Chapter 208

Chapter 208: Star Mountain

Unaware of the upheavals at Sky City’s summit, Midi and Wiseman Newton pressed upward with their armies through the towers.

The three towers in the Sea of Three Towers had once been impassable, choked with corrosive energy lethal to both life and magic. Dragonkin, Humanoids, Elemental Giants—none could enter. But Sky City’s emergence merged this isolated realm with Arad, dispersing the toxic energy and transforming the towers into passageways.

The Floating City loomed above—not a true city, but a shattered landmass propped by the three towers. Ruins from ancient celestial wars dotted its surface, crawling with monsters, magical beasts, Elemental Lords, and dormant War Machines. With the energy’s dissipation, these horrors began descending through the towers.

The towers’ vast interiors resembled hollowed-out mountains. Ascending felt like scaling cliffs, while the invading creatures poured downward like avalanches. When Midi’s forces clashed with Wiseman’s ascending army, brutal skirmishes erupted.

Bathing in centuries of pure magic, Floating City’s denizens had reached level 50’s peak. Yet their disorganization and infighting made them easy prey for disciplined soldiers. Each slain monster strengthened Arad’s adventurers.

"Void Fish," Midi instructed, pointing at spined horrors. "Every spine is poison-tipped and projectile. Target the fourth spinal segment—their magic core. Cripple it to slow them, destroy it to kill."

He identified flame-wreathed crystals: "Ard Flames—strike through the fire to hit the elemental core." For glacial clusters: "Ice Nais require vibration rounds or armor-piercing bullets. Gunners forward!"

Regarding armored figures: "Exiles—heaven-sent magical entities. No weaknesses. Drain their magic completely. They fight alone—surround and study them. They’ll plague us later."

Midi fed his troops battlefield wisdom earned through countless past lives—knowledge no bestiary contained. Leading from the front, his Hawk Brigade outpaced the Delos Empire’s Giant Tower assault, suffering fewer losses while leveling relentlessly.

Combat proved the ultimate catalyst. Amid Dragonkin Tower’s ceaseless battles and thickening magic, every soldier grew stronger. When they finally breached the tower’s peak, Midi stood at level 49’s threshold.

Stepping onto the Floating City’s expanse, Midi exhaled. Though not yet level 50, the golden small sword’s power let him surpass ordinary peak-level foes. Yet he knew Wiseman—already level 50—was harvesting souls to amplify his necromancy. Worse threats lurked: awakened experts who’d monopolized Sky City’s isolation to achieve flawless first awakenings.

Midi needed level 50. Needed to break the Empire’s grip on Sky City. Needed perfect awakenings—for himself, Fina, and Alice.

"Scouts deployed, Lord Midi." Magic scholar Kelvin and commander Xena stood ready, flanking their black-haired leader. Behind them, the Hawk Brigade had coalesced into a battle-hardened army—Dragonkin shock troops led by Tanius, Dickson’s paladins, Sigmund’s artillery.

Midi pointed across the floating continent. "We march there after rest."

Star Mountain’s jagged silhouette dominated the horizon. From below, it seemed impregnable. But Midi remembered its true worth—commanding the Floating City’s heart, laced with magic-enhanced springs and rumored awakening sites. In his first life, scavengers had picked it clean. Now, he’d claim its secrets.

Within days, alchemy-forged fortifications rose across Star Mountain as Dragonkin purged surrounding horrors. Midi avoided probing deeper mysteries—awakening crystals doubtless had lethal guardians. First, he must break the Empire.

As dawn lit the Hawk Brigade’s fluttering standard, a shadow crept across the wastes—Wiseman’s undead legion, the Delos Empire’s answer to conquest.