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Herta Space Station, within the Simulated Universe.
To assess Hiroshi's condition after embarking on his dual Path, Madam Herta intended to use the results of this high-level simulation to ascertain his new physical limits. After the incident with the Lord of Silence, Herta—having completely broken through the circle of intellect—had established new precautions. Furthermore, since Nous and Polka Kakamond were currently focused elsewhere, the two no longer needed to worry about immediate pursuit.
Hiroshi stood in a vast, simulated arena. His opponent was a Doomsday Beast, a nightmare hundreds of meters tall with four wings and four massive arms. Its deep blue scales shimmered with cosmic energy, and its dragon-like shape dominated the horizon.
The beast's roar was deafening, its wings blotting out the artificial sky. Hiroshi seemed as small as a mouse. Yet, facing the colossal beast, he felt no tension; the pressure was far less than what he had endured when facing the combined weight of Polka and an Aeon.
The Doomsday Beast roared and swung its massive claw. The fierce wind it stirred up swept nearby debris toward him. The former Hiroshi would have had only one choice: dodge. But now, as a Pathstrider testing his limits, he chose to meet it head-on. He braced the Demon Blade Thousand Blades against the descending claw.
Bang!!!
A metallic clang resounded through the arena. Hiroshi was forced to slide back under the sheer weight of the impact. He immediately activated the first stage of the Gene Lock. His retreating figure halted instantly; his strength surged to match the beast's, and they entered a localized stalemate.
This... is the power of a Pathstrider? Hiroshi marveled. Before, even the second stage of Gene Lock might not have been enough to resist a direct hit like this.
The Doomsday Beast, sensing resistance, began to accumulate energy in its maw. It spat out a concentrated laser beam with terrifying penetrative power. Hiroshi executed a desperate slide, the beam scorching the air where his head had been a millisecond before. However, the laser continued to track him, chasing his running figure.
I need to get to the blind spot! He pointed the tip of his blade toward the ground. Using the repulsive force of the blade's separation, he propelled himself through the air, appearing directly before the beast's head. But magic circles began to appear around the Doomsday Beast's body—it was unleashing its ultimate move, firing multiple lasers from the circles simultaneously.
I can't dodge this in mid-air!
"Wait," Herta's mature, arrogant voice echoed in his ear. "It's a good time to test the power of Preservation and Destruction."
Hiroshi complied instantly. He crossed his hands over his chest, condensing a light orange shield of pure Preservation energy. The beams struck the shield, but they were all deflected, unable to find a crack in his defense.
Then, he injected the power of Destruction into the Demon Blade Thousand Blades. Electric arcs flickered across the purple metal, and the blade filled with a deep blue, volatile energy. He separated the blade, extending it dozens of meters, and swung it with a single, powerful roar.
The blade sliced through the Doomsday Beast's massive body as if it were paper. The beast froze. Its magic circles vanished. A moment later, its mountain-like frame split apart and crashed into the ground, kicking up a tsunami of dust.
Hiroshi sheathed his blade elegantly. The five minutes of Gene Lock activation felt like nothing now; his body finally had the foundation to support the strain.
Back in the real world at the Space Station, Herta stared intently at the generated data. Her expression was grave.
"How... how is it, Madam Herta?" Hiroshi asked nervously.
"Hmm... You defeated a Doomsday Beast that usually requires a team of elite Pathstriders. Your current strength far surpasses an ordinary Pathstrider. You could even exchange blows with an Emanator who isn't going all out."
"Really!!!" Hiroshi's face lit up.
"Yes. You possess Preservation's extreme defense and Destruction's raw power. You have no significant weaknesses." Herta suddenly wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him against her. Her finger slid suggestively from his neck to his abdomen. "I happen to have some time now. Let's conduct a more 'in-depth' study of your current body."
Hiroshi sighed inwardly, though he wasn't complaining. Madam Herta wants to 'eat' me again...
Meanwhile, at the Stellaron Hunters' base.
Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and Firefly were preparing for Elio's next script: the infiltration of Herta Space Station. Their mission was to wake Stelle and, crucially, to take Hiroshi with them.
While the others made final adjustments, Firefly took a brief moment to check her phone. She sent a quick message to her online friend.
Firefly: Are you there?
She waited, but there was no response. A look of disappointment crossed her face.
"Alright, stop chatting with your online friend," Silver Wolf urged as she walked past. "Elio's script is about to begin." Silver Wolf smirked to herself. She knew the truth, but she wasn't going to spoil the surprise. He'll be living with us soon enough.
Currently, among all the Hunters, only Firefly was unaware that the "Hiroshi" they were sent to retrieve was the very same friend who had saved her life with his medicine.
"I... I know," Firefly whispered, putting her phone away and setting off for the station.
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