Chapter 120: Naga Stronghold

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Naga Stronghold

Stepping toward a calm, sun-dappled pool tucked between two broken marble pillars, Rowan rolled up his sleeves and knelt into the ankle-deep tide. Beneath the crystal-clear water, embedded deep within the nutrient-dense silt and ancient limestone soil, grew thick clusters of wild aquatic vegetation.

With practiced care, Rowan pressed the flat edge of his trusty hoe into the wet sediment, gently loosening the earth without damaging the delicate root systems below. He reached down into the cool water and unearthed several massive, purple-veined Aquatic Taro Roots, followed by long, multi-sectioned Mana-Infused Lotus Roots that dripped with fresh, clear tide water.

The moment his fingers brushed the tubers, his Gardener of Eden authority hummed beneath his skin, analyzing their genetic strength and growth requirements in an instant. These weren’t ordinary wild crops; centuries of absorbing pure floor mana in the drowned ruins had filled the roots with crisp, starch-heavy energy and high environmental resilience.

With a subtle mental command, Rowan transferred the harvested taro and lotus roots directly into his system inventory. In his mind’s eye, he could already picture the transformation back home. Along the banks of the pristine, crystal-clear mana stream that trickled down his domain’s highest hill, he would carve out shallow, submerged terraces. The taro would thrive in the rich mud, while the lotus roots would send up vibrant, glowing blossoms across the water’s surface, expanding his farm’s produce into high-value aquatic staples.

Barney chuckled, leaning on his warhammer as he watched Rowan meticulously inspect a final lingering sprout. "Leave it to Rowan to treat a flooded monster lair like his personal produce market."

"Hey, top-tier ingredients make top-tier stamina meals," Rowan replied with a calm grin.

Storing the last root safely away, Rowan stood up and adjusted the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, resting his hoe back over his shoulder. The soft rustle of ocean breeze swept through the flooded archways ahead, carrying the distant sound of rushing waterfalls and deeper tides.

Looking out toward the central ruins of the archipelago, Rowan signaled to the rest of Squad 07. "Aquaculture setup is secured. Let’s move deeper into the drowned citadel."

Navigating past towering, algae-draped archways where the ankle-deep tide mirrored the bright sky, Squad 07 pushed deeper into the heart of the drowned citadel. The crumbling, scattered ruins gradually gave way to towering marble structures preserved in far better condition, their ancient stone walls reinforced with heavy driftwood barricades, sharpened coral spikes, and dense sea-kelp netting.

From atop a secluded, sun-bleached gallery overlooking a vast flooded plaza, the party crouched low and peered through the broken stonework. Sprawled across a colossal, half-submerged temple complex below lay a sprawling Naga Stronghold.

The fortress swarmed with organized reptilian forces. Naga warriors with shimmering emerald scales and heavy tridents patrolled the elevated stone battlements alongside Naga murloc handlers, while larger contingents of Level 8 and 9 Murloc skirmishers maneuvered through the shallow water channels below.

Instead of charging in blindly, Rowan raised a hand, signaling for an immediate tactical delay. The party quietly dispersed along the surrounding high perimeters to thoroughly map the stronghold’s layout and defense networks.

Vaulting silently across high, half-collapsed rafters, Mirei took the ultimate vantage point. With her sharp archer’s eyes, she mapped out sentry posts, ballista platforms, and the precise line-of-sight ranges of high-tier Naga Mages stationed along the upper terraces.

Below, Caelen moved like a ghost through the flooded side alleys, tracing the perimeter walls. Using a stylus to carve quick, precise marks onto a parchment map, he identified secondary side breaches, narrow aqueduct choke points, and submerged escape routes through the stone pillars.

Meanwhile, Barney and Princess Lyra analyzed the squad compositions and rotation timings. They observed how the Naga-Murloc squads operated on strict, five-minute staggered intervals—murlocs acting as sweeping vanguards to flush targets into open water while Naga commanders anchored the center with heavy sea-elemental magic.

After nearly an hour of meticulous observation, the squad reconvened in the shadowed gallery. Caelen laid out the completed map, crisscrossed with ink detailing every patrol loop, shift change, and blind spot across the entire fortress.

Rowan studied the layout with a keen eye, his core mana humming with calm calculation. Every choke point, ambush angle, and defensive flaw was now laid bare. Tipping the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, he rested his trusty hoe over his shoulder with a sharp, confident smirk. The stronghold was heavily fortified, but with its patrol routes completely mapped, Squad 07 held the absolute upper hand.

"Psst... psst!"

A sharp, hushed sound cut through the gentle lapping of the ankle-deep tide. Rowan’s ears twitched beneath his Enchanted Straw Hat. Pausing mid-stride, his sharp eyes instantly locked onto a shadow tucked between two colossal, barnacle-encrusted marble pillars just twenty paces ahead.

Rowan held up two fingers, giving Squad 07 a subtle hand signal to freeze and hold position. With Barney and Lyra tightening their formation behind him, Rowan stepped calmly through the shallow water toward the hidden figure, his trusty hoe resting comfortably over his shoulder.

A young man clad in supple sea-leather armor stepped out from behind the marble column, his hands raised in a clear gesture of non-hostility. Within moments, three more figures emerged from the shaded alcoves of the adjacent ruined hall, stepping carefully into the shallow tide.

They were clearly an established adventurer party, all in their early twenties, bearing polished Tier 2 gear and high-tier crests on their cloaks. Rowan’s keen eyes quickly gauged their stats—the four-man squad ranged from Level 13 to Level 16, making them a formidable, high-level strike team for this floor.

The leader of the group, a Level 16 swordsman wearing a fine silver cuirass, stepped forward and kept his voice low. "Easy there. We saw you guys taking down that Naga patrol earlier, and then we watched you map out the stronghold’s entire guard rotation in less than an hour. Quite the sharp team you’ve got."

He gestured vaguely toward the towering, kelp-draped fortress behind them. "We’ve been scouting this stronghold for two days, but that Naga Commander in the central courtyard is a brutal wall to hit with just four people. We propose a collaboration to take down the fortress together."

The swordsman leaned in slightly, laying out their terms. "Since our team holds the higher level advantage and will absorb the heavy front-line aggro, we split the fortress loot 60:40—sixty percent to us, and forty percent to your squad. What do you say?"

Behind Rowan, Barney’s brow furrowed at the proposed ratio, while Caelen kept his hand loosely rested on the pommel of Edge of the First Warden.

Rowan adjusted the brim of his straw hat, his eyes trailing over the high-level party before glancing down at Caelen’s freshly completed blueprint of the Naga stronghold. A quiet, calculating smirk touched his lips.