Chapter 5: The Assessment Begins

"New Era?"

In the VIP lounge, a low, gravelly voice suddenly pierced the brief silence.

From the shadows in the corner—where the griffon-masked man had remained silent since his first attempt to purchase Tian Dao—came a slow, deliberate movement. The man rose, his mechanical left leg tapping rhythmically against the floor as he advanced toward the central holographic projection, leaning heavily on his cane.

Stopping before the three-dimensional image of Tian Dao, he reached out and—without hesitation—plunged his hand straight through the projection.

"Doctor," he said, his voice steady, "you seem to have overlooked a crucial question."

The hologram shattered instantly, dissolving into scattered light like a broken dream.

"Is this so-called perfect creation truly controllable?"

"After all, I don’t believe a powerful Stellar Envoy would ever willingly become someone else’s tool for realizing their dreams, would you?"

The man’s hand clenched.

The image of Tian Dao collapsed entirely—just like the illusion of a new era.

Because the griffon-masked man himself was a Stellar Envoy. He knew exactly what they thought.

And Tian Dao? A prodigy whose future was as boundless as the stars themselves.

Geniuses were proud.

They could be used. They could be bound.

But never caged—never forced into a glass display, paraded for others’ amusement, or driven like a beast.

The Doctor, however, seemed entirely unsurprised. His gaze met the griffon-masked man with quiet depth.

"Esteemed guest," he said softly, "you’ve misunderstood one thing."

"Oh?" The man tilted his head, curious.

"I said from the beginning—Tian Dao is our chosen leader."

He shook his head.

"Control? We never intended to control him. He only needs to be himself."

"Even if that choice leads to our destruction… we still believe he’ll carry the ashes of our world to a new height—rebuilding our dreams in a way we could never have imagined."

The griffon-masked man stared at him, silent for a long moment. Then, with a slow exhale, he nodded.

"I see. So you’ve already thought this through. You’re ready to face the worst possible outcome."

He settled back into his seat. "Then I have no objections."

He waited, as the Doctor began to unveil the next layer of the Stellar Plan.

After all, they’d risked being hunted by the Stellar Envoy Association to come here.

Because the potential of the Stellar Plan was undeniable.

Tian Dao was powerful—but was his strength the result of the plan, or his own innate genius?

That question remained.

But what mattered more was the performance of the other Stellar Prodigies.

Even if only a tenth of Tian Dao’s power, the success of the project would be guaranteed.

And its value? Incalculable.

The Doctor nodded, tapped his console, and brought up the next profile.

On screen: a young girl with chestnut hair and crimson eyes, locked in battle against three Stellar Beasts. Her blood-red blade writhed like a living thing, drinking deep from the wounds it inflicted.

Her fight wasn’t as elegant as Tian Dao’s.

But a child—only eleven—facing three monstrous foes? The result was staggering.

Stellar Prodigy No. 002: Chen Xing. Nature Class · Xueyan Beast. Star Core Compatibility: 99%.

Currently possesses no Stellar Source, like Tian Dao.

Unlike the elaborate presentation for Tian Dao, this profile was shown in a single glance—then quickly replaced.

Stellar Prodigy No. 003: Jing Ruli. Trait Class · Mirror Flower Butterfly. Star Core Compatibility: 92%.

Stellar Prodigy No. 004: Kalolin. Intelligent Mechanism Class · Tianji M?oyuán. Star Core Compatibility: 90%.

Stellar Prodigy No. 005…

Stellar Prodigy No. 036: Chen Kong. Trait Class · Black Star. Star Core Compatibility: Unknown.

With each name, a short combat footage played.

But when Chen Kong’s name appeared, there was nothing.

No footage.

No details.

Just a bare name and a single line of data—"Unknown."

The wealthy woman in the canary mask frowned. "Doctor, why is the final Prodigy’s file so sparse? And why is the Star Core compatibility marked as unknown?"

The Doctor paused, then replied with a vague half-smile.

"Because we haven’t confirmed whether he successfully completed the Star Core Surgery."

"Wait—what?" She blinked. "But according to the materials we received from Ashen Wastes, Star Core Surgery is a near-certain death sentence. If Chen Kong is still alive, that means the surgery must have succeeded!"

So why the uncertainty?

Was this child truly different?

Or was the Doctor deliberately withholding information?

The room was full of sharp minds.

Even without details, they all filed Chen Kong’s name away.

They would watch.

Because the final assessment was about to begin.

And no report could lie.

But the battlefield would not lie either.

The truth about Chen Kong—whether he was a failed experiment, or a secret weapon hidden in plain sight—would be revealed in the test ahead.

"Alright, everyone," the Doctor said, rising. "The final assessment arena is ready. Please follow me."

The guests stood, stepping after him toward a hidden part of the base.

At that moment, a cold, synthetic female voice echoed through the training grounds.

"Final Assessment begins in one minute. All candidates report to the central arena."

The announcement faded.

A massive metal door, leading deep underground, slid open with a slow, ominous groan.

The darkness within swallowed all light.

Chen Kong’s heart clenched. His body trembled.

He was terrified.

"Scared?"

A warm hand settled on his shoulder.

He turned.

Tian Dao stood beside him—silent, unshaken.

"Remember," Tian Dao said, voice low, "when you feel trapped… ask yourself: Why am I still alive?"

He turned, calling over his shoulder.

"Come on, Kalolin."

"Alright."

Tian Dao led the way, stepping first into the abyss.

Kalolin followed without hesitation.

Chen Xing sneered, then walked in.

One by one, the others followed.

Chen Kong watched Tian Dao’s retreating back, replaying the words in his mind.

Why… am I still alive?

He didn’t know the answer.

But something whispered inside him—

Maybe this test… would finally give him one.

With that thought, he took a breath and stepped forward—into the darkness.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end