Chapter 1234 - 1234: Illuminated by the Eternal Moon

Although the ocean currents always surge endlessly, the steam rising from the central hot spring area has yet to dissipate.

The dazzling sunlight penetrates the ocean above, refracting jagged ripples in that vast expanse suspended in the sky.

But when the light pierces the sky ocean and finally falls to the earth, it is no longer glaring.

Clearly being on land, the surrounding atmosphere sways with light and shadow like the seabed of a shallow sea, and the highland within sight is shrouded in a layer of pale blue gleaming light.

In the center of that sky ocean, in the unaffected hot spring area, accompanied by the gently rocking water surface like a cradle, the Hero has closed her eyes and peacefully begun her afternoon nap.

Occasionally, massive fishes unafraid of the currents swim past from the Reverse Flow Sea, casting cloud-like shadows upon the ground, but none disturb the sleeping girl.

Seeing Your Majesty sleeping soundly and without danger, the Gleaming Scale Serpent for the first time shifts its gaze away from her, gazing with a touch of wonder at the dream-like landscape surrounding them.

Although now advancing to a fantasy species as an Elemental Spirit, not long ago, it was merely a second-rank little snake leisurely living in the forest.

Now amidst such a dream-like spectacle, it couldn't help but feel curious.

"The reverse-flowing sea... How did it form?"

"I pondered this question when I was young." The White Snake flicked its tongue, its gaze also drawn to the hanging ocean, "Back then, I intentionally spent some time here observing this ocean."

[Time (The higher the speculation, the more insightful)]

D12=9

"I haven't learned humankind's magic theories, don't know what they call this phenomenon. But during my half-year observation, I formed some of my own conjectures."

In nature, snakes are not known for longevity. The Master of Snow Mountain who once fought alongside the Ancient Hero has long vanished in time's span.

But as a fantasy species, the White Snake's lifespan far exceeds the limits humans can reach, spending half a year observing nature is no waste for her.

Listening to the White Snake's firsthand account, the Gleaming Scale Serpent enthusiastically said:

"Oh? I would love to hear more."

"The formation of the Reverse Flow Sea likely dates back several generations to my ancestors." The White Snake coiled up, speaking slowly.

"For humankind, it's too distant a past. Even in my ancestral memory, only scattered fragments remain."

"However, combining those bits with prolonged observation, I found the flow rate of the Reverse Flow Sea depends on the moon phase."

"There's little difference most times, but when the Twin Moons appear simultaneously, the sea flow significantly accelerates. The closer the Twin Moons are, the more turbulent the Reverse Flow Sea becomes, and the magical environment grows more volatile. It can even spawn some troublesome short-lived elf species."

"Short-lived elf species?" Hearing this term, the Gleaming Scale Serpent repeated it in puzzlement.

"Exactly." The White Snake explained, "I don't know the human terminology, but unlike you, an Elemental Spirit with inherent Demon Core and Spirit, short-lived elves are entities spawned from unique natural phenomena, typically viewed as catastrophes by humans, driven by rampant magic elements."

Disaster Spirits— in the Kingdom's magic creature classification, these beings are termed so.

They are akin to the monsterization of catastrophes, possessing destructive power that rivals even the Demon King spawned by Arcane Surge.

But like most catastrophes, these do not inherently oppose civilization but merely destroy everything in their path. As long as one doesn't approach actively, Disaster Spirits usually won't attack humans. Additionally, once a catastrophe ends, the Disaster Spirits will dissipate.

However, exceptions exist, like the Pale Knight defeated by the Hero, considered a kind of Disaster Spirit. When the catastrophe itself is spawned by civilization to destroy it, the Disaster Spirit naturally becomes humankind's foe.

Due to dropping extremely rare Elemental Essences, Disaster Spirits hold substantial hunt value.

Yet, their spawning environments are excessively harsh for ordinary Adventurers, keeping their drop prices high and always in a state of scarcity.

"They possess almost no Wisdom, acting only on the destructive instincts granted by the catastrophe, indiscriminately attacking all caught up in it." The White Snake continued.

"I happened upon a day when the Twin Moons overlapped. There were too many rampant elves, so I eventually had to abandon my observation."

The ocean tides are influenced by the gravitational pull of the Twin Moons above. This knowledge is well-known within the Kingdom.

But is the power of tides truly enough to create a spectacle like the Reverse Flow Sea?

If experienced scholars heard the White Snake's account, they might not resist posing such questions.

"But it was precisely on that day I observed sights I hadn't seen in nine months of prior observation."

"Sights only appearing when the Twin Moons near overlap?" The Gleaming Scale Serpent listened intently.

"Indeed."

The White Snake's tone carried a hint of regret.

"Regrettably, the day has passed, and the next must wait nearly another year.

"On that day, the moonlight will sink into the sky's Reverse Flow Sea. It'll create a peculiar resonance with the earth and ocean, ultimately forming countless mysterious trajectories, much like your human magic arrays, but far more complex than any array I've ever seen."

"Including the volcano sealing array?" The Gleaming Scale Serpent asked in amazement.

"Of course." The White Snake nodded.

"Though during my initial observation, I couldn't see the conclusion, I specifically return here at that time over many years.

"Yet not every year succeeds. Sometimes, even if the Twin Moons overlap, the moonlight's traces might not appear.

"Other times, too many elves appear, preventing me from staying long."

If prepared in advance, the White Snake could forcibly destroy those elves but as the Master of Snow Mountain, she wouldn't easily defy the natural order.

"So after all these years, I still haven't figured out what those trajectories are." The White Snake said regretfully.

"But considering they've been etched within this realm since antiquity, they're likely not harmful."

She offered her final judgment.

"According to my speculation, those light patterns appearing only when the Twin Moons overlap, might be part of some enormous magic array beyond my imagination. And that array likely relates to the moons above."

She raised her head and looked up at the heavens.

"In ancient times, its fragments fell from the sky, not only creating the cliffs of the Highland but also causing the Reverse Flow Sea phenomenon.

"That's what I speculate to be the origin of the Reverse Flow Sea."

"This is truly astonishing..." Having acquired Wisdom not long ago, and just starting to understand this world, the Gleaming Scale Serpent could not help but express heartfelt amazement.

"To the former me, being able to receive your gift and advance into a Fantasy Species was already something I dared not even dream of.

"But now it seems, like the Corrupted Phoenix, in this Highland, and indeed throughout the Kingdom, many mysteries lie dormant that even Fantasy Species find difficult to reach."

The White Snake nodded in agreement and then slowly shook its head.

"You have a long time to explore all of this. Moreover, being by that child's side, these mysteries will surely not be absent from your future.

"However, beings like the Corrupted Phoenix are better to have fewer of."

"That's true."

Recalling the previous war, even though the Phoenix was almost powerless under Your Majesty's radiance, the Gleaming Scale Serpent still spoke with a trace of lingering fear.

Time ticked away bit by bit. The hot spring finally began to cool, and the rising steam gradually lessened.

The golden radiance of the sunset pierced through the sky and sea, gradually painting the originally light blue world in shades of orange-red.

The Familiar of the Elemental Spirit raised its head once more, looking toward the sky and sea's central sleeping master, and then recalling the White Snake's earlier narration, suddenly connected it to another event.

Although when that event occurred, it was merely an ordinary serpentine Magic Creature, its intelligence still veiled in ignorance, the memory was nonetheless vivid.

Indeed, concerning Your Majesty, how could it forget?

The day the White Snake spoke of, the day already missed.

The winter solstice when the Twin Moons overlapped.

The girl was born on that day.

Realizing that the Reverse Flow Sea's transformation coincided with the Hero's birthday, the Gleaming Scale Serpent's heart jolted.

It vaguely felt it had grasped some incredibly important clue but lacked other pieces of the puzzle; the seemingly imminent answer eluded its mind.

Until the Sun finally dipped below the horizon.

Until night descended and the Twin Moons began to ascend.

The girl in the sky yawned, stretched, and finally opened her Emerald Eyes that shone like Stars.

"...How could this be?"

But not feeling relaxed due to the girl's awakening, gazing upward at the scene, the White Snake's vertical pupils slightly contracted, murmuring in disbelief.

Only to see countless intertwining patterns and trajectories slowly rise above the sky and sea with the descent of the Moonlight.

Clearly, it wasn't the day of the Twin Moons' overlap, yet those many light trails centered on the girl, continuously spreading outward.

The lines drawn by the Moonlight transformed several times, ultimately becoming a clear route, appearing before the girl's eyes, as if guiding her path forward.

[Moon Shadow Submarine LV (Otherworld Index, Moon Surface LV93)]

D50+43=(2)=45

[Extreme Failure~]

1.5. Energy Exhaustion

2.6. Damaged Status

3.7. Magic Barrier Occupied

4.8. Explored (roll)

9. Goblin!

10. Great Success/Great Failure

D10=10

D2=1

♛: Great Success~

[So what's the deal with this ship?]

1.5. Space Stranding (LV+10)

2.6. Sleep Repair (LV+15)

3.7. Impure Light Furnace (LV+20)

4.8. Dark Moon Seal (LV+25)

9. Newborn Ship Spirit (LV+30)

10. Great Success/Great Failure

D10=2

♛: Sleep Repair