Chapter 20: The Celestial Golden Sky Citadel Part 3: The Ancient Wings Descend (Continued) The battlefield became silent. Not because the battle had ended. But because every existence present understood one thing. The true battle had finally begun. The thousands of Garuda warriors surrounding the Celestial Golden Sky Citadel slowly retreated. Not because they were afraid. But because they understood. The next stage of the battle no longer belonged to ordinary warriors. Above the clouds... Three figures descended. The atmosphere changed the moment they appeared. The younger Garuda warriors immediately lowered their heads. Even the clan leader became serious. Because these three beings were not merely elders. They were the pillars that had supported the Garuda clan for countless generations. They had witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations. They had fought enemies that no longer existed. They had survived eras that had already become legends. The first elder slowly spread his wings. Unlike the younger Garuda, whose feathers shone like gold... His feathers were dark golden. Each feather carried countless marks left behind by time. His eyes were calm. But inside those eyes existed thousands of years of experience. "The first mistake of the young is arrogance." His voice spread across the sky. "The second mistake is believing strength alone decides victory." He looked at Adrian. "You are powerful." "But power without understanding is incomplete." Adrian stood on the Originless Heaven Ark. The Void Sovereign Skyblade floated beside him. "I agree." The elder's eyes narrowed slightly. "You agree?" Adrian looked at the Celestial Golden Sky Citadel. "The strongest weapon is not the one with the greatest force." "It is the one that understands how to use that force." A faint silence followed. The Garuda elders realized something. This human was not simply confident. He was observing. Analyzing. Learning. The second elder smiled coldly. "Then let us see how much you can understand." His wings opened. The sky changed. The clouds around him disappeared. The spiritual energy of the heavens began gathering toward him. "Ancient Garuda Art." "Golden Heaven Piercing Wings." For a moment... Nothing happened. Then— Thousands of golden feathers separated from his wings. But these were not ordinary feathers. Every feather contained compressed spiritual energy. Every feather contained a sword intent. Every feather represented thousands of years of refinement. The entire sky became filled with golden blades. The Naga elders watching from the Originless Heaven Ark became serious. "This attack..." "It is completely different from the previous formation." The Naga King looked carefully. "The younger warriors used their numbers." "But this elder..." "He turned every single feather into an independent weapon." Adrian looked at the incoming attack. His eyes moved slightly. Interesting. The technique was not based on overwhelming power. It was based on control. Each feather carried a separate attack path. Even if one attack was blocked... The remaining thousands would continue. A technique designed to overwhelm defense. Adrian slowly raised his hand. "Originless Sword Path." The Void Sovereign Skyblade moved. A single silver line appeared. But unlike before... The sword did not cut the enemy. It entered the space between every attack. Clang. Clang. Clang. Thousands of collisions echoed through the sky. The golden feathers stopped. The Garuda warriors were shocked. But the second elder remained calm. "Not bad." "However..." His eyes flashed. "Did you think that was the full technique?" The golden feathers suddenly changed direction. They moved like living creatures. The attack patterns completely transformed. Adrian's eyes narrowed. The technique had a second layer. The feathers were not only weapons. They were connected. A network. A living formation. "The technique changes according to the opponent's response." Adrian said quietly. The elder smiled. "Finally." "You understand." The next moment— The golden feathers attacked again. This time, even faster. Adrian moved. His figure disappeared. "Originless Movement." His body crossed the battlefield. Not teleportation. Not space control. A movement technique created by reducing unnecessary distance through perfect control. However... The golden feathers followed. Because the elder was not targeting his location. He was targeting the possibility of movement itself. Adrian's eyes became slightly serious. A rare feeling. A challenge. The Garuda elder was forcing him to adapt. Good. That was exactly what the Originless Path required. Not easy victories. Not meaningless domination. Growth. Adrian held the Void Sovereign Skyblade. A new understanding began forming. "Movement..." "Distance..." "Connection..." The sword trembled. The Originless Core inside Adrian responded. A new technique was beginning to form. But before he could complete it— A massive pressure descended. The third elder appeared. No technique. No formation. Only physical strength. His body moved faster than sound. "Ancient Garuda Body Technique." "Heaven Crushing Wing Step." The elder's claw reached Adrian. The force behind the attack distorted the air itself. Adrian immediately raised his hand. "Originless Heaven Barrier." BOOOOOOM! The collision shook the entire sky. The Originless Heaven Ark trembled. The Naga warriors felt their bodies become heavy. That single strike... Was stronger than the attacks of thousands of younger warriors combined. The third elder looked at the barrier. "You have excellent defense." "But..." "Can your defense survive against endless force?" His wings moved. Another strike. Then another. Then another. Each attack was heavier. Stronger. Faster. The Originless Heaven Barrier began creating cracks. Adrian looked calmly. Not worried. Analyzing. Three elders. Three different paths. One controlled the battlefield. One controlled attacks. One controlled destruction through physical power. Together... They created a perfect battle formation. Adrian finally understood. "The Garuda do not rely on individuals." "They rely on generations supporting each other." The first elder smiled. "Now you understand." "That is the reason our clan survived." Adrian looked at the three elders. Then at the fortress behind them. The Celestial Golden Sky Citadel. The warriors. The elders. The ancient formations. Everything was connected. A civilization built into a weapon. Adrian slowly closed his eyes. Then opened them again. A faint smile appeared. "Interesting." "Then I will show you something similar." "The power of my own path." The Originless Heaven Ark began changing.