The golden leaderboard that was attached to the Aqua Tower and holding the name King Neptune as the first to have reached the lowest floor of the tower. Everyone below that was either an astounding commander or the most powerful figures in Atlantis who held their positions either on the 90th floor, the 94th, or the 99th. There were only 50 names on this leaderboard, and Noah had gotten on it as his ranking continued to shoot up.
Ula was glancing over in shock at this Atlantean that she brought around, not realizing they would produce this many surprises. A commotion was occurring throughout all of Atlantis as a powerful new Seeker continued to descend down the tower.
Chapter 161 - Golden Sea Body
Noah's mind was all focused on continuing downwards. Ignoring the reward of the 91st floor where the mechanical voice that mentioned a Grade 1 Golden Serum would be given as the reward. This was the first grade that only the strongest of the Mythical ranked Atlanteans and Merfolk could get a chance to enjoy.
Those that had special abilities or skills to go against the overwhelming pressure of the Aqua Tower at these floors stood at the peak of the Mythical rank and could make it this far. Noah's figure was unhindered as he continued. 95th. 96th. 97th. 98th. 99th.
The splendid Blue Dragon let out a powerful roar as soon as it arrived on the 99th floor. The pressure being overwhelmingly high and coming from all sides as it tried to tear down the powerful form. But there seemed to be a strong resonance between all the cast six forms of the Mountain Sea Sect's Secret Techniques.
As the [Blue Fortress] form kept the scales of the dragon and the form solid, the [Healing Water] continued to heal any cracks that appeared as everything remained standing strong. The [Wings of the Sea] vibrated in the tower as they allowed the large body to move with more ease. The addition of the two light wings that went on to create the form of a dragon with four wings gave him a fearsome look.
The first style, [Water Sword], sharpened the claws of the Blue Dragon and made them into the sharpest edges. Behind him was a sharp tail that had multiple spikes that resembled swords as they glistened powerfully in the light. The form was so strong and powerful that he couldn't wait to test it on more powerful enemies.
The 99th floor that hadn't been passed in quite a while was cleared by a being that was activating multiple skills that would have required tens of people to burn their cores in order to generate enough energy just to keep active for a few seconds. Noah reached the 100th floor.
When this floor was reached, a blue light shot out from the aqua tower and reached high into the seas above. The blue light acted as a notification, as a reminder to all beings that Atlantis remained strong, and it had gained yet another Seeker.
Powerful figures from all around were notified and alarmed as more attention congregated on the Aqua Tower.
The 100th floor had no pressure. It was serene and beautiful, with fauna and flowers that you've never seen in the outside world being abundant. At the center of the floor, it was cleared out with a golden clear bed appearing. From the ceiling, long mechanical tubes and arms with extremely sharp and pointed needles were present.
Inside of the tubes was a thick flowing golden liquid that had rays of shining purple light within them. This was not the third grade nor the first grade Golden Serum.
The mechanical voice that he had heard on the 71st 81st and 91st floor rang out once again.
[You have successfully cleared all the floors of the aqua tower, gaining access to the Supreme Grade Golden Serum. Will you start the infusion process?]
A light smile appeared on Noah's face as he deactivated the six forms of the Mountain Sea Sect's Secret Techniques, and his Atlantean body appeared on the serene floor.
"I will start the process."
The moment his voice gave the assertion, his body felt a strong force as it was pulled forward towards the pristine bed right below the long tubes with pointed needles. He quickly found himself attached to the bed at the center of the 100th floor.
The bed changed to an outline of an Atlantean as it matched his body and he was situated even more comfortably. He took off his armor and remained only with briefs as the process became even smoother, with straps coming in next to sternly attach him onto the bed as the many long tubes with the pointed needles began nearing his body.
The mechanical voice rang out once again.
[Some time is required before the modification can be completed. Please persevere as it continues.]
Noah looked at the many needles coming towards his body, as well as the golden liquid with traces of purple that filled them. Even his fearsome demeanor somewhat faltered, as the many tubes and needles neared him and pierced the layers of his skin.
ARGH!
A piercing pain was felt throughout all of his body as needles sunk into many sections of his body. One shot at the center of his chest, multiple of them shot in his hands and legs, and his head was elevated as another entered behind his neck.
He let out a ragged breath as he felt a pulse come out of the long tubes and hot liquid began flowing into his body. The feeling brought about excruciating pain to say the least. The golden liquid felt like the hottest substance as it entered his body, seemingly burning him from inside out.
This was the highest grade of the Golden Serum that only individuals at the mythical rank or above who had extreme abilities that boosted the strengths of their body would be able to reach the 100th floor and be rewarded with this treasure. They could handle its concentration as their bodies were already strong enough to pass through the floors to get here.
Noah had used the form of the blue dragon to pass through the floors, his own body nowhere near as strong as the peak mythical ranked individuals. The pain he was experiencing was horrendous.
It felt like lava was flowing all over his body as the Golden Serum entered and moved around without reservation. This was the creation of technology and magic that stood at the peak of Atlantis. The peak creation of genetic engineering that entered and fused into the cells themselves.
The serum worked at a microscopic level as it attached itself to the cells of the person's body and strengthened them to extreme degrees. If you brought this concept to the world of modern science before the apocalypse in Noah's homeworld, you would be laughed at. Such an idea would be impossible and even laughable, but in this world of technology, fantasy and magic, what was not possible?
Noah's mind was fully occupied with keeping himself awake in the midst of all of this excruciating pain as he soon began feeling a warm calming sensation spread throughout his body.
He watched as the serum in the tubes continued to be pumped into his body, not knowing how all of it continued to be entered without his body bursting. A tingling sensation gradually replaced the painful feeling. His body felt some minute changes as the golden hair common to all Atlanteans was shining and experiencing growth, growing long enough to nearly reach his shoulders.
He thought the process was over when one last tube appeared. This one had a liquid that was completely purple and shining majestically as it neared his body. The needle on this one wasn't too large, but it was prominent. It came towards him and quickly entered at the center of his forehead, the most dangerous location that no other needles had come close to piercing.
AHHH!
Another scream resounded as a few more minutes passed, before all the tubes were retracted into the ceiling of the last floor of the Aqua Tower, and the only thing that remained was the golden bed that Noah was lying on. He was letting out exhausted breaths as he looked at his body. It looked as it did normally, the pronounced abs and steeled muscles just seeming to have gained a shine of gold. A layer of gold specks of light was slowly moving across his skin. He felt an overabundance of physical strength that he could not wait to try out.
Chapter 162 - King Neptune!
Noah's body didn't feel too strange, but the moment he put pressure on his legs, his figure shot up through the water like a blasted missile.
B
OOM
He found himself knocking into the ceiling of the current floor, his body still seeming foreign to him. He looked at his body while trying to adjust to his strength. He gave a simple command for his body to move in the water, and he once again shot out at high speed towards the direction he was thinking of.
BOOM
The golden sheen never left his body and felt as if he had particles of gold light moving above his skin. It was very interesting to observe as he tried to test his new limits. He had tried and failed twice at controlling his body, and as he tried moving once more, the mechanical voice he had been hearing rang out again.
[Congratulations, Noah Osmont for obtaining the Golden Sea Body. It is something that very few will have the chance to obtain in Atlantis.]
A golden light shone down as the mechanical voice finished and disappeared, something else beginning to form in the center of the room. Noah stopped trying to adjust to his body for now as the golden light at the center of the floor formed into the shape of a Merman that he had only seen in the memories.
The merman had a powerful presence as he fully appeared in a transparent form at the center of the 100th floor of the Aqua Tower. The figure that seemed to be a hologram looked towards Noah, a slight smile appearing on its face.
"I see we have gained yet another strong fighter for the City of Atlantis."
Noah looked at the appearance of this hologram as the memories in his head and the many statues he had seen of this Merman matched in his mind and he voiced out.
"King Neptune."
His body bent slightly as he recalled the culture of Atlantis and paid his respects to the late King.
"Ah, none of that. I am but a relic of the past, long gone. This form that you see, this is the strand of consciousness that I left before I set out on my journey. It continued to be preserved by the Aqua Tower over the years."
The translucent form of King Neptune looked over at Noah and seemed to be scanning him up and down.
"You are an Atlantean through and through, and now you have gained the Golden Sea Body from the most concentrated form of the Golden Serum. Your body should be even stronger than the Golden Battle Suits, with the commanders at that level having to put in quite some work just to injure you. The serum was one of my most innovative products."
He looked forlorn as he continued talking.
"This was a product that I was able to work on with my many colleagues. I could produce stronger fighters from those who were already capable, but there was a very limited amount of this Golden Serum of this concentration. You were actually lucky enough to be infused with the last one."
Noah listened with rapt attention at the ramblings of the old king as he waited for the other reward he had been looking forward to on this trip to Atlantis. The normal proceedings would be to receive the reward from the high ranking individuals from Atlantis after passing the 71st floor and becoming a Seeker, allowing you to learn the information about the Trident of Neptune that every powerhouse in the Lost World was currently looking for.
But his clearing all the way until the 100th floor was monumental and had triggered the appearance of the strand of consciousness of King Neptune. This meant he would be receiving the highest level of information from the source itself.
"Ah, those are times of the past though, and we should be looking into the future. The future...does indeed look grim."
The blue form of King Neptune became grim as light exploded outwards, forming into blurry figures of three people. Two were completely unfamiliar to Noah, but their clothing resembled those of the cultivators he had come across before. One of them was an image that once gave him cold shivers when he viewed memories of it, it was the one that stood at the peak of the Demon World, the Oppressive Tyrant, Baal.
"Let me tell you about my death, and how those like you can move quickly enough to reclaim my most prized creation, The Trident of the Sea."
The Trident of the Sea. Also commonly known as the Supreme Treasure, the Trident of Neptune. Noah's body settled down as he listened closely to the information coming out from the legendary King Neptune himself.
"Before Atlantis began the game of cat and mouse, we were prospering and on our way to inventing things that would normally remain only farfetched dreams and hopes. We had created a powerful weapon that could command the sea, and had a breakthrough in genetic engineering to learn how to improve the strength of our bodies."
The voice of Neptune thundered throughout the last floor of the Aqua Tower, as information only those at the highest echelons of Atlantis were privy to was being given without hesitation to the recently advanced Seeker.
"But things never go that smoothly. The era of innovation was halted with the invasion from two worlds, those from the World of Cultivation and the Demon World setting their sights on the many treasures of Atlantis."
"We were truly strong though, and defended against the advances of both forces, later on even managing to kick them out as I undertook the project that was my highest achievement, the creation of a World Engine."
BOOM!
It felt like thunder had echoed in Noah's brain as a brand new piece of information he had not come across before appeared now. He put forth the various information he held together as a piece of the puzzle connected.
The Lost World of Atlantis had gained the title of "Lost" over the years because the geniuses of Atlantis had created something that allowed them to move their world and mask its location from those that sought them harm. The location would be found out in time as their enemies had many means, with the example of the unique skill that Orias used to have that allowed her to simply locate the coordinates of the world by teleporting into it for the demon's side, while the cultivators had their own mysterious means to discover the world again.
Noah only knew this, and never knew just what treasure the City of Atlantis had created to be able to do something like this. Now, he was hearing about it for the first time, and from the being that spearheaded the project too. Something called a World Engine. What exactly was this innovation, and how could he take it for himself?
Chapter 163 - The Location of the Trident
Atlanteans and Merfolk outside the Aqua Tower had gathered in solemnity as they watched the blue light shooting out of the tower signifying something spectacular.
More [War Sharks] and other powerful creatures of the sea that had important figures riding on their backs arrived near the tower to receive the Seeker that had reached the 100th floor.
The other 5 champions still struggling in the tower were all but forgotten, with the watchers not even paying attention when one of the Atlanteans at Mythical rank descending the tower reached the 71st floor.
He was happy with the Grade 3 Golden Serum as he didn't trust himself to be strong enough to reach further below, and chose to take the rewards as his mind wondered about the grand welcome and applause he would receive after leaving the tower with the title of Seeker. This champion was bound to be disappointed as all the attention was already stolen by someone else.
The mermaid Ula was swarmed with important figures that continued to question her about the Atlantean she had received, wanting to know as much as they could about Noah before he came out of the tower.
This was someone that would support their goals of locating the Supreme Treasure that would guarantee their victory against the pesky vultures circling above the seas. What type of being was he?
---
Meanwhile, on the last floor of the Aqua Tower, a story continued to be told from an ancient Merman to an Atlantean whose body shone with gold light.
"The World Engine was something that took the entirety of the resources of all the regions of the sea we commanded. But we were successful in creating it, and we gained the capability to affect the whole world."
The transparent strand of consciousness that was King Neptune continued with a serious tone as he divulged secrets very few were privy to.
"Through communicating with the
will of the world, we gained its cooperation as our creation that was the World Engine was powered up by the World itself to allow for the displacement and masking."
"This only gave us a momentary period of peace though, as our enemies always followed us where we went. Their forces were not powerful enough to penetrate the defenses of my city, so they were always pushed back. But this was when they resorted to schemes, and I...faced my doom because of it."
"The forces of the Demon World and the World of Cultivation that always worked against each other joined forces, launching pronged attacks that would have decimated many underwater cities and cause casualties in the millions. This was how they drew me out."
"I left Atlantis to go fight for the defense of those that could not defend themselves, and I paid dearly for it. The leaders of the two forces were waiting for me in ambush, with this coward in the lead."
King Neptune pointed towards the blurry image of Baal as he called this powerful ruler a coward.
"I had the trident and the sea by my side, so even with the ambush, I was able to push them back against all odds, but I was heavily injured and could not keep my life. The Ruler of Demons held terrible strength while the Cultivators used mysterious powers I hadn't come across before."
The pronged attacks from the two forces were all just to bring out the King of Atlantis, and they had succeeded.
The battle didn't end in their favor though, and even though Neptune retreated with threatening injuries that would later take his life, Baal and the forces from the World of Cultivation received heavy injuries that caused them to retreat as well. This spoke about the power this old king held when he moved fearlessly in the seas.
"The battle was fought quite a distance away from Atlantis, and I would have never been able to make it back before I succ.u.mbed to my injuries. My only option was to find a safe haven near me that would be hard for my enemies to move around."
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