Chapter 334: Sky-soaring Shoes

Chapter 334: Sky-soaring Shoes

As he listened to the Leader's words, Ji Xinghuo's expression turned solemn. He already guessed the task that the Leader was about to assign him, and the gravity of the situation left him feeling uncertain.

"Why would the Neo-Roman Empire include the Stellar Flame Pulse as a prize if it's so important?" Ji Xinghuo asked, perplexed.

"Because they don't know its true value," Ji Daosheng explained. "Very few people on Earth understand the concept of combined abilities, ultimate professions, and Star Children. I only gained partial knowledge through a secret channel in the Star Realm."

"Perhaps, aside from the Sun King, only I am aware of the true significance of the Stellar Flame Pulse," he added, pointing at the information on the screen about the exotic species. "There are only four or five known exotic species of flame-bursting creatures similar to the Stellar Flame Pulse, and it is the only one with the 'fusion' combination ability."

Ji Xinghuo examined the origin of the prize.

The Stellar Flame Pulse came from the Star Realm Department of the Neo-Roman Empire and was marked as a super-limit exotic species, obtained just a few months ago.

"What about the Iron Emperor? Is he unaware as well?" Ji Xinghuo asked further.

"Not sure," Ji Daosheng shook his head. "It's possible that Ivan is feigning ignorance and using it to lure the Sun King, aiming to achieve some other purpose."

A cold smile suddenly curved his lips. "That Ivan is a wily old fox. During the Fourth World War, he was forced to seek aid from our country. Later, he considered the 'Ivan Treaty of Gol' a humiliation. Now that the Neo-Roman Empire has regained its footing, they're stirring up trouble again."

The whole world was well aware of this historical context.

The spark that ignited the Fourth World War could be traced back to the year 2152, when the Neo-Roman Empire was at its zenith, its territory spanning across the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa, covering an area of over thirty million square kilometers.

In 2152, the Iron Emperor harbored ambitions to conquer all of Europe and began his expansion westward.

The Western Alliance, unable to mount a formidable resistance, suffered successive defeats. Eventually, in 2154, they formed the "Atlantic Military Alliance" with the American Federation.

Then, in 2156, the American Federation declared war on the Neo-Roman Empire.

By 2157, the Neo-Roman Empire found itself fighting on two fronts, as a counter-imperial revolution erupted in Central Asia, causing their allies to turn against them.

The following year, in 2158, the American Federation occupied Siberia.

In 2160, the Atlantic Military Alliance arrived at the gates of Ivanograd. Around the same time, the Star and Moon National Alliance from the Middle East advanced northward and reached the peninsula of Asia Minor, pushing the Neo-Roman Empire to the brink of collapse.

Nine years after the war began, on the eve of their defeat, the Neo-Roman Empire finally sought aid from the Asia-Pacific Community, an alliance that had only been established for a little over a decade.

In 2161, the Asia-Pacific Community entered the war in full force, declaring war on the American Federation, thus marking the beginning of the Fourth World War.

This particular world war was the shortest in history, as a ceasefire was announced merely five months after it started.

In February 2162, representatives from various nations gathered in Ivanograd to negotiate and signed a peace agreement, which came to be known as the "Ivanograd Treaty."

This treaty exacted a heavy toll on the Neo-Roman Empire, forcing them to cede territories and pay reparations. They lost more than two-thirds of their land. On the other hand, the Asia-Pacific Community emerged as the biggest winner, gaining control of Siberia and Central Asia over the next two decades and incorporating these regions into their domain.

Even to this day, the Neo-Roman Empire has not fully recovered from their defeat.

Not only are they still paying war reparations each year, but the Ivanograd Treaty also contains numerous clauses that restrict the development of the Neo-Roman Empire.

Merely mentioning the "Ivan Treaty" is enough to stir deep resentment and shame among the citizens of the Neo-Roman Empire, sometimes even provoking outbursts of rage.

As the victors, the citizens of the Asia-Pacific Community bore no psychological burden. In fact, they believed that the Neo-Roman Empire had brought this upon themselves.

This belief stemmed from the late 21st century when the American Federation invaded East Asia and continued their aggression toward other nations. During this time, the "East Slavic Empire," which was supposed to be an ally, remained indifferent to the plight of East Asia and even mobilized their troops toward the border, intending to take advantage of the situation.

In the East Asian wars of the early 22nd century, the East Slavic Empire repeatedly betrayed their allies.

It was later revealed that the Iron Emperor had secretly signed a non-aggression pact with the American Federation, plotting to divide and conquer Asia.

Seizing the opportunity in the 2020s of the 22nd century, the Neo-Roman Empire invaded the Western Frontier from Central Asia and occupied the region for over two decades.

Fortunately, the rise of the Leader turned the tide and reversed this situation.

Currently, the Neo-Roman Empire is once again an ally of the Asia-Pacific Community, but it is a reluctant alliance born out of necessity. Both sides approach this alliance with caution and wariness.

The Neo-Roman Empire finds itself in a position of weakness, while the Asia-Pacific Community holds the upper hand.

And now, the alliance is once again showing signs of instability.

"Leader, is it possible to directly request the Stellar Flame Pulse from the Neo-Roman Empire?" Luo Yimeng, who was sitting beside them, asked.

"On what grounds?" Ji Daosheng countered.

"We could fabricate a reason," Luo Yimeng suggested. "Say that one of the Heavenly Kings desires it and offer an exotic species of equal value in exchange."

"To create such a fuss over a mere super-limit exotic species," Ji Daosheng shook his head. "Knowing Ivan, he would definitely grow suspicious."

"Moreover..." Ji Daosheng continued, deep in thought, "I've been suspecting that the Stellar Flame Pulse might be a bargaining chip that Yi Cheng is using in his negotiations with the Sun King."

"The Iron Emperor..." Ji Xinghuo sighed inwardly.

As the emperor of the Neo-Roman Empire, "Iron Emperor" Ivan Zhugashvili was the first human Emperor in history and, to date, the longest-living human, having surpassed the age of 200.

He was born in 2018 and ascended to the rank of Emperor in 2068.

In 2075, he established the "East Slavic Empire," marking the beginning of his expansionist endeavors.

The Iron Emperor was known for his iron-fisted rule, his cold-blooded nature, and his decisiveness. Having lived through two centuries of blood and fire, the first half of his life was marked by unmatched success, nation-building, and territorial expansion, propelling him to the pinnacle of power. However, the latter half saw him facing successive setbacks and embarrassments.

Most of these failures could be attributed to the Leader.

The two were allies, rivals, and, more often than not, enemies.

The Leader and the Iron Emperor understood each other better than they understood their friends and family.

Since the Leader believed that the Stellar Flame Pulse might be a bait set by the Iron Emperor to attract the Sun King to Ivanograd, and that it could subsequently be used as a negotiating chip, it was highly likely to be true.

Ji Daosheng turned to Ji Xinghuo and said, "Starfire, your mission is to win the Global Marathon and obtain the Stellar Flame Pulse."

"Yes, Leader!" Ji Xinghuo replied solemnly.

"How confident are you?"

Ji Xinghuo didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "What is the current strength of the new Sun King?"

"According to Ke Ding's report, based on his observations, John Anthony has regained the Emperor level and should be at the first stage," Ji Daosheng sighed. "Even at the first stage, the Sun King's strength is among the top in the world, so I've halted the assassination plan for now and will wait for further developments."

"How long will it take him to complete the 40,000-kilometer run?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

Ji Daosheng had obviously calculated this beforehand. "If John Anthony is at the first stage of the Emperor level, he won't have enough stellar power to run the full distance at his maximum speed. He'll have to slow down, and I estimate it will take him around 25 hours."

25 hours to run 40,075 kilometers meant a speed of 445 meters per second.

"1.3 times the speed of sound," Ji Xinghuo exclaimed.

That was much faster than his own speed.

And this wasn't even the Sun King's full speed. If he didn't mind depleting his stellar power, the Sun King's peak flight speed could exceed 10 Mach!

According to the rules of the Global Marathon, participants could only run and not fly.

Their feet had to be in contact with the ground, and the time their feet were off the ground couldn't exceed 0.1 seconds; otherwise, they would be penalized. Each violation would result in a minute added to their final time.

Additionally, the angle between their body and the ground couldn't be less than 45 degrees, and the height of their head from the ground couldn't exceed 1.2 times their height.

Any violations of these rules would also result in penalties.

In essence, they had to run.

This restricted many flying mutants, who had to undergo training to adapt to this long-distance running posture without violating the rules.

Usually, running on the ground was slower than flying.

Ji Xinghuo estimated that with his current star power of over 10,500 points and his improved speed, his cruising speed would be around 230 meters per second. Restricted to running on the ground, his speed might only be around 200 meters per second.

This was only half the speed of the Sun King, and it would take him 50 hours to complete the Global Marathon.

His maximum speed could reach 800 meters per second, or over 2 Mach, but he could only maintain this speed for an hour and a half at most.

Moreover, his competition wasn't limited to the Sun King.

There were other Emperors, Legends, and several other contenders who specialized in speed and could match or exceed this pace, making the race highly competitive.

"I don't have a guaranteed win, Leader," Ji Xinghuo admitted.

Ji Daosheng smiled and said, "If I'm sending you to participate, I'll definitely provide you with sufficient support." He reached under his desk and pulled out a box, which he slid towards Ji Xinghuo.

Ji Xinghuo opened the box and found a pair of shoes inside.

Made of an unknown material, the shoes had a silver and black integrated upper with faint blue lines along the edges, emitting a subtle energy fluctuation. They weighed about 3 kilograms, which was as light as a feather to him.

Turning the shoes over, he noticed intricate dark lines on the soles forming intricate dragon patterns, almost like a symbol.

At first glance, the shoes resembled modern high-tech running shoes—simple yet sophisticated.

"What are these?" Ji Xinghuo asked, holding the shoes and sensing their unusual properties, clearly a product of ether technology.

"Sky-soaring Shoes," Ji Daosheng introduced. "I obtained this equipment many years ago. It's a one-star apocalyptic item and hasn't been publicly unveiled yet. I'll let you use it this time.

Any Tier One Celestial artifact was priceless.

The vast majority of Heavenly Kings did not possess Celestial artifacts.

A hint of nostalgia flashed across Ji Daosheng's face as he shook his head. "These shoes are my treasure, and they hold special significance for me. Otherwise, I would have given them to you long ago. Starfire, wear them for this competition and take good care of them."

"Thank you, Leader," Ji Xinghuo replied hastily, promising to take good care of them.

"The Sky-soaring Shoes originate from the True Dragon Dynasty," Ji Daosheng continued, explaining their effects. "They possess four exotic abilities: Flight, Vacuum Conduction, Ether Conservation, and Blink."

With the Sky-soaring Shoes, one could gain the ability to fly.

"Vacuum Conduction" was the most important function of the shoes. This was an extremely rare stellar exotic ability that could absorb energy from the vacuum, amplify the damage of creative energy abilities, and accelerate the recovery of stamina and stellar power!

This exotic ability could be derived from Vacuum Perception, which was the core template of the "Vacuum Stringer" profession.

Qinghong possessed Vacuum Perception, currently at level four, but had not yet advanced.

"Ether Conservation" was a super-limit exotic ability that reduced the stellar power consumption of all abilities.

As for Blink, it hardly needed an introduction.

"No wonder it's a Tier One Celestial Artifact!" Ji Xinghuo exclaimed, unable to hide his amazement. The Sky-soaring Shoes were pure auxiliary equipment, devoid of any offensive capabilities.

However, their ability to enhance speed and escape capabilities was immediately apparent.

The Global Marathon had no restrictions on participants' strength tiers, equipment, or drugs. There were no rules against the use of performance-enhancing drugs, except for the prohibition on operating vehicles or fighter jets. The use of any other external objects was permitted.

Of course, attacking other contestants was also forbidden, or one would be immediately disqualified.

"With these Sky-soaring Shoes, you should be able to compete with the Sun King in terms of speed," Ji Daosheng said confidently to Ji Xinghuo.

"I'll do my best," Ji Xinghuo replied earnestly.

"Just do your best," Ji Daosheng nodded, refraining from adding any pressure. He then continued, "Little Luo will also be participating. She's the fastest Heavenly King in our country, and with the two of you competing together, it adds another layer of insurance. It will also ensure your safety in Ivanograd."

"Then I'll have to trouble Sister Luo to take care of me," Ji Xinghuo said, turning to the most powerful tamer in the world.

She was Heavenly King number ten.

Although she was a tamer, her battle pet, the "Crested Phoenix," was a Transcendent-level spirit beast that could merge with her body, granting her the abilities of a battle pet.

Not only was the Crested Phoenix incredibly powerful, but it was also exceptionally fast.

Luo Yimeng smiled and said, "Sure."

She glanced at the shoes in Ji Xinghuo's hands and added, "It's a shame I'm a tamer. After merging with my battle pet, I can't wear any equipment, otherwise, these Sky-soaring Shoes would give me a better chance at winning the championship."

"Your primary task in Ivanograd is to protect Starfire," Ji Daosheng said sternly. "If you have the opportunity to interact with Ivan, you can try to gauge his intentions, but be careful not to overstep any boundaries."

"Yes, I understand," Luo Yimeng replied, her smile fading.

After assigning their tasks, Ji Daosheng dismissed the two of them.

Ji Xinghuo returned home with the shoes and briefly explained the situation to Zhao Manying. As she looked on curiously, he put on the Sky-soaring Shoes.

The silver and black shoes had a size-adjusting function, allowing them to conform to the wearer's foot size. They fit like a glove and felt incredibly comfortable, making his body feel incredibly light and energetic.

"The effect of Vacuum Conduction..." Ji Xinghuo murmured, understanding flooding his mind.

With a thought, his body floated lightly into the air, hovering in the middle of the room as if stepping on an invisible floor. He made his way to the balcony and gazed at the Qinling Mountains to the south.

With a thunderous roar, Ji Xinghuo shot forward, breaking the sound barrier and disappearing into the distant horizon, leaving behind only a deafening sonic boom.

The howling gale roared in his ears as the landscape flashed by in a blur.

Combining flight, magnetic field propulsion, and shockwave turbulence with the enhancement of "Acceleration," Ji Xinghuo broke through his previous speed limit in just half a minute, surpassing 1000 meters per second.

That was three times the speed of sound!

And his speed continued to climb.

Ji Xinghuo sensed the changes in his stellar power, noticing a significant reduction in consumption. At the same time, he felt an infinite ocean of energy in the surrounding space, slowly flowing into his body, replenishing his stamina and stellar power.

"But just being able to fly fast is useless; the race has to be run on the ground."

Ji Xinghuo recalled the rules of the Global Marathon and descended to the ground, sprinting wildly through the mountains.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end