Chapter 179: The Thing That Emerged Into the World (1)
When Aquaz first told Ketal that a being from the Demon Realm had seized control of the City of Merfolk, a familiar window appeared before his eyes.
[Quest #787]
[Respond to the Anomaly.]
It was the same Quest window that had aided him since his days in the White Snowfield, occasionally appearing even after he left that frozen land behind. This time, its content was simple: deal with the Anomaly.
Until now, Ketal had believed the Anomaly referenced in the Quest was the sea apes. Yet, even after defeating them, the Quest did not display a completion message. The task was still ongoing.
He narrowed his eyes, thoughtful. It was not unheard of for a Quest to linger unfinished. After all, they had not checked the deepest part of the sea, where the apes had once dwelled. He had assumed all the apes had surfaced, but it was possible some had remained behind, hiding in the depths. The most plausible explanation was that the quest was not complete because some sea apes might still be lurking below.
But something about that did not sit right with him. Ketal’s instincts were warning him—the reason the Quest had not ended was not simply because a few stragglers remained.
“Kukulitan,” Ketal said.
“Yes? What is it?”
“Do you have a map of the sea?”
“A map? Yes, we do.” Kukulitan was surprised by the sudden request, but answered without hesitation. “We actually have a detailed map of all the nearby seas.”
“Can you show me?”