Eternal Freedom's Ascension-Chapter 94: Mission: Aether Skies

Gomez brought Kaiser to the Grand Hall where the Patriarch was calmly reclined on his throne.

As soon as they entered, they both knelt to him, paying respects.

"You’ve arrived. How does it feel being home again after three months?"

Ture’s voice was low and heavy, spreading without a single echo.

Kaiser stood up, gazing at the warm smile on Ture’s face.

"The feeling in particular? Nothing special. However, the academy itself is a bit interesting."

Hearing such an evaluation from Kaiser, both Gomez and Ture were intrigued.

"It seems you’ve found some things that thoroughly entertained you. That is very exciting." Ture grinned, then suddenly became serious.

"I’d have loved to know more about your experience, but there are more pressing matters at the moment."

Kaiser tilted his head. "For you to be this serious, it must be something really important."

Behind him, Gomez’s lips twitched. ’Are you saying my father is usually unserious?’

Of course he didn’t voice his thoughts, as the atmosphere wasn’t right at the moment.

"Yes." Ture nodded. "It is concerning your father, Kaiser."

The instant he heard that sentence, Kaiser blanked out.

’That man...’

He saw a figure. A man with broad shoulders. He stood far away, then looked back one last time. The man’s mouth moved slightly, but Kaiser couldn’t get the meaning. His body stilled and turned cold, with cold sweat forming on his skin.

Ture’s eyes darkened. ’I knew this would affect him greatly.’

Still in a trance, Kaiser mechanically walked forward.

"What... about him? What... do you know... about him?"

Ture crossed his fingers. "It has been seventeen years since your father dropped you and left the clan. No one has seen him, or a shadow of him. However..."

Kaiser leaned forward, his body trembling. He looked disturbingly eager to hear his uncle’s words.

"Don’t put your hopes too high. I heard a rumor from one of our scouts that he saw someone similar to Silvan’s figure—long unkempt hair, a muscular body, and dark lightless eyes. Do remember, it is only a rumor." Ture explained slowly, ensuring Kaiser understood him well.

The boy closed his eyes, forcing his agitated nerves to calm. "How unpleasant~"

He said softly, wiping the sweat on his forehead. Slowly, his composure returned, and he looked normal again.

"Where was he spotted, if I may know?"

Ture was quietly amazed by his quick switch in tone. He reclined into the black throne.

"It’s coincidentally the same place you chose to train—the Aether Skies of the Nirad Realm."

......

The Nirad Realm was an extraterrestrial plane of existence, only connected to Earth through its connection to the Nirad System.

This was a reason why both realities sometimes overlapped, creating Nirad Gates on Earth.

Ever since the Age of Awakening, humans have done their best to explore this alien landscape. After years of research and bits of information, it was concluded that this plane of existence was just a twisted combination of lost civilizations of worlds from different timelines—worlds with their own distinct histories.

At present, only a small portion of the Nirad Realm had been explored.

These were the Iron Bastions, Sunken Epochs, Obsidian Wastelands, Verdant Remains, Shattered Thrones, Aether Skies, and the Broken Factories.

These seven regions were the only ones that humans had been able to explore even a bit. Unfortunately, they hadn’t been able to explore more territories because of their greater threats.

Among the seven explored regions, the Aether Skies was one of the most mystical regions.

One large island and six smaller ones floated above a lightless void. The islands were interconnected by large green vines, though several vines connecting the islands had been cut apart.

Kaiser stood at the edge of the Obsidian Wastelands, staring into the darkness below. He couldn’t see anything, and even his shadow sense couldn’t reach the end.

A misty fog covered his direct view, though he could still see the silhouette of a distant island. Very quickly, he spotted the sky bridge connected to that island.

’Goodness gracious... this is going to be very dangerous.’

The mission given to him by the Patriarch was simple—Cross from the Eastern Sky Bridge to the Western Sky Bridge.

He summoned the Asura Vest and the Virtuous Sorrow, arming himself for the challenge ahead.

He then stepped onto the wooden bridge, holding the railings made of rope by the side.

The bridge shifted slightly, as if recognizing the presence of someone trying to cross it. The wood beneath Kaiser’s feet creaked, the sound loud in the silence.

Cold wind blew with the fog, brushing aside Kaiser’s bangs.

’The main danger on this bridge is the aerial patrols—Sky Wraiths.’

Those creatures were natural assassins. Having a glassy underside that gave them powerful camouflage, they were the sharpest killers on the bridge.

’You can’t see them. You can only hear them coming. Listen carefully.’

Veterans would say. However, Kaiser had one special advantage.

Eyes of Sequence—a white eight-spoked wheel appeared in his eyes, rotating at a moderate speed.

His vision cleared slightly, and he could see deeper into gray fog. The better vision helped him move faster, though it seemed to be suppressed somehow.

The journey was unnaturally peaceful. No disturbance, and only the creaking wood beneath his feet sounded. He had gotten halfway across the bridge and hadn’t faced even a single creature.

’Have they gone on a break?’

Entertaining himself with a little humor, he prepared himself for anything going wrong. Well, everything went wrong.

The first thing he heard was the flapping of wings—first a air, then two, then dozens of them.

His pupils shrank, and he slowly raised his head.

Although he couldn’t see them clearly, his soul trait allowed him to make out the shape of several birds sweeping down to attack him.

The creatures looked weird, like birds made of glass. Their wings were flat and not foldable, with the edges sharp like blades.

At this moment, Kaiser could hear the sound of their wings cutting through the air as they descended.

’I need momentum from the first clash.’

The danger of the Sky Wraiths wasn’t just their lethality, but the fact that a single mistake while fighting them could send a person tumbling into the abyss below.

Kaiser steadied his footing, raising his weapon to welcome the swarm. As soon as the first two came close, his sword flashed. The sound of something cracking echoed, then the wings of the Sky Wraiths shattered. The sword then sliced through their bodies, spraying red blood into the air.

[You have slain an Awakened Beast, Sky Wraith]

[You have slain an...]

His first kill in the Aether Skies had been recorded. Unfortunately, more Sky Wraiths were still approaching.