Tris clenched his fist as he saw the man flying smoothly.

Without a doubt, the group of people visiting them wasn't ordinary.

With a sigh, he waved at Nika, letting her know to handle this matter.

At this time, Shane had already raised his hand and called for the others. One by one, nine figures descended from the ship and joined him on the shoreline.

They were not just any survivors, as they used their own method to ensure that they wouldn't get wet!

There were Chaloem and Shinja who jumped first and ran through the waters…

Layla, on the other hand, used her Telekinesis to float like Shane.

Tundra used an explosion to blast him forward to arrive next to them.

Then, Lily actually used her powers as Wind Elementalist to bring both Lysandra and Elsa with her.

Of course, Lysandra and Elsa, who was a water elementalist, had their own methods, but they just couldn't be bothered.

Finally, Travis' Clone, an avatar of the Drakeheard Vanguard Clan Leader, just jumped from the deck to the shore, creating a small crater.

Natalie, Clan Leader of the New Haven Clan, just vanished and arrived next to Shane…

Together with Shane, they formed a group of ten.

Behind them, the warden units, the humanoid robots, remained steady in the surf.

However, Shane waved his hand, and the machines turned back toward the ships without any word.

Natalie smiled at Shane. "That was an impressive entrance. Flight? Haha."

Travis nodded, his tone calm. "Not as impressive as my jump, but still… not bad."

Shane laughed, brushing off the comment. "I'll take that as a compliment. You all did well showing off."

Lysandra chuckled but said nothing.

She simply observed the three clan leaders, Shane, Travis, and Natalie, chatting casually.

To her, it was remarkable. These were powerful figures, leaders of some of the strongest clans, yet here they were, speaking peacefully. It was a good sign.

Soon, medical practitioners from the fort arrived.

They carried kits and tools, their expressions serious. Each of the ten was checked thoroughly for signs of zombie infection, bite marks, strange wounds, or symptoms of corruption through their eyes, temperature, breathing, or even their nails that would normally turn black if affected by a weak zombie virus from Toxic Zombies.

The process was strict but necessary. No one was exempt, not even the clan leaders.

Well, they knew this very well since they also own shelters…

After careful inspection, the practitioners gave their report. "No signs of infection. They're clear."

Caesar, overseeing the process, nodded. "Good. You're allowed entry."

He stepped forward and gestured inland. "Follow me. I'll lead you to the fort."

The group complied, walking behind Caesar as the shoreline defenses remained alert.

The cannons were covered again, the riflemen lowered their weapons, but the tension lingered.

The path inland was guarded with trenches and mounds marking the defensive line.

As they moved closer to the fort, the scale of the settlement became clear.

Soon, Pascal and Nika appeared at the gates.

Both were armored and with how they carried themselves, they must have high positions within the shelter.

Pascal, the militia captain, gave a respectful nod. "Welcome. I am Captain Pascal. You've already met Caesar, commander of the first battalion."

Nika stepped forward, her dragon-scale breastplate catching the light.

"I am Nika, second-in-command…"

She stood as the fort's representative, while Tris remained out of sight. If these newcomers proved hostile, the Leader had to stay safe. But if they were allies, he would reveal himself later.

"Welcome to the Draconic Fort. Captain Pascal and Commander Caesar are with me. We can escort you here in case you need assistance for large trades."

Shane inclined his head politely. "Understood. I am Shane, of the Eclipse Revenant Clan. These are my companions."

He then gestured to Chaloem, Shinja, Layla, Tundra, Lysandra, Lily, Elsa, Travis' Clone, and Natalie.

Pascal and Nika listened carefully, acknowledging each name.

"It's been a while since we had visitors…" Pascal remarked. "It seems the mainland shelters are producing survivors of great power."

Natalie smiled faintly. "We've seen many shelters, Captain. But this one… this fort feels different."

As they entered, the visitors' impressions grew stronger.

The Draconic Fort was unlike the shelters they had seen in the mainland.

Its walls were reinforced with some dragon-scale markings…

Soon, as they used their appraisal skills and head various conversations, they heard that their weapons were even forged from dragonbone.

Still, the other parts of the shelter seemed normal.

Farmers tended to fields with thriving crops...

Children played in the streets, while smiths hammered at weapons…

Furthermore, they also noticed that every person seemed stronger…

'Is it dragon blood? Feels similar…' Shane mused as he couldn't help but regret not bringing Raze here.

In any case, they could easily tell that even the simplest guard moved with confidence… This place seemed safe.

Layla whispered to Lysandra, "This place… looks thriving. For a shelter not even on the map before, I guess this is a Neutral Shelter, huh. Something that popped out of nowhere."

Lysandra nodded. "They've adapted well. Better than most shelters we've seen."

Elsa observed the fort's water systems, noting how they had been integrated into the defenses. Lily felt the currents of wind flowing through the open courtyards, impressed by the natural design.

Chaloem, however, just closed his eyes briefly, sensing the calm energy of the people.

"But I can tell that they're all wary of us," Tundra muttered.

Pascal then overheard their simple conversations…

"Well, trust must be earned. We've fought dragonoids and zombies. We cannot afford recklessness."

Natalie raised her hand lightly. "Dragonoids? Interesting... We understand."

They didn't ask too much since they even have androids, elves, a dragon, and even fought against vampires. So if there were Dragonoids somewhere, it wasn't really that questionable for them anymore.

They just took note of it in case they encounter them.

As they walked deeper into the fort, the visitors saw the training grounds where soldiers drilled in formation.

They looked really trained…

Shields raised, spears thrust, and their shouts were really active…

Shinja smirked. "Good soldiers. They train like they expect war every day."

Pascal replied without hesitation. "Because war comes every day. If not zombies, then something else."

Soon, he led Shane and his companions through the road until the marketplace came into view.

It was vast, far larger than what most mainland shelters could afford.

Stalls lined the streets, each dedicated to a single craft. Some sold mystical charms and accessories, others specialized in shoes or armor, while entire rows were devoted to weapons.

Food stalls also bustled with activity, offering dried meats, grains, and preserved vegetables.

It was quite lively for a fort with a small population… They could hear the sound of bargaining and the smell of cooked meals. They could only guess that many other survivors were passing through this area.

Pascal gestured toward the busy square. "Here you'll find what you need. Trades are handled here. If you require assistance, call for us at Fort Station Two." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

With that, he and Nika departed, leaving Shane's group to explore freely.

As soon as they were gone, Shane smirked. "Well, I don't really need supplies. We have plenty. But this gives us a chance to see what this place is made of."

The others nodded, spreading out among the stalls.

It didn't take long before they realized the system here was different.

Most consumables, food, water, medicine, were traded for zombie cores.

They were the basic currency like many others... It seemed that Wandering Merchants also frequented this place, which wasn't that surprising…

Still, for larger trades, barter was still common… weapons for armor, charms for tools, services for goods.

Layla lifted one of the charms from a stall... "Interesting. These aren't just trinkets. They're infused with something… old."

Elsa examined a blade forged from pale bone. "This isn't steel. It feels… different."

Lily closed her eyes, sensing the faint currents of wind around the fort. "The air here carries a strange resonance. Almost… like Roan... Dragons"

Shinja crossed his arms and nodded... "Dragons. That makes sense. This place reeks of them. Look at the scales embedded in the walls, the bone in their weapons. They've built their survival on dragon remains."

The realization spread among them.

If the Ivory Gear Shelter's team were machines, it seemed that this Neutral Shelter's theme was also about dragons.

Everyone couldn't help but feel happy that it was deeply tied to dragons. Its defenses, its weapons, even the aura of its people carried traces of draconic power.

Without a doubt, Raze would be happy about this. They all wanted to purchase anything related to Dragons today!

Shane chuckled softly. "No wonder they're thriving."

But then, as they continued exploring, a figure approached.

It was Wendel who was still in his guard's attire! He walked up to Shane with cautious respect.

"Sir…" Wendel began as he wasn't sure if this was okay... "Are you here for the hidden treasures on this island?"