《Hyperdimensional Game》 Chapter 1: Hyperdimensional Space This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Chapter 2: Truth Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Chapter 3: Gaia Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡¾Item: Sky Cleaving Blade¡¿ Chapter 4: Earth If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Chapter 5: New world In the dark depths of space, a massive graveyard of wrecked starships drifted. Countless cosmic beings, exposed to the vacuum of space, were frozen solid like icicles. A blue plasma thruster flared as a medium-sized spacecraft passed through the area, its occupants startled. "Those are¡­ Star Destroyer wrecks?" "And a planetary forge?" "A massive space battle took place here?" The name Star Destroyer spoke for itself; its main cannons could reduce a planet to cosmic fireworks. Planetary forges were even more fearsome, capable of pulverizing entire planets for fuel and extracting valuable minerals with incredible efficiency. The radar showed numerous signal sources. The spacecraft''s onboard computer tallied roughly three completely destroyed Star Destroyers and a planetary forge. This was an astounding amount of wealth in space. Ordinary civilizations couldn''t even afford a tenth of the cost to purchase a single Star Destroyer, let alone build one. Planetary forges were far more expensive, roughly equivalent to ten Star Destroyers. Their ability to continuously produce vast amounts of resources made them incredibly valuable. "Captain, we''ve struck gold!" Someone on the spacecraft exclaimed excitedly. "Before anyone else finds this, let''s salvage everything valuable. We''ll make a fortune!" These Star Destroyers and the planetary forge¡ªeven their salvaged components would fetch a high price on the black market. Boom! Suddenly, the entire spacecraft shook violently, startling the captain. "Did we hit something?" "No!" "No radar response, no visual confirmation of any object!" Tzzz¡ª The onboard systems reported the situation. A panicked voice crackled over the communications frequency. "Report to the bridge! Intruder detected! Intruder detected!" Boom! Another deafening explosion. The thick metal hull was effortlessly breached; a figure slowly emerged from the gash. Long white hair. A longsword, faintly crimson, was held in her hand. "Gentlemen, shall we change our course?" ... Crack! A crack appeared on the scale-like surface of the egg; it seemed ready to hatch. In the dim darkness, the boy huddled under a meager pile of debris, sleeping in a space that could collapse at any moment¡ªincredibly dangerous, but perhaps the safest option in this ruined area. His bright eyes focused intently on the egg, curious about what would hatch. He wondered if it would be edible. Gurgles¡ª The boy touched his stomach. "I''m so hungry." Seeing the egg about to hatch, his eyes gleamed. ... Time flew by. Exactly thirty days had passed since Mei returned to Earth from Hyperdimensional Space¡ªa month had gone by, and the next mandatory mission was about to begin. Tzzz¡ª Mei''s figure flickered, entering Hyperdimensional Space. Time on Earth froze. The space was bustling. Hyperdimensional Space''s mandatory monthly missions were unavoidable. The closer it got to the mission start time, the busier the space became. Passing Little Star Treasures, Mei noticed a large crowd outside the shop; they seemed to be playing some kind of game. Plaza. "Star!" "Haha, Star, I''m buying you drinks when we get back!" "What are you doing, man? Fight him!" "Hey, hey, hey!" Charles carried a massive backpack filled with survival tools and food. As a newbie, he couldn''t afford spatial storage items, and had to carry everything. He looked at the countdown timer on his interface. "Five!" "Four!" "Three!" "Two!" "One!" When the twenty-four hour timer ended, interfaces appeared before Mei, Charles, Star, and a group of other Void Wanderers. The interface displayed a message. ¡¾Mission Type: Tethered Mission¡¿ ¡¾Mission Difficulty: Tier 1¡¿ Investigating the fundamental causes of a world''s destruction or ruin was a process of tethering it to Hyperdimensional Space. Once the main mission was completed, the world would be fully tethered. Furthermore, Although Mei''s power was Tier 4, Hyperdimensional Space only allowed Void Wanderers to undertake an advancement mission after every three tethered missions. Until her advancement, Mei remained a Tier 1 Void Wanderer, undertaking Tier 1 missions. In an instant, a large group of people vanished from the space. Tzzz¡ª Mei appeared on the top floor of a skyscraper. ¡¾Main Mission ¡¤ Phase One: This world is frequently attacked by Star Beasts. Before investigating the cause, kill a Star Beast to demonstrate your capabilities.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 300 points¡¿ ¡¾Mission Commencing¡¿ ... ¡¾Name: Mei¡¿ ¡¾Grade: Tier 1¡¿ ¡¾Points: 0¡¿ ¡¾Abilities: Telekinesis ¡¤LV10, Danger Sense ¡¤LV1, Extreme Burst ¡¤LV1, Night Vision ¡¤LV1, Survival Adaptation ¡¤LV2, Voice of All Things ¡¤LV1, New Human ¡¤LV1¡¿ ¡¾Items: Personal Spatial Storage ¡¤1000 Cubic Meters, Bulwark Coat ¡¤Tier 3, Chapter of Gaia, Zombie Virus Antidote, G4 Virus, Primordial Toxin¡­¡¿ ... Hyperdimensional Space was generous; it didn''t provide starting abilities, equipment, or items, but anything a Void Wanderer acquired could be brought to mission worlds¡ªeven the zombie virus. This junk was worthless in the space, but undeniably devastating to civilizations; it could easily cause a catastrophe in a mission world. Unlike the single-phase main mission in the beginner world, this main mission was divided into phases. Any Void Wanderer completing a phase received a points reward. Mei read the main mission description. "Star Beast?" Was she supposed to fight monsters in this world? The interface updated. ¡¾Target detected.¡¿ ¡¾Authority installation in progress¡­¡¿ ¡¾Installation complete.¡¿ ¡¾Random upgrade selection in progress¡­¡¿ ¡¾Random selection: Star Beast.¡¿ ¡¾Star Beast upgrade complete.¡¿ Mei was still wondering what a Star Beast was when the system gave her a Star Beast upgrade. A flash of light appeared, and a soft, fluffy white orb materialized at her feet. "Ooh¡ª" This Star Beast was only about the size of a soccer ball, perfectly spherical and pure white. Its eyes were like tiny black sesame seeds on a rice cake. It had no arms or tail, only two small, round legs; it was easy to miss. Mei pondered whether killing this little creature would complete Phase One of the main mission. After considering it, she decided to name it first. "From now on, you''re Shiro." "Ooh¡ª" Shiro seemed to understand Mei; its tiny eyes squinted, and it rolled happily around her feet, making Mei want to kick it. It really was like a ball. Its legs were truly just two spheres; it didn''t even have knees. It wobbled as it moved, surprisingly fast. ¡¾Star Beast: Shiro¡¿ ¡¾Type: Pet¡¿ ¡¾Grade: Tier 1¡¿ ¡¾Description: This is a special Star Beast capable of infinite evolution by devouring other beasts. Its handler can share all its power.¡¿ After reading Shiro''s stats, Mei understood. Theoretically, as Shiro devoured beasts and evolved, Mei, as its handler, would also grow stronger. The lack of power was because Shiro hadn''t devoured any beasts yet; it was a harmless pet. Then, a series of upgrade tasks appeared. ¡¾Upgrade Task 1: Kill a Level 1 Star Beast; Star Beast level increases by one.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Task 2: Kill a Level 2 Star Beast; Star Beast level increases by one.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Task 3: Kill a Level 3 Star Beast; Star Beast level increases by one.¡¿ ... ¡¾Upgrade Task 10: Kill a Level 10 Star Beast; Star Beast level increases by one.¡¿ Ten upgrade tasks in total. Ignoring the main mission and upgrade tasks for now, the priority was understanding the world''s background and situation. "Ooh¡ª" Shiro nestled against Mei''s leg, squinting like a contented ball. Despite its small size, carrying it around was a bit inconvenient. "Is there a way to hide yourself?" "Ooh?" Shiro seemed to consider it, then instantly vanished, its tiny legs surprisingly fast. "Ooh!" Half of its spherical body peeked cautiously from behind a corner; its sesame-seed eyes stared at Mei, seemingly asking if this was good enough. The little creature was unexpectedly good at hiding; if Mei hadn''t maintained her telekinetic lock on Shiro, she wouldn''t know where it had gone. "Yes." "Ooh!" Assured, Shiro hid again. Unlike the beginner world, this world hadn''t experienced large-scale destructive events, but it was clearly heading towards ruin. A billboard on the street was playing a news report about a city under attack; the images were horrific, showing near-total destruction. "Yesterday, Rong''an City was attacked by a Level 4.5 Star Beast, resulting in severe casualties. Starkillers engaged in a fierce battle, ultimately defeating the beast at a heavy cost. Unfortunately, Rong''an City was the main battleground, suffering over eighty percent destruction. The Allied Council decided to abandon the city; survivors will be relocated." "After careful consideration, the Allied Council named this unprecedented Star Beast ''Viagra.'' Viagra was 84 meters tall and 137 meters long, the largest Star Beast ever recorded¡­" Mei stopped on the street, watching the news report. The fear and anxiety on the faces of the people around her were palpable. She wondered if this city would suffer a similar attack. Then, She went to a library to read old newspapers, proceeding as cautiously as she had on Earth. Before understanding the situation, she wouldn''t unleash her telekinesis widely; she didn''t want to alert anything. Approximately twenty years ago, Star Beasts began appearing worldwide. Initially, conventional firearms were effective. However, as the Star Beasts grew stronger, conventional weapons became less effective. The beasts frequently attacked cities, making nuclear weapons difficult to deploy. Nuclear weapons were eventually used in desperation, eliminating the Star Beast but causing horrific civilian casualties. Then, one day, the Allied Council announced a breakthrough. Through research, humanity had finally grasped the power of Star Beasts, leading to the creation of Starkillers. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Starkillers, also known as Devourers, were new humans who gained power by consuming the flesh of Star Beasts. Individual Starkillers were powerful enough to rival Star Beasts; their existence allowed for more effective hunting of Star Beasts. Over the years, the Allied Council had gathered substantial data, classifying Star Beasts by their energy levels¡ªLevel 1 being the weakest, and the strongest being the Level 4.5 Viagra that destroyed Rong''an City. Of course, This was temporary. Over the past twenty years, the Star Beasts had grown increasingly powerful; the highest level constantly increased¡ªfrom Level 1 to Level 4.5. Higher levels were inevitable. Level 1 Star Beasts could be handled with conventional heavy weaponry like tanks. Level 4.5 required nuclear weapons without Starkiller. The question of whether even more powerful, nuclear-resistant Star Beasts would appear was practically certain; that would be humanity''s true despair and the beginning of its end. Boom! An explosion rocked the bustling street. People stopped, then, with the sound of alarms, fled for shelter. "Warning! Star Beast attack!" "Warning! Star Beast attack!" Chapter 6: Star Spirit If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 7: Change Star Spirits'' range of activity and perception weren''t limited by the speed of light, nor by spatial constraints. Their range was only limited by the planetary system, a rather arbitrary restriction. Larger planetary systems meant a larger range of perception and activity for the Star Spirit ¨C a truly unique lifeform in the cosmos, and a perk only they possessed. Tyrant realized it was time for him to make an appearance. He was, after all, a boss-level being. He needed to show his face; otherwise, he¡¯d lose his opportunity. Shiro seemed poised to devour him very soon. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while.¡± ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Before Tyrant left the canyon. Mei, noticing a problem with the bacterial mats, asked, ¡°These bacterial mats seem incapable of cultivating higher-energy Star Beasts?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Tyrant, stretching his limbs, replied, ¡°This planet¡¯s life force is too weak. It can only cultivate up to Level 5 Star Beasts. To cultivate higher-energy Star Beasts, you need to find a planet with a stronger life force.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With that said, Boom! The canyon shook violently. Tyrant gathered his strength, leaped, and soared directly out of the canyon, his figure vanishing like a cannonball in an instant. Devouring Level 3 Star Beast spores had pushed her to roughly Level 8, her limit. Further consumption was useless. A Level 4 Star Beast spore fell into Mei''s hand, which she tossed towards Shiro. "Shiro." "Ooh!" Shiro''s sharp eyes darted over, then with a leap, swallowed the Level 4 Star Beast spore. A white light immediately flickered across its body. ¡¾Upgrade Task 4?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Star Beast Level Up¡¿ ¡¾Star Beast?LV10?¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV10?¡¿ Leveling up twice in one go, Shiro unleashed the potential accumulated from devouring countless Star Beasts, jumping directly from LV8 to LV10. The surge in power also raised Mei''s Star Spirit level to LV10. This significant increase caused a frantic surge in Mei''s power. If not for her strong control, Mei feared she might accidentally blow up the planet. After all, creating even a minor ripple in the sea of star energy¡ªgenerating an energy tide¡ªwould be enough to destroy it. The upgrade from LV8 to LV10 was brutally simple. Mei''s range of perception remained unchanged, confined to this planetary system. However, Her control over star energy had drastically improved. Previously, she could easily destroy the planet with star energy; now, she possessed the power to easily destroy a star. It would still take considerable effort using brute force. After all, a star is equivalent to a massive vortex in the ocean of star energy, a highly concentrated point of star energy. Mei didn¡¯t need to calm the vortex; she just needed to extract a portion of the star energy. Star energy is a general term for the power of the cosmos. Stellar energy naturally belongs to a type of star energy, similar to how life force exists on a planet. Mei could easily control these energies. Once a portion of a star''s energy is extracted, the remaining energy becomes insufficient to support its massive structure, leading to its inevitable collapse. This is Mei''s method for destroying stars: highly efficient and effective. In other words, Mei possesses the ability to easily end a planetary system. As a Star Spirit, Mei, while still flesh and blood, possesses physical attributes that have reached an unimaginable level. Her body''s strength is arguably the greatest in the universe, infinitely equivalent to the strength of materials subjected to immense pressure. Every atom in her body is tightly packed together, perfectly stationary relative to each other. Materials under her strength are absolutely incapable of inflicting any damage on Mei, not even leaving a scratch. Based on this, other physical attributes are similarly impressive. The strongest body possesses the strongest power. Furthermore, as long as she is within the sea of star energy, Mei is practically immortal. Even if injured, the star energy will promptly heal her. To eliminate Mei, one would need to instantly obliterate her. A prolonged battle is futile; she could fight anyone until the end of time, until the universe itself ends. Mei felt this absurdly powerful strength and marveled in awe, ¡°This isn''t some ¡®God among Men.¡¯ This is a true deity.¡± In a certain sense, a Star Spirit is a deity, born as such. Few such lifeforms exist in the universe. Tzzt! A streak of azure lightning flashed in Mei''s hand, then transformed into wind, water, fire, and other forms. Control over energy meant control over any element, including metals and magma. Matter is ultimately interchangeable. For the universe, matter and energy are essentially the same thing, differing only in scale. Under Mei''s control, a massive amount of the planet''s life force was channeled to nourish the bacterial mats, rapidly producing a large number of Level 4 Star Beast spores. "Shiro, continue." "Ooh!" A torrent of Level 4 Star Beast spores erupted from the mats. Shiro continued to devour them, generating a large number of equipment, artifacts, and abilities that Mei collected into her Personal Spatial Storage. Having absorbed countless abilities, Mei had evolved into a Star Spirit lifeform. She no longer needed these common abilities. Unless they were exceptionally unique. However, facing a Level 10 lifeform, the rewards from Level 4 Star Beast spores were minuscule, and her level increase was excruciatingly slow. ... Meanwhile, A flash of blade-light instantly killed a Level 3 Star Beast. Lucia, wielding her blood-stained longsword, mused, "Star Beasts have become surprisingly scarce lately." "That''s good news." Jayce''s voice crackled through the comm-unit. After completing the Shan City mission, they''d returned to their respective sectors. They were quite familiar, often chatting casually. Lucia had an unsettling premonition, a furrow in her brow. "Fewer Star Beasts is good, but this inexplicable situation is unsettling. Oh, and how''s Flashy doing?" "Still in confinement. He can''t leave base until he completes his isolation training. That kid nearly caused a major incident last time. He deserves this." At this point, Mei''s image flashed in Lucia''s mind. If not for her, Viagra would have probably destroyed Shan City. Every time she recalled that encounter that left her unconscious, Lucia instinctively tightened her grip on her blade, a tremendous sense of pressure and urgency welling up within her. She needed to become stronger, and quickly. Suddenly, A chilling blade-light. Lucia''s blade moved, cleaving with a speed several times the speed of sound. Facing this strike, a hand rose, firmly grasping the blade. Boom! The lingering force of the blade shattered buildings within a radius of several dozen meters. Skyscrapers collapsed, roaring in the destruction, but the person who caught the blade remained unharmed, even smirking, revealing razor-sharp fangs. "Not a bad strike!" Hearing this, Lucia''s pupils constricted. A powerful tail slammed into the ruins. Tyrant, whose humanoid form was almost perfect, appeared before Lucia, radiating immense pressure. Lucia was utterly shocked. High-level Star Beasts were always capable of communication; that wasn''t unusual. What shocked her was how easily this Star Beast had withstood her attack. Bang! The blade sang. Lucia swiftly retreated, her blade unsheathed, extremely wary. From that single exchange, she knew she was no match for this Star Beast¡ªthe difference was vast. Beep beep! The Star Beast monitoring unit sent an emergency alert. They had detected an extremely high-energy signal at Lucia''s location: a Level 4.8 Star Beast! Tyrant looked at Lucia with folded arms, his relaxed demeanor as if he were simply enjoying himself. He asked, "Aren''t you going to check the alert?" "..." Lucia remained silent, her expression even more serious. This Star Beast was highly unusual; unlike other Star Beasts, it was rational, almost indistinguishable from a human. "Oh well." Realizing Lucia wasn''t interested in communicating, Tyrant showed some disappointment, then suddenly unleashed a wave of pure hostility. "Let''s play a little before the other Starkillers arrive." Boom! The moment the words left his mouth, an intense pressure wave slammed into Lucia. Before she could react, Tyrant''s fist smashed into her vision. A deafening roar. Lucia¡¯s body was sent hurtling backward, carving a massive trench dozens of meters long through the ruins. The explosive force of the punch obliterated everything in its path, carving a void in the ruins. ¡°Cough cough!¡± Lucia clutched her longsword, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She felt like her entire skeletal structure had been shattered. Ignoring the injuries and pain, she swung her blade. This Star Beast''s power was unprecedented. A single blow had nearly incapacitated her; the previous encounters were nothing compared to this. ¡°This time, I might actually die.¡± Muttering to herself, Lucia unleashed a massive strike. Tyrant expressed disappointment, effortlessly shattering the attack with a single punch. "Too weak." He shook his head. "You''re not even entertaining me." "Then how about adding us to the mix?" A figure descended from the sky. Jayce, enveloped in azure energy, gritted his teeth, his veins bulging, and unleashed a punch into the ruins. Boom! Instantly, a tremor shook the entire ruin. The ground trembled violently, and a whirlwind of dust erupted. Jayce and several other high-level Starkillers arrived. Jayce asked Lucia, "How are you? Still capable of fighting?" "I won''t be a burden." Lucia''s words were few but meaningful. She stood, sword in hand, gambling that her body could endure a bit longer before reaching its limits. A monstrous figure slowly emerged from the dust cloud. Jayce''s fighting spirit surged. ¡°A Level 4.8 Star Beast. This is going to be trouble.¡± ¡°Level 4.8?¡± Tyrant revealed his full form, glancing at the Starkillers. With a playful intent to taunt them, he asked, ¡°Have you ever experienced despair?¡± Jayce: ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Tyrant smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t you notice that my form is different from other Star Beasts? I¡¯ll let you in on a little secret: this isn¡¯t even my full-power form. Interested in seeing my true form?¡± ¡°!!!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hearing this, Several Starkillers¡¯ pupils constricted, their scalps tingling. They immediately attacked, refusing to exchange further pleasantries with Tyrant. Even faced with a clear disparity in power, they showed no fear. "Ha ha!" Tyrant''s fighting spirit was also ignited. He laughed, ¡°Bring it on!¡± Boom! Suddenly, An intense battle erupted in the ruins. Under Tyrant¡¯s deliberate stalling, more and more Starkillers arrived to join the fray. The Allied Council issued a single order: ¡°Eliminate this Star Beast at all costs!¡± ... Two hours later. Countless Starkillers lay scattered across the ruins. In his full-power state, Tyrant''s size had swelled to fifteen meters, his energy level reaching 5.2. Faced with this overwhelming power, even Starkillers with squad leader-level combat prowess couldn''t stand against Tyrant. While he''d sustained considerable injuries, his self-healing abilities were too potent; he appeared completely unscathed. The dying Lucia and Jayce felt utter despair. They couldn¡¯t match him, the gap in strength being insurmountable, unbridgeable by determination or courage alone. Jayce, heavily wounded, lay in the ruins, barely able to move. He looked up at the calm sky and said, ¡°It¡¯s all over¡­¡± Lucia leaned against a wall, too weak to stand. This battle had been exhilarating for Tyrant; he felt immense satisfaction. ¡°A fitting final battle. I have no regrets.¡± This statement seemed slightly off, but Lucia couldn''t pinpoint why. At that moment, the sound of approaching aircraft filled the air, and a wave of high-level Starkillers descended like rain. The confined Flashy had been released. In this emergency, even his volatile power was needed. Stolen novel; please report. Flashy''s blood boiled. ¡°Finally, my time to shine!¡± Tyrant glanced at them, completely disregarding these Starkillers. He arrogantly laughed, "Your arrival is ill-timed. This isn''t your stage anymore." Then, Tyrant¡¯s battle-intent gaze locked onto a specific figure¡ªMei, who had appeared silently. The moment he saw Mei, Flashy¡¯s expression froze. The Viagra within him screamed wildly, urging him to flee as far as possible. Clearly, Mei had left a profound psychological scar. Simultaneously, Lucia and Jayce were stunned. Among the humans they knew, only Mei possessed the combat power to rival Tyrant. With her help, they could surely defeat him! However, Before Lucia and Jayce could celebrate, the familiar relationship between Tyrant and Mei sent a shiver down the spines of all the Starkillers. The situation instantly became delicate. Without knowing whether Mei was friend or foe, Flashy and the others dared not act rashly. Mei stood calmly, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding Starkillers. She asked Tyrant, ¡°Well, satisfied?¡± ¡°Completely.¡± Tyrant chuckled in response, knowing it was time to offer his life. He focused his hostility on Mei, launching a decisive attack, letting out a triumphant roar as he unleashed his final, unrestrained power: "Let me see your true strength!" ¡°Shiro.¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± Shiro materialized from the ruins with supernatural speed, opening its mouth to unleash a blinding cross-shaped beam of light, followed by an unparalleled shockwave. Boom! The sky and earth shuddered violently. The rampant power destroyed everything; its residual force alone was enough to terrify the Starkillers, sending them flying helplessly. Shiro, despite its seemingly harmless appearance, was fundamentally a Star Beast, a Level 10 super-Star Beast at that. It could easily destroy Tyrant, or even obliterate the planet itself. By devouring other Star Beasts, it stole their abilities to evolve. Shiro''s current life level was almost equivalent to Mei''s Star Spirit level; Tyrant was utterly outmatched. A wave of energy blasted a massive chasm into the ground, ultimately piercing the planet''s atmosphere and reaching into the cosmos before finally dissipating. When the dust settled, the Starkillers surveyed the horrifying scene, feeling a profound terror. Before such power, they were nothing more than ants. Flashy scrambled out of the ruins, his body battered, his eyes filled with fear, the urge to run overwhelming. This kind of monster was far beyond their capabilities! Sss¡ª A heat wave still rolled across the ground. Tyrant stood, seemingly unfallen, but his head and body were more than half vaporized, instantly killing him. The Starkillers shuddered. This was a Level 5.2 super-Star Beast, yet it had been annihilated in a single encounter. Shiro, its short legs pumping, dashed to Tyrant¡¯s remains, decisively opening its maw and swallowing him whole. ¡°Grrr!¡± Crunch! A Level 5.2 super-Star Beast had been devoured. The sound of consumption sent chills down the Starkillers'' spines. Then, a white light flashed across Shiro''s body. ¡¾Upgrade Task 5?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Star Beast Level Up¡¿ ¡¾Star Beast?LV11?¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV11?¡¿ Countless Level 4 Star Beast spores hadn''t significantly raised Shiro''s level; the returns were minimal, resulting in only a Level 11 upgrade. Just as Mei was about to leave, Lucia offered her thanks. ¡°Thank you for your timely assistance.¡± Her steps halted. Mei¡¯s figure instantly vanished. Gratitude? Mei hadn''t intended to save the Starkillers; she was purely there to complete the Upgrade Task. If the Allied Council knew what she¡¯d done to this planet, they''d likely become her enemies. However, in Mei¡¯s view, the Starkillers didn''t warrant becoming her enemies, nor did they necessitate her personal intervention. At that moment, The Star Beast monitoring unit''s large screen displayed a high-level red alert. The monitoring personnel seemed frozen, their heads raised, unmoving. After a while, A terrifying energy level of 7.3 appeared on the large screen. The monitoring personnel were utterly petrified, as if in a dream. ¡°Is the reading accurate?¡± ¡°Director, no error. It''s a Level 7.3 energy reading!¡± The technician''s voice trembled as he spoke. Previously, they couldn''t have imagined the strength of a Level 7.3 entity; today, they had witnessed it. But that was only Shiro''s single strike. ¡°Prepare a report immediately. I¡¯ll go to the Allied Council myself!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Regaining his composure, the director realized his hands were completely ice-cold. Without hesitation, he had to personally report this to the Allied Council. ¡­ The following day. After a meeting, the Allied Council reached a unanimous decision. Since Mei had shown no hostility toward humanity, they wouldn''t provoke her. However, Humanity''s future had to be held in human hands. The successive appearances of high-level Star Beasts made the Allied Council realize that the Starkillers'' gradual power increase was insufficient for the new environment and era. They urgently needed greater power; the Starkillers needed to grow faster! In the Allied Council¡¯s headquarters, a man in a black suit retrieved a vial of medicine from his Personal Spatial Storage. Undeniably, this man was a Void Wanderer. His name was Aley, a new member of the Nova Super-Legion. It was his manipulation within the Allied Council that allowed Flashy, also a new recruit, to obtain the power of Viagra. As a new recruit, Aley had few items and equipment, making him a valuable asset for the legion. He received this Control Serum from the legion. This Control Serum was still an unfinished product. Its completion required the cooperation of the Starkillers through human experimentation¡ªa cruel process. Aley believed now was the time to utilize it. This unfinished Control Serum was only a Tier 2 item. Once completed, it might even exhibit Tier 3 effects, potentially merging with the Starkillers'' inherent power. The resulting reaction was unknown, but promising. He instructed his secretary. ¡°I need to meet with the chairman.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll schedule an appointment for you.¡± Meanwhile, Mei was using the star energy ocean to perceive various sounds across the cosmos¡ªelectromagnetic waves, gravitational waves, and neutrino signals. Any signal causing energy fluctuations could be heard through the Voice of All Things, revealing the information contained within. Mei¡¯s current planet had suffered significant depletion of its life force. Moreover, its weak life force prevented the cultivation of higher-level Star Beasts. This meant only one thing: finding other civilizations in the universe and using their planets to cultivate the bacterial mats and produce higher-level Star Beasts for future Upgrade Tasks. ¡­ A month and a half later. Mei intercepted a message transmitted via gravitational waves. The content: Greetings from the Northern Cross Civilization, extended to all civilizations in the universe. By listening to the gravitational wave signal, Mei immediately pinpointed the Northern Cross Civilization''s location: 60 light-years away in the same spiral arm. ¡°Found it.¡± Mei looked towards a specific region in the cosmos. With a thought, ripples stirred in the star energy ocean, affecting the entire planetary system. After her Star Spirit leveled up to LV11, Mei''s control over the star energy ocean and her manipulative abilities increased dramatically. She could now treat the entire planetary system as a vessel traversing the cosmos. Using the star energy ocean as propulsion, she could easily accelerate to faster-than-light speeds without causing any discomfort to life on the planet. In other words, Mei could directly launch an entire planetary system as a projectile. After pinpointing the Northern Cross Civilization, she propelled her planetary system toward their location. The first to notice the anomaly were the astronomical observation teams. Initially, they detected a speeding celestial body. Later, they realized their entire star system was accelerating towards a specific direction¡ªa discovery that terrified them. This extraordinary phenomenon was undoubtedly terrifying, but humanity was helpless. They couldn''t stop the star system''s movement. The Allied Council only wanted to know the cause of their star system''s accelerated displacement. ... Chapter 8: Planck Membrane Lifeform This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Chapter 9: Spacetime crystal Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Chapter 10: Rebuild This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chapter 11: Depth Equation The fourth-generation genetic modification had transformed Hui into a true Son of Light; he could maximize the release of his internal nuclear energy. His explosive power was like an avalanche, capable of destroying a city effortlessly. His full-power energy output was equivalent to 50 million tons of TNT. The name "Son of Light" was well-deserved. He''d often imagined Mei''s power, but lacking any previous encounters, he couldn''t fathom her true strength. He knew Mei possessed an incredibly long lifespan, but her combat ability remained a mystery. Could she destroy a continent? Could she destroy Earth? In reality, Mei''s power far surpassed his imagination. A blinding light bloomed on the ground, like a sun descending. Immense energy converged on Hui''s fist, yet couldn''t approach Mei. Despite the short distance, it felt like a galaxy separated them. As the nuclear energy surged, the nuclear tide Hui summoned was repelled by a more powerful force. Boom! The retaliatory nuclear energy instantly riddled Hui with countless holes, the immense force carving a chasm hundreds of kilometers long into the ground. The earth trembled violently. Mei had suppressed her power; otherwise, Earth couldn''t have withstood her force. She remained motionless, a mere thought inflicting grievous wounds upon Hui. At the end of the valley. Ocean water surged backward as Hui slowly rose, his grievous wounds rapidly healing under the restorative power of nuclear energy. Facing that seemingly insurmountable figure, He optimistically shook his hand. "We''re not on the same level, but even so, this battle was meaningful¡­" With that, He transformed into a streak of light and charged towards Mei again. This time, Mei acted first, gently flicking her hand in mid-air. Ripples of star energy spread out. Without warning, Hui was caught in the energy wave, his body freezing in mid-air. His shattered body, like glass, crumbled. Beams of nuclear energy erupted uncontrollably, rapidly destroying his body and emitting a dazzling light. He sighed resignedly. "The difference¡­ is too vast." Mei appeared before him, asking, "Satisfied?" "Ha ha, completely." Hui showed no concern over his defeat, his body gradually disintegrating under the raging nuclear energy. He cast one last look towards Mars. He smiled at Mei. "Overall, I did pretty well, right?" Mei heartily agreed. "You were a great leader." Boom! Endless light erupted; Hui''s body, disintegrated by the nuclear explosion, scattered across Earth''s land and oceans as fundamental particles, carried on the blast wave. At the age of ninety. Mei exited the accelerated spacetime, retracting the spacetime energy enveloping the Solar System into the Spacetime Crystal; the Solar System''s time flow returned to normal. A month before returning to Hyperdimensional Space for her third mission, Mei conducted a sweep within 100 light-years, eliminating all detected faith marker holders. The faith marker exchange updated rapidly. ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 1000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 5000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 20000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 80000¡¿ ... Within a 5000 light-year radius, Mei had no rivals; she didn''t need the Spacetime Crystal; her Star Spirit power alone could overwhelm any lifeform. However, the range of detection between faith marker holders didn''t increase with personal ability. Mei confirmed that she could only sense faith marker holders within 5 light-years. Therefore, clearing out faith marker holders required so much effort. While their numbers weren''t vast, the sheer number of civilizations and lifeforms in the universe was immense. Mei''s sweep of 100 light-years yielded a large number of tokens, enough to purchase something specific. Mei opened the faith marker exchange. ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 1.2 Million¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Item: Star Spirit Restoration¡¿ ¡¾Type: Information Type¡¿ ¡¾Description: Star Spirits not only innately control star energy but also possess powerful psionic abilities. Based on their unique lifeforms, death and restoration are not difficult.¡¿ ¡¾Price: 1 Million¡¿ ¡ª¡ª This Information-type item in the faith marker exchange was a technique exclusive to Star Spirits, something Mei had noted. She purchased it immediately. The price of 1 million tokens was comparable to a top-tier Tier 4 item in Hyperdimensional Space. Considering the technique''s value, the price was reasonable. ¡¾Spent 1 Million Tokens¡¿ ¡¾Purchase Successful: Star Spirit Restoration¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 200,000¡¿ Upon successful purchase, information flooded Mei''s mind; she now possessed the method for utilizing Star Spirit power to achieve resurrection. Star Spirits are unique lifeforms composed of star energy and psionic power. Even if reduced to fundamental particles, their consciousness can cling to the dispersed psionic energy. Given time, they can gather star energy to reconstruct a body for their consciousness, achieving resurrection. After the purchase, Mei naturally mastered this technique. Her previous self-understanding was superficial; she now realized that her consciousness resided not in her brain but in her psionic energy. Then, She effortlessly anchored her consciousness to her psionic energy, gaining the ability to resurrect as a Star Spirit. However, if an enemy were aware of her resurrection ability and also possessed psionic powers, it would be dangerous. They might detect Mei''s consciousness clinging to the dispersed psionic energy and destroy it completely. Nothing is ever easy. Therefore, Mei needed to continuously grow stronger. This resurrection technique provided sufficient self-preservation for now; she didn''t expect more. To be precise, Mei was not only a Star Spirit lifeform but also a Planck Membrane Lifeform. Her body was now composed of unknown matter, stronger than her Star Spirit form. As long as her energy wasn''t depleted, her defense was virtually limitless; eliminating her wouldn''t be easy. If she couldn''t win, couldn''t she run? It wasn''t about strength; the different lifeforms were the key. Even if an opponent could destroy a galaxy, Mei could escape by entering the Planck membrane. Unless the opponent was impossibly powerful; encountering such an opponent would simply be bad luck; Mei couldn''t do anything about that. Then, She entered Hyperdimensional Space, freezing time on Earth universe. ... Quickly, When the thirty-day countdown ended, a spatial interface appeared before Mei and her fellow Void Wanderers, displaying the mission information. ¡¾Mission Type: Tethered Mission¡¿ ¡¾Mission Difficulty: Tier 1¡¿ This was Mei''s third tethered mission. After completing this one, she would have to participate in an advancement mission, increasing her mission difficulty to Tier 2. However, this wouldn''t significantly impact Mei; her strength far surpassed her current Grade. Tzzt¡ª Mei''s form flickered and vanished. Instantly, she appeared on a street, wearing an old-fashioned black suit. Ding-ding-ding! A middle-aged man in a similar black suit rode a bicycle past Mei. He looked around, and Mei, using her star energy perception, determined the world''s time period. It appeared to be the early stages of the electrical age. An interface appeared. ¡¾Main Mission?Phase One: This world is under attack by an unknown force. Please determine the nature of this force.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 300 points¡¿ ¡¾Mission Commencing¡¿ ... ¡¾Name: Mei¡¿ ¡¾Grade: Tier 1¡¿ ¡¾Points: 7300¡¿ ¡¾Abilities: Star Spirit?LV16, Planck Membrane Lifeform, Limit Break¡¿ ¡¾Items: Personal Spatial Storage?Galaxy, Chapter of Gaia, Tyrant''s Heart, Super Active Cells¡¿ ... Her Personal Spatial Storage actually contained the Spacetime Crystal, but since it wasn''t a Hyperdimensional Space item, it couldn''t be brought into the space or mission worlds. Mei waited a moment; the interface updated. ¡¾Target detected¡¿ ¡¾Authority installation in progress¡¿ ¡¾Installation complete¡¿ ¡¾Random upgrade selection in progress¡¿ ¡¾Random selection: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst upgrade complete¡¿ After the external enhancement was complete, information flooded Mei''s mind; she instinctively mastered this ability called Super Burst. ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV1¡¿ ¡¾Description: Focuses all power into a single, instantaneous attack with five times the normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Mei''s eyes lit up. With this ability, she could instantly unleash a terrifying power far exceeding her full strength. Combined with ¡¾Limit Break¡¿, the power would be unimaginable. Furthermore, This was only the LV1 power level; further upgrades were unknown, but Mei liked this kind of straightforward, visually clear power. After the random selection, the Upgrade Tasks updated. ¡¾Upgrade Task 1: Penetrate 10% into the Negative-Energy field; upgrade the Super Burst ability by one level.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Task 2: Penetrate 20% into the Negative-Energy field; upgrade the Super Burst ability by one level.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Task 3: Penetrate 30% into the Negative-Energy field; upgrade the Super Burst ability by one level.¡¿ ... There were a total of ten Upgrade Tasks. "Negative-Energy field?" Reviewing the Main Mission and Upgrade Task clues, Mei determined her next objective: finding the unknown force invading this world. Secondary to that was understanding the so-called Negative-Energy field. She knew what negative energy meant, but whether her understanding was correct remained to be seen. Using star energy perception to assess the planet, Mei easily detected the unknown force. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. It was obvious. "Madam, newspaper?" A young newsboy with a distinctive dark, almost black birthmark-like spot on his face offered a newspaper. "One please." "Thank you, Madam!" Mei paid two cents for a newspaper, her gaze sweeping the street. Several individuals, besides the newsboy, had similar dark spots. These weren''t birthmarks. Ordinary people might consider them a disease, but Mei''s sensitivity to energy revealed that these dark spots were a form of energy corroding the human body. It was even a type of star energy. This was almost certainly the unknown force mentioned in the Main Mission. Mei wasn''t in a hurry to investigate. Having just entered the mission world, she had ample time. She needed to blend into the environment and strategize for maximizing efficiency. Two passersby walked past Mei, looking at their newspapers with worry. "This war will probably last forever." "Who knows? It''s been going on for almost a hundred years." Mei opened her newspaper; the headline read: ¡¾Brutal Battle! The Alliance and the Kingdom clash violently at the Six Rivers, with casualties exceeding a thousand!¡¿ This planet had hundreds of countries of varying sizes. The three most powerful, in terms of economy and military strength, were the Alliance, the Kingdom, and the United States. Their locations formed a rough triangle. The Alliance and the Kingdom''s territories stretched from the North Pole to the equator, their borders intertwined in a constant struggle. The United States was located south of the equator. The three countries'' territories were contiguous, engaged in various conflicts and intense battles for a hundred years, hence the name "Hundred Years'' War." With technological advancements, the world had moved from the steam age to the electrical age. The development of firearms had led to increasingly severe casualties and intensified conflicts, rendering reconciliation unlikely. A global war was inevitable. Mei was currently a regular citizen of the Alliance, a physics teacher at a high school, as evidenced by a teacher''s certificate she pulled from her pocket. "Ooh?" In a corner, Shiro cautiously peeked out. It seemed unsuitable to openly appear in human society and had to remain hidden. ... The following day, Mei visited an orphanage that housed children who had lost their parents due to the dark spots¡ªa common occurrence in this world. The orphanage director explained, "Those dark spots aren''t birthmarks; they''re a disease, incurable. Once they appear, it''s just a matter of waiting to die. That''s why many children are abandoned." People of all ages could contract the disease. Once the spots appeared, they would gradually spread across the body, and bodily functions would steadily decline until complete failure. The disease''s progression varied; some could survive for decades, others for mere months. The director continued, "Adults can still support themselves, but children become burdens on their families. We try our best to help these orphans." "Lia, come here!" The director called over a young girl with blonde hair and dark eyes. The girl had striking blonde hair, but her features leaned towards the Alliance aesthetic; she appeared to be of mixed Alliance and Kingdom descent. "Director, what is it?" Lia approached, a teardrop-shaped dark spot adorning her delicate face; at a glance, it looked like a beauty mark. "Miss, Lia is our most well-behaved child. The disease hasn''t significantly affected her; she''s very healthy." Lia immediately understood the situation; someone was adopting a child. She nodded eagerly, her clear, watery eyes making her even more endearing. "Madam, Lia is very healthy!" Hearing this, Mei offered a gentle smile, stroking Lia''s blonde hair while discreetly sensing the dark spot, delving into the energy to identify its source. Instantly, Mei sensed a vast ocean of energy, unlike their world. This was an ocean of antimatter energy. Antimatter possesses an opposite electrical charge to matter. When they collide, annihilation occurs, releasing immense energy. This is a far more efficient energy release than fission or fusion. Fusion''s energy release is several times that of fission; annihilation''s energy release is hundreds of times greater than fusion. Mei now understood. While slightly different from her concept of negative energy, antimatter was sometimes referred to as negative energy. Therefore, This was the so-called Negative-Energy field! At that moment, The interface updated. ¡¾Main Mission?Phase One?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 300¡¿ ¡¾Main Mission?Phase Two: The Negative-Energy field invasion causes the disease, but it seems to bring something else. Investigate further.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 2000 points¡¿ The disease was essentially a corrosion of the human body by negative energy. No treatment could solve the problem; the patient was like a ship with a hole, negative energy constantly flooding in. Unless the hole could be plugged, the problem couldn''t be solved. On a planetary scale, the world was like a giant wheel with holes¡ªeach diseased person a hole. Under the Negative-Energy field''s influence, the world was riddled with holes, destined to be consumed by negative energy. With this planet''s technology, they couldn''t understand the disease''s nature, let alone solve the Negative-Energy field problem. The universe contains vast amounts of antimatter, even stars and star systems entirely composed of it. Perhaps the Negative-Energy field originated from these antimatter stars and systems; or perhaps it was another universe entirely. Mei wasn''t particularly interested in pursuing this. Having located the Negative-Energy field, the next step was simple. As she probed it, she sensed resistance¡ªthe deeper the penetration, the greater the resistance. Clearly, penetrating the Negative-Energy field wasn''t easy; otherwise, the Upgrade Tasks wouldn''t have been divided into ten stages based on penetration level. Mei withdrew from the Negative-Energy field when her perception could penetrate no further; she hadn''t completed the first Upgrade Task, meaning her penetration was less than 10%. Mei knelt down with a gentle smile and asked Lia, "Lia, if I were to adopt you, allowing you to go to school like other children, would you like that?" "Yes!" Lia nodded excitedly. The orphanage conditions weren''t good; the children dreamed of being adopted; having a home was wonderful; going to school felt like a dream. "Director, please help with the paperwork." "Certainly, please wait a moment." The director smiled kindly, taking Lia''s hand to process the paperwork, explaining necessary precautions. The director was delighted that someone wanted to adopt these children. As a teacher, Mei held a respectable position in the Alliance, making the adoption process smooth and successful. Using the ubiquitous star energy, Mei constantly sensed everything happening on the planet; the secondary phase of the Main Mission was now her focus. As long as anything related to the Negative-Energy field appeared, Mei would sense it. She focused her energy on penetrating the field. Two weeks passed. Phase Two of the Main Mission remained elusive, but research into the Negative-Energy field had made some progress. "Sister, Lia''s home!" Lia''s blonde hair shone in the twilight, her bright mood evident as she opened the door. She''d had a good day at school. "Okay, eat dinner first. Remember to wash your hands." "Okay!" The vacuum tube lamps illuminated the room. After dinner, Lia diligently did her homework while Mei quickly read through a book. Soon, she had finished all the books on the shelf; her powerful psionic abilities granted her exceptional information processing efficiency. Simply put, Mei had a perfect memory; her brain was like a computer. The reason she couldn''t penetrate the Negative-Energy field further wasn''t difficult to determine. As a Star Spirit, controlling energy was her innate ability and instinct. Negative energy was a type of star energy. Mei could directly extract energy from the Negative-Energy field for her use, but efficiency was the issue. A significant barrier existed between the Negative-Energy field and this world; each layer acted as a filter, blocking vast amounts of negative energy. The small amount that managed to seep through was already considerable. The "layers of barriers" were a figurative description, but the resistance was real. To extract more negative energy efficiently, Mei needed to overcome this resistance and penetrate deeper into the Negative-Energy field¡ªthe key to the Upgrade Tasks. Over several days, Mei experimented with various methods, eventually summarizing the complex energy extraction process into a mathematical equation. She named it the Negative-Energy Field Depth Equation, similar to the mass-energy equivalence formula or nuclear physics equations. Determining the equation''s results would reveal more efficient energy extraction methods, enabling deeper penetration into the Negative-Energy field. This was an equation requiring continuous calculation; the results, ranging from 1% to 100%, might take a considerable time to compute. Currently, Mei could only calculate up to 5%. While insufficient to achieve 10% penetration, she had found a clear method. She knew that solving the Depth Equation couldn''t be done alone. Supercomputers far surpassed human computational capabilities, but even supercomputers didn''t equal the collective intellect of humanity. Considering this, Mei had a plan. She intended to once again act as a mastermind and a major boss in this world. Since solving the Depth Equation required immense intellectual resources, Mei decided to publicly release it, enlisting the entire planet''s help. She would then simply reap the benefits. However, why would humanity help solve this equation? It needed to be linked to their interests to incentivize participation. Mei could easily extract energy from the Negative-Energy field. If she could enable others to do the same and tie this ability to the war, nations would desperately try to solve the Depth Equation for their security. Mei would then reap the benefits of their further progress. This was a highly feasible strategy. In reality, Mei could easily control the entire planet and even thousands of light-years worth of civilizations, but that would be too obvious; who knew what secrets this world held? Regardless, Mei still didn''t know what else the Negative-Energy field brought besides the disease. What if it was some kind of higher lifeform? She needed to play it safe and remain low-key. ... Time flew by. Five years passed in the blink of an eye. It was now 805 AD. Lia, twelve years old, had just graduated from elementary school and entered middle school. Five years had passed, and Mei still hadn''t found any clues for Phase Two of the Main Mission. She suspected it would be even more time-consuming than previous missions. That year, Mei, using her identity as a physics teacher, published her research and theories in a scientific journal, focusing on the disease and the Negative-Energy field. She openly introduced the concept of the Negative-Energy field, citing recent research to support its existence. This was a deliberate attempt to provoke a response from the world''s nations, laying the groundwork for further exploitation of the Negative-Energy field and an escalation of the war. After years of effort, Mei finally solved the Depth Equation to 10% depth, completing the first Upgrade Task. ¡¾Upgrade Task 1?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst Level Up¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV2?¡¿ With Super Burst reaching LV2, the full-power attack''s fivefold increase in power had become tenfold¡ªa clear and substantial improvement that pleased Mei. "Next, let''s see when the fish takes the bait." Mei waited patiently. Within two weeks, Mei''s research spread like wildfire throughout the Alliance and quickly spread to other nations. After all, Her findings were astonishing. The disease wasn''t a disease but a manifestation of access to a limitless energy field. The research sounded insane, like a fantastical delusion, yet it was logically sound and irrefutable. Soon, Mei''s research caught the attention of the Alliance''s high command. The director of the Alliance''s scientific research institute put down the journal. A young, uniformed lieutenant general asked, "Director, I don''t understand the science, so I''ll be blunt. Is this research credible?" The director simply replied, "We need time to verify its validity." The lieutenant general asked again, "Assuming this limitless energy field exists, could it enhance the Alliance''s military strength?" The director nodded. "The Alliance would be invincible." "Understood." The lieutenant general turned and left. ... Kingdom''s Scientific Institute. "Ha ha ha ha!" A sleek, chubby man looked at the journal in his hand, his laughter booming. "Connecting the disease to some Negative-Energy field? Am I still asleep? Someone''s having a hallucination! Ha ha ha ha!" The chubby man''s name was Eddie, the honorary chairman of the Kingdom''s Scientific Institute. Despite his title, he was clueless about research; he was a businessman. Eddie was the Kingdom''s Scientific Institute''s biggest supporter and a major shareholder in the Kingdom''s largest arms and munitions company¡ªone of the wealthiest individuals in the Kingdom. Seeing the researchers seriously preparing verification experiments, he laughed even louder. "Ha ha ha, you actually believe this!" A researcher replied, "We only believe in data and experimental results." Another researcher said expectantly, "Sir, if this is true, we''re on the verge of a new era¡ªan era of limitless energy!" Limitless energy. This was a fatal temptation for any civilization. Similar scenarios played out in many national scientific institutes. If this new era was truly dawning, they wanted to ride the wave. ¡­ The following day. "Teacher Mei, when did you start researching the disease? Connecting it to an energy source¡­ I''m impressed!" Mei returned to her office after school, greeted by teasing colleagues. Before she could respond, several soldiers burst into the room. The office fell silent. A soldier approached Mei and saluted. "Ms. Mei, please come with us." "Alright." Mei calmly placed her textbook down, leaving the office amidst the astonished gazes of her colleagues. The teachers looked at each other. "What was that about?" A teacher pointed to the scientific journal on the desk, turning to Mei''s research paper. Her expression was shocked. "Could it be because of this?" Mei was taken to the Alliance''s scientific institute, where she met the gray-haired director and a young lieutenant general. Verifying the dark spots wasn''t complex. Before Mei arrived, the institute had completed the verification, confirming that the spots contained a specific energy. This greatly excited the researchers. The director stated directly, "Ms. Mei, the Alliance is very interested in your research. If you''re willing, we can provide you with superior research conditions." "No problem." Mei didn''t waste words; she''d anticipated this. Her composure surprised the two men. She then added, "I also have a foster daughter¡­" "Our people have taken care of her." The young lieutenant general stated, "Ms. Mei, your research will be classified as top-secret. Your movements will be strictly restricted. We apologize in advance." "It''s fine." From that day on, Mei''s previous identity vanished from public view; she became a top-secret, protected individual of the Alliance. ... ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Item: Super Active Cells¡¿ ¡¾Type: Item¡¿ ¡¾Grade: Tier 3¡¿ ¡¾Description: Consuming these cells grants unparalleled self-healing abilities; even a single piece of flesh can regenerate.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Mei retrieved a vial of crimson liquid from her Personal Spatial Storage¡ªan item obtained in the Star Beast world¡ªnow ready to be used. Her research focused on enabling humans to extract and control energy from the Negative-Energy field. However, human genes made them insensitive to energy. Modification was necessary. Star Beasts could control energy and possessed extraordinary self-healing abilities, making them suitable for human genetic modification. However, using the Super Active Cells meant destroying the item; it was no longer usable. After extracting the Super Active Cells, Mei used biological technology to cultivate twenty vials. Perhaps due to the loss of the item''s effect, the copied cells'' activity was significantly reduced; they wouldn''t regenerate from a single piece of flesh. It didn''t matter. Mei''s requirements weren''t high. She wasn''t genuinely conducting scientific research. Mei completed this task in three days. To other researchers, she seemed to effortlessly overcome challenges; her progress was astonishing. ... A month later. The research entered the experimental phase. The initial volunteer was a dying young man, thin as a rail, with dark spots covering his entire body. Desperate for survival, he was willing to gamble; even if he died, he had nothing to lose. "Akaman." Mei looked at his identification card, confirming again, "Are you sure you want to participate? I must remind you that this experiment is extremely risky." Akaman, his breathing shallow, nodded weakly. "I voluntarily participate." "Alright." At Mei''s nod, an assistant led Akaman into the experimental chamber. A pale blue liquid filled the chamber as the Super Active Cells were injected into his body. There was no violent reaction; Akaman seemed to have fallen asleep. "Ms. Mei, everything is normal!" Even within the Alliance''s scientific institute, Mei''s research and experiments were top-secret, prioritized above all other projects, with the Alliance providing every possible support. Negative-Energy Field Strategic Plan. Lieutenant General Kelvin, in charge of Mei''s project, closed the document bearing this title and personally sealed it in the highest-security archives. 806 AD. A year after Mei unveiled the Negative-Energy Field Strategic Plan, deafening explosions rocked the Six Rivers airspace; the Alliance and Kingdom armies continued their intense conflict. That year, the Alliance and Kingdom fought back and forth, the Six Rivers changing hands repeatedly. The Kingdom''s latest offensive lasted only a few hours before being repelled by the Alliance. Boom! Black earth scattered under the cannon fire; white smoke lingered in the mud. After countless bombardments, the soil was loose; even a light rain turned it into mud. It rained frequently here; the conditions were appalling. "Alliance forces are attacking! Open fire!" Alliance soldiers unleashed concentrated fire, assaulting the Kingdom''s defenses. The Kingdom''s forces immediately retaliated. The Kingdom''s forces finally repelled the Alliance''s assault, but their joy was short-lived. A middle-aged soldier grumbled angrily, "What''s the point of this war? It''s nothing but a waste of money and soldiers'' lives!" The war had lasted a hundred years. Soldiers and citizens alike, in the Alliance, the Kingdom, and the United States, increasingly resented the war. As they complained, the war seemed utterly pointless. Just as the Alliance''s assault was repelled, the Kingdom''s forces witnessed an astonishing sight. Ten young soldiers in uniform emerged from the Alliance''s lines and charged towards the Kingdom''s positions like hunting panthers. Without any support, they didn''t even wear helmets, fearlessly exposing themselves to the barrage of fire. "What''s going on?" The Kingdom''s forces were initially stunned, then opened fire. "Eliminate them!" Shells rained down, splashing blood across the ten figures, yet they didn''t falter. No matter how intense the bombardment, the ten men seemed invincible, charging through the Kingdom''s defenses. "What''s happening?!?" "Why can''t we kill them?!" "Fire! Fire!" "They''re breaking through!!!" Bang! A figure, radiating savage killing intent, leaped into the Kingdom''s lines like a ferocious beast. The Kingdom''s soldiers were terrified, confronting the man''s ferocious face at point-blank range. Akaman grinned. "Hello there!" Suddenly, A bloody massacre ensued. That day, the long-stalemated Six Rivers front collapsed. While the Alliance released a triumphant report, the Kingdom was incredulous at the complete loss of the Six Rivers. Lieutenant Colonel Fred stared at the battle report in disbelief. "Completely annihilated? Are you sure this report is accurate? The Six Rivers troops¡­ completely annihilated?" "Yes, Lieutenant Colonel Fred." Fred remained incredulous. The Kingdom and the Alliance had been locked in a protracted struggle at the Six Rivers; even with territorial changes, complete annihilation hadn''t occurred. Beyond the surprise, Fred understood the implications of losing the Six Rivers; the Alliance would likely intensify its offensive, which wasn''t good. "Ugh, when will this mess end?" Fred made no secret of his disgust and weariness with the war. After the initial shock, he quickly dismissed the situation, believing the Kingdom''s forces would quickly recover. For a hundred years, it had always been the same. The Alliance and the Kingdom possessed comparable military strength; even if one side was initially overwhelmed, they would quickly reach a stalemate, neither side gaining significant advantage. However, This time was different. Fred had expected the Kingdom''s forces to withstand the Alliance''s offensive, but incoming reports painted a dire picture¡ªthe Alliance was advancing relentlessly, the Kingdom''s forces retreating continuously, suffering heavy casualties. His expression grew increasingly serious and grim; the situation was spiraling out of control. He couldn''t understand. "What''s happening on the front lines?" This question also perplexed the Kingdom''s high command. Chapter 12: Negative-Energy Wielder The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Chapter 13: Gaia? "Curt, are you alright?" The remaining Negative-Energy Wielders in the town arrived, witnessing the destruction caused by Mei''s attack, their faces pale with disbelief. "I''m fine." Curt was terrified; the attack had narrowly missed him; a slight delay would have been fatal. "Curt, what happened?" Curt didn''t mention the Depth Equation, speculating, "It must have been a Negative-Energy Wielder from the Alliance. There''s no other possibility." "The Alliance?" His comrades looked towards the vanished mountain. "Do the Alliance''s Negative-Energy Wielders have that kind of power?" This incident remained a mystery. Curt intended to keep quiet, only increasing the Kingdom''s sense of unease. They frantically urged their mathematicians to solve the Depth Equation. After obtaining the Depth Equation''s solution from Curt, Mei quickly reached 30% penetration of the Negative-Energy field, completing another Upgrade Task. ¡¾Upgrade Task 3?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst Level Up¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV4?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV4¡¿ ¡¾Description: Focuses all power into a single, instantaneous attack with fifty times the normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Super Burst''s power increasing from tenfold to twentyfold, then to fiftyfold, exceeded Mei''s expectations¡ªa pleasant surprise. Just how powerful was a full-power fiftyfold attack? Mei didn''t know. And a fiftyfold increase after using Limit Break? Unimaginable; it was definitely beyond a galaxy''s ability to withstand. ... On the Kingdom''s border, a large, powerful man emerged from a dark alley. His imposing figure resembled a grizzly bear. Reaching the alley''s end, he opened a door to a secret base containing not only Kingdom citizens but also individuals from the Alliance and the United States. They all shared one thing: they were Void Wanderers. This group was led by the burly man and several members of the Diamond Legion. The Diamond Legion was a renowned group in Hyperdimensional Space. Backed by a powerful Legion, the Diamond Legion''s members were significantly stronger than other Void Wanderers of the same tier. As the world''s Negative-Energy Wielders grew stronger, the Void Wanderers found themselves struggling, forced to cooperate. Those present were Void Wanderers close to their respective nations'' leadership or holding significant influence. Charles and Starry were among them. The burly man entered, and a Diamond Legion member sitting in a chair stood up. The others called hiim Civet, a master of disguise, skilled in ambushes, and of ambiguous gender. "Big brother." Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n nodded, closing the door. He said to Civet, "Such a large-scale conflict. You must have obtained some crucial intelligence." "Indeed." Civet, skilled in disguise and possessing the ability known as "Mysterious Wanderer," surveyed the Void Wanderers in the base before diving into the subject. Mysterious Wanderers could often perceive information inaccessible to ordinary individuals; this time, he had a significant discovery. ¡°I know you haven''t completed Phase Two of the Main Mission. While I couldn''t directly observe relevant information, I''ve made another significant discovery.¡± Civet paused, his expression serious. ¡°I''ve sensed a massive force behind the scenes, intricately connected to the Negative-Energy field, orchestrating the current war between the Alliance and the Kingdom. I suspect this entity is the mastermind behind this world''s destruction!¡± Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n frowned. "Are you sure?" "Regardless, this mastermind is connected to this world''s destruction. They''re the one driving the Negative-Energy field''s invasion." Starry nodded. "So, if we find this mastermind, we might uncover the truth behind this world''s impending destruction¡ªcompleting not only Phase Two of the Main Mission but potentially subsequent phases as well?" "Exactly!" Charles focused on a single question. "I only want to know how powerful this mastermind is. Frankly, are we, a bunch of small-fry, qualified to confront them?" Even Civet couldn''t accurately describe the mastermind''s power; the information he perceived was vague; his current description was already quite detailed. "Difficult to say." Starry cautioned, "Don''t confront the mastermind directly. We''re Void Wanderers, not reckless warriors. Let''s continue our covert operations, focusing on the mastermind''s clues. If we get closer to the truth behind the world''s destruction, even working for this entity wouldn''t be a problem." "Brother Starry is right!" Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n nodded approvingly at Starry. "We''re Void Wanderers, not saviors. We don''t need to save this world; we seek the truth. Civet, do you have any clues about the mastermind?" "Yes." Civet unfolded a map on the table; the others gathered around. He pointed to a border city in the United States. "Soon, the Alliance and the Kingdom will sign a temporary ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. The mastermind will reveal themselves to sabotage this agreement; this is our chance to contact them." Charles examined the map carefully. "Hong City." ... Meanwhile, in Hong City. Mei sat on a bench, tossing aside her newspaper, her gaze focused on a particular direction. "A cause-and-effect ability?" This was the first time she''d encountered such a powerful, perceptive Void Wanderer; the other party wasn''t relying on sensory perception to gather intelligence but observing from a higher dimensional plane. Dong! Dong! Dong! The massive bell tower by the river emitted a resounding toll, startling a flock of white pigeons into flight. In the distance, the city was surrounded by a vast expanse of reddish-brown forest. "Ooh!" Amidst the flurry of white feathers, a dark shape darted; Shiro suddenly swallowed a pigeon, a small pair of wings sprouting from its back. "Mom, look! That pigeon was so fat!" 808 AD. The war between the Alliance and the Kingdom had resulted in heavy losses for both sides. Under international mediation, both sides ceased large-scale conflict, agreeing to sign a temporary ceasefire agreement in Hong City, United States. The United States, wary of both sides'' Negative-Energy Wielders, had already agreed not to engage further, making its territory an ideal location for a ceasefire agreement. ... ¡¾A New Era Dawns! The Hundred Years'' War Faces a Glimmer of Hope! The Alliance and the Kingdom Agree to a Temporary Ceasefire in Hong City, United States!¡¿ "Finally!" An elderly man sighed, "This long, pointless war is finally ending!" The Hundred Years'' War had spanned several generations. He''d thought he''d never see its end. "It won''t be that easy." "What?" The old man looked at Mei. Mei flipped through the newspaper. "Wars may begin as expected, but they don''t always end as hoped." That year. Lia was fifteen years old. Under the sweltering heat, the Diamond Legion squad and Charles, along with several other Void Wanderers, were already positioned in Hong City, awaiting the mastermind''s appearance. Unbeknownst to them, they were operating under Mei''s watchful eye. As the mastermind, Mei didn''t need to act; she had delegated the task. She would see how Lia and the others fared. As for the Diamond Legion squad, Mei wasn''t worried. If they interfered, Lia and the others could eliminate them; Mei wouldn''t hesitate. To a certain extent, Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n and the others hadn''t misunderstood Mei; she was indeed the mastermind, but she guaranteed she wouldn''t destroy this world. "Probably?" Thinking this, Mei felt uncertain. As the saying goes, "Man proposes, God disposes." Illusion, terrified after his last encounter with Mei, had fled to the United States to enjoy life. And he''d chosen Hong City. In an elegant building, Illusion peeked through the red curtains, noticing the increasing number of patrolling soldiers on the street, his mood souring. "A ceasefire is a ceasefire, but they had to choose this place to sign the agreement. If we''re late, the streets will be filled with Alliance and Kingdom Negative-Energy Wielders." A middle-aged man sitting in the room scoffed. "Illusion, what are you afraid of? They''re just Negative-Energy Wielders; they pose no threat to us." This middle-aged man, named Volcano, was the second negative energy lifeform to enter the real world after Illusion. Like Illusion, after taking over a Negative-Energy Wielder''s body, he found Illusion through energy sensing and had been residing in Hong City. Volcano had thrived in Hong City, quickly accumulating wealth and power. However, he sensed that Illusion was distracted, always anxious and ready to flee. This only fueled Volcano''s contempt for Illusion. Volcano, however, looked forward to it. "I hope to encounter some powerful Negative-Energy Wielders. I can take their bodies to enhance my strength." ¡°¡­¡± Volcano was unaware of the danger; Illusion was growing increasingly anxious. This guy had never experienced true death, otherwise, he wouldn''t be so arrogant. As the signing day approached, the number of patrolling soldiers in Hong City increased, and security tightened. The citizens were unaware of the underlying tension and were excited. On the day of the signing ceremony. Dong! A solemn, resonant bell tolled across Hong City. Doves, symbolizing peace, flew in formation overhead. Delegations from the Alliance and the Kingdom arrived. The signing ceremony was held in the grand Hong Man hall. Although security was tight, the Diamond Legion squad easily infiltrated. Charles, Starry, and the other Void Wanderers had been involved in intelligence work for nearly five years and were familiar with the delegations'' members. In the hall, Starry''s gaze fell upon a young man in the Alliance delegation. He alerted the others through a comm-unit. "If things go south, watch out for that tall young man in the Alliance delegation. That''s Akaman, the Alliance''s first Negative-Energy Wielder; he''s extremely powerful." If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "That''s him." Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n knew about Akaman, but this was his first time seeing him in person. Even without Starry''s warning, his instincts sensed a potent threat emanating from Akaman. Charles scanned the hall; he could sense more than ten Negative-Energy Wielders; a subtle pressure hung in the air. "None of them look friendly." A Negative-Energy Wielder with 20% penetration of the Negative-Energy field would likely surpass mid-tier Tier 1 Void Wanderers. Those in the hall were bloodthirsty beasts, battle-hardened veterans; they were not to be underestimated. A Void Wanderer''s voice crackled over the comm-unit. "Fortunately, the Alliance and the Kingdom haven''t solved the Depth Equation to 30%. Otherwise, this would be much harder." Meanwhile, The Diamond Legion squad included some scientific researchers; they were currently studying how to make ordinary people into Negative-Energy Wielders. If successful, Void Wanderers could also obtain power from the Negative-Energy field, significantly enhancing their combat capabilities. "Civet, which one is the mastermind?" "I don''t know. Whoever starts the trouble first." "Understood." Several members of the Alliance delegation were acquaintances of Mei''s¡ªLieutenant General Kelvin, needless to say, and Akaman, her first Negative-Energy Wielder. Several others in the delegation were also hers. The Kingdom''s delegation was less familiar, but less important. During the signing ceremony. Lieutenant General Kelvin was distracted, whispering, "Akaman, stay alert. I have a bad feeling about this." Bang! Warm blood splattered across Kelvin''s face. He turned to see Akaman crush the skull of a nearby Kingdom Negative-Energy Wielder. Akaman smiled at him, raising a blood-stained fist and shouting. "The Alliance will never compromise!" Kelvin finally understood his unease; his pupils constricted, and he roared, "Akaman!!!" He couldn''t believe that the Alliance''s most powerful Negative-Energy Wielder would act up at such a crucial moment. "The Alliance will never compromise!" "The Alliance will never compromise!!" "The Alliance will never compromise!!!" Not only Akaman, but more than half of the Alliance delegation''s Negative-Energy Wielders followed suit, attacking the Kingdom delegation. "Protect the delegates!!" Boom! The hall instantly became a battlefield. A deep black flash appeared, followed by a deafening explosion. Akaman''s full-powered attack nearly annihilated the Kingdom''s delegation. Only then did Kelvin realize that this level of destructive power wasn''t possible at 20% penetration; Akaman had reached 30%! "Damn it!" The shockwave swept past; Charles quickly dove for cover. "Guys, it''s almost certain Akaman is the mastermind, but this level of destruction is a bit excessive!" Akaman''s strength was far beyond what a mid-tier Tier 1 Void Wanderer could handle. Charles knew his limitations; he was cannon fodder. That attack, even a near miss, would have severely wounded him; anyone without strong self-healing abilities would have died instantly. Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n knew this wasn''t a battle for ordinary Void Wanderers. He made a swift decision, leaping from the second floor of the hall with the Diamond Legion. "Civet, stay back and stop others. The rest of the Diamond Legion, and Starry, join me in attacking Akaman; we need to capture him alive!" "Understood." Charles patted Starry on the shoulder and swiftly moved to the hall''s entrance, stopping soldiers from entering. He couldn''t handle Negative-Energy Wielders, but ordinary soldiers were no problem. "Cough cough!" Lieutenant General Kelvin, caught in the crossfire, was struggling. Several other Alliance Negative-Energy Wielders surrounded him, protecting him. Akaman lifted a still-breathing Kingdom Negative-Energy Wielder and tore him in half, a brutal display that made the Negative-Energy Wielders guarding Kelvin flinch. "Why?" Kelvin gritted his teeth, demanding an answer. "Why did you betray the Alliance?! Don''t you understand the consequences of your actions?!" "Precisely." "What?" Akaman wiped the blood from his face, showing no intention of attacking the rest of the Alliance delegation. He smiled at Kelvin, emphasizing his point. Looking directly at Kelvin, he said clearly, "Precisely because I know, I did this." Hearing this, Kelvin was furious. "Akaman!!" Akaman knew exactly what he was doing. He had never been loyal to the Alliance; Mei had given him a second life; his loyalty belonged only to her. The Alliance''s attack on the Kingdom delegation would undoubtedly shatter any hopes for a ceasefire. And it was the Alliance''s most powerful Negative-Energy Wielder who had acted; the Alliance couldn''t deny it. The fact itself was sufficient; attacking the Alliance delegation would only suggest involvement by a third party. Bang! At that moment, Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n''s fist slammed down from above. Akaman quickly dodged; a crackling arc of lightning and a blade followed, a strike aimed at Akaman. Akaman, seemingly unhurried, calmly let the strike pass, the high-pressure air being annihilated by the negative energy upon contact. The Negative-Energy Wielder seemed to be enveloped in armor; weak or insufficient attacks couldn''t pierce their defenses. Instantly, Akaman unleashed five blasts of negative energy with claw-like hands, and Starry, lacking an energy shield, could only dodge frantically. Bang! Five gouges appeared on the hall''s walls. Akaman looked at Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n and the others, curious. "Not Negative-Energy Wielders? I shouldn''t have anything to do with you. Who are you?" Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n and the others hoped Akaman would reveal everything, but that was unlikely; they needed to subdue him first. Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n twisted his fists, undergoing a rapid transformation into a bestial form; a savage, ferocious aura emanated from him. "We need some information from you. We only hope you''ll cooperate." "Heh." Akaman didn''t care what they wanted to know; this was an unavoidable battle. Fighting was the only way. Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n exchanged a glance with his team. Behind Akaman, Starry launched his attack; a blue beam of light, crackling with electricity, slashed down. Simultaneously, a Diamond Legion member tossed a gem-like item into the air; it bloomed, showering the area with a soft, white light resembling moonlight. "Alright, everyone, go all out! Don''t worry about annihilation; treat it like a normal energy attack!" The greatest threat of negative energy was its ability to annihilate matter; anyone lacking self-healing abilities couldn''t withstand it; it bypassed defenses and inflicted direct damage. "Ha ha, the big Legion''s got our backs!" "Hell yeah, now I''m not scared!!" Instantly, The Diamond Legion''s Void Wanderers charged. Akaman, unaware of this, didn''t falter. He calmly dodged Starry''s attack. Even without the annihilation effect, the negative energy''s impact was formidable, especially considering his robust physique. Boom! Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n engaged Akaman; the two clashed ferociously, ignoring their injuries, relying on their self-healing abilities to continue the fight. Akaman was slightly stronger, but a one-on-one fight was unfavorable; the other Alliance Negative-Energy Wielders were also involved, and the Diamond Legion squad was attacking; attrition wasn''t his strong suit. A swift victory was needed! Negative energy surged from his body; Akaman unleashed a blast that repelled the surrounding Void Wanderers. Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n countered with a crimson burst of energy. Boom! The two energies collided, shaking the entire hall; a violent shockwave reduced the hall to rubble. Amidst the debris, The battered Diamond Legion squad and Akaman continued to clash. Outside, Charles and the others, tasked with holding back the soldiers, were stunned by the blast. The soldiers looked at each other, hesitant to advance. "Watch out!" Just as they were about to resume the fight, Starry spun, his blade intercepting a massive negative energy strike that cleaved the ruined hall in two. Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n and the others were startled. "Who''s there?" Under the sunlight, bright blonde hair shone; Lia joined the battle, her imposing presence causing the Diamond Legion members to flinch. "Akaman, you''re too slow." "Don''t you see? This is getting complicated." Akaman sighed. "Another one?" Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n sensed trouble. Aside from Akaman, the other Alliance Negative-Energy Wielders weren''t a major concern, but this newcomer was different. Starry, injured and lying amidst the rubble, was fortunate the gem''s light had negated the annihilation effect; otherwise, he would have died. "It''s her!" Starry recognized Lia immediately; he had fought her when he and Charles had attacked the Alliance''s scientific institute. He hadn''t expected such a significant difference in their abilities. Seeing Lia, Starry recalled Mei''s calm demeanor, convinced that this incident was somehow connected to her. Lieutenant General Kelvin, who had been observing, was also incredulous, his expression darkening. What was the connection to Ms. Mei? Lia''s immediate display of power rivaled Akaman''s, making Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n and the others wary. Fighting Akaman was already difficult; adding Lia made it dangerous. Seeing their hesitation, Akaman and Lia retreated. The soldiers outside raised their weapons, but cautiously fell back. They couldn''t help it. Their weapons offered little comfort against these Negative-Energy Wielders. Charles rushed to check Starry''s wounds. "He''ll live." Ignoring the surrounding soldiers, Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n retreated. "Let''s go." With that, After deactivating the gem item, the group left confidently. The soldiers offered no resistance, hastily clearing a path. From a distant rooftop, Volcano and Illusion observed the scene. Volcano''s eyes lit up, especially when he saw Lia and Akaman. "Those two Negative-Energy Wielders are strong!" Illusion frowned, sensing Volcano''s intentions. "You intend to attack them?" "One each; a perfect split!" Without consulting Illusion, Volcano charged towards Lia and Akaman, claiming Illusion''s share as well. "Hey!" Illusion chased after him, but then his movements froze; he caught a glimpse of a figure on a distant bench. Deep fear consumed him. He stumbled backward. "Vol¡­ Volcano!" The memory of his near-death encounter with Mei was fresh in his mind; Illusion forgot about Volcano and fled, nearly losing his wits. "She''s not here for me!" "She''s definitely not here for me!" Illusion frantically muttered, desperate to escape. Mei tossed aside her newspaper, her gaze lingering on Illusion''s retreating form. She shook her head. This guy was truly hopeless. Volcano and Illusion possessed comparable strength, their innate control over negative energy surpassing even deep-penetration Negative-Energy Wielders. However, this wasn''t sufficient against Lia and Akaman; for negative energy lifeforms, victory wasn''t determined by a simple power struggle. Even momentary contact allowed them to take over their opponent''s body and access their memories. This was Volcano''s strategy. Boom! Volcano attacked with force, like a cannonball, cutting off Lia and Akaman''s path, a victorious grin on his face, relentlessly attacking. "Hmm?" "Suicide." Both Lia and Akaman had top-tier combat instincts; without hesitation, they unleashed their attacks. The expected outcome didn''t occur. They suddenly retreated, creating distance. Akaman unleashed a blast of negative energy, sending Volcano flying, followed by a swift strike that cleaved him in two. Blood sprayed. Volcano, cleaved in two, his face still frozen in a triumphant grin. Lia sheathed her sword. "A negative energy lifeform? I thought keeping you alive might be useful, but you came here to die. Let''s end this." She unleashed negative energy, intending to annihilate Volcano''s body. Only then did Volcano feel true terror; he didn''t understand how Lia knew his identity. He had planned to feign death, but instead, he''d walked straight into a trap. It was just a body; Volcano''s true form was still alive, but complete annihilation would expose him to the world, leading to his true death. Negative energy surged from the corpse; Volcano frantically begged for mercy. Only then did he understand Illusion''s fear of the real world. That guy must have been dealt with before! "Don''t kill me!" Ignoring how Lia knew his identity, Volcano only wanted to survive. "Just don''t kill me, and I''ll do anything you want!" "Unnecessary." Only one other negative energy lifeform remained. Since this one had sought death, Lia obliged, annihilating Volcano''s body. "A!!" With his vessel destroyed, a mass of black negative energy was exposed, instantly annihilated by the real world. Only Volcano''s scream remained. Akaman was surprised. "Strange lifeforms." Simultaneously, Illusion, still terrified, suddenly felt an inexplicable surge of power; his strength doubled instantly. While Negative-Energy Wielders were like straws drawing energy from the Negative-Energy field, Illusion had inexplicably gained access to another straw. His single negative energy output was now equivalent to twice that of a Negative-Energy Wielder! Negative energy output was crucial to a Negative-Energy Wielder''s strength. The Depth Equation aimed to increase energy extraction efficiency through deeper penetration. Illusion''s sudden power surge was a different path to strength, impossible for ordinary people to replicate. He vaguely sensed something. "Volcano?" Illusion''s expression was uncertain. He believed his power increase was somehow related to Volcano''s death; he couldn''t think of any other factor. If it was indeed due to Volcano''s death, A joyful expression appeared on Illusion''s face; he seemed to have discovered something special about negative energy lifeforms! This was a unique path to power! Arrogance crept back into his smile; he suppressed his laughter, his ambition resurfacing. A gleam shone in his eyes. "So, that''s how it is." Mei strolled leisurely down the street, her keen senses detecting any energy fluctuations nearby. Volcano''s death. Illusion''s transformation. These simultaneous events revealed a truth to Mei: after a negative energy lifeform dies, its power transfers to another of its kind. If a sufficient number of negative energy lifeforms entered the real world and then died successively, the final survivor would become incredibly powerful. They would accumulate the power of all the previous lifeforms; compared to a Negative-Energy Wielder of the same penetration depth, their negative energy output would be exponentially higher. Mei had an epiphany. "This is the greatest threat posed by the negative energy lifeforms." Killing them wouldn''t eliminate the threat to the world; it would only accelerate the accumulation of their power, eventually creating an overwhelmingly powerful being. The interface updated. Her hypothesis was correct. ¡¾Main Mission?Phase Three?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 3000¡¿ ¡¾Main Mission?Phase Four: Observations indicate that the power transfer after death is an acquired phenomenon linked to the world''s destruction. Determine the cause.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 4000 points¡¿ This world''s mission difficulty was exceptionally high, but the rewards were correspondingly generous; there was even a Phase Five Main Mission. The difficulty lay in the lack of clues and the seemingly endless search. Without Mei''s powerful sensory and monitoring abilities, it would be extremely challenging to reach Phase Four. Unless one possessed Civet''s intelligence-gathering skills, ordinary Void Wanderers would be completely lost. Currently, only two negative energy lifeforms remained; one was eliminated; the other, Illusion, was terrified and difficult to contact. This meant Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n and the others were stuck on Phase Two, although serendipitously, they had focused on Mei. This was advantageous. If they obtained information from Mei, they could easily complete Phases Two and Three. However, this was improbable. "Acquired phenomenon?" Mei was surprised. She had observed the complete transfer of Volcano''s power to Illusion; it was seamless and natural, without any interference. It seemed like a natural occurrence. She fell into deep thought. "Theoretically, these lifeforms didn''t possess this power transfer ability before entering the real world. Was this ability acquired after entering?" The real world. A natural phenomenon. Uninfluenced by any entity. Mei recalled the previous two mission worlds; both had naturally progressed towards destruction and ruin without external interference. In the Star Beast world, she had only accelerated this process; she wasn''t the cause. This was highly similar to the situation in this world. The answer seemed clear. "Gaia''s consciousness!" Not this planet''s Gaia consciousness, but the universe''s. A planet wouldn''t naturally steer itself towards destruction. It might eliminate some lifeforms, but it wouldn''t destroy the entire ecosystem. However, negative energy annihilates everything, regardless of the material. This is excessive for a planet. This must be the universe''s natural self-regulation; the universe''s laws were destroying this planet. Planets are like cells in a body; parasites, if harmful, trigger the body''s defenses, sometimes necessitating the destruction of that cell. Of course, Humans are part of the universe and shouldn''t be crudely defined as parasites. However, when humans disrupt the cosmic balance, they need to be dealt with. All this was still speculation. Proving Gaia''s consciousness''s involvement would be difficult; everything appeared natural. There was no way to trace back to Gaia''s involvement. However, the reverse logic was clearer. Mei quickly understood. "So, everything that happens naturally can be considered Gaia''s intervention!" The problem was, What could Mei do to elicit a significant response from Gaia''s consciousness? The impact couldn''t be too large or too small. Too much disruption, and Gaia''s consciousness might send a powerful being comparable to Mei to fight her. Therefore, Mei couldn''t reveal her full power; she had to avoid an overwhelming response. Quickly, She devised a plan. Since Gaia''s consciousness was using the Negative-Energy field to destroy the planet, Mei would interfere. If the Negative-Energy field retaliated, it would prove Gaia''s involvement. "Lia, assemble a research team; the research topic is how to cure the disease. This is urgent; handle it yourself." Lia heard Mei''s instructions. "Understood." To allow the Negative-Energy field to penetrate the real world? Mei would offer free treatment to those afflicted with the disease. She didn''t believe Gaia''s consciousness wouldn''t respond. "Akaman, don''t give the Alliance and the Kingdom a chance to recover. I need the situation to become more chaotic; the war can''t stop." "No problem!" Akaman was excited; this was his specialty. Mei briefly crossed paths with the Diamond Legion squad, but they were completely unaware of her presence. Only Civet''s pupils constricted; he clutched his chest and collapsed, his face pale. "What''s wrong?" Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n and the others prepared for battle, helping Civet up. "I''m fine." Civet took a deep breath, still terrified. "Just now¡­ something incredibly terrifying passed by us; overwhelmingly terrifying!" Hearing this, Ku¨¢ng Sh¨¡n''s expression turned grave. "Go!" Civet urged them to leave. Whatever that entity was, it was far beyond their capabilities. This was the first time, as a Mysterious Wanderer, he had sensed such overwhelming power at such close range. He couldn''t describe its power, only that they were insignificant before it. This world was far more terrifying than he''d imagined. ¡­ The following day. A shocking headline made international news. ¡¾Ceasefire Agreement Sabotaged! Alliance''s Top Negative-Energy Wielder Akaman Attacks Kingdom Delegation! Violent Conflict Erupts in Hall! Unknown Entities Involved!¡¿ Bang! The Kingdom''s council members slammed the intelligence report on the table, furious. "Reinforce the front lines immediately!" Chapter 14: Apocalyse The Kingdom''s councilors weren''t fools, nor was their intelligence apparatus incompetent. The situation in Hong City that day was incredibly complex, impossible to fully unravel in a short time. However, there was no doubt that Akaman and several Alliance Negative-Energy Wielders had ambushed the Kingdom''s delegation, leaving no survivors. The councilors weren''t unaware that this could have been Akaman and those Negative-Energy Wielders acting individually, but accepting that explanation meant swallowing their anger. Furthermore, lacking proof, they wouldn''t accept the Alliance''s explanation. Only by pinning the blame squarely on the Alliance could they regain the initiative. And subsequently reap greater negotiating leverage and benefits. The ceasefire agreement fueled outrage within the Kingdom. The councilors used this to bolster troop deployments to the front lines, continuing the war with the Alliance to see who would crack first. Within the Kingdom, the happiest person was undoubtedly Eddie, the esteemed head of the Royal Scientific Institute. The ongoing war meant a continued influx of Negative-Energy Wielders. Which meant he could continue to profit. "Hahaha!" Eddie looked at the Negative-Energy Wielders contained within the experimental chambers, grinning widely: "This is the most accurate investment I''ve ever made!" ... The Alliance. "Are you certain?" "Absolutely Lia!" Facing the question, General Kelvin affirmed, "Even though it''s been years, I''m certain it was Lia, Ms. Mei''s adopted daughter." "Ms. Mei¡­" Ms. Mei''s disappearance had been a significant loss for the Alliance. They had always assumed she had fallen into the hands of another nation. Lia''s appearance offered a glimmer of hope. If they could re-establish contact with Lia, the Alliance might find Ms. Mei. "You have full authority on this matter. I authorize you to select elite Negative-Energy Wielders for a covert operation. If Ms. Mei can be recovered, no cost is too great. Eliminate anyone daring to obstruct you." "Understood!" Kelvin quickly assembled a clandestine unit. They wouldn''t participate in the war with the Kingdom; their objective was singular. Ms. Mei. They couldn''t find Mei''s trail, but Akaman and Lia were frequently active. With sufficient manpower, they were likely to find them. Lia''s exposure in Hong City and her connection to Akaman meant that Kelvin wasn''t the only one searching. The Diamond Legion wasn''t idle either. Even other nations were tracking Lia and Mei, involving countless factions and nations. Ms. Mei''s importance was simply too great. Moreover, The Alliance desperately wanted to understand why Lia and Akaman sabotaged the ceasefire agreement. Who was the mastermind behind their actions? Could it have been Ms. Mei herself? But why would Ms. Mei do such a thing? This incomprehensible aspect further solidified the Alliance high command''s suspicions: Ms. Mei must have fallen into the hands of some power or nation. Otherwise, she would have no reason to sabotage the ceasefire agreement. It benefited other nations¡ªallowing the Alliance and the Kingdom to continue fighting and depleting each other''s strength. ¡­ Year 815 A.D. Seven years had passed since the Hong City ceasefire agreement, and the intensifying war rapidly accelerated weapons technology development. The advent of heavy machine guns turned the battlefield into a meat grinder, and advancements in artillery technology led to a dramatic spike in soldier casualties. Over the years, Lia and Akaman interacted and clashed with various forces, particularly Alliance spies and special forces, who repeatedly contacted them, offering to help rescue Ms. Mei. Lia offered no resistance. Nor did she wish to engage the Alliance further. Meanwhile, In the seven years since the Illusion and Volcano event, more and more negative energy lifeforms emerged from the Negative-Energy field into the real world. Many Negative-Energy Wielders fell victim, and after possessing their bodies, the negative entities largely congregated in the United States, turning the country into a de facto headquarters for the lifeforms. This year. "Hahaha!" A mathematician in the Alliance''s courtyard erupted in laughter, holding aloft a laptop filled with calculations: "I''ve done it! I''ve deduced it! I''ve solved 40% of the Depth Equation!" Seven years of relentless work. The Depth Equation was finally 40% solved. This also meant Mei had finally completed another Upgrade Task. ¡¾Upgrade Task 4?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV5?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV5¡¿ ¡¾Description: Concentrates all power for an instant, devastating attack with 100 times normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª A full-power attack with 100 times the power! Honestly, Mei really wanted to test this attack''s power, but considering the immense commotion it would cause, she decided against it for now. She planned to continue upgrading this ability. Sooner or later, it would grant Mei the power to transcend Tier 5, potentially even rendering Limit Break unnecessary. At the same time, Mei also realized that solving the Depth Equation was becoming increasingly time-consuming. She murmured, "It seems I need to seek assistance from other civilizations." Fearing that interfering directly might attract the attention of some cosmic entity or advanced civilization, Mei had no intention of acting alone. This task required the intervention of this planet''s humans, a plan she''d formulated long ago. One of the purposes of the scientific research organization she''d established years earlier was precisely this. Signals designed to attract extraterrestrial civilizations had also been sent into space years ago, though even the staff of the organization didn''t believe their signals would be received. They didn''t even know who their boss was. ... "Another boring day." Hidden deep within the mountains stood a large signal transmitter and receiver. A man and a woman sat before the control panel, listlessly monitoring the signals. The once-young man was now showing signs of balding. He sighed wearily, "Staying here every day, a person''s bound to get moldy." The woman beside him seemed unconcerned. "In this situation, finding such a relaxed job is something to be grateful for. At least here, you don''t have to worry about not having enough to eat." "That''s true." "Do you think what we''re doing is meaningful?" "Meaningful?" The man had no real sense of the vast cosmic expanse. "I don''t think civilizations besides humanity exist in the universe. Perhaps it''s just our one-sided wishful thinking¡­" Bang! As the man continued his rambling complaints, the woman, listening to his grumbling, suddenly stood up, staring at the control panel, the chair falling to the ground with a resounding thud. "What is it?" The man asked, his pupils contracting, his scalp tingling. Tzzz¡ª A distant signal from the cosmos responded, traversing over five light-years, and after being processed by the receiver, appeared on the screen. ¡¾Greetings, humanity.¡¿ ... Mei secretly possessed a research team with technology far surpassing its time. Simply by revealing the principles and structure to Mei, she could instantly create any machine. The energy she controlled could be transformed into any substance. She could even construct neutron stars and black holes, let alone ordinary machinery. Based on this, The research team''s research on the negative energy affliction progressed incredibly rapidly. They easily found a way to permanently eradicate the negative energy corrosion. Each cured patient was equivalent to patching a hole in the Negative-Energy field''s corrosion of the real world. Mei didn''t believe Gaia''s consciousness would remain indifferent. Negative energy affliction patients were easily found; their global numbers were vast. It was always a debilitating disease, and no one wanted to remain afflicted. While those who became Negative-Energy Wielders were a minority, the vast majority were ordinary people. Faced with the opportunity for a complete cure, ordinary people rejoiced. Years ago, A research facility in a neutral country announced that they had developed a cure for the negative energy affliction. Subsequently, a continuous stream of patients arrived for treatment. Mei, hidden behind the scenes, carefully observed everything. All her plans were proceeding flawlessly. ... The dimly lit building was deserted. An Alliance spy stealthily slipped inside, beginning a search for any clues. Creak! Charles barged in, directly pushing open a door. The spy, searching for leads, bumped into Charles, and visibly relaxed upon recognizing him. Interestingly, Charles was a double agent, simultaneously holding spy identities for both the Kingdom and the Alliance. He was welcome wherever he went. Kuang Shan and his team had been tracking Mei for years, not relying solely on Civet for intelligence gathering; other Void Wanderers also displayed their abilities. The spy shook his head at Charles. "We''re too late." "Sigh." Charles sighed, "Another wasted effort." At that moment, A message arrived via comms. Kuang Shan: "Civet has a lead. Also, a breakthrough in the experiments. Return immediately to participate in the Negative-Energy Wielder experiments. We need to boost our combat power." "Received!" Good news! Charles''s mood immediately brightened. The patients wanted to be rid of the disease, while the Void Wanderers were devising ways to contract it, hoping to become Negative-Energy Wielders through experimentation. As Negative-Energy Wielders grew stronger, they, the Void Wanderers, seemed insignificant. But becoming a Negative-Energy Wielder would easily solve their combat power issues. He still couldn''t forget the overwhelming pressure Akaman had exerted on them in Hong City, along with Lia. Those two alone had made their group of Void Wanderers hesitant to act rashly. ... The Diamond Legion assembled, and within a month, Kuang Shan, Charles, Starry, and the others underwent the Negative-Energy Wielder experiments. They successfully became Negative-Energy Wielders. Using their intelligence, they easily reached the 40% penetration of the Depth Equation, achieving the top tier of Negative-Energy Wielder combat strength. Combined with their original abilities and power, Kuang Shan and his team immediately surpassed other Negative-Energy Wielders. "This is the power of a 40% Depth Equation Negative-Energy Wielder?" Charles felt the power coursing through his body; only the word "overwhelming" could describe it. He originally possessed extremely powerful regenerative abilities, and after the infusion of Super Active Cells, they naturally became even stronger. Now, solely in terms of regenerative abilities, he was undeniably number one in the Diamond Legion, reaching the initial template level of the Super Active Cells. Even if reduced to a single piece of flesh, Charles could regenerate completely. "Epic-level enhancement!" Charles was ecstatic. "Everyone," If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. In the secret base, Civet spoke, "I have good news. After becoming a Negative-Energy Wielder, my abilities have advanced. I can now arrange a meeting between everyone and the mastermind, but only within a simulated, fictional space. I can''t create contact in reality." "That''s enough," Kuang Shan nodded, then asked, "What''s the bad news?" Civet spread his arms. "The bad news is that I need a massive amount of negative energy to perform this. The negative energy we Negative-Energy Wielders can collect is far from sufficient." Starry asked, "How many more people do we need?" "It''s not a matter of numbers. I need a massive negative energy storage battery. From what I understand, the Alliance is attempting to utilize this technology in the war." "Simple," Charles confidently stated, "I have connections within the Alliance. Besides, aren''t they also looking for the mastermind? Including them in this is perfectly acceptable." "Agreed." ... A fortnight later. In a secret Alliance facility, before a massive negative energy storage device, Kelvin and his clandestine unit stood before Civet. "Begin." The entire Diamond Legion was present. Civet nodded, and began drawing upon the immense energy within the device. With the mystic''s power, the team''s consciousness was instantly drawn into a fictional space created within the void. Simultaneously, A sliver of Mei''s consciousness was also pulled into Civet''s fictional space. Given their capabilities, Mei didn''t mind meeting them. Hum¡ª Invisible forces surged through the void, creating a dimly lit, fictional space. The Diamond Legion and Kelvin''s team arrived, their appearances unchanged; the environment seemed indistinguishable from reality. Their curiosity focused on one thing: the identity of the mastermind. The anticipation of finally confronting the puppet master filled them with nervous tension. Footsteps echoed. Everyone''s expressions hardened. A subtle pressure accompanied the approaching footsteps, chilling them to the bone. This wasn''t a psychological effect; it was a tangible energy pressure. Civet, Kuang Shan, and Charles, all possessing strong Danger Sense abilities, felt a shiver run down their spines, like bristling cats. General Kelvin, a normal human, felt the pressure more slowly, but he likewise tensed, staring into the hazy space ahead. Then, his pupils constricted. A figure entered his sight. Mei smiled. "At last, we meet." "Ms. Mei!!!" Kelvin was incredulous. The Alliance, including himself, believed Mei was under duress, but she was the true mastermind! Thump! Thump! Civet''s reaction was even stronger. Upon seeing Mei, he clutched his chest and fell to his knees, his expression filled with terror: "Everyone, I might be wrong¡­ we may have offended someone beyond our capacity to handle!" Crack! Powerful energy surged through the fictional space, causing cracks to appear in the void-constructed environment; it was beginning to collapse. Big trouble! Civet, while able to glean information from the void, received it piecemeal. He knew of terrifying entities in this world, but never suspected that the mastermind was the being behind it all¡ªthe probability was too low. It wasn''t until that familiar, stinging sensation returned that he understood they''d attracted the attention of an absolutely untouchable entity. "Ms. Mei, why are you here?" Ignoring the Diamond Legion''s fear, General Kelvin''s face darkened as he questioned Mei: "The one who sabotaged the ceasefire agreement...it was you, wasn''t it? Why?" "General Kelvin, long time no see." Mei nodded to Kelvin, but didn''t answer his question. Instead, she turned to Kuang Shan, Charles, and the others, praising them: "You''ve truly shown your abilities." Then, her gaze fell on Civet; the ability was truly well-utilized. Suppressing his primal fear, Kuang Shan closed his eyes and said, "Ms. Mei, we mean no harm. We only hope to obtain some information from you¡­" "I know." If they had malicious intent, Mei would have already dealt with them. Mei pondered, "I have some matters to attend to. So, I''ll give you a chance. Defeat me here, and I''ll give you the information you desire." "You''re joking¡­" Charles offered a strained smile, wiping the sweat from his brow. He thought to himself that this fictional space was far too realistic, almost indistinguishable from the real world! If his sense of danger could be converted into an electronic signal, it would be blaring incessantly like an alarm. Mei''s oppressive aura was truly overpowering. Mei held up a finger. "I''m only using one-millionth of my power. How about that?" With that said, Mei retracted the released energy. The oppressive feeling in the fictional space vanished instantly. Starry was the first to draw his longsword. "Are you sure?" "Sure!" In an instant, Blades flashed with azure electric arcs. Starry struck with lightning speed. Kuang Shan and the others knew they only had one chance and attacked immediately. However, Their opponent was Mei. Even at one-millionth of her power, it was energy on the scale of thousands of stars¡ªfar beyond what Kuang Shan and his team could withstand. Not a single one of them could even reach supernova levels. Time in the fictional space froze, then exploded in blinding light, followed by the violent destruction of the space itself. Boom! ... "Haah¡­ haah¡­" The moment their consciousness returned to their bodies, Charles, Starry, and the others lay on the ground, gasping for breath like drowning people. Kuang Shan was terrified, drenched in sweat. "I thought I was going to die!" Charles collapsed onto the ground, recalling their encounter. They had been annihilated in an instant¡ªa battle on a completely different level. One-millionth of her power! He asked, "We didn''t get any information from her. What do we do now?" "¡­" Civet remained silent. Kuang Shan didn''t know how to answer. After all these years, they had repeatedly danced with death, daring to challenge such a powerful being. The fact that they were still alive was simply good luck. Kelvin''s face was pale, and he fell into a long silence. The members of the clandestine Negative-Energy Wielder unit were slowly recovering from the shadow of death. The fact that Ms. Mei was the mastermind was barely acceptable, but what Kelvin couldn''t comprehend was her overwhelming power! If she was that strong, why hide? She could conquer the entire world. Hiding in the shadows seemed pointless. "This world is far more complex than I imagined¡­" Kelvin remained puzzled. ... Simultaneously, In a neutral country. Boom! A deafening explosion rocked the sky, a massive energy surge sweeping across the land. In an instant, the negative energy affliction research facility was razed to the ground. A young man with a hedgehog hairstyle stood amidst the ruins, his body radiating incredibly powerful negative energy, far exceeding that of previous Negative-Energy Wielders. This was a Negative-Energy Wielder who had surpassed the 40% Depth Equation, but more than that¡ªhis power far outstripped those of other Depth Equation users. Undoubtedly, this was a negative energy lifeform. "Finally, a reaction!" Mei appeared in the ruins, assessing the extraordinary negative energy lifeform before her. Years of planning and waiting had finally borne fruit. This confirmed that Gaia''s consciousness was intervening, hindering Mei''s efforts to save the world, and the alteration of power dynamics was also Gaia''s handiwork. Sure enough, ¡¾Main Mission?Phase 4?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 4000¡¿ ¡¾Main Mission?Phase 5: Witness the destruction of this world¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 5000 points¡¿ The hedgehog-haired youth, upon seeing Mei''s arrival, displayed extreme displeasure: "Human, do you know how much effort it took me to spread the dark spots?" Ordinary negative energy lifeforms didn''t have the ability to spread the negative energy affliction. This one was clearly different. Mei was curious about his identity: "Care to introduce yourself?" "No need." The hedgehog-haired youth wasn''t interested in speaking to Mei further, and it didn''t matter to Mei; she could guess seven or eight tenths of the truth from his last statement. He was likely the leader of the negative energy dissemination from the Negative-Energy field into the real world, or perhaps just one of them¡ªit didn''t matter. Mei''s establishment of the facility to cure patients had angered them, and now they sought to trouble her. If the power of an ordinary negative energy lifeform was 1, this hedgehog-haired one was at least a 10. Based on this, he could exert ten times or more the destructive force of a Depth Equation Negative-Energy Wielder, but that was insignificant to Mei. Boom! A resounding roar filled the air. The hedgehog-haired youth, surging with violent negative energy, lunged at Mei. His full-powered attack was instantly halted mid-air. Time slowed to a standstill, freezing everything within the space, including the hedgehog youth''s thoughts. Mei willed it. A mass of negative energy was extracted from the hedgehog''s body, similar to the Illusion incident. The negative entity''s essence was drawn out. There was no resistance whatsoever. Then, Mei disposed of the extracted negative energy lifeform, allowing the energy to transfee to another negative energy lifeform. After years of preparation, the fourth phase of the Main Mission was finally complete. Mei''s gaze fell upon the fifth phase''s objective, causing her to fall into deep thought. "Witness the world''s destruction? Should I be the one to destroy it?" This was a question worthy of profound consideration. Now that the fourth phase of the Main Mission was complete, Mei no longer needed to provoke Gaia''s consciousness, lest she incur its wrath. Naturally, she wouldn''t rebuild the research facility to continue treating the negative energy affliction. Moreover, all three world missions had aligned with Gaia''s consciousness, leading Mei to suspect that future interactions with Gaia''s consciousness were likely. While Gaia''s consciousness was an abstract concept, a synthesis of living and non-living entities within the vast natural world, unconscious and lacking intelligence, merely maintaining the balance of the natural ecosystem, The existence of the ¡¾Chapter of Gaia¡¿ item led Mei to suspect that in some worlds, Gaia''s consciousness was actually conscious and intelligent. Just as Star Spirits were manifestations of cosmic energy, in countless higher dimensions and universes, such miracles could certainly occur. Mei knew that with increasing Grades, she would eventually encounter such higher-level entities. ... Elsewhere, In the United States, Illusion, stealthily planning to absorb the power of a fellow negative energy lifeform, sensed a surge of power flowing into his body, causing him immense surprise. "What''s happening?" Since discovering the power transfer phenomenon among negative energy lifeforms, he had done whatever it took to become stronger, secretly eliminating numerous negative energy lifeforms. As he expected, the power of those eliminated entities flowed into him, granting him over ten times the power of the same Depth Equation Negative-Energy Wielder. Adding to his recent windfall, he now possessed twenty-odd times his original power, but it wasn''t enough. If he wanted revenge, it was far from sufficient. Mei was the biggest shadow in Illusion''s heart. His increased power fueled his burgeoning ambition. After discovering his chance for reversal, his former fear had transformed into hatred. One day, he would make her experience true despair. He would return the fear he had once felt tenfold, a hundredfold! Hatred flickered in his eyes as Illusion smiled, approaching a newly arrived negative energy lifeform: "Brother, welcome to the real world!" ... Year 820 A.D. War continued to rage across the world. After heavy machine guns, a revolutionary weapon appeared on the battlefield: airplanes. The roar of propellers tore through the air. Aircraft, providing reconnaissance and transport, could also drop bombs for long-range bombing. The battle lines extended even further. Lush River. Alliance and Kingdom forces engaged in non-stop firefights. When a shadow fell from above, the soldiers assumed it was an aircraft passing overhead. However, When they looked up, They saw a colossal, fiery monster slowly breaking through the atmosphere, a creature like the mythical Leviathan, looming vaguely within the clouds. The barrage of fire ceased. The soldiers stared, mouths agape. "What¡­ what is that?" "A non-atmospheric warship?" Mei gazed at the descending spacecraft. Lacking atmospheric defenses, the vessel had boldly broken through the atmosphere without hesitation. "Finally, they''ve arrived." This was a day that would be etched in history. On this day, a Centauri warship, traveling at near light speed for years, finally descended upon the planet. Aboard the ship, the Centauri Alpha warship''s captain looked down at humanity, still in the electrical age, and sighed, "A truly backward civilization." He actually couldn''t understand why such a backward civilization would dare proclaim its existence in the universe¡ªperhaps to prove its existence? If so, then this civilization must be ignorant and arrogant to an extreme degree. Because of ignorance, they were fearless. Because of arrogance, they were doomed. An electrical age civilization versus a spacefaring civilization¡ªthis was a war with no chance of victory. The Centauri, using a single warship, conquered the planet. While individual Centauri weren''t comparable to Negative-Energy Wielders, humanity was utterly helpless before the Centauri warship. In terms of civilization level, humanity held little value to the Centauri, but the Centauri were very interested in Negative-Energy Wielder enhancement technology. Powerful individuals could, to some extent, compensate for the Centauri''s weaknesses, and they coveted the limitless energy of the Negative-Energy field. With almost no effort, the Centauri obtained humanity''s complete technology regarding Negative-Energy Wielders and the Negative-Energy field, then transmitted it back to their home planet via quantum entanglement communication. Their journey from Centauri space to this planet had taken years, but quantum entanglement communication required no time at all¡ªit was instantaneous information transfer technology that ignored distance. The Centauri were an expansionist civilization eager for conquest and colonization, possessing a vast colonial empire. Within several light-years, Centauri planets dotted the space, creating a massive interstellar civilization through quantum entanglement communication. Based on the Centauri''s advanced mathematics and quantum computing capabilities, their progress in solving the Depth Equation far surpassed humanity''s. In just a few days, they''d solved 50% of the Depth Equation. In under two weeks, they reached 60%. Mei''s interface displayed successive notifications: ¡¾Upgrade Task 5?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV6?¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Upgrade Task 6?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV7?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV7¡¿ ¡¾Description: Concentrates all power for an instant, devastating attack with 500 times normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª A full-power attack with 500 times the power! Meanwhile, Over those five years, the influx of negative energy lifeforms into the real world had increased explosively, not by the hundreds, But by the thousands! Then, six months ago, it abruptly ceased, as if the Negative-Energy field had been drained dry. No more negative energy lifeforms appeared in the real world. The massive influx of negative energy lifeforms had undoubtedly caused widespread chaos, but it also greatly benefited Illusion. He had eliminated hundreds of his counterparts, now possessing power several hundred times that of a Depth Equation Negative-Energy Wielder. He was barely restraining his urge to take revenge on Mei. Until that day. Illusion amassed the power of 1000 negative energy lifeforms, surpassing some threshold. This power could no longer be contained. Boom! Turbulent energy erupted, engulfing everything in terrifying negative energy. A super-negative energy lifeform was born, instantly collapsing the surrounding space. The Negative-Energy field, through Illusion, was completely connected to the real world; an unimaginable torrent of negative energy flooded the world. The apocalypse had arrived! ... Boom! A torrential downpour of negative energy erupted from the Negative-Energy field, engulfing all matter in its path. The sky and earth were consumed by apocalyptic devastation. Turbulent energy raged through the clouds, thunder and lightning roared, and thick, dark smoke filled the air. Everything on the planet was slowly disappearing. This was somewhat unexpected for Mei. She watched the apocalyptic scene unfold, saying, "Illusion''s actions are understandable, but the apocalypse arrived a little too quickly." She had thought the apocalypse would only arrive after Illusion gathered the power of all the negative energy lifeforms, but apparently, 1000 were enough. "Ha ha." Akaman chuckled, "Quite spectacular, isn''t it?" Hum¡ª A surge of negative energy swept across the land, shattering the earth and obliterating everything in an instant. A figure materialized amidst the torrential negative energy. Illusion''s face contorted into a vicious grin upon seeing Mei. "You still remember me!" The youth was completely unaware that Mei had been observing him. Now, believing he possessed sufficient power, he eagerly sought his revenge. Mei found this rather amusing. "So, here for revenge?" "Of course!" Recalling past humiliations, Illusion''s anger flared, roaring, "I''ll return the fear and humiliation you inflicted upon me a hundredfold!" Bang! A cold blade flashed. Lia raised her sword, about to attack, but Mei stopped her with a gesture. Illusion didn''t hesitate; after proclaiming his presence, he immediately attacked. A massive vortex instantly spun the surrounding negative energy, transforming it into a colossal beam of energy that slammed into Mei. With the entire planet saturated with negative energy, he wanted to see how Mei would fight. He envisioned a spectacular energy clash. The negative energy beam dissipated instantly. Mei and her companions stood uninjured; with a thought, Mei sent Illusion flying. His body careened into the surging negative energy tide, creating massive waves. Illusion couldn''t comprehend Mei''s power; the disparity was beyond his imagination. Actually, compared to energy attacks, direct physical attacks were a greater threat to Mei, but Illusion was far from reaching that level. "This is the power you''re so confident in?" Mei materialized within the negative energy tide, unaffected by its corrosive properties. She grasped Illusion by the neck, lifting him into the air, somewhat disappointed: "I thought you''d provide a little more excitement." "Let me go!!" Illusion struggled, but to no avail. His supposedly powerful strength was like a firefly before the moon, utterly insignificant compared to Mei''s. His revenge was nothing more than a joke. This time, however, Illusion didn''t plead for mercy like before. Realizing his helplessness, he clutched Mei''s arm tightly. The violent negative energy flooded Illusion''s body at an incredible speed, causing terrifying fluctuations. Illusion grinned savagely: "If I can''t win, then we''ll die together!" "Brave." Mei commended Illusion''s courage, then decisively obliterated him, reducing him to a mist of blood. The moment Illusion died, the negative energy within him erupted in a terrifying explosion. Boom! The explosive force instantly obliterated the surrounding landmass. The planet appeared as if a massive beast had taken a bite out of it. Aboard the Centauri Alpha warship, the captain and his crew witnessed the apocalyptic scene, utterly shocked: "What''s happening on that planet?" Quickly, the explosive aftershocks, carrying a torrential surge of negative energy, engulfed and completely consumed the Centauri Alpha warship. Ordinary humans were instantly obliterated upon contact with the negative energy. Only Negative-Energy Wielders could survive, or rather, thrive in it. Kuang Shan, Charles, and Starry stood in the collapsing world, watching everything around them rapidly vanish under the negative energy''s onslaught, feeling a profound shock. Charles''s jaw dropped. "This¡­ this is the apocalypse?" "A pity," Kuang Shan sighed, "The Main Mission isn''t over yet." This planet was destined for destruction. Under the vast cosmic Gaia''s consciousness, this was an inescapable fate. But witnessing its destruction meant the Main Mission''s completion, and Mei''s return to the void. However, She still had several uncompleted Upgrade Tasks. After a moment''s thought, Mei decided to intervene. This planet couldn''t be destroyed yet. She knew this would provoke Gaia''s consciousness, potentially bringing down a greater, more powerful entity to destroy the planet, but it was worth a try. At worst, if things went wrong, Mei would destroy the planet herself. Hum¡ª In an instant, The entire planet froze at the speed of light. The apocalypse was paused. At that moment, Mei felt a faint sense of danger. As expected, Gaia''s consciousness reacted immediately. The sense of danger wasn''t intense; Mei believed she could handle it. ... Two months later, the Centauri solved 70% of the Depth Equation. ¡¾Upgrade Task 7?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV8?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV8¡¿ ¡¾Description: Concentrates all power for an instant, devastating attack with 1000 times normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Simultaneously, A dazzling streak of light approached Mei''s star system from the depths of space. It resembled a meteor, but incredibly powerful energy surged around it. Thump! Thump! The energy within pulsed like a heartbeat. ... Six months later, The Depth Equation reached 80% completion. ¡¾Upgrade Task 8?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV9?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV9¡¿ ¡¾Description: Concentrates all power for an instant, devastating attack with 2000 times normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª The faster-than-light meteor quickly entered Mei''s star system, heading straight for her. The moment it entered her sensory range, Mei''s Danger Sense reacted. "It''s here!" At that moment, She flickered, teleporting over 5000 light-years to the meteor''s path. Immense star energy instantly formed an insurmountable barrier, forcibly slowing the meteor to sub-light speed. Without hesitation, Mei unleashed a devastating Super Burst attack at the speed of light, causing a blinding flash across the cosmos. Then, The residual force of the star energy dispersed, transforming into vast swathes of photons that cleansed the interstellar space. Chapter 15: Secret Having entered the final stage, Mei wouldn''t hold back. She didn''t just target the Centauri; she spread the Depth Equation to numerous civilizations. This naturally accelerated the solution rate. To prevent these civilizations from being affected, she proactively engaged, keeping the battlefields as far away from these civilizations as possible. 5000 light-years from the Centauri, in the void of space, a blinding light erupted. Mei''s unparalleled attack instantly vaporized the entire meteor and the cosmic lifeform within. However, Things didn''t end so simply. Hum¡ª As if time reversed, cosmic energy recoiled, instantly reforming into a meteor-shaped lifeform. The lifeform unfurled its coiled body, revealing the monstrous form of a colossal beast. "Roar!" A furious roar reverberated through space, and the Voice of All Things transmitted the roar''s information to Mei''s mind. "Life! Destruction!" Mei''s expression hardened. This cosmic beast was proving difficult. Its malice towards life and its pure destructive instinct were incredibly powerful. This was a nearly mindless beast of battle and destruction. Most critically, this beast possessed energy comparable to Mei''s! The beast''s malevolent gaze locked onto Mei. Instinctively, it launched a light-speed attack. Mei froze time, but it had no effect on the beast. Clearly, This beast could manipulate star energy, or at the very least, light energy. Otherwise, it couldn''t have resisted the time-freezing attack. The beast''s devastating blow struck Mei, sending her reeling, but failing to break her defenses. Mei''s body was composed of unknown matter from the Planck membrane, making its defenses virtually limitless. In close combat, Mei held a significant advantage. A star was pierced, its scattered matter instantly incinerating a nearby planet into a crimson sea of magma. The immense star energy dispersed the force of the blow. Mei stopped, then punched the beast, pulverizing half its body into a bloody mist. Blue flesh scattered through space. The remaining half of the beast, still alive, opened its mouth, unleashing an energy blast that engulfed Mei. Brilliant light erupted. The energy blast struck Mei''s body, dissipating like dazzling smoke, inflicting no damage. A neutron star was struck by the scattered energy, exploding into countless fragments that shot into the depths of space. Mei, unyielding, withstood the energy blast, wrenching the beast''s head from its body, tearing it in two. Compared to the beast, Mei fought with even greater ferocity. The beast''s remains floated in the void. Mei stared at the corpse and severed head, wary. "Dead?" Thump! Thump! Suddenly, Cosmic energy surged, accompanied by a heartbeat-like tremor. The beast''s remains exploded into a ball of energy that recoiled, repeating the previous scene. It was regenerating. Mei frowned; this was relentless. She rapidly gathered immense star energy, swiftly creating a black hole. The regenerating energy was flung into the black hole''s core. The powerful gravitational pull instantly tore the energy apart, reducing it to its fundamental constituents. The immense gravitational pull crushed the atoms into neutrons, then the neutrons into even more fundamental quarks, and so on. However, What happened next was somewhat unexpected. The beast, even after being reduced to its most fundamental information state, regenerated, emerging from the black hole with even greater ferocity. "ROAR!!" The violent energy tore the black hole apart, distorting spacetime. Infinite malice, fueled by a destructive instinct, once again targeted Mei. The beast attacked again. Mei had no choice but to engage once more. Limitless power clashed with a limitless body. Worse, Mei discovered that the beast had evolved; its physical strength was even greater than before. Even so, Mei''s Planck Membrane Lifeform body was still superior. Despite the evolution, Mei continued to pummel the beast. At maximum speed, Mei and the beast tore across the surface of a supergiant star; the shockwave alone shattered half the star. On a certain life-bearing planet, Intelligent life in its primitive stage looked up as their sun dimmed, then turned to cosmic dust along with their planet. Boom! Mei slammed the beast''s head into a planet, shattering it, scattering debris into space. "Roar!!" Intense pain stimulated the beast''s nerves. Mei tore off one of its arms; the two only stopped when they collided with the surface of a star. On the burning stellar surface, Mei casually tossed the arm aside, saying, "I want to see how far you can evolve." Not far away, A spacecraft was anchored nearby. The massive energy reaction immediately caught the crew''s attention. They locked their sensors onto the nearest star''s surface. The crew shuddered. "Captain! There''s a lifeform energy signature on the stellar surface!" "The energy reaction is incredibly powerful!" Before the ship could react, Mei and the beast vanished. Their light-speed battle, with its terrifying power, obliterated the entire star. The blinding fireball served as a dramatic eulogy, terrifying the ship''s crew, who fled in panic. This was arguably Mei''s most intense battle yet. A continuous stream of star energy poured into her body, transforming into immense power as she clashed with the beast. Both combatants possessed seemingly inexhaustible strength, capable of fighting until the universe''s destruction. Countless celestial bodies were shattered along the way. Mei, relying on her powerful body, repeatedly killed the beast, which repeatedly resurrected, its body constantly evolving, nearing the strength of Mei''s, until it finally surpassed it. The beast resurrected once more. Its terrifying physical strength now exceeded Mei''s Planck Membrane Lifeform. Under normal circumstances, Mei could no longer breach its defenses. However, These were normal circumstances. "ROAR!!" A malevolent aura swept across the cosmos. Responding to the beast''s roar was an even more powerful surge of energy; an infinite light erupted from Mei''s body. Terrifying power suddenly exploded. Limit Break! ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Limit Break¡¿ ¡¾Level: None¡¿ ¡¾Description: For one minute, consumes the power of the next 30 days to briefly surpass limitations, jumping to a higher Grade. Unfortunately, the maximum achievable is only Tier 6; otherwise, it would be far more valuable.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Terrifying power, enough to shake the entire star system, surged forth. An ocean of star energy churned relentlessly; blinding light exploded across the cosmos. At this moment, Mei''s power had jumped to Tier 5, easily capable of obliterating this 100,000 light-year diameter star system. Immense energy washed over the beast, whose physical strength now surpassed even that of a Planck Membrane Lifeform. It was instantly annihilated. Amidst the blinding, churning light, the beast''s energy recoiled and converged, resurrecting only to be instantly destroyed again by this power. This cycle repeated dozens of times until the minute-long Limit Break ended. Mei''s power returned to Tier 4. The surging ocean of star energy subsided; the dazzling light gradually faded. Having died dozens of times under the crushing power of Tier 5, the beast rapidly evolved with each resurrection, now exhibiting the faint power of Tier 5. The beast''s resurrection, its energy radiating tremors that shook the cosmos, gave off an unparalleled sense of oppression, even at near Tier 5 strength. Of course, Mei had her reasons. She continuously pushed the beast''s evolution to maximize its value. Eliminating it wasn''t difficult. The simplest method was to banish it to the Planck membrane, but that was wasteful; such powerful lifeforms were rare. "Shiro." "Ooh!" Shiro, having waited patiently, appeared beside Mei. At Mei''s command, it opened its mouth and swallowed the regenerating beast. Instantly, Shiro digested the beast, absorbing its incredibly powerful energy, which flooded into Mei''s body. ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Beast?LV18?¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV18?¡¿ The jump from LV16 to LV18 was a massive enhancement. Mei''s sensory range expanded from 5000 light-years to 20000 light-years. Most importantly, she could now transmit her will across the stars with a single thought; her will was the will of the stars. With a thought, Mei''s will could guide the development of civilizations¡ªtheir history, culture, and very existence. Of course, The stars themselves lacked intelligence and true consciousness. The "will" here was an abstract concept, similar to Gaia''s consciousness. Mei''s will would naturally influence the development and operation of civilizations and the cosmos like a natural law. Within a 20,000 light-year radius, she was the true god. The rewards didn''t end there. A beam of light appeared before Mei. ¡¾Ability Acquired: Death Evolution¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Death Evolution¡¿ ¡¾Level: None¡¿ ¡¾Description: Each death significantly enhances a random aspect of your abilities. Note: Requires the ability to resurrect.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Another ability with no level. Without hesitation, Mei acquired the ability. ¡¾Ability Acquired: Death Evolution¡¿ It was unfortunate that she hadn''t obtained the beast''s unlimited regeneration ability. Currently, only the Star Spirit''s resurrection technique was suitable. Without a perfectly reliable resurrection ability, Mei wouldn''t recklessly seek death. Death Evolution was tempting, but also dangerous. One could easily die for real. Like the beast. It was like a game where each independent mechanism was invincible, but mechanisms always had counters. Mei tried it, and it worked. It was truly a powerful cheat. She had only recently realized Shiro''s strength. Shiro couldn''t defeat the beast; but that little pet''s devouring ability was almost unparalleled. If Shiro couldn''t devour it, Mei would have had to waste the opportunity, banishing the beast to the Planck membrane. "Just a bit short of Tier 5." Mei felt her power, utterly satisfied. It seemed that another beast of that caliber would push her into Tier 5. The battle had been protracted, especially before she used Limit Break. The beast''s physical strength had steadily increased with each resurrection, making the fight incredibly intense. Mei checked on the various civilizations. Pleasingly, the Depth Equation''s solution had been completed, reaching 100% completion. ¡¾Upgrade Task 9?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?LV10?¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Upgrade Task 10?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Super Burst?Upgrade¡¿ If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡¾Super Burst?LV11?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV11¡¿ ¡¾Description: Concentrates all power for an instant, devastating attack with 10000 times normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª This was the first time Mei completed all 10 Upgrade Tasks. The LV11 Super Burst finally reached the extravagant value of 10,000 times normal power. Upon returning to the planet where the Main Mission was located, an even stronger sense of danger descended, far more intense than the feeling she had when the beast neared Tier 5. This time, Gaia''s consciousness had likely summoned a true Tier 5 opponent, so there was still plenty of time left. Hum¡ª The planet resumed its normal state; time resumed its flow. A continuous stream of parasitic energy poured from the Negative-Energy field, engulfing the entire planet. Having witnessed the near-total annihilation of humanity and the subsequent collapse of the planet, the fifth phase of the Main Mission was finally completed. ¡¾Main Mission?Phase Five?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 5000¡¿ ¡¾Main Mission?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Assign New Mission?¡¿ ¡¾Yes¡¿ ¡¾Main Mission Assignment Successful¡¿ ¡¾Settlement Complete¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Points: 21600¡¿ Tzzz¡ª Mei vanished, returning to Hyperdimensional Space. Simultaneously, the surviving members of the Diamond Legion, also present during the planetary apocalypse, returned to the space. Fortunately, having become Negative-Energy Wielders, they survived. Charles and Starry hadn''t earned many points in this world, but becoming Negative-Energy Wielders was a significant gain. The warm sunlight felt comforting. Birds sang and flowers bloomed on the revitalized earth. Lia looked up at the two moons in the sky. She smiled. "See you again, sister." As a bonus, Mei gave Lia and Akaman the completed 100% solution to the Depth Equation, sending Lia to a peaceful planet. As for Akaman, the war maniac, Mei sent him to a planet constantly embroiled in conflict, as per his request. ... ¡¾Name: Mei¡¿ ¡¾Grade: Tier 1¡¿ ¡¾Points: 21600¡¿ ¡¾Abilities: Star Spirit?LV18, Planck Membrane Lifeform, Limit Break, Super Burst?LV11, Death Evolution¡¿ ¡¾Items: Personal Spatial Storage?Galaxy, Chapter of Gaia, Tyrant''s Heart¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Star Spirit¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV18¡¿ ¡¾Description: Child of the cosmos, master of stars. Innate ability to control star energy; a physical manifestation of cosmic energy.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Cost: 900,000 points/level¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV11¡¿ ¡¾Description: Concentrates all power for an instant, devastating attack with 10,000 times normal power.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Cost: 1,000,000 points/level¡¿ ¡ª¡ª After returning to the space, Mei immediately visited the enhancement chamber. Three of her abilities were un-upgradable and un-enhancable. While she wanted to enhance her Star Spirit and Super Burst abilities, she lacked the resources. She had no choice but to save up points. Points weren''t like currency in the space; they were untradeable and extremely precious. Since her remaining balance was low, she would accumulate more points to enhance her crucial abilities. This time, Mei didn''t acquire any equipment or items in the mission world. Not every mission world offered such bountiful rewards; it was perfectly normal. One shouldn''t be too greedy; she was quite satisfied. "Speaking of which, the next mission should be an advancement mission." Mei recalled clearly. The first mission was the zombie world, the second was the Star Beast world, and the third was the Negative energy world. After three tethered missions, an advancement mission followed. She''d heard from other Void Wanderers that advancement missions had a much higher mortality rate than tethered missions, so Hyperdimensional Space''s requirements were lower. There was no situation where mission failure resulted in death; Hyperdimensional Space didn''t even penalize mission failure. As long as one survived, failing an advancement mission was fine; it simply meant a failed advancement. After three more tethered missions, another advancement mission could be attempted. This continued until the Void Wanderer successfully advanced or died. The only consequence was that the more advancement missions failed, the fewer points earned in tethered missions, as if the space was subtly urging the Void Wanderers to advance. Mei felt that the space wasn''t particularly concerned about Void Wanderers remaining at low levels; those who remained at low levels for extended periods likely possessed extraordinary strength. The more world missions completed, the stronger one became. Therefore, these low-level Void Wanderers represented a formidable force. Compared to ordinary Void Wanderers, their success rate in completing Main Missions was much higher; Hyperdimensional Space probably wouldn''t mind them having many tethered missions. Little Star Treasures'' business seemed rather ordinary; at least, when Mei visited, there were few customers, and Lina were idle. Yet she managed to stay in business. Lina leaned against the door, watching a group of people excitedly playing the prize ticket machine, utterly relaxed. She''d been in a good mood recently. Though business had always been sluggish, she''d recently had a stroke of incredible luck, making her biggest sale since opening. A small windfall. Seeing Mei approach, Lina froze, then quickly plastered on a bright smile: "Boss¡­" Mei nodded at her and went straight to a prize ticket machine. Lina''s smile froze on her face as she joined the onlookers. Mei had almost two million credits in her account and thought she''d spend some time here for entertainment; this was one of her few recreational activities. "Woof!" Shiro found the game boring and jumped onto the prize ticket machine. Mei inserted her credit card into the machine and swiped. 10,000 credit payment successful. The prize ticket machine''s indicator began spinning rapidly, passing quickly over the numbers one through ten, about to stop. An older man approached. Mei turned, recognizing the man. The older man recognized Mei and exclaimed excitedly, "Hey! My friend! Let me tell you, I''ve been on a winning streak ever since you left last time!" Hearing this, Mei''s eyes narrowed slightly. Her expectations weren''t high; not getting a dud would be considered a success. Whoosh! The prize ticket machine vibrated, emitting steam. The indicator slowly landed on the number two, a green color that pleased Mei. The dispensing slot spat out a green Tier 2 prize ticket. The older man was surprised. "A great start!" Mei''s confidence surged; her luck seemed good today. She decisively went for ten consecutive draws. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Ten consecutive draws. The prize ticket machine unceremoniously dispensed ten Tier 1 prize tickets¡ªno luck; all white tickets. Mei remained undeterred, immediately proceeding with thirty consecutive draws. White ticket. White ticket. White ticket. "Whoa!" Lina, watching from the side, felt her scalp tingle: "Boss, don''t push your luck!" Mei remained calm and unfazed by the thirty consecutive Tier 1 prize tickets. It was just a few hundred thousand credits; nothing to worry about. Another ten consecutive draws. Mei''s expectations weren''t high; a single green ticket would suffice. At least, she didn''t want the green ticket rate to fall below 1/20. Otherwise, she would break her previous record. Perhaps it was a case of "after much hardship, comes ease." After dispensing nine Tier 1 prize tickets, a color clearly different from white entered her sight. The older man and Lina were instantly excited. "A hit!" It wasn''t green. A blue Tier 3 prize ticket emerged from the dispenser. The onlookers were even more excited than Mei; it was a rare occurrence! "Ooh?" Shiro was startled and turned over. The saying goes, "A single draw can bring a miracle." Mei felt a miracle might be about to happen. She went for a single draw; the indicator spun rapidly. Then there was no miracle. A white ticket. By now, Mei had spent 520,000 credits. She checked her remaining balance¡ªexactly two million credits¡ªand decisively swiped for ninety consecutive draws. The big one was coming. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! The onlookers immediately tensed. The indicator stopped repeatedly, dispensing white Tier 1 prize tickets, with the occasional green Tier 2 ticket. Then, a moment. The indicator slowly stopped on Tier 4. The older man froze, rubbing his eyes to confirm he wasn''t mistaken. He looked incredulous. "Tier 4!" "A jackpot!!!" "This is the first time I''ve seen a Tier 4 prize ticket!" The mysterious purple color drew everyone''s attention. A purple Tier 4 prize ticket emerged from the dispenser, even surprising Mei. The tide had turned! Mei had originally planned to keep one million credits in her account, thinking that a final ten-draw might yield something good, but ninety draws had already produced a big win. A Tier 4 prize ticket! Any Tier 1 to Tier 3 equipment item or pet could be upgraded directly to Tier 4 using this ticket¡ªthis was the ticket''s most powerful effect. Tier 4 equipment and items cost millions on the market; the more powerful and rare the item, the higher the price. Top-tier Tier 4 equipment could rival Tier 5 equipment, costing tens of millions. Theoretically, using this ticket on a powerful low-tier item would instantly yield a top-tier Tier 4 item! A value of tens of millions wasn''t guaranteed, but several million was certainly possible. This single Tier 4 prize ticket recouped all of Mei''s previous investments, and that didn''t even include the value of the other prize tickets. Tier 1 tickets were common, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 tickets appeared frequently, but this was the first time these gamblers had seen a Tier 4 ticket; they were incredibly excited. "Hey, will you sell that Tier 4 ticket?" "Get lost!" The older man quickly pushed away the person who had approached, saying to Mei, "My friend, you absolutely must keep this for yourself. Opportunities like this are rare!" Equipment and item upgrades were a common problem faced by many Void Wanderers. With increasing strength, outdated equipment needed to be replaced. However, high-tier prize tickets solved that problem. Powerful equipment and items were essential for survival; unless absolutely necessary, exchanging them for money was foolish. The older man''s advice was well-intentioned. Mei nodded at him. "No intention of selling." With that said, She looked at her credit balance, then swiped for one last ten-draw on the prize ticket machine, leaving exactly one million credits remaining¡ªa satisfying amount. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Whoosh! After the ninety-draw jackpot, Mei had little expectation for this final ten-draw, but surprises often come unexpectedly. "My friend, another hit!" The older man shouted. Mei saw that the final ten draws had produced one Tier 3 prize ticket, and the remaining nine were all Tier 1¡ªa perfect run of white tickets. Counting them, along with the previous tickets, Mei now had 148 Tier 1 tickets, 9 Tier 2 tickets, 3 Tier 3 tickets, and 1 Tier 4 ticket. Ten lower-tier tickets could be exchanged for a higher-tier ticket. Mei systematically fed the low-tier tickets into the prize ticket machine, exchanging them for higher-tier tickets. The onlookers drooled. This person was seriously wealthy! Most Void Wanderers in the void were impecunious. Equipment, items, abilities, pets¡ªeverything was a bottomless pit of expenditure. They simply couldn''t afford it. After the exchange, Mei had 8 Tier 1 prize tickets, 3 Tier 2 tickets, 5 Tier 3 tickets, and 1 Tier 4 ticket. Even without the Tier 4 ticket, the five Tier 3 tickets alone were incredibly valuable, largely due to her unusually good luck this time. Last time, Mei hadn''t drawn a single Tier 3 ticket; the only Tier 3 ticket was obtained through an exchange. After a short period of recreation, Mei stopped. She remained rational and self-controlled; the prize tickets would be useful later. She lacked equipment and items, but she could use them for Shiro. Shiro becoming stronger was essentially equivalent to Mei becoming stronger; the cost-effectiveness far surpassed equipment and items. ¡­ Then, Mei returned to the Earth universe. The frozen time resumed its flow. The Spacetime crystals in her Personal Spatial Storage were finally usable again. Mei stood in the void of space. A colony ship departed from Earth, heading towards the Mars colony base. Mei didn''t accelerate Earth''s time; humanity had been rebuilt, making it unnecessary. She opened the faith marker shop to check. ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 200,000¡¿ Her tokens were almost depleted. It was time to expand her holdings. Mei''s sensory range had expanded to a 20,000 light-year radius, but her range for sensing faith marker holders remained unchanged at a 5 light-year radius. That was reasonable. If a powerful being could sense all faith marker holders across the entire universe with a single thought, it wouldn''t be a battlefield, but a vegetable garden. Mei had already cleared all faith marker holders within a 100 light-year radius; further acquisition required venturing further. Next, Mei swept a 1000 light-year radius around Earth, collecting faith markers; tokens flowed in like a river. ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 5000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 7000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 40000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 100000¡¿ ¡­ Undeniably, The Milky Way galaxy had a considerable number of faith marker holders, but those possessing star-level power were far fewer; those with star-level power were Tier 4. However, The difference between Tier 4 individuals was significant. Mei was currently Tier 4, but she possessed more than just star power; her destructive power was measured in light-years. The stars were like toys to her. Half a month passed in an instant, and Mei accumulated a massive number of tokens. ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 11,420,000¡¿ These tokens were enough to purchase a Tier 5 information-type item, but Mei wasn''t stopping; she had another half-month, plenty of time. With a thought, all faith marker holders within range instantly died, reduced to fundamental particles, leaving no trace. ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 140,000¡¿ ¡­ Occasionally, she encountered one or two Tier 4 powerhouses, but even those possessing multi star-destroying power were no match for Mei. They ultimately became tokens. One day, ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 34,000,000¡¿ Mei''s sweep of faith marker holders extended beyond 2000 light-years. Beyond 20,000 light-years, a unique celestial debris field entered her sensory range. That region of space contained incredibly powerful star energy; its power felt familiar to Mei. Her expression hardened; this was the residue of Star Spirit power. Traces of a Star Spirit lifeform existed in this universe! Such powerful energy residue couldn''t be a normal phenomenon; intense battles must have taken place there. Her Danger Sense showed no reaction, and Mei instantly teleported. Harnessing the ocean of star energy, she instantly crossed 20,000 light-years, appearing on a massive debris field. Countless shattered planets and stars drifted through space, their gravitational forces intertwining to create a vast debris zone. Numerous cosmic travelers and ships crisscrossed the debris field, searching for treasures; the scene was incredibly lively. Mei landed on a planetary fragment and looked at a stone tablet beneath her feet, inscribed with unintelligible characters. The Voice of All Things couldn''t decipher the text''s meaning. Clearly, This was the remnant of a civilization. The region was saturated with the residue of violent energy; everything communicated information to Mei about what had transpired here. "Sea Dragon." "Voidborn." "Negative energy lifeforms." The residual energy revealed that an incredibly intense battle had occurred here, involving numerous cosmic races united against a common enemy. The Star Spirit! This wasn''t good news for Mei. In the Star Beast world, Mei''s Star Spirit identity had been targeted, prompting the universe''s hidden power to destroy the entire galaxy. Mei couldn''t understand whether this battle was a conflict between individual cosmic races and a Star Spirit or if the Star Spirit was opposed by this entire universe. And, Why was the Star Spirit opposed? Mei only hoped the truth wasn''t too terrible. Her rate of development was rapid; if powerful enemies existed, they wouldn''t give her much time to grow. Through the Voice of All Things, Mei understood that this wasn''t the main battlefield but a region affected by that ancient battle, scattered by the shockwaves, drifting through space for eons before being captured by the Milky Way. The battle itself hadn''t taken place in the Milky Way; it had occurred approximately five billion years ago. Extremely ancient. Mei murmured, "This universe is approximately ten billion years old." Within the debris field, A young woman floated in space. Purple veins periodically appeared on her face, and energy pathways resembling electrical circuits or roots pulsed behind her, extending into the void. Only one race in the Earth universe possessed this unique characteristic: the Voidborn. Their basic form was similar to humans, But their level of existence was far higher. The void was a concept. The Voidborn believed that everything, including the universe, originated from the void; void energy was the fundamental building block of existence. Voidborn were born with the innate ability to absorb energy from the void. Since everything was composed of void energy, including the universe itself, the Voidborn could draw limitless energy from anywhere. The Voidborn were the undisputed dominant force in the Earth universe; their individuals possessed unparalleled combat strength. "Hm?" Sensing something, the Voidborn girl turned towards a particular celestial fragment. Her gaze pierced the vast expanse of space, falling upon a certain lifeform. A smile appeared on the girl''s face. "A faith marker." Clearly, She was also a faith marker holder. Without hesitation, the void pathways behind the girl flickered and vanished, creating a violent energy beam that shot forth. Celestial fragments along its path were utterly destroyed. Boom! The violent energy blast struck the planetary fragment, causing intense tremors and massive clouds of dust, distorting the surrounding space. Mei looked up; a blinding purple light filled her vision, instantly reducing the planetary fragment beneath her feet to cosmic dust. The intense energy engulfed her. "Not dead?" The Voidborn girl gazed, unable to receive a notification from the faith marker shop. Just as she thought Mei had escaped, a figure emerged from the energy blast, cleaving the energy beam in two with a sharp, blade-like energy and instantly reaching her. An overwhelming sense of pressure approached, and the Voidborn girl''s expression changed dramatically. She was momentarily flustered, then slammed face-first into a planet by Mei. Boom! Instantly, The planet shattered. Not yet understanding the situation regarding Star Spirits in this universe, Mei refrained from using her Star Spirit powers to avoid revealing her identity. Her Planck Membrane Lifeform abilities were equally powerful. The Voidborn girl hadn''t expected Mei to be so strong; she was completely overwhelmed, having rarely encountered such a formidable opponent. Mei, on the other hand, found it peculiar. By Hyperdimensional Space standards, this girl was a mid-tier Tier 4 powerhouse. Easily capable of causing supernova explosions, with a destructive radius measured in light-years, she was still no match for Mei. In a purely standard combat situation, Mei was at the peak of Tier 4. Killing this Voidborn girl was as easy as crushing an ant. Mei wasn''t interested in collecting tokens, but she wasn''t averse to gathering readily available faith markers. Intense pain stimulated the girl''s nerves. She unexpectedly felt a long-absent excitement and surge of adrenaline, prompting her to ask Mei, "What is your name?" "¡­" Mei remained silent. Then, she punched the girl, obliterating her. The purple energy pathways flickered and vanished. The Voidborn girl''s voice echoed in Mei''s mind: "My luck is excellent; I''ve encountered a worthy opponent." ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 550,000¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 34,550,000¡¿ Just like that? Mei was surprised; she had expected the girl to have some sort of hidden technique. "A Voidborn killed?" "Seems like it¡­" Nearby cosmic onlookers felt a chill run down their spines, hastily distancing themselves from Mei. This person''s combat strength seemed excessively powerful. This was a Voidborn! At that moment, Mei sensed an extremely familiar energy. Turning, she saw a young black-haired man. Their eyes met, and both were incredibly surprised. "Star Spirit?" "Star Spirit?!" Psionic fluctuations intertwined; both confirmed each other''s identities. Star Spirits were extremely sensitive to energy; they might be able to deceive others, but not their own kind. The young man''s expression instantly changed to one of unrestrained joy. He excitedly lunged forward, having wandered for years before finally finding a kindred spirit. "A fellow¡­ uh oh!" Mei kicked the lunging youth away, a roar echoing through her mind. She wasn''t adept at handling overly enthusiastic people: "We''re kindred spirits, no need to pounce!" Boom! The youth landed on the nearest planetary fragment, unharmed, before teleporting before Mei, excitedly laughing: "Haha, I''m just so excited! Finding a surviving Star Spirit is incredibly rare!" "Surviving Star Spirit?" Mei caught the key phrase: "What do you mean?" "Exactly what it sounds like." The young man beamed, acting excessively familiar despite their first meeting, lacking any sense of distance. He patted his chest, saying: "I can tell you''re a newly born Star Spirit. Don''t worry; I''ll look after you. We''ll wander the universe together!" Mei only wanted to understand the situation of Star Spirits in this universe. Conveniently, the young man seemed knowledgeable, at least more than Mei. She asked, "What''s the situation of Star Spirits in this universe?" Chapter 16: Advancement Mission According to the young man''s self-introduction, his name was Gamma. He was born in a galaxy 300 million light-years from the Milky Way. By Earth''s reckoning, he was just over 10,000 years old¡ªa very young Star Spirit. Unless killed, Star Spirits had virtually no lifespan limit; birth time was insignificant compared to other powerful cosmic lifeforms. Young and formidable. "I was born during a gamma-ray burst; energy powerful enough to destroy hundreds of thousands of light-years swept through the entire galaxy, and I was born from it. That''s why I named myself Gamma." Compared to Gamma, Mei was less than 100 years old. According to Gamma, Mei was still in her infancy among Star Spirits. After introducing himself, Gamma answered Mei''s question, confirming her worst fears: Star Spirits were considered the ultimate mortal enemies of the entire universe. For over 10,000 years, Gamma had wandered the universe, encountering countless civilizations and exploring numerous Star Spirit ruins, constantly pursued by cosmic forces. Yet, he''d managed to uncover the situation of Star Spirits in this universe. Mei questioned, "What''s the specific reason? If Star Spirits are considered mortal enemies, there must be a reason." Gamma gestured towards the debris field. "Debris fields like this are scattered throughout the universe. I''ve traveled to countless such fields before finally understanding. Approximately 5 billion years ago, this universe experienced an unprecedented, colossal war." "To be precise, it wasn''t just this universe; it was a super-war that affected countless universes and worlds. This universe was caught in the crossfire." "Star Spirits were caught in the war and became the enemies of the entire universe?" Hearing Mei''s question, Gamma puffed out his chest, proudly stating: "No, it wasn''t the Star Spirits who were caught in the war; the Star Spirits started the war!" "¡­" This war had no special reason; the Star Spirits simply sought to conquer countless universes and worlds. They believed they possessed the power to defeat all cosmic civilizations and races, so they launched their conquest without hesitation, single-handedly challenging countless universes and countless civilizations and races. The result was predictable. The Star Spirits lost. Mei now understood why Star Spirits were so hated. The Star Beast world was most likely among the victims of that war, a memory that persisted for hundreds of millions of years. To be fair, The fact that the Star Spirits could initiate a war affecting countless universes demonstrated their immense power during their heyday. Despite the catastrophic pursuit by the entire universe, Gamma felt immense pride in his race. Single-handedly challenging countless universes and countless civilizations was truly awe-inspiring. Understanding the Star Spirits'' actions, Mei could only say they had reaped what they had sown. She possessed Star Spirit power but never considered herself part of the Star Spirit race. It was merely an ability. Perhaps one day, it would be merged away. Mei didn''t feel guilty about being a Star Spirit; she just felt unlucky. If anyone tried to kill her, she would kill them. She recalled her time in the Star Beast world; shortly after becoming a Star Spirit, she was discovered by a cosmic force and subjected to a devastating attack. A dozen or two years seemed a long time, but from a cosmic perspective, the Star Beast world''s response was incredibly fast. A newly born Star Spirit couldn''t withstand such a sudden attack. Newly born Star Spirits were eliminated before they could mature. Even if they managed to survive the initial attack, they would likely face even stronger onslaughts. Mei didn''t know what the situation was like in the Earth universe. She had only spent less than two months in the Earth universe since becoming a Star Spirit. If the Earth universe had systems for eliminating Star Spirits, she needed to be prepared. Gamma considered it. "Perhaps I''m just very fast. I''ve never seen a galaxy-destroying attack, only relentless Star Spirit hunters." This youth was highly cautious. Since learning he was a cosmic enemy, he''d never stayed in one place for too long. Additionally, possessing a faith marker, his growth was rapid, and his strength was considerable. He''d always managed to escape from Star Spirit hunters, allowing him to survive until now. Star Spirits had a high starting combat power, possessing star-level strength from birth¡ªa significant advantage most cosmic races lacked. Furthermore, they could teleport using star energy, making their escape very swift. "I''ve found traces of other Star Spirits over the years, but Star Spirit hunters were always faster, eliminating newly born Star Spirits before I could reach them." Mei was curious: "How strong are the Star Spirit hunters?" Gamma pondered. "Some are strong, some are weak, but they''re always stronger than their target Star Spirit. If I hadn''t luckily obtained faith marker, I''d have been eliminated long ago." Then, Gamma urged, "We need to go. You''ve stayed in the Milky Way too long. Star Spirit hunters could arrive at any moment; encountering them would be dangerous." As he spoke, Hum¡ª Immense energy enveloped the entire Milky Way, rippling outwards from the galactic core. An incredibly terrifying aura suddenly appeared. Gamma''s scalp tingled instantly. Mei gazed at the galactic core; her Danger Sense activated involuntarily. "It seems they''ve arrived." Gamma''s heart pounded; his expression was grave. "Escape is impossible!" From beyond 20,000 light-years, a blinding light erupted from the galactic core. A colossal figure emerged from the galactic core''s supermassive black hole, dominating the entire Milky Way. The center of the galactic black hole was a quantum foam region; quantum fluctuations formed wormholes, providing convenient passageways for advanced civilizations and lifeforms. Ordinary civilizations and lifeforms couldn''t use this method for rapid travel; a slight mistake could result in death within the black hole. This meant that any lifeform using this method to appear was undoubtedly immensely powerful! It was over! Gamma felt the immense power locking down the entire Milky Way, his jaw dropping in astonishment: "It''s not necessary to use such a grand scale to receive us, is it?" A battle was unavoidable. Mei sensed that the opponent was undoubtedly a Tier 5 being; the precise level was unknown, but she wasn''t necessarily powerless. Intense energy fluctuations swept across the debris field, terrifying the cosmic onlookers. Their power was insufficient to understand what was happening. "What''s going on?" "I have a bad feeling about this¡­" Before this power capable of sweeping across the Milky Way, they were utterly helpless, consumed by blinding light in an instant. Boom! In an instant, A beam of light erupted from the galactic core, instantly obliterating everything in its path, precisely targeting the debris field, completely erasing it. The powerful attack pierced half the Milky Way, destroying countless light-years of celestial bodies, leaving a massive void. If previous events were conjecture, this confirmed it: the galactic core''s attacker was a Star Spirit hunter targeting Mei and Gamma. ... In the empty void of space. "Huh?" Gamma was nearly terrified out of his wits. Recovering, he realized he was unharmed; an invisible barrier had deflected the galactic-scale attack. He turned, incredulous, his eyes wide, unable to believe Mei had blocked that attack. He had thought he was surely dead. Apparently, Mei''s power was comparable to his own. Regardless, he had survived, and his expression brightened with relief. "My friend, you¡­" "Get away, I can''t guarantee your safety in this fight." "Understood!" Gamma didn''t hesitate, quickly moving away from the galactic core. Mei, under normal circumstances, couldn''t have stopped that terrifying attack. Her Limit Break''s 30-day cooldown hadn''t ended, preventing her from breaking through to Tier 5 to fight. But this didn''t mean Mei was helpless. This wasn''t Hyperdimensional Space or a mission world; Mei could utilize the energy within the Spacetime crystals. The spacetime energy froze time, making her defenses virtually limitless, far exceeding normal physical defenses. No attack could break through frozen time. Unless the opponent possessed time-destroying or time-manipulating abilities. Even for a Tier 5 being, Mei didn''t believe the attacker possessed such power. Hum¡ª A colossal figure emerged from the galactic core''s black hole, striding through interstellar space. The energy radiating from its body obliterated nearby stars; it was terrifyingly magnificent. The figure''s body was flawlessly white, seemingly sculpted from rock, with sharp angles and curves, like a statue. A radiant halo encircled its back, exuding an aura of divinity. Immense energy swirled around it, shifting between light and darkness. The terrifying aura locked down the entire galaxy, imposing an overwhelming sense of power. A message arrived through the energy; the divine being''s voice echoed in Mei''s mind. "Fugitive, resistance is futile." Mei couldn''t match the being''s aura, but the spacetime energy surrounding her provided absolute, unbreakable defense. No need for pleasantries. Hum¡ª Invisible spacetime energy swept forth, freezing the divine being within it. Mei teleported, gathering immense star energy, unleashing a full-powered blow. Boom! The divine being was struck squarely, sent flying by the immense force. The attack failed to break its defenses, But the blow had stunned it. What had just happened? Objects frozen in spacetime energy couldn''t be destroyed; Mei had to release the spacetime freeze the instant her attack landed, allowing the divine being to regain consciousness. Realizing this Star Spirit was difficult to deal with, the divine being held nothing back, unleashing infinite light to destroy these two Star Spirits and the entire Milky Way. But, Hum¡ª Spacetime energy swept again, forcibly interrupting the divine being''s attack. The moment it regained consciousness, it was struck by another powerful blow from Mei. Its body flew at light speed, crashing through a star. Boom! The star exploded. The divine being forcibly stopped, utterly bewildered, unsure what had happened. It knew Mei possessed some special ability, but couldn''t determine what it was. "Futile resistance." As it spoke, The divine being rapidly deployed layer upon layer of energy shields, gathering energy to destroy the entire Milky Way. Although it didn''t know Mei''s specific ability, these two exchanges revealed that Mei couldn''t break its defenses. That was enough. From beginning to end, A vast difference in power existed between them; a single special ability couldn''t compensate for this fact. The divine being didn''t believe these two Star Spirits could withstand an attack capable of destroying the Milky Way. Boom! Mei punched the divine being''s energy shield, unable to affect it in the slightest. She then used spacetime energy to freeze it again. Two options existed: the simplest was to banish the divine being to the Planck membrane; the other was to destroy it with overwhelming force. Mei opted to destroy the being rather than banish it; sparing enemies wasn''t her style. In reality, the divine being had misjudged Mei''s power. Mei possessed the ability to break its defenses, and more than that. ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Super Burst¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV11¡¿ ¡¾Description: Concentrates all power for an instant, devastating attack with 10,000 times normal power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Just then, It was time to test the power of this ability. In an instant, The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Energy far exceeding that of the divine being erupted across the Milky Way, shaking interstellar space. Star energy within a 20,000 light-year radius was completely drained. Then, Boom! Unparalleled power erupted from Mei, concentrating all her strength into a single devastating blow with 10,000 times its normal power. The divine being''s layered energy shields were instantly shattered. Mei''s punch, with its overwhelming power, obliterated the divine being in an instant. In the final fleeting moment of consciousness, the divine being''s gathered energy was forcefully dispersed. Faced with this attack, it was utterly incomprehensible: "Such terrifying power¡­" Then, Its consciousness fell into eternal silence. This single attack, Pierced the Milky Way. Immense star energy carved a massive, fan-shaped shockwave through the galaxy. One-third of the Milky Way¡ªhundreds of millions of stars and countless planets and celestial bodies¡ªwere reduced to fundamental particles. The terrifying power swept across the galaxy, obliterating even the galactic core black hole, then continued into the universe, spreading into the boundless void. "I''ll be¡­ darned¡­" Gamma had retreated far enough; otherwise, he would have been gone already. The raging star energy gradually subsided. He stared blankly at the massive void left behind. His heart was filled with indescribable shock. The destructive power of this level of combat was truly terrifying. Undeniably, he recognized Mei''s power; this star energy fluctuation was unique to Star Spirits. It seemed, This person was far more formidable than he had imagined. Gamma was incredulous. "She actually eliminated the Star Spirit hunter?!" In reality, that level of destruction was the result of Mei restraining her power. If she had allowed the power to fully disperse, not only a 50,000 light-year radius Milky Way, but even a galaxy ten times larger, would have been obliterated. Mei herself possessed near Tier 5 strength; a full-powered attack with 10,000 times normal power was far beyond what the divine being could withstand. The divine being could destroy the Milky Way, but Mei''s attack far surpassed that; their destructive power wasn''t on the same scale. ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 1,500,000¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 80,000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 4,000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 18,000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 200,000¡¿ ¡­ The divine being, the first Tier 5 powerhouse killed by Mei, yielded 1.5 million tokens as a faith marker holder. A Tier 5 being was worth only 1.5 million tokens¡ªincredibly cheap. Mei always felt that the faith marker shop was designed to exploit low-level players. Eliminating low-level targets yielded massive tokens, while fighting high-tier powerhouses was far less profitable. Mei understood this; others in the universe should too. Undoubtedly, some low-level targets would be exceptionally powerful. Mei had been steadily clearing low-level targets in the Milky Way; previously, progress had been slow, but this battle yielded massive rewards. The Super Burst attack instantly obliterated one-third of the Milky Way. A large number of faith marker holders perished in the attack; the faith marker shop''s token updates were incessant. One thing was unexpected: the divine being lacked any resurrection techniques or abilities; it died decisively. Mei opened the faith marker shop. ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 400,000,000¡¿ "¡­" Even mentally prepared, Mei found the string of zeros almost unbelievable; it was simply extraordinary. 400 million!!! If previous suspicions were only that, now Mei was practically certain that the faith marker system was designed for eliminating low-level targets. This amount of tokens in the faith marker shop could purchase a Tier 6 item, and this was merely from the destruction of one-third of the Milky Way. Any Tier 5 being could achieve that level of destruction; even powerful Tier 4 beings could start harvesting low-level targets. And by harvesting low-level targets, Tier 4 and Tier 5 beings could quickly attain Tier 6 strength. Was the faith marker shop''s balancing system a joke? Mei didn''t understand but was deeply shocked. Of course, It was uncertain whether others were recklessly destroying star systems to harvest faith markers. If so, the previous reasoning held true. Realizing the battle was over, Gamma cautiously returned, staring in awe at the shattered Milky Way: "My friend, you''re a bit intense!" Mei asked, "Do we still have time?" "Probably," Gamma wasn''t entirely sure: "At least a couple of hours. You destroyed the galactic core black hole; the remaining Star Spirit hunters won''t be able to arrive that quickly." "Good." It was time to thoroughly harvest the Milky Way. Star energy rapidly replenished the star energy within a 20,000 light-year radius. Because she could directly draw zero-point energy from the vacuum and convert it to star energy, Mei didn''t feel weakened. Theoretically, Mei could even unleash consecutive Super Bursts. Returning to the Solar System, Mei immediately swept the Solar System and all celestial bodies within a 1000 light-year radius, storing them in her Personal Spatial Storage. She also created a miniature black hole at the center, mimicking the galactic core black hole. Under the black hole''s gravitational pull, the stars within her Personal Spatial Storage began to slowly rotate, Like a miniature galaxy. Then, Hum¡ª Terrifying fluctuations erupted from Mei. She ascended above the Milky Way, gathering star energy before unleashing a ten-thousand-fold attack. Boom! Since the Star Spirit hunters had already noticed them, the Milky Way was untenable. She might as well destroy it entirely. A torrent of star energy engulfed the Milky Way, instantly obliterating it. Countless celestial bodies were reduced to fundamental particles, ceasing to exist. Immediately, Token notifications flooded in. ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 3000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 10000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 50000¡¿ ¡¾Tokens Acquired: 110000¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 1,100,000,000¡¿ Meanwhile, Despite witnessing it multiple times, Gamma remained shocked by Mei''s terrifying destructive power; the power amplification was simply too extravagant. Did the faith marker shop have such an ability? Probably not. He possessed respectable mid-to-upper Tier 4 combat strength, easily capable of destroying celestial bodies within tens of thousands of light-years, thereby harvesting massive tokens. But Gamma had never dared to do that; he was cautious. Large-scale releases of Star Spirit power might attract Star Spirit hunters; he had always been careful. This was why his faith marker power wasn''t very strong. Predictably, the Star Spirit hunters pursuing them would be even stronger, powerful enough to crush them without giving them a chance to fight back. "The future looks bleak," Even Gamma''s optimistic nature couldn''t help but become pessimistic. "Let''s go." After the Milky Way''s destruction, Mei decisively departed with Gamma for other star systems, opening the faith marker shop to browse items. 1.1 billion tokens were enough to significantly enhance Mei''s power. Shortly after, A ship arrived at the Milky Way''s location. The crew stared at the empty void, the captain repeatedly verifying the coordinates on the star chart. "No mistake, this is the Milky Way!" "Where''s the Milky Way???" The crew exchanged bewildered glances. Star Silver, with his blade strapped to his hip, fell silent as he gazed at the empty void of space. He''d finally reached the Milky Way, but he seemed to have arrived too late. ... In the faith marker shop, 1.1 billion tokens could purchase top-tier Tier 6 items. After removing equipment, items, and abilities, the choices were significantly fewer. Finally, Mei chose a top-tier Tier 6: an advanced version of the Star Spirit regeneration technique, more powerful and safer. ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Item: Star Spirit?Fundamental Restoration¡¿ ¡¾Type: Information Type¡¿ ¡¾Description: A unique Star Spirit technique. Uses star energy and a trace of conscious psionics to create a personal fundamental core. As long as the core isn''t destroyed, unlimited regeneration is possible.¡¿ ¡¾Addendum: Mental control equivalent to death, will automatically activate the fundamental core.¡¿ ¡¾Price: 1,000,000,000¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Fundamental Restoration was a Tier 6 item, a top-tier one at that, with an exorbitant price. This powerful regeneration ability was exactly what Mei needed. By concealing the fundamental core within the Planck membrane, it would be impossible to find; it wouldn''t even be in this universe. It wasn''t foolproof, but its safety was greatly enhanced. With this, by concealing the fundamental core, Mei would essentially possess unlimited regeneration, combined with the effects of Death Evolution¡ªan unimaginable combination. For a reference point, consider the cosmic beast from the Negative Energy world; it was practically a game-breaking entity. If it had been truly determined to fight to the death, that beast would have been nearly invincible. After carefully confirming the description of Fundamental Restoration, Mei decisively purchased it. ¡¾1,000,000,000 tokens spent¡¿ ¡¾Purchase Successful: Star Spirit?Fundamental Restoration¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Tokens: 100,000,000¡¿ At that moment, Information flooded Mei''s mind, instantly granting her the ability to create the fundamental core. ... Before reaching the next galaxy, the 30-day cooldown was almost over, and Mei was about to face her first advancement mission. Mei entered Hyperdimensional Space. Time in the Earth universe instantly froze. Taking advantage of the remaining time, Mei began creating her fundamental core within the space; there was nowhere safer. Hum¡ª Energy vibrated; a deep blue light appeared in the air. Mei combined her star energy and psionics in an extremely complex manner, creating a closed circuit of star energy and psionic pathways. As the circuit became increasingly complex, the light intensified. The surging star energy created wave-like ripples; the blue psionics seemed to contain infinite mysteries, winding around the closed circuit like the vast and mysterious expanse of interstellar space. In an instant, The vast, complex circuit of star energy and psionics rapidly stabilized, naturally forming a solid crystal. Blue energy pathways periodically pulsed within the crystal. This was the fundamental core. As long as this item wasn''t destroyed, Mei would be essentially immortal. Even if she were reduced to rubble or fundamental information, she could instantly recover to full strength. A genuine game-breaker. Mei seemed to understand why the Star Spirit race had dared to challenge countless universes. Regardless of other factors, this single ability made them incredibly difficult to defeat. Placing the fundamental core in her Personal Spatial Storage, Mei wasn''t sure if it would function across the distances between worlds. The safest approach was to conceal it within the Planck membrane during the mission, retrieving it upon her return. For the advancement mission, Mei had no intention of holding back her Grade; she aimed to successfully advance to Tier 2 in a single attempt. Remaining at Tier 1 held no value for her. Meanwhile, Charles was nervous. He had become a Negative-Energy Wielder in the Negative Energy world, miraculously surviving the planetary apocalypse and achieving peak Tier 1 strength. By further delving into the Negative-Energy field, he would quickly reach Tier 2. He''d heard that advancement world missions were more dangerous than regular tethered missions, and this was his first one, making him understandably anxious. "It should be fine¡­" He muttered. Regardless, he was quite strong at Tier 1, a Void Wanderer with powerful life-saving abilities; unless exceptionally unlucky, he wouldn''t die. "Damn it, I''m dead!" An older man stormed, having emptied his pockets to commission a top-tier equipment outfit for the advancement mission, only to have the blacksmith fail to complete it on time! Crack! A gray-haired man in advanced combat armor silently checked his equipment, calmly awaiting the commencement of the mission. Some rookie Void Wanderers, barely surviving their first three tethered missions, were now filled with apprehension, but joining a Legion provided some comfort and reassurance. Finally, A spatial interface appeared before Mei, Charles, Starry, and the group of rookie Void Wanderers. Mission information scrolled across the screen; the advancement mission was commencing! ¡¾Mission Type: Advancement Mission¡¿ ¡¾Mission Difficulty: Tier 1¡¿ Tzzz¡ª Mei flickered and vanished, along with the group of rookie Void Wanderers, embarking on their first advancement mission. ... A gloomy sky was filled with dark clouds; the world was eerily silent and desolate. The endless land was completely barren. Massive, shattered crystals lay scattered across the horizon, their surfaces pockmarked with impact craters. A dying sun hung low in the sky, its eternal twilight painting the horizon a bloody red. Mei appeared amidst the ruins of a civilization. She sensed that even the star energy in this world was eerily still, the entire world suffused with a sense of decay and death. No sign of life. This world was beyond salvation. This was a world nearing destruction, or rather, Mei believed it was a world that had already been destroyed; these were the remnants and ruins left behind. Unlike previous mission worlds, this world didn''t exist as a universe but as a land and sky, like something from mythology. Even when Mei extended her senses to their limit, she couldn''t reach the world''s boundaries; it was immensely vast. The celestial bodies above had all fallen to the endless earth, leaving only emptiness. ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase One: In this silent, ruined world, the glory of civilization and mythology is trapped in inescapable despair. Find a "Stargazer" and grant him the release of death.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 1000 points¡¿ ¡¾Mission Commencing¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Name: Mei¡¿ ¡¾Grade: Tier 1¡¿ ¡¾Points: 21600¡¿ ¡¾Abilities: Star Spirit?LV18, Planck Membrane Lifeform, Limit Break, Super Burst?LV11, Death Evolution¡¿ ¡¾Items: Personal Spatial Storage?Galaxy, Chapter of Gaia, Tyrant''s Heart, Fundamental Core¡¿ ¡­ Previous Tier 1 missions typically offered only a few hundred points; this one offered 1000, suggesting the "Stargazer" was quite powerful. But that was relative to Tier 1 Void Wanderers. This world''s star energy was incredibly still. If the star energy of a normal world were air, then the star energy of this silent world was solid ice. Her teleportation and sensory abilities weren''t significantly affected, but her star energy manipulation was incredibly slow and inefficient, severely weakening her Star Spirit combat power. Mei didn''t mind. She wasn''t solely a Star Spirit lifeform; while her mage template was hampered, her warrior template, the Planck Membrane Lifeform, was completely unaffected. Thinking this, Tzzt! Space tore open, revealing a void. Mei retrieved the Fundamental Core from her Personal Spatial Storage, inserting it into her Planck membrane. Space immediately repaired itself. As an item created using Mei''s Star Spirit power, the Fundamental Core was still a creation of Hyperdimensional Space''s power and could thus be brought into the mission world. The interface continued to update information. ¡¾Target detected¡¿ ¡¾Authority installation in progress¡¿ ¡¾Installation complete¡¿ ¡¾Random upgrade selection in progress¡¿ ¡¾Random selection: Limit Break¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break upgrade complete¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Upgrade Task 1: Kill 1 Drowned God. Limit Break level increased by one.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Task 2: Kill 2 Drowned Gods. Limit Break level increased by one.¡¿ ¡¾Upgrade Task 3: Kill 3 Drowned Gods. Limit Break level increased by one.¡¿ ¡­ Ten Upgrade Tasks. Limit Break? Mei was stunned. This was the first time a random selection had been an ability she already possessed. Furthermore, Limit Break shouldn''t be upgradable, yet now she could forcibly upgrade it by completing Upgrade Tasks. Truly a powerful cheat. Finding both "Stargazers" and "Drowned Gods" shouldn''t be difficult. Mei''s sensory abilities were strong, and with the Voice of All Things, finding clues would be easy. ... Unlike previous mission worlds, this one was devoid of life, dark and filled with death. Humanity was essentially extinct; the remaining few could hardly be called living beings. An eternal twilight sunset was frozen in time. Mei traversed the ruins, stopping before a stone wall. The wall depicted the world''s history. The Voice of All Things relayed the information inscribed on the stone to Mei. Once, this was a world that worshipped the constellations. The land was populated by constellation worshippers who received power by praying to the constellations, thus manipulating star energy and creating a glorious civilization. The boundless desires and wills of the people manifested as gods, appearing in the sky, under the constellations'' influence. At that time, constellation worship flourished. However, The world''s end arrived without warning. The constellations fell to the earth; star energy stilled, and the entire land of faith crumbled in an instant. The worshippers fell into despair. With the constellations'' fall, the gods, manifestations of star energy, perished. Only powerless, broken bodies remained, twisted Drowned Gods in this desolate world. This world was silent; it didn''t matter what Mei did here; she wouldn''t attract any malice directed at Star Spirits, for even the gods had fallen. The "Stargazers" were the former worshippers of the constellations. Mei turned towards the massive structure standing at the center of the ruins¡ªthe former Temple of the Stars. Despite the passage of countless years, its imposing presence remained. Before the temple was a vast plaza. In the center of the plaza stood a statue of an old man in robes, motionless. The old man''s body was charred black as coal, as if burned by flames. Cracked skin revealed glimpses of crimson fire beneath; flames seemed to burn within his flesh and organs. He held a book in his hands, its pages yellowed and severely damaged. A rustling sound passed Mei''s ears, revealing that the old man had been the temple''s scribe, the one who had inscribed this world''s history on the walls. Rustle¡ª Sensing an approaching presence, The old man awoke from his slumber. Charred skin peeled away, revealing deeper burns. He closed the book in his hands. "Outsider, grant me release!" Constellation doctrine forbade suicide; worshippers either died of old age or in battle. The old man longed for release but wouldn''t surrender; he would fight to the death. With that said, Star energy pulsed from the old man''s body. Bang! Swift and precise. Mei unleashed a punch, instantly reducing the old man to ashes. The exploding ash scattered in the wind; the battle ended in a flash. Ordinary Stargazers met their end when the world fell silent; only the powerful could withstand the world''s death throes, clinging to life until now. The old man''s strength was roughly mid-to-upper Tier 1, a considerable challenge for a Tier 1 Void Wanderer, but not for Mei. ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase One?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 1000¡¿ ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase Two: Collect 5 Stargazer relics to summon a Star God Guard. Defeat it to prove your strength.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 3000 points¡¿ The old man''s book fell to the ground; it was apparently a relic. Mei, manipulating star energy, slowly lifted it into the air. Then, The still star energy around her was forcibly agitated; powerful forces, like a whirlwind, swept across the land, instantly obliterating other Stargazers. Hum¡ª Space rippled. Scepters, medals, crowns, longswords¡­ Relic after relic teleported before Mei via the star energy ocean. Hundreds of relics swirled around her, a magnificent sight. Unsure if Phase Three involved defeating multiple Star God Guards, Mei decided to prepare early; she might be able to complete Phase Three immediately. These relics were essentially equipment left behind by the Stargazers, but they could only be used to complete the mission; they couldn''t be brought back to the void. Otherwise, Mei would have completely depleted this world. ... Simultaneously, In another ruin. A group of Void Wanderers were about to ambush a Stargazer before the temple, but before they could act, the newly awakened Stargazer exploded into ash. "¡­" "¡­" "¡­" The Void Wanderers exchanged bewildered glances. "What happened?" This scenario unfolded simultaneously in numerous ruins; the Stargazers'' relics vanished, all collected by Mei. Soon after, Boom! A white light erupted, attracting attention. Mei was enveloped in the bright light; hundreds of relics formed a constellation map, radiating intense light. Summoning a Star God Guard normally didn''t create such a spectacle. Because she had collected so many relics, the light was incredibly prominent. Dong! A resounding bell tolled through the ruins. Dark ash gently fell from the sky; over a hundred Star God Guards, identical to the old man, appeared. Ash peeled from their bodies, revealing crimson fire beneath cracked skin. The only difference from the Stargazers was that the Stargazers still possessed consciousness; the Guards were like statues of solidified magma. Combat statues. "Holy crap!" "Damn it, run!" Several nearby Void Wanderers, seeing hundreds of Guards descending from the sky, were terrified and fled. From afar, the intense energy fluctuations revealed that each Star God Guard possessed peak Tier 1 combat strength; this was truly terrifying. Bang! Blades unsheathed. Over a hundred Guards focused on Mei, launching a simultaneous attack. Even with her Star Spirit power hampered, Mei was still a peak Tier 4 powerhouse. In an instant, Boom! Powerful energy erupted, instantly leveling the ruins. Before this power capable of reducing all matter to fundamental particles, the hundred Guards were instantly obliterated. ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase Two?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 3000¡¿ ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase Three: The eternal twilight lingers; the shattered constellations are shrouded in darkness. Rekindle the constellations'' starlight and face the final trial.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 5000 points¡¿ Incredibly simple. Phase Two of the Advancement Mission was complete, but Phase Three was unexpected. Mei paused, pondering for a moment. She decided to temporarily put the Advancement Mission aside. At this rate, she would quickly complete the Advancement Mission and return to Hyperdimensional Space, but she still had uncompleted Upgrade Tasks! Drowned Gods¡­ "The clues are scarce." Chapter 17: Drowned God The Advancement Mission had to be completed, but the Upgrade Tasks had higher priority, especially since the upgrade was for Limit Break. Mei was truly curious how this ability would improve: would it extend the duration of the power-up, or increase the Grade level? Both were possibilities. Based on the clues gathered from the land, Mei knew that the gods resided in the sky and wouldn''t easily appear unless summoned by a Stargazer. Now that the gods were dead, their broken bodies had become the Drowned Gods in the sky. The problem was that Mei didn''t know how to summon them. Specifically, she had found fragments of summoning rituals in the ruins, but they were incomplete. More importantly, only constellation worshippers could summon the gods. Step One: Summon a Drowned God. Step Two: Eliminate a Drowned God. She was stuck at the first step. Quickly, Mei devised a plan. ... The dying light of the sun. In a particular ruin, devoid of temples or palaces, in a vast open space, a colossal knight wielding a greatsword stood unmoving, seemingly asleep. The knight''s armor was pitch black, completely concealing his form. Simply standing there, he exuded a chilling aura of death. At that moment, The sound of crisp, echoing footsteps approached. A heavily augmented Void Wanderer discovered the ruins and approached the greatsword knight. The newcomer was a sharp-featured middle-aged man, a cyborg, and a member of the Nova Legion, the same Legion as those who had briefly appeared in the Star Beast world. Sensing the arrival, The sleeping greatsword knight awoke, drawing his immense sword like a gate and placing it on his shoulder. He spoke immediately, "Outsider, grant me release." Hum¡ª The cyborg said nothing; a low-frequency hum emanated from his power core. Just as he was about to attack, time froze, and the cyborg stopped. "Hm?" The greatsword knight looked in surprise at Mei, who had appeared beside them. Mei got straight to the point. "I need to summon a god, but it requires a Stargazer. If possible, I''d like your assistance." The knight said, "The gods are drowned." "I know." Mei said, "With your strength, dying in battle wouldn''t be easy. Help me summon a god, and I''ll grant you release. This should be a worthwhile deal." The knight pondered for a moment, then agreed. "Deal." The knight possessed considerable Tier 2 combat strength; ordinary Tier 1 Void Wanderers were simply fodder for him. He had killed many Tier 1 Void Wanderers, unable to find release. Undeniably, Mei had the power to eliminate him. Regardless of Mei''s intentions in summoning the Drowned God, it didn''t concern him. Even if Mei intended to kill the god. The Stargazers'' faith was in the constellations, not the gods. The greatsword knight wasn''t the first Stargazer Mei had found; she''d learned the complete ritual process from other Stargazers. Now, she needed to gather 10,000 Stargazers. When 10,000 Stargazers chanted the sacred words, the Drowned Gods could be summoned. Time resumed its flow. The cyborg stared at the empty ruins, silent. Where was that knight? Mei''s actions undoubtedly affected other Void Wanderers'' completion of the Advancement Mission. The Void Wanderers scurried across the land, searching various ruins in vain, growing increasingly frustrated. "Why are there no more?" "Not a single Stargazer?" During this time, nearby Legion members gathered. The later phases of the Advancement Mission became increasingly difficult; a team approach increased the chances of success. On a hilltop, five Void Wanderers from a Nova Legion detachment were observing the surroundings. One Void Wanderer sensed fluctuations in the world''s energy. His eyes widened: "Stargazers are gathering nearby, seemingly preparing for a ritual. I suggest we stay away." "Why?" "Intuition." "Captain, what''s your suggestion?" The team leader was a robed youth, each finger adorned with gem rings¡ªclearly a mage. The robed youth said, "Let''s go take a look. I''m curious what they''re doing; perhaps we can find something worthwhile." His confidence stemmed entirely from a Tier 3 item he possessed, given to him by a Legion member who valued him. As a precaution, the robed youth instructed the team member who could sense the world''s energy fluctuations, "If you sense danger, we retreat immediately." "Yes." Soon, the squad arrived at the edge of the ruins where the Stargazers were gathering. They didn''t dare approach, only observing from a distance. Thousands of Stargazers had assembled; the entire ruin was charred black. Even from afar, it was unnerving. What did over ten thousand Tier 1 and Tier 2 beings represent? Even the enthusiastic robed youth felt a chill. If they attacked en masse, the consequences were unimaginable. "What are they doing?" "Singing?" Mei, after gathering over ten thousand Stargazers, began summoning the gods. The Stargazers chanted sacred words, solemn and divine, echoing across the heavens. The silent star energy rippled. The combined power of over ten thousand Stargazers forced the manipulation of the star energy, spreading towards the sky. "What are they doing?" "Something feels wrong." "No, I''m getting out of here." The sacred chant, while divine, stirred unease in many observing Void Wanderers. Even Mei felt a prickling sensation, as if something were piercing her back. A sense of danger. The gods hadn''t yet descended, yet Mei felt an intense sense of danger. Far from being afraid, she felt excited; she craved danger and death. Death. Would only make her stronger! She wasn''t afraid of being controlled; according to the Fundamental Core, mental control and enslavement were equivalent to death for a Star Spirit, triggering immediate resurrection and freeing her from control. Of course, If the god was unimaginably powerful, Mei would flee. The sacred chant continued. Then, a moment. Hum¡ª A gateway appeared in the sky, emanating a heavy aura of decay, yet this aura was as oppressive as a mountain, hindering breathing. In silence, a dark gray sky descended. Terrifying power emanated from the gateway, terrifying the onlookers. A withered, skeletal hand slowly emerged from the gateway, and a gaunt, black figure descended to the earth. Its power was utterly crushing. The Nova squad member''s pupils constricted violently; his face was filled with uncontrollable terror: "A god! They''re summoning a god!" Boom! Unexpectedly, Before the god fully emerged, a figure soared into the air, unleashing immense, violent power and striking the god, sending it crashing back into the gateway. Mei left only a domineering back, swiftly ascending into the heavens. ... She could fight! This was Mei''s judgment after the Drowned God descended. She had fought Tier 5 beings and knew their power; this Drowned God''s power was only Tier 4, not Tier 5. Therefore, she acted without hesitation. Moreover, The sense of danger wasn''t strong enough to warrant retreat. The gateway in the sky closed and vanished, as if it had never existed. The dark gray sky continued its descent, leaving the Void Wanderers terrified and astonished. "Holy crap!" "What just happened?" "That person was incredibly strong!!" "Tier¡­ Tier 4!" The Nova squad''s sensor operator was terrified: "The descended god possessed Tier 4 strength!" Hearing this, The robed youth broke out in a cold sweat. The other team members felt like they''d just escaped death. Had they not been blown back into the gateway, the consequences were unimaginable. At the very least, That Drowned God would have killed them effortlessly. "¡­" "¡­" "¡­" The Stargazers exchanged glances, seemingly unnoticed by Mei. Then, they all looked towards the surrounding onlookers. Instantly, The Void Wanderers shuddered. "Damn it, run!!!" The shouts startled the onlookers, who immediately fled. They wanted to complete the mission, but over ten thousand Stargazers were incredibly intimidating. In the sky, Boom! Within a bizarre spatial distortion, the ethereal palace constructed from the combined star energy of countless Stargazers was severely damaged. A deafening roar echoed. Mei slammed the Drowned God''s head into the palace, shattering it. The violent force swept the palace into ruins. Once, this Drowned God had been the God of Arrogance; now, he was unceremoniously beaten to the ground, utterly humiliated. Even as a god, the Drowned God craved release. Therefore, He killed anyone he saw, seeking death in battle. The original god might have possessed intelligence and consciousness, but the Drowned God no longer did. The God of Arrogance instinctively counterattacked, extending a hand and forming constellations in the void. Before the powerful star energy could gather, Mei effortlessly ripped off its withered, blackened arm. A god? Very weak. The severed arm quickly turned to gray ash and dissipated. Mei forcefully channeled star energy, seizing the God of Arrogance''s head. With a sudden twist, she crushed its skull. In terms of combat strength, Mei was virtually invincible at Tier 4. ¡¾Upgrade Task 1?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?LV1?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Limit Break¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV1¡¿ ¡¾Description: For two minutes, consumes the power of the next 30 days to briefly surpass limitations, jumping to a higher Grade. Unfortunately, the maximum achievable is only Tier 6; otherwise, it would be far more valuable.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Leveling up from "None" to LV1 was reasonable; the original one-minute duration had increased to two minutes¡ªa satisfactory improvement. Mei lifted the God of Arrogance''s corpse. "Want some?" Shiro, appearing from the ruins of the palace, quickly shook its head. It only ate beasts; this wasn''t on its menu. "Woof woof!" "Wasteful." Mei felt it was a pity and allowed the God of Arrogance''s body to dissipate into gray ash. A beam of light emerged from the corpse. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. A long-awaited drop! ¡¾Item Acquired: Constellation Power?Arrogance¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Item: Constellation Power?Arrogance¡¿ ¡¾Type: Item¡¿ ¡¾Description: A fragment of Constellation Power. Defeating all the gods and gathering all fragments will yield complete Constellation Power.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª This was a star chart depicting twelve stars; after killing the God of Arrogance, one star had been lit, while the remaining eleven remained dim. The item description was vague; Mei didn''t know how powerful "complete Constellation Power" was, but it would likely be above Tier 4. Putting the star chart into her Personal Spatial Storage, Mei focused on something more important. She looked at the dissipating ash of the God of Arrogance, a thought quickly forming. "Star Spirits?" These so-called gods were, in all likelihood, Star Spirits. The world''s descent into silence suggested that a group of Star Spirits had been eliminated. She felt again the immense malice of countless worlds towards Star Spirits; the sins of the ancestors were visited upon the newly born, and there was no one to appeal to. Hum¡ª Powerful star energy fluctuations appeared. Eleven dazzling stars ascended in the sky above the palace, their energy fluctuations interconnecting. Eleven more Drowned Gods appeared! Boom! A counter-intuitive attack. Only then did Mei feel the danger; an elegant volley of arrows pierced her body. The sky trembled violently; Mei was instantly killed. Hum¡ª Mei''s body exploded into an unknown substance, then, as if time reversed, instantly reformed. Death Evolution activated; Mei''s power surged. ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV18.1?¡¿ Vaguely, Mei seemed to be approaching the threshold of Tier 5. A surge of adrenaline coursed through Mei. She gazed at the horizon; eleven Drowned Gods, three of whom were Tier 5, loomed before her, their oppressive aura palpable. "Indeed, they''re all Star Spirits!" There was no need for further consideration; she would unleash her full power. Today, she would accomplish the feat of single-handedly killing twelve gods. Boom! Her near-light-speed body, brimming with immense power, hurtled towards the gods. A female Drowned God nocked an arrow, which instantly flew from the bow, Precisely striking Mei. The remaining Drowned Gods attacked simultaneously; crimson spears pierced the air, piercing Mei''s heart. Star energy rained down like thunder; golden chariots charged. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Without a doubt, Mei was instantly killed again. But, Death only made her stronger! ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV18.2?¡¿ The unknown substance recombined; Mei rapidly recovered, a triumphant smile on her face. She activated the star energy ocean, unleashing a punch. Boom! The star energy, solid as ice, was forcefully channeled, its overwhelming power threatening to shatter the heavens. Mei attacked a Tier 4 god, Annihilating it with a single blow. ¡¾Upgrade Task 2?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?LV2?¡¿ There was no time to breathe; the reality-bending arrow arrived, pinning Mei in mid-air. "Roar!" The golden chariot, emitting a beast-like roar, crushed Mei. Without the Spacetime crystals, and without using Super Burst, the power difference between Mei and a Tier 5 being was immense. With each death and resurrection, Mei''s power steadily increased. ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV18.3?¡¿ ... Having barely escaped the frenzied Stargazers, the Nova squad''s sensor operator, face pale, crouched on the ground, trembling violently. The robed youth was surprised. "What''s wrong with you?" "I don''t know¡­" The world''s energy fluctuations were too intense, causing the sensor operator extreme discomfort. He curled into a ball, his body trembling uncontrollably. "I don''t know, but I''m terrified!" Crack! A sharp sound echoed overhead. The team looked up, their expressions changing drastically. The sky had cracked, like a shattered pane of glass, Threatening to collapse at any moment. The team was extremely anxious. "Hey, is this Advancement Mission world a bit too abnormal? Isn''t this world about to be destroyed?" "Captain, what do we do?" "¡­" The robed youth remained silent. His team members were pushing it; his strongest equipment was only Tier 3; he was terrified too! ¡¾Do you crave power?¡¿ A voice echoed from afar; initially dismissed as an illusion, the words resonated in the robed youth''s mind, confirming it wasn''t an illusion. "Who?!" The team members were startled; even their captain seemed abnormal, making them even more uneasy. "What is it?" "Nothing." The robed youth touched his forehead, his expression uncertain. He suspected his mind was being invaded. The voice echoed in his mind again, clearer this time. ¡¾Do you crave power?¡¿ ¡¾Transcendent Space tether commencing.¡¿ ... ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV19.9¡¿ Resurrected again, immense power pressed down like a collapsing sky. Mei had lost count of how many times she''d died. But the power granted by Death Evolution was real. Repeatedly pierced by arrows, repeatedly crushed by golden chariots, her body became increasingly invulnerable with each Death Evolution. An LV19.9 Star Spirit lifeform approached limitless Tier 5 strength. Immense star energy surged; combined with her Planck Membrane Lifeform power, Mei was now the equal of a Tier 5 being! Boom! A golden chariot charged, stopped by Mei with a single hand. Her battle-hardened body was terrifyingly strong. A Drowned God swung its sword; Mei raised the golden chariot and smashed it down. Immense power, capable of destroying a 100,000 light-year diameter area, erupted. Mei, with brutal dominance, brushed aside the gods'' attacks, obliterating the sword-wielding Drowned God. ¡¾Upgrade Task 7?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?LV7?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Limit Break¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV7¡¿ ¡¾Description: For thirty minutes, consumes the power of the next three days to briefly surpass limitations, jumping to a higher Grade. Unfortunately, the maximum achievable is only Tier 6; otherwise, it would be far more valuable.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª With the sword-wielding god eliminated, Mei had killed seven Drowned Gods. Five remained: two Tier 4 and three Tier 5. Of the three Tier 5 Drowned Gods, one was the Arrow God, another controlled the golden chariot, and the last remained inactive. He simply hung in the sky, calmly observing the battle, unlike the other Drowned Gods; he seemed to retain some rationality. Boom! The Arrow God''s arrow sent Mei flying, but the arrows that had repeatedly killed Mei were now unable to do so. Mei pulled out the arrow. While she was still at a disadvantage in terms of combat power, her overwhelming presence was making the Drowned Gods'' actions pointless. The Thunder God unleashed a furious barrage of lightning, which Mei effortlessly shattered, obliterating the Drowned God. ¡¾Upgrade Task 8?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?LV8?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Limit Break¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV8¡¿ ¡¾Description: For thirty minutes, consumes the power of the next one day to briefly surpass limitations, jumping to a higher Grade. Unfortunately, the maximum achievable is only Tier 6; otherwise, it would be far more valuable.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Just as Mei thought the battle was ending, the Chariot God, the Arrow God, and the remaining Tier 4 Drowned God interconnected their star energy. The three merged into one, their power surging dramatically. The heavens trembled, unable to bear the force, beginning to collapse. Then, A terrifying torrent of energy, capable of obliterating a Tier 5 being, descended. The Arrow God raised his bow; star energy surged as he drew the bowstring, creating a massive vortex in the sky. Blinding light, capable of destroying everything, erupted. The celestial palace above collapsed. This single arrow could obliterate the land. Boom! A single blow. This time, Mei wasn''t merely reduced to an unknown substance; the unknown substance itself was completely destroyed, reduced to fundamental information. When everything settled, The heavens were irrevocably shattered. In death, the Fundamental Core activated. Mei, reduced to fundamental information, recombined into an unknown substance, reforming her body. Hum¡ª Simultaneously, Immense power surged. ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV20?¡¿ Death Evolution activated. Mei had definitively reached Tier 5! At this moment, She felt an unprecedented surge of power. Her star energy perception and control range had skyrocketed to 100,000 light-years. The gods'' value had been depleted; it was time to end this battle. Tzzz! Powerful energy friction in the void created sparks around Mei; the surge in power, combined with her battle intent, created an overwhelming aura. Boom! The Drowned Gods in the sky were instantly forced to crash onto the palace ruins, utterly helpless. Super Burst! Before the 10,000-fold power even erupted, the mere dispersal of energy rendered the gods powerless. The heavens continued to collapse, dissolving into nothingness. The Tier 5 Drowned God who had remained inactive fell to his knees on the ruins, his expression one of disbelief. He then spoke. "Unbelievable. Among all the Void Wanderers I''ve encountered, you''re the most impressive. You''re only a Tier 1 Void Wanderer, yet your power is simply incomprehensible." Mei''s expression hardened. "You''re not a Drowned God." Mission world inhabitants couldn''t know her Void Wanderer identity. "At least this body is." The figure smiled, "There are more than just Hyperdimensional Space among the infinite worlds. Consider joining another Transcendent Space; the benefits and treatment will be far superior. At least, you won''t be scavenging scraps in Hyperdimensional Space. Transcendent Spaces offer much better treatment." Among the infinite worlds, Transcendent Spaces were entirely comparable to Hyperdimensional Space; this was Mei''s first encounter with someone from another space. Truly astonishing. Those who acted on Hyperdimensional Space''s will were Void Wanderers; those who acted on Transcendent Space''s will were Transcenders. Clearly, the being currently inhabiting this Drowned God''s body was a Transcender. The two spaces were mutually hostile, frequently encroaching upon each other. Under normal circumstances, Void Wanderers and Transcenders were mortal enemies. Both spaces actively eliminated each other''s powerful individuals; encountering someone from the opposing space meant initiating combat. You didn''t kill them; they killed you. High-level Void Wanderers and Transcenders were driven almost mad by the conflict. Void Wanderers intensely hated Transcenders; Transcenders viewed Void Wanderers as worthless trash. ¡¾Transcender Detected¡¿ ¡¾Elimination Mission Commenced¡¿ ¡¾Elimination Mission: Transcendent Space is the enemy of Hyperdimensional Space. Transcenders are mortal enemies. Eliminate the Transcender before you.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 1,000,000 points¡¿ 1,000,000 points! Perhaps because this Transcender occupied a Tier 5 Drowned God''s body, the mission reward was unprecedentedly high! An unexpected windfall. Mei was instantly motivated. Super Burst energy unleashed; 10,000 times the power of a Tier 5 being, an unstoppable force, utterly annihilating everything. Boom! Like a cosmic Big Bang. The heavens collapsed. The sky shattered, a massive hole appearing. An endless torrent of energy consumed all the Drowned Gods, instantly obliterating them. "Tsk, a pity," The Transcender sighed regretfully. ¡¾Elimination Mission?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 1,000,000¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Upgrade Task 9?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?LV9?¡¿ ¡­ ¡¾Upgrade Task 10?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?Upgrade¡¿ ¡¾Limit Break?LV10?¡¿ ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Ability: Limit Break¡¿ ¡¾Level: LV10¡¿ ¡¾Description: For sixty minutes, consumes the power of the next one day to briefly surpass limitations, jumping to a higher Grade. Unfortunately, the maximum achievable is only Tier 7; otherwise, it would be far more valuable.¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Limit Break had leveled up twice, extending its duration to 60 minutes and increasing the maximum Grade breakthrough to Tier 7, significantly enhancing its value. This was arguably Mei''s fastest Upgrade Task completion; she had instantly annihilated the gods, completing all ten Upgrade Tasks at once. It wasn''t over yet. The celestial palace had completely vanished. Mei stood in the void; streaks of light flickered, swirling around her. These were the Constellation Powers released by the gods. She retrieved the star chart; the streaks of light fell onto it, illuminating the remaining eleven stars. The Constellation Powers merged. The star chart now glowed brightly, manifesting a cosmic image that entered Mei''s body. Instantly, Mei''s power surged, her aura intensifying dramatically. ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV21?¡¿ ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV22?¡¿ ¡¾Enhancement Successful¡¿ ¡¾Star Spirit?LV23?¡¿ The Constellation Powers flooded Mei''s body, instantly boosting her Star Spirit power to LV23. Her star energy control radius was now 1,000,000 light-years! Galaxies exceeding 1,000,000 light-years in radius were incredibly vast. With this power, Mei was a mid-tier Tier 5 powerhouse. A massive harvest! Not only had Mei reached Tier 5, but she also possessed the power of a mid-tier Tier 5 being; her death-evolution system was complete. Her senses extended to a million light-years; Mei located the land below and instantly teleported back to the surface. Looking up, The sky was shattered like glass, a massive hole causing a chill. Mei had broken the heavens, resulting in this scene. Ignoring the celestial anomaly, Mei re-examined Phase Three of the Advancement Mission; she had no clue. "Tsk, I need to find a solution." ¡ª¡ª ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase Three: The eternal twilight lingers; the shattered constellations are shrouded in darkness. Rekindle the constellations'' starlight and face the final trial.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 5000 points¡¿ ¡ª¡ª Mei scanned the land, finding no constellations. Perhaps it was a metaphor or symbol; she needed to ask a Stargazer. Conveniently, She could eliminate those Stargazers, fulfilling a promise. ... A short time earlier, Boom! A ring on the robed youth''s hand emitted a deep blue light, revealing the oppressive power of a Tier 3 item. Including the sensor operator, the remaining four members of the Nova squad were confined in mid-air by the blue energy, unable to escape. The team members were terrified. "Captain, what are you doing?!" "We''re teammates!!" The robed youth offered a friendly smile, then suddenly clenched his fist. The blue energy surged, obliterating the four into a bloody mist. "Not anymore." He had betrayed Hyperdimensional Space, joining the Transcendent Space faction. The advantage was that eliminating Hyperdimensional Space individuals yielded substantial points. Most importantly, such betrayals were difficult for the spaces to detect. Void Wanderers wouldn''t trigger Elimination Missions when interacting with him. Insidious. Honestly earning mission points was too slow; hunting Void Wanderers was much faster. Seeing the influx of points, the robed youth was highly motivated. Of course, The same applied to Transcendent Space; it couldn''t distinguish its own traitors. Both spaces were engaged in a backstabbing frenzy. In the distance, A red-haired youth secretly observed the robed youth, sneering, "While he''s joined our faction, I still don''t consider him one of us." Beside him was a black-haired girl. The girl agreed, "Traitors are untrustworthy. Let them kill each other. We avoid contact with him; he''s just bait. We strike after we''ve hooked a bigger fish." "Bigger fish¡­" The red-haired youth pondered, "You mean the one who flew into the sky? Impressive! This is the first time I''ve seen such a strong Tier 1 Void Wanderer!" "Yes." "I can''t handle that monster." "Don''t worry. I''ll bring the Legion banner. It''s only a Tier 4 being; with the banner''s power, we might stand a chance." "Good." These two were Transcenders from Transcendent Space; the red-haired youth was Red, and the girl was Drop¡ªboth Tier 3 Transcenders. ... Both spaces habitually engaged in mutual backstabbing. In a world not yet fully tethered, one space could interfere during the other''s tethering process, transporting individuals. Interference had two purposes: purely to hinder the opposing faction, or to seize a world of high value. Most situations were the former, as in this case. Red and Drop weren''t here on a mission; they were simply here to gain points. Transcenders participating in an untethered world faced significant restrictions; they couldn''t deploy exceptionally powerful beings, otherwise, it would be chaos, and Hyperdimensional Space might intervene directly. This was a Tier 1 mission world; Transcendent Space could only deploy Tier 3 Transcenders at most¡ªa dimensional reduction attack against Tier 1 Void Wanderers. A two-Grade difference meant no contest. But this was rare; usually, the opposing space could only send Tier 1 powerhouses to higher-tier mission worlds; Tier 2 and above were extremely rare. If this happened, it meant the opposing space would kill the opposing faction''s members in this mission world, Regardless of the cost. Transcendent Space also had Legions; the war banners were specialized equipment for Legion members, specifically for group combat. War banners were non-graded items; their power boost depended on the battles they''d been through; the more intense the battles, the stronger the boost. A single bearer could provide a boost to all Legion members on the battlefield, making them extremely valuable. Drop bringing a war banner was incredibly risky. Losing it would be a heavy blow to the Legion. Red looked at the massive hole in the sky: "While our primary target is that Tier 4 being, whether she can survive that attack is questionable." ... Returning to the present. Mei had only gathered over ten thousand Stargazers for the chant; a few more remained scattered among the ruins. Soon, A cyborg arrived at the ruins. His face was cold; the metal on his body reflected the setting sun''s cold light. A sense of urgency seemed to linger in his coldness. Upon seeing the Stargazers, his eyes lit up, and he instantly launched an attack. The robed Stargazer awoke, raising his arm; the gems on his wrist emitted a faint light, and star energy surged, preparing to strike. Bang! The cyborg leaped, then seemed to freeze in mid-air. Time froze; his thoughts ceased. "???" The Stargazer stared at the frozen cyborg, pondering whether to attack, or return to sleep. Mei appeared. "Do you know about the shattered constellations?" The Stargazer glanced at the frozen cyborg, then at Mei, nodding, "Rekindle the constellations'' starlight and face the gods'' trial." Hearing this, Mei was delighted. She had questioned many Stargazers, but none knew what the shattered constellations were; she had finally found a clue. But, The gods'' trial? Mei was stunned. The gods were gone!!! She fell silent, unsure if the trial could still be conducted without the gods. She had to try. She asked the Stargazer, "Where are the shattered constellations?" The gem on the Stargazer''s wrist glowed again, his eyes filled with a longing for release. He assumed a fighting stance: "If you can grant me release, I will tell you." "Fine." Mei agreed. Hum¡ª Star energy surged. The Stargazer said confidently, "I''m different from the other Stargazers. I''m a chosen one who passed the gods'' trial. Equating me to them would be a grave mistake¡­" Boom! A pinpoint of light exploded with the force of lightning, instantly reducing the Stargazer''s arm to ash. The residual force carved a massive fissure in the ground. "¡­" The gem on the Stargazer''s wrist went dark; his confidence crumbled. He conceded, chuckling, "Let''s pretend I never said that." The battle ended swiftly and efficiently. Mei dissipated the light in her hand. "What are the shattered constellations?" Then, The Stargazer used his remaining arm to sketch a rough hexagram on the ground, saying, "This is the shattered constellation; you can draw it anywhere." "It''s that simple?" "Normally, six more Stargazer relics are needed, placed on the hexagram''s six points. Usually, a Stargazer is needed to infuse the shattered constellation with star energy to activate the ritual. But since you can control star energy, you likely won''t need a Stargazer." "Understood." "Good." The Stargazer, eyes filled with anticipation, chanted the sacred words, welcoming his imminent release: "I shall return to the embrace of the constellations!" Mei focused her mind. Bang! The Stargazer exploded into a cloud of gray ash. The Stargazer''s relic was the gem on his wrist. Mei instantly drew a larger shattered constellation; five more relics materialized, signifying that five other Stargazers had also received release. Ignoring the frozen cyborg, Mei placed the six relics on the shattered constellation''s points. As star energy flowed in, the constellation shone brightly. ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase Three?Complete¡¿ ¡¾Points Acquired: 5000¡¿ ¡¾Advancement Mission?Phase Four: The constellation altar shines; the final trial descends.¡¿ ¡¾Mission Reward: 8000¡¿ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Mei waited, the shattered constellation''s light flickering, but the final trial didn''t arrive; it was like calling a phone with no one answering. The gods were dead! Mei guessed the reason; ironically, she was the culprit. The shattered constellation''s light dimmed; the ritual went unanswered. A response would have been surprising. Just as Mei thought the Advancement Mission would fail, a faint power touched her. She sensed it. She was summoning herself through the shattered constellation?! Not entirely unreasonable. Having fully obtained the Constellation Power, Mei was now the supreme god of this world, its only god. Summoning a god was summoning herself. A faint power was drawn from the shattered constellation, projecting a clone of Mei before her¡ªa clone with only Tier 2 strength. Unbelievably, the final trial was a fight against herself.