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Chapter 185: Hunting the Sea Dragon
🕑 Added 2025-03-04 11:46:19 +0000 UTCTimeon was an ordinary fisherman in Tor City—or at least, that’s what he liked to say. But to most people in Tor City, he was anything but. In their eyes, he was the city's biggest seafood merchant. After all, no ordinary fisherman owned fourteen flat-bottomed fishing boats.
Just a year ago, he had been nothing more than a small-time fishmonger in the dock district. However, he had a sharper eye for opportunity than most. When Miracle Harbor presented a golden chance, he seized it.
While the people of Tor City grew hostile toward Miracle Harbor due to the conflict in the Sea of Dorne, Timeon quietly transported large quantities of seafood from the southern coastline of Dorne to Miracle Harbor, selling them for a hefty profit. In a short time, he accumulated considerable wealth.
With his newfound fortune, he purchased new fishing boats, forming a fleet dedicated to the seafood trade. Over the past year, he had also built relationships with the people of Miracle Harbor, elevating his status to that of an honored guest among Tor City's elite.
However, recent rumors of sea dragons in the Sea of Dorne had stirred up significant fear. Even the fortress warship stationed at Miracle Harbor had reportedly met with disaster. As a result, fishermen along the southern coast no longer dared to venture out to sea. Timeon's men were no exception.
No fish meant no income. Timeon also had a large number of people under him who helped him control Tor City’s fish market. Without revenue, the funds he had accumulated wouldn't last forever.
Left with no other choice, he took a group of desperate, fearless fishermen to his private fishing grounds near Godsgrace Cape in search of a catch.
Godsgrace Cape lay to the east of Tor City, jutting out into the sea. It was part of the Godsgrace Mountains, meaning there were no sandy beaches along its shores—only towering cliffs and sheer precipices stretching all the way to the coastline near Ghost Hill.
A year ago, while fishing in these waters, Timeon had accidentally discovered that the fish and shrimp here were not only more abundant but also larger than in other areas. Since then, he had kept this place as his secret fishing ground.
Later, he learned a crabbing technique from the Summer Islanders in Miracle Harbor. He began using this method to catch sea crabs in these waters, supplying them exclusively to Miracle Harbor. It was said that Lord Lynd, the Chosen One, was particularly fond of crabs and even invented a specialized set of tableware for eating them. His enthusiasm spread, and soon the people of Summerhall and its surrounding regions, who had once paid little attention to crabs, developed a newfound craving for them. The demand drove prices sky-high, making sea crabs one of the most valuable seafood commodities.
"Boss, I think this is the area where the sea dragon was spotted," a subordinate whispered after they located the first crab cage beacon and Timeon gave the order to haul up the traps.
Timeon shivered at the words. He instinctively scanned the sea around him. The early morning mist still hung thick over the water, obscuring his view of the surroundings.
“Shut up and get to work. Haul up the crab cages quickly so we can leave,” Timeon snapped, shooting a sharp glare at his subordinate.
Under his watchful eye, the first crab cage was soon pulled up from the depths.
These cages were woven from a special type of oil vine found in the Godsgrace Mountains. The vine was highly water-resistant, incredibly tough, and slow to decay, making it ideal for weaving fishing nets.
However, no matter how durable it was, it remained a land-grown plant. After being submerged in seawater for over ten days, even the toughest oil vine would eventually rot away.
Just as Timeon had feared, the first crab cage had already fallen apart from decay.
Without dwelling on it, he ordered his crew to continue retrieving the cages alongside the other fishing boats. Fortunately, luck was on his side. After losing several damaged cages, they finally began hauling in intact ones—each containing massive, plump crabs.
The crabs from this region were significantly larger than those from other waters and even had an extra pair of legs. Their meat was exceptionally sweet and tender, making them highly sought after in Miracle Harbor, where they sold for three times the price of other crab varieties. This trade was one of Timeon’s most profitable ventures.
As each ship brought up a dozen or more crab cages brimming with crabs, the decks became crowded with the creatures. A rare smile appeared on Timeon’s normally stern face as he made a rough calculation—this trip had already earned him a hefty profit.
Maybe it was the relief of a successful haul, or perhaps his subordinate’s earlier words had unsettled him, but as Timeon stood on the deck, he suddenly felt an eerie sensation—as if something in the thick sea mist was watching him.
The feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come, but the unease lingered.
Should we call it quits and head back? We’ve already made plenty. The thought crossed his mind, but as another boat erupted in cheers over yet another cage full of crabs, greed easily won over caution.
...
As the heavy morning fog began to thin, each boat managed to pull up another three or four cages. By now, the decks were so packed with crabs that there was barely any room left to stand.
“Blow the horn! We’re done for the day!” Timeon called out, satisfied with the haul.
His men immediately grabbed the horns from their belts and blew them hard.
At the signal, the crew dropped what they were doing. Some rushed to hoist the sails, while others began pulling up the anchors.
With the final ship’s anchor and sails secured, the fleet turned and began its journey back toward Tor City.
...
“Boss, something’s not right,” one of Timeon’s men suddenly murmured as he approached.
“What is it?” Timeon asked, frowning.
“I just did a count… We’re missing a boat,” the man said quietly.
“A boat is missing?” Timeon stiffened. He quickly climbed to the highest point of the deck and scanned the waters around them, counting the ships. Within moments, his face darkened.
“Damn it. It’s not just one—we’re missing two boats!” he growled.
“Two?” The subordinate faltered, then nodded, realizing he must have miscounted earlier.
“Who were the captains of those two boats?” Timeon demanded.
“I don’t know yet. We’ll need to gather everyone to find out,” the man replied, shaking his head. “Do you think they stole the ships?”
“Stop the fleet. Have all the boats regroup here—now,” Timeon ordered grimly.
A series of horn blasts rang out across the sea, and one by one, the fishing boats began converging on Timeon’s ship.
But as the fleet gathered, Timeon’s stomach twisted with a growing sense of unease. He counted the ships again—only to realize that two more were missing.
He was down to just ten boats.
“Damn it! By the Seven! Something’s wrong!”
Even if Timeon had been slow to react before, there was no mistaking it now. There was no time to investigate why his ships had disappeared or to reprimand his crew. Panic-stricken, he spun around to the helmsman and shouted, “Full sail! Get us out of here—now!”
But before his words had even fully left his mouth, a powerful surge of water erupted from beneath the ship, rocking it violently. Then, without warning, a massive maw broke through the surface and, in one devastating bite, swallowed the entire fishing boat whole.
As the jaws snapped shut, Timeon barely registered the terrified screams of his sailors before everything went dark.
...
By midday, the thick fog over the sea had completely lifted. The once-quiet waters were disturbed once again as a fleet of a dozen warships arrived.
After three days of sailing, Lynd’s fleet had finally reached the waters off Godsgrace Cape —an area known in records as the place where sea dragons appeared most frequently.
“My lord, we’ve arrived at the Godsgrace Cape waters,” Hollis reported as he approached the bow. “Should we drop the bait now?”
“Wait a moment.” Lynd gazed down at the sea, shaking his head. Then, hearing the loud chatter behind him, he turned and cast a glance at the merchant guild supervisors and their guards, who had been invited aboard. His expression turned cold.
“Tell those fools in armor to strip it off. If the sea dragon appears and sinks this ship, they’ll sink straight to the bottom like a stone—and they won’t be coming back up.”
“Yes, my lord.” Hollis rolled his eyes as he turned to the ten men still clad in metal armor, clearly unimpressed by their lack of foresight.
After Hollis left, Lynd returned his focus to the sea. Soon enough, he spotted something unusual. Signaling the helmsman, he directed the ship toward the anomaly.
As they drew closer, Lynd stepped to the rail, peering out over the water. The rest of the crew, curious, crowded around to get a look as well.
Drifting on the surface were scattered pieces of broken wood—nothing remarkable at first glance.
“Haul those planks aboard,” Lynd ordered, his expression turning serious.
The sailors wasted no time. Fetching a fishing net, they lowered a small boat and began retrieving all the wooden debris they could find.
Once the planks were brought on deck, Lynd spread them out, carefully examining the break patterns along the edges.
“This looks like wood from a Dornish fishing boat,” one of the merchant guild officials noted, stepping forward. “They favor white ash for their boats. It’s lightweight, has good buoyancy, and is the best local material for flat-bottomed vessels.”
Lynd nodded in agreement.
Another man scoffed. “It’s just a fishing boat that met with an accident. A bit of a storm is enough to tear one of these apart.”
“Storm?” Someone else immediately shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Are you an idiot? Did you see any sign of a storm on the water today?”
It seemed there was some underlying tension between the two, but before the first man could retort, another voice cut in.
A middle-aged man—who had worked his way up from sailor to merchant guild leader—stepped forward. “This wasn’t a storm,” he stated firmly. “The damage to these planks is from crushing and impact, not the kind of tearing you’d see from rough seas. I’ve seen this kind of destruction before—on ships that were rammed by Ironborn longships fitted with a battering ram.”
As he spoke, he glanced toward Lynd.
After all, everyone knew that the largest Ironborn pirate alliance in the Dornish waters—both inside and outside the region—was none other than the Alliance of the Three Sea Krakens, which operated under Lynd’s secret command.
“It wasn’t the Ironborn,” Hollis interjected without hesitation. “First of all, there are no Ironborn pirates in the Sea of Dorne. Second, longship rams are designed for medium-sized vessels. A flat-bottomed fishing boat wouldn’t be able to withstand a ram, nor would a longship even need to use one against such a vessel.”
“You don’t need to speculate,” Lynd cut through the discussion. “This was the work of a sea dragon. And it wasn’t just one ship.”
He turned to Hollis. “Start deploying the bait as planned.”
“Yes, my lord,” Hollis responded immediately, then signaled the horn players to relay the command.
A series of horn blasts echoed over the sea, carrying their meaning across the waves. At once, the fleet moved into position, spreading out at fixed intervals with the flagship Arrowhead at the center, gradually covering the expanse of water.
Once anchored in place, the captains began dumping barrels of bait into the sea.
The bait consisted of dead fish soaked in ox blood. As they hit the water, the blood spread quickly with the current, staining the surrounding sea in dark red. A strong, pungent stench filled the air.
For humans, the smell was overpowering, but for the carnivorous creatures lurking beneath the waves, it was an irresistible lure.
It didn’t take long before sharks and other predatory fish began circling, drawn by the scent. They darted back and forth, greedily feasting on the floating carcasses.
The crew lined the railings, tense and silent, their eyes fixed on the churning waters. It was as if they believed that, through sheer concentration, they could see beyond the thick, bloody surface into the depths below.
In contrast, Lynd remained completely at ease. He sat cross-legged on the deck, leaning against the base of the mast with his eyes closed, unmoving for so long that some crew members began to wonder if he had fallen asleep.
...
Time passed. As the sky darkened, oil lamps were lit on every ship. The scent of blood and fish gradually faded as the predatory creatures finished their feast. The bait was gone—but the true target had yet to appear.
A creeping sense of failure settled over the crew. Even Lynd began to suspect that the sea dragon wouldn’t show. Rising to his feet, he was about to order Hollis to move the fleet to another location to try again.
Then, the ship beneath him trembled.
At first, the crew thought it was just the waves, but Lynd immediately sensed something was off. The rhythm of the movement was different—this wasn’t a natural shift in the water. It felt more like a sudden, powerful current striking the hull from below.
His instincts flared.
Without hesitation, he rushed to the bow, stepping onto the very tip of Arrowhead’s prow. Staring down into the dark, churning water, he activated his Dragon Rune.
A pulse of energy rippled outward from him, expanding over the sea in waves—like a sonar, sweeping through the depths.
This was a technique he had mastered after completing his second Dragon Communion Ritual. It was also a signature ability of the Banished Knights, used to detect hidden threats.
It was said that an exceptionally powerful Banished Knight could extend their Dragon Rune pulses across a ten-kilometer radius, sensing any enemy within that range. If attacked, they could pinpoint their assailant’s exact position and, using the extreme mobility granted by the Storm Dragon Rune, instantly close the distance to retaliate before the enemy even realized what had happened.
Lynd wasn’t at that level—yet. But he could still scan the waters beneath his fleet, ensuring no threat went unnoticed.
The moment his Dragon Rune pulses spread through the depths, he received immediate feedback.
“Sea dragon! Full alert!” he shouted.
As his warning rang out, the monstrous creature lurking in the deep surged upward, locking onto its first target.
