Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

Chapter 126 - 126: William now has a disciple

The days crawled by, each one feeling longer than the last. William's eagerness to reach their destination made time seem to slow to a crawl.

He passed the time by staying in his quarters, chatting with sailors on the upper deck, and gazing at the endless expanse of the ocean.

The moment they reached their destination was unmistakable. The island they were to explore boasted an enormous volcano, visible from a great distance.

The volcano's sheer size was awe-inspiring, and William could see smoke billowing from its peak. Even from afar, he felt dwarfed by its natural grandeur.

"Is it just me, or is there a village over there?" William wondered aloud, pointing towards a cluster of houses on the island. "How can they live so far out here?"

He had assumed the island would be deserted, or perhaps inhabited by only a few hardy souls, but he was mistaken. There were numerous houses and a bustling community.

Hemlock seemed to have anticipated this and offered an explanation. "We're actually close to another continent," he revealed. "This island trades extensively with them. In fact, you could say they're residents of that continent, not ours. From what I understand, most of them speak more than one language."

William was surprised. The direction he had sailed in the past was different, so he had imagined this continent to be a separate one.

Of course, it was possible it was the same continent, vast enough to stretch across different regions.

The answer remained elusive without further exploration. Captain Hemlock skillfully docked the ship and went ashore to speak with the port authorities, ensuring they had a place to moor and wouldn't encounter any trouble.

This island didn't receive many visitors from afar. It was more common to see ships from nearby islands or the larger continent, but a vessel arriving from as far as William's was a rare occurrence.

It took some time for Hemlock to explain their purpose and assure the authorities they wouldn't cause any problems.

Meanwhile, William took the opportunity to relax at a nearby restaurant and order a drink.

"Give me your best drink," he requested.

The waitress was taken aback by his unfamiliar accent and the language he spoke—a secondary language for the islanders. She immediately recognized him as someone from a distant land.

Intrigued by William's unfamiliar demeanor, the waitress approached his table with a smile and a few questions after delivering his drink.

"Are you from far away?" she inquired. "What brings you to our island?"

Despite the girl's seemingly harmless curiosity, William remained guarded. Sharing too much information with strangers could attract unwanted attention.

"Yes, I come from afar," he replied vaguely. "But unfortunately, I can't disclose the reasons for my presence here. Let's just say it's for tourism."

A hint of disappointment flickered across the waitress's face. "I understand," she sighed. "I wish I could leave this island more often and explore the world, but I only travel to the mainland a few times a year with my parents."

Her response piqued William's curiosity. "What's the mainland like?" he asked. "If you don't want to answer, that's fine. I wouldn't blame you, considering I haven't been entirely forthcoming myself."

"It's alright," she assured him. "It's a continent like any other, I suppose, though I haven't seen any others myself. It has diverse biomes, but most of it is desert. The stories say it was transformed into a desert long ago due to a fight."

"A fight?" William echoed, his brow furrowed in disbelief. "How could a fight transform an entire continent?"

The idea seemed preposterous, but the waitress's conviction made him reconsider. This wasn't just a fantastical tale from a bygone era; it seemed to hold genuine historical significance.

"Well, according to the legends," she explained, leaning in conspiratorially, "it was a battle between a powerful warrior and a fearsome beast. Some say he fought a giant, others a dragon, and some even claim it was against another man. The truth is shrouded in mystery."

William, having witnessed firsthand the destructive potential of magic, found the idea of a single person altering an entire continent entirely plausible. Mages could indeed reach incredible heights of power.

Eventually, the waitress excused herself. Though her parents owned the restaurant, she still had duties to attend to, and other customers awaited her service.

William savored his drink and the solitude it afforded him. The concoction contained ingredients foreign to him, though he detected a hint of pineapple in its flavor.

Captain Hemlock approached his table, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"We're all set," he announced. "The guards won't bother us, and we have time to explore the island and retrieve the flower, though they say it's dangerous to approach the volcano."

William, already anticipating a challenging task, was unsurprised. "I see," he replied calmly. "Will we begin today or tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," Hemlock answered. "Come with me; we're

Asura's pleas alone wouldn't sway William. Ultimately, William was the master, and Asura was merely an artifact.

"She has a demonic bloodline!" Asura exclaimed, his voice filled with urgency. "Hell, she might be one of the few descendants of the demons you can find in the present time of Aethel!"

The lady already expected William to refuse after seeing how coldly he looked at her, but to her surprise, William said, "I accept you as my disciple."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and a radiant smile lit up her face. "Really?" she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

She bowed deeply, her gratitude overflowing. "I won't disappoint you, Master!" she declared, her voice filled with newfound determination. "I'll work hard and become a mage worthy of your guidance!"