The cool air hit Celestia’s face as she emerged from the portal, gliding gracefully on the golden cloud that carried her. Despite the daylight, the glow of the cloud stood out like a little star crossing the sky.

From the ground, the hunters still in the area looked up, some squinting against the sun’s glare.

"What the heck...?" one murmured, unable to process the sight before him.

"Is that a person flying... on a cloud?" another exclaimed, his tone wavering between disbelief and fascination.

"No, no, no... This makes no sense. What kind of ability is that? Is it some kind of artifact? Or perhaps a special awakening?"

"Someone grab a camera—this has to be recorded!"

"Damn, this is nuts! Did you see how he just took off like nothing happened?"

Soon, the murmurs turned into a cacophony of excited comments. Some hunters pulled out their phones, filming the scene as Celestia ascended with no apparent effort.

She, however, paid no attention to the commotion. Maintaining her composure, she raised a hand and, in a calm, almost indifferent tone, ordered:

"Up."

The cloud, without hesitation, obeyed immediately.

In the blink of an eye, it began to rise faster, leaving behind the hunters’ shouts and murmurs.

Celestia maintained an upright posture, the wind tousling her clothes and hair as she ascended to heights where only birds and flying machines were meant to be.

It was then that Celestia noticed a nearby helicopter, its dark structure reflecting the sunlight.

Inside, a brunette reporter with her hair tied in a high ponytail gripped tightly as she watched in disbelief Celestia’s figure drawing near.

The young reporter squinted and, as if on autopilot, brought her hand to the earpiece she was wearing.

"Are you seeing this...?" she asked, making sure her team at the news station was capturing the same scene.

Celestia met her gaze with an impassive look as their eyes locked for a brief moment.

'Is she really flying over there?' the reporter thought, a chill running down her spine.

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She had seen awakened ones do extraordinary things, but never someone riding a cloud as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Before she could ask a question, Celestia simply turned her face and, with a slight flick of her hand, the cloud descended a little before darting off in another direction, quickly disappearing.

"Wait!" the reporter exclaimed, raising her hand to the microphone. "Try to follow him!"

The helicopter pilot frowned.

"He's moving too fast. And at this altitude, maneuvering close to an unknown flying object is too risky."

The reporter clicked her tongue in frustration, watching as Leonar’s figure faded into the distance.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Ardena and Ravel emerged from the portal just after Celestia.

Some hunters, still stunned by what they had seen, immediately turned toward them.

"You guys!" one called out, pointing at them.

"Tell me what the heck happened in there!"

Ardena, still with adrenaline coursing through her veins, directed her gaze to the sky, where Leonar’s figure was growing smaller.

Her fists clenched tightly, but she took a deep breath before replying.

"Monsters attacked us, but that hunter helped us and then flew away in that flying gadget..."

"A flying gadget?! There's no such thing!"

"Who the hell was that guy? Was he a high-ranked awakened?"

Ardena sighed, choosing to leave out some details.

"I just know he took something important."

In her mind, the image of the brown-haired hunter wielding that special spear remained vivid.

◇◆◇

Celestia enjoyed the flight a little longer, the wind playing with her hair as she moved away from the curious humans who had witnessed her exit from the dungeon.

When she felt she’d had enough, she addressed the cloud in a serene voice:

"Drop me off here."

The cloud obeyed without question, descending gently until it deposited her on the roof of a tall building.

Celestia landed gracefully and, upon stepping onto the firm concrete, stretched her arms and let out a sigh.

"Well, I didn't expect so many curious looks."

With a slight smile, she caressed the surface of the cloud.

"Good job. You can take a well-deserved rest for your excellent work."

The cloud trembled slightly, as if acknowledging her words, before dissipating into the air.

Then, she turned her attention to the spear she held in her hand.

"You did well too."

As if responding to her compliment, the spear vanished in a golden flash.

Celestia closed her eyes and, with one last sigh, relinquished control of Leonar's body.

...

Leonar slowly opened his eyes, feeling the wind hitting his face.

"Huh?"

His body felt strange, as if it had been suspended.

The cool breeze confused him even more, and when he finally focused his sight, he realized he was on the roof of a building.

Leonar blinked several times, his mind still trying to process what was happening. He took a couple of steps, looking around in growing bewilderment.

"Where...?"

Celestia's voice resonated in his mind with a satisfied tone.

"Safe."

Leonar raised an eyebrow and approached the edge of the building, glancing down.

It was then that his stomach churned.

"How tall is this damn building?"

The traffic, the pedestrians—everything looked tiny from his position.

Leonar stepped back, feeling a slight vertigo before he brought a hand to his face.

"Celestia..." he murmured with a sigh. "Where the hell did you think of dropping me off?"

She laughed softly in his mind.

"Don't be dramatic. From here, you've got a beautiful view."

Leonar shook his head.

"I don't care about the view... How the hell am I supposed to get down from here?"