White Sea District sat beside the endless ocean, its shores kissed by waves that had traveled thousands of miles.
The reason people nad it White Sea was very simple.
It was due to the massive amount of water mana concentrated in the area, saturating the air, the land, and every living thing within the district’s borders.
During nights, when people touched the water, the subrged parts of their skin would glow in a soft whitish gold. The light was faint but unmistakable, like tiny stars trapped beneath the surface.
This was also the reason White Sea was a tourist district, overseen by the White Sea Guild.
Due to the massive water mana, people in this city were tempered by water mana from birth. Their bodies adapted. Their mana highly leaned toward the water elent.
So, most of them would awaken the water elent naturally when they beco rankers.
Outside the teleportation center, the group stepped into the open air.
With fake identities in hand, Cael and the others found themselves facing no issues.
The system accepted their false nas without question.
The group of four, or technically only two people, went to an ocean shore.
The Black Lightning Clone and Frostfla Clone followed behind them closely, their eyes curiously scanning the crowd.
The harbor buzzed with activity. rchants shouted over one another, hawking snacks and souvenirs.
Seagulls circled overhead, screeching for scraps. Ropes creaked against dock posts. Waves slapped against wooden hulls. The air slled of salt, fish, and engine fuel. Sowhere, a ship horn blared in the distance.
"Let’s not waste any more ti."
Cael said as he checked nearby ships for rent.
The renters did not find it strange. After all, most tourists did the sa. They were used to visitors arriving at all hours, eager to see the glowing waters.
"I want that ship. I will pay double."
Hearing that, the renter’s eyes widened in disbelief. Junior’s expression shifted as well, his blind eyes turning toward Cael’s voice.
The following process proceeded smoothly.
Within minutes, Cael and Junior were on a ship, moving into the open ocean. The waves lapped against the hull. The salt spray filled the air. The shore slowly shrank behind them until it beca a thin line on the horizon.
"Where exactly is the rmaid’s Flower Garden?"
Cael asked curiously as he gazed at the vast ocean, the endless blue stretching in every direction.
Junior answered as he turned toward Cael.
"Underwater. There is a wind bubble stuck in the deep."
Cael nodded and continued,
"I see. But how do you know about it?"
Junior answered without much thought.
"Well, my artifact, the Heavenly Book, gave this information."
Cael did not ask further. He simply let out an "Oh."
Then Junior continued,
"But to enter the realm, we need the right timing. The deep will briefly open for five minutes during the night. We have to enter the realm within that duration."
Cael turned his head.
"Well, soone did the thorough work."
Junior chuckled as he said,
"How could I neglect a place that may contain clues to becoming a celestial?"
Cael frowned slightly.
"What do you an by celestial?"
He had heard that word before, but Cael could not recall where. It lingered at the edge of his mory, just out of reach.
Hearing Cael’s question, Junior was stunned. He had spoken that word carelessly.
Nonetheless, Junior sighed. That word "celestial" had stuck in his tongue and mind for so long that he used it without much thought.
Still, Junior composed himself and looked at Cael.
They looked into each other’s eyes for a mont. The wind carried the salt spray between them.
Neither of them spoke; the only sound was the gentle lapping of waves against the hull.
The ship rocked gently beneath them. A seabird cried out in the distance, its call swallowed by the vast emptiness of the ocean. The sun hung low, painting the water in shades of gold and deep blue.
Then Junior diverted his gaze and said,
"Before that, let ask you sothing."
Cael was invested in the conversation. He sat opposite Junior, his back against the railing, and said,
"Sure."
Junior hesitated before asking directly,
"Tell , Cael. Do you think the status interface, skills, and classes existed from the beginning of ti?"
Cael’s eyes widened in shock.
Not because it was a shocking or mind-blowing question. But because until Junior said those words, Cael had never even thought about it.
The status interface had always been there. Skills had always been there. Classes had always been there.
But... he had never questioned their origin.
Seeing that Cael was not answering, Junior smiled and said,
"Long ago. I an very, very long ago. Before the status, class, and skills even existed."
Junior paused, letting the words sink in before continuing,
"This world was ruled by beings that surpassed the natural order. So call them deities. So call them gods. So call them titans. And so call them rulers."
He leaned forward slightly.
"These beings are known as... celestials."
Cael asked curiously,
"Are they that powerful? Is celestial a race or sothing?"
Cael did not doubt Junior’s words. His skill, True Insight of Origin, which had been created from the fusion of Wrong Eye and other skills, did not activate.
That ant Junior was not lying. Every word was true.
That said, Cael was also shocked by the sudden revelation. His mind raced, trying to fit this new information into what he already knew.
Hearing Cael’s question, Junior imdiately shook his head.
"No. Celestials are not a race. And yes, they were powerful. Strong enough to kill an [Origin] ranker with a glance."
Then Junior took a small breath, readying himself. Today, he was going to tell Cael everything he knew about the celestials.
"Celestials... how should I put it? Ah, right. Listen carefully... Celestials, in a way, are just like Rankers. Think of it as the na of a power system."
Junior continued, his voice steady, each word asured.
"Like how Rankers have [Iron], [Bronze], and such, the Celestials also have stages. In short, Celestial is just a title, just like how normal people call a Ranker a Ranker."
He raised a finger, the wind catching his sleeve.
"But don’t get it wrong. Just because I compared Celestials with Rankers, do not degrade them. I said earlier, they were too strong. The comparison is only in structure, not in power."
Junior continued,
"One cannot beco a Celestial by luck alone. One needed fate. Strong willpower. And finally... an artifact."
Cael was puzzled. Artifact? Really? His brow furrowed. He opened his mouth to ask, but before he could say anything, Junior continued.
"Questions for later. For now, just listen."
Junior took a breath as he continued,
"Where was I? Ah. How one becos a Celestial. Fate, willpower, artifact... those are just the things you need to enter the pathway. To find your own path."
Cael’s eyes widened in shock.
Pathway. That word again. It was sothing he had been thinking about for so ti.
Cael already knew where the pathway was. It was in Death Valley, the sa Death Valley he had been planning to enter.
Cael wanted to ask many questions. His mind raced with them. But ultimately, he stayed silent as Junior continued.
"I don’t know much about the pathway myself. But if I had to put it in one word, it is a... test."
Junior’s voice grew quieter, almost a whisper.
"A test to see if the person is worthy to beco a Celestial. Once the person proves their path and is deed worthy, they will beco a Celestial. If they fail, they beco angels."
He waved a hand dismissively, as if brushing aside sothing insignificant.
"I am not going to explain the power system of that era. It is different from the Ranker system. Still, the strongest ones, below Celestials and Angels, were called the Supre stage."
Junior looked out at the ocean. The vast blue stretched to the horizon, empty and endless. The sun reflected off the water in scattered shards of light.
"The Supre stage was roughly comparable to, if not stronger than, [Origin] rankers of our era. But still, even a failed pathway person, an Angel, was strong enough to kill thousands of Supre stage people."
He turned back to Cael, as if his blind eyes were sohow eting Cael’s gaze.
"So, I leave the imagination to you."
Cael processed all those words in his mind. The weight of them pressed against his thoughts like stones sinking into deep water.
He sat in silence for a long mont, then he asked,
"If such beings truly existed in the past, how did the world withstand their powers?"
Junior shook his head slowly.
"That is sothing I do not know."
Cael nodded in understanding. Then his head snapped up slightly. His eyes widened as he recalled sothing and asked,
"Tell about the ’fate’ you ntioned."
Cael did not know why, but a weird and impossible thought had just crossed his mind.
’It shouldn’t be.’
_____
[A/N: Unedited Chapter.]
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