Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: The Naiad's Revelation
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"Uh…… how are you two here?"
Woojin shouted in a mix of bewilderment and joy at the sudden appearance of the two.
"Well, I don't really know either. I was doing a quest, and then Setsuna popped up out of nowhere."
"A quest?"
What was this now?
'An NPC doing a quest……?'
There were cases where NPCs joined quests accepted by players, but he'd never heard of an NPC taking a quest on their own.
"A quest……? What the hell have you two been up to while I was gone?"
At that moment, as Luen stretched both arms out to the sides, transparent water droplets rose around her entire body.
Two spirits appeared over her shoulders, wearing helmets like Roman soldiers and wielding large shields and spears.
They were a bit larger than Setsuna.
At a glance, they looked cute like toy soldiers,
but―――!!!
The spirits tucked their heads behind their shields and thrust their spears forward, charging at the golem with tremendous speed.
-Piercing Blow!
Like bullets, the spirits pierced through the golem's body.
"……Tch."
As the golems began to wail, Woojin clutched his head and staggered, struck by a splitting headache.
Clasping her hands together as if in prayer, colorful light particles scattered over Woojin's head.
His throbbing head cleared up as if it had never hurt, and Woojin widened his eyes as he looked at Setsuna.
-I'm level 23!
Noticing his gaze, she flashed a V-sign with her fingers and grinned.
"Level 23……? When did you level up that much……."
Come to think of it, he'd been too out of it earlier to notice, but her appearance had changed subtly too.
A petal ornament had appeared on her head, where there hadn't been one before.
-It's a gift from the Great Spirit. She had a ton of really old stuff!
"Spirit?"
Woojin had no idea what she was talking about.
-I'll explain outside. Let's deal with these guys first!!
Unlike the exhausted Woojin, the spirited Setsuna rolled up her sleeves and shouted excitedly.
[Critical Shot]
Pierces the golem's head.
Bam―!!!
The arrow Luen shot pierced the golem's head.
Its head burst like a balloon, and it flailed before collapsing to the ground.
The last remaining golem roared and charged at Woojin.
[Illusion Barrage]
Dozens of projectiles fire toward the golem.
Dozens of projectiles shot from Setsuna's outstretched hand toward the golem.
Puk―! Puk―!!
Powowowowow―!!!
The golem's body shook wildly left and right from the barrage.
But that wasn't enough to bring it down. The golem shook its head with a snort like a bull and charged again.
"Master……!!"
Luen hurriedly nocked an arrow at the sight.
Kwaduduk……!!
Veins bulged on her arm as she drew the bowstring.
Pang―!!
The arrow burst from the string and flew at ferocious speed.
Puk―!!
Luen's arrow pierced the golem's nape and embedded in Kelduan's upper wall.
Pook―!! Pukpuk―!!
At the same time, the water spirits stabbed both of the golem's legs,
and finally, Woojin's sword cleaved the fallen golem in half, its legs useless.
Pasuk―.
The golems began turning to ash amid black smoke.
'Annoying to the very end…….'
Woojin sat exhausted on the ground, watching them fade away.
[Kuuuuwuu……!!]
With a foghorn-like rumble, water poured down the esophagus, slowly lifting Woojin's body.
"C-careful……!!"
Swaaaa―!!!
Before Woojin could finish, the rising water swirled and surged back up.
-Eek, euaak?!
"Master!!!"
Woojin hurriedly pulled Setsuna into his arms and grabbed Luen's hand.
Puuuuwuu―!!!!
Like a fountain, Kelduan threw its head back and spewed filthy black water.
"Cough……! Cough……!"
The three, pushed out of the lake tangled with vomit, grimaced at the slime covering their bodies.
-Ugh…… Can't you spit us out a little cleaner?
Setsuna, soaked to the skin, glared at Kelduan poking its face above the lake and pouted.
[Kuuuwu…….]
Kelduan shook its head up and down as if laughing at her words.
With the human golems gone, Kelduan's color seemed to return.
Churuk―.
A long tongue licked Woojin.
The fishy smell stung his nose, but Woojin smiled and patted the Azure Shell's cheek lightly.
Woojin looked up at the unfamiliar voice.
The old ferryman was gone, replaced by a beautiful woman gazing at him. He immediately realized she was the Great Spirit Setsuna had mentioned.
"The Fairy Queen mentioned spirits in the Great Forest…… but I didn't realize one was right in front of me."
[It couldn't be helped. I dislike humans.]
-Again with that. Keep saying that, will you?
[……What?]
Setsuna climbed onto the Naiad's shoulder and poked her cheek.
The expressionless Naiad merely tilted her head slightly at the finger.
-Why'd you give a seahorse necklace to a human you hate? Why not let him fall in the lake and get eaten by monsters?
Setsuna snickered.
-You saw my clothes and knew I was sent by the Fairy Queen. You weren't trying to harm humans; you just wanted Master to help Kelduan.
[……Insolent thing. Who gave you permission to poke my cheek?]
-While Master was gone, she even called the Fairy Queen here? That's how I got new abilities too.
A skill window appeared before her along with her words.
"Thanks to you, we survived."
Woojin bowed to the Naiad in thanks.
[No need to thank me. You have good companions. When Kelduan appeared, those two threw such a fit about saving you.]
Luen and Setsuna smiled sheepishly.
[But humans did pollute the Great Forest. Their horrific deeds corrupted even a primal holy spirit.]
She looked at Woojin.
[And humans will continue to pollute the Great Forest.]
"If it's about the alchemists, you can rest a bit easier. The lab they built in the Great Forest is gone."
Woojin recalled the Esten Kingdom incident as he spoke.
"Besides, we're pursuing them. Not just in this world—the problems they're causing in our world are serious too."
[The outsiders' world? I see…….]
"The investigation will wrap up soon. They'll be dismantled."
But the Naiad shook her head.
[It won't be easy. The forbidden alchemy they used is surely tied to Juter.]
"Juter?"
A familiar name.
Then Woojin remembered what the gravekeeper had said in Kaisha's tomb.
"You mean the alchemist Juter? One of the two recognized by the Black Dragon Vensina?"
[……Recognized? Who recognized whom?]
Her expression twisted at his words.
"He said Juter had the key to Kaisha the Great's tomb chamber. That the key was given by the Black Dragon."
[Hmph, so the gravekeeper said that. After guarding the tomb so long, he still can't see clearly…….]
"What do you mean?"
[Juter wasn't recognized by the Black Dragon. He just stole the key from Nemes' Queen and made a copy.]
"……What?"
[He stole the Queen's key, duplicated it, then tricked the gravekeeper and stole the Black Dragon's treasures from there. The clueless gravekeeper thought he'd been recognized. Tsk tsk. He got his nose slit wide awake.]
"So…… the experiments the alchemists are doing now are connected to this Juter?"
[Yes. Until you catch him, incidents like this will keep happening.]
It was unexpected.
He'd thought it was just players after money…….
An NPC pulling the strings.
'Of course. They said they were doing quests.'
Where did they get such horrific quests?
'Only NPCs can issue quests.'
The Alchemy Association [Plaz] could issue the quest to catch them because [Plaz]'s leader was an NPC.
If their leader was also an NPC named Juter……?
'He could issue such bizarre quests.'
"……If he's involved, catching a few won't end it."
No matter how many players they nabbed in reality, the real culprit Juter would still exist here.
Woojin realized the alchemists' issue might be far bigger than he thought.
The Naiad placed a small box before the pondering Woojin.
The contents were simple, but the value was anything but.
'Summon spirits…….'
Quite an interesting item, but how useful a low-grade spirit would be was questionable.
What caught his eye was the "Upgradable" note by the grade.
'No items so far had that…….'
[With luck, you may contract higher spirits.]
That seemed to be the meaning of upgradable.
Considering his current leather armor's defense was barely 150, this was insanely high.
'Useful, but pure tank gear. Maybe give it to Wenden instead.'
"Well, I'm still wearing Sigmund's armor…… I can swap later if needed."
Woojin took off his leather armor and donned the [Azure Shell Armor].
The two traits on the armor vanished.
Golden Rule was fine since he still had plenty of money, but losing Valor and Spirit Possession stung.
'Can't wear C-grade gear forever…….'
Woojin tapped his sturdy new armor and steeled himself.
"I know people investigating the alchemists. I'll pass the word when I get back."
[May light guide your journey.]
Swaaaa……!!
With those words, she dissolved into cascading water and vanished.
"Hoo―."
Only then did Luen collapse, tension draining from her.
"I was so shocked…… When Kelduan appeared in the lake, my mind went blank."
"Sorry."
Her cheeks flushed slightly at Woojin's apology.
-Luen was yelling so much about having to save Master. Surprised? I never dreamed the ferryman grandpa was the Great Spirit!
Setsuna excitedly recounted their recent exploits to Woojin.
-Then suddenly the ferryman turned into a Naiad and gave Luen a test! "Do you truly wish to save him?" Ahem!!
"S-stop."
Luen waved her hands in panic, grabbing Setsuna mid-impression.
-Mmph― Mmphp―! Okay!! Stop, stop!!
Slipping free from Luen's hand over her mouth, Setsuna suddenly asked as if remembering something.
-Oh yeah, what was the test?
"Hm……."
Luen hesitated at the question.
"It wasn't much of a test. Felt more like a dream?"
A dream for an NPC.
That sounded even stranger, but she wouldn't know.
-What dream?
"Nothing special. I was becoming queen."
-Whoa……? Cool! I wanna dream that…… But that doesn't sound like a test. Sounds like a happy dream!
Setsuna's eyes sparkled, urging more.
"Well…… it was kinda weird."
Luen scratched her head, looking troubled as if unsure how to explain.
"The Labyrinth Tower had collapsed there."
A chill ran down Woojin's spine.
"Everything except the top floor."