The tension in the water was thick enough to cut, but I needed more than just a gut feeling to navigate this mess. I focused my gaze on the lead Naga, the one whose spear had been the first to test my barrier.
"[Activating 'Eyes of Gluttony' Lvl 5!]"
A comprehensive window of data bled into my vision, overlaying the murky blue of the ocean with sharp, white text.
"[Personal Information]"
- [Name: Thorvek Dokryong]
- [Age: 102 | Gender: Male | Sex: Experienced]
- [Class: Warrior - Spearman | Rank: S-Rank | Level: 34]
- [Species: Naga]
- [Stats: STR: 30 | AGI: 32 | VIT: 28 | HP: 60% | PER: 27 | Aura: 34]
- [Title: Dokryong's Warrior]
- [Exclusive Skill: 'First Son of the Sea']
- [Skills: 'Deep Sea's Thrust' Lvl 6, 'Dokryong's Technique' Lvl 7, 'Tidal Wave' Lvl 6, 'Domain of the Sea' Lvl 5, 'Call of the Kings' Lvl 5, 'Kinetic Rush' Lvl 5, etc.]
- [Item: 'Sea Dragon's Spear' (Replica)]
[Copy Condition: The fate of the Naga 'Dokryong' is looking grim as they face annihilation in a political warfare with other Naga clans. If you help the 'Dokryong' clan win the war and regain their glory, you will be able to copy his Exclusive Skill and one of his Skills.]
I whistled internally. Thorvek was essentially the Naga version of Wilong, right down to the Spearman Class and the specialized techniques. The "political warfare" mentioned in the Copy Condition was the real kicker. This meant the 4th Floor wasn't just a monster hunt; it was a theater of war. Most likely, every major party entering the 'Flooded Catacombs' would find themselves entangled with a different sea clan, becoming proxies in a massive underwater conflict orchestrated by the Tower's administrators.
During my VR days, I usually treated these clans like high-end vending machines, creating havoc and stealing their 'Divine Artifacts' before moving on. But across my 104 accounts, I had glimpsed the deeper lore buried in these ruins. And right now, the most important piece of that puzzle was swimming right in front of me.
"Brave warriors of the 'Dokryong' Naga Clan, please forgive our rash actions," I said, pitching my voice to be as non-threatening as possible while offering a slight, respectful bow. "We mean you no harm. It is clear you are in a hurry to reach your palace. Would you mind if we tagged along? We would like to request an audience with your King."
Behind me, I could practically feel the "What are you doing?" radiating off my team.
"[Activating 'Midday Tryst'!]"
I used the telepathic feature of my [Brand of Tribulation] to pull everyone into a private mental channel. Since Melchior and I were bound by the 'Astral Covenant', he was automatically looped into the conversation.
"Don't be surprised, guys," I told them telepathically. "Just follow my lead. Things are going to get much more interesting if we stick with them."
"Will they even trust us, Hyung?" Leo's voice popped into my head, sounding skeptical.
"Well, let's wait and see," I added. "From the look of things, they're desperate enough that having us as allies is better than having us as enemies."
Thorvek hissed, his slitted eyes darting between me and my companions. He seemed to be weighing my words against the crushing weight of his duty. Leo had been right; the Naga leader could sense my lack of immediate hostility, and more importantly, he could see the raw power we represented.
"Grrr... Alright," Thorvek finally rasped, his voice heavy with resignation. "We will take you to the palace. But understand that the situation is complicated. I cannot guarantee an audience with the Lord right now."
"But Chief!" one of his warriors protested, his tail lashing in the water.
"Enough! I'll take all the responsibility," Thorvek commanded, his aura flaring just enough to silence his subordinate. "We don't have much time."
The Naga warriors turned and began to lead us deeper into the wreckage-strewn abyss. After a while, the ruins of a once-grand civilization began to emerge from the silt. But this wasn't the majestic palace described in the records. The 'Dokryong' Palace was a graveyard. Stone pillars were shattered, and the bodies of fallen warriors littered the seabed, their blood clouding the water in dark, swirling ribbons.
At the center of the devastation sat a massive Naga, his presence still regal despite the gruesome state of his body. His left hand had been severed at the wrist, and he leaned heavily against a broken throne.
"[Activating 'Eyes of Gluttony' Lvl 5!]"
"[Personal Information]"
- [Name: Grienfield Dokryong]
- [Age: 348 | Gender: Male | Sex: Experienced]
- [Class: Warrior - Spearman | Rank: S-Rank | Level: 52]
- [Bond: Sea Beast 'Octipal']
- [Stats: STR: 52 | AGI: 47 | VIT: 45 | HP: 30% | PER: 50 | Aura: 56]
- [Title: King of the Dokryong Clan]
- [Exclusive Skill: 'Sea Dragon's Word']
- [Skills: 'Dokryong's Technique' Lvl 12, 'Whip of the Sea Dragon's Tail' Lvl 10, 'King's Domain' Lvl 10, 'Water Lightning' Lvl 10, etc.]
[Copy Condition: The head of the Dokryong Clan is currently under a 'curse' and has lost the war. You will be able to copy his Exclusive Skill and one of his skills if you can undo his 'curse'.]
The King of the Dokryong was dying, and he wasn't just wounded, he was cursed. I looked at the broken king, then back at the desperate warriors who had brought us here. The "Hard Mode" of the 4th Floor had just presented me with its first real challenge.