Chapter 578: The Storm That Crossed a Thousand Years
"Yes!" The Town Lord nodded and explained, "The teleportation array between the mainland and Dragon’s Roar Town can’t be used because the electromagnetic field within the Storm Seal interferes with the array’s energy.
"If we can set up a Lightning Ring Array inside the Storm Seal, one capable of carrying lightning energy, it should connect with the teleportation array on the other side and restore the link between them. Once that happens, people will be able to travel freely between the mainland and Twin Wing Island."
His voice grew increasingly animated as he spoke. "For more than a thousand years, we’ve had no way to cross the Storm Seal, Lord.
"Yet somehow, you managed to do it. That’s why I’m begging you to help us complete something we’ve been waiting a millennium for. Cross the storm that has lasted for a thousand years and finally break the seal isolating Twin Wing Island from the mainland."
’Another quest.’ Marcus gazed out over the spectacular scenery of Twin Wing Island. If the teleportation arrays were reopened, this place would become Dominion’s number one vacation destination. With scenery like this, countless players would be willing to pay just to come here and look around.
But what exactly was in it for him? And honestly, the task itself sounded almost suspiciously simple. All he had to do was enter the Storm Seal and place the Lightning Ring Array inside. ’Too easy.’
"There is one complication, Lord," the Town Lord continued, as if he’d read Marcus’s mind. "Reaching the heart of the Storm Seal is only part of the problem. We also need the materials required to construct the Lightning Ring Array. Specifically, one hundred Millennium Thunder Beast Horns and one pair of Heavenly Thunder Leopard Horns."
’Ah. There it was.’ Marcus had known there was no way a quest involving a thousand-year-old seal could be that straightforward. The moment he heard the words "millennium" and "heavenly thunder," his stomach sank. Whatever came next was almost certainly going to be a headache.
He said nothing, simply letting the Town Lord continue.
"According to the records, Millennium Thunder Beast Horns normally only drop from the Thunder Rage Beasts that inhabit Ten-Thunder Mountain. Those monsters are level ninety.
"However, I’ve heard that some people have managed to obtain the horns from the corpses of lower-level Thunder Beasts in Thunder Dragon Ravine. If that’s true, I’m confident you should be able to gather enough, Lord."
The Town Lord paused, his expression becoming considerably more serious.
"The trouble is the Heavenly Thunder Leopard Horns. They belong to a Mythic Beast, the Heavenly Thunder Leopard that dwells on Ten-Thunder Mountain. It’s an extremely elusive creature, Lord. Finding it won’t be easy, and obtaining its horns will be even harder."
’Great. A Mythic Beast.’ So when the Town Lord had called it "the trouble," he’d actually meant "the part where you might get yourself killed."
Marcus had been right to feel suspicious. This quest wasn’t simple at all. It was borderline insane. A thousand-year-old seal wasn’t going to break just because someone walked into a storm and dropped an array on the ground.
He was still weighing his options when the Town Lord continued, "We know these materials won’t be easy to acquire, Lord, so there is no need for you to rush. We will give you one full year to complete the task. Will you accept?"
Then came the bait.
"If you succeed in setting up the Lightning Ring Array within the Storm Seal and reopen the teleportation array, we will give you fifty percent of all teleportation fees collected in gold. We will also grant you several islands as your private territory.
"Furthermore, we will report both your rescue of Dragon’s Roar Town and your success in reopening Twin Wing Island to the Dragon Dynasty. They will surely reward you for your achievements as well."
Marcus’s eyes immediately brightened. ’Bait. Pure, irresistible bait.’
The math was simple. Players paid at least ten gold to use the teleportation arrays between major cities, which meant five gold from every teleportation would go directly into his pocket.
And that was only the beginning. Twin Wing Island was enormous, its scenery was breathtaking, and its various islands were filled with high-level monsters. Once the teleportation network was restored, the entire region could become a massive source of income.
Dragon’s Roar Town alone saw more than two hundred thousand players every day. Once the rest of the Twin Wing Island archipelago was added to the equation, the potential revenue would be staggering. ’Astronomical, really.’
That reward alone was more than enough to satisfy Marcus’s greed.
He nodded without hesitation. "You can count on me, Town Lord. I’ll get it done."
If things became truly desperate, he still had the Divine Artifact he’d recently acquired, Rain of Thousand Needles. With that in his hands, he at least had a chance of going head-to-head with a Mythic Beast.
More importantly, he had an entire year to prepare. By the time the deadline approached, his level and attributes could be completely different from what they were now.
There was no point being frightened by an enemy he hadn’t even met yet.
The Town Lord looked so relieved that he nearly teared up. He immediately poured Marcus another cup of wine and raised his own glass.
"Thank you, Lord! Allow me to toast you once again!"
The Town Lord had no choice but to rely on Marcus. As far as he knew, Marcus was the only human capable of crossing the Storm Seal. Without him, the problem that had plagued Twin Wing Island for a thousand years would remain unsolved.
Just as Marcus raised his cup, however, a system notification suddenly rang in his ears.
Ding!
[Congratulations, player Stonehaven. Because you possess the means to cross the Storm Seal and have triggered a hidden plot, the quest "Saving Dragon’s Roar Isle" has been updated. It has been replaced by the Unique Hidden Quest "The Storm That Crossed a Thousand Years.]
Marcus’s heart sank. "Oh, no." He immediately opened his quest log.
Just as he’d feared, "Saving Dragon’s Roar Isle" was gone. In its place was an entirely new quest.
—
The Storm That Crossed a Thousand Years
Type: Unique, Hidden
Objective: Collect one hundred Millennium Thunder Beast Horns and one pair of Heavenly Thunder Leopard Horns, then place the completed Lightning Ring Array in the depths of the Storm Seal.
Time Limit: One year
Penalty for Failure: Surrender the method of crossing the Storm Seal or lose twenty levels.
—
Marcus stared at the quest for several seconds.
The system had overwritten "Saving Dragon’s Roar Isle" entirely. Yesterday’s battle against the Iceflame Black Serpent Men, along with whatever rewards he had originally been supposed to receive from the Town Lord, had all been folded into this new quest. ’Damn system.’
There was no changing it now. He would have to complete the quest. At least he had a year.
Once he returned to Dragon’s Peak Citadel, he’d start looking into Ten-Thunder Mountain and gather as much information as he could about the Heavenly Thunder Leopard. If he was going to fight a Mythic Beast, the least he could do was make sure he knew what he was getting himself into.
The celebration continued for a while longer, filled with laughter, conversation, and the constant clinking of wine cups. Marcus thought the evening was finally coming to an end, but the Town Lord still had one more reward to hand over.
The promised mansion. Standing directly behind Marcus in the town square was a massive luxury residence. It had been built more than a thousand years ago specifically to accommodate important officials visiting from the mainland. After Twin Wing Island was sealed away, the mansion had been left vacant and untouched for centuries. Now, it belonged to him.
And that wasn’t all. Marcus had also managed to squeeze a hundred jugs of Millennium Fire-Apricot Wine out of the Town Lord.
On top of that, the Town Lord had ordered the young blacksmith to search the town’s warehouses for whatever rare materials were necessary to temper the Blackflame Ice Flower Sword and complete its transformation into a true Divine Artifact.
All things considered, Marcus had no reason to complain.
His plan for the next four or five days was simple: stay on Dragon’s Roar Island, enjoy himself for a while, and wait for the blacksmith and his father to finish forging his weapon. For once, there was nothing urgent hanging over his head. Life was good.