Chapter 1027: Divine Transformation

Chapter 1027: The Divine Metamorphosis

Within the Emerald Star Cluster, in uncharted territory, a high-curvature vessel tore through the void at breakneck velocity.

Aboard the craft sat only Han Xiao alongside a contingent of apostle automatons, his gaze fixed upon the star charts in the command deck as a crimson waypoint pulsed on the display, its coordinates anchored somewhere in the cluster's central expanse.

This was the locus of the chaotic arcane energy unveiled within the Alien Deity's legacy, a frontier untouched by the great powers; piloting his own mastercrafted vessel, he drove forward without pause, bypassing the cautious stop-and-go tactics of his rivals to plunge deeper into the unknown.

The emergence of the chaotic energy drew near, and he had arrived early to lie in wait among the cosmic brush.

Thanks to Evans, Han Xiao alone possessed certainty regarding this single coordinate, while other factions armed with mere rumors would be forced to gamble among several listed locations, a circumstance that thinned the field of rivals to his distinct advantage.

His physical presence served as a safeguard; had the opposition proven weak, a Sovereign clone would have sufficed, sparing him the risk of revealing his true form's whereabouts.

Yet now, Han Xiao intended to find a quiet harbor, for his accumulated experience had finally breached the threshold for the three hundred and twentieth tier, making ascension his immediate priority.

He had spent recent days in relentless transit, but the Black Star Legion's foundations were firmly laid, requiring no further oversight; he need only await the steady influx of foreign players into the Radiant World, and the legion would naturally draw fresh recruits in endless waves.

The legion's ranks now swelled to roughly eight million souls, a figure far from its zenith; once the remaining stellar domains poured their players into the world server, surpassing ten million would be effortless, and the continuous infusion of new blood promised yet another torrent of experience.

"By the time all players converge upon the world server, the legion's numbers should approach eleven million five hundred thousand, standing as the largest player faction for now, second only to the three great civilizations of the late stages in my past life."

Han Xiao murmured inwardly.

Not every player had yet arrived in the Radiant World, but the collective player population had already drawn the heightened scrutiny of the major powers, with the geopolitical landscape shifting precisely toward the early version four point zero era he remembered so well.

His own influence had funneled tens of millions of players who should have been scattered into the Black Star Legion, a deviation bound to ripple through the cosmos, yet Han Xiao had long anticipated this; the era of quietly profiting from player labor was drawing to a close, and soon the great advanced factions would value player capabilities as highly as he did.

"Let such matters wait; my position is secure, the dragon rides upon my face, and I sit firmly upon the fishing platform." Han Xiao shook his head, commanded the vessel to decelerate, and brought it to a halt within a tranquil expanse of cosmic space.

Han Xiao exited the airlock, propelling himself through the vacuum away from the ship, while his apostle automatons formed a protective perimeter; he activated devices to mask energy fluctuations, concealing the anomalies that would accompany his ascension.

Opening his interface, his eyes traced the astronomical figures of his experience pool, and a restless anticipation stirred within him.

"At last I have hoarded enough to surge upward and ascend; it has been an age since I last felt that soaring sensation."

With the thought firmly in mind, he wasted no time, pouring every ounce of his experience into the upgrade, and his stagnant overall tier once again shot upward like a rocket!

[The Throne Mechanic ascends to Level 8, Vitality plus 450, Strength plus 5, Agility plus 5, Endurance plus 15, Intelligence plus 20, you gain 15 attribute points and 1 potential point]

...

[The Throne Mechanic ascends to Level 20, Vitality plus 450, Strength plus 5, Agility plus 5, Endurance plus 15, Intelligence plus 20, you gain 15 attribute points and 1 potential point]

[You have reached tier 320, triggering the tier 320 ascension quest!]

Over the years, Han Xiao had stockpiled several quest completion cards; glancing at the ascension requirements and recognizing a troublesome endeavor, he simply cast out a completion card without hesitation.

[Tier 320 ascension quest completed!]

[Ascension successful!]

[Base Endurance bonus plus 90! 1 Endurance equals 570 Health Points equals 580 Stamina Points]

[The Telx Mechanic Legacy unlocks Level 320 special blueprints!]

[Your Vitality tier reaches Level 21, and your energy level has surpassed 78000]

[You acquire the specialty Divine Metamorphosis: Mechanism (0/?)]

[You acquire the specialty Divine Metamorphosis: Void (0/?)]

[You gain 2 Divine Metamorphosis points]

[You acquire Skill Fragment: First Sanctuary x1]

[All your virtual technology skills see a 50 percent enhancement in effect]

A tremor coursed through Han Xiao's frame, every cell transforming into a miniature singularity that devoured and siphoned the dense cosmic dark energy surrounding him, refining his very essence.

The Throne Mechanic class caps at sixty levels, requiring tier 360 for a class transition, with the next species sublimation scheduled for tier 340.

In Han Xiao's memory, tier 320 should have been merely a routine ascension, yet the notifications flashing across his interface stirred a sudden surge of alertness.

"Divine Metamorphosis?"

Han Xiao's eyes flickered with calculation.

The term was not entirely foreign to him; during the late stages of his past life, the concept had circulated within the Super A-rank circles and eventually reached the players. Though information was scarce, forum speculation suggested it was a crucial factor for elevating one's life tier beyond the Super A threshold.

As a mechanical deity, he at least bore the title of god, and regarding a divine core, the Key of the Mechanical Theocracy seemed to hint at such a function... yet divine nature itself remained an uncharted territory he had never experienced.

Why, the higher one climbed the ladder of existence, did it lean so heavily toward idealism? It made life exceedingly difficult for a materialist mechanic like him...

"So an energy level of 78000 Ona and a Vitality realm of tier 21... is this the threshold to trigger Divine Metamorphosis?" Han Xiao pondered silently while enduring the agony of ascension.

The calculation of energy levels followed a rather complex function, far beyond simple addition or subtraction; the greater the value, the wider the actual gap between each point. For instance, the numerical difference between 200 and 100 was identical to that between 10000 and 9900, yet the actual energy disparity they represented was worlds apart, making advancement increasingly arduous at higher tiers.

When he had shattered the three hundred tier to achieve mechanical divinity, his energy level had stood at over 71000.

Over the subsequent decade, he had relentlessly cultivated new Vitality disciplines, significantly raising his upper limits, while expending vast amounts of experience and potential points to elevate his skills and knowledge. He had also extracted potent specialties and abilities from figures like Herber, Manison, and Silver Shadow, and acquired Perfect Mechanical Sense from Nilo; under the cumulative weight of these enhancements, his energy level had firmly surpassed 78000.

"Two Divine Metamorphoses, Mechanism and Void... hmm, these likely correspond to my primary class and race. Does this mean two distinct evolutionary paths? Or must they be activated simultaneously?"

Han Xiao glanced at his specialty list, noting the small plus signs trailing both Divine Metamorphosis entries, while their effects remained obscured by question marks.

"It seems the effects will only reveal themselves upon allocation. The ascension granted me two points, so I shall invest one in each to test the waters... The skill suffix likely denotes the cap for this special specialty, meaning full completion requires maxing out the points? Yet that too is a question mark, leaving me uncertain of the required investment..."

With that, Han Xiao tentatively allocated a single point to Divine Metamorphosis: Mechanism, and the specialty's effects immediately materialized.

[Divine Metamorphosis: Mechanism (1/?)]

[Phase One: Mechanical Affinity plus 1000 percent, Ability Intensity plus 20 percent, all mechanical skill base effects receive a subtle enhancement]

Han Xiao scanned his skill list; an increase in base effects meant a slight amplification per level, reinforcing every mechanical ability he possessed. The magnitude was modest, but its comprehensiveness was undeniable.

"The bonuses are acceptable, though they hardly seem earth-shattering... perhaps merely because I am in Phase One? Greater investments might unlock more potent effects?" Han Xiao raised an eyebrow; the logic held water.

After a moment's hesitation, Han Xiao abandoned the notion of funneling his remaining point here and instead activated Divine Metamorphosis: Void.

[Divine Metamorphosis: Void (1/?)]

[Phase One: Exclusive racial talents elevated, Void evolutionary path species traits slightly enhanced, you gain 1750 free attribute points for completion]

[Mechanical Prodigy] Total mechanical affinity rises from 1.25x to 1.28x, mechanical creation performance bonus increases from 40 percent to 44 percent, and other Void path racial talents receive varying degrees of enhancement, significantly reducing cooldowns.

"This one is rather promising."

Han Xiao nodded in approval.

His Divine Metamorphosis points were now depleted, leaving him uncertain of replenishment methods; were they granted solely through ascension, or did alternative avenues exist?

If ascension was the only source, it implied that reaching the 78000 energy threshold earlier would yield points sooner; advancing at lower tiers was naturally more convenient, potentially granting more points than at higher levels... perhaps this represented latent potential?

Han Xiao shook his head and turned his attention to another notification.

What exactly was this First Sanctuary skill fragment? He had never encountered it in his past life.

Its description was equally shrouded in question marks, leaving Han Xiao baffled; judging by the name First Sanctuary, it seemed to bear little relation to mechanics, and with only a single fragment in hand, it was unusable for now, merely a decorative placeholder.

"I have a feeling it is a pivotal factor... I shall seek an opportunity to inquire if the Empire holds archives on this matter. It will likely require contribution points to exchange, much like the Mechanical Theocracy records of old."

Setting aside the mysteries for later, Han Xiao directed his gaze toward the Telx Mechanic Legacy, which promised new blueprints at tiers 320 and 360; the tier 320 designs had just unlocked.

He scanned them swiftly, his gaze suddenly sharpening as a flash of delight pierced through his expression.

By the stars, a golden drop!

——

(My dearest brother has taken a bride, summoning me to the Sichuan hills to stand beside him, where each day dissolves into heavy wine and ceaseless revelry; thus, burdened by this merry chaos, the rhythm of my updates shall waver in the coming days, and I fear this fifth reprieve of the year may well be surrendered to this very threshold (???^???))