Rowan felt a tightness in his chest as he watched Kevin Cross silently clench his fists. Even without words, he understood what Kevin was thinking. Despite all his growth, Kevin was still painfully aware of how fragile he remained in the vastness of the universe. Powerhouses roamed the cosmos freely, and to them, a Planet-level warrior from Earth barely qualified as dust.
Rowan stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on Kevin's shoulder. Without hesitation, he took out massive quantities of rare metallic materials, precious enough to buy entire star systems. These were the core nutrients needed by the Golden-Horned Beast to evolve. He handed them all to Kevin.
Kevin's eyes widened. Joy spread across his face like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. With this amount of consumption material, the Golden-Horned Beast within him could grow all the way to the Universe level. It was a gift that could change his destiny.
Soon after, Rowan summoned Hong, Thor, and Kevin together. The four stood inside the command cabin of the Yunmo Starship. Seriousness replaced Rowan's usual calm as he repeated the critical message he wanted them to hear.
"We all have to push harder. Once everyone reaches the Star level, I'll take us into the greater universe. From now on, we fight for the future of our people."
He clenched his fist as if willing strength into the group. His voice carried conviction, and even the ambient lights of the starship seemed to hum in agreement. Kevin, Hong, and Thor felt the heat in Rowan's words, like a blazing fire igniting something deep within them.
Hong and Thor exchanged solemn nods. Their experiences inside the Ancient Civilization Ruins had shattered their old worldview. They finally understood that Earth was nothing more than a remote, unclaimed planet on the very edge of the Silver-Blue Empire's territory. Worse, the universe upheld a brutal slave system. Even Planet-level, Star-level, and Universe-level warriors could be sold as slaves.
The revelation had shaken them to their core.
Earth was terrifyingly fragile.
Just then, Babata popped out of the auxiliary console. His holographic form floated around with swagger.
"Next, all of you will train in the virtual combat rooms of the Yunmo Starship. You'll be able to simulate countless monsters from the virtual universe and train to your heart's content until you reach the Star level."
Hong and Thor naturally agreed, but Rowan raised a hand to stop them.
"The Yunmo Starship's virtual space is good, but compared to the Slaughter Grounds in the Virtual Universe Company, it's nothing. I've already transferred fifty billion Black Dragon Coins to each of you."
The room went silent.
"With that amount, we can train in the Slaughter Grounds for a very long time. That is our real goal, not wasting time on the ship."
Hong, Thor, and Kevin all stared at him wide-eyed.
"Slaughter Grounds? What is that place?" Thor asked.
Rowan looked at the three of them, an unreadable smile on his face.
"Remember the consciousness helmets I gave you? I've already helped you register your identities in the virtual universe. Once you enter the Virtual Universe Company's internal world, you'll find the Slaughter Grounds. It's where warriors and spiritual masters hone their combat skills, sharpen their instinct, and improve their understanding."
He continued.
"There's also the Duel Arena. There you can challenge opponents at your level for a simulated life-and-death battle. You can learn a lot from both victory and defeat."
Kevin, Hong, and Thor's eyes sparkled. Just hearing about the place made their hearts itch with anticipation.
Rowan also explained the cost of training.
"As Star-level warriors, once you all reach that level, each of you will spend around two thousand Qianwu Coins per day. At the Planet level, about seven hundred per day."
But Rowan had already given each of them fifty billion Black Dragon Coins, more than enough to last a long time. They also now wore full sets of third-tier Origin Weapons and Battle Armor. Their strength had skyrocketed.
"For Earth," Hong said quietly, "we will become stronger."
Thor raised a fist. "I'm going straight to the Duel Arena."
Kevin nodded, excitement burning in his eyes. Their fighting spirit surged to the sky.
Rowan then turned to Babata.
"Go accompany Kevin and keep him focused on his cultivation. Don't worry about me."
Babata agreed immediately. Between Rowan and Kevin, the one who needed supervision was undoubtedly Kevin. He possessed the body of the Golden-Horned Beast but still struggled to use its strength effectively.
Rowan, on the other hand, was a walking monster. He even hid countless secrets. With only Star-level strength, he had managed to enslave a Universe-level Tier 3 being without assistance. That fact alone proved how terrifying his real power was.
Thor then suddenly suggested, "Since Earth is relying on just the four of us, why don't we swear brotherhood? All responsibilities are on our shoulders anyway."
Rowan didn't refuse. Hong and Kevin agreed immediately.
Thus, they became sworn brothers.
Hong, the eldest according to age, became the First Brother. Thor was the Second Brother. Rowan became the Third Brother. Kevin, naturally, was Fourth Brother.
"Third Brother!" Kevin shouted happily.
Rowan laughed. "Brothers, let's head to the Duel Arena and test our strength."
They put on their virtual helmets and connected to the internal network of the Virtual Universe Company. Their vision blurred, and in the next moment, they were standing in the Slaughter Grounds.
Rowan felt restless excitement. Despite all his power, he had fought fewer real battles than he liked to admit. Usually he won by clever tactics or leveraging external advantages. Few fights relied purely on his own abilities.
Now was the time to change that.
Once inside, each of them chose a codename. Kevin picked "Madman," as usual. Thor, always flashy, chose "War God." Hong selected "Killer." Rowan, meanwhile, chose something unusual: "The Traveler."
The three immediately began sending battle invitations to stronger opponents, but to their frustration, they were ignored or rejected repeatedly.
Thor slammed his fist on the ground.
"What? Again? Why do they keep rejecting me?"
He had sent thirty-one invitations and received ten direct refusals. The rest simply vanished without a response. His earlier enthusiasm was nearly extinguished.
Rowan laughed.
"I forgot to tell you. We're all newcomers here, so our star rating is zero. High-level players won't even glance at us. We have to start from the bottom and slowly raise our rank."
Realization dawned on them.
Babata floated next to Rowan, eyebrow raised.
"You've never been here before, so how do you know the rules so clearly? And what's with that weird name, The Traveler?"
Rowan smiled calmly.
"In the ruins, I received a special inheritance. I learned a lot about the wider universe. I didn't need you to explain anything. As for the name… doesn't it sound cool?"
"Childish," Babata muttered.
Rowan ignored him and entered the Duel Arena. He sent eleven challenges to one-star, Star-level Tier 7 opponents. Two accepted.
Babata scanned them.
"One is from the Gura Tribe. Strong physique, high endurance, good match. The other is not suitable."
Without hesitation, Rowan accepted the fight.
The battlefield materialized: a blazing star surface with harsh winds and molten terrain. His opponent appeared, a four-meter-tall beastman carrying a colossal battle axe.
"You chose to face me? I'll break every bone in your body before killing you," the beastman growled.
Rowan smiled. "If you're in a bad mood, I'll make it worse. Trash like you deserves it."
The beastman exploded with rage, charging like a meteor. The axe fell like a mountain, its force shaking the air.
But Rowan didn't dodge.
With a flick of his fingers, the Heavy Mountain Shield materialized before him.
At that moment, Rowan's five-layered Fire Domain erupted. The temperature rose to seventy thousand degrees. Flames wrapped the battlefield.
"What? A five-layer domain?" the beastman screamed.
His armor melted instantly, adhering molten metal to his skin. The searing heat tore at his flesh. He attempted to flee but the domain suppressed his movements.
Rowan hovered in midair, countless blades forming behind him. Three hundred sixty-five razor-thin metal plates spun like deadly saws.
"Don't worry. I won't let you die too fast."
The blades tore into the beastman. Limbs fell. Screams echoed. His attempt to surrender failed when Rowan snapped his throat to silence him.
For fifty-four agonizing seconds, Rowan watched the flames consume him until the beastman finally died.
Rowan exhaled.
"Fifty-four seconds. And that was only a normal Star-level Tier 7 opponent. Fire alone isn't enough unless I reach nine layers. Next time, I'll try the Fire Law."
He left the arena without looking back.
Since the challenger had been only a one-star warrior, no spectators had watched the fight. If they had, no one would dare accept Rowan's challenges again.
Because what he delivered wasn't combat.
It was pure, merciless domination.