Transmigrated with my corruption system

Chapter 182: Chapter 181: The Future Beckons

Atop one of the main buildings of the Greyson Residence, a lone figure stood with a toothy grin spreading across his face as his silvery-white hair trailed smoothly in the wind.

Raising one hand, he clenched it tightly as if trying to trap the wind in his fist before letting out a quiet sigh.

"The wind carries neither malice nor intent, yet every age of turmoil begins with its arrival."

Rysten smiled wryly as he sank deeper into his thoughts, his hands folding behind his back.

Never once in his life had he expected to see the day when all clans and forces within Tempest would bow beneath one banner.

The Greyson banner. Yet here it was.

A strange sense of fulfillment washed over him. With order came peace, something Tempest had been devoid of for a very long time. He could already see a future where the younger generation had ample time to nurture and bloom their talents.

A future where the older generation stepped aside and allowed the young to take the reins.

It wasn’t out of the question that Tempest City’s low-tier status would gradually climb the ranks with time.

All of this had been brought about by one figure.

Yet Rysten wasn’t naive enough to believe peace was wholly good.

A life of constant guidance and reassurance could easily dull one’s blade or even make them lose sight of the path to power entirely.

But then again, Tempest had never been a breeding ground for true powerhouses.

As the thought crossed his mind, the smile on his face widened.

It was a little ironic that what the young lord had pursued and used his time to establish was now the very thing driving him away.

With no more peaks left to conquer in Tempest, his path would have to lead elsewhere.

As he spiraled deeper into his thoughts, the feats of the lord replayed repeatedly in the back of his mind. With each recollection, he couldn’t help but mumble a word of praise.

His eyes had truly been blessed to witness a once-in-several-hundred-years genius like the lord.

He could have easily sunk even deeper into his thoughts, but they were cut short when he sensed a familiar presence emerge from the entrance of the Greyson Residence.

"Lord!" Rysten blurted, alerting the rest of the elders as he surged forward.

Shadows of other figures trailed behind him.

Within moments, they all stood before the dark-robed youth.

They had already sensed he wasn’t alone, but they didn’t dare question it. Still, glints of curiosity flickered across their eyes as they stared at the little grey-robed girl beside him and the massive crystalline shard of ice he effortlessly hoisted over his shoulder.

Peering within, their curiosity only flared brighter as they saw an ethereal beauty encased inside.

Rysten’s pupils constricted slightly in recognition.

The seer. Their paths had crossed once or twice before, though he had never put much faith in the intricacies of fate.

Was it real all along?

And why was she encased in crystal?

Astra beside Ulric was even more confused.

One moment they had been standing atop a familiar place she had grown to call home. The next, they had traversed several thousand meters and appeared within the Greyson Residence.

All in the span of a few seconds.

As rows of powerhouses stood before them, no, now that she looked closely, they were all bowing before the dark-robed youth. The sight inadvertently made her take a step back as an invisible pressure settled upon her shoulders.

Her thoughts drifted for a moment.

They were barely the same age, yet their worlds were completely different, separated by a monstrous gap in power.

***

The more Rysten observed, the graver his expression became.

Something was different about the lord.

The casual expression that usually hovered on his face was gone. He could tell something was weighing heavily on him.

He just didn’t know what.

His thoughts were cut short as the dark-robed youth finally spoke.

Gesturing toward Astra, he ordered that she be assimilated into the clan and nurtured with its resources. As for Elira, she was to be placed within a protected chamber until further instructions were given.

As his words echoed out, surprise and appreciation burned deep within Astra’s eyes.

With his end of the deal fulfilled, he could have easily left them behind.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he laid out a path to power before her, giving her the opportunity to fulfill the promises she had once made to her master.

At the thought, she clenched her fingers tightly as she vowed inwardly.

She wouldn’t take this gesture lightly.

As if to prove it, she opened her mouth to speak, turning toward the space where the dark-robed youth had been standing.

The words froze in her throat. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

He was gone. One moment he had been there. The next?

He wasn’t. Just like the wind.

"You’ll soon get used to that."

"Huh?" Astra gasped in surprise as a voice echoed beside her.

She had sharpened her senses to a level far above her peers, yet she hadn’t sensed the figure approach her in the slightest.

Turning slightly, the surprise on her face deepened as she stared at the woman before her.

A silver-haired, middle-aged woman with a gentle smile.

She didn’t know why, but merely standing in the woman’s presence filled her with a strange sense of comfort.

Chuckling softly, Mistress Aria introduced herself as she rested one arm upon the girl’s shoulder.

It had been a while since someone had reacted like this to her presence, and she had almost forgotten she was a D-rank being.

But it couldn’t be helped.

Having stood within the dark-robed youth’s shadow for so long had a way of dimming one’s own light.

Besides, being a healer caused her to exude a passive aura that naturally eased those around her.

Something that came in handy in situations like this.

Walking forward, she moved to guide Astra away.

Having watched from the side, something about the girl intrigued her.

She could see a familiar glint burning within Astra’s eyes.

One she had seen in a certain youth not too long ago.

The fact that the lord had personally brought her back meant he had seen something special in her.

But just as they were about to leave, a few of the elders opened their mouths to protest.

Rysten waved them off. Whatever she was up to, he trusted her.

And that was enough. With that, they moved to carry out the lord’s orders, taking the crystalline shard of ice containing Elira into a secure chamber.

***

Elsewhere, deep within the Greyson Residence, a lone figure walked aimlessly.

His form flickered in and out of the shadows, escaping the perception of everyone around him.

Sinking deeper into his thoughts, the entity’s voice echoed repeatedly in the back of Ulric’s mind.

He analyzed and pondered over countless possibilities.

But in the end, none of it made sense.

He could feel his heart thudding with a flicker of inspiration, almost giving him the illusion that the answers to all his questions lay within his reach.

Yet they continued to elude him.

"So close, yet so far away," Ulric mumbled.

He had a feeling the answers lay within him.

Simply locked away somewhere beyond his reach. Which only made everything even more frustrating.

His aimless stroll eventually led him toward the specialized training grounds.

Peering from a distance, his gaze landed upon several figures locked in the middle of what could only be described as strenuous training.

But that wasn’t what caught his attention.

A single glance was enough for him to tell their strength had increased explosively.

And more than that, their talents had evolved as well.

"SSS-rank talents?" Ulric breathed, a flicker of surprise flashing across his eyes.

He wouldn’t be surprised if, despite only being at peak E-rank, they could already contend with far stronger opponents.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Ulric stepped out of the shadows and walked forward, intending to appraise them more closely while congratulating them.

The instant they sensed his presence, however, they all snapped out of their training.

Then, in one fluid motion, they launched a barrage of attacks directly at him.

"Huh?" Ulric breathed, surprised by the sudden turn of events as he discarded all other thoughts.

Had someone infiltrated their minds and manipulated them into attacking him?

His eyes narrowed at the possibility as his breath hitched slightly.

The moment they crossed a twenty-meter radius, Ulric clenched one of his fists as a faint whisper slipped past his lips.

"Absolute Stillness."

Instantly, every figure froze in place.

Their bodies locked in strange charging poses.

Using the opportunity, he walked forward to inspect each and every one of them.

Yet the more he observed, the more confused he became.

They looked perfectly fine.

Stopping before Lyra, he could see her cheeks heating up as a blush spread across her face.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as his gaze locked onto hers.

Something she did every time he got close to her.

At the thought, he suddenly froze as realization struck him.

Could it be that they had attacked him simply to show him how much their power had grown?

And he had cut them off before they had even begun?

At the realization, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

It seemed he had been too caught up in his thoughts to pick up on the subtle cues.