The New Era Has Arrived

A chilling breath from the Endless Sea swept across the sky, where clouds were faintly visible. Above the vast forest, two figures streaked across the heavens.

They have wings on their backs, but they are neither angels under the throne of gods, nor demons from the sulfurous hell.

It is humans.

The wings had a metal skeleton and a woven skin. The skeleton was light and strong, made of a magical alloy tempered by fire elements, and the skin was woven from celestial yarn, which was wind-friendly and flexible.

With the help of Gravity Resistance Formula on the magic alloy skeleton and Wind Spirit Magic Circle on the skin, mages achieve flight in the air using the mysteries of hydrodynamics and magic.

With their wingtips skimming through the ethereal air currents, the dual-mage squadron conducted aerial reconnaissance over a designated area. They controlled their flight direction with minimal Magic Power, soaring through the sky like birds.

Without the aid of a hang glider, and instead relying on their own Magic Power to complete this flight—these two mid-level mages would probably crash to the ground and enter the second dimension after flying about three kilometers.

Yet this is precisely the essence and Truth of magic—to reach the extraordinary with minimal cost.

They flew like birds, observing the earth through windproof goggles enhanced with Elemental Scrutiny Formula. They would occasionally turn their heads to check on their companions. Although their faces were covered by breathing masks and their expressions were not visible, they could still see the smiling eyes of their companions, indicating that everything was normal.

"Flying Eagle-2, all as usual. Ha, this thing is fucking useful."

The mage with wine-red hair spoke with his head bowed.

"All is normal, Eagle-2, no idle chat."

The familiar voice of my companion rang in my ears.

The reason this effect can be achieved is due to the new equipment.

Where the heavy explosive bottle was originally hung on the tactical buckle on the mage's light flying armor, a small cube was now attached. The cube had many buttons and a short stick that could be extended or retracted. By extending the stick, inserting a string into the hole at the top, and then inserting a small cotton ball at the other end into the ear, one could communicate with companions in real time.

Upon receiving this new equipment for the first time, the noble mage was still astonished, despite repeatedly reminding himself to maintain the demeanor and dignity of a spellcaster.

Then he did "the stupid thing that every new person who gets a walkie-talkie would do."

They would hold this thing and talk to their companions from a distance. After hearing the other person's voice, they would burst into hysterical laughter on the walkie-talkie, like idiots. Then, like children chasing kites, they would run around with the thing, running far away to test how far its maximum communication range really was.

Clearly, this was the first time he had ever seen something like this.

No Magic Power foundation is required, and even mortals can use it. This is the ultimate pursuit of alchemists: simple, efficient, and powerful. Such a thing has never appeared in Goth before, and it has never been heard of in the entire continent. Just a small black box annihilated the battlefield real-time short-range magical communication link that the Twilight Moon Arcane Center had spent a fortune to build, leaving not a trace.

Only the legendary figure could provide such a mysterious and magnificent alchemical masterpiece.

Dragon of Cathay, Sword of Deterrence, His Highness Kant, the Great Kang De.

Today is the second day of the search and rescue mission. After finishing the first day of search work last night, these flying wing reconnaissance teams received this alchemy equipment.

As a result, the efficiency of the entire search and command system was greatly improved. The observation balloons no longer needed to use complex flashing signals to convey messages. They could communicate simply by pressing a button. The various reconnaissance teams could also use this device to communicate with each other and confirm the situation, greatly increasing both safety and efficiency.

This was just a search.

What if it were... war?

All Dharma Masters are people with broad knowledge and high levels of education. They have a vision, knowledge, and experience that surpass ordinary people, and naturally they possess better logical thinking and imagination.

They couldn't help but wonder what this thing meant.

One can't help but wonder what it means that His Highness Kang De could casually produce this item.

Even while suspended in mid-air, the wine-red-haired mage could not suppress the urge to speak.

"Listen, man, this thing is just too powerful, too outrageous, too terrifying! We're only using it to find some missing dragons, and in just three hours we've already surpassed yesterday's progress. If this thing appears on the battlefield... do you know what that means?"

He blurted out, "Think about it! Think about it! A battlefield of tens of thousands! A vast battlefield! Fleeting opportunities! Once the battle reaches its climax, the commander will lose control of the army—that kind of thing is gone forever!"

"With this, the commander of an army can even order a ten-man archer squad at a slingshot position several kilometers away to move their formation forward by ten meters!"

He exclaimed excitedly, "Do you know what this means?!"

His partner responded nonchalantly, "Does that mean the coach is stupid?"

"... Damn! I'm talking about absolute battlefield information superiority! All the changes, all the details, no longer need to be reported by messengers, and the commander-in-chief no longer needs to stand on the high command platform, risking a concentrated barrage of enemy sniper and mage teams to observe the battle!"

The monk shouted, "Military textbooks will be rewritten! The art of war will be revolutionized!"

His companion, still observing the ground, responded casually, "And then?"

"..."

He shouted frantically, "And then His Highness Kang De brought these out! And he brought out at least a hundred or two at once! He must understand the true purpose and value of these things, which means his homeland must have been using them in war long ago!"

"And this is just for battlefield communication, an auxiliary alchemical device. What about the ones used in combat—like the alchemical weapons he used to wipe out an entire elven air force in minutes over Danfeng Lucerne! And those strange things those greenskins and Valentan People are carrying!"

At this point, he suddenly lowered his voice. "Your Highness Kang De... is he really from Cathay?"

His companion finally turned his head. "... What?"

"Think about it. With this kind of alchemical equipment and those alchemical weapons, there must be many more things we don't know about. If it were Cathay, if Cathay possessed such weapons and facilities, how could they have been almost wiped out by the alien race? Just how powerful must their enemies be?"

The monk whispered, "If not, then where exactly does Prince Kang De come from...?"

His companion paused for a moment, then finally turned back to continue observing the earth, saying calmly, "Is there any point?"

"Of course!" the mage said. "If even we can think of it, wouldn't others? Those important figures, the masters of the Council, the monarchs of various countries, the powerful figures of the continent—if they discover something like this, they will definitely become curious, and once they become curious, they will..."

"--What will happen?"

"It will... it will..." The monk was about to speak when a strange look appeared on his face.

"So, is it even worth it?" The wingman's tone was flat, devoid of both curiosity and worry. "Even if we discover it, so what? Even if we're curious, so what? His Highness Kang De must have figured this out before bringing out this alchemical equipment. He doesn't care, and there's only one reason why he doesn't care."

"When you possess the power to destroy an army group, annihilate a city, paralyze a medium-sized country, or severely cripple a hegemonic power with a single strike, then your secret will remain a secret forever. Everyone will respect your privacy and your right to keep your secrets."

At this point, the mage's wingman glanced at his more talkative companion.

"Don't worry, the big shots have experienced more than you, so they're smarter than you; they possess more than you, so they're more timid than you."

The monk nodded blankly, then exclaimed, "What do you mean!"

"It means..." The companion blinked, turned around and looked back, at the very center of the core, which was protected by dozens of Eye of Lucius hidden in the clouds.

It is the place where the Cathayan lived.

He oversees the overall situation and directs everything here.

A glint of amusement flashed in the wingman's eyes. "Get ready, Goth's new era is about to begin."

"Huh?" the mage said, "I acknowledge His Highness Kang De's power, and I'm grateful that he saved Goth. I'm even a little envious of his incredible ability to woo the Elf Queen, but this 'new era' thing... isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? How could an outsider possibly bring a new era to a country?"

"Let's wait and see," his companion said. "Come on, let's go check out that canyon!"

Using Magic Power, they slightly raised the nose of the glider, ascending to a certain height, and then began to glide downwards again, passing through the thin clouds. The cold air, even after being softened by breathing masks, was still refreshing. The spellcasters flew through the vast forest, slowly approaching the mountains.

After flying for a while, the mage couldn't resist anymore; he had actually just brought up another topic.

"Are you serious about His Highness Kang De and the Phoenix King?"

Suddenly, a solemn and serious voice rang out from his companion. "Look!"

The mage was startled, then heard his companion say, "One o'clock—that canyon!"

He looked in that direction, Elemental Sensing Formula on his goggles didn't react at all. "What?"

"That dense forest where it meets the canyon feels a bit unnatural. It's rarely visited, yet the forest seems trampled or struck by something... There shouldn't be any large, strange beasts living here," my companion murmured. "And it seems a bit too quiet here..."

Since they are partners, they should have some understanding of each other.

The wine-red-haired mage asked, "Aren't there any birds?"

"Yes, as one of the most lush ecosystems, this jungle and mountains are so quiet, there's hardly any sign of bird activity," his companion replied. "Slow down, let's fly around here once, without lowering our altitude. Our mission is to investigate carefully and meticulously, not recklessly and aggressively. Let's observe first and see if we can find any more signs... then report back to command."

They turned their bodies, causing the gliders to change direction. The two mages hovered and flew through the air, but at a considerable altitude. From their high vantage point, the boundary between the canyon and the dense forest was covered with vegetation, with canopies of grass and trees forming a forest. It would be difficult to spot anything unless they lowered their altitude or even landed.

"So, should we report this to the command center?"

"If there's nothing unusual, how do we report to the command center?"

The investigation team must have a certain degree of discretionary power. They cannot simply report to the command center every time they find the slightest clue, only to have a large team arrive to investigate and return empty-handed. If every team did that, then everyone would basically be rendered useless.

However, descending to a lower altitude or even landing would be too dangerous.

"What to do?"

The two circled each other as they spoke.

The mage with wine-red hair said, "I have an idea."

"What?"

"We haven't seen any birds... Let's check if there are any birds here."

He released one arm, his fingertips pointing towards the dense forest below. The air swirled and sprayed from his fingertips, an invisible stream of air whistling down, swirling and entwining, accumulating a restrained power.

It fell into the forest.

A deafening explosion rang out, huge yet harmless—because the spell's effect was merely to create sound.

It's enough to scare animals.

The next moment, the flock of birds in the forest was startled and flew out with a whoosh.

They seemed to be taking a nap—the mage had just breathed a sigh of relief when his companion shouted, "Run!"

Startled, he used his Eagle Eye to look down more closely. Adjusting his viewing distance allowed him to see the scene below clearly, and the flock of birds swooping out was very strange!

Various kinds, different sizes, and different colors, but at this moment they all flew out together, their frantic cries filled with pain, and most importantly, their bodies... were flowing with an eerie purple light!

It grows and deforms from within the body, like some kind of foreign object.

He exclaimed in surprise, "What is that?!"

This was just an instinctive exclamation; he didn't expect his companion to be able to answer his question—after all, they were classmates, studied and progressed together, and their knowledge levels were roughly equal.

But his companion still answered his question, and with a perfectly correct answer.

"It's something that wants to bite us!"

"Turn around!"

The mages adjusted their direction, then lowered the nose of their aircraft, increasing their speed as they swooped down. However, flocks of birds kept rushing out from the forests they passed through, moving at an extremely fast speed, almost breaking through the limitations of their physical bodies. They ignored the damage to their tissues and the limits of their functions, chasing after them frantically!

"No! They're too fast!"

The monk shouted, "Leave this dense forest!"

In this situation, continuing to descend would be like drinking poison to quench thirst, but they needed speed now. The wingtips stirred up air currents, a gale hit their faces, and a strange scream came from behind them. The ground below was getting closer and closer.

"Attacked by an unknown swarm of alien creatures. Requesting backup!"

In the midst of the crisis, the mage finally remembered the organization. He adjusted the channel, shouted into the walkie-talkie, and then pulled out a signal flare from the tactical clasp. Infused with Magic Power, it shone brightly and soared into the sky!

"We're about to engage! They're coming!" his comrade gritted his teeth and shouted, "Get off the glider! Otherwise, we won't be able to defend ourselves!"

Without a second thought, the monk suddenly pulled and released his hands.

With a bang, the glider detached from its back and crashed backward. The self-destruct spell was activated instantly, and the swirling wind pressure turned the threads of the Celestial Veil into tough, fine blades that slashed wildly in the air. The corrupted birds were torn to pieces, but more birds screamed violently and chased after it at an even faster speed.

The two mages unfurled their flying squirrel armor and accelerated their descent, while Arcane Missile flashed from their fingertips as they launched them backward to intercept the incoming attacks.

However, flocks of birds came from all directions, attacking them relentlessly.

"Closer!"

The birds swooping down from below were already at a distance where their wings were clearly visible to the naked eye.

The two mages exchanged a glance and simultaneously retracted their flying squirrel robes.

The flock of birds flapped their wings and surrounded them. The two reached out and grabbed each other's arms. The inertia of flight pulled them into a spinning descent. Then, the two spellcasters simultaneously drew short staffs from behind their backs, infused them with Magic Power, and elements took shape—one blue and one red. Frost Ray and Blazing Flame Ray, two beams of light, swung around like swords as their bodies spun, sweeping across the charging flock of birds, breaking through the encirclement, and plummeting downwards.

When external aids are no longer available, what remains is the caster's own cultivation and skill.

Use of flight magic.

Summon the winds, defy gravity.

However, mid-level mages have limited Magic Power and cannot sustain long-distance flight.

Moreover, we still can't leave the forest area... who knows what even more terrifying things might be lurking below.

They looked at each other, and both could see the sigh and despair in each other's eyes.

"Damn it," the mage muttered, "I should have told Yilian I loved her before I left..."

The cries of flocks of birds overhead grew closer and closer.

The next moment, a violent roar shook the sky.

Then the mages heard a series of sharp, piercing sounds as objects pierced the air, followed by a series of explosive booms. The flock of birds behind them were torn apart and fell to the ground.

They looked up in surprise and saw a streak of light, like Flame, rushing towards them from afar. It was incredibly fast, like a thunderbolt, and arrived almost instantly. They could see the shape of the thing clearly.

A suit of steel armor... with intense, dazzling streams of light shooting out from behind it.

A private joke among Goth's legal circles: If you see a huge iron block with fire-breathing rear end darting around in the sky or on the ground at an extremely high speed, it must be the work of His Highness Kang De.

Now, the two spellcasters have a new understanding of this joke.

What kind of giant iron block spews fire from its butt?

This thing is so cool, so powerful, so exciting!

Almost instantly, the steel armor flew in front of them, hovered, and then, without pausing, lifted them into the sky, one in each hand, its fiery tail streaking across the heavens, straight upwards.

Then they heard His Highness Kang De's voice. "Can you still fly?"

The two nodded like chicks pecking at rice.

"Then fly by yourself for a while!"

Kang De threw them out, then flipped downwards. The two mages gathered their Magic Power and hovered. Then they saw two flat cuboids rise from the shoulders of Prince Kang De's armor, and then he threw out dozens of tiny objects in one go, trailing long flames as they flew downwards.

Then came a series of dazzling explosions.

Flames spewed from the armor's hands, shoulders, and waist, cutting through the surging flock of birds like invisible blades. Then, the mages heard a dragon's roar echo in the sky as a white dragon swooped down from afar, its ferocious breath engulfing the surging flock of birds.

Kang De called out, "Take these two people away first!"

The two spellcasters who had performed meritorious service enjoyed a special privilege that most living people in the world had never experienced—a special sightseeing seat for the dragon.

It was then grabbed by the dragon's claws and carried away.

They obediently dangled in the air, only trying their best to turn their heads to look at the scene behind them. The dragon flew a little further away and also hovered, with the two of them looking in the direction where Kang De was.

What is he going to do?

Spellcasters also flew in from the surrounding area.

Then, the mages saw the sky open a dark portal.

A dark shadow, barely visible to the naked eye, whistled down and plunged into the forest.

Soil flew everywhere, air currents roared, vegetation was swept away, and debris and wreckage were thrown tens or even hundreds of meters high. Terrifying explosions kicked up high dust clouds, which continued to explode and roar in this forest area. The violent power shook the sky and the earth, and in an instant, it enveloped this area in absolute destruction. Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Then, the monks heard the rumbling sound.

A sulfurous wind was blowing from over there.

"... You're right." After a long silence, the wine-red-haired mage turned blankly to his companion and said, "A new era is dawning."

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PS1: 5,500 words... Ah, once a habit is formed, it's so hard to break...