The fleet formation began to take shape

As dusk settled over Dragon's Roost Port, it sank slowly into the waves of the Narrow Sea, like molten lead. The bustling docks of the day gradually fell silent, with only the clanging of hammers echoing from the Smith at the naval base. This sound mingled with the occasional low murmurs of dragons from the Glutton on the hills, outlining the vibrant life of this emerging port.

In the courtyard of Daemon's temporary castle, torches were already lit, their orange flames dancing and casting a warm glow on the long table and the surrounding stone walls. The air was filled with the aroma of roasting meat, the sweetness of wine, and the unique crispness of the Summer Isles' coconut wine. Daemon was about to host another banquet here to welcome Crahas Hal, who had just arrived at Dragon's Roost Port, and to sound the first prelude to the rebirth of the Dragon's Roost Port Navy.

As evening fell, Daemon once again hosted a banquet in the courtyard of his makeshift castle to personally welcome Crahas.

Once again, the long table in the courtyard was filled with Dragon's Roost Port's specialties: crispy roasted wild boar legs, smoked salmon with a pale red hue, sweet cherry pies covered in icing sugar, wine brought by the Redwyne merchant ship from Reach Arbor in the Reach, and coconut wine previously sent by Racallio from the Summer Isles.

Aside from Larys Strong, who had secretly probed Crahas once in the afternoon, he went back to organize the intelligence his undercover agents had received from King's Landing.

Jarman Waters, Colin Celtigar, Alyn Redwyne, Lyonel Corbray, Criston Cole were among the cast members at Dragon's Roost Port.

Rickard Rowan and others were all present. Gael sat beside Daemon, occasionally refilling his wine, her eyes full of tenderness.

"I've gathered you all here today for two reasons: first, to welcome Lord Crahas, and second, to discuss matters concerning naval reform and future expansion."

Daemon spoke first, picking up his glass and standing up. "As everyone knows, Lord Crahas Hal is a renowned naval commander on both sides of the Narrow Sea. From now on, he will be fully responsible for the navy of Dragon's Roost Port, including warship improvements and tactical planning."

Everyone must fully cooperate during crew training.

The crowd responded in unison, "Yes, Your Highness!"

Crahas also stood up, raised his glass, and said, "Thank you for your trust, Your Highness, and thank you to all my future colleagues for your support."

From this day forward, I, Crahas Hal, am willing to go through fire and water for Dragon's Roost Port without hesitation!

Having said that, he drank it all in one gulp.

Daemon put down his glass and glanced at everyone. "Our goal as the Dragon's Roost Port Navy is to control the shipping lanes of the Narrow Sea, Summer Sea, and Slaver's Bay, in preparation for conquering the Summer Isles and Slaver's Bay in the future."

Lord Crahas plans to complete the warship upgrades and fleet integration within three months. I hope that after three months, our fleet will be able to sweep across the Narrow Sea, making pirates tremble with fear and preventing Ironborn from daring to cross the line.

"Your Highness, King Gorne of the Ironborn has been making frequent moves lately. His fleet is operating near the Summer Isles, seemingly scouting trade routes."

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Colin reported, "Racallio has sent word that Gorne's men have harassed the gem mines on Jhala several times and have abducted many natives."

A cold glint flashed in Crahas's eyes. "The Iron Islands ' Ironborn longships are masters of coastal plunder; their business between the Summer Isles and Slaver's Bay" is...

It's an adventure, and their long-range operations are certainly far inferior to our warships.

Three months later, I will personally lead the fleet to the Summer Isles to teach that King Gorne a lesson and let him know once again how powerful His Highness and our Dragon's Roost Port are.

"No rush." Daemon waved his hand. "Gorne still has some use for now. He can keep the other tribes of the Summer Isles in check, and we can reap the benefits."

Once our fleet is complete, we'll take over the Summer Isles in one fell swoop, and deal with Gorne while we're at it."

He paused, then added, "However, we can't let him get too arrogant. Crahas, you can devise a patrol plan tomorrow, increasing patrols on the eastern side of the Narrow Sea. Once any Ironborn ships are spotted, drive them away, so they won't dare approach the trade routes of Dragon's Roost Port easily."

"Understood," Crahas replied.

Halfway through the banquet, Jarman Waters quietly approached Daemon and whispered, "Your Highness, Alys Rivers and Miss Bethany of the House Hightower have also arrived; they're just outside in the courtyard."

Daemon raised an eyebrow, turned to look at the courtyard entrance, and sure enough, saw Bethany and Alys standing there.

Bethany, dressed in a light blue robe, hugged herself and looked at Daemon with fervent eyes. Noticing Daemon's gaze, she wanted to meet his gaze even more intensely, but considering Alys Rivers beside her, she turned her attention to Crahas, as if studying some rare species.

Arya Rivers wore a green cloak. Ever since Damon toured Westeros and she and Larry Harrenhal joined Damon's party, she had maintained the air of mystery that Larry had introduced her to the others in the party as the "Witch of the Forest" to everyone except Damon and Gary. The hood on her head covered most of her beautiful face, and there was a mysterious smile in her eyes.

"Let them in," Daemon said.

As soon as Bethany entered the courtyard, after receiving the expected "ruthless" turn of Daemon's head, the gaze of Princess Gael, and a warning from Alys Rivers beside her, she had no choice but to quickly walk up to Crahas, her voice tinged with a mixture of disappointment and excitement. "Lord Crahas, I heard you had a duel with His Highness Daemon on Dragonstone? Did you see the Dragon Mark on his shoulder?"

Is that Dragon Mark related to magic?

Crahas paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked at Daemon. Seeing Daemon nod in acknowledgment, he slowly spoke, "I remember, Your Highness does have a brand on your shoulder, but as for whether it's related to magic, I don't know."

In that duel, Your Highness's strength was unfathomable; I didn't get a clear look at the details of the branding mark beneath Your Highness's clothing.

Bethany was clearly unwilling to give up and wanted to ask more questions, but she was stopped by Alys Rivers, who was standing next to her.

Alys Rivers stepped forward and bowed slightly to Daemon: "Your Highness, I apologize for disturbing you."

It seems you've decided to take that step into the fire, but since today is a welcome banquet, I won't disturb you any longer."

After saying that, she pulled Bethany away.

Then, Alys sighed helplessly and whispered to Daemon, "May the light and fire continue to protect you," before falling silent. But before leaving, she gave Daemon one last deep look, her eyes filled with a complex light.

The banquet lasted until late at night. After everyone had left, Daemon took Crahas to his temporary study, which was filled with all sorts of parchment scrolls. On the table were the future construction plans for the Peninsula Crownlands, the naval base plan for Dragon's Roost Port, nautical charts of the Narrow Sea and the Summer Sea, and the latest intelligence from Racallio about the Summer Isles.

"Have a seat," Daemon gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "I called you here so late at night to discuss in detail the plans for conquering the Summer Isles and Slaver's Bay."

Crahas sat down, his gaze falling on the nautical chart on the table. "Your Highness, the Summer Isles have many tribes, and they are full of conflicts among themselves. We can divide and conquer them, first winning over the weaker tribes, and then striking at the rebellious ones. This will reduce a lot of resistance."

"That's what I think too."

Daemon nodded. "Racallio has already taken control of three small islands near Jhala. He can act as our agent in the Summer Isles and help us win over other tribes."

After you lead your fleet to your destination, first capture Tall Trees Town on Walano, control the Talking Tree, decipher the runes on it, and then use Tall Trees Town, the heart of the archipelago, as your base to gradually expand.

"The runes of the Talking Tree?" Crahas raised an eyebrow. "Is Your Highness also interested in those runes?"

"Those runes might hold the secrets of the Valyrian Freehold, or they might be related to the Dragon Mark on my body."

Daemon said, "Bethany from House Hightower is obsessed with anything mysterious. Let her and the Citadel of Oldtown work hard to decipher it, and we can reap the benefits."

Furthermore, Tall Trees Town, where Talking Tree is located, is considered the core of the Summer Isles. Controlling it means controlling the trade and military of the entire archipelago.

Crahas nodded. "Understood."

What about Slaver's Bay? The cities of Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen are all quite powerful, especially the Unsullied of Astapor, whose fighting strength is extremely formidable.

"The key to Slaver's Bay is the abolition of slavery."

A cold glint flashed in Daemon's eyes. "The slaves there are deeply oppressed. If we use 'abolishing slavery' as our slogan, we will surely attract a large number of slaves to join us."

You will lead your fleet to blockade the port of Slaver's Bay, cutting off the supply lines to the three cities. Then, send ground troops to land, unite with the slave revolt, and with this coordinated attack from within and without, taking the three cities will not be difficult.

He paused, then added, "After taking Slaver's Bay, we can free the slaves, not only incorporating their young and able-bodied men into our army to bolster our navy and land forces, but also uniting with Braavos, who share our aversion to slavery, to plan for further expansion. Furthermore, we will control the entire spice and mineral trade of Slaver's Bay, providing a continuous supply of resources for Dragon's Roost Port, Crownlands, and the Summer Isles in our rear."

Crahas stood up and bowed. "Your Highness's plan is meticulous, I admire it."

Three months from now, once the fleet is complete, I will immediately lead the army out to conquer the Summer Isles for Your Highness, and then advance into Slaver's Bay!

"No rush." Daemon waved his hand. "The road to conquest is one of taking it one step at a time. We'll first secure our route through the Narrow Sea, then head south to the Summer Sea, take the Summer Isles, and finally advance into Slaver's Bay. We'll proceed step by step; we can't be impatient for quick success."

Furthermore, we cannot ignore King's Landing's Landing. Otto House Hightower, the former Master of Laws of the Iron Throne Small Council, is still keeping an eye on our Dragon's Hightower Dragon's Roost Port. We must lower his guard so he thinks we are merely building the port and have no ambition to expand beyond the Small Council.

"Your Highness, rest assured, once I officially begin my duties tomorrow, I will ensure that the fleet's training and patrols are conducted discreetly and will not attract the attention of King's Landing," Crahas said.

Daemon nodded, took a roll of parchment from the drawer, and handed it to Crahas: "These are the blueprints and crew lists of the existing warships in Dragon's Roost Port. Take them and study them. If you need anything, just tell Rayford, and he will fully cooperate with you."

Crahas took the parchment and carefully put it away. "Thank you, Your Highness. I will certainly come up with a warship improvement plan and training program as soon as possible, and live up to Your Highness's trust."

However, slavery was the foundation of many Free Cities in Essos, and I believe that abolishing slavery is not something that can be achieved overnight; Your Highness must proceed with caution.

It was late at night when Crahas Hal left the study.

The lights of Dragon's Roost Port lit up once again, bathing the docks, terraced fields, and workshops in a warm yellow glow. The Glutton still clung to the hills, their dark dragon scales gleaming with a dark gold under the moonlight. Dreamfyre still hovered high in the sky, and pale blue dragon wings swept across the night, guarding this rising land.

Crahas returned to the mansion prepared for him, which was right next to the naval base, and he could see the warships docked just by opening the window.

He lit the oil lamp, spread out the parchment Daemon had given him, and began to study it carefully.

The blueprints show detailed warship construction and a neat crew list, demonstrating that Dragon's Roost Port has a solid naval foundation. With just a few improvements and training, it could become an elite force.

He thought of Daemon's ambition, and of his own vow, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

He once fought for Myr's freedom, only to be abandoned by his homeland;

Now, Daemon has given him a new stage and a chance to regain his glory. He is determined to assist Daemon in building a vast empire spanning Westeros and Essos, so that his name will once again resound throughout the world.

Meanwhile, in a tent in a corner of the camp, Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron were secretly discussing something.

The infamous "Crabfeeder" Crahas Hal has actually submitted to the Black Dragon!

Ellyn Beesbury clutched the ledger, his face filled with disbelief. "That's the naval commander of the Triarchy! How could he be willing to submit to someone like that? What benefits did Black Dragon give him?"

Maester Maron held the book, his brow furrowed. "Perhaps the Black Dragon coerced him with force."

However, this is good news for us. Crahas is a new recruit under the Black Dragon. If we can get the Black Dragon's expansion plans out of him, Lord Otto will surely reward us handsomely.

"That's right!" Ellyn Beesbury's eyes lit up. "Tomorrow I'll visit him under the pretext of discussing trade, try to get on his good side, and see if I can glean any information."

The two thought their plan was meticulous, but little did they know that the Shadow Guards outside the tent had already recorded their conversation and sent it to Daemon's study that very night.

Daemon glanced at the secret report delivered by his Shadow Guards, a cold glint in his eyes.

Those two fools, Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron, are still dreaming of making a name for themselves. They're perfect to be used to pass on false information to Otto and lull King's Landing into a false sense of security.

He picked up his pen and wrote a reply on the secret report, "Continue surveillance, replace the intelligence as planned, and make them think that our navy is only for defending against pirates."

After finishing his reply, Daemon walked to the window and looked at the lights outside.

The navy of Dragon's Roost Port is rising, and the horn of conquest is about to sound. Otto Hightower's schemes, the Ironborn Iron Islands ' ambitions, the secrets of the Summer Isles, and the suffering of Slaver's Bay will all vanish under the dragonfire of the Dragonfire Glutton the ballistae of the ships.

He knew that the road ahead was destined to be full of thorns, but as long as he had loyal followers, the company of Gael and others, and the protection of Dragonfire, he could realize his ambition step by step, build his own immortal empire, and resist the threat from the northern winter night.

As night deepened, the lights of Dragon's Roost Port remained bright. The craftsmen at the naval base were still working through the night, polishing ship planks and casting crossbows, in preparation for the expedition three months later.

In Crahas's mansion, the oil lamp was still lit, and he was writing furiously at his desk, the first draft of the warship improvement plan gradually taking shape:

On the training ground, the shouts of the new recruits could be faintly heard as they conducted night training, preparing to become Marines.

The lighthouse at the pier glowed faintly, illuminating the shipping lanes of the Narrow Sea and the future of Dragon's Roost Port.

A naval revolution sweeping across the seas is quietly unfolding in Dragon's Roost Port;

A legendary conquest spanning the continent is about to officially begin in the morning light.

Daemon stood by the window, gripping the Blackfyre at his waist, his deep purple eyes burning with an ambition and determination more intense than any lamplight.