In the citadel, a rank existed even above the gold rank known as purple rank. These were the four powerhouses who had once served the Elite royal family. Following the elite royal family's downfall, they now referred to themselves as the new royalty. However, their royal influence was solely revered by the citadel's citizens; beyond that, the President of the world government held greater power, having been elected by the citizens of Tellus.
Setsuna responded, "Thank you, but I am taking the global highway so there will be no safety issue."
The man broadcast his voice, replied" The global Singa Skyway is protected by the world government military, please have a safe trip. Nonetheless, we will be tracking your vehicle in case of an emergency."
He probably noticed that Setsuna belonged to the Hono's guild and not to mention she was the daughter of Suzuki Hono as well! One of the five pillar guilds of Singa Sanctuary continent, they even had their own floating fortress and military. Normally, the border guard wouldn't even offer to accompany a civilian vehicle but in her case it was different.
That was a giant circular gate floating and attaching to the dome shield, when the shield opened, it only activated within the circular gate.
Therefore the entire dome shield wouldn't be affected regardless of whether the dome shield within the circular gate reactivates, right now there are so many vehicles that exit through the giant circular gate including ours as well that approaching the opening gate.
Looking through the flying window's car, I saw the transparent dome shield, I hadn't had many chances to see it this close before so it was important for me to take this scenery in fully.
Many citizens stuck within the dome, they didn't even have time to leave nor care to leave since they thought other sectors and other planets must be the same.
But if they had a chance to visit the citadel, they would do it.
I was once one of these citizens as well until I revisited the vibrant city. This city was also the sector of my birth, but upon my return, I found that my former orphanage had been demolished and replaced by an entertainment island. The familiar sights of the Vibrant City, commonly known as Sector 0, were rapidly changing due to development. One of the four powerhouses, the house of Freiheit, had established its headquarters there and now governed the entertainment island.
As soon as our flying vehicle passed through the gate of the Sector 2 dome, we were greeted by a whole new world. The view wasn't immediately worse, as there were still remnants of a military base and greenhouse scattered just outside the dome on the floating island. However, the sky was a deep shade of red, giving an eerie and ominous feel to the surroundings. The earth below appeared desolate, with cracked soil and signs of devastation.
The ocean, too, bore the scars of the Great Global Disaster that had occurred 50 years ago. It was filled with junk and debris, remnants of what once existed before the catastrophe.
As we entered this unfamiliar territory, I could feel the speed of our vehicle increasing rapidly. The other vehicles around us seemed to be moving at the same accelerated pace. It was as if we were all propelled forward by some unseen force, pushing us to our destination.
The red sky blocked the sunset, casting a shadow over the world outside the dome. It made it difficult to see beyond the illuminated light towers that the world government had built on the surface of the desolate land. These towers acted as beacons of light, guiding travelers and offering a safe haven in case of an emergency crash on the surface while traveling on the Skyway.
During our journey, I noticed light towers built on a floating island with a cruiser and a parked flying car, approximately 100 kilometers away from each other. It was a rare sight, as there were not many signs of life or activity in this barren landscape.
Even on the ocean, amidst the scattered ruins and debris, I spotted light towers with flickering blue lights on top of them as well. Despite being in the sky, these towers were clearly visible, indicating their immense size. They must have been as tall as medium-sized skyscrapers, reaching heights of around 200 meters or even taller.
Suddenly, Setsuna began playing an ambient song, despite her usual preference for hip hop and rock. Whenever she was driving, she would always choose an ambient song to help her relax.
As the soothing music filled the vehicle, I gazed out of the window, lost in deep contemplation during our journey to the vibrant city.
Foremost in my mind was the haunting image of what had transpired at the Tower of Eternia within TWOD. It felt like an unimaginable and uncontrollable force was about to descend upon our planet, something far more sinister than any war we had ever experienced.
If such a being with the same power as the demon lord truly existed, it would disrupt the delicate balance of power we had come to rely upon.
Lost in my thoughts, I noticed Shan engrossed in something displayed on his tablet's hologram projection.
From his tablet, a voice emerged, [Greetings to all humanity. I am Xióng Xīn, the 13th President of the world government. I would like to address all of humanity throughout the solar system.]
Curiosity piqued, I leaned over to catch a glimpse of the holographic display floating in front of Shan. It revealed a man dressed in a black business suit, he had a beard and long dark hair. He was seated on a chair resembling a throne, with a white table before him, adorned with a small flag bearing the world government logo. The wall behind him displayed the same giant logo as the flag.
The room in which the broadcast was taking place was constructed entirely of pristine white carbon fiber, even the table. It emanated a professional and polished atmosphere, with only a floating microphone hovering beside the president.
Continuing his address, the president said, [As you are all aware of the tragedy that occurred earlier this morning, the Ten high councils of the Solar System have concluded that the AR version of TWOD, known as The World of Dawn, will be temporarily disabled to ensure the safety of every individual in this solar system. We will work tirelessly to uncover the true cause. Thank you for your understanding and patient.]
The display went blank, and a new video appeared. I retreated to my seat near the left side of the window, struggling to process my thoughts. The AR version of TWOD had been my last remaining option for my side hustle after the VR version was shut down. Now, I would no longer be able to earn coins through TWOD.
Disappointed, I took a deep breath and let out a sigh, questioning what I had done in my previous life to experience such a life-altering event today.
Shan looked at me sympathetically and said, "It's not the end of the world."
Though he struggled to articulate his thoughts, I could discern his understanding through his expression, and I chose not to take offense.
"I'll find a way to overcome it," I replied with a shrug, determined to face the challenges ahead.
Deep down, I knew that continuing to play the game was not an option for me anymore. The truth was clear to me now. This wasn't just a game; it was a doorway to an entirely new dimension, one that humanity might unknowingly cross. But I kept these thoughts to myself, fearing that others might consider me insane after surviving the explosion in TWOD.
Setsuna remained silent throughout, her focus solely on the road ahead as she enjoyed the thrill of driving.
In the distance, a majestic floating island came into view. It was enveloped in a holographic shield resembling a massive beehive dome. The city lights illuminated the gloomy red sky, casting vibrant colors that gradually faded as nightfall approached. Even the ocean below shimmered with the reflected glow.
Setsuna exclaimed with excitement, "We're almost there!"
Our vehicles arrived at a checkpoint on a smaller floating island, several hundred kilometers away from the dome's border. This island served as the entrance to the Vibrant City. A voice from the checkpoint instructed us to scan our driver's bio-data chip to submit the required document.
Without hesitation, Setsuna placed her hand on the holographic screen beside her, which was projected from the center console. She was promptly verified to enter the Vibrant City. From this point on, the speed limit was significantly reduced for safety, as we had only a hundred more kilometers to go.
I caught a glimpse of the familiar giant circular gate, its holographic shield open, revealing the breathtaking landscape within the dome. The Vibrant City was perpetually immersed in nighttime, with the holographic sky adorned with countless shooting stars.
This time, there was no need to present our documents at the gate. Instead, multiple stationary sites on various tiny islands scattered throughout the sky were equipped with medium-sized cruisers. This ensured that anyone causing trouble would have no means of escape. More importantly, as we entered the dome, I could feel the distinct shift into a new world, a paradise compared to the outside desolate world.
The floating islands within the vibrant city were diverse, each with its own distinct characteristics. Some islands were comprised of low-quality materials and housed modest buildings, while others boasted tall structures made from premium materials.
This entire city was a collection of movable islands, with no concern for their potential collapse. Each island had its own rulers and laws to govern its inhabitants. In total, there were approximately 59 floating islands that had joined together to form the vibrant city.
Sector 0, also known as the vibrant city, operated as an independent dome. While the rule of the world government was still loosely followed by its citizens, freedom was highly valued here. This independence made many law-abiding individuals wary of venturing into this sector, as it was considered one of the most self-governed areas in the Pacific Ocean, which belonged to the Singa Sanctuary dome.
Due to this independence, laws varied from one island to another. Criminal activities were not uncommon in certain parts of the vibrant city, so we needed to be cautious and look out for ourselves.
As we soared above the clean ocean within the dome and the multiple floating islands, we headed towards an island dominated by short buildings resembling a slum. Factories and garages were scattered throughout, making it a hub for technical and electronic waste. This island was aptly named Iron Waste Island.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked Setsuna, "Does this flying SUV have an eternal battery?"
Setsuna shook her head and replied, "No, eternal batteries are reserved for the big guild leaders. Only a select few among Tellus's highest elite can afford them."
In the guild industry, the leader of a guild was not necessarily a captain. Even gold-ranked individuals like myself could become guild leaders as long as we possessed the knowledge and competence to lead. However, the leader of the guild had to be elected by the captain and vice-captain of the guild. In most cases, small guilds preferred their captain to also be the guild leader.
This system led to many elites purchasing guilds and assuming leadership roles, even if their rank was lower than the captain of the guild they led. The captain had no say in the decision of the leader, as it was primarily based on business skills and competence.
Therefore, in the guild industry, rank held less importance than business skills and competence.
"I see," I murmured, realizing the exclusivity of such a feature.
At that moment, Setsuna decelerated the vehicle above a floating island approximately 10 kilometers wide. Since there was no docking bay or Skyport on this island, she navigated the vehicle toward the garages and carefully descended, landing in front of a two-story concrete building attached to a garage. A large metal door operated electronically served as the entrance.
As we parked on the side street, the locals couldn't help but stare at our vehicle. They had never seen such a sleek and luxurious flying car, covered in blue and made with high-quality carbon fiber. These vehicles were reserved for the elite, and it was evident that no one in this area had ever seen one before.
Nobody exited the vehicles as we waited for the large metal door to lift. I took out my tablet and opened the chat app, searching for Stella's profile. I clicked on the icon featuring a black cat holding a microphone.
Tapping on my screen, I sent the message: [Lonely_Rock: We arrived.]
Almost instantly, I received a reply: [Guiding_Star: Alright, wait a second.]
The metal door slowly opened, revealing three individuals standing inside the garage.
One of them was Bridget Kellan, a dark-skinned guy with long red hair tied back in a ponytail. He had green eyes and wore a white T-shirt with black sports pants. Bridget was known for his energetic and charismatic personality, and his primary role was as a mechanic.
Next to him stood Ginevra Figo, a girl with long blonde hair neatly pulled back into a bun. She had piercing blue eyes and wore a white hoodie. Ginevra was the owner of the garage.
In the corner of the garage, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed was Stella. She had short wolf-cut blue hair and a confident smile on her face. It was a relief to see her there.
Ginevra motioned for Setsuna to drive the vehicle into the garage, her excitement evident in her eyes.
A small crowd had gathered, marveling at the sight of Setsuna's flying car. Slowly, Setsuna maneuvered the vehicle into the garage, allowing it to hover slightly above the ground before landing securely within the spacious area. It was large enough to accommodate four medium-sized flying cars.