Chapter 145: Departure

Chapter 145: DepartureThree years later, on the morning of such a day, Apollo, who had grown to 190 cm in height and had become even more handsome with an added mysterious charm, stood alone in the Fletcher Castle training grounds, his eyes closed, holding a wooden sword in his hand. The wooden sword in his hand felt like an extension of his body, perfectly balanced, yet it wasn’t its weight that held him in place.

His focus was unwavering, his breathing was steady, and his mind seemed to be out in the world, far beyond the confines of his surroundings.

The two maids, who had been sent to inform him about breakfast, stood a few paces away, looking at him with a thirsty expression and exchanging confused glances. They couldn’t fathom what the young master was doing, standing so still like a statue for so long. They hesitated to interrupt, sensing an invisible barrier of mysterious power surrounding them.

Minutes passed, and the sun slowly climbed higher in the sky, and a ray of sunlight was about to cover him. He finally moved.

The wooden sword in his hand trembled and seemed to merge with heaven and earth, disappearing. But when the wooden sword reappeared, he seemed to have already swung it.

The two maids didn’t understand anything, as for them it appeared that the wooden sword in the young master’s hand just disappeared and reappeared, nothing else.

"Young master, breakfast is ready. Lord is waiting at the table," they quickly informed him.

Apollo nodded calmly and put down the wooden sword to follow the maids to the dining table.

But just as the group left the training hall, a cracking sound echoed, and above the training ground, a ten-meter-long tear in space appeared, as if an unimaginably sharp sword had sliced through the sky.

In the dining hall, all his family members were present—his father, mother, grandfather, Old Man Aragon, his master, and even the white cat Pussy King, who, like a human, was also sitting at the table, enjoying a meal of special tigress milk.

Although both his master and Old Man Aragon had left from time to time over the past three years, they would always return, especially Old Man Aragon, who had no particular place to go.

And his master had just returned from the capital the previous day. He had gone there to gather news and learn about the kingdom’s plans for the upcoming opening of the ’Tower of Sky’, whose origin is still mysterious even after all ancient forces in the eastern continent searched through history but still didn’t find anything about it.

"Tomorrow, we will leave, as there are only twenty days left before the opening announced by the mysterious voice. The place where the Tower of Sky appeared is quite far; we have to Skyship; even then, it will take ten days to reach."

Master Aaron quickly told Apollo of their plan to leave and start their brand new journey.

He nodded and enjoyed the delicious breakfast to the fullest. Neither his parents nor Grandpa said anything or tried to stop him from going, even knowing it could be dangerous.

They knew he was strong and exceptionally talented. If he wanted to grow stronger, he couldn’t stay in Fletcher Castle forever; he needed to travel and face challenges. So, they all supported him.

After three years of vigorous development, the Fletcher family had become countless times stronger. During this time, Apollo also provided them with additional batches of potions, further enhancing their strength to the point where they could take care of themselves even without Apollo’s presence.

Just as he was leaving, his father stopped him and said something that surprised him a bit.

"Son, your eldest sister sent a letter. She mentioned that she’s also going to the Tower of Sky and is looking forward to seeing how much you’ve grown."

Hearing this, he was a bit surprised, as his big sister, whom he never saw, was also going to the Tower of Sky.

When it comes to his eldest sister, she is the most mysterious person in the Fletcher family, with unknown secrets.

From the time Apollo was born, his sister wasn’t in Fletcher Castle. According to what he had heard from his father and mother, on the day she was born, a mysterious person appeared in their castle and suggested they name her ’Astraea’, after the goddess of stars and justice.

They didn’t want to hear the weird guy’s words and thought he had a mental problem, but when the mysterious person showed powerful and mysterious strength, they finally accepted it.

From the moment they realised it, they knew their daughter wasn’t ordinary, and in the world of Rion, anything is possible. Astraea quickly proved it, showing remarkable intelligence and sensibility from a young age.

She often did the unbelievable, like disappearing from the house only to be later found in the backyard, where they somehow discovered buried money. Another time, during a visit to the market, she picked up something that later turned out to be an extraordinary item.

It was as if she attracted treasures or the treasures were attracted to her, as she always seemed to find something valuable.

When she was three years old, the mysterious man appeared again, this time intending to take her away. Naturally, they refused and were prepared to fight to the death, knowing he was incredibly powerful. But to their surprise, their three-year-old daughter stopped them and calmly said, "Mother, Father, I have to go."

Though they were reluctant to let her leave, Astraea displayed wisdom far beyond her years, and all signs pointed to her being too mysterious to hold back. In the end, they allowed her to go.

They’ve maintained contact, but only through the letters she sends. Beyond that, they know nothing about her current situation.

He nodded and left the table to prepare for the journey the next day.

The morning arrived, and everyone was waiting for him as he was about to leave.

At the gate of Fletcher Castle, Apollo, Master Aaron, and the white cat, Pussy King—who surprisingly decided to join them—were ready to depart.

"Take care, and be safe. We’ll be waiting for you," Louise said to her son with concern.

"I will," Apollo replied.

With that, he finally said goodbye to his family. Thankfully, Old Man Aragon decided to stay behind, preferring to avoid the chaos since he couldn’t enter the Tower of Sky to protect his family.

The three of them quickly departed for the capital, where they would join other members of the kingdom to travel together to the Tower of Sky aboard the royal family’s Sky Ship.

With their speed, they arrived at the capital in a few days, which was bustling with crowds and was filled with many strong warriors from all over the kingdom who were going to the Tower of Sky.

As they made their way through the crowded streets, they noticed warriors of various ranks and ages from various noble factions all gathered to themselves in the Tower of Sky.

At the royal dock, a magnificent giant Sky Ship awaited, towering over the other vessels with its elegant design and powerful aura. The royal family’s insignia was emblazoned on its sails. It was large enough to accommodate thousands of warriors, yet sleek enough to glide through the skies with ease.

Although the Sky Ship wouldn’t depart for another day, passengers had already begun boarding. The ship was fully equipped with everything needed for the journey. It functioned much like a cruise ship, except it flew through the sky instead of sailing on the sea.

They also decided to not waste time and board the ship quickly. Apollo couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement as they approached the ship.

Master Aaron exchanged a few words with the royal guards, who quickly allowed them to board. Once on the ship, they were escorted to their quarters, where they would prepare for the journey.

Not everyone can board the Sky Ship. According to what Apollo heard from his master, only those with at least Third Rank strength and under the age of one hundred are eligible to board.

For Apollo, this requirement is irrelevant, as he is already a renowned genius of the Rrioweth Kingdom, and his master is also well-known. More importantly, few individuals achieve Third Rank before the age of one hundred. Most of the people who board the ship come from powerful noble clans or have support from strong forces.

In the Rrioweth Kingdom, fewer than a hundred individuals might meet these criteria, and there are only three others, besides his master, who have reached Fourth Rank Grandmaster level under the age of one hundred.

After travelling non-stop, they finally had a chance to rest. Apollo, though, sadly had to share his room with annoying Pussy King, as the cat was considered his pet.

The night passed swiftly, and by the next morning, the Sky Ship was nearly full. Almost all the important figures had arrived and boarded, and the ship was ready to depart.

As the final preparations were made and the last of the passengers boarded, the Sky Ship slowly lifted off, its powerful alchemy reactor humming with energy. The capital’s skyline receded into the distance as the ship ascended into the clouds, setting course for the Tower of Sky.