Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

The supposed two months later...

Atlas, Seraphiel, and everyone else who had been directly or indirectly involved in the battle against Orivian and had attended the meetings in the Realm of Astraya could be seen floating high up in the sky.

Their gazes were fixed on the enormous barrier that covered the entire world, waiting for something that had remained in place for countless years to finally disappear. The barrier had protected Eliomor from the outside world, but its purpose was about to come to an end.

It was none other than the Veil covering the entire world.

After going through numerous events and making preparations for days on end, the day they had been waiting for had finally arrived. Eliomor was about to be flooded with Aether Energy, and every cultivator would have to abandon Spirit Energy and make Aether Energy their primary source of power for cultivation.

This change would mark a new stage for the entire world, as everyone would have to adapt to an environment that was entirely different from the one they had known before.

During these past weeks, Atlas had grown considerably stronger than before by gaining a deeper understanding of his own powers and completely grasping various techniques and knowledge related to them.

He was not the only one who had made significant progress, as Seraphiel had also reached the Astral World Rank with his assistance. Atlas had interfered with the Logic governing her cultivation speed, allowing her to advance much faster than she normally would have been able to.

Although Atlas had attempted to accelerate her cultivation enough for her to reach the Emperor Rank, the same backlash he had encountered before appeared again, even with the loophole he had used.

After attempting to overcome this restriction three times, both of them began to suspect that it was connected to the Phoenix within Seraphiel’s soul or perhaps some kind of bottleneck that prevented her from advancing further.

They eventually left the matter for another time, as there was no immediate need for Seraphiel to reach the Emperor Rank. She was already considerably stronger thanks to her own unique powers and abilities, and reaching the next rank was not necessary for her to protect herself at present.

She had also switched to cultivating with Aether Energy, through which she had managed to develop several techniques of her own and improve her combat capabilities further.

In simple terms, the sweet couple had become monsters in combat. Atlas was particularly delighted by how much both of them had improved during these weeks, and their relationship had also grown closer as they spent more time together.

Whenever they managed to find some free time between their training sessions, they went on dates and enjoyed each other’s company, making the most of the time they had available.

They were not the only ones who had experienced considerable growth during this period, as Kael, Zaakrax, Solaris, Eliana, and Sylvaris had all made significant progress as well. Their month of sparring inside the separate space had allowed them to improve their combat abilities and gain more experience against one another.

With their training completed, everyone had become considerably stronger and was now prepared to venture into the Galaxy to some extent.

Atlas had also informed everyone about the incoming escorts from the Conclave, although the revelation had naturally shocked them at first. The idea of being escorted by people connected to such a powerful organization was obviously new and shocking.

Nevertheless, they had been made aware of the situation beforehand, allowing them to prepare for what would come after the Veil’s collapse.

Returning to the present, everyone continued staring at the enormous black-and-white barrier that had covered Eliomor for so long. The Veil had remained invisible to ordinary perception, but its fading presence was now becoming apparent as the moment of its collapse approached.

As a small portion of the barrier gradually disappeared, Aether Energy from outer space rushed into the world like waves of water flooding an ocean, spreading across Eliomor and filling the environment with an entirely new source of energy.

The small section that had faded away continued expanding until the entire barrier finally vanished. The Aether Energy pouring in from outer space spread throughout the world without any further obstruction, marking the end of the Veil that had separated Eliomor from the outside.

Everyone present watched the change carefully, knowing that this moment would affect the future of every cultivator living on the planet.

Just as the Veil disappeared, Mostleon and the other three who had always resided inside the Realm of Astraya appeared beside the group. Mostleon looked toward the place where the barrier had previously existed before speaking, ”If the Veil doesn’t remain then the realm itself will also be no need for any observation. After all, It has collapsed now.”

His words carried a sense of relief as he looked at the fading traces of the barrier, and the other three appeared to share the same feeling. It was as though a weight that had remained on their hearts for a long time had finally been lifted.

Atlas continued observing the scene for a long moment before turning toward Seraphiel, who was standing beside him. ”Don’t be scared Sera, You are strong now and will be even stronger from this moment on.”

Seraphiel turned toward him and nodded with a smile, showing that she had understood his concern, ”I am not scared Atlas, I am simply excited to see how the outside looks properly.”

”Even though we went out that day, we had to be interrupted and come back. But now I can see it again!” Seraphiel’s excited expression made Atlas relax, as he had initially wondered whether the prospect of entering the outside world would make her nervous.

Seeing her enthusiasm reassured him that she was looking forward to the journey instead, although he had already made preparations to deal with any unexpected circumstances involving her. He wanted her to be able to experience the outside world without having to worry about possible threats.

Just as Atlas was about to turn toward Seraphiel’s parents, who were standing at the far left, his head suddenly snapped upward. His perception narrowed toward something approaching them from above, and he immediately sensed that whatever it was had come from the direction of outer space and was heading toward Eliomor.

Atlas frowned slightly as he considered whether the escorts from the Conclave had arrived on something of that scale, but the sheer presence he sensed made him uncertain.

’They have the same coloured robes, so their clothes should be enough to judge if they are from the Conclave or not.’ Atlas considered the possibility while preparing to investigate the approaching presence himself.

He then turned toward Seraphiel and told her to wait where she was until he returned in a moment. Seraphiel nodded in response, and Atlas disappeared from his position without wasting any more time.

In an instant, Atlas arrived in outer space, where he immediately noticed something peculiar travelling toward Eliomor from a considerable distance. He narrowed his eyes and focused his perception on the approaching object, trying to determine its identity and purpose before it came any closer to the world.

’What is that?’ he wondered as he continued examining the enormous structure moving through space.

What appeared before him could only be described as a massive spaceship, one so enormous that it could cover half of Eliomor itself. Its front had a bent shape and a flattened appearance, giving it a distinctive design despite its immense size, while different sections of its structure possessed varying shapes and features.

The middle section contained a gigantic hole, with numerous facilities and other structures seemingly arranged around its enormous opening.

Atlas expanded his perception almost immediately, allowing it to penetrate the massive spaceship and examine what was inside. The moment he sensed the beings residing within it, his eyes narrowed as he noticed something unusual about their appearance. ’They...are not from Conclave, they don’t even have clothes. What’s with that body? It’s like...stars and worlds are inside them?’

The strange nature of their bodies made him realize that these were not ordinary beings, and he remained focused on them as he tried to understand what he was sensing.

Just as Atlas finished that thought, a voice suddenly entered his mind directly, ’Human.’ His eyes widened for a brief moment at the unexpected telepathic communication, but he quickly regained his composure and looked toward the enormous spaceship with a serious expression.

’Who are you?’ he asked without hesitation, already aware that even an ordinary member of the Conclave would not necessarily possess the ability to communicate with him in such a manner.

’I am Known as the Harbinger, General of the Army of Eternals under the Monarch of Eternals.’ The moment Atlas heard those words, his eyes widened as a name he had encountered before resurfaced in his mind.

’The Eternals?’ he thought, immediately remembering that Orivian had intended to summon these very beings before his plans had been stopped and he had ultimately died.

’How?’ Atlas could only wonder as he tried to understand how the Eternals had appeared despite Orivian’s failure.

Before he could consider the situation further, the deep, hoarse voice entered his mind once again, its abyssal quality keeping Atlas on guard as he listened carefully to the words being conveyed to him, ’Do you know the Human Orivian? He gave us a signal that the time to claim this world was complete but somehow our searchers failed to detect this world and contact him.’

’However, now the world is finally here, so, where is Orivian?’