Luthadel Sea

"So, did you confirm what Arthur said?" Magnus asked, his deep voice filling the room with a quiet authority. 

Jeong, standing by the window, let out a sigh. "Yes, it lines up. If the Southern Sea Sun Palace is really stirring trouble, we'll need to address it before things spiral. The question is, how many forces will we need to mobilize?" 

Magnus leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Not many," he said. "They've already got an Immortal-ranker and three Ascendant-rankers on their roster—professors, no less. Throw in another Immortal-ranker and a few Ascendant-rankers for backup, and that's more than enough." 

Jeong folded his arms, a skeptical brow arched. "You're not wrong, but that assumes they don't face anything unexpected. Are you going to sit this one out?" 

Magnus chuckled, the sound low and confident. "Not a chance. I didn't come all the way here to watch from the sidelines." 

Jeong sighed again, shaking his head. "Then why bother sending so many? You alone could probably wipe out the entire Southern Sea Sun Palace." 

Magnus's grin widened, the kind of grin that made people wonder if he was serious or simply baiting them. "Ah, but what if they've got a Radiant-ranker tucked away, hiding in the shadows? You never know." 

Jeong shot him a flat look. "A Radiant-ranker? On that island? If they had one, the whole world would have heard by now." 

Magnus shrugged, clearly unbothered by Jeong's doubt. "Maybe. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared." 

Jeong turned away from the window, his expression darkening slightly. "Still, using this as a training exercise for the students... Are you sure that's wise? What if something goes wrong?" 

Magnus's grin faded, replaced by a firm, unwavering confidence. "Nothing will go wrong," he said. "Every one of these kids has reached at least Mid Silver-rank. A good number are White-rank, and there are several already at Integration-rank. They'll have the support of multiple Ascendant-rankers, two Immortal-rankers, and me—the strongest in the world." 

He leaned forward, his arms crossed over the table. "This isn't just about the mission, Jeong. It's about experience. These students need to learn what it means to face real threats, to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world's best. And with all the firepower we're bringing, this is the safest way for them to do it." 

Jeong's worry didn't entirely fade, but he nodded slowly, the logic undeniable. "Fine," he said, though his tone was reluctant. "But if it starts going sideways, I hope you're ready to step in. We can't afford to lose anyone, Magnus." 

Magnus's gaze was steady, his voice quiet but resolute. "Don't worry. I've got this." 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Time passed after the Windmere mission, and preparations for a monumental operation began. The professors, alongside key figures from across the continents, had orchestrated a joint mission that would see all third years dispatched to the Southern Sea Sun Palace. The scale of this undertaking was unlike anything we had faced before.

The reinforcements alone underscored its importance. The Lightning Dragon of the Mount Hua Sect, Li Zenith himself, had joined the effort, his reputation preceding him as one of the East's most formidable warriors. In addition, each of the five great families and the other two sects had sent an Ascendant-ranker to lend their strength.

The roster was daunting: one Radiant-ranker, two Immortal-rankers, ten Ascendant-rankers, and two hundred students, all between seventeen and eighteen, journeying southward.

"This is big, isn't it?" Seraphina said as she walked alongside me, her tone carrying both excitement and a touch of unease.

I glanced at her and offered a reassuring smile. "It is, but we don't have much to worry about with Master Magnus leading us. Please tell Master Li he can relax."

She laughed softly, the tension in her expression easing. "You should talk to him yourself. He hasn't seen you in a long time, you know."

I nodded, acknowledging her point. I owed Li Zenith more than I could easily repay. His guidance had been crucial, and I resolved to find a moment to speak with him later.

Seraphina herself had grown stronger—there was no mistaking it. She had recently reached Integration-rank, and her aura was sharper, her presence more commanding. The Seraphina walking beside me now was a far cry from her counterpart in the novel.

Her progress wasn't just in strength but in refinement. I had helped her align her Gift with the Mount Hua arts early on, giving her a foundation to build upon. But she had taken it further, developing a synergy between the two that rivaled even what she had achieved at Ascendant-rank in the original story.

Now, she was strong enough to make even Jin feel threatened. Though Jin's necromantic Gift, bolstered by the powerful souls he had acquired, still kept him ahead of her, Seraphina was closing the gap—and she was doing it on her terms.

As I glanced at her, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. She had always been destined for greatness, but now, she was carving her own path, one that surpassed what had been written in the pages of the story I once knew.

"Well, this time you won't try to take care of everything yourself, right?" Cecilia teased, hooking her arm around mine, her gaze expectant.

"It's not like I had much of a choice last time," I replied honestly, though her glare told me that wasn't the answer she wanted.

Rachel chuckled from the seat across, flashing me a knowing smile. "Don't worry, Ceci. This time, he won't have the chance to play the lone hero."

The bus rumbled steadily onward, carrying us southward. It wasn't just mundane roads that stretched before us—our journey was punctuated by teleportation gates, vast arcs of shimmering mana that hummed as the bus passed through. Each leap brought us closer to our destination and closer to the weight hanging over my thoughts: the Southern Sea Sun Palace. And vampires.

The connection between the Palace and the vampires gnawed at me. The vampire city hidden under Starcrest Academy and the Red Chalice cult's headquarters both loomed large in my mind. But this mission—it wasn't something I'd foreseen. Not even my knowledge of the novel had prepared me for this.

The Southern Sea Sun Palace and its island? No information. Nothing to guide me. This was entirely uncharted territory, a divergence from the narrative I thought I understood. A chill ran down my spine. Whatever lay ahead could completely alter the course of events.

The bus slowed as we approached the Southern Sea, a vast expanse of water that stretched far into the horizon. The Luthadel Sea, as it was called, wasn't merely a sea. It bordered on being an ocean, its sheer size a testament to its power and beauty. It was this colossal body of water that divided the Eastern and Southern continents, making travel between them a daunting challenge for centuries. Only with recent technological advances had the two regions begun to truly interact.

"Wow," Rachel whispered, her voice barely audible as she leaned toward the window, her golden hair catching the light. Her eyes sparkled with awe as she gazed out at the expanse of shimmering blue. "The Luthadel Sea makes the Kobold Sea look like a cute little pond."

I followed her gaze, the sight before us as humbling as it was beautiful. The waters stretched endlessly, their surface glinting under the sun. The Southern Sea Sun Palace's island lay somewhere beyond this vastness, its secrets waiting.

But a question nagged at me. How were we supposed to get there? Teleportation gates couldn't be used—not with the defenses the Palace likely had in place. Crossing by traditional means seemed the only option, but with two hundred students? It didn't add up.

As if to answer my thoughts, the buses pulled to a stop, and we were ushered outside. All of us stood in a long line, staring out at the sea, the salty breeze brushing against our faces. 

Then, something remarkable happened.

The buses began to shift, their metallic forms rippling and folding in on themselves. My eyes widened as sleek boats emerged where the buses had once been, their surfaces gleaming with a metallic sheen that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.

"What…?" I breathed, unable to hide my astonishment. Nanotechnology. The buses had transformed into watercraft, their functionality extending far beyond anything I'd imagined.

'I guess this world's tech still manages to surprise me,' I thought.

This was a stark reminder of just how advanced this world was compared to the one I'd come from. It wasn't merely two decades in the future—it was a leap forward in every way that mattered. 

The boats slid gracefully into the water, their engines humming softly as they powered up. One by one, the students were directed to board, and soon we were gliding over the Luthadel Sea, the waves parting effortlessly as we moved toward the distant horizon.

As I sat with the others, the sea stretching endlessly before us, I couldn't shake the weight of what lay ahead. The Southern Sea Sun Palace was waiting, along with whatever secrets it held.