Transferred to an SSS-rank Production Class

“When I opened my eyes, I was on the shore. I managed to survive by wandering from place to place, but I was often starving. That’s why I’m so small.”

“So in the end, Paran…”

The sea spirit embraced Atera, tears streaming down its face.

I glanced to the side at the sound of sniffling and saw the goblin soaking Cha Taeyang’s shoulder with its tears.

Even though it was part of the scenario, hearing such a tragic story weighed heavily on my heart.

“So this merman Paran, he’s dead?” Choi Kwon-young asked tactlessly, his emotions as dry as ever.

The sea spirit shouted so loudly it gave me a headache. “Sea people who make wishes turn into sea foam and disappear. You ignorant land-dweller!”

“Bad Mr. Kim! You shouldn’t ask such things!” the goblin chimed in.

Despite being berated by two non-human beings, Choi Kwon-young remained unfazed. His words suddenly reminded me of something.

The faded scales covering the lake bottom. Surely, their description was…

[Faded Scale (F)

: A mermaid’s scale. It lost its original brilliance of five colors as the price for a wish.]

The price of a wish…! Choi Kwon-young seemed to have the same thought, as he looked at me with a curved smile.

“Astrona-nim, about that wish…”

“Call me Astro. I haven’t given you permission to use my people’s honorifics.”

“Ah, yes. Astro-nim. What exactly is this wish? We saw countless scale fragments at the bottom of the lake. What did so many sea people wish for?”

The sea spirit hesitated for a moment before reluctantly speaking. The story that followed left my head spinning.

“The sea people summoned an Avenger…?”

“A main quest built on NPC lies. How interesting.”

The NPCs in Shella had explained that the Avenger was a sudden calamity that befell them. The city fell into ruin and people wept over the misfortune that came without warning.

Was all of that a lie?

“How can this be? I’ve never heard anything like this before.”

“It is certainly suspicious.”

“The Bell of Calling rang, didn’t it? How can that not be the whole story?”

I held my forehead, confronted with a tale that directly contradicted existing World Tower theories.

“Those poor children turned to sea foam while praying for Shella’s destruction. If it weren’t for you players, that wish would have come true.”

Players were both Shella’s heroes and the enemies who thwarted the sea people’s revenge. I could now understand why the sea spirit had lashed out at us.

Suddenly, the name of this floor came to mind.

“16th Floor, Sea People.”

Perhaps there had been another possibility for this floor? If the players had misinterpreted the context and changed the flow of the main quest…

No, this is just my futile imagination. My heart was swayed by the tragic story I heard.

The World Tower’s system is absolute. If it could be changed, the conquest team wouldn’t have to struggle so hard to figure things out.

“Astrona. I… I want to go to Badadkkot.”

“Why hesitate over such a simple request? I’ll take you there. Of course I will.”

“Spirit-nim, me too! Please take me too!”

Perhaps because she was about the same age as Atera, the sea spirit was generous only to Cha Taeyang. When he nodded willingly, Cha Taeyang and the goblin cheered.

“You lot come along too. We’ll finish the story at Badadkkot.”

The sea spirit jerked its chin towards me and Choi Kwon-young.

“Guild Master, the petals…”

“You really know nothing. If you hold a sea person’s scale in your mouth, you can breathe underwater.”

The scales had such an effect? As I listened to the explanation that followed, it seemed much better than the time-limited petals.

Following the sea spirit’s instructions, I placed the scale I had under my tongue. I handed Cha Taeyang a scale from Badadkkot.

Choi Kwon-young, who had a skill for underwater activity, gave his scale to Atera.

“I’m fine.”

“Athena, can you breathe underwater?”

“Yes, Astrona.”

When Athena answered in a small voice, the deeply moved sea spirit spun around while holding Atera.

Choi Kwon-young watched the scene with his arms crossed, then silently entered the lake. The rest of us followed him into the water.

Just as the spirit had boasted, simply holding the scale in our mouths allowed us to move through the water without any discomfort.

Cha Taeyang, skilled in physical activities, overtook me. True to his title as a water-specialized hunter, Choi Kwon-young had already reached the lake bottom and was waiting for us.

– How can you swim so well?

– It’s not that impressive.

– Sixteen might be a mere infant for land-dwellers, but for sea people, it’s barely more than a lump of flesh. Yet you’re so capable. Isn’t it admirable?

It wasn’t an exaggeration. Although she was a bit slower due to being unawakened, Atera moved more freely underwater than anyone else.

The sea spirit, now transformed into a small whale, circled around me, demanding an answer. When I nodded, it flapped its tail happily.

– Hm? Something seems different.

The sea spirit, leisurely arriving at the bottom, examined the circuit.

Could it be because of my tinkering? With no way to communicate underwater, I flailed my arms and legs dramatically. Choi Kwon-young and Cha Taeyang watched me as if I were a monkey in a zoo, apparently finding the sight quite entertaining.

– You dull land-dweller. Just speak, will you?

– How can I speak under… huh?

It must be the scale’s effect. Though I spoke normally, I could communicate in a way similar to the spirit.

– Ah, I made some adjustments to the circuit yesterday.

– How did you… That’s an old technique unknown to recent generations.

– I have some expertise in magitech.

The sea spirit scrutinized me with a dubious gaze.

‘I’ll have you know my Magitech skill rank is A. I’m a system-certified expert.’

– I personally verified that it works well yesterday, so you needn’t worry. It can be used without issue two more times.

Only after hearing that I had checked it myself did the sea spirit set aside its doubts.

Suddenly feeling a chill down my spine, I turned to see Choi Kwon-young smiling at me suspiciously.

‘What’s his deal now?’

The sea spirit infused mana into the circuit. I was secretly anxious, wondering if it might ask me to do it, but thankfully it didn’t.

– Athena, hold on tight.

Just like yesterday, the inside of the lake lit up with light bursting from the circuit.

[Entering Special Field, ‘Cradle of the Sea People (A+)’.]

I quickly closed my eyes before my vision inverted, but my skull still rang from the dizziness.

– Wow! Atera, open your eyes quickly!

The beautiful coral forest greeted us once again.

Cha Taeyang held Atera’s hand as they explored here and there. Atera, who had been absentmindedly following Cha Taeyang, stiffened when she saw the writing on the ground.

– Can you read that writing?

Atera hesitated for a long time. Unable to bear it any longer, the sea spirit spoke instead.

– Badadkkot withers, and the land-dwellers grow more cruel by the day. This is our revenge, our lament.

– Kims are the same in every world, it seems.

– Ignorance and greed are indeed the essence of humanity.

Choi Kwon-young spoke self-deprecatingly. The goblin made a dull clanging sound, not hiding its discomfort. Atera’s face also darkened, perhaps reminded of Paran.

‘The person who wrote that must have turned to sea foam and disappeared.’

The sea spirit inflated its body to comfort Atera. A giant whale made of gathered seawater performed tricks in front of her.

– Athena, come ride on me. We’re going to Badadkkot.

– Is… is that okay?

– Of course. You can come up too.

Cha Taeyang, who had been watching Atera with envious eyes, quickly climbed onto the whale. Both children’s cheeks flushed red.

The sea spirit swam off to Badadkkot without so much as a glance in our direction.

– Guild Master, shall we move as well?

We were suddenly left alone with Choi Kwon-young.

The saying that high-ranked beings do as they please must be true. The proof was right in front of me.

As if reading my thoughts, Choi Kwon-young grinned and spouted nonsense about how we could get there faster if I rode on his back.

– I have no such intention. Please go ahead. I’ll follow slowly.

– How cold of you.

– Saying things you don’t mean…

Just then, a system message appeared.

[Subquest ‘Atera’s Wish (A)’ has been completed.

– Reward: Tears of Media (A), Atera’s Trust]

It seemed Atera had arrived at Badadkkot.

I had my doubts when it was marked as unranked, but it turned out to be an A-rank quest.

‘A string of high-rank quests will likely follow.’

It’s a harsh path for a C-rank hunter. For a moment, my worries multiplied, one leading to another. I shook my head left and right, trying to clear my thoughts.

Hadn’t I taken another step closer to the hidden piece with this?

‘Let’s focus on that for now.’