Episode 216
[Setting the compass direction to ‘Fairy Lake.’]
[Calculating the holistic causality to determine the direction to Fairy Lake.]
[The compass has locked onto a direction.]
[The compass’s absolute direction is fixed until Fairy Lake is found.]
The needle of the compass swung around before settling on a specific direction.
Zeke studied the direction it pointed.
“So, it’s this way… Northwest? Could it be on the Northern Continent?”
At that moment, a message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.
―Main Quest Mission (Linked)―
[Take the relic imbued with primordial power to the Forgotten Temple of Origins. (No time limit / The temple’s coordinates will activate automatically once all three relics are obtained.)]
[Find the three relics to prepare for the prophecy of destruction delivered by the spirit of Archmage Hoshgar. (No time limit)]
[Use the compass to find Fairy Lake and break the seal on the mask.]
[Main Quest Mission Reward: ???]
[Linked Quest Mission Reward: Title - Archmage’s Blessing]
[Linked Quest Mission Reward: Title - Fairy’s Blessing]
“Another linked quest has popped up.”
The main quest to find the relics now had two linked quests attached to it.
It felt as if the system was urging him to find the relics quickly.
‘Anyway, if I head this way, I should find Fairy Lake, which saves me some trouble.’
If, as Tyr suggested, Agamemnon’s mask was the final relic, then finding Fairy Lake would mean he had all three relics.
The quest to find the Forgotten Temple of Origins was linked to Lubern’s Light Magic Quest.
Though the main quest’s reward was unspecified, it was presumed that taking the relics to the temple would provide a way to prevent the fallen constellations.
‘Perhaps Hoshgar’s instruction to find all three relics to prepare for the prophecy of destruction is also related to this temple.’
Since the temple’s coordinates would activate upon gathering all the relics, finding Fairy Lake to unseal Agamemnon’s golden mask was the priority.
As Zeke pondered over the quest displayed in the message window, someone knocked on his door. Snapping out of his thoughts, he called for them to enter, and the attendant who had brought his meal earlier stepped in.
“Sir Zeke, I apologize for disturbing your rest, but I have urgent news.”
“Urgent news? Who sent it?”
The attendant handed Zeke a letter.
“It’s from Lady Kali.”
“My sister?”
Zeke quickly opened the letter from Kali and read it.
His expression hardened as he absorbed the contents.
‘The movements of the Southern Sea pirates are suspicious, and she’s leading the troops herself? Could it be…’
A sense of foreboding washed over Zeke.
In his previous life, the Silver Knight Kali Draker had met a heroic end battling the pirate king Peter Pan in the Southern Sea.
As a result, Abel Draker became the heir, and with Arthur Draker’s sudden death, he ascended as the head of the family, sparking the Third Continental War.
‘But it’s not yet time for the pirate king to appear.’
There was still a year before Peter Pan would become the pirate king.
Zeke realized that his return had altered history.
‘If Sister Kali dies in the Southern Sea, the Draker family will fall into Abel’s hands.’
Zeke sprang to his feet and instructed the attendant.
“Inform the head of the family that I regretfully cannot attend the banquet.”
“Oh, understood. What reason should I give?”
Zeke replied with a steely expression.
“Tell them that Lady Kali Draker’s life is in danger.”
“Excuse me?”
Leaving the startled attendant behind, Zeke swiftly exited the guest room.
He left the Turn family estate and mounted Bucephalus, riding off in haste.
“Master, we’re nearing the island you mentioned!”
Liam shouted from the mast, looking out at the horizon where Zeke stood.
As soon as Zeke heard that Kali Draker had set out for the Southern Sea, he headed straight for Iason.
In the port city of Iason, Zeke contacted Cliff Reinhardt.
He used one of the two favors he had yet to call in, arranging for a ship to take them to the deadly waters of the Southern Sea.
Cliff mobilized the full power of the Reinhardt Trading Company to discreetly prepare the vessel.
While the ship was being readied, Zeke summoned his subordinates from Troy and Agamemnon Castle.
The Rose Knights’ Cloné, the Black Sword Knights’ Farrell, Liam, Felix, Diego, and Aster quickly gathered in Iason.
Once the ship was ready, Zeke led his group to the Southern Sea.
Their destination was the deadly waters where Kali Draker had set out to eliminate the pirates.
However, after more than a week of sailing through the treacherous waters, they had yet to find Kali Draker’s fleet.
The absolute compass would have been useful, but it was already fixed on Fairy Lake, preventing them from searching for anything else until the lake was found.
After some thought, Zeke decided to head towards the ‘Island of the Sea God,’ a location he had learned about from a map shown to him by Hook, which had triggered a quest.
Hook believed the map led to Captain Kidd’s treasure island, and that obtaining the treasure would make him the pirate king.
If, in his previous life, Peter Pan had found Captain Kidd’s treasure on this island and then fought Kali Draker, it was likely that a battle would occur there.
With his thoughts organized, Zeke turned the ship towards the ‘Island of the Sea God.’
Thud!
Zeke descended swiftly from the mast to the deck.
He looked at Liam and asked, “What are the others doing?”
“Everyone except Felix is preparing.”
“What’s Felix doing that he’s not getting ready?”
“He’s… suddenly taken up fishing as a hobby.”
Zeke clicked his tongue and headed to the back of the ship where Felix was fishing.
But someone had already beaten him to reprimanding Felix.
“Felix, enjoying a leisurely fishing session, are we? How about a good old sparring session?”
“No, no! Please, no!”
Felix was on the deck, head down, with Cloné sitting on his back.
Zeke shook his head at the sight of Felix being disciplined.
“I can see the aura coiling around your head and neck. Get it together, Felix.”
“Ugh. It just happens on its own.”
Cloné, still perched on Felix’s back, wielded her mace and used the Breath of Light.
Rumble!
As her strength increased, so did the pressure she exerted.
“Aaagh! Instructor! I’m going to die!”
Zeke watched Felix’s dramatic cries and asked Cloné, “Cloné, have you gotten used to the Light’s Punishment added to your mace?”
Zeke had previously added a rune from a dismantled mace to Cloné’s weapon, granting it a new skill.
Cloné twirled her mace and replied, “Not quite yet. I think I’ll need to use it in battle to really get a feel for it.”
“Alright. I’ll look forward to it.”
At that moment, Farrell, Diego, and Aster rushed over.
Farrell addressed Zeke.
“Sir Zeke! The island you mentioned is in sight. But…”
Farrell trailed off.
“What is it, Sir Farrell?”
“We can’t approach the island.”
“Can’t approach? What do you mean?”
Diego, standing behind, chimed in.
“There’s a massive whirlpool in the sea, yo!”
Zeke frowned at the news.
“A whirlpool?”
He moved to the front of the ship to see for himself.
“What the…?”
Just as Diego had said, a colossal whirlpool blocked the entrance to the island.
The captain emerged from the wheelhouse, his voice tinged with panic.
“Sir Knight! That’s a curse!”
“A curse? What do you mean by a curse?”
“Of course, it’s the Sea God’s curse!”
“The Sea God’s curse?”
Diego, who hailed from the Southern Continent, elaborated.
“It’s one of the legends of the South, yo.”
Cloné, standing nearby, tapped her mace against her palm, prompting Diego to correct his speech.
“It’s one of the legends of the South.”
“What legend?”
“If you anger the Sea God, a curse will create a massive whirlpool that capsizes ships.”
“Capsizes ships?”
“Yes. That’s why Southern ships never go near whirlpools. They don’t want to incur the Sea God’s curse.”
“Hmm.”
While the Southern-born captain trembled at the sight of the whirlpool, Zeke was thinking something entirely different.
‘Looks like we’re on the right track.’
He hadn’t expected to enter the Sea God’s island, where Captain Kidd’s treasure was hidden, without any obstacles.
Zeke instructed the captain.
“Steer the ship as close to the whirlpool’s edge as possible.”
The captain’s face turned even paler.
“What? What are you saying? The ship will be sucked into the whirlpool!”
“I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. Just keep a steady hand on the wheel.”
With that, Zeke leaped into the sea.
Leaving the shocked captain behind, Zeke climbed onto Nahuel’s back, which he had summoned in advance.
“Nahuel, let’s support the ship’s side so it can pass the whirlpool and reach the island. Can you do it?”
Rumble!
Nahuel let out a mystical cry and braced its body against the ship’s right side.
Zeke shouted to the crew.
“We’re riding the whirlpool into the island!”
The captain, muttering prayers in Southern dialect, returned to the wheelhouse in tears.
Rumble!
The massive ship surged toward the whirlpool.
Rumble, rumble!
Nahuhel braced against the side of the ship, fighting the powerful current to keep it from being sucked into the vortex.
Crash, crash, crash!
Despite Nahuhel’s efforts, the whirlpool’s force was relentless, pulling the ship ever closer to its center.
“Nahuhel, just a little longer!” Zeke shouted, gripping Nahuhel’s shoulder as he drew Bahamut.
He intended to hold out until they reached the whirlpool’s core, but the ship was being drawn in faster than he anticipated.
“Damn it.”
To slow their descent, Zeke unleashed a wave resonance toward the whirlpool.
Whoooom!
The resonance created ripples, attempting to disrupt the whirlpool’s flow, but it had little effect.
Zeke grimaced and yelled, “Keep the ship steady! Nahuhel, hang in there!”
Crash!
As they entered the whirlpool’s heart, violent waves battered the hull.
Boom!
A colossal wave struck, causing the ship to lurch. Amidst the chaos, Zeke searched for an opening.
Then it happened.
Felix screamed, “Aaaah! My lord! A tidal wave is coming!”
A monstrous wave, large enough to swallow the ship whole, loomed ahead.
Zeke’s eyes gleamed as he saw the approaching wave.
“It’s here.”
Leaving the ship to Nahuhel, Zeke leaped across the water’s surface using his Dragon Wing skill.
His crewmates watched in shock as he bounded over the turbulent sea.
“My God!”
“My lord! Come back!”
Zeke brandished Bahamut, aiming his sword at the towering wave.
Whoooom!
Channeling all his strength, he entered a state of heightened power, drawing on the elemental sword’s energy.
Whoooom!
Elemental force gathered around Zeke’s transformed body.
He steadied his breath, focusing on the wave rushing toward him, and raised his sword.
The raging sea and crashing waves seemed to pause.
It was just Zeke and the wave, alone in the world.
He swung his sword slowly toward the wave.
Elemental Sword
Domain of Water
Reverse Wave Blade
Harnessing the wave’s immense power, he redirected its flow with his blade.
Crash, crash, crash!
The tidal wave, poised to engulf the ship, followed the path of Zeke’s sword.
Roar!
The sea heaved, and the water beneath the ship surged upward.
Riding the reverse wave, the ship broke free from the whirlpool, speeding toward the island.
Rumble, rumble!
Nahuhel supported the ship’s underside, guiding it safely out of the whirlpool’s grasp.
Zeke swung his sword again, sending the reverse wave back into the whirlpool.
Crash, crash!
The massive wave swept past the ship, returning to the whirlpool.
Thanks to Zeke, the ship passed through unscathed, neither capsized nor broken.
“Ughhh!”
Everyone on deck, including Felix, exhaled in relief, as if they’d narrowly escaped death.
Thud!
Moments later, Zeke climbed back onto the deck.
Dripping with seawater, he shook his head, scattering droplets, while everyone stared at him, mouths agape.
Ignoring their astonished gazes, Zeke turned his attention forward.
Through the mist, an island emerged.