The stone chamber was silent, save for Marisus's heavy breathing.
"Do you remember the exact location of that place? The reef area where you saw the small dragon?" Viserys asked.
Marisus shook his head blankly. "I don't remember. The directions inside are confused, and the position of the sun is wrong. But I remember a feeling. When I got close to that place, the singing in my head became especially loud."
This answer was vague, but he could try it out when the time came.
"Do you need him as a guide?" Nahalo asked from the side, his tone complicated. "As you can see, he is practically useless, and extremely dangerous. His words cannot be fully trusted."
"I need those fragments of memory in his mind." Viserys turned to face Nahalo. "As for the documents and expedition reports you promised, I want them now. Also, I need a specially treated ship, preferably wrapped in thin lead sheeting, the bigger the better, along with experienced sailors and a captain. My soldiers need protection against danger. Regarding weapons, prepare extra Incendiary Jars and Tung Oil, as well as some small Warhammers."
Nahalo's eyes flickered. "Lead sheeting? If you want to strengthen the defense, iron would be better."
"Radiation." Viserys uttered this word that did not belong to this world, but when spoken in Valyrian, it sounded like "Poison of Penetrating Light."
Based on Marisus's description and his knowledge from his previous life, he speculated that the ruins of Valyria might contain not only high temperatures and toxic gas caused by magic, but also strong physical radiation or some kind of energy contamination, which could affect the sanity of living beings and induce Genetic Mutation. Lead could isolate certain radiation to some extent. Although the lead in this world might not have the same effect, it was better than nothing. The Incendiary Jars and weapons were meant to deal with the possible Stone Men or other mutated creatures, as swords and knives would likely have limited effect on them.
Nahalo obviously didn't fully understand, but he grasped the seriousness and specific nature of Viserys's words. "Wrapping the hull with lead sheeting is very costly, and it will somewhat affect the cruising speed."
"Speed is not an issue, as for the cost." Viserys's tone was flat. "If I return alive and with some gain, then you will get what you want. If I don't return," he glanced at Marisus, "consider it a failed investment."
Nahalo pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons, before finally nodding. "Alright. The documents and reports will be delivered to your ship tonight. Ship modification takes time. I will employ the best craftsmen to work day and night, but it will take at least twenty days. However, the best time to explore Valyria is in a month, so the timing should be fine."
The agreement was reached. Viserys took one last look at Marisus, who was curled up in the corner, chained by valyrian steel shackles. The memories of Valyria deep within this man's consciousness were like water from a Contaminated Area; only by tasting it could one know if it was "poisoned."
"Let him stay here for now. We will take him when we depart," Viserys told Nahalo.
Leaving the dark secret chamber and returning to the official residence, Viserys politely declined Nahalo's invitation to dinner and headed straight back to the docks.
The next twenty days were a period of intense preparations.
Nahalo's efficiency was quite high. That very night, two inconspicuous individuals boarded the ship carrying several sealed Copper Tubes containing copied ancient documents and expedition reports. Viserys locked himself in his cabin and spent five full days cross-referencing and sorting the information, combining it with the intelligence Alliser had gathered previously.
Most of the documents were fragments, written in Old High Valyrian, with many obscure and difficult-to-understand terms. The content involved many lost magical practices and geographical knowledge of Valyria. But Viserys, relying on his transmigrator's comprehension and the original owner's solid Valyrian foundation, managed to piece together some valuable information.
For example, the Valyrian Peninsula was not uniformly destroyed. The great eruption of the Fourteen Flames only devastated the central region, but the peripheral areas, especially some coastal islands and fjords, might have sustained relatively minor damage due to terrain or other unknown reasons. Therefore, there was a slim chance that some coastal Dragonlord Family castles or sacrificial sites might have survived.
The reports from those expedition teams were truly a bloody history of failures. The dangers they encountered in Valyria were diverse. Besides common toxic gases, high temperatures, and ferocious marine creatures, there were more unexplainable strange phenomena, such as compasses spinning wildly, crew members suffering mass hallucinations and killing each other, ships spontaneously catching fire or leaking, and personnel quickly falling ill or becoming mentally unstable after approaching certain areas.
The few teams that brought back physical objects mostly described fragments of broken buildings, metal shards with unrecognizable functions, and those unsettling "Glowing Stones."
Overall, approaching from the sea and choosing to land on peripheral islands might be the relatively safer option. The "Kiss of Astapor," located at the southern tip of the "Weeping Peninsula" mentioned by Marisus, was vaguely marked on several ancient nautical charts. This appeared to be a fjord cutting deep into the peninsula, flanked by towering black rock walls. Legend had it that this was once the private port of a Dragonlord Family, "Saathos," known for their mastery of Blood Magic and Contract Magic. If the small black dragon Marisus spoke of truly existed, this extreme environment might ironically serve as a sanctuary for some mutated creature or magical construct.
Meanwhile, the ship modification was underway. Nahalo provided a medium-sized sailboat, sturdy and deep-drafted. The craftsmen hammered lead ingots into thin sheets, cut them to size, and nailed them layer by layer onto the exterior of the ship, especially below the waterline. This work consumed a large amount of lead and manpower, significantly increasing the ship's weight, which inevitably reduced its speed. Parts of the deck structures were also reinforced with lead sheeting. To cope with possible high temperatures, Asbestos Insulation Layers were added to critical areas—a material Viserys acquired from trade goods originating upstream of the Rhoyne River, where the ore was found.
During the waiting period, Viserys continued to hone his Swordsmanship and Psychic power. He also kept trying to use his Skinchanger ability to communicate with nearby seabirds and fish, urging them to explore in the direction of Valyria. However, once they approached the Smoking Sea, the connection became unstable, transmitting back only chaotic, fragmented images, and contact with Valyria would break off immediately.
During this time, undercurrents were stirring within Volantis as well. The open conflict between the Elephant Party and the Tiger Party seemed to show signs of escalating. Patrols in the dock area increased, and rumors occasionally circulated about the "gathering of Mercenaries" and the "movements of the Dothraki."
Nahalo Malo secretly met with Viserys again, reminding him of the exact time the Passage would open and urging them to make their final preparations. He also vaguely expressed concerns that certain individuals within the Tiger Party and Elephant Party might be "not entirely peaceful," suggesting that Viserys should ideally depart a little earlier to avoid complications.
Day twenty-five. The modified ship lay silently moored at the Dedicated Dock. Its lead-gray hull made it look stranger than it was, like a Metal Behemoth. Nahalo named it the *shadow hunter*, a name full of profound meaning.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn luffy1898