Soren's Summoning

(A storm is brewing, and the water looks like it's going to rise. The power's out, so I'm using the remaining battery from my laptop. I'll write as much as I can; it should be enough for two more chapters.)

In the dim light of Twilight.

A long shadow stretched across the road as Soren, shrouded in a wide cloak, re-entered this once-prosperous place.

Arendelle's prosperity was supported by Trade and taxes.

With the port blockaded by the Southern Kingdom's navy, Arendelle's Trade was completely cut off. Many ordinary Commoner lost their jobs at the port and had to find other ways to make a living. Large quantities of goods piled up near the taverns and Inn. Hundreds of merchant ships passed through the area every day, and with everything blocked here, much of the cargo could not be transported out. There were complaints in many parts of the city. Merchants, driven by profit, naturally didn't think about such things; they only hoped that the war would end as soon as possible.

Soren pushed open the tavern door.

The weather suddenly changed in the evening, and a heavy rain began to fall. Considering the time, summer is approaching, and the rainy season is just around the corner.

The ice and snow will soon melt under the washing of the rain, and soon this cold country will be covered in greenery.

"Damn bastard!"

A burly, drunk man looked up at Soren, who was letting in a gust of cold wind as he pushed open the door, and cursed, "Close the door right now or I'll throw you out!"

Soren walked up to him expressionlessly, then reached out and grabbed him by the neck like a duck. He easily lifted the man, who weighed over two hundred pounds, and tossed him into the stinking ditch outside the tavern. The tavern finally fell silent. The others stared at Soren with astonishment, while some who looked like Adventurer watched him with amusement, seemingly trying to guess his profession.

"A glass of fine rum."

Soren shook his cloak, then ordered a glass of the finest rum, but instead of drinking it himself, he placed it opposite him in his seat.

He tapped his fingers lightly as he waited, while the others quickly turned their attention back to other things.

It was just throwing out a foul-mouthed drunkard. Nobody cared too much about it, except for the Adventurer who seemed quite interested in Soren.

Approximately thirty minutes later.

The tavern door opened again, and a cold-looking man with a scar near his eye, about thirty years old, walked in. After scanning the tavern with his sharp eyes, he sat down directly opposite Soren.

"Your Mightiness."

The cold-looking man reached under the table and handed over a file, then said, "This is what you wanted."

"Hmm." Soren nodded slightly.

He then tossed a Diamond over. Pointing to the rum on the table, he said, "Please. When did the Thieves' Guild start registering my information?"

The cold-faced man hesitated for a moment, but after meeting Soren's gaze, he immediately lowered his head and said, "Last October."

"We will gather any valuable intelligence, and you have always been a key target for us."

Soren nodded slightly, his expression remaining largely unchanged.

He stood up, glanced at the cold-looking man in front of him, and then said, "Have your boss come see me sometime. I have something I'd like to discuss with him."

After saying that, he turned and walked into the heavy rain.

The dock was eerily silent under the heavy rain.

Mountains of goods lay piled up near the warehouse, unable to be shipped out after the port was blocked. They would likely have to be sold at low prices or stored away for the time being. Beside the docks was a cluster of low shacks; even wealthy Arendelle couldn't avoid a group of impoverished people. Many strong men sat idly under the eaves, most of them dockworkers, relying on their physical labor to support their families. Now that there was little work at the docks, these men could only sit there idly.

Soren, walking alone in the torrential rain, stood out somewhat.

People stared at him with curiosity, wanting to know what this man who looked like Adventurer was planning to do.

Because of the heavy rain, the patrolling Guard were all taking shelter, so under the dark night sky, no one disturbed Soren's work. He walked step by step to the edge of the dock, then stood in the Seawater. Soren drew a Dagger that faintly reflected a pale golden light, and then cut a gash in his palm. Drops of blood fell into the sea, and as Soren put his hand into the Seawater, an invisible Spell Aura spread out.

What just happened over there?

A boy who looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old shook his head, then rubbed his eyes and said, "Did you guys just see that? It looked like a beam of light spread out!"

He was met with a shake of the head; the others nearby seemed to have seen nothing.

"Did I see it wrong again?" The boy looked a little dejected, fiddling with his toes and staring blankly at the sky.

Deepwater Harbor.

On the sea dozens of kilometers from the port, a sudden wave arose, and the Seawater parted to the left and right, revealing a dark mast emerging from the seabed. The Ghost Sail billowed rapidly, and the hull of the Speaker of the Dead broke through the waves. The Undrowned Undead began to work, and with the chill of the night, a mist spread across the nearby sea. Then, the Ghost Ship sailed at an incredible speed toward Arendelle.

It sensed Soren's call!

As Quasi-Legendary Undead Animate Life, the Speaker of the Dead possesses the ability to navigate autonomously.

Serpent Island.

The once-destroyed base has been rebuilt, but it is clearly no longer on the same scale as before.

This place is now just a Transit Station, serving as a supply point for overseas routes.

On the calm sea.

A massive black shadow gradually rose to the surface. First, jagged, sharp bone spikes emerged from the sea, followed by patches of dark scales. This enormous Ocean Monster hovered on the surface for a moment, then, as if sensing some kind of call, it swam towards the North sea. Its massive body then submerged back into the ocean, moving at a speed far exceeding that of any Warship.

The owner is calling it!

The blood told it the location of its owner, and it was able to track the location even from thousands of miles away.

The docks of Arendelle.

Soren slowly withdrew his hand; the wound on his palm had almost healed. He gazed at the vast sea under the night sky, then turned to look at the Imperial Palace in Arendelle, murmuring, "Three more days." (To be continued~^~)