Before the ship surged forward at full speed, Michael sensed mana coating its entire structure.
And then—boom.
The scenery around them blurred as the ship accelerated at an incredible pace.
“A tool is really just a tool,” Michael couldn’t help but think.
The ship’s full speed far outstripped that of his undead griffin, and he had a strong suspicion that this wasn’t even its maximum potential.
Regardless, it was already faster than it had ever been since he first boarded, making Michael thankful that he had returned in time.
Had he been even a little late, he would have completely missed his chance.
Originally, he had assumed he could catch up if necessary—but seeing the ship’s speed now, he realized just how wrong he had been.
At the same time, he couldn’t help but sigh at the sheer prosperity of the kingdom Mage Lian served.
[Flying Ship]
[Rank: Rare….]
A three-star rare-rank item.
The price was something Michael couldn’t even begin to fathom, but he suspected that if the Supers Association branch in the real world were to sell it, its value—given its utility, purpose, and apparent rarity—would easily start at a minimum of 100 million dollars.
For a kingdom to possess such an asset, along with individuals like Mage Lian, who was essentially a god in the eyes of commoners, it was clearly far from ordinary.
Michael’s expectations for their destination grew even higher.
In the end, Mage Lian and Michael exchanged only a few words before parting ways.
Their brief discussion covered a few minor topics, but the main focus remained on their deal regarding the natural treasure.
According to Mage Lian, they would head to the treasure’s location only after reporting the Blackstone Town incident to the kingdom. This matter took priority and couldn’t be delayed.
Though Michael was eager to get his hands on the fruit, he understood the reasoning.
No one knew how long it would take to acquire the treasure—or if they could even obtain it at all. However, delaying the report about that monster for a treasure that wasn’t going anywhere would be reckless.
Mage Lian assured him that the treasure’s location wasn’t easy to find. He had personally ensured that much.
Still, if anything were to happen due to the delay, he would be held responsible—and though he hadn’t explicitly stated it, Michael could tell it wouldn’t end well for him, despite the status his power granted him.
With all these factors in mind, Michael had no choice but to wait until they reached the capital.
Fortunately, as someone visiting this world from another, the capital was a place he was genuinely looking forward to seeing.He could only hope everything went well in the end.
After saying what he needed to, Mage Lian, feeling satisfied, made his way to his room on the flying ship.
He believed he had struck a good deal.
Michael had brought him plenty of surprises, but fortunately, they had all been pleasant ones. Though he had to come to terms with the fact that this youth was stronger than him, he also felt reassured.
Others might call him foolish for choosing to explore with a stranger rather than seek help from people he had known for decades. However, only Mage Lian understood that he was making the same decision that even his fellow court mages—powerhouses in their own right—would have made.
To the common people, those at their level were like divine beings, but to the true titans of the kingdom, they were no different from ants. The power gap was unfathomable, but it was the reality.
Asking for help from those individuals often felt like carving a piece of flesh from one’s own body as payment—something rarely worth the cost.
Michael might not have confirmed it, but Mage Lian knew that the soul fruits also held some benefits for those above his level. The effects weren’t as pronounced, but what if one of those higher beings took an interest in the fruit?
According to the records Mage Lian had studied, the soul fruit could be consumed multiple times, though its effects weakened after the first use.
Before he had been forced to flee from the creatures guarding it, Mage Lian had seen three of the fruits. That was an incredibly high number, and there was even a chance that more existed.
If the records were accurate, consuming just one would allow him to advance significantly, making him no longer one of the weakest in the kingdom’s court. If he were to take all of them…
However, Mage Lian was not an overly greedy man. If he were, he wouldn’t have even considered sharing the fruits, regardless of the danger.
Fortunately, thanks to his cooperation with Michael, it seemed he might still secure a significant share.
He could only hope their collaboration went smoothly.
While those higher-ranked powerhouses would never harm one of their own, Mage Lian had no desire to owe them any favors.After Mage Lian left, Michael also made his way to his room after a while.
According to the knights, they would reach the kingdom’s capital in about five hours.
Hearing this, Michael almost blurted out in shock—just how far was the capital?
One couldn’t forget that they were currently traveling at an incredible speed, far beyond even Michael’s own flash-like movement, especially on the surface.
Yet even at such a pace, it would still take five hours to reach their destination.
If there were no flying ships, wouldn’t this journey take months for the average person?
Michael was stunned but also relieved that he had people around him to make things easier.
Fortunately, he had taken his undead to the real world beforehand. If he had left them behind and needed to return alone to retrieve them, the journey would have been unimaginably difficult.
No, given that monster’s presence, he wasn’t even sure he would make it back to see any of his undead standing.
However, now that he didn’t have much to worry about, he could do whatever he wanted—so long as he didn’t dwell on what that monster was doing.
At first, he had wanted to kill it himself, but now? Michael would love it if someone else just took care of it already.
Still, all he could do was wait and see what the future held—and what the kingdom, to whom this matter truly belonged, had planned.
Back in his room, knowing he’d be on the ship for the next few hours, Michael didn’t want to sit idly by. He needed to do something productive—anything at all—rather than simply wasting time.
After thinking for a moment, he finally made a decision.
At first, he considered practicing with his spear again but quickly dismissed the thought. The room was too small, and while he could practice, it would be far too limiting.
The same issue applied to the Knight Breathing Method. The technique required precise movements, and performing them in such a confined space wasn’t feasible.
With those options ruled out, there were only a few things left he could do.
In the end, he settled on cultivation.
The Mage Meditation Technique didn’t require movement or complicated steps. He could do it while sitting, standing, or even lying down—as long as he remained still. Unlike the Knight Breathing Method, which had limited benefits for him at the moment, meditation was a perfect fit.
The room he had been given was well-furnished, with an actual bed—not just a wooden frame, but a proper one designed for comfort.
Everything was clean, a sign that the ship was well-maintained and regularly tidied.
Michael didn’t think much of it and simply sat on the bed.
Closing his eyes, he quickly entered a meditative state.
Soon, a familiar sensation of pleasure washed over him, and before he knew it, he was lost in time.Michael had no idea how much time had passed, but it wasn’t until he heard a knock at his door that he finally emerged from his meditation.
As he came out of his state, several notifications flashed before his eyes—his abilities had improved slightly, though only by minor levels.
It wasn’t much, but he had expected that. Meditation had merely been a way to pass the time, though he had to admit—the sensation that came with it was quite addictive.
“Sir Mic?”
A voice called from the other side of the door, capturing Michael’s attention.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, getting off the bed and heading toward the door.
“Lord Lian instructed me to inform you that we’ve arrived at our destination.”
Michael paused. “The capital?”
“Yes, sir. We’ve arrived and will be landing soon.”
As the knight finished speaking, Michael opened the door, stepping out with a calm expression.
“Please lead me to Lord Lian,” he instructed.
“Yes, Sir Mic. I apologize if I disturbed your rest.”
“It’s not an issue. You didn’t disturb anything.”
Michael put the knight at ease.
“Lord Lian is currently at the exit point of the ship, waiting for us to land. Please follow me, Sir Mic.”
“Yes,” Michael responded, stepping forward without hesitation.