Grand Ancestral Bloodlines

The moment the seal shattered the whole of the castle was taken with it. In a feat of slight panic, the representatives of the strongest powers from across the marital world were forced into retreat, quickly rushing out of the punishment's range to avoid being implicated along with the others.

Bits of pieces of the castle barely hung on by a thread, but at this point, things were far more similar to a ruin than it was to the housing of nobility. There was no doubt that the Viridi Clan was paying the greatest price for this devastation.

The youths at the center of it all suddenly felt that they had been locked into place, unable to move a single inch. They hadn't been ready to face such unbridled fury, this was most definitely not how things were meant to go.

The rage they felt toward Ryu had become nearly palpable. If they hated him before for his actions toward others, they hated him to an extreme now for actually putting their lives at risk. This was meant to be their chance to reach a new level, to set the path for their future. And yet, because of the actions of someone else, they found themselves in a precarious state where let alone planning for the future, they weren't even sure if they would see their own.

Maybe the most infuriated was Galkos. This was a his day of glory, his time to shine. How could things possibly be going this way?!

…

In a hidden location on the Shrine Plane, several slumbering auras began to rise up, their attention having been caught. These hidden existences were the true backbone of the Martial Gods and could represent the real core of their strength. And the shocking truth was that… Most of these individuals were Sky Gods.

The number of Sky Gods the Martial Gods had alone dwarfed the number of the rest of the martial world combined. This was a truth that most were completely unaware of and it was a secret that the Martial Gods get kept to their vests.

Under normal situations, these older men and women knew nothing but meditation and silence. They knew their role well and their only goal in life was to be prepared for the day their strength became necessary. However, at this moment, they had all awakened, their senses focused on a singular location.

The ceremony of King conferment wasn't something that these individuals would normally be interested in. In fact, even thought that girl was participating, they still hadn't cared enough to pay attention until this very moment.

They had the right to this arrogance. Only they knew how difficult it was to cross that final barrier and reach their level. Going through a little ceremony and getting a small little boost in your chances was hardly worth a thing to them. Even someone like King Adonis wasn't worth their attention, maybe only his little brother might meet the standard. But, even then, it was only enough for the raise of an eyebrow.

At this moment, though, without fail, they all turned their attention in that direction… not because of anyone in particular, but because the full brunt of the Heaven's wrath had descended, something that wasn't supposed to happen.

This didn't just put those in attendance in danger, but it also put them in danger by proxy. If the Heavens caught a whiff of their aura, it could become troublesome. And, if that man's daughter died, there would be hell to pay for someone.

That man had always been mad and even though he was the strongest backbone of their Martial Gods, he had also become their greatest roadblock.

Why was it that Ryu had met so many traitorous Clans but had yet to meet even a single member of the Holy Wing Clan? Why wasn't a single one of them present for a conferment ceremony of their greatest genius?

Well, if he knew how much of a madman Elena's father was, he might have an answer to that question…

"Strengthen the formations and make sure news of this doesn't leak to that man."

"And what about her?"

"We can only hope that she doesn't die, or else trillions of years of planning will go down the drain."

One might be wondering why it was that they were so worried. After all, if anyone who died beneath Heaven's Punishment was forgotten, wouldn't that be the end of it? If Elena died, everyone would forget about her and things would be just fine.

It couldn't possibly be that these wise old men and women didn't know this… Right?

So why were they still so worried?

…

Godefride and the others shot out from the range of the clouds above. Without the protection of the seal, the range the punishment could cover had increased exponentially, also leaving the younger geniuses of Galkos' entourage vulnerable.

They were far too weak to survive the cold of the Shrine Plane, however at the same time, the only thing protecting them from this cold was Heaven's Punishment. This left them completely unable to run away and practically sealed their fates.

Godefride, Sabelle and Eustis retreated as one, the latter two watching what was happening with a heavy frown. They were slowly beginning to understand just why it was that Godefride seemed to have a sort of irrational confidence in Ryu. However, they still couldn't fathom how Ryu could possibly make it out alive..

"Be on your guard." Godefride suddenly said in a low voice. "Under this kind of chaos would be the best chance for a few people disguising their real intentions to act."

Godefride's words seemed to snap the two into a state of readiness. This matter definitely wouldn't end simply.

…

Ryu's breathing remained calm and even. However, it was only because of how volatile the winds around him already were that it seemed that way. The truth of the matter was that air from kilometers around were flooding into his lungs only to be expelled from his nose. His every breath cause another tidal wave, his veins pumping with a slight golden color that was almost perceptible from beneath his skin.

"You caused this!"

Arteur was furious. Only he knew how much he had sacrificed just to have a chance to stand here. But now he might not even be able to live to see another day.

"Shut up." Ryu replied lightly, not even looking in Arteur's direction.

He continued to look into the skies, his voice hardly having any bite to it. This wasn't because he felt guilty, but rather because he couldn't gather up true animosity for an ant. He felt that Arteur and those sending those rage fueled gazes toward him at this moment were so far beneath him that they weren't even worth his emotion.

"What did you say to me?!"

Arteur was furious, but unlike usual, flames didn't erupt around him. He suddenly found that his Bloodlines had completely retreated, causing his face to twist in horror. What Ryu had experienced previously, he was experiencing the full brunt of. But, as someone who had only completed his 10th Rite, he was in no position to be as arrogant as Ryu had been.

Ryu completely ignored Arteur and the others. He didn't spare them a thought, and why would he…?

His wife was coming.

Ryu's head turned back, his gaze falling onto a sight he had waited too long to see again.

The moment the castle had collapsed, the hidden spaces of the floors above had followed suit. Stepping through the void, a young woman with skin as delicate as silk and steps as light as a feather glided through the air, several younger girls with faces filled with fear being shrouded by her aura to her back.

Something about her presence seemed to make even the raging Heavens above calm, if for nothing more than just a few moments.

Long, slender legs, robes of gold that just barely clung to her chest and hips, fluttering and sparkling pink diamond hair. Her neck was as proud as a swan's, her lips as plump as a ripe fruit, her aura as forceful as a tide and somehow also as gentle as a droplet falling from a leaf.

Even in the face of the wrath of the Heavens above, her expression was indifferent and unbothered. It was the same lofty expression she had had when Ryu first met her, the same lofty expression she always showed everyone else, the same lofty expression she never displayed before Ryu.

She stepped through the air, gliding over Galkos' head without a thought for his face.

Galkos' expression changed as he had been about to greet her. But, his words were ultimately stuck in his throat, unable to come out. He could only watch as she descended from the skies with her entourage in tow, landing in the space between Galkos and Ryu as she continued forward.

The distance that separated Ryu and Elena was less than a hundred meters. But, it quickly became less. With every step, Elena glided through over a dozen meters as though.

Ryu watched her walk, seemingly taking satisfaction in even the smallest things she did. A happiness welled up from the depths of his heart and the pressure on his shoulders seemed to become no different from the slightest spring breeze.

This was his wife. The first woman he had ever loved. And, for a long while, had been the only woman he thought he would ever love.

That was why Ryu didn't quite know how to react when this wife of his stepped past him, completely ignoring his presence as though he was nothing more than air.