Genetic Ascension
chapter-464

Sylas' mind worked fast. He only seemed to lock onto the region for a short while before he looked away.

'Morgan…'

In this sea of people, Sylas seemed to be able to scan each one of their faces and react accordingly. He had already taken everything in, but he didn't expect to see an old acquaintance.

This was an odd wrinkle. Because judging by the look in Morgan's eyes, he immediately felt that something was wrong.

Compared to the others on the battlefield, Morgan was weak by not just one measure. He could be one-shotted by any one of these soldiers, let alone Sylas. So he wasn't a threat, but that wasn't the main issue.

Why was he here?

The Celestial Republic Government wouldn't have such a weak member of their army out here. What were the odds that Morgan would be the one weakling amongst this sea of warriors?

Then there was the fact that there seemed to be a handler with him, someone that was protecting him.

All of that went to say that Morgan was here for another purpose entirely. The question was…

What was that purpose?

It seemed like a useless question to be thinking about, especially when he was being forced to weave in and out of a storm of beasts trying to take his head off, and the fact that General Song was most definitely in the process of planning a tactical mission to take him out as well.

But…

Sylas always trusted his mind.

Odd things didn't just occur for no reason. And this detail that someone else might miss might be precisely what saves his life.

Sylas bought time, trying to lengthen the distance between him and the oncoming army, the opposite of what he had wanted to do in the past. The difficulty was proving exactly why he hadn't wanted to take such an approach.

The way out was just as problematic as the way in, so much so that he might as well have been doing his best to take General Song's head instead. However, he was trying to bide his time to think.

He turned back as the smoke was finally clearing to a small extent. The connection with the Arctic Emperor Cobra was still there, but it was, unsurprisingly, greatly injured.

If not for Sylas' fast reaction time, let alone injured, he would have ended up dead.

'It won't be of much use unless I can get close enough to put it back into the Hibernation Realm…'

While he could summon his beast to anywhere within 50 meters, he couldn't do the worst… let alone the fact that he was no longer within 50 meters of the beast to begin with anyway.

Realizing the situation, Sylas directly ignored the Arctic Emperor Cobra. If it came down to it and it died, so be it.

'If I could find a chance to bring Nosphaleen out…'

The thoughts rolled and roared, but they were mostly a backdrop. His thoughts were still focused on Morgan as though his mind was insisting that there was something to take advantage of here even though he couldn't find it.

That was when something clicked.

He remembered that Morgan had said that he was a Professor. In fact, he was a Professor at a university that stood on a level playing field with Veridian, King University.

After all, at that point, both Lauren and Alex had been found out as traitors. Among those who had joined for the sake of Casstle Main's Quest, that only left Sylas, who was someone Cassarae had known her whole life, and Morgan, who was just as much of a stranger as the other two.

This was something that Morgan had explained to him during their last conversation, and it was also because of this last conversation that Sylas felt that Morgan might even be a key to him winning here.

During that last conversation, Morgan had thanked him for being the reason Cassarae trusted him. He had said that it was because Sylas trusted him that Cassarae didn't put him at arm's length like might have been the reaction of any other leader.

After all, at that point, both Lauren and Alex had been found out as traitors. Among those who had joined for the sake of Casstle Main's Quest, that only left Sylas, who was someone Cassarae had known her whole life, and Morgan, who was just as much of a stranger as the other two.

Logically, it wouldn't have even been beyond the pale even if Cassarae had chosen to execute him just out of an abundance of caution. He wasn't under any illusions that this was the same society that existed before the Summoning. People had killed for less reasons.

Of course, all of this could have just been Morgan buttering him up. But for what purpose? Just to end up in this obscure situation where Sylas would choose to trust him with his life on the line?

That was impossible.

The more likely answer was that Morgan was not much different from Brant. He too wanted out from the shadow of his government.

But all of that wasn't enough of a reason for Sylas. That information didn't help him at all. If anything, Morgan was nothing more than a burden to him now, and even if he had such intentions, Sylas wouldn't risk his life to save him.

'Why do I know the name of the Great Celestial…'

Sylas didn't finish his thoughts, his head snapping in a certain direction. It was the direction of the wall. His thoughts turned, and he suddenly felt like he was piecing something together.

The Celestial Republic. It was an odd name.

The world's governments had all taken on names that elicited a feel for the former countries or continents that they had once been… the Africor Continent… the United Federation of Terranova…

But why didn't the Celestial Republic elicit the same feel?

No, it did… at the very least, the "Republic" part did. But the Celestial part… he never really thought much about it.

'Neurodivergence… is it a stretch?'

After having met the Clypsians, they truly did seem like a race arrogant enough to give themselves such a title. But…

Sylas' gaze flickered, feeling five powerful auras shooting toward him from five different directions. It seemed that General Song had taken to throwing a tactical but small unit at him instead of the entire army.

He was probing him.

Sylas hesitated for a moment before his plan solidified in his mind.