Chapter 1132: Adventurers Heading North

“A sense of urgency…”

Beltira softly echoed Gawain’s words, her gaze fixed on the “mortal” standing before her—someone who could face down a god without flinching. Suddenly, a thought struck her:

What kind of threat could possibly make a person like him feel urgency?

It could only be a danger from beyond the known world…

“Ever since that signal appeared, your nerves have been a bit on edge,” she couldn’t help but say. “Others might not notice, but I did. Do you think that signal is a serious threat? The sender… although you sounded optimistic earlier, it seems you’re convinced they mean harm.”

“No, I can’t say for sure if they’re hostile or friendly,” Gawain replied, glancing at Beltira. “But the mere existence of that signal should put all of us on high alert. If it truly comes from a civilization deep in the distant star seas—then that civilization is completely unknown to us. And the unknown means anything is possible. They might be more advanced, stronger, even aggressively so. The signal itself could be a trap…

“Of course, it could be the exact opposite. But we can’t just hope for the best.

“And in some ways, this unknown threat is even more dangerous than the ‘divine calamities’ we face. At least with gods, we’ve begun to unravel their mysteries; we have a rough idea of their limits. But with a strange civilization from the depths of the star seas, we don’t even know what form their life takes.”

Beltira listened quietly, then murmured, “For countless years, mortals on this planet have wandered alone in the dark. There were no other lights in the world, so most of us believed we were the only ones in this vast wilderness. We competed and survived within the glow of our own civilization, and all the threats we faced came from within that range. But now… suddenly, a distant light has appeared in our field of vision.”

Gawain nodded gently. “That’s why I feel urgency. The existence of the sea serpents and the dragons’ testimony have already proven we’re not the only flame in this universe. But we never imagined another light would be so close—already shining toward us. Whether that light is friendly or hostile, it means we don’t have much time to waste.”

“I don’t know what your plans are,” Beltira said thoughtfully, “but it seems you place great hope in the Sorin Great Tree.” She paused, the night breeze rustling the leaves around them, stirring faint ripples across the canopy. After a moment, she broke the silence. “Perhaps there’s a way… for me to break through my own growth limits.”

Gawain, lost in his own thoughts, suddenly snapped to attention. “You have a way?”

“The growth limit of the Sorin Great Tree is mainly constrained by my control ability,” Beltira explained, a hint of pride flickering across her face. “Speaking of control… do you remember how I managed to control two avatars simultaneously?”

Gawain’s eyes widened slightly as he guessed her meaning. “You mean those servo brains?”

“All along, I’ve treated the servo brains as auxiliary organs to stabilize my personality tendencies. Occasionally, I used them to solve research problems, but rarely to directly control the Great Tree—not because of any safety or technical issues, but simply because my own control was sufficient,” Beltira nodded seriously. “Recently, I started using the servo brains to help control additional ‘avatars,’ and it’s worked well. Your earlier question gave me further inspiration… extra computing power can not only control more avatars but also manage the ever-expanding Great Tree.”

Gawain’s interest was piqued. He nodded. “Go on.”

“I’ve devised a plan: during the Sorin Great Tree’s growth, we could install auxiliary brains at regular intervals within its neural network. Around each brain, we’d set up a series of supporting neural nodes and independent biomass circulation channels. This could greatly increase the tree’s scale without overburdening my own cognitive cycles or biomass transport,” Beltira continued. “These brains could be deeply buried underground, which would prevent enemies from targeting my neural nodes and greatly enhance security…”

Gawain’s eyes widened as he pictured the astonishing plan in his mind. When he heard the idea of burying the auxiliary brains underground, he immediately nodded in approval—not just for safety, but because it would be less disturbing to the ordinary people living on the surface.

Noticing Gawain’s approving look, Beltira smiled and paused. “Do you have any additions to my plan?”

“No one knows your body better than you do, so you should handle the technical details,” Gawain said. “But one thing I must clarify: I don’t want the Sorin Great Tree to grow blindly and without purpose. There must be a detailed ‘growth plan’…”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but add a warning: “Also, I must remind you—this grand plan, despite its good intentions, must never forget the lessons of the old ‘End of All Things’ cult. Their beginnings were noble, but they eventually fell into the darkness of technology. You must constantly monitor the risks during growth. If the tree shows signs of going out of control, you must stop immediately. And no matter how far your plan progresses, you must report directly to me—no other departments involved.”

Seeing Gawain’s grave expression and hearing the solemn tone in his voice, Beltira’s own demeanor grew serious. As a survivor and participant in the old divine calamity, memories of the ‘End of All Things’ cult’s descent into madness flooded her mind. She bowed her head deeply and spoke with weighty resolve: “Yes, I will never make the same mistakes again, Brother Gawain.”

…

Far to the north, on the empire’s largest seaport, the new city of Northport had become the busiest hub for goods in the northern territories.

Built almost overnight with half the empire’s resources, this city now stood proudly at the edge of the northern coast. Its rapid rise had shattered local records—no one had ever seen a city constructed so quickly, nor witnessed towering heat towers rising from the earth, nor the web of heating pipes that kept the entire city warm. The empire’s new order radiated outward from Northport like an unstoppable tidal wave sweeping across the north. And never before had so many merchants, travelers, and adventurers swarmed like bees along a coast once ruled by cold and wilderness.

Voices that once doubted the Northport Construction Corps and the Wilde family’s decisions had long since faded away. Before the towering harbor shields and municipal heat towers, all pale and weak objections melted like spring snow. Even the remaining concerns gradually vanished as Northport’s commerce boomed.

The new order had brought a prosperity the northerners had never seen—so dazzling it silenced all doubts. Flowing gold coins and Finar like honey dulled every tongue of skepticism. Even the most short-sighted native nobles, standing in the Northport Customs Hall or the Northport Railway Hub, could not deny the city’s success.

Of course, a few stubborn holdouts remained—but they had long since been swallowed by the earth, becoming part of the foundation for the city’s outward expansion.

A fine rain fell on the port city—only the second rainfall since the start of summer. But this was the far north, and even in summer, the rain felt biting cold, as if mixed with tiny ice crystals. Through the misty rain, the towering city’s heating facilities and rune-etched arcane obelisks pointed skyward, their magical glows forming expanding halos in the foggy light.

A sleek, iron-black arcane train slowed through the drizzle. The yellow holographic markers on the platform shifted to green, signaling permission to proceed. The steel beast, powered by repulsion engines, glided into the platform marked by holograms, smoothly decelerating. With a series of mechanical clicks as polarity shifted, the train came to a halt, its doors opening with a chime.

Travelers from afar streamed out, adding to the already bustling platform.

Among the crowd, a figure in a black short robe pushed his way forward, grumbling loudly. Amid the colorful array of travelers, this man stood out. His hair and beard were pure white, marking him as an elderly man in his seventies or eighties, yet he was full of vigor—able to carve a path through the strong young crowd and even hopping on the edge, shouting about someone stepping on his foot.

He wore a short mage’s robe, somewhat outdated in this “new era,” clearly worn for many years, with visible signs of wear but still clean and tidy. At his waist hung a black sheepskin spellbook, a short staff, and a pouch containing a magical orb. A simple black soft hat rested on his head, plain but with rubies set into the edges—an understated artifact of power.

This outfit was perfect for wilderness travel—most mages embarking on adventures preferred such gear that didn’t hinder movement but stabilized their combat effectiveness.

But few mages setting out on adventures were as old as he was. At his age, even a powerful spellcaster should cherish their remaining years, quietly studying ancient tomes in a mage tower.

“These young people these days really have no respect for the elderly,” the old mage muttered, standing at the edge of the crowd. Shaking his head, he mumbled as he made his way toward the platform exit, occasionally glancing up at the dazzling arcane devices, advertising signs, and directional markers, as well as another freight train slowly pulling into the opposite platform. “But then again, these clever gadgets are quite interesting… self-operating machines? Only smart people could come up with such things…”

“Of course, sir, you have good taste—” A cheerful, energetic young man’s voice suddenly interrupted.

“Welcome to Northport, the most prosperous and advanced new port city on this land. You’ve come to the right place—there’s good stuff everywhere here…”

The old mage glanced sideways and saw a young man standing nearby, dressed in a dark blue jacket, his hair meticulously groomed, and wearing a friendly, cheerful smile.

“Selling local specialties? Or promoting inns and hotels?” The old mage immediately raised an eyebrow and cut him off before he could answer. “Don’t take me for some country bumpkin who’s never ridden a mana-powered train before—I work out in the wilds all the time, but that doesn’t mean I’ve never been to the city. Have you ever been inside the rune forges of Tenlin City? Or the crystal smelting plant in Pochikesburg?”

The young man was caught off guard by the old mage’s rapid-fire questions, his face flushing slightly as he awkwardly replied, “I—I didn’t mean it like that, sir. I just saw you standing on the platform and wanted to see if you needed any help…”

“First of all, you don’t need to call me ‘old sir.’ I might outlive you yet. And second, I don’t need local specialties or hotel recommendations. I’m here on business, with my own plans. But if you’re offering help, then yes, I do need to ask you a few things.”

The young man seemed intimidated by the aura radiating from the old man. He swallowed nervously and forced a small smile. “P-please, go ahead.”

“There should be a ‘Far North Exploration Guild Registration Office’ in this city, right? Which way is it?”

“The Far North Exploration Guild?” The young man paused, then caught on. “You mean the adventurers’ guild that sends people to Talrond?”

“That’s the one. I like that name better, too,” the old mage said, stroking his beard. “There are apparently two registration points on the northern continent—one in the Holy Dragon Principality, and one here in the North Harbor. I was originally planning to go to the Holy Dragon Principality, but it’s too far and there’s no train service, so I came here to check things out.”

“Yes, there is indeed a registration center here for adventurers heading to Talrond,” the young man said, glancing repeatedly at the old man in disbelief. No matter what, he couldn’t believe this white-bearded elder was actually an “adventurer.” “But you… you’re really planning to go to Talrond?”

“Nonsense!” The old mage’s eyes snapped open. “Do you think I spent a whole day on a train just to come see the Far North Exploration Guild’s toilets?”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant… Alright, from here, go straight ahead, then turn west after leaving the station exit. Walk past two intersections and you’ll see a sign—a very obvious one, with both the Cecil and Talrond emblems. Of course, if you don’t mind spending some money, you can also take a taxi carriage or a magic-powered vehicle directly there.”

As the young man spoke, he blinked—and suddenly, the platform around him was empty and silent. A cold wind swept past, but there was no sign of the old mage anywhere.

“W-what the hell?” The young man instinctively shrank his neck and muttered under his breath. Then, suddenly, he felt something in his palm. He looked down and saw a single coin—a one Fenar piece—lying quietly in his hand.

(End of chapter)