Floating Island - Triple S Talent

Chapter 587: Freedom and Absolute Loyalty

Elder Island – Invictus Sect.

High above the mountains, shrouded in thick mist and dense forests, Lein sat calmly on a simple wooden chair at the edge of his residence’s balcony. His eyes swept across the magnificent view of Elder Island stretching out beneath him.

A cool breeze blew, carrying the salty scent of the open sea mixed with the freshness of pine from the mountain slopes. Occasionally, the faint sound of laughter from children playing near the elders’ gathering post reached his ears, providing a sense of peace he rarely found amidst the hustle and bustle of the cosmos. In the distance, the vast energy clouds of the Invictus Sect spread out, reflecting the shimmering light from the giant crystal pillars floating in the sky.

Suddenly, a warm ripple vibrated deep within his soul. Lein closed his eyes, allowing his consciousness to connect with the Guardian bond that transcended dimensional boundaries.

[Notification: You have received a massive surge of Faith Points!]

[Notification: Faith Resonance from the citizens of the Earth Kingdom has increased sharply!]

Lein’s brow furrowed slightly. "Again?" he murmured with a smile of anticipation.

A similar notification had appeared not long ago, and now it was exploding once more. Rather than feeling worried, Lein felt a sense of pride; his Guardian bond was apparently so strong that it could pierce through the spatial law boundaries of the Nova Consortium.

"Whatever the cause, this is a good sign," he thought. Images of Nita and his friends on Earth flashed through his mind. "It’s most likely Gusti’s doing..."

Among the twelve core members, Lein knew Gusti Bagus was the most explosive. Given his insane blacksmithing talent, perhaps the man’s ’teaching’ methods were a bit more aggressive than the others.

"You’ve all worked hard," Lein whispered softly, his gaze sharpening toward the endless horizon.

Lein knew he had to return soon. Not only because he missed them, but he also had a promise to help Aleron overcome the cosmic disaster threatening the Guandu Realm. He stood up, his black Elder robes fluttering softly as he turned toward the residence’s main courtyard.

There, his entourage was already waiting. One hundred and twenty cosmic slaves of various races—ranging from towering Ogres and silver-scaled Eldrans to humanoids from various corners of the galaxy—stood in a rigid line.

Despite their different backgrounds, they all wore the same servant uniforms. For the past few weeks, they were the ones who had meticulously cared for Lein’s residence on Elder Island.

But at this moment, anxiety clouded their faces. For these slaves, serving Lein was the greatest blessing in their lives of suffering. News of Lein’s departure made their hearts drop; they feared being abandoned or sold back to the cruel slave markets.

Their gazes were wary, looking down as Lein approached. Furthermore, the pressure of the King-tier aura from Lein’s body—even though he tried to suppress it—still felt incredibly heavy to them.

However, Lein realized their fear wasn’t just because of his presence. His eyes flicked to the front of the leftmost row, where a massive figure stood tall.

Dragnar.

The Tier 4 King stood like a statue of death, his aura unconsciously suppressing the slaves around him.

"Dragnar... what are you doing?" Lein asked casually.

Dragnar flinched, immediately realizing his master’s meaning. He bowed his head respectfully. "Forgive me, Master. It is nothing... I was simply ensuring they understand whom they should truly respect."

Lein merely shook his head. To these slaves, the natural suppression from a Tier 4 King like Dragnar was far more terrifying than Lein, who had only recently reached Tier 1.

"Don’t worry, Brother Lein. They’re all doing fine. I’ve organized everything," Efan chimed in, appearing by his side. He had been the one organizing the slaves for logistical purposes.

Lein nodded, then stepped to the front of the line, looking into each of his servants’ faces.

"Everyone... we are leaving this place. Heading somewhere very far away," Lein’s voice was calm, yet it echoed throughout the courtyard. "I am giving you a choice today: leave as free individuals, or continue to follow me. Make your choice."

Lein’s words fell like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.

Freedom.

That was a word they hadn’t heard since they were first chained. Even if someone bought them, they usually just moved from one prison to another.

Dragnar looked at Lein with a complicated expression. He wondered if that choice applied to him as well.

"Old man, you’d better stay right here," Lein’s voice echoed directly in Dragnar’s mind, laced with a cold warning.

Lein clearly still needed the dragon’s strength. If Dragnar dared to think about leaving, Lein would not hesitate to drag him back with even worse torture than their first encounter. Dragnar immediately cast those thoughts aside.

Back among the crowd of slaves, a low murmur broke out. They glanced at one another—some confused, some in disbelief, and some starting to sob with joy.

Suddenly, an Eldran slave raised his hand firmly. "I have no home to return to, Master. I will follow you to the ends of the cosmos."

"Anyone else?" Lein asked.

Before Lein could even finish his sentence, all one hundred and twenty slaves simultaneously raised their hands. There was no hesitation. For them, following Lein was the only path toward a better future.

Lein nodded with satisfaction. "Very well. A wise choice."

He then turned toward his two companions. "Laras, prepare the logistics. Efan, help her organize the line. Dragnar... follow me."

After saying that, Lein’s body vanished in a spatial distortion, followed by Dragnar.

With Lein gone, the atmosphere in the courtyard became more relaxed. The slaves began to breathe sighs of relief. One of them, an Elf girl in a black and white gown complete with an apron and a lace headband—looking more like a Maid than a regular servant—approached Laras.

"Miss Laras... where are we going? Is it very far? What is Master’s homeland like?" asked Lyra, the Lunar Elf who had first tugged on Lein’s sleeve at the slave market.

Laras looked at Lyra. The beauty of the Lunar Elf race always left her a bit struck; even as a slave, Lyra radiated an elegant, goddess-like aura.

"Lyra, dear... are you very curious?" Laras said softly as she leaned closer to Lyra’s face. "What is it? Are you afraid of being separated from your great Master, hm?"

Lyra’s face instantly turned bright red. She immediately covered her face with both hands, unable to counter Laras’s teasing.

Efan approached with a chuckle. "Hahaha! I can’t wait to go home either. It feels like centuries since I last saw Earth."

"Lyra... the place we’re going is the birthplace of Young Master Lein," Efan continued with a know-it-all tone. "You’ll make many friends there. People on Earth are much more pleasant than this ’Ice Lady’ next to you."

Laras, who had been teasing Lyra, suddenly stopped. Her head turned slowly, staring at Efan with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Efan... you seem to be getting quite bold lately, aren’t you?" Laras asked with a very sweet—yet deadly—voice.

BAM!

A heavy punch landed right in Efan’s stomach.

"Ouch!! Cough..." Efan bent over, feeling like his ribs were about to crack. "Laras... I was only joking!"

"Next time, shut your mouth or I’ll freeze your tongue," Laras snorted. She then grabbed Lyra’s hand. "Let’s go, Lyra. Let this fool wallow in his own pain."

Efan looked at their retreating backs pitifully, while the other slaves could only suppress their laughter at the behavior of their leaders.

"What are you waiting for? Follow them!" Efan shouted while clutching his still-aching stomach. "Damn... she’s so vicious..."

On the other side, at different coordinates within the Dominion, Lein stood silently in the void. In front of him, a giant transparent dome protected a vast and wild rocky land.

Law Manifestation Zone 43.

This was the final pillar he had to pack before leaving the Invictus Sect.