ã€ŠCosmic Bodybuildingã€‹


 Book 0 (1 of 6): The Primordial Muscle

    Most do not know why or how the universe was created.

    Many believe it to be a stroke of fortune or a birth from chaos.

    But the universe was not born out of mere chance.

    Instead, it emerged from necessity, driven by an instinct for survival.

    Long before its creation, a strange green sphere hung in the void like a shiny Christmas ornament. This sphere was a habitat for a peculiar form of life, its surface teeming with vitality. Tiny plant-like creatures, known as Aetherroots, blanketed the sphere, their vines twisting and weaving into intricate patterns.

    Beneath this vibrant surface lay a mysterious pool of still time, shimmering faintly like water. Within the sphere, the time funneled outward from its center, where an otherworldly river replenished the pool with fresh time.

    This river was a small branch of a greater source. Far downstream, the colossal Past-Present River coursed through the vast void, carrying the waters of all past and present time as it flowed toward the Future Ocean.

    For eons, the Aetherroots, the time pool, and the Past-Present River coexisted in a delicate equilibrium. But when this balance broke, its collapse brought disaster.

    For reasons unknown, the Past-Present River began diverting more of its waters through the small branch that fed the Aetherroots'' habitat, overwhelming the sphere¡¯s once-still pool with chaotic currents.

    The Aetherroots faced a life-and-death crisis. Unable to withstand the disruptive flow of time, they began to starve. One by one, they withered and died, their vines breaking apart and falling away from the sphere.

    The cracks deepened until time erupted in a final surge, flinging fragments across the void like scattered seeds.

    With their habitat in ruins the Aetherroots were on the verge of extinction.

    The weakest died quickly, leaving only the strongest to adapt. However, the Past-Present River¡¯s continuously diverting flow made evolution impossible, as its currents outpaced the time required for adaptation.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    It seemed without a miracle they were certain to perish.

    Luckily their salvation had been with them all along.

    The sphere was covered in a strange, gray material formed from the remains of the Aetherroots'' ancestors.

    This material was called the Primordial Muscle.

    Hardened by eons of exposure to the void, it had the remarkable ability to interact with the turbulent streams of time. With care and use, it became a protective shield where the surviving Aetherroots could thrive.

    By bending and flexing the Primordial Muscle with their root bodies, the Aetherroots discovered ways to divert and slow the flow of time, allowing them to withstand its relentless pressure.

    The Muscle¡¯s purpose, however, went far beyond survival.

    It became the foundation for the creation of the universe itself.

    Acting as a vast canvas, the Muscle enabled reality to be "painted." When stimulated, it released bursts of energy that formed matter, colors, and shapes, which became the fundamental building blocks of the cosmos.

    The Aetherroots quickly mastered the Muscle¡¯s potential. By designing intricate "workouts" to stimulate and shape it, they controlled the flow of time around themselves, working the Muscle to create mass and secure access to sustenance.

    But they did not stop there. After constructing their first prototypical bodies, they realized they could expand further. By surrounding themselves with celestial bodies, they refined their workouts and flexed the Muscle to even greater heights, ultimately creating many galactic-sized bodies for themselves in the process.

    Through their ingenuity, the Aetherroots became masters of their destinies. The once-destructive Past-Present River transformed into a powerful source of opportunity.

    The greater the flow from the river, the more sustenance it provided, tempering the Primordial Muscle and enabling the Aetherroots to achieve even greater feats of cosmic bodybuilding.

    For ages, the Aetherroots thrived. Sustained by a steady flow of energy from the river of time, they grew to immense sizes, and the Primordial Muscle continued to expand outward. What had once been a desperate struggle for survival evolved into an era of growth and creation, driven by an unyielding pursuit of mass.

    But this golden age of cosmic bodybuilding has slowed. The Muscle is no longer expanding as quickly, and the Aetherroots are adjusting to a great plateau in their growth.

    Even in this period of calm, change is on the horizon. A new challenge is emerging, one unlike anything the Aetherroots had encountered before.

    In this era of stillness and dwindling opportunities, an Aetherroot, named Nu was born.

    His birth carried a profound legacy, one destined to alter the course of the universe and potentially threaten the fragile habitat of the Aetherroots once again.

 Book 0 (2 of 6): Birth of a Tyrant

    Positioned at the outskirts of the expanding universe, within a secluded pocket of space rich with tissue from the Primordial Muscle, lay the seed of a newborn Aetherroot, known as Nu.

    Having just entered this world, Nu extended a probing vine beyond his shell.

    Outside his seed lay an inherited legacy.

    Written in a language transcribed through the flexing of the Muscle, Nu¡¯s probing vine carefully traced the gray void, as though reading a strange braille-like script.

    For Aetherroots legacies act similar to heritage or family. They guide the newborn root through the early stages of their lives, allowing him to learn from their ancestral experiences, and set them up for success later down in life.

    Despite lacking general intelligence, Nu instinctively grasped the significance of what he was reading. Even from the first few glyphs, he sensed the legacy¡¯s extraordinary value. Its wealth of information and techniques revealed one undeniable truth:

    He was destined to do great things.

    This legacy bore the marks and experiences of the supermassive being known as Bohr.

    Renowned as the first emperor of the universe, Bohr¡¯s unrelenting dominance and the immense power of his tyrannical god-body inspired both awe and terror throughout the cosmos. However, his reign was cut short when he was betrayed by his twelve most trusted colleagues, leading to his early death.

    Bohr¡¯s message to Nu was short and simple: "Never submit to anyone; become the most massive object in the universe."

    The words resonated in Nu¡¯s mind like the tolling of ancient bells, etching themselves deep into his being.

    To Nu, Bohr was like a father. For a newborn whose life was still incomplete, Bohr became his everything. Nu worshiped his experiences, absorbing the disdain and disgust he had felt toward the universe and his ruthless, uncaring nature that created his rise in power.

    Beneath this legacy lay a blank space, a place where Nu might one day inscribe his own story. For Aetherroots, this space was sacred, the passing of a torch to the next generation and writing a legacy was their life''s most important task.

    As Bohr¡¯s heir, Nu longed to write a great story of tyrannical triumph, following in his father''s footsteps and eventually surpassing him.

    Following his ancestral instructions, Nu began shaping his first body. He carved vein-like channels into the muscle tissue to guide the flow of time. When his work was complete, he had created a form resembling an atom, containing only the minimal mass needed to hold his existence together.

    Extending a vine outward, Nu searched for the nearest stream of time to sustain himself. Upon finding one, the vine withered, sacrificing itself to allow the essence of time to flow into the channels. The liquid time moved sluggishly, nourishing the seed at his core.

    Thick vines spread outward, anchoring Nu in place as they absorbed sustenance from the calm stream of time surrounding him. With this newfound energy, he began propelling himself through space.

    Intent on improving his imperfect form, Nu deliberately sought to destroy it by colliding with other newborn Aetherroots.

    In the pocket of space where he was born, Aetherroots with muscular bodies darted about chaotically, colliding in bursts of light and heat. These impacts caused the surrounding Muscle to shift, allowing the Aetherroots to reshape and reinforce their forms. By cooperating, they merged their bodies to command larger quantities of Muscle, constructing lattice structures and complex molecules. Within these formations, the Aetherroots established chains of command, directing how their body would be built.

    These governments were not decided by the Aetherroots themselves, but rather through their legacies. Generally, the greatest legacy determines the chain of command, appointing their heirs as the controlling power of the combined body.

    With Bohr¡¯s great legacy involved, every collision ended the same way. Nu would remain the sole commander-in-chief, while the other Aetherroots would become slaves to control the Muscle based on his whim, their legacies subsumed beneath Bohr¡¯s, acting as footnotes in his grand story.

    Using his unchecked power, Nu began to sculpt the foundations of his tyrannical god-body, following Bohr¡¯s blueprint.

    As more Aetherroots collided with him, Nu¡¯s mass grew, and the streams of time surged, allowing him and his followers to thrive.

    His legacy expanded, adding the knowledge of thousands of ancestral pages to its binding.

    Intelligence is generally governed by knowledge. Once a certain threshold of information is accumulated, the soul can be created.

    This process is achieved by connecting legacy pages through soul passageways. As these pages amass and reach a certain level of connectivity, the intelligence within them can evolve into sapience.

    Now with a body the size of an atom, Nu had accumulated fifty thousand ancestral pages in his legacy, allowing him to form his first soul. Following Bohr¡¯s instructions, he imprinted intricate diagrams onto unused Muscle tissue. These diagrams facilitated the creation of soul passageways, enabling Nu to form his initial interpretations and experiences of the world around him.

    Now with a soul, he no longer drifted aimlessly through the pocket space. Instead, he charged in specific directions, deliberately scooping up as many loose Aetherroots as he could, dominating the space like a hungry animal.

    One million, two million, up to five million pages were combined and connected within him using soul diagrams.

    He now had enough knowledge to form his first interpretation of himself.

    "Me... the greatest," his thoughts raced disjointedly through his newly awakened mind.

    His body expanded, easily outpacing the competition. Now visible on a macroscopic scale, he resembled a plasma marble.

    Having surpassed his rivals, Nu now faced greater challenges. Surrounding him were tiny, sand-like grains of plasma, their movements predatory, like wolves eager to tear him apart.

    For those destined for greatness are always certain to face opposition.

    Through teamwork, the grains managed to gain some ground, stealing pieces of his body for themselves.

    But their victories were short-lived. As they struggled to organize into a cohesive force, cracks began to appear in their cooperation.

    Nu¡¯s counterattack was swift and brutal. Commanding his growing army, he reclaimed every lost inch, spreading his plasma-like body into intricate formations. After years of relentless war against the sand-like grains, he destroyed their command centers and consumed their armies whole.

    Now, the size of a small animal, Nu stood unchallenged. His power was absolute.

    Letting out a gurgling laugh, he reveled in his victory.

    "Too easy! Far too easy," he sneered. "All these meager opponents are but appetizers to my great legacy."

    Nu consumed the remaining Aetherroots in the pocket space, leaving nothing behind.

    Finishing his gloating, he released a raucous laugh.

    "This great victory shall be but a small footnote in my personal legacy. For my storied rise, this is but the smallest step."

    After devouring the last of the Muscle tissue, Nu gazed outward. The fold of space-time he had existed in began to collapse, allowing him to step beyond its confines into the vast universe.

    At the center of his soul, his legacy appeared in the form of a book, glowing with radiant yellow light as Nu processed the world around him.

    The universe was disastrously cold, surprising him. Although he had connected most of his ancestral knowledge, there had been no mention of such a thing. The universe they had described was warm and teeming with newborn life.

    The fold of space-time Nu had once occupied came from a distant era. Like a thawed caveman, his knowledge was useful but outdated.

    Still, the figures whose legacies he carried had once been galactic entities, and despite his lack of current information, their power remained unmatched. His personality, shaped by the most tyrannical emperor of the previous generations, would not allow him to fail simply because the universe was colder than he had expected.

    Adapting quickly, he compressed all the heat in his body into a small, white grain of sand, using it as his core. His external form solidified into celestial rock. Drawing upon the methods described by his father, Bohr, he shaped his tyrannical god-body, taking on the appearance of a six-faced cube.

    Having overcome his first crisis, a glint sparkled in each of his six pairs of eyes as he surveyed the universe¡¯s majesty.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "My name is Nu!" he proclaimed to the cosmos. "You may not have heard of me yet, but soon every corner of existence will know my name."

    He let out a deep, rumbling laugh, thick with villainous glee. "Bohr wanted me to strive to become the most massive object in the universe. But why stop there?"

    "For my greatness, even the universe is beneath me. I will not be satisfied until I have consumed every last bit of mass in this desolate void."

    With a hint of childish delight, he opened his mouth wide, pretending to devour the distant stars and galaxies around him.

    "My pursuit of mass will not end until my body becomes the universe itself."

    Taking purposeful strides forward, he traveled through the vast void toward the universe''s center.

    The universe was dense with discarded floating matter. It drifted listlessly in the cold space, mostly in moving roadways known as ''asteroid roads.'' Some rocks were covered in grass-like textures, while others glistened with colorful crystalline structures.

    Nu was tempted by it. Seeing so much food in front of him, he couldn''t help but wonder, "What''s the catch?"

    Still an infant, he relied exclusively on his ancestral teachings for answers. Flashing with yellow guidance, they provided inconclusive answers.

    Seeing only one way to find out for himself, he leapt at the smallest floating piece of mass. Opening his mouth, he devoured a small grassy pebble.

    Once the pebble entered him, he needed to break it down and combine it with his body.

    Utilizing a workout technique gifted by his ancestors, his body began to vibrate with violent, deliberate movements. Leveraging stray magnetic and gravitational forces, he attempted to digest the pebble.

    After a moment, his face twisted in disgust as he failed to swallow the pebble. "Blegh!" he spat out chunks of rock. "This pebble¡¯s been dead too long. It no longer has any Aetherroots to maintain its form. It¡¯s just drifting, dead Muscle now. I¡¯d need to heat it up to remove its impurities and digest it into my body."

    He paused, thinking it over carefully. "This will not be an easy task. The only solution I can think of right now is using a star as a heat source."

    "But getting close to one will be an impossible challenge."

    Realizing he had hit a major roadblock right at the start of his journey, he cursed his luck, growing frustrated with his situation and unsure of how to proceed.

    After a brief tantrum, he pulled himself together and rallied once more. "No matter."

    "It seems the universe does not want to kneel to me immediately," he smirked sardonically. "Every great rise is accompanied by hardships." He laughed, his voice thick with determination. "Your trials can¡¯t last forever. Sooner or later, you will fold."

    With the goal of finding a heat source, he joined the flow of an asteroid highway drifting toward the inner reaches of the universe. Meandering aimlessly, he hoped to solve his problems through chance.

    To conserve as much heat as possible, he sealed all his openings and entered a temporary state of dormancy.

    Several years passed on the asteroid highway, its speed began picking up as it reached closer to the

    Half a day passed on the asteroid highway when they began drifting past a massive yellow planet. One of Nu¡¯s eyes peeled open at just the right moment, catching sight of a lifeless rock breaking away from the highway and plummeting toward the planet¡¯s atmosphere. As it traveled through the dense layers, it began to emit flames, spiraling down in a fiery trail of light.

    "Heat!" Nu exclaimed with excitement. "The friction from that yellow planet¡¯s atmosphere could work to heat up the matter I desire. It¡¯ll be a dangerous operation, but most planets are usually dormant, no one will mind me using their atmospheres while they rest." He stared at the yellow planet, his mind racing with plans and possibilities.

    Nu wasn¡¯t the only one with this idea. Three strangely shaped vagrant asteroids orbited the planet, each carrying a spark of intelligence like his own. They watched the flaming asteroid hungrily.

    As the rock turned a searing red, the vagrants sprang into action. The first resembled a potted plant with a human face on one of its leaves, flanked by two cracked stone dolphins, their surfaces brittle and fissured. All three wore white headbands, their eyes wild with hunger, like a pack of dogs eyeing a feast.

    The potted plant surged forward, devouring the molten rock with a satisfied smack of its lips. It turned to leave the atmosphere, its headband gleaming, allowing it to resist the planet¡¯s gravity and move freely.

    Nu felt a surge of envy seeing the headband''s effects, "What a treasure to resist gravity like that," he thought, his eyes narrowing. "Too bad I¡¯m no match for those vagrants. If I were stronger, I¡¯d take one for myself."

    "I¡¯m too weak," he muttered to himself. "I need to find a way to get stronger, or I¡¯ll never be able to claim anything worthwhile in this life."

    He sighed deeply. "As for resisting gravity... I do have a way. But I fear it might consume too much heat."

    Nu concentrated, preparing to use an ancestral technique. This skill allowed him to channel heat from his core to one side of his body, releasing it in a fiery burst to propel himself at incredible speeds.

    Red lines streaked across his stone surface as energy built up within him. He grabbed several pebbles to cook in the planet''s atmosphere with his mouth and made his way toward the outermost orbit, cautiously keeping his distance while watching the battle between the vagrant asteroids.

    Meanwhile, the dolphins, enraged by the plant''s theft, were unwilling to leave the atmosphere without a meal. As the plant''s body emitted flames, seeing the opportunity the dolphins dove in, biting into its hottest sections. Their headbands glowing brightly, they quickly retreated.

    The plant¡¯s leaf-face twisted in fury, letting out a deafening roar before springing into action. A compartment beneath its pot opened, revealing two muscular stone arms, each gripping a barbell-like skewer. With one swift motion, the skewers pierced the dolphins¡¯ cores, transforming them into dormant rock.

    Gripping a barbell in each vine, the plant began a workout routine resembling one-handed T-bar rows, using the corpses as weights. With each rep, it dipped the skewered rock dolphins into the planet¡¯s atmosphere, roasting them with heat generated by the friction of the abundant planetary dust.

    Nu watched the scene with a mix of surprise and admiration. ¡°These beings contain many shocking secrets that I am still unfamiliar with,¡± he sighed, shaking his head.

    As the plant continued its vigorous workout, the dolphins¡¯ remains began to glow molten red. Unsure whether to approach or stay at a distance, Nu hesitated. The aroma of cooked stone wafted through space, signaling the plant was nearing the end of its task.

    The plant eventually retracted its skewers but didn¡¯t eat immediately, casting wary glances toward the planet below. It began with slow, deliberate bites, but soon started wolfing down the dolphins with gusto, licking its chops as its glowing headband activated, allowing it to resist gravity and ascend away from the planet¡¯s orbit.

    But before it could go far, a crimson light began flashing on its headband. Its leaf-face twisted in panic as an intense gravitational pull overtook it. Desperately, two vines tugged at the headband, but it didn¡¯t budge. Like a puppet cut from its strings, it spiraled into freefall toward the yellow planet.

    From deep within the planet¡¯s core, an archaic voice echoed up to the falling plant. "Little slave, I warned you not to be so greedy. You always covet what¡¯s not yours."

    The plant bellowed in panic, tears welling in its eyes. In desperation, it broke off chunks of itself and tossed them into the planet¡¯s atmosphere, as if hoping to appease the celestial master.

    The voice boomed again, "It''s too late for apologies."

    "For your crimes, only death will suffice my displeasure."

    The yellow planet¡¯s gaseous surface swelled, coalescing into the shape of a giant face. Its mouth opened wide, and the potted plant disappeared inside, the sounds of a gruesome swallow following.

    Seeing the shocking event unfold, Nu didn''t hesitate. He swallowed the pebbles in his mouth and activated the pull of his technique, trying to get as far away from the planet as possible.

    Nu sped through space like a comet, his body leaving a trail of red light. His gains were minimal, and the dead matter digested poorly within him, causing sickly lumps to form on his surface. He forced the discomfort down, channeling more heat into his ancestral technique to aid in his escape.

    "Don¡¯t think about leaving so soon," the voice boomed again.

    A powerful gravitational force slammed into Nu, halting his escape. With no way out, he turned and faced the yellow planet.

    "Don¡¯t be scared, little one. I¡¯m not here to harm you. I¡¯ve just lost three of my slaves and now I¡¯m looking for replacements. That¡¯s all. Earlier, I saw you eyeing my headbands."

    From the planet¡¯s surface, a tattered white headband rose and landed near Nu. "Why not take one for yourself?"

    Nu stared at the headband, his expression grim.

    "Lord Planet, I had no idea you were active. I hope you¡¯ll look the other way this one time."

    "Look the other way?" The yellow planet scoffed. "Little pebble, I¡¯m not here to cause you grief. What you did before is hardly worth mentioning. I simply need intelligent helpers to guide asteroids to my surface."

    "You seem capable of fulfilling that role. And, since you¡¯re unclaimed, I thought we could strike a simple deal."

    The planet¡¯s voice softened, trying to sound more reasonable. "Listen, why don¡¯t you put on the headband first? Then we can discuss the benefits of working for me."

    Nu¡¯s jaw tightened. His ancestral pride and tyrannical nature recoiled at the idea of servitude.

    "I¡¯m sorry," he sneered, "but I have no intention of becoming anyone¡¯s slave. I¡¯d rather die than kneel to another."

    The gas giant laughed, its booming voice reverberating through the void. "Such audacity! I love it! It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve heard such fire."

    Large gaseous arms appeared, wiping mock tears from its face. "Good. Thank you for the laugh, little one."

    The planet¡¯s tone shifted again. "Look, this headband is just a guarantee of my benefits. No kneeling, no calling me ¡®master.¡¯ You¡¯ll sign a simple agreement, and when it ends, you¡¯re free to go. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

    Nu shook his head, resolute. "I can¡¯t agree to this."

    The gas giant sighed deeply. "Kid, you don¡¯t understand. Sure, you¡¯ve got a decent legacy. But without mass, your lineage is just empty words."

    The voice grew darker. "Without submitting to a celestial being larger than yourself, you¡¯ll never achieve anything substantial. I¡¯ve seen it happen countless times. The universe will crush you."

    "If you refuse to submit, fine. Go ahead and wander, clinging to your ancestors¡¯ glory while the universe chews you up and spits you out."

    The planet¡¯s voice turned venomous. "You already know this, but if I wanted to, I could wipe you out with the flick of my finger. But you¡¯re so insignificant, lifting my pinky would be a waste of energy."

    Nu¡¯s face twisted in anger, his resolve hardening.

    "Go ahead," the gas giant taunted. "Leave. But don¡¯t come crawling back in a hundred years, begging to serve me. I¡¯ll be waiting for your apologies."

    With that, the yellow planet¡¯s face faded, and the gas giant returned to dormancy. Nu was left alone, his bloodshot eyes burning with hatred as he glared at the planet.

    "You¡¯re wrong," Nu muttered, his voice low but full of fierce resolve. "I don¡¯t need to kneel to anyone to achieve mass."

    His thoughts solidified. "My legacy is forged by the tyrannical Bohr. I will not be diminished by a mere universe."

    He straightened, determination flooding his veins. "I will return in one hundred years."

    "But not for your worthless deal," he spat, his voice ice-cold. "I¡¯ll be back for your head."

    The yellow planet¡¯s face reappeared, roaring with laughter. "Ha! Bohr? Good luck with that, kid."

    Nu ignored the mockery, his voice steady and unwavering. "My name is Nu. If there are no opportunities, I¡¯ll create them myself."

    With a final glance at the fading planet, he turned and walked back to the asteroid highway. The gas giant¡¯s laughter echoed behind him, but it only strengthened his resolve.

    Consumed by thoughts of proving the gas giant wrong, Nu ventured deeper into the universe, determined to carve his own path.

 Book 0 (3 of 6): Pathway Beyond Life and Death

    Years passed as Nu¡¯s journey to the inner universe continued.

    Upon leaving the outer belt of the universe, Nu''s travel speed increased dramatically, causing his vision to warp and reducing everything around him to a bright, fading blur of light.

    After two years, Nu arrived at the ninth layer of the universe, where his speed gradually slowed. As the universe returned to focus, Nu''s gaze sharpened with vigilance, carefully navigating the dangerous solar systems.

    These solar systems were extraordinarily active. From their centers, unimaginable creatures and colossal celestial objects were locked in a cosmic struggle to increase their mass in this cold and dead universe.

    In one solar system, a colossal centipede, the size of a planet, guided dead celestial bodies into the surface of a star. It feasted on the solar flares erupting from the collisions. After digesting the energy, it grasped another lifeless planet, clamping it with its numerous hook-like limbs, and began curling it like a dumbbell.

    In another system, tiny, black, insect-like creatures swarmed around a star, dimming its surface as they absorbed radiation into their bodies. When the time came to reproduce, they left the star in search of the nearest lifeless planet to lay their eggs. The radiation stored within their bodies superheated the planet¡¯s surface to unimaginable temperatures. Once the eggs hatched, the young devoured the planet entirely, digesting it as they performed kettlebell-like swings with their discarded eggshells.

    These creatures were known as star protectors.

    The immense energy and mass generated by these colossal cosmic exchanges made Nu¡¯s mouths drool with hunger and desire.

    It had been far too long since Nu''s last meal, and each passing day felt like a dagger in his heart. The humiliation of his circumstances weighed heavily on him. His grand ambition of using all the mass in the universe as his body had shrunk into the desperate quest for a single meal.

    He felt the cruelty of the universe first hand.

    His eyes lingered heavy on the cosmic events unfolding before him, filled with both fear and trepidation. Yet, despite his unease, the gnawing hunger and his unyielding determination pushed him to abandon the safety of the asteroid highway and take his chances.

    Even at the vast scale on which these creatures operated, crumbs of opportunity inevitably slipped through. Nu knew the creatures dominated the centers of these solar systems, yet even the smallest remnants of heat and mass were treasures to him, a precious meal worth the risk.

    However, these solar systems had existed for eons. In their early days, when they were still forming, gaps in their systems might have provided opportunities for nomadic scavengers like Nu. But now, they operated like well-oiled machines, where every drop of excess energy was used, leaving nothing to waste.

    Dotted with planets, these orbiting sentinels acted like protectors. Surrounding them were enslaved beings much like the one''s found around the yellow planet. Whenever Nu went by, a representative several times more massive than him would approach and tell to get lost. Forcing him to stay on the outside looking in.

    "Bastards! Can''t they see I''m starving? Do they have no heart?" Nu cursed the territorial planets as he orbited the surrounding solar system, searching for openings. Holding pebbles in his mouth, he moved along the outskirts, hoping for a lucky opportunity to heat them up.

    Nu watched as part of the solar flare missed the mouth of the giant centipede, tumbling outward in a beacon of light.

    "Opportunity!" Nu exclaimed, and, using every technique he knew, he rushed toward the escaping solar flare.

    With a giddy expression, he awaited the rush of heat.

    But it never came.

    It was stopped just before it could reach him.

    For even when any heat managed to slip through the greedy planets and the star protector, there was one final failsafe.

    Nu stared at the missing solar flare, confused. But when he saw the flickering light ahead of him, he realized he was staring at an unfathomable creature.

    Hidden deep within the void on the outskirts of these systems were enormous, flat reptilian creatures. Their bodies were large, thin, and so transparent that they appeared almost see-through as they drifted like ghostly sails at the edges of the solar system. Just beneath their flat bodies was a terrifying jaw, capable of tearing apart small planets.

    "Weak!"

    "It''s all because of my weakness that I don''t have any opportunities."

    "But without opportunities, I can''t grow stronger. What kind of unfair trick is this?"

    Stuck in what felt like an endless loop of despair, Nu frantically searched through his ancestral teachings, hoping to find an answer for how to move forward.

    But all he could do was curse his luck, for the solar systems in his ancestors'' memories were full of vagrants who could find opportunities no matter the odds.

    "Fuck this!" Nu wailed, his voice echoing through the void. Hunger and biting cold had left cracks across all six of his faces.

    ¡°These solar systems are strange. They must be some kind of exception. Maybe the road I¡¯ve been taking is too well-trodden. I can¡¯t imagine myself finding anything worthwhile down this path,¡± Nu muttered, shaking his head.

    His eyes burned with determination. "I need to shift my focus. If there are no opportunities here, perhaps I''ll find what I¡¯m seeking in the universe''s forgotten corners, in the less-traveled solar systems."

    Finding a bleak, slow-moving asteroid belt, he gazed at it with renewed expectation.

    With heightened spirits, Nu entered the asteroid¡¯s backroad, traveling through a desolate stretch of space-time, devoid of celestial life. In the distance, the faint light of a tiny solar system shimmered, far removed from the bustling action of the main belt. Nu pinned all his hopes on that dim, distant location.

    His speed was sluggish, far slower than when he navigated the main pathways.

    The asteroid backroad was a desolate expanse, with stars reduced to distant pinpricks. Nu trudged forward, the barren void around him making his journey feel like an endless treadmill. The only thing propelling him forward was the faint hope that his destination might hold what he desperately sought.

    Fifty slow and miserable years had passed since his encounter with the yellow planet.

    The journey dragged on with no end in sight.

    Nu¡¯s condition worsened as the bitter cold deepened the cracks across his body, threatening to tear him apart. His demise loomed ever closer, but his determination remained unwavering, driving him forward.

    As Nu drifted through the void, the space above him shimmered and warped, as though reality itself were on the verge of tearing apart. Suddenly, the fabric of the sky split open entirely, revealing an obsidian-black spaceship. Silent and imposing, its vast length stretched across an entire solar system, blending seamlessly with the surrounding darkness.

    A mechanical hatch opened on its surface. From within emerged a figure dressed entirely in white, starkly contrasting the ship¡¯s shadowy presence.

    Everything about him was bone-white, from his robe to his skin, even his flowing hair. He appeared as though sculpted from ivory, his entire form almost statuesque. Yet, amidst all that pale perfection, his deep blue eyes stood out like torchlights in a blizzard, giving him the aura of a divine being.

    He stood in the open hatch, arms crossed over his chest, watching the dying Nu with a mysterious expression.

    Nu¡¯s eyelids turned heavy, unable to completely process the strange happenings that began to occur around him.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    In the blink of an eye, Nu found himself inside the mouth of a strange creature. Within it, a powerful gravitational pull forced him into a seat at a table made of ivory. Above the table hung two massive fangs, once prized and fearsome weapons of the creature now were transformed into lamps that illuminated the scene.

    Upon closer inspection, Nu realized that the chairs and table were carved from the creature''s lower teeth, creating a surreal setting. One end offered an open view of the empty universe beyond the creature''s gaping jaws, while the other end revealed a horrifyingly large, curled tongue. The creature seemed to struggle to maintain this position, its entire body trembling as it held its mouth open as wide as possible, yet it did not dare relax its jaw.

    From deep within the creature''s throat, the statuesque man ascended. He walked casually across the floor of the mouth, approaching the table before finally taking the seat across from Nu. He smiled warmly, his piercing blue eyes seeming to awaken Nu from his bewildered stupor.

    ¡°Who... are you? What is going on?¡± Nu asked weakly.

    The man¡¯s smile deepened, and a calming warmth radiated from him, allowing Nu to regain some of his strength.

    ¡°I am but a passerby,¡± the man said softly. ¡°You seemed lost, so I decided to offer my help.¡±

    He took a blue flower from within his robe. It appeared to be made entirely of ice, yet it radiated an intense heat, as if it had been born within magma.

    ¡°This is known as a Melting Lily. It is incredibly effective against the cold,¡± the man continued, his voice still gentle. He released the flower, and it floated across the table toward Nu. "Eat it. It will help you regain your warmth."

    Nu, ravenous with hunger, didn''t hesitate. Without considering the consequences, he opened his mouth and took a bite.

    A rush of warmth flowed through his body, filling the cracks that were strewn all over his body, and reigniting his core with heat.

    Feeling the changes and experiencing the effects of his first meal in fifty years, Nu was overwhelmed with gratitude.

    ¡°Thank you, sir, for this kindness... I have nothing with which to repay you, but in the future, I will surely return this favor,¡± Nu said earnestly.

    "Repay me?" The man shook his head.

    "Our meeting was one of chance, nothing more. If you would like to do something for me... why not listen to my story?" the man replied slowly.

    Nu felt that such a thing was too small for a repayment for his life, but replied sturdily.

    "I will listen."

    The man let out a deep sigh, leaning back in his chair, blinking slowly he reminisced about his past.

    "I don''t remember my age. I never kept track of the years as they passed."

    "All my life was spent searching, and because of that, I never had time for anything else.¡±

    "My story is one of an adventurer, my life devoted to traveling."

    "I have been to every single corner of the universe. Climbing many mountains without ever reaching their peaks, and diving into the deepest parts of many oceans without ever finding their depths."

    "But I never found joy in my adventures."

    "Caught in a constant state of desperation, I was always searching but never finding."

    "To this day, I dream of the stillness of completion, the end to my journeys. A place where I no longer have to worry about where I am going."

    He smiled at the thought, then continued, his voice as soft as a whisper.

    "I feel that you and I are the sames. Our goals may differ, but the nature of our endless journeys is the same."

    He looked warmly at Nu.

    "Though our paths may exist without an end, it does not mean we cannot reach it."

    "There are ways to travel beyond the line drawn between life and death, ways to move without moving."

    He leaned forward slightly, his gaze piercing.

    "If you could end your journey right now would you do it?"

    The man asked Nu.

    "If such a wonderful path existed, would you be willing to discard your life and legacy to walk it?"

    The table fell silent.

    Nu pondered the man¡¯s words. "Discard my life and legacy for what? The end of my journey?" The idea gnawed at him, his heart tightening as the baffling question echoed in his mind.

    "How could I possibly do that? What would I have left?"

    The man''s question was like asking someone to murder their family and kill themselves to become president. It didn''t really make sense.

    The questions rattled his very being. "I would have nothing but my desires, that''s nonsense! Why would anyone do that?"

    The man''s words felt like a disrespectful slap in the face to the entirety of his existence.

    And yet, years of hunger and wandering had sown seeds of doubt. Despite the questions absurdity he did give it some real consideration.

    "What do I have right now?" Nu pondered seriously to himself. "What can I even hope to gain in the future? Will I even be able to eat another meal?"

    Just the thought of ending it all was a tantalizing prospect.

    Nu''s hopeless doubts clashed with his pride and familial ties, creating a mental battlefield that left him unable to answer.

    Noticing Nu''s hesitation, the man spoke softly, offering reassurance.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to answer immediately."

    He smiled gently. "Here, why not have a cup of tea? It is known to calm the mind." With a simple whisk of his hand, an air current stirred within the creature¡¯s mouth, brushing against its tongue.

    The massive tongue uncurled into several prongs, each one delicately handling the items required to prepare a hot drink.

    A porcelain teacup, neatly set on a plate, was carefully lowered by one of the prongs. The creature struggled to keep the plate steady, causing the teacup to rattle and shake as it descended.

    Once the cup was on the table, another prong attempted to pour the tea. More often than not, the liquid missed its mark, spilling over the table and saucer, with only a portion landing in the cup.

    Nu stared into the brown teacup as memories of his past flooded his mind.

    He remembered his ancestors raising him from a tiny seedling, teaching him how to sprout and how to gather food for himself.

    He felt the warmth of their knowledge, their continued presence in his life at every step. Despite their limited understanding of the current universe, he knew their guidance was not to blame for his miserable life.

    The tea warmed his soul, causing him to smile as he gazed at the brown liquid.

    The man cleared his throat, interrupting Nu''s thoughts. He spoke just a little louder than a whisper:

    ¡°When receiving a cup of tea, even if you do not intend to drink it, it is customary to say, ¡®Nice tea.¡¯¡±

    Nu felt embarrassed for dozing off so recently. ¡°Nice tea,¡± he murmured.

    Hearing the response, the man returned to silence, giving Nu ample time to reflect on what he had just experienced.

    ¡°Thank you for everything, but I must decline,¡± Nu said after a moment. ¡°Maybe I could give up my life, since it hasn''t served me well, but to give up my familial ties¡­¡±

    He paused, the weight of the words settling over him.

    ¡°That is something I am not yet ready to discard.¡±

    The man¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    ¡°It is your life to live. I cannot force you if you are unwilling.¡± He closed his eyes and nodded warmly, feeling satisfied with Nu''s answer.

    He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a secretive whisper. ¡°Look directly at the water in your tea, and do not look up. I will give you one final parting gift.¡±

    Nu focused on the brown liquid in his cup, steam still rising from its surface. The man extended his hand above the cup, pointing a finger. A blue droplet formed at the tip, shimmering before it fell into the tea.

    The sound of the droplet hitting the water echoed loudly in Nu¡¯s ears, amplified a hundredfold. The sight of the blue drop merging with the brown liquid, sending ripples across its surface, etched itself deeply into his soul, as though he could recreate the moment with a single thought.

    As Nu watched, his body grew numb, his blood freezing in his veins. Something deep within him stirred.

    Before Nu could fully comprehend what had just happened, the creature''s mouth began to retract slowly, leaving him floating in space and watching the scene fade into the distance. The man stood at the edge of its jaw, arms crossed, silently observing as Nu drifted farther away.

    "If you ever find yourself trapped between an unacceptable future and a past you are ready to abandon, recall the image of the dripping water in your mind. The scene I just shared marks the first step toward shedding your mortal shell and embarking on the pathway of ¡®demortality.¡¯"

    Nu gazed at the retreating white figure, his expression heavy with thought. The creature closed its mouth and began to accelerate, nursing its sore jaw as it moved away. As its full form came into view, Nu realized that its body was that of a large green snake.

    Both the man and the creature disappeared into the hatch of the obsidian spaceship as the sound of engines and mechanical whirring filled the air, signaling the ship stirring to life once more. Slowly, it vanished back through the tear in space from which it had emerged, leaving Nu alone once again.

    It wasn¡¯t until the ship had completely vanished that Nu stirred.

    ¡°Demortality?¡± he murmured, repeating the man¡¯s strange phrase. Unease flickered in his eyes as he grappled with its meaning. The memory of the profound and powerful droplet of water lingered vividly in his mind.

    Still, he pushed these thoughts aside, choosing to focus on the journey ahead. Taking a deep breath, he recentered himself.

    In the distance, the once-dim solar system seemed to glow brighter, its light offering a faint glimmer of hope.

    A soft blue glow surrounded him, emanating from the mysterious man¡¯s Melting Lily. The warmth coursed through him, making his travels along the backroads far more bearable.

    Time passed quickly. Before long, thirty years had slipped away.

    At last, the end of his journey came into view. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, but his eyes flashed with a glimmer of relief.

    The solar system was now within reach.

    Several sentient asteroids hovered around the perimeter, their expressions tense with anticipation. At the system¡¯s center, a bright orange-red sun pulsed weakly, teetering on the brink of collapse.

 Book 0 (4 of 6): Cosmic Workout Around the Collapsing Star

    After years of isolation in the desolate backroads, Nu finally arrived at the orbital plane of a new solar system.

    The warmth from the Melting Lily had been completely exhausted, the blue glow around him fading entirely. Tiny cracks of hunger returned to his surface after so many years without food.

    His six eyebrows arched in surprise as his gaze fell upon countless groups of enslaved sentient beings orbiting the remote solar system.

    The beings displayed a bewildering variety of celestial and planetary forms, each bearing the hallmarks of life. Among them were animals of all kinds, humans, plants, and even peculiar intelligent household objects. They clustered into distinct factions, dotting the solar system¡¯s perimeter like scattered clouds.

    Each faction of beings was marked by a distinct accessory, worn like a badge, identifying the celestial master who controlled them.

    The faction nearest to Nu¡¯s orbital position wore five-fingered white gloves. Most of its members were four-limbed, wearing the gloves on one of their protruding limbs, while those without limbs had the gloves nailed to their bodies like grotesque piercings.

    Nu kept his distance, watching the White Gloves with intense vigilance, unsure what to make of the many sentient beings clustered in the recesses of this solar system.

    ¡°These guys are all powerhouses as well,¡± Nu lamented, his voice weighted with anger and exhaustion. ¡±I traveled all this way, enduring years of hunger, yet still is there nothing here..."

    Nu squinted at the scene in front of him, recalling that it seemed similar to an ancestral story he had read within his legacy.

    His mind fluttered through his ancestors many experiences before finally stopping at a specific passage.

    The open page recounted an adventure of a younger Bohr. It described a momentous occasion when Bohr found himself near a dying solar system. At its center was an orange-red star, collapsing into a rare and extraordinary opportunity.

    This collapsing object was transforming into what was known as a star legacy, created from the purest form of mass. This remarkable substance could be consumed directly, requiring no workout to harness its power. It could integrate seamlessly into one''s body without causing backlash.

    The younger Bohr detailed the chaos surrounding the star, with asteroids crowding the outskirts, each vying for the center. A ruthless celestial brawl erupted as masters from across the universe fought desperately to claim the star legacy. Initially an underdog, Bohr relied on his cunning to outwit his rivals. Ultimately, he secured the prize and transformed his meager cubed asteroid body into that of an enormous cubed star.

    With his tyrannical god-body now at star-level mass, Bohr unleashed his newfound power. He ruthlessly slaughtered the remaining celestial masters, marking the beginning of his storied reign of tyranny across the cosmos.

    As Nu finished reading, he began to see parallels between himself and Bohr. The story of Bohr''s rise from similarly humble beginnings resonated deeply, igniting a spark of inspiration within him.

    "Star legacy," Nu whispered, taking a deep breath. The thought of shedding his weakness and gaining enormous amounts of strength was a tantalizing thing.

    "But can I possibly secure such a great thing?" he pondered.

    His legacy shimmered with a golden light, as if assuring him that it would be an easy task for them to achieve together.

    "Are you certain?" Nu asked cautiously.

    In response to his hesitation, the light of his legacy grew even brighter. Within his mind, it was as if the brilliance of a million suns had appeared, their blinding radiance capable of smiting any darkness.

    Moved by the strength of this light and the unwavering confidence of his ancestors, his expression softened.

    "Thank you," he murmured.

    Nu''s optimism returned. As his spirits lifted, he gazed longingly at the orange-red star before him, his resolve strengthening with each passing moment.

    "Fathers, mothers, forgive me if I ever seemed to doubt you." Determination lit up his face. "Together, we will claim this great treasure. Let us cast aside this lingering doubt of ours and emerge victorious, proving that your guidance was never in vain."

    Turning his attention back to the outskirts of the solar system, Nu resumed his observations, trying to gauge the strength of everyone around him.

    Meanwhile, some nearby members of the White Gloves had already noticed his arrival. Unbeknownst to Nu, they murmured quietly among themselves, discussing his presence.

    A ceramic soup bowl, adorned with a human face on its bottom, leaned toward its hairy neighbor and whispered conspiratorially.

    ¡°Hey, Hairy, come check this guy out for me,¡± the bowl said, gesturing subtly toward Nu. ¡°His actions are odd. His body is so frail and small, yet he emerged from those miserable backroads. That¡¯s not something someone of his stature should be able to achieve. Do you recognize him from anywhere?¡±

    The hairy neighbor, shaped like a human but covered entirely in dense hair, floated closer to the bowl while parting the strands that constantly veiled his eyes.

    ¡°Strange¡­ I don¡¯t see any faction accessory on him,¡± Hairy said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. ¡°I heard about a planetary faction on the far side of the ninth ring whose slave accessories are small metal studs on their tongues. Maybe he¡¯s one of theirs?¡±

    ¡°The Metal Tongue faction?" The ceramic bowl furrowed its brows in doubt. "You really think they traveled all the way from the opposite side of the universe just for the collapse of this medium-sized sun?¡±

    He muttered in contemplation, ¡°Something about this guy''s appearance doesn¡¯t add up...¡±

    A thought crossed Hairy¡¯s mind, prompting him to lower his voice. ¡°Bowl, what if he¡¯s not part of a faction? Instead maybe he¡¯s a traveling celestial expert posing as a weakling to bully people for fun.¡±

    Bowl shot Hairy a glance as though it were the most idiotic thing he had ever heard.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right... but... maybe?¡± Bowl muttered, frustrated by his inability to dismiss the theory completely. The uncertainty of the situation was beginning to bother him. Reluctant to deal with it himself, he decided to pass the responsibility to Hairy.

    ¡°You seem to have a better read on this guy than I do,¡± Bowl said, shifting the burden. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go interact with him directly? Go and see what he''s like and report back your findings.¡±

    Hairy seemed to agree quickly to the idea, curious about the matter himself.

    He prepared some probing questions, before leaving the side of Bowl and gliding purposefully through space on his way to Nu.

    Nu squinted his six eyes as a hairy figure approached.

    Despite his many hardships, some traits about Nu were impossible to change. His tyrannical personality and unwillingness to compromise remained deeply ingrained, making him quite the difficult character to speak to.

    "Who are you, and why do you approach me?" Nu demanded, his tyrannical god-body radiating a menacing red light.

    Thrown off balance by Nu¡¯s imposing tone, the hairy figure responded politely. "Sir Cube, I am a representative of Planet White Glove. We have noticed you orbiting nearby for some time. May I ask why you linger outside our outpost?" He hoped invoking his master¡¯s name might elicit some kind of reaction.

    Nu sneered, trying to maintain an air of dominance. "I have no interest in you or your pitiful master. I am here solely to fight for the star legacy."

    The figure sucked in a sharp breath. "You¡¯re here to compete for the star legacy?" His expression shifted dramatically. "Sir Cube... no, Lord Cube, I didn¡¯t realize such an esteemed expert would grace this dying solar system with their presence."

    Nu was momentarily stunned by the sudden shift in tone, but before he could respond, the figure quickly continued. "You don¡¯t need to say anything. I¡¯ve seen you eyeing our position in the orbital plane. If you desire the space for yourself, I will ask my companions to clear out immediately."

    "You don¡¯t want it?" Nu asked, finding the words strange, though he couldn¡¯t decipher the figure¡¯s true intentions.

    "Lord, no. I wouldn¡¯t dare to covet what you desire," the figure said hastily.

    With a quick farewell, the hairy figure departed, leaving a dumbfounded Nu behind.

    "Maybe I am much more fearsome than I originally thought," Nu mused, finding the situation faintly humorous.

    Traveling swiftly through space, Hairy returned to Bowl¡¯s side.

    "He¡¯s the real deal," Hairy whispered.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    "What are you saying?" Bowl asked, glancing sideways at Nu with a skeptical expression. "Are you certain about this?"

    "It¡¯s either that, or he¡¯s the stupidest, most arrogant pebble I¡¯ve ever spoken to," Hairy snapped. "Either way, his claim to want the star legacy sets off every alarm in my mind."

    "I¡¯ve never heard of anyone seriously declaring their desire for a star legacy before," Hairy continued. "I didn¡¯t even think it was possible to take it from that unfathomable Galactic Tyrant."

    "It¡¯s best we steer clear of this man. He¡¯s too much of an unknown."

    "That¡¯s why I told him we¡¯d vacate our space for him," Hairy concluded.

    "That guy wants the star legacy?" Bowl frowned, glancing at Nu as he carefully considered Hairy¡¯s words.

    "Good for him," Bowl finally said. "You made the right choice, Hairy. He¡¯s far too reckless of an idiot to keep nearby," he added derisively. "We should go as far from him as possible."

    "Tell Charles to realign our orbit to the opposite end of this solar system."

    Hairy nodded and approached the giant hamster named Charles, who was running inside a massive, clear ball.

    After a brief conversation, the hamster abruptly turned around and began running in the opposite direction, causing all of the White Gloves¡¯ orbits to shift.

    Nu watched the migrating White Gloves with a smug, self-satisfied expression.

    He seemed to be having quite the good day, never in his life had anyone shown him this much respect.

    Nearby factions noticed the fleeing White Gloves and, after sending representatives to investigate, quickly distanced themselves as well, leaving Nu ecstatic by the sudden changes.

    As Nu adjusted his orbit, he observed the factions around him making way, casting fearful and respectful glances as they departed. It was as if they deemed themselves unworthy to remain in his presence.

    For Nu, and his desires of being a tyrant this was an intoxicating experience.

    Like a child scaring away pigeons, Nu reveled in his newfound power. As he shifted his orbit and caused nearby factions to flee, he laughed with childish glee.

    Although he enjoyed this treatment, he couldn¡¯t shake a sense of puzzlement about the state of the solar system compared to Bohr''s passages.

    Surrounding him were many massive and imposing celestial beings, yet none appeared focused on the center. Instead, most seemed remarkably relaxed, with some even engaging in casual conversations among themselves, creating a stark contrast to the brutal bloodbath Bohr had described from his younger days.

    "Am I the only one vying to claim the star legacy?" he wondered aloud.

    When he sought guidance from his legacy, there was no response.

    It seemed he would simply have to wait and see what might happen.

    Closing his eyes, Nu entered a state of temporary dormancy.

    After a few years, Nu opened his eyes and noticed changes forming in the orange-red star. It had begun fluctuating wildly, as though it could no longer sustain its massive form.

    Noticing the changes, the White Gloves halted their relocation and quickly settled into the nearest open spot. "The time is right!" Bowl commanded. "Take out your exercise equipment and prepare to intercept the incoming waves."

    At his command, the faction members began retrieving various items designed for physical fitness.

    Soon, the entire perimeter of the galaxy was lined with exotic and unique gym equipment, including yoga mats, barbells, dumbbells, cable machines, and other tools for intense workouts.

    The orange-red sun, unable to sustain its massive form, began to collapse violently. As it deflated, it released superheated gas in powerful gravitational waves. These waves heated the cold graveyard of celestial rock, though only the gravitational echoes of discarded time reached the galaxy''s outskirts.

    Using their fast orbiting speeds in combination with their workouts, the faction members countered the waves of the star. Their equipment began to glow faintly with colorful lights as they worked against the increasing pressure.

    Bowl pulled out a mesmerizing gold ceramic bowl and placed it between his teeth. Above him, a circular barbell glowed a greenish gold on the lip of his bowl. Tiny hands emerged from the sides of Bowl, grasping the bar and performing an overhead press motion.

    Meanwhile, Hairy was positioned with a barbell on his back, performing squats. A tiny obsidian wig dangled from his mouth. Beside him, Charles ran furiously inside his exercise ball, moving faster than ever before, with a massive piece of ancient meat clutched in his teeth.

    This scene played out across all the beings, creating an extraordinary display of hundreds of thousands working out against the gravitational waves from the collapsing star.

    "What is this strange equipment they are using?" He muttered to himself surprised by the changes.

    Larger gravitational waves radiated outward as an even hotter layer of gas emerged from the dying star. With every passing second, the waves intensified, and the graveyard of celestial rocks turned a molten red under the relentless barrages of heat.

    His thoughts distracted by the hot molten rock in front of him, he decided to worry about such things at another point. He licked his six dry lips with a hungry expression, leaping from orbit he pounced toward the molten celestial rock, using the gravitational waves he began to incorporate the new matter into his tyrannical god-body.

    Seeing that his initial meal was a resounding success, Nu hastened his pace, moving closer to the dying star at the center. He seized every opportunity, biting at crumbs of molten dust whenever he could.

    With each mouthful, his mass grew. The weathered cracks across his body healed completely, and his stone skin regained its smooth, unblemished surface. His molten core reignited, reaching the searing temperatures it had once held when he first emerged from the pocket of space.

    Nu was ecstatic at these reinvigorating changes, but his years of failure tempered his excitement, forcing him to feign caution as he inched closer to the center.

    The star¡¯s outbursts grew stronger, heating the surrounding graveyard into a seething plasma.

    Nu watched as changes rippled through the outskirts. The celestial beings¡¯ equipment glowed intensely, and vortexes formed at their centers, drawing in the hot plasma. Sweat beaded on their foreheads as their workouts intensified. Most were well-prepared for these changes, swapping out equipment or using treasures to push through extra reps on their setups.

    Just as Nu was about to take another bite, it was snatched away from him, drawn into the equipment of a nearby faction member wearing a green scarf. Nu glared at the man with furious dissatisfaction.

    He couldn¡¯t help but curse.

    Having barely eaten, the humiliation of losing his meal after thirty years of starvation stung like a knife in his chest.

    "Do I exist in this universe only to be made a fool of?" he lamented bitterly. "Can I not find strength for myself? Must I always live under the foot of others?" His eyes burned with fiery hatred.

    "Fine! Take it all. I don¡¯t need it anyway!" He spat, pushing his hatred aside. Fixing his gaze on the star legacy forming before him, he added, "As long as the prize remains I still have hope."

    His eyes gleamed.

    With a surge of determination, Nu increased his speed. His body glowed with a maddened red light as he pressed through the gravitational waves toward the star.

    Unyielding in his resolve, the journey was long and excruciating.

    As he neared the dying star, the intense heat wracked his body with agony. Yet, by applying one of Bohr''s techniques, he miraculously suppressed the pain. A green halo enveloped his form, drawing on his remaining mass to help numb the torment.

    After a year the intense heat even melted his body back into plasma, but still, he pressed on.

    Four years passed, Nu endured the relentless waves without reward. In a desperate dash toward the center, he shed his hard earned mass, discarding most of his body, determined to see through and achieve the star legacy.

    Changes were unfolding among the surrounding factions. As the pressure of the waves increased, many pieces of equipment began to fail, resulting in injuries and backlash for numerous faction members. Some could no longer withstand the forces erupting within their bodies and collapsed under the strain.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    A member of the White Gloves faction exploded with a horrifying sound. Bowl glanced at the fallen member with a sorrowful expression and let out a deep sigh. He understood that such events were inevitable when working with volatile and risky mass like what was found in a dying solar system.

    Not lingering on the loss of his colleague for too long, Bowl shifted his gaze toward the center of the solar system, where his eyes fell on the miserable-looking Nu. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to his bicep curls.

    Ten years passed, and Nu was closing in on the collapsing star. Blue and yellow halos now joined the green one surrounding his body, creating a mesmerizing display of multicolored light. His form had shrunk noticeably, reduced to the size of a small grain of sand.

    Still, his determination and unyielding resolve shone through.

    "This star is mine!" he gurgled loudly.

    As he neared the sun¡¯s photosphere, Nu¡¯s grain-like body felt as if it were about to collapse into nothing. Yet he forced himself to continue. Ignoring his body¡¯s desperate protests, he gritted his teeth and continued forward entering the star''s innermost orbit.

    The final traces of orange-red light vanished from the sun, replaced by a blinding white radiance that engulfed its entire surface.

    With a resounding crackling boom, the transformation reached its conclusion. A final, fearsome wave of gravitational energy surged outward from the star¡¯s center, rippling across the solar system.

    Recognizing the completed collapse, the factions sprang into action. Horns blared, and drums thundered, signaling an urgent retreat.

    ¡°Pack it up! We¡¯re leaving immediately!¡± Bowl shouted to the surrounding White Gloves. ¡°We¡¯ll digest our gains back home. We must leave now to avoid getting caught up when the Galactic Tyrant arrives to claim his star legacy.¡±

    Led by Charles, they streaked away in a dazzling beam of light, heading toward a nearby asteroid road. Many other factions followed suit, eager to escape the impending conflict, scattering to other nearby asteroid roads.

    From the final burst, Nu lost even more of his mass, his form now resembling that of a tiny dust mote.

    Barely clinging to his intelligence, he passed into the innermost orbit of the star legacy. The pain he had endured in the outer orbits vanished completely, replaced by a comforting warmth.

    He was now able to start the ownership ritual of the star legacy.

    The yellow light emerged from within his being, growing brighter it hung in the air in front of him.

    Nu¡¯s eyes were still and resolute. " Go and claim this legacy for me."

    The yellow light began to grow in brightness, outshining even the glow of the star legacy.

    Within this dazzling radiance, shadows began to coalesce on the stars white surface. Several figures emerged from the shadows, one taking the form of a tyrannical six-faced cube, each of them spread out along the surface of the star.

    Performing a strange dance, the star legacy trembled violently, its surface quaking under the immense pressure.

    Black shadowy chains grew between the dancing ancestors, as the began to bind the star in their links.

    When it fully encircled the star, Nu felt a faint but undeniable sense of ownership emanating from the star legacy as if he were its rightful owner.

    Nu¡¯s expression softened at the sensation.

    More chains began to grow around the star, until eventually five loops had appeared and secured the stars surface. Leaving only one final loop to cement Nu as the star legacies owner.

    But before the final chain could fully materialize, a shadowy knife appeared behind the yellow light. In a swift motion it chopped at his legacies brilliant light, dimming it down to a blur.

    "No!" Nu yelled, his voice cracking. "Ancestors... Please... Don''t...." His words faltered, trailing off into silence.

    The yellow blur of light lay in front of him weakly, barely holding onto its existence returning into his mind.

    Nu was left speechless, at a complete loss of the situation he didn''t even consider making his own escape.

    The shadowy sword of the Galactic Tyrant didn¡¯t stop there. After ruthlessly shattering Nu¡¯s legacy, it began slicing through the very fabric of space-time tearing open a wormhole for which the entire solar system had fallen into.

    With a violent lurch, Nu and the star legacy fell through, tumbling helplessly through the distorted folds of space-time before emerging in an unfamiliar realm.

    Shattered and hopeless when Nu came to, his gaze locked onto an unfathomable sight.

    Before him loomed an indescribable being.

    The figure resembled a man, its muscular body spanning multiple galaxies. The titan rested on an enormous exercise bench, gripping a barbell that stretched across millions of light-years. The bar twisted through space, threading nearby galaxies like weighted plates for the titan¡¯s exercise.

    With deliberate precision, the Galactic Tyrant performed a galactic bench press. Each repetition spanned hundreds of years, the motion excruciatingly slow as he pushed against the very expansion of the universe itself for resistance.

    Nu could only stare at the Galactic Tyrant in paralyzed awe and terror, awaiting the cruel fate that surely lay ahead.

 Book 0 (5 of 6): Nice Tea

    Nu found himself in an inescapable situation.

    The intense distortion of space-time unfolded before him as a breathtaking spectacle. Faint traces of heat peeled away from the cosmic background radiation and coalesced into swirling clouds. These clouds shimmered with every color of the spectrum, forming a spiraling tunnel of rainbow light shaped by the Galactic Tyrant¡¯s immense gravitational pull.

    The scattered glow of distant white dwarfs added to the scene¡¯s exotic grandeur, their luminous lines punctuating the kaleidoscopic expanse with intricate, swirling patterns.

    Yet, for Nu, the grandeur offered no comfort.

    His mind was consumed with despair.

    He had read about this phenomenon in the passages of his ancestral legacy. Anyone who witnessed its rainbow glow would never return alive. Its existence was tied to the event horizon of a supermassive being¡¯s gaze. Once the rainbow tunnel ended, reaching the being¡¯s surface could take millions of years to complete.

    In the rainbow tunnel, Nu¡¯s body warped grotesquely, stretched toward the tunnel¡¯s depths like chewing gum and flushed a horrifying shade of red. The only parts of him left intact were his mind and soul. Trapped in this distorted limbo, he was left with nothing but reflections on his unfulfilled existence.

    The weight of his failure to retrieve the star legacy pressed heavily on him, and he struggled to come to terms with a life that seemed to approach an inevitable end.

    With nothing else to cling to, Nu sought refuge in the one constant he had left: the millions of pages of his ancestors¡¯ life stories. These passages had sustained him through his most isolating and harrowing moments, offering solace from hunger and loneliness as he journeyed through the cold expanse of the universe. To him, they had been a priceless treasure and a source of unending joy.

    But this time, when he finished reading and turned to the blank section meant for his own legacy, he gazed at it with discomfort and pain.

    To this day, Nu had neglected to record any details of his life. Believing his existence would one day become a great and storied spectacle, he continually postponed the task, waiting for a distant future when his life felt complete. Now, as he stared at the blank section, its emptiness compared to the millions of pages before it felt like a thousand needles stabbing at his throat.

    He longed to fill those pages with words of his own, but nothing seemed worth writing. His only notable achievement was a fleeting triumph in the pocket space at the beginning of his life. Beyond that, his existence was a blur of failure and regret.

    The hundred-year promise to the yellow planet loomed over him like a dark cloud<i>.</i> He had vowed to end his life by this point, yet he still remained weak and powerless.

    Unable to face the emptiness, he read his ancestral stories over and over. The comfort they once provided had long since faded. Now reading about their successes now only filled him with bitterness, as if the stories existed solely to mock him, deepening his frustration and despair.

    Even after reaching the space reserved for his legacy for the twentieth time, Nu still could not bring himself to write a single word about his unremarkable life to fill the void.

    It bothered him greatly, for him to have lived all this time, and yet even now he had nothing to write for his legacy.

    ¡°What is this terrible life I¡¯ve lived, I truly can''t bear to write anything?¡± he lamented aloud, his eyes heavy with sadness.

    ¡°Is there truly nothing worth writing?¡± he wondered. ¡°Is all I have left my unfulfilled desires...¡±

    Anger and dissatisfaction welled up within him as he gazed out at the universe in defiance. Yet, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to swear or curse its unfairness. He could only shake his head and sigh.

    ¡°It is not the universe that has failed me, but I who have failed,¡± he murmured. ¡°Or perhaps I was never meant to succeed in the first place.¡±

    <i>Drip.</i>

    Nu replayed the statuesque man''s demonstration in his mind: the blue drop of water striking the surface of the tea. The sound echoed around him like a shimmering hallucination, subduing a portion of his awareness and shielding him from any further regretful thoughts.

    The sound of weeping cries reverberated from his ancestral legacy as they felt the tearing destruction of demortality.

    ¡°I am sorry. I am unfilial. I can¡¯t bear leaving this behind completely empty. Fathers, Mothers, please forgive what I am about to do.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The tyrannical roar of a dying great legacy rang out, as if pleading with Nu to stop, urging him to reconsider.

    ¡°No, I cannot stop,¡± Nu declared defiantly.

    ¡°I will not allow myself to die with this blank legacy. You would never understand this pain!¡±

    ¡°I must find something to fill my life... anything will do!¡±

    <i>Drip... Drip... Drip...</i>

    Several more droplets echoed as Nu prepared to relinquish everything and follow the pathway of demortality.

    The Primordial Gray, which had shielded his Aetherroot body from the streams of time, began to loosen. His legacy dissolved, washing away like loose mud. Its agonized cries faded as each page vanished with every falling droplet.

    His tiny, root-like body glowed faintly blue as water surrounded it. All his senses dulled and the only thing that remained in his mind was the steady rhythm of the dripping water as demortality slowly stripped away the entirety of his mortal body and soul leaving behind nothing but his root-like body.

    The downpour intensified, transforming into a cascading water beacon that engulfed his plant-like form. The torrent formed a passageway, blurring his multicolored surroundings as Nu ascended through it. Leaving behind his mortal shell within the universe, he entered the demortal realm in his original, bare root-like form.

    Crawling out of the Past-Present River and onto the riverbank, Nu found himself in a world of pure white. Beneath his feet stretched a desert of white sand, its hill-like dunes rising to meet an endless, pristine skyline. Beside the desert wound a river channel, its gentle flow echoing softly in the stillness. Behind him stood a gray, fleshy dam, its imposing structure rippling and throbbing like a gigantic, pulsating muscle.

    As he emerged, the last remnants of Nu¡¯s thoughts fell silent, replaced by primal instincts. His innate need to seek water guided him along the riverbank. His root-like body glided soundlessly across the sand¡¯s surface.

    The river¡¯s gentle flow slowed further as its banks widened, finally surrendering its waters to the Future Ocean. The ocean appeared as a vast, nearly motionless expanse of deep blue, stretching endlessly beyond sight, with no discernible horizon.

    At the shoreline, countless tiny blue hands clawed at the sand before retreating into the water. Their restless movements broke the stillness, producing rhythmic lapping sounds that made Nu pause.

    His gaze followed the shoreline to the far distance, where above the water and within the stark white skyline stood a grotesque flesh effigy.

    Its body was a chaotic amalgamation of life in perpetual motion, with new pieces of flesh sprouting endlessly. Limbs, torsos, and faces of countless beings unfurled like seedlings, only to decay or be consumed by mouths that formed and vanished across its surface. The figure appeared paradoxically both blurry and clear, as though its very essence defied comprehension. From its unfathomable distance, only a faint, vague human outline could be discerned.

    Time passed like silk as Nu observed the unfolding scene.

    From one of the effigy¡¯s many eyes, a black droplet emerged like a teardrop. Breaking free, it appeared as an enormous orb, moving like an expanding black dot through the strange environment. It caused no ripples in the air or water, yet its presence was overwhelming.

    When it reached Nu, it consumed the entire sky, filling his vision until nothing else remained. On its surface, faint outlines of stationary stars and frozen galaxies shimmered into view. The droplet seemed to encapsulate the suspended time-state of the entire universe.

    The droplet spun in place, its watery surface warping and distorting, until it transformed into the familiar image of the rainbow tunnel from which he had emerged, bringing Nu face-to-face with his previous time-frozen mortal body.

    At the same time, the ocean began to stir, bubbles breaking its surface. From the depths emerged a human-shaped figure of deep, abyssal black. Its body, untouched by the water, remained completely dry as it stepped onto the shore, carrying a white porcelain teacup and saucer adorned with intricate patterns. The figure moved with effortless grace, placing the cup before Nu and pausing, as though waiting for something.

    A spout of water erupted from the black droplet, pouring Nu¡¯s discarded body like liquid into the porcelain cup. As the water touched the cup, it shimmered and boiled, releasing grayish-purple smoke that spiraled into the air, carrying the faint aroma of fine tea. The smoke swirled and danced before briefly coalescing into an apparition of Nu¡¯s former body.

    The root-like Nu gazed into the teacup, his past life unfolding before him like a fleeting dream. Yet, it stirred no emotion within him.

    The mere sight of the tea began to alter his root body, as faint traces of intelligence started to emerge.

    A mouth formed within his being, and when it spoke, the sound resembled rocks grinding together in his throat.

    ¡°Nice tea,¡± he said.

    Without looking back, he followed the black figure ahead of him, all the way to the ocean¡¯s edge.

    Using his fleeting intelligence, he gazed out at the infinite still waters of the Future Ocean. Along its vast, motionless surface, zero and infinity seemed to intertwine, merging into an eternal paradox.

    His blank legacy ballooned into infinite pages, for in the realm of demortality, he had not merely found something...

    He had found everything.

    Moving forward, he allowed the grasping hands of the ocean¡¯s waves to pull him in, dragging him beneath the surface. Nu vanished from sight entirely.

    No one knew what lay beneath the waters of the vast Future Ocean. Some speculated about an unfathomable creature dwelling in its depths, a being whose form was said to hold the entirety of existence itself.

    Above the waters, the teacup that held Nu''s former body continued to steam.

    The steady flow of steam rose into the air, gathering into ominous purple clouds above the cup.

    Over time, the clouds grew, evolving into a massive storm.

    The storm spread, stretching across the entire surface of the black droplet that encased the time-frozen universe.

    ***

    Within the present universe, an unparalleled phenomenon unfolded. Nu¡¯s thunderous purple clouds stretched across the entire cosmos, their presence both ominous and auspicious. Suspended impossibly in the air, they blanketed every corner of existence.

    From the hidden folds of space-time, an obsidian spaceship emerged, its sleek form peering into the recesses of reality.

    Through an open hatch, a statuesque figure stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the roiling purple clouds swirling around him. Silent thunderclaps echoed across the void, their vibrations felt more than heard.

    ¡°Congratulations on building your universal body,¡± he whispered softly.

 Book 0 (6 of 6): Blue Rain

    Seated between the 8th and 9th rings of the universe, just after Nu¡¯s transcendence, the Galactic Tyrant completed the final rep of his cosmic bench press. The unfathomable bar clinked into place, its weight sending ripples across spacetime.

    For him, Nu¡¯s failed attempt to claim the star legacy was nothing more than a blemish on the apple of existence. He had sliced away the bruised parts, consumed the rest, and long forgotten the insignificant bacteria responsible for the imperfection.

    Jotting notes into a glowing notebook with a celestial pen, he frowned. ¡°Strange. Did the total mass of the universe just decrease? That last rep felt lighter than the first eleven.¡±

    He sighed and tapped his pen against the notebook in thought. ¡°These galaxies aren¡¯t cutting it anymore. Time for heavier ones next cycle. Maybe 5x5s with 8th ring clusters¡­¡±

    As he brooded over his workout, the void above him darkened. Purple clouds gathered, suspended impossibly in space, flickering with silent thunder.

    ¡°Rain clouds? In space?¡± Vick muttered, his brow furrowing. ¡°What kind of trickery is this?¡±

    Absorbing his gym equipment back into his body, he waved a massive hand, distorting the fabric of reality in an attempt to pull the clouds closer. But no matter how much he warped space or altered time, they slipped through his grasp, defying even his will.

    Frustration welled within him. Quasars erupted from his eyes, plasma blades hotter than stars carved through the void, and spacetime itself buckled under his attacks. Yet the clouds remained untouched, defying even his cosmic might.

    For the first time in eons, unease stirred within him. ¡°What is this terrifying omen?¡± he murmured.

    The clouds shifted again, and raindrops began to form. Across the universe, similar clouds gathered above celestial masses, releasing torrents of blue rain. The droplets passed through matter like ethereal ghosts, vanishing into the Primordial Muscle of the universe.

    As the raindrops fell toward the Galactic Tyrant, he instinctively shielded himself, unsure what the blue drops might do. Yet the moment they touched the event horizon of his colossal form, they were deflected like swatted flies.

    ¡°Hah! I was worried for nothing!¡± he boomed, his voice echoing through the void. ¡°A low-level trick, nothing more.¡± Yet, as his gaze lingered on the rain, unease crept back. ¡°Still¡­ for it to reach me at all is strange.¡±

    Shaking his head, he stood. ¡°Enough of this. Maybe it¡¯s time to catch up with Darrell. That old bastard¡¯s probably bird hunting again. Maybe he¡¯ll finally share some of his spoils.¡±

    With each colossal step, the Galactic Tyrant strode through the vast expanse of the universe. Galaxies shimmered beneath his feet like fireflies, while the blue rain cascaded ceaselessly from the void above.

    The 8th and 7th rings passed beneath him like a cosmic road trip, galaxies and stars blurring into a kaleidoscope of light. As he approached the border of the 6th ring, the temperature around him plummeted, nearing absolute zero.

    Separating the 7th and 6th rings stood an enormous spatial wall, an incomprehensible barrier composed entirely of semi-frozen time. Encasing the inner universe, it prevented expansion outward. Even the Galactic Tyrant, mighty as he was, could not breach its boundaries. Forged by a being far beyond his comprehension, the wall emanated a hostile domain where temperatures fell into negative values below absolute zero, defying natural law.

    Chaotic droplets of frozen time appeared and vanished in paradoxical cycles, the wall collapsing and reforming in an eternal dance of creation and destruction.

    The Galactic Tyrant halted at the dividing edge, wary of the minefield of warped space-time created by these negative Kelvin conditions. He stood motionless, waiting for what he knew was to come.

    Like clockwork, a shimmering drawbridge materialized, tunneling through the volatile time-space to connect the inner and outer universes.

    From within the drawbridge, a man no smaller than the Galactic Tyrant called out, recognizing the figure standing at the threshold.

    "Vick, you''re returning to the inner universe as well?" The man standing on the drawbridge sighed, shaking his head. "This strange rain has everyone on edge. Seven other Tyrants passed through today alone."

    "Gurdy! It¡¯s been too long." Vick¡¯s laughter echoed like a collapsing star as he strode closer, clapping Gurdy on the shoulder. "Me, on edge? Never. Just needed to clear my head after a heavy chest session." He gestured to the downpour, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "But this rain¡­ come on, you¡¯ve got to tell me¡ªwhat Olympian¡¯s behind this prank? It¡¯s impressive, I¡¯ll admit. It¡¯s bound to send the mortals into a frenzy." He chuckled, the sound booming across the void.

    Gurdy¡¯s expression darkened, his flickering form retreating slightly. "As far as I know, it¡¯s not a prank. It¡¯s serious. Even we in the Universal Federation are in the dark about it. The Olympians are convening in Green Heaven as we speak, and they¡¯ve announced an Olympic Decree is coming. I¡¯ve never seen them gather so quickly; whatever it is must have foundational consequences."

    Vick¡¯s grin faded, his hand rising to rub his temples. "An Olympic Decree? Really? Those bulked-up fools usually only care about posing and pumping iron. If this rain has them worried, it¡¯s got to be something big."

    "Yeah, Vick. It¡¯s not good," Gurdy muttered, his voice laced with unease. The rain grew heavier, its droplets bouncing off their event horizons in oppressive silence, creating an intense stillness between the two giants.

    With a curt nod, Vick reached into his chest and pulled out a black coin. The object warped space and light around it as he held it in his palm.

    "Here." Vick said, clearing his throat as he handed the coin to Gurdy. "A little toll for your troubles. Now, let me through¡ªI¡¯ve got important things to accomplish."

    Gurdy accepted the coin with a wry smile, and extended the drawbridge further, allowing Vick to step on and pass through the frozen time wall into the inner regions of the universe.

    Saying his goodbyes to Gurdy, Vick made his way through the inner portions of the universe. Thanks to the effects of the frozen time wall the inner universe was much denser in spacetime then the outer, causing Vick to have to move at a much slower pace.

    The 6th ring was filled with celestial wonders. As Vick strode onward, he passed neutron solar systems where mega planets, dense beyond imagination, orbited supergiant stars. Cosmic bodybuilders, their physiques vast enough to blot out suns, strolled these worlds as though they were ordinary citizens.

    To Vick, it felt like a stroll through a neighborhood. He waved at passing figures with a friendly grin, his immense presence blending into the cosmic grandeur. But as he neared the division between the 6th and 5th rings, the light around him dimmed, and the air seemed to thicken.

    The boundary loomed before him, marking a transition into a realm of unimaginable density. Crossing it, spacetime transformed into a dense, foggy ocean. His strides slowed to a crawl until, finally, he could no longer walk. He began swimming through the viscous void, each celestial stroke cutting through spacetime itself.

    The 5th ring was an incomparably dangerous domain, even for Vick. The dense spacetime blurred the boundaries of existence, transforming the universe into a suffocating fog. Massive creatures moved silently through the void, their forms only hinted at by ripples in the ether.

    Vick held his breath as a hundred-lightyear-long eel slithered past, its immense body brushing perilously close. Reaching into his chest, he retrieved a lantern device, its glow masking his presence and repelling the lurking predators.

    As he pressed onward, the fog parted to reveal a spinning black hole of immense power. Its gravitational pull tore apart a colossal blue whale, hundreds of lightyears in length, devouring it piece by piece.

    Stopping before the swirling void, Vick called out, his voice booming through the fog. ¡°Darrell! Open up the damn event horizon! I know you saw me coming.¡± Impatience tinged his tone as he hovered before the black hole¡¯s grandeur.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The event horizon shimmered, revealing a circular doorway that led to an unassuming home. Inside, the black hole¡¯s interior stretched infinitely. Its white-tiled floor glinted under the eerie glow of a strange green orb, hanging like a pulsing Christmas ornament at the center.

    The space resembled a high-end recreation center, packed with exercise equipment. Amid the clutter stood a simple wooden table bearing the enormous carcass of a Star Swallowing Condor and a lone chair that seemed oddly out of place against the vast emptiness.

    Vick smirked, clearly amused by his friend¡¯s disgusted glare.

    ¡°Darrell, you loathsome bastard!¡± Vick exclaimed, laughing as he attempted to step past. ¡°It¡¯s been an eon since Green Heaven last rotated in the center of the universe, and I see you¡¯re as cheerful as ever.¡±

    Darrell blocked his way with an irritated glare. ¡°An eon wasn¡¯t long enough. You show up on my doorstep just as I catch my first Star Swallowing Condor of the season. You¡¯ve gotten smaller since I last saw you. Have you spent all this time training nothing but your oversized nose?¡±

    Mock offense flashed across Vick¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I just hit new PRs on my triceps and shoulders. But clearly, your massive size has clouded your respect for our timeless friendship.¡±

    Darrell¡¯s expression softened slightly, though he didn¡¯t step aside. ¡°Respect? All I see is a man using our one-sided friendship as an excuse to mooch off a meal.¡±

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be such a prick,¡± Vick grumbled. ¡°Let me in. You¡¯re not really going to force me to brave this strange rain, are you?¡±

    Darrell glanced at the blue rain pattering steadily against the event horizon. The sound grew louder, a constant rhythm that filled the silence.

    With a begrudging sigh, he stepped aside, allowing Vick to enter.

    Vick¡¯s grin widened as he walked through the doorway, clearly relieved to be out of the rain.

    He avoided the clutter, instead pulling out a comfy-looking reclining chair and positioning it near the event horizon. It offered an unobstructed view of the rain cascading beyond the shimmering barrier.

    ¡°You meathead! After living here for so long, you haven¡¯t thought about making this place more hospitable for guests?¡± Vick teased, pulling a thermos from within his body. He took a sip, his expression one of exaggerated satisfaction.

    Darrell, ignoring him, moved to the wooden table. The rhythmic hacking of a knife and the metallic tang of fresh blood filled the room as he worked on preparing the Star Swallowing Condor. A man of stoic resolve, he had no interest in engaging with Vick¡¯s banter.

    Darrell¡¯s cold demeanor seemed expected. Taking another sip from his thermos, Vick smacked his lips and made another attempt to crack his friend¡¯s frosty exterior.

    ¡°Good coffee!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Come here and try some of this. I found these strange dark beans hidden in the Quagon Nebula. They¡¯re incredibly dense and make an excellent hot drink.¡± He turned and held up the thermos, shaking it slightly to emphasize his point.

    Darrell remained focused on his work, ignoring Vick entirely. Frustration flickered across Vick¡¯s face.

    ¡°Do you need any help with anything?¡± Vick asked. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d like to hear about my many heroic adventures?¡±

    The sounds of butchering ceased as Darrell turned to meet Vick¡¯s gaze. ¡°Your cooking is terrible, and your stories are bizarre and uninteresting. We can reminisce later. If you want some of this bird, wait patiently with your own company.¡±

    ¡°So cold.¡± Vick muttered, reclining further into his chair. ¡°It¡¯s really no fun being friends with a man like this.¡± He shifted his focus to the rain outside, lighting a black pipe with a match. He began to relax, letting the rhythmic patter of rain blend into the hum of the black hole¡¯s interior.

    Time passed slowly. Vick stared out at the blue rain, his mind wandering. Periodically, he took a drag from his pipe, the smoke vanishing almost instantly, leaving only a faint taste. The room grew quiet, save for the soft hiss of roasting meat.

    Behind him, Darrell moved with measured precision. The condor¡¯s juices sizzled as golden-brown flesh turned over a glowing flame. The rich aroma filled the air, breaking Vick¡¯s contemplative daze.

    ¡°Smells good,¡± Vick said with a grin, taking another sip from his thermos. ¡°You¡¯ve outdone yourself again.¡±

    Darrell plated the roasted condor into a towering heap for himself, leaving a single drumstick for Vick. With a flick of his wrist, the small plate flew across the room, landing neatly in front of his guest.

    ¡°Generous as always,¡± Vick muttered, eyeing the tiny drumstick. His grumblings couldn¡¯t hide the greedy glint in his eyes.

    Darrell, seated far away in his simple wooden chair, was about to dig in when Vick¡¯s voice interrupted once more. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you sitting so far away?¡± With a casual motion, Vick conjured a larger, plush chair and set it beside his own. ¡°Come on, take a seat and join me. The rain is calming from this view.¡±

    Darrell walked over with his plate, his movements deliberate but unhurried. Ignoring the plush chair, he pushed it aside and sat cross-legged on the white-tiled floor. Vick raised an eyebrow but refrained from commenting, instead turning his attention back to the rain cascading beyond the event horizon.

    The two ate in silence, the rhythmic patter of rain creating a tranquil backdrop. Outside, the storm raged on, but within the quiet of the black hole, a scene of cosmic comfort unfolded.

    "What do you think, Darrell?" Vick put down his half-eaten condor leg, breaking the silence. "About this rain..."

    Darrell looked up from his meal for the first time since sitting down.

    "I¡¯ve tried a few tricks," he began, his tone contemplative. "I¡¯ve found ways to contain the stuff, but I haven¡¯t discovered how to forcefully integrate it into anything that has reached critical mass." He frowned, glancing at the table. "I¡¯ve kept alive a few mortal businesses in the 9th ring, and I¡¯ve been getting some results... by using their bodies for experiments."

    Vick¡¯s eyes lit up. "I knew it," he chuckled. "When this apocalypse hit, I had a feeling you would be someone I can rely on for some good information."

    Darrell gave a wry smile but didn¡¯t respond directly. Instead, he continued, "It¡¯s too early to draw conclusions, but the Blue Water seems to act like an elixir for their physiques. It supercharges muscle development and enhances their ability to merge matter into their bodies. But there are significant downsides."

    Vick raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Such as?"

    "Madness," Darrell said solemnly. "The water degrades their inborn legacies, stripping away morals and humanity. Children are born unable to recall their human shape, and natural development becomes impossible. Civilizations are teetering on collapse."

    Vick leaned back, stroking his chin. "But we¡¯ve already reverse-engineered the human body and developed children without parents. Without legacies, they should still be able to survive and repopulate themselves. It sounds problematic but solvable."

    Darrell shook his head. "Humans born without family ties lose the structure that keeps civilization together. Combine that with the temptation of gaining power through the Blue Water, and entire societies are destabilizing overnight. All the non-humans are in a frenzy as well and if this continues, the entire outer universe could collapse."

    Vick''s eyes opened wide with shock.

    "However, I¡¯ve already taken action," Darrell continued. "I recommended banning the use of Blue Rain for physique construction. I also sent several treasures that have reached critical mass to help shield those with intact legacies from being exposed to rain. Hopefully this will be enough..."

    Before Darrell could finish, a resplendent flash of light illuminated the event horizon, halting their conversation.

    A phoenix¡¯s cry echoed through the black hole as a bird of heavenly flames soared into view, leaving behind a clay tablet glowing with strange markings.

    "Olympic Decree..." Vick sucked in a sharp breath. "Those twelve made a decision this quickly?"

    Darrell, equally stunned, opened a hole in the event horizon and pulled the tablet into his hands. As his eyes scanned the markings, his expression turned grim.

    "They¡¯re actually downsizing the inner universe," he murmured, running his eyes over the tablet a second time. "They want to weaken that barrier between the 6th and 7th rings so more mass can spill out into the outer regions. This is¡­ surprising."

    Vick¡¯s eyes widened. "Those greedy monsters are really cutting back our chances to gain mass in the inner universe? They already control over half the universe¡¯s mass! Why can¡¯t they scale themselves back for once? Why make us suffer?" He snatched the tablet from Darrell¡¯s hands.

    "No way¡­ they¡¯re pledging a hundred black holes each. So they¡¯re downsizing too?" Vick¡¯s voice dropped to a hushed tone. "This is terrifying. Who commands this rain, powerful enough to rattle beings as massive as the Olympians? It can¡¯t be out of pity for mortals. Something else must be driving them to make such a drastic move."

    They fell silent, lost in their own thoughts, until Darrell finally spoke.

    "I¡¯ve heard stories," Darrell began quietly. "They speak of a great river of time high above, carrying fragments of the past, present, and future. They say if you hoard too much of its flow, it¡¯ll upset the balance and stir the wrath of something vast and beyond comprehension¡ªwhat they call the Future Ocean. Some have even pushed for this sort of downsizing for billions of years."

    Vick¡¯s skepticism showed. "You¡¯re telling me this rain is coming from downstream in that river of time? From the future? Some kind of warning that we¡¯re getting too big?"

    "Maybe..." Darrell shrugged. "If the legends hold any truth, then next to the Future Ocean, we¡¯re nothing but ants. If it really exists and decides to act, I can¡¯t imagine how we¡¯d survive."

    "I don¡¯t know," Darrell admitted, and after that, neither of them said much.

    Eventually, Vick departed, returning to the 8th ring of the universe to resume his workouts. Meanwhile, Darrell, unable to unravel the mysteries of the Blue Rain, turned his focus to hunting colossal creatures in the 5th ring, prioritizing his own growth over the fate of mortal worlds.

    True to their word, the Olympians dismantled sections of the wall between the 6th and 7th layers, allowing mass to flow outward into the outer universe. This shift ushered in a new era of cosmic bodybuilding, rivaling the legendary golden age. Yet progress came at a devastating cost. As the Blue Rain persisted, more beings experimented with the mysterious Blue Water, driving societies into madness and fracturing once-stable civilizations. After a century of relentless rainfall, the storm finally ceased, leaving deep scars and a legacy of chaos.

    The forbidden allure of Blue Water gave rise to a brutal age of underground bodybuilding, reducing once-thriving civilizations to fractured shadows of their former glory. In the distant darkness, something within the Future Ocean stirred silently, its presence unknowable, as the rest of existence struggled to recover.

    Into this broken landscape, new heroes emerged. No longer bound by morals or heroics, they roamed desolate worlds, indifferent to their fellow beings and driven solely by the relentless pursuit of strength at any cost. The disruptive force of Blue Water shattered stagnation, forging perilous opportunities for those bold enough to seize them.

 1. I Want Freedom

    Somewhere within the ninth ring of the universe, on the surface of a solitary blue planet, the ominous face of an incoming moon loomed, blotting out the cloudless sky. Dislodged from its original orbit, it hurtled toward the planet, as if intent on erasing all life in its path.

    For most civilizations, such an event would herald an apocalyptic end. Yet, for the planet''s inhabitants, it was little more than a shift in weather. Some glanced skyward with groaning indifference, retreating underground for protection. Others scrambled for a better view, eager to witness the event from prime vantage points.

    One such individual was an ambitious young man named Ged.

    Perched atop the peak of a dumbbell-shaped mountain, Ged stood tall, his silhouette evoking the image of a heroic barbarian.

    With broad shoulders and a muscular frame that exuded raw, primal strength, his eyes burned with the intensity of caged lions as they tracked the falling moon with deliberate focus.

    He spoke with detached curiosity. ¡°I wonder which Celestial Slave has come to settle their debts this time.¡±

    Far above, hidden within the clouds, stood an ordinary-sized man beside the moon¡¯s colossal mass. Though dwarfed by the celestial body, his rippling muscles radiated immense power. Dressed in a sleeveless shirt and athletic pants, he directed the moon¡¯s descent through a series of elaborate poses.

    When the moon reached a critical point in the atmosphere, the man flexed, striking a dramatic bodybuilder¡¯s pose. The sheer force of his movement caused the moon to shatter, fragments exploding outward and scattering across the planet¡¯s surface.

    With the precision of a master puppeteer, he controlled the fragments with another flex. Each piece seemed to take on a life of its own, hurtling toward predetermined destinations.

    One of these pieces of the moon barreled straight toward Ged.

    He sighed as he watched its fiery descent. ¡°Celestial iron again,¡± he muttered. ¡°Always the same material. How am I supposed to build a body with this low-tier scrap?¡± Shaking his head, he added, ¡°Well, at least I can trade it for something more useful...¡±

    A small distance away from Mount Dumbbell lay the circular city of Elpida. Home to hundreds of millions, its true nature was hidden from view. Most residents lived in underground bunkers, leaving the surface sparse and desolate. Only temporary wooden buildings and indestructible castle spires dotted the cityscape. Cracked stone roadways wove through the area like veins, connecting the disparate structures.

    At the heart of Elpida lay a vast abyssal pit, shrouded in dense fog. Known as one of Planet Blue Eagle¡¯s many "mouths," the pit was said to descend impossibly deep, rumored to reach the planet¡¯s core.

    As the asteroid descended, it splintered into thousands of flaming-hot pebbles. The sky turned crimson as these fragments hurtled toward the many abyssal mouths scattered across the planet.

    The ground quaked violently with each impact, fissures tearing across the surface as magma bubbled up from the planet¡¯s core, filling the cracks and expanding its surface area. The heat was unbearable. Volcanic eruptions transformed the landscape into a fiery, hellish wasteland, the nauseating stench of molten rock thick in the air.

    Even Ged, with his extraordinary physique, struggled against the suffocating atmosphere. Sweat poured from his body as he squinted through the oppressive heat, straining to keep his composure amid the pain of the transforming environment.

    A deep, guttural sound rumbled from the planet, a noise of unimaginable chewing. It reverberated through the air, sending tremors through the ground and setting Ged¡¯s teeth on edge.

    ¡°Fuck me,¡± Ged muttered, wiping his face of sweat. ¡°Why does it always have to be so loud?¡±

    He turned toward the abyssal mouth in front of him, his frustration boiling over. ¡°Can¡¯t this damn eagle chew quietly?¡±

    His voice rose in anger. ¡°What a shit life I have to endure. Fuck this stupid, fucking planet!¡±

    On his neck, a tattoo of a blue eagle glistened vibrantly, marking him as a slave. Sweat streamed from his skin as Ged scratched at the tattoo like it was an unbearable itch, his nails leaving raw, bloody streaks. Yet, no matter how much damage he inflicted, the eagle remained pristine, its vibrant luster undiminished by his efforts.

    Over time, the chewing subsided, ending with a grotesque, resonant swallow. The planet slowly returned to stillness. High above, Celestial Slaves began absorbing the excess heat radiating from the surface with the help of mysterious gym equipment within their possession. Gradually, the temperature cooled, and the planet returned to its usual bleak and desolate state.

    From within the abyssal mouths, a thunderous, eagle-like voice boomed, addressing the man who had brought the moon.

    ¡°Builder Koh, your meal is much appreciated.¡±

    ¡°For your great service, I have deducted six quintillion kilograms of mass from your debts.¡±

    ¡°You now require only 5,872,564,347,431,234,128,123,000,888,167 kilograms to repay in full.¡±

    With that, the planet lost interest in further conversation and returned to its dormant slumber.

    Koh, accustomed to such exchanges, simply nodded before resuming his orbit around the planet, diligently fulfilling his duties as a planetary guard.

    Ged looked at the retreating Koh with a solemn expression.

    ¡°Builder Koh still has so much more to go?¡± he muttered, shaking his head. ¡°He ascended to the skies such a long time ago, yet he still carries so much debt.¡±

    ¡°Does it ever end?¡± he whispered, his voice tinged with bitterness.

    A deep frown crept across his face as anger boiled within him, his stomach churning with frustration.

    ¡°I must secure my own freedom,¡± he growled, his fists clenching tightly. ¡°I can¡¯t live like this. Even if it kills me, I will find a way to escape this torture.¡±

    He glared at the sky lost in heavy thoughts, moments passed and his gaze turned towards the city structures and the abyssal pit, he remembered something important.

    ¡°Shit, I need to hurry."

    "If I don¡¯t get down to the Abyssal Mouth soon, all the easy-to-grab celestial iron will be gone.¡±

    Centering his thoughts, Ged turned away from the lofty vantage point. He descended the mountain, navigating through a rocky field that separated its base from the slowly awakening city of Elpida.

    His movements were swift, his powerful legs propelling him forward in bounding motions, reaching speeds that could outpace even the fastest of rabbits.

    The terrain was uneven and treacherous, with large, jagged crags jutting from the ground. Ged had to constantly weave and adjust his pace to navigate the challenging path. Occasionally, weed-like stalks of grass and strange flowers sprouted from cracks in the rocks, adding small bursts of life to the otherwise monotonous scenery of the several-kilometer journey.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    After traversing the long stretches of barren terrain, Ged¡¯s feet finally struck the smoother city streets. Slowing his pace, he transitioned from bounding strides to a brisk, purposeful walk.

    The streets buzzed with activity as businesses hurried to set up their stands again. After every planetary meal, the city would fill with crowds eager to return to normal life, and merchants scrambled to capitalize on the sudden influx of foot traffic.

    ¡°I''m selling rare earth metals! I¡¯ve got high-grade Turtle Stone; perfect for growing out your quads!¡± one stall owner called out, holding a sign high above his head indicating the merchant group he was selling for.

    The man¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd eagerly, searching for potential buyers, but when his gaze landed on Ged, he froze. Awkwardly, the merchant averted his gaze, pretending not to notice him.

    Ged recognized the man.

    ¡°That looks like Barry,¡± he thought, frowning slightly. ¡°It¡¯s been a few months since his last order, but the guy¡¯s a total drug fiend. I think he bought something like 100 grams of powdered frog tongue from me last time...¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s usually a bit more sociable than this,¡± Ged mused. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s found a new dealer. I¡¯ll need to ask him about it when I have time.¡±

    Ged continued down the strip, passing by other peddlers.

    ¡°Gym passes! Daily deals for locals or top-tier access to the Great Barbell Palace!¡± shouted another merchant, his eyes glinting strangely. He gave Ged an unnerving smile as he walked past.

    Ged returned the smile nonchalantly, pretending not to notice anything unusual.

    ¡°Looks like Trevor¡¯s out too,¡± Ged observed, noting his pale, jittery appearance. Inwardly, Ged clicked his tongue. ¡°Damn, he¡¯s not looking good. He must be rolling on some Beehive right now..."

    "Fuck me, there''s a time and place for this shit, don''t be out looking like this, it makes me look bad." Ged shook his head.

    As Ged made his way through the bustling streets, he recognized more familiar faces. Some worked at stalls, others wandered the streets, but they all shared one thing in common¡ªthey were connections from his life as a small-time drug dealer.

    ¡°So many people are out working today,¡± Ged thought. ¡°Looks like I might have a busy few days ahead."

    "I should stock up, just in case they¡¯re eager enough to buy again so soon.¡± He sneered inwardly.

    As Ged moved through the main streets, something caught his eye, bringing him to an abrupt stop.

    Near the abyssal pit, a crowd of protesters had gathered. They seemed to target only the bodybuilders in street clothes, while those who were finely dressed or in uniform passed by without interference. Waving picket signs and shouting venomous slogans, the protesters jeered and cursed at the approaching giants, their eyes burning with hatred.

    "Crack down on underground bodybuilding!" A group of protestors chanted. "Ban Blue Water!" Another group added.

    A hulking figure dressed in a white tank top walked through a group getting an earful from those within the crowd.

    ¡°You sick bastards!¡± a frazzled woman screamed, clutching a photo of her deceased son. Tears streamed down her face, and her voice cracked with anguish. ¡°My son died of an overdose from taking the drugs you sold! Is building your bodies worth the damage you do to ordinary people?¡±

    The hulking figure had never seen the women in his life. His life was far from the shores of underground bodybuilding.

    He looked at the lady with confused looks, regretting his decision on exiting his bunker in his drab outfit. But no amount of words could clear his innocence, for the protesters, retribution was all they sought, lashing out indiscriminately like a swarm of stinging wasps.

    "My daughter got victimized because of your crime sprees. She now spends her days paralyzed from the waist down. Have you no shame?" An elderly man screeched with pain in his voice.

    The man in the white tank top stood silently, his massive frame betraying the guilt in his eyes. He lacked the heart to push past the grieving individuals and instead tried to calm them with kind words, though his efforts hardly seemed in vain.

    Ged on the other hand was not as polite.

    When he arrived at the scene, his contempt was clear. Rolling his eyes, he muttered to himself as he surveyed the chaos.

    As one of the so-called ¡°underground bodybuilders¡± targeted by the crowd, Ged felt no need to justify himself. If anything, he was ready to meet their scorn with unshakable iron will.

    ¡°Why am I to blame for your drug-abusing family members?¡± he questioned someone blocking his path, clutching a photo of a deceased young boy, as he shoved them aside. ¡°He probably just wanted a temporary escape from his miserable life, like everyone else,¡± he muttered, pushing past a pair of teenage girls.

    He heard someone in front of him yell out a slogan. "Stop this idolization of the murderous Builder Plunk!"

    Ged wrinkled his brows at the man.

    ¡°For the first time in ten thousand years, a man achieved something many thought to be impossible since the Golden Era. How does that not inspire you?" He looked at the man with questioning daggers in his eyes.

    ¡°He¡­¡± The man was about to list off all his many terrible deeds, but Ged cut him off.

    ¡°So what if he was a criminal and used Blue Water to reach the stars? He achieved what no one else could. Pim let us dream while everyone else demanded we settle for less,¡± Ged said resolutely. ¡°What have you done in your life that gives you the right to be so critical of him?¡±

    He looked to the man for a response, but none came. Silently, the man stepped aside, no longer daring to block Ged¡¯s path.

    Now reaching closer to the lip of the abyssal mouth, the crowds of people grew thick, as the protestors bravely used their own bodies to stand in front of the lip of the mouth, trying to stop bodybuilders from entering.

    ¡°The journey from the ground to the sky is not easy, and without clouds in the sky to catch me if I fall, don¡¯t blame me for doing whatever it takes to make sure I succeed,¡± Ged whispered to himself, his gaze fixed purposefully on the group blocking his path.

    Without a trace of emotion, Ged began peeling the protesters away from the edge one by one, flinging them carelessly behind him with no regard for their safety.

    ¡°Stop it, you bastard!¡± a thin, angry man shouted from behind, his voice trembling with a mix of rage and fear. ¡°You think your strength gives you the right to trample over everyone else?¡±

    Ged turned, his expression impassive. ¡°Those people were deliberately blocking my path, so I moved them. It¡¯s nothing worth getting upset about,¡± he replied coldly.

    The thin man glared at him, fists clenched tightly. Around him, injured protesters nursed their wounds, their eyes filled with indignation. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly the problem,¡± the thin man said, his voice shaking with emotion. ¡°To you, we¡¯re just obstacles to shove aside. We want justice for the people you exploit, but all you care about is yourself.¡±

    ¡°Why must you be such an asshole?¡± another man shouted, clutching his injured arm. His outburst ignited a wave of angry voices as the crowd rallied, their furious cries rising in unison to berate Ged.

    Ged glanced around at the seething mob and let out a cold, mocking laugh, his apathy cutting through their outrage like a blade.

    Anger boiled over as some of the more enraged protesters began hurling rocks and sticks at Ged¡¯s superhuman frame. Their attacks rebounded harmlessly, as if striking an immovable steel wall. Ged¡¯s contempt only deepened.

    ¡°Does it make you feel superior to shelter the weak while blocking the path of the strong?¡± he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. ¡°Or is that just your idea of fairness?¡± With a single, deliberate motion, he caught a flying stone midair and crushed it into dust in his palm.

    Without hesitation, Ged swung his arms out, knocking away the nearest protesters with no regard for injury. Blood spattered the ground as some of his blows left them writhing on the hard stone roads.

    ¡°Get back, all of you! Give me plenty of room!¡± he roared, his voice cutting through the chaos like thunder. ¡°If I see a single one of you step out of line, I¡¯ll toss you into the abyssal mouth.¡± The crowd fell silent, their complaints stifled as they froze in place, too afraid to move.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you,¡± Ged said icily, his cold gaze sweeping over the cowering protesters.

    A few moments of tense calm passed, and Ged exhaled, glancing at the bloodied and teary-eyed crowd. Regret flickered briefly in his expression.

    ¡°I went a little overboard,¡± he muttered, shaking his head. ¡°I need to control my temper. If I¡¯m not careful, I might attract the attention of the authorities. The last thing I need is less freedom.¡± He reminded himself.

    Scanning the area for any immediate threats, Ged confirmed the situation was under control before shifting his focus to the Abyssal Mouth ahead.

    Ged retrieved a grappling device from within his body. The contraption featured a spool of thin wire connected to a magnetic, ball-bearing hook. With a press of the handheld trigger, the line unwound rapidly, the hook vanishing into the foggy depths of the Abyssal Mouth.

    As the spool continued its work, Ged scanned his surroundings with a wary eye. On the far edge of the pit, a hairless bodybuilder stood, his forehead marked with puffy cloud tattoos where his eyebrows should have been. He held a similar grappling hook device, his focus locked intently on the pit below.

    ¡°Cumulus Gang,¡± Ged muttered, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Their turf is Oizys. What the hell is he doing here?¡±

    His gaze sharpened as he examined the other areas of the pit more closely, spotting similar figures scattered throughout.

    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Ged hissed, his voice low and seething. ¡°Have they come here looking to steal scraps from our city¡¯s mouth?¡±

    His fists clenched tightly, the veins in his arms straining as his anger boiled over. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a turf dispute. This is a declaration of war.¡±

    ¡°I need to ask Resh about this. The Golden Sun won¡¯t just let this slide...¡± he thought grimly, his attention shifting to the swelling mob of protesters behind him. The crowd¡¯s numbers were surging, their collective fury crackling in the air like a storm on the verge of breaking.

    ¡°This protest is going to turn ugly,¡± Ged muttered, his voice taut with anticipation.

 2. The Equalizers

    The protest was dense with activity. In the distance, a group of men with golden sun tattoos, shaved just above their ears, entered the crowd. Spotting rival Cumulus gang members, they moved swiftly toward the Abyssal Mouth to intercept them.

    Ged unwound his fishing device at a rapid pace, channeling bursts of his body¡¯s heat into it to accelerate the process. With each surge, the hook descended faster, vanishing deeper into the fog below.

    Shrouded in the mist was a giant, beak-like mouth. Serrated teeth lined its grotesque jaw, with small deposits of glistening green iron lodged between them. Hundreds of magnetic ball bearings, suspended on strings, flossed the celestial iron from the beak¡¯s jagged teeth. Periodically, the mouth opened wide, unfurling its enormous tongue to expose hard-to-reach areas for the fishing bodybuilders.

    Ged glanced at the worsening scene above.

    Nearby, the Golden Sun gang members confronted the closest Cumulus gang member. The leader charged his fist with golden energy, fiery light coiling brightly around his hand. With a devastating blow, he struck the Cumulus member in the back, sending him tumbling toward the pit below.

    The Cumulus gang member furrowed his cloud-shaped tattooed eyebrows as he fell backward. Smoke blurred around his feet, slowing his descent. From his abdomen, he pulled out a thorny, vine-like lasso and cracked it at the legs of a Golden Sun member. The lasso wrapped tightly around its target, its thorns digging viciously into flesh, dragging the victim toward the pit. The two remaining Golden Sun gangsters reacted quickly, grabbing their ally¡¯s shoulders to support him. Tiny mountains erupted beneath their feet, anchoring them in place. A tense standoff ensued as the Golden Sun members struggled to untangle the vine, while the Cumulus gang member used the tension to climb back toward the lip of the mouth.

    The violent exchange was like a spark in a powder keg, igniting chaos between the protesters and bodybuilders. Weapons were drawn, fists flew, and blood spilled as the sprawling melee escalated. More Golden Sun members emerged from the crowd, engaging the rival Cumulus gang in a fiery clash over contested territory.

    The chaos grew so intense that even bystanders were caught in the fray. Fury and desperation boiled over, sending people crashing into one another like bumper cars.

    Ged¡¯s carefully cleared space quickly disappeared as protesters and fighters alike stumbled into him. A hard shove to his back almost threw him off balance, threatening to send him plummeting into the pit. Ged winced in frustration, his fishing device nowhere near the depths necessary to retrieve anything worthwhile.

    "I need to leave now!" Ged gritted his teeth. "But this loss¡­" A conflicted look flickered in his eyes as he gripped the rod tighter. He wasn¡¯t ready to give up.

    "I can¡¯t do it!" Ged¡¯s expression twisted with desperation. "I¡¯m already behind on materials to develop my physique. If I take one more loss, I¡¯ll fall too far behind to build a body capable of ascending." He scanned the rim of the Abyssal Mouth, his mind racing. "There must be another way¡­"

    Nearby, one of Ged¡¯s bodybuilding neighbors, a man in a red flannel shirt, was frantically reeling in his fishing hook. From the foggy depths, a large chunk of celestial iron glinted on the hook.

    Greed flashed in Ged¡¯s eyes. The prize was too good to pass up.

    Without hesitation, Ged moved swiftly. Hopping down, he angled his feet to grip the pit wall. Using his sturdy frame and athletic skill, he took a few agile steps along the vertical slope.

    Not far away, the Cumulus gang member clung to his vine-like whip, his hands bloodied from the thorns. Gritting his teeth, he kicked up clouds to propel himself higher along the edge of the pit.

    Suddenly, his grip slipped as a powerful foot slammed into his face. The whip flew from his hands, and he tumbled into the Abyssal Mouth below. A hateful glare burned in his eyes, locked onto Ged¡¯s silhouette as he fell to his demise.

    Ged, using the Cumulus gang member as a springboard, vaulted upward toward the red-flannelled man, who was just about to reel in his haul.

    Like a black blur, Ged twisted mid-flight, adjusting his trajectory as he descended toward the red-flannelled man. He delivered a ruthless punch to the man¡¯s exposed jawline. The fishing rod fell from his grasp as he staggered, dazed and unable to process what had happened.

    Stealing the rod, Ged swiftly tangled the red-flannelled man in his unwound fishing line, leaving him encumbered as he escaped with his spoils.

    The red-flannelled man, groggy but furious, slashed through the fishing line with his fingers. His eyes locked on Ged¡¯s retreating form as the thief melted into the chaotic crowd.

    "Stop! You thief!" the man roared, stumbling forward in pursuit.

    Ged turned to glance over his shoulder, but his attention lingered on the man¡¯s discarded fishing rod.

    "Some people are just too wasteful," Ged muttered, shaking his head. Ducking and weaving through the brawling crowd, he pushed forward, occasionally enduring retaliatory strikes from enraged protesters.

    The man was already extremely disadvantaged, despite his frantic effort to catchup, he found himself further and further behind.

    Trapped behind a pair of fighting bodybuilders and Ged, he could no longer pursue any further, unsatisfied and brooding with rage he begrudgingly gave up his chase.

    "You won''t get away with this!" the man roared, his face flushed, veins bulging with rage. "Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won! The Equalizers will hear of this injustice. Mark my words, I will return this enmity tenfold!"

    Ged didn¡¯t slow his pace, his frown deepening as the man¡¯s shouts echoed behind him. He pushed through the chaotic crowd with steady determination.

    "Another loser who can¡¯t handle a single setback in their life," Ged muttered under his breath, shaking his head. He sneered, "I don''t believe you have even seen my face. Do you really think the Equalizers are so omnipotent that they can honor every claim of injustice submitted to them?"

    "Delusional," he added with a cold chuckle, disappearing deeper into the crowd.

    The uproar of the crowd continued to escalate as reports of more deaths spread rapidly. Cries of anger and dissatisfaction filled the air. The bodybuilders, weary from the relentless attacks of the weak but persistent protesters, retaliated with brutal force. Protesters were shoved aside in waves, many trampled to death in the chaos. Without intervention, catastrophe was inevitable.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Thunderous drums boomed across the city. Their deep, resonant beats swept over the masses, electrifying and commanding.

    A cold wave of clarity rippled through the crowd. Weapons were lowered, tempers cooled. Like a parent forcing quarreling children into uneasy compromise, the violence ebbed, replaced by tense, hostile stares.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Even the rival gang members faltered. Moments earlier, they had unleashed their most vicious strikes, but now they hesitated, dropping their weapons. Some hastily covered their faces, retreating into defensive postures, as if sensing the impending storm.

    From beneath the city¡¯s stone roads, red and blue flying saucers emerged, their smooth, gleaming forms hovering ominously around the Abyssal Mouth.

    Bodybuilders descended from the saucers like otherworldly beings, suspended in bright yellow beams of light.

    "I figured the peacekeepers would show up eventually," Ged muttered flatly. "Good thing I got what I needed before they shut everything down." Relaxing his stance, he stopped pushing his way out and stood still, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.

    The yellow beams scanned the masses like searchlights. When they found a troublemaker, the beams froze them mid-air in a glowing halo, rendering them weightless. Flailing helplessly, the captured individuals spun slowly, as though adrift in space.

    Several gang members, too slow to hide or reckless enough to keep fighting, were quickly caught in the lights, their bodies dangling like marionettes.

    Suddenly, a new beam of light appeared at the crowd¡¯s center. Within it stood a towering male figure, as tall as a full-grown oak tree. Gasps and murmurs of awe rippled through the crowd.

    "The Abyssal Mouth is now closed to the public."

    "Prepare to be dispersed immediately."

    "City governor..." people whispered, pointing at the giant man in reverence.

    Ged remained unmoved, his expression flat.

    The oak-tree-sized figure reached into his body and pulled out a metallic faucet. Fixing it into his palm, he turned one of its knobs. A waterfall of shimmering, illusory water gushed forth, cascading onto the crowd below.

    The water, though intangible, moved with immense force. It swept up protesters and bystanders alike, carrying them in a raging, invisible current that scattered them far from the Abyssal Mouth. The peacekeepers expertly redirected the torrent, ensuring no one was carried toward the pit.

    In seconds, the crowd was gone, swept away by the unseen flood. Only those trapped in the yellow beams of light remained, suspended above the emptied plaza.

    Ged was no exception. The invisible current seized him, sending him tumbling like a kite cut loose. He bounced along the uneven stone streets, gritting his teeth as he flexed his body to absorb the impacts. After being carried nearly half a kilometer from the Mouth, he finally wedged himself between two stone spires.

    He exhaled deeply, surveying his surroundings. Though battered, he was unmarked by the peacekeepers¡¯ beams, a fact that brought him some relief. His gaze shifted to the others who had been dispersed nearby. Only when he was certain the red-flannelled man was nowhere in sight did Ged finally allow himself to relax.

    A wry smile tugged at his lips. "Looks like I got lucky this time."

    Inspecting his stolen haul, Ged couldn¡¯t suppress a satisfied grin.

    The fishing rod he had taken was far superior to his own. Its sleek black handle gleamed with a polished finish, and as he tested it in his hand, he realized it could release and retract at twice the speed of his old rod.

    ¡°No wonder that rich idiot managed to snag celestial iron so easily. With a rod like this, anyone could,¡± he muttered, his tone tinged with begrudging admiration. He examined the magnetic ball bearing used as the hook, weighing the green celestial iron clustered around it in his hands.

    ¡°Thirty kilograms!¡± he exclaimed, unable to hide his surprise.

    "Not bad," he said, his grin widening. "This should be enough to trade for a month¡¯s worth of vials."

    Brushing the dust off his clothes, Ged carefully unwedged himself from the stone spires. He scanned his surroundings, trying to get his bearings, eager to leave the city now that he had secured his spoils.

    ¡°This looks like the Sixth Sector,¡± he mused, recognizing the monotonous spires arranged around him. "For now I will head to the outskirts of town and see if I can find traces where the new hideout may be located at."

    He traveled with fast steps as he left the city, many other protestors and bodybuilders were nursing wounds, crying out for medical treatment.

    As Ged traveled farther from the city center, the cries of the injured and desperate grew softer. He walked briskly, but as he neared the city¡¯s edge, his steps faltered, his eyes narrowing at the sight before him.

    "Wattkinz..." he muttered, his tone laced with displeasure as he spotted the man on the opposite end of the street.

    Ged veered away, trying to avoid the scene entirely.

    Ahead, three bodybuilders in trench coats and sunglasses pursued a bloodied man. The fugitive staggered, his injuries slowing him.

    "Stop right there, you bully!" one of the trench-coated men shouted.

    "Your days of preying on the weak are over. The Equalizers have caught onto your degenerate behavior!" another yelled.

    "I didn¡¯t do it!" the bloodied man screamed, his voice hoarse. "Please, spare me!"

    The third Equalizer, a scarred man puffing on a cigar, lagged behind. Unlike the others, he moved slowly, his deliberate steps exuding menace, as though he relished the man¡¯s desperation.

    But then his attention shifted. Turning his head, he spotted Ged heading toward the city¡¯s edge.

    With a burst of speed, the scarred man raised his leg and brought his heel down on the fleeing bodybuilder¡¯s back. The man collapsed with a howl of pain as the other Equalizers descended on him, pinning him to the ground.

    Exhaling a plume of cigar smoke, the scarred man, Wattkinz, grinned and waved at Ged.

    "Little brother Ged," Wattkinz called, his gravelly voice cutting through the air. "Why are you ignoring me? Up to no good again, I assume?" He coughed, the corners of his mouth twisting into a smirk.

    Ged stopped, his face impassive. "You¡¯re on duty. Why would I bother you?"

    "Duty?" Wattkinz scoffed, his grin widening. "This? Hardly. You should know I always have time for my beloved brother."

    Reaching into his abdomen, Wattkinz pulled out a white capsule and dropped it beside the paralyzed criminal. It expanded with a hiss, unfolding into a sleek mechanical hatch. The other Equalizers hoisted the man inside and sealed it shut.

    With the task complete, Wattkinz turned back to Ged, his gaze piercing.

    "I heard the protest at the Abyssal Mouth turned into a riot," he said, his tone turning mocking. "I hope you behaved yourself and didn¡¯t cause any trouble."

    Ged shrugged. "I didn¡¯t do anything."

    "Nothing? Not a single thing?" Wattkinz laughed, his scarred face twisting in amusement. "Maybe my little delinquent brother is finally turning over a new leaf. Perhaps we should celebrate."

    One of the Equalizers leaned in to whisper something, and Wattkinz nodded, dismissing Ged with a wave.

    "Alright, I must be going. It was nice seeing you, Ged. We¡¯ll continue this conversation later." He began wheeling the capsule away, its metallic frame clattering softly.

    Without turning, he added, "You¡¯re almost eighteen, Ged. I trust you¡¯re still considering kinesiology studies. I¡¯ve already pulled strings at the recreation centers. With your talent in bodybuilding, you¡¯d easily earn a spot."

    His voice grew colder. "Think carefully. You wouldn¡¯t want to waste your potential."

    As Wattkinz walked away, his broad back and rippling muscles seemed to mock Ged, a tangible display of his dominance in both authority and physical power.

    Ged clenched his fists, his glare surfacing only when Wattkinz was far enough away.

    "We¡¯re not even related by blood," he muttered bitterly. "Why do you insist on meddling in my life?"

    "For what I end up doing once I turn eighteen is none of your business," he added, his voice low with defiance.

    Turning his back on Wattkinz, Ged strode toward the city¡¯s outskirts, eager to put the encounter behind him.

    As he made his way through the outskirts of town, he frequently stopped to scan his surroundings. Periodically, at intersections between jagged rocks, he crouched down and pressed his hand to the ground, sending a vibrating pulse into the earth.

    Occasionally, a resonance would return, prompting him to adjust his path.

    After weaving in an irregular zigzag pattern, Ged finally arrived at an inconspicuous stone grotto.

    Having found what he was looking for, Ged began rotating his arm like a drill, burrowing into the floor of the grotto¡¯s entrance. The ground crumbled beneath his efforts, revealing a crystalline cave below that glowed with hazy, red-tinged light.

    Carved into a nearby wall was what appeared to be a nightclub bar. Its entrance was flanked by two massive bodybuilder bouncers standing stoically behind a red velvet rope.

    Above the entrance, a glowing sign read: "The Hidden Olympian."

 3. The Hidden Olympian

    Not wasting any time, Ged approached the two doorman bouncers stationed outside the Hidden Olympian, each sporting Golden Sun tattoos above their ears.

    "Chim, I''m here for Resh," Ged said to the larger of the two doormen, his tone aloof and unhurried, as though this were a routine visit.

    Chim turned to the second doorman. "Bo, go ask if he''s able to see him."

    Bo spat in protest, but a sharp glare from Chim kept him in line. Begrudgingly, Bo turned and disappeared inside the bar.

    Inside, the Hidden Olympian was a den of pure degeneracy. Drug use, sex, and gambling dominated different corners of the space. The air hung heavy with the stench of cigarette smoke and other narcotics, while loud, droning electronic music reverberated off the cave-like walls of the underground bar.

    Seated alone in a private room was a bodybuilder. His sunken eyes glowed a vibrant blue as they stared vacantly ahead. His hands moved methodically, crushing peanuts one by one, the shells piling into a mound of dust before him. Beside the growing heap, a bowl of cigarette butts overflowed, and he chain-smoked relentlessly, exhaling plumes of smoke in rhythmic bursts, like an industrial smokestack.

    Lost in vivid hallucinations, Resh¡¯s senses were completely consumed by the vision of a vast, endless ocean. The sound of lapping waves filled his mind, and above the water¡¯s surface floated an indescribable orb. It twisted and distorted space around it, a presence so alien it seemed to defy existence itself. He reached for it, his hands trembling, yearning for connection.

    "Resh," Bo called cautiously. There was no response.

    "Sector Leader Resh," he tried again, louder this time. Still nothing. Frustration creeping into his voice, Bo moved closer, leaning over the table to place himself directly in Resh''s line of sight.

    Bo snapped his fingers sharply in front of Resh¡¯s unblinking gaze. ¡°Ged¡¯s at the door. Do you want to see him?¡±

    The snap shattered the vision. The ocean and the orb evaporated, leaving Resh adrift in the dim, smoke-filled room. His head tilted slightly as he tried to make sense of his surroundings, his glowing blue gaze snapping to Bo¡¯s hand with a sudden, unnerving intensity.

    Without warning, Resh¡¯s hand shot out with explosive ferocity, crushing Bo¡¯s arm in an iron grip. The sickening snap of bones echoed through the room.

    ¡°You idiot! Do you understand what you¡¯ve done?¡± Resh shouted, tears streaming down his face. ¡°The most beautiful creation¡ªgone! Right when it was within my grasp!¡±

    He clawed at the air, desperate to reclaim the vanished vision. His voice rose to a fever pitch, trembling with frustration. ¡°Unbounded and unrestrained, I saw the peak of all things bathed in the water of the absolute!¡±

    Bo gasped, clutching his mangled arm. He wanted to scream, but terror kept him silent. Resh¡¯s words grew darker, more erratic.

    ¡°Concepts, sensations, perspectives¡­¡± Resh¡¯s voice softened into a reverent whisper. ¡°They all knelt before it, powerless to describe its beauty. And it appeared before me, offering just a kernel of its truth.¡±

    His tone turned cold, laced with accusation. ¡°But you! With your jealous, earthly interruptions, shattered my connection to it. Have you no shame?¡±

    Bo¡¯s stomach churned with fear. ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± he thought, panic tightening in his chest.

    "Fuck me, Resh must have taken too much Blue Water. He''s completely lost it," he screamed internally, his mind racing for a way to pull his superior back to reality.

    Steeling himself, he fought to keep his voice steady. ¡°You told us to let you know if someone was at the door,¡± he said, his words strained through clenched teeth. "Remember?"

    Resh¡¯s expression darkened further. His free hand curled into a fist as if to strike again, but he stopped himself, exhaling deeply.

    ¡°I did say that,¡± he muttered, shrugging with a detached air. ¡°But that was before I understood the true nature of everything. Things are different now, but I can¡¯t blame you for not knowing.¡±

    He paused, his voice softening slightly. ¡°Who¡¯s at the door again?¡±

    Bo steadied his trembling voice. ¡°Ged.¡±

    ¡°Ged?¡± A flicker of sanity returned to Resh¡¯s face as he mulled over the name. The glow in his blue eyes dimmed momentarily, replaced by a fleeting look of recognition.

    ¡°Ha! How bold my friend has become, seeking me out while I¡¯m preoccupied with so many important matters,¡± Resh said, rolling his eyes. ¡°I gave him a piece of our drug operation to oversee because I thought he had some swagger. Yet he still hasn¡¯t committed to joining me fully, despite all the benefits he¡¯s received.¡±

    He paused, his expression darkening as he lit another cigarette and inhaled the entire stick in one deep drag. Smoke curled from his lips as he muttered, almost to himself, ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve been too soft on him lately¡­¡±

    With a raspy cough, the last of the smoke escaped his lungs. Resh finally croaked, ¡°Let him in, I should see him.¡± A predatory smile crept across his face as he began to consider how best to handle his unyielding friend.

    Bo hesitated, clutching his broken arm, his voice quivering with pain. ¡°Resh¡­ can you do something about my arm before I go?¡±

    Resh squinted at him, his eyes narrowing as he studied the injury with a detached curiosity. A strange glint appeared in his glowing gaze.

    Without hesitation, Resh reached into his abdomen, his fingers sinking into his flesh, and pulled out a pulsating blue crystalline prism. A cryptic smile spread across his face, his gaze narrowing with eerie focus.

    Steam curled from the crystal as energy surged into it. Within moments, it glowed red-hot, boiling and twisting like molten fire.

    With brutal precision, Resh tore the broken arm clean from Bo¡¯s shoulder. He screamed, his cries echoing through the room as blood poured from the stump.

    Before Bo could process the agony, Resh pressed the molten prism to his exposed shoulder. The crystal leapt onto the raw flesh like a living predator. It twisted and reshaped itself into a grotesque claw-like appendage, its crystalline surface hardening to a crustacean blue.

    Bo convulsed violently as the transformation overtook him. The process lasted only seconds, but to him, it felt like an eternity.

    Resh stepped back, admiring his work with a twisted sense of pride. ¡°I always thought you were built wrong,¡± he said with mock satisfaction. ¡°Consider this my gift. A small trace of my newfound enlightenment.¡±

    Bo lay panting on the floor, his grotesque claw twitching involuntarily. His hatred for Resh burned through his exhaustion as he glared at his grotesque new limb.

    Resh wasn¡¯t finished. His eyes gleamed with inspiration as he studied Bo¡¯s trembling form. ¡°No¡­ this is incomplete. It won¡¯t do.¡± He paused thoughtfully, then brightened with sudden excitement.

    ¡°Aha! A new start in bodybuilding demands a new name, one that transcends your old self.¡±

    He pointed dismissively. ¡°From now on, you will be known as Crab. Your old identity is gone. You have a long road ahead of you, and I¡¯ll be watching your progress with great interest.¡±

    Resh brushed the mound of peanut shells aside, revealing a dusty stack of napkins. Muttering to himself, he began scribbling furiously. ¡°Claw curls¡­ six to twelve reps¡­ perhaps paired with forearm rotations¡­¡±

    Crab stared at Resh, his anger simmering beneath the pain. But as Resh scribbled on, it was clear there would be no sympathy from his leader.

    After a moment, he finally pushed himself up from the ground, careful not to risk disturbing Resh any further. Silently cursing to himself, he made his way back to the entrance, his arm throbbing with each step. The humiliation of the ordeal weighed heavily on him, his solemn expression betraying his search for respite from both the pain and disgrace.

    Outside the Hidden Olympian, Ged sat on a jutting flat crystal, one hand propping up his cheek as boredom crept in. He had been waiting for a while now, his posture relaxed but his patience steady.

    Ged didn¡¯t think much of the delay, some things simply took time to wrap up. But when he saw Crab return, his arm grotesquely altered into something alien, Ged¡¯s brow furrowed. His eyes narrowed as unease settled in, his mind racing to piece together what might have transpired inside.

    ¡°Ged.¡± Crab spoke flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. Yet his eyes, shadowed by dark circles, betrayed the toll of the ordeal. ¡°Resh will see you now.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°How is he?¡± Ged asked cautiously, his tone measured. Even Chim, typically stoic and unmoved, cast a curious glance at Crab¡¯s unnatural arm.

    ¡°Not good.¡± Crab¡¯s stoic fa?ade cracked, a faint trace of sorrow slipping through his voice. But as his grip tightened on his mutated arm, anger replaced the sorrow in his expression. ¡°He¡¯s completely gone mentally. I think we should report him to his Killswitch.¡±

    ¡°His Killswitch?¡± Ged¡¯s voice dropped, disbelief tinging his words. ¡°You think he¡¯s reached the final stages of Blue Water madness? How can you be sure?¡±

    A chill ran through Ged as he considered the implications. For underground bodybuilders, treading the fine line between enhancement and insanity was an accepted risk of the lifestyle. The potent drug Blue Water promised unparalleled power but carried the ever-present danger of irreparable mental collapse. To safeguard against such an outcome, those who delved too deep into madness relied on a trusted individual, designated as their Killswitch, to end their life if they strayed too far from reason.

    But madness was an ever-present specter in the underground, believed to simply be apart of the cost of achieving greatness.

    "I just saw him a few days ago. He seemed fine then. Are you sure this isn¡¯t just a bad dose?" Ged asked, his tone tinged with doubt.

    Ged¡¯s expression darkened as he continued. "Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overstepping a little by deciding something like this on your own?"

    Crab¡¯s anger flared, and he thrust his grotesque arm forward. "Don''t you see my arm? I¡¯ve turned into a freak of nature!" He glared at Ged with undisguised hatred. "He¡¯s deranged. His ramblings have gotten worse, and now he attacked me just for waking him up from his glazed stupor. Resh is out of line. I plan to take this to the boss and let him make the final decision, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree with me."

    Crab spat venomously. "You think you¡¯re so much better than me, acting like you have all the answers. You¡¯re not even one of us, not a Golden Sun. People like you are the reason the Cumulus Gang dares to treat us like weak vermin, waiting to be exterminated. You¡¯re nothing but a parasite, feeding off our strength. When the time comes, you¡¯ll be the first to be cast aside."

    "Do you really believe this conversation with Resh will end well for you? Even in his madness, Resh sees the truth," he sneered.

    Crab finished with a sinister grin. "Your days are numbered."

    Ged didn¡¯t flinch. He wasn¡¯t someone who cared about the power of titles or group identities. To him, they were nothing more than tools designed to bind people and force them into conformity. Crab¡¯s words were a testament to this mindset, a reflection of the cage he had willingly stepped into. Ged saw him as a prisoner, confined to a life where his choices were dictated by the shadows cast by his superiors. His delusional rant was little more than a gish-gallop of baseless assertions, describing a reality that didn¡¯t exist. To Ged, such a pitiful figure wasn¡¯t worth taking seriously.

    "You may regret those words," Ged said, his voice cool and detached, a faint smile playing on his lips. "But hold on to your mistake if you must. I don¡¯t mind."

    "You¡¯ve spoken your piece. Now take me to Resh," he added, his tone growing sharp with impatience.

    Crab sneered but chose not to press the issue further, feeling as though he had won the exchange. Smugly, he led the way for Ged while Chim unhooked the velvet rope, granting him entry into the Hidden Olympian.

    They moved through the derelict scenery of the cave bar. Beyond the entrance, the space opened into a sprawling main area centered around a runway where female bodybuilders moved with calculated allure. At the end of the runway, one performer transitioned smoothly into a pole-dancing routine on the central stage, captivating the audience below.

    Surrounding the stage was a group of stoic, expressionless male bodybuilders. Though their faces betrayed no emotion, their gazes lingered on the performances. Periodically, they placed glittering, colorful stones at the edge of the stage. The dancers eagerly collected the stones and consumed them, triggering an immediate transformation. White steam billowed from their bodies, and multicolored lights radiated from them, merging with the vibrant stage lighting. Their movements grew more fluid and vigorous, drawing subtle but satisfied reactions from the paying bodybuilders.

    The space branched into several passageways, each leading to different areas of the Hidden Olympian. Some paths wound toward gambling centers, others to drug dens or private rooms where nearly anything was permissible.

    Crab guided Ged past the stage and into one of the dimly lit cave passageways. They passed a series of occupied underground rooms, muffled sounds and indistinct voices seeping through the thick rock walls.

    Finally, they arrived at the entrance to Resh¡¯s private space, marked by a faint, illusory black veil. Using his human hand, Crab peeled back the veil, the Golden Sun tattoo on his skin glowing faintly as he worked.

    Crab remained silent, his glare daring Ged to step inside. Unfazed, Ged returned a brief nod before ducking through the opening Crab had created for him.

    As Ged stepped into the private room, his vision was immediately clouded by the thick smog of cigarette smoke. The dimly lit, cluttered space slowly came into focus. In the corner, Resh sat slumped in his chair, his body listless and his eyes still glowing a bright blue. In front of him lay a scribbled-on napkin, presumably prepared for Crab.

    "He''s definitely a little quieter than the last time I saw him," Ged muttered with a smirk, surveying the scene.

    Striding purposefully toward Resh¡¯s vacant gaze, Ged received no response. Without hesitation, he walked up beside him and delivered a sharp strike to the back of Resh¡¯s head, sending him face-first onto the table mid-drag of his cigarette.

    "Resh, you look terrible," Ged said, shaking his head pitifully. "When was the last time you saw the sun? You really need to take better care of yourself."

    Resh roared in anger, barely regaining his senses. He lifted his head from the table, his face smeared with soot and peanut crumbs, as he began to shake off the fog clouding his mind.

    Spitting out the crushed cigarette, Resh glanced around the room, his face a mask of confusion and anger. "What the fuck?" he growled, his glowing eyes flickering with a volatile mix of rage and returning sanity. Finally, his gaze locked onto Ged, who stood smugly over him. "You¡¯ve got a lot of guts, Ged!"

    With the explosive force of a coiled spring, Resh launched himself out of his chair. Still groggy, his movements were unsteady as he swung heavy, clumsy fists at Ged.

    Ged reacted with practiced ease, relying on quick footwork to evade the wild strikes. He ducked and sidestepped, staying just out of reach of Resh''s furious swipes.

    "Resh, come on," Ged said, his tone calm but exasperated as he moved fluidly around the attacks. "You were completely out of it. It was just a tap to snap you back to reality. I¡¯d expect you to do the same for me."

    But Resh wasn¡¯t listening. As his focus sharpened, so did his anger. His swings became faster, more precise, the drunken haze in his movements giving way to the raw power of his size and fury.

    Ged quickly realized he was losing ground. Resh¡¯s sheer size and strength made it only a matter of time before one of the blows landed. With a calculated decision, Ged stopped dodging and braced himself, letting Resh¡¯s fist connect squarely with his jaw.

    The punch was devastating. Ged¡¯s body twisted under the force, his feet skidding as he caught himself with one hand before hitting the ground. He clutched his numb cheek, pain radiating from the impact. Slowly, he adjusted his jaw with a sickening pop, then spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor.

    Grinning darkly, his blood-streaked teeth bared, Ged let out a low chuckle. "Good hit," he said, his voice tinged with mocking admiration. "A strike for a strike. I let you have that one."

    Straightening himself, Ged¡¯s tone turned firm. "Now come on. I have things to discuss, and this suffocating room isn¡¯t the place. Let¡¯s take this outside."

    Resh hesitated, his movements slowing. Though one hit on Ged didn¡¯t fully satisfy him, it was enough to momentarily quell his anger. The burst of violence seemed to jolt him awake a little more.

    "Outside?" Resh repeated, his voice tinged with reluctance. "Ged, things are different now. The Cumulus Gang members are lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike. And I¡¯ve just begun to grasp my own enlightenment, my path forward in bodybuilding. There¡¯s still so much for me to process," he protested, his tone bellowing with resistance.

    "Cumulus Gang? Those bastards were swarming the Abyssal Mouth today," Ged said bluntly, ignoring his ramblings. "They¡¯ve already shown their true colors. There¡¯s nothing to hide from."

    "You saw them at the Abyssal Mouth?" Resh asked, his curiosity flickering through his grogginess. "Tell me more."

    Ged moved toward the doorway, ignoring Resh¡¯s question. "The sun is setting soon. We shouldn¡¯t delay any longer. It¡¯d be a shame to miss it."

    Resh remained rooted in place, his gaze fixed on the vacant chair he¡¯d just vacated. An inexplicable longing flickered in his eyes, as though he couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave the suffocating comfort of the room.

    Noticing Resh¡¯s hesitation, Ged leaned in with a sly smile. "I also scored some Celestial Iron for you," he said in a low, conspiratorial tone. "A massive piece. If you come along without any more fuss, I might even sell it to you at a discount."

    Resh shut his eyes, letting out a deep, resigned sigh. After a moment of contemplation, he reached into his body and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with practiced ease. Taking a long drag, he exhaled a plume of smoke before muttering, "Fine. Lead the way. I have things I need to say to you as well."

    Ged felt satisfied with his response and was about to leave when his eyes caught on the napkin where Resh had scrawled a workout plan for Crab. A curious gleam flickered in his eye.

    ¡°What kind of workout is this?¡± Ged asked, raising an eyebrow as he pointed at the notes. ¡°Claw curls? What kind of nonsense arm are you trying to build here?¡±

    Resh turned, grabbing the napkin. His mind buzzed as he recalled what he had written. ¡°Its not for me,¡± he muttered dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s a routine I was putting together for Crab.¡±

    ¡°Crab?¡± Ged echoed, a flicker of confusion crossing his face before understanding dawned. His expression shifted to sly amusement as he snatched the napkin back, examining it closely.

    A mischievous grin spread across Ged¡¯s face. ¡°Why only one arm? Aren¡¯t workouts supposed to be balanced? Or are you planning for him to be permanently lopsided?¡±

    Resh snatched the napkin from Ged¡¯s hand, rereading his notes with narrowed eyes. The meaning behind Ged¡¯s words began to sink in.

    ¡°I see what you¡¯re saying,¡± Resh murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully. The glow in his blue eyes intensified, signaling a familiar rush of inspiration. ¡°You¡¯re right. His development could become uneven. That¡¯s no good.¡±

    Ged leaned casually against the doorway, feigning interest. ¡°I think you¡¯re onto something with this transformation. But if Crab¡¯s going to shine using these workouts, he might need¡­ another adjustment.¡±

    Resh nodded slowly, the gears in his mind turning as he stared at the napkin. ¡°Indeed, it''s a bit incomplete¡­ He¡¯s not finished yet.¡±

    Satisfied, Ged pushed off the doorframe and made his way out of the room. Outside, Crab stood waiting near the doorway, his expression grim and his grotesque claw twitching slightly.

    Ged stopped beside him, a hidden smile curling at his lips.

    ¡°What?¡± Crab snapped, his voice sharp with irritation.

    Ged said nothing, his mysterious grin deepening. He lingered by the doorway until Resh emerged from the room, his glowing eyes fixed on Crab like a leopard locking onto its prey.

    Panic flashed across Crab¡¯s face. Instinctively, he hid his remaining human arm behind his back, shielding it as though that might protect him from the unsettling thoughts brewing in Resh¡¯s mind. Cursing his luck, he refrained from directing his rage at Resh, choosing instead to glare daggers at Ged.