Chapter 296 Returning to Home... Part-2.


    Next day, Morning.


    Rhymel Main Airport.


    "Sigh, I have looked at your spaceship quite a few times in the past few days, and every time I look at it, it still feels amazing… This thing is a gem… a marvel of great engineering…"


    Ryul stared at the massive spaceship stationed at the empty airport while saying those words to Ashtel and Jin.


    Ashtel responded to Ryul''s words with a simple shrug.


    "Nah, I have nothing to do with the creation of this thing; I am not well versed in mechanical stuff like that, and all the credit goes to the amazing scientists and engineers we have…"


    "Those people seriously work a lot for us… Just the other day, they even proposed an interesting idea of making a custom weapon for me, but I declined… As a martial artist, I don''t use weapons…"


    Jin nced towards the airport and inquired in a curious tone.


    "Elves also have their own spaceships, right? How''s you guys progressing?"


    Ryul simply sighed and said,


    "Well, we do have a lot of spaceships, but we haven''t reached the level of this massive war machine yet… Maybe another fifty or sixty years before we can make something like that…"


    "Making such massive machines of war is a costly project; the economy has to bear the burden of it after all... Unlike your human race, where the number of awakeners is extremely high, we have a smaller poption…"


    Ashtel nodded his head and spoke in a calm tone.


    "Well, even if you guys are low in poption, every child of your race is born with inherent talent at the very least… We have to take care of a lot of ordinary people, but all of your citizens are awakeners..."


    Ryul immediately scoffed at those words.


    "You know… It''s more of a headache to properly keep a nation functioning when all of the citizens are strong… It''s a lot of work..."


    Jin nodded his head and spoke.


    "The Elven Empire is a beautiful ce, though… I would love toe here some other time and settle down…"


    Ryul smiled at those words,


    "hahaha, please don''t; it''s going to be a headache to keep an eye on a foreign SS-ranker… But you cane for some small trips and vacations, I guess…"


    Seeing that Ryul agreed, Jin nodded his head and said,


    "Well, the next time I visit, I will be with my children, I guess…"


    Ryul was taken aback by those remarks and inquired again.


    "Oh, you are getting married?"


    Jin replied in a confident tone to Ryul''s question.


    "I surely will. I am trying my best to get her approval of me… If luck is on my side, I will bring my kids to see the next tournament of supreme talents…."


    To SS-rankers, who have huge lifespans, a mere ten years is nothing; even a small training session canst for months for an SS-ranker.


    And now that the tournament has be a public thing, it would be easier for Jin to bring his family to watch the show next time.


    He wants to show his children all the love he never received.


    "Speaking of the next meeting of gods and tournament… I think next time, my son will be the one arriving as a guest…"


    While saying those words, a smile appeared on Ashtel''s face.


    This tournament has already proven Link''s talent, and he knows that the next ten years will be the time in which his son will surpass him.


    As a result, he''s already paving the way for Link ahead of time.


    Hearing Ashtel''s words, Ryul nced at the blue sky and said,


    "Sigh~ time passes so fast… I wonder when we will even see each other next time… Maybe ten years? Fifty years? A century? Sigh~…"


    "But I am quite happy for you… You can retire happily once your son takes over… My son is still a bit too immature to take over as the next king; I would need to polish him more for now…"


    Jin smiled at those words and said,


    "Haha, you are being too strict on him; he''s just a few years older than Link and others, and he''s already an S-ranker, which is quitemendable…"


    Ryul nodded his head at Jin and sighed heavily.


    "Well, I just want to retire soon… been working myself to the bone for a century now… I just want to get some peace now…"


    While saying that, Ryul turned back and nced at the children who were making their way here while talking to each other.


    "The next generation is catching up; we old people should make some space for them soon…"


    The other two also nodded their heads at Ryul''s words; they also knew that it wouldn''t be long before their long service to the nation finally ended.


    Three of them went silent after that short conversation.


    Only they themselves knew how much they had gone through to get to where they are today.


    Jin, Ashtel, and Ryul—all three of them have survived wars, done many dangerous missions, and fought monsters their whole lives.


    Years upon years of hard work and selfless devotion to the nation have cost them a lot of mental peace, and their only hope of light now is the next generation.


    They are already tired of fighting and killing, and they now want to retire and let the next generation take their ce.


    After all, this is the way of nature; the older generation makes room for the next one, and the cycle continues to maintain a nation''s prosperity.


    ...


    Link and others slowly made their way towards the spaceship as they talked with each other.


    "Er, at that time, I was a bit too rude… I should have honored your martial spirit…"


    Link felt quite guilty after severely beating Vanya during the fight, and only now has he had the opportunity to meet her again.


    But to Link''s surprise, Vanya was not offended at all. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    She waved her hand and said,


    "No, I got defeated so easily; that just shows I need to train more… I will train harder from now on and will try to be strong so that I can at least take a few full-powered attacks from you…"


    "Originally, I was thinking that I was already quite talented and strong, but after fighting you, I have realized that I can''t let myself be arrogant just because of some progress…"


    Vanya stretched out her hand and said,


    "Next time I see you, I will definitely be much stronger than now… I look forward to a rematch…"


    Link also stretched out his hand and shook her hand while saying, in a calm tone,


    "Indeed, I will be looking forward to it…"


    Seeing the two shake hands, Riya, who was walking on the side, pouted her cheeks. Link was trying to get the princess to forgive him, but he hasn''t said ''sorry'' to her yet at all.


    She stomped her feet in anger.


    Then Riya noticed Asthel standing near the spaceship, and an idea shed by in her mind as she narrowed her eyes.


    ''Hmph, Today I will let you know about the consequences of messing with my dear candies! I will get justice for the candies that were murdered mercilessly!''


    Link suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, so he let go of Vanya''s hand immediately.


    …


    Meanwhile, Rio and Al were walking at the very back of the whole group.


    Al shook Rio''s hand and said it with a happy smile on his face.


    "It was all thanks to you that I was able to solve my troubles; now I have been acknowledged by the people, and my reputation is also improving… I can''t thank you enough…"


    Rio just shook his head at those words and replied in his usual emotionless tone.


    "I just gave you some tips… Everything else was your own achievement; you should stand proudly and take care of your empire; that would already be a great gift for me…"


    Al was perplexed by Rio''s statements, prompting him to inquire.


    "How is taking care of the Elven Empire going to benefit you, though?"


    Rio replied to Al''s question.


    "Well, I want to live a peaceful life… If your elven nation is stable, I won''t have to worry about political tensions in the future… Also, I want to visit all the beautiful ces in the world after I retire, so preserve the scenery of this ce..."


    "I kind of like the amazing scenery of this ce a lot… I would love to visit again someday…"


    Al nodded his head and said it with a determined look on his face.


    "Of course, I promise you! I will improve and take good care of this empire in the future, and you are free to visit anytime you want; just give me a phone call and I will arrange everything…"


    Rio nodded his head at those words,


    "Well, that''s a good thing, then… Also, one more thing: keep an eye on the movements of the demon prince Alverto; if you find something rted to him in the Elven Empire, message it to me…"


    "I have some unsettled business with that demon… But don''t get too involved with him; he''s strong… might even ascend to rank SS soon…"


    At Rio''s words, Al nodded his head and agreed.


    "Okay then, I will keep an eye on the local news here and will try to check out for demon rted incidents from time to time…"


    Rio patted Al''s shoulder and said,


    "Well then, it''s time to go… Next time we meet, let''s aim to reach rank SS before that…"


    Al and Rio looked into each other''s eyes and nodded to each other.


    Although they haven''t talked for too long, they have already be friends, so they promised to improve and be stronger.


    …


    …