Chapter 22: The Dawn of the Stars

"Morning, Tian Dao," Jing Ruli mumbled, waving lazily at the last person to enter—the silver-haired boy.

She looked like a sloth, hunched over her pillow on her seat, clearly dragged out of bed against her will.

The fact that even Jing Ruli, who loved nothing more than lounging around, had been forced to arrive early spoke volumes about how important today truly was.

Besides her, ten other Stellar Prodigies were already present in the meeting room.

With Tian Dao’s arrival, there were now eleven Stellar Prodigies gathered in the chamber.

Feeling the weight of so many eyes on him, Tian Dao grinned. "Come on, relax, everyone. It’s just the Stellar Source selection meeting. No need to stress."

As he spoke, he casually took the seat at the head of the table, his movements as effortless as if he’d been born to sit there.

Even Chen Xing, who’d long regarded Tian Dao as his rival, didn’t flinch at the gesture.

After all, with Tian Dao’s proven power and staggering potential, it was only natural that he occupy the top spot.

But as the Vertex of the Stars, Tian Dao wasn’t just a powerhouse. He also had a mouth that could drive anyone to tears.

"Hey, Chen Xing, that scar on your arm still hasn’t healed? Our medical team’s pretty weak, huh? Can’t even master scarless regeneration?"

Tian Dao tilted his head, eyeing the lingering wound on Chen Xing’s arm with mock curiosity.

Chen Xing responded coolly, "It’s not the organization’s fault. I asked them to leave it."

"Because it reminds me every day—reminds me I must push harder, so I never have to face that kind of despair again."

"Despair? Hmm… I don’t know, that Final Evaluation seemed pretty easy. Just walk up, swing a few punches, and it’s over."

Chen Xing shot him a deadpan glare. No reply.

He wasn’t even bothering to argue with this clearly intentional nonsense.

Just as Tian Dao was about to press further, teasing the perpetually serious rival, the meeting room door swung open.

Doctor entered, followed by Yun Meng.

The moment they appeared, every Stellar Prodigy stood in unison—showing respect.

Tian Dao remained seated.

Still as a statue.

Like the troublemaker in class who never cared about rules.

But Yun Meng and Doctor didn’t react.

They simply ignored it.

Doctor stepped before the massive holographic display and gestured for everyone to sit.

As Yun Meng passed Tian Dao’s seat, she gave his head a light, firm tap.

"Try at least pretending to behave. You’re a disgrace."

Tian Dao rubbed the spot with a grin. "Come on, Yun Meng. I’m still recovering. Can’t move around too much yet."

"Whatever. I don’t have time to babysit you."

Yun Meng sighed, shaking her head.

Even she couldn’t scold him properly.

Despite being a Stellar Prodigy, Tian Dao held a uniquely privileged status within the Ashes.

And even she—Yun Meng—had granted him near-unlimited leniency.

What would be a punishable offense for anyone else was just a harmless quirk when it came to him.

Like his current insolence.

If anyone else had acted this way, she’d have made them regret it.

But Tian Dao? A little tap was enough.

She couldn’t punish him—she just couldn’t.

"Good morning, everyone," Doctor said, stepping toward the massive hologram.

He tapped the screen.

Instantly, a swirling nebula of light bloomed into existence before them.

Within the celestial cloud, a few stars stood out—strange, pulsing with an eerie glow.

The Stellar Prodigies immediately recognized them.

Their expressions lit up. Their breaths quickened.

Doctor smiled. "I see you’ve all figured it out. Yes—these are the legendary Stellar Sources."

"Nine and a half decades ago, a rare meteor shower reshaped the world. The truth behind it? These sources of extraordinary power."

"For years, humanity both feared and fascinated by this energy. But after decades of research, we’ve begun to understand the fundamentals."

He gestured, and the hologram shifted.

The star cluster exploded in a dazzling burst—light scattering outward in all directions.

Thousands of glowing meteors streaked across the void, racing into the infinite dark.

Doctor’s silver mask glinted as his eyes gleamed with quiet awe.

"The Source of Stars—the most fundamental, core force of a planet.

We don’t know what caused the meteor shower 95 years ago.

But we do know this: it marked the beginning of a new era."

He caught one of the fleeing meteors mid-flight and held it up before them.

"But… just as the Stellar Sources opened a new age, I believe you—the ones standing before me—will usher in an even greater one."

"A new era. The Era of the Stars."

His words carried a strange, magnetic weight—almost hypnotic.

Even Kalolin, the ever-calm Intelligent Mechanism Class, showed a flicker of emotion.

"Alright," Doctor said, clapping his hands. "Besides Tian Dao and Chen Kong, who’s still in the recovery chamber, the rest of you will follow Yun Meng to claim your own Stellar Source."

Hearing this, the others exchanged glances—especially at Tian Dao—before rising and filing out behind Yun Meng, disappearing into the depths of the base.

Once they were gone, Doctor turned his gaze to the man still seated at the head of the table.

"Tian Dao," he asked, voice low. "Are you sure you want to choose that Stellar Source?"

"Given your record, if you’d asked, I could’ve secured even the rarest one.

And based on our long-term analysis of your innate traits… there’s a certain fantasy-type Stellar Source in the vault right now that would be perfect for you."

He pulled out two strange, metallic cubes from his coat and opened his palms.

The cubes floated toward Tian Dao.

Inside them—sealed within glowing auras—were the two most coveted Stellar Sources in existence.

One was the one Tian Dao had requested: Vector Control.

The other was the fantasy-type, The Dreamer—a source Doctor believed was tailor-made for him.

> Stellar Source: Vector Control

> - Kinetic Interference: Can alter the direction of any object’s motion, adding or canceling kinetic energy. Example: slowing a falling object, or accelerating a slashing blade.

> - Energy Flow Interference: Can redirect or disperse energy attacks (flame jets, lightning, shockwaves), but cannot create energy from nothing—only manipulate existing vectors.

> Stellar Source: The Dreamer

> - Synchronization: Can briefly copy any Stellar Source it touches, using it at 50% strength. Only one copy can be active at a time, with up to three stored. Cannot copy sources stronger than oneself unless they voluntarily release their restrictions.

> - Fantasy Fusion: Can temporarily merge a copied source with itself, creating a hybrid Stellar Source with combined effects. Power depends on the user’s Star Energy level and the types of sources fused. Can be used once per natural month.

The Dreamer was extraordinary.

Its versatility was unmatched.

Combined with Tian Dao’s combat genius and elite Innate Stellar Energy Level, it could theoretically let him adapt his entire strategy on the fly—making him nearly omnipotent in battle.

But this was only theory.

In reality, without Black Star, a unique Stellar Core, The Dreamer’s fatal flaw would cripple it.

Without that, it was nothing more than a tool for dominating weak opponents—useless against elite-level foes.

In truth, The Dreamer had always been designed for Chen Kong.

Not for Tian Dao.

Yet Tian Dao said nothing.

He placed his hand over the cube containing Vector Control, his voice calm but firm.

"Whether it fits or not… isn’t up to anyone else to decide."

"The Dreamer? A shadow that hides behind others? That’s not me, Tian Dao Siming."

"I don’t do anything halfway. If I do it, I do it to be the strongest."

"So, Doctor… I think Vector Control suits me just fine."

Without waiting for a reply, he opened the cube.

A sphere—no bigger than a ping-pong ball—pulsed into existence before him, glowing with radiant starlight.

No hesitation.

He reached out and placed his hand on it.

Absorbing the power within.

As for The Dreamer?

That one could stay for Chen Kong.

After all, he did prefer the shadows.

Didn’t he?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end