Three days later, the moment for the Skylark to depart finally arrived.
All supplies were tightly secured inside the cabin to ensure nothing shifted during violent turbulence.
The main sail, tail sail, wings, winch systems—every mechanism underwent a final inspection.
Before departure, Sami pulled Kahailo aside.
"After we leave, the Swordfish is in your hands."
"Keep the remaining brothers under control. Stay low-key on the island and avoid trouble."
"And most importantly—before we return, try not to attract the Marines' attention."
"Most of the officers will be gone. If something happens, the pressure on you will be enormous."
Kahailo nodded.
"I understand, boss. Don't worry. I'll keep everyone in line and make sure the Swordfish stays safe."
Sami patted his shoulder and said nothing more.
The Skylark slowly left the harbor, rounded the cape, and sailed to the western side of Liashta Island.
It was a completely different world from the calm harbor.
The endless western gale howled violently.
Seawater slammed against the cliffs and exploded into white foam.
"This wind… is insane!"
Aldo clung tightly to the railing, struggling just to breathe.
"That's exactly what we need," Barry said, protected beside Sami.
"Only this kind of wind can push the ship hard enough to break the resistance and climb onto the high-speed sky route!"
The Skylark adjusted its direction.
Directly ahead lay the vertical cliff on the island's western side.
"Now!" Barry shouted.
His voice carried decades of suppressed excitement.
"Hans! Leon!"
"Full sails!"
"Wing membranes to maximum lift position!"
"Straight at the cliff—full speed ahead!"
"Understood!"
Hans and Leon exchanged a glance and took a deep breath.
Then they pushed the control levers together.
The Skylark's sleek hull trembled slightly.
The main sail instantly filled with the raging west wind.
The tail sail shifted to provide initial thrust.
The ship—built for the sky—shot forward like an arrow.
The violent wind was no longer resistance.
It became their greatest propulsion.
The cliff rapidly expanded in their vision.
The pressure of death rushed toward them.
"We're going to crash!"
"We're going to crash!!"
"Hold steady!" Barry roared.
"NOW—pull the lever!"
"Press down the wing's trailing edge!"
"Raise the bow!"
Hans' veins bulged as he forced the main control lever forward with all his strength.
Leon stared at the wing angle gauge, making tiny adjustments.
"We caught it!!"
Sami shouted sharply.
"Everyone hold on!"
"We're taking off!"
Just before the bow smashed into the cliff—
The Skylark shuddered.
Using its terrifying speed and precise angle adjustments—
It lifted off the sea at the last possible moment.
The bow surged upward.
The ship shot along the cliff face in a climb that defied common sense.
Except for Hans and Leon, who were strapped into the cockpit seats, everyone else clung tightly to the cabin rails.
Sami held Barry firmly with one arm.
His other hand gripped a strap near the mast base.
BOOM—!
The crashing sound of the waves vanished behind them.
The view rapidly rose.
The island shrank beneath them.
The harbor, windmills, and town became tiny specks.
A powerful force pressed everyone against the deck.
It felt as though their blood was flowing backward.
"We… we're flying!!!"
Leon's voice trembled.
"Don't relax!" Barry shouted despite his pale face.
"We're on the high-speed sky route!"
"Hans! Leon! Hold the direction!"
"We must not leave this wind corridor!"
"This is insane!" Aldo yelled.
"I can't even see the road!"
He tried to widen his eyes, but all he saw was rushing blue sky and blurred air currents.
No landmarks at all.
"Trust your instincts!" Barry shouted.
"Piloting a Heaven Ascension Boat—seventy percent wind, thirty percent the helmsman's intuition!"
"Trust the ship! Feel the wind!"
"This is the hardest part of the climb!"
Hans' back was soaked in sweat.
He had heard Barry explain the high-speed sky route many times during training.
But actually being inside it—
Driving a ship upward through empty sky—
The terror of having no visual reference points nearly overwhelmed him.
He stared at the instruments and the empty sky ahead.
Trying to sense the route from the wind pressure, vibrations, and feedback from the controls.
"Maybe… a little to the left?"
He muttered.
The wind pressure on the right side seemed slightly stronger.
Just as his nerves stretched to the breaking point—
A gentle male voice suddenly spoke beside his ear.
Strangely, it rose above the roaring wind.
"No. Keep it like this."
Hans jolted.
His hand froze on the control lever.
"Alright."
He answered instinctively.
Oddly enough—
After hearing that short instruction, the panic in his chest eased slightly.
He focused again on breathing and maintaining control.
"Clouds!"
"There are clouds ahead!"
Feiqi shouted through the observation window.
Ahead lay an endless layer of thick clouds.
In the center was a massive hole, torn open by violent air currents.
"That's the opening created by the sky route!" Barry said excitedly.
"We're on the correct trajectory!"
"Go through it!"
The Skylark plunged into the white cloud tunnel.
Instantly, thick mist surrounded them.
The world turned milky white.
Only the roaring wind remained.
A few seconds later—
They burst out of the clouds.
Above them stretched an even clearer sky.
But just as everyone began to relax—
The upward thrust suddenly weakened.
The ship slowed.
Then it started to wobble.
"What's happening?!"
"Did we lose power?!"
"Did we leave the sky route?!"
"Mommy I'm going to fall—!!!"
Thump.
A dull, soft impact came from beneath the ship.
Followed by a strange rocking motion.
The Skylark…
Had stopped.
Silence filled the cabin.
Only heavy breathing remained.
"Did we… land?"
Hiriluk asked uncertainly.
Aldo was the first to react.
He rushed to the hatch.
"Let's check outside!"
Everyone stumbled onto the deck—
And froze.
White.
An endless sea of pure white clouds stretched to the horizon.
The Skylark rested steadily on top of them.
Above was an impossibly blue sky.
Sunlight poured down freely upon this empty yet magnificent world.
After a brief silence—
Cheers erupted like a volcano.
Some sailors hugged each other.
Others screamed wildly into the vast cloud sea.
"WOOOOOOO—!!!"
The entire ascent—from the charge to landing—
Had only taken a few minutes.
Yet it felt like they had survived an entire lifetime.
"We… we made it."
"Hahaha…"
Inside the cockpit, a wave of exhaustion washed over Hans.
Followed by overwhelming relief and joy.
He slowly released the control lever.
Only to realize his fingers were still trembling uncontrollably.
Hans looked at Leon beside him.
The man's face was equally pale.
"Not bad, Leon."
Hans forced a thumbs-up.
"As expected of an officer."
"When the ship took off, I nearly panicked."
"But you stayed calm and kept observing."
"If you hadn't told me to hold the direction, I might have messed up the controls."
Leon wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Then blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
"But… I didn't say anything."
"In that situation I was terrified too."
"I was completely focused on the instruments and the front."
"I didn't have the energy to give instructions."
Hans froze.
"Then… that voice earlier…"
He looked at Leon's confused expression.
After a moment, he shook his head.
"…Never mind."
"I must've imagined it because I was too nervous."