Nexus Ascension: My Comprehension Defies the Heaven

Chapter 689: Sunbringer City

As she glanced toward the slope, Grey shifted part of his awareness into the Information Layer. The trees and rocks became patterns of data, while clear signals passed through the air above them.

The nearest came from a small ship floating over the clearing.

A blue gear marked its hull, and its systems held an active link to the local network. Grey followed that connection and reached the maps and public records available through it.

The city was called Sunbringer City.

He passed over trade notices and travel routes before checking the surrounding settlements. Several had been grouped under a label that caught his attention.

No-Named Villages.

Grey read the explanation and returned his focus to the girl.

”I came from a small No-Named Village. Iʼve been traveling and exploring different places.”

”Oh, a No-Named Village.”

She accepted his answer without asking where it was, and the swordsman seemed to lose interest in the question as well.

No-Named Villages belonged to no major city or sect, and no recognized faction claimed them. Some stood far from the main routes while others had simply never registered under a local power.

There would be little point in asking about a village they had probably never heard of.

The girl smiled and touched the blue gear stitched onto her sleeve.

”My name is Lily Sunbringer. Weʼre from the Blue Gear Syndicate.”

”Oh.”

Grey had already seen the syndicateʼs name in the cityʼs records.

It was one of Sunbringer Cityʼs major powers and held several large shipyards. A good portion of the nearby transport business passed through its hands.

The city itself was independent, with an Overseer who handled its affairs instead of an outside sect. That made it a useful meeting place for forces that refused to visit each otherʼs lands.

He looked at Lily again as her surname caught up with him.

Sunbringer?

Was she related to the cityʼs Overseer?

”Were you heading to the city?” Lily asked.

”I was looking for somewhere to stop.”

”Then come with us.”

The shield bearer lowered his weapon and turned toward her.

”Lily, we donʼt even know him.”

The spearman moved closer before Grey could respond.

”We shouldnʼt bring a stranger onto the ship.”

”There were other routes into the city.” The swordsman pointed toward the distant road.

Grey watched the three men gather around Lily.

They had struggled to form a decent defense against the beast, but they had no trouble doing it against him.

Lily frowned at them.

”He just helped us.”

”That doesnʼt mean we should trust him.” The shield bearer glanced at Grey.

”What if heʼs a villain?”

Greyʼs mouth twitched as he looked between them.

He had not even asked for payment, yet they had already promoted him to a villain.

”If he wanted to hurt us, he wouldʼve already done it.”

Lily gestured toward the dead beast, but the swordsman barely glanced at it.

”Youʼre the daughter of the Overseer of Sunbringer City. What if he already knew who you were?”

He looked directly at Grey before continuing.

”Maybe he only saved you because he wanted to gain favor with your family.”

So she was the Overseerʼs daughter.

Grey had only suspected that a moment ago, but this fellow had kindly confirmed it while accusing him of knowing all along.

Perhaps the man could tell him where Alissa and the others were too, since he apparently knew so much.

The spearman noticed Grey looking at him and stepped closer to Lily warily.

Grey felt an urge to slap all of them.

He held it back and glanced toward the ship instead.

He had come here to find people and gather information. Starting a fight with some jealous fools would only make that harder.

Besides, he still knew too little about the powers backing them.

”Why arenʼt you saying anything?” The spearman demanded.

Grey looked back at him.

”You seemed busy deciding my life story.”

Lily pressed her lips together, and the swordsmanʼs face darkened as he noticed.

”Lily, weʼre only trying to protect you.”

”I trust him.”

”You met him moments ago.”

”And he helped me when I needed it.”

The shield bearer glanced at the trench beside them, then lowered his gaze to the claw marks near Lilyʼs feet. He no longer seemed quite as eager to argue.

The other two still looked ready to continue.

”You guys are wrong about him.”

Lilyʼs tone sharpened enough to stop the spearman from speaking.

Grey watched him close his mouth and turn toward the ship. The swordsman followed after giving Grey one last look.

”Fine, donʼt say we didnʼt warn you.”

”As you wish, Princess Lily.” The shield bearer stepped aside.

Grey raised an eyebrow at the title, though Lily ignored it as she turned back to him.

”Sorry about them, Mister...”

She stopped and looked at him.

”What should I call you?”

”Grey, Grey Lockhart.”

Lily smiled again and gestured toward the ship above the trees.

”Mr. Grey Lockhart, please come with us. Iʼll take you to Sunbringer City and help you settle there for a few days.”

”You protected me, so thatʼs the least I could do.”

Grey looked toward the city and considered the offer.

A place that handled so much travel might have records of people arriving from the lower realms. Even if Alissa and the others had landed elsewhere, he could at least find out how to contact the Myriad Realms Sect.

There was also the matter of the vanished Higher Realmʼs consciousness.

If anyone had noticed something unusual during the ascension, he had a better chance of hearing about it in the city than on this mountain.

”Alright, Iʼll come with you.”

Lily touched the device on her wrist, and the ship descended until it hovered just above the clearing. A ramp unfolded from its side as the three men walked toward it.

Fragment returned to Grey before they came close enough to notice it.

Lily waited beside the ramp and waved him over, while ships continued to move across the distant skyline.

Grey followed her aboard and looked toward Sunbringer City.