The midday sun swept past the towers of Horn Castle, casting a golden glow upon the forest of masts in the port. Enormous ocean-faring sailboats and flat-bottomed barges shared the berths, while crates brimming with all sorts of cargo were moved on and off the docks to the rhythmic chants of dockworkers.

The air was a mixture of sea salt, dried fish, and spices.

This was also one of the few places in Thousand Masts City, aside from the sewers, where one could see a great number of Alien Races.

Cloaked Elves strode past, their faces expressionless. Wealthy Dwarf merchants haggled with the harbormaster over docking fees, and a Halfling chef from the Trade District was here, picking through the catches on the fishing boats in a corner of the docks.

A squad of the City Guard stood at the edge of the docks, sharp blades in hand. Their armor and weapons flashed with a cold light under the warm sun.

Many years ago, Thousand Masts City had been nothing more than a port established by southern colonists. The city owed its name to the bustling sight of the port.

Colin glanced around briefly. ’There really might be a thousand masts here,’ he thought.

The group descended the stairs and walked onto the docks.

Seagulls circled and cried overhead, their calls failing to drown out the cacophony of colliding crates, hawking merchants, and ringing ship bells.

Colin walked up to a small boat.

The boat was only about twenty-some meters long—not very big—with a shallow draft. It had a single mast, with a jib hung at the front.

A few idle sailors were on deck, leaning against the gunwale and sizing up the cloaked Elves.

"Are you Colin?"

"Yes. Is this the Super Long-Distance Explorer?" Colin held out his hand, showing his ring.

The sailors laughed. "No need to see your ring. You’re probably the only person in all of Thousand Masts City who’d be walking around with a Tiefling and a Half-Orc in tow."

The group acknowledged them and walked up the gangplank onto the deck.

The sailors from before let out a few calls.

The rest of the crew sprang into action, weighing anchor and hoisting the sails to steer the ship out of the massive Thousand Mast Port.

Once things were underway, a middle-aged man in a leather greatcoat and a black eyepatch walked over. "You’re this trip’s passengers?" he asked the group, who were standing somewhat foolishly on the deck.

’This is the first time I’ve ever seen someone who so perfectly fits the stereotype of a ’captain,’’ Colin thought.

He couldn’t help but stare for a few moments before speaking up. "We’re temporary guards, you could say. Mr. Helder said we could provide protection for the ship in exchange for passage."

"Protection?" The captain laughed and waved a dismissive hand. "One look at what you’re wearing tells me you’re a landlubber. The Half-Orc looks alright, though. In any case, just stick with us."

’The captain probably thinks if I fall into the sea dressed like this, there’s no saving me.’

Colin didn’t dwell on the man’s comment. "By the way," he asked curiously, "aren’t there still Frost Giants roaming the seas? You still dare to head north with them around?"

"They’re short on ships up north, and there are rivers deep inland waiting for cargo. You can make a killing hauling goods there. Besides, we aren’t carrying any cargo, see? If we run into a Giant, we can just run." The captain finished, then yelled to a sailor, "First Mate, take them below and show them around!"

A sailor in a vest came over and led them below deck to familiarize them with the ship’s layout, also taking them to see the passenger cabin at the stern.

The room wasn’t large. It didn’t even have a porthole.

Bunk beds with railings lined both sides, with a small table fixed to the wall between them. The whole setup looked like a sleeper car on a train.

The group tossed their belongings in the room, and their journey north officially began.

At first, the ship headed deep into the Endless Sea.

Then it changed course to head north along the coastline. It maintained a distance where land was visible, but not too close, allowing for occasional stops at shoreline fishing villages to resupply.

According to the captain, at this distance, if they spotted a Frost Giant ship, they had the option to either duck into a coastal port or turn toward the open sea and use the small ship’s maneuverability to shake off any pursuit.

Colin knew next to nothing about sailing, so he had no choice but to trust the captain’s judgment.

The only thing he was sure of was that they absolutely could not risk a conflict with the Frost Giants, or even get too close. Anyone with a shred of common sense knew this wooden ship wasn’t nearly as sturdy as a stone wall and wouldn’t stand a chance against a volley from the Giants.

Of course, besides Giants, there were other monsters at sea.

The ship, of course, was prepared for this.

There were a dozen or so sailors, four armed guards, and a ship’s doctor.

The guards all wore Chain Armor Shirts and were equipped with Armed Swords and Shields. Even the ordinary sailors typically had a gleaming scimitar hanging at their waists, making them all look quite capable.

Even without Colin and his group, these men were confident they could reach their destination safely—or as they put it, they would be "more confident."

「A few days later.」

As time passed, the initial excitement of the voyage was shattered by the constant rocking of the ship.

All that remained was the musty-smelling cabin, the swaying deck, and the groaning of wooden planks at night.

Fortunately, the coastal scenery changed daily, and the sailors were quite talkative. Most of the time, there were tales from all corners of the world to listen to; otherwise, Colin felt he would have gone stir-crazy.

「Late on the fourth night.」

A soft thud reached his ears, and Colin, asleep in his bunk, opened his eyes.

He stared at the wooden plank just inches from his face and rubbed his suddenly aching forehead. Kase’s snores filled his ears.

’The ship must have lurched and knocked my head against the wall,’ Colin grumbled internally. He closed his eyes, trying to fall back asleep, but the throbbing pain in his head made it impossible.

Resigned, Colin got up, grabbed his weapon and Armor, and stepped out of the room before putting them on.

Once ready, he passed through the sailors’ quarters, filled with the sound of snoring, and went up to the deck. He planned to get some fresh air and hopefully build up some sleepiness.

"Don’t stay out too long, folks. Careful you don’t fall in." A Guard carrying an oil lamp called out as he passed the hatchway to the deck.

Without waiting for a response, he continued on his way toward the bow.

Colin looked around the deck and was surprised to see Orelia, who was supposed to be in the top bunk, was also out here. She was leaning on the rail, gazing at the silvery, shimmering surface of the sea. The Tiefling was also dressed in her Armor, a weapon hanging at her waist.

"Mr. Colin, can’t you sleep either?"

Hearing the footsteps behind her, Orelia turned back with a smile.

"Did Kase’s snoring bother you?"

"Not really... I’m actually pretty used to it by now. I’m just not very sleepy; I napped for a bit during the day out of boredom."

Colin walked over to lean on the rail beside her, looking up at the star-filled night sky.

"I’m really grateful you decided to adventure with us, Orelia. And I’m not just saying that to be polite, I genuinely mean it."

"I should be the one thanking you, Mr. Colin." Orelia tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Finding a good party, celebrating holidays with people, going on adventures to earn a living... For me, this is like a dream come true. I’m not exaggerating."

"Kase and I are lucky to have a companion like you."

Colin glanced down at the water and suddenly noticed a dozen or so shark fins slicing through the waves. ’Is it the season for sharks to hunt in packs or something?’ he wondered.

"Once I’ve earned enough money, I can open an orphanage in Thousand Masts City or somewhere else and finally fulfill my dream. And then I’ll have to..."

Halfway through her sentence, Colin suddenly grabbed her shoulders and threw them both backward.

The next instant, two harpoons shot over the rail, whistling through the air where they had just been standing before embedding themselves in the wooden deck with a sharp THUNK.

"Enemies! We have enemies!"

Shouts erupted from the front of the deck.