"Something about this place felt… different."
Niero's voice wavered as he swept his gaze across the endless starlit horizon. The tremor in his words—part awe, part fear, part something he couldn't name—drifted into the astral stillness.
"It's like it… changed."
Vuldyr tilted her head, the soft glow of her mechanical halo bending and refracting like fluid light. Her smile was gentle, almost reassuring, yet the depth in her eyes hinted at storms only she could see.
> "Indeed. The Convergence Phase has begun, Niero."
Her voice rippled through the dimensional plane, resonant and steady.
> "Everything you've endured—your struggle against the Hollow, your brush with death, your refusal to yield—has reshaped your Stellarion Core. This space reflects you now. A place to understand, adapt, and prepare for what awaits beyond."
She stepped closer, each movement sending soft concentric ripples across the cosmic sea beneath her feet.
> "But remember—" her tone deepened, trembling with a subtle and ominous gravity, "this is only the beginning."
A surge of energy tore through Niero—fierce, overwhelming, yet intimately familiar. All around him, motes of astral light stirred, drifting toward him like fragments of newborn constellations. A clear, crystalline chime echoed through the void as his Stargod System interface shimmered into existence before him.
His heartbeat synchronized with the rhythm of the cosmos, each pulse reverberating through the luminous plane like the steady drum of an awakening star.
A quiet heat ignited in his chest—slow, then rapidly expanding, blooming outward like a star tearing its way into life. His Ascension breakthrough unfurled through the Ego Space. It didn't simply grow inside him—
it acknowledged him.
It embraced him.
Light coiled around his soul like a serpentine current awaiting its master's command.
Niero inhaled shakily, voice trembling with awe.
"I can feel it… Everything's… sharper. Closer. Like the whole world is listening to me."
Vuldyr's expression softened—but behind her, the horizon shifted. Nebulae darkened. Star-streams bent. The universe itself seemed to recoil or brace for the change seething inside him.
> "Yes," she whispered. "But power without direction is just noise."
Her gaze hardened—twin obsidian stars cutting through the astral haze.
> "They won't ask only for strength. They'll demand the shape of your resolve."
She extended a hand toward the reshaping cosmos.
> "So, tell me, Niero—how will you forge the star that is your will?"
Niero stepped forward towards the horizon.
The sea of darkness beneath him shuddered, rippling in vast concentric waves. Every step was weightless, yet each boomed like thunder rolling through creation. From the trembling surface, something colossal stirred—ivory pillars veined with gold, rising slowly, reverently, like the bones of an ancient temple remembering its purpose. Reality thickened beneath his feet, forming a radiant platform suspended above the black ocean, a monument borne from his awakening.
There was no ceiling—only the infinite sky and the twin celestial bodies suspended above, pouring down a cool radiance. The larger star burned with quiet power, while its smaller sibling orbited it with slow, reverent precision, illuminating the space with a serene, almost sacred light.
Niero's breath caught in his throat.
The structure unfolded into a colossal chamber—part cathedral, part command deck, the kind that belonged simultaneously to an ancient temple and the bridge of a star-faring flagship. Walls of black alloy and polished marble stretched into the distance, lined with gilded frames of alien sigils and luminous holographic monitors. The machinery hummed with a mechanical choir, each screen flickering with shifting runes and data streams he could not read.
The faint glow cast ghostly reflections across what lined the walls—skulls.
Dozens, displayed like trophies, mounted in curved rows that followed the shape of the chamber.
Some were unmistakably human.
Most were not.
Their silhouettes were too elongated, too jagged, too monstrously wrong to belong to anything from Earth.
A chill shiver down his spine.
And then he saw the throne.
It stood at the heart of the chamber—massive, carved from obsidian alloy trimmed in radiant gold, draped in shimmering crimson cloth threaded with circuitry that pulsed like a heartbeat with its arm rest filled with small screens and buttons. It looked less like a seat and more like an altar. A focal point of power. A place where choices were made—and consequences sealed.
Around it, arranged with unnerving care, were pieces of his life.
His bed.
His worktable strewn with half-assembled electronics and dog-eared books.
His posters of games and comics plastered across the chamber's walls like murals.
A towering television on a TV stand. A plush sofa. A gaming controller resting casually on the armrail.
Like a museum exhibit of a childhood he no longer fully recognized.
Multiple grand doors circled the chamber's outer wall, each glowing softly, beckoning like possibilities—or traps.
Niero's heart thudded—slow, heavy, inevitable.
He knew this place. A little too well.
"This is…" he breathed, voice trembling despite himself, "my dream. The nightmare that keeps repeating. The same chamber… but back then—"
Memory crashed over him like cold water:
The blast door tearing open with a metallic shriek.
The shadow erupting from the dark.
Teeth. Claws. Panic squeezing the air from his lungs—
And then nothing but drowning terror.
But now, the door was closed.
The shadow was gone.
The room lay quiet, hollow, watching.
Vuldyr stepped into the silence beside him, hands folded neatly behind her back, her mechanical halo drifting in slow, weightless rotations. For once, her voice held a warmth that wasn't synthetic.
> "Your original Ego Space was simply a replica of your bedroom," she said. "A small sanctuary. A cocoon. Even I could not fully decipher why it manifested in such an unadorned form."
She gestured toward the vast hall around them.
> "But now—after your Level 11 Ascension, after stepping into the Convergence Phase—your inner world has reshaped itself. It has matured. It reflects the architecture of your potential… and perhaps the truth buried beneath your dreams."
Niero's gaze settled on the throne at the center—massive, ancient, radiant.
But it wasn't its grandeur that crushed the air from his lungs.
It was the way something inside him stirred, a deep string pulled taut, vibrating with a memory he couldn't name.
A shiver traced the length of his spine.
That feeling… not fear.
Recognition.
"Why does it feel… familiar?" he whispered, dread and longing tangled in his voice. "It's more than the nightmare. It's like I've stood here before. Like this place remembers me—more than I remember myself."
The throne answered with a soft, golden pulse.
A heartbeat.
A summons.
A welcome.
—or perhaps a warning.
Even wrapped in awe and quiet danger, this realm was undeniably his.
His Ego-Space.
A sealed-off fragment of existence carved from the deepest strata of his soul.
He exhaled shakily, unaware he'd been holding his breath until it escaped. The chamber's silence wrapped around him—not cold, but gentle, like a cloak settling over tired shoulders. His eyes traced the hall's vast emptiness, its loneliness, its quiet yearning.
"It feels like…" His voice cracked, the vulnerability slipping free before he could bury it.
"…a home away from home."
His fingers curled slightly at his side, as if trying to hold onto something he couldn't describe.
"A place where I don't have to be the perfect son. Where no one expects anything from me. Where I don't have to pretend." His gaze fell, his words thinning into a whisper.
"…Somewhere I can finally just… be me."
As he spoke them, a subtle warmth stirred in the air. The black ocean below shimmered, the marble platform beneath his feet glowing faintly gold, answering as though moved by his heartbeat. The Ego Space shifted, responding to his thoughts with gentle ripples of light, as if the entire world were breathing with him.
Here, he wasn't scrambling to prove himself to Mom.
He wasn't the older brother carrying Daisy and Sophie's expectations.
He wasn't the prodigy everyone watched and measured.
Here—he simply existed.
Not as a son.
Not as a weapon.
Not as a burden.
Just Niero.
He let out a slow breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The sense of release washed over him like warm water, dissolving the tightness he carried daily—the pressure, the fear, the masks.
"A place to think. To breathe," he whispered. "A sanctuary for my mind and… whatever I'm becoming."
The twin stars overhead pulsed softly, bathing the chamber in silver-gold radiance.
Vuldyr's voice drifted around him, echoing from everywhere and nowhere, gentle yet edged with meaning.
> "This is your Ego Space after all, Niero. Every door, every structure, every fragment you see is a reflection of your essence. Here, you can cultivate your strengths, unlock your dormant power, and confront the things you refuse to face in the waking world."
Niero brushed his hand along the smooth marble railing, feeling the star-forged stone vibrate with waiting potential. It thrilled him—this was no longer the fragile bedroom replica he once knew, no longer the unstable dreamscape haunted by shadows.
"A home… a training ground… a testing field," he mused. His voice grew stronger. "Storage, strategy, growth—all in one. This place… it's mine."
The chamber responded with a resonant hum.
The twin stars flared brighter, like the cosmos itself bowing in acknowledgment.
For the first time in so long, Niero felt untethered—unbound, limitless.
A calm certainty settled into his bones. Whatever awaited beyond the Hollow, whatever the Marauder missions demanded of him, whatever destiny strained toward him through blood and nightmares—he was not afraid.
When Niero settled onto the replica of his bed, the mattress dipped beneath him with the exact weight and softness of the one back home. The faint scent of freshly washed fabric—detergent and sunlight—rose around him, impossibly familiar. It grounded him, even here in this grand, impossible place suspended between stars and dream.
Vuldyr approached with calm, measured steps, her boots making no sound against the marble-like floor. Despite her petite frame, she carried herself with an air of quiet authority, her mechanical halo rotating lazily behind her head like a slow aureole of starlight. She rested one hand on the bed's footboard, her voice echoing gently through the vast chamber.
> "Remember, Niero," she said, her tone both gentle and commanding, "the Ego Space is more than a dreamscape. This is a pocket dimension—your inner world. A sanctuary built from the architecture of your essence, where your soul resides."
She lifted her gaze toward the endless cosmic sky above them.
> "That great star shining over us? That is your Stellarion Core—your soul's heart, manifested and shielded within this sanctuary as its fortress. And this place… this home… is your refuge. Here, you may rest, meditate, train, store artifacts, and commune with the [Stargod System] beyond the edges of conscious thought." A small smile touched her lips. "Time moves differently here. A single year within this space passes as merely a day in the outside world."
Niero followed her gaze, eyes narrowing with focus. The massive radiant star pulsed steadily, like a cosmic heartbeat. But something else drew his attention—another smaller celestial body, spinning slowly around the larger one like a faithful satellite. A companion star.
He furrowed his brow and pointed upward. "That wasn't there before… was it?"
Vuldyr's expression warmed with quiet pride.
> "Sharp as always. No, it appeared recently. It marks your first ascension—your breakthrough into the second stage of the Mortal Realm: the Convergence Phase. Previously your Stellarion Core has a single small star orbiting, which represents an aspect of your [Body], now with the second one manifested as an aspect of your [Mind]." She stepped beside him, folding her arms as she admired the celestial pairing. "To reach this stage so young is… extraordinary. The orbiting star signifies the harmonization beginning between your physical essence and your spiritual essence."
She extended a finger, drawing a faint glowing arc through the air.
> "The first star represents your Body. The new one represents your Mind. Then later one, your Spirit."
Niero let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
A new phase. A real advancement. He had done it—without even understanding how. Maybe it was the Hollow fight. Maybe the constant strain—fear, hope, frustration—had shaped him. Or maybe it was simply the first spark of the destiny he refused to be denied.
Whatever the reason, the sky of his soul now reflected it.
Vuldyr turned to him, her expression soft but resolute.
> "This is only the beginning, Niero. As you grow, your Ego Space—and your Stellarion Core—will evolve with you."
Niero looked around again—the golden marble platform, the cathedral-like machinery, the hanging trophies of alien skulls, the mysterious glowing doors surrounding the throne, the surreal recreation of his bedroom at the center of all that grandeur.
And for the first time, instead of uneasy confusion… he felt ownership.
His voice was steady.
"Then I'll make sure I'm worthy of the shape it takes."
Vuldyr clapped her hands, the sound echoing like a crisp chime across the endless expanse of the Ego Space. Her mechanical halo caught the starlight, scattering faint glimmers across the black-and-gold marble of the chamber.
> "OKAY, Niero," she said, her voice both teasing and commanding, "it's time to review your latest progress. You leveled up to Level 11 after yesterday's little… encounter with that D-rank Orc."
With a dramatic flick of her wrist, a holographic display shimmered into existence before him, faint golden runes spinning as the cosmic void reflected its light.
-
━━ ✦ [ STARGOD SYSTEM ] ✦ ━━
> [ LAST LEVELING STATUS ]
> [ LEVEL UP! — Ascension Threshold Achieved! ]
> Ascension Realm: 1st Realm — Mortal Realm
> Ascension Phase: Phase 1: Awakening → Phase 2: Convergence Phase
> Ascension Level: 10 → 11
> Unused Stat Points +3
> Unused Perk Roll +1
> Stargod Trait Roll +1
> New Feature Unlocked: [Astral Aegis (Personal Shield, Tier 01 - 100/100)]*
> Trinity of Self-Supremacy: Mind (Psychic Power)
-
> [ STATUS ]
> < Ascension Realm (Realm) > ---> 1st Realm: Mortal Realm
> < Ascension Phase (Phase) > ---> Phase 1: Awakening Phase ---> Phase 2: Convergence Phase
> < Ascension Level (LV) > ------> 10 ----> 11
> < Health Points (HP) > --------> 100 / 100 ---> 150 / 150
> < Shield Points (SP) > --------> 100 / 100
> < Energy Points (EP) > --------> 100 / 100 ---> 150 / 150
> < Strength (STR) > ------------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
> < Agility (AGI) > -------------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
> < Endurance (END) > -----------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
> < Intelligence (INT) > --------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
> < Perception (PER) > ----------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
> < Luck (LUK) > ----------------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
> < Charm (CHA) > ---------------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
> < Critical Rate (CRT) > -------> 1.02 (+ 0.01)
-
Niero's eyes flicked downward, and another display appeared, showing the spoils of his battle with the Orc:
-
> [Loot Granted:]
>
> 2x [Berserker Orkoid's Tusk (Rank-D)] — jagged tusks still humming faintly with residual energy; can bolster vitality and physical endurance when properly harnessed.
> 1x [Hollow Gem (Rank D)] — concentrated Hollow energy, potent for fueling abilities or refinement into Omnia Sand.
> 5x [Hollow Gem (Rank F)] — smaller fragments, useful for crafting, system experience gain, or enhancing items.
> 52x [Omnia Sand] — tiny crystalline grains of programmable matter, reshapeable into tools or weapons via the Stargod System.
> 3x [Lootcube] — enigmatic cubes of encrypted, arcane matter containing unpredictable rewards: Rank-F (White/Grey), Rank-D (Blue), Rank-S (Glittering Gold). Each a mystery waiting to be decrypted.
-
Niero blinked, his chest tightening with a mixture of awe and excitement. The raw potential sprawled before him like a galaxy waiting to be charted. He could already imagine the weapons, the devices, the experiments—the sheer thrill of shaping power itself.
His fingers twitched, itching to interact with the holographic interface. He could almost feel the latent energy coursing through the tusks, the Hollow Gems vibrating softly as if alive, the Lootcubes humming with secret promise.
Vuldyr's eyes glimmered faintly, a smirk tugging at her lips.
> "Careful," she said, her tone soft but sharp. "Your new power is tempting, but don't rush blindly. Even here in Ego Space, consequences exist… and they manifest in ways you might not expect."
Niero's grin widened, teeth glinting under the starlight. He flexed his fingers, relishing the tension in his muscles as if ready to grasp the cosmos itself. "Consequences be damned," he muttered, voice low but brimming with fire.
With a slow exhale, Niero summoned his Status Window. The blue-purple window with golden lines of data unfolded before him like an ancient scripture meeting futuristic code. His eyes skimmed over the usual attributes—Strength, Agility, Endurance, Luck—until something new caught his attention.
> New Feature Unlocked: Astral Aegis (Personal Shield, Tier 01 - 100/100)
> < Shield Points (SP) > --------> 100 / 100
Niero blinked. "Huh? Since when did I… get a shield?
Before he could question it further, Vuldyr materialized beside the bed in a ripple of soft blue light, her wings of circuitry unfurling behind her.
> "That," she said, tapping the window with a gentle finger, "is a new addition granted by your recent breakthrough. Tier-One at that, an instinctive self-preservation. Think of it as parts of your system finally kicked in."
Niero stared at the glowing line for another second before groaning softly and raking a hand through his hair.
"WHAT! Seriously? This could've been useful when I was getting mauled by goblins and nearly bodied by an orc."
His voice cracked between frustration and disbelief. The memory of claws, blood, and panic flashed through his mind—those moments where victory came seconds away from disaster.
Vuldyr smiled in that maddeningly patient way she always did, her tone half comforting, half scolding.
> "Systems evolve as you do, Niero. Had you obtained this shield back then, you wouldn't have survived long enough to learn why you needed it. Growth demands struggle."
He shot her a dry look. "So I had to nearly die first?"
> "Kinda." She didn't blink.
He groaned louder this time, flopping backward onto the bed like a dying fish. A thin, transparent glow briefly flickered around his body in response—the Astral Aegis activating instinctively for the first time, forming a dim, crystalline shell before vanishing again.
Niero's eyes widened a little.
"…Okay. That's actually sick."
Vuldyr nodded, stepping closer, her expression softening into something almost maternal.
> "You've earned it. Every scar, every hardship—it all becomes fuel. Now your defenses have heightened, you are more protected besides holding the paracausal cosmic power of the 'Astra Force.'"
He swallowed, letting her words settle deep into him. The frustration didn't vanish completely, but something steadier formed beneath it—a resolve, thick and warm.
"Fine," he muttered, looking at the Status window again. "But next time something tries to kill me… this thing better kick in first."
Vuldyr hovered her hands over the three Lootcubes, the soft hum of digital energy vibrating through the Ego Space. Each cube shimmered and pulsed, as if alive, waiting to divulge its secrets. "Let's see what your hard work has earned," she murmured, her voice calm but carrying the weight of anticipation.
One by one, she decrypted them. The cubes twisted and folded in on themselves like intricate rubik's cubes, edges snapping into place before bursting into a cascade of particles and radiant light. The treasures within materialized before Niero's wide, eager eyes.
-
> <[Rank-F (Common / Grey)] — Healing Salve>
> A small tin, palm-sized, containing a thick, jelly-like substance. Its faint herbal aroma promised quick recovery from cuts, bruises, and fatigue. Simple… reliable… a lifeline for any adventurer.
> <[Rank-D (Rare / Blue)] — Dragon Jade Pendant>
> A smooth jade pendant veined with emerald streaks, pulsing with a soft inner light. Legends spoke of Dragon Jade amplifying vitality and awakening latent potential when attuned to the wearer.
> <[Rank-S (Legendary / Glittering Gold)] — Vial of Holy Blood>
> Encased in delicate gold filigree, the tiny glass vial contained a liquid that shimmered like molten rubies. It could heal grievous wounds, purify curses, nullify anomalies, and cleanse spiritual corruption. Just a single drop… could change the tide of any battle.
-
Niero's breath caught. His hands hovered above the items, trembling slightly as he felt the sheer weight of possibility. "Rank-S… that's… unreal," he whispered, awe and disbelief warring with the surge of excitement in his chest.
Vuldyr's voice, calm yet edged with authority, cut through the haze of wonder.
> "Treasure like that doesn't just fix wounds—it changes the rules of engagement, Niero. The Ego Space is safe, but the real world… won't forgive reckless mistakes, even for an immortal like you."
A thrill surged through Niero, heart pounding. He carefully stowed the items into his [Inventory], his mind already racing. The Dragon Jade… I can feel power waiting to be unlocked. And the Holy Blood… I'll save that for the fight where everything counts.
For the first time, he realized: this was more than loot. This was a key—a key to rewriting the rules of survival, a tool that could let him push past limits he hadn't even imagined. His Ego Space pulsed around him, as if acknowledging his resolve.
-
=====
-
The Ego Space shifted subtly, the twin stars above dimming to a contemplative glow as Vuldyr stepped forward. The spectral light around her pulsed like a heartbeat.
> "Before you rush to throw yourself into battle again… there's something you need to understand."
She extended her hand, and three concentric circles of light spun into existence, each marked with sigils.
> [Trinity of Self-Supremacy] — The Three Pillars of Ascension
The glowing rings rotated, each labeled in radiant script:
> [Body] — Tier 01
> [Mind] — Tier 01
> [Spirit] — Tier 01
-
> "These are the aspects that define every living being. Strength without understanding is savagery. Knowledge without foundation is fragility. Power without soul is corruption. You must cultivate all three and aligned as one if you wish to surpass mortality."
She tapped the outer ring, and it expanded.
-
> [Body — Tier 01] (Level 1–10)
> Enhanced Vitality, Enhanced Endurance, Enhanced Durability, Low Regeneration.
> [Trait: What Doesn't Kill You...]
> You have completed this stage.
> [Mind — Tier 01] (Level 11–20)
> Enhanced Cognition, Enhanced Awareness, Enhanced Mini-Map, ESP Awakening, and ESP Resistance.
> [Skill: Imaginary Blueprint – Eidos Replicatus]
> You are here.
> [Spirit — Tier 01] (Level 21–30)
> ???
> Locked.
-
Niero stared, slowly absorbing the structure of his path.
She continued, her voice low—almost reverent, as if speaking of something sacred.
> "Abilities like [Skills] and [Perks]… those grow automatically. The System guides them, molds them with every engagement and leveling. But [Traits]—especially something as anomalous as [Trait: Trinity of Self-Supremacy]—they do not simply level up. They evolve through you. It may be part of the System, but it follows your will, your flaws, your hunger. It cultivates itself alongside the sub-systems of the Stargod System, drawing power from every choice you make."
Niero's breath caught. For a moment, the weight of it all—his potential, his future, his responsibility—pressed against his ribs like a second heartbeat.
"...So as I level up… the Trinity evolves in me. And it's connected to the Stargod System itself. To everything I become."
Vuldyr's gaze hardened, but not out of coldness—out of sincerity, a warning wrapped in a strange kind of pride.
>"More or less. Ascension is not a gift, Niero—it's the burden of being more than mortal. Your system doesn't shape you. It amplifies you. Whatever lies within your heart, your ambition, your darkness or your light… as you grow—"
She placed a hand over his Ego-Space chest, feeling the pulsing core of his newfound power.
> "—it grows with you."
-
=====
-
After learning he had unlocked a new facet of the [< TRAIT > Trinity of Self-Supremacy: Mind (Tier 01)], a strange hush settled over Niero's Ego Space—like the world itself was holding back a breath for him.
ESP. Telepathy. Telekinesis. Words that felt too big, too distant… yet now lived inside his blood.
Niero stared at his hands as though seeing them for the first time.
A nervous heat fluttered in his chest.
Is this really… me?
Slowly, he extended his hand. His brows tightened, focus sharpening into a fine, trembling thread.
On the workstation table, a pebble shivered—just a quiver at first, then a tiny lift.
It rose, unsteady, wobbling like a newborn fawn taking its first step into the world.
Niero swallowed hard, breath shaky.
He felt it—the phantom outline of invisible fingers stretching beyond his skin, a second self-reaching outward.
The pebble lurched sideways, snapping the moment.
It shot off course and struck a pillar with a sharp *clack*.
Niero sighed, shoulders slumping.
"So much for crushing boulders with my mind…"
Vuldyr chuckled softly, her tone uncharacteristically warm.
> "You want to move mountains already? Learn to lift pebbles first. Psychic power is like muscle—it tears, rebuilds, strengthens. Rome was not built in a single day, Niero."
Niero smirked despite himself.
"Yeah, yeah… one pebble at a time."
> "And soon, blades… then boulders… then armies. Your potential as a Stargod is frightening. Train it properly."
The twin stars brightened overhead, casting long shimmering rays across the platform, as though blessing the beginning of his journey.
Niero reached out again—this time lifting three pebbles. They trembled violently, but remained aloft. Sweat beaded on his brow, a grin forming despite the strain.
"Alright… Can't wait to see how far I can go."
-
=====
-
Above the platform, a circle of light ignited like a blooming sunburst, lines of data stitching together in radiant script. Vuldyr gestured, and a new window materialized before Niero, gleaming with crystalline clarity.
-
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[ New Skill Unlocked ]
◈ [ < PRIME SKILL > Imaginary Blueprint – Eidos Replicatus ]
Type: Psychic / Adaptive
Description: Allows the user to replicate an ability belonging to another being as [Skills], both passive and active types, into their [Skill Archive].
Cooldown: 12 Hours per activation
Restrictions:
• Replicated skills begin at Lv 01 and must be trained independently from the original source.
• Replication copies the concept, not the strength.
• Replicated power growth depends on user effort and synergy.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
-
The glowing window slowly dissolved into motes of light, leaving Niero staring at his own hands, his heartbeat drumming hard against his ribs. His chest tightened—not with excitement, but with bitter frustration.
Niero muttered to himself with a hint of disappointment.
"Everyone else is hurling meteors, bending metal like taffy, calling down lightning… and I get… this? A level one knockoff? A child's imitation toy?"
Images flashed through his mind—women around him wielded terrifying power: living storms of mana, psionic titans who could crush buildings with thought, war-saints who danced between bullets. Compared to them, compared to Daisy, compared to Sophie, compared to every unstoppable woman around him… this felt like mockery.
Niero's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"How am I supposed to protect anyone with this… let alone be a Marauder beyond the walls?"
Vuldyr's voice broke the silence—calm, unyielding, and laced with an almost teasing amusement.
> "Oh, sweet, sweet, foolish child. You've misunderstood, Niero."
Niero blinked, taken aback by the sarcasm, almost unwilling to let it pierce through his frustration.
With a fluid motion, Vuldyr raised her hand. A holographic screen flickered to life in the air, two simple images floating side by side—almost retro-game-like, glowing lines forming shapes of houses. One read COPY, the other REPLICATE. The first duplicated itself perfectly; the second expanded, evolving into a grand, intricate structure.
> "Copying an ability is like pressing 'copy-paste' on a house someone else built."
The COPY symbol solidified into a small, fixed brick house, functional but unremarkable.
> "Replication… is learning to build your own house, brick by brick…"
The REPLICATE symbol blossomed into a cathedral of light, towering, majestic, a structure that seemed alive with potential.
> "…and you have the chance to turn it into something the original could never even dream of."
Niero's chest tightened, breath caught in awe, a spark igniting in his eyes.
> "A copied skill is capped by the original, a stagnant copy. A replicated skill theoretically has no limit. Even a Rank-F spark can become a Rank-S inferno fire ball in the hands of the right person. In this case, your hands."
The realization rippled through him like lightning, frustration dissolving into fierce anticipation.
Niero was left speechless at the moment.
"…So even the weakest ability—if I replicate it—could become something terrifying."
> "If you cultivate it. If you earn it. If you fight for it. The world favors talent… but you carry cosmic evolution."
The twin stars overhead flared brilliantly, casting a halo of light around him.
Niero swallowed, gripping the railing with new fire in his eyes.
"Then I just have to choose the right ability… and grow it beyond anything they've ever seen."
He smirked with anticipation, resolve sharpening like a blade.
"I'll keep this card hidden until the perfect opportunity... or a perfect target to replicate from. Heh heh.."
-
=====
-
Niero leaned back against the soft glow of his Ego Space bed replica next to the ornate throne, letting the adrenaline of anticipation fade into a calm, satisfying warmth. His eyes drifted across the vast, nebulous expanse, dotted with stars and the twin orbs above, before finally settling on the five imposing doors that had materialized around the platform. Each door sticking out from the dark oceanic floor, hummed with its own distinct energy, as if aware of its purpose—and of him.
He knew these doors. He had seen them before, in the earlier version of his Ego Space, but everything now felt magnified, grander, as if his recent ascension had amplified both the scale and potential of each domain.
The first door shimmered like liquid glass. [THE TREASURY - CELESTIAL HORDESPACE] it read, the surface rippling faintly with starlight.
Stepping closer, Niero remembered the sprawling chambers behind it—the familiar vaulted spaces filled with meticulously organized weapons, armor, raw materials, consumables, vehicles, and exotic artifacts. Everything he had ever collected was cataloged here, analyzed, and ready for repurposing. The essentially a vast inventory warehouse.
[The Vault], tucked nearby, held pocket-dimensional chambers of unparalleled security, where time itself remained suspended for the most precious or dangerous artifacts.
At the heart of this area lay the [Omni-Forge], capable of breaking down any material and reconstructing it into virtually anything cataloged in the Stargod Astra Codex. Weapons, devices, experimental tools—anything he could imagine, he could build.
And the [Trophy Room], a museum of his adventures, showcased trophies, dioramas, and relics—a living archive of conquest, ingenuity, and memory. It is empty for now, but the possibilities stretched infinitely before Niero himself.
The second door pulsed with a steady blue light, etched in metallic runes. [WAR ROOM - TACTICAL CRUCIBLE] it said.
Beyond it lay the space dedicated to combat mastery and personal defense. [The Armory] was more than storage—it was a living arsenal. Weapons and armor could be summoned, upgraded, or tested in real time, integrated with simulations for maximum precision.
Beside it, the [Training Room] stretched limitlessly, a virtual arena capable of replicating any environment, gravity, or combat scenario. He could spar endlessly here, hone reflexes, and push his abilities to extremes, all while time outside barely ticked. The last time he had trained here, a single afternoon had felt like months of rigorous preparation. Now, he could feel even more potential waiting to be unlocked, as if the room itself recognized the power growing within him.
The third door, a pearly reinforced surface, displayed the words [THE LAB - HELIX NEXUS].
Niero remembered the [Lab Sigma] as the laboratories from before—the ultimate hub of intellect, creation, and restoration. Advanced biology, chemistry, mechanics, and experimental engineering all coexisted here, designed to push the boundaries of innovation.
The [Med Bay] ensured peak recovery and augmentation, repairing both biological and cybernetic systems. State-of-the-art healing vats, biopods, and psychological support allowed him and any companion to reach their maximum potential physically, mentally, and technologically. He had tinkered and experimented here before, but now, knowing his Level 11 ascension, every tool seemed more responsive, more in tune with his intent.
The fourth door, covered in arcane digital glyphs, bore the title [THE CODEX - SCOLAR'S REPOSITORY].
He knew what awaited beyond: the [Stargod's Astra Codex], his infinite repository of knowledge. Books, holographic records, and memory cubes filled the space, dynamically updating to include forbidden secrets, universe-altering knowledge, and advanced research data. He could cross-reference items, analyze phenomena, learn techniques instantly, or even observe distant events—always under Vuldyr's guidance.
Adjacent to this, the [Game Zone] offered the ultimate escape, from retro classics to alien VR consoles, letting him indulge in recreation while exploring the limits of imagination. This room had always been a place of both enlightenment and indulgence—a fusion of study and play, thought and curiosity. Niero felt a familiar thrill here, the same he had felt the first time he entered this domain, only amplified by his newfound power and ambition.
The fifth door was quite a mystery, covered in arcane wheels and gears glyphs, bore no title.
Upon opening the room, it has a large white room with a large silver sphere with cyan gridlines and glyphs, roughly twice the height of an average adult human. Its function was unknown even by Vuldyr herself, even with the [Astra Codex]. However, the only thing she knows is the word that related to this mysterious sphere, "Vimana".
He paused, letting the familiarity of these spaces settle in his mind. Each room had evolved along with him, yet the essence remained. Inventory, Armory, Lab, Codex, that unknown 5th room, —all were extensions of himself, tools to cultivate, experiment, and push his limits. Niero smiled faintly, eyes glowing with a mixture of pride and anticipation.
Niero lay back against the familiar contours of his Ego-Space bed, the soft glow of the cosmic stars casting a gentle light over the ornate throne nearby. A thrill coursed through him—a pulse that resonated far deeper than simple excitement. This place wasn't just a sanctuary anymore; it was a command center, a laboratory, a playground… a reflection of everything he could become.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the latent energy thrumming beneath his skin, and muttered under his breath;
"With this power… what can I really do?"
It wasn't just physical strength, or raw cosmic energy flowing through him. The Stargod System had changed him in ways he was only beginning to understand. It strengthened his mind, sharpening his perception and insight. It honed his body, molding resilience and endurance beyond ordinary limits. It awakened his spirit, aligning his inner essence with something vast and infinite. Every heartbeat, every thought, every breath—he could feel himself being cultivated, piece by piece, into something greater than he had ever dared imagine.
And yet… beneath the exhilaration lay a thread of mystery. The Stargod System itself was not fully revealed, its true nature eluding even to himself. He remembered the first time it had awoken, ten years ago, when he had been nothing more than a scrappy, angry delinquent—a boy who fought to assert himself in a world that already seemed unfair, even within the warmth of a loving family of five. Back then, even with a home full of love, he had felt restless, small, powerless… a raging storm bottled inside a fragile frame.
Now, looking at the endless expanse of his Ego Space, the radiant twin stars above, and the five doors glowing with infinite potential, Niero realized just how far he had come. From a defiant, reckless child to a young man standing at the threshold of limitless power, the journey was etched in every fiber of his being. A shiver of awe ran down his spine, mingled with a deep, unspoken resolve.
"I won't waste this… not a single moment," he whispered, voice steady but carrying the weight of everything he had endured.
"I'll grow. I'll learn. I'll surpass… everyone… even myself. At the very least, to protect my family from... whatever beyond the walls."
For the first time in his life, Niero truly felt untethered—an entire cosmos waiting at his fingertips, and the boy who had once lashed out in frustration now ready to become something legendary.
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<<<[ Ch09, Part 1 - END ]>>>