Thank You,
Knight Teir: "Shees", and "Jonathan Modica"
For Becoming A Member On My Pa'treon. The Emperor Protect.
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It was a crowd of Level 2 Peak Planetary Lords. The value of a Level 2 Peak Planetary Lord lay in their planet's capacity to hold supernatural energy, much larger than that of Level 1 planets, which were limited due to their smaller diameters.
Developing a planet beyond 9,000 kilometers in diameter was relatively easier, but beyond that, each additional kilometer increased the difficulty exponentially. Many ambitious individuals weren't satisfied with their progress but would slowly expand their planet's diameter step by step, thereby increasing its strength. One part was preparing the planet for advancement; another was waiting for the right opportunity.
"Old friend, how many years have we been waiting for this?" An old man in black spoke up, breaking the silence.
"I can't quite remember. Probably about 300 years," Tesponded a white-clothed old man beside him, filled with emotion.
"Back then, you and I were the most talented freshmen in our group. I achieved Mythical Level advancement and was promoted to a Level 2 Planetary Lord at eighteen. We developed our respective planets to 9,000 kilometers by age 25," The old man in black's eyes flickered with a trace of memory. "But from 25 to now, I've only gained less than 300 kilometers."
"It can't be helped. The further you go, the harder it gets," The white-clothed old man shook his head. "We're still doing well. Do you remember Conway Celio, who was in our class that year?"
"Of course. Though his talent isn't as high as ours, he was more popular with the girls," The man in black chuckled.
"After his planet reached 9,000 kilometers, he intended to join the Star Competition, even breaking up with his girlfriend. But then...," The white-clothed old man paused, "Not only did he fail to improve, but his planet collapsed, shrinking back by thousands of kilometers, falling below 5,000. This made him dare not attempt the Ordinary Level of planetary advancement anymore. He left school disheartened, and I don't know where he'll spend the rest of his days."
"At least we still have a way out," The black-clothed old man nodded. "Even if we don't excel in the competition, we can still aim for promotion. With your and my planetary strength, the Epic Level isn't too distant. Soon, we could become Level 3 Planetary Lords."
"Everyone is thinking the same," The white-clothed old man glanced around the crowd of black-clad figures, and chuckled. "So many have endured until now."
"There are many old-timers like us," The man in black replied bitterly. "Our school alone has dozens, and across the entire Federation and even the Endless Star Territory, there are probably hundreds of millions. But you and I both know most of them don't end well."
"This truth is clear in everyone's mind," The white-clothed old man said calmly. "But why have you supported this for hundreds of years? It's because of that opportunity to become a Level 6 Planetary Lord. It takes a strong heart."
"Exactly. Any Planetary Lord who doesn't aspire to reach Level 6 isn't a true Planetary Lord," The black-clad man agreed seriously.
As the most talented geniuses of their eras, they weren't merely proud and arrogant; they refused to accept mediocrity.
"It's a pity that the chances for most are slim," Clifford observed as he watched these not-so-young Level 2 Planetary Lords advance. He paused, shook his head, and lamented, "According to previous competitions, winners are usually under a hundred years old. Older ones rarely succeed."
Sebastian and the others understood the reason without Clifford needing to explain. After a planet reaches its peak, failure to advance further risks ecological collapse. The longer the wait, the greater the chance of degradation. Though these elders struggled to hold on for hundreds of years, their planets were likely already in decline. The best window was within a hundred years, when the planet was at its peak and most stable for competition.
"But don't underestimate them," Terrell said. "The fact that they've maintained a Level 2 planet without collapse for so long shows incredible perseverance. Underestimating that could be a mistake."
"Exactly," Otwin nodded. "These elders may not have much chance of victory, but their strength shouldn't be underestimated."
"What's the point of discussing this now? It doesn't concern us directly," Clifford suddenly stopped speaking.
The surrounding crowd's chatter silenced immediately. Everyone turned their attention forward, and then they saw an old man dressed in blue appear above the crowd. He radiated a unique aura, seemingly ordinary, yet ethereal and compelling.
Sebastian and a few others, though not having seen him with their own eyes before, recognized that this blue-clothed elder was the leader of Hope's Peak Academy and the only Level 6 Planetary Lord.
The blue-clad old man swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke: "I won't say much, everyone knows how important the Star Competition is. Register if you wish to participate. Whoever wins will, after me, be the successor of Hope's Peak Academy."
The old man then looked at a handsome young man in white at the front and said, "Our school's Level 2 Peak Planetary Lord will be led by you. Prepare well over the next month and strive for a good result."
"Yes, teacher," The young man replied respectfully.
The blue-cloaked figure waved his hand gently and disappeared. The scene around them shifted; what was just now a void transformed into an arena.
"For the next month, the school will provide free enhanced star space here," the Crown Prince announced, scanning the crowd. "Any Level 2 Planetary Lord wishing to compete can come forward."
"Is that... the Crown Prince? The first Great Mythical Level in our school?" Jane asked after a few moments, curiosity evident in his voice.
"That's right," Clifford nodded. "It's said he's the only Level 2 Planetary Lord in our school with a real chance to win the championship. If all goes well, he'll be the next successor."
Next to him, Otwin and Terrell cast faint glances at Sebastian. They knew about the rivalry between Sebastian and Leonard's group, which belonged to the Crown Prince. If Sebastian wasn't convinced, the road ahead wouldn't be easy.
"The Crown Prince is still a long way from us," Terrell smiled. "Though we're less powerful, we're still Level 2 Planetary Lords and eligible to participate. What do you all think? Want to sign up?"
"Absolutely," Clifford said without hesitation. "This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. If we wait for the next one, we might have reincarnated long ago."
"Yes, it's a chance to see the world," Otwin agreed. "The competition gathers the most talented geniuses of the century."
Although Jane said nothing, his eyes shone brightly.
"Sebastian, what about you?" Clifford asked.
"Since everyone's participating, I can't miss out," Sebastian replied with a smile. "The Road to Level 6 is too important. I can't afford to pass this up."
"Come see the registration page," Clifford projected a huge display, an official registration portal for the Star Competition.
At the top was the competition slogan; in the middle, a large registration button; and at the bottom, real-time registration numbers, rapidly changing every second.
"Wow," Jane marveled, "so many people are signing up?"
Sebastian looked at the number, over a billion.
"Of course," Clifford said calmly. "That's just the number enrolled in the Endless Star Territory. In our school alone, there are over a hundred thousand Level 2 Planetary Lords. In the entire Federation, it's at least hundreds of millions."
"Most are probably cannon fodder, including us," Otwin joked.
"Cannon fodder must also be properly prepared," Clifford said. "I'll be in isolation for a month. What about you all?"
"Same. Since we're participating, we have to give it our all. Don't lose too badly," Terrell and others agreed.
After some deliberation, they decided to cut off all outside contact for the next month and focus on planetary development. Sebastian didn't need to stay in the enhanced star space; his estate's star space was the same as here.
"The competition doesn't start until a month from now?" Sebastian thought as he returned home.
Since the entire Endless Star Territory was involved, registration lasted a full month. Sebastian planned to prepare thoroughly. But unlike Clifford and the others, Sebastian's goal wasn't just experience; he aimed for a top ranking.
"At least I want to secure a winning spot and get into the Council," Sebastian thought secretly. The Group Star Council had resources far beyond Hope's Peak Academy, the Empire, and others.
He didn't need to rely on the system; Terra's current strength wasn't enough. This was a battle of geniuses from across the Federation and beyond, talented people with great luck. Sebastian's advantage was the month of preparation. Unlike other planets, Terra could accelerate evolution, making it a significant edge. Sebastian entered the awakening space again, and a prompt was sent.
Catherine, Kendall, Lando, and others are discussing nuclear fusion. Suddenly, they see a transparent panel with the following message:
[The Supreme Glory War will begin in ten years, lasting for a hundred. Please be prepared.]
According to the rules of the Star Competition, from preliminaries to finals, the entire process lasts half a year, giving Sebastian ample time for development. It was crucial to inform the Imperium's leader in advance.
Everyone was slightly taken aback by the message. Kendall and Lando especially looked surprised. For them, this was a rare opportunity, waiting until late in life, now, they faced the upcoming Supreme Glory War.
"Supreme Glory War?" Kendall asked, realizing something. "According to previous records, the Glory Conquest is divided into the Great and Minor Glory Wars. This time, the Supreme Glory War must be even more important!"
"It seems so," Catherine nodded. "We're ten years ahead of schedule, and it will last a full century. This indicates the importance of this war. And…" she scanned the crowd, "the difficulty will be unprecedented."
"Don't fear the high difficulty," Kendall said with a slight smile. "What I worry about is that it might not be difficult enough."
"This war will last a hundred years," Catherine continued, "so we must prepare thoroughly and lay a solid foundation for the next century."
After a week of intense discussion, the Council devised a top-secret plan called "The Hundred-Year War." It was a broad strategy, with many specifics still to be fleshed out.
Sebastian reviewed it and made slight adjustments to Terra's time flow, ensuring readiness.