Chapter 340: The Competition’s Objective

"How so?" Zara asked, not really seeing the correlation.

"Think about it," Uhtred said. "We were given Floating Islands to defend... a sort of individual home base, if you will. We cannot leave these bases because we have something to defend here. So we’re caught between the choice of staying — which limits our movement severely — or choosing to go after others’ shards freely."

Zara’s brows raised slightly as she finally began to see the correlation. "Yeah... If you think about it that way, so long as you give up any attempt to protect your Race Shard and simply go after others without inhibitions, then you basically break the main limitation of this competition..."

"Yes. And that’s similar to what we’ll face after our five-year buffer period is over," Uhtred said with a nod. "I mean, yeah, there’s still the Ancient Variants to deal with back home. But if we are able to take them down and become Earth’s true representatives, what do you think will happen after the buffer period ends?"

He paused, staring at Zara.

"Will you choose to remain on Earth, limiting yourself because there are things to protect? Or will you cut yourself loose, travel the multiverse freely, and continue to forge ahead, climbing up the path of ascension?"

Zara finally grasped the full picture Uhtred was painting — a picture that, while grim, was nothing but the bitter truth.

Who knew what dangers the worlds of their universe would face the moment full multiversal integration arrived? What protections would even remain?

Of course, both Uhtred and Zara understood that the System always provided a path for survival. Uhtred didn’t expect the grand hegemons of the multiverse to descend on Earth the instant the buffer period ended — that would be an unwinnable scenario, something the System definitely wouldn’t permit.

He didn’t know the exact safeguards that would be enacted, but he knew avenues would exist for Earth to survive and grow.

At the same time, though, Uhtred also knew there’d be no hand-holding. In fact, he envisioned a future where the powerhouses of Earth would be caught between the choice of staying back home to defend against potential threats, or leaving the planet to find opportunities — because rapid growth, especially for ascenders like himself and Zara, was an inevitability.

"We’ll reach a point where Earth can no longer provide the resources we want, so what do we do then? Stay and defend, or leave and expose the planet to possible attacks from powerful alien races?"

"Hmm. It’s a leap, but I can see some similarities," Zara hummed. "So, what do you say? Should we cut off our limitations, give up our shards, and just go after others freely?"

Uhtred chuckled. "Well, I would’ve done that in a heartbeat... if our standing in the competition had been good. But it isn’t. Not all of us human Champions have gotten into the top fifty yet. Mateo has even dropped down a bit. Same with Antoine Blanc."

"Diya, White Raven, Hassan Al-Malik, and Isolde Castiglione have also not crossed into the top fifty at all," Zara added. "We don’t know where they are or whether they even still have their shards."

Uhtred nodded. "So, while we may know the method to break our limitations, we’re not at the point where we freely can," he said. "Not unless we’re ready to damn the rest of our team..."

He paused and stared at Zara, a hidden meaning in his words. From his tone alone, Zara could tell that Uhtred wasn’t opposed to the idea of giving up on everyone else and focusing on his own victory alone. He just hadn’t reached the point where he felt it was the necessary choice.

Zara was the same. She nodded in understanding, saying nothing more. They could only hope the scenario wouldn’t force their hands to that point.

"Well, to give us all the best chance of making it, I guess we have to find the others," Zara offered. "We can replicate the Faeries’ method, but instead of being neutral, we turn or joined islands into a fucking war fortress!"

Uhtred cracked a smile. "Zara... did you just curse?"

Zara shrugged. "What can I say? I guess you’re running off on me."

"C’mon. I don’t curse that much," Uhtred began to say, but the unimpressed look on Zara’s face made him trail off at the end. He coughed lightly, changing the subject.

"While we search for the rest of the team, we’ll likely stumble into enemy islands. I have a plan for how we should handle them..."

***

An unknown amount of time later... On a different island...

"Slow! Slow the island! Enemy island sighted!" A tall, broad-shouldered Half-Dragonkin Half-Elf called out hastily to a pureblood Elf, who sat regally near the center of the island, cultivating close to their Race Shard.

The Elf opened her eyes slowly. Based on the Dragonkin-Elf’s words, this female Elf clearly held the control authority for their conjoined Floating Island.

Just like the Faeries, they had also interlocked their islands. But unlike the Faeries, who joined theirs exclusively with members of their own species, these two were not of the same race.

In fact, they weren’t the only mixed species present on this island. A group of Trolls — four in total — roamed near the island’s edge, their eyes locking onto the distant enemy island in visible excitement.

Whether these Trolls had betrayed their own kind to ally with the Dragonkin-Elf and the pureblood Elf, or whether some unique circumstance had forged this strange coalition, remained a mystery.

What was certain, however, was that the Trolls were here of their own free will. None of them looked displeased to be bound to the pair.

"Lyra," the Dragonkin-Elf said the moment the Elf stood up and got close. "What says you? Should we attack?"

The female Elf, Lyra, stared at the approaching island for a moment, then replied:

"It’s not a Dragonkin island, that’s for sure. No Dragonkin will join islands. And if for some ungodly reason, they do, a Dragonkin will not approach slowly after spotting us. They would close in eager and fast, without hesitation," she said, casting a sidelong glance at the Dragonkin-Elf by her side.

His expression flickered at her words — a trace of something almost like self-depreciation.

"Which is why I have come to like you, Theron," Lyra added. "You’re not like them. You’re more like us Elves. You act rationally. Your Elven bloodline is more prevalent."

Those words made Theron’s shoulders straighten with confidence again — a sight that caused Lyra to chuckle lightly. She then continued:

"Just like it can’t be the Dragonkin, it also cannot be an Elven Island either. No Elf would have an island that barebones," she said. "And what are those ugly tall towers?"

"They are Observation Towers, Lyra. You can buy them in the—"

"I know what they are, Theron," Lyra cut in, exasperated. "I was talking about how hideous they looked— You know what, never mind. The main thing is that the island doesn’t belong to a Dragonkin, or an Elf. It may belong to someone of your race... but I doubt it."

"Which means...?" Theron asked, though he knew the answer already.

"The island belongs to a lesser," Lyra said, a sneer on her face.

"Get ready to board!!" Theron stepped forward immediately, barking out orders to the Trolls. Lyra’s meaning was clear. The island wasn’t a threat at all. It was time to plunder some free Race Shards!