The Ancient Iron Ruins hide a secret area accessible via a specific route. From the entrance, head straight through the first floor to a plate with a central hole. Take the left path, proceed until you reach a valley-like crack, and leap across. You'll find a chipped plate leading to a unique path between the second and third floors—jump onto it.
"Follow this, dive into the great hole, and you'll reach the hidden Tear-Glimmering Underground Lake," Pepper recaps, impressed. "Towa, how'd you find this?"
Pencilgon smirks. "Grinded here for ages after discovering it. The monsters give juicy EXP and are tough—perfect for testing skills."
From Thirdrema's Snake's Apple, Pepper, Pencilgon, and Aitouil traverse the ruins' plates, hopping and leaping along Pencilgon's mapped route.
"We're here," Pencilgon announces, pointing to a massive, dark hole in the ground.
Pepper eyes it warily. "Towa, my build's low-durability, high-mobility physical. No instant-death traps down there, right?"
"Pretty deep…" Aitouil mutters.
"It's a smooth slope, no damage even for squishy builds," Pencilgon assures. "Also, Aitouil-chan talks?"
Pepper, cautious of traps, and Aitouil, blunt as ever, draw a surprised glance from Pencilgon at the talking Vorpal Bunny.
"Come on, A-kun, Aitouil-chan, in we go!" Pencilgon urges.
"Aitouil, use Drunken Breath," Pepper says.
"Got it!" Aitouil breathes fire from her gourd, illuminating the hole. The slope looks safe, but Pepper equips his Vorpal Ledge hammer for caution. Sliding down carefully, back against the wall, they arrive.
The underground glows like daylight, lit by White Radiance Stones—natural LEDs in the strata. A crystal-clear lake, pristine beyond measure, stretches before them.
"Beautiful…" Aitouil gasps.
"Never thought a place like this hid in the ruins," Pepper marvels.
"Pretty, right? This is the secret leveling spot, Tear-Glimmering Underground Lake," Pencilgon says, pulling out her fishing rod and baiting the hook before casting into the lake's depths.
"Come on, A-kun, fish! The monsters here give great EXP."
"Alright, hold on." With Aitouil on his shoulder, Pepper baits his rod and casts. Instantly, it tugs. "Whoa, a hit!"
"Nice one, Pepper-han!" Aitouil cheers.
"Lucky start, A-kun!" Pencilgon grins.
With strength over 50, Pepper reels in a plump Livestide Salmon—a fish that restores stamina when cooked or yields magical catalyst eggs.
"Bad luck, A-kun. It's just a rare fish for cooking," Pencilgon says.
"A miss, huh? Still, a recovery item's useful," Pepper shrugs, storing it. Then Pencilgon's rod jerks. She pulls with max-level strength, revealing a small fish morphing into a massive, red-tinted, 10-meter eel-like Livestide Lake Serpent, with sharp whiskers and fins, biting a salmon.
"A-kun, this is it! Livestide Lake Serpent—EXP goldmine!" Pencilgon shouts.
"Let's hunt!" Pepper roars.
"On it!" Aitouil adds.
Pepper wields his hammer, Aitouil readies her Storm Naginata: Tiger Roar, and Pencilgon draws a spear radiating chaotic black-and-white Chaos energy, not mere magic or curses.
"A spear user, Towa? Strong in melee," Pepper notes.
"Not quite. My main job's Magic Lancer, built for PvP with high stamina, strength, and dexterity for long fights. My real spear's on hold for Wezaemon, so I'm using this one," she explains, hinting at preparations for the Gravekeeper.
"Here it comes!" Pencilgon warns as the serpent charges with a "JAAA!"
"Aitouil, I'll flank it. Slash its body!" Pepper orders.
"Gotcha!" Aitouil replies.
Pepper activates Hydrate Work, darting to the serpent's blind spot with Five-Boat Leap while Pencilgon draws aggro. "Balgast Strike!" he shouts. Aitouil follows with Matchless Flash Blade. The serpent roars, shifting focus, and flicks lake water at them with its tail.
"Dodge!" Pepper's instincts scream. Accel kicks in, narrowly evading the splash.
"It can do that?" Pepper gasps.
"Dangerous!" Aitouil warns.
As they regroup, gripping weapons tighter, Pencilgon taunts, "Ignoring me, big eel?" She leaps, her Chaos Magic Spear Grisaia glowing black and white. "Dark Dusk and White Night's Foam—Darth Hole Froth!"
The spear pierces the serpent's head. "A-kun, Aitouil-chan, finish it!"
"On it!" they shout. Pencilgon pins the beast with max-level strength and a gravity engine. Aitouil's Wanderer Blade: Yasha Slash and Pepper's Dynamo Impact explode on the wound. The serpent's polygons shatter, Pepper levels up to 31, and a new skill awakens from the battle.
"That EXP's insane…" Pepper breathes.
"Pencilgon-han's strong!" Aitouil praises.
"Impressed yet?" Pencilgon winks.
With the Fatal Soul Collar boosting EXP, Pepper calculates hunting a dozen more serpents could hit level 35 today. They cast their rods again, driven to grow stronger and stay by each other's side.
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