I walk towards the carriage with Jas and Millard.
Today my destination is Nosivi, the port town on the coast of the Shugia Empire.
Because that place is the most likely place where I can find Clark again.
As we three settled inside the carriage, I signaled it to begin its journey.
First we will have to use the teleportation gates to enter the empire and then go all the way to the other side of the empire to reach our destination.
The journey would definitely take more than 2 days.
But I have a plan, we can just teleport there after we have entered the empire.
No point in stalling any longer than it needs to be.
The ride to the teleportation gate was fast and swift. We took the route made for nobles and reached the other side in a quick three minutes.
The world swirled and contracted.
It then expanded with colors of all spectrum dancing on our eyes.
And then it returned back to the normal world.
The invention of this teleportation gate was a breakthrough in the world like no other. And I am truly grateful for it since it saves half the time while traveling.
After we passed the gate, the shining lights and sights of the empire almost blinded us.
'How do people live here without becoming blind?'
I sighed and then told the driver to halt the carriage.
Millard immediately took some mana stones out and laid them in a circle outside.
He came back in and sat down again.
"Ready?"
Jasper simply nodded, already bracing himself.
Millard, though hesitant, gave a short sigh. "Make sure not to destabilize the spell mid-way, young master."
I rolled my eyes. "Please. I'm not an amateur."
I held out my hand, summoning my mana. The familiar coolness of blue energy surged around us, crackling faintly in the air before expanding into a larger spell.
Nosivi wasn't far—at least not by teleportation standards—but the weight of moving all three of us across an empire in an instant required perfect control.
Jasper's golden eyes flickered, watching the spell form. "Kaan—"
Too late.
I snapped my fingers.
The world folded.
And then, with a flash of light—
The scent of salt and fish hit me first.
The sound of waves and ships slapped my ears.
We were greeted by the pure chaos on the port. The chaotic sound of merchants shouting, waves crashing against the docks and distant hum of the ships create a messed-up symphony.
I get down with Jasper while Millard makes sure our carriage is parked somewhere safe.
I looked around and noticed how nothing changed from the last time I came here.
The small houses and inns lined the street and shops with basic port products on full display.
The deep blue sky and milky white clouds make the perfect peace with the calm ocean and the white birds that flock over it.
Jasper exhaled, brushing off his coat. "Next time, warn me before you teleport."
I grinned. "Where's the fun in that?"
I have been trying to not feel so upright after the dreams of the past I had. But I guess it was too much since Jas looked at me with narrowed eyes and a suspicion.
'Well, considering the amount of time I have been angry with them and showed my dislike to their plans, it must seem weird that I am suddenly joking around.'
I ignore the stare and say, "Nothing has changed, not much. Still smells the same."
"Like fish and crime?" Jas said, taking his eyes off me and looking around the town.
'I don't know about crime, but definitely fishly.'
"Humm," I straightened my coat and glanced around. "Now, where the hell is Clark?"
Jasper's golden eyes scanned the crowd before nodding. "Let's get this over with."
He turned to me, frowned, removed a clock from his inventory and made me wear it. I sighed and pulled the hood over my head.
The two of us moved through the town, blending in with the flow of workers and travelers.
After weaving through the thickest part of the crowd, I spotted a familiar sight. A tall, burly man with broad shoulders and a commanding presence stood near the largest docked ship, barking orders at his crew. His brown hair was tousled from the sea breeze, and his dark eyes held that same sharp intelligence I remembered.
Captain Clark.
As if sensing my gaze, he turned his head. A moment passed as recognition dawned in his eyes, followed by an unmistakable smirk.
"Well, well, look what the tide dragged in," he called out, arms crossing over his chest. His voice carried over the bustling port with ease. "I thought I'd seen the last of you, Kaan."
I smirked and stepped forward. "Disappointed?" My hands reach for a shake.
Clark let out a short laugh and shook my hands. "Hardly. If anything, I'm surprised you showed your face in Nosivi again. Thought you had bigger fish to fry."
Jasper tensed beside me, his gaze flickering between Clark and me.
I shrugged. "Let's just say I'm here on urgent business. And you, Captain—still playing pirate or have you turned into a respectable businessman?"
Clark chuckled, stepping forward to slap my shoulder, hard, but I didn't bug much. "A bit of both, I suppose. Though I'd argue you're the bigger troublemaker these days." His dark eyes flicked to Jasper. "And you brought company. Didn't trust me to play nice?"
Jasper met his gaze with his usual blank expression. "Experience has taught me not to trust easily."
Clark raised a brow, then threw his head back in laughter. "Ah, I like this one. Got the instincts of a seasoned sailor."
Jasper didn't respond, and I sighed. "Enough formalities. We need your help, Clark."
Clark's grin faded slightly, though amusement still lingered in his eyes. "I figured as much. You wouldn't have come all this way otherwise. Come aboard the Silver Crow. We can talk in my cabin."
He gestured toward the massive ship docked behind him. Its polished wood gleamed under the sun, and the sails bore his infamous insignia. The crew moved with well-practiced efficiency, giving us the occasional curious glance but not questioning their captain's guests.
Jasper stepped closer to me, lowering his voice. "Are you sure about this?"
I nodded. "Clark's unpredictable, but he won't double-cross me."
Clark led us up the ramp and onto the deck, where the salty sea breeze hit me full force. The nostalgia of past voyages flickered through my mind, but I pushed it aside as we followed him inside the cabin.
Once inside, the noise from the port was muffled. Clark leaned against his desk, arms crossed. "Alright, Kaan. Let's hear it. What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into this time?"
"Oh, nothing too drastic. Just the usual world-ending threats and power struggles." I smirked, leaning back against the cabin wall.
"Of course. Should've known. Well, let's hear it." Clark groaned, rubbing his temples.
Jasper sighed beside me.
This was going to be an interesting conversation.
'Three dragons...' I laugh a little when I think about the chaos I am ready to bring into this world.