Floating Island - Triple S Talent

Ana cheered excitedly, waving her hand toward Lein, "Amazing… Master, look over here!" She held her phone up high, trying to get Lein's attention amidst his grand display.

"Are those people who look like you your own clones?" she asked, her voice full of hope.

Lein, though far away, heard her question. He merely nodded, smiling faintly, "You're right."

Within the dream bubble he had created, Lein observed everything happening, including the soldiers who continued talking about his abilities, unaware they were already trapped in an illusory reality.

He waved his hand gently, releasing dream energy that took the form of transparent gray mist. The mist drifted toward each soldier's head, filling their minds for a moment before exiting smoothly. The effect was immediate—all the soldiers fell silent, confusion clouding their faces.

After a few seconds, they began looking at one another as though they had just noticed something strange.

Someone quickly asked, "Heir, what are you doing here? Aren't you assigned to the weapons section?"

The soldier named Heir was stunned, then replied with a question of his own, "Then why are you here? You're usually not on the ship's front deck."

Confusion spread further as another soldier interrupted, "Kian, aren't you supposed to be in the monitor room?"

One by one, the soldiers started questioning each other's presence, even as they gathered on the front deck—a place most of them weren't supposed to be.

The sense of bewilderment grew as they confirmed that each of them seemed to be in the wrong location.

Meanwhile, Ana looked around with a puzzled expression. She called out to the soldiers in a firm tone, "Hey, what's going on here?"

One of the soldiers heard Ana's call, turned, and shrugged, signaling that he too had no idea what was happening. Several other soldiers did the same, shrugging and looking at each other in confusion.

Ana then looked at her tablet, still lit in her hands, with the camera app still open on the screen. However, just as she was about to check the photos she had taken, her movements suddenly became strange.

As if in reverse, she began to backtrack slowly, retracing each previous movement backward. Her hand closed the camera app, turned off the screen, then returned the tablet to its place, until she finally sat back in the middle seat as if she had never stood up to take pictures.

The same thing happened to the soldiers on the ship's side. Automatically, they moved backward from their positions, each one retracing their steps back to their original posts, unaware they were replaying their actions as if in a reversed recording.

Lein, still standing over the void, calmly observed the effects of the dream manipulation. Without realizing it, Ana and the soldiers had returned to their original positions, while their previous admiration-filled conversation had faded into silence within the shadows of the illusion he had created.

Lein nodded in satisfaction, a proud smile spreading across his lips as he witnessed the power of the dream he controlled.

"It can even influence reality…" he murmured in a tone of contentment.

He felt the immense power within him, allowing the dream he created to become reality.

Satisfied with his play in this dimension of illusions, Lein opened a dimensional crack in front of him. Without hesitation, he created a direct link to the Island of Life—his place of residence.

With calm steps, he walked into the crack, and his body vanished from the void.

At the same time, on the escort ship, Ana and the soldiers returned to their original positions, only to receive a surprising message on their communication devices.

[Escort Squad Chat #14]

[Escort mission canceled. Please return to headquarters immediately.]

This brief but startling message appeared on every captain's screen. Ana received a similar notification. She frowned in confusion at the sudden order. For a moment, she looked at the sofa where Lein had been sitting, but it was now empty.

Her expression turned serious, a mix of confusion and determination as she stood up, then walked toward the ship's interior to tidy up the equipment.

***

In a place far from the Island of Life, one of Lein's clones had arrived on an island shrouded in the chaos of battle.

On the island, which spanned around 800 km across, a startling scene unfolded.

A figure resembling a human but with grotesque features walked leisurely along a ruined city street. Behind this figure were several creatures that looked very much like him, obediently following as subordinates.

Each creature radiated a formidable aura, their negative energy enough to terrify anyone who encountered such a horrifying group.

Along the devastated city streets, corpses lay strewn about, remnants of a battle that had drained life and energy.

The terrifying army regarded the bodies with scornful expressions, like predators who no longer saw any worth in their prey.

"Master, there's a group from the Dragon Blood Race up ahead!" one of the captains shouted in a respectful tone, reporting to their leader who walked in front.

"Hmm…" A low, deep growl emerged from the leader's throat.

Its vibrations sent waves of fear through anyone who heard it. Without looking back, he ignored his captain, stepping forward without the need to respond.

Wordlessly, the terrifying army advanced, halting only when a large crack suddenly appeared in the air in front of them.

"Ergh…"

The army leader hissed, his gaze sharp as he examined the newly formed crack, his body on high alert. He raised one hand, signaling his army to stop. All the creatures immediately fell silent, recognizing a new threat before them.

From within the crack, a hand slowly emerged, followed by a foot stepping out, until finally, a young man around 25 years old appeared.

The handsome man stepped out of the portal calmly, wearing an elegant blue robe that flowed gently around him.

Two swords hung at his waist: one shining with gold and the other pitch-black, reflecting the dual strength he possessed. His face remained expressionless, showing not a hint of fear, even as he faced the line of terrifying creatures before him.