Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Underwater Garden Melrip (1)
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[Underwater Maze Solution Found.]
1st gimmick: Step on a specific spot at the bottom of the underwater maze.
A passage appears. At the end of the passage, there's a locked door.
2nd gimmick: Make the key to open that door.
You need a lotus leaf vine key here, and it grows behind the blue lava scattered throughout the maze.
-How do you even find stuff like this???
Amazing for real.
-Veterans: Double-digit levels / All new zones found / Win fights with physicals even if stats suck
Me: Lv 2 / Died to slimes 3 times / Physical so bad I trip while running
How do you die to a slime?
I died too. Not easy, but possible.
Explain seriously?
Start by rolling 10+ times while trying to swing your tutorial weapon.
Not easy.
-So what's the way to get there?
Check the underwater maze map, find the passage, and go in.
But you need the lotus leaf vine key. To make it, you need lava immunity, and to get that, you have to farm items in Megrana Pit.
I'm Lv 5 right now. Possible?
? You think so?
"What? You see the new zone discovered?"
A man perched on the fountain in Azelchen muttered to himself.
"You think I haven't? I died three times trying to take the light rail to Megrana Pit. Huh...? Not Megrana Pit, somewhere else?"
As a puzzled look crossed the man's face, a girl warped in beside him.
"Hello-da yo."
"What? Yorong? Weren't you busy clearing the underwater maze?"
"Tsk tsk tsk. Being this slow on news won't do-da yo. Yorong already checked out the new zone. Had to log out right away because of time, though."
"...Yorong, you found it?"
"Yorong came in 2nd-da yo. No title, but that's 0.5 affiliation-da yo."
"What are you talking about? You need a title for affiliation."
After chiding the confident Yorong, the man asked in a dubious tone.
"So who found it?"
"Red Cat found it-da yo! Yorong was right there too!"
"...? Yorong, who in your network is Red Cat?"
"Hehehe, from that look, you have no clue-da yo. Dumb-da yo."
The man gave Yorong a pathetic look at her smug declaration.
"It's Cheisi-da yo."
"Ha...? Lie more convincingly, Yorong."
"It's true-da yo!"
As Yorong shouted, the man's gaze naturally shifted to the chat window.
-lololololol
-But it's facts
-For real, Cheisi
"For real? No, really? Cheisi's basically top ranker, right? Why would she party with you?"
"I was gathering waterweed, and suddenly this cat girl comes up-da yo. Thought who it was, but it was Cheisi! Plus, Yorong saved Cheisi once-da yo! She even gave potions-da yo!"
"What? With your physicals, Yorong? You expect me to buy that?"
"Yorong did it-da yo! Got the clip too-da yo!"
Seeing the man's skeptical face, Yorong whined in grievance.
"She said she'd add me as a friend at Lv 10-da yo! If I'm guild leader, trust your leader-da yo!"
"Alright, alright. I believe you. So where's the new zone?"
"Ahem. Underwater Garden-da yo."
You have acquired a title.
『A Stroll in the Water』
Acquisition condition: Be the first user to visit Underwater Garden Melrip.
'Underwater Garden Melrip.'
Cheisi set the title notification aside for a moment and took in the new area's sights.
Light filtering in from above shattered into a rainbow of colors, bathing the underwater garden in vivid hues.
Aquatic plants rooted in the seafloor stretched tall, while the same fish from Azelchen swam by, fins pumping vigorously.
It was more beautiful than any ocean resort.
Among the swimming fish, Cheisi spotted a strange black one.
｢Explosive Marshmallow｣
Habitat limited to Underwater Garden Melrip. Explodes upon receiving major impact.
'...Explodes, huh.'
Thinking it might come in handy, she carefully caught an Explosive Marshmallow and stowed it in her inventory. Then came the clang of metal clashing.
The mech swordfish and full-alloy squid from Riebpstar farming were here too, locked in single combat. They ignored her even up close.
'They're Lv 15.'
Checking their info, their levels were higher than expected.
Without a weapon, hunting was out. Leaving the fierce duel behind, Cheisi examined her title.
『A Stroll in the Water』
Given to the first user to craft a lotus leaf vine key, open the door, and reach Underwater Garden Melrip.
Grade: Rare.
Effect: Assimilate with Melrip Water when equipped.
"Assimilate with Melrip Water? What does that mean...?"
-No idea
-We know nothing...
An unfamiliar term appeared. Deciding to test it, Cheisi equipped the title.
Equipped 『A Stroll in the Water』.
In an instant, the unpleasant sensation vanished.
She felt the water touching her body change.
Cheisi cautiously peeled off the waterweed wrapping her ears and tail.
"Oh, feels comfortable."
-What, water's fine now?
-Title effect OP ㄷㄷ
No discomfort even with water on her ears and tail. That must be the title's effect.
'So this liquid is Melrip Water?'
Checking the liquid filling the garden, it was indeed ｢Melrip Water｣.
The title had more effects.
Cheisi noticed her movements felt lighter. At least in Melrip Water, dodging attacks like before was feasible now.
No, being underwater meant evading in far more directions.
Breathing felt much better too. Equipping the title here granted underwater breathing.
The title's performance was solid. Best among those acquired so far.
As Cheisi's tail swished happily, evolving from waterproof cat to aquatic cat, Yu Wol spoke.
"What's that in the sky?"
Cheisi looked up.
Thousands of strands hung from the sky.
No, tentacles. Tentacles dangled from the sky.
The sky twitched slightly. Up close, a transparent membrane was visible.
'...Jellyfish?'
That was her first thought.
"Looks like a creature, at least."
Cheisi swam toward the garden's ceiling.
"...This is a creature?"
Yu Wol, following, drew his sword and poked a tentacle.
The tentacle poked back.
"Gyaah...!"
Yu Wol took massive damage and dissolved into light particles with his last words.
-lolololol
-Bye
Seeing Yu Wol turn to light after touching a tentacle, Cheisi tensed.
'...Instant death on contact.'
Even with Mist Veil, Yu Wol died in one hit. She'd be the same.
"Seems it doesn't attack unless provoked, though."
Cheisi carefully navigated the writhing tentacles to the transparent ceiling they sprouted from.
The info was ominous.
"...Elite monster."
Cheisi eyed the 'organism' that only twitched, showing no other movement.
｢Giant Jellyfish Oolian｣
A leisurely giant jellyfish enjoying a sunbath.
Loves falling into deep sleep.
Lv: 30
Grade: Elite
EXP: 55000
Recovers 99% of damage received
A Lv 30 elite monster. The Knight of Kaliune was Lv 20, so this was 10 higher.
"...99% recovery, what the hell."
It even had an absurd passive.
Cheisi peered beyond the translucent Oolian.
Buildings. Wooden structures like the door she'd opened to enter.
"...Something's beyond Oolian."
But Oolian blocked the ceiling tight. No passing.
No way she'd breach a Lv 30 elite recovering 99% damage. Cheisi decided to check for alternatives.
"Maybe burrow up the walls."
She considered bypassing Oolian via the walls.
Failure.
She lured the mech swordfish fighting the alloy squid, slamming its steel beak into the wall. Even a full-power hit from Lv 15 did nothing.
Throwing Explosive Marshmallows? Same result.
"...Piss off Oolian?"
Plan: Enrage it to chase her, vacating the spot. Also failed.
Hurling Explosive Marshmallows and everything at tentacles and body, Oolian remained chill. Barely any damage, so expected.
"Whew. Time for crowdsourcing."
Other ideas came, but no viable bypass.
Cheisi gazed down at the garden from right under Oolian.
Beautiful. Azelchen and Megrana Pit felt urban; Melrip poured everything into beauty.
Colors flowed on currents. Tiny colored jellyfish up close, indistinguishable from afar.
-Why not explore a bit?
-Gotta find job guild.
"Right. But it's getting late."
Long broadcast; already midnight.
Viewers reacted fast to her words.
-???????????
-Don't go
-Leaving here makes no sense?????
[Thank you for 50,000 won donation.]
Do one more hour then go...
"...I'm doing more though?"
She'd never planned to end the stream.
"Found a new zone; ending now would suck."
-For real
-Nice
-Extending our stream!!
"Alright, let's hunt for the job guild first."
Maybe snag a new dagger, treasures too.
Cheisi began exploring the underwater garden.
[Broadcast has ended.]
The capsule hissed open, cat ears popping out.
"What...?"
Seo-hwa muttered in confusion, not even thinking to exit.
Having found the new zone, she'd planned a longer stream.
She did too. Plan was job guild, decide on class change, check for treasures.
But no job guild. Not just that.
Every city so far had NPCs. But Underwater Garden had only plants and sea life. Even Yu Wol relogged and searched—no guild or NPCs.
'...No job guild only in Melrip?'
Possible. Ariant World was full of unknowns; no set adventure rules.
'Or.'
Seo-hwa recalled the one unexamined spot.
'The sky blocked by Oolian.'
Buildings were there. Thought another zone at first, but could be part of Melrip.
And might lead elsewhere—reason enough.
But to go, eliminate Oolian. Lv 30 elite.
'Knight of Kaliune was Lv 20.'
Barely won via gimmick.
Oolian higher level, insane passive.
Still, Seo-hwa smiled lightly.
"...Not a total bust."
Thorough search yielded something.
A dagger blueprint—maybe the key to piercing Oolian.