I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

The instructor continued his lecture, his voice loud and clear, completely ignoring the low grumbles from the pirates below who were unaccustomed to being lectured.

Article 20: Whenever our patrol vessels encounter other vessels hoisting distress signals or hear clear cries for help from the sea during their voyage, regardless of the identity of the other party, we have the obligation to approach and verify the situation.

If it is confirmed to be a shipwreck, rescue must be provided! If it is confirmed to be a pirate ambush set by pirates disguised as victims, then counterattack may be considered depending on the situation, but you must exercise caution!

The pirates looked at each other, clearly not quite understanding the concept of "grasping the right measure," which requires on-the-spot judgment.

Article 21: Ships transporting slaves must be intercepted! The hold must be inspected! Slaves held there must be rescued! If there is resistance, self-defense measures may be taken. The people and ships transporting slaves shall be detained, and the personnel shall be taken back to the port for investigation!

Ji Tian, ​​along with Elena and the others, stood under a palm tree at the edge of the venue, quietly listening to the terms being read aloud by the instructors.

It seems this pirate king wants to completely change the maritime order.

These tasks are similar to the missions adventurers take on the continent, such as protecting caravans, hunting slave traders, and rescuing stranded travelers, all in order to restore order.

With the concealment spell in place, no one noticed Ji Tian and the others. Elena, holding Ji Tian's arm, smiled sweetly and said, "They're studying quite diligently."

"Because they had no choice. The ship was gone, the people were gone, and there was no way out. Being alive was the best outcome; what to do next was not so important."

Lilith leaned closer, standing on tiptoe, and asked curiously, "So they really won't rob anymore?"

"It depends on how well the instructors teach, and also on how they choose."

Just then, a deep, long chime suddenly came from afar.

Ji Tian raised his head and looked in the direction of the sound.

A low, rumbling sound drifted from the horizon, as if something extremely heavy was rapidly approaching from afar, brushing past the edge of the clouds.

The sound grew louder and louder as it approached.

The pirates in the stands all looked up.

The golden dragon's silhouette covered half the sky. Its entire body was covered with fine golden scales, and it was a size larger than the red dragon in the sect. Under the glow of the sunset, it shone with a molten golden luster, and its head was slightly raised.

On the dragon's head, a figure clad in full silver armor was looking down.

A moment of silence fell over the stands, then a pirate suddenly stood up, his voice filled with disbelief and excitement:

"That's... the only dragon knight in nearly a century?!"

"Dragon Knight? Which dragon knight? I've never heard of him."

"You haven't heard of her? She's the one who became famous throughout the continent more than ten years ago for taming a golden dragon! She's the youngest S-rank adventurer in the history of the Adventurers' Guild. It's said that apart from not drawing the Holy Sword, she's practically a perfect hero. She's very strong and known for her adherence to the rules."

The eyes of another pirate nearby lit up instantly:

"Following the rules? Great! Does that mean we're saved? We were forced! That orc tricked us into coming here and signing the agreement!"

The pirate who spoke first glanced at him:

"Don't be too happy yet. It's true that the Dragon Knight is a good person, but what do you think we are? If she were really following the rules, she should have captured us all and taken us back for the bounty."

The atmosphere in the stands suddenly became subtle.

Lilith, having grasped the essence of Ji Tian's survival strategy, shielded everyone in front of her and, after confirming their safety, asked:

"Master, why do I feel like this dragon is even more powerful than the senior dragon in our sect?"

"Nonsense, all else being equal, a metallic dragon is definitely stronger than a five-colored dragon..."

Ji Tian suddenly remembered that the secret method for dragons to take human form did not seem to have been passed down in this world. This could be gleaned from the fact that the first generation of heroes from three thousand years ago never had the courage to create a cute dragon girl for their descendants.

I could study it if I have the time.

High in the sky, the golden dragon began to descend, its wings spread, and it circled twice above the island, the air currents it created causing the branches and leaves of several low trees to sway this way and that.

Pirate King Lone Reef reacted shortly afterward, heading straight for the dragon knight, now hovering in mid-air.

His werewolf features were even more pronounced up close; his short, gray hair was blown back by the high-altitude airflow, and his gaze calmly met those black eyes beneath the silver armor.

"You've come from afar, what brings you here?"

The dragon knight remained silent, but the golden dragon beneath his feet spoke first:

"My master accepted an S-rank commission from a powerful noble family to find a missing family member. Following the clues, he discovered traces of a large-scale forbidden spell in the nearby sea, as well as numerous stranded ships. We want to know what happened here."

"The forbidden spell you mentioned... I ordered my men to do it."

The dragon knight remained silent, making it seem as if he was gathering his strength, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Lonely Reef glanced at the stands below. The pirates were looking up at him, some nervous, some expectant. Some of the more shrewd pirates had already quietly moved to the edge of the stands, ready to escape if a battle broke out.

Jinlong broke the silence once again: "The reason?"

"In order to eliminate some forces that should not exist, and to ensure that my plan can proceed smoothly."

"What plan?"

Lone Reef finally understood: the golden dragon beneath the Dragon Knight's feet was the true mastermind and external brain; the so-called Dragon Knight was merely a figurehead. He then asked in return:

"It's not convenient to disclose that name. What is the name of the nobleman you are looking for? Perhaps I can help you find him."

"We have professional ethics and will not easily disclose the client's specific identity and information."

"Very well, in that case, what would you like?"

"It's simple. I see there aren't many humans on your island, so why don't you hand them all over so I can identify them?"

The isolated reef flatly refused: "Absolutely impossible!"

The golden dragon was momentarily speechless at the reef's firm stance. It tilted its head back slightly, its golden vertical pupils narrowing.

"Are you refusing a dragon's reasonable request? In all my years, I've never seen another human dare to refuse my request."

As it spoke, it subtly released its aura in all directions, and the pirates on the stands immediately fell silent.

The lone reef showed no fear, meeting the gaze of those golden vertical pupils head-on:

"Everyone on this island is under my protection, whether human or orc. You can search, but first give me a plausible reason. 'Helping you find your missing persons' is not enough."

Just as tensions were rising, a soft, slightly stuttering voice fell from the top of the golden dragon's head.

"Little Flower, don't bully people."