Shin stood silently on the balcony of a private room overlooking the pier. By his side, Zishen was enjoying the pleasant autumn breeze, taking in deep breaths as he took in the aroma of the oceans. They were both watching as ships gradually docked and left, their eyes peeled for each one of the flags. Shin was getting especially nervous as well. His feet were tapping and his fingers twitching every time he saw a banner that didn’t bear the Himmel Emblem.

“Mmmm… My Prince, you don’t have to worry. They’ll surely arrive safe and sound.” Zishen naturally was able to pick up on Shin’s concern and immediately moved to reassure him. “The oceans surrounding the Lantis Republic are unquestionably the safest. Even if the Himmel Empire is lacking in naval technology, the Guardian Beasts of each island will ensure their smooth passage into Celestial Island.”

“I know that, but...”

The Guardian Beasts were the lineage of potent Tier 8 and 9 Spirit Beasts that protected each one of the Lantis Archipelago main islands, particularly the waters surrounding them. Celestial Island was protected by the Azure Dragons, the most active dragon race living in the current day. Longyu Reef was guarded by the Kasmoes, a breed of Spirit Fish that lived in vast numbers, each one easily reaching Tier 7 or 8. Though weaker than their counterparts, their strength lay in their enormous amounts, and no army on earth would dare face them without thinking of the consequences.

The Zhangyu Clan was protected by the infamous Krakens, humongous octopus creatures that could bring down a battleship or two just for fun while the Qilong and Heigui Clan were both protected by Spirit Beasts that reflected their Spirits. The Hydras and Xuanwus. They were the only lucky clans that were able to form a contract with Spirit Beasts that mirrored their own Spirits, giving them a significant advantage when it came to cultivation and nurturing their younger generation.

Most of the other Clans didn’t have that luxury. Take the Xunyu Clan for instance. Heavenly Sturgeons were rare in the wild, even within the vast depths of the Lantis Ocean. Not to mention, Heavenly Sturgeons were challenging to raise and required thousands of years to mature. Therefore, the Xunyu Clan turned to a more potent race of Spirit Beasts to lord over their dwellings. The Hippocamps. Powerful half-horse, half-fish creatures, Hippocamps were considered to be the mounts of the High Seas. The Xunyu Clan relied on them heavily to protect the Xunyu Floats and all of its residents.

The Meijing Clan were in a similar state. Due to the shockingly low amount of Arctic Narwhals, they had to employ the help of their more dominant cousin, the Ferocious Orcas. A pod of said orcas were able to take down any Spirit Venerate that swam their way and paired together with the might of the Meijing Clan… Even Spirit Saints would think twice about attacking the Meijing Arctics.

Finally, the Shenshe and Jingyu Clan. Though they weren’t able to find Guardian Beasts that completely reflected their Spirits, they were able to find powerful Spirit Beasts that were similar enough. The Shenshe Clan managed to procure the protection from the Baishe and its lineage. A mighty white serpent that oozed with pearly venomous essence, the Baishe was one of the most feared snakes in existence. Few could take a bite from its venomous fangs and live to see another day.

The Jingyu Clan also had powerful Guardian Beasts protecting them. The Jakiu, also known worldwide as the world’s largest whales, defended Jingyu Haven with a territorial dominance. At birth, they were already the size of a house and could easily eat Tier 5 Spirit Beasts with a happy mouth. Once matured, the weakest would be at Tier 7 while the strongest could challenge Tier 9 Spirit Beasts with ease.

All eight of the Ancient Clans of Water had powerful Spirit Beasts protecting them. Not to mention, the Azure Dragons were protecting Celestial Island, the central nerve of the entire archipelago. Even without their powerful naval force, the Lantis Republic could easily deflect any invasion from the Terre Continent. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the Lantis Ocean was the most protected region in the entire world.

Shin had gotten word that the Himmel Empire’s ships had already entered the Lantis waters, which meant that their protection was assured. So there really wasn’t a need for Shin to feel anxious.

But he just couldn’t help it.

“I can’t wait to see Elyse and the rest…” Shin smiled, his teeth shining with a pearly brilliance.

It wasn’t as if Shin hadn’t had any contact with the orphans. They would routinely pay visits to one another and frequently kept in touch through a string of letters. In fact, when Shin visited the Himmel Empire a few weeks back, he’d had a brief reunion with the family he’d treasured the most. However… Their upcoming reunion was different.

When the orphans land on Celestial Island, they would be relocated to the Lantis Republic for good. Before, the orphans were still part of the Himmel Empire, with many of them embroiled in the nation’s society. For instance, Jacob was a scientist-in-training at the country’s leading science institute while Elyse and Fionn were students of Imperius Academy. They couldn’t just leave willy-nilly. Only after their commitments were resolved, could the youths finally sail towards the Lantis Republic, joining Shin and the twins for… well, for good.

“I wonder if they’re going to be seasick?” Shin wondered out loud.

“Mmmm, you really care about them, don’t you?”

“Haha, that’s right! So don’t you dare bully them, Senior Zishen! I’ll thoroughly punish you if Elyse or Max comes crying to me!” Shin lightly teased.

The butler smiled: “Mmmm… How would I dare?”

Shin had started getting used to having Zishen around. Initially, Shin had thought that it would be rather tricky to bond with the Azure Dragon Lord, who was easily over ten thousand years old. However, after almost four years, Shin had started to see the aged dragon as a bosom friend, one that he could confide in and joke around with. Though, it would be better if Shizen was around…

‘Hah… No use looking back at the past...’ Shin shook his head before his mind was pushed to a negative state. He looked at the horizon as a small dot emerged. Many wouldn’t be able to see the dot without a spyglass, but Shin’s eyes clearly could. Smiling, the man-made a silent vow. ‘What I can do… Is change my future… I won’t let anyone of my friends fall to the Black Masks ever again!!!’

❖❖❖

A half-hour later…

“Shin!” An excited cry reverberated through the silent chambers. A flash of sapphire burst through the private room doors and sped right into Shin’s lean body. Usually, Zishen would have done anything to protect his Prince, but this time, he just stood silently by. If one looked close enough, they would see a small smile break on the expressionless face of the Azure Dragon Lord.

“Elyse!” Shin chuckled as he welcomed the young maiden into his arms. Her sapphire hair was tied into a scorpion braid while her luminescent eyes reflected all light that came into it. Elyse had grown exceptionally well, and a sense of pride filled up Shin's chest. Not to mention, the spiritual energies pulsating out from her pores showed that she’d been cultivating well throughout her years at Imperius Academy.

“I’ve missed you, Elyse! Are you feeling unwell? Are you hungry? Do you want candy?”

“Hmph! Do you honestly think that I’m still a child?!” Exasperated, Elyse removed her arms from Shin’s waist and looked at her elder brother queerly. “I don’t need candy, you moron!”

“Eyyy, don’t be like that! Here! Have some of our Lantis Republic’s legendary candied haw! It was your favourite when you’re young!”

“I told you, I’m no longer a child! I’m already twenty-one! Ready to marry in fact?”

“HUH?! What are you talking about?! Do you have a boyfriend? No, this can’t work… Elyse, you have to let me see him once. No… It’ll be better if I can evaluate him for a week or two. Zishen, I want a full report of this mystery boy...”

“Enough! Enough! I don’t have a boyfriend!” Seeing how dead-serious Shin was, Elyse hurriedly retorted her brother’s comment. She was worried that Shin would really scour the entire Himmel Empire just in search for a boy that didn’t exist.

“Wow… To think that the Proud Daughter of Death could make such a face...” An amused voice echoed out from the back. Lia, who was accompanied by Ryner, chuckled as she watched Elyse frantically denounce Shin’s claims. “I’m sure all those suitors from Imperius Academy would be dropping their jaws at this scene.”

Although Elyse was already twenty-one-years-old and a fully grown woman, Shin still saw her as the same little sister that hung tightly by his side. “Hehe, if they have a problem with that I would like to hear it!”

“Hah… You still haven’t fixed that overprotective nature of yours, huh?” Ryner giggled. The black-haired man was now standing at 1.75 metres tall, an average height for a hunter his age. Ryner was the next one in line to embrace Shin with a smile. “Shin, thanks for receiving us.” Ryner knew how busy his younger brother was, being the Prince of the Lantis Republic as well as the new head of Guardian Sword. For him to personally come down to the pier… Shin must have sacrificed much of his valuable time.

“Haha, you don’t have to worry about that!” Shin didn’t frown in the slightest. “Ella and Emma would have come too, but they’re insistent on cooking some delicacies for you back home.”

“My two little sisters are going to be working the stove?!” Lia looked perplexed. Let’s just say… She had a ‘wonderful’ experience when the twins tried to cook something back in Lady Seph’s abode. “Will the kitchen be alright?”

“You don’t have to worry about that! Surprisingly, their cooking skills, particularly Emma’s, improved quite a bit.” Shin reassured his eldest sister. Then, his gaze slowly moved to the remaining three youths that entered the room after Lia and Ryner.

“Fionn, Max, Jacob! It’s been a while! Come, give your brother a hug!”

However, instead of jumping into Shin’s arms like Elyse and Ryner before them, the trio placed both their hands out in rebuttal. “Brother Shin… We’ve met just a few weeks back...” Max grimaced.

“Yeah, there’s no need for that many hugs right?” Fionn retorted as well.

“Also… We’re grown up… We can’t be treated as kids that hug their brother like koala bears forever...” Jacob landed the final blow, and Shin despondently fell to the floor. All three of them… The three loving children of his memory… Actually denied him of hugs?!

“Y-You… You guys… Is this what it feels like to have teenage kids that are going through puberty? Will Errol be like them in the future?” Shin murmured, fearful that his adorable and loving adopted child would take on the traits of his fellow siblings.

“Buahahahaha! To think that the Prince of the Lantis Republic, the feared Prince of Water and the most powerful Luminary of our generation would have this day!” A burst of bellowing laughter echoed into the chambers as a silver-haired man strolled in.

Shin wasn’t amused though. His eyes glazed over, and he nonchalantly replied: “Oh right… Isadore, you were here too.”

“What do you mean ‘Oh Right?!’ You’re primary objective for coming here is to welcome me, a Himmel Prince, right?”

After Isadore attacked the west with the Himmel Ancestor, his status as the next Himmel Spear was revealed. Just like the Himmel Ancestor, Isadore was supposed to walk a path in the shadows, never showing himself in the open. Although he was technically a Himmel Prince, Isadore had no political power over the Empire. He wasn’t even in line to inherit the throne. Isadore’s purpose was to become more powerful until he eventually inherited the Himmel Ancestor’s position as the Himmel Empire’s Eternal Guardian.

However, the Allfather and Black Masks had forced the Himmel Ancestor to change his mind about Isadore’s training. In the end, if the Himmel Empire wanted to rid the world of the Black Masks, they needed the help of every superpower that existed. Thus, having Isadore join Guardian Sword wasn’t that difficult of a choice.

“Yeah, yeah. Oh, exalted Prince of Himmel. Welcome to Celestial Island. There? You happy?” Shin lazily recited the simple speech made for welcoming guests. Of course, he omitted ninety percent of it and just read the opening and ending.

“Somehow, I feel cheated.” Isadore frowned. However, he quickly got over it. Taking two steps forward, the silver-haired man let out a conniving grin, one that brought shivers down Shin’s innocent spine.

“Anyway, I’ve brought a surprise for you.”

“What is it?”

“Hehe, come in!” Isadore clapped twice like a master magician cueing the end of his show. At that moment, seven figures made their way down from the other side of the hallways and slowly made their appearance. All of them were gallant and noble, each one dressed in better robes than the next. However, the ones that really caught Shin’s attention were the front three that led the charge.

“Y-You guys are!”

“Long time no see, Shin!” Danroy Frithron, the familiar fatso who had seemingly gained a few additional kilograms, made his entry. “It’s been a while! I’ll be in your care for the next few years!” Natasha Aldana, the infamous Moonlight Sword, greeted Shin as well. However, it was the one man that stood over all of them, that nearly gave Shin a heart attack.

“Shin Iofiel… We meet again.”

“H-Hi there… Suji...”

That’s right.

Isadore, the newly crowned Prince of Himmel… Had brought over three of the Himmel Empire’s top geniuses to join Guardian Sword.