The sky darkened.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
One second, silver clouds drifted peacefully above the Outer Domain of Virelith.
The next—
They split apart as if something immense was descending through them.
Kael felt it first through the Codex.
Then through instinct.
Then through fear.
[System Alert: Dimensional Lock Engaged]
[Escape Functions Disabled]
[Threat Classification: Transcendent]
Lyra's calm composure fractured—just slightly.
"My system has restricted retreat options," she said quietly.
"Mine just locked them completely," Kael replied.
The air folded inward.
Space compressed.
And then it appeared.
A figure suspended above them in the sky—humanoid in shape, but wrong. Its body shimmered like fractured glass reflecting countless realities. Its eyes were not eyes, but spiraling constellations rotating within void-black sockets.
Its voice did not travel through sound.
It manifested directly inside their minds.
"Two active growth systems detected."
"Evaluation Protocol: Begin."
Kael's pulse spiked.
Lyra's eyes sharpened instantly.
"This is not a cultivator," she said.
"No," Kael answered.
"It's something above that."
The entity lifted one hand.
The world shattered.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
The mountains in the distance fragmented into floating geometric shards. The ground beneath them split into hovering platforms. Gravity twisted sideways.
[System Warning: Reality Manipulation Detected]
[Survival Probability (Solo): 3%]
Lyra spoke immediately.
"Combine outputs."
Kael didn't hesitate.
"How?"
"My system will optimize shared combat efficiency. Your system will supply raw growth acceleration."
So her system refined.
His system expanded.
Perfect.
The entity moved.
Not forward.
Everywhere at once.
A thousand afterimages descended simultaneously.
Kael activated Shadow Step—
Too slow.
One strike clipped him mid-teleport.
Pain exploded through his ribs.
[Critical Damage Avoided]
[Emergency Growth Triggered]
[Strength +25 | Agility +30 | Void Manipulation: Level 8]
Lyra intercepted the next strike with a perfectly timed counter, her movements impossibly clean.
[Celestial Optimization: Combat Sync Activated]
Suddenly—
Kael could feel her timing.
Not telepathy.
Synchronization.
When she moved, he understood the opening.
When he attacked, she adjusted instantly.
The entity paused mid-air.
"Adaptation speed… abnormal."
Kael grinned through blood.
"You have no idea."
He unleashed Shadow Rift at maximum output.
Lyra simultaneously executed a compressed energy spear strike refined to absolute efficiency.
Their attacks converged.
Void and precision.
Expansion and perfection.
The impact cracked the distorted sky.
For the first time—
The entity moved backward.
[XP +1,200]
[Level Up: 15]
Kael's body felt like it was tearing itself apart from rapid growth.
Lyra's breathing sharpened, but her movements remained exact.
The entity raised both hands.
The world froze.
Time itself thickened like syrup.
Kael felt his movements slowing—
Then his system flared violently.
[Infinite Ascension Override: Temporal Resistance Acquired]
Time snapped.
He moved again.
Lyra's eyes widened.
"You broke temporal suppression."
Kael exhaled.
"I don't break limits."
"I erase them."
The entity's voice shifted slightly.
Less mechanical.
More focused.
"Growth rate exceeds acceptable threshold."
"Containment required."
A massive construct formed above them—a lattice of energy forming a descending cage of light and void.
Lyra calculated instantly.
"Impact in six seconds."
Kael's mind raced.
Six seconds.
Not enough time to overpower it.
Unless—
He turned to her.
"Can your system calculate exponential feedback loops?"
Her eyes locked onto his.
"Yes. But it risks destabilization."
He smiled.
"Perfect."
They stepped closer.
Systems pulsing.
Energy building.
[Warning: Cross-System Resonance Detected]
[Unknown Outcome Probability: 47%]
Kael extended his hand.
Lyra hesitated for exactly half a second.
Then took it.
Void energy surged outward.
Her silver energy compressed inward.
Expansion met refinement.
The lattice cage descended—
And they released everything.
Light and shadow exploded upward like a newborn star.
The sky cracked.
Reality screamed.
And for the first time—
The transcendent entity's form destabilized.
Fragments of its glass-like body shattered and dissolved.
It did not scream.
It observed.
"Conclusion: Threat level escalated."
Then—
It vanished.
The dimensional lock released.
Mountains reformed.
Gravity normalized.
Silence fell.
Kael dropped to one knee, breathing hard.
Lyra steadied herself, though her sleeve was torn and blood traced faintly down her arm.
[System Notification: Transcendent Encounter Survived]
[Massive Growth Bonus Applied]
[Level Up: 18]
Kael laughed weakly.
"We just fought something above gods."
Lyra's gaze lifted to the sky where it had disappeared.
"It wasn't trying to kill us."
Kael frowned.
"No."
She finished the thought.
"It was testing scalability."
A chill moved down his spine.
Meaning—
They had just been measured.
And judged worth monitoring.
Lyra turned to him slowly.
"Our growth has attracted higher attention."
Kael stood, shadows curling naturally around him now like instinctive extensions.
"Good."
She studied him carefully.
"You don't fear escalation."
He met her eyes.
"I welcome it."
Far above the clouds—
Unseen.
Something ancient adjusted its focus.