[50 yards ahead, Immortal Monster, about to appear]
As Mike’s figure appeared in front of the cave, the massive monster charged out.
She was covered in tentacles and suction cups, like a patchwork of countless sea creatures stitched together.
But the most striking feature was her hideously ugly head, with long hair transformed into countless venomous snakes, looking extremely menacing.
[Daughter of Flight-Euryale]
[Possesses the ability to fly regardless of rules, demon body, an immortal existence]
Seeing the last note, Mike snorted.
Immortal?
For others, this might be a tough question to crack.
Mike just needed to look at her a bit longer.
[100 ways to kill Euryale]
Mike waved his hand, “Choose the most satisfying one.”
[Have an NPC drink both the Fountain of Youth and the tears of a beautiful mermaid to gain the ‘Immortal’ curse inheritance]
[Push Euryale to the brink of death nine times]
[The NPC who previously gained the curse will inherit Euryale’s curse]
[Push Euryale to the brink of death again to kill her completely, with no chance of resurrection]
According to the [Eye of Truth]’s explanation, Euryale’s immortality wasn’t due to her strength but because the ‘Immortal’ curse was in effect!
There were many ways to break the curse, some of which would leave Euryale a chance to revive.
Since Mike had decided to kill her, he would do it thoroughly.
The Fountain of Youth and the tears of a beautiful mermaid.
Collecting these two items… wasn’t too difficult.
Mike glanced at Euryale and casually unleashed a Thunderclap Strike.
Boom-
The red lightning shattered most of her body, sending flesh and blood flying through the air, accompanied by a pitiful wail.
Once in a near-death state, Euryale was temporarily invincible.
Mike had to wait for her health to recover to a certain level before he could continue killing her.
In the meantime, he could collect the Fountain of Youth and the mermaid’s tears.
The Fountain of Youth was easy to find, located within Euryale’s lair.
Drinking from the Fountain of Youth could ensure eternal youth. Jack, who was over 100 years old, still looked like a young man because of the Fountain of Youth. It kept his appearance young but didn’t extend his lifespan.
Following the [Eye of Truth]’s guidance, Mike easily found the Fountain of Youth.
“Too bad this can’t be taken out.”
The water from the Fountain of Youth only worked on NPCs. For participants, it was just ordinary water, and it even had a fishy taste.
Who knew what those mermaids had done in it?
After collecting the water from the Fountain of Youth, Mike still needed the mermaid’s tears.
In the meantime, Mike checked on Euryale, using lightning to push her back into a near-death state.
Third time.
This boss was too easy!
Could she at least put up a bit of a fight to make it challenging?
Still resisting? Time to beat her to death!
Mike’s thoughts on fighting bosses cycled through these three stages.
“Jack, we meet again!”
Mike, holding a container of Fountain of Youth water, looked at Rose and said seriously, “Can you give me some mermaid tears?”
“Sure, but…”
Rose hesitated before finally telling Mike.
“Our tears dried up over the past decades. We can’t cry anymore.”
From mermaids to these monstrous forms, they had cried countless nights in private.
Listening to Rose’s description, Mike turned to Jack, “Your mistress…”
“Wife! I’ve decided to marry her!”
Jack corrected, “Rose promised me she wouldn’t eat people anymore, and she can come back to the mainland with me.”
Clearly, after some internal struggle, Jack still believed that beauty trumped everything.
As long as Rose regained her former beauty, he was willing to accept her again.
“Alright, your wife.”
Mike pointed at Rose and asked, “Do you mind if I make your wife cry?”
Jack: ???
Is something wrong here?
Mike quickly explained,
“Don’t misunderstand. I don’t intend to hurt her or do anything else. I just need a single
tear!”
Jack looked at Rose, seeking her opinion with his eyes.
Both realized that escaping Euryale’s control on their own was impossible.
Their only chance of escape lay with this mysterious captain.
Jack, still uneasy, repeated,
“What are you going to do? Be gentle!”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Mike waved his hand and looked at Rose, slowly raising his hammer.
Three seconds later, a large bump appeared on Rose’s fish head, and she started wailing, tears
streaming down.
Tears, unlocked!
With the Fountain of Youth and mermaid tears collected, all that was left was finding an NPC
to inherit the curse.
Jack wouldn’t work.
He had already drunk from the Fountain of Youth and couldn’t drink it again.
To inherit the ‘Immortal’ curse, one had to drink both the mermaid’s tears and the Fountain
of Youth.
Time to find another NPC.
On Mermaid Island, besides bartender Jack, there were pirate Raven and bounty hunter Landy.
Or rather, Mike didn’t have much choice.
Giving the ‘Immortal’ curse to Raven, making them new monsters and new threats?
Mike clearly wouldn’t do that.
Swish-
A breeze blew, and Landy felt the scenery blur as Mike reappeared.
“Captain!”
“Landy, I don’t think I’ve properly introduced myself.” Mike smiled, “Let’s get to know each
other. I’m Thor.”
He extended his hand, shaking Landy’s.
“Landy, bounty hunter.”
Landy’s eyes showed a hint of surprise as he spoke,
“I’ve heard your name, Captain Thor. I’ve heard it many times these days! In the tavern, on
the ship, at Saint Mary Port, no, at any port, people are talking about you.’
Landy wasn’t exaggerating.
The fifteenth level was a popular one for human participants.
People gathered, went fishing, and enjoyed themselves.
With more people, there were more topics to discuss.
These days, Thor’s emergence was undoubtedly the hottest topic among human participants.
Mike continued, “Then you should know that I, or rather we, are different from you.”
Landy nodded,
“Yes, people figured that out three hundred years ago. You appear for a maximum of six hours
a day, from a place called Earth. Oh, and you’re unkillable…”
Landy casually listed some characteristics of participants.
After speaking, he shook his head, laughing self-deprecatingly, “You call this place… the
fifteenth level?”
“Yes,”
Mike didn’t hide anything, nodding in acknowledgment.
In the Tower of Truth, what’s the difference between NPCs and real people?
To Mike, there was no difference.
They weren’t data or virtual; they were real. Only with this perspective could one truly understand what predecessors had done in the Tower of Truth.
Morpheus believed the Tower of Truth was real.
Each level might even be an independent world.
Because of this, Morpheus showed kindness and avoided killing unless absolutely necessary.
In some ways, Ares’s fierce justice and readiness to draw his sword were for the same reason.
If one treated the Tower of Truth as a mere game, ignoring right and wrong and focusing solely on personal gain, they would lose something while growing stronger.
Take the fifteenth level, for example.
Mike only needed to take the ‘mermaid’s treasure’ to gain a 30% Exploration Rate.
He didn’t need to kill the ‘Immortal Monster’ to achieve an SSSS rating.
But as Mike said, Since he was here, wouldn’t it be fitting to celebrate by striking down a boss with lightning?
“Landy, there’s a choice before you now.”
Mike presented the mermaid’s tears and the Fountain of Youth, explaining the situation.
Landy was incredulous,
“So, you’re offering me this blessing?”
“It’s not a blessing; it’s a curse.”
Mike emphasized that the ‘Immortal’ curse wasn’t as wonderful as it sounded. “And even if
you accept, there are conditions.”
“Name them.”
Mike and Landy agreed on some constraints.
Once Landy inherited the ‘Immortal’ curse, he would return to Saint Mary Port and reintegrate
into society.
Mike didn’t care how Landy used this power.
But Landy had to promise one thing: not to use this power for evil!
This power, this curse, could easily lead one astray, ultimately falling into the abyss.
Landy didn’t take long to agree to Mike’s conditions.
“Do I need to swear or sign a contract?” Landy knew verbal agreements were limited.
If Thor wanted to bind him, he could use stronger means.
“No need, nothing is needed.”
Mike handed the items to Landy, smiling warmly,
“Just remember, Thor is watching everything. Your actions won’t escape Thor’s eyes. When
you break your promise, Thor will come for you and take back everything he gave you.”
Though it was the height of summer on the island, unbearably hot, Landy felt a chill from his
feet to his head.
The Thor captain before him, with half a mask, was clearly using the calmest tone to say the harshest words.
“As you wish, my captain.”
Landy took a step back, removed his hat, and placed it on his chest.
After that, he picked up two cups, drank them in one go, and bent over, retching.
“Ugh-”
The two items tasted worse than horse urine, making him feel sick!
“Rinse your mouth, let’s go.”
Mike tossed a bottle of mouthwash to Landy, and soon, the two were airborne.
Mermaid Island allowed flight.
But Mike chose a more effortless method.
Cerberus’s limbs turned into safety belts, securing Landy.
Then, Cerberus’s central head extended its ears, transforming into helicopter blades, starting
to spin.
Helicopter takeoff!
The other two heads weren’t idle either, flattening like wings and flapping.
The flight was smooth, the pilot calm, the current state excellent, and the endurance maxed
-out.
Flying this way was fine, but it wasn’t recommended with fewer heads.
Soon, they returned to the cave, standing beside Euryale.
Mike tossed a few healing scrolls, instructing, “Use them at the right moment!”
Landy nodded, his expression serious, not daring to be careless.
He could feel that the monster Euryale was incredibly strong and terrifying!
In his decades as a bounty hunter, Landy had never seen such a powerful monster. Even a
single tentacle was more fearsome than the strongest sea monster!
To think they could handle such a monster with just the two of them?
It seemed overly ambitious.
Before Landy could act, a Thunderclap Strike descended, pushing the newly recovered Euryale
back into a near-death state.
Landy: ???
Is something wrong, or am I seeing things?
“Why are you standing there?”
Thor’s voice came from beside him, “Get moving!”
Landy was bewildered.
Who am I, where am I, what am I supposed to do?
Mike continued to prompt,
“Use the healing scrolls!”
Landy tore open a healing scroll, green light enveloping him and Thor, providing healing and
shields.
Mike rolled his eyes. He hadn’t lost any health; why heal?
“Use it on Euryale! Can’t you see she’s almost dead from the lightning?”
“How can you be so heartless!”
Mike had to demonstrate, using a healing scroll to restore Euryale’s health, helping her
recover from the near-death state.
In front of Thor, Euryale had no chance to resist.
Thor even found her recovery too slow and actively helped her heal!
Once healed, Euryale, out of the near-death state, faced another Thunderclap Strike.
Healing – struck by lightning – near-death-healing…
The cycle repeated endlessly.
Landy stood by, dumbfounded, his fragile mind seemingly shattered.