Roland’s eyes narrowed, his relaxed body tensing once more.

However, when he caught sight of Lor’s movements, he slowly relaxed his guard.

"Lord Jia Xiu!"

Lor, who was in the middle of bandaging a wound, abruptly tore off the bandage and strode forward, straightening his back and speaking in a somber tone.

"I have been incompetent, my lord. Please punish me..."

"It is of no concern."

The man in black robes, addressed as Jia Xiu, waved a dismissive hand, his hoarse voice steady and calm.

"The Demons we faced this time were extraordinary. This was not your fault... Is Lord Morning Star unharmed?"

"That Lord has remained in the midship cabin. They have not shown themself."

"I understand. Continue with the cleanup."

With that, Jia Xiu strode forward and stopped before the luxurious cabin door at the rear of the deck.

He raised his hand and knocked lightly. After three crisp taps, the door slowly swung open, revealing a hazy silhouette.

"Lord Morning Star, my deepest apologies..."

Jia Xiu bowed deeply, his reverent tone laced with a hint of fear.

The ensuing conversation faded to a whisper. Even when Roland strained to listen, he couldn’t make out a single word.

"Morning Star, tsk tsk..."

Galvis, who had been silent until now, suddenly clicked his tongue, his tone laced with a touch of mockery.

"Mr. Roland, I never thought we’d get to share a ship with such an important figure. Aren’t we lucky..."

Hearing this, Roland turned his head and asked in a low voice.

"You know that person... named Morning Star?"

"Of course. But allow me to correct you on one point..."

Galvis lifted his chin slightly, gesturing toward the silhouette behind the cabin door.

"That’s no human, but a noble High Elf..."

The corners of his mouth lifted in a playful smirk as he explained.

"Just like the nobles in the human world who are obsessed with bloodlines, the Elf Race is also divided into ranks based on the purity of their blood: High Elves, Low-level Elves, and..."

The poet shrugged, his tone light and airy, as if discussing something trivial.

"Half-Elves like me."

He paused, his gaze shifting toward the cabin as his voice dropped a little.

"And the surname ’Morning Star’... not just any Elf can use it. It represents the oldest and noblest bloodline among the High Elves."

"As for that Lord Jia Xiu..."

Before Roland could respond, Galvis continued on his own.

"He’s most likely a member of the Shadow Veil Organization from the River Domain, but..."

He suddenly furrowed his brow, his tone laced with doubt.

"To send only one person to guard such an important figure... it seems a bit overconfident."

Realizing Galvis was quite the talker, Roland didn’t respond, letting his own thoughts drift instead.

He had heard of the Shadow Veil Organization before; Avril had once told him she was a prospective member.

And judging by Avril’s status as an Apprentice Ranger, the organization’s official members must all be formidable experts wielding Extraordinary Power.

But Jia Xiu’s movements during the fight...

Roland’s brow furrowed as he recalled the man darting and weaving across the water’s surface, his actions too fast for the naked eye to follow.

This was a world away from the powerful, sweeping combat style of Knights like Gandar and Beckham.

’This powerful man is definitely not on the path of a Knight...’

Roland glanced thoughtfully at the poet beside him.

’It seems the common Extraordinary Professions Bronson mentioned, like Knight, Ranger, and Barbarian, are just the tip of the iceberg.’

Temporarily suppressing his chaotic thoughts, Roland returned to the original topic.

"In that case, Mr. Galvis..."

He pointed at the Fishman corpses strewn across the deck.

"These Demons were after that High Elf?"

"Nine times out of ten."

After confirming this, Roland shook his head slightly, nodded to the poet, and turned to leave.

After comforting a frightened Bronson, he was about to return to his cabin when he noticed a brown-haired figure persistently following him.

"Mr. Galvis..." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Roland stopped and turned around resignedly.

"Is there something else you need?"

Even though the other man was very likely an Extraordinary Professional, Roland really didn’t want to get too involved with him to avoid unnecessary trouble.

"Didn’t I tell you just now?"

Galvis now had his Harp slung over his back and had, at some point, taken out a pen and paper. His eyes shone as he stared at Roland.

"Mr. Roland, you are the legendary protagonist I’ve been searching for! Could you please tell me about your heroic deeds? Don’t worry..."

At this, he swore with great conviction.

"With my artistic embellishment, your great name will surely resound throughout the Feyn Continent!"

"Sorry..."

Facing the poet’s exaggerated performance, Roland remained impassive.

"I don’t need that kind of fame."

He then moved to shut the door, but the expected sound of it closing never came.

A boot was wedged in the gap.

Through the narrow opening, Galvis revealed an ingratiating smile.

"I’m begging you, Mr. Roland! This is an assignment from my teacher. Please have mercy and help me out!"

"Oh, right! Judging by your appearance, you’re probably not from the River Domain, are you? Then do you know anything about the Giant Dragon that appeared in the Golden Valley Kingdom? Were you there at the time?"

Hearing these words, Roland slowly released the doorknob.

It wasn’t that he had a sudden burst of kindness and wanted to help Galvis with his so-called assignment.

Rather, when the other man mentioned the Giant Dragon, he noticed that his eyes lacked the alarm or curiosity an ordinary person would show. Instead, they held an extraordinary sense of calm.

This composure gave Roland pause.

"Mr. Galvis..."

He pulled the door open and walked straight to a wooden chair in the room, then sat down.

"Judging by your reaction, it seems you know quite a bit about... Giant Dragons?"

"Of course!"

Seeing Roland’s attitude soften, Galvis immediately followed him into the room. As he sat down opposite him, his cloak billowed, stirring up a faint breeze.

"However..."

The frivolous poet scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Because I’m a Half-Elf, I haven’t read too many of the ancient texts of the Elf Race. But I believe that with the information I currently have, I should be able to trade it for a few of your adventure stories... so..."

Noticing the searching look in Roland’s eyes, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and adopting a confidential posture.

"It’s a good deal, isn’t it?"

"After all, besides me, I’m afraid you’ll have a hard time finding anyone else who understands the Dragon Race."

Roland didn’t answer immediately. His long fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the wooden chair, making a dull sound.

’Galvis was right. In Bronson’s boxes of ancient books, records of the Dragon Race were just scattered fragments, as if someone had intentionally erased them. And ever since that harrowing encounter in Wuxi Town, the shadow of the Giant Dragon had haunted my thoughts, a sickness clinging to my very bones. That overwhelming Power, which made even Transcendents seem like ants, forced me to be cautious. As the saying goes: know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat. While learning about Giant Dragons wouldn’t necessarily allow me to fight such an ancient creature, it’s better than stumbling around in the dark. Every single clue could be the key to surviving in the shadow of the Giant Dragon.’

"It is indeed a good deal."

Roland finally spoke, leaning back in his chair, which let out a soft creak.

"So..."

He lifted his gaze, his eyes as sharp as a blade.

"Mr. Galvis, why don’t you show your hand first?"

Seeing that Roland had finally agreed to his request, Galvis let out a slow breath of relief. Then, he began to tell Roland what he knew about Giant Dragons.

"According to the oldest records of the Elf Race, although the Dragon Race possesses near-eternal life and Power enough to shake the heavens and the earth, their reproduction is extremely difficult. Often, a century might pass without a single hatchling being born."

"And what’s more noteworthy is that the birth of every Giant Dragon seems to be closely related to the will of the Deities, just like..."

His voice gradually grew lower.

"Just like the Giant Dragon that appeared in the Golden Valley Kingdom. Ever since it appeared, the concentration of Magic Elements across the continent has been rising significantly. Therefore, by my deduction, that Giant Dragon must be connected to a certain Deity who governs Magic Elements..."

"Wait..."

Roland interrupted Galvis, asking with a frown.

"You can sense Magic Elements too?"

"Of course."

Galvis nodded lightly.

"Unlike you humans, for an Elf, sensing Magic Elements is as natural as breathing..."

Noticing Roland’s expression growing increasingly grave, Galvis suddenly broke into a smile.

"But my friend, you don’t need to be so tense."

He made a placating gesture.

"The Dragon Race has always been so arrogant as to be almost lazy. As long as you don’t go out of your way to provoke them, these behemoths would rather sleep in their own territory for a century or two."

As he said this, Galvis even gave a playful wink.

"After all, in their eyes, the squabbles of us mortals are probably less important than a good dream. Of course..."

The poet’s tone suddenly shifted, becoming somber.

"There are always exceptions. From what I know, in ancient times, there was once an evil Giant Dragon..."

The story that followed was less intelligence and more of a breathtaking epic legend.

Especially after Galvis’s characteristic, exaggerated embellishments, it seemed all the more magnificent and grand.

Amidst this vivid and colorful tale, the ship sailed smoothly over the azure sea.

The rest of the journey was surprisingly smooth. The seas were calm, and they encountered no further trouble.

Until one morning, through the thin mist shrouding the horizon, the silhouette of a town faintly appeared, like an ink wash painting slowly bleeding across the canvas.

As they drew closer, the docks, towers, and winding streets gradually came into focus.

Roland stood on the deck, the sea breeze brushing against his face.

The River Domain. They had finally arrived.

At this moment, the Knight’s Breathing Technique he had dreamed of...

Was only a single step away.