Starting With an SSS-Rank Swordsmanship Talent

”What do you mean?” Bellator furrowed his eyebrows.

”You know what I am talking about.” The woman responded ever so calmly. She spoke softly, yet it sounded so clearly to his ears.

Realization dawned on him. ”You mean... him?”

The woman nodded. ”Yes...him.”

Bellator hesitated for a moment and asked. ”And are you here to stop us from leaving this forest?”

As he said this, he quietly gathered mana into his hand.

Suddenly, bright light enveloped the deer-like monster as it transformed into its human form. In the next moment, a tall, brown-haired man appeared, staring at him with a cold gaze.

”I advise you stop whatever you are doing.” He warned, giving Bellator a deathly stare.

Sensing his killing intent, Bellator frowned.

This guy is much stronger than I thought!

He sensed the aura coming from the brown-haired man, and it was way above that of the behemoth that he had just killed.

The woman raised her hand, shattering the mounting tension.

”I have no way to stop what is fated. I have only come here to warn you of the chaos that will happen once that man steps onto Cangnan.”

She paused and looked at him with a soul-piercing gaze before continuing. ”Blood will be spilled, the earth will weep, and the gods...”

Her calm eyes trembled. She was hesitant to finish her words.

”Leave now. I will ensure your safe passage. No monster will attack you for the rest of the journey.”

She reverted to a butterfly and flew away, leaving magical dust in the air.

The brown-haired man snorted, transformed into his beast form, and went deep into the forest.

Bellator stood there stunned, still absorbing the words he heard.

Was it some kind of prophecy?

He knew the identity of the woman. She was no ordinary creature for she carried the aura of the divine tree of the elves.

Only that tree had the power to foresee the future. He believed that the woman received this sign from it.

Now that he had come to know such information, he found himself carrying a heavy, mountain-like burden.

I think it would be best to keep this for myself. Telling him now would only make him needlessly worried.

Thinking about this, his figure blurred and disappeared.

Whoosh!

...

The allied army marched on.

Alaric looked at the monster corpses with some regret.

What a pity...

He clicked his tongue and mounted his horse.

As if knowing his thoughts, Yskaela consoled him. ”There will be more opportunities for us when we get to Cangnan.”

Alaric smiled helplessly. ”I hope so...”

At this moment, a Disaster-grade war horse suddenly overtook them.

”Lord Bellator!” They both exclaimed when they saw the man riding the horse.

”Have you dealt with those creatures?” Alaric asked, studying the other’s expression.

Bellator looked away from him and replied. ”Yes. I have scared them off.”

Alaric and Yskaela felt a wave of relief upon hearing this.

They wanted to ask him what kind of creatures he encountered, but it didn’t seem like he wanted to share it with them.

...

Somewhere in Cangnan, a massive tree stood tall. It was so high that no one could see its peak.

It is the sacred mother tree of the elves, the Jianmuldier.

Beneath this sacred tree is a small settlement.

A winged elf, a woman with unmatched beauty and charm, suddenly opened her eyes.

”The time has come. Another great war is brewing.” She mumbled.

The nearby elves furrowed their eyebrows when they heard this.

”A great war? Cangnan has been at peace for many years now. Why would another war...”

”Lady Sephira will never lie about such matters! How dare you question her words?!”

”We have not involved ourselves in the disputes of those lesser beings. I am sure that there is no need for concern.” An older winged elf remarked.

A few more voiced their words, their opinions varying.

Sephira raised her slender arm and touched the sacred tree. ”Mother has spoken to me.”

”We have no choice on this matter...”

Everyone turned their gazes to her, waiting for her to continue her words.

”We will be forced to take part in this great war.”

As soon as she said this, everyone was stunned.

”What?!”

”Lady Sephira, is this true?”

”What are we to do?!”

”Oh, my sacred mother! Please help us!”

Sephira sighed as she looked at the anxious elves.

I have to meet that man. If the vision that was shown to me is right, then he is the key that will end the great war...

...

In another part of Cangnan, a grand castle stood proudly. It was surrounded by massive earthen walls with countless experts guarding it.

At the entrance of this castle was a huge archway with a signboard on top that read, Star Cloud Academy.

This is the home of many powerful experts and this is where a terrifying ancient being resides.

In the dean’s office, an old man wearing spectacles could be seen, seated behind his desk, buried in a pile of documents.

He was working on his duties when an unusual feeling slowly crept into his chest.

Strange... what is making me feel this anxious?

The old man’s aura abruptly changed. An invisible and oppressive force enveloped the entire room, but it quickly vanished, as if it wasn’t there.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The old man adjusted his spectacles. ”You may enter.”

Creak.

The door swung open and a middle-aged scholar entered, carrying a stack of documents.

Seeing this, the old man nearly fell from his chair. He stood up, pointing at the man, looking like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. ”You! What are those?!”

The middle-aged scholar carefully placed the stack of documents on the desk and replied with a gentle smile. ”Dean, more applications have arrived. It seems like there will be more participants for this year’s exam.”

The old man stumbled, his face drained of color. ”You mean I have to go over these documents?”

”Naturally! As the dean of Star Cloud Academy, it is your task to sign all these documents.” The middle-aged man nodded with a smile.

The old man leaned against the wall and mumbled with an absentminded sigh. ”This must have been the cause of those sudden palpitations in my heart...”