Chapter 404 Black Ocean
404 Black Ocean
After three weeks, Alex gathered the group of Venedikt, Andrei, and Saahira and went to the human continent and made their way to a small town near the ocean where they were going to board the flying ship and begin their journey toward the Black Ocean.
The Tomb was legacy ground, and every individual that entered faced various tests, and while only one would receive the legacy of the Dragon Monarch, every challenger would receive resources depending on his performance.
Alex didn't care much about the rewards, but he felt the trail and an outdoor experience, with the expectation of doing much better than the competition, would serve as a healthy adventure for the group.
Venedikt, Andrei, and Saahira had little to no experience with competitions or simply performing under pressure, and this adventure would serve greatly to help them build their confidence, ultimately helping them perform in the upcoming event.
Alex and the group met with Hecate, Alden, and eighteen of her guild members, with most of them not having a legacy yet all having hidden classes making their talent clear.
Hecate had come with the best talents of her guild, so if she couldn't acquire it, then one of her guild members could acquire the legacy.
It was also decided that members of the Ravenglades guild would be granted a head start in undertaking the legacy trial, depending on if more than one individual could enter the tomb simultaneously.
After the greeting, everyone boarded the Sixth Rank flying ship, and even though not a warship, it was armed with mana cannons and a protective barrier.
The vessel was under the command of an experienced crew, led by a Sixth Rank warrior as its captain, accompanied by several warriors of Fifth Rank among the crew.
The trip to the Black Ocean area would take close to two days, and the closer they got to the area, the stronger and deadlier the creatures of both the sky and ocean would become, who would do their best to rip them apart.
While they had the protection of the ship, the trip was still not going to be peaceful, and the captain made sure to brief them on the dangers.
The journey began, and the following thirty-five hours were mostly peaceful as no ocean creature could reach them, while the mana cannons and the barrier dealt those of the sky.
The moment they entered the boundary of the Black Ocean area, thick, pitch-dark clouds stretched for hundreds of kilometers in every direction.
The tumultuous echoes of thunderous lightning reverberated through the expanse, and those lightning strikes were also the only source of light in the pitch darkness that cloaked the ocean a few kilometers into this fantasy land.
After just a few minutes, after they ventured into the Black Ocean area, they were attacked by a flock of shadow wings, four-foot long and two-foot tall, crows with piercing beaks and astonishing speed.
They were the first to pierce through the barrier, but they were easily dealt with by the ship crew, who did not require any player to offer their help.
The group destination was not specific, as they needed to move through the entirety of the Black Ocean to locate raging storms and check their inside in the hopes of locating the Zaratan turtle.
Hecate had only acquired confirmation from adventurers and captains who had traveled through the Black Ocean in the last decade and had encountered the gargantuan Zaratan turtle, always located in the heart of a storm that most mistook as an island.
So, while they were certain they could find the Zaratan turtle, they didn't know where to find him and how long it was going to take, which was also the justification Hecate had booked a semi-warship and trained group of warriors by paying a hefty price.
The hours turned to days, and days turned to a week, with the group having spent eight days wandering the Black Ocean, having explored tens of massive storms and fought a plethora of creatures.
Hecate had also come with multiple sets of two very expensive artifacts, namely a Stormseeker's Compass and Aero-Orb, with the first artifact crafted with elemental crystal that allowed it to point toward the direction with the densest concentration of lightning and wind element.
The second artifact was an orb that could create a solid barrier of clear air around the user, and using the two artifacts, they could check the deadly storms that otherwise could seriously damage even their ship if exposed for too long.
On the Ninth day, Alex was standing at the edge of the deck, looking into the massive storm, not needing the ender the storm to know that they had found their destination, but his face didn't hold a smile, only a serious look as he saw multiple pairs of eyes staring at their ship.
'Never expected to reach the grand prize without a test,' Alex thought as he stared at the dozen or so lightning Manticores.
Hecate guild members were preparing to use the Aero-Orb artifact to pierce into the storm when a towering winged creature zoomed through the storm, making his presence identified with a mighty roar.
The ship hung suspended hundreds of meters from the colossal storm, and even amidst the cacophonous fury of the tempest, the resounding roars of the Peak Sixth Rank Manticore echoed with remarkable clarity, cutting through the chaotic symphony of the various elements.
All eyes swiftly turned to the creature, and moments later the single creature grew to two, four, ten, and finally eighteen, a complete pack with four early-stage Sixth Rank, and the remaining ranging from middle to peak Fifth Rank in strength.
"We are retreating," The bearded captain roared as the ship's engine began to enter the state of overdrive, strengthening the barrier and sending newfound power into the mana cannon.
"Settle down, old man, and get ready to enter into the storm," Alex said, his voice cutting through the panic that gripped both the crew and the players.
Hecate's eyes mirrored the panic evident in others, recognizing the certainty of death if they confronted the creatures.
Although she desired to check the inside of the storm, as it might have been the one they sought, she was wise enough not to persist in such a dangerous situation.
But amidst the mounting panic, she caught the familiar, composed voice urging them not to flee but to advance toward their inevitable demise, and with a bewildered look, she gazed at the silver-haired man, who merely smiled back at her.
"Captain, get ready to enter the storm," Hecate said, after a moment of silence, not asking for clarification.
The captain ignored Alex's command completely like air, simply because he was not hired by him. While he had taken the oath to meet Hecate's command, it did not apply if their lives were in true danger, and this was one condition.
So, she was also ignored, only receiving an angry gaze from him as he continued to give orders to his crew members to take a position and open fire at any creature brave to approach their ship.
"I will pay you double, and the moment the barrier goes down, I will use this Seventh Rank barrier, and then you can give the command to retreat," Hecate roared, swiftly taking out a white scroll and raising it.
Alex was assured that if the Zaratan turtle, a formidable peak Eighth Rank creature, had resolved to prevent them from entering the storm, it could easily crush them before they could even get close to him.
So these Manticores were either acting on their own or were dispatched to test them in some way, and to pass such a test, they just needed to be brave and enter the storm.
In the worst case, if the creature made it a battle to the death, then Alex could just go all out and take care of the problem himself because with his enhanced stats, he was assured in taking care of the leader, and with his summons, it wouldn't be an issue to handle two or three more Manticores.
"Hand over the scroll to me," The captain roared as he left the chamber after telling the vice-captain to head into the storm, not trusting Hecate with all their lives.
The Manticores had also bridged the distance, and the towering horned lion with bat wings had begun breathing down lightning breaths on the barrier while tanking the mana cannon shots head-on.
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