Above The Sky
Chapter 702 - 702 Ending The Path Straight into the Future_3

702: Ending: The Path Straight into the Future_3 702: Ending: The Path Straight into the Future_3 They themselves would not act, but their progeny, their subordinates, would once again start street duels, suppress each other, and deploy their political influence to strike at enemies.

That damned quagmire, these people were adept at brawling in the mud, just thinking about it gave one a headache.

At this moment, Michael couldn’t help but think of Ian again.

That kid really knew how to run fast; he probably had the urge to leave as soon as he saw all the noble bigwigs converging on the Imperial Capital, right?

He must have guessed how troublesome it would be after so many prominent figures arrived at the Imperial Capital.

With his genius, if he were to be invited to banquets by several different factions of nobles, which one should he attend?

And whom would he offend for no reason?

The ones who self-identify as smart think they can have the best of both worlds, but the truly smart ones have already run off.

Indeed, it was the correct choice.

If it weren’t for the fact that he was the second prince with a goal that he couldn’t avoid if he wished to achieve it, he would want to run too.

“Ultimately.”

The golden-haired prince closed his eyes and let out a bitter smile, “I’m just not suited to stand at the summit of the mountain.”

No matter what Michael thought, time flowed on, and events continued to unfold.

The great conference held in the Imperial Capital on October 8th of the year 773 was thought by all attendees to focus on the Duke of Solin’s advancement to the Fifth Energy Level and how to deal with the now fog-enshrouded core area of The Grand Duchy.

However, they did not expect that this issue was only briefly mentioned at the start and then dropped altogether.

As the Empire officially began full confrontation with the Fiery Flame Land and the forced sanction of the Tianhong King by the Four Great Orthodox Churches, which confined him to Tianhong Lands and prohibited from participating in the war, the Empire gained significant advantages in both public opinion and strength.

Based on this, under Emperor Aksel’s guidance, all the great nobles of the Empire would unite to support the southwestern military district and coordinate with the upcoming major operations towards Fiery Flame Land.

On this matter, many nobles were perplexed as they assumed the ambitious emperor wanted to open two fronts at the same time and face the two powerful lineages of Nemasases and Abassalom.

Their speculation was not wrong, but the reality would surely surprise them.

And the appearance of the Canaan Moore special envoy further pushed the meeting to its climax.

[The Setar Empire and the Canaan Moore Federation will form a strategic alliance, mutually respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will establish over twelve strategic cooperative projects.]

[The first of which is a joint effort by the Sublimators of both sides to open a passage in the Favette Mountain Range, allowing the sea breeze of the everlasting Yongji Ocean to flow directly to the southeastern wilderness of the Empire, which will also commence a large-scale wilderness afforestation campaign to develop new residential areas.]

This is the largest topographical reconstruction project on Terra since the 1960s.

Furthermore, on the first day of the conference, Emperor Aksel confirmed the Empire’s development strategy for the period of the war with Fiery Flame Land.

The conference approved the military reform proposal, with Sky Armor as the main component and Mobile Fortresses as auxiliary, from that point on, the Sertar Sky Army would operate independently from the Empire’s Ministry of Defense, with the commander of the Sky Army also serving as the Imperial Emperor.

Simultaneously, the low altitude flight retrofitting of a segment of the land army’s Armor Suit was confirmed, transforming the land army into a comprehensive integrated armored force, not just a purely terrestrial military.

There are still six days left in the great conference room, but just the news from the first day has already caused tremors in the Imperial Capital and even the entire Empire.

Especially the strategic alliance between the Empire and the Canaan Moore Federation, which took the allies by surprise.

Meanwhile.

Down in the city.

Lower City District.

The white-haired young man did not take the Alchemy Train, nor did he take a carriage, but instead rode an inconspicuous white horse, humming a tune, and traveling through the sunset and the wind.

The supply convoy loaded with Armor Suit and food, along with the hired hands, naturally couldn’t be prepared in just two days; the Platinum Iridium Workshop took care of these matters.

Almost fifty skilled craftsmen and a convoy of various types of construction tools would arrive in Nauman City one or two weeks after Ian reached South Ridge.

Hua’an and the Frost Butterfly took the Fairy Homeland channel, as, of course, the Fae could travel quite swiftly if they wanted to, but that was too fast for Ian’s purpose—he needed to observe the changes in the townships of South Ridge after the war between Fiery Flame Land and the Empire, so they split up.

According to the channels of the Platinum Iridium Workshop, the situation in South Ridge is not good these days.

The main pressure from Fiery Flame Land, while focused on the Western Region, is also not mitigated here in South Ridge, which lacks any fortresses.

If the enemy is willing to pay the price, they will definitely be able to send troops to South Ridge.

They have incited many Natives and Mountain People to rebel against the Empire’s rule, and although the trade nodes centered around Nauman City, Three Rivers City, and Harrison Port have not been disturbed, a vast autonomous area in the western part of South Ridge has fallen into chaos.

There’s obviously a problem with the Worship Dragon Cult as well—since the King of the Mountain took Sio away, Ian has not received any news from any member of the Southern Ridge Worship Dragon Sect, including Elder Mantle.

Either they’ve encountered significant trouble, or they are too busy dealing with issues to communicate externally.

All in all, Ian likely won’t get support from the Worship Dragon Sect anytime soon.

But these were trifles.

Although it might sound somewhat cruel, the more chaotic the South Ridge became, the more space Ian had to exert his influence.

If everyone were living in bliss and contentment, with no enemies and no disturbances, then who would change the world, and who would even try to change the world?

Moreover, if there were no chaos, how could he conceal his movements?

Just like when the Imperial Capital fell into disarray, no longer did anyone care that a mere White Folk Alchemist had left this ancient city.

The rumbling of the Alchemy Train began to sound, a bright headlight shining in the distance, swiftly rushing forward, and then passing behind the youth.

There, the towering Solid City still shrouded in light, appeared as if ablaze.

Nearly all the noble leaders of the greatest nation on the Terra Continent had gathered here, where the curtains of an era were slowly being drawn.

But this was not his stage.

The youth was heading to his own stage.

The sunset was now upon them, and then would come the night, but dawn would eventually arrive.

Ian was in the midst of night, but he awaited the moment when dawn’s light would rise.

The moonlight had begun to slowly brighten at the edge of the sky, with a few inconspicuous stars emerging against the semi-white night curtain.

——The Star Prison Tianyu imprisoned the firmament and the galaxy, creating a boundary in the distance, and limits to the unknown.

——But this does not only lead to despair.

Raising his head, looking up at the utter darkness above the sky, Ian was no longer frightened.

The youth revealed a smile, “At least I already know the problem, I know what it is that has taken the stars.”

——What comes next, is to solve it.

Thinking this way, Ian rode his horse, softly singing a cheerful tune, “Riding my horse, rushing on the old roads of this ancient city~”

“I won’t stop until I’m utterly exhausted~”

Night fell, with the cool autumn wind rustling through the long grass on both sides of the road.

Clouds obscured the moonlight, and the silhouette of the White Folk youth disappeared into the darkness.

But one could still hear clearly the sound of the horse’s hooves, pressing on into the distance.

He was still advancing, walking a predestined path in the unknown.

He was Ian.

One who would shatter the old world, forge the new world, and was destined to reach Above the Sky.

He intended to gallop on horseback, straight into the future.

Even if he were to become utterly exhausted, he would never stop.

——Above the Sky·Part One·Star Prison Tianyu·End