Adventure World Online (AWO)

Shunk!

Before the Mistress of Treachery could finish her sentence, Alice-chan's clawed hand pierced through her heart. The Mistress of Treachery's mouth fell open in shock, her body instantly weakening. Alice-chan let out a soft scoff of disdain before wrenching her hand back, leaving the Mistress of Treachery's body to crumple to the ground.

"Heh… You can't kill me. No matter what you do, I cannot die, for my heart is no longer with me!"

The Mistress of Treachery rose again, pulling open her chest to reveal a gaping, pitch-black cavity where her heart should have been. Her health, which had dropped significantly, began to regenerate rapidly.

Alice-chan resumed her fighting stance, her expression tense. The Mistress of Treachery gave a deranged smile and lunged at Alice-chan with astonishing speed. Just as the claws and Bloodsteel Fan were about to clash, Brownie popped out of the hole it had been exploring.

"Master. There's nothing inside except a glowing heart, pale blue and softly pulsing like it's alive. It's beautiful."

While Brownie delivered his report, the Mistress of Treachery abruptly shifted her attack toward the tiny mouse, her face twisted in fury. As a mere small creature with a low level, Brownie was utterly defenseless against an attack from a level 76 beast. Even a glancing blow could easily spell his doom.

In the midst of everyone's shock, no one could react in time to the sudden attack as none had anticipated that the beast would attack Brownie. Chang Long, however, activated her secret Mystic Gust skill, combined with her swift movement skill, barely intercepting the blow.

"M... Master."

Brownie stammered, trembling in fear and startled. Chang Long gently stroked his head and comforted him with a soft voice.

"It's alright. You did amazing, Brownie. Thanks to you, we found the Mermaid's Heart."

Sea Breeze and Captain Columbus quickly launched an attack on the Mistress of Treachery, who appeared just as startled. It was as though Chang Long's tenderness had deeply affected her, making her lose the will to fight. Tears, clear and pure, began streaming down the Mistress of Treachery's cheeks, leaving the two men dumbfounded.

Drip...

A single droplet of seawater fell onto the Mistress of Treachery's battered, scarred body as she wept. Her appearance began to transform. Her disheveled hair grew sleek and lustrous, and her rough, wounded skin turned smooth and radiant. Large, dark eyes, a delicate nose, and full lips replaced the haunting features. Her upper body was now bare, revealing her natural form, while her legs fused into a shimmering, silver-scaled tail. The Mistress of Treachery, once terrifying, had reverted to a stunning and delicate mermaid.

"Player Chang Long has fulfilled a hidden condition to subdue the Mistress of Treachery Beast King. The Beast King has returned to her true form for 1 hour. Player Chang Long may request one favor from the subdued Beast King."

The system announcement left the two men in stunned silence.

Since they had started playing the game, they had never known it was possible to subdue a Beast King. Even more astonishing, doing so earned a favor from the subdued beast.

"Beasts are lowly creatures. Why would you risk your life to save one?"

The Mistress of Treachery, now in her mermaid form, asked in a sorrowful voice.

"Brownie is my friend,"

Chang Long replied simply. She dismissed Devi-chan's possession and quickly consumed a blood crystal to replenish her health, as she had sustained a severe wound on her back while protecting Brownie. The little mouse, feeling deeply grateful, hurriedly applied healing salve to her injury.

"How strange. Humans often see themselves as superior to all other beings. That Black Baron treated me no differently... even though he loved me,"

the Mistress of Treachery, murmured with a note of sadness.

"Huh?"

Chang Long exclaimed in surprise. The Mistress met Chang Long's gaze and began to recount her tale.

"My name is Adina, a mermaid of the Abyssal Sea—a place no one can enter without a mermaid's guidance. To gain our trust, one must either earn it or kill us and extract our heart. Our hearts shine like blue lanterns in the Mist of Death, lighting the way to the Abyssal Sea."

"Seems like you gave both options to the Black Baron."

Chang Long exhaled through her nose.

"It is unfortunate. After my incident, no mermaid dares leave the Abyssal Sea again. The best you can do is sail in the opposite direction of north, to the edge of the mist. If you're lucky, you might find a mermaid. Gain their trust, and they'll guide you through the shroud to the Abyssal Sea."

"Why would we sail opposite north if the Abyssal Sea lies in the northern archipelago?"

Chang Long asked, confused. By now, everyone had relaxed and sat down to rest, as no new beasts seemed likely to appear.

"The compass is reversed because of the magnetic forces here," Captain Columbus interjected. Adina nodded and added:

"Take this—my heart. Free me."

Adina gestured to the wall behind her. It slid open to reveal a heart-shaped glass case containing a glowing, blue liquid. It pulsed gently, as if alive.

"Is this the one favor you're granting me?"

Chang Long asked curiously. Adina smiled tenderly.

"The proper way to kill a mermaid is to thrust a blade down through our skull with force. Please… I wish for you to be the one to end it. You, with your unparalleled kindness, even though something within you radiates danger, I can sense your compassion surpasses all."

Adina reached out, taking Chang Long's hand and placing it over her heart.

"My heart is yours,"

the mermaid whispered gently.

"Afterward, please, fulfill my final wish..."

Chang Long closed her eyes, inhaling deeply before exhaling. She then stood tall over Adina's body, gripping the hilt of the Sovereign Sword tightly with both hands. The others turned their faces away, unable to bear witnessing what was about to happen. Chang Long drove the sword straight into the center of the mermaid's head. Instead of the usual sight of a white soul rushing toward Kitsune's body, it flowed directly into the Mermaid's Heart instead.

"Player Chang Long has slain the Level 76 Mistress of Treachery Beast King, receiving 110,758 EXP, 5,525 coins, and 1 Mermaid's Heart."

Chang Long carefully stored the Mermaid's Heart in her backpack, then silently led the group toward the exit. Brownie perched quietly on her shoulder, his eyes glistening with tears. Kitsune, Hulu, and the two sailors from the Bloodied Angel followed her without a word. Back on the ship, her ghostly crew awaited them patiently. When they saw Chang Long and her companions return, they quickly took their positions, as if anticipating her to activate her skill to restore their physical forms once again.

The Bloodied Angel sailed through the dense fog, guided by a radiant blue light emanating from the bow. The light formed the shape of a mermaid, swimming gracefully through the mist. Chang Long gazed at the glass heart in her hand, feeling a sense of wonder. After whispering to the Mermaid's Heart, asking it to guide them to the Abyssal Sea, the blue light shot out from the heart, transforming into the shape of a mermaid. The glowing figure swam through the fog joyfully, leading Chang Long and her companions toward the correct path.

Time passed, though how much was impossible to tell. Chang Long and her companions could only wait, hoping to escape the Mist of Death. Finally, their wait seemed to end. The glowing mermaid abruptly vanished, and the bow of the Bloodied Angel pierced through the thick fog into the open air. Golden sunlight poured down, so dazzling that everyone instinctively shut their eyes, unaccustomed to such brightness after spending so long in shadowy gloom.

The Abyssal Sea stretched before them—a vast expanse of empty, sapphire-blue water in the heart of the Mist of Death. There were no islands or places of refuge in sight. The blue mermaid returned to its glass heart, its task of guiding them completed. Chang Long scanned the area and noticed her ghostly crew seemed unusually excited.

"So this is the Abyssal Sea. The name couldn't be more fitting—there's nothing here but water."

Captain Columbus exclaimed in astonishment.

"Not even a single mermaid. I thought we'd find mermaids everywhere once we reached the Abyssal Sea."

Sea Breeze muttered in disappointment.

Chang Long turned to Ackeran, the spectral sorcerer who had volunteered to guide her to this mysterious place. Their eyes met, and he spoke in a soft voice.

"Below."

"Below? You mean beneath us, deep in the sea?"

Chang Long asked for confirmation. Ackeran nodded, prompting wide-eyed reactions from the ghostly sailors and the two living men aboard.

"So the Abyssal Sea is beneath the ocean's surface?"

Captain Levin spoke in amazement.

"How are we supposed to go down there? This game doesn't even have any diving equipment."

Sea Breeze voiced his concern. If there was a land submerged underwater, there must be a way for players to access it—unless it was a special area reserved for quests, or possibly, they would have to wait for a future patch update.

Chang Long stared down at the deep blue sea, lost in thought. Could this be as far as she could go? Had all her efforts led only to this point, where she was stuck and unable to proceed? Chang Long, who had never given up easily, closed her eyes. She focused her thoughts, trying to figure out how to get one step closer to the Mirror of Truth. The others, meanwhile, explored the vast waters around them without disturbing her, hoping to spot a real mermaid—something they had dreamed of seeing in their lifetimes.

.....

Heaven City

A young boy stood before the city gates, gazing up at the towering walls and sighed with an air of satisfaction. After a long and arduous journey, he had finally arrived. Fortunately, the route between Heaven City and Troy was frequented by players from allied guilds, sparing him from encounters with high-level beasts.

"I wonder if Mr. Siegfried is here,"

he murmured to himself, stepping toward the gate.

"Hold on there. Heaven City is currently off-limits to players outside our guild,"

one of the gatekeepers, a member of the allied guild, raised a hand to stop him.

"Oh, but I came to meet Mr. Siegfried. My name is Kimhant. I've traveled with Mr. Siegfried, his friends, and master, I mean! Miss Chang Long before."

the boy replied hurriedly, stating his reason for coming here.

"Sorry, but Guild Leader Siegfried and his close friends from the Pendragon Guild aren't in the city right now."

The gatekeeper announced.

"Where did they go? Oh no, I had something important to discuss with him. Do you know where they went? Is it far from here?"

Kimhant asked, disappointment evident on his face.

"Not too far, but I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to follow them."

"Why not? Is it really dangerous?"

Kimhant's curiosity deepened.

"Yes, very."

"But where is it? Can you tell me? Maybe I can find a way to get to them. I have Felon, my pet, now at level 46 and already evolved once."

Kimhant continued to press, determined to find an excuse to gain information on Siegfried's location.

"Fine, I'll tell you. Mr. Siegfried and his group are on Mount Agaz. They're currently facing off against Demos and the members of the Doom Star Guild."

The man answered solemnly.

"Huh! They're on Mount Agaz, facing Demos? Good heavens! Is Mr. Siegfried avenging master?"

Kimhant exclaimed in shock. He excused himself and walked away from the city gate, pulling out his communicator to call Siegfried. Unfortunately, Siegfried's system appeared to be turned off.

"Looks like things must be intense up there. Guess I'll have to wait a while before I can negotiate for a space in Heaven City,"

Kimhant muttered, exhaling a frustrated sigh. He released Felon, his trusted pet, from its ring. The Diabolos beast, now in its first evolved form, materialized, donning sunglasses and immediately catching the attention of nearby players.

"Let's hunt some beasts around here to kill time, Felon,"

Kimhant suggested to his pet. Felon nodded but then lunged forward, sinking its teeth into its master's arm.

"Oww. That hurts. What are you doing? The beasts are over there!"

Kimhant yelped, frantically shaking his arm until Felon let go.

Felon let out a dramatic nommm before patting its small belly with its little hands and pretending to swoon from hunger. Kimhant rolled his eyes at his pet's over-the-top behavior.

It had turned into such a drama king now. Then he rummaged through his bag for food. He did not forget to include a Long-Lasting Fullness Capsule—something he had bought from a pet supply shop. Kimhant had learned about the capsule's benefits from a member of the Circus Association. It was designed for voracious pets; when mixed into their meal, just one capsule could keep them feeling full for twice as long as usual.

Once Felon finished eating and let out a satisfied burp, Kimhant pointed to the beasts nearby and ordered his pet to attack.

.....

Meanwhile, back near the mining site, the number of beasts was dwindling, just like the number of players from both guilds. Most players were heavily injured and forced to take a break to recover. The flags planted around the mine seemed to belong predominantly to the Doom Star Guild. Players from both sides glared at one another with bitter resentment. Neither side was in any condition to launch another attack; the injuries on both sides were too severe.

Siegfried and Demos, however, were still locked in a ferocious battle. Demos appeared to have the upper hand, having fused his soul with a level 150 Manticore beast. His body had undergone a monstrous transformation due to the awakening of his inner evil, greatly amplifying his power. Siegfried, despite his skill, was clearly at a disadvantage.

-----Read 'Adventure World Online (AWO)' before anyone else with more chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en