Wind picked up and the lake shuddered. Like a miracle, the lake split in two right under Dave. He felt like he was free-falling into the serpent’s maw.

Darkness covered Dave’s vision. Then after a thud, light shone from above Dave. The lake crashed into itself as the two split sections merged together, creating a large wave.

Crimson blood spread at the depths of the lake, making the clear water a murky red. Dave swam up from what he believed to be the insides of the serpent. He was still confused by what just happened. But remembering the clear word, he heard before the lake split. He knew who was it that shouted it.

The tengu is here.

Dave rapidly swam up until he reached the lake surface. Looking up, the tengu was slowly flapping his wings, hovering in air with both arms crossed together while Dog was hanging from the tengu’s leg, with one hand, while the other hand was holding his head protectively under his armpit.

"Dog? You won?" Dave asked.

Dog grunted in agreement.

’Why didn’t I get a notification about it?’ Dave wondered. Then he remembered that he had already ignored all the notification coming from the storm labyrinth.

Dave was about to inspect the notification until he remembered that the serpent was still underwater. He didn’t know if the tengu had slain the serpent or just heavily wounded it. Dave decided it was safer to swim to the manticore and then plan his next step.

Dave swam across the lake until he arrived at the manticore. When he climbed up to the manticore’s carapace, the tengu was already there while Dog was fixing his head above his shoulders.

Lone and the rest of Dave’s party had taken a few steps away from the tengu. Lone especially was quite warry from the creature. He was something that made them dread the Storm Labyrinth a lot.

Dave inspected the notifications he had ignored before. Most of them were a report on the deaths of his underling in the storm labyrinth. But the last one was different.

***

Congratulations.

Your underling, Dog the dullahan, had managed to defeat. Dai-Tengu.

Therefore, Dai-Tengu has been added to your ranks as a Death Knight class Undead.

Dai-Tengu is a Yokai. And can only have Yokai-Type Underling to follow him.

Dai-Tengu used to be a boss class monster. Some of his abilities have been nerfed to balance the unit.

***

"Dog, you’re pretty awesome man," Dave commented.

"What’s going on, Dave?" Lone asked.

"We just got a new super-unit all thanks to Dog."

The dullahan was amazing. Dog had managed to defeat the tengu in the ascension arena all by himself while it took Dave a lot of effort and time to beat the tengu with more than a hundred undead.

Dog grunted and nodded to Dave and took a step back.

The tengu moved toward Dave and spoke.

"Warrior of the dead. I have been brought back to life against my will. I have clear memory to the loss I suffered under your hands. As the loser, I shall follow your command. For this undead nature will allow me to sharpen my blade further." The tengu said in all archaic manner.

Dave nodded and said, "I have to thank you. You saved me from that serpent."

"It is but my duty to my commander. Now, I have left my students in the Storm Labyrinth. They disliked the fact that you revived me to undeath. You will have to deal with them yourself." The tengu said.

"You mean if I were ever to fight them..." Dave trailed.

"Yes, I shall not lend a hand. You will be on your own."

"No problem. I understand." Dave replied

"As for all matter. I shall lend you my blade. Use it wisely, Lich." The tengu said.

"What happened to that serpent?" Perfect asked.

"I don’t know, Tengu here struck it down, it isn’t going back up," Dave said.

Then a moment later, a notification appeared in front of Dave.

***

You have completed the quest: Torab Slaying.

+ 500,000,000 XP!

You can now create a Doc in your undead settlement.

You can now purchase Warship Blueprints.

Trading Ships Blueprints.

Fishing Ships Blueprints.

You have gained the unique title

Dead men tell MY tale!

Title benefits.

When equipped. +20% naval ship speed. +20% Naval Weapon Damage.

Your Ring of True Undeath has synergised with your title.

Any ship you ride on will change appearance to that of a Ghost Ship

Ghost Ships can dive underwater and cannot be drowned.

***

Dave levelled up from 375 to level 388, thanks to this quest. And he had yet to drink the potions he received from Ramsha. The Doom Knight ascension is right around the corner. And this gave Dave a lot of hopes in ascending to a more powerful undead form.

Dave inspected all of the information about the quest and its details, smirking Dave said.

"Heh, all I need is a straw hat now!" Dave chuckled.

"Straw hat? I don’t get it?" Flanker said.

historical

"Man, you should hang yourself in shame for not getting that reference," Fortress shook his head.

"So, what now?" Mercy asked.

"Well, our job here is done. I don’t have any other plans. And most of my quests are impossible to do right now. I still need to level up."

"Oh. Hmm, I think I’ll stay in the underworld for a while to level up," Mercy said.

"Yeah, I think I will join in. The third raid zone ahs some good exp areas and I could revive more manticores to add to my army," Dave said.

"We don’t have the gate code," Perfect said.

"Yeah, hang on, I still have more scrolls." Dave rummaged through his inventory, and his attention was drawn to an item he bought from Ramsha.

It was a treasure map.

Dave opened the map.

***

Treasure Hunt!

You found the treasure map of an ancient pirate king.

He had hidden his treasures in the deep sea. Find them, and they will all be yours. But beware, without a proper ship, the sea will destroy your dream in finding the treasure before you ever reach it.

***

Dave grinned until his smile almost reached his ears. "I really like this more and more. Guys, we have a treasure hunt! Who’s in?!"

Dave shared the map with his party.

"Treasures! Jewels and diamonds, I’m in!" Lone instantly replied.

"Count me in. I won’t miss this." Mercy said with a glint in her eyes.

"Yeah, why not, but how are we going to get there. We need a ship." Flanker pointed out. The mark was way deep into the seas of Conquest’s world.

"And I think it’s enough playing man. It’s way too late right now, and we have been online for a long time," Perfect said.

"You guys are right. I will take care of making the ship. You can log out and have your rest. When the ship is ready, I’ll contact you. Mercy, inform Ralph. He will want to come." Dave said.

"Okay," Mercy said.

The players all logged out leaving Dave with Bud, Tiny and the tengu on his manticore.

"Warrior of the Dead. I wish to have my sabre back." The tengu said.

Dave frowned, then he realised that the tengu didn’t have his katana on him anymore. Dave had already looted it the day he killed the tengu and never had the time to start the quest related to it.

Dave rummaged through his inventory and pulled out a pitch-black katana.

"My Rift-Maker. Thank you for keeping it safe," the tengu held the sabre piously with both hands.

"Uh, hang on," Dave said.

"What is it, Warrior of the Dead?"

"If you didn’t have your katana earlier, how did you split the lake in two?" Dave asked.

The tengu snorted saying, "When you reach perfect harmony with yourself, you may turn a leaf into a sword." The tengu swung his hand vertically, the very wind emitted from his hand movement had split the lake water again.

Dave gulped hard. The tengu was mad strong. He had to admit that. But that wasn’t what scared him the most. Dave slightly turned his head toward Dog. This guy was innocently wiping the helmet on his head from dust.

’How the heck did Dog defeat this guy?’

A question that will take Dave a while to know the truth behind.