After updating his maps with Ironcrest's information, Shane finally allowed himself a brief rest.
Of course, the Floating Fortress still hummed quietly above Blue Haven, with its engines steady. Even its shadow was stretching across the port like a silent guardian.
The next morning, Shane rose early.
He didn't linger for breakfast or idle conversation. His mind was already fixed on another matter, the deal he had made with a merchant weeks ago.
That deal had been simple, it was to eliminate the Zombie Sea King in exchange for every Recruitment Stone the merchant possessed, from Normal to Epic grade. It was one of the reasons Shane had left Blue Haven in the first place.
The merchant's story had been tragic. His daughter had been killed by the Sea King, and in his grief, he had gathered every scrap of information about the monster. He had tracked its movements, its hunting patterns, even its strange habit of dragging itself ashore from time to time.
