Chapter 414 Chapter414-The Naga Tribe
John observed SkyStars and surmised that he was in need of a substantial amount of gold coins, likely saving up to purchase crucial equipment for himself.
Although John didn't have a significant need for Crystal Fruits, he considered that the Blue Sea Guild might require more in the future, given their compatibility with the Sea God's attributes.
It was conceivable that scrolls and weapons related to the Sea God might require Crystal Fruits for upgrades and advancements.
"I do need more Crystal Fruits. However, I must emphasize that I only need Crystal Fruits from around Karen Port. Crystal Fruits from other places won't fetch a price of 50 copper coins each," John clarified his requirements.
SkyStars was visibly excited by John's response.
The reward he had earned from a hard-to-find hidden quest from an NPC had only been a mere two silver coins, so the prospect of earning more through gathering and selling Crystal Fruits from a specific location was an incredibly lucrative opportunity for him.
SkyStars, recognizing the lucrative opportunity, quickly assured John, "No problem at all! I can guarantee that all the Crystal Fruits I provide will be from around Karen Port!"
He was keen not to miss out on this chance to make a good profit.
John nodded in acknowledgment and was about to leave when he seemed to remember something. He turned back to SkyStars, advising, "Just a reminder, the quantity of Crystal Fruits around Karen Port isn't that high, so it's probably best to keep this information to yourself. You should consider collecting the Crystal Fruits alone."
SkyStars readily agreed. In fact, he had no intention of sharing this profitable opportunity with anyone else.
After agreeing on the process for their future Crystal Fruit transactions, they parted ways.
SkyStars headed towards Karen Port as fast as he could, eager to investigate the area and gather the fruits. Meanwhile, John set off for the Naga Tribe.
Blue Sea had already informed him about the route to the Naga Tribe, allowing John to make the journey on his own.
John used a teleportation spell to reach Weeping Shore, where he blew the conch shell.
The long, echoing horn sound summoned a Thetis Whale to the shoreline.
Catching hold of the Thetis Whale, John was swiftly taken deep into the sea.
As they descended further, his visibility decreased, but he could sense the presence of numerous marine creatures around him, including some high-level sea beings.
However, John's current focus wasn't on these creatures.
His primary goal was to reach the Naga Tribe as quickly as possible to gauge Darklord's newfound strength.
The descent with the Thetis Whale lasted about half an hour before John found himself in front of a massive underwater archway.
He knew that passing through this arch would lead him to the Naga Tribe, but he had to make final preparations before proceeding.
John meticulously sealed all his Fire Spell scrolls in the deepest part of his spatial storage.
He was cautious not to use any Fire Spells within the Naga Tribe, considering the underwater environment and the nature of the Naga Tribe.
With these preparations complete, John was ready to enter the realm of the Naga Tribe, a crucial step in his quest to understand and possibly confront Darklord.
Recognized as the favored of the Sea God, the Naga Tribe was endowed with significant divine power, enabling them to communicate with all marine life and command these creatures to serve them.
The relationship between the Sea God and the Fire God was, quite literally, as antagonistic as water and fire. Despite both belonging to the Order Faction, they often clashed directly.
They only joined forces when confronting threats from the Dark Faction or Chaos Faction, and once the common threat was eliminated, conflicts between them would resume.
The Nagas deeply revered the Sea God, and revealing the possession of fire-related scrolls would undoubtedly provoke their ire.
John's primary intention for visiting the Naga Tribe was to gather information about Darklord; he certainly did not want to provoke any unnecessary conflict with the Nagas.
Furthermore, John anticipated the possibility of needing to collaborate with the Naga Tribe in the future.
With all preparations complete, John passed through the archway. nOVe-lb)1n
As he did so, he felt the overwhelming power of the Sea God washing over him, a testament to the tribe's close connection with their deity.
This experience underscored the importance of his discretion in this domain, especially given his goal of learning more about Darklord's activities without stirring up trouble with the Naga Tribe.
Despite his enhanced resistances provided by the [Godslayer] title, John temporarily lost all his senses due to the immense power of the Sea God emanating from the archway.
It was only after passing through the arch that his senses gradually returned.
What unfolded before him was the grand architectural complex of the Naga Tribe.
Contrary to any primitive or rudimentary impressions one might have of the Naga Tribe, their settlement was actually an elaborate ensemble of a massive palace surrounded by several defensive structures.
The Naga Queen resided in the central palace, with powerful female Naga mages surrounding her.
Upon arriving at the Naga Tribe, John was immediately noticed by the tribal guards.
One of them approached him with a hostile tone, questioning his presence, "Human, why have you come to our tribe? Do you have the permission of Her Majesty the Queen?"
John maintained his composure and smiled in response, aware that avoiding conflict with the Naga Tribe was crucial. "I arrived here by blowing the conch shell. I believe the fact that I could sound the conch shell signifies that I have the Queen's permission."
John's reply was tactful and logical. Naturally, the Naga Queen wouldn't personally know every individual entering the tribe, but the ability to use the conch shell, a sacred object, served as a form of implied consent.
His answer was designed to placate the guards and facilitate his entry into the tribe without incident, enabling him to pursue his objective of gathering information about Darklord.
The ability to blow the conch shell was indeed the Naga Tribe's method of determining whether an individual had the Queen's invitation.
Those who could sound the shell were allowed into the tribe.
The guards' question stemmed from the fact that most players were unaware of this criterion.
Without a perfect answer, any player who stumbled into the Naga Tribe by accident could be promptly expelled.
John's response eased the guard's wariness.
The guard nodded and said, "That is correct, then. You may enter the tribe. However, I must warn you that humans are not particularly welcomed in the Naga Tribe. Should you cause any trouble here, you will face the Queen's punishment."
John was well aware of this.
He replied, "I am here only to find another human. Once I find him, I will leave."
John's statement prompted the two Naga guards to exchange glances.
One of them then said to John, "If you are looking for another human, I can tell you where he is. He's currently at the market on the east side of our tribe. He seems to have come to our Naga Tribe solely to purchase supplies. We found it quite strange; why would a human come here to buy supplies?"
This information from the Naga guard saved John a great deal of trouble.
He smiled and expressed his gratitude to the two guards before quickly heading towards the market on the eastern side of the Naga Tribe.
The guard's directions were a significant aid, potentially expediting his search for the human he was looking for, presumably Darklord, who had come to the Naga Tribe for reasons yet to be fully understood.
In the Naga Tribe's market, Darklord was busy selecting supplies suitable for his condition.
After acquiring the Mysterious Wand, he had noticed a decline in his state.
After researching in the library of Storm City, he concluded that he needed items imbued with the strong power of the Sea God to counteract this adverse effect.
The Naga Tribe, known for its close ties to the Sea God, seemed the most likely place to find such powerful maritime artifacts.
As Darklord was making his selections, a familiar and unwelcome voice interrupted him.
"To think I would find you here. You remember who I am, don't you?"
John had quickly located Darklord in the market, but he refrained from initiating an attack, knowing that the Naga guards would retaliate if he were the aggressor.
Darklord turned slowly to face John, a sneer on his face.
"Of course, I remember you! I should have been resolute in eliminating you completely when I had the chance! My leniency allowed you to turn the tables. Honestly, I regret it. I don't think someone like you should have had the opportunity to rebound."
Aware of the Naga Tribe's rules himself, Darklord was also careful not to initiate a physical confrontation.
Instead, he aimed to provoke John verbally, hoping to incite him into making the first move.