The roar of the ship was even louder than the man's voice.
"The ship is leaving! Pull up the gangplank! Watch the cables!! Hey! Mind your heads!"
The dock and its surrounding areas were like a pot of boiling water. There was a cacophony of sounds: the excited chatter of the new recruits—babbling about everything from the massive trees to the buildings and even the very air they breathed; the booming instructions of veteran hunters through large megaphones; the rhythmic, synchronized shouts of Palicoes hauling supplies; the clanking of metal chains; and the distant, rhythmic pounding from the Smithy. People had to shout at the top of their lungs just to be heard by someone standing right in front of them.
Outside this scene of bustling chaos, on a high platform overlooking the forge in the heart of the base, the Commander and the Admiral stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing down at the swarming crowds below.
It was vibrant. It was alive.
To be honest, ever since the investigation into the "Blue Phenomenon" began, Astera hadn't been this lively in a very long time.
"Oh! Look at them! Such energetic youngsters, ha-ha!" The Admiral folded his massive, muscular arms casually across his chest. His hearty laughter could likely be heard for miles. A nostalgic glint flickered in his eyes as he sighed with emotion. "Seeing them so full of curiosity and drive... it's like looking at my younger, fearless self. We set out to sea with that same reckless spirit, didn't we? Who would have thought we'd discover an entire New Continent?"
"Don't get so sentimental... Hmph, don't make yourself sound so old," the Commander replied with a thin smile. He turned and playfully punched his old friend's shoulder twice. "As long as my body hasn't withered to the point where I can't lift a weapon or walk, I'll be on the front lines of exploration."
"That's true, but we have to leave enough room for these vibrant youngsters... Hmm, rather than staying in the base worrying about these headaches, I'd much rather grab my weapon and head deeper into the New Continent," the Admiral said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "With the fresh blood of the Fifth Fleet joining us, the Commission shouldn't be so short-handed for future investigations, right?"
"You should also start handing things over to the kid. I think he's doing a fine job," the Admiral added, gesturing toward a figure in the crowd below who was answering questions and guiding the newcomers. "He's built a good relationship with the Little Boss, performed his duties in the Field Team perfectly, and the others all respect him."
"Funny, you're the one giving me advice now?" The Commander couldn't help but laugh. "He still has a long way to go."
"Well, I just miss the days when we used to go on missions together," the Admiral said, scratching his head.
"Missions together... I'm afraid I'm past that," the Commander sighed. He lifted his slightly stiff leg—an old injury from an encounter with a Velkhana that had never fully healed. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. If you really want to help, then stay here. There's a big problem coming our way."
"What do you mean?" The Admiral blinked, stunned. "Even the Fifth Fleet can't—"
"It's hard to say." The arrival of the newcomers had certainly excited the Commander, but his expression remained grave. He shook his head with a bitter smile. "On the surface, our strength has increased. But in reality, our problems haven't diminished; they've become even more difficult... There is an extremely thorny choice waiting for us, one that may very well decide the fate of the entire Research Commission."
"Huh?" The Admiral's eyes widened. How had things suddenly become serious enough to decide the Commission's fate?
He looked at the Commander, but the Commander wasn't looking back. Instead, his gaze was fixed on a specific area of the base. Following his line of sight, the Admiral saw Mirrorblade curled up deep within the base. No matter how lively it was outside, Mirrorblade clearly had no intention of going out to see the Fifth Fleet recruits. The Admiral suddenly seemed to understand.
"Could it be—?"
"Exactly. The situation is more complex than we imagined," the Commander said, taking a deep breath and assuming a serious tone. "Mirrorblade personally returned to the Glavenus tribe and met with Asterion. According to the definitive information he brought back, the source of the Bio-energy is Asterion himself. It was Asterion who triggered all of this... He has known all along."
"Asterion..." The Admiral's expression became complicated. His laughter died away, and his thick brows furrowed tightly.
In the Elder Dragon Research Commission, most of the later hunters and strict ecologists referred to the deity worshipped by the Glavenus tribe as the "Bio-energy Dragon." Their understanding was that it was a powerful, intelligent, and unique Elder Dragon.
But for the Admiral and the few remaining veterans of the First Fleet who had first pioneered this land, they still preferred to use the name "Asterion"—just like the old cats of the Glavenus tribe.
Fifty years.
A full fifty years.
For a dragon, fifty years was nothing. But for humans, whose average lifespan was less than a century, fifty years was the majority of their lives.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Admiral and his peers had spent their youth—the most precious years of their lives—alongside Asterion. From the moment they stepped onto this continent to begin their investigation and slowly build the base, they had witnessed Asterion's transformation with their own eyes.
It wasn't just a change in appearance or form, but a change in power and ecological standing. In a sense, the Admiral—who had no children of his own—almost felt as if he had watched Asterion grow up like a child, even though he knew how ridiculous that thought was.
Asterion was a powerful monster, likely sitting at the very peak of the ecosystem. If the Admiral ever said those thoughts out loud, Asterion probably wouldn't acknowledge them—he'd likely be insulted.
But the Admiral felt it nonetheless.
"And most importantly," the Commander continued, his voice growing even more solemn, "According to Mirrorblade, Asterion isn't even actively or consciously spreading the Bio-energy. He simply exists there, and the environment naturally changes around him. It's not that he adapts to the environment; the environment adapts to him. You understand the difference, don't you?"
"Yeah, of course," the Admiral replied. His tone was light, but his expression was grim. "An existence... beyond Elder Dragons?"
"It seems you remember," the Commander said, patting the Admiral's shoulder without further word. "Before we set out fifty years ago, the Guild opened up a vast amount of classified information to us, hoping we would make the right choices in our Elder Dragon investigation... I never thought that after all these years, it would suddenly be relevant here."
"Well, let's not overthink it for now," the Admiral said suddenly, clapping the Commander on the shoulder. "The most important thing right now is to guide the Fifth Fleet members and get them familiar with the New Continent as soon as possible."
"I agree," the Commander nodded. "We'll announce the specific details when the meeting is convened."
"And besides, I don't believe Asterion is the kind of dragon who would wantonly destroy the ecosystem," the Admiral added, maintaining his optimism. "There's no need to scare ourselves. Maybe Asterion will handle the rest of it himself without us having to do a thing."
"I hope so," the Commander said calmly. "When the time comes, I'm afraid I'll need you to go and negotiate with Asterion."
"Understood. Leave it to me," the Admiral promised solemnly.
Dropping the heavy topic, the two men walked down and joined the crowd welcoming the newcomers. Someone had even brought out fireworks to ignite in celebration.
the Kingdom and the Guild had indeed provided their full support to the Research Commission. The Fifth Fleet consisted of six to seven hundred people, with eight ships arriving at Astera simultaneously. Given the size of the docks, they couldn't all moor at once; the other seven ships waited in the shallow waters near the coast, waiting for their turn to dock after the first ship's passengers had disembarked.
Excluding the Fourth Fleet—which was comprised of management talent responsible for transporting goods between the two continents—and ignoring those who had given up on exploration to return to the Old World, the combined numbers of the first three fleets didn't even equal the size of the Fifth.
Furthermore, many of Astera's veterans were still stationed at the Forward Research Base. While Astera looked massive, most of the people moving through it now were fresh faces from the Fifth Fleet.
They explored the facilities with wide-eyed wonder—the derelict ship buildings, the waterwheels, the Botanical Research Center... releasing all their curiosity and desire for exploration upon the New Continent.
It didn't take long for the newcomers to discover Mirrorblade curled up in his nest. However, seeing the massive size of the beast and his gleaming tailblade—combined with the fact that the Commander had specifically stationed several hunters there—the energetic recruits didn't dare disturb him. They could only stand at a distance, discussing him with excitement.
Today, Astera felt like it was in the middle of a festival. Even though the brooding Mirrorblade wanted to remain in his self-imposed isolation, the sounds of celebration from the crowds eventually forced him to lift his head and look.
A massive bonfire had been lit on the beach near the outskirts of the base. The Canteen had provided a staggering amount of roast meat and ale for the welcome banquet, ensuring the newcomers could integrate into the Research Commission as quickly as possible.
"Yo, partner!" Before he even arrived, a greeting rang out from a distance. Hara, the Field Team Leader, arrived before Mirrorblade carrying a large keg of beer. "Not going to join the celebration?"
"Growl."
"The Little Boss says he's not interested, meow," Caly translated.
"Eh? Not even interested in meat?" Dot arrived as well, carrying a huge platter of roast meat. It was piled high with charred, brown meat that was still sizzling and fragrant.
Familiar and unafraid, Dot walked right up to Mirrorblade's head as it lay on the ground. Dot patted Mirrorblade's snout, signaling for him to open his mouth. But Mirrorblade acted as if he couldn't even smell it, turning his head away to avoid the platter. He failed to escape; Dot simply circled to the other side, relentlessly scratching the scales near Mirrorblade's mouth until he finally relented and opened up.
"That's the spirit! No matter how life is going, you've gotta eat your meat," Dot laughed loudly, pouring a large mug of beer and gulping it down.
In contrast, after the platter of meat entered his mouth, Mirrorblade remained listless. Even though a dragon's face is rigid and largely expressionless, his slumped posture made his depression obvious.
He chewed absentmindedly and swallowed. The roast meat he usually loved tasted like wax today, devoid of flavor. He felt hollow. He stared blankly at the platter Dot had placed on a nearby wooden barrel. His body was here, but his mind had drifted back to earlier that afternoon, before the sun had set.
Mirrorblade... he thought of the Aptonoth he had seen earlier, being led out of the livestock pens by the new hunters. It was those Aptonoth that had provided the meat for this feast, filling the bellies of these strong hunters.
Aptonoth weren't high-tier monsters; they weren't particularly intelligent. Humans couldn't understand the language of monsters, either. But today, when those Aptonoth were being slaughtered, Mirrorblade realized he could hear them. He heard their screams of pain before they died, the fragmented, desperate cries of things that did not want to die. He had never heard those sounds before.
It was strange, and unsettling.
The words his father had spoken in the Everstream were like an unshakeable wind blowing through his mind. He thought of the Aptonoth, then the meat on the platter, then his partners' faces, then his father's words...
It was strange. Very strange.
It was just eating meat. He had been a carnivore since the day he was born; he ate meat at every meal. Let alone Aptonoth—who were at the bottom of the food chain—he had eaten monsters as powerful as himself, creatures with clear wills and intelligence. Meat was meat. It all ended up the same in the stomach. So why had he never felt this way before?
This... awkward, conflicting feeling.
It was uncomfortable and irritating. Even having his partners here to drink with him didn't change much. He simply allowed Hara to pour a keg of beer into his mouth, after which he lay there blowing bubbles in silence.
"Gramps told me everything, partner." Taking a large gulp of beer, Hara seemed to make a decision, his face hardening with resolve. "The Kingdom and the Guild... I don't really understand what they are. Kings and princesses sound so strange, and those legendary Guild Knights sound like something out of a horror story."
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