Near a solitary cliff, black smoke swirled, with dark lightning crackling through it. Anyone who saw this scene would undoubtedly assume it was demonic power, and they would be right.
After using the transformation card, powerful magical energy began to fill Noah's body. For a moment, he was overwhelmed by this force but soon regained his composure. Within the black cloud, he could feel his body shifting, taking on a new, much more powerful form.
As he emerged from the sudden surge of magic, he raised his hand, dispersing the smoke that surrounded him. Before him stood his new form.
Where a human once stood, now there was a giant, anthropomorphic catfish in a red cloak and black top hat. Its face was dominated by a massive maw, surrounded by long whiskers. When the creature grinned, jagged teeth and a long tongue were revealed.
"I've become Tahm Kench," Noah muttered, trying to lower his head, only to realize he had no neck. He raised his hand and saw a thick paw with three fingers, adorned with a bracelet engraved with intricate patterns. Moving his fingers, he felt the immense magical energy coursing through his body. This was the power of the ancient demon demigod, Tahm Kench.
Noah turned toward the ocean, feeling a strange connection to the water, an urge to dive in.
"I feel like I can control this ocean," he thought, sensing the power of Tahm, known as the River King, capable of wielding the element of water. In League of Legends, Tahm Kench often proclaimed, "The world is a river, and I am its king." This ancient demon of greed indeed had dominion over water.
Noah extended his hand toward the ocean and focused, channeling his magic into the water. The calm surface began to churn, waves rising and crashing onto the shore. People on the nearby beach, noticing this, assumed a tsunami was coming and fled in panic.
He continued manipulating the water. After the waves, a massive whirlpool appeared far from the shore, spinning like a black hole. Noah felt no strain while controlling this phenomenon; it was as if it were his natural ability.
"The power of Tahm is truly immense," Noah remarked, ceasing his magical control over the ocean. He had only used a fraction of his strength, and it didn't require much effort since Tahm was naturally the master of the waters.
"Lissandra, what do you think of my new form?" he asked, looking at the robot that had been by his side all along. He patted his large belly and grinned widely.
To an ordinary person, the sight of a giant anthropomorphic catfish would be terrifying, but Lissandra, as an artificial intelligence, knew this was merely Noah's form, so she calmly replied, "Noah's current form is less appealing than the human one, but I can detect high energy levels."
"Thanks for the compliment, Lissandra. This form is necessary for my upcoming task. I can only use it temporarily. But first, take a couple of pictures. I want to save this memory," Noah said, pleased with her words. He loved collecting things. For example, he enjoyed gathering items and materials in games. Now his collection would include photos of himself in the form of Tahm Kench. As long as the task wasn't completed, he could remain in this form indefinitely.
"Hm..." Noah suddenly thought.
"If I delay completing the task, can I keep using Tahm's power for a long time and take care of other matters?"
As soon as this thought crossed his mind, the system, as if understanding his intent, sent a message:
[Summoner, the power of this transformation card can only be used for the current task. Outside of the task's context, the card's power will vanish.]
"What? No glitch in the system?" Noah exclaimed, disappointed that his little trick hadn't worked. He was frustrated but quickly calmed down, as he had already made significant progress.
"Noah, are you ready? I'm starting to take the pictures," Lissandra said.
"Yes, I'm ready. Go ahead," he responded and struck a variety of humorous poses. He took photos with different facial expressions, deciding that when he returned, he would print them and add them to his collection.
"Alright, that's enough. Time to dive," Noah said, stopping his posing. He had taken plenty of photos, which he would later sift through and use to decorate his room. But for now, he needed to focus on the task at hand.
"Lissandra, sit on my shoulder. I'll carry you underwater," Noah said. He offered for her to latch onto his body so she wouldn't fall behind when he started using Tahm's Abyssal Dive ability. Lissandra flew up to his shoulder, and part of her body transformed into a protective shoulder pad, firmly attaching herself. Noah checked that she was securely fastened, and satisfied, he leaped into the sea.
As soon as he entered the water, he felt indescribable pleasure, as if the entire ocean was welcoming his return. It felt as though he belonged there. He didn't make swimming motions but simply used Tahm's magic to move. Seeing the underwater landscapes before him, Noah was filled with awe. He had only seen these things in photos and videos before.
Diving deeper into the dark waters, where sunlight could no longer reach, Noah felt no discomfort. He could see perfectly in the darkness. Looking at the system's marker, he realized he still had a long way to go. So, he decided to use Abyssal Dive. In the game, this ability allowed Tahm to teleport through the ground from one place to another. In reality, Noah could see the world as a river and move freely through its flow.
Tahm's magical energy enveloped his legs, creating a vortex into which Noah submerged. He felt his body moving through the river. When he was close enough to his target, he surfaced again. In the abyss of the Atlantic Ocean, a whirlpool appeared, from which Noah emerged.
Around him, there was nothing but impenetrable darkness—no fish, no beautiful coral, only a dead, lifeless seabed. At such depths, few creatures lived.
"We're almost there," Noah said, looking at the arrow pointing toward the vibranium deposit. He also glanced at Lissandra to ensure she hadn't been harmed by the spatial transition or the immense pressure of the ocean depths. They were now about 3,600 meters below the surface, and such pressure would be fatal to an ordinary human. Yet Noah felt completely at ease.
"Just a bit more to go," he said, speeding up toward his destination.
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