Commander Seris found Ethan the next morning in the academy's courtyard, reviewing training schedules. Her expression was controlled, but through the resonance bond, Ethan could feel the frustration simmering beneath her professional demeanor."You're staying," she said without preamble. "You rejected Kara's invitation.""Lyra convinced me it was the right choice," Ethan replied, uncertain where this was going."Lyra convinced you emotionally. I need to convince you strategically." Seris sat beside him, her silver eyes calculating. "You made a mistake last night, Ethan. Not choosing us—that was correct. But how you chose us was politically devastating.""I don't understand.""By having Lyra claim you publicly, by rejecting Kara's invitation immediately after, you've positioned yourself as exclusively bonded to the Fenris Pack." Seris's voice was sharp with frustration. "That signals that the other factions—including the Celestial Dominion—have no claim on you. My mother is already rec

Ethan sent the rejection message to Empress Kara the next morning—a carefully worded explanation about his commitment to his existing bonds and his inability to pursue additional romantic entanglements. He expected anger, political retaliation, or at the very least, a cold withdrawal of support.What he didn't expect was Kara herself arriving at Shadow Moon planet.Her personal shuttle touched down with minimal fanfare, and the Solar Empress emerged wearing combat armor instead of her usual ceremonial dress. Her molten skin seemed to glow brighter than before, and there was something dangerous in her bearing.Nyx escorted her to the central courtyard where Ethan waited with his bonded companions. The tension was immediate and thick."You rejected me," Kara said, without any preamble. "Not my offer—me. Personally.""I explained—" Ethan started."You explained political necessities. You explained bonds and commitments." Kara circled him, her burning eyes assessing. "But you didn't ask

The first advancement was supposed to take six days. Ethan achieved it in three.Nyx had taught him a meditation technique that existed on the edge of sanity—instead of cycling energy peacefully, he forcefully compressed it, then explosively released it, then compressed again. Over and over, pushing his core to the brink of shattering before pulling back at the last second.It was agony. Pure, unrelenting agony."Don't stop," Nyx commanded as Ethan gasped, his body drenched in sweat that seemed to be steaming from the heat of his cultivation. "The pain means you're breaking your limitations. Embrace it.""I can't—" Ethan gasped."You can. You must." Through the resonance bond, Nyx's voice carried something almost like compassion. "The Primordials developed this method specifically for emergencies. Reality Anchors who needed to advance beyond normal limits. Yes, it destroys you. But you rebuild stronger than before."Senna was monitoring from the side, her medical equipment tracking Et

The Voidborne arrived exactly when predicted—day twenty, hour zero.They came not as individual creatures but as a tide, thousands of entities pouring through tears in reality like a cosmic flood. Each one was different—some carrying sentience, others purely instinctive hunger. But all of them radiated the same fundamental wrongness that had destroyed Earth."All factions, engage defensive protocols!" Seris's command echoed across every military channel.Solar Dynasty warships opened fire, their plasma cannons tearing through the void. Crystal Dominion warriors deployed energy barriers that should have been impenetrable. Fenris Pack battle stations unleashed coordinated strikes designed to disrupt enemy formations.The Voidborne tide barely slowed."Ethan, now!" Nyx's voice cut through the chaos.Ethan stood at the center of Shadow Moon's primary defense platform, three hundred cultivators arranged in their formation around him. He took a breath and activated the Unified Consciousness

By the time the second Voidborne wave arrived, Ethan had achieved Mid Soul Realm advancement—a breakthrough that probably shouldn't have been possible but seemed increasingly normal for a Reality Anchor operating under existential pressure.Lyra had refused to leave his side, spending recovery time ensuring he actually rested instead of attempting more cultivation acceleration. Senna had optimized his medical regimen, pushing him safely to the edge of his physical limits. Seris had coordinated military positioning, ensuring every faction was positioned for maximum effectiveness. And Kara... Kara had brought her entire fleet closer, positioning her warships as the final line of defense around Shadow Moon."They're adapting," Ethan observed, watching the tactical display as the second wave approached. The Voidborne formations were different now—more coordinated, less chaotic. They'd learned something from the first battle."Expected," Nyx said from the observation platform. "They're not