Chapter 246 - To the Elven Forest!!

The world stretched endlessly below—a sea of clouds tinted gold by the rising sun. The Kunpeng’s wings shimmered with faint silver light, cutting through the morning sky like a divine streak.

Everyone sat comfortably along Aira’s broad back, the wind whipping past their hair. The air was crisp, cold, and alive with mana currents. For a moment, none of them spoke—each lost in the simple awe of flight.

But soon, curiosity took over.

Kyle leaned forward, staring intently at the ring gleaming on his finger. "So this thing really works, huh?" he muttered, slipping a small dagger in—and watching it vanish instantly. A second later, he pulled it back out, his eyes lighting up like a child’s. "Hah! It’s like magic within magic!"

Aurelia laughed under her breath. "That’s because it is magic within magic."

Elowen tested hers more calmly, drawing a small vial and returning it with practiced ease. "The spatial compression is stable," she remarked. "Whoever designed it knew what they were doing."

Lilliane blinked at hers, clearly still in disbelief. "It’s so convenient... I could keep all my things in here and never have to carry a bag again."

Elowen chuckled softly from the front, her hair whipping in the wind. "Welcome to the luxury of proper magical artifacts."

Kyle grinned, slipping an arm over Luca’s shoulder. "Alright, genius, spill it. When did you even make this thing? You just casually hand out such rare artifacts like sweets now?"

Luca laughed, raising both hands defensively. "Relax, it’s not that big a deal. I made them with the Tower Master’s help."

The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere changed.

Everyone’s eyes widened.

Elowen blinked, her expression briefly faltering. "You mean the Tower Master? The ruler of the Magic Tower?"

"Yeah," Luca said, chuckling awkwardly. Thinking, Since this will probably go public anyway, there’s no harm in saying it.

Kyle whistled low. "No wonder Selena already had one," he said, looking at her with a teasing grin. "Guess being heir to the magic tower has its perks, huh?"

Selena didn’t even glance his way, her tone calm. "Hmph, it was given to me by Luca during the End semester exam."

"Scary," Kyle muttered, pulling back with an exaggerated shiver, earning quiet laughter from Lilliane and Aurelia.

Vincent, who had been studying the ring closely, finally spoke. "This kind of artifact... it’s more than just convenience. Imagine—no need for carriages, no weight to carry, instant access to potions, scrolls, or weapons. Even common adventurers could cut their preparation time in half."

Elowen nodded thoughtfully. "It’d revolutionize logistics. Even a single one could change how exploration or warfare works."

"Exactly." Vincent’s tone was analytical as always. "If this technology spreads, it might reshape the way kingdoms operate."

Luca listened, feeling an odd warmth in his chest. Their reactions—the awe, the laughter, even the curiosity—filled him with a quiet satisfaction. For once, he wasn’t hiding his achievements. He let himself enjoy their amazement.

Selena eventually broke the moment, glancing at Elowen. "How long until we reach the Elven Forest?"

Elowen smiled faintly, adjusting her posture as the wind carried her words back. "At this speed? Two days, give or take. Aira’s flying near her limit."

"Two days..." Aurelia repeated softly, her gaze distant. "It feels strange to think we’ll finally see Elven forest of the Myth."

Kyle stretched his arms behind his head. "Two days of sky, huh? I can live with that."

As the group settled into quiet conversation, Luca placed his palm against Aira’s back, closing his eyes as he reached out mentally.

"You alright up here, Aira? Flying for two days straight might be a bit much."

A low, resonant voice echoed in his mind—calm, yet tinged with pride.

"Do not underestimate me, Luca. This sky belongs to me."

Luca smiled faintly. "Still... sorry. It feels like I’m always using you just to travel."

Aira snorted, her telepathic tone dry. "Glad you know it. You’d better make it worth my wings. Show me this world of yours—and take me to places worthy of my flight."

Luca chuckled aloud, earning curious looks from the others. "Don’t worry," he whispered under his breath, "we’re heading to one of the most beautiful places in existence—the Elven Forest. You’ll love it."

The Kunpeng’s wings spread wider, shimmering with silvery-blue light as it soared higher into the morning sky. The wind roared around them, carrying both laughter and silence—an orchestra of anticipation, friendship, and the promise of new adventure.

The wind howled softly past his ears, cool and crisp, carrying the scent of afternoon. Luca’s palm still rested lightly against Aira’s back as he felt the Kunpeng’s vast wings slice through clouds like silk.

Their mental link remained open, a calm hum of energy connecting thoughts and emotions.

Luca, Aira’s voice came quietly through the link, deep and resonant, "why did you keep the baby dragon at home?"

Luca blinked at the question, the light in his eyes dimming slightly. For a moment, the laughter of his companions around him faded into a distant echo. His mind drifted to the image of a small girl with flowing golden hair and innocent crimson eyes—eyes that once held mischievousness and defiance but only reflected quiet longing when he said goodbye to her ,before making her fall asleep.

His expression turned serious, almost melancholic. "There are some things," he murmured softly, "I don’t want her to get involved in."

Aira said nothing. The steady rhythm of her wings filled the silence between them.

Luca’s gaze softened as he continued, "Besides... she has to absorb the Dragon Blood Essence we bought at the academy. It’ll help her mature faster, stabilize her mana heart. She needs peace for that."

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "And... she needs to be strong. Strong enough to protect herself next time."

For a long moment, Aira said nothing. The beast’s aura pulsed faintly beneath his hand, heavy and thoughtful. Then, with a quiet rumble, she finally replied, "I see. Then you’ve made the right choice. Even hatchlings must learn to grow before taking to the skies."

Luca chuckled faintly. "Glad you agree."

He lifted his hand, breaking the telepathic link. The soft hum in his mind faded away, leaving only the sound of rushing air and distant laughter.

He turned his gaze toward the others—Kyle teasing Aurelia about overpacking her storage ring, Aurelia gently brushing her hair as the wind tousled it ignoring Kyle, Vincent quietly reading something while Selena maintained her calm composure, and Elowen sitting cross-legged with a serene smile, eyes half-closed as if meditating midair.

Luca exhaled slowly. For a rare moment, he felt... peace.

Then his hand moved to his storage ring, pulling out a scroll bound in red silk. The seal gleamed faintly with a dragon’s emblem—elegant yet domineering.

He stared at it for a few seconds before a small, amused smile crossed his lips. The complete Twin Saber Manual of the Dragonair Family...

His thumb brushed over the seal as memories surfaced—of a certain crimson-eyed Empress, her sharp tongue and sharper gaze, the way she’d handed this to him with mock irritation but quiet trust.

"I haven’t even had the time to go through this properly," he murmured to himself, leaning back against Aira’s feathers as the wind tousled his hair. His expression hardened slightly. "But... before that—"

A flicker of determination lit his gaze. "I need to master the next stage of Moonslayer. If I want even a chance to—"

He stopped mid-thought, the rest of the sentence swallowed by the wind.

Before he could unroll the scroll, a soft, hesitant voice broke through the air beside him.

"D-do you have t-time?"

Luca blinked, looking up.

Lilliane stood there, pink braids swaying in the wind, her hands clutching the hem of her cloak. Her nervousness was almost palpable, her eyes flicking between Luca and the floor of the Kunpeng’s back as if afraid to meet his gaze.

"Lilliane?" Luca asked gently, surprise flickering across his face. "What’s wrong?"

***

Far from where Luca and the rest were, beyond rolling clouds and shimmering mana currents, the world fell into silence.

The Elven Forest stretched endlessly beneath the fading afternoon light—a boundless ocean of emerald and silver. Each tree towered like a pillar of life, their canopies veiled in soft, golden mist. Gentle streams wound through moss-laden roots, their surfaces glimmering with fragments of mana that danced like stars caught between leaves.

Yet in the forest’s deepest heart, where few dared to tread, the air was different—still, heavy, almost mournful.

There stood a tree unlike any other.

Its trunk was vast enough to hold a castle within, bark wrapped in thick, intertwining vines that pulsed faintly with ancient mana. But its glory was fading. Dried leaves fell in a slow, endless drift, scattering across the sacred ground like golden tears. The roots glowed faintly beneath the soil, dimming with each passing breath of the forest.

Before it, a woman knelt in silence.

Her presence was serene yet commanding, a radiance that softened the withering gloom. Long silver-green hair cascaded over her shoulders like flowing starlight, and the light of her emerald eyes carried both age and sorrow. Her aura—gentle yet vast—marked her as no mere elf, but the Queen of the Elves herself.

She reached out, her slender fingers brushing against the bark’s rough surface as a faint whisper left her lips.

"Are you okay, Mother?"

The forest answered not in words, but in sound. A low rustle swept through the branches above—a breath of wind carrying the scent of rain and decay. The vines trembled faintly, and a soft pulse of light shimmered across the trunk before fading once more.

The Queen lowered her gaze, her heart aching at the sight.

"I see..." she murmured, her voice no louder than the wind itself. "You’re still holding on, aren’t you?"

Silence lingered for a long while, broken only by the falling leaves. Then she closed her eyes and whispered again, "He is coming, Mother... just as you asked."

Her tone faltered slightly. The faintest tremor ran through her voice as she looked up toward the fading canopy.

"Elowen is bringing him here. But..." she hesitated, her brows knitting, "...are you truly sure about it?"

The air stirred once more. Leaves swirled around her in a spiraling dance, faint glimmers of mana trailing in their wake. Somewhere within the rustle, a soft, ancient sigh seemed to answer—wordless, sorrowful, and unyielding.

The Queen lowered her head again, whispering to

the earth beneath her knees,

"Very well... then we shall await his arrival."