Chapter 384 - 384: The Water God Dragon
Before his transmigration, the most annoying part of MMORPGs was the lack of auto-pathing. He hadn't expected the Hundred Year Quest to be exactly the same.
Back in his old world, domestic games were wonderfully simple. You could click a highlighted quest tracker, and your character would automatically navigate straight to the objective. Here on the Guiltina Continent, however, he had to rely on cryptic directions and the word of a century-old dragon.
Still, if he followed the usual gaming tropes, things were relatively predictable. Since this old man had just handed him a direct clue about the Water God Dragon, there would surely be a breadcrumb trail leading to the next Dragon God immediately after defeating this one. It was a classic chain quest structure, and Ren was more than familiar with how to grind those out.
"Lastly, there's the matter of the reward," Elefseria announced, his ancient voice echoing through the dusty, dimly lit hall of the Magia Dragon guild.
"Oh? What exactly is the reward?" Ren asked, crossing his arms with a look of mild intrigue.
Without a doubt, Ren's most anticipated prize for completing the legendary Hundred Year Quest was the massive payout of 100 summons provided directly by the [System]. That alone was worth the immense trouble of hunting down five apocalyptic dragons. However, as the most notoriously difficult, uncompleted job in magical history, the physical reward offered by the quest issuer himself should be nothing short of astonishing.
Elefseria slowly raised a single, weathered finger, his eyes gleaming with absolute certainty. "One thing. Anything you want, pick one thing from everything in the world. No matter what it is, I can grant it to you."
Ren's eyebrows twitched upward in genuine surprise. "Oh?! Then I'll have to think carefully about what reward I really want."
For a moment, he really didn't know what he desired. Money? He had already earned more than enough to buy out small nations. His various investments and high-ranking missions generated income far faster than he could ever possibly spend it.
Even if he lived a life of ultimate luxury, buying up entire estates and treating his guildmates to endless feasts, he couldn't even finish spending the accumulated interest from his primary bank accounts. So, immense wealth was naturally off the table, leaving him momentarily stumped on what an all-powerful magic dragon could offer a man who practically had everything.
Elefseria stroked his long, white beard and smiled warmly upon hearing this. This kid was certainly brimming with confidence! He hadn't even taken a single step out the door to face the perilous Hundred Year Quest yet, and he was already seriously agonizing over what he wanted as his ultimate prize.
"I'm not quite sure which direction Elmina is in," Ren admitted, breaking his train of thought as he looked around the desolate guild hall. "Do you know?"
Elefseria pointed his gnarled magic staff toward a specific wall, gesturing far beyond the mountainous terrain. "That way. It's a bustling town situated right by the sea, roughly a thousand kilometers from here."
"A thousand kilometers isn't that far," Ren mused, doing a quick mental calculation of his travel speed. "No time to lose, I'm heading out."
"Right, I almost forgot to leave a mark," Ren suddenly added, stopping in his tracks.
He reached into his spatial bag, pulling out a specialized kunai wrapped tightly with a customized formula tag. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed the three-pronged blade. It sailed through the air and embedded itself firmly into a heavy wooden pillar of the hall with a sharp thwack.
"What are you doing?" Elefseria asked, somewhat puzzled by the sudden act of mild vandalism to his ancient guild.
"Nothing, just setting a spatial coordinate," Ren replied dismissively, dusting off his hands. "It'll be convenient for when I return to claim my reward after finishing the quest."
Ever since he had fully integrated Minato Namikaze's template, almost every bag he carried when going out on long-distance missions was stuffed with these specially crafted formula kunai. He spent his idle time preparing them in advance, ensuring he always had a vast supply on hand.
Because these formula kunai were handmade and physically inscribed rather than generated by a constant consumption of his magic power, there was absolutely no need to worry about the markings fading or disappearing over time.
After accepting a high-ranking quest, his standard operating procedure was to use the Flying Thunder God Technique for consecutive, instantaneous teleports. It allowed him to bypass treacherous terrain entirely and reach his destination in a fraction of the time, making his overall quest completion rate horrifyingly efficient.
Coming to the northern continent of Guiltina this time was entirely like exploring an uncharted map covered in fog. Naturally, he had prepared extra formula kunai to drop as waypoints as he ventured deeper into the unknown territory.
"Teleportation magic?" Elefseria murmured, his ancient eyes widening slightly.
Hearing Ren's casual explanation, Elefseria instantly understood the profound magical theory behind the boy's actions.
"Oh? You know your stuff, old man!" Ren grinned, a bit impressed that the secluded guild master recognized the sophisticated spatial marker so quickly.
"Of course! This old man is the Law Dragon, after all!" Elefseria declared, raising his chin proudly as he thumped his staff against the floorboards. "Law Dragon Slayer Magic encompasses many fundamental rules of the world. Spatial teleportation is a branch of magic I happen to excel at."
As a unique mage who had miraculously mastered Dragon Slayer Magic entirely through self-study, Elefseria was fiercely proud of his intricate spatial teleportation abilities. It was precisely because of this profound mastery over spatial laws that, although he lacked the raw destructive power to defeat the Five Dragon Gods, they were equally incapable of pinning him down to kill him.
"Then it's perfect," Ren said, his grin widening into a lazy smirk. "I'll trouble you to give me a lift, then. It'll save me the hassle of traveling the distance myself."
"You... alright! Since you're willingly helping me lift this century-old burden, I'll give you a lift. Stand right there."
Elefseria pointed the glowing tip of his magic staff at a clear patch of stone flooring. Ren casually strolled over, coming to a halt exactly where the old man had indicated.
"Get ready!" Elefseria warned, his demeanor shifting into one of focused intensity.
Elefseria activated the teleportation magic, channeling his ancient power into the earth. The ground directly beneath Ren's feet instantly lit up, projecting a complex, brilliantly glowing magic circle filled with ancient draconic runes.
"Kid, I wish you good luck in battle!" Elefseria called out over the humming thrum of building magical energy.
In the next instant, a blinding flash of light consumed the room, and Ren's figure vanished without a trace.
Silence slowly reclaimed the dusty halls of the Magia Dragon guild. Elefseria lowered his staff, a heavy, melancholic sigh escaping his lips as he stared at the empty space where the confident young mage had just stood.
"This kid has such terrifyingly strong magic power, yet it's still somewhat lacking compared to the monstrous depths of the Five Dragon Gods," Elefseria muttered to himself, his expression tight with lingering worry. "However... since he could actually survive a direct battle with the Black Dragon Acnologia, he shouldn't easily die at their hands."
The old man slowly walked over to the pillar, staring at the strange, three-pronged knife Ren had left behind.
"Kid, I know the exact locations of all the Five Dragon Gods, but the others are far too volatile and dangerous," Elefseria whispered into the empty air. "The Water God Dragon is undoubtedly the gentlest among them. Even if you are horribly defeated, you won't lose your life."
Elmina.
Shua—!
A brilliant, intricate magic circle suddenly lit up on the damp cobblestones, followed immediately by the seamless appearance of Ren's figure.
What appeared before Ren's eyes now was an incredibly beautiful and peaceful coastal scene. It was a picturesque bay town, with pristine white stone buildings and a massive, crystal-clear ocean stretching out to the horizon. In many ways, its relaxed, nautical vibe was somewhat similar to Hargeon Port back in Fiore.
"A thousand kilometers away, and he teleported me precisely to the destination with a single, localized spell? That's actually pretty impressive!" Ren muttered, looking around the bustling seaside streets.
Ren was genuinely somewhat amazed by the old man's display of power. The Fairy Tail world was undeniably a high-level magical dimension. The fundamental laws and absolute power of the magic here were extremely formidable, proving to be no weaker than the pinnacle jutsu of Naruto or the advanced Kidō in Shinigami lore.
Ren leisurely stepped out of the arrival plaza and into the town proper. The salty sea breeze blew past him, carrying the rich, savory scent of grilled seafood. He was starting to feel a bit hungry and decided he needed to find something to eat before rushing into anything.
As for the legendary Hundred Year Quest, it certainly wouldn't be too late to start hunting down a mythological dragon after he had properly eaten and drunk his fill.
Unbeknownst to Ren, just as he took his first steps into the heart of the town, two figures situated in a magnificent, sprawling palace on the sea saw him perfectly clearly through the shimmering surface of Water Mirror Magic.
The two individuals watching him were a man and a woman. The man sat upon a throne of sculpted coral, possessing distinctive blue markings on his face and a pair of imposing, swept-back horns protruding from the sides of his head. He was exactly the apocalyptic entity Ren was looking for—the Water God Dragon, Mercphobia.
Standing dutifully beside the Dragon God was his loyal human attendant, Karameel.
[Akarin's Note: Karameel is a human who lives with Mercphobia. Despite the inherent danger of living with a Dragon God, they share a deeply affectionate and mutually protective relationship, highlighting Mercphobia's unique compassion toward humans.]
"That distinct spatial magic reaction just now... it should be that stubborn fellow, Elefseria," Mercphobia murmured, his voice deep, calm, and tinged with a profound weariness. "He really is endlessly persistent."
The Water God Dragon had instantly sensed the rippling fluctuations of spatial magic the exact moment Ren appeared within his territory. He and Elefseria were very old acquaintances, bound by a history of violence and regret. Over the past one hundred years, Mercphobia didn't even know how many powerful mages had been sent here by the old man, all burdened with the impossible task of sealing the five of them away.
Karameel frowned, her eyes narrowing at the glowing reflection of the young, carefree mage walking through their town. She turned to the deity beside her. "Lord Water God Dragon, should we dispatch the guards to teach this arrogant fellow a lesson?"
"No rush," Mercphobia replied softly, resting his chin against his hand as he kept his eyes locked on the scrying water. "I also want to see exactly what kind of person Elefseria has decided to send this time."
Meanwhile, completely oblivious to the divine surveillance, Ren arrived at a quaint, multi-story wooden building that operated as both a local restaurant and a lodging inn. The weathered wooden sign above the door read 'Hotel Journey'.
Pushing open the swinging doors, Ren stepped into the warm, dimly lit lobby. As soon as he approached the front desk to ask for a menu, he stopped. Lying squarely in the middle of the polished wooden counter was a rather large, silver-scaled fish, actively flopping around.
"A fish?" Ren blinked, leaning over the counter. "Does this place want me to grill my own dinner or something?"
He casually reached out and picked up the struggling fish by its tail, holding it up to eye level.
The fish suddenly froze. Its wide, unblinking eyes seemed genuinely frightened by Ren's casual assessment. Then, to Ren's utter disbelief, the fish opened its mouth and frantically shouted, "NO! NO!"
Bang!
A cloud of white, magical smoke suddenly erupted right in Ren's face. As the smoke instantly cleared, the silver fish had vanished, turning directly into a fully grown, profusely sweating man dressed in a neat concierge uniform.
[Akarin's Note: The residents of Elmina are afflicted by a unique environmental condition tied to Mercphobia's overflowing magic. When the town submerges, or during certain times of the day, the citizens physically transform into various marine creatures to survive.]
"Welcome! Welcome to Hotel Journey!" the man stammered nervously, trying to straighten his disheveled tie while still dangling mid-air from Ren's grip.
"A person?" Ren muttered, raising an eyebrow at the bizarre display of local transformation magic.
He immediately set the man down on his feet, thoroughly unfazed by the sudden shift in species.
"I am so incredibly sorry, esteemed guest!" the man bowed repeatedly, his face flushed red with embarrassment. "I accidentally turned into a fish while taking a quick nap on the job. I... I didn't scare you just now, did I?"
"I wasn't scared, but I have to admit, it was somewhat unexpected," Ren replied with an amused chuckle. "Anyway, put that aside. I'm practically starving. Is there anything good to eat here?"
"Of course! We have the freshest seafood in all of Guiltina!" the receptionist beamed, deeply relieved that the strange traveler wasn't angry. "I'll go hurry the kitchen staff right away. Guest, please come this way."
Before he could even finish his sentence, the man scurried off toward the back kitchens in an absolute hurry, likely terrified that Ren might actually try to grill him if he took too long.
Ren leisurely walked over to the spacious restaurant area, choosing a comfortable booth by the window. As he sat down, he noticed that the entire establishment seemed very quiet. Glancing outside, there were very few people walking the cobblestone streets, and even fewer patrons scattered throughout the restaurant and hotel.
He truly didn't care about those minor, eerie details. He was just here to complete his quest, collect his rewards, and head back home anyway.
After a short while, a massive feast of steaming, perfectly seasoned seafood was served at his table. Ren didn't hesitate, immediately picking up his utensils and beginning to eat heartily. The rich, savory taste of the oceanic cuisine was actually exceptional.
By the time Ren finally ate his fill and wiped his mouth with a napkin, he noticed that the sky outside the window had grown completely dark.
Looking at the late hour, he realized it was highly unlikely he'd be able to finish a mythological, world-ending quest today. Since he was already sitting comfortably inside a hotel, he figured he might as well rent a room, rest up for the night, and go look for the Water God Dragon tomorrow morning.
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