Leveling up the world 4.., p.22
Leveling Up The World 4: A LitRPG Adventure, page 22
“I think I should be fine,” the gorgon said. “Will be a bumpy ride.”
“The main point is to never stop,” March said. Making note of Dallion, she paused, then made a sign for him to approach. Vend did so as well, but a second sign indicated he wasn’t to join. “Feeling in shape?”
“Yep,” Dallion said, looking at the horizon in the hopes that would make him seem more knowledgeable about sea matters.
“Let’s hope so. The point is to cross the sea fast. The less we stay on water, the greater the chance of success.”
“Got you.” Dallion nodded. “I’ve seen what the crackling patches can do to it.”
“No, you haven’t.”
The captain’s tone was such that even half of Eury’s snakes moved in March’s direction.
“What you saw were the small ones,” March continued. “We’ve done a lot to try to clean the sea of nasties. All that we managed was to push them further in. I spent two expeditions trying to cross. The creatures hid beneath the surface until I failed past. A few days in, there aren’t just patches of cracklings. The patches are spots that have clean water.”
Dallion swallowed. That explained why no one had come from the other side of the ocean. Potentially, it also explained why March was so interested in the minotaurs—she was hoping that some of them had sailed through.
“There’s no point in cleaning the entire ocean just to get a glimpse of what is out there. I expect that the next temple will be somewhere on the coast. We’ll take it, then start cleaning the other side. With both sides of the ocean clear, we’ll know better how things stand.”
The plan was reckless even for Dallion; it was also largely a lie. If everyone was to be believed, March had her eye on Dallion ever since he had joined the guild, which meant there was no way she could rely on a firebird-propelled ship. The party would have had to sail and fight their way across—slowly and methodically advancing, as was the way. The sudden rush suggested that there was something more to it.
“When you say ocean, how big are we talking about exactly?” Dallion asked. “The distance between the second and third temple?”
“More likely ten times that. The first time we tried to get to the other side, we thought like you. As it turned out, we were mistaken. We didn’t even see the shores in the distance.”
That suggested that the realm was curved. Quite unexpected, to be honest, since there was no reason for that. A flat plane would have been much easier to create and much more practical…unless the creators wanted to be as close as possible to the real world. Or better yet, maybe that was one of the Moons’ rules.
Dallion regretted not paying more attention in math class, or he could have potentially calculated the size of the ocean or at least come up with an estimate. In turn, that would have let him know how much travel time it would take Lux to push them across.
“You’ll sit there.” March pointed at a rather uncomfortable block of wood nailed securely to the deck. “Eury will tell you where to go and you’ll tell the firebird.”
“Will that be safe?”
Being one of two people on deck while Lux was pushing didn’t seem like the best idea. During the practice course, Dallion had nearly fallen off several times, and that was at much lesser speeds. In order for this to work, he was going to have a long talk with Lux about gradual acceleration. Given the situation, though, that didn’t seem like a valid option.
“That’s why you’ll be tied to the deck,” March said without batting an eye. “Euryale has enough strength to hold on to the wheel.”
This was going too far. If Dallion didn’t know better, he’d think he was in some kind of comedic parallel dimension.
Music, Dallion thought and looked at the waters outside the boat. There didn’t seem to be anything particular—no beacons of emotions, no creatures, just water.
“Sorry about this, Dal, but it’s the fastest way.”
Nothing to worry about, Nil said. She’s just a bit eager. This is a big day for her as well. Now that you’ve made it possible, she wants to achieve more than her original plan. Possibly even go as far as clear, the fourth temple, possibly the fifth.
Wasn’t that the plan all along?
Dear boy, the promise March gave was to reach the other side of the ocean. The entire expedition was supposed to be about cleaning a path, or more if possible.
I accelerated the timetable, Dallion thought.
That you did. And March is not the sort of person who’d settle for the minimum. Show her the impossible, and already she starts thinking how to use it on a constant basis. When you set off this morning, her goal was to defeat the fifth guardian by the end of the festival. Thanks to what you’ve given her, she wants to do it on this expedition. If possible, of course.
So I’m the victim of my own success…
In a way. Dealing with the vine-whale made her rethink her plans. Getting the guardian to reveal the creature was already good, but seeing Lux move the minion to the starting temple gave her an idea—something crazy enough to work.
In that case… Dallion smiled. If she wants reckless, I’ll give her reckless.
“All right.” Dallion made his way to the block of wood and sat down. “I’m ready.”
March nodded.
“I’m counting on you.” She gave Dallion and Eury a final glance, then went below deck.
Soon after, Dallion was all set. As it turned out, the point never was for him to sit on the block of wood. Rather he was to stand on the deck, and the heavy rope was more like a safety belt, allowing him to stand up whenever he chose; it was much better than being tied to the mast, as he had imagined he would be.
“All set,” Vend said from the door to the lower decks. “It’s all you, now.”
The door slammed shut. Dallion could hear that it was also barred as well.
“Nervous?” Euryale asked once only the two of them remained above deck.
“Me? Nah. We’re only sitting on a firebird-powered wooden coffin. And let’s not forget we have no idea what’s on the other side.”
There’s no chance the rest of the world has sunk to the bottom of the ocean, right? Dallion asked.
Not with the sword intact, Nil replied.
Right, right. “Ready?” he asked the gorgon.
“Do you really want me to answer that with everyone listening?” Euryale looked in his direction. Her expression made it clear that she was about to say something best kept private.
“Maybe later.”
“I’ll be telling you which way to turn in case we need to, but keep your eyes open just in case.”
“Gotcha.”
“Well, let’s go.”
SWORD’S END
You’re up, Lux, Dallion thought. Nice and easy.
The firebird emerged, then flew to the rear of the ship, just as they had practiced with Agnii. Blue flames covered the entire section of the ship, after which the vessel propelled forward like the cork of a champagne bottle.
Dallion felt his stomach cave as if he were on a violent rollercoaster. The sensation was made worse by the boat splashing and rocking up and down along the water. There was no way he could endure a few hours of this, which was why he had no intention of trying.
Lux, lift us up, Dallion thought.
Chirp? The firebird sounded confused.
Just a few inches above the surface.
Finally, after all this time, Dallion had found a practical use of knowing about resistance. As long as the boat wasn’t in the water, there would be no shaking. Instead, it was going to be like a speeding bullet. What was better, being above the surface meant that the sea cracklings wouldn’t sense it until it was too late, making it possible for Lux to gradually increase the speed without anyone noticing.
“You’re wild, you know that?” The gorgon laughed. It was inevitable she’d notice what Dallion was doing. Most likely so had everyone else, but it would take them a while to get out from below, that was if they even wanted to risk it while the ship was moving. “Another thing I love about you.”
It didn’t take long for the water to change color. At first only the occasional black patch appeared. With time, though, they grew. After about a minute, Dallion turned around to look back at Lastport. The city wasn’t visible, and neither was most of the land. Only a few mountain peaks remained on the horizon.
“Things are getting sticky,” Euryale shouted, which was code for Dallion to pay more attention to what was ahead.
Lux, move up a bit more! he thought.
The seawater ahead had become black and tar-like like a living nightmare. If all the cracklings in the area combined in one, they could easily form a kraken so large that it could smash Nerosal with one tentacle. Maybe at one point the creature had done just that? In theory, it was the guardian’s job to protect the realm, but even they would eventually become helpless against such brute force.
“Any sign of land?” Dallion shouted.
“Not yet. But it’s difficult to say with all that muck!”
Higher, Lux.
The firebird obeyed, lifting the ship several feet above the surface. This proved to be a tad challenging. Despite its strength, the firebird wasn’t used to carrying so much weight for so long. Determined not to let Dallion down, the familiar persevered, giving its all.
“Anything?” Dallion asked.
“Muck upon muck,” came the reply.
This was getting concerning. The ship was supposed to have crossed the ocean by now. By Dallion’s rough estimations, they had passed half a dozen times the distance from the starting temple to the port, at least. And yet there was nothing but an endless horizon of tar in all directions.
Lux, can you keep it up for a little while longer, buddy? Dallion asked.
Chirp!
Okay, but if you feel you can’t but the boat back in the water…gently.
“Clear patch!” Euryale shouted, pointing slightly to the right.
“Nice!”
Dallion wasn’t even able to see it, but the fact that it existed meant that they were on the right track. Maybe the local inhabitants across the ocean had taken care of the crackling problem on their side. Either that or it was the fourth guardian’s doing. In any event, it was a big win.
“And another one,” the gorgon shouted.
“Big enough for the ship?”
“Not yet, but I think there’ll be more.”
Thankfully, she was right. The number of clear patches consistently increased. Soon, there was enough clear water for Lux to slow down and lower the ship into the ocean once more. The firebird was almost completely exhausted, but the effort was worth it.
“We’ve passed the crackling zone,” Dallion shouted. “I know you can hear me down there. Better get ready to descend unless you want to miss the fight.”
He laughed, feeling light as a feather. All fear, doubt, and other dark thoughts had vanished, replaced by a sense of euphoria. There was a deep sense of achievement. Logically, there was no reason for him to feel this way. The trip had taken less than ten minutes, there had been no battles, and at no point did Dallion feel remotely threatened. If anything, Lux was supposed to get the prize for doing the actual work.
You can rest a bit, Lux, Dallion thought. Gather your strength. You need to look your best when the party goes on deck.
Flattery worked miracles. The speed of the ship decreased but didn’t stop. Meanwhile, Dallion felt he could remove the safety rope and go next to Euryale. As he did, the gorgon didn’t stop him.
Don’t get overconfident, Nil warned. Just because the water is clear doesn’t mean that there isn’t something lurking beneath the surface.
Nox, do you sense anything? Dallion asked.
The crackling mewed negatively.
Well, even so, better be on your guard, Nil grumbled. Overconfidence is a poor adviser.
“You’re drifting again,” Euryale said.
“Just talking with my familiars and Nil,” Dallion replied, putting his arm round Eury’s shoulders. “We did it.”
“Still no sign of land.”
“It’ll be there…along with another fierce battle I’ll have to observe on the sidelines.”
“Not the worst place to be. At least there’s no danger here. If you get to be a hunter, you’ll do the same for the first few years.”
That much was true. Fights in the real world came with actual danger. Here, one only had to be careful not to stumble upon chainlings or something that could inflict permanent effect wounds.
“So you think I’m ready?”
“No chance.” The gorgon’s snakes moved about. Dallion almost swore he heard them laughing, though more likely it was the sound of splashing. “You might be good enough to join in the crackling fights here, but that’s it.”
“Not even fight minions?” Dallion asked in mock outrage.
“Not even a minion. With reflexes so slow, you’ll only—”
SWORD’S END
(+5 Mind)
Through cleverness and persistence, you’ve reached the end of the world! Not an easy task. Many have tried, but few have succeeded. Now that you’re done with this world, you better start thinking what to do with the next.
Dallion stared at the blue rectangle. His mind refused to accept what his eyes were seeing. There was no way this could be the end of the world, not the ocean. March had been adamant that there were ten temples. Surely there had to be some mistake. Thinking back, it was possible that Lux had veered off course slightly, taking the ship to the side of the world. It wasn’t like the firebird came with its own gyroscope.
There’s no mistake, Gen said from Dallion’s realm in a dark voice. The achievement is real. You got the points. Maxed out your mind trait, if that’s any consolation.
It wasn’t. Looking slightly to the side, Dallion saw that Euryale had also received the same achievement. The gorgon spent a few more seconds looking at hers, after which she smashed the rectangle with her fist. One didn’t need to have magic skills to know that she wasn’t happy, either.
Stop pushing, Lux, Dallion thought. Rest a bit.
It didn’t take long for the rest of the party to appear on the deck. They, too, had reached the achievement and knew perfectly well what it meant.
Vend was the first to emerge once the door was unbarred. He was pale as a sheet, walking slowly, as if struggling not to collapse after each step. Whatever he had been through the last real-time week had been a lot. The rest of the party appeared no different. The pain and fatigue they had been keeping at bay with the sole goal of reaching the other side of the ocean were now back with a vengeance.
“March,” Dallion began as he saw the captain walking toward him. “It seemed like we were getting there, when—”
Without a word, the woman walked past him, then drew her sword and did a line-strike. The attack flew toward the horizon, visible as a line in the sky. For several seconds, it went further and further until it disappeared altogether. March, however, didn’t quit. The sword disappeared, replaced by what could only be described as a large harpoon. On any given day, it would be enough to sink entire forts or pierce a hole through a fortress wall. Today, March walked to the edge of the deck, then shot straight down. Nothing followed.
“There’s no point, March,” Agnii whispered. “There’s nothing.”
Dallion could see everyone’s internal conflict. His music skills allowed him to visualize the disappointment, the regret, the outright pain that some were going through. So many expeditions, probably decades, spent in this realm, fighting guardians, minions, cracklings, and what else only to find that the final seven temples could never be reached.
“The Star wanted to enter this world,” March said. “That’s no coincidence.”
Dallion felt sick. One word from him and March would be vindicated. All he needed to do was to tell everyone about the ring he had found in Lastport, as well as its properties, and everything would become clear. However, a voice deep inside told him that he couldn’t. He needed the ring. More than that, he needed it to remain a secret from the world. If he showed it now, rumors would spread, and in a best-case scenario, it would be taken away.
Any advice would be welcome, Nil, Dallion thought.
Such advice is not mine to give, the echo replied. Personally, I see merit in both approaches, but you must make the choice. Save the expedition, or keep the key and keep it from the Star. Neither choice guarantees success. The only certain thing is that you can’t do both.
“Do you think the cracklings destroyed the rest of the world?” Dallion asked. “With this many in one place, maybe they destroyed the cities?”
Everyone except March looked at him.
“There had to be more cities,” Dallion continued. “Someone must have used the weapons in the plains, and—”
“Dal,” March interrupted. “It’s all right. Not every expedition ends as we expect. We have learned everything there is, and now it’s time to go back. There won’t be more world expeditions this week.” The captain turned to the rest of the party. “I’ll tell the guildmaster what happened. It’s up to him to decide what to do with the sword.”
Not a favorable outcome by any stretch of the imagination, but the people understood what March was saying. There was a long moment of silence broken by Eury, who in typical fashion asked whether she’d still get paid. That proved enough to get everyone to snap out of their dark state. Several people made a few bad jokes, even more laughed at them, or at least pretended to. Bit by bit, things returned to normal.
The ship was left floating at the end of the world. It didn’t have an anchor on it, and no one wanted to let Lux propel them back to the port. The only thing left was to exit there and then.
A moment later, everyone was back in the sword room at the Icepicker guild hall.
