Chapter 216: A Road May Be Different, But the Heart Stays the Same Part 2
Chapter 216: A Road May Be Different, But the Heart Stays the Same Part 2
- ABYSS WARNING BELL -
It is a warning bell, sent from the deepest depths of the Abyss. A sea-colored bell that senses and warns the user about the impending crisis.
It reacts to {REVELAED AFTER CLEARING THE 4TH STAGE OF THE WORLD QUEST}, warning the user about the incoming catastrophe.
The ancestors have failed, now it is your turn.
Wow, won’t you look at that, only ominous things are written in here. No matter how you think about it, you cannot get rid of a feeling that some sort of a global-scale crisis is going to occur somewhere alongside the storyline.
Defeating Wezaemon and having Kutanid acknowledge us, we have successfully managed to push forward the World Quest. Two times, even. Clearing two Unique Scenarios EX, the World Quest should currently be in its third stage.
And while it is true that defeating two Unique Monsters raised more questions than gave us answers, it is also an undeniable fact that the world itself has moved on onto the next stage as well.
For example, let’s say that harvesting apples from an orchard is a grand goal of all players on the server. The Unique Quests here would be connected to the orchard’s owner and his family, while the World Quest would be the equivalent of the changes that occurs in the harvested apples. It might not be the best analogy out there, but the main thing here would be the “passing of seasons”.
And from the description on this item, apparently something is about to happen once the third Unique Monster is going to be defeated. Something is going to happen once the World Quest reaches its fourth stage. And that something requires the assistance of an alarm.
While there are players out there that might enjoy a slow life of faming and crop cultivating like that, I am that kind of player that likes to get into the thick of the action, seeking out powerful monsters and overcoming various challenges. However, as with everything in here, information is the most powerful weapon, and we should keep the most important things to ourselves and not let everyone else know about it. Especially that wannabe Magical Girl.
However, I have a certain feeling brewing inside of me.
It’s hard for me to think that a mere warning bell is a reward for defeating a Unique Monster like that. At first glance, this bell really looks to be just an alarm bell and that would make it pretty much useless, but…… What if that is also a reversal here? Like, rather than warning the player about something that is about to come, it is going to signal that the player is getting closer to something that they are actively searching for? Something that would appear in the fourth stage of the World Quest? What if a possibility like that really existed? That this alarm bell is in fact a radar of sorts?
「It reeks of a treasure hunting to me……」
「But you can only smell the sea breeze here, right?」
「Yup, that’s right. And Akitsu Akane, calm down for Christ’s sake!」
Just like that, the ship continued to sail leisurely towards Fiftsia with Straude at the steering wheel.
Now then, I wonder whatever I should do once I get back…… Oh, yeah, about that. I should really go and apologize to Vash for taking both Emul and Sickle with me to Lulilas…… The old man might be really livid with anger at me, so worst case scenario I’ll just get down on the ground and beg for forgivness.
「…… nraku, Sanraku!」
「Hmnh? What is it, Alva?」
「Nothing, it’s just that I think I will go home now.」
That’s right, we are currently heading towards Fiftsia…… Thinking about it logically, Alva is someone who is not human, a member of an entirely different race. Fiftsia is not a base town for him and it is not his home either.
「Ahh, yeah, yup, yup, that’s right, I see…… Oh well, thanks for all of your help, Alva. I really appreciate it.」
「Think nothing of it, my friend. Without your help, both Nereis and I would have been a part of Kutanid’s city at this point in time.」
In fact, Alva’s help was the key to victory on more than once occasion throughout the past week in the underwater city. Whether it was during the mob battle, or the fight against Kutanid, his strength as the sort-of magic physical warrior was nothing to scoff at. It was a worthy addition.
「Say now…… If you ever happen to meet a dwarf named “Gandak”, tell him that Alva sent you. He’s a really skilled blacksmith, I’m sure he’ll be able to help you out.」
「Is, is this supposed to be a touching farewell scene, or what?」
「I guess you can say that. After all, I’m a hybrid who must live underwater in order to survive. It would be difficult for me to meet you land-dwellers in your natural habitat.」
To that, I shake my finger in a negating gesture and make a face that was supposed to be saying “Non, non, non”.
「We are the Pioneers of the Unknown, always on the lookout for the edge of the world to discover. If there is something unknown underwater, you can be sure that we’ll get there and discover it. After all, there’s nothing that spirit and guts cannot accomplish!」
The existence of the fish-people NPCs and the Unique Monster dwelling at the bottom of the sea. No matter how you think about it, there surely must be more in the deep see for us to explore. So there is no solid proof for that, but the possibility of us reuniting in the future is not impossible.
Alva’s words became round as saucers when he hear me, but then he smiled broadly and reached out his hand towards me.
I reached out my own hand to shake it, but then Alva hugged me tightly and slammed his hand against my back a couple of times. You know, this is a way in which Hollywood movie stars say farewell to one another, so to think that I would be able to experience something like that…… I must say I’m impressed.
「Fare thee well, my trusty comrades! It was fun fighting alongside you! I hope that we will meet again!」
「EVERYONE, PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES!」
Nereis manifested the upper part of her body and waved her hand at all of us alongside Alva. Then the two of them approached the edge of the ship. Alva turned his head towards Straude.
「Little pirate, I hope that you shall grow up to be a powerful and respected warlord one day.」
「Y…… Yeah! Of course I will! After all, I’m a son of a great pirate!」
I had no idea that NPCs could interact with one another like that, but after saying all that Alva smiled one more time and then finally jumped off the ship’s edge and dove into the water.
What can I say…… It was so random, but in that one moment he just upped his coolness points casually and then just left.
「Now then…… I’m okay with our party splitting up here. What are you guys going to do after this……?」
「Sleep…… I’m going to go to sleep.」
「That’s right…… All in all, it was a pretty exhausting voyage, I won’t say……」
Well, no need to do anything serious right after I return to Fiftsia. After all, it was the battle that managed to exhaust both our resources and our mental fortitude as well. If I’m going to do something, surely it will be tomorrow, or maybe even the day after tomorrow.
「Alright, then, tomorrow…… Nah, make that the day after tomorrow. We are going to go to meet with Vash, since we have a whole lot of things we need to discuss……」
「U-Umm……!」
「Hm?」
Rei suddenly speaks up and interrupts the conversation. Just what could it be all about? I thought that while turning towards her, getting a feeling that it would probably be something even more troublesome than the Unique Scenario EX.
「Umm…… To be honest… I have a request……」
Even though Sanraku and the company were trotting down the sunny path, back in Fiftsia there was already a storm brewing among the players.