Chapter 220: Tim's Journey (End)

Gnoll captain Moni Redmane spun the helm. The Cuttlefish banked sharply, closing the distance to the Alchemical Ship.

At a hundred meters out, the gnoll captain realized the vessel wasn't flying the Banner of White Castle. A spark of doubt flared in his mind.

Although White Castle had opened the waters around Kasos—the new city of trade—the Three Main Islands remained a restricted zone. Very few ever secured a pass to navigate the seas around them.

However, with the deep-sea giant octopus hot on their tail, Moni had no time to overthink it. He gritted his teeth and pushed the ship forward.

Finally, the two ships drew close.

The gnoll caught sight of the wolf's-head banner flying from the Alchemical Ship's mast and breathed a sigh of relief.

The royal family of the Kingdom of Rowe!

From the founding of White Castle up to the present day, the Kingdom of Rowe had been their staunch ally.

Through the heavy veil of rain, a group emerged onto the Alchemical Ship's deck. One of them shouted toward the Cuttlefish.

"You there! What's going on!"

The man got his answer before the gnoll captain could even speak.

A massive tentacle covered in red suckers burst from the water, rearing high into the air before crashing down toward the Cuttlefish. The Murloc, Tim, hastily pulled his hand crossbow's trigger, firing off a frost arrow.

Swish!

The arrow struck the limb, and frost instantly bloomed from the wound. Solid ice raced outward, freezing a section of the tentacle solid. Stripped of its natural elasticity, the frozen flesh shattered, breaking the tentacle in two.

Standing in fine noble attire, Bruce frowned as he watched the massive appendage crash onto the ship.

"Ramohan, go help them drive that deep-sea giant octopus away."

"Yes, my lord!"

A burly man wearing a white fur vest that left his muscular arms bare grabbed a Greatsword. He leaped into the air, piercing through the driving rain to clear the ten-plus meters between the ships, and landed firmly on the Cuttlefish's swaying deck.

Just as another massive tentacle crashed down, the burly man swung his Greatsword single-handedly. A two-meter-long arc of transparent qi ripped through the air and slashed into the limb.

Another chunk of the tentacle was severed from its main body, while the qi slash carried on with undiminished momentum into the distance.

A Master-Tier Warrior!

Moni Redmane let out a long breath. No matter how strong the deep-sea giant octopus might be, it was no match for a Master-Tier Warrior.

It didn't take long for the deep-sea giant octopus to leave behind a few more severed tentacles and flee in a panic.

...

Inside the Alchemical Ship's cabin, the gnoll captain bowed to the finely dressed Bruce.

"I am Moni Redmane, captain of the Cuttlefish, vessel number NV203 of the White Castle Logistics Department. We were on a food transport run and unexpectedly ran into a wild deep-sea giant octopus. Fortunately, we crossed paths with Your Excellency. Thank you for lending a helping hand."

Bruce waved him off.

"Think nothing of it; it was just a small effort. I happen to be heading to Kumlinge myself to visit the master of White Castle."

Looking up, the gnoll noticed two badges pinned to Bruce's chest. One represented the Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Rowe—though the gnoll didn't recognize it. The other, however, he knew very well. It was the crest of the Dumbledore family.

"Oh? Your Excellency is a member of the Dumbledore family!"

Bruce found it rather strange that a gnoll could recognize a noble crest.

"Yes, I am. Why do you ask? Has the study of heraldry become common among your people?"

Moni Redmane shook his head with a smile.

"No, nothing like that. It's just that my father fought in the defense of Bailey City. Afterward, he was awarded a medal by Count Dumbledore, and the back of that medal bore the crest of the Dumbledore family."

The gnoll's words stirred Bruce's memories. After the White Dragon Lord had saved Bailey City from the Ocean Calamity, he had departed, while White Castle's monster army had remained stationed in the city for a time.

When the monster army finally withdrew, his father had awarded medals representing friendship and glory to the monsters who had demonstrated outstanding merit.

"So you are the descendant of a hero."

Having established this shared history, the atmosphere between the two relaxed significantly.

Ultimately, Bruce decided to see his good deed through to the end. He ordered his ship to slow its pace so the Cuttlefish could follow in its wake. Together, they rode the wind and waves all the way to Kumlinge, arriving at the mouth of the Snowpaint River.

Along the banks of the Snowpaint River's estuary, a new city was under construction. Having only recently broken ground, the city was little more than a rough outline, but the docks and other facilities meant to service the construction of the upstream capital had already been completed.

Bruce and Moni Redmane docked their ships at the piers.

Bruce was set to travel through the forest to reach the foot of Snowfall Peak. The gnoll crew, on the other hand, would load their cargo onto a Bronze-Backed Alligator Turtle and travel up the Snowpaint River to the same destination.

Because of this, the two parties were meant to part ways at the docks.

Suddenly, an idea struck Moni Redmane. He spoke up.

"Lord Bruce, would you be interested in experiencing a ride up the Snowpaint River on a Bronze-Backed Alligator Turtle?"

Bruce found himself quite tempted by the offer. The primeval forest was filled with constant nuisances like venomous insects and fierce beasts. While they couldn't actually harm a High-Tier Mage like himself, they were certainly annoying enough to ruin his mood. Besides, riding an alligator turtle as a means of water transport sounded like a rather novel experience.

"Then I will trouble you for a ride."

Moni Redmane replied.

"It is my honor. However, you will need to wait for about half an hour. I must go report the dreadful incident from our voyage, and my sailors need time to transfer the cargo."

Bruce nodded.

"Not a problem."

Saying no more, the gnoll captain set off toward the developing city. He needed to find the local administrator and report the deep-sea giant octopus. Letting a monster of that size linger near their shipping lanes was far too dangerous.

Meanwhile, the Murloc, Tim, and the rest of the crew hauled the cargo out of the cabin and loaded it onto the newly arrived Ramos turtles. Once the Ramos turtles were packed to capacity, they strapped the remaining goods onto the Bronze-Backed Alligator Turtle.

Because the Snowpaint River was still in its early stages of development, the submerged reefs had yet to be cleared. Since regular ships couldn't safely navigate the waters, they had to rely on beasts of burden to transport food and supplies to the upstream capital.

By the time the gnoll captain returned from his report, the cargo transfer was complete. Wasting no further time, the group set off.

The transport convoy traveled steadily up the Snowpaint River. The gnolls and other terrestrial races sat atop the Bronze-Backed Alligator Turtle or the Ramos turtles, while the Murlocs swam alongside them. The aquatic crew doubled as scouts, driving off any dangerous water-dwelling creatures they encountered.

Seated in a saddle strapped to the Bronze-Backed Alligator Turtle's back, Bruce admired the passing scenery.

Lush emerald forests lined the riverbanks. Thick tangles of aerial roots trailed down into the water, forming a dense, natural curtain. Every now and then, wild animals could be seen approaching the river's edge to drink.

Feeling a bit parched himself, Bruce cupped his hands and scooped up some of the river water. He brought it to his lips—it was crisp, sweet, and wonderfully chilled.

The Snowpaint River traced its origins to the snow-capped peaks in the heart of Kumlinge. The runoff of melting snow mixed with welling groundwater to form this great river, breathing life into everything it touched.

The rest of the journey passed without incident. Upon reaching his destination, Bruce bid the gnoll crew farewell and took to the sky.

The Murloc, Tim, untied the securing ropes from the Ramos turtles and worked with his crewmates to haul the cargo ashore. Towering trolls received the deliveries, carrying the goods off to a makeshift wooden food warehouse.

Standing atop the massive turtle's back, Tim gazed into the distance at the towering City Wall currently under construction.

"What a magnificent city."