Black inwardly cursed. Is this how you treat a surrendering prisoner?!
He'd originally wanted to avoid changing the plot—but now, he had no choice but to pull out that move.
He took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Elizabeth! I know where the Eighth Dragon King—Jörmungandr, the World Serpent—is hiding!"
Silence.
Dead silence.
Then—chaos erupted.
This was intelligence. Priceless intelligence. Intelligence worth more than gold, more than kingdoms.
Especially to the imperial family, the nobles, the Church, and the Round Table Knights.
Any human would recognize its value.
The moment Black spoke, he could feel it—the gazes on him turning scorching hot.
Even Empress Elizabeth, the most exalted ruler in the land, couldn't hide her shock.
Her eyes locked onto him, sharp as daggers.
"What did you say?!"
Black knew he had her. Even an empress couldn't ignore such a treasure.
"If you spare my life…"
He paused, glancing at Loyre.
"…and spare our captain's life too…"
Then at Hans and his roommate Yulier.
"…and First Mate Hans and Yulier…"
His eyes flicked to the battered, broken pirates around him.
Sigh. Fine. Might as well save them all. Who could resist his damn soft heart?
So, like a teacher calling roll, Black listed every single pirate's name.
The once-tense battlefield now felt absurd—like a farce.
Elizabeth's slender fingers dug deep into her palm.
After he finished, she inhaled sharply and demanded:
"If you can guarantee this intelligence is true—I will pardon all of you."
"Absolutely true, my most exalted, noble, unparalleled, one-and-only empress! I swear on my life—if even a word is false, throw me straight to the sea dragons!"
Black spoke with solemn sincerity—hand over heart.
His intel wasn't just real.
It would shatter the prologue's storyline.
But so what? Better to break the plot than break his neck.
Still, he felt a pang of pity for Jiaye.
From her stiff, pale face, he could tell—she was falling apart.
She was probably thinking: Did I even read the right novel?!
"Dragoncleaver Guard—listen! Take them all to the Wilton and await further orders!"
"Yes!"
Only after watching the White Pearl crew being locked away on the Wilton did Black finally exhale in relief.
Though Loyre's final glance at him was… complicated.
Was it disgust for his surrender?
Rage over his sabotage of her attack?
Or shock that he knew Jörmungandr's location?
Black shook his head.
Loyre was a mystery, even in the game. He couldn't read her.
And just as clearly—she couldn't read him.
But none of that mattered now.
The real challenge? Surviving the imperial court.
If they thought his intel was fake—he'd lose his head.
"Move! To the Hodir—to meet the Empress!"
Two Dragoncleaver Guards flanked Black as they marched toward the Hodir.
Outwardly calm.
Inwardly—his mind was racing, frantically recalling the game's lore and prologue events.
Dragonblood wasn't just popular—it was revolutionary.
Its success came from innovation in gameplay, art style, and mechanics.
But what truly set it apart?
Its worldbuilding.
The Dragonblood universe wasn't necessarily perfect—but it was unique.
As he walked, Black glanced down at the sea—its black, fathomless depths.
Something horrific could burst from it at any moment, crushing even the mightiest ship.
On Earth, he'd laugh at such thoughts.
Even a blue whale couldn't threaten a massive vessel.
But here?
In this game world—that nightmare was real.
Dragonblood.
Just like its name—this was a world of dragons.
And also—a world of humans.
More precisely—a world where humans and dragons fought for dominance.
According to ancient legend, the Creator God had birthed two races: humans and dragons.
Humans ruled by wisdom.
Dragons ruled by might.
Together, they shaped the world.
But dragons were greedy.
They betrayed humanity, slaughtering them in a bid to rule alone.
With power rivaling natural disasters, the dragons conquered the world.
Yet they were arrogant—and foolish.
Instead of exterminating humanity, they sought to enslave them—turning humans into livestock, servants bound to serve dragons for eternity.
That era was humanity's most shameful, most humiliating.
Even now, few records remained—only fragments in ancient texts.
But the dragons' arrogance became their downfall.
Lost in lust for power, wealth, flesh, and blood, they forgot one truth:
Humans were a clever species.
Even as slaves, they grew.
At the end of that age, twelve great sages emerged.
They gave the weaponless humans three primal forces: Magic, Spirit, and Divine Edict.
From these, twelve classes were born: Warrior, Knight, Swordsman, Archer, Assassin, Pirate, Sorcerer, Priest, Hexer, Healer, Summoner, and Sage.
Each sage mastered one class—leading humanity to victory.
They sealed the Twelve Dragon Kings, the leaders of the dragon race.
But even after millennia, the dragons stirred.
They could not be wiped out.
Their regeneration was terrifying.
Even the Twelve Dragon Kings were only sealed—not dead.
And beyond the kings, countless elite dragons still lived—powerful, dangerous.
Thus, humanity still feared them.
The Sages classified dragons into 12 major types, subdivided into 93 species.
Today, dragons had twelve primary lairs—far from human cities, hidden in deadly environments:
Volcanoes.
Abysses.
Remote seas.
Swamps.
Mountains…
And right now—they were dangerously close to one.
Here, one of the sealed Dragon Kings was awakening.
The Sea Dragon King—Jörmungandr, the World Serpent.
And that was exactly why Empress Elizabeth and the royal fleet were so desperate.
They hadn't come by chance.
They were hunting Jörmungandr.
They meant to erase him—before he broke free of his seal and regained full power.
Yet, they only knew the general location of Jörmungandr's seal.
The exact coordinates? They'd have to keep probing—again and again.
And now, the Sea Dragon King's revival was drawing near.
If they failed to find him before he awoke—and worse, if he escaped—then they were completely finished.
That was why the imperial family was in such a rush.
"Search him!"
A guard's voice snapped Black out of his thoughts.
He realized he'd already been brought into the Hodir's main cabin.
The Dragoncleaver Guard thoroughly confirmed Black was unarmed before escorting him inside.
Once in, Black glanced around.
This wasn't a typical cabin—it looked more like a military command tent.
A massive sea chart lay spread in the center, surrounded by several figures.
At the sound of the guard's report, their eyes turned to Black.
Standing at the head was Empress Elizabeth herself.
"Well, well, look who's here—the little white seagull bringing us a surprise?"
The Duke Gran spoke, his voice smooth and sickly sweet, his tone making Black's skin crawl.
Duke Gran—he knew this man well.
One of the human traitors in the mid-game, a classic villain.
Pale as aged porcelain, with dull gray eyes like lead shot, the duke was old—but his mind was razor-sharp.
"Duke Gran, let me remind you—white seagull is an insult. He's our lifesaver now."
Cyril Buck, the Eighth Son of the Round Table Knights, smiled warmly.
This handsome, sun-kissed youth was one of the male leads collected into Jiaye's harem.
Just looking at him, anyone would feel drawn to his charm.
It was hard for Black to imagine this gentle boy secretly conducting human-dragon hybrid experiments behind the scenes.
Only Jiaye's timely intervention had saved him from becoming irredeemable.
"Hello! I'm Krystin. So nice to meet you!"
Krystin, the Church's Saintess, stood closest. She flashed a sweet smile, showing cute little fangs, and extended her hand.
Black was flustered. He looked up—her hair like moonlit silk, her eyes like glowing rubies, blinking just a fraction too slowly.
She wore an ivory linen dress, waist cinched tight, silver lilies stitched over her chest trembling with each breath.
Even more stunning than her in-game artwork.
He hadn't expected a saintess to greet a lowly pirate like him.
But then again—Krystin's in-game persona was the pure white lotus archetype.
Still, Black knew the truth.
In the original game, she was also a villainess—one of the antagonists.
His gaze grew complicated, but hey—shaking hands with a beautiful girl? He wasn't complaining.
Just as his hand reached halfway—a flash of cold light!
A red sword slammed between Black and Krystin.
"Krystin, remember your noble status. Don't casually interact with scum like this."
That voice. That attitude. That sword.
Black looked up—and his suspicion was confirmed.
[Name: Alice]
[Identity: Second Imperial Princess of the Dragonheart Empire]
[Class Level: Lv.40 Mid-Tier · Diamond Swordsman]
[Favorite Food: All sweets—especially strawberry cake]
[Hobby: Sword training, combat, painting]
[Critical Info: Never insult the empire in front of her]
[Expected Fate: Death within ten days]
Second Princess—Alice!
Alice glared at Black, her pale pink hair flowing like silk in the light.
Her vivid red eyes carried a cold distance.
Dressed in a pristine white uniform with gold trim and a bold red necktie, she looked both elegant and deadly.
People who love red are usually cheerful—but Alice's expression was icy, hiding secrets behind her silence.
She was the first villainess Jiaye encountered in the game—the one Black remembered most vividly.
Her title—the vicious, spoiled noblewoman—was etched into every player's mind.
And she wasn't just spoiled.
She was the type who'd draw her sword and kill you if you so much as annoyed her.
Worst of all? She lived for imperial honor.
Anyone who disrespected or insulted the royal family in her presence would be hunted for three days and nights.
The White Pearl pirates attacking the royal fleet? That was unforgivable.
If Black weren't valuable, he knew Alice would've already lopped off his head.
"Alice. Do not disrespect our guest."
"But Mother, a pirate like him couldn't possibly have intel on Jörmungandr…"
Empress Elizabeth finally spoke.
One glance—and Alice sheathed her sword, glaring at Black with不甘 before stepping back.
Just like in the game. Alice feared the empress.
Her twisted, spoiled nature stemmed from her desperate need for her mother's approval.
"Name?"
Elizabeth's gaze returned to the sea chart, voice calm and detached.
"Your Majesty, I'm Black—born in a small coastal fishing village of the Dragonheart Empire!"
Black knelt on one knee, left hand over his chest, bowing deeply in a formal noble salute.
The gesture surprised the others.
A pirate knowing noble etiquette?
"Black. Get to the point. Where is Jörmungandr?"
"Tell the truth, and I'll keep my word—your pirate crew will live."
Elizabeth cut straight to the chase. She needed this intel—now.
"Your Majesty, esteemed guests—Jörmungandr's location is right here."
Black didn't hesitate. He stepped to the sea chart and pointed to a region labeled Caribbean Sea.
"The Caribbean Sea?!"
Everyone in the room tensed, brows furrowing in disbelief.
"Heh. Pirates are pirates. Not even a white seagull could be this stupid. Lying through your teeth."
Duke Gran sneered, voice dripping with contempt.
"You're mocking us. Jörmungandr can't possibly be in shallow waters!"
Whoosh! Alice's sword flashed out again—tip aimed straight at Black's throat!
Damn it! This Alice really is a violent psycho!
Black gulped, sweat trickling down his neck as the blade hovered an inch from his skin.
"Everyone, please—calm down. Let this man explain his reasoning."
Krystin's soft voice was like a balm, easing the tension.
Saintess indeed. My angel!
Seizing the chance, Black quickly continued.
"About a month ago, the White Pearl sailed through the Caribbean Sea—and in just one week, we were attacked by sea dragons five times!"
"And these weren't the same type. We faced: Hammerhead Sea Dragon, Sealion Dragon, Spined Sea Dragon, Augupgu Sea Dragon, and Azure-Ringed Sea Dragon!"
"Surely you all know—while these are the same species, different subspecies compete and even kill each other. There's no way five types would gather in such a small area."
"Plus—Hammerhead and Azure-Ringed Sea Dragons are deep-sea dwellers, hunting giant whales. Why would they appear repeatedly in shallow waters?"
As the words settled, Duke Gran and Alice fell silent—clearly, even they found the phenomenon suspicious.
"Mr. Black… are you implying this strange occurrence is linked to Jörmungandr?"
Cyril, the Eighth Son of the Round Table Knights, frowned slightly as he asked.
"Exactly. I assume you all already have a guess in mind?"
Black gave a knowing nod, stopping short. He knew they couldn't possibly be unaware of the legend.
"Yes. I recall a passage from the legend of the Sea Dragon King Jörmungandr—Jörmungandr, the Sovereign of Water, holds the royal authority over the Sea Dragon Clan. Only under his call can the entire Sea Dragon race unite their power."
Krystin spoke solemnly, each word heavy with weight.
"When he nears awakening, the sea dragons will gather for their king's rebirth—ushering in a Dragon Feast!"
Alice continued where Krystin left off.
With just a few sentences, they'd pieced together a perfectly logical theory!
The Sea Dragon King Jörmungandr was in the Caribbean Sea—and he was about to awaken!
The royal fleet had little time left.
Seeing that they'd now completed his own argument, Black wisely fell silent.
Truthfully, everything he'd said was made up.
The White Pearl had never been attacked by sea dragons.
They'd never even sailed through the Caribbean Sea!
But the core of his claim? That was real—game lore from the prologue.
Still, he needed a believable excuse.
After all, a nobody pirate suddenly possessing such critical intelligence? That reeked of foul play.
He couldn't exactly say, I'm a player—I just know!
"So I swear on my life—the seal of the World Serpent Jörmungandr lies in the Caribbean Sea!"
Black blinked earnestly at Elizabeth, face full of sincerity, trying to win over the silent empress.
But Elizabeth didn't respond to him. Instead, she turned to the woman beside her.
"Lucy."
"Yes!"
The woman—Lucy—wore a plain white robe and a clean white headscarf, cradling a yellowed book. She exuded scholarly calm.
She stepped forward, opened the book, and tore out a page. Muttering words no one could understand, she held it before Black.
The next moment—the paper burst into flameless fire, burning into a swirl of white smoke!
At the same time, Lucy's once-black pupils turned pure white, her gaze locking onto Black, unblinking.
Black shrank slightly under her stare. This eerie magic—he'd definitely seen it in the game.
Was this Lie Detection?
"Your Majesty, Mr. Black is not lying."
Just as I thought!
Black's eyes widened, stunned by the spell's power.
In the game, the Sage class possessed a rare ability called Lie Detection.
It could see through deception.
It had played crucial roles in multiple story arcs.
Witnessing it in real life? It shook him deeply.
But Sages were incredibly rare—only a handful could awaken to that class.
Hearing Lucy's report, Elizabeth's expression darkened—so sharply that Black nearly jumped.
Wait—didn't I tell the truth? Why does she look like she wants to behead me?!
Could it be… she's thinking of The Abyssal Rift?
Black suddenly understood.
If that was the place, no wonder her face had turned so grim.
"Take him back to the Wilton. Make sure he and the pirates are properly accommodated."
Elizabeth took a deep breath, then ordered Black's removal before turning back to the sea chart.
"Your Majesty… what troubles you?"
Duke Gran asked, voice dripping with false concern.
"Mother, what's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy we've found Jörmungandr's location?"
Alice looked genuinely worried. Despite her usual arrogance, she was a doting daughter to her mother.
Krystin and Cyril also stared at Elizabeth, tense and uneasy.
If this woman—the empire's most exalted—was troubled, it had to be serious.
"Look here."
Elizabeth's slender finger, pale as jade, pointed to a spot in the Caribbean Sea.
The others followed her gaze. On the map, it was a thin line, nearly black—indicating a trench in reality.
"The Abyssal Rift? Is that the name of a trench?"
"But I thought trenches only form in deep-sea zones?"
Krystin sounded incredulous, as if her geography knowledge had just been shattered.
"You're correct. But this is not a natural trench."
Elizabeth spoke slowly, her voice heavy with imperial authority.
"Natural trenches form from geological shifts. This one… was man-made."
"Thousands of years ago, Konrad—the Sage of the Sword—fought Jörmungandr here. With a single, full-powered strike, he severed the dragon's great horn… and split the entire sea, carving a rift thousands of miles long—what we now call The Abyssal Rift."
Her tone was calm, almost detached—but the words struck like a boulder into their hearts, sending shockwaves through their souls.
Alice was a swordsman—the prodigy of her generation. Yet she couldn't fathom how one strike could cleave a trench thousands of miles long.
Only a god could do that!
"There's another thing you don't know. Within the Abyssal Rift lies tens of thousands of tons of Jörmungandr's blood. Even today, traces of dragon blood linger in the seawater."
"Any dragon creatures near that area will see massive boosts in their abilities."
Cyril realized it instantly. Even his usual calm shattered.
"So if we fight Jörmungandr and the sea dragons there… the battle will be heavily against us!"
Elizabeth nodded.
"Correct. I considered this possibility before coming. I hoped Jörmungandr wasn't sealed here."
"But fate is unkind."
"What awaits us… will be a grueling battle."
Her voice was heavy, revealing the storm raging in her heart.
The atmosphere turned oppressive. Only Duke Gran's expression remained oddly unreadable—everyone else fell silent.
Jörmungandr was already a nightmare.
Now, all the sea dragons would be stronger?
This battle was turning into a suicide mission!
"Doesn't matter. When soldiers come, we block with generals. When water comes, we dam it. Our ancestors cut him down once—we'll cut him down again!"
"Order the Dragoncleaver Guard to intensify training. Calibrate all dragon-slaying weapons. Maintain strict order on the fleet—prepare for war!"
"Yes!"
The others saluted and left.
Elizabeth truly was the empire's empress. With just one sentence, she transformed despair into fiery resolve.
As long as she stood firm, the empire would never fall.
Lucy, her closest aide, understood this well.
The empress's earlier reaction? Just annoyance at the inconvenience.
"This is troublesome… but if I hadn't prepared for the worst, I wouldn't have come myself."
"Just a sea worm. Cut it down, and it's done."
Elizabeth said it lightly. She hated complications—but fear? She hadn't felt that in a long time.
"Black… a mere pirate knows so much. How… interesting."
Lucy murmured, surprised. The proud empress—intrigued by a lowly pirate?
Before being escorted to the Wilton, Black cast one last glance back at the Hodir, his mind racing.
Though he usually wore a carefree, joking face, when it came to matters of life and death—he had to be serious.
If he wasn't mistaken, the imperial party was now troubled by the matter of The Abyssal Rift.
Troubled, yes—but not helpless.
Elizabeth would find a way. Otherwise, she wouldn't be empress.
Jörmungandr was one of the Twelve Dragon Kings, but after a thousand years of sealing, his power upon awakening would likely be less than one-tenth of his prime.
Even with the Abyssal Rift's buffs and his summoned sea dragon horde, he wouldn't be an insurmountable threat to the royal fleet.
By all logic, the next events should be simple: the royal fleet defeats Jörmungandr and returns in triumph.
Yet—that wasn't how the original prologue played out.
Games were games. Without twists and turns, players would just complain the plot was flat and quit in seconds.
"According to Dragonblood's prologue," Black mused, "even if I hadn't revealed Jörmungandr's location, Elizabeth would've deduced it eventually. And besides her—Jiaye also knows, thanks to her prior knowledge from reading the novel."
"If I'm right, Jiaye is already plotting how to kill Jörmungandr—and claim his Sovereignty of Water."
His mind whirred with calculations.
In the game's lore, Jiaye's public class was Sorceress—but her true class was [Dragonrider].
That was her ultimate cheat skill—the core of her protagonist power.
The Dragonrider, the thirteenth class, had absurdly broken attributes—unparalleled strength.
Each time she killed a Dragon King, she gained a new Sovereignty—a powerful elemental buff.
For example: slay Jörmungandr, gain the Sovereignty of Water.
Unlock high-tier water magic.
Massively boost all water-based offense, defense, and resistance.
Currently, she was the only Dragonrider in the entire game world.
And besides her—only Black knew this.
Thinking of this, Black nearly choked on bitter tears.
Why was she the overpowered protagonist, while he got stuck with the most useless Pirate class?!
Damn game designers—what kind of balance is this?!
With Jiaye's calculating nature, she had to claim the Sovereignty of Water.
Any obstacle in her way? Eliminated.
But for Black, this wasn't bad news.
He had no intention of competing with her for the Sovereignty—so he wasn't her enemy.
In fact, if Jiaye did kill Jörmungandr, he and the royal fleet would survive too.
But—would things really go that smoothly?
Black paused, mentally retracing the original plot.
In The Sea of Hidden Dragons Rising, the royal fleet—led by the empress—was capable of defeating Jörmungandr and the sea dragon tide.
Elizabeth should've had victory in hand.
But she hadn't anticipated one thing: the Dragonblood Council had already planted agents within the fleet.
The Dragonblood Council was a unique villainous organization—formed by those who claimed descent from the Dragon Kings.
They were the protagonist's greatest enemy outside the dragon race itself.
Their goal was simple: during the battle between the royal fleet and Jörmungandr, they'd sabotage from within.
Cause chaos, break order, isolate the empress—ensuring she faced Jörmungandr alone… and died.
It was a simple plan—but effective.
Fighting in the special zone of the Abyssal Rift meant sea dragons gained a 100% boost to attack and vitality.
The fleet was already struggling.
With hidden agents stirring unrest, the situation would become dire.
And this time, the Council had sent multiple elite operatives.
High-tier assassins at Level 70.
In the original game, this was the biggest crisis of the prologue.
This chapter had two endings:
Good Ending: Jiaye, controlled by the player, turns the tide, defeats Jörmungandr, saves the fleet—and Second Princess Alice dies.Bad Ending: Player fails, fleet is wiped out, game over.
Normally, with Jiaye as protagonist, the good ending had over a 50% chance.
But Black couldn't afford to gamble.
This wasn't a game of code and data anymore—dragons could eat people.
No one knew what unforeseen events might occur.
He refused to die here.
Yet he also couldn't drastically alter the plot.
If he changed too much, he'd lose his player's advantage—his knowledge of the story.
Weighing all factors, Black's eyes narrowed.
He made his decision:
He would secretly guide the situation—assist the protagonist—and steer events toward the good ending.
But how?
Right now, he was just a Level 10 Beginner Pirate—useless class, no usable items left.
Only his intel gave him an edge.
But intel alone wasn't enough.
Surely the Pirate class wasn't completely useless?
Reluctantly, Black swiped open his [Profession] panel and tapped [Pirate].
A list of skills appeared. He scanned them—most were useless.
Until one ridiculously named passive skill caught his eye:
Skill: [Never Returns Empty-Handed Fisherman]
Required Item: [Golden Fishing Rod]
Effect: [100% chance to reel in the highest-combat-power aquatic creature within the current sea area]
WHAT?!
I forgot the Pirate class had this broken passive skill?!
Black's eyes widened.
He'd held such a deep bias against the Pirate class—before and after transmigration—that he'd never truly studied it.
Now, this skill was a godsend!
With this, all he had to do was cast a line in the Caribbean Sea—and he'd guarantee catching Jörmungandr!
That meant he could trigger Jörmungandr's appearance early.
They wouldn't have to fight in the cursed Abyssal Rift!
Without the Rift's buffs, Jörmungandr and his horde wouldn't stand a chance against the royal fleet.
And the sudden battle would wreck the Dragonblood Council's plans.
The odds of a good ending would skyrocket!
Now, only one problem remained:
The skill required the [Golden Fishing Rod]—crafted from an SSS-rarity material: [Violet-Gold Dragonbone].
Legend said this bone came from the spine of a near-Level 90 Jade Dragon—a beast just below the Dragon Kings in power.
A rod made from it catching a Dragon King? Not that surprising.
And—conveniently—the royal fleet already had a piece of Violet-Gold Dragonbone.
It was stored in the Hodir's cabin—inside Empress Elizabeth's private chamber.
Don't ask how Black knew.
The answer? In the original game, Jiaye stole it—and forged her first 6-star weapon with it.