Floating Island - Triple S Talent

One by one, the participants began to appear in various corners of the Trial Realm of the Dead Mountain Inferno. None of them arrived in close proximity—all were scattered far apart, as if the realm itself had rejected unity from the very beginning.

Aleron had been wise. Before they entered the trial, he had given a simple piece of advice that could mean the difference between life and death: Find a team first.

But how many would actually heed his advice? Or rather… how many would survive long enough to even try?

"Master Aleron, can we begin the search for the Cosmic Heart?"

Outside the portal to the Trial Realm, Lein stood calmly. His eyes fixed on Aleron, waiting for an answer.

Beside them, Tauriel, who overheard the conversation, immediately turned her gaze. Her eyes widened, as if Lein had just uttered something impossible.

"What? Sorry, but… has Master Lein not yet formed a Crystal Core?" she asked, nearly in disbelief.

Aleron smiled wryly. "Hahaha… That's right."

He himself had been surprised when he first learned that Lein's Divine Sky Realm had yet to form a Crystal Core. Typically, a crystal core was the source of a Guardian's power. They were not mere titles—Guardians did not spend their time protecting the weak without receiving something of equal value in return. But Lein… was different.

Instead of responding seriously, Lein simply shrugged. He felt no need to explain further.

Aleron observed him for a moment before nodding. "Alright, we can begin now."

His tone was warm, devoid of any burden. He did not see this as a sacrifice—quite the opposite. By helping Lein search for the Cosmic Heart, he, too, would gain tangible benefits. In this way, balance between them remained intact.

Without warning, Aleron's body trembled slightly. A black-silver liquid seeped from his pores, enveloping his form in a thin layer that shimmered like water under moonlight. The liquid pulsed, then began shaping itself into another figure—identical to him.

Within seconds, a perfect clone stood before him.

Aleron smiled in satisfaction. "Well? Lady Tauriel, would you like to join us?"

Tauriel blinked several times, still processing what had just happened. Then, her expression shifted to barely concealed irritation.

"Why are you only telling me about this now?" she asked, her voice slightly rising.

Aleron merely chuckled. Tauriel exhaled deeply before finally saying, "Of course I'm coming."

The moment she declared her decision, the ground near them began to tremble softly. From the cracks between the rocks, a single root emerged, slowly creeping upward as it formed a slender trunk that stretched nearly two meters tall. Its delicate petals unfurled in a slow motion, releasing pollen into the air.

The pollen scattered, swirling like an endless stream of sand, rising from the blooming flower. The floating specks of light converged, forming a faint silhouette that gradually solidified. Within moments, Tauriel's form had taken perfect shape from the pollen.

"Alright, let's begin," Lein said eagerly.

Aleron and Tauriel exchanged glances before turning to Lein with puzzled expressions.

"Excuse me, Master Lein," Aleron asked, his brow furrowed. "Do you not intend to leave a clone behind to oversee the Divine Sky Realm while continuing the competition?"

Lein only gave a slight smile, as if he had already anticipated the question. Casually, he replied, "I've been waiting for you outside the realm."

His words echoed softly, yet they struck Aleron and Tauriel like a bolt of lightning. Their eyes widened in shock.

"What…?"

Their divine senses had been active the entire time, monitoring every detail around them. It was impossible that they had failed to notice anything unusual about the Lein standing before them. And yet, what they had sensed was absolute perfection—without a single flaw. If this was merely a clone, then just how extraordinary was Lein's mastery over his techniques?

However, this was not the time to dwell on such matters. Without wasting any more time, they opened a portal and left their clones behind at the mountain's peak. If the participants returned, they would never realize that the real Guardians had already left the Divine Sky Realm.

Beyond the protective barrier of the Divine Sky Realm, a colossal ship floated majestically in the sky. It stretched a full kilometer in length and stood fifty meters tall. Its design resembled a hovering sheet of paper, yet every intricate detail radiated the elegance of advanced technology. Along the ship's surface, numerous weapon turrets and radar sensors rotated slowly, scanning every movement in the surrounding space.

At the ship's front, on an open deck that faced the vast emptiness of space, Lein stood engaged in discussion with Laras and a young man with star-filled eyes.

"Can you detect a heaven-tier artifact?" Lein asked, his sharp gaze fixed on the young man before him.

The youth appeared only slightly older than Lein. His neatly trimmed black hair contrasted against his pale complexion—a sign that he was not of Earth's past. But what stood out the most was not his age, but his eyes.

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They seemed to contain the vastness of an entire galaxy. The glimmer of countless stars reflected in his irises, swirling like a living miniature universe. Upon closer inspection, constellations could be seen shifting slowly, as if the young man himself was a fragment of the infinite cosmos.

"Yes, I have been able to detect heaven-tier artifacts ever since reaching the Grandmaster level, sir," Efan said with a warm smile. His gaze carried a hint of respect toward Lein, a man younger than him yet someone who had given him more than he had ever imagined.

"Good. You're a perfect fit for our mission this time," Lein remarked casually, as if it was not something that required further thought.

"Yes, this is our first mission in outer space," Laras added with an unwavering bright smile.

Lein glanced at her, his expression neutral, but his gaze seemed to question something. The sharp look made Laras pause for a moment.

"What is it?" she asked, confused. Her mind raced, trying to figure out if she had missed something.

A few seconds passed before she finally realized. "Ahh, right! I meant, this is the second one," she corrected herself with a sheepish grin.

Lein let out a quiet sigh. Ever since reaching the Grandmaster level, Laras' personality had changed—or rather, she had begun to show a more relaxed side, far from the cold demeanor she used to display.

The memory of their first meeting flickered in his mind, bringing a faint smile to his lips. A very fortunate girl… he mused.

Efan, who had been silently observing their interaction, suddenly sensed something. Not from Lein, not from Laras, but from behind him. He was not the only one who noticed. Lein and Laras also turned their gazes in the same direction almost simultaneously.

"Apologies, apologies for interrupting your warm discussion."

Aleron's deep and heavy voice echoed clearly in the air. Not far from him, Tauriel smiled, a glimmer of admiration still lingering in her eyes. "Master Lein always finds a way to surprise us," she said with a soft chuckle.

Lein rose from his seat, followed by Laras and Efan. With a casual flick of his fingers, two additional sofas materialized before them.

"Haha… Please, have a seat," Lein said politely.

Without hesitation, the two Guardians settled into the sofas, looking perfectly at ease as if that was exactly where they belonged. For a moment, their eyes flickered toward Laras and Efan. It was brief—just a fleeting glance, as if assessing something—before they offered warm smiles.

"Greetings, Guardian Aleron."

"Greetings, Guardian Tauriel."

Laras and Efan spoke almost in unison, bowing respectfully before sitting back down.

"No need to be so formal. We're all one team, aren't we, Master Lein?" Aleron said with a slight teasing tone, looking at Lein with an expression that was half-playful, half-ingratiating.

Lein merely gave a slight nod, unbothered by the remark. To him, words were never an issue—as long as actions remained true to them.

"Alright... since everyone is here, I'll explain a bit about the Heart of the Cosmos," Aleron said casually, taking over the conversation.

Lein observed in silence, allowing Aleron to speak to Laras and Efan. Of course, everything Aleron was saying now was something he had already heard in their private discussion a few days ago. However, seeing the awe in Laras and Efan's expressions every time Aleron mentioned something unfamiliar, Lein could only offer a faint smile. Even Laras, who had once visited the Guandu Realm, was still surprised by the explanation.

Aleron continued speaking, detailing the dangers they would face and the importance of their preparedness. Laras and Efan listened intently, their eyes filled with determination. They had been entrusted by Lein to join this mission, and they would not let him down.

"Well... that's all I can explain for now," Aleron finally concluded his explanation.

After that, he retrieved something from his spatial ring—a stone sphere with one side slightly flattened. Shortly after, he also took out a piece of paper with a strange pattern. On it was an intricate circle that resembled a map.

The paper suddenly expanded before them. The stone sphere floated above it, vibrating slightly.

Slowly, the sphere began to move to the right, then to the left, as if searching for the correct direction. It continued to tremble for a few seconds before finally stopping at the upper right corner of the paper.@@novelbin@@

"There," Aleron pointed at the spot where the stone had stopped. "That's the direction we'll be heading."

Lein narrowed his eyes, studying the marked point with deep consideration.