Chapter 282

Chapter 282: Avril’s Gift

"Your two friends don’t seem cut out for adventuring," Avril murmured.

"True enough," Midi answered with a bitter smile.

"That Miss Victoria also appears unskilled in such matters," Avril added, glancing at the heavenly girl nearby.

"I anticipated that," Midi replied evenly.

"Even my dear sister lacks experience in adventures," Avril sighed mournfully.

"Emil’s a master alchemist. That’s more than enough—no one can excel at everything," Midi reassured, his gaze turning wary. *Where’s she going with this?*

"Funny thing—*I’m* excellent at adventuring." Suddenly meeting Midi’s scrutinizing look, Avril lifted her chin and flashed a sunbeam-bright smile. "Let me lead the Dusk Graveyard search. What do you say?"

"You want command?" Midi stared at her.

Though leading this mission counted as holding "power," truthfully it brought more burdens than benefits. The main reward from adventuring was spoils, but Midi’s sole focus was the ancient warship—he wouldn’t waste time hunting heaven’s heritage or other treasures. Even if found, the warship’s ownership was already settled.

Besides, if anyone should lead, it’d be Midi himself. In his past life, he’d mastered wealth-gathering. Even without reincarnation, he outshone others here. Why hand command to another?

"Yes. Take command, so you can train. Right?" Avril pressed.

For a heartbeat, Midi felt warmth.

Training *had* been neglected.

He still refined Radiance of Light daily, but endless tasks consumed him—planning faction growth and funding with Victoria, explaining Stormy Region conditions and new Skyship ideas to Emil, prodding Reinhardt to build forces, enduring Wiseman’s constant antics…

Oh, and dodging Avril’s persistent, honeyed traps.

Midi now fully embodied a commander’s role—strategizing, managing everything.

Yet in the Sea of Clouds, commanders couldn’t sway outcomes.

When powerful factions clashed, Crystal Coins meant nothing. Fame meant nothing. Armies meant nothing.

Only raw power mattered.

In Arad’s level-50 peak era, a hardened army was the ultimate trump card. But here, after reaching awakened power realms, armies grew irrelevant.

Floating islands left no room for vast troop deployments. No borders. No terrain. No thousand-kilometer battlefronts.

Vanguard ships and Skyships moved thousands of kilometers daily across endless skies, making blockades pointless.

The Sea of Clouds had no "defense lines."

This stage belonged to mighty warships and peerless adventurers.

Low-level soldier armies held no worth here.

Midi proved this—soloing a hundred Vanguard ships and a Tiger Shark-class Skyship. Strength ruled.

Thus, the answer was clear: To make his faction unshakable, Midi needed more power. Higher levels.

Level up.

Level up again.

Then level up once more.

The simplest path to dominance.

Of course, the army losing its purpose didn’t mean Midi’s painstakingly built Hawk Brigade became meaningless too.

The Hawk Brigade wasn’t like regular armies. Instead of low-level soldiers, it consisted of high-level adventurers with many practitioners capable of awakening. They had greater chances to become top-tier experts, making the Brigade a gathering of elite fighters.

But compared to factions entrenched in the Sea of Clouds for centuries, the Hawk Brigade remained a fledgling group.

Apart from Midi, Fina, and Alice – the three Awakened Ones of Extraordinary Awakening leading them – most members raced to reach level 50. Only a handful peaked at 50, and fewer still would awaken.

The Brigade currently couldn’t contribute much. Revealing themselves in the Sea of Clouds’ struggles now would attract powerful factions’ attention like what happened to the Delos Empire, trapping them without escape routes!

This was why Midi hadn’t used the Brigade’s strength during his year-long adventures.

His priority should be leveling up quickly.

Midi knew this well, but having just secured entry to the Stormy Region, he focused on strategic plans rather than personal growth.

The fate-determining game in the Sea of Clouds couldn’t be paused. Any misstep meant falling behind visible and hidden opponents, losing all chance to reclaim the leading position.

Choosing between immediate gains and long-term plans, Midi picked the future.

He made this quiet decision calmly.

Emil wouldn’t notice – her field wasn’t combat-related.

Reinhardt and Wiseman, coming from the Lower Realm, believed strongly in faction-building for strength.

Moreover, Midi’s overwhelming power kept them from understanding his true needs.

But Avril differed. The level 60 dark elf assassin, native to the Sea of Clouds, valued personal power above all.

When Midi called himself "Blade", her sharp intuition sensed something special in this Lower Realm human. His confident gaze and iron will fascinated her.

These hidden strengths made Avril – then gathering intelligence at Sky Arena – choose Midi as her partner to climb beyond the hundredth floor.

Now knowing Midi’s true identity, her keen mind easily deduced what he needed most.

Power. Only power.

She wanted to help him grow stronger, repaying him for reuniting her sisters. Crucially, she had the means to do so.

Without hesitation, she told Midi: "Go train in the cabin. Leave everything here to me!"

Truly fitting for the future "Shadow Snake".

Midi studied the rarely serious dark elf, recalling past-life memories.

The previous "Shadow Snake" only cared for "White Snake". Now she seemed interested in protecting him too.

Still better than seduction attempts.

Midi’s lips twitched upward.

"Something funny? You really should train!" Avril pinched his waist sharply.

Even an Awakened One like Midi winced at a level 60 assassin’s playful pinch.

"Fine, I’ll agree." Midi slipped from her grip. "But…"

"I know power isn’t everything. Don’t worry – I’ll handle this properly, not just to repay favors." Avril vowed, "I’ll turn Dusk Graveyard inside out in one week!"

This reassured Midi completely.

Finding hidden ancient battlefields in the Sea of Clouds was hard, but searching them posed no challenge for his experienced team.

Magic currents suggested this modest Dusk Graveyard could be fully explored in a week unless containing secrets.

Avril’s confidence showed real adventure experience, not empty boasts.

Reinhardt might’ve claimed a year needed, never daring promise a week.

Maybe Midi could truly step back from these complicated affairs.

He exhaled slowly, tension easing.