Nexus Ascension: My Comprehension Defies the Heaven

Mandate Research Institute of Science and Technology.

Inside the vast research complex, countless researchers had abandoned their experiments, their eyes glued to screens broadcasting the unfolding chaos outside. Data streams, simulations, and half-finished projects were left unattended, forgotten in the face of something far more exciting.

Well, everyone except one person.

Deep within a sealed laboratory, isolated from the noise, a lone girl continued working as if the world outside did not exist.

She stood beside a workbench cluttered with scorched components and half-disassembled devices, sparks occasionally flying as she used a compact plasma cutter, its blue-white glow reflecting off her safety glasses. She wore a lab coat that had clearly seen better days, stained with burn marks, ink, and traces of unknown materials. The sleeves were rolled up carelessly, revealing slender arms marked with faint scars, the quiet proof of countless failed experiments.

Her long blonde hair was tied loosely behind her head, messy and uneven, strands falling freely around her face. Dark circles sat beneath her eyes, yet instead of making her look weak, they gave her a strangely dangerous allure, like someone who had stared into obsession for far too long and found comfort there.

Then, in the next instant, she froze.

The plasma cutter powered down as a sharp notification echoed through the room.

Her phone vibrated violently against the metal table.

She looked up.

[Warning! Three-Way Energy Grid Barrier has been breached.]

For a brief moment, the laboratory fell completely silent.

Then, a slow smile crept onto her lips.

It wasn't gentle.

It wasn't sane.

Her tired eyes lit up with manic brilliance, pupils dilating as excitement surged through her like electricity.

"Oh?" A low, seductive voice slipped from her lips, roughened slightly by exhaustion. "Someone broke it?"

Her smile widened, stretching almost unnaturally.

"Someone actually broke it?"

The next second, she threw her head back and laughed.

"Hahahahaha!"

The sound echoed wildly through the laboratory, sharp, unrestrained, bordering on unhinged.

"Who is it?" she muttered excitedly, gripping the edge of the table as if barely containing herself. "Who did it?"

Her breathing quickened, a faint tremor running through her fingers.

"Let me meet him."

Her smile deepened, filled with anticipation.

.....

[Your Comprehension defies the heavens! By observing a three-way energy grid barrier, you've comprehended 'Nine-Way Energy Grid Barrier'.]

Information surged into his mind, and the complexity of this technology was no longer complex to him.

He even received a better version of the barrier that he had just destroyed.

However, that wasn't his concern right now.

He stared at the group of evolvers in front of him with a slight, cold grin.

"Grey Lockhart." City Lord Albert slowly called his name. "I know why you are here."

"Oh, you do?" Grey tilted his head. "Then hand over the city lordship?"

Dark lines appeared on Albert's face.

"We both know that is impossible," Albert replied with a sigh. "How about this, Grey Lockhart. We go back to the mansion and have a talk, just the two of us. I'm sure we can arrange something."

Albert was never a man to use force first and words later. He always used words first and only resorted to force if that failed.

From what he understood, Grey Lockhart was a reasonable fellow. He believed Grey would be up for negotiation.

He had just tried to stop the sword moments ago, and during that instant, his powers had been fully unleashed. If Grey Lockhart wasn't completely blind, he should have already realized that Albert was at the 3rd rank.

He was still a pseudo 3rd ranker, yet the gap between a pseudo ranker and a 12th level was as wide as mountains and rivers.

No matter how hard a person tried, they could not fight a pseudo 3rd ranker unless they were some sort of monster.

Right now, Albert was still in the state of synchronizing with his core. It was already at eighty percent. All he needed was to wait until it was complete, allowing him to transform his soul and body into the core and become a level one 3rd ranker.

"Talk?" Grey Lockhart tilted his head in confusion. "What is there to talk about?"

"I already made myself very clear, didn't I, City Lord Albert?" Grey smiled. "I'm going to conquer the entire Southern Region today, and no one will be able to stop me."

Albert opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Seeing this, Grey laughed and continued. "You must be thinking, 'He clearly felt my power, yet why isn't he backing down?'"

"Well, the answer is simple, my friend. I don't fear a pseudo 3rd ranker."

Grey's eyes blazed. The two compressed Nexus stars within his body trembled as raging Nexus energy erupted outward.

For a split second, everything within the Mandate Province vanished, leaving only Grey's figure and the silver-purple brilliance of Nexus Energy.

Nexus Energy was absolute energy. At its reveal, all other energies had no choice but to bow.

"This…" One of the elders' expressions turned grim. "How is this possible? My spiritual energy is being restrained. What did he do?!"

It wasn't just them. All evolvers, all civilians, everyone felt the suppression.

However, Albert was fine.

Well, Grey's intention wasn't to scare or restrict him in the first place.

"City Lord Albert. I challenge you to a battle," Grey said with a calm smile. "Do you dare to agree, or will you reject a junior like me and become the laughingstock of the Southern Region?"

The invitation went through, and the notification was heard by those standing nearby.

"Don't accept his challenge, City Lord Albert. He must have some tricks up his sleeve," one elder said.

"Don't do it," another chimed in.

"I agree with the others, City Lord," Elder Joshua said. "We shouldn't be hasty."

However, Albert didn't listen to any of them.

What was he?

He was a powerful pseudo 3rd ranker. Where would his dignity be if he backed down now?

Would people even take him seriously after this? If he didn't accept this challenge, wouldn't he be worse than a loser?

"I know what to do," Albert said. "You all just keep the summons busy."

As he spoke, he unleashed his overwhelming aura. His goal was to overpower Grey's aura completely.

"City Lord Grey Lockhart. I, Albert Rock, have watched over the Mandate Province for several hundred years. It took me just as long to build this empire. If you, Grey Lockhart, believe you can manage this province and take over the Southern Region, then I will honor that and see if you are truly capable."

His words were resolute. What he said wasn't a lie.

If Grey's goal of overthrowing the Federation was truly real, then Albert supported it.

No one understood better than him how the Federation treated the Southern Region.

He wanted to contribute to that cause. That was also why he had tried to negotiate with Grey Lockhart, hoping to reach terms that would satisfy both sides.

But from the looks of it, Grey wasn't interested in negotiation.

If that was the case, Albert could only defeat him first and then talk some sense into him afterward.

However, the next moment, his expression froze.

When he unleashed his aura, he fully believed he would win.

However.

Boom.

Would Nexus Energy really let that happen?

It was like a fiercely protective entity. The moment something threatened Grey, it surged forth on its own, drawing power from an unknown source, determined to annihilate whatever tried to invade him.

The same happened here.

Sensing Albert's hostility, Nexus Energy forced its way out from Grey's compressed stars, violently suppressing the spiritual energy surrounding Albert.

Boom.

Both energies entered a complete stalemate. Golden energy and silver-purple energy collided, causing those watching to pale in fear.

Yet at the same time, they were stunned beyond words.

A seventeen-year-old was standing toe to toe with a pseudo 3rd ranker.

[What the hell am I witnessing right now?]

[Is this even real anymore?]

The Southern Region could no longer remain calm.