Chapter 1701: Preparation [6]

Bastille was a world that developed similarly to those in the lower world.

Since there wasn't anything established and the people had to figure out their history on their own in the few tens of thousands of years that they actually had sentience, the world was divided into several territories controlled by kingdoms, sects, and other organizations.

It was a mixture of several cultures that were similar to those that existed in the outside world, which was interesting considering that there wasn't anything influencing them aside from the people of that world.

Perhaps all living beings evolved in similar directions, or perhaps it was just because this world was originally created by a single man.

If there was one thing to note, it was that everyone in Bastille was also a True Dragon. Damien made it easy for August and influenced their growth direction just a little bit so that they could properly enter Arulion without being questioned.

Otherwise, everything in Bastille had been influenced, caused, and created by its own people.

Whatever the case was, August found himself as a new disciple in an influence called the Forsaken Sea Sect. It bore many similarities to the Celestial Star Palace and other sects from the Cloud Plane, including the systems by which disciples were able to gain status and resources.

August's starting point was small, so he didn't have any immediate opportunities to create a following. He had to find a way around it.

The first thing August did was show his strength at the inner disciple exam.

His original intention was to dominate and make sure that he was promoted directly to a core disciple. It worked for the most part, but August underestimated his opponents.

There was a boy among the disciples. He didn't immediately stand out to an outside observer. Not until combat started.

That boy was perfectly juxtaposed to August. Instead of tsunamis born from the ocean, he controlled seas of magma. It was unclear why he wanted to join the Forsaken Sea Sect, considering its immediate impression as a sect meant for people who used Water Laws.

August learned later that there was a single elder in the sect who controlled flames. His techniques oddly incorporated properties of water, which elevated him to one of the strongest people in the world. Many flame practitioners came to the sect to try and take him as their master.

He had only taken eight disciples to this day.

That boy, Juno Vasquez, was the ninth.

August was also adopted by one of the elders of the sect. He was also a highly sought-after teacher, but the reason August chose him as a master wasn't because of the qualities everyone else focused on.

Oskar Piana was the furthest thing from an Azure Dragon present in the sect. His techniques focused on absolute precision and the ability to use weak strength to destroy strong opponents.

August didn't need a teacher when it came to the Azure Dragon Manual. Every night in his dreams, Qinglong himself would teach him. He didn't need a teacher for his bodily training. The things he'd learned from Damien were enough to support him for a lifetime.

The techniques that he'd need in times of peril, when he didn't have the mana, strength, or time to use Qinglong's techniques, belonged to Oscar.

It was a surprise for anyone who saw how he fought.

He and Juno had a huge clash after everyone else was eliminated. The entire stage was filled with waves of fire and water that crashed against each other with the sole goal of destroying everything.

August and Juno were too equally matched. Everything they tried was returned by the opponent. In the end, the elders were forced to interrupt their battle for the sake of saving time.

That was when the two boys' rivalry began.

Oskar and Stuart, Juno's master, didn't have much of a rivalry before they accepted their new disciples, but August and Juno influenced them so much that this changed within a few weeks.

August and Juno would fight whenever they got the chance, and over time, their rivalry evolved into a friendship.

Two months into August's stay in Bastille, the sect was invaded by a nearby enemy, the Burning Sea Sect.

It turned out that Juno was originally the bastard son of their leader and had killed his half-brother before fleeing. SInce the Forsaken Sea Sect was sheltering him, they came under fire.

Immediately, Juno took responsibility for everything immediately. He told the story of how his mother was brutalized by the Sect Leader and forced to carry his child. He told of how he was constantly abused by the rest of the sect until, eventually, his mother died and he snapped.

His actions were justified from his perspective. They were justified to August as well.

And, though Juno didn't expect it, the Forsaken Sea Sect stood by his side.

The war continued for four more months.

August and Juno entered the battlefield over and over again, making contribution after contribution until they were famous throughout not only the sect, but also the region.

Six months into August's stay in Bastille, the Burning Sea Sect fell, giving Juno and the Forsaken Sea Sect freedom.

It was interesting.

August hadn't been there for long, but he already had an incredible following in the sect. The way he led the troops in battle was impeccable. They somehow gained loyalty specifically to him in that short period of time.

Juno knew from the start that he wasn't a general. He couldn't lead people, but he had something that August didn't.

Brutality.

It had been engraved in his flesh by his upbringing. August wasn't willing to do what was necessary all of the time. He had a moral code that he had to stand by, and though Juno did respect it, he also knew that a pure heart wasn't easy to maintain in this world.

August's heart was what drew people to him. It was what allowed people to believe that their fates could be put in his hands.

And it was what saved people like Juno from their darkness.

In order to protect that purity, Juno resolved himself to follow August and do what his closest friend couldn't.

That was the beginning of their adventure.

August developed a love for the Forsaken Sea Sect after being with its people for so long. Unlike Arulion, which was always enveloped in trouble, the sect was filled with people who were both loyal and kind.

This sect specifically only had a few tens of thousands of people in it, unlike most that took in at least a hundred thousand disciples.

There was a yearly examination to allow people in, but only after thorough screening were they truly allowed to join.

In fact, the sect's highest authorities likely already knew Juno's circumstances from the start.

Nevertheless, August decided to spend the rest of the time helping the sect grow.

He took many excursions to the outside world and explored everything Bastille had to offer. He made many friends and allies who became loyal to him, and as he brought them into the sect, it expanded and expanded.

Within just nine months, the elders had to make a decision.

August had practically taken control of the sect and Oskar's power had rapidly risen. How were they going to respond?

Well, it was probably obvious from everything else said about them, but they easily made the decision to promote August to the young master position. They gave the sect to him, because they knew that he only wanted to see it thrive.

But, a day needed to come when August told them the truth.

He eventually had to tell Juno. He had to tell Oskar and he had to tell the rest of the sect elders.

He was not from this world, and he was not meant to stay.

He would have to part from the tens of thousands of people under his rule whether he liked it or not.

The last three months that August had in Bastille were spent nicely. He enjoyed his time with his people, with the friends he'd made along the way.

Juno, a girl named Mikaela, a girl named Yuna, and a boy named Raul. The five of them had been inseparable until now, so when the final moment finally came, none of them could stand the separation.

August returned to Arulion with sadness in his heart. For a moment, he wondered if his father had to give him an experience like that, knowing that it would leave him with scars.

That was when he remembered.

His father was never a man like that.

And just a few seconds after he appeared in a plain far away from Qinglong's fortress, he suddenly felt a large presence behind him.

He turned around shakily.

He thought that it was an illusion. He thought that it was a result of his sadness. He wanted to pretend that he never felt it at all, because if he turned around and found nothing, he didn't know what he'd do with himself.

But, despite his misgivings, he couldn't stop himself from turning around.

"Ah..."

There they were.

Over fifty thousand people from the Forsaken Sea Sect who saw him as the young master who would lead them to glory, along with another few thousand from the influences and people August had met in the world outside the sect...

Juno, Mikaela, Yuna, Raul, Oskar...

They were all here with smiles on their faces.