Franco

The harsh natural environment of the remote, wintry North Valley has shaped those who live there into a brave and martial people. They revered the strong and were proud of their tall and sturdy appearance. They believed that their sturdy physiques were inherited from their common ancestor, the Golem of Iceland, who once ruled these lands.

But for the young Franco, this traditional way of thinking was only oppressive. His tribe had lived on the coast of the Frozen Sea for generations and relied on its large fleet of trading and fishing ships to support themselves. But the passing years have not made young Franco want to become an adult man. They only pointed out the strange way the others looked at him. Although his father was a famous harpooner throughout the coast and his brothers were all tall and strong, Franco was small and unimpressive for a Nord. Some even joked that, given Franco's stature, his ancestor was not the Icelandic Golem, but the dwarves of legend.

To train powerful warriors, the Northern Valley tribes located on the coast of the Frozen Sea engaged in intense competitive play from childhood and received systematic combat training once they reached puberty, so that they would be ready to engage in lengthy trading missions or fishing voyages as adults. However, much to Franco's embarrassment, while the other boys had already begun to wield battle axes, spears, and rig sails, he could only wield much smaller weapons. In fact, the battle axes were even taller than him.

Although small in size, Franco had a great ambition: to become the greatest warrior in the Northern Valley, and see his name engraved in the book of heroes, to be adored by future generations. To achieve this ambition, Franco trained tirelessly, day after day, increasing his strength and martial prowess. Yet despite Franco's intense training, he was looked down upon by others due to his small size. Even his father and brothers thought that little Franco was only meant to be a merchant, and never a warrior or sailor capable of facing a cruel environment and fierce enemies.

Faced with constant mockery and discrimination, Franco angrily decided to leave his tribe. He would prove to everyone that, even though he was small, he could still achieve big things. Over the next few years, he hid in the endless mountains of the North Valley, surviving and training alone in this most extreme environment. After long years of fighting against the bitter cold, terrible beasts and omnipresent threats, Franco has developed strength far beyond that of an ordinary man, as well as a firm and indomitable character.

While Franco trained alone in the mountains, the cruel and power-hungry Captain Bane descended on the frozen sea. Breaking the long-respected rules of the pirates and fishermen of the North Valley, he began to invade and annex the territory of other pirates as well as commoners, ruling them with an iron fist. Those facing Bane's mighty fleet and fearsome firepower had only two options: submit or be annihilated.

Bane's cruelty was met with fierce resistance from various forces, the fiercest of all coming from Franco's tribe. As a warning to those who would challenge him, Bane sent a massive armada of pirate ships to blockade the surrounding sea and launched constant raids on Franco's tribe, declaring that he would sink all their ships and raze their harbor.

After ten years in the mountains, Franco returns to his tribe, full of confidence and strength. Engaging in a fierce battle, he crushed Bane's men with his anchor and his divine strength. It was only after the battle that the members of his oppressed tribe made a surprising discovery: that the hero who had come to save them was none other than the once-mocked little Franco. After learning of Bane's treacherous actions, Franco angrily vowed to annihilate him and all of his henchmen.

Franco then led his tribesmen and their ships in resistance against Bane's cruel rule. They outfitted old fishing boats with battering rams and cannons, and attacked Bane's pirate fleets wherever they found them, dealing a heavy blow to Bane's forces. In desperation, Bane assembled a huge fleet to quell Franco's resistance, but the two sides remained in a stalemate after several battles, with Bane unable to gain the advantage. Once, Bane managed to lure Franco into a trap, but only succeeded in injuring him, and Franco managed to escape with his life. Furthermore, more and more residents of the Northern Valley, inspired by Franco's courage and strength, united around him to fight Bane.

Seeing Franco's strength growing by the day, the cunning Captain Bane hatched a plan: he would sue for peace with Franco, suggesting that they search for the Twilight Orb of legend together, while secretly luring the Moniyan Empire's navy to the frozen sea. This would allow him to kill two birds with one stone: find the Twilight Orb and defeat Franco for good. Wary of Bane's sudden goodwill, Franco pretended to take the bait, ordering his men to search for the Orb of Twilight, while secretly leading a contingent of warriors to take control of a pirate ship among the Black Shark fleet.

Bane instigated a battle between the two marines, preparing to reap the benefits afterwards. However, Franco, hiding within the Black Sharks, ordered his men to open fire behind Bane, hitting the Behemoth directly. In his most exultant moment, Bane and his flagship received a fatal blow from the defiant lord and sank to the bottom of the sea.

Once Bane was drowned, Franco became ruler of the entire Northern Valley coast. He led his people in driving out the remnants of Bane's forces, rebuilding the port, and reviving trade, bringing a renaissance to the entire Northern Valley.

Out of respect for Franco's glorious achievements, the people of the Northern Valley nicknamed him the Frozen Warrior. But for Franco, everything he had done so far was still not worthy of such praise. Shortly after, Franco learned that Bane not only had not perished, but had gained new power and was gathering his men to make his return.