Above The Sky
Chapter 381 - 381 353 photos Where did the rebels come from 13

381: 353 photos Where did the rebels come from (1/3) 381: 353 photos Where did the rebels come from (1/3) On the afternoon of May 20, Ian was telling Elan a story inside the White Chamber Grocery.

In recent days, Elan had begun to learn Sublimation Skills at the Huai Guang Church.

However, since he was quite young, he was currently only practicing basic mental training such as ‘meditation’ and ‘Quieting Mind,’ to cultivate patience and control over his own spirit.

What surprised the Bishop of White Mist was that Elan showed considerable talent in this area and could even be said to be quite suited for the Embrace Light lineage.

To this, Ian’s comment was ‘Of course!’

Another genius whose destiny was confirmed, could there possibly be any falsehood?

Of course, aside from meditation, the monks in the church also taught some knowledge about reading and writing, which, although only basic, was already sufficient.

Elan would stay there for the afternoon and return quite fulfilled.

At that time, the very tired little boy would unusually act spoiledly towards Ian, and the youth would indulge Elan by telling stories from his memory to his little brother.

Just, with Ian’s taste, the stories he could tell to a child were nothing but UltrXman, GodzXlla, PokXmon, Fake X Knight, and Mobile Fighter X Gundam — to expect him to tell stories like The Little Match Girl and Snow White, or any other kind of positive tale, was somewhat difficult.

Not to mention, with his level of appreciation, the various stories he recounted had perspectives vastly different from the original tales.

“…and so it went like this, at the last moment, the Giant of Light killed the Behemoth and protected the city, but the defense force and most of the buildings were destroyed by the Behemoth, turning them into ruins.”

“Just as the Giant of Light rejoiced over its victory, the last survivor of the defense force appeared.

He knelt beside the rubble, grief-stricken, and questioned the Giant, asking ‘What exactly did you protect?!’…”

The little boy with white hair took sips of his juice and listened intently to Ian’s story.

“Oh?”

But hearing this, he seemed somewhat puzzled, setting down his cup and asked with a bit of confusion, “Why, question, the Giant of Light?”

“It came to help, worked so hard…

If the house is gone, it’s also, the monster’s doing!”

The little boy didn’t quite understand.

“Because people have higher expectations of a hero, especially since the Giant of Light had predecessors who set such high standards and examples, raising people’s expectations to the extreme.”

Ian stroked Elan’s head, “If it had been Viscount Grant who showed up, people wouldn’t think of blaming him — they’d probably be grateful instead.”

“Moreover, this new Giant of Light indeed didn’t do the best it could, it truly had room for improvement, and Viscount Grant wouldn’t really wish to see his territory in such disarray.”

Having said that, he paused for thought, then continued to ask, “Elan, what do you think, according to grandfather White Mist, how would he deal with this situation?

If you don’t know, you could also ask him.”

Ian wasn’t telling these stories with the intent of teaching Elan how to behave socially, but rather he wanted to develop his ability to think from multiple perspectives about a situation.

And, it would also give him an indirect view of what the ideals of the Huai Guang Church were really like.

“I think, Grandfather White Mist would join the Giant in battle!”

And with his eyes turning, Elan seriously responded, “As for protecting…

defeating monsters is the most important.”

“More important than the buildings collapsing!”

“Grandfather White Mist, he is Embrace Light.

Embrace Light is not just light.”

“I see,” Ian nodded slightly.

He did not expect to get any serious answer from Elan, but just wanted him to have his own judgment and distinguish the differences between two similar ideas.

Nevertheless, he hadn’t expected that the education from the Huai Guang Church would spare no effort in hiding nothing, even from children.

Could even Elan see that they were not ‘the light that protects all beings’?

Then what kind of propaganda do they normally use, and how do they acquire funding?

It seems a visit to the big city is indeed needed.

“That’s just the way the Huai Guang Church is.”

Green Tide, who was also learning to read and write at the Huai Guang Church and incidentally helping to take Elan back and forth, had been eavesdropping the entire time.

While drinking his juice, he commented, “They would utilize weapons of mass destruction without hesitation to destroy the Sea Demon Worm’s nest, and if a few people were harmed or killed in the process, they would compensate, but never change their course of action, nor would they punish the commander who gave the order.”

“However, Boss, the Giant of Light you just mentioned, is it the True Form of the Aurora Titan?”

The Swordsman asked with curiosity.

“Mhm mhm.” Scott, who entered midway to report to Ian about the recent situation in the Labyrinth, nodded vigorously in agreement.

Green Tide, still unaware, was curious whether his future Inheritance’s True Form, theoretically, could become as huge as the Titan Creatures in stories, demolishing cities and buildings with its sheer size, and even capable of emitting currents of electric molten light that could destroy small mountains.

Although it was highly unlikely that Ian had inheritance formulas surpassing the Second Energy Level, the First Energy Level’s “Summoner of Thunder” was more than enough, and it sounded very cool!

“I suppose so.”

Ian felt it was a bit subtle, as after all, he was just telling stories to his younger brother.

To these two uninvited guests, it seemed that he was making learning enjoyable by teaching Elan some knowledge about Sublimators through storytelling.

For these natives of the Terra Continent, the various stories told by Ian weren’t all that astonishing.

Essentially, they were just another adaptation of the many legendary tales of Sublimators.

Particularly for Green Tide, who was quite well-informed and whose father had participated in the Battle of the Three Seas, some of the knight heroes in Ian’s stories were not as strong as he is now at their onset.

Even in the later stages, they might not surpass the power of high-level Ascendants he had once seen.

“Putting aside the exaggeration of the story, the destructive power of the Giant of Light’s thunder rays, capable of instantly destroying and utterly vaporizing beasts up to seventy or eighty meters tall, is indeed rare even among those at the Third Energy Level.”

Recalling the content of the story, Green Tide critically commented, “As for that behemoth called Godzilla, it’s a bit difficult to judge.”

“It could sweep through an entire city, its breath piercing the firmament, and just approaching it could melt nearby houses and even mountaintops…

I’ve only heard from my father that the lord of the far-outpost fortress ‘Rock Melt’ once displayed a similar performance with his Heart Light Body ‘Mountain-Melting Behemoth’, instantaneously evaporating all the Sea Demon Worms in a stretch of sea.”

“That was a Fourth Level, one of the top powerhouses among the Whale Song Cliffs Seventeen Island Forts.

If it really exists, it must have its own name.”

Elan revealed a curious look, highly interested in the legendary tales Green Tide spoke of, while Ian’s eyebrows raised.

——So there truly were similar behemoths?

He was now more convinced than ever that the Terra Continent was truly full of odd and strange things beyond count.

After the storytelling finished, Green Tide and Scott took their leave.

The Swordsman had recently been focusing on reading and writing; meanwhile, Scott, aside from training, also did his work for the Guard Squad, occasionally patrolling the New City District and bringing intelligence reports to Ian.

After the two left Ian’s shop, they walked together for a while.

Green Tide didn’t talk much on a day-to-day basis, preferring sharp critiques instead.

However, he was quite curious about the young guard member by his side who was considerably knowledgeable for his age.

“Speaking of which, young man, we haven’t really had a good chat yet—why did you choose to follow our boss?”

The Swordsman asked curiously and then shook his head, “If there are secrets, you don’t have to say them, I’m just quite curious…

after all, I’ve just joined in too.”

“He saved my life,” Scott smiled, unreserved about mentioning the incident: “And…

Ian has a very firm goal.”

“A grand and firm goal.”

Saying so, the Iron Folk looked up toward the setting sun slowly descending in the distance: “My parents only hoped that I could support my family.

If I could get a small squad leader’s position through military service—that’s enough.

After retiring, becoming a blacksmith or a caravan guard would be a way out.”

“Then get married, have children, take care of them, and let them also live such a life, which is peaceful and harmonious, and also considered happiness.”

“That’s what I used to think too.

At most harboring a little dream, dreaming of becoming a Sublimator and living a better life.”

Turning his head, Scott earnestly said to Green Tide, “I can see, sir…

you’re the same, right?

I remember you have a wife and children; you’ve even traveled farther than me.”

“You know, for ‘ordinary’ people like us, goals that are too lofty can only make us fearful and timid.

Because they will disrupt peaceful days and make everything start to change.”

“But…”

Green Tide picked up the thread, his expression one of agreement: “If there’s a chance, I wouldn’t settle for the ordinary either.”

The Swordsman sighed, raising his hand to pat the shoulder of the young Iron Folk: “That’s right, we can all see that our boss is someone destined to be extraordinary.”

“I want to follow a being of grandeur that ordinary people would fear…

one of the few opportunities I have to change my future trajectory and become extraordinary.”

“Yes.”

Scott nodded gravely, “I believe Ian’s future will not just be limited to a knight; he will definitely become a Noble, or even a Lord of a land, maybe a General, a Governor, an Imperial…

“Wait, wait, wait—”

Upon hearing this, Green Tide, who had been nodding along, suddenly grew alarmed and softly interrupted, “You can’t just say that!”

——Where’s the rebel who would dare to say such a thing!

He had only thought about it!

But to be fair, South Ridge really was a suitable place for carving out one’s own domain.

Scott looked at Green Tide with a puzzled face, wondering, “Imperial Court Scholar—what’s wrong with saying that?”