helped guide back," Chang Long said in a sweet, lodic voice that made even herself shiver.
"I don't recall seeing you here before," one Sharkman said, its suspicious gaze scanning her closely.
"There are so many of us. Can you really rember everyone?"
Chang Long replied smoothly. The Sharkman hesitated, inspecting her from head to tail. It eventually determined that she was indeed a genuine rmaid.
"It's rare these days to et humans who don't kill rmaids to take their hearts."
Chang Long's heart swelled with joy upon hearing those words. This was a clear sign that the Sharkn had accepted her.
"Yes, they brought here. We were attacked by a vicious sea beast, and all the crew were lost. They helped deliver here, but they cannot sail back without a crew..."
Chang Long spoke softly, feigning tears. One of the Sharkn quickly rushed to console her, speaking hastily.
"A rmaid's tears are precious. Do not shed them so easily. Those who helped you, we will escort them to the nearest city ourselves."
Hearing this, Chang Long bead with delight, causing the Sharkn to smile in relief as well.
"A hundred tricks up her sleeve, even for soone tomboyish like Chang Long,"
Sea Breeze muttered to himself, chuckling at how her deanor had shifted after taking the shape-shifting pill. Not only had her appearance changed, but her behavior seed to align slightly with the species she had transford into.
"Hehehe, at least her cleverness is getting us safely back to the city," Captain Columbus remarked, turning to Sea Breeze. The man nodded in agreent, feeling grateful that Chang Long had considered their plight.
As they peered out over the side of the ship, they saw Chang Long waving farewell with a grin and wriggling brows. Then she dove into the sea.
Beneath the frigid waters, Chang Long marveled at how she could breathe underwater. Her legs had beco a powerful tail, propelling her smoothly through the depths. Ahead of her lay what seed to be a coral reef, but upon closer inspection, it was not an ordinary reef—it was a sprawling city, teeming with life. The system notifications identifying various underwater creatures thrilled Chang Long to no end.
"Ackeran, where's the mirror?"
She asked the sorcerer spirit, who swam alongside her.
"In the ruins at the edge of the city. It's called the Coral Cetery,"
Ackeran replied. Nodding, Chang Long swam straight toward Aquamarine City.
Before reaching the city, towering stone pillars lood in her path. Each had openings that emitted soft, multicolored glows, with faint silhouettes of what appeared to be won swimming gracefully inside. Below, the coral reef bustled with all manner of sea beasts. So were adorable yet of terrifyingly high levels, while others were as fearso in appearance as they were in strength.
-----Read 'Adventure World Online (AWO)' before anyone else with more chapters at sjinovel/en
User Comments
0 comments from readers