Noah followed the Mermaid that had caused a commotion outside by grandly pronouncing his arrival as they crossed the thin film of light. It felt as if multiple unknown things were scanning him up and down, the Champion's Trident he had taken out blinking twice in his hands as he passed through with no problems.
The mermaid looked back at him as behind her, the full grandiosity of Atlantis spread out before Noah's eyes. He thought there were a lot of golden sh.i.p.s and submarines outside, but he was hugely mistaken. The inside of the underwater city was even more spectacular as architecture of all sorts of styles and sizes could be seen.
Pulsating lines of light that seemed to connect everything were spread throughout, making Atlantis seem very lively.
"Haha, the city always gives a shock to newcomers. Come this way, I'll show you the exciting place where you'll be spending some time in a few days!"
The mermaid was very bubbly and chirpy, making someone question the aura she held at Legendary rank as she moved around. Her name was Ula, and she was the Neon Commander in charge of bringing in the new Champions and preparing them for the things to come.
They swam around the huge city that could be considered an empire by itself as she pointed out everything around her as if she was seeing it for the first time herself. The city seemed to be mostly underwater, with a few places having barriers that provided pockets of air where Atlanteans gathered.
"This is the Gem of Knowledge."
She pointed to the extravagant building that seemed to be carved out of a large blue gem, where it had the outline of shining pages at its center.
"It holds all the knowledge about our world, the mysteries and unsolved phenomena, as well as...the terrifying creatures prowling in the deepest waters. Give it a visit sometime to expand your knowledge!"
She pulled Noah to the next places she wanted to show as he followed along with an exasperated expression, finding the pace of this mermaid much too fast as he enjoyed the illuminated surroundings of Atlantis.
It was the scene of innovation and life vibrantly budding as he was taken around for a tour that lasted more than an hour, and even then he had barely seen a percentage of Atlantis.
The mermaid, Ula, knew how to read the mood as she smiled and pulled Noah along to one last place. It was a less congregated place where a few guards patrolled, and they were granted access with Ula in the lead.
She brought him next to what seemed to be another blue road that extended for miles, though this one had what seemed to be train tracks running alongside it. They waited just for a moment as something zoomed near them, a beautifully sculpted tube that sprouted mechanical wings on each side opening its doors towards them.
"Haha, I'm sure you haven't used one of these before. Come in, our next place is the one you'll want to know about the most!"
Ula's chirpy voice enthusiastically rang out as she pulled Noah into the tube that blazed down the shining blue road at extreme speeds. Noah looked at the passing blurs of buildings, Atlanteans, and Merfolk as the tube sn.a.k.e.d across the connected roads of Atlantis and brought them further inwards at an alarming pace. He couldn't help but ask.
"These roads run throughout all of Atlantis?"
He asked while he sat down on the seats of the futuristic little train as the mermaid beside him continued talking.
"Everything in this city is connected, and the roads with these mini High-Speed Hydro Trains are just one way of that. As long as you know where to go, it won't take you too long to get there. We're going to the Aqua Tower that lies near the center of Atlantis, that's where new Champions gather every week to see if they have what it takes to become the Seekers of Atlantis."
Her eyes shined powerfully as she mentioned the word seekers. This was the title that those who were considered Champions could achieve in order to gain the knowledge and secrets that those in the upper echelons of Atlantis held on the Supreme Treasure that everyone was searching for.
The treasure that the first ruler of Atlantis held, allowing him tremendous power that allowed him to establish dominion in some of the deepest parts of the sea and establish the city of magic and innovation that's existed until now.
Yet, when the late king went missing some time back, so did the Supreme Treasure. Since then, there had only been a period of incessant searching, but nothing has been found.
The blurs of light around them passed as the Hydro Train with mechanical wings came to a stop in a clear environment with very little noise. There were a few powerful auras congregated around the area as they surrounded a large golden tower that rose above the seas.
The tower was meticulously built with an archaic design that seemed to be modified for the modern Atlantis as it stood grandly in front of them.
Ula raised her trident as she stood proudly in front of Noah.
"This is the Aqua Tower, a treasure built by the first King of Atlantis."
She turned towards Noah and looked him straight in the eyes, her trident pointing towards the Aqua Tower that was drawing in his eyes.
"In a few days, the selection to see just which Champions can become Seekers of Atlantis will take place once again. What you see currently is just the outer look of the tower, and your goal...lies below."
Noah's eyesight moved towards the ground that the mermaid was pointing at, as he could see a thin outline of the same tower that seemed to be much larger going down into the ground.
"Those who wish to become Seekers have to descend at least to the 70th floor in order to obtain a treasure that will initiate them into their new role. Many Neon Commanders have tried, with very few that stood at the peak of that level passing the 70th floor. It's mostly Golden Commanders that usually make it through and obtain the most rewards."
The neon and golden commanders she was mentioning were naturally Legendary and Mythical ranked individuals. Noah's power had already risen to the Mythical level, and he wondered just how far down he could go in this tower where treasures lay waiting for him.
This was one of his goals in coming to Atlantis. Past the 70th floor of the Aqua Tower was a treasure created from technology and magic, something that everybody holding the title of Champion wanted to get their hands on.
"If you are strong enough to reach that level, the expertly synthesized Golden Serum will land in your hand. It was the pride and joy that granted such incredible strength to King Neptune. You must have heard of its effects to be standing where you are now, so the one advice I can give you is, go as deep as you can."
The mermaid that was always speaking a chirpy enthusiastic voice turned serious as she said this.
"The deeper you go, the more concentrated the Serum becomes, and the more power you will gain after taking it."
Noah nodded at these words as many thoughts passed through his mind and she continued, this time getting back to her cheerful self.
"The new selection will start in a few days, so you have some time to enjoy Atlantis as it should be enjoyed. I'll lead you to the lodging where you'll be staying."
Noah followed closely behind the mermaid as he took in the expansive Aqua Tower one last time, his gaze lingering on a shining blue square on the right side of the tower that held multiple numbers with names in front of them. At the number one spot which shone in a golden light stood a name that would bring awe to any that looked.
It was written- King Neptune.
Chapter 157 - World Connection
Noah spent the next hour after that being shown around even more places, even visiting one of her apparently favorite restaurants before the mermaid Ula dropped him off in an exquisite lodging for Atlanteans. The futuristic house was surrounded by a bubble of air, and inside it were multiple Atlanteans dressed in servant clothing that attended around the house.
Noah gave his farewell to the mermaid that was extremely welcoming as he toured the lodging, looking forward to most likely finding all of the blueprints of these buildings and architecture he observed here appearing in his Spiritual Land.
<
br /> He let the attendants that were moving around the lodging know he wouldn't be needing them, and he finally let out a breath as he found himself alone once more. He looked around the house for a few more minutes before going into one of the rooms that held large soft bedding, where he closed the door and his figure disappeared.
He had received a message some time back that something that needed some time to successfully occur would finally be happening. He had a few days before the next round of selection to see who was capable of becoming a Seeker of Atlantis occurred, so before that he planned to go back to a place he had promised to go back to frequently. It had already been over a week since then, and he wondered how things were going.
He used {Shapeshifter} to change forms once again, and {Spatial Travel} was used as Noah's figure seamlessly traveled far distances yet again.
---
A dazzling woman dressed in a light blue dress lined with fur was staring out from the terrace of a large manor atop a floating peak in the sky. It was a scene that would be a young man's dream as the fair woman looked with forlorn and a bit of frustration, her mind seemingly thinking of many things.
It was late at night, so she let out a sigh as she turned around to head back into her room when something dazzling occurred. Her eyesight that was only looking at the darkness and a few lights leading further into the manor found the world in front of her turning a bright shade of gold.
Her frustrated expression was instantly wiped away as the figure of the man she was thinking about appeared in front of her. She wanted to say many things, but before she even had the chance she found their two figures shifting locations and appearing in a unique place she hadn't been to in a while.
They appeared inside the Frozen Plateau Spiritual Land as Noah moved in advance to escape prying ears. A light smile was on his face as he adopted an apologetic expression on his face.
"Hey-"
Pah!
A light impact resounded beside the location just outside the futuristic modern house in the Spiritual Land. Adelaide had jumped onto Noah's body, tightly grabbing him and not letting go as her worries eased.
"Haha, sorry I didn't come back even sooner. How's everything?"
Noah pulled her from his chest as he wanted to check how things were developing so far, before preparing her for a big surprise that would be happening sometime soon.
The Queen of the Frozen Kingdom looked up as she observed Noah and the exquisite architectures around them. She didn't reply as she grabbed his hand and led him into the futuristic manor in front of them, her face that of someone on a mission.
---
The Frozen Kingdom had continued its rapid period of development with the boom in the agricultural sector that allowed them to establish trade with the Mythical Kingdoms of the Beast World.
There were a variety of products they exported, but their most profitable ones were the products made by the [Sacred Rye] that was planted in the Spiritual Land. With no forces placing them at war, it was a period where everyone strengthened themselves while working harder to prepare for any similar scenarios in the future.
The Frozen Kingdom traded for specialty products of other kingdoms as well as gaining an abundant inflow of cores that continued to strengthen their people. Expansion of the kingdom continued as more and more humans and beastmen came to establish themselves in the Frozen Kingdom, the policies of the old king of accepting people of all races still increasing the workforce of the kingdom.
Adelaide was sitting on a fluffy couch with a thick book in her hands as she looked to be in a happier mood with all her frustrations gone. She had on light blue bloomers and a tank top as her abundant blue hair messily rolled down to below her shoulders.
She was talking while looking over the many things written in the thick book, Noah's head resting on her thighs with his eyes peacefully closed as he listened.
It was a calming scene to look at as the pitter-patter of little feet could be heard, and an arrogant miniaturized penguin appeared with a large tray of already matured and cut up [Pigmy Melons] and the ice-blue fruits from the [Snow Vines].
Adelaide's fair hand reached out to grab some fruits as she continued to talk, the sleek penguin retreating to the side as it stared at the figure of Noah blissfully lying on the Queen's lap with contempt.
It seemed like the higher-ups of the Mythical Kingdom had already made contact with Adelaide, especially the powerhouse of the Mythical Phoenix Kingdom that had visited to look for Noah.
The expansion and advancement of the Frozen Kingdom was overall continuing to do well as the days passed, and it would only go faster from here.
Noah's resting eyes snapped open as he received a message and then began feeling the area around him begin trembling.
The project that two worlds were undertaking these past few days was finally coming to fruition. A significant amount of time was put in this time around to reduce risks as much as possible, and the final touches were being put in place now as the process finished.
At that instant, a blinding white light briefly covered the Beast World, as well as Noah's homeworld. When the white light passed, surprising changes began to occur, even more so in the younger world that initiated the connection.
The changes in the Beast World would be just as surprising though, because when things settled down, the inhabitants of the Beast World began seeing new things in their line of sight.
Noah observed the settling of essence around them as he turned to the surprised Adelaide and said,
"Do you see something in the corner of your eyes?"
The Queen thought she couldn't be anymore surprised, but found her mouth opening blankly as she saw a status panel for the first time in her life. Her newly risen strength of Epic rank was clearly shown with all of the skills she had been using, and even more new things as her eyes passed through the spectacular panel and she read things like [Skill Combination].
The connection between the two worlds was successfully established, and the system of power that the inhabitants of Noah's blue planet enjoyed had now appeared in the Beast World as well.
The ways that the inhabitants of the Beast World raised their strengths would also become accessible to the humans in Noah's world, and the spectacular feature of traveling across the two worlds would soon be established to become the norm sometime in the future.
The two worlds were rapidly changing as a new age was being ushered in.
Chapter 158 - Advancing
The inhabitants of the two worlds felt that something had changed on a certain day. The differences were more obvious for the Beast World as something completely different from what they knew was introduced to them.
The strength of the powerhouses at the peak of power could quantify their strength and even do fantastical things like combining the skills that they had been proficiently using over the years. A period of tremendous change would occur over the coming weeks. As for the effect this would cause on a grander scale, many had yet to realize or find out.
---
Noah's next few days were a period of relaxing by viewing the sights of Atlantis by day and spending the nights in the Beast World and his homeworld while watching how others were adapting to the new changes around them.
Spending the time in the Frozen kingdom with the icy Queen was fun while the time spent on the hidden village in his homeworld was very peaceful. It was a stark contrast for both of them when he got back to Atlantis that was filled with wonder and lights all around.
Noah had many cores, items, and skill books that he didn't have any uses of. In his hands were many skill books of the different styles of Mountain Sea Sect that the disciples he took down gifted. Many were given to Sophia as she handled distributing them to the chosen protectors that continued to rise in strength, their speed becoming even higher as many Epic and Legendary cores would soon start landing in their hands.
A few of the loot he hadn't had any use for were left to Adelaide as her strength now n
eared the peak of Epic rank, her body becoming used to consuming many of the icy blue fruits from the [Snow Vines] as well as the cores Noah provided.
In the spiritual land, three more beasts had fully advanced to the Legendary rank after consuming many of the same fruits that were specially cultivated for them, and Noah was looking forward to the ripening of the [Ice-Fire Persimmon] in less than two weeks to see just how much more rapidly the ranks of the beasts could be increased.
His skills were continuing to grow as fast as usual, and he wasn't spending all of his time just slacking off, making sure to continue spamming and training with the beasts to rapidly increase his skills' proficiency. This brought about some new [Skill Combinations]
Hellish Descent + Absolute Zero :: EPIC+ Destructive Domain
Summon Holy Blight + Life Steal :: EPIC+ Summon Saint of Death
The description under the newly synthesized [Summon Saint of Death] was particularly interesting, making one think how much this Virulent Abomination from long ago could continue to grow.
[Summon Saint of Death] :: Having already had the capability of moving the dead to its whims, now it can steal away the lifeforce of those it comes into contact with for its own amus.e.m.e.nt. Among its tools are Defiler, Devouring Breath, Two-Faced, and Life Drain.
Noah continued to look forward to the development of his first summon while also checking out the Mythical summoning skill he received from the Anglerfish a few days back.
Two Mythical creatures came out with the use of the skill, their shapes similar to the disgusting Anglerfish as they looked around menacingly. Their powers were amplified and stronger in the sea, but they were just as terrifying on land as they used their dense essence to float dangerously in the air, the lack of water not bothering them one bit.
Adding on to Noah's unique skill, {Primal Conjurer}, which allowed him to now summon primal spirits at the Mythical rank, it meant he could now summon four powerful allies on the same level as him. There were new additions to what creatures could be summoned with {Primal Conjurer} after he entered the Mythic rank.
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