Lyla, who had not once left the forest, had never seen the plumage of a bird which nested on high cliffs.

A bright sparkling red feather, it was the right item to win over her curious heart.

“It’s fine, here, have them all.”

“No, just one is fine, I don’t have long to live anyway.”

Lyla was destined to disappear along with the forest in just six days time. A Dryad that had been cursed and had her own tree burnt to the ground as punishment for teaching humans the location of Gods’ treasures. However, due to the Creator’s arrangements, her death penalty was put on hold.

“Is there some way I can help you?”

“Probably not, The curse the Gods have placed on me is rather harsh.”

Seeing her expression darken, Woohyuk quickly handed her a feather to brighten the mood. As she held onto it, she became lost in her thoughts.

“Did you know I’ve had quite a few dangerous adventures so far? This might be my first that goes so well.”

“I think I’ve visited basically everything there is.”

“Then why don’t you tell me your story, I’d love to hear it since I’ve only been cooped up in this forest my entire life.”

Woohyuk sat down with his back against the oak tree, as he began to recount his adventures over the last 40 years. At first Lyla listened closely from up on her branch, but later on she came down and sat on Woohyuk’s shoulder, engrossed in the story.

There had been no monsters that came to bother them. So long as Woohyuk kept telling his tale, Lyla would chase away any that dared approach.

“Did that really happen? I can’t believe it….”

“I have no reason to lie.”

He didn’t have any red marker above his head, which meant he must be telling the truth. Lyla leaned against Woohyuk’s neck as she swung her legs back and forth. 

It had been quite an entertaining story, at times humorous and later romantic, but for the most part his memories were filled with sadness and loss. Despite the epic tales and quests, there was still a personal and heartwarming touch to them.

She had really been sucked into his wondrous tale. 

“I really enjoyed that, so this is my condition. Stay with me until tomorrow night, you must have so many more stories to tell.”

“Sure”

Woohyuk was quick to agree. Both his mind and body had become very weary from all the punishment he had been putting them through. Not to mention that without Lyla’s help he wouldn’t be able to decipher the magic spell on the map.

“How about taking a walk while narrating? It’s boring to just sit down the entire time.”

Lyla sat atop Woohyuk’s shoulder, guiding him by pointing with her finger as they made their way around the forest. They would eat any wild fruits they’d come across like raspberries and cherries. She would also invite the many animals living in the forest to come and meet Woohyuk.

The Star Snakes would give way to them and they never met any other adventurers, just the occasional breeze that brought them the smell of the forest.

“That’s enough for today, it is already late into the night.”

Lyla guided Woohyuk back to her oak tree, she watched him as he fell into a peaceful sleep. The time flew by and it was soon morning. The time she could spend with him would soon come to an end.

“I wish I had met you earlier.” 

He was not from this world, but for some reason he had been summoned here. Even still, it felt like she had known him for so long, they just seemed to click together.

‘It feels like a new door has opened up for me.’

As if she had discovered some new colors in the world that she previously had been unable to perceive. Lyla was satisfied. Despite it being all in her imagination, the stories she had heard about the  outside world was what she had always dreamt off.

As the time passed in the woods, Lyla let her imagination run wild. Thinking how her life might have been different if she had participated in Woohyuk’s past adventures as well as how she might have influenced him as well.

And so, the second morning was upon them.

“I will fulfill your request as promised, but apart from that, I have something else to give you.”

Lyla took out two strange looking fruits and handed them over to Woohyuk.

[Paradise Tree Fruit]

Category: Consumable

Effect: Alchemist ingredient. Gain a secret knowledge when eaten at a Historical Site.

[Life Tree Fruit]

Category: Consumable

Effect: Alchemist ingredient.  Learn all recipes associated with a particular material in your hand.

‘Amazing’

Items that had been spoken of in legends but never actually found. None of those trees had ever been recorded bearing fruit, and there had been no information of any fruits being found on Paradise Lost.

Seeing Woohyuk’s amazement, Lyla was more than satisfied.

“I wanted to give you more, but unfortunately I was only given one of each. Also there isn’t any need to worry since there aren’t any side effects.

“Thank you”

“Then all that is left is the map right? I’ll decipher that for you right away.”

Lyla sat down on Woohyuks palm, as she placed her tiny hands upon the map. Basking it in a blue light, a red marker finally appeared on the map.

“Lastly, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“What do you need?”

“When you head over to the continent later, bury me near your home, that way I’ll be able to hear your stories long after I am dead.”

Lyla had been sentenced to death by the Gods due to helping a human, but instead she would now disappear within a few days. By helping Woohyuk as she just had, she was sure to die, but she felt it was worth it since she only had a couple days left anyways.

“I promise that I’ll do this for you.”

“I’m glad to have met you. You allowed me to dream of a different world, giving me hope once more….”

Betrayal.

She had once helped out a young man, risking it all for a budding romance, but the result was that she had been abandoned. The wrath of the Gods had fallen on her shoulders and until the very last moment that young man had never appeared.

The temptation of a sweet love.

Woohyuk had been the one to make her feel such warmth and kindness once more. With a smile on her face, Lyla took her last breath while sitting on his palm holding on to a handful of feathers.

Her body soon transformed into blue energy particles, before assembling into the shape of a seed.

[Oak Seed containing Lyla’s Dreams]

Category: Personal item

Effect: Upon planting, the seedling of an Oak tree shall grow. Specific level required for it to embody Lyla’s soul 

‘We might meet again in the future.’

As the guide for a Hidden Quest, she had been given a heavy task. Getting a bit emotional, Woohyuk proceeded to take a look at the map.

The red marker was located in the North Eastern direction of Paradise Lost. It was a nice day and the sun was out, he didn’t have any reason not to begin his exploration immediately.

As he climbed onto the Three Clawed Eagles back, Woohyuk Thought about what the future might hold.

He had finally deciphered the location, and he could almost feel like his goal was within reach.

* * * 

‘Is this the place?’

From atop the Three Clawed Eagle, he looked down into the waves of the serene lake. There weren’t any landmarks to go by, but according to the map this should be the right spot.

He tried blowing the Small Trumpet, and immediately there was a reaction. Menacing clouds were drawn in overhead, basking the area in darkness. The trumpet and map disintegrated into dust as a large shadow rose from the depths of the lake.

It was an incredibly large monster, so much so that from this distance he couldn’t see its entire body with just a glance.  It’s slightest movement turning the previously tranquil lake into what a severe storm might look like. Shortly after, it finally broke through the water’s surface, causing Woohyuk to doubt his own eyes.

‘Kraken?’

A Kraken was a monster that lived in the depths of the sea. It looked a lot like a giant squid and would often attack ships with its long tentacles.

He had encountered one in the past which had almost been the same size as  Paradise Lost. In comparison, this one was much smaller, so perhaps it was still very young.

‘I had heard that  there were two Krakens.’

He finally understood why it was that despite all his travel, he had only ever met the one.

Woohyuk stared at the Kraken, all the while attempting to calm down his mount. Water twisters and pillars near the Kraken would periodically shoot up into the sky.

‘Shit!’

Even if he was just a young Kraken, If he were to fall into the lake, he would instantly be caught up in its turbulent waters and become fish food. Likewise, if he were to suffer a direct hit by any of those long tentacles swinging about, his life would end immediately.

The water pillars continued to be sent into the sky as a result of any minor movement on the monster’s end. Therefore he also had to keep an eye on all of its tentacles, simply to dodge those pillars in advance.

‘I shouldn’t drag this one out.’

Once its health drops past a certain threshold, it enters a frenzied state, making even wilder movements. This would only make it unpredictable, increasing the number of water pillars sent out as a result of it. There would also be the occasional tidal waves, so it was necessary to end this as quickly as possible.

‘Luckily I have a method to attack it.’

He had accumulated a large amount of lightning magic which had been able to store from his attacks on the Abyssal Gate. He wouldn’t have to put his life on the line by having to physically try to harm it in person.

Woohyuk maneuvered his eagle and sent out a purple lightning bolt toward the Kraken.

QuaQuaQuang

The Kraken’s body convulsed in pain upon suffering from the lightning strike. Making a strange cry, it released copious amounts of jet black ink, attracting countless sharks and other aquatic lifeforms to the surface.

‘Is it calling its subordinates?’

Some fish were able to leap out of the water and spit out jets of water from their mouths, while others could use some lightning spells. As a result, he was forced to engage it from an even higher altitude.

Woohyuk also had to continuously rely on Magic Crystals, because it still required mana to send out the Lightning as well as to store it this whole time.

‘I might run low on them.’

He could always purchase more Magic Crystals in the System’s Shop using Ancient Coins. Generally it was a bit of a waste since it wasn’t the most efficient way to raise one’s Intelligence Stat, but he didn’t really have a choice at the moment.

If he wasn’t able to overcome the Kraken right now, he wouldn’t get another shot at it. Woohyuk maneuvered his Three Clawed Eagle using a firm grasp, making sure to avoid any incoming water pillars.

‘It would be nice if I could tame it.’

Because he had drunk the Paradise Elixir, If he managed to bring its health to a very low state, it was theoretically possible. Of course at that point he would have to deal with the Kraken’s frenzied state.

.

The question remained whether he could endure it until it was successfully tamed.

QuaQuaQuang

Woohyuk sent out another purple lightning strike, all the while keeping an eye on the Kraken’s tentacles.

It wasn’t simply because he was flying in the air that he would be safe. He relied on his Perception to detect any danger, and immediately direct his mount to dodge out of the way, all necessitating his full attention.

In essence, he had to become perfectly attuned with his Three Clawed Eagle in order to overcome this challenge. Fortunately he had a lot of experience riding other mounts like Griffins, Gargoyles and even Wyverns, so his skill level wasn’t an obstacle.

Still, his current mount wasn’t ideal and was far from stable.

Taaang

The Kraken’s tentacles slammed into the lake’s surface, sending countless water pillars flying his way.

Woohyuk quickly directed the eagle to fly higher, but since it was a sudden movement, he had to hold tightly onto its neck to prevent himself from falling off. The eagle’s head was basically pointing to the sky as it desperately tried to gain altitude. For Woohyuk, it felt like he was hanging on to the edge of a cliff.

QuaQuaQuang

It was proving to be a rather long battle, because the young Kraken’s resistance to Lightning magic  was higher than he had expected. Despite the incredibly powerful lightning strikes, he wasn’t taking much damage.

As he was thinking to himself that this might not be possible, the Kraken raised all of its tentacles at the same time, then smacked the water’s surface directly under Woohyuk.

Taaaaaaang

The water rose up like a massive fountain. In this case it wouldn’t be enough to simply fly higher, so he had to immediately make that judgement and dodge to the side.

‘It would be nice to have Song Anna here.’

With her flute’s buff, he would have a much easier time. But of course, summoning her here in this situation was simply ludicrous. That battle was far too intense and he couldn't afford to be distracted for even a single moment. 

QuaQuaQuang

After facing both the Abyssal Gate and young Kraken, his Intelligence Stats had risen considerably. This resulted in a large increase of his mana pool, allowing him to send out even more lightning strikes.

‘I’ll need to shake things up.’

The number of lightning strikes he had left was beginning to dwindle, at this rate he would have to personally go and finish it off using Grandia.

As Woohyuk worried about how to continue, the Kraken finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and let out a deafening roar

“WooOOOOO”

Its body turned somewhat red as it entered its frenzied state.

Seeing it enter such a state, Woohyuk kept his cool as he calmly continued to send out some lightning. It was such a giant creature that even if it’s health had dropped to low levels, he still wasn’t confident in climbing on it and dealing with his sword.

‘I might have to use up all of my lightning.’

He had originally wanted to keep some in case of an emergency, but he couldn’t hold back in this situation. If he wasn’t able to defeat it, the rest was meaningless.

Dduk Dduk DDuk

Large raindrops dropped from the dark clouds, as strong wind gusts blew Woohyuk and his eagle around.

It was the worst  weather possible considering the circumstances. Using all of his focus to avoid the tentacles, Woohyuk sent out his last lightning strike.

QuaQuaQuang

The Kraken’s eyes momentarily became dazed, and Woohyuk spotting the opportunity urged his mount to descend upon its head with all haste.

“I am your master now, there’s no need to resist anymore.”

Waaap!

Woohyuk smacked the Kraken’s head with his whip, and soon after the dark clouds began to roll away as the creature's rampage came to a stop.

[Acquired title ‘ Ruler of the Calm Sea’]

[You can now summon the ‘Kraken’ when at sea.]

[All creatures within the Calm Sea shall follow your instructions.]

[You can receive air bubbles to help you breathe underwater.]

[Acquired ‘Cursed Vessel, Glass Bottle Abyssal Ship’]