The morning sun of the 3rd Heaven filtered through the manor's wide crystal windows in soft waves of sapphire and gold, bathing the family's new home in a light that felt ten percent richer than anything they had known in the 4th Heaven. The air itself carried a subtle sweetness, denser with essence, as though the realm itself breathed life into every breath. Joshua stood on the grand balcony of their private manor in Luminara Reach, one of the core floating isles, and simply stared. The enormity of the 3rd Heaven stretched out before him in a way that made the 4th feel like a modest village square by comparison.
Vast islands of luminous white marble and living crystal drifted lazily across an endless twilight sky, some large enough to hold entire cities, others mere garden platforms connected by elegant bridges of condensed starlight that shimmered like frozen rivers of stars. Towering pagodas and spiraling spires rose from the largest landmasses, their surfaces etched with glowing runes that pulsed in rhythm with the realm's own heartbeat. In the distance, massive natural reserves glowed with ethereal phenomena the family had only heard rumors of back home — floating forests where ancient spirit trees bore fruit that ripened in seconds, crystal lakes that reflected alternate versions of the sky, and aurora veils that danced with raw laws of essence, phenomena the 4th Heaven either lacked entirely or that ordinary climbers could never afford the time or travel credits to reach. Here, they were simply part of the everyday skyline.
Flying constructs zipped past at speeds that would have left even peak S-rankers breathless — sleek, rune-etched sky-ships and personal hover-pods that blurred into streaks of light, weaving between the floating isles with effortless grace. One particularly ornate vessel, shaped like a golden dragon, shot overhead faster than Joshua could track, its passengers visible only as faint silhouettes behind translucent barriers. The atmosphere hummed with quiet power; essence mist clung to the skin like a second layer of vitality, invigorating muscles and sharpening the mind in ways the lower realm could never match.
"Big brother, look!" Kai's voice broke the awe-filled silence as the twelve-year-old twin leaned over the balcony railing beside his sister. Mia pointed excitedly at a flock of luminous spirit birds that wheeled past, their feathers trailing faint trails of starlight. "They're singing in harmony with the essence flow!"
Their parents stood just behind them, still processing the sheer scale. Father's hand rested on the smooth marble balustrade, while Mother breathed deeply, eyes shining with quiet wonder. "It's like the stories we used to tell you as children," she murmured. "Only real… and ours."
Before Joshua could reply, a soft chime echoed from the manor's entrance hall. A figure stepped onto the balcony with the smooth precision of polished efficiency — a tall, impeccably dressed man in a tailored black-and-silver uniform, his features refined and ageless, skin a subtle metallic sheen that caught the light like living obsidian. His eyes glowed faintly with inner circuitry, yet his smile was warm and perfectly courteous.
"Earl Joshua, Lady and Lord, young masters Mia and Kai," the man intoned with a slight bow. "I am Jared, the manor's assigned high-grade automaton butler. It is my honor to serve your household during your stay in Luminara Reach. Shall I begin the orientation tour?"
The family turned as one. Joshua's S-rank Ascendant Jade pulsed gently in his spatial ring, and he felt the faint "perception of the laws" brush against his mind like distant stars — still veiled, still requiring Divinity to fully grasp, but enough to sense that Jared was no simple construct. He was a high-grade automaton, one of the almost-sentient AIs that the 3rd Heaven treated as commonplace.
Joshua nodded to Jared. "Please, lead the way."
As they walked through the manor's sunlit corridors — wide halls of polished star-stone that glowed softly underfoot, training pavilions open to the sky, and private essence springs bubbling with pure heavenly energy — Jared provided a calm, informative narration. "The 3rd Heaven operates on a dual economy of star shards," he explained. "Most citizens prefer digital transactions for convenience and security. Physical shards are rarely spent; they are hoarded for direct cultivation or emergency trades. Your granted 100,000 digital star shards equate to 50,000 physical if exchanged, but you will find the vast majority of commerce here conducted digitally."
They reached a holographic display in the central atrium. Aether projected a shimmering catalog at Joshua's silent command.
• Low-grade bot servant (basic cleaning/errands): 100–300 digital star shards
• Mid-grade automaton maid or guard (household security, minor combat): 1,200–4,500 digital star shards
• High-grade living attendant (human, elf, or dwarf): 800–2,000 digital star shards
• Halfblood guard (half-beast, half-human, enhanced strength and senses): 8,000–25,000 digital star shards
• Elite personal butler (like Jared-class, full AI integration and combat protocols): 75,000–120,000 digital star shards
Jared continued smoothly, "Anything can be bought here, my lord, provided the price is met. Guards, maids, servants, butlers — human, elf, dwarf, or halfblood. Even more… specialized requests — hearts, brains, or custom organs — are available through licensed trade houses if one has the credits. Mobile spatial houses the size of this entire estate exist, though they are extremely rare and expensive. Even noble status does not guarantee immediate access. The lowest tier spatial band capable of holding a manor-sized structure starts at 450 million digital star shards, with top-grade versions reaching one billion. Your manor itself, had it not been granted, would have listed at approximately 180 million digital star shards — second only to those spatial bands in luxury pricing."
The family exchanged wide-eyed glances. Mia and Kai whispered excitedly about the possibility of having robot playmates or halfblood guards who could teach them combat forms. Joshua felt a quiet thrill mixed with caution; the power to buy almost anything was intoxicating, but he had no intention of losing himself in noble excess.
Jared led them to the rear grounds, where a sealed tunnel entrance glowed with faint stellar runes. "Your manor includes an attached star mine — a mid-rank deposit classified as a 'dead mine.' These are ancient fragments of heavenly ore that occasionally fall from the upper skies and embed themselves in floating isles. Low-rank mines yield basic star shards at a slow rate and double as modest cultivation chambers. Mid-rank, like this one, produce higher-quality shards and offer accelerated essence tempering. High-rank mines are the rarest and most coveted, capable of refining foundation-level materials directly."
Joshua placed a hand on the rune-sealed door, feeling the dense stellar essence within. He had already decided: they would mine the deposit rather than use it purely for cultivation. The shards would fund future needs, especially the ascendant elixirs he planned for his parents. They didn't need to fight like climbers; they simply needed to live long enough to reach the Divine Heavens, where even mortals enjoyed lifespans that felt like immortality.
"I'll activate mining operations immediately," Joshua told Jared. "And while we're at it… I'd like to hire a personal butler for daily affairs and a dedicated high-grade guard for the family's protection. Something reliable, discreet, and strong enough to handle the subtleties of this realm."
Jared bowed. "Wise choices, my lord. I can arrange interviews from the Trade Association within the hour. Low-grade bots start at 100 shards, but for family security I would recommend a mid-to-high-grade halfblood or elite automaton in the 15,000–40,000 range."
As they returned to the main hall, a soft chime announced an incoming message via the manor's communication array. Aether projected it instantly.
Joshua's jaw tightened. The subtleties of political manipulation had already begun. Existing nobles were testing the waters, trying to determine whether the anomaly who had climbed with his entire family intended to vie for influence or simply pass through. He had sensed similar undercurrents the moment they arrived — more S-ranks here meant more competition, more watchful eyes. Some would hate him simply for treating the 3rd Heaven as a stepping stone rather than a destination.
He dismissed the message for now. "Not interested," he murmured. The family had upgrades to enjoy — the natural reserves they could finally explore, the phenomena that had once been out of reach, the flying constructs they might one day ride together. For the first time in years, the weight of responsibility felt lighter, balanced by the sheer wonder of their new home.
Yet even as laughter echoed through the manor and the twins raced toward the floating gardens, Joshua knew the stairway to heaven had not ended. The 3rd Heaven was magnificent, but it was still only one more step.