Chapter 562: The Island of Dragons Revealed
"We’re here, Marcus!"
The moment the Twin Wing mountain peaks emerged through the morning haze, the girls burst into excited cheers. Unable to contain themselves, they immediately flew higher, eager to get a better look at their destination.
Amber was already riding her Amethyst, while the little troublemaker, Jade, activated Cat’s Grace. The cat in her arms exploded with dark-blue light before instantly returning to its enormous original form. With a delighted laugh, she climbed onto its back and chased after Amber.
Anya’s Twin-Winged Thunder Wyrm had already reached Level 40. Not only had it grown much larger than before, but it could now carry up to five riders at once. It easily accommodated Anya, Crystal, FreshwindElara, Icefall, and Firebrand. With a powerful yet graceful beat of its wings, the enormous creature lifted all five women smoothly into the air.
Chloe summoned Snowy and hurried after them, while Lily called forth her Harmony Cloud and floated upward together with Talia and Professor Tina.
In the blink of an eye, Marcus found himself the only one still inside the cabin with Talia.
Blackie stepped closer, and Marcus smiled before gently taking Talia’s hand and helping her onto the horse with him.
The moment she settled into his embrace, he couldn’t help appreciating how perfectly she fit against him. Her graceful figure, soft curves, and delicate fragrance were enough to stir anyone’s heart.
’This is dangerous...’
He quietly enjoyed the moment. With all the other girls flying ahead of them, Talia’s cheeks gradually turned crimson from being held so closely, making her look even more beautiful than usual.
Unable to resist, Marcus leaned down and stole a few light kisses from her smooth, porcelain-like cheek before inching toward her inviting lips.
Unfortunately, Amber’s voice rang out at exactly the wrong moment.
"Bro! Hurry up!"
Jade quickly joined in. "Stop flirting already!"
The other girls all turned around at the same time. Marcus immediately froze. ’...Well, that was embarrassing.’
"Coming!" he answered helplessly. Before urging Blackie forward, he quickly stole one last kiss from Talia’s lips, then wrapped an arm securely around her slender waist.
Talia shot him an embarrassed but affectionate look before relaxing against his chest. Her delicate hands gently rested over his as a warm smile spread across her face.
"Marcus..." she whispered softly. Simply being held by him like this filled her heart with quiet happiness.
"Giddyup!" Blackie answered with a loud neigh before charging into the sky, his hooves pounding through empty air as he rapidly caught up with everyone else.
Soon the entire group was soaring high above the endless blue sea. Beneath them, scattered islands dotted the ocean like emerald jewels, while the vast sky stretched overhead without end. From a distance, they truly resembled immortals wandering freely across the heavens.
Meanwhile, the two NPC sailors remained aboard the luxury ship, steering it steadily behind the flying group.
Unfortunately, after nearly half an hour of flying, flocks of Level 70 Red-Plumed Fish-Faced Birds began circling overhead. Since there were simply too many of them, Marcus decided not to take unnecessary risks. Everyone returned to the ship and continued the rest of the journey by sea.
By now, the Twin Wing mountain peaks had become much clearer, and the massive outline of Dragon’s Roar Isle gradually filled the horizon.
The surrounding scenery changed noticeably as well. Although the game system maintained a comfortable temperature at all times, the warm sunlight, refreshing sea breeze, and dense tropical forests covering the nearby islands made it obvious that they had entered a tropical region.
Several nearby islands already boasted long stretches of golden beaches lined with towering coconut palms, instantly igniting the girls’ excitement. Sadly, every one of those beautiful islands was crawling with monsters, making them unsuitable for sightseeing or relaxation.
Only Dragon’s Roar Isle was different. No monsters respawned there, making it the only truly safe recreational island in the entire Twin Wing Archipelago. Knowing they would finally be able to relax there only made everyone more eager to arrive.
Another hour passed before the ship finally sailed beneath the towering Twin Wing mountain peaks. Dragon’s Roar Isle now stood directly before them, every detail becoming clearer with each passing minute.
Just as Silas’s map had described, Dragon’s Roar Isle was an enormous circular island.
The first thing that drew everyone’s attention was the gigantic volcanic crater rising from its center, towering so high that its summit disappeared into dark clouds. Snowflakes drifted gently around the peak, coating the mountaintop in brilliant white.
It was there that the Divine Artifact, the Glacial Ice Sword, sealed away the Divine Beast known as the Blazing Three-Headed Beast.
Farther down the mountain, the frozen landscape gradually gave way to patches of vibrant greenery before transforming into an immense tropical rainforest that blanketed the island’s lower slopes.
From within the forest came the constant cries of monkeys and countless other wild beasts, while graceful seabirds glided peacefully through the skies overhead, adding a sense of untouched wilderness to the island.
The contrast between snow-covered mountains and tropical rainforest was unlike anything they had ever seen.
Still, as the ship drew closer to shore, everyone’s attention was quickly stolen by the coastline. To port, an enormous golden beach stretched along the island’s edge, curving gracefully into the distance until it disappeared beyond the horizon.
"Marcus! Look, the beach!"
The girls’ excited voices overlapped as they pointed toward the glittering shoreline. They had finally found the paradise they had been looking forward to.
Beyond the beach, the brilliant blue sea rolled endlessly toward the coast, wave after wave crashing against the soft sand beneath the warm tropical sun.
The starboard side, however, presented an entirely different landscape. Instead of sandy shores, countless reefs extended along the coastline, some submerged beneath the water while others jutted above the surface.
A beach on the left. A reef on the right. Silas’s map had been accurate down to the smallest detail.
According to the map, the waters off the beach concealed an incredibly beautiful coral reef filled with colorful, gentle fish that could safely be admired while swimming. Those fish were purely ornamental, however, and weren’t suitable for eating.
Anyone looking for seafood would have to head to the reef on the opposite side instead. Those waters were rich with edible marine life, so abundant that, according to the map, someone could enjoy a different seafood dish every day for an entire year without repeating a meal.
Looking farther ahead, Marcus spotted the calm waterway their ship was following. This was Dragon’s Spine, the only safe navigable channel leading to Dragon’s Roar Isle from the southeast.
In another twenty minutes, they would reach the harbor and finally set foot on the island. Just beyond the docks stood Dragon’s Roar Town, the only permanent human settlement in the entire Twin Wing Archipelago.
Dragon’s Roar Isle. Dragon’s Roar Town. Dragon’s Spine. Why did everything here bear the name of dragons? As it turned out, there was a reason for that.