Athena in Tower Defense Game! [LitRPG]

Chapter 114: Gained Cards!

As the sky began to lighten, Ilinaya felt that she had already reached her limits.

After a final round of internal struggle, Ilinaya selected a few items she deemed essential.

The enormous and heavy satchel was effortlessly tossed into the air, shrinking rapidly into a pendant that now hung around her neck.

Ensuring that no one was around, she swam out of the palace. Unfortunately, she hadn’t traveled far before encountering a male merman blocking her path.

“Ilinaya! What are you planning to do?” The repeated obstructions from the other party had begun to wear on Ilinaya's patience.

“I’m saying this for the last time—I have to go. The contract is already signed!”

Ilyashin retracted his hand, which had been blocking her path, and extended a clenched fist towards her. His slender fingers, adorned with long blue nails, created the illusion of a blooming flower when opened.

Inside was a pendant identical to Ilinaya's—another space storage device. Such items were incredibly rare, with each member of their royal family allowed only one.

Ilinaya had initially thought Ilyashin was there to stop her, but she was surprised to find that he was actually offering supplies he had stored for a long time.

“Return alive, Ilinaya. And... I’ll come find you…”

Her only response was her passing figure. Ilinaya did not accept his gesture of goodwill, leaving him in disappointment. Just as he was about to turn away, he heard a soft whisper pass by his ear.

“Of course.”

Accompanied by the sound of flowing water, it felt surreal, yet he heard it clearly.

Watching her retreating figure, he hung the pendant back around his neck and swam away in the opposite direction.

Ilinaya arrived at the site where the teleportation array had been deactivated yesterday. With the system's teleportation gate now nonfunctional, even if the musical dolphins called for her, she could not directly reach the place where Athena was.

However, since a teleportation gate had appeared here yesterday, the spatial fluctuations here were the easiest to tear open.

Her summoning of the musical dolphins was bidirectional; not only could the musical dolphins summon her, but she could also summon them.

At the dark depths of the sea, where only endless darkness prevailed, even the fish were asleep. Yet, the beautiful merman sang her song leisurely.

“Ah~ Ah~” Her voice was clear and pure, expressing her longing and summoning creatures from afar.

The musical dolphin, feeling the vibration in the water, quickly arrived at the shelter and began bumping against it, as if it could not feel any pain.

Athena rushed out the moment he heard the commotion, accompanied by three small creatures carrying rags and brushes.

Upon seeing the glowing blue musical dolphin bouncing before the shelter's barrier, Athena approached.

Through subtle body language, Athena understood the musical dolphin's intentions and gently placed her hand on its forehead through the barrier.

Unexpectedly, the dolphin tilted its head back and played dead, allowing Athena to successfully capture its card.

This familiar routine gave Athena a sense of dejavu.

Had news of this loophole spread through everywhere?

As Ilinaya’s summoning of the musical dolphin grew stronger, the card in Athena’s bag temporarily turned golden.

However, due to its extreme instability, the golden color flickered intermittently.

【 Special Event: Mermaid Summoning 】

Using the musical dolphin as a medium, teleport to the mermen palace. Difficulty level unknown, teleport destination unknown!

【 Detected player holds special merman certificate: Mermaid Tear! 】
【 Teleport direction altered, temporary passage formed. Your teammate will arrive in one minute! 】
【Would you like to activate it?】

"Yes"

A teleportation gate appeared suddenly before Athena’s shelter, directly adjacent to the barrier.

The blue light on the musical dolphin remained undiminished. After one minute, Ilinaya's familiar face emerged from the teleportation array first.

Followed by her fair arm, she tapped on the barrier with her sharp nails, signaling Athena to open it.

Athena created an opening for her, and she slipped through like a fish. The musical dolphin, as if pulled by an unseen force, was also drawn into her hands.

As her fish tail was about to touch the ground, it was enveloped in white light, transforming into a pair of long, fair legs.

Gently touching the ground, she quickly recoiled slightly, as if not accustomed to the temperature and sensation of the surface.

Nevertheless, she finally steadied herself on the ground. Her remaining scaly-like features gradually faded, leaving behind a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

She took out a plain veil and put it on, obscuring her features until she appeared ordinary.

Athena observed the entire transformation, waiting until it was complete.

Just as she expected something unusual to follow, Ilinaya made a very familiar request.

“Place your hand on my forehead.”

The familiar procedure and its steps were now second nature to Athena.

The most complex matters often require the simplest solutions. If one attempt fails, repeating the process multiple times usually works.

Soon, the notification sound chimed again, and Athena collected another merman card. This card was different—it was transparent.

Its seemingly ephemeral appearance suggested that this loophole was not guaranteed to succeed, with a certain degree of uncertainty.

However, this was exactly the result Ilinaya needed. She produced a bracelet made of shells from somewhere and put it on her wrist.

Athena soon received the system notification.

【 Updating data… 】
【 Defeated Royal Mermaid: White Grand. White Grand card has been unlocked! 】
【 Congratulations Player Big Dream on being the first in the region to unlock the White Grand card. Reputation increased by 100! 】
【Please choose carefully! Do you wish to enter the White Grand realm early?】

"Yes"

【Detected sufficient World Stones; choices made automatically! One World Stone for teleportation, one World Stone for disguise!】【Legendary Array activated. Due to its special nature, your temporary team is formed!】
【Team Members: 22, Big Dream, Ilinaya】

After a series of notifications, a teleportation gate appeared before Athena. She restrained the effect of the disguise until the moment she stepped through the gate.

Indicating for Ilinaya to go first, Ilinaya, without hesitation, used a World Stone and entered the gate.

Athena followed closely, activating the skill “Boneless.”

Boneless Lv5: Significantly enhances body flexibility, enabling extremely difficult movements and subtle changes in facial bone structure.