Chapter 540: Legend of the Ancient Moon Meteor Bow
Marcus had no idea what awaited them beyond the Sea Lion’s Tomb.
The guards stationed outside had all been Level 60 Blue-Eyed Sea Lions, and even the boss protecting the entrance was a Level 70 Golden-tier monster. If that was merely the gateway, then whatever lay deeper inside, especially whatever the treasure map was pointing toward, would almost certainly be far more dangerous.
A familiar feeling of uncertainty crept into his mind, ’Can I really handle what’s in there?’ After thinking it through, he relaxed a little.
As long as he didn’t stumble into some impossibly powerful Mythic Beast, escaping shouldn’t be difficult. He wasn’t afraid of taking risks, but he also wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away. The only thing that genuinely concerned him was the safety of the girls traveling with him.
Marcus glanced over his shoulder. Instead of looking nervous, they were gathered around the portal, chatting excitedly as they admired the swirling blue light. Amber was practically bouncing with anticipation.
"We’re ready," she said with a bright smile. "Can we go in now?"
Marcus chuckled at her enthusiasm before turning back toward the portal. "Yeah. But first..." There was one thing he wanted to try: his Insight skill.
Insight had always been surprisingly versatile. It could identify monsters and players, but it also seemed capable of uncovering hidden information about the surrounding environment. Even Silas the Wanderer, with all his years of exploration, probably hadn’t possessed anything this useful.
Besides, after defeating the Blue-Eyed Sea Lion King, Insight had finally reached Level 3. He’d been too busy sorting through the mountain of loot to check what had changed.
Now seemed like the perfect opportunity. Marcus opened the skill window. A moment later, his eyebrows shot up.
’Damn...’
He couldn’t help letting out a low whistle. ’This thing is getting ridiculous.’
—
Insight: Advanced Skill, Level 3 (0/30000)
Active Skill
MP Cost: 500
A unique skill granted exclusively to Stonehaven. As its user grows stronger, Insight gradually reveals more of its hidden potential.
Effects:
Detects traps and stealth abilities below Advanced rank within a 30-meter radius.
Reveals basic information about monsters up to 30 levels higher than the user within 50 meters. Has a 40% chance to identify a monster’s weakness and a 50% chance of remaining undetected during observation.
Reveals the basic attributes of players within 30 meters who are no more than 10 levels above the user. Targets will never detect the observation.
When observing monsters more than 30 levels higher, there is still a small chance of successfully obtaining basic information.
Can analyze residual energy, ancient structures, landmarks, and unique objects to uncover hidden environmental information.
—
Marcus slowly nodded. The skill’s core abilities hadn’t fundamentally changed, but its range and reliability had improved dramatically. He could now inspect monsters from as far as fifty meters away while having a fifty percent chance of avoiding detection altogether. Combined with the concealment granted by his Wraith Cloak, scouting dangerous areas was becoming almost unfair.
The last ability, however, was the one that truly caught his attention: Environmental analysis. That was absurd.
He couldn’t resist trying it immediately. ’Insight.’ His gaze locked onto the swirling blue portal. A notification appeared.
—
Gate of Crescent Moon: Passing through this gate grants entry to the Crescent Moon Immortal Palace. Requires Level 80 or a special method capable of bypassing the gate’s restrictions.
—
Marcus’s eyes narrowed. ’So this wasn’t simply the entrance to the Sea Lion’s Tomb.’
Beyond the portal lay a place known as the Crescent Moon Immortal Palace. That meant the tomb was likely only part of a much larger complex. Unfortunately, the description offered little else. He needed more information.
Marcus shifted his attention toward the weathered stone tablet standing beside the portal, the one engraved with the ancient words Crescent Island. He activated Insight once more. This time, an enormous stream of information poured into his mind.
Marcus read it aloud as it appeared, allowing everyone to hear the island’s forgotten history.
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Crescent Island
One hundred thousand years ago, a Moon-Bend Tree absorbed the essence of countless lunar cycles until it evolved into a Divine Tree known as the Ancient Moon-Bend Tree.
Legend held that anyone bathed in its moonlight would gain the ability to fly. Its fruit, known as the Great Moon Fruit, could instantly increase a person’s level by one.
Even its leaves possessed miraculous power. Activating a single leaf would cloak the user in pure moonlight, granting absolute evasion for five seconds. During that time, every attack directed at the user would unfailingly miss.
However, one hundred thousand years ago, disaster struck. A colossal meteor descended from the heavens toward Dreamland. Drawn by the overwhelming lunar energy radiating from the Ancient Moon-Bend Tree, the meteor altered its course and crashed directly into the Divine Tree. The impact completely destroyed it.
Yet destiny had not finished weaving its tale. At the very moment the Divine Tree was shattered, another beam of moonlight descended from the sky. The fragments of the Ancient Moon-Bend Tree fused together with the celestial meteor, giving birth to a Super Divine Artifact: the Ancient Moon Meteor Bow.
The newly forged bow immediately soared toward the heavens, attempting to return to the moon from which its power had originated. Its appearance shook the divine realm. Two of the Ten Supreme Divinities, ancient enemies whose hatred stretched back countless centuries, descended to claim the bow for themselves.
A cataclysmic battle erupted. Mountains crumbled. The seas churned. Even the sky itself was torn apart by the force of their clash. In the end, neither deity emerged victorious.
The final collision between their attacks blasted the Ancient Moon Meteor Bow off its path, severing its connection to the moon. The bow plummeted into the depths of the ocean, disappearing without a trace. To conceal itself, it released an endless veil of lunar radiance, hiding deep beneath the sea where no one could sense its existence.
Over the following eighty thousand years, the Ancient Moon Meteor Bow continuously absorbed the power of seawater, the energy of the deep ocean, and the light of the moon. Little by little, the land surrounding it began to take shape, and eventually, that land became the island now known as Crescent Island.
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