Author's notes: Alright, now for something a little different. This chapter serves as one of the most crucial turning points for this fic as a whole, setting the stage for what is easily the most notable divergence DSO has from the original story. What you're about to read is based, albeit very loosely, on events that actually happened to me during my early days with Dragon Saga in 2010. If you were enjoying the fic up to this point, just hold on tight. I'm about to shake things up a little, as this and the next chapter will be largely original content. We'll get things re-railed come chapter 6, but for now, enjoy the ride...

I should also note that this revision nearly doubled the original chapter 4 in size, so I've opted to split it for the sake of consistency. I wasn't expecting this at all, but hopefully this makes it a bit more digestible if nothing else.

Chapter 4

Azure Ambition

20 th of February, 2022

Mantine's Log

After the defeat of the Mad Doctor Farrell, we knew we had to keep our momentum going strong, still riding the high of our last big win. The Mudkipz have fanned out searching the old abandoned fishery and the shipyards further east, covering as much ground as we could. It wasn't long before we discovered the lair of the next boss, Captain Alvida. Yeah, turns out she wasn't exactly to keen on us filleting her dear husband. Not wanting to make the same mistake as last time, we'd scout the boss room ahead of time and take the cautious approach. For the sake of saving as many people as we could, the Mudkipz have done their best to rebuild their bridges with the Guardian Force, and together we managed to bring the great pink shark down. Hey, if I've gotta spend Valentine's Day alone, so does she!

Anyways, our last two victories are part of why I was... chosen to take on the next major boss. Yeah, that's right, your boy Mantine is moving up in the world. Poppa might be proud of me if he didn't find these games a complete waste of time. Turns out, the next boss was right here in Port of the Winds! After the Good Doctor, that's the second one to slip right under our noses like that! Talk about hiding something in the last place we'd have thought to look! It all tied back to the Altar of Water, Port of the Winds' local shrine to the water goddess. For weeks now, the shrine had been the subject of the Port's greatest mysteries, with rumors on what it was for ranging from a rare item received in exchange for an offering, to some kind of scrapped beta content and all sorts of wild ideas on how to access it. Even the game's top info brokers were stumped.

Then, about a week after Farrell's defeat, a new prompt appeared to interact with the shrine, and... it actually spoke to us! As it turns out, the sacred Temple of Water had been overrun by a horde of monsters, lead by a rogue Water Elemental with a fierce temperament who'd holed himself up in the heart of the hallowed grounds. There was just one catch: the entire dungeon – including its boss - had to be taken on solo. The Guardian Force, to their credit, did me a solid with their scouting run. Were it not for them, I'd have no idea what I was even up against. Only thing is, they were a no-show when it came time to take on the dungeon, so everyone else... nominated me... By which I mean, they forced me.

Why did it take so long? Well... The minimum requirement to get in was level 27, but thanks to Jin's help, we were able to clear a ton of the quests here in Port, getting me all the way to 30, just in case things go south.

Of course, we've come way too far to let anything like that happen. I've got this.

Port of the Winds

The midwinter sea breeze caressed over the Port, making the striped awnings and decorative banners billow softly. Mantine leaned against the wall near the item stall, psyching himself up for the task ahead. He was so deep in thought, that the sudden sensation of a hand on his shoulder made him gasp and flinch, nearly stumbling over as he turned around to see his pink-haired pal. "Wh- huh?! K-Kite!"

"Easy, mate. What's on your mind?" he asked in a comforting tone.

Mantine scoffed, his face returning to a neutral expression as he leaned back against the wall. "You know damn good and well what's on my mind, Kite. I'm gonna do it, I just-"

The Englishman tried his best to ease his friend's tension. "Look, man. You'll do fine in there. We wouldn't have chosen you if we thought otherwise!"

"No, I believe you." said the knight, easing up a bit. "I know you aren't sending me in there to get toasted. Just getting my bearings straight, that's all. I'm waitin' on Kindon and the others to bring me those supplies I asked about anyway. We ought to look into buying a guild storage, come to think of it." he suggested, hoping the mission ahead might fatten his wallet a little.

"We'd need to level the guild up first... you have been doing those missions, right?" Kite asked, browsing the guild interface and checking their progress. As it stood, the Mudkipz were still only a level two guild, the experience bar roughly a third of the way to three.

"...well... a few of 'em." Mantine said with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, I've kinda been juggling a lot lately. My last recruiting run was a complete bust, too. Solo players are a dying breed, quite literally in this case, and... well, you'd have a better time pulling teeth than convincing anyone to leave the GF." he said, a trace of regret in his words. "It's been... slow going."

"No worries, no worries. We'll work something out... that does remind me though, I hope Chocolate and the others are faring well. We're all spread so thin as it stands. You hear the GF appointed their new leader last week?" Kite mused. "An old friend of Popcorn's, from the sound of it."

Mantine nodded, recalling the news being brought up before the raid on Alvida. "Dr Pepper, they call him? Sounds like he's got good taste..." he'd say, approving of the man's choice to name himself in honor of the finest export in all of Texas. "...and some pretty big shoes to fill, too. I hope he knows what he's getting himself into here." he continued with a long sigh. "I... wanted to save Popcorn, man. I really did."

Kite once again put his hand on his friend's shoulders and gave a reassuring smile. "All of us did, man. And hey, we did him proud in our last raid. We didn't lose a single man to Alvida, just like he'd have wanted. He was a hard worker, from what I gather anyway. He ran the Guardian Force's YouTube channel all on his own, even did all the editing. I can only imagine what'll happen with it once we get back to reality... it'll really blow up, then."

Given the circumstances, it took Mantine until now to put two and two together, unlocking a memory of months past. "Yeah, I remember now, the vids you and Kindon sent me back in December!" he said, having completely forgotten the name of the channel in question. Indeed, the Guardian Force was the first group to provide extensive coverage of the beta of DSO, having gotten in before anyone else. "That editing was top tier, for sure. They did a great job building up hype for the game... though given our situation, I'm not sure if that's entirely a good thing, heh." he'd joke. "I mean, it's not like any of us coulda known."

"They had a cool couple million subs, too..." Kite added. "Betcha they're just waiting to cash in on all that once we get back home. Shame Popcorn didn't live to see any of it... but hey, gotta hand it to 'em for adapting so well to this mess. Can't help but admire that level of conviction and leadership, you know?" his voice carried a wistful tone.

"They are, as the kids say, built different." Mantine said with a nod, slipping back into his state of relaxation.

Minutes passed as the two stood in silence, their thoughts drifting away with the pleasant music the Port offered. Suddenly, Kite felt the urge to speak up. "Mantine... I was wondering..."

"For the last time, Kite... no, I won't go out with you!" he'd say with jovial sarcasm, knowing good and well that wasn't what he was actually inquiring on.

Kite brushed off the dig with a light chuckle. "Oh, that's original... but in all seriousness... well, I wanted to confirm something with you. Just a thought I'd been toying around with."

Mantine raised an eyebrow, opening one eye. "Yeah? Well lay it on me."

The rose-haired man hesitated for just a bit longer before continuing, "Actually, lemme ask you first... how attached are you to the Mudkipz? I mean, I know you made that big speech about clearing the game and all, but that was before we all got trapped, so..."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Kite. Times like these, I like having people to stick together with... with you, Kindon, Jin... it's nice to feel like I belong." said the knight truthfully.

Kite couldn't help but crack a tiny smile. "I knew you'd say something along those lines."

Mantine tilted his head over to his cohort. "So what's your angle?"

"Well, it's... you know, the Guardian Force only got as big as they did because of all those smaller guilds that merged with them." Kite explained, recalling the smaller, more scattered groups they'd bumped into during the first few weeks in the death game.

"Oh yeah, I'm aware. Just like Helic and Guylos... I kinda assumed that's where they got their name from." said Mantine, recalling the second season of Zoids and the joint military group of the same name.

"Exactly, and..." said Kite, giving a pensive look, "Well, the Mudkipz are sort of the last holdouts in that regard. One of the GF's recruiters messaged me last week about a potential merger, and it had me thinking... maybe we should take them up on the offer. It might be a little more conducive to our survival to, you know, be on the same page." he continued. "Of course, it'd mean I'd have to disband the Mudkipz."

"You know me, I was never too keen on joining the top guilds back in the day..." Mantine reminded Kite of their adventures in other online gaming circles through the years. "I mean... we're already fighting right alongside 'em as it stands, so what difference does it make?"

"That's true, but we'd get all sorts of benefits if we were actually part of the GF." Kite reasoned. "They've got all sorts of buffs and sword skills you can only access at their guild level, not to mention we'd get full access to their hall. Even the lower ranking members get a nice weekly pay, and we're already some of the strongest in the game as it is; we'd rise up the ranks in no time!"

Mantine seemed to hesitate, trying to muster his thoughts into a reply. "Hmm... it's an interesting offer, and I see where you're comin' from, don't get me wrong, but..." he began, as his face jolted from stoic to ecstatic, "...No way, brother! The Mudkipz are gonna see this whole ordeal through to the end, you feel me?!"

"Heh, I knew it'd be a hard sell for you, Mantine." Kite said, unbothered by his friend's refusal. "Are you absolutely sure? We could still sort of unofficially be the Mudkipz in the GF."

"If it's about the guild quests, I'll work even harder for ya!" Mantine doubled down. "Soon as I knock out this quest, I'll even make another recruiting run, I could even puff back to the Town of Beginnings and try and convince a few people-"

Kite gave a charismatic, warm smile and shook his head. "No, it's fine, I hear you. Like I said, just a thought. In any case, I'm heading out to grind for a bit. Carry on with your preparations." the man chuckled, leaving Mantine to his meditation. "Kick some ass today. That's an order from your leader."

"I won't keep you guys waiting too long.~" Mantine said over his shoulder, his voice brimming with confidence.

The Texan teen sunk back into his thoughts, floating back into his own world for what felt like forever, when another familiar voice shocked him back into reality.

"Mantine, don't fall asleep on us again! I'll never stop teasing you about those eggs otherwise..." Kindon said with a laugh, referring to the incident last year, where the two agreed to pull an all-nighter gaming together. It was initially going well, only for Mantine to end up passing out with his face in a bowl of scrambled eggs.

"You'd keep bringing it up even if I didn't, don't lie." he said dismissively. "Anyway, dude... what's the skinny on this quest? And where's that stuff you promised to bring me?"

"Here, happy?" mumbled Kindon, trading Mantine a stack of creme-filled cakes, a powerful health restorative.

The blue-haired knight's eyes lit up. "Aww shit, son! Twinkies!" he cheered, likening the treats to a real-world snack. "Thanks, bro. I'm admittedly still a little nervous, but-"

"Oh, come on!" said Kindon reassuringly. "Don't you want that sexy Aquatic Sword?! Think of how cool you'll look with it!"

"Yeah, I... wait a minute!" shouted Mantine in a moment of clarity. "How'd you and Kite get your Aquatic weapons if this is a solo quest?!" he demanded, realizing that the aquamarine armaments they carried since his first day were the very same kind he'd be rewarded if he made it out of this solo mission in one piece.

"...Preorder bonus." said the Infiltrator plainly after a pause.

"...They still do those? Oh, what a load of crap! I'm gonna deck Eugene extra hard for that one when I see him, and then we'll see who's-"

"I get it, Mantine. This is the Fire Emblem amiibo nonsense all over again. Let's not get you started on that..." he'd say, having had to endure many a lengthy rant from the Texan teen about his disproportionate disdain for pre-orders and other exclusive content, the rants about which could last well into the evening if left unchecked. "It's like pulling a string on your back..."

Coming back to his senses, he'd apologize and get his mind back on track. "Sorry, sorry... I know. Now ain't the time to be bitching about the trivial stuff. Based on what the GF's scouts ran by me, the boss itself is that corrupted water elemental the Shrine was talking about. He's got the head of a crocodile, and a greatsword kinda like the ones Gladiators use, so I'll have to be careful about getting in close. He'll probably be packing some magic too, so it seems like a hit-and-run strategy is my best bet."

Nodding along with the plan, Kindon added, "Oh, did you make sure to pick up both quests? You'll need them both to actually get the weapon, you know."

Mantine gave a confused look. "I didn't even notice. Kinda assumed it'd just be the standard quest reward like this one was." he'd say, tapping at his forest-green blade sheathed on his back.

Kindon corrected him. "Nope. The blacksmith is gonna need you to bring him the materials yourself. You've gotta collect these... aqua drop stone thingies from all the monsters inside."

Mantine gave an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes. It was going to be one of those quests, wasn't it? "Hhhhhow many...?"

"How many Pokémon are there in Gen 2?" he answered with a sheepish smile, knowing his friend wouldn't be in love with the answer.

"Lessee... two-fifty-one?" he did his best to recall.

Kindon scoffed. "Celebi doesn't count. Us yanks got cheated out of that event, so screw him!" he'd say, using the British euphemism as a friendly jab at Kite.

Mantine's posture visibly sunk. "Still... 250? Damn."

"Yup. So I'd get cracking if I were you. Better not miss a single one." Kindon motioned over to the Altar. Nodding, Mantine stretched and cracked his neck, striding over to the ivory fountain at the end of the cobblestone path. "Hey, Mantine?" Kindon called over, noticing his friend's staggered gait. "...I have faith in you, remember that."

Mantine looked over his shoulder, smiled, and flashed a confident thumbs-up. As he approached the effigy, shrouded in mist, nearly everyone he'd met throughout his journey crowded around the altar to see him off. Kindon found himself joined by Morana, Jin, Chocolate, and a handful of Mudkipz recruits all gave their cheers of encouragement. As Mantine left the safety of the Port behind, the hopeful voices and calm atmosphere faded into the white noise of rushing water, and a low rumble echoing from deep within the dungeon...

...and just as Mantine departed, Kite returned, peeking from afar to catch a fleeting glimpse of his friend. A crestfallen look crossed over his face.

"Mantine... I..."

Temple of Water

"Huh. Maybe I should come back when I'm a little... richer."

Perhaps in an attempt at suppressing his fears, Mantine rolled his eyes as he saw the dungeon's name fade onto his HUD. "Seriously? I get what they were going for here, but you're gonna give people PTSD with a name like that. I swear, if I see one water level switch... I'm gonna have a word with the dev team when this is all over..."

He put his thoughts on pause to take in the scenery for a moment; the entire temple, for all the fear it evoked in the young man, was quite beautifully constructed throughout. Every surface was set in a relief of terra cotta, blended shades of turquoise faded into deep navy and brilliant azure, brought together by adornments of purple and sea green. Dancing lights filtered through the temple's stained glass windows, giving the impression that the entire instance was taking place deep below the sea. All that said, the temple had certainly seen better days. The stone itself was crumbling away in several areas, and the floor below was quite waterlogged the deeper he delved in. Just as he'd come to expect, the hallways were absolutely teeming with all sorts of monsters. Ancient golems reawakened to defend the hallowed ground were flanked by vicious sewer gators, standing on two legs and flashing their deadly grins. Grotesque, bloated fishmen joined their ranks, shuffling about in their predetermined paths.

Not wishing to spend any more time here than what was needed, the Azure Knight dashed forth, wasting no time systematically mowing down the worthless piles of EXP and snagging each water droplet stone they yielded as they shattered into polygons. The only saving grace was that, with each defeated monster, another would spawn in its place. True to MMO fashion, it was more of a tedious grind than a genuine challenge. Even in groups, the monsters posed little threat to Mantine's excellent defense. After all, they only existed to slow him down, and he knew this fact all too well.

Much like the sewer dungeon before it, the Temple of Water's simple, straightforward hallways eventually split off into more complex, involved structures, with several dark corridors splitting off from the main path. Making perilous leaps over chasms of rushing rapids and timing his dashes to pass under the staggered, scalding waterfalls, Mantine pressed on through the temple, sword set aglow as he cut down golems and crocs all the while. Even with the enhanced athletic abilities provided to him by the game, it took all of his reflexes to land the tight jumps and avoid being washed away by the current. The dungeon had a unique sense of verticality to it; it was hard to tell how high up he really was given the setting. Luckily for Mantine, he was spared of any water switches for the time being.

By this point, he'd collected more than enough droplets; two-fifty-one just to throw a little friendly spite Kindon's way. Finally, his minimap indicated he'd reached the temple's inner sanctum, with the boss portal casting its beckoning glow from a set of imposing double-doors. He'd double check his hotbar, preparing a modest array of sword skills and placing the creme-filled cakes into his first quickslot. Those extra few levels he'd grinded had indeed come in handy here, giving him several more skill points to spend on a few new tricks. Taking one final deep breath and steeling his nerves, Mantine crushed his fears and doubts long enough to step through the portal, determined more than anything to come back alive.

Echoing his experience with Hookah, the room was initially as dim as it was silent. He'd allow his eyes to adjust long enough to make out exactly what he was standing on; a rather thin stone bridge, its guard rails mercifully protecting Mantine from plunging into the depths below. Indeed, the entire battlefield was suspended over a raging whirlpool! He couldn't help but gulp as he dared to look down, realizing that the great leaps he could perform to save himself could just as well be his undoing. The bridge eventually connected to a large circular platform cast of the same terra cotta patterns from before, and a smaller pool of water lie undisturbed in the very center. As Mantine reached the bridge's halfway point, the arena lit up in a dazzling array of blues and greens.

By now, he knew this dance all too well. The stillness of the small pool in the center was broken as the platform began to quake violently! An upsurge of bubbles and hissing steam shot out in a column, vaporizing every last droplet as the boss revealed itself in dramatic fashion! As the mist it cloaked itself in dispersed, three health bars filled themselves as its name faded in above its imposing form!

It was just as the scouts had reported, a hulking beast evoking the image of a crocodilian deity stood before him, his eyes shone like sinister emeralds! He was a broad-shouldered mountain of muscle, every inch of his chiseled build protected by layers of scales that reflected an iridescent cascade of every shade of blue! His lower body was obscured entirely by a raging whirlpool, giving him the appearance of a mystical genie that would grant only a wish of death! His clawed hands formed into fists, materializing a jagged, malformed greatsword in each one! Staring down his armored foe and assuming a battle stance, the reptilian beast loosed a deafening roar, snapping its mighty jaws and enwreathing its body in a vortex of water! Mantine returned the gesture in kind, drawing his forest blade and charging the enemy with his blooming shield held in front of him!

"I'm actually kinda stoked to be going up against a fellow water-type..." he said, activating his next sword skill the moment he closed the distance! "...for whatever that's worth, anyway! Maximize sword skill: Cross Cut!" he shouted, landing a few clean slices that tore through the beast's natural armor! Endairon went on the defensive, crossing his twin greatswords to block the knight's further advance, and cloaked them in a barrier to force Mantine back in an advancing guard! Mantine was sent back several feet, but managed to tech the hit and land on his feet, going right back in for another round!

For a while, the knight and the crocodile clashed evenly, neither giving his opponent an inch! For all the unrelenting strength this boss threw at the hero, the duel remained just that; a fair and square test of skill! Endairon didn't summon any adds like the previous bosses, and the arena was free of any sinister tricks and traps save for the watery cyclone that raged below! Seeing another opening, Mantine had an idea! "You look like you've got your hands full! Lemme lighten your load! Maximize sword skill: Asunder!" he cried out, attempting the same move he'd disarmed the player-killers with before!

His blade nearly made its mark, but Endairon was quick to counter the blow and render it ineffective! Before Mantine could ready his shield, the water elemental landed two slashes back-to-back with his jagged blades, this time sending the young knight careening back to the edge of the arena! Smashing into the guard rails, he nearly slipped into the maelstrom below before stopping himself and holding on for dear life! The savage blow had brought his health below half already! Even worse, now that enough distance had been made, Endairon began to charge one of his magic spells!

Man, this just isn't my day, is it?! It's like I kept trying to tell everyone, solo play isn't exactly my forte, and yet here I am, roped into another fine mess. I've gotta rethink my approach here... I've gotten so used to having a healer... even just a distraction would help... no, gotta stop thinking like that!" he said to himself, devouring a few of the creme-filled cakes, giving him another fighting chance. "Alright, big boy. You want a sink-or-swim challenge, you got it!"

Mantine took to his feet just as a modest barrage of charged water orbs and crystalline spikes of ice closing in on him, fired from the edge of Endairon's enchanted blades with each brutal swing! Thinking quickly, he brought forth his blooming shield and called out, "Maximize sword skill: Mirror Reversal!" his shield casting a bright shimmer as he charged the beast down in an attempt to close some distance! He'd blow through the assault, cutting down the ice shards with his sword skills and deflecting the magic with his shield! He'd gladly tank whatever slipped past his defenses; he'd come too far to be set back again!

The surge of deflected water magic was just enough to break Endairon's defenses enough, giving Mantine a chance to engage the croc up close! Yet again, they'd clash with even force, Mantine's heavy swings forcing Endairon back little by little! Just gotta get me an opening! Good a time as any to try that new sword skill out! Thought Mantine, his eyes drifting to the most recent skill he'd added to his hotbar, marked with the icon of a spear. Kindon really wanted me to invest my points into it, and it might be just what I need!

The scaled envoy's blades weren't his only weapon, however; he'd viciously snap his jagged jaws, eager to take a bite out of the knight! He went for the left arm, clamping down with the staggering force of a crocodile... but got a mouthful of metal instead as Mantine called on another skill, wedging his shield into the beast's maw! Though spared of digital dismemberment, the gambit used the last of the shield's durability, shattering into light! "Oh, goodie! You looked like you needed to eat your veggies anyway!" Mantine quipped in the heat of the battle, yanking his free arm away just before the guillotine snapped shut! The sudden snap had stunned Endairon just long enough for his foe to seize the moment!

"It's all or nothing! Kindon, you better make me glad I listened to ya!" Mantine prepared his finisher, holding his sword out in front of him! Just before the massive Endairon could recover, the green blade set itself aglow once more! "Maximize sword skill: Knight's Holy Lance!"

Mantine's blade began to stretch and warp, reshaping itself into a great lance! It retained the color scheme of it blade itself, now sporting rows of serrated edges! The transformed weapon bore through Endairon's chest, practically moving on its own as Mantine felt his body jolt forward at blinding speed! Regaining control, Mantine brutally yanked the spear out, and readied a flurry of followup stabs, decimating the last of the boss' health bar! Each thrust was unnaturally fast, impaling the water elemental like a jagged jackhammer! The final jab sent Endairon over the edge of the platform, bursting into a dazzling gleam of pixels just before he hit the water below! Mantine had done it!

The Knight's blade reformed just as the skill wore off, and he smirked as he sheathed it stylishly on his back. His first solo victory was under his belt at last!

"No one's here to hear me say it, but... to hell with it. 'I guess sewer gators really were just a myth!'"

Signaling the defeat of the boss, the torrential rushing of the water throughout the temple came to a complete stop, leaving only silence in its wake. With Endairon subdued, the balance of the elements had been restored, and the unseen water god had returned to tranquility. In the room's center, a staircase of light formed leading up to a glowing portal, allowing Mantine a free trip back into the Port. He collected the modest loot Endairon left behind, stepping through the portal to greet his welcoming party on the other side.

...and praise did he receive indeed. Mudkipz and Guardian Force members alike greeted him with cheers, warm smiles, and hugs all around. Even that old, skeptical Saffron wasn't above giving him a firm handshake. What were the odds that the next boss was hiding right under their noses in the Port, after all?

"Hey... nice going in there. I mean it. You better savor this moment, cuz this is as nice as I'll ever be to a... cheater like you. Gonna be honest, I... hey, hold it!" he'd say, evoking an echo of their initial meeting. "You're back in the Mudkipz! Yeah, don't even try and slip those colors under my nose, boy! Ain't no way they'd let you back in after that stunt you pulled! Come on, I can't wait to hear this one!"

Mantine blushed beet-red, flashing a nervous grin as he scratched the back of his head. Ha haaa... shit, I really didn't think this far ahead, did I? I kinda figured I'd never see the guy again, to be real with ya. It's a wonder I managed to blend in back at the Alvida raid. C'mon, Mantine, just gotta smooth talk him! "Well, you see... hoo boy, it's-!"

The Azure knight was jolted out of his half-baked cover story as he felt his arms embraced on either side! Kite and Kindon clung to their pal like an action movie hero, caressing his sides! "Our Lord Mantine has returned! Ohh, is it just me, or have your biceps gotten bigger? I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you! Please, don't treat him with such coarse words! Sir, if you want answers, we'll gladly lay it on you!" Kite insisted, gazing into Saffron with his effeminate hues.

Kindon followed up, putting on a theatrical show of playing up to Saffron's compassion. "The truth is... oh, I can hardly bear it! We knew that we couldn't go on without our Lord Mantine, you see! We had to have him back with us if we were to have any hope of salvation! So we did what any humble heroes would do and groveled at his feet! We knew that he wouldn't abandon his destiny! We knew he couldn't stray from this righteous path, and indeed he remained true! His kindness knows no limits!" he pleaded, tears welling up in his puppy-dog eyes.

"You're-... I mean, I... I, uhh-" Saffron stared back, absolutely bewildered, his mouth going crooked and agape as he struggled to find his words. "I don't believe a word you're... oh, I get it now. I'm just dreaming, that's all. I must've been drinking too much last night. Goodbye, fake dream Mantine. You three have fun, I'm gonna go give into the madness for a bit. Good talk." he said, taking a brisk walk in the other direction back to the inn.

Mantine breathed a long sigh of relief. "You guys take acting classes or somethin'? ...nice save."

With that aside, he didn't spend too much time basking in his victory, making a beeline for the Port's blacksmith to have his Aquatic Sword forged. The beautiful blade featured a forked design with waves that evoked the allure of the ocean, cast in a gorgeous blue gradient metal that matched the look of his guildmates' weaponry. It even came out with favorable Soul Craft effects, and he used his leftover enchant dust to upgrade it four times. At last, he could fight at the same strength as Kindon and Kite!

With the heroes' morale at an all-time high, they'd refuse to relent in their unstoppable momentum. Having exhausted the Port of all it was worth to them, the Mudkipz set their sights on new horizons. They had everything they needed to make the next push toward freedom, and they dared anyone to try to stop them. What did fate have in store for the unwilling players in Eugene's grand scheme, and what awaited them on the furthest reaches of the Continent of Wind? The truth was, not a single one of them could've possibly guessed the answer, even in their wildest dreams.

Next Time

Kite's Decision