Izroth examined the purple clam within his hands. It was no bigger than the palm of his hand and was dark purple in color. There was an unusual symbol that resembled a parade of blades intersecting with one another. The clam gave off a faint energy pulse every few seconds as if it were breathing.
Name: Memento Clam(Magical Item)
Rank: A
Usage: This item is used to collect, store, and view memory fragments.
Memory Fragments Stored: 1/10
Special Note: An ancient relic of the Great Sea that has survived through the test of time. Once this item stores a specific memory fragment, it will be unable to store unrelated memory fragments.
'Memory fragments? There's already one stored inside.'
Izroth touched the top of the Memento Clam and soon after, the clam popped open. There was a beautiful multi-colored pearl resting within the clam. When Izroth tried to pull it out, he was unable to do so. It was as if the pearl and clam were one and the same.
However, just a few moments after Izroth touched the pearl, it began to release a brilliant light. The light encircled Izroth and started to slowly take form. It took the form of a transparent screen with static showing and what was on the screen was becoming clearer by the second.
Izroth could not make out much because the images that appeared were too choppy and fragmented. But, he managed to see the image of a man and a woman constantly flickering in and out of view. The woman was holding something in her hands wrapped in cloth but it was unclear what the object was.
'How is this related to Gilidore?'
The image was in a constant loop as it repeated itself after around five seconds. Izroth furrowed his brows as he tried to make sense of it but he did not know the man or woman that was shown on the screen.
'Perhaps I'll need to collect and store more memory fragments before I'm able to receive a proper understanding of it. However...'
Izroth had no idea where to even begin searching for memory fragments! This quest was becoming more and more unreasonable. How vast was RML? A player could spend an entire year doing nothing but exploring and still be unable to cover every corner of RML.
Izroth shook his head and placed the Memento Clam within his inventory.
'It may be that my previous prediction is accurate. Otherwise, the events that transpired while inside of this dungeon and its structure would not make any sense.'
He was referring to the fact that the dungeon had ended after only defeating two bosses, but there was still much more of it left to explore. Izroth, however, was unable to access the other layers at the moment.
'The memory fragments may reside within the other layers. After all, this is supposedly only the outer layer of the Sea Palace. In order to find answers, I'll have to first discover a way to enter into the other layers of the Sea Palace.'
Izroth was in no rush as the system gave him 90 days to complete the first part of the world quest. It would not give him such a large time limit if it was going to be that easy to figure out everything involving the world quest.
Izroth then turned his attention to the other loot that dropped from the dungeon boss Vicious Barbados.
Loot Drop:
-25 silver coins
-x2 «Merfolk Scale»
-x1 «Vicious Edge»
-x1 «Kashysh's Scale Legs»
-x1 «Vicious Stigma»
The loot was actually much better than Izroth expected it to be. He even obtained a second piece to the Kashysh's Scale set. It was too bad that the set was meant for tanks instead of damage dealers.
There was one item that immediately caught Izroth's attention. It was a piece of equipment that he had yet to acquire, a trinket! Accessories were the hardest pieces of equipment to come by in RML, with the exception of trinkets.
If a player was fortunate enough to come across a trinket, then they could only be considered as being extremely lucky! Trinkets had an active or passive skill attached to them which was able to benefit players greatly.
In fact, trinkets were the only items in RML that players could use regardless of their level. That meant players could use a trinket from level 20 all the way to level 50 due to the nature of the item.
Of course, players would prefer a powerful trinket if possible. Since trinkets did not have a level, players could only use the rank and skill to determine its usefulness.
Accessory Name: Vicious Stigma
Accessory Rank: Uncommon
Accessory Skill: Blood Stigma(Passive) - Attacks have a 10% chance of causing the opponent to Bleedout for 10% of the user's attack damage every 1 second for 10 seconds. This damage ignores all defenses. This skill can stack up to 5 times.
'What a useful skill for long battles or boss fights.'
If Izroth was able to stack the skill up to 5 times with his current attack stat of 430, then the Blood Stigma would deal 215 damage every 1 second and a total of 2,150 damage every 10 seconds.
This skill would work out perfectly for him as it would become even more deadly when he had Flickering Steps or Lightning Field active.
Izroth equipped the Vicious Stigma trinket without hesitation. A player could only have two trinkets equipped at the same time, though most would be lucky if they were able to find even a single trinket.
He then placed the Merfolk Scales and the silver coins into his inventory before examining the last two remaining item drops.
Name: Vicious Edge(Uncommon)
Level: 23
Requirements: 200 Agility
ATK: 80
AGI: 40
Name: Kashysh's Scale Legs(Uncommon)
Level: 23
Type: Plate
Requirements: 150 Defense
HP: 400
DEF: 30
Set Effect(2): The user is able to travel freely inside the «Underwater World» without the use of a «Merfolk Scale».
Set Effect(3): Grants the user +50% bonus speed while within any body of water.
Set Effect(4): The user gains +30 ATK, +20 DEF.
Set Effect(5): The user gains +2,000 HP, +50 DEF.
Set Effect(6): The user gains +4,000 HP, +50 ATK, +50 DEF.
Special Note: This equipment piece is part of the «Kashysh Scale Set» and when equipped with other set pieces, grants the user extra benefits.
The Vicious Edge was not too bad for an uncommon weapon. It gave a decent attack and agility increase. However, it still failed to live up to Izroth's Blade of Lightning. As for the Kashysh's Scale Legs, its stats were not too far off from the chest piece Izroth had received from Calder.
'A tank who manages to collect all six pieces would probably be immediately put on the top list of tanks just based on equipment alone.'
Izroth put the Vicious Edge and Kashysh's Scale Legs into his inventory. He still had the Underwater World Treasure Chest to open, however, he could not open it while inside of the Sea Palace Graveyard.
He looked around the room and noticed that a circular gateway had appeared on one of the walls. It was not there before and must have only appeared after Vicious Barbados was defeated.
Izroth walked over towards the circular gateway and just as he was about to step into it, he received an alert from the system.
〈System Alert: Player Luna has sent you a message, "Hello... The strangest thing just happened. I was finishing up a quest with some friends when I received an alert from the system telling me I've completed a part of the world quest. Any idea as to what's going on?"〉
...
Luna had just returned to Amaharpe to turn in a quest she finished with her friends. She was startled when she heard the system alert sound go off and realized that a part of the world quest The Beginning of Beginnings had been completed.
She did not remember doing anything or coming across something that was related to it. If that were the case then...
Luna opened up her friendslist and saw that Izroth was online. She knew immediately that it definitely had something to do with him. Though, she felt a bit dejected for some reason that Izroth did not bother inviting her to tag along.
She shook her head as a light blush formed on her cheeks trying to clear her mind. "He has no obligation to invite me. What am I thinking?" she muttered to herself before sending a message to Izroth asking him about the alert she just received.
〈System Alert: Player Izroth has sent you a message, "Just a bit of unforeseen luck."〉
When Luna read the message he sent, she immediately gave a helpless smile. Unforeseen luck? If it were anyone else she might question that, but during the short period of time that she had known Izroth for, she knew that he was being straight-forward.
"Completing a part of an SSS-ranked world quest by luck... Is that even fair?" as Luna was muttering to herself, she suddenly felt someone place their hand on her shoulder.
"Nana, we're going to take a break and go eat. Are you coming with?"
When Luna turned around, she saw that it was one of her friends that she was in a party with. She had short azure hair with a lovely pair of eyes to match the color. She was very petite and possessed a captivating smile that would make those around her feel refreshed and full of energy.
Luna let out a helpless sigh, "I told you that nickname is embarrassing, Jia."
Jia giggled playfully, "But I think that it suits you, Nana. So, are you coming or not?"
Luna could only give up as she shook her head, "I'm going to stay on a bit longer. I have a few things I want to finish doing."
"Ugh... I've been rejected by Nana, I'm heartbroken~ How mean! Waaah!" Jia was acting overdramatic and making a scene, causing the players around them to look her and Luna with confused expressions on their faces.
Luna's closed her eyes and endured the stares as her cheeks turned bright red due to the amount of embarrassment from the scene Jia was causing. "You- Don't you know how to behave decently in public?"
Jia burst out laughing when she saw how Luna reacted and stopped her act. It was one of her favorite pastimes to tease Luna until she reached this state. After all, they had known each other ever since they were children and so Jia knew many of Luna's weaknesses.
"Bleh! Fine, we'll go eat without you. See you later, Nana!" Jia playfully stuck her tongue out at Luna before logging off.
Luna let out a sigh of relief and quickly made her way away from her current location to escape the stares of the crowd.
...
A new group of players from Cross Haven was standing outside of the circular gateway that led into the dungeon Sea Palace Graveyard. It was a different group from the one that was there earlier.
One of the players yawned, "It's always so boring when we have to wait our turn... Can't we all just go in at the same time? What's the big deal if someone else enters?"
"Idiot, since our guild was the first to locate this dungeon it's only obvious that we reap the most benefits and take advantage of it. How could you even say such a-" Just when one of the other players were responding, the circular gateway behind them lit up and a figure stepped out from within the gateway.
'Level 22... I wonder how far along the top players are right now.'
Izroth had traveled through the circular gateway located inside of the room he fought against Vicious Barbados in. The gateway had transported him back to the entrance of the dungeon and into the ruins that he was in before he stepped inside the Sea Palace Graveyard.
"Are you Izroth?" one of the players asked when he saw Izroth exit from out of the gateway. He came out by himself and the member of Cross Haven was informed by the previous group and their lieutenant that a solo player named Izroth was inside of the dungeon.
Izroth glanced over at the player before he nodded, "I am."
"Lieutenant Wess told us that you would be coming out. Though, the time was way longer than expected. He just wanted me to inform you that if you could not spread the word about this place, he would be grateful."
Even though the dungeon showed up on the Exploration Logs, it was still a bit tricky to find. If possible, Wess wanted to avoid an influx of players. After all, if too many players poured in at once then even if they were a top guild, it would not be worth it to antagonize the general public.
Izroth had no reason to guide anyone to this location, so he did not mind the request. "You have my word." He then walked towards the gateway located on the other side of the room.
It was the gateway to leave these ruins. Though if he remembered the words of that player correctly, it would not put him at the same location where he first entered into the ruins from.
Izroth stepped into the gateway and made his exit from within the Ruins of Kashysh.
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When Izroth traveled through the gateway he was transported to a remote region with nothing but towering trees in sight.
〈System Alert: You have entered the «Towering Oak Forest»〉
'I have returned to the Towering Oak Forest, however, it should be nowhere near the location of where I originally entered into the dungeon.'
Izroth swept his gaze over his surroundings. From what he could tell, there was not a single presence within his range of perception.
He then reviewed his current coordinates to get a grasp on where that gateway had transported him to. When he looked over the coordinates, Izroth noticed that he was deep within the Towering Oak Forest. However, he would have no trouble returning to Amaharpe from this place.
Given the distance, it would take him 30 minutes if he walked at a normal pace to reach Amaharpe. Though he would get there much faster if he sprinted all the way.
'I wonder if the Five Cycles Pill I placed within the auction house has already been sold.'
Izroth began his journey back to Amaharpe. He was moving at a high speed and had no difficulty maneuvering his way around any objects that blocked in his path. After traveling for nearly five minutes, Izroth felt the presence of a single person.
He halted his steps and looked over in the direction where he sensed the presence. Normally Izroth would not bother stopping just to view a single presence, however, there was something peculiar about this one.
'That presence... There's something off about it.'
Izroth furrowed his brows. He could not put his finger on it but something was definitely off about it.
It was as if that single presence encompassed everything in Izroth's surrounding range of perception. As though they existed everywhere and yet, nowhere but the place they were located at the same time.
This feeling reminded Izroth of a similar phenomenon that happened within the Seven Realms. While there were minuscule differences, they were still almost identical.
This made Izroth curious and so he began to head over in the direction where he originally sensed the singular presence.
When Izroth reached his destination, he spotted an old man with his eyes closed shut, meditating on a large tree stump that most likely used to be one of the towering trees within this forest.
There was a powerful invisible force lingering around the entire tree stump that Izroth had recently come across while inside of the Sea Palace Graveyard dungeon.
'He's meditating inside of a gravity pocket. It appears to be much stronger than the one I entered into back in that pathway.'
Izroth stopped just before the tree stump and observed the old man.
NPC Name: Zhi(???)
NPC Level: ???
'As I thought, I'm unable to see his level. I suppose there's not much use wasting time here.'
Izroth was just curious because of what he sensed, but he would not bother disturbing the old man's meditation just to satisfy his curiosity. He then turned and was getting ready to leave before he heard a voice sound out from behind him.
"The pinnacle is unforgiving. Young man, do you care to have a chat with this old man?"
Izroth paused and turned around to see that the Zhi now had his eyes opened. The look in his eyes gave off a deep and profound aura. They appeared untouched by the simplicities of the mundane world.
When Izroth observed the look in Zhi's eyes, he was fairly surprised.
From what he'd understood about this world so far, it should be virtually impossible for something such as this to be replicated within this realm. That was due to the simple fact that this world was severely limited by its lack of spiritual essence.
Without spiritual essence, no matter how talented or philosophical one might be, they would still be limited by the thoughts of a mortal. However, Izroth was able to recognize with a glance that Zhi's thoughts were not bound by the intricacies of the mundane world.
How could an NPC possess knowledge that this world itself does not possess? This is what baffled Izroth.
"I was just thinking that I would like to have a chat with you, so of course, it is no problem."
Zhi gave a friendly smile as he held up one of his arms and gestured for Izroth to come and join him on the tree stump.
Izroth prepared himself before stepping onto the tree stump. The moment he did a crushing force descended upon his body, wanting to drive him into the ground.
〈System Alert: You have entered a Level Three «Gravity Pocket»〉
This gravity pocket made the other two seem like a casual stroll through a park. Izroth estimated that his agility was barely at 15 right now and he could only move bit by bit until he arrived in front of Zhi.
'The pressure is around twenty times that of normal gravity. This old man is meditating under such constant pressure and his movements do not seem at all to be hindered by this force.'
Izroth kept a carefree and calm expression on his face as he sat down in a meditative pose. Sitting still was much less strenuous than constantly moving while inside of a gravity pocket.
"Not many can endure a gravity pocket of this level, at the moment. Your willpower appears to be boundless. To travel through a gravity pocket, willpower is the most important trait one must possess. Tell me young man, who is your greatest enemy?"
"My greatest enemy is myself." Izroth responded without hesitation to his words.
"Good answer... Indeed, a good answer." Zhi had come across a few players already and yet they all answered in a similar fashion.
They judged their greatest enemy to be someone or something else while ignoring the one enemy that mattered the most, themselves. To fight a battle against one's self is the only battle where defeat is guaranteed as the end result every time.
"We seek the pinnacle and yet, the pinnacle is unforgiving. Enlightenment becomes a myth and the myth transforms into reality. We see reality as what is possible and a myth as what is implausible, what becomes of enlightenment that exists as both a myth and reality?"
Izroth stared at the old man when he asked that question. That was a level of questioning that should not be here!
'How is this possible?'
"Your question is one that has no answer that is correct or incorrect." Izroth answered.
Zhi's eyes narrowed when he heard Izroth speak and a look of shock briefly flashed by within his eyes. "Do not all questions have an answer to them?"
Izroth shook his head, "Some questions can lead only to another question. Do we dare to label those questions as answers when they do not provide one? Only a fool would believe they have an answer for everything."
"Only a fool..." Zhi closed his eyes as if he were in deep thought. A few moments later, a golden medallion appeared in the palm of his hand out of seemingly nowhere. The golden medallion seemed plain and ordinary with no special traits about it.
However, there was a symbol placed at the center the golden medallion that emitted an aura of authority. Zhi tossed the medallion to Izroth. Strangely enough, the medallion was unaffected by the gravity pocket.
Izroth caught the golden medallion and immediately examined it.
Name: Zhi's Medallion(Magical Item)
Rank: S-Ranked
Usage: ???
Special Note: Who could possibly comprehend the words of Zhi?
'An S-ranked magical item? However, what exactly is its purpose?'
Izroth read the special note on the item Zhi's Medallion and furrowed his brows as a result. The special note was stating the truth. There should not be any individual within this realm capable of comprehending the words of Zhi. Yet, there was obviously someone who did if this NPC existed.
When Izroth lifted his gaze, the old man had already vanished from the tree stump. The level three gravity pocket had dispersed as if the old man from before was the cause of it being here.
Meeting Zhi left Izroth with even more questions than what he had before his encounter with the old man.
Izroth set the Zhi's Medallion into his inventory before standing to his feet. While he still had many questions, he would not learn anything more by sitting here and pondering about them. He felt that as long as he continued to explore deeper into this world, he would naturally receive some answers.
Izroth once again began his journey back towards the capital city Amaharpe.
...
Somewhere currently within the Towering Oak Forest...
"Despicable! You had all of this planned before we even left Amaharpe didn't you?!" The person who spoke was a male player known as Guan Yu. Of course, this was not his real name and he was just a fan of the historical figure who was seen as a God of War on the battlefield.
Guan Yu was wearing full plated armor, but even with the armor on, one would still be able to tell that he was well-built. His eyes were dark brown in color and while he was not extremely handsome, he could still be considered as having above average looks.
Guan Yu held a guandao within his hands and was currently standing in a defensive position, surrounded by ten other players. There was one other player who was also surrounded and in the same predicament as Guan Yu, a female player known as Zi Yi.
Zi Yi had long midnight black hair that reached down to her knees. She possessed a lovely pair of emerald eyes and a body that was the true definition of having curves in all the correct places. At the moment, she had a fierce expression on her face and her eyes were filled with anger.
However, even though she was angry it did not do any injustice to her beauty. She was wearing light green leather armor with a skirt that stopped a bit more than halfway down her thighs. She held tightly onto the magnificent longbow within her hands.
"What's the meaning of this, Gripler?" Zi Yi understood exactly what was going on, but she was just trying to stall for time to think of a way out of this situation.
While she did not personally know Guan Yu and had only joined a random party to level up, it appeared as though the two of them were in the same boat. So, they could only team up to deal with the ambush of these players and their so-called party, that betrayed them.
"What's going on? You can't possibly be that oblivious! Hahaha, we're robbing you! What else is going on?!" The player who spoke was one of the many encircling Guan Yu and Zi Yi, the one who she referred to as Gripler. From his sword, shield, and heavy plated armor one could easily tell that he was a tank.
"If you want to fight then fight me fair and square! Why resort to such despicable and dishonorable means?!" Guan Yu was furious. He did not mind a good fight, however, he did not like the fact that they would use an ambush in such a shameful manner.
Zi Yi let out a sigh inwardly, she believed that Guan Yu was not all that bright. After all, why would people who resort to such underhanded tactics bother caring about whether something was dishonorable or not?
"Eh? Are you an idiot? You're in no position to make any demands! You know, it was frustrating having to put up with your headstrong attitude this whole time. Listening to your idiotic sense of justice was driving me insane!" Gripler would not even bother entertaining Guan Yu's suggestion.
"Here's the deal, unequip all of your equipment and hand over all your coins. After that, we'll allow you to leave without killing you. But if you fight back then... Don't blame us for getting nasty." Gripler had a smirk on his face. He was used to having this amount of control over other players.
"You're being unreasonable!" Guan Yu erupted in anger and brandished his guandao taking on an offensive stance. It was obvious that this group would not let them off, regardless of whatever choice they made.
"Bastards...!" Zi Yi was infuriated by those unreasonable demands. She nocked an arrow onto her bow, ready to fight until the bitter end.
...
'Oh? A fight is getting ready to take place over there.'
Izroth was calmly sitting on a tree branch over 30 meters from where Guan Yu, Zi Yi, and those "bandits" were located.
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