Mornn
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Chapter 639 - The Ark
🕑 Added 2025-03-25 17:00:12 +0000 UTCThe elf seraph opened the tower’s door. The interior was like a larger version of the very first trial tower, completely empty, with continuous energy pulses coming down the walls. Five people were already inside, sitting around a table.
“We have everyone,” the elf announced before Sofia could even enter, “Erman, launch the Ark.”
“On it, Mid,” one of the men at the table answered, he was a large beastman with feline features and a huge mane, he disappeared after giving his answer.
Beastman, Exidian, and… Andarian? Sofia thought, observing the Seraphs, then she looked at her two new teammates. Morning Star was there as expected, drinking tea with four different swords strapped to her back, and the other was also a familiar figure.
So you decided to come after all, Kuli.
She was the founder and guildmaster of the avdenturers’ guild, Kuli Hest, a tiny rabbit beastwoman, and accessorily, Sofia’s best drinking buddy after Alith. She looked uneasy sitting next to Mornn and the two remaining seraphs, who on the contrary all looked rather relaxed.
And so there are female Seraphs, too. The exidian looks like any other exidian woman, down to the small hat… But the Andarian… That’s not really what I imagined when I heard fish-people. Ah, I shouldn’t stare too much.
Pareth saluted everyone with a small bow, and Sofia decided to copy him.
“Good to see you again Sofia, been a while. Sorry Sun roped you into this,” Mornn called out.
“No worries, I agreed to it,” Sofia started answering, but she was cut there but the other elf.
“That’s it for that, trial starts now,” he said as the tower suddenly filled up an alarming amount of mana coming from underground and the beastman Seraph reappeared behind Kuli.
“We’re out first, lady,” the tall beastman seraph told Kuli, holding out a hand.
Kuli just had the time to close her eyes and take a deep breath, when she grabbed the seraph’s hand, they both disappeared.
The elf simply appeared behind Mornn, put a hand on her shoulder and they were both gone. That left only Sofia, Pareth, and the two female seraphs in the tower. The Exidian Seraph stood up first.
“I was assigned the tall dashing man over there,” she said, looking over at Pareth. She teleported in front of him, holding out a hand, “if you would, sir.”
I’ll be right after you.
Pareth grabbed her hand, they disappeared.
So I’m left with the Andarian.
The Andarian Seraph slowly stood up from her chair instead of teleporting. She was not particularly tall or impressive, she had a svelte frame and gracious movements like a dancer, the scales covering her body shimmering under Sofia’s light as she approached.
The body shape is really mostly human aside from the fins and the strange face.
“First time?” the seraph asked, her voice surprisingly soft and feminine despite her mouth full of razor-sharp pointy teeth.
“Seeing an Andarian? Yes. Sorry for staring.”
“Ahah. No need to apologize. It’s my first time seeing a Lumian, too,” she answered, walking around Sofia.
“I doubt you will get to see many, but nice to be acknowledged, I suppose. Everyone seems to just call me human anyway, despite… You know. But are we not going?”
“It’s up to you to spread the name of your new race. But good news, this is precisely the place to do so. After all, you still rank first to this day… This is also why I am stalling.”
“I still rank first… From the second trial, you mean?” Sofia asked, “How is that supposed to help here? And why the need to stall?”
“From the second trial. Your ranking is your seed for this trial. It determines a few things. For the first place, which you are technically the holder of, though the skeleton also shares it, it is a bit of a mess. That is why we have to wait for the universal alert to go through.”
“Universal alert?!”
“Well, not quite universal, only those who… Ah, it’s out.”
Sofia heard the ding of a new system notification.
‘RANK N°1 - SOFIA APHENORETH, now entering the Ark. Seats will open up for sale in 1:00:00’
Sofia gulped, “This trial… Has spectators? Wh- Who exactly received this message?!”
“Well, normally you can filter those alerts out, but Rank 1 is special so… Who exactly… Absolutely everyone above level three hundred,” the seraph explained with a thumbs up, flashing her two rows of sharp pointy teeth.
“Oh shit… And you didn’t even censor the name?!”
“Orders from above,” the seraph answered with a shrug, “as far as I can tell, we’re all still alive, aren’t we? Everything should be fine, now let’s go!”
The seraph grabbed Sofia’s shoulder and they both disappeared.
You just broadcast my name to the entire world! NOTHING IS FINE! Sofia wanted to scream as her consciousness faded.
Sofia opened her eyes in her own body, and she felt several things. First there was a fresh breeze, a strong smell of salt, and a distinct feeling of wrongness. Under a clear blue sky, she tried to understand where she was.
What the hell…
She was alone at the bow of a terrifyingly immense ship of metal, sailing on an endless blue sea that extended beyond where the eyes could see in all directions.
Space broke near her, and Pareth appeared.
“Any information on what we have to do?” Sofia asked.
Pareth shook his head.
“Well damn… This must be the Ark… I’m not even sure I can see the other end… I can tell it’s a false world, the toybox skill is reacting strangely. Have you seen the other two?”
Again Pareth answered with a negative.
“No matter, let’s get ready, Bookie!”
“I’m ready!” Bookie answered, summoning himself next to Pareth.
“Perfect. Since we have no information about what’s coming at all, we have to be ready… Wait, what’s…”
On the ark’s main deck, hundreds of people started to quickly appear in large groups, they were all level 299. Sofia quickly spotted Mornn because the tall elf stood out that much with her giant sword, she had also appeared relatively close.
“Mornn, over here!” she called out.
Everyone nearby turned to look at her.
Ah…
Pareth crossed his arms, looking back at the observers. Despite some noise in the crowd, nobody came to pick a fight, and Sun’s saintess joined Sofia by floating over the crowd.
“I just got here,” she said first thing, “any sign of Kuli?”
“I’m looking,” Sofia answered, “There are so many people… Think they’re real?”
“No,” the saintess decisively answered. “Trial illusions. I see elves I know in the midst. They’ve been over level 300 for a long time.”
“Past trial-takers, then?”
“Most likely. Sun told me nothing, so I know as much as you.”
Past trial-takers… Sofia’s eyes scanned the crowd, looking for familiar faces, but she was unsuccessful, until her gaze stopped on a shining bald head.
Holy shit! That’s Orvod!
Does that mean Saria, Cinthia and Zerei are also somewhere in there?! A demon should be easy to spot.
Oh, there are several.
Woah.
This trial is going to be crazy.
Kuli found Pareth before they could find her, the skeleton stood out that much, and the tiny guildmaster in her usual green robes landed in front of the other four.
“Happy to see you here, Sofia.”
“Thank you for coming, Kuli. How are your nerves?”
“Ahahah…” the beastwoman laughed nervously, “I’ll deal with it… I don’t want to slow you down.”
“Don’t worry, it’s a lot better to have you here than a random fourth member we can’t trust. And it looks like I don’t need to introduce Mornn here…”
“Indeed not, we have had time to converse a bit.”
The conversation was cut short by the voice of the beastman seraph blaring out on the ark’s deck, amplified hundreds of times by magic.
“Trial-takers! Welcome to this year’s third edition, of the Tournament Ark!”
“We are now on the Ark, a glorious ship going on a round trip around planet Gamma-b-13, an ocean world just a few trillions of kilometers away from ours! As you can see, there are many people around you, trialees from the past and present, you will compete with the best of the best, and have until the end of the round trip to awaken the second stage of your mana heart!”
“More detailed instructions will come as you go through the trial, but for now, let the first test begin!”
‘You have received a new quest’
[The first test of the Ark:
Accommodations on the Ark are on a first-come, first-served basis. Rooms rank down in quality with their number. You must lock yourself in a room with nobody from an enemy team to successfully reserve it. Dealing damage to other trialees is disabled.
May the fastest prevail.]
Sofia was the first to read through the entire quest with the fast-reading of [Dodge-me].
She did not wait for the others, she summoned the skeleton dryads and phased through the deck.
There were already other people on the lower floor, all like her, contestants looking for the rooms. A tall, pink-scaled Andarian that dinged as a Hero was not far, and already reading a drawn plan of the Ark the spanned an entire wall.
Sofia zoomed in with her left eye, not even going close.
Rooms are on the opposite side!
Sofia deployed her wings, she was about to go but she had a second of absence as the Andarian noticed her and they glanced at each other.
She recognized the eye-shaped pendant around his neck, one of the previously unclaimed prizes of the second trial’s 99th floor.
The Andarian Hero, on his part seemed to frown at the sight of Sofia’s crown. He turned in the direction of the rooms, and disappeared.
Shit! So fast!
Comments
OmniGlitcher
>the Tournament Ark! Of course. Well, this sounds like it should be fun.
Cyclone001
Of the rings, Saria has one, or she couldn't have left. Another is the deep ring which I assume they'll keep that way. So that leaves 2 rings? One they used to escape the moon, the other to escape Zangdar. Last we saw the two, Sofia left Alith to do a little "gardening" as she headed for the trial. If Sofia didn't take both rings with her and double back to give Alith the reprogramed 2nd moon ring, Alith is stuck in Zangdar right now I think (either with no ring, or one that would send her to the 2nd moon). The only detour mentioned was to her bone city to write letters. Hopefully she didn't forget.
Ceasar Salas
Wasn’t the pope of scripture lower than level 300? I wonder if this situation is part of the reason why. Or if he failed the trial and Sofia will see him again and get a look at what he can do
Ceasar Salas
I personally wouldn’t mind, but I am guessing it will be a while. Based on the mention of there being solo activities, team activities, past trial takers, and spectators. I have a strong feeling that Scripture or some other higher being entity will mess with the trial as well (probably via spectator). So I expect it to be awhile, but I look forward to the ride
E
Might be an unpopular opinion, but I hope this trial doesn't become an entire book. The length of the previous trial was fatiguing.
Ceasar Salas
Thanks for the chapter! I wonder when Sofia will start to use her new toybox skill. Couldn’t it mess with time? Also… haha very funny, it’s on a boat called the tournament ark, and this ‘book’ will be the trial arc. I bet you made the transition so fast because you couldn’t keep that word play hidden away lol
E
I suspect Sofia's False Lord passive, which appeared to be a prerequisite for surviving the heart's initial creation, will be required for her Deep heart in this second stage. Very interesting to see how this one develops. Erredis made the comment that all high level people know who can beat who. These kinds of System functions would definitely explain why... It would be in Sofia's best interest to handicap herself as much as possible to prevent exposing her trump cards. I wonder why this tournament is allowing copies of "failures" to join. What is the point of including people like Orvod? Why do I get the feeling Sofia's going to use Deep shenanigans to make fake-Orvod "pass" the trial which then somehow applies to real Orvod?
Tejing
So Kuli's the fourth member. That should be cool. Oh good, the elf's not assigned to Sofia. Andarian, huh? Didn't know what to expect from the name, but that's an interesting race. She seems nice enough. Well, now, somehow I get the feeling this one's going to have more spectators than usual... Interesting to have past trial takers here... it even seems like those who failed the trial like Orvod are here. I guess that means the Oracle is here somewhere, too? "Tournament Ark"... part of me wants to smile, but it can't fit past the groan. :-P "Awaken the second stage of your mana heart," huh? Makes me wonder a bit if wagering an essence of Aphenoreth in the 250 trial is going to continue to have interesting effects on this trial and future ones, since her mana heart has traces of his nature in it. Wonder if that Andarian Hero is a "past" or "present" trial-taker? Corrections: the founder and guildmaster of the avdenturers’ guild, Kuli Hest avdenturers’ -> adventurers’ but she was cut there but the other elf. there but -> there by
Tejing
Presumably Sofia swapped out her Ser'Altra ring with one of the ones Saria brought back, or else reset its connection. Either way, between Alith's ring and Sofia's, they're good.
Cyclone001
Yeah, but Saria had already left Zangdar. Who picked her up and how did they know?
Mornn
Since Saria brought back the two missing rings they can use it to get out, they can also unfuck the linkage of the rings by just using them from the real world to return to Zangdar, so that's not an issue.
Emily Gurnavage
Tournament "ARK", huh, wiseguy? I suppose everyone enjoys a good tournament "ark" in a story.
Cyclone001
Glad to see Kuli back. First time I've seen you mistake Pareth for Aphenoreth though. As for the Tournament Ark... is there a word for both a groan and a chuckle? I do have one question about the last chapter though. How did they get out of Zangdar? Does this mean they now have 2 rings locked to places they don't want to return to just yet? Looking forward to seeing Sofia use her new time freeze next chapter (surprised she didn't use it already).
Lazy Monster
TFTC. I’m glad Kuli’s making an important appearance in the story again. It looks like death may have been wrong about a hero having potential to take Sofia’s 1st rank in the tower. Sofia is so going to become essentially the final boss in this trial going forward.
BOT
I'd am really interested in seeing how the old gaurd, or those in the know about the Lords iguess, reacted to just having the Inquisitors name spoken to them like that
Tom Asciola
Oh shit, I wasn't expecting a tournament arc! (And was even less expecting a tournament ARK)
ArtTheGreat
“Past triak takers”
Chance Rose
Lol i tried my best
Kennyevilmonkey
Just popping in to check on her.
Kennyevilmonkey
In the future, Sophia is going to be the true boss of this challenge. So many people are going to fail because of her...
Mornn
yeah thanks, will probably still get a few comments about it though, it is what it is x)
Mornn
Nobody knows they're from the past, no, and of course messing up with the experience by bringing it up to people who clearly are is prohibited ;)
Chance Rose
Figured I'd save you the alerts if I could lol
Mornn
ah shit
Wensber
Hmmmm. Do trial takers from the past know they are from the past? Could Sofia freak out Orvod or could the elves that know Mornn recognize her? .... I wonder if Sofia could do so well that they ban her from appearing in future Arks.
Chance Rose
The only other thing you should change before you get 90 questions is you said Sophia and aphenoreth were left instead of pareth.
Wensber
"That left only Sofia, Aphenoreth, and the two female seraphs in the tower." I'm fairly sure that is supposed to be Pareth, unless we had a momentary possession going on.
Mornn
I don't know :p
Wensber
Just so we're clear, Sofia, Pareth, Kuli, and Mornn are not the only trial takers from the present right? That Andarian Hero had taken the 2nd trial after Sofia since he has one of the unclaimed 99th floor rewards and unless he got to this trial before Sofia, then he is also here in the present.
Mornn
Please refresh the page if you don't see italics / bold text, sorry x.x
Mornn
Argh, formatting broke, give me a second to fix it
Quentin Cozzi
Thanks for the chapter!
Wensber
Thanks for the chapter!
