Toward the Battlefield

A massive airship, 1000 meters long and 100 meters wide, floated peacefully in the sky. The ship was black, adorned with large cannons along its walls, and protected by a transparent shield that enveloped the entire vessel. 

Onboard this warship were many individuals, teleporters who had arrived in the Guandu realm to assist the Cui race in their battle against the Torvu race. Lein and Nita were among them.

"Brother, how much longer do you think it will be until we arrive?" Nita asked as she continued to eat the curly noodles in front of her.

They were sitting in one of the ship's restaurants, which was as luxurious as those found on major islands.

"Maybe about an hour more. We don't need to rush," Lein replied calmly, taking a bite of spicy crab. Since moving to the Divine Sky realm, Lein had developed a strong liking for seafood.

Suddenly, Lein paused his eating when someone approached their table.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" asked a young man standing beside the table with a girl. They seemed to be a couple. 

Their status appeared in Lein's view.

[Status]

- Name: Grey Sol

- Race: Sky Elf

- Power Core: Faithwarden

- Level: Blessed Initiate

[Status]

- Name: Eliane

- Race: Sky Elf

- Power Core: Faithwarden

- Level: Blessed Initiate

"A Tier-2 Faithwarden?" Lein thought, slightly surprised by the young couple before him.

"Yes, it's free," Lein answered casually.

There were two empty seats at their table, so Lein didn't mind if someone else took them.

The restaurant was nearly full, so it was natural for others to look for a place to sit.

"Thank you... sorry for the intrusion," Grey said as he sat in one of the empty chairs. There was no arrogance in his tone, instead, he seemed quite humble.

"I'm Grey, and this is my friend Eliane," Grey introduced himself.

Lein and Nita initially had a low opinion of Faithwardens due to the tense relationship between Faithwardens and Players. However, the humble demeanor of this couple slightly altered their perception.

The couple then sat down and ordered their food, making the atmosphere a bit warmer and friendlier.

During the journey, Lein and Nita engaged in deep conversation with Grey and Eliane, getting to know each other better.

"Where are you from?" Lein asked with curiosity.

"We're from the Natri Ulum realm," Grey replied. "There, the Faithwardens are the dominant sovereign."

Lein listened attentively, intrigued by a realm he had never heard of before.

"So, what brings you to the Guandu realm?" Nita asked, trying to understand the couple's purpose.

"We want to enhance our combat experience and seek new opportunities," Eliane answered enthusiastically. "The Guandu realm is a place full of challenges and opportunities."

As the conversation progressed, Lein began to understand more about the Faithwardens. Their power stemmed from the influence they spread. The more beings that believed in and worshiped them, the faster their power grew.

"A strong Faithwarden can possess incredible power based on the faith of their followers," Grey explained. "It's not uncommon for some to achieve immortality in the minds of their followers."

Lein and Nita felt the holy aura emanating from the couple. If they hadn't already had their system and were at a lower level, they might have become followers of this pair.

"Our realm is the Divine Sky, and the main power core there is the Player," Lein shared information about their origin. "Players develop very quickly. Some have reached the Master level in just one year."

Grey and Eliane were surprised to hear Lein's story. Of course, Lein lied and didn't want to reveal the real situation in the Divine Realm. He didn't want to invite trouble to the Divine Realm.

"Amazing! Are there really people with such power?" Grey said in awe.

"Yes, indeed, Brother Lein," Eliane added. "My father once told me that Players have extraordinary potential."

The conversation continued throughout the journey. Lein and Nita felt increasingly close to Grey and Eliane. They found new friends in their first adventure into the outside world.

...

The massive airship sailed for 1 hour and 20 minutes before finally reaching a very large island. The ship landed at one of the airship ports on the edge of the island. The passengers disembarked in an orderly manner.

From the surrounding chatter, Lein learned that they were now at Fortress Island #13, a fortress quite far from the front lines. According to their plan, they would only be conducting a patrol mission to check the situation.

"Brother Grey, are you also on a patrol mission?" Lein asked Grey.

"Yes, Brother Lein. We don't dare go straight to the front lines on our first outing for experience," Grey explained.

"Alright, how about we patrol together?" Lein suggested.

"Good idea, more people means more safety," Grey agreed, and Eliane beside him nodded in agreement.

The four of them didn't wait any longer and headed to the temporary combat post not far from the port.

The fortress island, true to its name, had only a few tent posts as resting places and some simple temporary houses.

"Team #17, please patrol the area marked on this map. You can use ship number #76," the post officer handed a map to Lein and the others.

"Thank you," Lein said, taking the map and then leaving the post with the others. They headed to the warship port.

In less than five minutes, they arrived at the port. It was bustling, with many people also looking for their ships. The ship they would be using was large enough to accommodate 100 people.

"Let's go," Lein called out, waving to the others as he walked towards the ship.

***

The enormous island stretched endlessly. From a distance, colorful lights illuminated almost every second. Loud explosions and thunderous roars were heard, accompanied by the constant roars of dragons and howls of lions. Two groups were fiercely fighting, trying to annihilate each other.

Near the mountains, two groups clashed fiercely. One group was led by an old man with a black book floating in front of him. The other group was led by a woman with long silver hair.

"Hahaha... Just a lowly Player. Still Tier-2, yet already entering the main battlefield," the silver-haired woman mocked from a distance.

"Why do you talk so much? Show me the power of the Beast Masters," the old man with the black book replied calmly. There was no fear in his eyes, only a fighting spirit and a desire to showcase his power.

Yes, the old man was Old Man Haikal, a core member of the World Trade Alliance. Lein had sent them each a Silver Badge for promotion a while ago.