It had already been a week since Caron and Gratia declared that an ancient civilization existed in Desertus.
The preparations for the Desertus expedition progressed at a truly staggering pace.
"Warships and elite marines dispatched from the Neon Kingdom have just arrived at the naval port!"
"The Queen's Pirate Crew—her second and fourth champions—have arrived, leading fleets of pirates...!"
"The pioneer ships from the Free City Union are fully supplied and ready to sail! They're bringing elite adventurers and mercenaries with them...!"
The lost technologies and treasures on the island were beyond measure. Their lure was irresistible. Anyone who caught the scent couldn't help but drool, and they swarmed to this small northern port city in droves.
The city's capacity had already reached its limit. Those who arrived late had no choice but to build temporary quarters around the outskirts just to stay.
In truth, what had gathered here was a fleet of elites requisitioned from across the entire continent.
And on top of that, the Empire's Magic Tower dispatched not one but two of their prized "Arcane Airships"—the pinnacle of their magitech engineering.
These airships that soared through the sky by the power of magic were the ultimate weapons of the Tower. They had only three of them, and they had committed two. That alone showed just how much the Tower expected from this expedition.
Shaaa!
Caron looked out across the stormy North Sea and smiled with deep satisfaction, muttering, "Greed really is the best motivator."
This pace had exceeded even his wildest expectations. The moment that greed was exposed, everything flowed smoothly. Even command authority had been delegated without resistance.
After all, every participant had signed a contract with Caron, and within that contract lay a clause so vicious it was almost laughable.
"...If anyone disobeys orders from the 'Commander of the Expedition,' the group to which they belong shall be excluded from all future compensation negotiations... Caron, isn't this clause far too unfair?" Leo asked, frowning.
"And why do you think that?" Caron asked, feigning innocence.
"Because it means we'd have to obey even if you gave absurd orders. That's not a fair contract," Leo reasoned.
"Haha! Leo, you've grown a lot. In the past, you would've just blinked and said nothing. Very impressive," Caron said.
"What exactly do you think I am?" Leo muttered.
"Hmm, maybe just a cousin who's convenient to boss around?" Caron replied with a grin.
"You bastard..." Leo grumbled.
Caron chuckled into his cup of liquor, taking another drink. Watching the endless North Sea while drinking made the taste far richer. That was the beauty of Raelnia. The good scenery made a good drink even better.
"This is the only way to make people listen, Leo," Caron said. "Everyone joined with bloodshot eyes. Greed drives people forward, but every problem also begins with greed."
"Well, that may be true..." Leo admitted reluctantly.
"And this way, we get to take the biggest share. Isn't that right?" Caron added with a sly smile.
If the Ducal Family of Leston had been able to swallow everything alone, he would never have hesitated. But this was far too large. One could choke to death trying to devour something of this scale.
Restoring a dead island bearing a city of the ancients—no matter how powerful the Ducal Family of Leston was, the web of interests was too complex for any one faction to claim such a place outright. The best way was to let others lend their hands, but keep their leashes tight.
What Caron truly feared most, however, was the Empire's Magic Tower.
Anything to do with the ancients sent magicians into a frenzy. The fact that they had dispatched two airships already showed just how wild their excitement was.
"With this much force, we'll be able to break through to Desertus," Caron muttered confidently.
Thanks to the Tower's enormous contribution, the expedition could likely reach Desertus without much trouble. In fact, with the current strength they'd assembled, they could probably attempt to land in the Demon Realm itself and build a forward base.
But all things had to proceed in order.
Caron watched the soldiers scurrying about the port and took another long drink.
"This time you're coming too, Leo," he said. "Honestly, you sulked the last time I left you behind."
"I didn't sulk..." Leo began.
"Pssh," Caron laughed.
"...Fine. Maybe a little," Leo admitted with a scowl.
"I knew it. Your pride was hurt. I felt the emptiness too, you know. When someone's missing, you notice," Caron said with a grin.
For a fleeting moment Leo felt touched—until Caron slapped his knee and added, "Ha! Without someone to yell at, it was suffocating."
"I'm not your emotional trash bin!" Leo snapped.
"Going even one day without nagging you, I felt something missing. You know what I mean, right?" Caron continued.
"Shut up!" Leo shouted.
The impact Leo gave was always the best. The old subordinates had all grown up, so their reactions no longer satisfied him. But Leo was natural and authentic. Like a flavor Caron never tired of.
Listening to Leo sigh, Caron smirked and said, "This voyage will be a good one. It might even be easier than that southern expedition."
"Easier? In the North Sea? Don't demonic sea monsters and dangers lurk everywhere here?" Leo asked, suspicious.
"They do," Caron admitted, "but this is the strongest force we could possibly assemble. If we can't endure a voyage of just two weeks, then we might as well abandon the Demon Realm expedition entirely."
Veterans were everywhere, and every one of them had ironclad motivation.
Perhaps the preparations had been rushed, but the seas along the early route had already been conquered long ago. The only real danger lay in the waters around the Ghost Island.
"All we need to do is sit back. Let them do the tedious work, while we enjoy the spoils. You know my style," Caron said, grinning.
"Oh, I know it very well. But you've been looking awfully cheerful lately. Are you really that happy about going to the Demon Realm?" Leo asked.
"Do I look that happy? Huh. Didn't notice," Caron replied lightly.
Perhaps it was because the moment of vengeance drew closer. Without realizing it, his mood had lifted. But Caron knew well that the closer the awaited moment came, the calmer he had to be.
One reckless decision could lead to devastating sacrifice. Especially in the North Sea, where variables lurked everywhere. Until they reached Desertus, he couldn't afford to drop his guard.
"Well, with all the admirals of the various nations' navies gathered here, we'll manage somehow," Caron said.
"Spoken like a man without worries," Leo muttered.
"Come on, have a drink with me," Caron said.
Only one week remained until the expedition's departure. This would be the first true operation to sail the North Sea, yet not a soul here trembled in fear. Everyone was simply swept up in madness, giving it their all.
Caron only smiled with satisfaction as he looked over the bustling harbor. Whatever the case, preparations were nearing their end at a blistering pace.
And so, time passed until one week later.
"Set sail!"
"Raise the anchors!"
"We must be the first to arrive!"
At last, the second mission of the Demon Realm Expedition—the Desertus Pioneer Operation—had begun.
This was the beginning of a voyage so steeped in madness that it would later be called the Desertus Rush.
***
After Caron left, the three former Imperial Guards who remained on Desertus sat on the ruins overlooking the North Sea, drinking together.
"Come now, Shiker, you should have a drink with us too," Kerra said, raising his cup.
"Hmm, the liquor of this continent is surprisingly decent," Shiker admitted.
"Did your liquor taste good too?" Kerra asked.
"It did. From fine vintages to the common brew anyone could get their hands on—the variety was vast. We even produced some through machines. Though, of course, a few of the high-end ones were still made by hand," Shiker explained.
Before they knew it, they had grown rather close.
Led by Kerra, the former Imperial Guards had carefully inspected the state of the city. They found that some of the facilities could, in fact, be restored.
"Buildings forged with those memory alloys can be repaired by simply infusing them with mana," Kerra remarked.
"But your kind of mana is different from ours," Shiker pointed out.
"Then we'll just convert it. The mana converters are still in good shape, so it won't be difficult," Kerra replied.
Shiker nodded pleasantly as he drank. For the first time in thirty years, he felt a sense of ease. Though they hadn't known each other long, there was an odd bond of kinship between them.
"The key facilities to restore are the mana network, the Lighthouse of Silence, and the pollution-purifying device," Shiker explained. "If we get those three restored, we'll be able to cleanse the tainted mana shrouding the cursed Four Oceans. But tell me—do you really trust Caron Leston? From what I've heard, just breaking through the Four Oceans is no easy feat."
At his question, Beatrice rested her sword and smiled, then answered, "He's the kind of man who accomplishes his goals no matter what. You don't need to worry about him, Shiker."
"From what I've seen, the continent is a mess of fractured states. Gathering their power together can't possibly be easy..." Shiker muttered.
They were still discussing Caron when Ugo, the most perceptive of the group, suddenly jumped to his feet. He pointed toward the horizon and said, "Something's coming."
It had been only three weeks since Caron left. Normally, just traveling from here to Desertus would take nearly two weeks, even if nothing went wrong. And just gathering men and ships would have taken ages. It couldn't be the expedition returning already.
Kerra yawned, standing lazily, then said, "Probably another demonic sea monster. Last time it was those kraken-like things."
"No," Ugo said firmly. "This feels different."
"What do you mean, different? We could be drinking instead of wasting time with this. Once the Commander gets back, we won't be able to drink—" Kerra began, but was cut off by a low hum.
Whoosh!
From the dark sky beyond the horizon, something massive appeared. It was a gigantic flying vessel glowing with a crimson light. It rained fire endlessly down upon the sea, while behind it the outlines of enormous ships began to emerge.
Boom!
Boooom!
Ugo, who had once lived in the Free City Union, furrowed his brow and said, "Gigantics. The ten colossal warships the Union is so proud of."
"What? Are they seriously back already?" Kerra muttered in disbelief.
On the black waters, an entire fleet was appearing. Huge battleships were followed by vessels of all shapes and sizes, one after another.
But something was strange. Normally, a fleet would approach in formation. Yet their approach was...
"Why do they look as if they're racing each other? Beatrice, do you see the same thing?" Kerra asked.
"...Yes. That's exactly what it looks like," Beatrice admitted.
The ships were moving full speed as though they were in some mad competition. To anyone watching, it looked like a contest.
Shiker, staring blankly, murmured under his breath, "People of the continent seem to have very... fiery personalities."
As the fleet drew closer, the cannon fire grew louder. And the nearer they came, the clearer it became—they were racing for their lives.
"Are they being chased?" Kerra wondered aloud.
Beatrice squinted into the distance and said, "Demonic sea monsters seem to be on their tails, but... they're being slaughtered. Wait—that's an Imperial Magic Tower airship, isn't it?"
"What in the hell—how did the Commander rope in those mages? That weapon barely moved even when they were overthrowing the Malevolent Emperor," Ugo muttered in disbelief.
"...Who knows? The Commander was always a con man. Probably swindled them again," Beatrice said dryly.
Just then...
Fwoooosh!
A dragon with brilliant blue scales shot forward from beside the airship and landed heavily near them.
Thud!
From its back leaped three figures—Caron, Leo, and Seria.
Seeing Leo, Kerra smirked at Caron and said slyly, "So, you finally came, Caron?"
If Leo was here, then he could mock the Commander freely. Leo didn't know the man's true nature, after all.
As Kerra spoke casually, Beatrice and Ugo joined in with mock reproach.
"You took your time," Beatrice said.
"I'm disappointed. Did you plan to leave us here forever?" Ugo added.
But Caron only grinned broadly and said, "Why are you old geezers whining? I came back as fast as I could. Tsk tsk, old folks are too impatient."
Teasing them as his first greeting, Caron waved to Shiker and said, "I hope you've been well. I've brought back plenty of strong workers."
Shiker gave a faint smile and replied, "So it seems."
"I even filled two ships to the brim with mana stones, just in case. And we brought heaps of building materials too. Some of the fleet is guarding the supply ships right now. It's enough to at least patch up some of the key facilities," Caron explained.
Then he extended his hand to Shiker and asked, "Now, Shiker, you'll join me in vengeance, won't you?"
"Of course. I'll give my full strength. But tell me—are all humans of the continent this... passionate? To go so far just to restore a land that fell ages ago?" Shiker asked, baffled.
At that, Caron chuckled wickedly and answered, "Ah, that? I stirred them up a little, that's all."
"...You stirred them up?" Shiker asked.
"Yes. And listen carefully—we don't have much time, so here's the point. Shiker, you must not hand over any important technology without my say-so. No precious treasures either. Those are for us to share. Only. Us. Understand?" Caron said.
Even as his tongue dripped with malice, shouts erupted from the newly arrived fleet.
"Land now!"
"The sooner we set foot, the bigger our claim!"
"Draw the maps—hurry!"
Hooked like fish, the great powers stormed into Desertus at breakneck speed, just as Caron had planned.
...It was very unfortunate.