Floating Island - Triple S Talent - Chapter 479

Chapter 479: Black sword
The five black flames were already there.

As if they possessed a will of their own, the flames hovered in the air, forming a circle around her. Then, in one smooth motion, they merged—creating an invisible barrier that trapped her inside.

Boom!

Laras swung her sword at the barrier formed from the black flames. A metallic clang rang out, but there were no cracks, no sparks, as if her sword had struck an unshakable void.

At that moment, something even more terrifying occurred. The energy within her body was suddenly drained out, like water being sucked through a crack in dry soil. Her chest tightened, and her body weakened in an instant.

“What is this…? Impossible!”

Panicked, Laras examined herself, trying to find the source of the disturbance. But nothing seemed different—no wounds, no visible changes, except for the increasing weakness flooding her body. The black flames still raged around her, forming a perfect prison.

“Brother Lein!” she shouted, her voice echoing against the fiery walls.

As if in response, a faint glow emanated from her spatial ring. The black sword that Lein had once given her floated out on its own, hovering in the air.

“The black sword?” she muttered, her brows furrowed.

But before she could react further, something happened. The sword began to tremble, its surface glowing with an intensifying light. Slowly, its shape shifted. A human figure started to form, the lines of his face growing clearer, until finally, someone she knew very well stood before her.

“Brother Lein…?” Laras’s voice quivered with hope and confusion.

The man before her raised his head, his gaze calm. “Hello, Miss Laras. I may resemble my master, but I am not him.”His tone was flat, devoid of excess emotion. Laras blinked, studying the face that was nearly identical to Lein’s, though it bore a slightly different aura.

Without wasting a moment, the clone Lein stepped forward. Casually, he raised one hand and struck the wall of flame with a powerful punch.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed, but the wall showed no signs of weakening.

The clone showed no concern. He stepped back half a pace, then struck again, this time with more force.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each blow rang out like an explosion shaking the air. Laras held her breath, eyes wide as she watched the intensity of the strikes. If such force had hit the ground, the entire area might have been reduced to rubble.

“Huft… tough one,” the clone Lein muttered lightly, as if this were merely a small challenge.

Then, without hesitation, he activated one of his abilities—(Skill 3: Area of Light).

In an instant, his body was engulfed in light, the aura around him flaring with immense intensity. Laras could feel a surge of energy erupting from him, hot and thick like a furnace on the verge of exploding.

The clone clenched his fist once more. This time, when his punch struck the wall of flames—

Crack!

A crack spread quickly across the surface of the black flame barrier. Within seconds—

Boom!

The wall collapsed. The once untouchable black fire vanished like dust in the wind.

Laras stepped back, making sure she wasn’t in the way of clone Lein’s movements. But when nothing else happened, she finally exhaled in relief. The clone walked toward her, his expression still calm.

“Thank you…” Laras said, her voice full of gratitude.

However, as she looked at him, her thoughts drifted back to the day when Lein first gave them all these artifacts.

“There’s no need to thank me, Miss Laras,” the clone replied respectfully. “I am your guardian, always ready to protect you.”

Laras widened her eyes. All this time, every time she encountered a clone of Lein, they had always acted carefree and slightly mischievous, as if they lacked a sense of duty. But the one standing before her now… was different. This clone bore a maturity, a seriousness—like a loyal old servant bound by unwavering duty.

“What do you mean?” Laras asked, her brow furrowed.

The clone remained standing tall before her, his expression calm and free of doubt. “I belong to Miss Laras, and so I will protect you, no matter what happens,” he said with steady conviction. There was no hesitation, no reproach in his voice—only unshakable resolve.

Laras was silent for a moment. Her eyes studied the clone before her, seeking answers in his composed gaze. Then, she took a deep breath and nodded slowly, accepting the truth he had just revealed.

Thinking it through, Lein had indeed planned everything from the start. He had allowed them into the Manifestation Zone with clear intent. Laras and Evan, both equipped with swords gifted by Lein, had likely been prepared to face whatever challenges lay within this place. Even if they had to confront a peak-level Grandmaster, they were meant to survive.

But reality turned out to be far worse than they had anticipated.

Something out there had changed—and changed rapidly. In less than a day, the Kings had already taken control of the zone.

Laras bit her lip, unease creeping into her thoughts. “I don’t know what’s happening out there…” she murmured softly.

Her eyes scanned the surroundings. Ancient pillars stood tall, emanating a faint glow that grew stronger with every passing moment. The sect’s ancestral command had been clear: they had to construct as many pillars as possible before time ran out.

Only five minutes remained.

“One minute left…” Laras murmured, her voice nearly drowned in the tension that hung heavy in the air. Her chest felt tight. It would be a relief if they could return to a safe place before something terrible happened.

But if the situation worsened—if a great war truly broke out—then the only one she could rely on was the clone of Lein standing by her side.

Laras glanced at him. The clone remained calm, his composure unshaken even with danger possibly looming just ahead. The aura radiating from his body seemed to act as an invisible shield, offering a faint sense of safety amid the uncertainty.

Suddenly—

A massive explosion shook the void!

Blinding light erupted.

Laras tensed, her eyes widening as she saw a massive constellation pattern forming above the emptiness. Points of light shimmered in the sky, merging into a flawless formation.

And then—the constellation fell.