Standing in the longhouse of the "Black Skull" tribe, Todd approached the hearth in the center of the house and looked at the decorative shield hanging on the wall.

These wooden shields are made of fine birch and sheet metal, and their surfaces are painted with various colors of paint depicting important events of the tribe over the years.

The longhouse was dark and damp, with no flooring, just mud. The North Island was a harsh, cold place, sparsely wooded, and even stones were rare. These "Blackskull" people used turf bricks to build their walls, a mixture of grass and mud that had been lightly fired; these bricks were very warm in winter. In important places like the tribal hall, the "Blackskull" people added a wooden partition wall inside the brick wall, deliberately leaving a gap in the middle. Tapping it with your knuckles produced a resonant sound; this was mainly to prevent the wooden planks from getting damp and rotting.

Huggins led Morgan into the longhouse, where Morgan appeared much more subdued. He remained silent once inside, though his expression still betrayed some resentment and shame.

Listening to the knight's whispered report, Todd gained some understanding of the current situation of the "Black Skull" tribe.

At its peak, the tribe numbered 500, including 160 warriors and 14 berserkers. However, due to dwindling food supplies and a failed southern campaign, the population plummeted. Now, the tribe has fewer than 200 members, with only 46 warriors and 5 berserkers remaining.

The man standing before them, Morgan, was the leader of the entire "Black Skull" tribe. His father was the missing previous leader, Sakru.

Todd now fully remembers his fight against the pirates. The pirates who fought against the church forces back then seemed to be from "Black Skull," and the berserker who almost changed the course of the battle was Saru.

"Morgan, tell me, how are your people living now?"

Hearing the condescending question, the Black-Skull Chieftain's tone was helpless and sorrowful: "What else can we do?! We have no food, no medicine, the mothers don't have enough milk to feed their children, the warriors haven't tasted alcohol for half a month, and even the handles of our weapons are rusted and rotten! A week ago, several elders of the tribe, in order to conserve the village's food, secretly exiled themselves and never returned..."

Morgan raised his head, his eyes filled with confusion and pain: "Outsider! Why do you still want to disturb the life of 'Black Skull'? If you're here to plunder, then I'm sorry to disappoint you, there's nothing left to loot here."

The chieftain pointed to Lev beside Todd: "Why don't you try your luck with 'Claws'? I heard they joined forces with the barbarians to go south and plundered a lot of good stuff."

Lev, who had been translating the other's language, turned pale upon hearing Morgan's words. He quickly glanced at Todd's expression and hurriedly retorted loudly, "Don't talk nonsense! The Claws and the Barbarians' allied forces are nothing but a bunch of insignificant losers in front of Lord Todd!"

"You mean, the Claws and the Barbarians' allied forces were defeated?!" Morgan stared in astonishment at the young man seated on the high throne and the armored knight beside him. "Outsider, I think I need to reconsider your strength..."

Todd glanced at the 'shield painting' on the wall again and said slowly, "Chief Morgan, I came to North Island not to plunder, nor to make enemies... I came here to make some friends."

Morgan laughed: "Making friends? That's an interesting way to put it."

Todd nodded to Huggins: "I will allocate some medicine and food to your tribe."

The chieftain was taken aback, then narrowed his eyes and looked ahead: "There's a saying in the Northern Islands: the more fragrant the wine, the more incurable the poison. Speak, outsiders, what do you want? Do you want my people to become your henchmen?"

Todd smiled and shook his head: "I have no conditions; consider it a gift."

Morgan seemed somewhat incredulous, his expression showing doubt: "I don't know your purpose in doing this, but if you are acting in good faith, I think we might be able to become friends."

Todd glanced at the sky outside and said to Morgan, "I'll rest here all day, then visit your neighbor."

The chieftain of the 'Black Skull' glanced at the panicked Lev and asked curiously, "The 'Claw' tribe? You also intend to befriend them?"

Todd laughed. "No, I'm going to collect debts."

The next day, when Todd woke up in his tent with a sore back, the Muxi Expeditionary Force had already completed its preparations for departure.

The chieftain of the Black Skull tribe, along with six warriors, waited early on the beach. Last night, watching his people enjoy their first full meal in months and his warriors drink the long-awaited fine wine, Morgan officially changed his address to Todd from "outsider" to "friend."

“I brought my own translator.” Morgan pointed to a soldier beside him, giving Lev a vicious glare.

Todd saw the latter shrink back and smiled dismissively.

Huggins approached Todd, bowed his head, and said, "Commander-in-Chief, everything is ready, and we can depart at any time."

Looking at the vast sea before him, the latter nodded and said, "Notify everyone, let's set off, destination: 'Claw Island'!"

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The warship cut through the wind and waves. Morgan looked at the increasingly clear outline of the island in the distance, walked to Todd's side, and said to him, "That's Claw Island."

After thinking for a moment, the latter said, "Why is the island where Claws live called 'Claw Island,' but the island you live on is called 'Nepo'?"

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