Skybound Throne

Riya watched the kids leave and leaned against her husband with a sigh.

"We should have gone with them."

Johnson patted her back reassuringly.

"We can’t, dear. The Queen has recently issued an order to find all her descendants, as well as those born to them. We can’t risk entering any major cities for a while, where you might be recognized. Besides, Jenny is with the kids, and I’ve sent Lights to follow them. They will reach the academy safely."

Riya rubbed her temples.

"Just what is mother up to now?"

Johnson hummed, thinking.

"I got some insider information from Loyd. Word has it that an ancient tomb belonging to a king from a bygone era has been found within the royal castle and only those with royal blood are able to enter. They are surely seeking suitable candidates."

Riya blinked. Ancient tomb? It was quite rare to hear about something like this.

An ancient tomb served as a burial place for those who lived long ago, or it could be a place where older generations hid their inheritances for future generations.

They often had complex structures and were usually filled with opportunities. But they also had dangerous traps and were guarded by many powerful creatures.

"It’s an opportunity for many, but also dangerous. It’s best we stay out of it."

Unfortunately, the couple didn’t realize the tomb also had age restrictions. Only those who met all the requirements were dragged to the royal castle by the guards, regardless of whether they were distant relatives of the Queen or if they wanted to enter the tomb.

***

At the same moment, Skyler, oblivious to the impending future, stood in the parking area outside the building with Charles. The duo watched Jenny as she fiddled with her storage ring, her expression calm.

They had expected her to call a ride that would take them to their next destination, so they were confused as to what she was doing. But no one could have prepared them for what happened next.

Jenny suddenly pulled out a stylish black car with wide wings from her storage ring! The car didn’t even touch the ground under it, instead it hovered effortlessly in the air!

They were too stunned to react and just watched as she entered her personal car.

Riruru, concealed within Skyler’s jacket, peeked out to see what was happening when she sensed his heart rate spiking.

She was startled when he gasped.

Skyler’s eyes gleamed as he inspected the sleek black car from every angle. He had a motorcycle, but it paled in comparison to this masterpiece! A flying car! One he had only seen soaring through the sky!

"Damn..."

He couldn’t believe his sister had become wealthy enough to buy her own car!

Did the students at the academy all have this much money? But how?

Even their parents didn’t own a flying car!

Now, his determination to become the best at the academy rose even higher!

He was going to be the best there! So, he would get even more wealthy than Jenny!

Compared to him, Charles was more composed. He recovered rather quickly from his shock, even though his dark eyes were gleaming just like Skyler’s. After all, who wouldn’t want a personal flying car?

Jenny fastened her seatbelt and glanced out of the driver’s seat towards them.

"Get in. We’ll go to the nearest teleportation device first. It will take us near Malor City, one of the largest cities on the continent, where the Starlight Academy is located."

Skyler didn’t hesitate, sliding into the backseat as the door clicked open when Jenny pressed a button on the hovering screen that appeared before her. Charles, however, looked a bit concerned.

"You know how to drive, right?"

Jenny raised an eyebrow, amused by the question. Was he scared of heights?

"Of course I do. Don’t worry. I’ve been driving this for two years now."

With a nod, Charles entered the backseat. He fastened his seatbelt, but held it tightly, not quite ready for his first flight.

Beside him, Skyler opened the window so he and Riruru could watch everything. He was glued to it, unlike Riruru, who was not really bothered after the initial surprise.

She was more concerned about how she could change her form again, like how she had done once before in Skyler’s room. She had yet to grasp the link, but one thing was sure: even if she changed form, it would be only for a very short time. That’s why she was trying to understand the process.

Jenny gripped the steering wheel, and the car began to fly higher without making any sound. Her sharp eyes traveled toward the two individuals that had started to follow them the moment they left the house, and she spoke directly into their heads.

’You won’t be able to follow us as we’ll be traveling through the air. Just tell Dad, Sky and Charles will be fine with me.’

The adept-tier old man and the young woman were shocked to hear her voice. That was telepathy! They watched as the car floated high above and left the scene.

The old man smiled wryly.

"The guild leader’s daughter... just how strong has she become? A true genius. It’s only been four years since she joined the academy, and she’s already achieved such incredible progress. To think she talked to us through telepathy, a power only those at the Epic tier are able to wield."

Next to him, the young light nodded, her eyes still wide with disbelief.

"A twenty-year-old Epic-tier? That’s really unheard of! Just what in the world is the Starlight Academy feeding their students? I hope little Sky can handle the pressure of being around someone like her."

They were stunned by Jenny’s progress.

If the duo knew that many students even stronger than Jenny Ironhart were present in the Starlight Academy, students who had the current heads of government and even the royalty watching their every move, they would have been utterly bewildered.

They would have thought this generation was truly monstrous if Jenny Ironhart’s strength wasn’t the best among them.

It seemed Skyler and Charles had a long way to catch up. They had fallen behind, unlike the students of the academies who had been receiving instruction from the best professors and teachers available from the moment they awakened.

***

A few hours later, atop one of the massive platforms that stood outside the boundary of Malor City, multiple people materialized as a blinding light flashed on the platform.

Charles’s face contorted in discomfort. He wanted to throw up and empty his stomach like a few others around him, but held back when he saw them being charged a fine.

Although he had experienced the process of teleportation during the preliminary test, the sensation still felt jarring. Almost as if his whole body shattered into light before being rearranged in no time.

Next to him, Jenny wore a frown as she rubbed her temples. Unlike Charles, she had used teleportation devices before, but they still left her with an uncomfortable feeling.

Only two people remained unfazed.

Riruru and Skyler.

It was as if they weren’t affected by the space distortion that teleported them.

With a beaming expression on his face, Skyler surveyed the scene. All around him, the space was filled with people, nearly all of whom looked wealthy. Many of them were arriving through the teleportation platforms, while others were leaving.

There were no land cars or bikes around. Instead, the clear sky, where many crystals floated, was filled with flying individuals and vehicles traveling at high speeds.

"This is completely different from Nowan City. Almost as if we’ve just entered a more advanced place from a village!"

Skyler murmured and watched as Jenny, who had paid countless start coins for the teleportation portal from her own pocket without even flinching, turned to him.

"Do you two want to rest in a restaurant or café for a while? Experiencing teleportation isn’t that easy for those new to it."

Charles wanted to exclaim, ’Yes, why not!’ But he was a tad bit late because his dear friend Skyler waved his hand dismissively.

"No, we are fine. Let’s enter the city and reach the academy as soon as possible! After all, it’s not safe for Riruru out here."

Jenny was surprised to know he was fine when even she had been impacted. Was her little brother pretending to be okay, or was he truly unaffected by the teleportation?

Charles, who was about to smack Skyler’s head for running his mouth, stopped when he heard his last words. Right, they nearly forgot about Riruru. They needed to make sure the snake wouldn’t be abducted. But to their surprise, Jenny let out a smile.

She gestured for them to first leave the platform when she noticed the impatient middle-aged man who operated it.

Skyler and Charles followed behind her as she pointed toward a human in the distance who appeared to be a beast tamer because a huge bird was sitting on his shoulder.

"Don’t worry about Riruru being kidnapped here. The academy’s presence makes this city incredibly secure. Plus, there are plenty of beast tamers around. As long as Riruru stays quiet, no one will bother us. She is not exactly very powerful, anyway."