I Transferred to the SSS-rank Crafting Field - Chapter 25 - The Lonely Sea (3)
Chapter 25
06 – The Lonely Sea (3)
–To you who disturb my rest, this is the punishment I inflict upon you.
Blue weapons aimed at us. The Sea Spirit chanted a spell in a low voice. The overwhelming magical power filled the air, making our skin tingle.
A spell befitting the powerful being who cast it.
There was nothing we could do to stop it.
How did it come to this? I should have waited until the support staff arrived. With belated remorse, I recounted how this tragedy started.
The necklace…Yes, it all started because of the necklace Atera gave us last night.
***
: A necklace that Medea gave to her dear child. (Uses remaining: 1) ※ A quest item. If the number of uses remaining is exhausted, the item is destroyed.
I perched on the window sill as I looked at the necklace.
It had been a long while since Cha Taeyang and Atera had gone to bed. Since she had nowhere else to go, Atera decided to stay with us for a while.
Since we’ll only be able to go to Ocean Bloom after support arrives, we’ll use this necklace to summon the Sea Spirit tomorrow.
“‘Medea’ is probably the name of the Sea Spirit.”
Since it’s supposed to know everything, surely meeting it would satisfy all our curiosities about the coastal caves and mermaids. Still, it was fortunate that I had found a clue on the first days. I thought we would struggle for at least a few days more.
Things went smoother than I expected…to the point that I felt bewildered.
“It’s too suspicious–we’re in such a favorable position.”
The World’s Towers wouldn’t be like this.
I can’t believe we discovered Ocean Bloom and a related NPC on the same day.
Sure good luck exists, but this was too lucky to be true. I thought I should stay vigilant.
Apparently, those that were investigating elsewhere had little harvest to show for their hard work.
I heard that Han Cha-hyun and Lee Kangto were preparing to infiltrate some location… compared to that, the clues rolled in far too easily for us. Perhaps we’d solve everything before the rest found a single clue.
“Well, I suppose we won’t know until we look further into it.”
Let’s not drink the kimchi stew first. 1 Oftentimes, people in Korea drink stews like kimchi stew at the end of a much larger meal (like bbq). Therefore, eating kimchi stew first is like the say “counting your chickens before they hatch.” The Sea Spirit reminded me of the egg that was sucking on my mana. I tapped the pattern on the back of my left hand with my index finger.
: Something created by the Black Wizard in his old age–his life’s greatest masterpiece. It feeds on mana to grow. (Incubation rate 5.8%) ※ Non-tradeable item
By the time the incubation rate exceeded 5%, a small bud-shaped pattern appeared on the back of my hand. Thanks to that, I could check the egg’s status without taking it out of my inventory.
The bud was slightly opened compared to when it first appeared. Most likely, this flower will bloom on the day the chimera hatches.
“Whatever it is, I hope it looks normal and healthy.”
I didn’t expect any extraordinary abilities from a creature that grew up on consuming mere C-grade mana. I simply wished for it to be intact and free from any defects or decay.
“Hatch slowly, okay? Slowly.”
As if it were answering me, the pattern on the back of my hand glimmered faintly.
***
Atera insisted that the necklace should never be used in the presence of others.
Players aside, I also agreed that there was nothing good about showing sea spirits to the somewhat suspicious Sheila NPCs.
However, it wasn’t so easy to find a deserted spot on the sea in a port city that was busy–ships coming in and out, night or day.
“Ah, I know a place where there certainly wouldn’t be anyone around.” Recalling the coastal cave, I took the party to the cliff. The cliffs were still relentlessly windy.
“Atera, it’ll be dangerous from here on, so it’s better if we go alone…”
“I don’t want to.” Atera avoided my gaze and set her mouth in a stubborn line. She had been stubborn ever since she heard about the existence of a cave connected to Ocean Bloom.
Since Atera’s trust was at stake as the reward, Atera must be related to the future quests.
‘Therefore, I can’t forcefully detach her from what we plan to do. How troublesome.’
My skill wasn’t exactly suited to moving around with others. If my hands were to slip…
Cha Taeyang, who noticed my hesitation, suggested, “I’ll bring Atera along!”
“Is that possible for you?”
Cha Taeyang smiled and nodded her head. Did she have a skill I didn’t know about?
“Of course~! There’s nothing our Taeyang-ie can’t do.” Dokkaebi laughed, as if she guessed my thoughts.
Cha Taeyang lifted Atera in the blink of an eye. “Atera, are you afraid of heights?”
“Ah–no. I’ve lived at the top of a steeple for a long while, so I’m fine.”
“That’s a relief!”
…No way.
An uneasy feeling flashed through me.
And, without giving me a chance to stop her, Cha Taeyang hollered and jumped off the cliff. “Yahoo!”
“Hunter Cha Taeyang!”
“Kyahhhh! Ah–Dad…!” Atera’s scream faded away.
I looked down, but I could only see the violent splashes of sea water. Cha Taeyang was an A-rank Hunter–there’s a low chance of what I was concerned about coming to pass.
‘However, when it comes to people, you never truly know for certain.’
I hurried down the cliff, in case there was a mishap. About halfway down, I heard Cha Taeyang’s voice. “Unni, Shall I come to you as well?”
“Hunter Cha Taeyang! Are you okay?”
“Of course!”
“I’ll come down on my own. So please wait there calmly for me!” I thought my heart would plunge down to my stomach.
Looking at her recklessness, I thought she truly was A-rank. “Hunter Cha Taeyang, don’t act recklessly and tell the other party members before you move.”
“Yes…”
“Even A-rank Hunters are at risk of drowning if they fall into the water. Besides, Atera is with you, right?”
Trying to find a cave while mid-dive and teleporting into it…If she made a mistake, Cha Taeyang, dokkaebi, and Atera could have been in danger.
High-ranking Hunters who have surpassed normal human limits often acted in ways ordinary human beings couldn’t comprehend.
It was the first time I had teamed up with such a young Hunter, so I acted as if I was Cha Taeyang’s guardian, but I once again realized that Hunter Cha Taeyang was a high-ranked Hunter–quite different from me.
“Atera, are you okay?” After warning my fellow Hunter, I approached Atera who had slumped against the wall.
Perhaps she was incredibly startled, her entire body was trembling.
She raised her head at my voice, “…!”
Because she had jumped off the cliff, her bangs had lifted away to reveal her constantly hidden face. When our eyes met, she was taken aback and immediately hid her face behind her messy hair.
However, in that time, I had seen quite clearly. Like the inside of an iridescent jewel–shining with five distinct colors.
Atera buried her face in her knees, realizing that her hair was not enough to cover her eyes. Then, as if expecting me to scold her, she huddled up tightly and remained motionless for a while.
The curious dokkaebi rolled over to the base of her feet, sensing something strange. “Young Kim-seobang! What’s wrong, all of a sudden? Were you that scared?”
“Atera, Atera! Is it my fault? I’m sorry I scared you. You said you weren’t afraid of heights, so…”
Chae Taeyang and the dokkaebi hovered around the young girl.
I thought it would be best if I didn’t rush in, so I quietly retreated. Atera, sensing that I had retreated, cautiously lifted her face.
“Now, shall we slowly be on our way?” I said.
Cha Taeyang looked alternatingly between Atera and I–she had noticed that the young girl seemed especially wary of me.
Reluctantly, Atera slowly stood up from her spot and clung tightly to Taeyang’s back, stealing occasional glances at me. Pretending not to notice her gazes, I took the lead and entered deeper into the cave.
Cha Taeyang created a small dokkaebi fire 2 Dokkaebi fire is a glimmering light or tall blue flames that herald the appearance of dokkaebi to light the way. “It’s like we’re adventurers from books.”
“Kim-seobang-ah. How much more do we need to walk?”
“We’ll arrive shortly. Ah–do you see that? Over there?”
Unlike yesterday, when I searched every nook and cranny of the walls and floor of this cave, our destination was clear, so we arrived at the lake faster than expected.
“Wow……”
The shimmering, blue lake was breathtaking, even on my second time seeing it.
Excited, Cha Taeyang quickly ran towards the lake with Atera in hand. Atera, who was staring mesmerized at the lake, let herself be dragged away. Rolling behind them, the dokkaebi cheered and shouted.
“It’s really there.” Atera rejected Cha Taeyang’s suggestion to look around the cave together and instead sat by the lake bank and dipped her hands into the water. Her pupils shook intensely.
I watched her quietly. ‘As expected, that kid knows something.’
Atera said she wasn’t a resident of Ocean Bloom, but her behavior belied deep longing.
In order to complete the subquest quickly and gain her trust, I summoned Cha Taeyang who had been wandering around the cave. I retrieved the necklace out of my inventory and took a deep breath. “Overcoming the rough storm and waves, your child has arrived. Open your eyes, Medea.”
Chanting the words Atera had taught me, I placed the necklace in the lake. As the necklace melted away in the water, the mana stones in the cave began to flash.
Graaaoooo–
An unidentifiable roar echoed through the cave. Then, like breaking waves, the lake surged. The waves grew larger, spilling over the bank and wetting our feet.
I sensed a tremendous magic power.
I grabbed my bow subconsciously–this was a sensation I had never felt before.
“K-Kim-seobang! W-What on earth did you summon?!”
“Hunter Cha Taeyang, protect Atera!”
Chills ran down my spine.
A large spiral vortex appeared in the middle of the lake; a giant shadow emerged from beneath the water. An ominous, foreboding feeling clutched my heart as I used my body to block Cha Taeyang and Atera.
The owner of this formidable magic power stuck its head out of the water’s surface.
‘A blue… whale?’
–Farran? Is that you, Farran?!
A booming voice echoed in my head. It was so loud that my temples throbbed. By the time my headache subsided, the giant whale sprung out of the lake.
‘But, honestly, can you even call that a whale?’
The translucent blue whale changed shape as soon as it leapt out of the water. Its upper body, extended above the water, was massive, but at the moment, it somewhat resembled a human.
–Where is Farran?!
Just who is Farran for this spirit to be searching for them so desperately? The only person that might know, Atera, was frozen under the might of the spirit.
“Are you perhaps Medea?” I shouted.
–How dare someone like you utter that name! You’ve even intruded this far into my domain!
With that cry, the spirit created a legion of water soldiers. At a rough glance, I counted well over 30. The enemy soldiers lined up to attack us.
At that moment, a quest window popped up.
–Remaining time: 00:20:00 –Clear Condition: Atera’s survival –Recommended number of Party members: 5 ※You cannot give up on this quest.
The quest had begun–everything hung on Atera’s survival.
TL: So, I wonder why Atera is so wary of Gaho vs Taeyang?
Footnotes Section
- 1: Oftentimes, people in Korea drink stews like kimchi stew at the end of a much larger meal (like bbq). Therefore, eating kimchi stew first is like the say “counting your chickens before they hatch.”
- 2: Dokkaebi fire is a glimmering light or tall blue flames that herald the appearance of dokkaebi
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Myanna
Maybe Atera is wary of Gaho because Gaho saw Atera’s eyes which she shouldn’t have?
“However, in that time, I had seen quite clearly. Like the inside of an iridescent jewel–shining with five distinct colors.”
Thank you for the chapter!