Noah reappeared in one of the central islands of the Coral archipelago after the teleportation.
Many years had passed since his last time in that area, and he could see how the growth of the Hive had modified the entirety of the archipelago.
Luxurious and tall buildings could be seen everywhere, even on the outer islands.
Some of the larger islands had been emptied to create training spots that made use of the copying technique, but the scenery as a whole began to resemble that of Elbas city.
The Hive was striving to become the fourth big nation, it was evident that the territories under its domain would see improvements as its growth continued.
Elder Bruce and Elder Roy quickly came to greet him when the news of the arrival of the Demon Prince spread through the archipelago.
Noah noticed how both of them had managed to improve slightly, especially Bruce, but their advance couldn't be compared to Noah's.
Roy had become a rank 4 mage in those years, claiming his spot among the complete heroic cultivators.
However, his dantian hadn't grown that much, the absorption speed of cultivation techniques created by others had substantial limitations on that aspect.
Bruce seemed to have gained some insights about his element, but he struggled to show any real breakthrough too.
"Prince. Noah."
Bruce neared Noah and began to speak in a soft voice so that Elder Roy wouldn't hear him.
To put it simply, Bruce wanted Noah's advice on a particular matter.
Bruce wanted to move to the new continent to cultivate next to the famous lava lake, but Sarah was struggling to make the preparations required for the breakthrough to the fourth rank.
He was simply worried that the piece of Immortal Lands would be too dangerous for Sarah since she was still a human cultivator.
Noah gave him a brief description of the current situation on the other continent.
As for advice and similar, only Bruce and Sarah could decide if the journey was worth the risk.
Both of them would surely benefit from the environment of the new continent, but that area was dangerous in ways that they couldn't even imagine.
Bruce bowed toward Noah after his explanation and handed him a detailed map of the old continent that had been prepared for his mission.
The map had been updated recently, it featured the changes in the political borders that had occurred in the continent after the three big nations decided to focus their assets on the new landmass.
'The areas of influence of the three big countries are receding, they are releasing their grip on the peripheral lands. However, the Hive is the same, all the encampments that it had on the old continent have been disbanded during the conquest of the Lutren nation.'
Noah summarized in his mind as he analyzed the map.
The Lutren nation was the country in the area of influence of the Empire that the Hive had conquered while its heroic assets were busy ambushing the forces of the Utra nation.
That country was quite barren and valueless, but it gave the Hive more land in the area of the old continent.
The Hive used that country as a gathering spot for all the criminals, traitors, and soldiers that wanted to join its forces.
It led them to the archipelago only after a thorough analysis of their profile.
However, Chasing Demon couldn't bother to deploy the copying technique in that nation, that land wasn't worth the precious materials expended in the process.
Noah flew away at that point, he had no reason to linger on the archipelago any more than that.
Also, he desired to reach places where political limitations couldn't control his actions.
His individuality would only suffer if he were forced to continue to hold himself back, he felt the need to experience again the freedom that he had when he was still on the run.
That feeling though couldn't appear so soon since Noah reached a familiar nation as he flew toward the western coastline of the new continent.
Noah saw the borders of Odrea nation, the poor country forced to live inside the protective formation of its patriarch.
More than twenty years had passed, but Noah still remembered the period spent there.
He remembered how Nina had been able to make him accept peaceful feelings, and he remembered how his ability in the Elemental forging method had improved a lot there.
Also, he still used the Mental tremor spell that he had obtained there.
'Twenty years aren't a lot for my current status, I feel that I could spend them sleeping when my belly is full. However, human cultivators don't have the same mindset.'
Noah thought as the memories of his life in that country appeared in his mind.
He didn't know if any of the cultivators that he had met was still alive, nor what consequences his weapons had caused after his departure.
Yet, there were too many political limitations around that country.
Odrea nation was a training area of the Empire, and its deceased patriarch had a peculiar relationship with the god of the attacking force.
Noah would like to annex that nation to the Hive and explore the depths of the Mausoleum, but he couldn't risk incurring in the wrath of a rank 7 existence.
He wouldn't do it for June with his current power, there was no chance that he would do it for a nation that had initially thought of exploiting him.
'I've conquered the river only to meet the endless sea. The heroic ranks are a world full of monsters, and I've just managed to take one significant step toward the higher powers.'
Noah didn't feel any hurry, he knew that the power of his body could make him match entities that had cultivated for centuries more than him.
He had just entered the sea, but he wasn't a lost fish.
Noah then turned toward the south.
The mountain chain that divided the areas of influence of the Shandal Empire and the Utra nation could be vaguely seen in the distance.
Still, Noah was interested in the small city that thrived along the western coastline.
'I know that I should recruit the remains of the Charming demon sect, but they have tried to use and kill me, I can't go too easy on them. I hope that Gillian is alive.'
Noah smiled when he thought about those past events and began to fly along the western coastline in the direction of the city of Slyfall.