Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 298

“Whoa… Oh wow…!”

The massive ship created with Helena’s help was enough to leave anyone in awe just by looking at it.

A grand yet sharp-looking dragon head.

Wings slightly unfurled as if ready to fly at any moment.

Though its entire body was made of pure white bones, it didn’t feel empty at all.

“Do you like it?”

“Yep. I love it so much…”

Who could possibly dislike such a magnificent ship?

I nodded to Helena’s question and dashed around inside the ship.

There was an impressive space for big cannons and supplies, clearly equipped for aerial combat, and even a secret area just for the ship’s captain to rest.

“Hehehe…”

I navigated through space aboard the massive ship.

Imagining what was to come made my heart race with excitement.

The pirate dreams I’d tucked away were finally about to resurface.

I pulled out the pirate hat that had been sleeping in my inventory and shouted.

“I’m starting the voyage!”

At the very end of the ship.

Standing with my arms crossed on the enormous Deathwing’s head, I struck a cool pose.

The moment I did, Deathwing began to roar.

Its gigantic wing bones spread wide, flapping up and down.

Grrrrroooorrrr-!

The engine noise was immense, incomparable to smaller ships.

Other players’ ships that blocked my path naturally made way.

Seeing that, a satisfied smile crept across my face as I nodded.

Leaving the aerial dock, the roar of Deathwing tried to enter a massive dimensional rift.

A space pulsating with ominous purple light.

A passage leading to an unknown world where dimensions blended.

Right at this moment, my new adventure was beginning.

Fwoooosh-!

As we entered the rift, the scenery around us began to warp chaotically.

Then came an incredible rush of speed.

With a tense expression, I clung to Deathwing’s head.

Grrrrroooorrrr!

Fwooosh!

After flying for a while, the ship reached the end of the rift, and the surroundings brightened to reveal a vast space.

Ruins of buildings floating in the air and the massive bones of creatures.

The traces of what seemed like ship debris were also drifting through this immense space.

I was mesmerized by the bright, boundless view of this incredible realm.

The world unfolding before me was shocking.

“Gasp…”

The other players who emerged from the tunnel alongside my Deathwing reacted similarly, filled with awe and excitement about the new world.

The main quest ended the moment we entered this area.

Now it seemed that whatever we did next was entirely up to the players, as Deron had tossed us into this vast world.

“Helena!!!”

My voice burst out, buoyed by excitement.

But who cares? Everyone else was just as hyped as I was.

“…Yeah.”

Helena, standing on the ship, answered a beat too slowly.

It was clear she was spellbound by the grandeur of this wide-open space.

“Where should we go first?”

I had promised Helena while creating the ship.

That we’d make this a mutual vessel for both of us.

If I were the ship’s captain alone, I’d choose the path by myself, but with Helena here, I needed to consider her opinion as well.

“To wherever you want…?”

“Got it!”

Helena gave her permission.

I ignited the roar of Deathwing and began to head toward a large landmass in the distance.

Land.

That’s right. Land.

Countless chunks of earth floated around in this space.

Though they were too far to see clearly, I could tell some had trees growing on them, while others hinted at the presence of human civilizations.

While I stood there, absorbed in marveling at it all, the other adventurers began to scatter in different directions.

Though we arrived at the same place, our beginnings were different.

Seeing the big and small ships dispersing, I couldn’t help but smile.

The first destination of our cosmic voyage.

It was a vast prairie.

It looked like a whole region had been sliced off and dumped here in this space.

“We’ve arrived!!!”

Before Deathwing’s roar completely faded, I jumped down toward the ground.

I could easily bounce into space if I made a mistake, but who cares?

This is a game. Even if I fell into a dangerous space, I could use the Return Stone to escape.

“Oof…!”

I soared up lightly.

Is it really because we’re in space? Or is it just this map?

Once I slipped away from Deathwing’s roar, I felt the gravity that had been pressing down on me lighten significantly.

“Ah…”

Helena, too, jumped down with me, looking equally startled.

It’s quite rare for Helena, a wizard, to show such a panicked expression.

I spun around and grabbed her hand.

Whack-

Together, Helena and I landed safely.

I brushed the ground and surveyed the surroundings.

The earthy feel beneath my fingertips was not much different from the usual soil in Deron.

Wandering about the prairie were large bull-like monsters.

All new designs not seen previously in Deron.

Thus, I had no idea how strong these monsters were.

Whoosh-!

A gigantic Demon Sword was drawn from behind me.

Black aura flickered like a wave at the sword’s tip.

“Ready to hunt right away…?”

“Yep!!!”

Nodding at Helena’s question, I immediately charged ahead.

At this moment, I was the top-spec character reachable at this stage.

So, taking down regular monsters should be a breeze.

“Ha-yaah!”

Slash-! Slash!

[Ummooore!!]

With this new region came new monsters.

Naturally, new items that had never dropped before would appear.

Thus, the first order of business was hunting.

I began cleaving through every bull in sight.

[Ummooore!!]

As the cosmic bulls groaned in pain and collapsed, my sword didn’t stop.

Slice-! Slash-! Shing!

I must have butchered over thirty cosmic bulls.

I paused to check the information on the dropped items.

[Trace of Ruin]

A trace that came from another dimension.

It gives off a powerful aura.

[Essence of the Exile]

A shard that carries the essence of an exile.

Combining this shard will summon a formidable exile.

[Mutated Beef]

A piece of beef that looks strange.

It still wriggles occasionally, even in death.

[Letter from Farmer Aricel]

A letter written by Farmer Aricel to their parents.

Aricel?

Who is Aricel?

I folded the letter away, putting everything except for it in a corner of my inventory.

The tattered, faded paper bore uneven handwriting.

[To Father]

This is Aricel speaking.

I don’t want to farm anymore.

I’m setting off to find my own life.

I’ve taken the gold coins from the drawer with me.

What is this?

I wondered if this was a quest starter item, examining the letter further, but no particular quest came to mind.

Hoping otherwise, I showed it to Helena, but she had no reaction either.

“Hmm… Something feels off… I think this Aricel might hint at a special quest…”

“Isn’t it just an item describing the concept of this region?”

I shook my head at Helena’s words.

No way. The developers of Deron wouldn’t add such an item for just that reason.

It’s definitely linked to a quest.

Perhaps, just perhaps, I might obtain a new world item.

“Hmm…”

I neatly folded the letter and tossed it into my inventory.

If I keep it with me, maybe someday I’ll trigger a quest.

I couldn’t waste time like this. Even now, there must be countless adventurers traveling through this world, gathering new information.

I couldn’t fall behind.

“Let’s go!”

I held Helena’s hand and continued roaming the vast prairie.

But in this open expanse, all I could see were the ground’s grass and the cosmic bulls munching on it.

Could something be hiding underground?

I began to dig into the earth with my Demon Sword.

“Yeo…”

“Shh. Helena. I’m in the middle of something important.”

“…”

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Using the giant sword like a shovel brought back memories of those days.

I felt a pang of irritation. As I shook my head to clear the recollections, the tip of my sword abruptly sunk into the ground.

“Whoa.”

A short exclamation slipped out.

At that moment, the ground I was standing on crumbled, and I started to fall.

“Yeo!!!”

A voice filled with concern rang out from above.

It dawned on me then.

I had dug too deeply and fallen out into space.

“Heeeelp!”

I flailed my arms and legs, but there was no way to climb back up.

I spiraled out into the vastness of space with the dirt mound.

As I flew away, I pondered.

What would be a good way to escape this situation?

In that instant, a brilliant idea struck me.

The answer was summoning a mount.

“Come forth!”

I spread my arms wide and shouted.

Immediately, a colossal magical formation materialized in the air.

Out stepped a griffon named Pip.

Peeeyak-!

After a long absence, Pip flapped its wings as it approached me.

Or at least, it tried to with all its might.

Flap, flap, flap. Pip flailed, but it couldn’t reach me.

“Don’t tell me…”

Peeeyak!

Do you mean Pip can’t fly here?

“Heeelp!”

Peeeyak!

Once again, I began to soar endlessly through the unknown space alongside Pip.

How long would I be flying?

At that moment, a message appeared before me.

[Helena’s Summon Order used.]

Perfectly timed use of the Summon Order.

Of course, it’s Helena.

I smiled brightly and accepted the summon.

Immediately, a pillar of bright light enveloped me and began to whisk me away.

Left behind, Pip looked at me with sad eyes, but we couldn’t remain together.

Sorry.

I’ll call you again once we arrive.

Peeeyak!

I left Pip’s lament behind and was summoned before Helena.