Grand Ancestral Bloodlines

The news of what happened at the Martial God's banquet event spread like wildfire, if it could be described as that.

From the very beginning, all those who were of note had already been present. It could be said that the majority of the powerhouses within the martial world were now aware of just who Ryu Tor was. Or, more accurately, a majority of powerhouses from well established and prominent powers.

At the same time, the weight placed on the backs of the Faeries seemed to multiply everyday. It was simply impossible for anyone to believe that the likes of Ryu and Ailsa had actually vanished on their own in the midst of so many powerhouses. Many simply assumed that the Faeries had doubled down on protecting Ryu at all costs, and why wouldn't they?

Even the vague tidbits of information one might get about what happened that day was enough to paint Ryu as a genius of epic proportions. Maybe this was exactly the kind of talent infusion that the Faeries needed.

Those who were in the know about the history of the Faeries connected this back to the happenings in the past. Back then, the Faeries were saved thanks to their partnership with humans. Maybe now that the race had once again run into a crossroads, this was a path they would take once more…

At the same time, the martial world seemed to take a wait and see approach. Even those that had heavily aligned themselves with the Martial Gods in the past took a step back, calmly observing.

With Fate having become untangled, even the smallest powers suddenly had a chance to rise up and potentially become the next hegemon within a few trillion years. Under such a situation, the firm grip the Martial Gods had once had loosened considerably.

At the same time, the looming threat of this supposed enemy was approaching by the day.

It was under this slowly brewing storm that Ryu silently left the Fire Shrine

…

The Armament Guild could only be described as a Behemoth. Among the three Guilds, it was the only one that was easily accessible by the masses and the one maybe the most frequently visited. And, maybe in ironic fashion, it was the only of the three Guilds not even technically located within or upon a world.

The Mercenary Guild's 'world' was Osiris. Though it was virtual, it still existed and acted as a hub for its members to trade, accept missions and rise up the ranks. However, it was quite exclusive. One could only gain membership with a certain level of talent and even then you would need to pass the test of the ring.

Essentially, it was easy to commission the Mercenary Guild for a mission and even join one of its outer posts. However, becoming a core member and entering Osiris was a different monster all together.

Then there was the Necromancy Guild. They were even more exclusive. The world of the Necromancy Guild was ruled by the three Necromancy Clans. Obviously, they couldn't allow just anyone on their world, so much like the Mercenary Guild, while it was relatively simple to join an outer post, entering the main world was a different beast all together.

Finally, there was the Armament Guild. Not only did it not have a world, but its core territory was accessible to almost anyone so long as you could get there.

How exactly did the Armament Guild not have a world? Well…

…

The scene was absolutely fascinating. Deep within the depths of space, volatile qis hung around. However, there was a particular location where this violence grew to become a stable calm. Usually, such a thing would only occur as you entered the atmosphere of a world, but this situation was much different.

Hundreds of cities hung upon the vast nothingness, connected by roads of light that sparkled like stars amidst the backdrop of darkness. In the middle of these cities hung one King amongst them all, an enormous behemoth with tall steel walls that shimmered as though it produced light of its own.

Despite the sturdiness of these walls, its four gates were seemingly perpetually open, allowing a flow of people in an out without stop.

Amidst this commotion, Ryu walked with slow, unhurried steps. Ailsa rested on his shoulder, reclining leisurely while Yaana clung to his arm and looked around with a twinkle in her eye.

Though she had been to the Necromancy Guild, she spent most of her time training and never really saw the outside world. This could be considered the first time she truly stepped away from the Mortal Plane and saw what there was to offer. It left her in awe.

Ryu wasn't very insistent on hiding his identity. As far as he was concerned, the Martial Gods were in the hotseat right now, not him. If he really wanted an extra layer of protection, he would just become the Throne of the Armament or Necromancy Guild. With the current state of Faith, Thrones were even more valuable now than they had ever been before.

Still, Ryu chose to wear a simple mask. Though, 'simple' was relative. It might have looked quite plain, but it was in reality an Ancestral Grade treasure.

With Ryu's current ability, even though it would be his second Throne, he didn't think it would be difficult at all to claim one. After all, all Throne trials boiled down to combat prowess. Who could possibly have more combat prowess than himself? Even Sarriel was inferior.

Well… The Sarriel he was familiar with was inferior. After her breakthrough, Ryu didn't dare to take her lightly. The power of a Natural Enlightenment was undeniable while Ailsa had yet to properly explain just what was so special about his fists.

Ailsa coughed lightly on Ryu's shoulder, completely ignoring these thoughts as though she had never heard them.

Ryu smiled but didn't say much. For Ailsa to be stumped, it had to be something really extraordinary. But somehow, it still felt quite hollow to Ryu. He didn't feel the power boost he would expect from comprehending a Natural Enlightenment, it was quite fascinating. Even though he should probably feel frustrated, he didn't. In fact, his heart felt quite light and his spirit was carefree.

"Let's enter a Staff city. I'm curious, it's the weapon I know the least about."

After saying this, Ryu picked a light road and began to stroll toward one of the hundreds of cities.