"Hey kid, the ride's over."
The captain stretched his chin, nodding toward the exit ramp.
"Get out of here."
Isaac thanked him before heading down the ramp into the loading area. The journey only took an hour and a half to cover 72 miles (115 km).
It was much slower than a plane back on Earth , but had Isaac been on the roof of a plane going 550 mph, he wouldn't be alive; not with his current strength, at least.
Silver Lake City 's most attractive feature was, of course, the vast crystal lake that resided to the east of the city.
It attracted many tourists from neighboring cities and counties during the warm season.
The Airdocks this time were filled with wealthy people wanting to enjoy the lake's radiant waters.
"Seashell necklaces!! Sourced from the depths of the lake!! Only 2 silver," a vendor yelled.
"Authentic pearls from a Qi refining oyster !! Going cheap for only 4 pieces of silver!!" another vendor shouted.
Closest to the docks were the street vendors looking to take advantage of the deep pockets of anyone who could afford an airship.
The smell of the freshwater lingered in the air despite the fact they were located in the north sector of the city, a good few miles away from the lake.
Children spread rumors claiming that the city lord had set up something to circulate the breeze, but their parents refuted it as being the lake's own feature.
While the summer season had indeed just started, most who had come this early had more reason than just a vacation spot.
Each year, the Great Love Sect hosted not only their recruitment event but also an auction for various treasures, pills, and artifacts.
Unlike the recruitment event, which had been rejecting 100% of applicants for the past 50 years, the auction remained tried and true.
With the massive surge of tourists each year, the city always made sure to capitalize on the event.
Just from sound alone, Isaac could hear how lively the streets were.
But as he made his way to the lake 's edge, which was set to be the location of the recruitment event, he began to hear rumors about the latest discipline of the famous sect.
Each previous discipline of the Great Love Sect had produced a legendary figure in the cultivation world.
One was a sword saint, another was a god of war, one was a master of medicine, while another was the greatest musician.
But the most recent discipline? There was nothing.
And so, due to his apparent lack of talent, rumors of the sect's decline eventually made their way into the ears of the general public.
They called him a loser, a dud, and even a deadbeat for ruining the once prestigious sect's reputation.
Isaac, on the other hand, ignored the rest of the 'rumors' he heard while on his way.
It felt a little too close to home; a reminder of a past he didn't wish to remember.
***
(3 Years Ago , Earth)
"I'm telling you, damn it , he cheated!" Isaac yelled.
"Look, Mister Miracle , I understand your concern, but there is simply no evidence to support your claim," a representative from the IOC stated.
"Mister Romano has submitted countless tests from the World Anti - Doping Agency due to your requests, but everything has come back clean," he sighed.
"I understand that you may be feeling disappointed at the fact that you didn't win, but please understand that the IOC will no longer be accepting your complaints."
Without a moment's hesitation, the video call ended, leaving Isaac to stare at his disheveled self on the dark laptop screen.
It had been months since his loss, and yet he simply couldn't let go.
That final bout, the deciding point, haunted his mind.
Isaac didn't believe himself to be a sore loser; he could accept a loss from a better opponent.
But Marco wasn't that.
The difference between Marco's skill in the final bout and the rest of the match was night and day.
To others, they might not have noticed the difference, but as someone who had reached the absolute peak of fencing, Isaac could tell Marco had become an entirely different beast at that moment.
His level of speed and precision had entered a realm beyond anything he had seen in just a few short seconds. He had to have been cheating.
The loud ring of a notification from his phone awoke Isaac from his restless thoughts.
His manager had texted him to ask about his mental health, as in the recent weeks, Marco's team was running a smear campaign against him.
With the countless reports Isaac had been submitting, the Italian fencer wasn't taking the offense lying down.
He had seen the tweets surrounding his 'tantrum,' and it was clear public favor wasn't on his side.
Isaac sighed. He knew when to step down; he had tried, and he had failed.
It was a bitter defeat, but Isaac gave up on proving that Marco had somehow cheated.
***
(Present, Great Love Recruitment Event )
The venue took place right beside the water's edge on a large artificial rock platform.
By the time Isaac had reached the vicinity of the area, there was a disproportionately long line to get onto the platform.
On each surrounding side stood groups of people watching the event unfold.
In the middle of the platform stood a towering mirror that displayed a person's talents with a simple touch.
It displayed their constitution, spiritual roots, luck value, and elemental affinity.
While Isaac waited in line for his turn, he took the time to note any talents.
This event was a common occurrence in the web novels he had read, and it was typical for a protagonist to appear.
Though Isaac wouldn't be a kiss ass, but making acquaintances with them wasn't off the table.
'That was if he even had the talent to begin cultivating. Maybe he'd end up being a dud.' He thought.
Most people possessed little to no talent. They had regular constitutions, inferior spiritual roots, minimal luck, and no affinity for the elements.
Just like him, they were simply waiting to try their luck.
The next person to step onto the platform appeared to be one of them.
He wore a simple farmer's outfit and looked to be no older than 15 years of age.
No one expected anything of him, but the sudden light from the mirror artifact caught everyone's attention.
The words 'Superior Earth spiritual root' and 'Earthly crystal body' flashed upon the mirror's display.
A shroud of silence enveloped everyone in the nearby vicinity as they all waited for a sign that he had been chosen.
But as seconds passed, it became clear that despite the young man's extraordinary talents, he hadn't been selected by the Great Love sect.
Yet, they cheered for the boy who would soon be scouted by other sects.
"Probably not protagonist material, but definitely talented," Isaac noted.
"I'd be glad if I were half as talented," Isaac smiled bitterly.
Eventually, the once distant platform appeared before Isaac.
Watching the person in front of him leave the platform, it was now his turn to step up.
"No cheats, no system, no golden finger. I either begin my rise or fall back into obscurity," Isaac thought.