Game World: I Can Share Talents

The ornithopter was incredibly fast. From Westheid’s perspective through the observation window, it looked as if it were tearing through space itself.

Along the way, they saw countless other fighters and warships of all types. Although they couldn’t truly reach the upper atmosphere, the mortals of this ancient kingdom had still managed to maintain a massive air force.

Even though these warships and fighters, which had not undergone the Ascension Ceremony, were completely ineffective against Chaos, simply being able to fight untethered from the ground was a success in itself.

These aerial vehicles glittered like schools of fish patrolling the ocean.

Westheid: "There are so many. Just how many legions are rushing to reinforce the front line?"

"The fortress reported destroyed was Xuli’s most solid line of defense. We must have been hit by the Chaos Demon Army that annihilated Heswira. Riding the momentum of their great victory, they likely shattered the front line in an instant."

Wan Qi said gravely, "But even the Chaos Demon Army can’t launch another offensive after smashing through so many defensive lines in such a short time. We have to rebuild our defenses during this window. Every second counts."

’Is the pressure really that immense?’

Westheid found it hard to imagine. In the future era, where the Realms of Order stood strong, Chaos was still considered a great enemy, but it was pinned down at the border, completely unable to move. It posed no threat whatsoever to the core provinces.

Even in the future Age of Strife when the Celestial Gods were absent, the direct threat from Chaos wasn’t that significant—less so, even, than the infighting between warlords. It never escalated to the level of threatening kingdoms with annihilation or worlds with extinction.

’Looks like I need to brush up on my history.’

Westheid picked up a nearby tablet and began to browse through the database.

It was faster and more convenient to look things up himself than to keep asking a million questions.

Piloting the ornithopter, Wan Qi flew past several Floating Cities in the rear echelon before entering the war zone.

In stark contrast to the cities in the rear, the difference in the fortress cities at the front was obvious at a glance.

They had no extraneous decorations. The entire Floating Fortress, including its base, was encased in an obscene amount of thick metal. The shields generated by the Force Field generators gave off a faint, curved glow.

On the fortress’s surface, crimson towers served as main cannons and silver halls as armor plating. Dense arrays of autocannons and anti-air batteries stood at the ready. At least half of the surface area was equipped with flat landing platforms for various small fighter craft.

’Just like the Terra Imperial Palace.’

They called it a Floating City, but it was really just a massive, floating warship with a large number of buildings constructed on top.

They were constructed with a nearly brutalist aesthetic, creating a fortress of iron and blood that left almost no room for any warmth—only cold, stark elements.

Sporadic warships and airships floated near these Sky Fortresses, moving about as they received military orders.

This kingdom—no, this entire civilization—was a highly militarized society. Almost everything existed for the sake of war.

Although his observation time had been short, he could already draw this conclusion with certainty from everything he had seen and heard.

The ornithopter slowed down, approached a Floating Fortress, and came to a stop on a conveyor belt on one of its platforms.

"Fortress Twenty-One, this is High-tier Cultivator Wan Qi of the Monastery, requesting to end my leave early."

The fighter moved across the platform. A moment later, a voice came over the comms channel:

"Acknowledged, High-tier Cultivator Wan Qi and High-tier Researcher Qinghui. You’ve returned just in time. Please rest for the night. You will be assigned a combat mission tomorrow."

"Yes, acknowledged."

Wan Qi took a deep breath, then let go of the controls, waiting quietly as the conveyor belt carried the ornithopter to its destination.

"What researcher?"

Westheid asked, stunned for a moment after hearing his name.

"It’s your position. You’re a field researcher for the Crimson Throne... It’s amazing. In just a few years, you became a High-tier Researcher in the Capital. I heard the commissioners there are all very interested in your work."

Wan Qi praised him sincerely.

Westheid expressionlessly swiped on the tablet a couple of times and, sure enough, found his own identification information, along with a pile of encrypted research data.

’Goddammit, how did I end up with another backstory I know nothing about?’

Westheid glanced at the data on the tablet. The terminology and annotations were indeed in his own style.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Duke Qinghui often held developer conferences; he was, in fact, a real developer (in every sense of the word).

No Transcendent was a fool. Possessing the ability to perform Casting, in particular, required vast knowledge and a capacity for rational research. The ambitious Westheid had never ceased his pursuit of learning, voraciously absorbing any knowledge or technology that could aid in his Ascension.

"Wait a minute, this stuff..."

Westheid’s eyes widened as he skimmed the first few pages.

’What the hell have I been researching?! Is this even possible?!’

’No, wait, it seems like it *is* possible... In fact, this is exactly how it should be done.’

Westheid sat up straight and began to meticulously review the data over and over.

Soon, the ornithopter reached its destination and was unloaded from the conveyor belt. Westheid and Wan Qi jumped out of the fighter. After a short walk, they finally arrived at the fortress’s Monastery.

Compared to the other structures, which prioritized efficiency and cost-effectiveness to the point of resembling steel coffins, the Monastery finally looked somewhat decent.

The exterior walls, covered in bas-reliefs, were coated in platinum-gold paint. The Monastery’s architectural style was similar to Gothic, with vaults and spires constantly pushing it upward as if trying to get as close to the heavens as possible.

In the central bell tower at the highest point, a large, brass-colored bell swung rhythmically from side to side, letting out a slow, muffled, vibrating toll.

Pushing open the Monastery’s main doors, they found the spacious and bright building completely empty.

Surprised by the silence in the Monastery, Westheid asked:

"Is no one else here?"

"Just you and me. Actually, this Monastery should have been decommissioned long ago. It’s only been kept around because of us."

The gray-haired girl turned to look at Westheid.

"Do you still have amnesia?"

Westheid nodded. "Just assume that I do. Feel free to say whatever you want; I’m listening."

"This is where I found you."

Wan Qi pointed to the lawn in front of the Monastery and said with a smile:

"You really did just appear out of nowhere, not knowing anything. Ah, you were truly suffering from amnesia back then, not just pretending like you are now."

"So I took you in, and the next day, I registered you as my partner... Thinking about it now, it’s already been almost seven years."

Westheid was silent for a long time before he spoke:

"So you took me in while I had amnesia and immediately registered us as partners?"

’Is this some kind of scheme to abduct an innocent young man?! Are you sure this isn’t marriage fraud?’

"Mmm..."

Wan Qi understood the implication in Westheid’s words. She turned to face him, furrowing her lovely brows and biting her lower lip. She made a cute, animal-like sound as dissatisfaction flashed in her beautiful crimson eyes.

"If I hadn’t become your partner, you would have been exiled as a foreigner. You would have been a dead man for sure!"

"I see."

Westheid had a sudden realization. Wan Qi had taken such a bold step out of pure kindness.

He had truly misjudged a noble person with his own petty standards.

Duke Qinghui couldn’t help but lower his head in shame. "I’m sorry..."

"It’s okay. I don’t regret it."

The gray-haired girl first patted her own crimson cheeks, then clasped her small hands behind her back and flashed a sweet, innocent smile.

"Because West is very handsome!"