The Empyreal Gem Master

All the ropes came from a circular opening on the bottom of the ship that closed with a grinding of gears the moment the last Gem Master passed through, and Alexander released his hands from the rope as he fell a few meters onto the metal floor.

Such a feat was simple for Gem Masters with their activated Primal Life Force, this simple action causing Gem Master Azazel who had already swung down to give a nod of recognition towards Alexander before he pointed towards the stairs leading up from the lowest floor of this airship.

"Let’s head up and meet the rest of those in this Awakening Expedition."

The area they arrived in was the very lowest level of the vessel, and when one climbed higher, voices mixed with expectations, excitement, and a tinge of fear could be heard.

The color green permeated all around to distinguish the new Gem Master, with a few like Gem Master Azazel having inscriptions and accolades on their robes to distinguish them even more.

When arriving on the second level, Alexander could see an array of people grouped together and talking amongst each other, many of them with Two-Link Gem Sockets as among the few hundred newly Awakened Gem Masters, there were less than 100 on this vessel that were participating in this Expedition.

These were the stronger and more resolute Awakened Gem Masters, and past all of them, towards the very front…a graceful figure surrounded protectively by multiple powerful Gem Masters could be seen.

Claire Asmodeus.

The one with Five Life Sockets.

At least five Three-Link Gem Masters could be seen surrounding her, with a dozen more Two-Link Gem Masters occupying the space in the surroundings.

At their arrival, Gem Master Azazel led Alexander in this same direction as their entering figures captured the eyes of those they passed.

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The prestige of Gem Master Azazel made it so that nobody spoke even in hushed tones about the young man he was escorting on this trip.

Regardless of the rumors of the Son of Branch Leader Julius who had awakened a Defective Life Socket, nobody wanted to outwardly speak about them and get on the bad side of Gem Master Azazel!

This caused a hush of conversations wherever Alexander passed as in no time, the figure of Claire far ahead noticed this as they turned.

And in an instant, Claire’s eyes instantly locked onto Alexander as she instinctively took a step towards him.

Coming forward, Gem Master Azazel nodded towards her and the 5 Three-Link Gem Masters tasked with protecting her.

"Circling around her like this, are you guys even giving the girl space to breathe?"

He spoke with a smiling expression as those opposite him harrumphed, one man pulsing with power gazing at Azazel and Alexander as he replied.

"Branch Leader Axel has already told us that if even a hair is missing on Lady Claire, we’ll face the torment of his lightning. If it weren’t for his duties, he may have come here himself."

…!

Branch Leader Axel was very protective of his daughter, and he had to be when she showed such potential as five Commanders who could have been defending different points of the City of Carthage from any unexpected Breaches were tasked with protecting her.

And all of this was for an Expedition outside the Walls of Carthage on a newly risen Breach that Tier 1 and Tier 2 Beasts of Corruption had begun to come out of.

As the Commanders talked to each other, Alexander nodded towards the tightly protected figure of Claire and walked towards her, but before he could get too close…

A handsome face stood before him.

One of the few Three-Link Gem Masters to have Awakened in this recent ceremony.

Stemming from a powerful family on the side of Branch Leader Axel, he could be considered a cousin to Claire.

Adorned in a similar green battle robe with dark hair and eyes, Alexander smiled at the young man before him as he spoke.

"Now why would you be standing in front of me, Charlie?"

Someone who stayed out of his way many times in the past when they came across each other.

He held obvious jealousy over Alexander’s relationship with Claire, but he never said or did anything in front of Alexander before!

Did the advent of his Variant Life Socket and Claire’s Five-Link Gem Sockets make him think things had changed?

The expression on Charlie suppressed the fire of jealousy within as best as he could, an entourage of a few Two-Link Gem Masters lining up beside him as he spoke out.

"Things are no longer the same as they used to be, Young Master. Lady Claire is not someone you can still freely be around."

…!

He was the first to speak boldly to Alexander when nobody else could!

As someone who Awakened to Three Life Sockets, he was looked at as a force that could become another Gem Master Azazel one day.

His pride and position had risen as he thought he could step up at this moment.

But even before Alexander could reply…

"Who decided that?"

The surrounding atmosphere buzzed.

The chilly voice of Claire Asmodeus rang out along with a sense of pressure that caused others to feel a sense of suffocation.

A pressure that many weren’t used to here as it could only stem from a Five-Link Gem Master!

Charlie’s expression turned ugly as the envy within his rose even more, his head turning behind him.

"Lady Claire, I-"

"Step aside."

WAA!

A silent wave of light burst out from her chest as she spoke commandingly, Charlie gritting his teeth before he looked down and moved himself to the left- the rest of his entourage also scattering.

The Three-Link Gem Masters who were there to protect her adopted stern expressions as the strongest one was about to intervene when Gem Master Azazel stepped forward.

"Todd, give the kids some space, hmm? We’re a distance away from our destination. Let’s get ready when things need our attention then."

Strong words without a hint of rebuttal echoed out!