Chapter 374: The Carol World and the Darank Ruins
After over ten days of traveling, Yuliya found herself in a place called Carol World.
It was a medium-sized world, less than a tenth the size of the Jade Emperor Kingdom.
Its biggest selling point? Adventurers and Adventurer Guilds everywhere!
Carol World boasted numerous cities, each with its own Adventurer Guild, managing the entire realm like a well-oiled machine of adventurer culture.
This was actually Yuliya’s first solid destination.
Before departing from the Jade Emperor Kingdom, she had quizzed Edward about the origins of the legendary skill, “Dragon Phoenix Power.”
The answer? It came from some large ruins in Carol World.
After awakening, Yuliya realized that the “Dragon Phoenix Power” was likely her own skill or a skill of the Golden Kingdom.
So, naturally, she had to check out the ruins that produced this skill.
Carol World was a bustling hub of adventurers, with a vibrant culture. Besides local adventurers, many newcomers like Yuliya had come from other places.
Although the land wasn’t huge, its reputation was sizeable, and the adventurer ratings and honors were no joke.
If someone was pursuing a life as an adventurer, this was definitely a must-visit spot.
Of course, if it was too far away, that’d be a different story. But there might be similar places in other regions.
Yuliya strolled into Carol World, following descriptions, and soon arrived at Yana City.
Just over ten kilometers outside Yana City lay the ruins that produced “Dragon Phoenix Power,” locally known as the Darank Ruins.
This time, Yuliya didn’t don her mask; she simply wore a black robe instead.
Wearing a mask was just too flashy—it drew all the curious gazes.
She had previously chosen to wear a mask just to keep things simple.
Let’s be real, everyone would understand: with her breathtaking looks and charm, just stepping outside would create a traffic jam of admirers trying to catch a glimpse.
Sigh, the burden of being too pretty was this—did she have to carry this curse forever?
If so, she’d rather reduce her looks by one point, from a perfect score of 101 to just 100.
Oh, but wait, lowering that one point would just be a loss for the world!
So this time, Yuliya returned to Golden City, applied some makeup, and added a few flaws for good measure.
Then, she twisted things up a bit, employing some reverse beautification techniques, like using chopsticks to create curves.
And of course, she didn’t forget to look a tad more mature.
Though she was already mature inside, some folks were just a bit too shallow and only appreciated the surface.
So, Yuliya settled for a look that was just cute enough, a solid six or seven out of ten, resembling a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl.
She even stacked herself up to a height of one hundred and fifty centimeters.
Upon reaching the city outskirts and gazing at the bustling crowds, filled with laughter and chatter, she couldn’t help but smile, exclaiming, “Now this is an alternate world!”
This was how fantasy worlds were supposed to look!
Back in the Jade Emperor Kingdom, with players everywhere, the atmosphere was saturated with local culture—something felt off.
And in this previous place, she had encountered some not-so-fun events.
But now, here in Carol World, things finally felt right.
She entered the city and made her way straight to the Adventurer Guild.
It was always the best spot to gather information.
With adventurers buried in tasks, selecting goods, and downing drinks while boasting, the air in Yana City was festive and lively.
“Hello! This is my first time here. What should I do?” Yuliya asked at the front desk.
There were several receptionists, and one stepped up to respond, “First time, huh? Yana City isn’t exactly on the outskirts. How did you end up here?”
“A friend recommended I come. They said there’s a really interesting ruin here, so I thought I’d check it out.”
“You must be talking about the Darank Ruins! Many come here for that. Please, just a quick registration first.”
She registered under the name “Riya”, and for her strength, she pondered for a bit before writing down ‘Gold Level’ and, of course, her profession as a Mage.
To enter the deeper parts of the Darank Ruins, that was the recommended level.
“Gold Level, huh?” The receptionist looked at Yuliya, then back at the registration info, murmuring to herself.
“Is something wrong?”
“Ah, esteemed adventurer, if you’re Gold Level, we need to conduct a small test to confirm.”
“We’re not doubting you, just need to verify! After all, there have been cases where adventurers underestimated their level, claimed to be Gold Level, entered the deeper ruins, and… well, let’s just say they didn’t make it back.”
Yuliya nodded, “No problem.”
The receptionist produced a crystal ball, and Yuliya followed the instructions.
In the end, she showcased her mid-tier Gold Level prowess.
“Alright, no issues there! Respected adventurer, your strength has been verified, granting you access to the deeper areas of the Darank Ruins. Here’s your membership badge. If you wish to gather more intel about the ruins, just head to the information area on the left with your badge.”
The receptionist’s demeanor noticeably shifted to more respect.
Reaching Gold Level was like residing on a cliff’s edge—once you got there, you were considered strong amongst the crowd.
After all, 90% of adventurers would never cross the threshold of Gold Level in their entire lives.
“Thanks!” Yuliya nodded and headed left.
Thankfully, this Adventurer Guild was no rookie—there was none of that tired old cliche about starting from the bottom, picking herbs, and gradually climbing the ranks to access high-level quests.
If it had been, this would’ve turned into a tale stretching over several hundred thousand words!
Yuliya strolled into the left information area, but just a few steps in, she was stopped.
“This adventurer lady, you’re headed for the Darank Ruins too, right?”
The one blocking her path was a young man in his twenties.
Yuliya glanced up at him and took a step to the side, continuing on her way.
Ignoring him was the best course of action. He was already blocking her path and then making her look up at him—so rude, there went a thousand points off his impressiveness!
Okay, that’s done! Cue the negative scores. PASS.
The guy had a decent face with what he thought was a charming grin, but he was ignored.
His smile faltered, but he quickly stepped up to follow her.
“Miss, I heard you’re going to the Darank Ruins. Our team is also heading there; we could really use another person—what do you say?”
“I already have plans with someone else, thanks,” Yuliya politely replied as she kept walking.
“Miss, who are you meeting? How many people? If it’s not too many…”
“You’re quite annoying!” Yuliya interrupted, her voice dropping, “If you keep pestering me like this, I might just call someone to throw you out.”
“Ah… my sincere apologies, I’ll leave you alone.”
He lowered his head in apology and walked away.
But as he left, he mumbled, “What a shame. Just needed one more person.”
Yuliya shot him a quick glance, shrugged it off, and continued to handle her business.
Team up? Team up my foot!
Teaming up can’t beat soloing it!
