Lein hovered in the air, standing firm as a gentle breeze flowed around him. Before him, the shadow of a massive tree slowly materialized, towering as if it were touching the heavens. A soft golden light enveloped its branches, exuding a sacred and mesmerizing aura. Suddenly, a cold voice echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations, you have become the (Guardian - Divine Sky Realm). Title: Guardian has been granted.]
[Congratulations, your performance in Aetheris has been rated at SSS level. You have received a reward: (Talent Crystal).]
Lein frowned, glancing at the notification window floating before him. His lips moved slightly, barely audible. "A forced Guardian?" he murmured.
His eyes narrowed as he scanned every word in the message. There was something odd about the process—a hasty Guardian selection, as though the system had no other choice.
However, that thought was quickly replaced by stinging curiosity. Lein delved into his mind, searching for details about the reward he had just received.
A rare item that grants the opportunity to acquire or enhance talents. If the user already has a talent, the existing talent will be upgraded.
His eyes widened briefly before he let out a shout that echoed among the thin clouds. "Insane!" he exclaimed, his tone a mixture of awe and frustration.
Several core alliance members standing not far from him turned their heads in unison. Laras, who was the closest, raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a questioning gaze. "What's wrong, Brother Lein?" she asked, her tone calm yet clearly curious.
Lein scratched the back of his head, chuckling awkwardly. "It's nothing. Just ignore it," he replied, trying to conceal both his excitement and concern. He quickly stored the crystal in his spatial ring, deciding that the time for experimentation was not now.
Meanwhile, the shadow of the enormous tree became clearer. Leaves made of pure light shimmered, moving gently as if singing an inaudible harmony of nature. Bagus, one of the core members, tilted his head, frowning.
"What kind of tree is that?" he asked in a tone of fascination. He tried stepping closer, but the space around him felt strange—like the distance between him and the tree grew with every step he took.
Arya, standing beside Bagus, shrugged. "No idea, but I bet that tree is something incredibly valuable," he said confidently.
Lein remained silent, his gaze fixed on the tree. His body was tense, a mix of curiosity and caution flooding his senses. But before he could analyze further, a surge of powerful energy rising from below stole his attention. Figures began flying closer, one by one, other alliance leaders appearing, hovering in the air with radiant auras.
"What is this? All statuses are marked as unknown?" an older leader with gray hair exclaimed incredulously, pointing toward Lein and his core members. He stared at the panel in front of him, his eyes wide.
Another leader murmured, his voice trembling. "They... they've already surpassed the Master level?" he said, more a statement than a question.
But the murmurs were cut short as Lein's aura spread, filling the air with such intense pressure that it made everyone catch their breath. Lein's gaze did not waver, but to the others, every second under his stare felt like facing the ultimate judge.
Elsewhere, Vladmir Nova stood stiffly, his muscular frame taut like a fully drawn bowstring. He silently observed Lein, though his thoughts were in turmoil. How is this possible? he wondered. How could they reach a level that even surpasses the old leaders so quickly?
Beside him, Bai Qi let out a low growl, his sharp eyes locked onto Hana, one of Lein's core members. "Miss Hana, you...?" he began, half hoping for a reassuring answer, but the other half fearing the truth.
Hana, with a cold smile, simply nodded slightly. She then swept her gaze across the gathering of alliance leaders. "William? And the others?" she asked lightly, her tone seemingly indifferent yet still intimidating.
Bai Qi swallowed hard, sensing something amiss. His eyes darted around, trying to count their numbers. "They're not here," he muttered, his voice full of unease. "Damn it, those cowards!"
Hana's aura shifted abruptly. From a calm and graceful demeanor, she now radiated like a volcano ready to erupt. The air around her trembled, her spiritual pressure spreading like shockwaves. All the leaders in the air felt their knees weaken, one by one falling to the ground, unable to bear the weight of a Grandmaster's aura.
"Stop, Miss Hana! We are innocent!" one of the leaders shouted with a trembling voice, his face pale.
"Yes, we had no intention of betraying humanity!" another cried out, his voice near hysterical.
But Hana did not hear them. Her gaze remained fixed ahead, her expression blank yet threatening. Vladmir Nova could only growl internally. William, you coward! If we meet again, I will kill you! he thought furiously. He knew that for now, there was nothing to be done except endure and await Hana's decision.
Hana's aura radiated with such intense energy that it spread throughout the Alliance building. The staff on the lower floors, initially engrossed in their tasks, suddenly froze.
A look of horror spread across their faces as they felt the overwhelming pressure enveloping the building. The air around them began to change—frosty mist appeared out of nowhere, blanketing the rooms with an increasingly piercing chill. The glass ceiling began to frost over, forming crystalline spiderweb-like patterns.
Before everything froze entirely, a warm light seeped into the room. It was gentle, like the touch of morning sunlight on the skin.
Everyone turned toward its source. Laras stepped forward slowly, her body radiating warmth that dispelled the icy mist. She approached Hana with a gaze full of calm.
"Hana, that's enough," Laras said, her voice soft yet firm, like a spring breeze soothing a winter storm.
"I was almost tempted by that offer too. But when I thought of my family, and our Alliance, I realized it was the wrong choice."