Chapter 1349 Destination: Gloriosa Kingdom <TOC> Chapter 1351 Contestants in Quirky Attire
Translator: SumTLMan
“Ah-choo——”
Leon rubbed his nose, yet couldn’t help but sneeze.
As Leon struggled to breathe, an observable protective field enveloped him.
“Below lies Sabarocci, the second-largest city of Gloriosa Kingdom. The price of prosperity is air pollution,” Angel’s voice echoed in Leon’s ears.
Inside this Purification Field, Leon finally felt much relieved.
Following Angel’s narration, Leon noticed that as they soared above the city, a dense layer of smog was distinctly visible. Besides the steam from machines, towering chimneys piercing the sky contributed to the haze.
Thankfully, the pollution was limited to the city’s borders. Once they ventured beyond the urban landscape, the environment dramatically improved.
“So, is polluted air the price we pay for convenient transportation and modern amenities?” Leon questioned with a furrowed brow, pondering whether such a trade-off was worth it.
In Angel’s eyes, Leon’s concern was somewhat unwarranted.
“While most people might lack a broad perspective, identifying and then resolving issues is the driving force behind human progress,” Angel remarked. “The problem of pollution has emerged, but the growing pains will pass, and solutions will be found.”
Angel’s optimistic view of the matter wasn’t just because the “issue” was manageable. It also hinged on the backing of Sky Mechanical City behind Gloriosa Kingdom.
Even if the common folk failed to recognize and address the issue, those in Sky Mechanical City wouldn’t stand idly by.
Leon listened, only half-comprehending Angel’s words.
Angel offered no explanation, surmising that after Leon spent some time in Sky Mechanical City, he would come to understand on his own.
After all, Gloriosa Kingdom was one of the few lands within the Vast Continent where mortal dominions were subtly influenced by wizard organizations lurking in the shadows.
The Gondola soared once more. For Leon, this was his inaugural journey through the vast skies. He witnessed the genesis of clouds and rain, spotted thunderclouds hiding electric serpents, beheld the gyrating eye of the storm, and from a rarely seen vantage point, he gazed down upon the majestic expanse of the land below.
Leon, with childlike wonder, constantly looked out at this unfamiliar terrain.
Elsewhere, Angel and Sanders discussed their upcoming itinerary in Sky Mechanical City.
Barring unforeseen events, they planned to stay in the city for a while. The exact duration would depend on the situation at Black Castle. During their stay, Angel intended to take Leon to the Novastar Competition, hoping to perhaps run into old friends like Shalem. He also planned to pay a visit to Master Midora. If time permitted, a trip to the research institute was on the cards.
“This Novastar Competition, it wouldn’t have any hidden agendas like the previous ‘Purification Garden’, would it?” Angel inquired.
Although Angel believed that Sky Mechanical City wouldn’t tarnish its reputation twice in a row, it was merely speculation. Who could predict the twists and turns of the future?
“It should be a straightforward, reward-based competition,” Sanders paused, “If you have reservations, perhaps you should consult Muse directly.”
“Muse? The one who refers to himself as ‘Mediocre’, that Lord Muse?” Angel queried with a hint of perplexity.
Sanders nodded in affirmation, “Exactly, he’s one of the two city masters of Sky Mechanical City. He would undoubtedly be privy to any inside information.”
“I’ve never met him,” Angel remarked, frowning slightly, thinking it might be more productive to ask Master Midora.
Sanders replied, “Perhaps he knows of you.”
Angel’s name has been gaining prominence recently. While Muse might have heard of him, he doubts he has the influence to affect such influential figures yet.
Sanders simply responded with a knowing smile, without uttering a word.
Angel still believes that the access card to the research institute was given by Midora. However, Sanders knows that Midora doesn’t have the authority to issue such a card. The only one who does is the fabled dean of the institute, namely, Muse.
Skipping over that topic, Sanders continued, “Are you sure you don’t want to participate in the Novastar Competition?”
Angel shook his head, “There’s no need. It’s a waste of time.”
Sanders didn’t try to persuade him further. Given Angel’s current capabilities, it’s indeed unnecessary for him to participate in the Novastar Competition. It would merely be an unfair advantage. Moreover, with the access card from the research institute, Angel could claim the competition’s reward without even participating.
While Angel and Sanders were engrossed in their conversation, Leon suddenly interjected, “There’s another storm cloud ahead, Angel. Should we have the Gondola ascend higher?”
This storm cloud seemed even more massive than the previous ones Leon had spotted. It completely obstructed their view, transforming the bright day into an instant night with its oppressive darkness. And looking up, Leon couldn’t even discern the top of the cloud.
Seeing the Gondola continue its path towards the storm, Leon suggested to Angel.
But Angel simply shook his head, “No need. Keep moving forward.”
As the words left his mouth, even though Leon wanted to offer more advice, Angel, on the contrary, accelerated into the roaring storm cloud. As Leon was deep in thought, he suddenly noticed a silhouette emerging from the clouds.
This shadow appeared to be a structure, but the most bizarre part was that it wasn’t upright. It was inverted, giving the impression as if the earth itself had turned upside down.
“What is this? Mirages in the clouds?” As Leon pondered, the Gondola hurtled with breakneck speed into the heart of the somber storm clouds.
But within the storm’s epicenter, there were no wild bolts of lightning. Instead, a vast airborne citadel, boundless and stretching beyond sight, stood before Leon!
Constructed entirely of iron, it was a marvel of angular elegance. Countless steam airships circled it, reminiscent of a floating fortress in the sky.
Leon was entirely taken aback by this sight. He’d seen the Cloud Soil above Pat Manor and had once imagined a vast expanse of such terrains in the sky, thinking how magnificent a City in the Sky would look.
But now, with the actual City in the Sky before him, he realized how diminutive his imagination had been.
The grandeur of the airborne city before him couldn’t merely be described as majestic; for Leon, it was nothing short of epic!
“This is…” Leon began, momentarily lost for words.
Angel whispered beside him, “This is Sky Mechanical City.”
…
The Gondola dimmed its brilliance, and with the aid of illusionary spells, transformed into an ordinary airship.
Angel also used an illusion transformation spell, altering his appearance.
Amidst the whistles of steam airships, Angel navigated the Gondola into the domain of Sky Mechanical City.
The closer they got, the more Leon was entranced by the grandiosity of Sky Mechanical City.
At that moment, Leon finally understood why the shadow he had previously seen seemed like an inverted edifice. This was because Sky Mechanical City was divided into two faces, each bearing its own city. Indeed, in accordance with their current gravitational orientation, the city on the reverse side was inverted.
As for why this bizarre situation existed, Leon was uncertain. Only when he drew near Sky Mechanical City did he realize that its spatial orientation was entirely shaped by the terrain.
Such an odd scenario is perhaps something only transcendent domains could achieve.
Since the city on the reverse side was accessible only to the internal personnel of Sky Mechanical City, Angel steered the Gondola towards its front face.
In fact, this was the first time Angel piloted the Gondola into Sky Mechanical City from outside. In the past, he would arrive directly via teleportation formations.
During their entry, Angel also observed that, possibly due to the arrival of the Novastar Competition, the population of Sky Mechanical City appeared far greater than before.
Various extraordinary beings, employing diverse methods, arrived at Sky Mechanical City.
In just a few short minutes, they saw hundreds of newcomers, mostly apprentices. Since apprentices varied in their abilities and not all were versed in flying spells, they each displayed their unique powers.
Some used vehicles, some flew clumsily clinging to the feet of geese, while others employed fascinating natural tricks, like summoning large vines that grew with the wind, extending into the clouds. They climbed these vines to reach Sky Mechanical City.
Worth noting was that the owner of this vine stood at its pinnacle, collecting tolls from every apprentice who used it to ascend.
The myriad of these extraordinary beings left Leon, witnessing this spectacle for the first time, utterly awestruck.
“Is this the world of the extraordinary?” A gleam sparked in Leon’s eyes.
“This is but a glimpse of the Wizarding World,” Angel responded softly.
Entering the domain proved simpler than Angel had ever imagined.
When one enters alone, there’s no hindrance. However, large vehicles are briefly scrutinized by the hovering airships of the enforcers outside.
Angel’s Gondola was so diminutive, it was deemed for individual use. Thus, no barrier was placed before it, and it sailed directly into Sky Mechanical City.
The very instant the Gondola graced the gates of Sky Mechanical City, on the reverse side of the mechanical marvel, within a steel tower reminiscent of a dragonblood tree, a man deeply engrossed in his studies suddenly looked up.
He was a strikingly handsome young man.
Facing the youth was a hunched old man, currently mumbling, “The mandible of this exoskeleton seems conflicted with the composite material. What if we transition to a purer substance? What say you… Muse, Muse?”
After calling out for a good while with no response, he lifted his gaze in puzzlement, “Muse, what has caught your eye?”
After what felt like an eternity, Muse replied with a soft chuckle, “It’s nothing really. Just noticed that the access card I lent you to give out, its bearer seems to have returned to Sky Mechanical City.”
Chapter 1349 Destination: Gloriosa Kingdom <TOC> Chapter 1351 Contestants in Quirky Attire