The air at the harbor carried a salty, damp sea breeze. The setting sun cast its afterglow across the gray flagstones, stretching everyone's shadows long.
Standing by the harbor, Ang saw a sailing ship moored steadily at the dock. Its hull rose high, dense rune patterns wound around its masts, and intricate magic circle designs adorned its sails.
This ship was completely different from the transport vessel they had taken before. That one had clearly been designed for swiftly carrying large numbers of soldiers, while this vessel brimmed with powerful magical energy. It was obviously a specialized ship built for high-level missions.
Ang's eyes lit up slightly when he saw the words "Wind Breaker" written along the starboard side in elegant, deeply etched lettering.
Powerful magical fluctuations radiated from the hull. It seemed to be more than an ordinary ship—it was some kind of advanced magical artifact. He stood there, absorbed in observing the vessel, his gaze lingering over its intricate runes and arrays as fascination took hold of him.
Just then, a gaze pierced toward him like an arrow, jolting Ang back to his senses.
Looking up, he saw a man in an azure mage's robe standing at the bow. With the sunset behind him, his face was indistinct, but his long golden hair gleamed brilliantly in the light.
He was tall and slender, his mage's robe fluttering in the wind, and he carried an innate air of nobility.
"Are you Ang, commander of the 47th Regiment?" The man's voice was cool and low, yet it carried an inexplicable pressure.
Ang looked up at him, frowning slightly. "I am. Are you from the Military Department of the Northern United Council?"
A contemptuous smile appeared on the man's lips. "Hmph. Who I am is unimportant. What matters is that you