East Cloud smelled different from the ocean.
Not cleaner.
Not fresher.
Just… alive in a completely different way.
As the Sea Raven approached the outer harbor, Dhruv leaned against the railing silently while staring upward.
And upward.
And upward.
Because East Cloud wasn’t built normally.
Entire cities climbed giant cliff walls like civilizations trying to touch the sky.
Massive bridges connected towering stone structures suspended above the sea.
Mechanical lifts moved constantly between levels carrying:
– hunters
– merchants
– cargo
– animals
– weapons
Smoke drifted through the air from factories hidden deeper within the continent.
Messenger birds filled the skies in endless numbers.
And somewhere beyond everything… huge mountain peaks pierced through clouds themselves.
Deep stood beside Dhruv with his jaw hanging open.
“…Okay.”
He pointed dramatically.
“This place definitely has crime.”
Dhruv laughed softly.
“Little bit.”
Deepika remained focused on steering, though even she seemed quieter than usual.
Careful.
Alert.
Like East Cloud required attention at all times.
The Sea Raven slowly entered the outer harbor lanes among dozens of other ships.
Hunter vessels passed nearby carrying massive squad emblems:
– dragons
– skulls
– swords
– monsters
– crowns
Some crews looked terrifying.
Others looked completely insane.
One ship literally had flamethrowers attached to its sails.
Deep looked emotional.
“I’ve found my people.”
“No,” Deepika answered instantly.
“You absolutely have not.”
A loud horn echoed across the harbor.
BOOOOOOOOM.
Every ship nearby shifted directions immediately.
Deepika narrowed her eyes.
“Dock patrol.”
Dhruv frowned slightly.
“Police?”
“East Cloud Harbor Authority.”
Deep muttered:
“So yes. Police with extra attitude.”
Ahead of them, enormous iron gates slowly opened between two giant stone towers.
The main harbor entrance.
Several armored ships guarded the passage heavily.
Dhruv noticed something strange immediately.
Every entering vessel was being inspected.
Thoroughly.
Deepika noticed too.
“…That’s new.”
Deep leaned closer.
“Bad new?”
“Potentially.”
Dhruv’s hand instinctively touched the hidden map beneath his jacket.
The atmosphere aboard the Sea Raven subtly changed.
Not panic.
Preparation. the more intense the harbor became.
Crowds moved everywhere:
– hunters arguing loudly
– merchants shouting prices
– prisoners dragged through docks
– black market traders operating openly beside legal businesses
The continent truly felt lawless.
Just controlled enough to function.
Maybe.
A nearby ship suddenly erupted into a fistfight between two hunter crews.
Nobody reacted.
Not even the police ships.
One officer simply sighed tiredly and kept drinking tea.
Dhruv grinned slightly.
“East Cloud’s amazing.”
Deepika stared at him.
“You enjoy danger way too much.”
“Probably.”
The Sea Raven finally reached the checkpoint gates.
An armored officer stepped onto the dock platform beside them.
Tall.
Scar over one eye.
Crocodile-man.
His sharp yellow gaze scanned the ship carefully.
“Squad name?”
Deep immediately stepped forward proudly.
“Red Threads.”
The officer wrote something onto a clipboard without reacting.
“Purpose in East Cloud?”
Dhruv answered calmly.
“Travel.”
The officer stared blankly.
“…That narrows down absolutely nothing.”
“Adventure travel?”
Deepika rubbed her forehead slowly.
The officer stepped aboard the Sea Raven without permission.
Two more officers followed behind him.
Their boots echoed heavily across the deck.
Dhruv stayed calm outwardly.
But his heartbeat sharpened slightly.
The map suddenly felt ten times heavier beneath his jacket.
One officer inspected cargo.
Another checked the engine room.
The crocodile officer stopped directly in front of Dhruv.
Yellow eyes narrowing slightly.
“You’re young.”
Dhruv smiled casually.
“You say that like it’s illegal.”
“Depends how stupid you are.”
Deep snorted loudly nearby.
The officer glanced toward Deep.
“You. Mechanic?”
“Scientist.”
“Same problem.”
Deep looked oddly proud.
Meanwhile, another officer suddenly emerged from below deck holding Grandpa’s notebook.
Dhruv’s heartbeat paused for half a second.
“We found this.”
The crocodile officer opened the notebook slowly.
His expression remained neutral while flipping through pages.
Ancient symbols.
Continents.
Stone sketches.
Then… his eyes paused briefly.
Something inside the notebook caught his attention.
Very briefly.
But Dhruv noticed.
“Where’d you get this?”
Dhruv answered carefully.
“Family inheritance.”
Silence.
The harbor noises suddenly felt far away.
The officer studied Dhruv for several long seconds.
Then unexpectedly… he handed the notebook back.
“Stay out of restricted districts.”
Deep blinked.
“That’s it?”
The officer turned away already.
“You’ll either survive East Cloud or you won’t.”
He stepped off the ship.
Then paused once more.
Without turning around, he spoke quietly:
“Some maps are dangerous to carry openly, kid.”
Dhruv’s expression sharpened instantly.
But before he could respond… the officers walked away into the harbor crowd.
Gone.
Deep immediately whispered:
“He knew.”
Deepika nodded slightly.
“Definitely.”
The Sea Raven slowly continued deeper into East Cloud Harbor afterward.
But the mood had changed now.
Because for the first time… someone else had recognized Grandpa’s clues.
And if police knew about it… then other people probably did too.
Dangerous people.
By evening, the Red Threads finally docked properly inside East Cloud’s lower harbor district.
The city towered above them endlessly beneath glowing lantern lights.
Music drifted from taverns.
Hunter crews laughed loudly near firelit streets.
Mechanical elevators moved endlessly between city levels overhead.
The whole continent pulsed with energy.
Dhruv stepped onto East Cloud land slowly.
Solid ground.
New continent.
New chapter.
The harbor wind moved through his black hair softly while messenger birds crossed the glowing evening sky.
Deep suddenly stood beside him carrying three bags and somehow a frying pan.
“I have several concerns.”
“About?”
Deep pointed upward dramatically.
“This city feels like it’ll stab us emotionally.”
Dhruv laughed quietly.
“Maybe.”
Deepika walked ahead calmly.
“We need lodging before night patrols increase.”
Dhruv nodded and followed.
But before leaving the docks… he glanced backward one last time toward the endless harbor lights.
Somewhere within East Cloud:
– Grandpa’s secrets waited
– enemies were already moving
– and their journey was only beginning
Then far above the harbor cliffs…
Dhruv noticed a hooded figure standing beneath lantern light watching their ship from a distant rooftop.
Purple pendant.
Still watching.
The figure disappeared into darkness moments later.
Dhruv narrowed his eyes slightly.
“…Who are you?”
The city swallowed the answer.
END OF CHAPTER 10