A/N
Sorry for not updating yesterday. Usually, days before Christmas are the busiest. I'm already burn out from all the occasions and activities.
Only one chapter today and we'll dissolve December Stretched goals since no one is participating in that thing 😆
Instead, we'll release 5 chapters tomorrow on Christmas Eve while no update on the 25th and January 1st. We'll rest on those dates.
MERRY CHRISTMASS everyone!
<CONGRATULATIONS on getting the first blood from defeating the WORLD BOSS, the KRAKEN!
REWARDS:
¶ 7 000 000 EXP (Sharable)
· 7 000 000 gil (Sharable)
¸ Crystal Chest x5
‹ Platinum Chest x10
› Gold Chest x20 >
<Do you want to announce your achievement to the world?>
<YES>
<NO>
Ren pressed <NO>
[ CONGRATULATIONS to group **** on getting first blood from defeating the WORLD BOSS, the KRAKEN! ]
"Well done." Ren rubbed little Pii's chin, and the latter let out a pleased purr.
Pii~
"Whoa! Look at all this loot! Our ATP can shoot to five hundred now with this much EXP! And just look at all this money?!" Leonel was so ecstatic that he couldn't stand still in one place.
Ragnar rolled his eyes. "Why are you so entitled when you didn't even do anything? Besides, those loots are sharable."
"What do you mean I didn't?" Leonel responded. "If it weren't for me, Jibblinplip would have died before you could even go inside its interior."
"And in the end, we didn't acquire its loot." Ragnar wasn't disappointed, though, and he understood why Ren did it. In fact, he applauded the latter's decision.
Ragnar was content with the loot they had now.
"I wonder what will happen from now," Evie muttered as she watched the devastation left behind by the Bosses.
Overlooking the ocean from a cliff, Ren and the others had a full view of the fight's aftermath.
A large section of the land had been destroyed, cities were obliterated, and inhabitants and players alike were devoured. But that kind of thing happened at least once a month in most fantasy settings, and the world always didn't take long to recover.
However, there were permanent shifts to the world's geography -- for one, there was an ooze-shaped crater, and two, an entire island was blasted into islets.
Of course, a World Boss wouldn't be called a World Boss if they didn't bring something new into the world. With the large crater that almost reached the world's core came a new race and class.
"What's that?" Leonel asked when his [Telescope] caught something moving in the large hole.
"There's something going on in the crater," added Ragnar.
"Are those . . ." Evie squinted her eyes. "Humans?"
In the large crevice where Jibblinplip was before, there was a group of creatures that resembled humans flying out from the hole.
Their skin was black, and their hair and eyes were white. They also had strange tattoo-like markings all over their body that glowed against their dark skin. Dawned in white robes made of the finest silk with intricate golden linings, they looked more ethereal than humans.
"They're the first-ever human civilization called [Aetis], which took to the underground when the great decline happened," said Ren. "Looks like they were startled when Jibblinplip reached the ground."
Leonel frowned, confused. "So you mean to tell me . . . there's another civilization underneath this soil?"
"Yes."
Leonel couldn't wrap his head around how they managed to survive underground all this time, but he didn't want the headache that came along with the information, so he only replied.
"Cool."
"Another race?" Evie was interested in what they could do. "So what are they?"
"The only human race that can use [Psychic] powers," answered Ren.
Leonel's eyes shone even brighter. "That's even cooler!"
"But I assume their class is only exclusive to their race," Ragnar said.
"That's right," Ren confirmed. "Their class is only available to the Human Race.
Leonel's shoulders slumped. "Bummer."
"Psychic abilities sounds . . . nice." Evie was really considering changing her race and class.
"Don't even think about it," Ren warned her. "Meriyaah's will is one of a kind and would surely make your character god-like. Are you really going throw it all away?"
Evie nodded without hesitation. "If it means that I won't be singing and dancing, then yes."
Ren could only shake his head with a helpless smile on his face. He knew that Evie was merely joking. A good sleep would make her rethink her life's decisions.
Their conversation halted when the ground beneath their feet shook and rattled with an unknown force.
"What's going on?" Leonel stuttered. "Don't tell me another World Boss is coming?"
"Quite the opposite." Ren pointed at the sea. In about a dozen kilometers or so into the ocean, a shadow of an island rose from below.
It looked like a dot from afar, but upon closer inspection, it was like a mini continent. The fascinating thing about the new island was an ever-perpetual cloud above it that constantly poured rain below.
A massive rainbow was overhead, adding sparkle to the island with vibrant colors, while its mountains were made out of corals and colorful stones. Waters constantly flowed from the top of the mountains down to the river, then to the lakes, and eventually, into the seas.
But the most incredible thing about it was the people who lived on the island. Their skin was covered with colorful scales, some of which were monochromatic. There were fins on their back, elbow, and legs -- some even had duck feet. Their ears were wide and looked like bat wings. They also had long hair, and some of them were braided and decorated with corals, pearls, and precious stones.
They didn't have any clothing on, but their scales hid their flesh like a seamless dress. Those who were in the waters had mermaid tails in place of their legs, but those who were on land walked with two legs like normal humans.
One thing that was common to every one of this race was their beautiful features, which were enough to lure ignorant fools into the bottomless oceans.
"W-what are they?" Leonel was all red, and he whipped his head in Ren's direction. "Let's go there and meet them."
'You already have Isolde,' Ren wanted to say. "Those are another race called the Merfolks. I guess they emerged after the Kraken was killed."
Ren then checked his map and pressed the newly emerged land. "The island itself is called . . . Atalanta."
Ren didn't know anything about it except the ones he had heard from his past life. It was something about the communities underwater. The only difference now was that players could visit Atalanta without diving into the endless sea in search of it.
"What do they do?" asked Evie with interest.
"They're often swimming. They can breathe underwater, and they also have the power to bend water at their will. They are best with water magic."
"So all of them are mages?" asked Ragnar.
"Most," answered Ren. "Those who aren't usually just have the common class of Spearman. There's a special item that let us become merfolk, which would be quite handy to have if we want to explore the sea."
Moving in waters was ten times more difficult than when on land, so fighting was also a lot more troublesome. Anything related to fire also didn't work down there.
"Seems like a new world to explore." Leonel rubbed his hands together. "Can't wait to go there."
Ren was also excited at the prospect of the unknown. It felt like he was just beginning his journey again.
"Anyway," chimed Ragnar and pointed at Alice, who was still stuck reattaching her legs together after she accidentally tripped. "What are we going to do with her?"
( . . . continuation on NOTES)
