Arknightcraft Modpack

“The scent of an Abyssal Hunter clings to you,” the green-haired girl stated, her voice calm but pointed. “Her blood attracts calamities. If you wish to stop being pursued by the monsters of the ocean, you’ll need to cleanse yourself of this contamination.”

Ignoring Steven’s earlier question about purchasing Mon3tr, the girl continued walking ahead, her tone unfazed.

Steven shrugged. It wasn’t surprising that something as impressive as Mon3tr wasn’t for sale. However, her mention of Abyssal Hunter blood attracting monsters was news to him.

So, that’s why the terrifying fish-like creatures had been relentlessly chasing them back in the village. It must have been Gladiia coughing up blood and getting some on him.

Turning back, Steven pinched Gladiia’s innocent-looking cheek. Ever since he arrived in this world, most of his troubles seemed to revolve around her.

Still, he couldn’t stay mad. Her childlike personality and the way she called him “Dada” softened the impact of her antics. If she were cold and aloof—or worse, tsundere—he would’ve left her behind without a second thought.

Of course, there was another reason: he felt responsible for her current state. After all, it was his actions that had left her like this.

Grabbing a bucket of water from his backpack, Steven poured it over himself. Confirming in his status menu that the “scent” wasn’t a formal buff, he turned to the green-haired girl.

“Is it gone now?” he asked.

The girl tilted her head slightly, studying him. “The smell had already faded over time, but rinsing yourself seems to have erased the last traces. You shouldn’t have to worry about sea monsters for now.”

She paused, her gaze lingering on the bucket. The act of conjuring water wasn’t uncommon with Originium Arts, but summoning a metal bucket along with it? That was a first.

“Good to know,” Steven replied with a grin. “But I’m curious—how do you know all this? Have you studied Abyssal Hunters before?”

His tone was casual, but his eyes flicked toward the name hovering above her head: Rhodes Island Medical Department Head: Kal’tsit.

So this was the organization tied to the main plotline. If he stuck with her, he could probably advance the story and rack up some World Acknowledgement Points.

Even though Steven’s current strength was enough to handle most problems without additional mods, navigating this world without its support could still be inconvenient.

As for outright defying the world’s constraints and forcefully activating mods, Steven wasn’t above it—but he preferred not to. He wasn’t someone the “World Will” could easily expel, but he also understood the risks of clashing with it.

Steven had toppled worlds before. He knew better than anyone that destroying a world’s will often spelled doom for its future. This world was already teetering on the edge, and he wasn’t here to break it.

This wasn’t like Minecraft, where the inhabitants were mindless NPCs that respawned after death. Here, the people were real, with lives and emotions. And while Steven was all for fun and games, he drew the line at wrecking entire worlds for his own amusement.

For now, he was content to follow the rules—unless the world decided to push him too far.

“My knowledge isn’t boundless,” Kal’tsit said, interrupting his thoughts. She hesitated briefly before continuing, “But regarding the Abyssal Hunters, the Church of the Deep, and the monsters they summon, I have a thorough understanding.”

“Are you trying to say you know everything about the surface world?” Steven asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kal’tsit hesitated, then nodded slightly. “Your phrasing is imprecise, but the outcome aligns with reality.”

“Alright then,” Steven said, a mischievous glint in his eye. “If you’re so knowledgeable, what species am I?”

He smirked, genuinely curious. Most people he’d met had assumed he was some kind of Aegir, like the Abyssal Hunters. Even Steven himself wasn’t entirely sure what he was in this world.

Kal’tsit’s green eyes studied him intently. After a moment of silence, she spoke with certainty.

“You… are not human.”

“Huh?” Steven blinked, caught off guard.

“You do not belong to this land, nor to any species within this world,” she continued, her voice steady. “You are not human—yet perhaps, in the truest sense of the word, you are the only one who is.”

Her answer took Steven by surprise. Slowly, a smile spread across his face.

This woman, who claimed to know everything, had truly piqued his interest.