Above The Sky
Chapter 51 - 51 49 Tyrant

51: Chapter 49 Tyrant 51: Chapter 49 Tyrant The torrential rain fell from the sky, crashing onto the rocks with a clamorous sound, as streams flowed like waterfalls down the cliff, converging into thick currents on the jagged surface of Sigh Cliff.

The dull roar of thunder, like the booming of a great drum, intertwined with the howling wind, as if to tear the sky apart.

Hiliard Lesi gazed at the tumultuous sea in the distance, a massive and imposing yet dark and mysterious shadow deep within the sea, his mood undulating like the waves.

The air was suffused with the strange smell of moisture, and bolts of lightning fell ceaselessly from the roiling clouds above, striking the cliff top that had been cleansed by countless thunderbolts, revealing its fine metal skeleton that had long been stripped of its rock layer, displaying its true iron nature.

However, what was astonishing was that this dark metal skeleton was not affected by any lightning, regardless of how immense the electric current was, it would be quietly absorbed completely.

Boom!

An abnormally bright flash of lightning struck, illuminating everything on the cliff top, and for a moment, nothing remained but the bluish-purple glow inside and outside of Sigh Cliff.

Hiliard raised his head, he saw a chunk of cloud collapsing and falling, the heavy grey raincloud pressing down, plummeting toward the earth with the dazzling lightning, bringing with it an oppressive momentum that seemed to crush everything.

The old knight was undeterred, allowing his body to be washed by the raincloud mixed with a large amount of Spirit Energy and electrical charges, and with the help of the thunder light, he seemed able to faintly discern the ancient script on the metal skeleton, hidden under the rocky shell for who knows how long, now finally revealing some of its true form.

“Sky Ladder (ΚλίμαξΘείαςανόδου)…

The Heavenly Father’s Seven Steps cross realms, suspending the stars, His footprints are the so-called ladders to ascend to heaven, they are also the stairs by which we, the Sublimators, elevate ourselves.”

He muttered to himself, “A labyrinth is about to take form.

Depending on that to form the labyrinth, once fully constructed…”

Hiliard shook his head.

It was to prevent this from happening that he had come to this place.

“Thunderhunter Jellyfish.”

At this moment, Hiliard noticed that with the continuous lightning striking Sigh Cliff, faint spots of aqua-blue brilliance began to surge in the nearby sea, like scattered glimmering phosphorescence on a black curtain.

Then, accompanied by a series of deep humming sounds, hundreds to nearly a thousand jellyfish with aqua-blue umbrellas gently floated up from the sea among the crackling electromagnetic sparks in the atmosphere.

Within the translucent jelly-like substance, bright blue cores that resembled lights spun rapidly, the jellyfish released electric currents, interweaving with each other as if they were communicating, and after a brief ‘conversation,’ they grouped together, forming a blue light cloud that danced around Sigh Cliff amidst the thunder.

From a distance, the thunderclouds in the sky and the sea reflected off each other, terrifying arcs of electricity and lightning flitting between them, weaving a grid of electric cages; a single arc striking down would be enough to char an entire boatload of people to a crisp.

As the Thunder Jellyfish Swarm appeared, Hiliard had already quietly retreated.

The most dangerous aspect of Cluster Demon Beasts lies in this—their defensive power exponentially increases with their numbers; while weak and low-tier when alone, the unity of hundreds to nearly a thousand can become the absolute overlord within a hundred miles radius around this area of Sigh Cliff.

The number of Thunderhunter Jellyfish this time, compared to eight and fifteen years ago when Hiliard came to this place, had increased by seven or eight, or even dozens of times more…

And fifty-five years ago, these Magical Beasts didn’t even exist here.

“Even for a labyrinth, this rate of growth is too abnormal; there must be some unexpected factor that has caused their numbers to skyrocket in the last decade or so.”

“The same factor is likely causing the recent decades’ massive increase in the number of Magical Beasts in the waters around Harrison Port and their gradual ferocity.”

With such thoughts in mind, Hiliard transformed back into Ossenna and returned to the city.

It was now the middle of the night on the second day, but to his surprise, he found that there was still a light on inside the house.

“What’s the matter, Ian?

Why aren’t you asleep?”

Once back inside, Hiliard looked at the white-haired boy sitting at the table who seemed quite exhausted, and said with some confusion, “Regular rest is part of training, especially at your age.

Only with enough sleep can you have the energy and room to grow.”

“I know, teacher.”

Finally seeing Hiliard return, Ian stood up to greet him.

Facing the knight’s gentle rebuke, he simply shook his head and spoke earnestly, “But today is a special case.”

“My Spirit Energy tells me that the entire city is in danger of destruction…

This premonition makes it impossible for me to sleep.”

He met Hiliard’s surprised gaze and said calmly, “Teacher, I want to know an answer.”

“Even if it’s a vague and perfunctory one.”

What exactly is Ian’s Spirit Energy ability?

Even Ian himself would find it hard to explain clearly.

Foresight View has the ability to predict a certain time range of future trends, in addition to identifying items, detecting Spirit Energy substances, and incorporates spiritual vision; it’s a quite comprehensive observational auxiliary Spirit Energy ability.

Such Spirit Energy is quite rare on the Terra Continent.

Perhaps the Prophets of the major churches might have abilities similar to Ian’s, but that’s just speculation, after all, even if including the vague histories of previous eras, there haven’t been many Spirit Energy Users proven to truly and correctly predict the future over the years.

Even Ian himself couldn’t be one hundred percent sure, whether his Spirit Energy was selecting ‘the most likely possibility’ or glimpsing into the progression of another parallel world.

However, if it were merely ‘predicting danger’ at such a level, then most Spirit Energy Users might experience it once or twice, possibly on a whim, suddenly sensing a specific crisis relating to themselves.

“Is that so?

You can actually actively sense that the whole Harrison Port will encounter an exceptionally terrifying crisis, affecting everyone almost without exception?”

To avoid alerting the neighbors, Hiliard turned off the light.

In the pitch-dark room, the old knight frowned deeply, pondering the warning Ian had previously explained to him, and spoke softly, “It’s normal for you to feel a great drain on your strength after foresight…

Whether intentional or not, foresight of Spirit Energy generally appears as a prelude in Sublimators above the Third Energy Level, even they would find it overwhelming, let alone you.”

“Rather, the fact that you can still talk is enough to surprise me, which proves the quality of your Spirit Substance is quite high…”

“Even, you might have already possessed a soul.”

“Eh?”

With a light exclamation, it was Ian’s turn to be surprised—A soul?

He had assumed that in this magic world with Spirit Energy and the Path of Sublimation, everyone had a soul!

Not to mention that after crossing into this Otherworld, he could awaken memories from his past life, which made him feel like the concept of a soul might even exist in his old world.

How come it sounds like souls aren’t something everyone can have, and might even be quite rare?

“Surprised, aren’t you?” Seeing Ian’s expression, Hiliard couldn’t help but smile.

He patiently said, “Humans are gifted with wisdom without the need for a soul, a grace from the Fruit of Wisdom.

Conversely, Magical Beasts are born with Sublimation Power but lack innate wisdom.

They need to reach the Second Energy Level, ‘Radiance,’ to initially cultivate a soul, and then wisdom can be nurtured.”

“I know, you youngsters always hear about souls in fairy tales, as if everyone has one, but it is quite rare.

Even naturally gifted Spirit Energy Users might not have one when their powers awaken, at most just a vague shadow.”

“But you may be an exception.”

Patting Ian on the head, Hiliard couldn’t help but frown in thought, “Your Spirit Energy is the rarest kind that can foresee the future, actively sensing the trends and directions of the future…

If you’re not joking, no wonder you were able to find me.”

At this moment, the old knight’s expression was somewhat anxious, “This is almost like a Prophet.

The path that suits you best should be the hidden Spirit Energy Inheritance of the major churches.”

“But that inheritance might be difficult to obtain…”

“That may not be the most suitable for me.”

Realizing that his teacher seemed to be seriously considering how to get the Prophet inheritance from the churches, Ian shook his head and said, “It’s just the inheritance that’s most suitable for my Spirit Energy.”

“Rather than that.” He interrupted the topic: “Teacher, what exactly is going to happen to Harrison Port?

Why is such a huge danger imminent?”

“…It’s a long story.”

Hiliard sighed, and since Ian had already sensed the danger, there was no need to hide it from him any longer.

He patted the chair, gesturing for the boy to sit down, and then he began slowly, “This matter is even related to the establishment of Harrison Port.”

“As one of the most remote frontiers in the human world, the reason Harrison Port could remain standing amid the mountains and forests, despite being surrounded and besieged by numerous Redwood Natives, is because of the strong covert support from the former Emperor, Yinaiga II.”

Yinaiga II…

Upon hearing this name, Ian couldn’t help but recall some of the rumors he had heard in the past.

In those discussions spread in whispers, the reputation of this Former Emperor…

“The Black King…” he muttered to himself, voicing the posthumous title of the Emperor.

Of course, that was actually one of the milder nicknames.

For those who did not hold much respect in their hearts for the Empire’s Royal Family, the true moniker of Yinaiga II…

Was ‘Black Tyrant’.