Floating Island - Triple S Talent

Fryon grinned. "A golden opportunity…" he hissed, raising his feathered sword high, ready to strike down the defenseless Elen. His hand, gripping the sword, moved swiftly, poised to deliver a merciless blow.

From a distance, Ayumi, who had retreated, suddenly jolted with a piercing sense of guilt. She had never intended to leave Elen behind, it was just a reflex to protect herself from Fryon's counterattack. Without a second thought, she sprinted back toward Elen, her heart filled with resolve to protect the girl, no matter the cost.

In slow motion, Fryon had unsheathed his sword, directing it right at Elen's body as she fell toward the ground. From a distance, Ayumi accelerated with incredible speed, attempting to reach Elen before Fryon could strike.

"Die…" Fryon muttered to himself. The thin blade of his sword reflected the blinding midday sun. Its gleaming edge appeared razor-sharp, ready to claim Elen's life in one deadly blow.

Fryon felt a fiery rage within himself. The previous battle had cornered him—all because of that girl, Elen, who could manipulate time. Elen's power slowed everything around her, causing Fryon to lose speed, even though his attacks were deadlier than Ayumi's. His failure in the last fight continued to haunt his mind, making him imagine countless ways to exact revenge.

But just as his blade was mere inches from Elen's body, something stopped him.

"What is this?" Fryon thought, his pupils dilating.

Near Elen, a golden sword appeared, hovering in mid-air as if to protect her. This sword wasn't just an ordinary weapon—it emanated a deadly aura. Fryon's skin prickled, a chill running down his spine. A terrifying energy emanated from the sword, and his body seemed to reject moving any closer.

The golden sword emitted a soft glow that rotated along its translucent blade. It was more than a meter long, with intricate details that gleamed each time the sunlight struck it. Golden energy swirled gently within its blade, exuding a sense of indescribable strength yet feeling peaceful.

The sword seemed as if it was carved from light itself, though its gentle appearance contrasted with the sharp, menacing aura it exuded.

Fryon had no choice but to halt his attack, stepping back a few meters. His instincts screamed—this was no ordinary sword. He knew there were more tricks hidden by this girl.

In an instant, the sword radiated a bright white light, nearly blinding Fryon. The sword began to transform, changing into a young man with short black hair. The young man wore a long blue robe, with two impressive-looking swords hanging at his waist.

"Leader Lein…" Ayumi's voice echoed from afar, faint but full of wonder.

The newly appeared figure was unmistakable—Lein, the leader of the World Market Trade alliance, now stood calmly beside Elen, exuding authority without needing to say a word.

---

Lein, or rather a clone of him, moved gracefully to catch Elen's falling body, supporting her with his right arm to prevent her from falling further. He looked at her pale face with a mix of pity and pride. Elen, who was usually so shy, had fought to the point of exhaustion.

"This girl… she rarely says much, but this time, she fought with everything she had," Lein murmured, a faint smile crossing his lips.

However, holding someone was not comfortable. A sense of fatigue crept into his arm. Not wanting to hold Elen any longer, Lein pulled a small bottle containing a blessing potion from his bag. Carefully, he raised the bottle and, using his pinky finger, gently opened Elen's red lips, which were still unconscious.

Gently, he brought the mouth of the bottle close to Elen's, holding it so the potion could trickle slowly. The shimmering potion flowed down Elen's throat smoothly, rejuvenating her weakened body. Lein poured every drop until the bottle was entirely empty, then set it aside casually, allowing the healing process to take effect.

He stood up straight, watching Elen without hurry, waiting for her to regain consciousness.

At this moment, Lein's entire focus was on Elen, as if the presence of Fryon, standing in the distance, was nothing more than a meaningless shadow. From a distance, Fryon could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from Lein—a force so overwhelming that his body trembled unconsciously. His breathing became labored, while his body temperature soared in panic.

Fear seeped into him, emptying his logical thoughts.

Fryon quickly calculated the various options he could take to escape this situation. However, his plans fell apart one by one as he thought about the power emanating from Lein. This was not just any power—this was the aura of a ruler at the Constellation Binding level (Tier-Master). One wrong move, and he could lose his life in an instant.

The first option that crossed his mind was to flee. If he could open a portal and escape as quickly as possible, he might survive. But that plan immediately seemed impossible. Lein was too close—even before the portal could open, Fryon knew he might already be cut down by an unexpected attack.

The second option, to fight with all his strength. But Fryon quickly realized how foolish this plan was. The difference in power between him and Lein was like the difference between heaven and earth. There was no realistic chance of success if they faced each other head-on.

The remaining option was to surrender. Fryon clenched his fists, feeling a pang of pain in his heart just thinking about it.