[Side Story]
[Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai]
In that instant, the gaming community was awash with notifications as Isolde and Leonel's achievement was broadcast far and wide.
Players from all corners of the virtual realm received updates, and the world took notice.
The leaderboard, a testament to a player's prowess and achievements, began to shift. World Conqueror climbed steadily, inching closer to the coveted top spots.
Messages of congratulations flooded their in-game chat as players from all walks of life offered their praise and admiration. While most sneered and got jealous of their achievement.
Fate Alliance and Great Dynasty faced backlash over their failed mission, and Black Lion and the rest of the guild that wanted Ren dead and World Conqueror disbanded were seething in anger at the rise of Ren's guild.
It seemed like they couldn't stop World Conqueror from rising to the top, and that would be a problem. If they managed to enter the top ten, then the investors would shift sides as well as the players.
After all, strength determines the winner in this virtual world.
Meanwhile, Leonel and Isolde couldn't be happier with the outcome. Who would have thought that they would survive a hidden boss and fifty players with just the two of them?
It was all thanks to Ren's equipment and guidance that the impossible became possible.
Their grins intact and their spirits high, Leonel and Isolde continued their journey through the ever-expansive world of World Conqueror, ready to face their next destination.
While on the other side of the map.
Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai were on a mission to clear a dungeon and get first blood.
The journey to the open lair of Cthulhu was not for the faint of heart. Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai, each bearing the weight of their quests, stood before the ominous entrance to the dungeon.
The air was thick with a sense of foreboding, and the atmosphere itself seemed to pulse with malevolence.
Sumeri spoke, breaking the silence. "I think this is the place. The path to Cthulhu's cult is treacherous, but Ren had already prepared us for this. We'll be the first to clear the dungeon and claim the rewards."
Nikolai was excited. "I wonder what kind of monster is Cthulhu?"
"It's an alien," Sumeri told her brother.
Nikolai grinned, "Cool. I've never faced an alien before!"
"Let's go. Let's not waste time here," Ragnar said.
The trio descended into the depths of the cult's dungeon that worshipped Cthulhu. The walls seemed to close in around them, the very stones whispering ancient secrets.
As they ventured further, they encountered a labyrinth of winding tunnels and eerie chambers.
Sumeri conjured a faint light to guide their way, illuminating the grotesque carvings that adorned the dungeon's walls, depicting the terrifying visage of Cthulhu itself. The faint echoes of distant, eldritch whispers sent shivers down their spines.
"Keep your wits about you, comrades. We're not alone down here." Nikolai grinned. "I always wanted to say that." and he chuckled.
Sumeri raffled his hair, and Ragnar couldn't help but take a deep sigh, wondering if this party would be all right.
As they delved deeper, the dungeon's challenges became apparent. Tricky traps and cunning puzzles tested their intellect, and they solved each one with a combination of skill and teamwork.
However, the true trial lay ahead — the encounter with the final boss, Cthulhu.
Ragnar's thoughts wandered back to Ren's cryptic words as he studied the intricate carvings on the chamber's walls. The descriptions painted a vivid and unsettling image of a cosmic horror
—an entity that transcended mortal understanding.
Cthulhu, an ancient and malevolent force, lay in a dormant slumber within the unfathomable depths of the world's oceans, patiently awaiting its moment to wreak havoc upon the mortal realm.
Its true nature remained an enigma, a shape-shifting enigma that defied comprehension.
Ragnar read the passages on the wall, describing how Cthulhu held a nightmarish vision of its awakening — a day of utter devastation for the world.
The being's physical manifestations, though ever-changing, bore certain distinct traits.
Cthulhu's head resembled that of an otherworldly octopus, its countless tentacles oozing with an unsettling, extraterrestrial substance and twitching with malevolent intent.
These eerie, purple appendages stretched in all directions, defying the laws of nature wherever they emerged.
Its corpulent form possessed a rubbery texture adorned with scales, and its hands and feet terminated in cruel, curved claws.
Bat-like wings sprouted from its shoulder blades, their multiple joints allowing them to cloak Cthulhu's form like a sinister leather shroud when closed.
Nikolai couldn't help but mutter, "It . . . it's very frightening . . ."
Sumeri responded matter-of-factly, "It's a monster, Nikolai. It's meant to be terrifying."
"But I thought it was an alien?" Nikolai questioned.
Sumeri chuckled, "Aliens can be just as frightening, my little brother."
Sumeri continued, reading the text on the wall, "Cthulhu's very presence had the power to rupture the fabric of reality itself, causing the boundaries between the physical world and conscious existence to splinter and fracture like fragile glass."
She smirked and added, "Looks like we're in for quite the battle."
Ragnar nodded. "And it's not just this alien we have to contend with; Ren and the other's message mentioned that they were ambushed by other players. We'll need to watch our backs."
Sumeri let out a resigned sigh. "It's to be expected. Let's just proceed with caution."
As they moved along the winding path into the Cults lair, Ragnar and Sumeri couldn't help but read the many inscriptions on the walls accompanied by the many illustrations carved on the rocks.
Long before the advent of humanity, a formidable race descended from the celestial realms. Their herald and wisest among them, an entity known as Cthulhu, gazed upon the nascent world and deemed it ripe for conquest.
Cthulhu commanded the seas to cool the molten surface, shaped towering structures from the very stones, and declared itself the supreme ruler.
For countless ages, Cthulhu reigned from the ominous city of R'lyeh, but when the stars themselves shifted, all was undone.
The elements turned against Cthulhu, plunging R'lyeh into the roiling depths of the oceans.
However, before all hope was lost, the mighty Cthulhu and its people condemned themselves to a deathly slumber.
Within this enduring sleep, the denizens of R'lyeh remained preserved, awaiting the next cosmic change. And when the stars shifted once more, Cthulhu would awaken to exact vengeance upon the treacherous world and revel in glory alongside its devoted followers.
