As they descended the gangplank, Major Isabella didn’t look back, her voice carrying over her shoulder with sharp authority. "Walk straight, Ethan. Don’t embarrass me. I’ve already sent word of our arrival, and eyes are already on us."

Ethan followed, dressed in the crisp, high-collared naval uniform they had provided. With his height and restored physique, he looked less like a prisoner and more like an elite aide—an image that served Isabella’s purposes perfectly.

Commander Malphas caught up to them at the base of the dock, his expression solemn. "Major, I’m heading to the Ministry of War to present the official salvage report and the intelligence on the Crimson Sect. The War Council will decide the next steps regarding the ’Package’ and the border provocations."

"Go," Isabella replied with a dismissive wave. "I’ll take him ahead. I have a feeling my father will want a personal look before the bureaucrats start their squabbling."

As they walked, Ethan couldn’t help but look back. From the ground, the White-Rhino was even more terrifying. It didn’t just look like a ship; it was a ten-kilometer mountain of Aether-Glass Steel that reached nearly a kilometer into the sky. It sat in its cradle like a slumbering god of war, a monster of industry that made everything Ethan had built in the Dome look like a child’s toy.

They approached a circular platform made of polished white marble, etched with intricate silver lines. Ethan expected to see rails or a subterranean shaft, but there was nothing.

"Step into the center," Isabella commanded.

As they stood on the platform, a soft chime rang out. The silver lines began to glow with a gentle, stable luminescence. There was no violent wrenching of space, no nausea, and none of the agonizing "whiplash" Ethan’s people had suffered during their desperate escape through the chaotic portal Jason had closed.

The world blurred for a fraction of a heartbeat—a mere blink of an eye—and the salty air of the harbor was gone.

When Ethan’s vision cleared, his breath hitched. He was no longer at the coast. He stood on a grand balcony of a castle built from shimmering white stone. Below him stretched a vast, rolling plain of vibrant emerald grass. Crystal-clear lakes mirrored a sky of perfect azure, and forests of golden-leafed trees swayed in a gentle breeze. It was a picturesque fairy tale, a paradise of peace and beauty.

The ocean was nowhere to be seen.

"Surprised?" Isabella asked, a smug smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she watched his stunned expression.

"Where... where are we?" Ethan asked, his voice low.

"Welcome to the Royal Citadel," she said, sweeping her arm across the horizon. "We are currently several million kilometers away from the port where we docked."

Ethan felt a genuine jolt of vertigo. "Million? We traveled that far in a second?"

"That is a Long-Range Strategic Array," Isabella explained, her voice swelling with patriotic pride. "It is a piece of ancient runic technology exclusive to the Soaring Dragon Military. Our civilians and merchants have to use the public gates, which require a transfer every one million kilometers. It’s a slow, bureaucratic process designed to keep the peace. By Royal Decree, no civilian portal is allowed a range greater than that."

She stepped closer to the edge of the balcony, the wind catching her golden hair. "But the Navy? We have portals that bridge the entire span of the Kingdom. From the furthest coastal wall to the heart of the capital, we can move fleets and personnel from one corner of the world to the other in an instant. What do you think of our ’rock’ now, Ethan?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Ethan looked out over the sprawling beauty, his mind racing. The logistics alone were staggering. A kingdom that could move its forces millions of kilometers in a heartbeat was a kingdom that could never be truly ambushed.

"It’s not a rock," Ethan admitted, his amethyst eyes reflecting the golden forest. "It’s a cage with very, very long bars."

Isabella laughed, a bright, genuine sound. "A cage? Perhaps. But it is a cage that owns the sky and the sea. Here, the Crimson Sect are nothing but barking dogs at the gate. Come. My father is waiting, and he doesn’t like to be kept in suspense—especially when it comes to a man who managed to make the Great Elder Su bleed."

Ethan followed her through corridors lined with tapestries that depicted ancient wars and dragons breathing celestial fire. Every surface was polished to a mirror finish, and the air itself felt heavy with the scent of high-grade incense and pure spiritual energy. They eventually reached a pair of towering double doors made of ivory and gold.

As they approached, Ethan couldn’t suppress his curiosity any longer. The scale of the technology and the absolute authority she carried were starting to paint a picture he couldn’t ignore.

"Major," he began, keeping his voice low as he walked a half-step behind her. "Forgive my ignorance, but... who exactly is your father? May I know his name?"

Isabella stopped and turned to him. The cold, steel-eyed commander who had stood on the bridge of the White-Rhino seemed to melt away, replaced by a woman who looked far more youthful and vibrant in the soft light of the palace. She let out a soft laugh, her eyes twinkling with genuine amusement.

"You are actually quite cute when you look that bewildered," she said, her voice lacking the sharp edge of military command. Away from her subordinates, she carried herself with the relaxed grace of someone born into absolute comfort.

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed. "I’m sorry for not recognizing the signs. As I said, I’ve never set foot in a place like this. Everything is... new."

"I know," Isabella replied, her smile widening. "That’s exactly what makes this so much fun. I’m not used to people looking at me without seeing a title first."

She reached out and straightened the collar of his naval jacket, her fingers lingering for a brief second.

"My father is the Sovereign of these lands," she said, her voice filled with a quiet, undeniable power. "I am Isabella von Dragonia, the Second Princess of the Soaring Dragon Kingdom. And you, Ethan, are about to meet the King."

Ethan felt a jolt of realization hit him harder than any portal whiplash ever could. He wasn’t just a guest of the military; he had been picked up by the royal family themselves. As the massive doors began to groan open, revealing a throne room that seemed to stretch into infinity, Ethan took a deep breath, steeling his heart for the lion’s den.

-------------------

From this moment forward, to avoid confusion regarding cultivation ranks, I will include this footer with the current established levels.

Note: These are only the ranks mentioned so far to avoid spoilers.

Body Refinement Realm

Skin Refinement / Bone Refinement / Organ Refinement

Spiritual Gathering Realm

Spiritual Perception / Spiritual Mist / Spiritual Condensation

Spiritual Core Realm

Core Solidification / Core Awakening / Spiritual Collapse (Half-step Spiritual Core)

Spiritual Soul Realm

Spiritual Soul Awakening / Soul Nourishing / Soul-Core Fusion

Golden Core Realm

Prime Fusion / Core Perfection / Core Destruction

Spiritual Sea Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Dao Manifestation Realm

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??

Spiritual Transcendence

Stage 1 ?? / Stage 2 ?? / Stage 3 ??