Chapter 18: Tian Dao's Moment of Glory

Reality World, Station 13.

Watching Tian Dao locate the final member of his trio.

Everyone knew it—after nearly three full arcs of buildup, the long-awaited Final Evaluation was finally beginning in earnest.

On paper, Tian Dao’s team was undeniably the strongest of all.

The roster was nothing short of legendary: the top-ranked student, the third-ranked, and the fourth-ranked—all united under one banner. A lineup so dazzling it bordered on absurd.

Naturally, this powerhouse squad became the first to face the Earth Drake.

But what had the audience chuckling was how, despite her usual lazy, laid-back demeanor, Jing Ruli suddenly turned tail the moment Tian Dao mentioned the Earth Drake might be on the verge of breaking through.

“T-Tian Dao… I just remembered—something urgent came up! I gotta go!”

“Where exactly are you going?” Tian Dao seized her collar.

“Please… just let me leave, okay?”

“Dream on. You’re here now. Time to play.”

“NOOOO!!”

Seeing Jing Ruli forcibly dragged onto the field—like a duck being herded onto a stage—the chat exploded.

‘Tian Dao: Want to quit? Stay and work overtime!’

‘You came, so you’re stuck!’

‘Help! This feels like a nightmare corporation!’

‘Ah… capitalism.’

Amid the lighthearted banter, the battle between Tian Dao’s team and the Earth Drake officially began.

And from the very first second, Tian Dao’s squad displayed exceptional combat discipline.

Kalolin, from the Intelligent Mechanism Class, took her position at the rear, her star-energy data net seamlessly linking Tian Dao and Jing Ruli—perfectly fulfilling her role as the team’s strategic brain.

Jing Ruli, a Trait Class specialist, held the center, expertly using her support and distraction abilities to keep pressure off the frontlines.

And Tian Dao—the undisputed powerhouse—naturally assumed the most dangerous role: holding the line against the Earth Drake, ensuring the beast couldn’t reach his teammates.

Yet even with such a flawless setup, the team was instantly overwhelmed.

Despite Tian Dao’s preternatural foresight from his Star-Eclipse Eye, predicting every movement, he could only dodge—there was no opening, no chance to strike back.

As for Jing Ruli, she tried to intervene several times, but the timing was always off. All she could do was dart around the fringes, harassing the beast to relieve some of the pressure on Tian Dao.

If the battle continued like this, defeat was inevitable.

‘Wait… even Tian Dao’s team is completely outmatched? How are the others supposed to survive?’

‘What’s the production team thinking? Trying to make Chen Kong shine by having him defeat a monster that beats up Tian Dao? That’s just gonna break the power balance! How can Chen Kong’s team even compare?’

‘Tian Dao: Randomly meets a max-level boss in the tutorial zone—gives it everything and still can’t win.’

Everyone watching felt the match was laughably one-sided. The gap between the two sides was too vast for any real suspense. The outcome was already decided.

But just as viewers were beginning to suspect the production team was setting up Tian Dao’s humiliation to make Chen Kong look even greater in contrast…

A sudden, soaring, electrifying BGM pierced through the air.

Then, from behind, Kalolin’s voice cut through the chaos.

Tian Dao instantly snapped out of his defensive spiral, instantly creating space between himself and the Earth Drake.

Almost immediately, Jing Ruli—previously circling the battlefield—charged forward, taking the lead in direct confrontation, drawing the beast’s fury and giving Tian Dao the opening he needed.

The screen slowed to a crawl.

The camera locked onto Tian Dao—tight, intimate, cinematic.

Silver-white strands of hair. Azure-blue eyes. A face so perfectly sculpted it looked like it belonged in a shoujo manga.

For a moment, Tian Dao seemed to step out of a dream.

It was clear the animation team had spent weeks perfecting this shot. The level of detail was insane—every reflection of the ceiling on the distant floor was visible.

“Stellar Energy Technique — Azure!”

With calm precision, Tian Dao spoke.

The energy sphere hovered at his fingertip, tracing a flawless arc before slamming into the Earth Drake’s left knee—the very spot where a hidden wound lingered.

The impact was brutal.

The colossal beast dropped to one knee, blood gushing from the fresh injury.

Silence.

Both on screen and in the audience.

Because the more terrifying the Earth Drake had seemed, the more shocking Tian Dao’s hit became.

To emphasize the shock, the camera shifted instantly to Chen Kong.

His eyes widened. His mouth hung open. Utter disbelief.

And across the world, viewers mirrored the same expression.

‘Iconic moment unlocked!’

‘That strike shattered the stars!’

‘Mom, why am I on my knees watching this?’

As the chat erupted in awe, the camera pulled back to the arena—on the Earth Drake.

It was standing again. Entirely.

A terrifying aura radiated from its body, pulsing with rage.

It had been provoked. And now, it was furious.

It roared—so loud it sent phones flying from the hands of viewers tucked under their blankets.

But while the beast raged, Tian Dao had already retreated.

With Kalolin and Jing Ruli in tow, he casually strolled off the stage, then slipped on his signature small sunglasses—smirking, utterly unbothered.

“Hey, big guy. Still brooding? The test’s over, you know.”

The Earth Drake let out a guttural, furious bellow—pure, unfiltered rage.

But the audience? They were howling with laughter.

‘Haha! Now this is how a protagonist should act! Who’s that guy in the audience? Some random extra?’

‘Stars? No way. I only see one star here—Tian Dao!’

‘I get it now—if you just imagine yourself as Tian Dao, this is a perfect power fantasy!’

‘About the Truth: The Real Protagonist Was Just a Background Character’

‘Fake Protagonist: Trembling in fear’

‘True Protagonist: Facing the strongest enemy head-on’

As the chat sang praises for Tian Dao’s dazzling moment, a quiet figure lay sprawled on his dorm bed.

Tian Dao, lounging, casually sipping from a straw as he stared at a translucent floating screen only he could see.

【Popularity Points +1】

【Popularity Points +1】

【Popularity Points +1】

“Perfect~” He took a bite of his strawberry cake, satisfied with how the production team handled this episode.

After all, he’d dominated nearly 80% of the screen time.

The story perfectly showcased his status as the peak of the constellation.

And the final scene—thanks to the meticulous animation and effects—had delivered a visual punch far beyond his original expectations.

Because when he’d written the scene, he couldn’t have added all these cinematic flourishes himself.

Still, while the audience reaction was glorious, Tian Dao knew his peaceful days were almost over.

Because once the Final Evaluation concluded, everyone would receive their own Stellar Source.

And with that, the gap between him and the others would narrow rapidly.

Once Stellar Sources were unlocked, it wasn’t just raw stats that mattered anymore—it was about mechanics, synergy, and system design.

And some characters—those secretly favored by the production team—had Stellar Core and Stellar Source combinations that were frankly game-breaking.

So if Tian Dao wanted to maintain his dominance, he had to act now—while he still had this brief window of advantage.

Because after the Final Evaluation, Stellar Prequel: Embers would transition into a far more brutal, merciless arc.

In that era, the Yujin Organization would be shattered. The Stellar Prodigies scattered across the New Federation.

Setting the stage for Season 2: Stellar: Flicker.

And as he thought of the war to come—and his own grand design—Tian Dao shot upright from the bed.

He opened his Popularity System.

“Right now, I’m still carrying a debt of a million popularity points… but if I want to keep shining in the next phase, I’ll have to take a risk.”

His eyes swept across the store.

Then they stopped.

On a single, rare item.

【Name: Doppelgänger Bracelet】

【Effect: Absorbs one fatal blow, placing the user in a simulated death state. The host awakens one full day later.】

【Purchase Price: 100,000 Popularity Points】

【Purchase Limit: 2/2】

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end