Floating Island - Triple S Talent

Lein hovered in the air, his sharp gaze fixed on the trident spear hurtling down like a meteor splitting the sky. He took a slow breath, his expression neutral, but deep inside, there was a hint of excitement he couldn't hide.

"It's been a while since I last tested my strength..." he murmured softly, almost like a whisper swallowed by the wind. In the Divine Sky Realm, nothing could truly threaten him anymore. Perhaps this was a chance to reassess his limits.

With a graceful motion, Lein raised his hand. Golden light gathered in his palm, forming the shape of a long, elegant sword.

"Golden Taun," he whispered. The sword trembled slightly, as if recognizing its master. Like a loyal dog, it clung to his grip, calm and ready to be wielded.

Lein shifted his gaze to the spear rushing toward him. The wind tore at his robes, the pressure from the attack was immense, yet Lein remained unfazed. He simply raised his golden sword slightly, meeting the descending spear with a casual motion, as if brushing away a falling branch.

Below, the disciples watched with bated breath. From afar, the sword and spear seemed like two tiny needles about to collide in the sky.

Sssttt...

The golden sword moved, slicing through the wind without losing any momentum. The colossal spear continued its descent—within mere seconds, they would clash.

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion rocked the sky. A shockwave spread across a kilometer-wide radius, creating a vortex of wind that scattered the clouds. Smoke and debris filled the air, momentarily obscuring Lein's figure.
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From a distance, the giant who owned the spear widened his eyes.

"What?! My Divine Trident... destroyed?!" His voice trembled between rage and disbelief.

His teeth clenched, fury blazing in his gaze. With a low growl, he prepared to descend from the celestial gate, but a large hand stopped him.

"Stop. If you go down, you won't be able to return," his companion warned, his tone firm.

The giant clenched his fists, his murderous glare locked onto Lein, who now emerged from the swirling smoke, still floating in the air—completely unscathed.

Below, Tauriel observed the scene with narrowed eyes.

"That golden sword..." she muttered. Something about it unsettled her. She recalled something—a black sword once given to her by Lady Nita. Its shape, its aura… too similar.

But she didn't have time to dwell on it.

Tang!

The sharp clash of metal shattered her thoughts. The giant's golden chain slithered through the air like a massive serpent, whipping through the sky and snapping several golden roots she had summoned earlier. Tauriel clenched her fists, struggling to maintain her dominance in the battle, though the golden chain proved stronger and more cunning than her roots.

Above, the two giants finally realized something.

Their sacred weapons had failed.

Lein and the others still stood tall, and the ritual they sought to stop had yet to be interrupted.

"We must close the portal," the chain-wielding giant muttered urgently. Without hesitation, they moved to the edge of the Heavenly Paradise Gate, preparing to shut the opening in the sky.

"Lord Lein, Lady Tauriel… don't let them close the portal! Just a little longer!"

Aleron's voice echoed from below. The pentagram altar he had constructed was now complete, glowing faintly as streams of blood seeped across its surface. The air around it trembled, signaling that the ritual was nearing completion.

Tauriel did not hesitate. Her entire body had shifted into her elven spirit form. Now standing three meters tall, her translucent green figure radiated a life force so potent that the grass beneath her quivered in reverence.

She shot upward, climbing higher until she reached a point where the thin clouds began swirling due to her presence. With a single motion of her hand, she conjured a massive vortex of energy before her.

"Forest Light Burst," she murmured.

The energy vortex rapidly expanded, forming a magical circle over a hundred meters in diameter. Winds howled violently, tearing through the air and shaking the ground below. Disciples watching from afar held their breath, some even collapsing to their knees under the sudden surge of power.

But in the final moment, Tauriel furrowed her brows. The green light surrounding her dimmed slightly.

"I can't," she whispered. "The laws of this realm are too weak."

With a slow exhale, she dispelled her magic. The energy that had momentarily shaken the heavens gradually faded. Tauriel turned her gaze downward, her glowing eyes locking onto Aleron, who still stood by the altar.

"This old fool… are you trying to open a divine portal within a newly formed realm?" she muttered in disbelief.

Returning to her human form, she swiftly moved toward Lein. Though dissatisfaction lingered on her face, her voice remained composed.

"Young Master Lein, we can't stop them. The laws of this realm are too fragile for us Guardians."

Lein gave a small nod. In his mind, notifications continued to flood in—warnings of a great force attempting to unravel the very fabric of the Divine Sky Realm. His eyes traced the altar before settling on Aleron with an expression of barely concealed irritation.

"Let them close it."

Lein's voice was soft, almost a whisper. But his decision was final.

Above, the two guardian giants moved swiftly, their massive hands pushing against the celestial gate, gradually sealing the rift. The portal's light dimmed, and at last, only the dark sky remained.

Lein and Tauriel descended from the sky, approaching Aleron with knowing looks.

"Hey, old man… what exactly were you trying to do by summoning a divine-tier portal?" Tauriel demanded, her tone laced with restrained anger.

Aleron could only grin, a foolish smile plastered on his face. But the look in his eyes betrayed the pain of the great loss he had just suffered. Every resource he had prepared for the ritual—all for nothing.

Lein narrowed his gaze, regarding him with serious scrutiny.

"Master Aleron, what was the meaning of all this?"

He understood Aleron's desire to open a fair Trial Realm, but summoning the Hellfire Mountain Trial Realm here? That wasn't just excessive—it was borderline suicidal.

"Forgive me, Young Master Lein."

Aleron's voice was faint, filled with exhaustion and a hint of resignation. His gaze met Lein's directly, revealing an honesty that was difficult to conceal.

"I deliberately opened this portal in this realm, hoping that you could hold it back and defeat those Giants."

Lein did not respond immediately. His eyes scrutinized Aleron sharply, waiting for further explanation. Aleron took a deep breath before continuing in a guilty tone.

"The place that was just opened is the domain of the Sky Giant Gods. Aside from having a portal leading to the Hellfire Mountain Trial Realm, they also possess an artifact capable of destroying the Cosmic Disasters."

His words made Tauriel, who stood beside Lein, widen her eyes.

"Are you certain of this?" Her tone grew more serious. "How do you know that the Divine Giants possess such a powerful artifact?"

Aleron swallowed hard before replying with slight hesitation. "I heard about it from the Primordial Universe Trade Chamber."

Tauriel fell silent for a moment. Her expression shifted slightly, as if something within her was disturbed by that information. She had heard rumors of such an artifact before but had dismissed them as mere speculation. Moreover, she had been one of the many rulers of King-level strength who refused to assist Aleron in his search. Now, a faint sense of guilt surfaced, but she merely scoffed softly and pretended not to care.

Aleron turned back to Lein, his eyes filled with hope. "That is all I can explain, My Lord. I am not hiding anything."

Lein nodded slightly. He found no deceit in Aleron's words. If this old man had gone so far as to open the Giant God's gate just to obtain that artifact, then the effects of the Cosmic Disasters were far more terrifying than he had imagined.

"What kind of artifact is it...?" Lein wondered, his curiosity growing.

At the same time, he also recognized the immense risk that had just been taken. If Aleron had resorted to such extreme measures, then the threat they faced was no trivial matter.

"Very well." Lein finally spoke, his voice firm. "For now, we will cease discussing the Cosmic Disasters . From this moment on, use proper portals. I do not want a mistake like this to happen again."

Aleron nodded quickly. "Understood, Young Master Lein."

Without delay, he began clearing the altar and disposing of the remnants of the ritual tools he had used earlier. This time, he retrieved a set of simpler stone runes and infused them with a small amount of energy to activate them.

After a few moments, Aleron chanted a spell softly and then raised his hand toward the altar.

"Open."

The word was barely a whisper, yet its impact was immediate.

The air above the altar trembled, forming cracks that gradually widened. Slowly, a portal emerged—about three meters tall, radiating intense heat from within.

Aleron turned to face the participants standing around Lein and Tauriel. Most of them looked exhausted, their breaths ragged after enduring the overwhelming pressure from the presence of the Giants and the Guardians' energy. Their mental strength had been drained, and many could no longer hide their exhaustion.