"Do you also think it was them who made this?" Wuhan asked deeply, "Is this how they came and went away without us noticing anything?"

Noah gave Wuhan a silent look of confirmation before standing up straight. Wuhan felt his heart tightening as he realized the grim reality of the situation.

Wuhan stared at the glowing web of lights in front of him. It wasn't just a normal map—it showed the whole world, connected by shining threads. Each dot was a teleportation point.

His face grew serious.

"So… the Red Dawn Cult used this to move around without being caught," he said quietly. "That explains how they kept slipping past us."

Noah gave a small nod. "Yes. They might not even have built this; they could have found it and used it."

Wuhan clenched his jaw, his thoughts racing. Then he looked at Noah again, eyes sharp. "Are all the other teleportation points like this? Broken and useless? Or… can we use one to reach the Elven Continent right now?"

Noah shook his head.

"Some are still working," he said. "But the one leading to the Elven Empire is broken. We can't use it unless someone on the other side repairs it."

Wuhan sighed. The hope in his eyes faded a little.

"So close… and yet, still so far," he muttered.

Noah looked at him. "At least we know now, before things got too late. This network is a real piece of work that connects almost all of the world, and maybe I can tinker with it. Who knows, we can use it… someday."

His voice grew distant as he added, "Maybe even against the cultists."

Wuhan nodded. "Let's return. We'll keep this place a secret. No one else needs to know for now."

The two of them made their way back through the forest. By the time they returned to the beach, the morning sun was high in the sky, and the waves sparkled under its light.

Everyone else was still resting in their tents. Some were half-awake, stretching and yawning.

"Let them rest a little longer," Wuhan said. "They'll need their strength for the journey ahead."

"I'll make something to help," Noah replied.

Noah got to work quickly. He took out herbs he had collected—some from the forest and some from his storage ring. He made a simple stew, boiling everything over a small flame. The smell was warm and refreshing, like a healing breeze after a long night.

One by one, the others woke up. Xin Yan sat up first and sniffed the air.

"Mmm… that smells good."

"Eat," Noah said, handing her a bowl. "It'll help you recover faster."

Everyone ate quietly, their tired bodies slowly regaining energy. In less than an hour, they looked stronger, calmer—ready to move.

Wuhan stood in front of the group and spoke seriously. "We're heading out soon. Be ready to leave when the time comes. The journey ahead is filled with the unknown, and I want my soldiers to be in the best shape to face it all."

Wuhan spoke a few words of encouragement, raising the morale of the group before they arrived at the fully healed ship and boarded it once more.

The ship sailed through open waters, its sails catching the steady wind as it cut across the waves.

For the first two days, the sea was calm. The sky was clear, and the breeze was cool. Spirits were high, and the crew worked smoothly. Some stood on deck watching the ocean roll by, while others cleaned their weapons or meditated in silence.

But on the third day, danger came.

A massive splash broke the calm—then came the roar.

From the deep rose a Rank 5 sea beast, its body covered in thick scales and glowing fins. It lunged at the ship, jaws wide, but before it could strike, one of the captains leapt into the air. His sword glowed with spiritual energy as he brought it down on the beast's head.

A shockwave shook the air. Blood sprayed across the waves.

The beast screeched, then vanished beneath the surface, leaving behind only ripples and foam.

"Stay alert!" Wuhan's voice rang out. "That won't be the last one."

He was right.

Over the next few days, more beasts came—one after another. Rank 5 serpents. Flying spirit eels. Even a Rank 6 turtle the size of a house tried to crash into the ship.

But the soldiers were trained, and the captains were experienced. They fought with calm precision, working together to drive the beasts away.

Whenever things got too intense, Noah stepped in. A flick of his fingers, a single wave of his hand—spiritual energy would ripple out and force the creatures back into the sea.

Wuhan joined the fight when necessary too, his golden blade flashing with the light of a sovereign. One beast tried to bite through the hull, but Wuhan landed on its head and brought his blade down with all his strength.

The ocean exploded beneath the blow, sending waves crashing in all directions.

After that, the seas grew quieter. The beasts seemed to sense the strength of the people on board and stayed away.

And just like that… a week passed.

On the seventh day, as the sun began to rise behind them, one of the sailors shouted from the crow's nest.

"Land! I see land!"

Everyone rushed to the edge of the ship.

Noah looked ahead, his eyes sharp. A faint dark line stretched across the horizon—but it was no island.

It was too wide.

Too long.

Too vast.

Sylvheriel was the first to jump to the front and shout in excitement. "This is it."

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she gripped her hands tightly on the wooden railings of the ship.

She feared if she did not control herself, she would jump right there and rush towards the Continent on her own.

The land grew clearer as the ship drew closer. Green mountains rose in the distance, and long rivers sparkled under the morning light. Mist drifted above dense forests, and huge birds circled the skies.

Noah's heart beat faster.

This wasn't just any place.

This was it.

The Elven Continent.

As everyone rushed forward to see the Elven Continent come into view, cheers and whispers of excitement filled the ship. Some smiled in relief, others stared in wonder. Even the battle-hardened soldiers couldn't help but feel moved—this was the end of one journey and the beginning of another.

Sylvheriel gripped the railing tightly. Her golden eyes shimmered with tears, and her voice trembled as she whispered, "We're here... finally." Fresh chapters posted on novel-fire.ɴet

But just as the ship continued forward, a sharp voice cut through the air.

"Stop the ship. Now!" Noah's voice rang out like thunder, full of urgency.

Everyone froze.

Captain Black Sword, who had been calmly watching from the helm, acted instantly. "Drop the sails! Anchor down!" he barked, signaling the crew.

The sailors moved fast. Ropes flew, sails dropped, and anchors splashed into the water. Within seconds, the great ship slowed and came to a complete stop.

Wuhan turned to Noah, confused. "What's wrong?"

Noah didn't answer right away. He raised his hand slowly and pointed toward the coastline ahead.

From his fingertip, a soft beam of golden energy shot out like a thin thread of light. It traveled straight forward—and then, just a few meters from the ship's front, it hit something.

Crack!

A ripple burst through the air like a drop hitting the surface of a still lake. Suddenly, everyone saw it—an invisible wall flickered to life.

Runes appeared mid-air, glowing with gold and blue light. They shimmered and pulsed like they were alive, forming layers upon layers of protective symbols. The barrier spread far and wide, stretching beyond what the eye could see, wrapping around the entire visible part of the continent.

Gasps rose from the crew.

"A barrier…" one of the soldiers whispered.

"Where did it come from?"

"Had it not been for this lord, we might have slammed into the barrier."

Wuhan's eyes narrowed. "If we hadn't stopped…"

Noah nodded. "We would've walked straight into it. And this isn't just a normal shield. If we had touched it with full force, it might have attacked us—or worse, sent out a signal."

Sylvheriel's expression darkened. "This is the Elven Empire's last resort, the Hymn of Astral Protection. This barrier needs a lot of energy to maintain and can be used for both defense and an alerting system to let the elves know about a possible invasion."

Noah spoke to Wuhan after a while. "Whoever set this up didn't want outsiders getting in—or seeing what's going on inside."

He stepped forward and examined the runes more closely. "This isn't Elven magic alone… Some of these symbols… they're altered. Now it only acts as an alerting system and tags the 'enemy,' giving live location to whoever is controlling this.

Since the alteration had changed the purpose of this array, the consumption also might have been reduced."

Wuhan's face grew grim. "Red Dawn?"

Noah nodded slightly. "Very likely. And if they've gotten deep enough to place a shield this size, then they've been here a long time."