The ruined town was filled with excitement.Students were checking their cultivation levels, comparing their breakthroughs, and talking over one another as they tried to understand what had just happened.Liam stood slightly away from the crowd.He couldn't celebrate.His mind was still trapped in that darkness.The blue window.The foreign mana.The number climbing faster and faster.Ninety-nine percent.And then there was his Adaptive Core.Liam looked at Lucas.“When everyone started breaking through, did you see anything unusual?”Lucas thought for a moment before shaking his head.“No.”Liam frowned.“Nothing?”“Nothing that I could explain,” Lucas replied. “The mana suddenly surged, and my core reacted.”Lily nodded.“That happened to me too. The mana around the town changed almost instantly.”Karl rubbed the back of his neck.“My core started revolving by itself. I couldn't stop it.”Liam remained silent.That wasn't what had happened to him.His breakthrough had happened while

The following morning, Liam and the others gathered with the selected students inside the academy's deployment hall.The enormous hall was filled with thousands of students, and the atmosphere was far more serious than it had been during the previous briefing. Some students discussed possible strategies, while others stood quietly, waiting for their assignments.Above the central platform, ten enormous planetary projections hovered in the air.Each planet looked different. Some were covered in vast forests, others were dominated by oceans or frozen wastelands, while several displayed sprawling cities that stretched across entire continents.However, one detail connected all ten worlds.Every planet had been invaded by Abominations.The instructors stood beneath the projections, preparing to announce the assignments."Listen carefully," one of them said. "Each planet has different conditions, and not every group will face the same level of difficulty. Some planets will receive several

Liam hadn't asked for that responsibility.But he was beginning to understand that someone had to make the decisions when there wasn't enough time for everyone to agree.Before he could think further about it, a sharp burst of static came from the communication device attached to his wrist.A voice broke through."Emergency transmission! Any academy team receiving this, please respond!"The voice was strained, interrupted by loud impacts and the distant sound of something roaring."We're under attack at the eastern transportation station! Our barrier is failing! We have injured students and multiple Abominations surrounding the building!"A violent explosion drowned out the next few words.Then the voice returned."Please! Anyone!"The transmission cut off.For several seconds, nobody spoke.Karl was the first to move."We're going."Lily caught his arm."Do you even know how many creatures are there?""We have a location and a distress signal. What else do you need?""An idea of what

The warning about the central tower lingered in Liam's mind as he examined the ruined streets. They had barely arrived on Veyra, yet they had already encountered creatures capable of threatening Silver Peak cultivators, discovered strange growths spreading across the city, and rescued a team that had nearly been wiped out. Charging blindly towards the tower would be reckless, especially when they knew so little about what awaited them. They needed somewhere to spend the night, a place where they could treat their injuries, recover their mana, and examine what they had learned. "We should find shelter before moving any farther," Liam said. "We have an injured student, limited supplies, and no reliable information about the enemy's numbers. If we keep pushing forward, we might end up needing someone to rescue us." Karl glanced at the darkened skyline. "I hate to admit it, but he's right." "Should I record the occasion?" Lily asked. "Say another word, and I'll give you somet

Lily moved beside him, striking exposed joints with precise blades of blood-red mana. She avoided wasting energy on the creatures' armour, aiming instead for the dark knots beneath their chests.Lucas advanced towards the larger Abominations, releasing concentrated bursts of demonic mana that forced them away from the relay.The chamber became a battlefield.Liam remained near the centre, his railbow appearing in his hands.He drew the weapon and aimed at the nearest creature.The railbow converted his mana into a concentrated projectile, releasing it with a sharp crack.The shot pierced the Abomination's chest.Liam fired again before it could recover, striking the dark knot beneath its armour.The creature collapsed.He shifted his aim towards another enemy attempting to flank Karl.The second shot struck its knee, disrupting its movement. Karl seized the opening and finished it with a brutal sweep of his claws."Keep those shots coming!" Karl shouted.Liam didn't answer.Insight wa