The Cloud-Raised Brave Man's Travels

The cause of all this was a small incident that happened just when they got in the car and were about to set off. Everything was normal when everyone was putting their luggage, but problems arose when they got in the car. Koya, Amiya, Vina, and Lavshini (Weed) had no problems when they got in the car, but when Skadi sat in the passenger seat, everyone who had already gotten in the car clearly felt the car sinking.

Because of this little episode, everyone in the car was very curious about Miss Skadi's weight. Even Koya couldn't help but scan her twice with the Divine Domain. Of course, the Divine Domain didn't have the ability to tell the other person's weight at a glance, but Koya still discovered something. Skadi's body density was extremely exaggerated, as if a creature of dozens of meters in length was forcibly compressed into an ordinary person.

Even Koya had never heard of this situation, but what Koya could be sure of was that Skadi's weight was probably dozens of times that of a woman of the same size.

Although the three people in the back seat were also curious about Skadi's weight, this curiosity did not last long. Soon the car returned to calm. Only the ruts left in the wilderness proved that the weight of the off-road vehicle was very wrong.

The operators chosen by the Doctor were all taciturn. Skadi was completely silent, while Vina seemed preoccupied, lost in thought, with no desire to engage in conversation. Ravnheess's situation was even worse. Her aversion to communication was physical, spontaneous, and subjective. Even in daily life on Rhodes Island, communicating with her required submitting a request and receiving approval. The angel Amiya was a simpler matter. Although she wanted to chat, the atmosphere in the train compartment didn't seem conducive to it.

The sun set over the wilderness, the moon hung high in the night sky. For an hour, there was no sound except the hum of the engine and the wind. The only thing Koya gained from that hour was that he became even more skilled at driving. The effect of "Simple Footprints" was truly universal. In just one hour, a novice driver could become an experienced one. If he drove all the way to Laterankoya like this, he might even become a stunt driver.

"Ahem, we're all going to be working together for a while, so how about introducing yourselves?"

The dull environment made Keya feel a little uncomfortable, and he took the initiative to break the silence.

"My name is Koya, I don't have a codename. I don't have a regular job in Rhodes Island, nor am I a permanent operator there, so you may not know me."

"Ahem! I'm Amiya... I like it... I don't like it... Thank you everyone!"

The gentle little bunny was the first to support Koya. Her self-introduction was full of girlishness, giving people the feeling of a little sister. Perhaps because of Amiya's cuteness, the atmosphere in the car was obviously much more relaxed. After Amiya, Vina also began to introduce herself.

"The King of Advancement... No, just call me Vina."

Vina's self-introduction was quite brief, but at least it was the first step, not to mention that the two that followed were even briefer than hers.

"Skadi."

"Reeds."

Skadi and Reed's self-introductions were practically nonexistent. Skadi was simply aloof, her voice cool and calm, giving off a sense of calm and mystery like the ocean. As for Ravshini, her situation was just as described in the personnel file: a certain resistance to communication. She looked as if her lips were burning with anxiety even though she only spoke two words, and afterward, she slumped back in her chair, remaining silent.

Koya really regretted it now. If he had known earlier, he would have asked the doctor to rent the Archangel to accompany him to Rutland. At least with the Archangel in the car, it would not be as boring as it is now.

Seeing that no one wanted to chat, Keya started talking about the itinerary.

"We'll drive until three in the morning, then set up camp in the wilderness for a temporary rest. We'll set off again at eight tomorrow morning. We've brought three tents, so you girls can arrange yourselves."

"Don't you need it, Mr. Koya?"

"No, I'll just stay in the evacuation area and rest for a while. And there's no need to arrange for night watch, so I can just rest in peace."

"Ah."

"Okay, everyone's been quiet, can I turn on the radio and listen?"

"I have no problem!"

Koya felt like there were only him and Amiya in the car. The other three were like stones. No matter what they said, they got no response, which made him feel helpless.

Seeing that none of the three refused, Keya assumed that they agreed, turned on the car radio and started adjusting it.

Current situation in Victoria——

Chapter 243: Arknights: Companions on the Road

While Koya's convoy was caught in a strange atmosphere, two knowledgeable people in Rhodes Island's medical department were also discussing the International Conference.

"Kelsey, why did you let Amiya go to Rutland? Don't tell me you don't know what it means for the Demon King to go there?"

"Pope Evangelista XI of this generation is a man who truly practices the virtues of solidarity and sacrifice."

"So? Stop talking to me in riddles. I know you're a fool, you lynx. Tell me what you really think, not these empty riddles."

"...Well, it was the Pope's own request that Amiya go to Lateran. I agreed since I knew it wouldn't be a problem with Koya."

"Tsk tsk, it looks like this Pope is planning to make something big. He must be aware of the consequences of the Demon King entering the Holy City. Is he trying to build momentum for us, Rhodes Island? We owe him a big favor."

"I think he probably wants the Universal Conference to truly become a Universal Conference. He knows full well that Lateran's laws cannot save anyone other than Sakota, so he still strives to save this land."

"He's indeed a good person!"

"Alright, let's leave that to Koya and Amiya. As someone who's actually experienced this, what have you discovered?"

"Hmm—indeed, I do. Simply put, my bloodline has evolved..."

·Dividing line·

A few hours passed and Koya stopped moving after finding a small hill in the wilderness. He controlled his strength and used dragon thunder to blast a cave directly on the rocky hill, and then fixed it with ice. The size of this cave was just right for placing three tents and parking a car.

Under Amiya's leadership, the autistic trio cooperated well, taking the tent from the trunk and setting it up. Meanwhile, Koya had already reclined in the front seat. Resting his head on the backrest, he could still smell a faint fragrance, though he had no idea where it came from. The divine realm opened, completely enveloping the entire hill. Everything there was reflected in Koya's mind—

"Cough cough."

Accidentally seeing something she shouldn't have seen, it turned out that even a beautiful girl needs to go to the toilet. Koya quickly blocked off a small area, while the reeds who had just taken care of their physiological needs in the leeward depression of the hill did not notice anything unusual.

This evening was far from peaceful. Perhaps due to the sensitive nature of the individuals traveling, in just a few hours, Koya had dispatched three clearly hostile individuals: Sarkaz mercenaries, regular soldiers, and two men in flamboyant gray hats. But within Koya's divine domain, they made no sound and left no trace.

With the existence of the divine realm, Koya was relieved to learn the technique of shooting a hundred heads from Hercules in his dream. Now Koya can launch more than seventy attacks in an instant. When the number of combos exceeds fifty, shooting a hundred heads is no longer a test of physical fitness, but skills. The most important thing is how to save movements and launch the next attack in an instant in a more comfortable posture.

Currently, Koya has completed more than seventy attacks in his prime in the other world. In Orario, due to physical limitations, he can only complete thirty consecutive attacks at most.

Knock, knock, knock—the sound of gentle knocks on the car door interrupted Koya's training. He sat up in confusion and saw an unexpected person—Skadi.

After seeing Keya wake up, Skadi didn't hesitate, opened the passenger door, and got in. Well... the car sank again. Skadi sat in the passenger seat like this, then stared at Keya and spoke.

"Why am I on this mission?"

"The travel list was confirmed by the doctor, and I don't know why she chose you. Skadi, don't you like going on field missions?"

"No, I'm just not used to being around other people. I have a pretty bad past. Well, if I stay around, not only will you get into trouble, but I'll be in trouble too."

"I'm actually quite strong, at least stronger than you think."

When alone with Koya, Skadi talked a lot more and was not reluctant to chat with Koya. When she heard Koya say that he was very strong, Skadi was a little skeptical. She had never seen Koya take action, and her instinct did not give any warning. Instead, she felt a sense of closeness to Koya, just like that doctor.

Koya saw the suspicion in Skadi's eyes, but he didn't know how to prove it. Suddenly, he heard the creaking of a seat; it was clear the passenger seat was overwhelmed. Without a second thought, Koya turned around and, in a somewhat awkward position, easily lifted Skadi up. At the same time, he manipulated the wind to form a cushion of air on the passenger seat. While this cushion was invisible, it was tangible and could withstand Skadi's weight, allowing Skadi to float.

When Koya put Skadi back in the car, the tires were lifted up again. Tomorrow... maybe it will be able to run faster.

"How about it? I can pick you up easily, so I must have some strength, right?"

"Well...you're stronger than most land people."

Skadi touched the wind cushion under her butt with her hand and spoke to Koya very seriously, with some recognition on her face, recognition of Koya's strength.

"Can I rest here?"

"of course can."

Keya helped Skadi lower the seat, then controlled the wind to extend from Skadi's buttocks to his back, and then formed a pillow. Keya himself had never tried this wind mattress, but looking at Skadi's satisfied little expression, he thought it must be very comfortable.

After settling Skadi down, Koya lay down again. He turned sideways and looked at Skadi's profile and spoke.

"Skadi, are you from Iberia?"

This time, Skadi did not ignore Koya's question and answered it seriously.

"No, I come from the deep sea of Argo, a deep sea hunter..."

Skadi lay there feeling more at ease than ever before, as if she was in the ocean. She knew very well that this sense of security came from the people around her. This reminded her of her fellow hunters, so she opened up and started chatting with Koya.

"I'm actually quite good at teamwork, but I'm not used to your cooperation on land. Those people are too weak. I even worry about whether my sword will hurt them."

"My hair is really long and beautiful. Ah, um, thank you... Would you like to touch it? My hair is quite soft. I'm quite confident in that aspect."

"You are just like that doctor. It's reassuring to be around you."

As they were talking, Skadi fell asleep. Perhaps she had a good dream today, with a hint of a smile on her lips. Perhaps it wasn't that Skadi didn't want to communicate with others, but that there was no one around her who could communicate with her. Skadi's origins were very mysterious, and her strength was extremely strong. She must have faced some dangers.

In Skadi's opinion, the operators of Rhodes Island are too weak. If she gets too close to them, it will only bring danger to them. Therefore, Skadi does not make friends with anyone. She savors loneliness alone. In this respect, Skadi is really a very gentle person.

·Dividing line·

The next day arrived, and Keya raced through the wilderness in his off-road vehicle. Today's speed was noticeably faster than last night's, as Skadi's weight was being lifted by the wind. At this rate, if they didn't rest tonight, they'd probably reach Rutland by tomorrow.

If there was any difference between today and yesterday, it would probably be Skadi. She sat in the co-pilot seat, and kept talking to Koya about what happened when she was a bounty hunter, such as when she accidentally split her employer's house in half because she used too much force during a protection mission, and when she was performing a delivery mission, she dragged the goods all the way to the delivery location by herself, but the employer didn't catch up.

Skadi also explained why she came to Rhodes Island. Every time she did a bounty mission, there would be some unexpected events, which resulted in her compensation often not being enough to compensate for her employer's losses. One day, she accidentally saw a recruitment notice from Rhodes Island, and after seeing the benefits of providing food and accommodation, she decided to join the company.

Skadi's sudden change shocked Amiya and the others. Although they had discovered that Skadi had slept in the car last night, how could the relationship between the two of them become so close in just one night? Amiya was even a little jealous...

The car hadn't stopped at all today except for an hour's stop in the wilderness for lunch. In the evening, Keya's plan to continue on his journey was firmly rejected by Amiya. Her reasoning was simple: Keya had already driven all day and should have a good rest at night. This idea was unanimously agreed by the passengers.

After a full day of driving, Vina and the others felt exhausted. Although the car's suspension and damping were good, the roads in the wilderness were terrible! Coupled with being motionless for so long, Vina and the others were really a bit exhausted.

Seeing the girls' expressions, Koya didn't insist. However, there were no hills where they parked today. A bonfire was lit on the endless plain. There were obviously five people sitting around the bonfire, but for some reason, it gave people the feeling that these people were definitely not in the same group.

How embarrassing—

"How about going to bed early?"

"it is good."

Although Amiya really wanted to ease the tension between the group, the young bunny didn't know how to bring up a topic that everyone was interested in. After Vina's "Okay," she could only return to her own tent. Incidentally, after Skadi decided to sleep in the car with Koya, the remaining three tents were just enough for one person. Amiya had originally hoped to chat with Vina or Weicao while they were in the same tent, but in the end, that opportunity was lost.

Today, Koya didn't go to sleep in the car. Instead, he sat by the campfire, watching the flames burn and thinking about life. He rarely had such quiet time. Thinking carefully, his life since joining the Hestia Familia seemed to have fast-forwarded. A few months, a half-year, had been more exciting than his previous twenty years. The most amazing thing was that he, who had always been with Hera and was extremely picky about girls, had transformed from a naive and innocent boy into this in just a few months. It was just unpredictable.

"Mr. Koya...I want to talk to you."

"Vina? I see. What do you want to talk to me about?"

Last night it was Skadi, and tonight it’s Vina. Koya couldn’t help but think that if he slowed down a bit tomorrow, would Reed be the one to appear in the evening?

"Mr. Koya, you are Draco, right? What are your thoughts on Victoria?"

"So direct—"

Victoria has many similarities with the history of the Terran nations. Ursus was founded on the dynasty of the Handsome Eagle, while Victoria was founded on the dynasty of Draco. But unlike Ursus, the lions claim to be kings, and Draco and Aslan each received equal opportunities.

This was an ancient covenant that still holds true today. After this ancient treaty was signed, both Aslan and Draco were eligible to become the sole monarch of Victoria. Draco symbolized force and conquest, while Aslan represented power and order. For countless generations, people believed that power in Victoria was repeatedly transferred between the two.

Putting aside the bloodshed that a succession to the throne would unleash... Victoria, from ancient times to the present, has never been a closed, friendly, independent kingdom. This is a fact known to all. The Aslans originated from Sargon, Leithania, and even certain nations decimated by natural disasters. The Drakes, now at the height of their power, had no reason to peacefully accept a race unrelated to Victoria, let alone allow them to rule their country.

The treaty between Aslan and Draco could not have been signed in a peaceful and holy atmosphere. The harsher aspects of the historical facts were glossed over as a prelude to legend, and the oral accounts of wandering singers and bards were much more straightforward than the official records.

But legends and history always have similarities.

Victoria, as a modern country, clings to its ancient ruling tradition. More than twenty years ago, Draco's bloodline was considered extinct, so no one could threaten Aslan's stable rule over Victoria.

But all this took a turn for the better. Talulah, Reed, Koya, and Draco's blood suddenly appeared in large quantities, and then a problem arose.

"Since the treaty between Draco and Aslan is engraved in a place more conspicuous than the crown, what will the physical forces that oppose Aslan do if there is even one Draco left alive?"

The countries broken up by Victoria, the ethnic groups assimilated by Victoria, those conquered but never forgotten...all are waiting for a new flag.

Could this flag be Koya? Or Reed? Or perhaps Tallulah of the Reunion? Vina had many questions in her heart, and now she longed for a definitive answer.

Chapter 244: Arknights Vina

In the wilderness, a meeting between Aslan and Draco begins. Once, Aslan's race flourished, firmly holding the throne of Victoria. Draco seemed to have vanished from the land. Now, only one member of the Aslan royal family remains. She fled Victoria and lives in obscurity at an unknown medical company. Draco, once invisible, now shines brightly in this world. The appearance of two red dragons, Tallulah of Chernobog and Koya of Rhodes Island, heralds Draco's return to the world.

"Koya, what do you think of Victoria?"

"Is it so direct?"

What do you think of Victoria? Koya's answer is that he has no opinion. Although he knows a lot about Victoria's current situation from the doctor, and he also realizes that his identity in this world may have a very significant impact on the situation there, Koya doesn't take it seriously at all.

"I don't have any opinion about Victoria. I'm not from Victoria, I'm just an outsider, and I don't understand what's really going on there. I pity the civilians who have been displaced or even lost their lives because of the turmoil, but that's all. I won't jump into Victoria's abyss just because of this little bit of pity in my heart."

"Have you no idea whatsoever about Victoria's throne?"

"If I wanted to, I could build a more prosperous country than Victoria."

"..."

Vina could see that Koya was genuinely uninterested in Victoria's situation. It was precisely this indifference that made her feel he was truly suited to be Victoria's emperor. Of course, most importantly, Vina knew Koya's strength. His words about being able to create a more prosperous nation than Victoria if he so desired were true, as he was a dragon capable of controlling natural disasters.

"Forget me. What do you think of the current situation in Victoria? Right now, the three Dukes and the Sarkaz are locked in a fierce battle over Londinium. I wonder how many people in Victoria are on the verge of death every day. Unlike me, who has no connection to Victoria other than my status, you seem to have grown up in Victoria, right? There must be people or things in Londinium that you care about. What are your thoughts? Are you still planning to keep running?"

"I……"

Vina didn't know how to start. Just as Koya said, she was deeply involved with Victoria. Even after leaving Londinium and Victoria, the shadow there was always chasing her, making her breathless.

"Do you want to go back?"

Vina opened and closed her mouth, and after repeating this action several times, she spoke in confusion.