Chapter 198

Chapter 198: Developing the Skyship

Skyship.

Not land, not ocean, but the sky.

Creating the Skyship was Midi’s second most crucial goal when he stepped onto the deck of the Star of the South, right after his awakening.

The appearance of Sky City wasn’t the end of the struggle—it marked a new beginning. This colossal tower-like world connected Arad at its base and the Sea of Clouds high above. If Sky City was a hunting ground for experts, the Sea of Clouds above became a playground for the Awakened Ones. But for humans, bound to the earth without Flying Ability, that realm of White Clouds and floating islands was treacherous.

To survive there, flying vehicles were vital.

Against the Delos Empire’s might, deploying an unstoppable force from the skies was the best strategy.

In Midi’s past life, the Delos Empire had blockaded the West Coast but failed to monopolize Sky City once flying vehicles emerged.

First, a few adventurers sneaked into Sky City to awaken.

Then, materials like Aether Stone reached Arad.

Within two years, short-range flying vehicles appeared.

Like a dam crumbling from an ant’s nest, the Empire’s defenses fell apart. This marked the start of Arad’s Awakened Era.

Now, as a reincarnator, Midi aimed to replicate this early. He’d crush the Delos Empire’s ambition to control Sky City and prepare the Hawk Brigade to dominate it from the start.

Hence, his demand for vast amounts of Aether Stone from the Dragonkin tribe—the core material for Skyships.

Aether Stone naturally floated. When accelerated, its buoyancy surpassed its weight. Crushed and dissolved into a special solution, it became Aether Liquid. Pumped into a circular tube (later called the Aether Ring) and set into high-speed flow, it could lift entire ships.

With his memories, Midi skipped trial-and-error, offering ready-made designs to speed up development.

But he was a warrior, not an engineer. He knew the Aether Ring’s concept but not specifics like ideal sizes or formulas. He lacked design knowledge beyond the core floating system.

So he started simple.

“Two people,” Midi told Norton in Deep Rock Island’s alchemical factory. “I need a Skyship carrying two.”

Like ground cavalry’s smallest unit, a two-person Skyship was air combat’s basic element. Operating it required one pilot—unlike warhorses, machinery couldn’t act on its own or achieve tacit cooperation. The second crew handled attacks: shooting, bombing, or a gunner’s role.

“Since two-person Skyships are small and short-ranged, we’ll modify ironclad ships into carriers. Remove cannons and ammunition, add hangars, and widen decks for takeoffs.”

“Bombs need auto-targeting for aerial attacks. Sigmund and gunners will help redesign them.”

As Midi sketched his plans, initial interruptions faded. The factory fell silent. Onlookers like Dickson and Kelvin, the Hawk Brigade’s mages, proud designer Wells, Master Norton, and even skeptical Dragonkin watched, awed, not daring to break his focus.

Everyone’s eyes involuntarily showed a mix of shock and curious awe as they looked at Midi. His concept of "aerial combat" and related strategies were far too advanced for their time!

Midi was getting enthusiastic in his explanation when he suddenly noticed the unusually heavy atmosphere. He snapped back to reality, realizing people of different statuses were staring at him intently.

"What’s wrong?"

"Mr. Midi—no, Master Midi! These ideas are generations ahead! I swear on my honor, today’s proposals will become legendary alchemy breakthroughs in Arad’s history!" Norton sprang up, voice quivering with excitement.

"If Skyships become reality, Belmar Kingdom might rise to rival Delos Empire itself," Kelvin remarked thoughtfully, adjusting his glasses.

"Abandoning Faero Bay for Skyships? Worth every sacrifice," Wells declared, secretly resolving to bind the Flying Sail Family to the Hawk Brigade’s cause.

Even Tanius, recent conqueror of the West Coast, muttered: "Humans… terrifying."

Though Dragonkin held pride and scorned weaker humans, they understood combat strength. The mental image of bullet-spewing Skyships circling overhead—especially with Midi aboard—made his scales crawl.

Midi listened to their praises without swelling pride. In his past life as victory-blessed commander, he’d crafted countless air tactics—yet two-thirds of today’s ideas came from others:

Skyship designers.

High-level adventurers breaching imperial blockades.

Awakened Ones braving the Sea of Clouds.

He stood on giants’ shoulders. His current wisdom stemmed from paying death’s cost and gaining reincarnation. Nothing more.

While using rebirth’s advantages, basking in past-life knowledge would be self-deception. Without defeating the Empire, achieving awakening, seizing power to protect loved ones—all acclaim meant nothing.

Having died once, Midi knew this truth. He silenced the praise with an enigmatic smile.

"One week. Deliver results." His first order.

"Count on me, Master Midi!" Norton thumped his chest.

"I’ll support Master Norton fully," Wells vowed, newly enlisted in Hawk Brigade’s magic research division.

"One week for Faero Bay’s orderly withdrawal. Leave them a parting gift." Second order.

"I’ll scare those imperial whelps shitless!" Dickson roared.

Nearby Randall nodded. As Lionheart Arena’s host, he relished confronting unruly Zhenlu Arena fighters.

"Kelvin holds Deep Rock Island." Third order.

"Understood." The bespectacled man adjusted his glasses.

"Returning to Sky City?" Xena broke her silence.

Since leaving Sea of Three Towers, the Lightning Fire Wing chieftain’s daughter had studied human allies and enemies. Now she recognized Midi’s pattern—this black-haired youth always spearheading danger, others following his blade’s path.

Leadership charisma, she mused.

As the female Dragonkin predicted, Midi nodded. "Time to open the true battlefield."