NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC60: Call from Lia, Nova City in lockdown (3)
Chapter 60: Call from Lia, Nova City in lockdown (3)
As soon as Lia walked out of the cafe, she swiftly took out her phone and called a cab. Since she came here under the demand of City Lord Liebert, he didn't allow Albert to follow her and wanted the young ones to have some free space.
And that also meant going back to the Inner District on her own.
However, just as she finished calling a cab, her phone suddenly rang.
Surprisingly, it was one of her friends from Nova-1 High—Maris.
They had been close for a long time, but after she became an evolver, she rarely showed up at school. Because of that, they hadn't talked to each other for a long while.
With a click, she accepted the call.
"Hello, Maris!" Lia greeted in a happy tone. "It's been so long since you called me. I thought you forgot about me."
However, Maris didn't share the same energy as Lia.
Instead, her voice was solemn. "Lia... Are you free right now?"
"Yes, I am," Lia replied. "Why? Did something happen?"
"Yes..." Maris's voice came from the other side, shaky and low. "Something did happen. No... It would be more accurate to say that I found something very bizarre. I-I didn't know who else to contact, so I called you."
"What is it?" Lia's expression turned serious.
"I-I don't know. I don't know how to explain it," Maris said in a desperate voice. "Lia, please, can you come to me? This can't be talked over the phone. I'll send you my location."
"Alright!" Lia nodded. "I'll come to you, Maris. Don't worry. You'll be safe no matter what happens."
From the tone of Maris's voice, she sounded panicked and anxious, and as her friend, Lia couldn't just turn a blind eye.
"T-Thank you, Lia. I knew I could trust you." Maris said with some relief.
Soon, she ended the call and a live location appeared on her screen. At the same time, the cab she booked arrived.
Seeing this, without thinking much, she swiftly got inside and set her destination to Sector Six.
Time passed swiftly, and an hour later, the cab—utilizing the fast route to Sector Six—reached the location mentioned by Maris.
Getting out of the cab, Lia looked around. The place was littered with abandoned warehouses; this was most likely an old storage facility in Sector Six.
However, that wasn't her concern. She took out her phone and dialed Maris's number. She picked up immediately.
"I'm here," Lia spoke first. "Where are you?"
"I-I'm in the warehouse with the number B-64," Maris replied.
Lia looked around and quickly spotted the warehouse.
"I found it. Wait there, I'm coming!" Saying that, she cut the call and rushed toward the warehouse.
Inside, it was dim and eerily silent, and there was a strange smell lingering in the air—the scent of chemicals.
Lia stepped inside, her footsteps echoing through the empty space. "Maris, I'm here. Where are you?"
Right after she spoke, she sensed faint movement in the corner of the warehouse. Turning toward it, she saw Maris.
Maris was a girl with an average face, short brown-black hair, and right now she wore a look of distress and anxiety. The instant she saw Lia, Maris rushed toward her.
"Maris!" Lia called out as Maris threw herself into her arms.
"What exactly happened?" Lia asked, her voice filled with concern. "What did you want to show me?"
"What I wanted to show you..." Maris slowly spoke. "Was this."
As she said that, her hand moved toward Lia's neck—holding a syringe filled with a purple liquid.
shnk!
The sharp sound of the needle piercing skin rang out.
A stunned expression appeared on Lia's face. "You... Maris... What did you do?"
The moment the syringe hit, Lia felt dizzy. She couldn't believe what was happening. Her thoughts became sluggish, and her consciousness started to blur.
Maris pushed Lia to the floor, her face twisted with fear. "D-Don't blame me, Lia. If I didn't do this, t-they said they would kill my parents and my brother."
"Ah..." Lia realized.
It was a setup. She had been played by someone she trusted.
Lia knew Maris well—her personality, her habits. The thing she cherished the most was her little brother, who was only seven years old. Lia had met him before; he was a bright and confident kid.
"..." Lia's mind flashed back to two days ago.
Precisely at the time when Grey suddenly started acting strange.
His voice echoed in her head like a bell.
"I trust your intuition, Miss Lia. Practice hard at home, don't go anywhere."
'Was it truly a coincidence?' Lia struggled to stay awake, her spinning vision barely holding Maris's face.
Her thoughts were in disarray. She couldn't think straight anymore. The only thing in her mind was Grey's voice, repeating over and over.
With trembling hands, she grabbed her phone and dialed Grey's number.
It began ringing immediately.
However, just as it rang, a black-grey hand appeared in her vision, snatched the phone, and ended the call.
Lia subconsciously turned her gaze—and what she saw was a man with slitted dark yellow eyes, unnaturally colored hair, and a black horn protruding from his head. He wore human clothes, but his legs were those of a goat.
In her current state, she couldn't even muster shock. She just stared blankly, thoughtless, as the last flicker of will—the instinct to call Grey—faded away.
"Greetings, Miss Lia," the man spoke. "I am a humble being that has crossed over to this world from the Abyss. Nice to meet you."
"..."
Lia didn't respond. She couldn't.
Seeing that, he chuckled. "Right, I forgot—the numbing poison has reduced you to a mere human with no thought."
"But that's fine. My goal isn't to kill you. I just need to draw the City Lord out of his little cave that he sits in all day." As he said that, he snapped his fingers.
Instantly, bolts of lightning crackled throughout the warehouse and a dark globe of energy began to spread.
It was the creation of a Corruption Field!
"Let the show begin," the man said with a smile.
Sector Six, Nova-5 High.
Lightning crackled as a dome of black mist covered the entire school and the surrounding streets.
In Sector Five, amidst the bustling streets, lightning split the sky and a massive black void formed out of nowhere, swallowing everything in its path.
"Arghhh! What is this?!" Civilians screamed as they ran in terror. A Corruption Field had erupted, and they were about to be consumed.
It didn't stop there. More and more Corruption Fields began spawning within Sector Five.
And not just there. Other sectors were experiencing the same disaster.
The civilians of Nova City looked on in horror. "W-What is this? Is this the end of the world?"
Multiple Corruption Fields loomed over the horizon of Nova City as the surviving civilians trembled in fear.
[Attention! Multiple Corruption Fields have formed in all sectors due to unknown reasons! The entire Nova City is now in lockdown. Citizens, please seek shelter within the nearest Evolver Association immediately!]
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC61: Crisis, High Order's attack (1)
Chapter 61: Crisis, High Order's attack (1)
Sector Six, Inside the Corruption Field within the Central Plaza
Boom!
A corrupted being was sent flying as a flash of an arrow pierced through it.
Rock Landing then rushed forward with his bow, aiming down at the group of corrupted beings. Arrows shot out one after another, piercing every corrupted being that came his way.
Far away, waves of thorny trees erupted from the ground, binding a group of low-level corrupted beings.
Then, following a single sword slash, all of the bound creatures were chopped into pieces.
Evan landed on the ground with a solemn expression."Thanks for the support, Ellen."
Ellen, who stood beside him, nodded and released waves of healing wood energy. She was an Elemental Evolver—her main element was Wood.
Evan looked around. Just like them, there were many other Evolvers fighting against the corrupted monsters.
"Is there no end to this? How are there so many corrupted beings inside this corruption field?!"
"Hey you, watch out!"
"I'm injured—someone help!"
The entire area had turned into a battlefield. And this wasn't the only corruption field within Sector Six—there were more.
On the other side, a lone figure stood silently. Her eyes were calm and cold. Ahead of her, a horde of corrupted beings charged forth like a black tide.
"True Ice Style — First Form," Alissa spoke indifferently.
Her entire body shimmered with an icy blue light as hundreds of icicles manifested behind her. With a wave of her hand, the icicles shot forward.
Boom!
The icicles rained down on the corrupted beings like arrows, each one landing precisely on target. Then, with a flick of her fingers, her hands shone with silver light—and instantly, every corrupted being froze in place.
The civilians trapped within the corruption field were in awe.
"Look at that—that's Alissa, the top genius of Nova City!"
"Thank god! With her here, we'll be saved!"
However, before their relief could settle, the civilians who were standing and watching suddenly froze. Blood began to gush from their noses as they collapsed to the ground one by one.
"W-What?!" Panic erupted among the remaining civilians as they ran in all directions.
Near the fallen civilians now stood a man wearing a black robe, his face hidden beneath the hood. A cruel smirk stretched across his lips as red corrupted energy coursed through his body.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Codename: Black04, a member of the High Order," the man said, grinning wickedly as he fixed his gaze on Alissa. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Alissa stared deeply at the guy and then at the fallen civilian and immediately her expression became cold.
"What did those poor people do to you?" Alissa asked closely as she strode forward.
"They are mere worms, what difference would it make whether they died or lived?" The high order member smirked and said. "That matter aside, Miss Alissa, the great genius of Nova City, today i'm here to take your life today."
Alissa didn't reply. Instead she begun walking towards the man with cold gaze.
Seeing that, Black04 charged forward with a dagger in hand, dark crimson corruption energy swirling around it.
But just as he was about to reach her—
"Absolute Zero."
Buzz—
For a brief moment, everything slowed down. Black04's expression froze mid-charge, and before he could even comprehend what had happened, a thick layer of ice spread through his body. In an instant, he was completely frozen—then shattered into countless shards of ice dust.
The civilians who had fled earlier stopped and turned back, staring at Alissa in awe. She stood like a goddess—silent, untouchable, and terrifyingly powerful. With just a few words, she had obliterated her enemy.
Alissa turned toward the other end of the corruption field. Due to the field's distorted internal space, the area had expanded significantly, yet she could still see across it. In the distance, she saw several other black-robed figures like Black04 attacking the city's Evolvers.
Sector Four
"Arghh!"
An Evolver fell to the ground, blood gushing from his chest.
Beside him stood another man wearing the same black robe as Black04.
"For the Order!" the man roared as he charged forward. One by one, the Evolvers rushing toward him collapsed before they could even get close.
Sector One, Central District — City Lord Mansion
Inside the mansion's meeting room sat three men.
One was City Lord Liebert.
The second was Toren Ironfang, patriarch of the Ironfang Family.
And the third was Alaric Duskwood, the ancestor of the Duskwood Line.
"The situation is grim," Toren said. He was a middle-aged man, strong and solid, with a plain face and a neatly trimmed beard. "There are over thirteen corruption fields, each the size of a football stadium, appearing across Nova City at once. All signs point to the High Order and the Tiger Claw Gang working together."
Alaric leaned lightly on his cane. His hair was white, his face lined with age, yet his posture and eyes radiated power—the presence of a veteran Evolver.
"They're unpredictable," Alaric said calmly. "The High Order never follows a set pattern. We can't anticipate their next move."
"Every Evolver in the city is fighting inside the corruption fields," Toren added. "The situation is still under control—for now."
Liebert's eyes narrowed. "Control? My daughter is in their custody. How can you say this is under control?"
Alaric's gaze met his. "Boy Liebert... they have your daughter, and my grandson, Cedric. Both are being used as bait. This is a trap."
Liebert's aura surged, shaking the air. "I don't care if it's a trap or not. I'm getting her back."
Hearing that, both Alaric and Toren sighed.
"Since it's come to this, we have no choice," Alaric said, rising to his feet. "We'll go together and bring our children back. Toren will hold the city while we move. Cedric and Lia are both geniuses—we can't afford to lose them. Most importantly, they're our blood."
Toren nodded firmly. "Understood. I'll secure the city. Nothing moves without my command."
Liebert clenched his fists. "Then let's move. For Lia, for Cedric, for Nova City!"
At the same time, somewhere within Sector One, a man in a black suit was walking quietly. His face was plain, expressionless, and calm.
In front of him was a corruption field. As he stepped inside, the dark red miasma instantly dispersed—the area returned to normal.
The civilians trapped inside looked around in disbelief. Then, their eyes all turned toward the man who had just entered.
They stared at him in awe.
The man's face remained blank and emotionless.
This man was none other than Albert—Lia's butler.
He turned his gaze southward, toward the distance.
"Don't worry, Miss Lia," Albert said softly. "I'm coming... I'll save you."
The moment those words left his mouth, a terrifying beastly energy burst from his body.
Long wings stretched out from his back, his eyes turning slit-like. Then—with a thunderous boom—he shot into the sky, leaving several sonic booms in his wake as he flew toward the southern part of Nova City, where Sector Six lay.
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC62: Crisis, High Order's attack (2)
Chapter 62: Crisis, High Order's attack (2)
Sector Six, Warehouse, B-64.
Lia slowly opened her eyes with great difficulty. She looked around her with a grim expression on her face. To her right was a guy sitting on a chair, one leg over the other, sharpening his long blade with his black nails, sending sparks flying as he worked on the edges.
It was none other than Zeryth, who had introduced himself to her before.
"Oh?" Seeing Lia wake up, Zeryth spoke. "Did you have a good nap?"
"You..." Lia's expression twisted into one of rage. "Where is Maris? What did you do to her?"
She knew that her friend had acted out only to protect her own family. She didn't blame her—Maris was just an ordinary girl; she had no choice but to obey.
"Oh, her?" Zeryth tilted his head with a smile. "Look to your right."
Lia did as he said, and the scene made her eyes open wide in horror.
To the side lay Maris, with no life in her eyes.
"You BASTARD!" Lia screamed out as tears rolled down her cheeks.
She tried to stand up, but she realized that she couldn't move her body or sense her energy. To make things worse, she was tied up with her hands behind her back—completely cuffed.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Just then, someone walked into the warehouse.
Seeing the person, Lia's eyes widened in shock.
Walking in was a young man who looked about the same age as Lia. He had blonde hair and blue eyes.
It was none other than Cedric Duskwood.
"You're back," Zeryth said. "Did you handle the evolvers who wandered in?"
"I sent them down to hell," Cedric said with a casual smirk on his face.
Then, his eyes fell onto Lia, who was on the ground, staring at him with disbelief and shock.
"Lia Nova, we met faster than you expected, huh?" His smirk twisted into a cruel smile.
"You... Cedric, what are you doing with this... being?" Lia asked in shock.
She no longer knew what was happening—a corruption field, a being that didn't look human, and now a human who was the direct descendant of a prestigious family in Nova City was colluding with this being who created the corruption fields.
Hearing her, Cedric burst into laughter. "You still don't understand anything, do you?"
"Then, let me explain it to you." Cedric said with an evil grin. "This is a setup. A setup to completely eliminate Liebert and Toran from Nova City. They are the only mid-stage Second Rankers in Nova City, and eliminating them will directly allow the Duskwood Family and the High Order to effectively turn Nova City into our base."
"What?" Lia was shaken. "You are colluding with the High Order? How could you betray the human race? Is Lord Alaric aware of this?"
"Haha, is Grandfather aware of this?" Cedric grinned evilly. "He is the one who formed this plan in the first place! And besides, how is it betraying when the Duskwood Family has always been a follower of the High Order since countless years ago? In case you didn't know by now—the Tiger Claw Gang was formed by the Duskwood Family!"
"You..." Lia couldn't speak properly anymore.
The Duskwood Family had a connection to the High Order long ago? She couldn't process anything properly anymore—and they were the ones behind the Tiger Claw Gang?
"But don't worry, Lia," Cedric smiled sweetly like a lunatic. "Once that old bastard Liebert is dead and the entire Nova Family is uprooted from Nova City, I'll still keep you alive. You will become my harem member and serve as my maid!"
"You disgusting dog," Lia spat, utterly disgusted. "If this numbing potion fades away, I'll take your head!"
However, just as they were talking, a sound of an explosion rang out in the distance.
Both Cedric and Zeryth turned to look at the source of the explosion—it was coming from a warehouse not far from the one they were in.
"Cedric," Zeryth spoke, annoyed. "Go deal with whatever that is!"
"Yes, Young Master Zeryth," Cedric replied respectfully and withdrew from the warehouse to check on the explosion.
However, just as he left, a few minutes later another explosion rang out—and this time it came from the opposite side.
"Who is it?" Zeryth frowned. "Looks like there's more than one small fry."
He then glanced at Lia, who was looking back at him with a hateful expression.
"Stay still, human."
As he said that, he strode toward the opposite side of the warehouse. Entering the area of the explosion, he saw a huge crater—and inside it, a broken part of a drone.
Buzz!
However, as soon as he looked down, a bright light flashed into his vision, and his ears began ringing continuously. Following that, a whirlwind formed where he stood and completely covered him, wind blades rushing toward Zeryth.
Warehouse B-64.
"Mimi~"
The sound of a cat meowing rang out within the quiet warehouse, and a silver blur flashed across it.
Lia, seeing this, became alert, but before she could react further, she saw a cat-like creature land next to her—and to her disbelief, sword energy rushed out of its body, cutting the cuffs tying her hands.
Tap! Tap!
The sound of footsteps rang out. Lia slowly turned her head toward the direction of the sound.
There, she saw a man with long black hair, an extremely handsome face, flashing purple eyes, and a smirk on his lips walking toward her.
"Looks like I'm just in time. You didn't die."
The guy's voice, for some reason, made Lia feel a surge of relief wash over her.
Like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
The guy was none other than Grey Lockhart.
"Grey!" Lia's eyes watered up. "Grey!!!"
She called out to him as she wept.
"I-I didn't trust my intuition this time, like you told me." Lia said with teary eyes. "M-My friend, she is dead... I-I couldn't do anything."
Hearing this, Grey simply shook his head slightly, then took Lia into his embrace from the ground and held her close to his chest.
"You indeed didn't trust your intuition," Grey said with a sigh. "And to make matters worse, the protagonist isn't even here."
Then, as if remembering something, Lia spoke in a hurried tone. "We should leave quick! Cedric and that being... they're still here!"
"I know." Grey nodded. "That's why we're leaving now. If I make a run for it, we should be able to escape the corruption field in a few minutes."
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC63: Crisis, High Order's attack (3)
Chapter 63: Crisis, High Order's attack (3)
Grey had already begun moving the instant he got a call from Lia.
He tried to call her back, but the instant the call went through, the signal was said to be switched off. It was definitely something Grey couldn't overlook, and thinking about the omen of death Lia carried, he was certain something had happened to her.
Being his personal wallet and someone with endless potential, he couldn't let Lia die!
Hence, he set off. He had no direction, so he asked for Eterna's help—and she did help him—but it was all for naught, as according to Eterna, her network was jammed the moment Lia entered some café near the Inner District.
This made them realize that it was a coordinated attack that also eliminated Eterna from taking action.
With no choice left, for the first time ever, he utilized his Mind Interface Link Art and hacked into the database of Nova City for information.
It took him almost an hour to crack the encrypted, security-packed server, but he managed to get in and finally gain information on Lia—and that information thankfully came from a cab service. It even had the exact location she was dropped off at.
Sector Six, Abandoned Warehousing.
He didn't hesitate anymore. After preparing some defensive mechanisms, he traveled to Sector Six and entered the corruption field Lia was in, unnoticed by anyone. With his drones in full effect, he had eyes everywhere, and he stealthily entered the warehouse where Lia was kept with his stealth drone and eavesdropped on their conversation.
Then, he placed some distractions by detonating two drones and a Radiant Petal Storm array.
He took this chance to free Lia and leave before both of them escaped the trap he had set up.
However—
Buzz!
Just as Grey was about to run away, a crimson beam of energy shot toward him at bottleneck speed.
Grey's eyes contracted. Immediately, his spatial ring flashed, and a talisman flew into the air.
Boom!
The attack hit the talisman with intricate patterns, and immediately, the disappeared beam manifested once again and shot straight back to the place it came from.
"Abyssal Wall!"
Instantly, a black wall of energy formed in front of the caster, and the barrier directly blocked the beam before cracking and disappearing, leaving smoke across the warehouse.
[Your comprehension defies the heaven! By hearing the Abyssal Language, you've comprehended "Abyssal Language."]
Seeing this, Grey's expression became grim.
'He escaped my drone's detection,' Grey thought in dread.
The smoke vanished and revealed Zeryth standing at the entrance of the warehouse with an enraged expression.
"I don't know who you are," Zeryth spoke slowly, giving each word some weight. "But if you dare to disrupt the High Order's plan and stand in our way, I will gut you down inch by inch."
As he said that, he inched closer to Grey.
Seeing this, Grey's expression became solemn, while Lia had a look of terror. "G-Grey... it's that being... I can sense that he's very powerful. You won't be able to defeat him... let's run... please!"
However, to her dismay, Grey softly placed her in the corner of the warehouse and spoke gently. "I'm afraid it's too late for that."
"We won't be able to run now. That guy—he's a Level 9, First Ranker," Grey said with a helpless smile.
"But..." Grey's eyes flashed. "Don't worry. I'm confident I can drag out this battle until someone else comes."
[Your comprehension defies the heaven! By trying to observe the other party's level, you've gained comprehension into the relationship between the information layer and the physical layer and gained the skill 'Appraisal.']
[Power: First Rank, Level 9.]
"You..." Lia's eyes welled up with tears. "Y-You'll die!"
"No," Grey spoke with a smile. "I won't die."
As he said that, an oppressive aura spread out. A powerful black-purple energy erupted from his body, and immediately, Grey's body underwent a transformation.
Nexus Overlock!
Nexus energy surged into his body and brain like lightning. Instantly, purple-black lines with white dots appeared on Grey's hands, and intricate deep-purple lines spread out from his eyes into his sclera.
Lia was stunned seeing this. Coincidentally, she also felt an oppressive aura coming from Grey—the kind she had only felt from a mid-stage First Ranker.
By the time Grey was done transforming, Zeryth had also inched closer, but there was now a frown on his face.
"You... what is that energy?" Zeryth asked with caution. The way Grey looked now was something he had never seen before—and most importantly, the instant the energy erupted from the human, his Abyssal energy trembled slightly and retreated back into his energy field!
"I have no obligation to say anything to an Abyssal being coming from the Abyss," Grey spoke softly.
Hearing this, Zeryth's expression changed drastically.
"You—how do you know about the Abyss?" Zeryth's voice was solemn.
Nobody in this world knew about the Abyss aside from the upper echelons of Blue Star and those who belonged to the High Order. Then how could a mere First Rank brat know about it?
"The Abyss?" Lia silently mumbled under her breath.
Turns out, Grey knew something about the demonic being.
"You don't need to know," Grey said with a cold smile. "But now that I'm looking at an Abyssal being, those corrupted beings don't resemble you guys at all. I thought you both would have some resemblance, being ugly, but turns out you're even uglier than the corrupted beings."
"You! You're the one who's ugly!" Zeryth's expression darkened. "How dare you insult my appearance!"
As he said that, he rushed toward Grey with bottleneck speed.
Grey, seeing this, looked at the demon with a calm expression. He didn't move—he just let Zeryth charge at him.
At the same time, a crazed smirk formed on Grey's face.
He had a plan in mind, and if done properly, he would survive another day!
His previous plan of rescuing Lia unnoticed had flopped, and there was only one way to survive this—and... that was to die!
Zeryth closed in with great momentum, and with immense force, he punched directly into Grey's stomach.
Boom!
A hole formed in Grey's stomach as blood profusely poured out of his mouth before he collapsed to the ground.
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC64: Surge in power, the End (1)
Chapter 64: Surge in power, the End (1)
"GREY!" Lia's pupils shrank as a wave of dread washed over her.
"Kekekeke," Zeryth grinned wickedly. "This small fry... did he really think he could match my strength? I thought he'd be difficult to deal with. What a joke!"
At the same time, his frown deepened. "Strange... this human's blood. It's not red."
The blood oozing from Grey's body was purple-black, flecked with dim, glowing specks that shimmered faintly when they splattered on the ground. He honestly doubted whether this guy was human at all.
"N-No..." Lia's eyes went blank as she stared at Grey's fallen body. "This... this can't be real! How can something like this happen?"
"That guy's dead, human," Zeryth said with a smirk. "I thought he might be someone special—able to sense my true identity. I overestimated him. But he's just a small fry who knew too much."
However, at the same time, neither Zeryth nor Lia noticed the tidal wave of energy now surging through Grey's body.
Death Ascension Art – Activated!
Buzz!
An unknown power seeped into Grey's body. The wound in his stomach slowly closed as black-purple blood surged from his heart.
Ba-dump! Ba-dump!
His previously still heart began to beat again, growing stronger with each passing second.
.
Crk! Boom!
Nexus energy erupted from his body like a tidal wave, painting the area in a starry-sky-like scene. The ground beneath him cracked and lifted, defying gravity as it floated.
Buzz!
Purple-black veins spread from Grey's eyes as he shot into the air, suspended mid-flight. His long hair broke free from its ponytail, flaring wildly.
His eyes slowly opened, transformed—pupils pulsing with purple energy, black-hole-like dots at their centers, with veins of violet creeping across his sclera.
He extended his arm and spoke with calm precision: "Zenith Sword Art, Myriad Swords."
Swish! Swish! Swish!
His spatial ring flashed, and swords wreathed in purple fire-like energy shot toward Zeryth at blinding speed.
Zeryth's eyes widened in alarm. He spun to defend, but the swords were faster than he anticipated.
"Shit!" Zeryth cursed, chanting an Abyssal spell. "Abyssal Wall!"
Swish! Boom! Srrkt!
The flying swords slammed against his barrier, tearing slightly into it before throwing him back.
Grey's feet touched the ground lightly, and at that moment, a wave of energy burst outward. His body's energy field expanded, reconstructing itself with greater space. Muscles tightened, nerves strengthened, and bones solidified. Nexus energy bathed his entire body, his psionic pool churned, and his sea of consciousness expanded.
1st Rank, Level 2!
"Grey!" Lia's voice trembled with disbelief.
Hearing Lia's call, Grey didn't reply. His focus was entirely on Zeryth, who now looked at him with a flicker of surprise.
"You... broke through?" Zeryth asked, a trace of doubt in his voice. Then he laughed, cold and scornful. "But do you really think breaking through once is enough to defeat me, you puny low-level brat?"
Swish! Boom!
He shot forward at bottleneck speed, tearing the air around him.
Before he could reach Grey, another wave of energy surged outward.
Another breakthrough!
1st Rank, Level 3!
Grey waved his hand. Nexus energy formed intricate patterns in the air.
Crimson Fang Surge!
Condensed beams of Nexus energy shot straight toward Zeryth.
Boom!
The beams clashed head-on, sending Zeryth flying slightly backward.
"Y-You..." Zeryth's face twisted in disbelief. "How... how are you suddenly stronger?"
He realized Grey had broken through again, his strength now rivaling a 7th-rank Evolver.
Yet it didn't stop. Another wave of energy swept from Grey.
1st Rank, Level 4!
Grey waved his hand, and the warehouse crumbled. The ground beneath him cracked and rose, forming sharp jagged structures. Purple flames danced over them and surged toward Zeryth with unstoppable momentum.
"This... this is telekinesis?" Zeryth exclaimed. "Weren't you an immortal cultivator?"
Judging by Grey's attacks so far, he had assumed Grey was an immortal cultivator—but now, it was clear he was also utilizing psionic energy.
"Telekinesis..." Lia whispered under her breath. "I knew it..."
Zeryth's expression grew deadly serious. He could no longer hold back; it was time to play his full hand.
"Abyssal Convergence!" he shouted in Abyssal tongue. Missile-like shots were sucked into a black globe of energy before detonating harmlessly.
"I never said anything about that," Grey said coldly, a small smile forming. "In fact, I'll just stand here and let someone else do the work. Mimi, you're up!"
As as soon his words fell, a flash of silver streaked toward Zeryth—and to his shock, it was a small cat.
Before he could react, the cat slapped him across the face with a cheerful smile. "Mimi~"
Buzz! Boom!
The moment her tiny paws landed, the world flashed black and white. Zeryth was hurled skyward as grey energy erupted from Mimi's hand, air twisting violently around him.
"Huh...?" Zeryth muttered in disbelief, hovering in the air as he stared at the cat.
Even Lia was dumbfounded.
What sort of godly cat is this?
It had just sent a late-stage 1st Ranker flying across the map!
But it wasn't over. Mimi's fur crackled with grey energy as it shot upward like a bolt of lightning, the ground beneath it splintering from the sheer force.
"You filthy animal!" Zeryth roared as dense black energy erupted from him. "You deserve to die!"
He charged downward as a sword flashed into his hand, propelling himself with Abyssal energy. Mimi meowed sharply and tried to dodge—but it was too late. The dense black energy from Zeryth's sword struck it. In an instant, It and the energy vanished, leaving a crater behind.
Zeryth landed gracefully on the ground after dispatching the cat, then glared at Grey. "What... what is that creature? It's clearly not a mutated beast. It gives off no beastly energy... how can it possibly reach this level of strength?!"
Grey merely smiled. "You can ask it yourself."
The air around him distorted, and the cat dropped to the ground.
"!!!" Zeryth's expression froze.
It was the same cat he had disintegrated moments ago.
Before he could react further, Mimi charged once more, meowing happily. Waves of sword energy erupted from its body, racing straight toward Zeryth.
"Mimi~!"
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC65: Surge in power, The End (2)
Chapter 65: Surge in power, The End (2)
Zeryth immediately activated Abyssal Wall and tried to dodge the incoming sword energy, but as he moved, Mimi closed in on him. She leaped into the air from behind and kicked Zeryth forward, straight toward Grey.
Grey, seeing this, flashed a smirk. He clenched his fists and punched forward with all his strength.
Boom!
The punch connected directly into Zeryth's stomach as Nexus energy surged, amplifying the force of the attack.
"Ugh!" Zeryth's expression twisted in agony as he was sent flying right back toward Mimi.
The moment that happened, another wave of energy exploded from Grey.
Another breakthrough.
1st Rank, Level 5!
Mimi's aura likewise surged upward.
However, just then, the battlefield shifted. Zeryth, who had been sent flying, suddenly halted mid-air. Dense black energy erupted from him, even more sinister than before.
"You inferior animals!" Zeryth roared as his silhouette expanded. "That's enough playing around. Now, this Young Master will personally send you off into the deepest part of hell!"
His horns grew larger, his legs elongated and became sturdier, and a third eye abruptly split open at the center of his forehead.
The moment it opened, a beam of pure destruction shot out toward Grey. However, before it could reach him, the mind field around Grey negated the attack.
Having reached Level 5, his mind perception underwent a qualitative leap. It now covered a 90-meter radius, allowing him to influence anything within that range freely.
But that wasn't the important part right now—what mattered was eliminating the threat in front of him.
The Abyssal being who called himself Zeryth finally released the full aura of a 9th Level, 1st Rank Evolver.
Since that was the case—Grey had to go all out as well.
Flying swords flashed from afar and lined up behind him in neat formation. He quickly called Mimi back. It was time to turn it into a sword.
Swordsmanship was the only weapon art he had mastered so far, but in the future, he would naturally learn more—one day, becoming a true Weapon Master.
'Why am I even thinking about that right now...' Grey clicked his tongue slightly and focused his gaze on the calm Zeryth, who had landed back on the ground, waiting for Grey to make his move.
Mimi vanished from sight and materialized in Grey's hand as a sword—a long black blade with purple-white circular patterns along its edge. The instant Grey poured sword energy into it, the circles lit up in a deep violet glow, giving it an extremely domineering aura.
With Grey in his Nexus Overlock state and his sword in hand, he looked like a death god descending upon the mortal world.
"What... what even is happening..." Lia was so shocked that she could no longer process what she was seeing.
This no longer felt like a battle between evolvers, but rather a clash between mythical entities. She had no idea what techniques or abilities either side was using—none of this existed in any recorded combat.
Ordinary 1st Rankers threw fireballs at each other—yet here they were, firing beams of annihilation that shook the entire abandoned district.
One attack had even destroyed the entire warehouse in a single strike.
And what was even more unbelievable was Grey's strength—he was going toe to toe with a late-stage 1st Ranker.
And he had only awakened a week ago.
"What's wrong, human worm?" Zeryth sneered coldly. "Are you scared after witnessing my true form?"
He snickered viciously. "Don't worry, I'll make your death quick!"
Boom!
The ground beneath him shattered as he charged toward Grey at terrifying speed, the pressure alone sending even Lia flying backward. But before she could crash, a gentle force caught her and tossed her out of the battlefield.
Grey had used Heaven-Seizing Hand to send her away from danger.
Zeryth reached Grey in an instant and swung his longsowrd at bottleneck speed, dense abyssal energy trailing behind it like a comet.
Grey reacted—Nexus energy surged into his brain, slowing the world even further. With speed surpassing Zeryth's, he swung Mimi at him.
KRRRSHHHHK!
Their swords collided, fierce energy dancing along the edges of their blades. The very air warped as they clashed, locked in a deadlock as neither could overpower the other.
Their figures flickered and vanished from sight. In the next moment, they reappeared beside another still-standing warehouse—only for their swords to collide again, instantly reducing the structure to rubble.
Chunks of debris rose into the air, twisting and sharpening under sword energy. Covered in a purple sheen, they rained down on Zeryth like a storm of falling stars.
"Abyssal Convergence!" Zeryth roared.
A black globe of energy formed, sucking in the incoming attacks. But instead of detonating it immediately, Zeryth hurled it straight at Grey.
The moment it neared him—it detonated.
Swoosh!
He didn't stop there. A black beam of annihilation burst out from the eye at the center of his forehead, tearing through the air as it struck the spot where Grey stood.
But Grey was unharmed. He pushed his reflexes and sensory perception beyond their limits, moving faster than the explosion itself. He realized he could now draw even more from Nexus Overlock with his evolved mind, but a creeping headache warned him—if he kept forcing his limits, he would flatline from overstimulation.
Since that was the case—he had to end this, now.
Grey, faster than ever before, dashed forward and brought his sword down at a blinding speed, Nexus energy erupting from his vortex like a violent tide.
Zeryth tried to counter, gritting his teeth, but this time he realized—Grey had become even stronger. He could no longer hold back.
Swish! Boom!
Zeryth's counter failed, and he was sent flying into another warehouse. The shockwave shattered it instantly as he crashed through it.
"No!" Zeryth roared, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.
"Now," Grey's eyes flickered with killing intent.
He seized Zeryth by the head and slammed it against the ground, dragging him across the shattered terrain before hurling him into the air.
Sword energy surged like a tidal wave from his body, and he immediately followed with Crimson Fang Surge. With his sword in hand, he unleashed Zenith Sword Art to its absolute limit.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
He moved at speeds several times faster than sound, the air itself screeching as sword energy tore through Zeryth. Countless streaks of cutting energy erupted in the area, shredding his flesh apart.
Not giving Zeryth even a moment to recover, Grey activated True Origin Sight, locating the core of Zeryth's Elixir Field—and stabbed straight into it.
Boom!
A violent tide of black energy burst out as Zeryth screamed in agony. "ARGHHH!"
"It hurts!" he convulsed as his Elixir Field shattered, energy rapidly draining from his body.
"Goodbye, Abyssal being," Grey said with a calm smirk. "In the end, not even an exalted Abyssal being like you could stop me."
As he said that, he drove his sword into Zeryth's chest and twisted.
"AR—" Zeryth's eyes widened, but the scream died in his throat. The light in his eyes went out.
The Abyssal being—was dead.
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC66: Surge in Power, The End (3)
Chapter 66: Surge in Power, The End (3)
Lia stared at the scene of Grey plunging his sword deep into the Abyssal being — into Zeryth's chest — ending his life with mixed emotions.
The things that had happened today, if she told anyone, nobody would believe them.
An evolver who had just awakened a week ago had subdued a late-stage first-ranker.
The man she thought incapable of becoming an evolver a week ago had now already surpassed her in strength.
From afar, Grey looked like a menacing death god; the longsword pulsed with energy as he coldly stared down at Zeryth with a grim smile.
This scene would forever be etched into Lia's memory. Never to be forgotten, even in the moment of death.
A being who defied all odds to rise beyond his enemies — that was Grey Lockhart.
An unstoppable force of nature that not even death could take hold of.
Just then, Lia noticed movement from behind her. Because she couldn't turn her head around, she couldn't see who it was.
Swoosh!
The next moment, she was yanked upward and she subtly caught the color of the person's hair. It was blonde.
There was no doubt about it — the man was none other than Cedric Duskwood, who now stood with a knife at Lia's throat. He wore a fearful expression as he shouted at Grey.
"Y-you! Whoever you are, d-don't come any closer!" Cedric exclaimed as he inched the knife closer to Lia's throat.
"If you dare to make a move, I—I'll kill this woman!" Cedric threatened, his voice trembling with fear.
Cedric had been observing everything that had happened so far with growing dread.
First he had been trapped inside a formation, suffering heavy injuries, but it hadn't taken long for him to heal completely after drinking a healing potion. However, just as he escaped the formation, two terrifying powers had erupted from the warehouse.
He'd seen Young Master Zeryth fighting against a being that looked nothing like a human — a god that descended into the mortal world to eliminate evil.
His moves had never been seen before. A being capable of using both energy and telekinesis and physically strong too, he had effortlessly dragged Young Master Zeryth across the ground, and his cat had sent the young master flying with a single slap from its tiny paw.
But that wasn't what shocked Cedric the most; it was the sudden increase in the other party's power. With every step, his power rose step by step until it evenly matched Young Master Zeryth.
The mere sight made Cedric's body tremble with fear.
As an Abyssal creature, Young Master Zeryth had been an apex being in the same level — yet he had still been defeated.
Under Grey's onslaught, he could do nothing but die under his blade.
This made Cedric believe that the man in front of him was a reincarnation of an ancient god.
There was no other way to explain Grey's abilities.
With no choice left but a will to live, Cedric decided to take Lia hostage and leave the corruption field to get to safety.
He knew that this guy had a connection with Lia; that must mean he wouldn't act if Lia were taken hostage.
Hearing the shout, Grey glanced at Cedric with a blank look on his face.
He looked at Cedric as if he were looking at an idiot.
On the other hand, Lia wore a calm expression.
She already knew nothing was going to happen to her.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Cedric immediately flinched when Grey's unnaturally glowing purple eyes gazed at him. But he mustered up his courage and spoke. "If you don't do as I say, I'll kill her."
However, just as he said that, the knife in his hand began to tremble and soon flew out of his control. He had the knife gripped with all his strength, yet he still couldn't contest control against the powerful presence that descended onto him.
The next moment Grey's figure flickered from his spot — and he was right beside Cedric, his longsword pulsating with energy.
With Lia out of harm's way and Cedric's grip on her collapsing, Grey swiftly caught her using Heaven Seizing Hand and put her a short distance away.
"Do it." Grey spoke with a playful smile. "Kill her. Let's see you do it."
"Y-you!" Cedric's expression was aghast.
"I—If you let me leave here today, we of the High Order will personally welcome you into the organization and give you immense benefits. With your talent, the High Order will rise again and you will obtain high status! Our Duskwood family has been in the organization for years; if we recommend you, you will definitely get in!" Cedric stammered with a fearful expression as he took a step back and tried to bargain with Grey.
To this, Grey merely snorted. "I don't want to affiliate with a bunch of otherworlders and pieces of garbage from the Abyss who are trying to destroy this world."
"Enough chit-chat." Grey brandished his longsword. "It's time for you to die. Since you are a member of the High Order, you naturally will have no chance of escaping here alive."
"You!" Cedric's expression twisted when he heard Grey's words.
The last trace of his sanity slipped away when he heard his death sentence pronounced. With madness descending into his mind, a black pill suddenly appeared in his hand.
"If I take this pill, I'll fully transform into an Abyssal being!" Cedric thought with a crazed expression as he popped the pill into his mouth.
He was already a half-transformed Abyssal being — every High Order member was. These transformations boosted their physical strength and altered their evolutionary paths.
Cedric, for example, followed the Bloodline Evolutionary Path; he had fused with the powerful bloodline of a third-rank mutated beast, the Shadow Wolf King.
But with the Abyssal transformation, he would evolve into an Abyssal Shadow Wolf Bloodline Evolutionary Pathstrider — a being who could utilize Abyssal energy.
"This is the final product of the High Order!" Cedric exclaimed as his eyes flashed red and a dense black energy erupted from him. "Before, these pills only allowed one to use corruption energy, but with the combined efforts of the High Order, we humans too can ascend into higher beings and become Abyssal!"
As he finished his words, his form began to twist.
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC67: Surge In Power, The End (4)
Chapter 67: Surge In Power, The End (4)
Cedric's human form completely vanished. Dense black fur with a hint of grey began forming over his entire body, his structure grew taller and his limbs began to evolve into something that looked more like an animal than a human. His head then fully transformed into that of a wolf with sharp ears and, following that, a thick black horn with grey highlights grew out from his forehead.
"This is my final evolution!" Cedric exclaimed in a completely foreign voice. "You filthy humans! Be grateful that you were able to witness my ascension to a higher being!"
"This transformation, it is indeed more pronounced than the one that burly guy had back when I underwent my metamorphosis a week ago," Grey nodded with a thoughtful expression.
He was not the least bit scared. The guy, even after transforming, was weaker than Zeryth.
Grey could kill him with a thought using his Heaven Seizing Hand.
At the same time, seeing Cedric transform gave Grey some inspiration—an inspiration for his Nexus Overlock.
He had been utilizing Nexus Overlock as a way to temporarily buff his strength. At the same time, following the golden ratio principles of the technique, he realized he could also reverse the technique to buff his own Nexus energy.
Both his physical strength and Psionic energy were already buffed automatically, as Nexus Overlock also affected the mind. But the thing which lacked the most was his energy.
It was still only at the level of the 5th level—of course, weaker than a normal 5th level, as his Death Ascension Art was essentially a way to force someone to become stronger in a short amount of time after one died, and this technique drew upon the Law of Death to make it possible.
And due to that, his foundation was unstable. After this, he would have to take some time to solidify his foundation before breaking through again.
Back to the topic, his energy was still stuck at the 5th level of the 1st rank, and to make it reach the 9th level similar to his Psionic energy and physical strength using Nexus Overlock, he would have to create a reverse-circulation sequence in Nexus Overlock, letting the buffed output fold back into his vortex of energy, gradually compressing and elevating his Nexus energy layer by layer.
[Your Comprehension defies the heaven! You've realized the importance of Reverse-Circulation Sequence and perfected 'Nexus Overlock']
Instantly, a transformation took place within Grey's vortex of energy. His energy level was climbing up in real time and eventually it reached the level of his physical strength and Psionic power.
But, he didn't stop there.
This power of his Nexus Overlock was permanent, as long as he activated it, it wouldn't stop until he deactivated it himself.
But, it also came with the need to maintain it. For example, if he went unconscious, the skill would automatically stop functioning as there was no force to sustain the golden ratio spiral loop.
"But, if I programmed the technique to function by itself then..." Grey's eyes shone brightly.
[Your Comprehension defies the heaven! You've further perfected 'Nexus Overlock']
The instant that notification rang out, the marks on Grey's hands and eyes dimmed and disappeared. He reverted back to his normal appearance.
That was because he completely stopped paying attention to Nexus Overlock and the energy circuit manifestation disappeared in the process. That was because Nexus Overlock was running in a passive state and wouldn't appear unless he was fighting at his full capability or beyond it.
With this, the strength from Nexus Overlock would stay as long as he wasn't depleted of energy.
He permanently had the strength of a 9th level 1st ranker.
But of course, his life level was still stuck at 5th rank and that's what mattered the most. Without advancing his life level, he'd never see the steps of 2nd rank.
"It's perfect." Grey smiled as he casually stared at Cedric who was still undergoing transformation.
His eyes flashed for a moment and within his interface, a notification popped up.
[Power: 1st rank, 8th level]
Grey nodded at this. This was the appraisal skill he comprehended when he tried to ascertain Zeryth's power level. During the process, he had gained more insight into the information layer. It didn't just store technological data, it stored all sorts of data, meaning if he could comprehend more insight into the information layer, his appraisal skill could evolve to the point where he could gain information on someone like when and where they peed last time.
And at the same time, he noticed that he could utilize his interface within the corruption field and access the data servers of Blue Star, but Eterna couldn't. These corruption fields were tailor-made to stop power AIs like Eterna from gaining access.
But he, a normal human, wasn't taken into that equation as there was no way a human could access the information layer normally. In fact, he doubted the High Order even knew what an information layer was.
Soon, the transformation was over. A dense wave of black energy erupted from Cedric, and he menacingly stared down at Grey with a hint of madness.
If Cedric had even an ounce of rational thought left within his mind that had gone mad, then he would've used this time to run away. However, the first thing he did after transforming was rush towards Grey with a feral expression on his face.
"Watch out, Grey!" Lia called out from afar.
Although she couldn't sense the other party's strength, she could still feel a big oppressive air. There was no doubt that he had become far stronger than he was before, and he was a 7th level 1st ranker previously.
However, what she expected didn't happen. Instead, a speechless expression appeared on her face.
Grey waved his hand upward and immediately Cedric froze and rose into the air. Before he could even comprehend what happened, his body compressed inward as sword energy erupted from within him, and immediately Cedric burst into a mist of blood.
Cedric Duskwood was dead.
Grey then went up to Cedric's corpse and took off the spatial ring on his hand and placed it in his own, and he did the same for Zeryth's spatial ring.
Grey yawned and turned to Lia and spoke, "Time to leave."
Lia nodded dumbly.
...
During the time Grey was dealing with Zeryth and Cedric, in the Inner District of Sector One, an earth-shattering battle was about to take place.
Bzzzzz! Shiiiiiing!
A black beam of energy shot out towards the Ironfang Family's headquarters.
But before it could hit the mansion, a powerful barrier of earth formed from below the ground and immediately, from all four directions, the ground shook and an earthly wall formed.
Following that, Toren Ironfang flew into the air with a cold expression on his face.
"How can this humble one help you?" Toren spoke coldly as he eyed the guy who stood not far away, wearing a grey hoodie covering his face and only showing his mouth. "Member of the High Order. I don't believe we have any past enmities."
"Kuhehehe." The High Order member laughed sinisterly. "We of the High Order don't need a reason to attack anything, especially a nobody like you. Today, my task is to eliminate and uproot the Ironfang family from Nova City."
"I'm afraid that will be impossible." Toren said with a solemn look. "You will have to go through me first."
As he said that, an oppressive True Energy surged out, spreading out into Sector 1. The aura crossed into Sector 2 and even 3.
Evolvers who were fighting the High Order members near the corruption fields all looked up.
"This aura... A 2nd rank evolver is taking action!"
"Just you?" The High Order member laughed with a snicker. "What can you, an ordinary martial artist, possibly do to me?"
"Friend, if you are done speaking, please make your move. I like to keep my battles quick." Toren said with a calm gaze. "If we take it too far, the sectors around us will be completely destroyed."
"Heh." The High Order member smirked and immediately, dense black energy began to surge out from him.
However, just then, the High Order member froze, and in Toren's vision, multiple hands made of shadow appeared out of thin air and clutched onto the High Order member's neck.
"T-This shadow...?" The High Order member's voice trembled in disbelief. "Is this Ghost Blade Daniel...?"
But before he could utter another word, the hands plunged into all parts of his body and the High Order member fell to the ground, dead.
"This...?" Toren's eyes widened when he saw this. "Who is there? Please show yourself, friend."
He called out and scanned the area with his heightened perception, yet nothing appeared in his vision.
At the same time, far in the distance, a certain guy with long black hair, an average face, and a t-shirt that wrote: "I Love Nova City" stood with a cigarette in his mouth as he stared at Toren from afar.
It was none other than Daniel Carter.
"To think they would invade Nova City on the same day I was about to go on a date with my wife." Daniel Carter cursed. "I'm retired dammit, why am I even here."
As he said that, his figure flickered and disappeared.
No one knew how he came or where he went.
At the same time, in Sector Six, Liebert and Alaric descended. Alaric's expression flashed with a sinister light as he flew behind Liebert. Once they entered the corruption field, he would strike.
However, as soon as they inched closer to the corruption field where "Lia" and "Cedric" were held in custody, they both saw that the corruption field suddenly dissolved with a bang and in the center of where there was once a corruption field lay the unconscious body of Lia.
Alaric's expression immediately darkened when he saw this.
At the same time, a flash of lightning streaked past them and landed at the place where Lia was. It was none other than Albert.
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC68: Traitor (1)
Chapter 68: Traitor (1)
Time passed swiftly, and before anyone realized it, several hours had gone by. By now, the entire corruption field and the High Order members had been dealt with.
Many triumphed, many mourned, and many vowed revenge. Today, Nova City lost thousands of people and evolvers.
It was a huge loss for Nova City, but they had successfully repelled the attack from the High Order. They had won.
This moment would forever be etched into history.
At the same time, the battle-worn evolvers finally had the chance to return to their homes and rest.
Richard rushed toward Alissa and tightly hugged his daughter with a look of relief. "My sweet daughter, you're fine."
He spoke in a trembling tone. He had been worried sick. He tried contacting both Alissa and Grey, yet none of them answered, except Alissa, who only gave him vague details about the situation.
But thinking of Grey made him even more anxious.
"That's right... did Grey call you?" Richard asked with a worried expression. "He hasn't picked up my calls or seen my messages since this morning."
"No," Alissa softly shook her head.
She herself didn't know where he had disappeared to for the past two days. He said that he was at a friend's house. But... even when she fought across the corruption fields, she never once sensed him. Sector Six was big, but with her acute True Dragon Mind perception, it wasn't big enough to hide someone from her.
She wasn't the type to assume the worst... but considering the fact that he still hadn't replied, could it be that something had happened?
However, just as Alissa was thinking that, a young man suddenly appeared from the corner of her vision.
He wore a slightly torn t-shirt with a hole near the stomach area, his hands in his pockets as he casually walked toward them with a relaxed smile.
"Hey guys. I'm back," Grey spoke slowly.
Immediately, Richard turned around, and a relieved expression washed over his face.
He quickly walked up to Grey and checked him for injuries. Confirming that there were none, he let out a long sigh. "Where were you? Do you know how worried I was?"
Hearing that, Grey smiled helplessly. "I really couldn't take any calls or messages. I wasn't in a situation where I could."
Richard shook his head. "You just became an evolver. You're still only at the first level. You should've found a safe shelter and stayed hidden. I don't want you taking risks this early, Grey."
Richard cared for both his children, and now that his older son had become an evolver too, he was even more anxious. Alissa had matured as an evolver and seeing her display her full strength in the incident broadcast, he felt relief — relief that his daughter now possessed the power to protect herself.
She was no longer the little girl who used to drag him out for ice cream on his free days.
However, the same couldn't be said for Grey. Even though he was older, he had only just awakened. In a world filled with powerful evolvers, Grey's strength seemed insignificant. It was only natural that Richard was this worried.
"Level one, huh..." Grey smiled inwardly.
Indeed, to anyone else, he would look like a level one evolver. After all, he had only awakened a week ago. How could he possibly reach second rank in such a short time?
It was statistically impossible.
But what Richard didn't know was that Grey's strength had already surpassed the ninth level of the first rank. He had already stepped into the fifth life level of the first rank.
"It's good that you're back," Richard said with a relieved smile. "Come, let's go home. Your clothes are torn to pieces. Get a shower and change into something proper."
With that, the family of three headed home.
Nova City, Sector One, Inner District — Duskwood Mansion.
Bang!
The office table split clean in half as Alaric's fist slammed down, shattering the expensive wood. Documents flew through the air as the room trembled with killing intent.
"Why! Why!" he roared, veins bulging on his forehead. "This plan was foolproof! How could it fail?!"
His hoarse yet thunderous voice sent chills down the servants' spines outside the door.
"Not only that, my grandson Cedric... he's dead!" Alaric's eyes burned scarlet, his entire body trembling with barely contained rage. "Dead! And for what?! For nothing!"
His bloodshot gaze locked onto the holographic screen, replaying the same moment again and again, Cedric's body turning to mist.
And the murderer's face kept repeating, showing Grey directly.
A dark shadow flickered across Alaric's face. His expression distorted. "And it's all his fault..." his voice dropped into a cold abyss. "That brat... I'll make him wish he was never born."
The heavy doors slid open with a hiss.
A tall man in his forties walked in, calm and composed, but his eyes carried venom.
"We already have his information," the man said. "I dug through the Blue Star Local Database. It's old, but accurate enough."
Malric Duskwood, current patriarch of the Duskwood Family, spoke with chilling steadiness — the kind that made his fury terrifying.
He flicked a small data chip toward Alaric. The old man caught it and plugged it into his device. Grey's evolver license, ID photo, and address were all projected onto the screen.
A deadly silence followed.
Malric's lips curled into a thin, cruel smile. "Father. Just say the word," he said, voice low and sharp.
"I'll tear down his entire block if I have to. I'll make his family beg for death before they get it."
Malric stared at the screen, at Grey's calm face, and his fingers twitched violently.
"He killed our blood," Malric whispered. "So we'll answer with blood. His. And everyone tied to him."
The holographic light reflected against his twisted expression, making him look almost monstrous.
"Grey Lockhart..." Alaric muttered, every word shaking with wrath. "You've started something you can't end."
Just then, Alaric's phone rang. The name displayed — Lord Varyn
.
Both Malric and Alaric's expression shifted.
Alaric immediately answered and connected the call to the side screen.
A robed figure appeared — Lord Varyn, the powerhouse the Duskwood Family pledged allegiance to.
"Our plan has failed," Varyn said calmly. "Young Master Zeryth is dead. I believe you both know who killed him."
"Grey Lockhart," Alaric said with a grim look. "If not for him, we would've succeeded, Lord Varyn. He is the sole reason we lost!"
"Just give the command, Lord Varyn. We'll uproot him and his family entirely," Malric said coldly.
"I'm afraid it won't be that easy," Varyn replied. "That girl, Alissa Lockhart, has direct protection from the Evolver Association. And according to High Order intel, she has met the Federation Master before. We cannot openly act against her or Richard."
"However..." Varyn snapped his fingers.
The screen shifted and a video began to play.
"N-N-No! You monster, stay away!" A desperate voice screamed as the recording played.
Grey appeared in the video, a sinister grin on his face as he walked forward. "For the High Order," he said.
Then he swung his sword and beheaded Cedric. The footage cut abruptly.
At first glance, it looked exactly like a soul lamp recording. That was also how they got the footage of Grey killing Zeryth. Both had soul lamps that recorded their last moments before death.
"This is..." Alaric's expression flickered.
"It's a fake video created by two High Order specialists who excel in illusion arts," Varyn said. "Even Eterna wouldn't be able to tell the difference."
"Use it," Lord Varyn commanded. "With this video, you'll have justification to eliminate him. That brat likely knows that the Duskwood Family is part of the High Order. Eliminate him before he speaks. With this, Alissa won't be able to intervene, and it won't raise suspicion. And for now, lay low. We already failed once. Acting rashly will bring trouble."
"Yes, Lord Varyn!" Both Alaric and Malric replied, madness gleaming in their eyes.
They now had a reason, a perfect excuse, to go after Grey Lockhart.
And once they captured him...
They would make sure he begged for death by the end.
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC69: Traitor (2)
Chapter 69: Traitor (2)
Sector One, Inner District. Grey's Mansion.
Time passed by swiftly, and it was already the next day. After spending some time with his family, he came back to his mansion, one to speak with Eterna, and two, to solidify his foundation.
After using the Death Ascension Art, his foundation had become extremely unstable. Luckily, he took his time and stabilized it, or else he could've kissed his chances of reaching the 2nd Rank goodbye.
Grey was still sleeping. However, just then, an alarming sound rang within his mind and he groggily woke up with a yawn.
"Where did this alarm come from?" Grey mumbled in annoyance.
He definitely didn't set an alarm himself.
However, he soon had his answer. Eterna had magically manifested within his interface.
"Grey," Eterna said, her tone solemn. "You need to run. Leave Nova City immediately. It's no longer safe."
"Hm?" Grey tilted his head as he got up from his bed. "What happened to you all of a sudden?"
"There is no time for questions," Eterna replied. "Check the news feed. Leave now or you'll die. Current projections show a zero percent survival rate if you stay. Even I cannot change that."
Grey didn't move immediately. Instead, he swiftly opened Starling and entered Nova City's Local News Site.
Immediately, several news feeds popped up on his screen.
[Potential Mastermind? Evolver Grey Lockhart Revealed as High Order Member — Cold-Bloodedly Murders the Duskwood Family's Descendant, Cedric.]
[The Duskwood Family Demands Justice! An Elite Squad Dispatched to Hunt Grey Lockhart.]
[Duskwood Family Places a Bounty of 50,000 Union Credits on Grey Lockhart — Dead or Alive!]
[WANTED — Grey Lockhart, Age 17...]
And below it was a video of Grey killing Cedric while wearing the demeanor of a High Order member.
Seeing this, Grey frowned.
"Is that... me?"
"I didn't think they would go this far." Grey had a solemn look on his face.
The news article already had over a million views, meaning almost every citizen in Nova City had seen it.
[He deserves death! That bastard killed someone from the Duskwood Family!]
[Wasn't he a student from Nova-5 High? I heard he wasn't a good person]
[He killed Cedric Duskwood. That's already a death sentence by itself!]
[Someone said the Duskwood Family dispatched the Elite Evolvers of the family! Run all you want, Grey Lockhart, you'll still die!]
[If I see him, I'll report him immediately! I want those 50k Union Credits!]
[People like him shouldn't exist. The High Order should be wiped out completely!]
[He probably planned the entire High Order attack! He's a spy who infiltrated the city!]
[City Lord Liebert, what are you doing? The citizens are demanding justice!]
[Justice?! I lost my brother in that battle! That scum should be executed publicly!]
[No wonder the corruption field erupted like that. It was all planned!]
[People like him hide in plain sight, they could be anyone, even your neighbor!]
[Can someone track his signal? Someone from the Tech Division, locate him!]
[Why hasn't the Federation announced anything yet? Are they trying to protect him?!]
[If the City Lord protects that murderer, he's no better than the High Order themselves!]
[Execute him! Execute him! Execute him!]
Comments poured in like a flood, most filled with anger, confusion, and hatred toward the High Order. And with no real target to direct their rage at, the civilians of Nova City cursed Grey Lockhart, who was now officially identified as a High Order member.
Grey stared at the screen for a long time. The bright headlines and hateful remarks reflected in his eyes, each word echoing in his mind.
He neither frowned nor sighed. His expression didn't change.
"...So this is how they want to play it," he murmured quietly.
"I expected retaliation from the Duskwood Family, but I never thought they would go this far." Grey spoke softly and sighed. "There goes my dream of living a calm, quiet life and developing quietly."
As he watched the comments pour in, Grey realized one thing—his normal life was over. Starting today, everything would change completely.
"It's likely an illusion crafted by a High Order illusionist. Because of that, I cannot confirm whether it's true or false," Eterna's voice echoed in his mind. "We could try putting the videos you captured into the corruption field using the leftover drones."
"It's useless." Grey sneered. "Who do you think they will believe? Me, a nobody with no background, or the Duskwood family that has stood for years as Nova City's so-called protectors and backbone? The answer is obvious."
"There's no time to waste." Grey clicked his tongue and swiftly made his way to the wardrobe.
This mansion was under the radar of the three families. It had risen suddenly without prior notice, and there was no information about its owner. If they were to begin searching, they would definitely start with a place like this.
And being eerily close to the three big families was also not a good option. It was like letting himself be caught on purpose.
He had to leave Nova City. There was no place for him here anymore.
Starting today, Grey Lockhart would be a criminal.
At the same time, numerous notifications began flooding his interface—missed calls from both Richard and, surprisingly, Alissa as well. There was even a missed call from Evan.
But he didn't have the time to answer their calls. And he probably wouldn't be able to speak to them for a very long time after this.
He swiftly packed all his clothes inside the mansion with a calm yet cold expression and left without turning back.
His next destination was the Outer Ring. From there, he would enter the deep forest and leave the Tri-City Province entirely. Blue Spirit City and Crimson City weren't safe either, as they were both directly connected to Nova City.
He would flee to the very ends of the Southern Region.
He dashed through the streets, his figure flickering as he passed through Sector One, then Two, Three, and Four. With no taxi willing to pick him up and every public transport system on high alert because of the bounty, there was only one option left: run.
He emptied one energy potion after another, feeling the burning surge of energy coursing through his veins, yet he didn't stop, not even for a breath.
Only when the towering walls of Sector Six came into view did he finally slow his pace.
He stood there quietly, overlooking the residential area in the distance.
He knew the news had already reached Richard and Alissa.
Part of him wanted, just for a moment, to tell them he wasn't in the wrong. That everything was a setup.
But no amount of words could change anything now. Not until he dragged the real culprits into the light.
And besides, time was no longer a luxury he possessed.
On the way here, he had crossed paths with countless low-level Duskwood family members. He avoided them without alerting them and successfully made it to the outer sectors.
As long as he crossed Nova City's final boundary, he would be beyond their jurisdiction.
However––
Grey's expression suddenly changed.
Several powerful auras exploded around the area like a tightening net, each one belonging to a late-stage first-rank evolver, most likely at the eighth or ninth level.
A dozen figures burst forward and landed heavily on the road ahead, their footsteps cracking the pavement beneath them.
Each of them wore a combat uniform marked with a black bird insignia.
The symbol of the Duskwood Family.
"It's him! Grey Lockhart!"
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NEXUS ASCENSION: MY COMPREHENSION DEFIES THE HEAVENC70: Traitor (3)
Chapter 70: Traitor (3)
There were about four eighth or ninth-rank evolvers, and all of them wore the Duskwood Family badge, which had the logo of a black crow.
And just above them was a flying drone.
"Everyone, we have found him!" the evolver in the center spoke. "We will now subdue him!"
Grey glanced at the drone slightly and sighed. He was already aware of the purpose of this drone; it was a stream drone. While he was traveling to Sector Six, he had already seen the livestreams on the way. That was also why he managed to avoid many Duskwood Family evolvers.
But, in the end, he still got caught.
[There he is!!! I can see him on the feed!]
[Lock him up! Don't let him blink!]
[Is that really Grey Lockhart? That's him, right?]
[Finally. Took them long enough.]
[Execute him! Public execution now!]
[This is what happens when you stab a Duskwood. No mercy.]
[Why is he so calm?]
"Surrender yourself, you filthy High Order member!" the evolver in the center said righteously.
Grey's eyes flashed slightly. The people present here both knew who the real High Order member was, but Grey didn't say anything about it and simply spoke.
"What if I won't surrender?" Grey asked with a calm smile on his face. "What are you going to do to me? Do you believe you can stop me?"
[How arrogant! Those are high-ranking evolvers of Duskwood, the core of the family. Does he think he can win against them?]
"What we will do?" The evolver in the center had a cold expression as he unleashed his aura. "Then we will have no choice but to resort to violence."
"The patriarch of the family has already commanded us that we can eliminate you directly."
As soon as he spoke, the other evolvers' expressions changed, and they too unleashed their auras.
Seeing this, the livestream chat went wild.
[They are going to attack! Kill him! Eliminate the High Order member!]
"Kill!" the evolver at the center, clearly a ninth-level first-ranker, shouted and charged forward. The other evolvers followed right behind him.
They all unleashed their killing intent.
Seeing this, Grey smiled coldly and spoke. "Since you lot have decided to kill me, then I don't need to hesitate either."
As he said that, a powerful aura surged out from him and a sword materialized in his hand. He hadn't brought Mimi back since the last battle with Zeryth, and he definitely wasn't going to bring it out now either as it could reveal his own identify in the future through the cat.
Purple-black sword energy surged, and the circles on the edges of the sword glowed with a deep violet light.
Then Grey swung.
Bzzz!
Sword energy shot out from his weapon in a wave and directly charged toward the ninth-level evolver.
The Duskwood Family evolver, seeing this, was alarmed and tried to dodge to the side, but to his dismay, the sword energy was slightly faster than him!
The sound of flesh tearing apart rang out as Grey's sword energy tore into the evolver's shoulder.
Seeing this, the entire livestream fell silent.
[???]
[Did he just injure a late-stage first-ranker? How old is he? 17?]
[Monster! This must be some power-enhancing technique from the High Order!]
The group of evolvers, seeing this, didn't stop their momentum. They grunted and charged forward.
Seeing this, Grey merely laughed. "You want to stop me?"
A wide grin formed on his face. "You'll have to be born twice before that happens."
As he said that, patterns emerged on his hands and eyes, crackling with Nexus Energy.
Boom!
Calmly, Grey took a step forward and instantly, the air distorted. Before anyone could even see what happened, the group of eighth-level first-rank evolvers fell to the ground one by one with looks of disbelief on their faces.
All dead.
[???]
[???]
The entire livestream fell silent when they saw the sight.
Grey's eyes crackled with dense purple energy as he stared down at the injured ninth-level evolver, who was now looking at him with a look of horror.
He had taken down four eighth-rank evolvers in one move!
This level of strength, it wasn't something the man could match at all.
Grey then slowly walked toward him with his long sword in hand.
"You! Stay back!" the ninth-level ranker shouted as he took a step back.
He felt a crushing presence emerging from the young man in front of him; it made his energy tremble, refusing to come out under the young man's pressure.
"I would've let you go if you weren't a member of the Duskwood," Grey said coldly. Then, unleashing Nexus Overlock at full power, he closed the distance between them and cleaved the ninth-level first-ranker's head off.
But just then, Grey's expression changed. He looked up into the sky and immediately sensed an oppressive aura descending.
It was a second-ranker!
"Run!" Grey exclaimed in his mind as Nexus Overlock surged faster than before.
Behind him was danger, and he had to escape!
At the same time, within the Lockhart household before the evolvers attacked Grey, both Alissa and Richard anxiously looked at the TV.
"No, all of this has to be a lie," Richard said with a downcast look. "My son would never do that!"
"Dad, don't worry. I've already contacted the Evolver's Association, I'm sure they know something!" Alissa tried to comfort Richard with a heavy expression.
"But, Was it really him?" Alissa's heart wavered slightly. She had already asked the Eterna System, and the video was proven to be true and not artificially made up. Thinking back to the past few days where Grey suddenly stopped coming home only made him seem even more suspicious.
While she didn't want to believe that Grey was the culprit, a part of her also told her that he might have indeed done it.
But on the other hand, it made no sense for Grey to abruptly eliminate a seventh-level first-ranker like Cedric Duskwood; after all, he had only awakened a week ago.
However, just as Alissa thought that, the live television shifted and a new screen appeared. Inside the screen was Grey, and in front of him was a group of Duskwood cultivators.
"My son!" Richard shouted in anxiety. "No! They found him!"
Richard had a look of disbelief and shock. "No! No! This can't happen!"
"Grey! Run, my son!"
Almost as if he had lost his sanity, Richard shouted in distress. Even if his son was a world criminal, a son was still a son, and he didn't want Grey to be caught.
Then, the very next moment, both Richard and Alissa fell silent. They saw Grey cleaving apart the four eighth-rank evolvers and then killing the ninth-level ranker with a cold gaze.
However, instead of being sad that his son was a cold-blooded murderer, Richard was excited.
"Yes!" Richard exclaimed. "Run, my son, run! Now is your chance! Don't let them catch you!"
"Those Duskwood bastards definitely forged that video! I know my son better than anyone!"
Hearing this, Alissa glanced strangely at Richard.
But at the same time, it made sense. Grey was his son, if he didn't support him, then who would?
At the same time, Alissa sighed. She was now conflicted about whether he was truly the murderer and had worked for the High Order or not. She denied it because of his lack of power, but the prowess he displayed just now was strong enough to cut down several eighth-level first-rankers and even dispatch a ninth-level one.
And remembering the fact that he was a reincarnator only added fuel to her doubts.
"I don't know..." Alissa mumbled under her breath.
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