Chapter 232

Chapter 232: The Stormy Region

In the year 988 of the Arad Calendar.

Exactly one year and three months had passed since the fall of the Lord of the Light City.

Layers of white clouds swirled below, while geese flew in V-shaped formations beneath them.

From this height, the Arad continent resembled a giant irregular chessboard – the snow-capped Ston Mountain Range, the scorched yet regrowing Forest of Gran, the orderly Belmar Kingdom, the vast territories of the Delos Empire, and the azure Faero Bay along the West Coast, strung like pearl necklaces.

This view could only be witnessed from the highest firmament.

Here in the Sea of Clouds, tens of thousands of meters above Arad’s surface, no creature could survive – not the strongest raptors, nor even Awakened wyverns.

Violent winds raged below five thousand meters, vacuum zones choked the ten-thousand-meter mark, and magic vortexes swirled at fifteen thousand meters – natural barriers completely isolating this aerial ocean from the world below.

Yet this separated realm wasn’t peaceful. It teemed with life, noise, and conflict.

Through the hurricane winds, a forty-meter streamlined Skyship cut through the clouds. Its sharp prow parted white cloud-waves, leaving swirling trails across the blue expanse.

Ahead in the morning mist, golden sunlight illuminated six-winged flying whales desperately flapping their fin-like wings to escape.

This was a whaling ship. Normally, such large vessels struggled to catch agile six-winged whales, having only one shot with engines and harpoons.

But today, Captain of the "Wavebreaker" felt confident. His secret weapon stood at the bow – a young traveler wearing simple leathers, two ancient longswords at his waist.

Though plainly dressed, the man’s athletic frame radiated military precision. His dark eyes crackled with invisible energy, commanding instinctive respect. This mysterious passenger had boarded seven days ago when his battered Vanguard ship crashed onto Wavebreaker’s deck during storm-edge patrols.

The hotheaded Dragonkin Captain initially raged about deck damage – until the stranger casually harpooned three storm-tossed sperm whales. Each catch could buy half a whaling ship at Cloud Sea markets.

Now the Captain treated him like heaven-sent fortune, altering course at every request. In return, the traveler downed dozens of whales during the week. Neither asked about the other’s secrets.

Had the Captain known his passenger was the rumored "Lower Realm Leader" and "Sky City Lord" Midi Asreks – the human causing uproars across Sea of Clouds – his scaled face might have paled.

"Young friend! Your turn!" the Dragonkin bellowed, judging the distance.

Midi nodded. He hefted a five-meter harpoon without using ballistae, stepped back, then charged forward. Muscles coiled and released in perfect motion, hurling the steel spear through roaring winds.

A streak of cold light pierced the sky as the harpoon shot out faster than the eye could follow, accurately spearing a six-winged flying whale. The massive sonic boom from the impact only reached people’s ears after the weapon had already torn through its target.

This was a thunderous strike that shattered the sound barrier!

But it didn’t stop there.

Without pausing after the first throw, Midi fluidly launched three more harpoons in quick succession, each finding its mark. Cheers erupted across the whaling ship as crew members witnessed this display of skill.

Like their Sky City-exiled kin, the Dragonkin crew valued strength above all. Midi’s prowess surpassed ordinary Awakened Ones, reaching expert levels – some even whispered he might be a Perfect Awakened One. Their enthusiastic applause came naturally.

The four massive whales were hauled aboard. Seasoned crew immediately spread tools across the deck, efficiently butchering the catch into neatly categorized portions. The successful hunt filled the air with relaxed jokes and laughter.

Then suddenly – silence.

A deep, drum-like thunder rolled closer. Elemental winds crackling with lightning whipped across the Sea of Clouds. The sun vanished behind creeping shadows as an enormous black storm appeared on the horizon, its swirling vortex plunging into the cloud sea like an inverted galaxy. Though thousands of kilometers away, even the hardy Dragonkin couldn’t suppress their instinctive fear.

"That’s the Stormy Region," Midi murmured, studying the towering tempest. "I wonder what lies within."

"Young man, abandon such thoughts!" The Dragonkin Captain shuddered. "That Black Tempest’s devoured countless skyships, tribes, even floating islands for centuries! None who enter ever return!"

"Just curious," Midi shrugged casually.

But this was no idle interest. As Sky City’s lord, he hadn’t joined this whaling expedition for amusement. Since establishing Belmar Kingdom’s foothold in Year 986 of the Arad Calendar, he’d spent two years preparing for this moment.

The Stormy Region held everything – purest magic veins, flawless crystals, millennium-old medicinal herbs, powerful skills, prime floating islands. As a reincarnator, Midi knew accessing these resources was crucial. Lingering on the Sea of Clouds’ outskirts meant stagnation. Though Belmar currently thrived with three Awakened Ones keeping the Delos Empire at bay, without growth, they’d fall vulnerable to factions from the heavens or Demon Realm.

Yet entering the Stormy Region posed immense challenges. Previous adventurers took seven years after reaching the Sea of Clouds to breach its core – not until Year 994 Arad Calendar did heavy armored cruisers enable exploration, revealing the legendary Behemoth.

Midi couldn’t wait seven years. Belmar’s current Vanguard ships paled against natives’ forty-meter whaling vessels, let alone storm-proof cruisers. Even with alchemist Norton and designer Wells, their technology lagged behind Sea of Clouds natives.

Which was why Midi hid his identity as Sky City’s lord. If conventional methods failed, he’d find another path into the storm’s heart.