Chapter 563: First Hope Beyond the Storm
When Dragon’s Roar Isle was first discovered, no one had been able to reach it. One side of the island was battered by violent waves and concealed reefs, while the other was surrounded by an endless maze of jagged coral formations. Any ship that tried to force its way through was doomed to run aground long before reaching shore.
Only after countless expeditions did explorers finally discover the narrow sea route Marcus and the others were now following. The channel didn’t lead to an open beach, but instead ended at a deep crescent-shaped bay where ships could safely sail in and dock.
Viewed from above, the bay resembled the head of an enormous dragon, its massive indentation stretching nearly two hundred meters into the otherwise circular island, as though a colossal dragon had slammed headfirst into the coastline. Even the two sweeping horns were unmistakable.
As exploration continued, people realized something even stranger: the winding channel leading to the bay curved like the body of a giant dragon before connecting perfectly with the dragon-shaped harbor.
It looked as though an immense dragon had crashed into Dragon’s Roar Isle and collapsed across the sea, its body forever etched into the landscape. Whenever the ocean wind swept through the dragon-shaped bay, the waves produced a deep, haunting sound that resembled the distant roar of a dragon, and that was how Dragon’s Roar Isle earned its name.
The winding sea route became known as the Dragon’s Spine, and over the centuries, countless legends claimed that a true dragon still slumbered beneath these waters.
Eventually, the Dragon Dynasty cleared the monsters from Dragon’s Roar Isle and established a permanent settlement there, which naturally became known as Dragon’s Roar Town.
They were almost there. Looking at the enormous dragon-shaped bay ahead, Marcus found himself wondering what kind of welcome awaited them. The people living here had been trapped behind the Storm Seal for more than a thousand years, and they had almost certainly never seen visitors from the outside world.
Silas had managed to discover the hidden route roughly six hundred years ago and had secretly visited Dragon’s Roar Isle, but none of his records mentioned meeting the island’s inhabitants, nor was there any evidence that the people of Dragon’s Roar Town had ever returned to the mainland.
Judging from the notes on his map, Silas had simply slipped onto the island, quietly collected whatever treasures interested him, and left without revealing himself, which sounded exactly like him. A brilliant explorer, but also an infamously secretive one, he rarely shared his discoveries with anyone, which meant Marcus was likely the first outsider the people of Dragon’s Roar Isle had seen in over a millennium.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind: if the townspeople asked how he had passed through the Storm Seal... should he tell them? After all, discovering this route had taken tremendous effort, and revealing it would mean others could eventually follow.
Marcus wasn’t opposed to helping people, but he also had no intention of giving away valuable information for nothing. For now, he decided not to make that choice in advance; he would wait and see.
Besides, according to the system’s rules, ordinary NPCs couldn’t force players to reveal information or accept requests against their will unless they were hostile enemies or monsters.
Ten minutes later, accompanied by the cool sea breeze and the faint, almost ethereal roar carried by the waves, the ship entered the dragon-shaped harbor: Dragon’s Head Dock.
At the same time, another vessel emerged from the direction of the dragon’s left horn and sailed toward them. The residents of Dragon’s Roar Town had spotted Marcus’s luxury ship through telescopes the moment it entered the Dragon’s Spine.
At first, panic had spread through the town, everyone assuming the Iceflame Black Serpent Men were launching an early assault. Had the monsters grown tired of waiting for the yearly massacre?
But then someone caught sight of the emblem painted on the approaching ship, and one villager stammered, barely believing his own eyes: "T-T-Town Lord... Th-The symbol on that ship... I think... I think it’s the Dragon Dynasty’s crest..."
"The Dragon Dynasty?" The Town Lord hurried over and snatched the telescope. The instant he focused on the emblem, his entire body trembled, his vision blurring as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
He turned toward the anxious crowd gathered behind him and shouted with all the strength he had left: "It’s true! It really is the Dragon Dynasty’s crest! And that’s a brand-new luxury vessel!"
Everything suddenly made sense; he had been wondering how the Iceflame Black Serpent Men could possibly possess such an elegant, well-maintained ship. Now he understood: this vessel had come from the mainland.
"Thank the Goddess of Dreams..." The Town Lord slowly lowered his head as he offered a silent prayer. The townspeople quickly followed, looking toward the heavens with trembling expressions. ’Perhaps... perhaps we’ve finally been saved.’
Anyone capable of crossing the Storm Seal was no ordinary individual, and arriving aboard a brand-new luxury vessel suggested they possessed both strength and influence.
"A thousand years..." one elderly resident’s voice quivered. "A whole thousand years... we’ve almost forgotten what our homeland looks like..."
The crowd could no longer suppress their emotions. Generation after generation had dreamed of this day, and now that dream finally seemed within reach. ’We’re saved! We might finally reconnect with the mainland! We can go home! Quick, prepare the welcome ship!’
Before long, the Town Lord’s vessel drew alongside Marcus’s, and standing at the bow was an imposing knight dressed entirely in black. A rabbit mask concealed his face, while his powerful physique and dark armor gave him an overwhelming presence that naturally drew every eye toward him. A Dark Knight?
The Town Lord recalled reading ancient records stating that knights could advance into either Light Knights or Dark Knights after reaching Level 50, yet the aura surrounding this man was far beyond anything those records had described.
Behind him stood more than a dozen masked women, each carrying herself with remarkable elegance, and one glance was enough to tell who their leader was. There was no doubt: these people had come from beyond the Storm Seal.
Before the ships had fully pulled alongside one another, the Town Lord called across the water: "I am the current Town Lord of Dragon’s Roar Town!" His voice trembled with anticipation. "Did you truly cross the Storm Seal? Have you come from the mainland?"
"That’s right." Marcus nodded calmly toward the middle-aged man before presenting his official credentials. "I am a Golden Wolf Guardian of the Dragon Dynasty. By chance, I managed to pass through the Storm Seal. My companions and I intend to stay on Dragon’s Roar Isle for a few days."
Among players, the title of Golden Wolf Guardian meant very little, but among NPCs, Marcus had already learned from his time in Millbrook Village that it carried tremendous prestige. It represented the Dragon Dynasty itself, and more importantly, NPCs tended to place far greater trust in those who held the title, making cooperation and future interactions much smoother.
"People from the mainland... A Golden Wolf Guardian... We’re truly saved!"
The moment Marcus finished speaking, cheers erupted from the welcoming ship, and several townspeople dropped to their knees without hesitation, clasping their hands together as tears streamed down their faces.
"Bless us, Goddess of Dreams..." For the first time in a thousand years, the people of Dragon’s Roar Town finally saw a glimmer of hope.