Chapter 208: Promoted to Planetary Level! A Hundred Years of Bitter Cultivation, Finally Becoming Planetary!

Chapter 208: Ascending to Planetary Rank! A Century of Bitter Cultivation, Finally a Planet! Encounter with a Star Beast!

The events of the Star Cup’s ninth-level division continued for several days after the stunning duel between Qin Feng and Jin Mu, finally drawing to a close.

Qin Feng did not slacken in the slightest due to his elimination. He used these days to carefully review the recorded duels of all the top experts, greatly broadening his horizons.

Then, he plunged into the Imperial Arena once more, honing the move [Qian Yuan], which he had broken through on the spot, into an ever more seamless and effortless form through a deluge of actual combat.

Although his realm had not changed, after this period of sedimentation, his strength had visibly improved.

When the entire ninth-level division had settled, the massive return vessel was still delayed in departure.

According to the schedule, the ship had to wait for all the lower-level martial artists’ matches to finish before returning together, and now, the official matches for sixth-level martial artists had just entered the brutal “shrinking circle” phase, with no end in sight.

Qin Feng had no intention of wasting time here.

Through his personal terminal, he directly submitted a request to return to school early to Instructor Yue Hong, who was in charge of the Canaan delegation.

Considering that he had already obtained the ticket to the “Cosmic Genius Battle” and had successfully completed his mission, Yue Hong readily approved.

In addition, Yue Hong also issued Qin Feng the reward for entering the top thousand.

The reward was simple: 1 million contribution points.

After receiving permission, Qin Feng did not linger for a moment and went straight to the arena’s subspace teleportation center.

With a slight sensation of spatial distortion, his figure vanished from the noisy arena, and the next moment, he had already returned to the long-missed Canaan Star Martial Arts University.

Familiar air, familiar scenery.

Qin Feng took a deep breath, letting all the excitement and insights from the fierce battles of the Star Cup settle deep in his heart, adjusted his mindset, and returned to his dormitory.

He sat cross-legged on a cushion, and the entire room fell into absolute silence.

Next, he was going to do something major—ascend to the Planetary rank.

His consciousness sank into his body, clearly “seeing” that “supreme” Origin Aperture.

It was like a dormant star, suspended at the center of his dantian universe, containing terrifying energy enough to blast an entire planet into cosmic dust.

And ascension meant igniting this star.

This process, in the empire’s martial arts textbooks, was called—Core Forging!

A martial artist must take all of their thoroughly tempered spiritual will, in a single instant, with unprecedented resolve, forcibly enter the Origin Aperture and engage in the most direct, most frontal collision with the spiritual energy ocean raging within like a supernova explosion!

This was a process of “succeed or die.”

If the spiritual will was shattered by the raging spiritual energy in this collision, at best, the spirit would be injured, requiring years of recuperation;

at worst, the Origin Aperture would lose control and explode on the spot, leaving no remains.

Countless prodigies had fallen at this final step.

But once successful, the spiritual will would, like a sovereign, completely control the entire Origin Aperture, forging it from a mere “energy core” that only absorbed and released energy into a spiritual energy core containing one’s own “martial will” and “life imprint,” capable of eternal operation!

Once the spiritual energy core was forged, it meant that the martial artist’s life essence had undergone a fundamental leap, completely breaking the cosmic shackles of mortal life, and formally stepping into the magnificent hall of the “Planetary” rank.

From then on, the physical body could traverse the void, lifespan measured in tens of thousands of years, and every move carried the power to shatter stars.

Qin Feng reviewed the principle of ascension in his mind, without any hesitation.

His spiritual will fiercely stabbed into that dormant spiritual energy ocean!

There was no earth-shattering collision as imagined.

No pain that could tear the soul as described in textbooks.

When Qin Feng’s spiritual will, as firm as divine iron, touched the vast spiritual energy ocean within the “supreme” Origin Aperture, everything seemed so natural.

A “Star Beast” potential-level physique, plus a “supreme” Origin Aperture—ascending to Planetary rank was a matter of course, effortless.

For other martial artists, the myriad dangers that were a matter of life and death simply did not exist for Qin Feng.

The entire ascension process was as simple and natural as breathing or drinking water.

Just one day later.

Inside the dormitory, Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes.

Deep in his eyes, it seemed as if two newborn stars were slowly rotating, profound and dazzling.

Within his body, that Origin Aperture had completely transformed.

It had become a rapidly rotating spiritual energy core emitting a faint golden light, continuously spewing forth more pure and more vast spiritual energy, like an unceasing tide, washing and strengthening his limbs and every cell over and over.

Without exaggeration, this tiny spiritual energy core contained an energy level and destructive power no less than the core of a real planet.

But at this moment, this terrifying power capable of destroying civilizations was as docile as a part of his body, completely under Qin Feng’s control, following his will like an extension of his arm.

He slowly raised his hand and clenched his fist.

The air emitted a strained explosion.

He could clearly feel that every move he made contained the terrifying power to blow up stars.

His life had also leaped to a new level, with a long lifespan reaching tens of thousands of years.

Until the energy of the spiritual energy core was completely extinguished, his vitality would be tenacious to an appalling degree.

The eternal operation and spiritual energy emission of the core also brought his physical recovery ability to an extremely terrifying level.

Even severed limbs, as long as the core was not extinguished, could regenerate rapidly in a short time.

“No wonder…”

Qin Feng murmured to himself, his mind suddenly clear.

“No wonder the seventh-level killing technique, that is, the Planetary-level killing technique, must be cultivated in conjunction with spiritual power, and it exerts mental pressure on the enemy.”

He finally understood the essence of Planetary-level combat.

“At this level, pure physical damage can hardly make a same-level expert truly fall. Everyone has a spiritual energy core for power supply, and their recovery abilities are freakishly strong.”

“If two Planetary-level experts engage in a life-and-death duel, with the possibility of escape, they would probably have to chase each other for a dozen or even a hundred years to wear the other down to death.

But if the Planetary-level killing technique is added, with mental pressure attached to the attack, it becomes completely different.”

“Once the spiritual will is destroyed, the spiritual energy core loses control and collapses instantly. This is the most efficient way to kill.”

Having understood this, Qin Feng began to ponder his own future.

“Moreover, after reaching the Planetary rank, my greatest physical advantage actually no longer exists.”

Planetary-level experts have all undergone a leap in life essence.

It can be said that all Planetary-level experts stand on the same starting line.

“However…”

Qin Feng thought to himself, “It seems I still have a means to cheat.”

He recalled the red-and-white skull that had merged into his body, and the words of Instructor Yu Han.

“I can plunder power by killing the Chaos Blessed, strengthening my physique and enhancing my spiritual power. In a sense, this is a kind of alternative cheating.”

“But… what exactly is the ‘special martial artist’ that Instructor Yu Han mentioned special for?”

Qin Feng’s brow furrowed slightly as he fell into deep thought.

Mentor Yu Han had explicitly told him that he belonged to an extremely special type of martial artist, born as a "Chaos Bane," who could gain the power of Chaos's minions by slaying them.

Qin Feng pondered over and over, but could not figure out where exactly his specialness lay.

Bloodline?

Talent?

Or soul?

"Could it be..."

A thought, like a flash of lightning, streaked through Qin Feng's mind, "Is my specialness in my 'Heaven Rewards Diligence' panel?"

This speculation stirred something in his heart.

"If that's really the case, then doesn't it mean that within the entire human empire, there exists another group, or another type, of special martial artists with similar 'panels'?"

Qin Feng thought for a moment and felt it was indeed possible.

After all, the empire's population base was too vast; the mysteries of the subspace existence were unfathomable even to gods, and beyond the empire there were terrifying mechanical lifeforms. Who's to say there weren't other martial artists with panels?

Qin Feng didn't really care about this.

He had been cultivating for a hundred years; even without the panel now, he would still cultivate as usual, believing he could reach the pinnacle of martial arts. His martial will had become extremely tenacious!

To be honest, Qin Feng had rarely paid attention to the panel anymore.

The panel was essentially just a solidification of his efforts into data, a visualization of his hard work.

Qin Feng temporarily suppressed these tangled thoughts, reconnected his consciousness to the academic system of Canaan Starry Sky Martial University, pulled up his student records, and began to review the specific conditions required for graduation.

A clear line of clauses written in the empire's common script appeared on his retina.

[Canaan Starry Sky Martial University - Graduation Conditions]

[1. Life Level: Successfully promoted to "Planetary-level" life form.]

[2. Mission Record: As a team leader, independently complete at least one empire mission rated as "Planetary-level".]

[3. Combat Certification: Personal ladder rank in the Empire Arena reaches "Ninth Dan".]

Qin Feng examined each item one by one.

The first condition, promotion to Planetary-level life form, he had just achieved.

The third condition, reaching "Ninth Dan" in the Empire Arena, he had already completed five years ago.

Now, the only threshold remaining between him and graduation was completing a Planetary-level empire mission.

He then opened the empire mission system, filtered the mission level to "Planetary-level", and began to browse carefully.

However, the content presented in the mission list surprised him slightly.

Completely different from the Level 9 missions he had encountered before, which were filled with blood and slaughter, the Planetary-level mission list appeared much more "gentle".

Among them, pure combat missions such as "Eliminate space pirates", "Hunt down rebel governors", "Annihilate alien tribes" were very scarce, few and far between.

In their place were a large variety of non-combat or low-intensity combat missions.

[Teaching Mission: Go to a newly naturalized primitive civilization, spread the basics of empire martial arts, establish initial order.]

[Duty Mission: Station at a space base on an empire trial planet, maintain facility operations, for a period of thirty years.]

[Tracking Mission: Locate the activity traces of a certain Level 5 empire fugitive, report coordinates, no engagement required.]

[Exploration Mission: Go to an unknown uninhabited star region, prospect for rare mineral resources.]

...

"Hammer,"

Qin Feng called out in his mind, "Why is this the case?"

"Reporting to Master."

A beam of light projected from Qin Feng's personal terminal, coalescing into a cute cartoon little flying dragon with red and white coloring.

Hammer flapped its tiny wings, hovering in front of Qin Feng, and explained in a clear electronic voice with well-organized logic:

"Master, the current state of the Planetary-level mission list is mainly due to three reasons."

"First, it is due to the empire's care and cultivation strategy for Planetary-level martial artists.

Planetary-level is the true starting point of martial arts, the beginning of systematic cultivation and use of mental power. The empire does not want these precious 'seeds' to fall prematurely in high-intensity battles before they have grown.

Therefore, missions are mostly stable and long-term, aiming to give them ample time to carry out missions while consolidating their own cultivation."

"Second, it is due to the practical needs of the empire's vast system.

For example, 'Duty Missions', like the trial planet 'Meat Grinder-III' you once visited, its orbital space base needs to be managed by Planetary-level martial artists who have accepted the mission.

Martial artists who have not reached Planetary-level cannot easily ensure stability, but dispatching Stellar-level experts above Planetary-level would be overkill. Or 'Tracking Missions', locating the coordinates of Level 5 fugitives, require keen insight and some self-preservation ability; Planetary-level martial artists are the most suitable candidates.

Thus, most missions for Planetary-level martial artists are set up to meet the empire's vast training system for Level 1-9 martial artists, which is why there are fewer combat missions."

"Third, and last. Most Planetary-level experts who dare to cause trouble in the empire's heartland, once they fail, will choose to flee to the empire's border regions to gain breathing room, or even cross the blockade into the chaotic 'Battlefield of Ten Thousand Races'.

Therefore, within the empire's territory, there are rarely Planetary-level scale direct combat missions."

"Hmm, I see."

After hearing Hammer's detailed explanation, Qin Feng nodded slightly, fully understanding.

These missions could be seen as a kind of "benefit" given by the empire to Planetary-level experts.

The missions themselves do not consume much mental energy; one can cultivate while executing them, steadily earning contribution points.

The only drawback is that they generally take a long time, often decades.

But for Planetary-level experts with a lifespan of ten thousand years, this is nothing.

But Qin Feng could not wait that long.

"Hammer, help me re-filter the missions."

Qin Feng issued a new command, "There is only one requirement: missions that take less time. Limit the mission duration to within one year; contribution points don't matter."

"Yes, Master."

Hammer's little wings fluttered, and the mission list before him instantly refreshed.

A large batch of missions meeting the criteria appeared before Qin Feng.

Among them were indeed a few high-risk combat missions, but also a variety of peculiar short-term missions.

Qin Feng's gaze slowly swept across the list, finally settling on one teaching mission that looked quite unique.

[Mission ID: G-7749]

[Mission Type: Teaching/Passing the Torch/Stabilization]

[Mission Level: Planetary-level (Team Leader)]

[Mission Location: N123 Cosmic Void - Blue Star]

[Mission Objectives: 1. As the leader of the empire's advance team, lead team members to descend on the target planet 'Blue Star' and spread the basics of empire martial arts. 2. Close an unstable subspace rift existing on that planet.]

[Mission Duration: Team leader mission duration is estimated to be within one year (can be evacuated after closing the rift and stabilizing the initial situation).]

【Mission Reward: 50,000 Contribution Points, plus all spoils from clearing the subspace rift】

"Fifty thousand contribution points..."

For a planetary-level mission, this reward was pitifully meager.

As for the spoils, Qin Feng had no idea what they might entail.

But his focus was elsewhere.

He opened the mission and carefully read through the detailed description.

【Mission Details: The target planet, 'Blue Star,' is a life-bearing world with approximately 7 billion humans.

This civilization has advanced its technology to the level of initially landing on its own satellite, and has been continuously transmitting radio signals into outer space, recently detected by an Imperial long-range outpost.

Preliminary reconnaissance indicates the presence of an unstable subspace rift on this planet, suspected to connect to the edge of the 'Myriad Races Battlefield,' causing a massive influx of non-native monsters that pose a grave threat to the civilization.

Under this threat, the planet has seen the nascent emergence of a martial arts civilization, along with crude research directions in psychic energy...】

【Mission Composition: One Captain (Planetary-level), ten Members (Level 9 Ultimate Martial Artists).】

【Mission Procedure: The Captain must lead the ten members to the planet, stabilize the situation, and close the subspace rift. Upon completion, the Captain may apply for mission closure and withdrawal.

The ten members must remain on the planet for at least one hundred years, responsible for subsequent martial arts dissemination and order establishment.】

After reading all the details, Qin Feng had already made up his mind.

This mission, though low in reward, was short in duration and posed virtually no difficulty for him, perfectly suiting his current needs.

His sole purpose was to complete a mission and fulfill the final requirement for graduation.

"Accept this mission."

Qin Feng said to Hammer.

"Yes, Master. Mission accepted. Relevant mission supplies will be transmitted to your subspace storage unit. Please confirm receipt."

As the words fell, Qin Feng felt a slight fluctuation in his subspace storage unit.

With a thought, he delved into it to inspect.

Inside the storage space, a large batch of Imperial-standard supplies had materialized out of thin air.

Among them were millions of data chips recording the *Imperial Standard Body-Tempering Method*.

Exactly one hundred thousand subspace network passes.

Hundreds of "Superior Meridian-Opening Techniques" and "Superior Meridian-Closing Techniques."

And one each of "Ultimate Meridian-Opening Technique" and "Ultimate Meridian-Closing Technique."

In addition, there was a precisely crafted silver metal sphere covered in runes—a subspace rift stabilization device—and a thick knowledge file titled *Introduction and Application Guide to Psychic Technology*.

The abundance of supplies was enough to forcibly drag a primitive civilization into the era of interstellar travel in the shortest possible time.

Moreover, with the subspace transmission network, even if this primitive civilization were located inside a void, it wouldn't matter.

—

After accepting the mission in his dormitory at Canaan, Qin Feng wasted no time.

He organized the mission supplies, confirmed all details, and directly initiated the teleportation.

Hum—

Accompanied by a familiar sensation of slight weightlessness, as if his soul were being pulled from his body, the scenery before him instantly dissolved into a chaotic torrent of data.

Space folded and compressed, crossing an unimaginably vast distance.

This process lasted about a dozen seconds.

When Qin Feng opened his eyes again, everything before him had undergone a dramatic transformation.

He found himself inside the bridge of a small space warship.

Through the massive holographic viewport, a breathtakingly beautiful life-bearing planet, azure in color, hung silently against the pitch-black cosmic backdrop, slowly rotating.

Before him, ten burly martial artists were already lined up, awaiting orders.

They wore various types of power armor, differing in models and paint schemes, but all exuded the iron-blooded aura of seasoned warriors.

Powerful yet restrained auras emanated from them; without a doubt, all ten were Level 9 Ultimate Martial Artists.

Qin Feng’s gaze swept over them, recognizing many familiar war-band insignias.

Two wore the most familiar, sky-blue power armor of the Ultramarines Chapter.

One wore green-and-gold power armor with a flaming dragon head embossed on the shoulder guard—the Fire Dragon Chapter.

Another wore blue-black armor etched with lightning patterns—the Thunder Martial Hall.

As for the others, their armor styles and emblems were unfamiliar to Qin Feng, likely from countless other Chapters within the Empire’s domain.

Judging by their strength, these individuals were probably still "external members" or "reserves" of their respective Chapters.

Because, according to Qin Feng’s understanding—especially under the rule of the Ultramarines—only those who successfully advanced to the Planetary level were eligible for full membership.

"Captain!"

The moment Qin Feng appeared, the ten members snapped their feet together in unison and saluted him with a standard Imperial military gesture, their movements perfectly synchronized and brimming with power.

Their voices, transmitted through the built-in communicators of their power armor, merged into a resonant wave that echoed through the bridge.

That cry of "Captain" was uttered with heartfelt conviction.

The instant Qin Feng appeared, they instinctively sensed the terrifying, abyss-like, unfathomable aura emanating from him.

It was a pure battle will, honed through countless life-and-death struggles.

What made their hearts tremble even more was the red-and-white skull hanging at Qin Feng’s waist.

As elite reserves of various Chapters, their eyes were exceptionally sharp.

They could clearly perceive that the skull bore a residue of pure, brutal chaotic energy.

The intensity of that energy suggested it could only have belonged to at least a Khornate daemon on the verge of ascending to the Planetary level!

Without a doubt, this captain, randomly assigned to them by the mission system, was an extraordinarily fearsome individual.

"Captain, here are the detailed files on this life-bearing planet."

"And this is the latest battle information regarding the subspace rift."

One of the members in Ultramarines power armor stepped forward and transmitted two data files to Qin Feng via subspace communication.

Qin Feng took the files, immersed his consciousness, and quickly scanned through them.

The first file concerned the planet beneath them.

As seen through the viewport, seventy-one percent of the planet’s surface was covered by liquid water, giving it a mesmerizing water-blue hue when viewed from space.

Qin Feng guessed that the Empire had named it "Blue Star" for this reason.

Of course, it was also possible that the civilization on this planet had referred to itself as "Blue Star" in the radio signals it sent into space.

But these details didn’t matter.

According to the star charts, the N123 cosmic void where Blue Star resided was an extremely barren and desolate region.

Within a radius of tens of thousands of light-years, only a few hundred star systems were scattered sparsely, and this was the only one with life that had developed an intelligent civilization.

Qin Feng was almost certain that the natives of this planet still believed themselves to be the only civilization in the universe.

The dossier also included detailed physical parameters: the planet's gravity was 0.9 times the Empire's standard gravity, and the atmospheric composition was suitable for human survival.

He then opened the second file, concerning the battle situation in the subspace rift.

Upon reading its contents, his brow furrowed slightly.

The situation was more dire than he had imagined.

According to the feedback from the Empire's reconnaissance probes, numerous monsters with power levels reaching the ninth tier had already appeared on this planet.

Among them, the most threatening was a cosmic beast designated in the Empire's database as the "Star-Devourer."

This creature was remarkably similar to lifeforms like the Mechanoids or the Zerg, capable of growing and evolving by devouring all inorganic matter.

Rock, soil, metal—all were its food.

If it managed to consume rare special metals, its growth rate would increase exponentially.

The Star-Devourer currently entrenched on Blue Star was still in its juvenile stage, but its life force index had already reached around ninety thousand points.

Besides the Star-Devourer, the dossier listed other bizarre ninth-tier lifeforms: giant monsters lurking in the deep seas, and towering trees rooted in the earth, as massive as mountain ranges.

But none posed a threat as great as the Star-Devourer, which could fundamentally destroy the entire planet's ecosystem.

"Captain,"

said a team member clad in power armor from the Fire Dragon Battle Group, his voice low as he began to explain, "The most troublesome one right now is this Star-Devourer.

Its existence has severely destabilized Blue Star's crust, triggering global earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

If we don't deal with it first, spreading martial arts will be impossible, and this civilization itself might be completely destroyed in a short time."

He paused, a hint of helplessness in his tone.

"Even with all ten of us working together, we can only hold it off for a while, but I suspect... we're no match for this juvenile Star-Devourer."

His words conveyed a clear message: this toughest nut was beyond their ability to crack; only the captain, a planetary-level powerhouse, could handle it.

Once it was slain, all the spoils would naturally belong to Qin Feng—they would not interfere.

"Hmm..."

Qin Feng closed the dossier, already forming a plan in his mind.

After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Have you made contact with Blue Star's official organizations?"

"Not yet,"

another team member immediately replied. "According to intelligence, Blue Star's highest authority is called the 'Blue Star Federation,' and its decision-making body is the 'Supreme Chief Council,' composed of the five strongest humans on Blue Star. Among them, the one with the highest life force index is only 127 points."

"Notably,"

he added, "they haven't mastered the systematic methods of opening and merging acupoints. Their way of enhancing strength is to use high-tech gravity devices to brutally push their physical potential. While this yields some results in the early stages, it leaves a lot of hidden damage to the body, and their path forward is blocked."

"I understand."

Qin Feng nodded, his plan now fully formed.

He looked at the ten team members and said solemnly, "My plan is this: first, you will establish contact with the Blue Star Federation, stating our identity and intentions.

Once we have their permission, I will act to slay the Star-Devourer and other threats that pose a significant danger to this civilization.

Afterward, we will peacefully spread martial arts and psychic technology, making it easier for you to manage things over the next hundred years."

"What do you think?"

"Agreed!"

"Approved!"

"We'll follow the captain's orders!"

No one raised any objections.

The plan was steady and efficient, minimizing unnecessary conflict as much as possible.

After all, they would have to remain here for a century.

"Good."

Qin Feng issued the command. "Then, begin immediately. Send the first contact message to the Blue Star Federation in the name of an Imperial envoy."

—

At the same time as Qin Feng's team sent their first contact message to Blue Star,

on Blue Star itself,

deep within a colossal fortress buried ten thousand meters underground and forged from the toughest alloys,

lay the supreme power center of the Blue Star Federation.

Inside a spacious, solemn circular meeting hall, five figures sat around a massive round table.

They were the five chiefs of the Blue Star Federation's highest decision-making body—the "Supreme Chief Council."

All five were powerfully built, with resolute faces, exuding an aura of seasoned battle-hardened resolve.

They were the pinnacle warriors of this civilization, the last guardians and hope of seven billion humans.

Yet at this moment, their faces were etched with unshakable gravity and exhaustion.

"Alas..."

An elder with white hair, seated at the head of the table, spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and heavy. He was the strongest among them, codenamed "Bedrock."

"This damned abyss... it's like a wound on our civilization that never heals, endlessly spewing out all kinds of beasts. The monsters appearing now have far exceeded what our technology can handle."

His words made the atmosphere in the hall even more oppressive.

Across from him, a middle-aged man with one arm missing and a hideous scar across his face slammed his fist onto the table with a dull thud.

He was Chief codenamed "Thunder," known for his fiery temper and fierce combat style.

"Especially that SSS-class beast codenamed 'Leviathan'! Last month, we launched over three hundred strategic nuclear missiles at it in a saturation bombardment. And what happened?!"

His eyes burned with frustration and rage. "It didn't die! Instead, it withstood the attack and even... even absorbed the nuclear explosion's energy to empower itself! According to post-battle assessments, after devouring that nuclear bomb, its strength likely broke through its previous limits, reaching a level we've never encountered before... SSSS-class!"

"SSSS-class..."

The word weighed on everyone's hearts like a massive mountain, nearly suffocating them.

"According to the think tank's simulations, after enduring the nuclear blast, it must have been severely wounded and needs time to heal and digest the energy,"

said a chief wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who had the air of a scholarly general, codenamed "Oracle." He adjusted his glasses and spoke solemnly. "Based on all data analysis, its next appearance should be in three to four months. This is our... last chance to catch our breath."

"Breathe?"

Another female chief, codenamed "Phantom Fox," let out a bitter laugh. "And then? In three or four months, what will we use to fight an SSSS-class monster?"

The meeting hall fell into a suffocating silence.

After a long pause, Chief "Bedrock" finally broke the stillness.

His gaze swept over each of his colleagues, his voice filled with deep confusion.

"Where does our martial path go from here...? There is no road ahead."

"These damned beasts!"

"Report!"

At that moment, the heavy alloy doors of the conference hall were shoved open.

A young warrior in black combat gear, sharp and vigorous, strode in quickly.

On his chest gleamed a badge representing "A-class" strength, his life force index reaching over 30 points.

He hurried to the round table, saluted the five chiefs with a respectful military gesture, and reported loudly: "Reporting to the esteemed chiefs! The latest intelligence just relayed from the front lines—the 'Beast Compendium' has confirmed the addition of two hundred and one new types of beasts! According to preliminary assessment, most are at threat level C!"

His eyes burned with fanatical adoration for the five S-class powerhouses before him.

In his heart, and in the hearts of all Blue Star's people, these five were gods walking the earth, the pillars upholding human civilization.

"I see,"

Chief "Bedrock" nodded, his face revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

He commanded calmly: "Update the compendium as soon as possible, and distribute it to every citizen's personal terminal at the fastest speed. Also, issue a federal announcement telling all citizens not to panic. The darkness will end. The Federation's latest superweapon is in its final stages of development. Soon, we will master a new form of energy and apply it to our weapons."

"Yes, sir!"

The young warrior's spirits lifted. After receiving the order, he turned and left swiftly, his footsteps brimming with vigor.

Watching his retreating figure, the five chiefs in the conference hall wore increasingly grim expressions.

The so-called "superweapon" was nothing but a lie to soothe the masses.

"Tianji,"

Chief "Phantom Fox" looked at the scholarly general, "How is the Academy of Sciences progressing with that newly discovered energy form? Is it possible... to use it for cultivation? If it can directly enhance our physical strength, there might still be a glimmer of hope."

Chief "Tianji" shook his head, his expression grave: "We've temporarily named that energy 'Spiritual Energy.' Its nature... is extremely unstable, fraught with danger.

According to preliminary experimental data, it is highly corrosive to organic matter. I oppose conducting human trials at this stage."

He looked at the other four seated around him, speaking each word deliberately: "We five are the last hope of this civilization. None of us can afford to take risks."

"If we don't take risks, how do we deal with that SSSS-class behemoth?!"

Chief "Thunder" suddenly stood up, pointing at himself with his only arm, his voice agitated: "And to be honest, the five of us are already riddled with hidden injuries! The path of using gravity chambers to squeeze out potential has reached its end. We can't make any more progress!"

His gaze swept over everyone present, eyes gleaming with resolute light.

"Rather than sit here waiting for death, I intend to gamble on a chance!"

"I've decided—this afternoon, I'll go to the Academy of Sciences and let them use my body to test how this 'Spiritual Energy' works on humans! I'll pave the way for those who come after!"

"We can't let those promising young talents, with their bright futures, undergo such a life-or-death human trial!"

Thunder's words moved everyone in the room.

"Old Thunder, you..."

"This is too dangerous!"

Voices murmured in dissent, just as they were about to dissuade him.

At that moment, the doors of the conference hall were slammed open once more!

This time, a communications soldier burst in, drenched in sweat, his face etched with terror and despair.

He didn't even have time to salute, and with a hoarse, distorted voice, he screamed:

"R-report to the esteemed chiefs!"

"That... that behemoth codenamed 'Leviathan'... it, it has appeared again!"

"Just now, the monitoring station in the depths of the East Sea detected its trace! According to the latest life energy index readings... its energy level has completely surpassed SSS-class... reaching SSSS-class!"

Boom!

This news struck like a black lightning bolt, slamming into the hearts of everyone in the hall!

The five chiefs were instantly thunderstruck, their faces pale as death, their hearts turned to ash.

"S-so fast?!"

"Impossible! The think tank speculated... it would need at least three to four months to recover!"

"How long has it been?! Less than a month!"

"It's over..."

"What do we do now?!"

A chilling aura named "despair" instantly enveloped the entire conference hall.

"Continue with nuclear bombardment? Use up all remaining stockpiles?"

"No, no, no, that won't work. This thing is cunning. This time, the nuclear bombs might not hit it."

"I'll draw its attention, lure it deeper into the East Sea to buy time. You determine the coordinates for a precision strike. After I die, everything is up to you. If it succeeds, erect a monument for me. If it fails, then let fate decide."

"The life-seed spacecraft bound for the satellite moon has already been launched."

(End of chapter)