Chapter 515: Act 263 – Re-Recognition
In fact, apart from the Flashscale Naga, there are also six other clans active on the sea surface of the Glimmering Sea, including the Grayfin, Karasu, Sea Serpent Naga, and others, among which Brendel understands the Grayfin Naga the best. The distinctions between Naga clans in the deep sea are quite different from those between countries on land; rather, they are more akin to classifications of races. Different Naga come from different groups, and the Grayfin Naga are said to be descendants of the heavenly serpent Malnas. In the Cruz mythology, the calamity dragon, Canglan, and a mortal gave birth to offspring that bore a human body and a serpent form, coexisting with twelve wings—this monster, known as the Feathered Serpent in mythology, embodies both good and evil, and symbolizes the utmost order. To this day, sculptures of this creature can still be found under the eaves of courts and arbitration offices in various countries. The Feathered Serpent has twelve descendants, and Malnas is one of them. It is said that Malnas, with its silvery-white body, guards the entire Northern Sea—the Northern Sea being the waters off the coast of Fanzan today; thus, Malnas has long been regarded as the guardian deity of the Ten Cities region.
As a descendant of Malnas, the Grayfin Naga inherits its silvery-white scales. Of course, the truth of the legends recorded in dusty ancient tomes is now beyond verification. But Brendel knows these serpentine humanoid creatures because of his experiences in the Amber Sword. He stands at the ship’s railing, watching several male and female Naga below, who do not respond, for he knows these individuals are not the true leaders of the Naga; he is waiting for the main figure to appear.
Others, including Captain James, silently stand by without speaking, given Brendel’s implied indication. The sailors are curious about what this young lord intends to do; judging from the power displayed by Gray Saint Mephistopheles, he certainly has the capability. All eyes are currently on Brendel.
The Naga in the sea sense the humans on the ship are not reacting and stir uneasily. After a while, the sea indeed parts, and two Naga, one male and one female, swim out from below.
The male Naga is tall and imposing; unlike other Naga who have silver-purple irises, his are a translucent amber color. He is clad in deep blue fish-scale armor, wielding a uniquely shaped long knife that resembles a falchion but is evidently much larger than an ordinary one. The battle markings on this male Naga’s face are also more detailed than those of other Naga, exuding a strange, wild beauty.
As soon as Brendel sees this Naga, he recognizes who he is. This Naga is a roaming boss on this stretch of sea, previously referred to by players as “Yellow Eyes,” but Brendel knows his true name: Saneer, which means “the greater one” in the Naga tongue. It is said that he was born much larger than an ordinary Naga, thus earning such a name.
This story is a laughingstock among humans, but in Naga culture, it is a source of pride. Being larger signifies greater strength; Saneer was born a warrior and naturally became the commander of the Grayfin Naga tribe upon reaching adulthood, regarded as a boss in the eyes of players.
“Human, where do you hail from?” Saneer gazes up at the three-masted sailing ship, a hint of confusion flickering in his amber eyes, but he is much more composed and does not jump to conclusions.
Captain James is about to respond when Brendel, stepping in first, says, “Saneer, the seas above the Seven Seas are a land of freedom in service of Lady Martha’s will. Your Naga clan has been blessed by the Goddess yet remains unrepentant, brazenly plundering passing vessels and taking lives. Do you not fear retribution?”
His words shock everyone; while it is true he has the Sword Saint as a backing, there is little need to provoke the other party so openly. The sea monster whale is also a legendary sea beast. Brendel’s mockery is evident, causing even Mephistopheles to turn back and look at him in confusion. “Young lad, what devilish scheme are you concocting now?” However, Otales, who is in Brendel’s ring, understands him better, realizing he won’t cause trouble, and thus immediately asks.
“Watch me,” Brendel replies quietly.
Saneer’s expression changes; he certainly catches the mockery in Brendel’s tone, but what astonishes him even more is that the human has accurately called his name. The Grayfin clan has recently encountered some upheaval, and he has only recently taken over as the new commander of the Grayfin Naga army after the passing of the former captain. If he had any notoriety on the Seven Seas, it would undoubtedly be minimal.
“Who are you, and how do you know my name?” Saneer furrows his brow, puzzled, feeling that these humans are increasingly mysterious and suspicious. However, the more enigmatic the opponent appears, the less likely he is to act recklessly, only able to furrow his brow in inquiry.
“Lord, do you know these Naga?” Captain James can’t help but ask.
“Heh heh,” Brendel chuckles smugly.
Residents of the land have always been arrogant, with only savagery remaining outside of civilization. Although the Naga often attack merchant ships and even ports, no one takes the trouble to learn the details of a group of bandits. Perhaps naval commanders in places like Graywind Harbor or Ampere Seale might know some information, but lords and nobles on land, who would care?
Yet, he knows.
Brendel secretly gleeful, in contrast to the others on the ship who previously felt tense due to an anticipated attack, now feel their anxiety dissipate. He certainly recognized Saneer, not only knowing the name but also being aware that this fellow is somewhat dim-witted, a lump, possessing nothing beyond bravery and muscle, even bearing the nickname “Dullhead Fish.” He met Saneer during the initial exploration of the Karanjar mountains in the game, an encounter marked by a chance battle against the Grayfin Naga, which was effortlessly warded off by the team led by his senior. The Naga didn’t always have sea monsters or mermaids with them for their raids; otherwise, they would have long been eradicated by the nearby nations’ navies.
What transpired next was that players from Erluin generously released Saneer’s captives, thus winning his friendship. This bond may not seem very strong, but the Grayfin Naga has honored this favor, and even later, during the fall of Erluin, Saneer, who was already on the throne, led the Grayfin Naga to support Erluin’s navy.
This was simply because the guild Brendel belonged to supported Erluin.
This bond held fast over time within the Amber Sword, and before joining the Knights’ country of Greysus, Brendel spent some time in the Glimmering Sea, where many Erluin players made their base to conduct guerrilla warfare within Erluin’s territory. Though they ultimately could not save the kingdom’s fate, everyone remembered the favor of the Grayfin Naga.
Brendel was no exception.
As he looks at this familiar face—albeit with a strange countenance of a Naga—he feels an unusual emotion, as if he were meeting the Valkyrie in her village-girl days, a sense of nostalgia washing over him as he returns to a place of old, where history unfolds before him. Brendel cannot help but take a deep breath; only upon seeing these familiar figures does he feel a genuine sense of existence in this world.
However, he knows very well that this familiarity is merely an illusion, as the other side does not recognize him, and he is equally unrecognizable to them. The “Aurora” also did not release any Grayfin Naga captives; they have not accepted any favors from the Grayfin Naga. The two parties have no relation, and if his next words were incorrect, it could easily lead to a confrontation.
At this moment, everyone is waiting for his answer.
Brendel considers carefully and replies, “Surely your father remembers that merchant ship that passed through here twenty years ago?”
Upon hearing “twenty years ago,” Saneer’s brow twitches involuntarily. He immediately thinks of this possibility; it relates closely to his personal privacy. His father was rescued by a human merchant twenty years ago in these waters. Had it not been for that incident, whether Saneer would even exist in this world remains uncertain. The Grayfin Naga are known for their integrity and gratitude, and of course, his father told him about it, hoping to someday reward that merchant or their descendant. This matter is something Saneer has never shared with anyone, so he does not doubt that Brendel is lying.
Unfortunately, Brendel truly is deceiving him, as Saneer would never anticipate that he would later talk about this matter with Brendel and the others. By that time, their personal friendship had grown quite deep, and Saneer hoped that Brendel and his companions could go to land to help him find that merchant. Of course, that was a different quest in the Amber Sword, which ultimately came to nothing, but Brendel could not have expected it would come in handy now.
Coincidentally, that merchant was from the southern region of Saint Ausoor, quite close to Karasu, separated only by a strait, and there were also remnants of Highland Wizards. It is entirely plausible for Brendel to claim to be a descendant of that merchant or to have some relation to them.
“My father passed away three years ago,” Saneer replied, “but I can’t forget what you mentioned. Who are you…?”
“I am not a descendant of that merchant, but I have some relation to him, having heard about this matter from him. I am a descendant of Highland Wizards, you know how people like us like to dig deep into origins. Thus, I specifically investigated whether this matter was true and in doing so learned about you and your father’s situation. If I have caused any offense, I ask for your forgiveness.”
Brendel smiled as he responded. He had no intention of using this favor to manipulate Saneer. In the past, he and Saneer had been very close in the game, and he would not resort to such tactics. In fact, he brought up this matter merely as a way to draw closer to Saneer, believing he could earn his goodwill just as he did in the past.
For, in a sense, they, along with those players from their senior’s team who fought for Erluin’s fate, are of the same kind.
Saneer was silent for a moment.
Finally, he nodded and replied, “I see. Then our previous attack was indeed an offense. Luckily, it did not lead to severe consequences. Since you are a friend of the deceased, I guarantee that your ships can pass through these waters freely without any attacks from us. The Grayfin Naga will certainly keep their word!”
His statement seemed remarkably awkward, and Brendel could not help but chuckle. This guy is still as clumsy as before. He knows Saneer would never act against the Grayfin Naga because of personal friendship; had Brendel truly been a friend of old, Saneer would surely report to the queen first. It is likely that the Cold Dew Queen still reigns over the Grayfin Naga; Brendel remembers that the “Pearl” of the Grayfin died three years later, and only then did Saneer rise to prominence, becoming the king of the Grayfin clan. But now, that might still be the strongest and most beautiful queen of the Grayfin clan in history.
While Brendel knows that Saneer could surely persuade that queen, he would never skip that step and is indeed a stubborn person. What he says now is merely that the power Brendel has displayed has earned him respect. The Naga do not wish to engage with a “warship” protected by a Sword Saint, pressured for appearances, finding an excuse to avoid conflict.
Brendel has seen many such excuses, but to hear such a rigid one spoken like Saneer is a rarity in the entire Glimmering Sea.
Thinking of this, he smiled and retorted, “Thank you very much, but I have another question.”
Everyone was taken aback.
Having just heard the Naga’s guarantee of safe passage, Captain James and the sailors let out sighs of relief. After all, no one feels comfortable sailing near a prehistorical beast. Hearing they could escape a calamity felt like receiving a pardon, but unexpectedly, Brendel not only did not leave but even initiated further conversation.
What more is there to discuss with a bandit? Wouldn’t it be better to leave quickly?
At this moment, everyone could not help but think along these lines.
……(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)
