The sky shimmered with the last golden light of the fading sun. A gentle cascade of violet hues began to stretch across the heavens, signaling the arrival of dusk. The ocean, now bathed in the colors of early night, hummed softly beneath the waves, as if welcoming the calm before another uncertain chapter.
Stirred from his sleep by soft, groggy voices, William slowly opened his eyes. In front of him stood Kei, gently nudging Rei and Lily awake, but in the process, she'd accidentally awakened him too.
Not that it mattered. It was time to rise anyway.
"…Is it that time already?" William mumbled, voice still heavy with sleep.
Kei nodded, but her movements paused as she looked at him. Seemed to be caught in the moment, mesmerized by the way his blue and silver eyes caught the fading light, shimmering with soft glow, the lines of sleep still softening his usual intensity.
William yawned and stretched lazily, forgetting that Rei was still lying peacefully against his chest. With a soft thunk and a startled "Ou!" Rei slid off and clutched her head, now sitting on the floor in bleary-eyed dismay.
"Master~," Lily mumbled beside him, still clinging to his hand as she rubbed her eyes. Even half-asleep, her soft voice carried the usual warmth. She was the only one who still called him 'Master' regularly, though she sometimes slipped into 'Lord' when overwhelmed.
"You sleep well, Lily?" he asked, brushing a few strands of hair away from her sleepy face.
Lily nodded, her expression drowsy but content, cheeks faintly puffed, eyes barely open. William smiled gently, warmed by the simplicity of the moment.
Before he could speak further, Rei suddenly launched herself back into his lap, arms wrapped around his neck with a pout on her lips.
"I want my morning kiss," she demanded with playful resentment, clearly still sulking after being so rudely shaken awake, and then promptly dropped.
William chuckled, but obliged. He leaned in slowly, cradling her cheek with one hand. Their lips met in a tender, unhurried kiss, soft and warm, their breaths mingling in the lingering calm. Rei melted into it, eyes fluttering shut, her earlier grumpiness washing away like foam on the tide. When he finally pulled back, her smile bloomed, content, sweet, and full of affection.
"Mhm… That's more like it," Rei whispered, resting her forehead against his.
But their moment was short-lived. Lily tugged on his sleeve, eyes wide and shimmering with anticipation. She didn't speak, just looked up at him expectantly, her face tilted just slightly, quiet and hopeful.
William gave a helpless laugh, "Alright, come here."
He gently shifted Rei off his lap, leaned down, and gave Lily a soft kiss on her forehead, then a light brush of lips against hers. Lily's cheeks flushed faintly, and she clung to him for a second longer before nodding with a shy little smile. Satisfied, the two girls finally let him rise.
Kei, who had been quietly watching it all, didn't interrupt. Her expression was calm, though not without its own stirrings. She had grown familiar with this dynamic, and yet, every time she saw William's affection shared so openly, it made her heart flutter in strange, wordless ways.
As William turned toward her, Kei felt the subtle shift in atmosphere.
She could sense it, desire. Gentle, maybe unspoken, but undeniably real. It radiated from his body like low, coiled heat, and as he stepped closer, her heart skipped instinctively.
'He's not going to eat me again, is he…?' she thought, face flushing pink. But this time, she made no move to run or resist. Not after everything they had shared. Not after the feeling of safety he brought forward.
His hand came up to cradle her face, warm, steady, and familiar. Kei's breath caught as his thumb brushed her cheek, his eyes locked onto hers, unblinking. Slowly, his face leaned in, and she closed her eyes without hesitation.
Their kiss wasn't rushed. It wasn't teasing. It carried weight, soft but full, a quiet expression of everything he didn't say aloud. Kei's fingers curled against his shirt, her body instinctively leaning into the contact. Her lips trembled slightly, overwhelmed by the sudden surge of feeling.
When they finally parted, her lips remained slightly parted, still tasting the warmth he left behind.
"Unfortunately," William murmured, savoring the lingering intimacy, "it's late."
He smirked faintly, brushing a strand of silver hair behind her ear, "If it weren't… I wouldn't mind some breakfast after waking up."
The ambiguity in his tone was suggestive and playful, hitting Kei like a crashing tide. Her face went crimson, her legs nearly giving way beneath her.
She said nothing, but the look in her eyes said everything. Her lips still tingled with his taste. Her tongue unconsciously traced the memory of his, and her thoughts drifted far from the quiet deck beneath their feet.
Watching this from the side, Rei narrowed her eyes.
"…I don't get it," she muttered under her breath, "It was the same kiss. Just with a few romantic words added… right? But why does it feel so unfair?"
She glanced to her side, looking for emotional backup, "Right, Lily?"
Silence.
"Lily?"
Rei turned fully, only to find nothing but open air. No sign of the youngest Lamb, no flutter of her black obsidian hair and not even the shadow of her dainty footfalls.
"Huh? Where did she go?"
Meanwhile, inside the Liberator's spacious kitchen hall…
The scent of frying fish and fresh-cut herbs filled the air, warm and inviting. Though built into a ship, the Liberator's galley was anything but cramped. High ceilings arched with reinforced wooden beams, magical rune-lit lanterns hanging from chains, and long polished counters lined the walls with plenty of room for movement. The gentle sway of the ship barely disturbed the wide cooking space, crafted with both utility and comfort in mind.
(Note: Galley is the same as Kitchen part on the ship. Source: Trust Me Bro. Google.)
Three Lambs moved about with surprising coordination, their steps light and practiced. One stirred a bubbling pot of seaweed and root vegetable soup in a rune-warmed cauldron, while another chopped herbs atop a polished obsidian cutting slab. Laughter and chatter bounced softly between them as they worked, not rushed, but rhythmic and familial.
Lily stood proudly on a cushioned stool near one of the counters, humming happily as her hands delicately arranging flower-shaped garnishes atop polished wooden plates. Her tongue peeked from between her lips in concentration, a paring knife much too big for her small hands guided with surprising care. The tray before her already held an artful array of sliced fish and citrus like fruits, glimmering faintly in the enchanted lamplight.
By the time Rei barged in to interrogate her, Lily had just completed her final touch, placing a small sprig of blue leaf over the center of the dish like a crown.
"Ah, Sister Rei! Want to try my new garnish~?"
Rei could only stare.
'Damn, she was too cute!'
… … …
[The Final Night Is Coming!]
[Choose Your Difficulties:
> High Difficulties Selected!
Description:
With Your Status As Base, You will face Five [Giants] Creatures.
Each Creature will have three to five classes, blends of High Grade and Low Grade of Double-lined classes. The Progression will be Random but will not be lower than fifty percent, and Main Classes will be maxed.
Reward:
Main Class Of Each Creature Killed Are A Guaranteed Drop, Plus Five Random Class Drop, Ten Blank Cards, Five Rare Equipment Coupon, Bloodline Enhancement Card(Pet Exclusive), Three Random Skill Cards(Pet Exclusive), And One Blessing Of Your Choice(Pet Exclusive).
…
[Challenge Countdown: 21 Minutes 13 Seconds]
Fully recharged after a hearty meal and the warm company of the girls, William took his leave. Rather than waiting on the deck, he soared away for a moment of solitude, landing upon a small island that lay in their path.
The island was modest, no more than 30 meters across, shaped like a teardrop of white sand nestled into the sea. A scattering of coconut trees swayed in the wind, their long leaves rustling gently with the sound of distant waves. A few mossy rocks dotted the shoreline, and shallow tide pools glimmered under the violet twilight.
It wasn't much. Just another nameless fragment in the vast Mystic Sea.
But it was quiet.
William laid back against the warm sand, folding his arms behind his head, wings half-unfurled. He gazed at the clouds tinged gold and purple, letting the silence settle over him. The ritual, the upgrades, the affection, everything had been meaningful…
But it has also been much, too much change, if it could be called that. So, he needed this moment to be still. To breathe alone, and prepare his mind for the System quest.
As for their current destination? That hadn't changed.
The Liberator continued sailing toward [Green Island], a trade city once known for its bustling docks and neutral policies. William had chosen it for two reasons.
The first was practical: even after purchasing detailed sea charts from a player named Amber, Green Island remained the closest reliable settlement. No other human-inhabited islands had appeared nearby. And while the hope of discovering an uncharted island with friendly natives existed, the odds were slim.
The second reason, however, was forced.
[Forced Quest!
As a [Myth] it is your job to free this sea from filth.
Objective:
> Save Green Island!
Reward:
> Unknown.
]
As the reason behind this sudden burden?
Simple. The day after Kei's ritual, a Forum Thread exploded in popularity, skyrocketing past all others in less than an hour.
[Green Island Attacked, Sea King Is A Corrupted Titan?!] From: Amber.
The attached video had already garnered full views from the player base.
The footage began with a wide-angle shot of Green Island's skyline, then chaos.
A humongous creature descended from above, its form vaguely resembling a Sky Whale, but grotesquely altered. Its body was coated in boiling black pustules, steaming and bubbling with foul energy.
Whenever it struck a building, or was struck in return, chunks of the boiling corruption splashed across the city. Anyone unfortunate enough to touch it let out inhuman screams, their skin burning and flesh hissing as the rot ate through their body and spirituality.
Even through the layer of video, William had recognized it immediately: [Corruption], a taint from the Star Above.
The System had confirmed it mere moments after the video began. William hadn't even finished watching before the quest appeared on his interface. And so, while the Liberator's heading remained the same, its purpose had shifted, from a trade run into a rescue mission.
Following the attack, the player named Amber had risen as the island's de facto field reporter. Her footage, raw and harrowing, went viral in mere hours. Many players responded, some sending quiet prayers or messages of encouragement, others expressing dread at the grim reality of the world they had been thrown into. The reactions were mixed, as always.
Amber herself appeared to hold some influence on Green Island. In the recordings, guards could be seen stationed around her, a luxury not many players could command so early. Perhaps she had connections with one of the island lords, or simply proved herself useful enough not to be abandoned.
As for why she didn't flee during or after the attack, the answer was more complex. But first and foremost: Green Island had become a quarantine zone. No one was allowed to leave.
The fear of spreading [Corruption] was too great. Should even a trace make it to another island, it could doom entire archipelagos. Now, the local powers had sealed the docks, and the island's leadership awaited outside reinforcements, from distant archipelagos or from a passing Myth Believer, should any exist. Either way, help would not arrive for at least two weeks.
Taking advantage of the growing desperation, William decided it was time to begin his own form of outreach.
Using his status as the first-ranked player, he made a bold declaration, advertising himself as a [Myth], and offering to become a spiritual anchor for those struggling to endure the chaotic sea. If they believed in him, if they praised his name and title, he could protect and guide them.
The response was varied.
Some mocked him, some ignored him. But some… actually spoke his name aloud.
That was all he needed.
Among those who noticed was Amber herself. She reached out privately.
"If you're not really a [Myth], you should take that post down," she warned, "Calling yourself one isn't a joke. A real Myth could erase you for less than a second."
William only smiled when he read the message.
At least some players still had a grounded sense of caution, and Amber's words, though sharp, came from good intentions. So, he didn't mind. In fact, he respected it.
Just to indulge her, he sent her a partial screenshot, only the status section showing the blue-glow section:
[Race: Mythical Creature / Seraphim]
[Mythical Title: Seraph Of End]
She was understandably stunned. But even then, she didn't fully believe him. Amber pointed out that maybe he found a way to edit a screenshot, and that getting Myth status within the first week was almost impossible, even for the top player.
Still, William didn't correct Amber further. After sending a few vague assurances that he was indeed coming and politely ignoring the rest of her ranting warnings, he exhaled softly.
Let the world catch up at its own pace.
It was a slight disappointment, however, that his most devoted player, Zealot Mackerel, remained missing in action. According to the last update, he'd bravely, or perhaps foolishly, plunged into a [Rift] just yesterday alongside his followers.
'Well, actually, they're my followers now, aren't they?' William mused with amusement.
Red Knight and Sargo were there too. If Zealot Mackerel had remained behind, William couldn't help but imagine how entertaining things would have been. Seeing Amber, skeptical and pragmatic, in the same room as the fanatically devoted Mackerel…
Some popcorn, a front-row seat, and the unfolding drama would've been priceless.
'It's truly a shame to miss entertainment of that caliber.'
He shook his head lightly, refocusing on the immediate future.
Regardless, the Liberator was still roughly three days of sailing away from Green Island, and tonight there were other, more immediate threats to handle. The System had seen fit to challenge him again, sending creatures foolish enough to invade his presence.
Glancing at the countdown, William's eyes narrowed slightly.
[Challenge Countdown: 11 Minutes 9 Seconds]
He sat up, dusting off the fine sand that clung to his clothes. In the distance, about seven to ten nautical miles away, the Liberator was now just a faint dot on the horizon, reassuringly far from the battlefield he had chosen.
He let out a quiet breath, calming his thoughts and steadying his senses. He could feel the very air around him shifting as the countdown dropped lower.
Slowly, the moon, previously hidden behind thick clouds, began to reveal itself. This time, however, it wasn't the comforting, watchful silver moon from before. It rose pale, anemic, casting the island in a cold, eerie glow. The atmosphere thickened ominously, tense and oppressive, like the silent hush before violence erupted.
[Challenge Countdown: 0 Minutes 21 Seconds]
William calmly stood, his heart settling into a steady, powerful rhythm.
He lifted his hands, the sleeves of his robe fluttering gently as Mystic energy stirred within him. His blue and silver eyes gleamed, pupils narrowing as he scanned the horizon carefully. Slowly, his wings unfurled, stretching to their full span, shimmering faintly in defiance of the pale moonlight. Each feather trembled subtly with anticipation, readying for flight and battle.
He steadied his breath, gathering his strength, and with a single step forward he drew his twin blades, their edges catching the cold moonlight like fragments of fallen stars.
The countdown struck zero.
Silence.
And then,
A sharp, piercing cry echoed from the heavens.
William's gaze flicked upward, immediately spotting two massive bird-like silhouettes gliding gracefully through the night sky. Their wings spanned nearly twenty meters across, vast and regal. Feathers crackled with electric energy, flickering like tiny bolts of lightning against the darkness.
The larger of the pair was clearly male, its form powerful, muscular, and dominant, bearing the intimidating class [Avian Garde, Sky Lord]. Beside it, slightly smaller but no less formidable, flew its mate, [Avian Arde, Storm Caller].
Its feathers held a mesmerizing mixture of emerald green hues, rippling with currents of wind and lightning. Despite being in a smaller frame, the power radiating from the female Arde form was palpable, almost tangible in the thickened air.
The pair circled him cautiously, not yet diving to attack. Their predatory eyes were patient, assessing him silently from above.
But they weren't the only challengers tonight.
From behind the island, two blazing lights surged through the water, swiftly approaching the sandy shore. They glowed like twin suns beneath the waves, their incredible speed splitting the sea, leaving trails of steam and boiling water behind.
Feeling their heat before he saw them clearly, William quickly turned his attention from the sky, sensing an entirely different danger rapidly approaching from behind.
As they broke into his perception, their identities appeared before him:
[Bassal Shark, Molten Devourer]
[Bassal Shark, Giant Slayer]
A faint smile touched William's lips.
These classes weren't simple, they bore elite prefixes like [Devourer] and [Slayer], signifying monstrous combat ability and fearsome specializations. Even more fascinating, however, were their bodies. Flames and molten magma covered their massive shark-like forms, blazing furiously beneath the water without being extinguished. Their very presence scorched the waves, boiling seawater into plumes of steam around them.
William glanced toward their origin, sensing something else in the distance.
'An active volcano, perhaps?' he thought quietly.
The night promised to be anything but dull.
Then, Whoosh.
A sudden, invisible force surged from the water's surface, silent, precise, and merciless.
William's senses screamed. His body moved before thought could catch up. He took several steps back, aura flaring, twin swords raised in a sharp guard.
Bang!
The impact came a fraction too soon.
The invisible strike, whip-like and brutal, smashed against his crossed blades and threw him clean off the island. His body twisted midair, the sheer force proving once again that, physically, his human frame could not match the raw might of giants.
But he was no longer just a man.
In the same motion, William exhaled and released his Mystic Form.
Golden markings ignited across his skin. Wings of mystic weave burst open, and his outline shimmered with transcendent light. His swords snapped together in a spinning arc, fusing into a single, heavier blade, the [Buster Sword], coated in layered aura now tempered by mystic flow.
The weight of him changed.
And the world around him responded.
From above, the twin cries of the Avian pair tore through the air.
Their feathers crackled with power as their martial auras and spiritual power surged, enveloping their massive bodies. With trailing stormwinds and flashes of lighting, Avian Garde and Avian Arde folded their wings in and dove, two gods of sky descending like judgment.
At the same time, from below, the twin Bassal Sharks accelerated. Their molten bodies shimmered beneath the water, splitting the sea like blades of fire as they launched toward William's airborne path, intending to drag him into their domain.
But William didn't flinch.
Instead, he exhaled once more.
And released his Aura.
A pulse of golden mix grey pressure exploded outward, thick and heavy like divine gravity.
The world froze for a moment.
The five monsters hesitated, no, staggered, as the weight of a Myth's presence swept over them. Their instincts flared, but their response came swiftly. With a low roar, each of them released their own [Weight] in turn: aura, spiritual pressure and elemental force colliding like crashing tides.
Wind tore through the trees. The sea churned violently. Even the sky trembled under the clashing wills.
Five titanic auras now pressed down on one singular source.
And though the monster's forces conflicted faintly with each other, they all bore down on William, he was the eye of their fury, the spark that drew their hunger.
He gritted his teeth. His aura strained, buckled slightly.
'This is fine,' he thought, 'Five Giants… It's natural I'm losing in pure stat weight.'
But his purpose wasn't to win the pressure war.
No, it was to find the hidden one.
The one who struck first when he observed the other giants.
His eyes narrowed, scanning the roiling waves. His [Extraordinary Sense] and even mutated eye, capable of perceiving the colorful world itself, had failed to detect the creature before, an impressive feat in itself. But now, with his Mystic form active and his soul sharpened through combat, he finally caught the subtle ripple. The barest fracture in the layered colors around him.
Next, he smiled.
"I'm Here, you bastard," he said aloud. His voice echoed through the battlefield, imbued with a subtle command, tied to a Personal Skill layered in his mythic resonance.
"Come to me."
And the world listened.
He condensed and shaped his aura tight around his body, dense, and refined. In that brief moment when the monsters' pressure faltered as they adjusted to the clash, William shot forward like a lightning bolt toward the unseen threat.
Below, one of the Bassal Sharks flung a chunk of molten shell upward, its flesh boiling as it shed the attack. From above, the female bird conjured a stormwind spell, slashing across his path in an attempt to derail his charge.
He weaved around them.
His wings angled. His blade thrummed.
And then.
Whoosh, Bam!
His Buster Sword struck with a slicing roar, a wave of cutting aura exploding outward. A distorted ripple in the air flickered, then shattered.
And from that shattering emerged a massive, dark form.
A creature now outlined in visible shape, ink-like limbs writhing with fury, dozens of thick tendrils trailing through the mist.
The System responded:
[Giant Octopus, Deep Dweller]
> Hunter Mark Applied.
(Note: If you forget, the skill came from "Deep Hunter" class.)
William's brows lifted slightly.
"A [Dweller]?" he murmured, "Now that's interesting."
Classes with the prefix [Dweller] were highly specialized. Creatures bearing them were typically ambush predators or beings that could only thrive within a specific environment. Their strength was tied to their habitat, so deeply, in fact, that they rarely ever left it. So, seeing a [Deep Dweller] surfacing was rare.
And seeing one forcibly drawn into battle on land?
That was something else entirely.
'The System is probably forcing it to face me,' William mused.
Of course, this octopus likely possessed an effective synergy of other classes, perfectly built for stealth and ambush. Even within the spiritual plane, its presence had been nearly imperceptible. It didn't just hide, it became the sea, the currents, the silence between heartbeats.
A true specialized build, layered with concealment traits, amplified stealth, and environmental synergy.
Honestly, William couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration. To blend so perfectly, even against the eye of a Myth… The Sea truly has endless probability.
But now it has exposed itself.
He smirked. His blade still thrummed with restrained force, his aura flaring brighter with every breath.
"Then let's make this fun."