Chapter 79 ‒ Under the Azure Waves
Chapter 79 ‒ Under the Azure Waves
Tyler inspected his newly acquired items one by one, a small, satisfied grin tugging at his lips.
[Acquired Item: Magma Helmet (+40 DEF)]
[Acquired Item: Magma Armour (+40 DEF)]
[Acquired Item: Magma Sword (+30 ATK, Blazing Trail)]
[Passive Skill: Blazing Trail]
[Additional 20 burning damage to enemies. 30% chance of activating.]
[Set Bonus Passive Skill: Flame Nullification]
[Grants complete invulnerability to burning damage.]
He turned the magma sword in his hand, watching as flickers of fiery aura curled and danced with every swing. His current titanium armour was battered beyond recognition after the chaos of the arena and Virelia’s tangled conspiracies — peppered with holes, dented and scorched.
It felt oddly ceremonial to shed it now, to don this gleaming magma set, each piece a testament to the battles behind and the struggles ahead. He could almost hear Milo’s teasing voice, mocking his over-the-top fashion sense. The thought made his fingers pause on the armour’s edge.
After fulfilling his promise to Kelmo, and another to Theodore and Nyelisse, he found himself staring into the horizon. “What now?” he whispered to himself, voice nearly lost in the gentle morning breeze.
At first, it was all about excitement — a rush to grow stronger, to defeat bosses and rack up levels. Then came the gut-wrenching realization that death wasn’t merely a mechanic but a looming spectre, a shadow that had taken Milo from his side. His resolve then shifted from raw ambition to survival, from survival to atonement.
He had two divine keys — Zephryn’s Gale and Myrrak’s Hollow. He remembered Yandeon’s cryptic words: “The Creator God can grant any wish.” Maybe, just maybe, that was their path home.
But Milo… Milo wasn’t here to share this journey. Tyler’s fingers tightened around the sword’s hilt, his jaw clenching. He knew he had to keep moving forward — for both of them. “I’ll wish for us both to go back,” he muttered. “It’s not like he actually died… this is still a game. In the real world, he’s probably just… waiting.”
Was he lying to himself? Was this thin thread of hope the only thing keeping him sane? His eyes stung as images flooded back — Muckwood, the day he couldn’t meet Milo’s spirit; the empty mansion halls echoing with his guilt.
But each step since then had been a push against that suffocating despair: helping Shooba in the Windy Mountains, journeying to Dustville, honouring his promise to Kelmo. Now, where would he go?
His gaze dropped to the shimmering keys, catching the morning light. “The ocean,” he said firmly, the words like an anchor in the drifting sea of his thoughts. “There might be more keys… or clues.”
He equipped the Aqua Helm — a parting gift from the king of Virelia. As he stepped into the waves, there was no resistance, no crushing pressure — only a serene, otherworldly quiet. The salt-laced water curled around his armour like cool silk, pulling him deeper and deeper into its tranquil embrace.
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At first, he drifted slowly, letting the sea cradle him, his legs barely moving. Each gentle tug of the current felt like a hand guiding him downward, deeper into the blue.
He felt himself sinking — both literally and figuratively. The deeper he went, the more the weight of everything pressed against him: the broken promises, the echoes of Milo’s laughter, the countless moments he couldn’t fix or take back.
The world above blurred into an unreachable glow, and the sea floor below seemed like a yawning abyss, waiting to swallow every hesitation, every regret.
“I’ll fix it,” Tyler whispered, the words lost in the bubbles rising past his face. “I promise.”
Suddenly —
“Hello!”
Tyler jolted as a sharp pain jabbed into his side. He spun around to find a small crab hybrid, one claw firmly pinching his arm.
“Oh hello, my name is Crono Crab. You were not responding to my calls, so that’s why I pinched you. I apologize if that hurt,” the crab hybrid said, clicking his claws nervously.
Tyler gawked at him for a second, then rubbed his arm with a wince. “Ah—no, it’s fine. I was… lost in thought.”
Crono Crab tilted his head. “Who are you? How do you even breathe underwater? I did not know humans could do that.”
“I am the [Player]. I’m using this Aqua Helm to breathe underwater,” Tyler explained, tapping the helmet lightly.
Crono’s eyes widened, clicking his claws excitedly. “Oh! I knew that helmet looked familiar! But I haven’t seen you here before. What is your purpose of visit? And how did you even come here? It’s been decades since land folks have entered our city.”
Tyler hesitated, glancing around at the rippling blue expanse and drifting kelp forests around them. “I don’t really know. I was just standing in the ocean water, and I was sinking slowly… I guess I was dragged here by the currents.”
Crono clacked his claws rapidly. “Oh! Then it must be fate! I was looking for some help recently. Perhaps that’s why you’ve come here. So, will you fulfill my requests, [Player]?”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. A quest, already? He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Let’s hear the contents first.”
Crono brightened. “Oh, alright! I want you to collect five shells of different colours—”
“Hold on—hold on, wait a minute,” Tyler interrupted, waving his hand frantically. “You mean… seashells? Just seashells?”
Crono nodded vigorously. “Yes, exactly!”
[Quest Assigned: Colours of the Sea (2)]
[Objective: Collect five seashells of five different colours.]
[Reward: 300 gold]
[Will you accept the quest?] [Yes] | [No]
Tyler stared at the floating interface, squinting. Crono continued excitedly, “Oh, and while you’re at it, I would prefer if one of the shells could be—”
“A golden seashell, right?” Tyler interjected, smirking.
Crono’s eyes bulged. “Yes! Yes, that’s exactly what I wanted!”
Tyler laughed, shaking his head. “You’re not the first crab to ask me for seashells. Even your preferences are the same. Do you perhaps know… Cupcake Crab?”
Crono nearly dropped his claws in shock. “Cupcake Crab?! That bastard! Where is he?!”
Tyler’s eyes widened. “Oh, so you know him? Did he scam you too?”
Crono’s face turned dark, his claws trembling with fury. “That bastard son of mine — he ran away from home with all the gold we had!”
Tyler choked, nearly inhaling water despite the helm’s protective magic. “What?! He’s your son?!”
Crono clicked rapidly, his voice seething. “Yes! That disgrace! I banned him from ever returning to this town again. Always chasing quick money, always in trouble… He left my stall in ruins!”
Tyler almost laughed aloud, a bubble slipping from his lips. “Well, some things make a lot more sense now.”
Crono groaned, muttering curses under his breath. Tyler glanced at the quest window again, finally selecting [Yes]. The familiar ping echoed faintly through the water.
As Crono Crab kept ranting about his runaway son, Tyler found himself smiling genuinely for the first time in what felt like ages. Even in this vast, shifting sea — full of monsters and secrets — these odd little moments reminded him why he still kept moving forward.
The ocean stretched ahead, sparkling with hidden dangers and treasures. Tyler inhaled deeply inside the helmet, eyes glinting with renewed determination.
“Alright,” he murmured to himself. “Time to see what lies beneath.”