The sky turned a deep shade of crimson as the sun sank below the horizon. Behind them, the distant silhouette of the eastern human continent slowly dissolved into the gathering dusk.
Below, nothing remained except the endless, dark expanse of the Western Sea.
Trevor stood at the helm of the Junk Boat, his dark red trench coat snapping gently in the wind. Reaching into his high collar, he gave a quiet command.
“Eelon. Come out.”
The metallic seam along Trevor’s collar shifted. A slender, silver snake bot slithered out, winding itself around Trevor’s forearm. Its single emerald optic hummed softly as it focused on the horizon.
Alister, who had been leaning against the railing looking at the endless ocean, suddenly jumped back, his eyes wide.
“W-What is that metal snake?!” Alister stammered, staring in disbelief. “And did it... did it just move like a living thing?”
“This is my pet,” Trevor replied calmly, not taking his eyes off the navigation console. “His name is Eelon. He'll be useful on our journey.”
Alister leaned in closer, fascinated despite his initial shock. “Is he a magic being? Some kind of enchanted construct or elemental familiar?”
“It's difficult to explain,” Trevor said smoothly, “but something like that.”
Trevor tapped a button on his arm display, bringing up a diagnostic screen. “Anyways, Eelon, how many days until we reach western Pangea at our current pace?”
Eelon’s synthesized voice resonated clearly from its internal speaker, causing Alister to flinch again.
“Based on standard naval navigation, travel by sea vessel requires approximately 6 weeks,”Eelon reported. “In our current configuration and altitude, travel by flight is estimated at 1 week.”
“Huh?! A whole week?!” Alister gasped, frantically digging through his light travel pack. “Wait... I didn't carry much food or water! I thought we were making a quick trip!”
Trevor unclipped a sealed pack from his belt and tossed it over to the teenager.
“That is 3 days of food supplies,” Trevor said flatly. “If you manage it properly, you'll be able to stretch that out for a week.”
Alister caught the rations, looking at the compact brown bricks with a miserable expression. “Man... I wish we traveled by airship on public transportation...”
“You still have time to jump right now into the sea and swim back to Celadon Hawk,” Trevor deadpanned.
Alister stared at him in horror. “How cruel are you?!”
“I'm just kidding,” Trevor said, a tiny smirk touching his lips under his thick scarf. “I'm gonna buy you a lot of food once we get there.”
Alister sighed in relief, slumping against the bulkhead. “Sorry, Mr. Trevor... I don't have much money to spare for this journey.”
“No worries, kid. I'm gonna sponsor you upon our arrival there,” Trevor said. He leaned over the core control panel. “Hey, Eelon—take care of the helm. I'm going to boost our speed.”
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“Acknowledged,” Eelon replied, sliding onto the control wheel. “Setting course for Terra Nova. Target destination profile: Population approximately 200,000. Key sectors include Mining Companies, Gourmet Culinaries, Chemists, Alchemists, Human, Dwarven, and Elven Adventurers, Craftsmen, Engineers, and Marine Scientists—”
“Enouuuugh!” Trevor cut in, turning the main thruster dial to maximum. “Eelon, for God's sake... I'm going to ask for info later.”
Trevor slammed the auxiliary throttle forward, rapidly burning through the mana fuel cellreserves. The Junk Boat’s rear thrusters flared bright blue, shaking the frame before propelling the vessel forward with immense force.
Alister grabbed onto the side railing for dear life, his face pulled back by the wind. “T-This is fast!”
“Eelon, at this speed, how long is it gonna take?” Trevor called out over the roar of the engines.
“Recalculating...” Eelon stated calmly. “Estimated arrival time: 4 and a half days.”
For four straight days, the Junk Boat sliced through the skies above the Western Sea without a single encounter. The weather remained clear, and the mana thrusters held steady under Trevor's constant maintenance.
At 4:00 PM on the fifth day, the thick ocean fog parted, revealing the sprawling, vertical metropolis of Terra Nova. High-rise stone towers, grand sky-docks, and massive fortified walls stretched across the coastline of Gaia Pangea.
Trevor guided the descending vessel toward the official landing field at the city’s perimeter airport. The Junk Boat’s skids rattled against the stone runway as it came to a complete stop.
Before they could even disembark, an armed port airforce team in dark blue uniforms approached the vessel, weapons resting at their sides.
“State your business,” the officer in charge demanded, stepping forward. “Do you have any passports and legal documents?”
Alister quickly fumbled through his vest and handed over his personal identification papers. “Here are my personal documents... but I don't have an international passport.”
Trevor stepped down from the deck, carrying his heavy black briefcase in his right hand. Eelon had already vanished back beneath his dark crimson collar, completely hidden from public view. This story is hosted at novelping dot com.
“I don't have a passport either,” Trevor said coldly, handing over a stamped parchment. “Just the document of deed of sale for this boat.”
The officer reviewed the parchment, shaking his head. “No passports means unauthorized entry into the frontier zone. You'll have to pay an entry fine of 200 Terra Coins—or 50 Ravinian Gold—each.”
“That's 100 Ravinian Gold total,” Alister whispered in panic, looking at Trevor.
“Okay. I'll pay,” Trevor said without hesitation. He reached into his coat pouch and handed over two heavy sacks containing 100 Ravinian Gold. “And make sure my junk boat is kept safe in dock storage.”
The officer weighed the coins, nodded satisfied, and stamped two temporary entry permits. “Welcome to Terra Nova. Docking berth 4 is secured for your vessel.”
An hour later, Trevor and Alister were out of the crowded airport terminal and sitting inside a bustling local tavern in the lower district.
The table was covered in plates of roasted meats, fresh bread, and piping hot stews. Alister was devouring the food like he hadn't eaten in years.
“Eat slowly, kid,” Trevor said, watching him from across the table.
Alister paused, a chicken drumstick halfway to his mouth. “Trevor, eat up! I didn't see you eat a single thing for four whole days...”
“Don't mind me,” Trevor said smoothly, taking a slow sip of hot water. His cybernetic body didn't require daily sustenance, though he kept his internal micro-servos lubricated.
Alister swallowed his food and pointed toward the heavy matte-black case leaning against Trevor’s leg. “What about that briefcase? You're always carrying that wherever you go.”
“This is my weapon,” Trevor replied, patting the metal casing. “You'll see it soon. Anyways, I'm going to find us somewhere to stay, and tomorrow morning we'll go get our Adventurers' Licenses.”
Beneath Trevor's collar, Eelon’s soft voice vibrated subtly against his neck, masked by the ambient noise of the tavern.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Notice: The Adventurers' Guild registration hall closes at 5:00 PM daily. We will not be able to make it today.
“We'll handle it first thing tomorrow,” Trevor muttered back quietly.
After finishing their meal, Trevor headed to a nearby official currency exchange counter and converted a portion of his remaining Ravinian Gold into heavy stacks of local Terra Coins.
With money in hand, Trevor secured a comfortable two-room suite at a respectable local inn. Settling Alister into his room, Trevor stood by the window, looking out over the glowing skyline of Terra Nova.
Tomorrow, their real journey as registered adventurers on the continent of Gaia Pangea would finally begin. end of chapter