Year after year, there was one event that the world could uniformly get together and celebrate. It didn't matter if the world was in shambles or if there was a death in the family, there was one day where all battles would end, and grudges were set aside. The Lantis Republic, the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire… It didn't matter what cultures or traditions they held, they would all pause and celebrate this one day. The Day of Spirits.
The Day of Spirits was the one day where spiritual energies were at its highest throughout the calendar year. Due to the ascension of the three ancient Spirit Immortals that led the very first unified human civilisation, the Day of Spirits continued to have a significant impact on the modern world itself. All wars would cease on that one day, while children would prepare to awaken their Spirits. Cultivators would stay at home, taking the time to accompany their families. Of course, that included Shin and his fellow comrades from Guardian Sword.
"Ah, this tea is the best!" A booming voice bellowed through Shin's private courtyard, the same one that he used to train his three children. Seated around the familiar stone table that was shaded by a pavilion, Shin poured more of the light-brown delicious tea that he had personally brewed.
"I'm glad that you like it… The Himmel Empire lacks the weather to grow the Kilse Tea, so it's only available in the Lantis Republic," Shin winked, seemingly insinuating something with his gaze.
Suji, the massive hulk of a man, took the words with a simple smile: "We had this conversation many times, Shin. I'm not moving to the Lantis Republic just to serve Guardian Sword for ten more years."
"It's not like I'm asking you to defect or anything..." The Prince of Water pouted. "I believe that the benefits that Guardian Sword is putting on your new contract specify this explicitly? We won't restrict your freedom, and you can do whatever you wish. As long as you stay half the year within our borders, we'll provide you with all the resources the Lasgeor Family need. You can even take the vacant Vice-Master position of the Hall of Hunts if you wish." Shin continued to sell the contract like an expert salesman, hoping to change the man's mind. Alas...
"The contract is good, there's no doubt about it." Suji took one chug of his tea, emptying it within a second. "However, it's about time that I took over my family house. I can't be a contractor for Guardian Sword forever."
Suji Lasgeor was one of the elites loaned to Guardian Sword to combat the Black Masks and their goons that were spread throughout the world. Suji has faithfully lead Guardian Sword into their golden age, destroying Payirci after Payirci and massacring all of the Umbras that stood in his way. In the ten short years, Suji had grown to become a Rank 63 Spirit King. At any time prior to this generation, a thirty-three-year-old Spirit King would drop the jaws of the entire world. However, Suji wasn't living in just any age.
He was living in the golden age of geniuses.
Shin had lived up to his reputation as the world's top prodigy and had cultivated at the speed of light. Now, he was at Rank 78, just two more ranks from breaching the second barrier or mortality. By his side, his wife was also moving onwards at a breakneck speed and was at Rank 69, one step away from the Spirit Emperor realm. The other geniuses of Shin's era weren't that far behind either.
Isadore and Elrin, though having busier schedules with Guardian Sword, had advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the Rank 62 and 61 respectively. The archer twins, Ella and Emma, were a little slower in that regard. They were 'only' Rank 59 and were considered to be the weakest among the six living heroes.
The Luminaries from the Lantis Republic weren't trailing that far behind either. Most of them had reached the Rank 60 Spirit King realm with Meijing Bingying leading the charge at Rank 67. The Himmel Empire and Kori Federation also had geniuses of that golden generation that went all the way to the Spirit King realm in their thirties, and many were slated to become Spirit Emperors when they hit forty or fifty.
Such a feat was practically unheard of. A whole generation of cultivators below fifty that could breach into the Spirit King or Spirit Emperor realm. As long as they survived through the endless battles that were raised by the Umbras which roamed the land, the youngsters were almost certain to become dominant Spirit Venerates and better yet, impossibly powerful Spirit Saints.
Being part of said golden generation, Suji's commodity was particularly hot. Guardian Sword had done everything in its power to keep the Son of War within their ranks, but ultimately, the Lantis Republic wasn't Suji's true home. He was the heir to the Lasgeor Family, and they were in dire need of their successor. It wasn't just Suji either. Danroy and Natasha from the Himmel Empire both felt homesick. They wished to leave their adventuring days behind, returning back to their homeland. Hence, they decided to let their contract with Guardian Sword run down.
The years that Suji's elite team roamed the battlefields alongside Shin to cut down Payircis and Umbras were about to come to its end.
"Hah… Looks like there's nothing that I can do to change your mind…" Shin sighed. He waved his arms and called for his maidservant to bring a new kettle of tea. "At least stay for the Day of Spirits?"
"Haha, that I can do!" Suji chuckled. "Who would dare miss the Spirit Awakening of the Prince's eldest son?"
"If you wish, you can come and witness the Spirit Awakening of all my children. Guardian Sword's door is always open for you."
"I'll hold you to that promise!" Suji downed his cup of tea once more, before cupping his hands together. "And I shall give you another promise. If the time comes and you require the Lasgeor Family's help, just say the word. I will drop everything to help you!"
"Don't you think that your words could be misconstrued for blasphemy against the Himmel Empire?" Shin raised his brow.
"Well, I trust that you wouldn't force me to conspire against the Himmel Empire. And if that really happens, it just means that my foresight was just too lacking!" The muscular bearded man shook his head, not willing to blame Shin in the slightest.
"HAHAHA!!! That's what I like about you Suji! Your commitment to honour and valour!" Shin broke out in laughter. "Fine! I promise with the name of the Master of Guardian Sword that I won't force you to do anything against the Himmel Empire! Besides, our Guardian Sword only focuses on destroying the remnants of the Black Masks and the Allfather. We wouldn't callously put our finger into world politics."
Shin was careful to make a clear distinction between the Lantis Republic and Guardian Sword. Yes, he may be the Prince of the Lantis Republic, but first and foremost, he was the Master of Guardian Sword. Shin had to be strictly neutral in all politics to attract talents from all over the world to contract with Guardian Sword, and he had managed to accomplish precisely that.
Thousands of talents didn't bat a single eyelid when signing with Guardian Sword because they knew that politics would be left at the door. Like the Alliance, Guardian Sword only served to eradicate threats against humanity and accepted everyone, regardless if they were from the Lantis Republic, Himmel Empire or Kori Federation. The beauty of Guardian Sword was that there would be no friction between nations. Geniuses would join and gain valuable cultivation as well as battle experience, sharpening their blades and significantly advancing their overall power.
At the end of their contracts, the talents were free to resign or return back to their home nation, and the majority of them would have become exponentially stronger than when they first joined the elite organisation.
"Thank you, Master..." Suji didn't call Shin by name and instead went for the respectful bow as a subordinate would to their superior.
"No need to be that formal! Come, let us drink! Vanessa, bring out the wine!" Shin clapped his hands and gave the maidservant the signal. With that, the duo started to chat merrily reflecting about their past experiences under the same flag.
The Allfather had used the Call of Darkness to hide Mythpoint Reach and the remnants of the Black Masks, which was quite significant, to say the least. However, that didn't mean that the world would revert back to its peaceful times. Due to the Worldquake, the entire planet was still in shambles, mainly since Umbras kept arising from the darkness to terrorise the general populace.
Still in the midst of rebuilding, the three superpowers, namely the Kori Federation and the Himmel Empire, lacked the manpower to provide support to that many isolated regions. They could only protect the core cities and trade routes within their borders. Therefore, there were many innocent lives still affected by the terror that the Black Masks' Umbras posed.
And that's where Guardian Sword comes in.
Completely free from world politics, Shin's neutral organisation was given free entry to all corners of the three superpowers, enabling Guardian Sword to save as many lives as they possibly could. When the despair was at its highest, that was when heroes would be born. Guardian Sword helped anyone who was dealing with the Black Masks' terror, no… They helped with anything and everything that they could. Be it chasing away Spirit Beasts that terrorised a local village or relocating displaced families… If there was despair, Guardian Sword would be there to save those innocent lives.
Shin and the others didn't realise it yet, but their actions as Guardian Sword would lay the foundations of future international relief efforts. People who would volunteer their services for the greater good and to uplift innocent lives in peril, regardless of their race, religion or skin colour.
In a certain sense… Guardian Sword and its leader, Shin Iofiel, had become the first international heroes. Heroes that would be praised throughout the entire planet, no matter where they were.
"Ah, I'd almost forgotten." As his conversation with Suji was coming to a close, Shin reached into his pocket and took out an azure crystal pendant. "Pass this to Rose. I promised her that I'll bestow her a gift for playing with Uriel when I was gone for missions."
"This is..."
"A Legendary-Grade Spirit Armament, yes." The Prince of Water confirmed Suji's thinking with a wink. "I have bought something that could house my Celestial Aura within it. If Rose is ever in trouble, the pendant will unleash its inner power, scaring away Spirit Beasts weaker than Tier 5. In the future, she could use it for other purposes, but for now, it would be an excellent defensive tool."
"Mmmm, my daughter would be delighted," reaching out to the pendant, Suji smiled in pure bliss as he thought of his only child.
"Now would you look at that… The mighty Son of War grinning from ear to ear like a maniac… The sky must have fallen down."
"Hmph! Unlike you, the breeding horse who has four children, I only have the one! Of course, I'm going to spoil her rotten!" Suji didn't bother to hide his happiness. Having one additional tool to protect his daughter wasn't something to be glum about.
"Hah… I honestly doubt if you could train Rose in the future… The moment she complains about pain, you'll probably drop all training to eat sweets or something!"
"HAHAHA!!! That sounds about right!"
The two prodigious talents who had been at loggerheads just a decade earlier were now two doting dads that shared stories about their children consistently… If Kanari and Alyssa were to see this, they would have shrugged their shoulders and laugh at their husbands' foolishness.
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