After tearing through the Wooden Wolves he knew like the back of his hand, Martin quickly reached the huge lake that stretched for miles and served as the Baby Kraken's home.
He slowed at the shore for a moment and looked across the clear water.
Strange how different this felt from his older solo runs. Back then, being alone had carried a quiet emptiness with it.
This time, he felt only anticipation.
With Ao Tenshin perched on his head, he stripped off his weapons and armor and stored them in his inventory.
The little Dragon Turtle tapped eagerly against his hair, as if she had been waiting for the lake all along. When he glanced up, she was already fixed on the water.
Clad in nothing but beginner clothes, he dove in. The water was clear, yet the lake ran so deep that he couldn't see the bottom, much less the creature slumbering below.
