Splashhhh!

Crown surfaced from the water with an expression of utter frustration. Luckily, the sea here was not too deep, so he did not end up drowning by accident. He untied the rope from around his body and looked for a nearby rock to climb onto and rest.

"Player Crown has fulfilled the basic requirements of beginner profession, receiving Mystic Gust Skill Level 1."

Crown paid little attention to the system announcement as he focused on untying the rope.

"That was a close call! Huh... What's that?"

he muttered to himself. After successfully climbing onto a rock not far away, he popped blood crystals and rejuvenating crystals into his mouth, two each, and was about to check out the skill that the system had just announced when something caught his eye. Beneath the water's surface, he noticed two dark shadows that looked like the forms of two wolves, standing about two meters apart, near the cliff.

Without hesitation, Crown dove underwater to investigate. What he found were statues of two wolves, both in aggressive postures, as if guarding against anyone who dared approach. Behind them was a dark opening, with water flowing into it. Instinctively, Crown knew that this was the entrance to the secret tomb of Pirate King Azlam, the very place he had been searching for.

…..

Meanwhile, in the Agaz Valley, Phobos was waiting for Demos, who had promised to meet him there before they ventured into the cave together. He had been waiting almost the entire day when Ery, Demos's harpy eagle pet, swooped down and landed nearby. Moments later, Demos appeared in front of him without Phobos sensing him at all.

"Hey, Phobos. Have you been waiting long?"

Demos greeted him with a cheerful smile as he approached. Phobos knew immediately that it was time to move, as Demos was not one to waste time despite his relaxed demeanor.

"This door may look old, but it's extremely sturdy and secure. We're going to need all our strength to break through it,"

Phobos said, getting straight to the point. Demos smiled and nodded.

"Let's do it! Honestly, I'm eager to get moving. Sitting around at the guild all day isn't my thing."

"Agreed!"

Phobos replied. He moved to stand beside Demos in front of the massive door, drawing his weapon and channeling all his power into it. Once they had both gathered their full strength, they unleashed a powerful attack on the thick door.

Boommm!

A thunderous explosion echoed through the area, sending shards of wood, dirt, stone, and even pieces of metal—likely the lock mechanism from the door—flying everywhere. Demos grinned with satisfaction, striding forward without waiting for the dust to settle. Phobos quickly followed close behind and found that the path inside the cave led down a steep stone staircase into the darkness.

"What could this lead us to?"

Phobos asked.

"No idea, but I'll go down alone. You stay here and make sure no spies follow me,"

Demos replied with a smile, before heading down into the darkness by himself.

"Be careful, Demos!"

Phobos called after him, then returned to stand guard at the entrance. Demos' pet eagle, Ery, perched on a nearby tree, also remained on alert.

As Demos descended deeper, the air grew thinner. Fortunately, he was not afraid of enclosed spaces or the dark, so he managed to stay calm and focused, keeping his breathing steady. Eventually, he reached a flat area at the bottom, where two small torches flickered in the wind from an unknown source. Ahead of him was a stone door intricately carved with the image of a manticore savagely slaying its enemies. Demos trembled as he looked at the carving, not out of fear, but out of sheer admiration.

Without hesitation, Demos tried to open the door, but it would not budge. The only thing that moved was the manticore engraving on the door—it turned to face him and opened its mouth to speak in a loud voice.

"What business do you have in my domain?"

The voice echoed with power, commanding respect and instilling fear.

"I'm here because of this map,"

Demos replied, casually holding up the treasure map of the Pirate King Azlam for the manticore engraving to see. Demos appeared completely at ease, showing no signs of fear.

"Ah... the map to the final resting place of my master…"

the manticore engraving responded.

"May I ask who your master is?"

Demos inquired as he put the map back into his bag.

"Do not… If you wish to enter the final resting place of my master, human… you possess qualities that make you worthy. If you seek to encounter the ultimate power of destruction, place the map into the slot in the center of this door. Or leave now, abandoning your life here!"

The manticore engraving roared again, its voice booming. But Demos remained unfazed, smiling as he immediately inserted the map into the slot between the two halves of the door.

Rumbleee…

The heavy stone doors slowly slid open, revealing a massive creature lying in slumber. Its body, like that of a lion, was covered in coarse, red fur with a majestic mane that resembled that of a male lion. However, its face was eerily human-like, and at the end of its tail was a scorpion-like stinger. Bat-like wings were folded neatly over its large body, almost concealing it entirely. As Demos stepped closer, the creature's eyes snapped open. It sat up, facing him, and spoke with a voice full of power and authority:

"You must form a contract with me, but doing so will bring you pain beyond imagining. However, once the contract is made, you will gain power that no other human has ever known, save for my master, Beleth de Montes!"

Demos gazed at the terrifying creature, pondering its words. Despite his thirst for power and destruction, he remained cautious, wary of being deceived. Yet the intense gaze of the massive manticore before him seemed to assure that everything it said was true. If he made a contract with this beast, it would lead him to the final resting place of Beleth de Montes, the legendary Pirate King who was the only one to have fused his soul with an ancient beast.

"So, human, will you accept the contract with me?"

The manticore asked again, its voice reverberating.

"If I form a contract with you, will I become someone who has fused their soul with a beast?"

Demos asked, intrigued.

"Heh heh heh, a good question. Forming a contract with me is not yet the fusion of our souls, but rather the binding of our souls to one another until you discover the method of soul fusion on your own, or..."

The manticore grinned wickedly, but Demos remained unfazed.

"Or?"

Demos echoed, his curiosity growing.

"Or become the heir of my master. In doing so, you will gain a portion of his power, as well as the knowledge of how to fuse souls with a beast. Now! Answer me, human—will you accept the contract with me?"

The manticore moved closer, its blood-red eyes fixed intensely on Demos' slender frame, waiting for an answer. If Demos's answer were not to its' satisfaction or if he showed even a moment of hesitation, the manticore was prepared to ruthlessly tear him apart. A weak and foolish human was unworthy of fusing souls with it, and even less so of becoming the heir to its master, Beleth de Montes, the Pirate King who was called the demon king and feared as the most wicked and ruthless ruler of the land.

"Alright, I agree. So, what do I need to..."

Shunk!

Before Demos could finish his sentence, the manticore's long tail, with its scorpion-like stinger, shot up and plunged into his heart like a spear. The black venom was immediately pumped through his bloodstream, spreading from his heart to the rest of his body. Demos felt the severity of the venom, mixing with his blood, flowing to every part of his body.

With each heartbeat, the pain intensified. The poisonous blood seeped into his organs, causing an agony so intense it felt as though thousands of needles were stabbing him all at once. Demos' face contorted with pain, his body trembling uncontrollably. His breaths came in rapid, shallow gasps as he struggled to maintain consciousness.

"Impressive endurance, human. Now! Pull the stinger out of your chest,"

the manticore commanded, admiring Demos for maintaining control despite the excruciating pain.

Though Demos knew that following this order could be fatal, he realized that his current situation was already life-threatening. The unbearable agony made it impossible for him to endure even a second longer, so without hesitation, he obeyed the manticore's command.

Clanggg!

With trembling hands, Demos pulled the stinger out of his heart. The stinger fell from his grasp, clattering loudly on the stone floor. Demos collapsed to his knees, desperately trying to cover the gaping wound over his heart with both hands. Black clotted blood continued to gush from the wound.

"I-I'm d-dying!"

Demos rasped, his voice barely audible. He had lost so much blood that he was on the brink of falling into a coma.

"Of course you are,"

the manticore replied, its voice full of satisfaction. It then used its claws to slice open its own forepaw, causing fresh, crimson blood to seep out. The beast gently lifted Demos' chin and allowed its blood to drip into his pale mouth. Demos could not resist.

Gulp after gulp, the manticore's thick, warm, and foul-smelling blood flowed down Demos' throat. Despite its unpleasantness, it began to rejuvenate him. The black, clotted blood in his body gradually turned into a smooth, jet-black liquid. His nails, lips, and even his eyes began to undergo a transformation. The wound over his heart miraculously started to heal. Everything seemed to be improving—except for his dwindling life force. The image of the manticore before him began to fade, growing dimmer and weaker, until only an all-encompassing darkness remained.

.....

Meanwhile, Kimhant was browsing through pet sealing accessories in a pet supply shop, with Felon rolling around beside him, persistently begging for food. The scene quickly made Kimhant the center of attention among the other players in the shop, especially the female players, who were charmed by Felon's cuteness. Several of them approached Kimhant, asking to take a closer look at Felon. Naturally, Kimhant was thrilled by the attention, as this was the first time he had ever attracted so much interest from female players. Some even outright asked to take Felon or seemed ready to snatch him away. Fortunately, Kimhant's basic level was higher than theirs, so Felon remained his pet.

"Have you chosen yet, Kimhant?"

Kitsune asked, dressed in a sleek, black, ninja-style leather outfit. His sleeveless shirt had a silver zipper down the middle, and his pants were made of highly flexible leather, perfect for all kinds of movement. He wore high-quality leather combat boots, which were both lightweight and durable. Chang Long had even bought him a pair of silver-framed sunglasses to complete the look, leaving the girls in the store staring at him in awe.

"Yikes! Boss, why are you dressed like you're about to hit a concert?"

Kimhant exclaimed, shocked at Kitsune's new appearance. Even when he wore the nobleman's autumn outfit, he was already heart-stoppingly handsome, but now, with this new, sharp and cool look, he practically overshadowed everyone else in the shop.

"Master bought it for me, saying it looked cool. But I don't really feel that way,"

Kitsune replied.

"Are you serious, Boss? You don't notice all the girls staring at you?"

Kimhant asked, amazed, as he picked up a black ring to take to the counter.

"I'll go tell master that you're about to head out,"

Kitsune said, his face turning slightly red as he quickly left the pet supply shop.

"Hah! So, he's still shy as ever. Boss hasn't changed at all!"

Kimhant chuckled as he watched Kitsune. He then went to pay for the ring and immediately sealed Felon, unable to bear the creature's incessant whining any longer. But as he was about to exit the store, a group of female players surrounded him, bombarding him with questions about the handsome guy he had just spoken to, leaving him unable to move.

Meanwhile, Chang Long was sitting across the street from the pet supply shop, leisurely sipping tea with Hulu in a European-style tea house. Although several girls were sneaking glances their way, none dared approach, sensing the cold and intimidating aura covering the area. Hulu was dressed in an elegant sleeveless martial artist outfit made of pure white silk, with silver and gold embroidery along the hem. Despite the luxurious appearance, the outfit was practical and allowed for ease of movement. His long white hair was neatly tied back, and he held a Chinese fan made of fragrant wood and embroidered silk featuring a sleeping kirin, which he had gotten as a bonus from the clothing store. The outfit perfectly matched his handsome yet aloof demeanor.

"Big Bro, how long is that guy going to make us wait!"

Hulu asked, noticing Kitsune approaching them.

"He's coming out now,"

Kitsune replied shortly, sitting down next to Hulu with a slightly annoyed expression.

"What's wrong, Big Bro? Why do you look like that? Did someone upset you?"

Hulu asked, noticing Kitsune's mood.

"It's nothing. I just don't like being stared at, especially by human women,"

Kitsune replied, taking a large gulp of tea.

"Were you teased by women again, Kitsune?"

Chang Long asked with a smile, recalling how Kitsune had once been tricked by a shop assistant into standing as a mannequin in a store window because he did not have the money to repair his outfit. The experience had nearly scarred him for life when it came to dealing with women.

"No, master. Just being stared at makes me want to run far away. Master, let's go on an adventure outside, please? Please!"

Kitsune pleaded, shaking Chang Long's arm like a child. Meanwhile, Hulu sneakily tasted Chang Long's strawberry cake and discovered a profound truth: besides his beloved elemental gems, there was another delicious thing in this world—strawberry shortcake, which might even be better.

-----

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