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—
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—clearly 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 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.
[Upgrade Task 1・Complete]
[Limit Break・Upgrade]
[Limit Break・LV1⬆]
——
[Ability: Limit Break]
[Level: LV1]
[Description: 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.]
——
Leveling up from "None" to LV1 was reasonable; the original one-minute duration had increased to two minutes—a 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.
A long-awaited drop!
[Item Acquired: Constellation Power・Arrogance]
——
[Item: Constellation Power・Arrogance]
[Type: Item]
[Description: A fragment of Constellation Power. Defeating all the gods and gathering all fragments will yield complete Constellation Power.]
——
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—
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—
Mei's body exploded into an unknown substance, then, as if time reversed, instantly reformed. Death Evolution activated; Mei's power surged.
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star 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!
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star 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.
[Upgrade Task 2・Complete]
[Limit Break・Upgrade]
[Limit 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.
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star 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!
[Do 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.
[Do you crave power?]
[Transcendent Space tether commencing.]
...
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star 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.
[Upgrade Task 7・Complete]
[Limit Break・Upgrade]
[Limit Break・LV7⬆]
——
[Ability: Limit Break]
[Level: LV7]
[Description: 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.]
——
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.
[Upgrade Task 8・Complete]
[Limit Break・Upgrade]
[Limit Break・LV8⬆]
——
[Ability: Limit Break]
[Level: LV8]
[Description: 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.]
——
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—
Simultaneously,
Immense power surged.
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star 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.
[Transcender Detected]
[Elimination Mission Commenced]
[Elimination Mission: Transcendent Space is the enemy of Hyperdimensional Space. Transcenders are mortal enemies. Eliminate the Transcender before you.]
[Mission 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.
[Elimination Mission・Complete]
[Points Acquired: 1,000,000]
…
[Upgrade Task 9・Complete]
[Limit Break・Upgrade]
[Limit Break・LV9⬆]
…
[Upgrade Task 10・Complete]
[Limit Break・Upgrade]
[Limit Break・LV10⬆]
——
[Ability: Limit Break]
[Level: LV10]
[Description: 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.]
——
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.
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star Spirit・LV21⬆]
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star Spirit・LV22⬆]
[Enhancement Successful]
[Star 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."
——
[Advancement Mission・Phase Three: The eternal twilight lingers; the shattered constellations are shrouded in darkness. Rekindle the constellations' starlight and face the final trial.]
[Mission Reward: 5000 points]
——
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—both 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—a 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—
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.
[Advancement Mission・Phase Three・Complete]
[Points Acquired: 5000]
[Advancement Mission・Phase Four: The constellation altar shines; the final trial descends.]
[Mission 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—a clone with only Tier 2 strength.
Unbelievably, the final trial was a fight against herself.