Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1526 Shortest Path

”Master.”

Nosphaleen came to Sylasʼ side before her gaze flickered up to the skies and then back. Despite the C-tiers looking down, it seemed as though the only thing of any real importance to her was Sylas.

The moment she appeared, though, it felt like the space distorted, the Runes of the planet bending around her and making it difficult to make out her true appearance completely.

When the C-tiers saw this, their expressions changed. How could an F-tier affect their senses? That didnʼt make any sense.

”Letʼs go,” Sylas said.

Nosphaleen nodded and her body shook. Silvery scales reflecting gorgeous pinks, lush violets, and sky blues appeared across her delicate skin. She enlarged, Runes wrapping around her until she became a beast that roared to the skies.

The 713th Serpent Warlordʼs expression constricted into pinholes. It felt as though in front of Nosphaleen, she couldnʼt summon her Warlord Armor even if she wanted to. Sylasʼ body flickered and he landed on Nosphaleenʼs head. He had only just done so when the Runes wrapping around her expanded.

WHOOSH.

Nosphaleenʼs wings spread out far and wide, casting a shadow over the hub. Even D- tiers felt their blood freezing over, their Aether not responding to their calls as the Whale Warlord Armor sprung into action.

Long, silky, and fluttering energies danced across the air in reflective moons, the Aether and space becoming so thick it almost looked as though Nosphaleen was gliding through the waters of the ocean instead of the skies.

”Tell the Emperor Sanctum that I used the Warlord Armor to teach my beast to use it. I have a beast taming Profession. No rules have been broken.”

After saying this, Nosphaleen flapped her wings once, and in a blink, she had vanished once again. When they appeared once more, they were above Sylasʼ vessel.

Prione tried to take a step forward, but it was Gralithʼs aura that stopped him from taking another.

”Youʼve received your explanation. Clearly, my disciple has things to do. So unless you want to fight right here and now, learn when to take a step back, Prione.”

The 713th Lion Warlordʼs expression became gloomy.

”Beasts canʼt be Rune Masters. His story is full of holes.”

”Well, you just saw one. I assume your senses arenʼt so pitiful that you canʼt sense a master-subordinate relationship when you see one, right?”

Prione didnʼt have a rebuttal. Just Nosphaleenʼs appearance alone made it obvious enough.

In the air, though, the one looking toward Sylas with the most heated gaze wasnʼt Prione at all, nor was it even Erethea, whose Whale Warlord Armor had just been used to a level at the F-tier she had never seen before.

It was Aranya.

There was good reason Sylas had hidden his Vipermancy Profession all this time. He didnʼt want the complications that came with it being so available.

However, he had already used it in part to defeat Morvok, the number one ranked E-tier disciple. Back then, there had already been suspicions about what was going on.

still, since not long after Sylas defeated an E-tier genius of the Thryskai, it was just assumed that he was just that strong.

But now, those suspicions that Aranya had pressed down were coming back in full force. This time, she had personally felt it all.

Her hand twitched, but in the end, she decided to restrain herself. Giving Sylasʼ back one last look, she took a step and vanished.

In the not-too-far-off distance, the 713th Tiger Warlord looked toward Sylasʼ retreating back and then left as well.

-

Byahmad was probably the greatest loser in all of Sylasʼ schemes. He had lost everything. His place in the 064 Sanctum, his prestige—of which there wasnʼt much to begin with—in the Kaelthar, and his own pride.

The last few weeks had been some of the absolute worst of his life, a churning mass of frustration and rage pulsing within him.

He hadnʼt eaten, he hadnʼt enjoyed himself, and quite frankly, he was only waiting for the family to finally hand down its punishment when news reached his ears.

Sylas had returned.

The first thing he saw was the notification—that absolutely infuriating notification that hung over the whole Horizon. People who didnʼt even know who Sylas was before were now hearing the name for the first time, and those that were already aware could only experience mixed feelings.

Many in the Sanctum didnʼt even know what a Horizon meant. A single solar system was already large enough for most people for an entire lifetime, let alone a Sector or a Horizon beyond it.

For Sylas to receive a Horizon-wide message... it could be said that any momentum the Kaelthar had was completely crushed.

When you had a name like that constantly echoing everywhere, how could the Kaelthar establish their own momentum?

Ironically enough, this was a good thing for Byahmad. The larger a figure Sylas was, the more justified his loss...

And the greater the reward for killing him.

When the message that Sylas had returned to the Sanctum came—only to be swiftly followed up by the fact he had left the Sanctum already... Now that was something he could work with.

Byahmad clenched his fists.

It was a top priority for the family now. Sylas Grimblade had to be killed.

This time, Byahmad was smarter. He didnʼt move to act on his own just yet. He knew Sylas had a C-tier by his side, and he wasnʼt 100% sure exactly where Sylas was going just yet.

Wanting 100% of the credit was asking for too much. He would settle for 10% if it meant a 100% chance Sylas would die.

He contacted the family. Piggybacking off of the System-wide Announcement, he spun the tale of Sylas Grimblade.

-

The vessel zipped across the cosmos. Old Brama had been expecting to have a few weeks like Sylas had originally said, but with the change of plans, there was no time to deal with any of this.

Sylas immediately chose to take the shortest path.

He had a target on his back, and he knew it. However, he wasnʼt going to let his wife die. And his enemies still didnʼt seem to know who they were dealing with.