After returning to the hut at the spawn point, Kevin swiftly grasped the functionality of the "Sea King."
Assuming the mantle of the "Sea King," Kevin gained the ability to breathe underwater and move with complete freedom.
He could also bestow the "Sea King's Blessing" upon others, granting them the same aquatic advantage, though its duration was limited to 10 minutes.
Furthermore, he gained access to the Sea King Store, a repository of various sea and ocean-themed items.
However, Kevin's greatest satisfaction stemmed from the fact that he could now access the store and trade items even without any active contractors nearby.
"Now, I won't have to constantly fret about running out of inventory space."
The Sea King's shop presented an array of weaponry, predominantly themed around the "sea."
Kevin perused the selection and noted that while these weapons were rather ordinary and not particularly suited for his combat style, they could serve as interesting displays within his store.
Beyond these, there were the spoils obtained from the "Giant Clam."
Given its status as a mini-boss, the Giant Clam hadn't yielded a treasure bag.
Kevin retrieved a collection of materials from his piggy bank—Sinking Abyss Stone and mollusk shells.
These two components were essential for crafting the Sunken Sea series of equipment, capable of being fashioned into a "soft shell suit" boasting exceptionally high defense.
The attribute bonuses offered by this armor set were remarkable, rivaling even armor from the mid-stages of Hard Mode.
Nevertheless, it came with significant drawbacks, notably a substantial reduction in mobility and considerable weight.
"I wonder if my abilities can mitigate the negative effects of this armor."
Regardless, possessing the [Terra Craftsman] skill meant he would inevitably craft a set sooner or later.
Kevin simply withdrew all the sea prisms he had accumulated and commenced the crafting process.
Fashioning a complete set of [Soft Shell Armor] required 31 Mollusk Shells and 60 Sea Prisms.
His exploration of the laboratory had yielded a generous supply of sea prisms, but the mollusk shells were just barely sufficient.
Upon completing the armor set, his reserves of mollusk shells would be depleted, preventing him from immediately creating other weapons in the Sunken Sea series.
Although a slight disappointment flickered through him, Kevin's eyes widened with interest as he examined the properties of the soft shell armor.
[Soft Shell Armor (Pink)]
[+55 Defense]
[+37% attack damage]
[+14% Critical Hit Rate]
[-22% movement speed]
[Can move freely in liquid]
[Summon two "Sinking Shells" to protect you]
Frankly, even with the negative modifiers, such attributes were difficult to ignore.
After all, Kevin's current best armor, "Jungle Armor," only provided a defense of 17!
"This gear will likely serve me well until we defeat the Wall of Flesh."
Kevin donned the entire set of soft shell armor and indeed felt a noticeable restriction in his movements.
However, the impact wasn't crippling. With a bit of adjustment, it would merely feel like carrying some extra weight.
Yet... Kevin wasn't entirely content with this outcome.
"If I utilize the 'decomposition' aspect of stigmata alchemy, perhaps I can manage it..."
Looking at the heavy armor encasing his body, Kevin gently brushed it with his hand.
During the crafting process, he had already completed a thorough analysis of the "soft shell armor's" structure and materials.
[Break Down]!
The armor enveloping Kevin suddenly dissipated as if it were melting away.
Finally, Kevin's casual attire was revealed beneath the space where the armor had been.
But with a light snap of Kevin's fingers,
The armor that had just vanished then rematerialized on his body!
"That's right. When you're about to engage in battle, you can make the armor appear instantly, saving valuable time on equipping it."
The properties of equipment and items in Terraria were inherently fixed.
However, Kevin could leverage his forging skills and alchemy to transform them in unique ways.
The "one-click outfit change" he had just demonstrated was actually the result of his recent research into stigmata alchemy.
In addition to the soft shell suit, the giant clam had also yielded a magic book and two accessories for Kevin.
It could be said that all its worldly possessions had been emptied out for him.
"It's actually this thing."
Kevin was slightly surprised to see the magic book adorned with a trident pattern on its cover.
"It seems the 'Super Thermal Ion Cannon' will finally be temporarily retired."
[Poseidon (Pink)]
[Consume 12 magic power to release the typhoon of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Each typhoon can inflict up to 6 hits. The typhoon will automatically track the enemy and inflict 52 points of magic damage and the "Eutrophication" debuff]
This was a magic weapon possessing a tracking capability.
Kevin stepped out of the hut and raised his hand to unleash a swirling blue-green vortex.
The tornado hesitated for a moment after its release and then hurtled towards a slime in the distance.
In less than a second, the slime caught within the swirling winds high above transformed into several Valis and gel as it plummeted from mid-air.
"High damage, multiple hits, tracking... this is perfect."
Kevin happily positioned the magic book at the forefront of his inventory for easy access.
With his total magic power reserves, he could unleash more than a dozen "Sea God Typhoons" in rapid succession, capable of sweeping across an entire area!
While the Super Thermionic Cannon was effective, its base damage felt somewhat lacking before the third upgrade, especially considering its high mana cost of 20 points.
Kevin anticipated that after defeating the World Devourer, the cannon might undergo a significant improvement.
The final item dropped by the giant clam was a ring inlaid with a sizable pearl.
[Big Pearl (Green)]
[After equipping, you will gain "Pearl Halo"]
[Enemies and projectiles within the aura range are slowed down]
[Provides a small amount of light underwater]
[Aura effect is ineffective against Bosses]
"Not bad. Although I can't upgrade it any further, it should prove useful during my daily explorations."
Kevin slipped the pearl ring onto his finger, and a soft luminescence emanated from it.
He noticed that his skin had acquired a smooth, white sheen, resembling a pearl, giving him a rather striking appearance.
"This thing even has aesthetic effects?"
Kevin wasn't sure whether to laugh or sigh, so he deactivated the accessory's special effects, and his appearance returned to normal.
While the effect wasn't unpleasant, the glowing body was a tad too conspicuous.
Having defeated the giant elephant clam, Kevin's equipment had undergone a complete overhaul.
In terms of weaponry, the superthermal ion cannon was finally retired and replaced by the more potent "Poseidon."
His armor had been significantly enhanced, and his accessories now included practical items like the Cthulhu Shield and the Large Pearl.
Next... it was time to challenge the boss of the Corruption, the World Devourer.
"With my current strength, I should be able to take it down easily in one go, right?"
Kevin mentally simulated the encounter. Unless he deliberately sought defeat, he was confident he could easily overwhelm the World Devourer.
After all, his current equipment was already at a late-game stage, while the World Devourer was merely an early-game boss.
"I'll find some time tomorrow or the day after to awaken the World Devourer and eliminate it. This should trigger the 'Meteorite' event."
"After defeating the Eater of Worlds, I can also explore the Sky Island and collect some Sky Blue Ore."
"Then... it'll be time to delve deep into hell and mine some hellstone."
"There are so many things to do, I can't possibly get them all done at once."
After stretching, Kevin asked Enju Aihara to return to the company first, and then he made his way back to Orario to check on the store's situation.
Despite having resolved the issues posed by Loki Familia earlier that morning, he couldn't rule out the possibility of other unforeseen events.
"Hmm? Riveria is looking for me?"
Upon hearing the news conveyed by the Lolita Goddess, Kevin was slightly perplexed.
"Why would the famous 'Nine Hells Princess' suddenly want to visit me... Oh, could it be about Lefiya's situation?"
Only then did he recall that the magic crystal he had given to Lefiya had inexplicably been depleted.
The elf girl had fallen unconscious and had to be taken to Loki Familia for examination.
He hadn't expected a visit so soon after returning.
Were they perhaps going to ask for compensation?
"Don't worry, judging from the child's attitude, she won't make things difficult for you."
Hestia noticed Kevin's frown and reached out to smooth his brow.
"She wanted to come over and apologize to you this morning."
"Apologize to me... why?"
This statement made Kevin even more confused.
"Have you forgotten already?"
Hestia gestured towards the store counter, reminding him.
"Didn't a group of Loki Familia members come to you this morning to order equipment?"
"It's probably because of that."
"Oh..."
Kevin pondered for a moment and shrugged.
"I took their money, and they got the equipment they wanted, it was a fair transaction... why would they need to apologize?"
"But since Riveria wants to see me, I'll just go and meet her. It won't cost me anything anyway."
"Did she say where to meet?"
"Where else would it be?" Hestia shrugged. "Naturally, it's the favorite tavern of Loki Familia - the Hostess of Fertility."