The sun had not yet set, but Lu Ye had already stepped into the deepest part of the battlefield. His figure flashed through the ruins, blade strikes roaring like thunder. Energy crystals piled behind him like a mountain. Each swing echoed with the resonance of Tier 3. He was no longer just a squad warrior—he was becoming a machine in the midst of evolution.
Alone in the wreckage, Lu Ye fought through swarms of mutants. His movements streaked like light between shattered walls. Every strike thundered through the air. The crystals stacked behind him grew taller.
His breathing grew erratic. Fine cracks appeared across his skin, as if his body could no longer contain the energy surging within. "Not enough… still not enough…" he muttered, eyes burning with defiance.
A massive mutant lunged at him, its body like living stone, spewing corrosive fluid from its jaws. Lu Ye didn't dodge. He focused all his energy into his right arm and met the attack head-on. The impact rang out like an explosion. His bones cracked faintly, but the creature shattered, its core crystal rolling to the ground.
Energy Crystal: Threshold ReachedBody Load: CriticalAttempt Breakthrough?
Lu Ye didn't hesitate. He sat cross-legged, his arm trembling, but he forced the raging energy into submission, diving deep into his neural network. In that mental space, he saw a fracture— not a wound, but a gateway to evolution.
He poured all the crystals into himself. Energy surged through his veins like a flood. His blood boiled. Bones reshaped. Nerves rewired. Pain crashed over him like waves. His body convulsed violently, skin glowing with a metallic sheen— as if undergoing a divine reforging.
Breakthrough Achieved: Tier 2 Peak → Tier 3 Entry → Tier 3 MidNew Ability Unlocked: Thunder Domain Slash – IntermediateCombat Rating: Capable of solo engagement with large mutant clusters
He opened his eyes slowly. A flicker of lightning danced in his pupils. "This… is true Tier 3."
His aura surged. Golden patterns shimmered across his skin, like echoes of an ancient war god. Lin Lan stared, stunned. "He's… a full stage ahead of us." He Xuan murmured, "He's not fighting—he's devouring the battlefield."
Elsewhere, the rest of the squad claimed their own victories. Hu Hao's mental commands now controlled ten-man units. Qin Hao's lightning threads formed aerial kill grids. Lin Lan's tactical analysis boosted combat efficiency by 30%.
Squad Breakthrough: Tier 3 EntryCombat Rating: Capable of handling mid-sized mutant clusters
They stood at the edge of the base, watching Lu Ye's silhouette with awe and gratitude. They had followed the right leader. Under his protection and unity, they had become powerful espers. Only Zhao Yang remained silent.
Night fell like ink. On the rooftop, the wind carried the scent of the Star Abyss. Zhao Yang sat alone, blood mist swirling around him, as if awaiting a summons. His mind sank into the depths of the fragment. That space reappeared—silent, lightless, yet filled with an indescribable presence.
Energy Crystal: MaxedBreakthrough Achieved: Tier 3 Mid → Tier 3 PeakStar Abyss Fragment: Brief Resonance
Zhao Yang opened his eyes. A glimmer of starlight flickered in his gaze. He said nothing. He simply stood, and it felt as if the entire night sky trembled within him.
Lu Ye gave him a thumbs-up. "You're beyond Tier 3 now."
Zhao Yang replied softly, "I'm just closer to it. And without you all, I wouldn't have survived. We're your brothers. You're our captain. I'll never betray you."
Lu Ye chuckled. "Alright, alright. Don't get all sentimental." Despite his tough exterior, he was a good man.
Just as the squad prepared to rest, the base's comms system glitched. All screens flickered with distorted symbols. Then came a whisper— not sound, but a tremor in consciousness.
"They are merely experiments of our gods." "No matter their power, we are invincible. Hahahahaha…"
Lin Lan snapped her head up, face pale. "That's not human language." He Xuan's disc vibrated violently, warning: "They're watching us." Zhao Yang looked to the sky. His blood mist solidified into a fracture— as if answering the whisper.
In the distant heavens, a star lit up— one not found on any known chart. It had no orbit, no light source, yet in Zhao Yang's mind, it left behind a single word:
Observer
And their experiment… had only just begun.