After nearly a month and a half of travel, the towering walls of Dragondale finally came into view.
DK had seen cities before in the MMORPG game from past life and through his travel through the Stormwind kingdom—large fortifications, towering castles, and sprawling metropolises. But Dragondale was something else entirely. The massive boundary surrounding the kingdom was unlike any wall he had ever encountered. It gleamed faintly under the afternoon sun, its surface resembling the hardened scales of a living, breathing creature. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming, stretching far beyond what the eye could see.
DK leaned forward in the cart, eyes wide in disbelief. "What the hell is this wall made of?"
Lucy smirked at his reaction, arms folded as she relaxed against the cart's side. "They say it's not just a wall," she said, her voice carrying the weight of an old legend. "The myth goes that this is the body of the last Dragon King."
DK turned to her sharply. "What?"
Lucy gestured toward the immense structure before them. "The legend says that Dragondale's first ruler was a true dragon, one of the last remaining ancients. He protected his people, led them, and when the kingdom was finally established, he chose to lay down and encircle it with his own body. His power kept the enemies at bay for centuries. And even now, they say his remains act as an unbreakable shield. How do you not remember this? You were taught all of this basic stuff in your preliminary training for noble family."
"I never paid attention in those training because I was never going to be noble." DK stared at the wall again, this time with more reverence. Was it really possible? A creature so large that its body could form a wall stretching over a million square kilometers? That was beyond reason.
"And no one knows if that's true?" he asked.
Lucy shrugged. "Maybe the royal family does. But if they do, they're not sharing. Most scholars just say the wall is built from dragon-forged metal, a type of stone that's been infused with the will of dragons long ago."
DK let out a low whistle. "So, basically, it's either an ancient dragon's body or an unbreakable metal. Either way, it means Dragondale is untouchable."
"Pretty much," Lucy confirmed. "This kingdom never expanded its land, never sought war, and never needed to defend itself from invaders. No one has ever successfully broken through these walls."
The closer they got to the border checkpoint, the more DK noticed something odd—the people of Dragondale looked normal. He had expected warriors with scales, wings, or glowing dragon eyes. But instead, the citizens walking around near the gate looked like regular humans. Some wore armor, others wore merchant robes, but none looked remotely dragon-like.
"Where are all the dragon people?" DK muttered under his breath.
Lucy chuckled. "You were expecting a kingdom of half-dragons, huh?"
"Well, yeah. If the entire place was founded by dragons, I thought—"
"That's ancient history," Lucy cut in. "Most of the common folk here are just humans now. Only a small fraction of Dragondale's people have traces of dragon blood. And even then, it's usually just minor—slightly tougher skin, stronger physical abilities, maybe some fire resistance. But you won't see anyone walking around with wings or breathing fire. The true dragon heritage exists only in the royal bloodline."
DK absorbed that information, still trying to reconcile the mythical history of Dragondale with the reality of what he was seeing. It was strange to think that a kingdom built on the legacy of dragons had become a place where dragons themselves were now almost nonexistent.
The cart slowed as they approached one of the border checkpoints. A massive tunnel entrance was carved into the dragon-scale wall, making it look like they were about to enter the body of a sleeping beast. The guards stationed at the checkpoint wore black and gold armor, their crests engraved with a sigil resembling a dragon's eye. Their presence exuded discipline and quiet authority, different from the more casual soldiers DK had encountered in other kingdoms.
One of the guards stepped forward as their cart stopped. He was a tall man, his golden eyes a subtle sign of dragon ancestry. His gaze was sharp, scanning both DK and Lucy carefully.
"State your names, your place of origin, and the purpose of your visit," he said, his voice steady and formal.
Lucy, completely unfazed, pulled out a set of documents from her bag. "We're from Stormwind Kingdom, here to trade goods."
The guard examined the papers closely, then glanced toward DK. "And him?"
Lucy smiled easily. "My traveling companion. Here to assist with negotiations."
DK fought the urge to smirk. A rather fancy way of saying 'he's here to wander around and do whatever he wants.'
The guards performed a brief but thorough search of the carriage. They checked inside crates, examined the cart's undercarriage, and even took a moment to inspect DK himself, their gazes lingering for an extra second on him—but in the end, they found nothing suspicious.
Satisfied, the guard nodded. "Everything checks out. You may proceed." Lucy then asked if they had any good core testing centres nearby.
The guard's eyes flickered between the two of them, his expression neutral. "Stormwind has its own Core Testing Centers. Why not use the ones in your home kingdom?"
Lucy felt DK tense slightly beside him—she hadn't thought that far ahead. But before he could stumble over an excuse, Lucy smoothly stepped in.
"We were advised by our sponsor that Dragondale's Core Testing facilities are more precise and attuned to rarer Nexus Cores," Lucy said, her tone calm and confident. "My friend was recently… injured, and his core's stability has fluctuated. We were told that Dragondale's specialists are among the best for recalibration."
The guard studied him carefully, his sharp golden eyes lingering on DK for a few seconds too long. It was the same kind of gaze that assessed not just words but intent. After a moment, he gave a slow nod.
"That's true," the guard admitted. "Dragondale's testing centers are the most advanced in the continent. If your core is unstable, this would be the best place to examine it."
DK subtly exhaled in relief as the guard turned away, motioning for one of his subordinates to verify their entry. Lucy kept her expression neutral, but inside, she was analyzing everything.
So Dragondale actually does have advanced Nexus Core testing methods. If his corrupted Nexus Core was unlike anything this world had seen, then Dragondale was likely the only place where he could uncover the truth.
After a few moments, the guards stepped aside. "Everything checks out. Welcome to Dragondale."
With that, the cart rolled forward, passing through the entrance tunnel. As they crossed into the kingdom, DK felt a strange, unfamiliar presence in the air. It wasn't hostile—but it was aware.
Almost as if the land itself was watching him.