Nexus Ascension: My Comprehension Defies the Heaven

Of course, if the 3rd rankers at first level managed to survive, that would be another matter entirely. Grey did not yet know the true limits of a third ranker's endurance, after all.

Even so, he was confident.

Against a first level third ranker, this newly forged technique was more than enough to secure victory.

He would be unparalleled.

At the same time, Grey realized something else.

He was exhausted.

No, not just exhausted. He was only a step away from completely draining himself dry.

"The cost of activation is far too immense." Grey frowned.

Even if he could use this Art, it was not something he should unleash lightly. Unless he was absolutely certain he could eliminate everyone in a single strike, using it would be suicidal. If the enemy survived, he would be the one left defenseless after running out of energy, in the end, he could only use the remaining energy to run away.

No matter how overwhelming its power was, everything still depended on energy in the end.

He needed to refine this Art further.

At the very least, its energy consumption had to be reduced by half before it could be used reliably in real combat.

Until then, this fusion Art would remain exactly what it was meant to be.

His trump card.

By now, the spatial rifts had completely vanished.

They lasted precisely less than two minutes.

That duration alone was enough to spell absolute death for ordinary evolvers without a core. Anyone caught inside would suffer permanent damage, with no chance of survival whatsoever. Their bodies would be torn apart repeatedly until nothing remained.

However, the situation was different for those who possessed a core.

Evolvers at the first level of 3rd rank and above were regeneration monsters. As long as their core remained intact, they could recover at an absurd rate. Destroying the core itself was a significant hurdle, and with each level within the third rank, their physical integrity and regenerative capabilities increased drastically.

This was precisely why Grey remained cautious.

While he was confident in defeating a first level third ranker, he could not say the same for those at the second level and above.

If he could maintain the spatial rifts for a longer duration, the damage would stack far more severely. Prolonged exposure would overwhelm even their regenerative abilities.

But to hold the rifts in place longer, he needed greater spatial authority.

And for that, he needed far larger energy reserves.

How wonderful it would be if he possessed infinite energy.

Grey let out a slow sigh.

Because if that were the case, no one would stand against him.

Not even fourth rankers.

With unlimited energy, he could flood the world with spatial ruptures without restraint. He could tear the world apart endlessly, reshaping or erasing everything in his path.

The thought lingered briefly.

Then he pushed it aside.

For now, power still has a price.

Soon, Grey sensed two familiar fluctuations approaching rapidly.

Xia Qingyue.

And City Lord Brown.

When they arrived, City Lord Brown looked utterly dumbfounded, as if he had personally witnessed the end of the world. His gaze remained fixed on the devastated land below, his mind clearly struggling to process what he had just seen.

Xia Qingyue did not look much better.

Her expression was stiff, her eyes still carrying traces of disbelief.

"How was my performance?" Grey asked casually, letting out a light laugh.

City Lord Brown swallowed hard.

"City Lord Grey… just what kind of ability was that?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly despite himself.

The answer lay all around them.

The land in this direction had been completely erased. Mountains were gone. Forests no longer existed. There was not a single trace of vegetation left behind, as if this portion of the region had never supported life to begin with.

"What kind of ability, you ask?" Grey chuckled softly, not answering directly.

He could already sense it.

This level of power release had definitely been noticed by other second rankers stationed around the White Spring region. Fluctuations of this magnitude were impossible to conceal.

But Grey did not care.

In fact, that was precisely what he wanted.

This was a warning.

A declaration.

Anyone with half a brain would understand what it meant. Disobedience would not be tolerated. If anyone dared to go against his will, this was what awaited them.

Soon enough, the entire southern region would fall under his control once he finished clearing out the high order hideouts. When that time came, he would spread his evolutionary path across the region, consolidating influence, authority, and belief.

Only then would he be able to achieve his ultimate leap.

Even so, Grey doubted that the southern region alone would be sufficient for the Ultimate Leap, but, he needed to start from somewhere.

Just then, Xia Qingyue spoke.

"We need to talk." Her tone was sharp, her gaze cold.

"Alright." Grey chuckled lightly.

With a wave of his hand, the secret realm portal opened. He stepped inside without hesitation, and Xia Qingyue followed immediately.

The moment they entered the secret realm, her restraint shattered.

"You!" Xia Qingyue's voice rose sharply. "How did you awaken the Spatial Law? You are only a second ranker! Second!"

Her composure collapsed entirely.

"Do you even understand the significance of this?" she continued, her voice trembling with disbelief. "This makes no sense! In the entire starry sky, there has never been anyone, absolutely no one, who has achieved this!"

She took a sharp breath.

"Even throwing someone into a place containing the literal source of space would not allow them to comprehend it! Their minds cannot handle it! Their perception has not attuned to the world yet!"

Her eyes locked onto him, sharp and piercing.

"Tell me honestly, Grey Lockhart." She deliberately spoke his full name. "Are you the reincarnation of some ancient demon from the starry sky? Or an otherworlder?"

She paused, then continued coldly.

"I had my doubts before. But this… this is impossible at the second rank unless you are a reincarnated being."

Hearing her words, and the way she called his name, Grey chuckled.

"What do you think?" He smiled brightly. "You should have already seen my soul age."

He looked at her calmly.

"Why ask questions when the answers are already there?"

"…"

Xia Qingyue fell silent.

For the first time since meeting him, she did not know how to respond.