Matan’s Shooter

TL: xLordFifth

ED: 

[Mermaid Transformation]

Description: Pure water spirits assist their friends in becoming ‘pure water spirits’ themselves. You can joyfully stroll underwater with various choices for different body parts and types!

Effect: Mermaid Transformation

Mana: –

Duration: Until canceled

Cooldown: 24 hours

The first skill from the Under the Sea achievement!

Even without grades or levels, Leeha could quickly grasp the performance of the skill by reading its name and description.

“There might not be another quest like this… Anyway, great! Mermaid Transformation!”

Without hesitation, Leeha activated the skill! Blaugrun, who was still burying his face in the dish, consuming his meal, momentarily turned back, sensing the unfamiliar mana.

“Please choose the transformation areas.”

[Head/Upper Body Entirety/Arms/Lower Body Entirety/Feet]

“Huh?”

Leeha tilted his head in confusion. He thought it would just transform into a mermaid without any choices. Selecting? Even the head?

“The head? What’s the point of transforming the head? Isn’t it supposed to be like a mermaid? Of course, the entire lower body!”

The goal is to become a mermaid. Naturally, having the same form as a mermaid would be preferable. Leeha decisively chose the entire lower body without hesitation.

“Choose the transformation type.”

[Flatfish Family/Cod Family/Mackerel Family/Eel Family/Squid Family]

“What is this, a fish market or something?”

The subsequent choices were even more bewildering. Flounder? Sea bream? The names of various marine creatures came to mind, and Leeha soon realized that this would transform the chosen part into a marine creature from the selected category.

“Tuna species would be mackerel, right? It’s a blue fish—”

At least, it was clear that it wouldn’t be something like a flounder or sea bream, but rather a high-finned fish. After a brief consideration, Leeha chose the mackerel family! The blue mana particles gathered around, witnessing the infiltration of his lower body.

Shaaaah!

“Oh, wow! Amazing! Blaugrun, look at this! Look!”

[Kyuuu, Kyuuu?! Kyuuu, Kyuuu, Kyuuu! Kyuuu, Kyuuu!]

And then, Leeha could see his lower body transformed into something similar to the appearance of the mermaids around him.

In the underwater world, he could talk and swim!

The sensation of movement was distinctly different from using legs, but adaptation came quickly.

“Hahaha! What is this! If I chose ‘Transformation Part: Head’ and ‘Transformation Type: Squid,’ what on earth would happen?”

[Kyuuu, Kyuuu, Kyuuu! Kyuuu, Kyuuu!]

Shwooosh!

Leeha made comical movements, imagining the absurdity.

With a skill that consumed no mana, he could use it as much as he wanted. Compared to other skills in Middle Earth, these conditions seemed like a kind of privilege.

“C-cough. Uh… Hi-hi, everyone.”

“Wow! Sea Bream-nim!”

“There, everywhere, dancing like synchronized swimming in this guest room… Your Majesty, receiving a gift from the Lord of Water Spirits is wonderful, but this is the Dragon Palace, so could you… please calm down a bit?”

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just that I got a little carried away… because I’m feeling so good.”

“I know how pleasant it is to become one with the water spirits.”

Sea Bream didn’t seem surprised at Leeha’s behavior; instead, he wore a warm smile. Amidst this, Leeha didn’t overlook the keyword Sea Bream mentioned.

“The Lord of Spirits…? Is there something already existent and embodied?”

There was no more time to ponder. For now, all that mattered was to remember the keywords. Once a keyword surfaced, it would likely be followed by a chain of connections in the world of Middle Earth. Despite receiving tremendous achievements and stats, the real rewards would unfold from this point onward.

“The preparations of the Sea God and the Commander are complete. Let’s go.”

“Ah… understood. Let’s go, Blaugrun!”

[Kyuu, kyuuu!]

The bloated Bronze Dragon Hatchling snorted, making a snorting sound as it climbed onto Leeha’s shoulders. Leeha quickly swam following Sea Bream, rolling his head rapidly.

‘Now, what treasures should I grab? What might be there?’ Leeha examined his items. He currently had no upper clothing, but Drake’s Coat was worn by the ship’s helmsman. So, the upper clothing is probably unnecessary, and he could just take it back. The hat has an item from Harpies that ignores wind direction and speed. Shoes also have a skill called [Joint Stiffness: Lower Body.] But the pants? Leeha wore beginner pants without any options!

“Maybe I should have paid more attention to pants. I ignored them because they were covered in a long coat. Now, look at this situation.”

Leeha realized that equipment items in Middle Earth not only made the appearance cool but also had effects beyond that. He didn’t feel the need because of his overwhelmingly strong attack power and the skill to back it up.

“Maybe, not wearing trousers and shoes is fine when you’re swimming like a mermaid? Still, I’m getting the bonus effects.”

Seeing his current form without trousers and shoes, Leeha laughed, considering that he might not need them when walking around like a mermaid. He receives the bonus effects even though he doesn’t wear trousers or shoes.

“Anyway, I should pay more attention to pants and shoes. Even if you get the bonus effects, there’s no need to feel inferior.”

Seeing his current form, Leeha chuckled. Sea Bream looked at him with a slightly suspicious look, but it was just a friendly gesture. Sea Bream was also included in the 100% familiarity with all mermaids.

“Haee, underwater, this form is quite convenient. Is there a need for trousers or shoes?”

Looking at his current form without trousers and shoes, Leeha laughed. Sea Bream briefly looked at Leeha with a slightly doubtful expression, but it was a sign of affection. Being included in the 100% familiarity with all mermaids, Sea Bream was already familiar.

“Cough, Sir Ha Leeha.”

“Oh, yes?!”

“Are you ready?”

“Ready? What do I need to prepare?” Did he mean preparing to choose items? When Leeha tilted his head, Sea Bream showed a sly smile. So far, the place Leeha followed Sea Bream seemed to be an endless corridor.

“Have you prepared for the cheers of all mermaids?” Sea Bream asked, not just about the items. With a loud voice, Sea Bream opened the door.

“Prepare for the cheers of all mermaids!”

Quaaang!

The wide-open door flooded with a brilliant blue light, so intense that Leeha had to squint for a moment. “Whoa?!”

Seeing Leeha’s reaction, Sea Bream playfully shouted once again. By the time Leeha slowly opened his eyes again, it was done.

“Oh king! Sir Ha Leeha is here!”

Sea Bream shouted proudly, singing it like it was his accomplishment. The response came instantly, echoing in the surroundings.

“Waaaaah——!

Ha— Leee— ha—!

Ha— Leee— ha—!

The surrounding seawater vibrated because Leeha’s name was systematically chanted which almost made the Dragon Palace explode.

Due to the cheering of Leeha’s name, the surrounding seawater vibrated. The vibrations of the sea, sounding like ooh, ah, woong, directly touched Leeha’s skin.

A “vibration” that Leeha had not experienced even in Fibiel’s royal palace before the national war or the grand square of Ezwen before the expedition to the new continent. The cheers of the mermaids spreading through the sea created a completely different sensation from the shouts on the ground.

“Wow…”

That was all Leeha could say. Besides the touching cheers of the mermaids, the unfamiliar sight unfolding before him had a lot to do with it.

“Let’s go in, Sir Ha Leeha.”

“Ah… Yes…”

The underwater palace was undoubtedly different from the palaces on the ground. When Leeha followed Sea Bream inside, it wasn’t just a simple room.

It wasn’t a simple room that Leeha entered with Sea Bream. It was a massive spherical hall filled from the bottom to the top with mermaids, and at the upper front of the hall, a giant throne could be seen!

Apart from the cheering mermaids and the dazzling stones illuminating the hall, the structure of the hall was undoubtedly different from the above-water palaces.

The “Dragon King’s Chamber” was composed of three-dimensional circles. As Sea Bream and Leeha entered, the door closed.

With a kuong sound, the mermaids closed their mouths instantly. The “path” connected to the door was straight and extended.

Even without fences, it was straight down the underwater cliff. When Leeha peeked his head from the edge of the platform, the mermaids below were looking up at him.

As the path ended, and Leeha raised his head, he could see the throne where the Sea God was. Next to the Sea God stood a Bronze Drake, and behind the Sea God, there were Black Serpent and White Serpent.

Leeha realized that every eye in 360 degrees, up and down, left and right, was focused on him.

“Our friend, Sir Ha Leeha.”

The Sea God’s attire was splendid.

The Triple Spear’s edge became sharper, and the Crown’s light grew stronger. Despite the reduced stature after transforming into a mermaid, the Sea God’s majesty appeared even more overwhelming to Leeha.

With a concept firmly in mind, Leeha greeted, “I am honored to see you in good health, Lord of the Seas.”

Kneeling was not possible due to the absence of knees, so Leeha expressed respect by bowing the upper body. The Sea God, Drake, and Sea Bream, all behind Leeha, wore satisfied smiles.

Leeha sensed that the rank of the items he would receive had increased.

****

“The fishmen have disappeared.”

“Haa… haa… Where did they go?”

The players who had faced the fishmen for almost three days without rest were exhausted to the point of misinterpreting Fernand’s words.

“No! Not coming, the opposite! The mermaids—they’re not chasing us anymore! A whisper from Jingyeong- nim!”

Fernand shouted triumphantly, looking out to the open sea. A giant polymorphed from a fast-flying bird descended from the sky to the New-Serpent ship.

“Kikit, really gone?”

“Yes, yes! They seemed to be slowing down since earlier, and then suddenly, they completely disappeared!”

“They are not trying to bring more Kraken again, right? I’m really tired… and even running out of arrows.”

Bobae couldn’t contain herself and walked heavily, eventually leaning against the mast.

Since Hyein’s teleportation, Team A had been dealing with the fishmen. Despite three days and nights in Middle Earth time, considering the time spent logged in before that, they were mentally exhausted for several days in real-time.

“Is it really gone?”

“Yes, it’s completely gone! Even before, it felt like they were slowing down, and then poof, they were gone!”

Bobae spoke, and others looked at her with disbelief.

“I’m serious! They just vanished into thin air!”

Fernand, who had been observing the sea, was delighted.

“Hehe, finally gone.”

With that, Team A, who had been under constant pressure, breathed a sigh of relief.

“This time… it’s real.”

“What do you mean?”

“The fishmen won’t come forward anymore.”

“How do you know, Kidd?”

Shuwaah! During Fernand’s question, there was a flash of light by Kidd’s side. Not only the New Serpent Ship but also the players of the Blue Marlin Ship couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

And two players who could ‘understand’ this unbelievable fact had met each other to confirm it.

“Kidd!”

“Have you seen it, Luger?”

“That… that damn guy, after all—”

“Yes. Hoo… hoo… Kidd, he has done it.”

Kidd took off his hat, placed it next to him, and lay down on the deck. The notification window still displayed the friends’ windows for the Three Musketeers. Kidd, checking Luger’s location next to him, also saw the position where there was water underneath Luger.

Probably from Luger’s perspective, the position under Kidd, the same location as Kidd sees, would be displayed.

[Dawn Sea – The Territory of the Dragon Palace – Dragon Palace Dragon King’s Room]

“HaLeeha did it.”

“Darn it… Kidd, that son of a—”

Two other Three Musketeers, checking Leeha’s location, couldn’t speak any longer, overwhelmed with joy, envy, regret, gratitude, and awe mixed together.

And there was another person who couldn’t just stand there while hearing Leeha’s name.

“Leeha-hyung? What did Leeha do, Kidd-nim?”

“He cleared the mermaid quest.”

“Wow?! The mermaid quest—what’s that? That purification thing? And Leeha-hyung cleared it?”

Kijung’s eyes widened. Unlike Kidd and Luger, the robust voice of the tank resonated throughout the New Serpent Ship. And upon hearing about quest completion, players who reacted gathered around.

“Who did what?”

“Ha Leeha-nim? Leeha cleared the mermaid quest? How?”

“Come to think of it, the sky is strange too! Not just the typhoon we erased, but all the other typhoons from the other side are disappearing!”

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