[Low-level Telepathy] :: You can send your thoughts to those near you. The distance is limited.
[Aquatic Adaptation] :: The sea is your home, your speed and maneuverability are increased whenever in the water.
[Footman's Trident] :: A trident that those with slight distinguishment use for battle.
The gifts were two skills and the tridents that the three rank S Atlanteans were using. The telepathy skill was one that many beings living in the sea had and used, while [Aquatic Adaptation] just went to further increase the ease of moving around in the water.
Using the skill, it felt even easier while swimming across, as Noah arrived near the underwater city that had large tubes that made their way in and out of the pockets of the city that were filled with air. Memories of the city and its happenings swirled around his head as he found the first step to take.
There was already a general idea of how he should move in this world, and the Atlantean's memories provided an in-depth path that would allow Noah to follow the path laid out in advance while also being able to join the ranks of beings that held actual power in this world.
To do this, an identity had to be obtained, and it couldn't be of the rank S Atlanteans he had just taken down. That power would not be able to put any dents in the larger picture. Yet, an easy way to obtain an identity presented itself, as currently, a test was being held in the City of Liquinia to choose which champions to send to the center of the Lost World, the city lying in the deepest parts of the sea, Atlantis.
As the city that held the name of the entire world, it was the grandiose location that was the center of control for this world. Getting there though, was a headache for many. This was because the deeper you went under the sea, you would be faced with powerful deep-sea creatures that swarmed and killed Atlanteans and Merfolk for lunch.
The sea was wide and large, covering a majority of the world. It bore many species of powerful creatures that hunted in its waters, and there were a tremendous amount of them. The only pockets of protection were the ones provided by the world itself, where cities like Liquinia and Atlantis were surrounded by the Sea's Blessing.
The Sea's Blessing was an area of protection that surrounded many underwater cities for quite a distance, giving them a safe environment to move in. The moment you left the area of protection though, you might just become food for the many monstrous deep-sea creatures prowling the deeper waters.
The City of Atlantis that was the central location of this world was in the deepest parts where the most powerful of creatures ran amok, and yet it was where Atlanteans and Merfok prospered the most. The futuristic look present in the City of Liquinia seemed advanced, but it could not compare with the things to be found in Atlantis.
To get in this city, an identity was needed, and the one of a Champion was the best possible one. Noah moved past the gorgeous looking submarines and Atlanteans wielding sharp tridents as his figure swam towards a seabed where many figures were gathered.
A mock fight was already occurring as powerful shock waves were transmitted through the water. Two Atlanteans were practicing gleefully as their figures twisted and turned. Overseeing the mock fight was a Merman holding a shining green trident, along with a Neon armor that wrapped all over his body.
Even without sensing his power, any knowledgable being living in this wide sea would know the identity of someone who wore this type of armor. In the order of power, they were Blue, Neon, and then Gold. The armors were pieces of Atlantean technology that were given only to the most powerful, providing further boosts in their fighting power.
They corresponded with EPIC, LEGENDARY, and MYTHICAL for the beings that wore them. The Merman floating stably over the seabed was letting out a powerful aura of LEGENDARY rank, the Neon armor extenuating it even more.
Noah knew the customs from all the obtained memories, so he neared the powerful Merman and stopped a few meters before him, bringing the trident in his hands towards his chest and voicing out loudly.
"Neon Commander! I would like to take the Trial of Champions!"
The voice powerfully reverberated out, catching the attention of the onlookers as they began whistling.
"Haha, we have another critter who wants to descend the heavens in one step!"
"Hey hey hey, look at that shining confidence in his eyes, maybe he's a future Champion that's about to trek through the dangerous waters towards Atlantis!"
Many shouts and murmurings erupted out as the Neon Commander stared at Noah, a telepathic method being sent out right after.
"Your life could be in jeopardy during the trial, as I will not be holding back"
The LEGENDARY commander was smart, first starting the communication with telepathy, an ability that was only common with Atlanteans and Merfolk. In the case Noah was something else, he would be found out right away.
A light smile appeared on his lips as [Low-level Telepathy] was used, answering the question of the Neon Commander.
"I would expect no less to earn the title of Champion."
Light twinkled in the eyes of the LEGENDARY Merman as the message registered, and frighteningly white sharp teeth spread out as his mouth curved into a brutal smile.
"Good, come!"
Chapter 142 - Champion
In the city of Liquinia, on an artificial seabed beside the bustling underwater sh.i.p.s and exquisite buildings, a battle was taking place to decide if an Atlantean was worthy of the title of Champion.
Those who gained this title earned the right to trek the dangerous journey to the sea's depths to Atlantis, where an even grander stage would be waiting for them.
The Neon Commander was taking the test seriously, using all his power as the water around him vibrated and became hotter. The shining trident in his hands lit up even more as green rays shot out and went towards Noah.
There were a variety of skills to counter the deadly green rays from the trident of this powerful LEGENDARY Merman, and [Demon King's Haki] was activated first. The sea around the entire area trembled as those around felt themselves sinking lower, the Merman feeling the brunt of the force as he felt a crushing weight falling on to him, turning his face serious.
[Demon King's Haki] was followed by a skill that heavily boosted Noah's speed and damage, while strictly tying up the enemy's movement and defenses. The blue runic sigil that was inlaid with red lines spread out to cover both the LEGENDARY beings, the merfolk on the other end feeling even more pressure. Next up was a skill that directly countered the deadly green rays rushing forward and the bubbling heat that continued to emanate from the Neon Commander, it was [Arctic Breath].
Noah's mouth opened as destructive ice elements condensed, forming into a wide ray of ice shooting outwards.
VOOM!
The breath let out a droning sound as it smashed into the green rays and dissipated them, reaching the body of the Neon Commander as everything around them became frozen.
"Haha!"
A laugh rang out from the Merman encased in ice, as his surroundings began to shatter and become hot once again. He moved even more vigorously towards Noah, the fun seemingly just beginning.
"Hammerhead's Delight!"
A spectacular skill was cast as the Merman pointed his trident forward and shouted, the water around him solidifying and beginning to form into a dangerous creature only seen in some of the deepest waters of the sea.
The outline of a powerful Hammerhead Shark encased the Merman as he rushed forward like a missile towards Noah's position.
Noah smiled brilliantly at the new types of skills he was experiencing as he used his first combined EPIC skill. After being boosted by a legendary skill that was even further enhanced by the demon's [Power Jewel], the EPIC skill neared if not fully had the damage of a LEGENDARY ranked one.
[Hellish Descent] was cast as a red light began to spread out around his body. The light expanded rapidly and broke apart, forming into multiple dense circles that pulsated and let out vibrations in the water. The figure of the
transparent hammerhead shark neared as the dark red circles shined, before they let out blistering rays of molten flames and lightning.
They looked like the most destructive lasers as more and more dark red origins formed which continued to let out damaging rays of flames and lightning, affecting the entire area as arcs of electricity spread out and the water rose far past the boiling point.
SHLUCK!
The rays of lightning and flames pierced into the encased figure of the Hammerhead Shark, leaving multiple simmering holes that destabilized the illusory figure and caused it to break apart.
BOOM!
An impact that pushed the two individuals back resounded, the Merfolk and Atlanteans in the surroundings hoisting their tridents and cheering at this spectacular battle.
WOOO!
The Neon Commander had blistering hot spots on his shining armor as he looked at Noah with expectant eyes, waving the trident forward and calming down the sea.
"Good! You have the qualifications of a Champion."
His words showed goodwill as they had found yet another powerful Atlantean to reinforce their power against the swarming enemies. A small green gem with the shape of a trident appeared in his hands and floated towards Noah.
"This is the Champion's Trident that will be recognized the moment you near Atlantis, it will act as a guide and allow you safe passage, as well as the opportunity to participate in something extremely rewarding."
The sharp teeth on the Merman expanded out with a smile as his hands reached up and grasped, a pulling force coming out that sucked an Anglerfish that was swimming more than a nautical mile away into his hands. His sharp teeth shone in the clear waters as he bit down and took away huge chunks from the fish's body, a bloody sight spreading out.
"All you have to do now is take the journey to the depths of the sea, pass through regions of blistering lava and flames, escape from Killer Whales and Vampire Squids, and hope you never come face to face with the slumbering...Kraken."
…
Haha!
Boisterous laughter resounded from the Merfolk brutally bitting into the flesh and bones of the anglerfish, as all others around him laughed and enjoyed the sight of a new champion being appointed.
Noah looked at the new culture and behavior he was observing as his eyes shined at the mention of the powerful deep-sea creatures. Just what type of skills would they drop?
He grabbed the small green trident shaped gem and put it away, nodding respectfully towards the Neon Commander he had just gone up against and moved away.
A few Atlanteans and Merfolk were already swimming over to mingle, but he acted the part of the loner and neared one of the many tubes that made their way into the City of Liquinia.
There were doors on both sides of the areas where a bubble covered a few miles. Atlanteans could be seen walking around these pockets of air as if they were normal humans, only the golden hair on each of their heads being distinct.
The entire City of Liquinia was proportioned half and half into areas that were fully covered in the sea, with other areas surrounded by bubbles that kept out the water and allowed the powerful Atlanteans to walk through.
Noah looked at the futuristic city, at the connecting tubes that sn.a.k.e.d across the area and the weaponized sh.i.p.s and submarines around him as he entered one of the tubes and came inside one of the protected bubbles.
The archaic and yet futuristic buildings made themselves clear as he left the water and tasted air again. There was a sense of wonder at how the inhabitants of this world so seamlessly mixed technology and magic, as he could see levitating square rides that Atlanteans got on and off of.
It was something to do with the concept of magnetism and mana, with the Atlanteans working to combine theories of sciences and the use of essence to make levitating rides as well as modify the sh.i.p.s and submarines he had seen outside into the weaponized forms they had.
A new world filled with different sights opened itself up to Noah's eyes.
Chapter 143 - Relaxing amidst turmoil
Noah used an hour to walk around the City of Liquinia to enjoy the sights of Atlanteans and technologies he had only seen in the stolen memories. Rides that were levitating off the ground, colorfully designed buildings, and most interestingly of all, the advanced weaponry.
The Guards in the City of Liquinia could be seen walking around with guns that pulsed with a blue light. These were laser guns that were deadly to anything below rank S, and could injure those in the EPIC rank if they weren't careful enough.
There were many things that Noah could do to explore one of the first underwater cities, but he had achieved his goal of obtaining the identity that would allow him entry into Atlantis. Now, he could do something that he was looking forward to doing for the past few hours.
A smile appeared on his face as he thought about the memories from the dead Atlanteans he obtained not too long ago. They showcased the location where they met with the subdivision of a demon legion, where an EPIC Commander was taking the lead.
It would be a nice end to the first day if he could take out a portion of the first demon legion he had come across in this world. As for the Demon King that stood at the top of this one was, he would find out in time.
His figure walked among the throngs of people as multiple hiding skills were activated, his robust Atlantean disguise becoming thin and disappearing from everyone's eyes as he then activated {Spatial Travel}.
The location was outside a large underwater cave that was expertly hidden.
No movements could be seen on the outside, but the [Searching Thermal Eyes] showed multiple beings moving in the air-filled underwater cave. The location wasn't too deep, and the demons had made this one of their hideouts as they began communicating with Atlanteans and Merfolk.
The strongest demon in this group was EPIC rank, so Noah didn't waste any time with tricks and would go forward with brute force. With enough speed and precision, the demons wouldn't even know what hit them before they fell.
He liked doing things in a grandiose fashing though, so he began with a cast of [Corrupted Sigil of Hegemony] to heavily boost his power, with the addition of [Absolute Zero] that quickly encased the sea around him in ice. In the next instant, [Hellish Descent] was cast repeatedly as vibrating circles that would shoot out molten flame and lightning lasers spread around the underwater cave in its entirety.
A passive look was on Noah's face as he continued to cast the skill, not initiating the shooting of the molten flames and lightning just yet as more and more of the dark balls were lined around the entire cave. [Searching Thermal Eyes] kept track of all the demons walking around the cave as the command was finally given, and hell descended.
ZZ-ZZ-ZZZOOOM!
Multiple sharp sounds of concentrated lasers of fire and lightning shot out and pierced through the cave walls, piercing into the hundreds of demons cl.u.s.tered in the cave without mercy. A thin layer of ice covered these lasers of flames and lightning as they struck.
AHH!
Screams could be heard as they felt this unexpected attack which took their lives in the next instant. It didn't matter if they were rank A or S, as even the most powerful EPIC commander died at the lasers that skewered the cave and the beings in it from all locations.
…
A few seconds passed, and not a single being remained alive in the cave.
A division of a Demon Legion in the Lost World had thus fallen like this, unexpectedly and without mercy. The impassive look remained on Noah's face as he went into the destroyed cave to do what he enjoyed doing the most nowadays, obtain some memories.
A traitorous Atlantean led him to a division of a demon legion, where would the EPIC Commander's memory of this division lead him to?
The process of collecting the loot and memories from the dead didn't take too long, and Noah was done with it in a few minutes. He didn't go back to the City of Liquinia, and transferred himself into the Spiritual Land that was anchored to his equipmen
t all this time to go through the new gains.
The miniaturized Spiritual Land acted like its own little world, nothing affecting its working even when he had been moving underwater. He transferred himself into the modern house he practiced with building first as his facial structure and body changed to that of his old self.
He had moved around the Lost World of Atlantis today and learned a great deal of things not found in Gremory or Orias's memory, and he had to digest the many gains he received before he began heading towards the city at the center of this world. The goal there could only be achieved with the entrance of using the title of Champion, and the rewards would be something spectacular.
His body returned to normal as he opened the glass door of the only house in the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land and went inside. He was met with a surprising scene as on the soft couches beside the elevated rectangular fireplace where blue flames were flickering, a miniaturized sleek penguin had its feet up as its body sank into the couch, its face one of contentment.
The [Emperor Penguin] now had the power of LEGENDARY rank, and could easily perform something as changing the size of its body. But, what made it so bold as to do what it was doing currently?
It seemed to have sensed Noah's entrance as its eyes switched from laziness to full alert, rising up from the couch, it's beady eyes stared blankly at him as if it was caught doing something that should have never been seen.
Noah shook his head at this peculiar penguin and left it be as he was in a good mood currently.
The sleek penguin looked at the figure of Noah that moved up the stairs, craning to see as soon as he was gone and sinking back on the luxurious couch with its beak raised high.
Noah went to the topmost floor of the expensive-looking house and took off his clothes, putting himself in water again as he relaxed in the bubbling hot and steaming pool on the third floor.
He began going through the gains of the demons eradicated today, as he found an EPIC skill from the commander that was worthy of mentioning.
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