Virtual Ascension

After obtaining everything she needed, Luna invited Venix into her vehicle.

The journey through the city was calm, with Venix observing the controlled traffic while Luna provided occasional commentary.

According to the information Luna had shared, owning a personal vehicle required special permission. Additionally, speed within the city was strictly regulated, and violations were considered breaches of the law.

Inside the car, Venix and Luna chatted during the drive.

"Are you sure? Although I did say I need your help, if you refuse, I still have other ways you could assist me," Luna said, glancing at Venix.

"I think what you previously proposed is interesting enough. If it works, I'll gain multiple times the benefits, right?" Venix stroked his chin and continued, "But I am curious—why did you choose me?"

Luna had asked for his help in researching the Awaken stage and needed someone already at that level for a particular experiment.

However, Venix found this puzzling.

Surely, there were plenty of other Awaken individuals besides him. Moreover, he was a stranger to Luna. If this experiment had a chance of succeeding, wouldn't it make more sense for Luna to work with someone she already knew well, rather than a stranger like him?

"Every Awaken is different," Luna said, leaning back in her seat. "Each has unique Grades, and these Grades are divided into three levels: Earth, Sky, and Mythic."

Venix raised an eyebrow slightly. "Interesting... So not all Awakens are equal?"

"Of course. Most people only have Earth-level Grades. As for Sky-level? They are the lucky ones chosen by the heavens." Luna gave a faint smile before continuing, "But Mythic-Grade individuals? They are the movers and shakers of this world—the future wielders of extraordinary influence!"

Venix nodded slightly, trying to process the information.

"In theory, my experiment is solid and highly likely to succeed," Luna continued calmly. "But using Earth Awaken subjects? That would only lead to disaster. Their Seed Origins are too weak. They can't push their power to its limits without shattering completely and having to start all over again."

Venix raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat skeptical. "How do you know their Seed Origins will shatter? Are you just guessing?"

Luna regarded him casually. "Of course not. I've already conducted direct experiments. Previously, I worked with five Earth Awaken, and the result was the same: they shattered and had to start the process from scratch."

Venix fell silent. This sounded... a bit crazier than he had expected.

Noticing Venix deep in thought, Luna smiled faintly. "If you have doubts, you still have time to back out now."

After a moment of consideration, Venix shook his head. "No need. I'm just as curious to see where this goes."

Venix knew this was a high-stakes gamble.

If it worked, he would grow stronger. But if it failed? Perhaps he would merely need to start over... hopefully.

However, there was a worst-case scenario: Venix's future potential could become severely limited due to failure.

But the greater the risk, the greater the reward if he succeeded!

Given that the real world of the future would not be a safe place, Venix understood that he needed to develop his strength as much as possible in this Virtual World.

One question remained, though: had humanity's leaders in the real world already accessed the Origin Source? If they had, and managed to develop a Rootbound or even a Treebound, Venix's life—and the lives of many others—would change drastically.

Venix might end up entirely dependent on those leaders—or worse, under their control.

Noticing Venix's determination, Luna spoke with a serious tone. "After my past failures, I've come to one conclusion: I need a Sky Awaken for this experiment."

"To be honest, Sky Awaken are incredibly valuable. They're like rare diamonds. Many people would gladly offer resources and money just to secure their cooperation." Luna paused briefly before adding, "And you, Venix, are a Sky Awaken."

"If you were to work with others, honestly, they might offer you far more benefits than I could."

Venix smirked slightly. "But at least you're honest. That makes you seem reliable enough for me."

He gazed at Luna thoughtfully. "If I chose someone else, could they be as honest with me as you are now?"

It might have been premature and slightly inappropriate to say this, but Venix wanted to show his goodwill toward Luna.

Luna smiled faintly, a glint of intelligence in her eyes. "After all, you're a Sky Awaken. Sooner or later, you'll become someone influential in this world. I don't want to deceive someone like you, let alone make us enemies. That would only hurt me in the long run."

Venix leaned back in his seat, stroking his chin as he considered Luna's reasoning. It made sense.

Of course, if it were him, Venix might make contingency plans—possibly even extreme measures—to safeguard himself against any partners or others who might pose a future threat. That way, he could ensure a clean and decisive resolution if necessary.

"At the Awaken stage, there are three phases commonly referred to as the Early Stage, Middle Stage, and Perfect Stage. Right now, you're in the Early Stage," Luna explained calmly.

"As I've mentioned before, within the Origin Fragment Realm, there are numerous Seed Origins of various types."

"To become the main Seed Origin, they must devour and absorb other Seed Origins to refine themselves."

"You can directly participate in this process to accelerate absorption using the Origin Meditation Technique."

Venix visualized the process, finding it rather intriguing.

Luna paused briefly before continuing, "The Early Stage is the hardest for beginners. After all, their main Seed Origin—even yours, that Tentacle Monster—is not yet strong enough to suppress all the other Seed Origins in the Origin Fragment Realm."

Luna gave a faint smile, as if reminding Venix of the challenges awaiting him. "Typically, once you pass the Early Stage, the subsequent stages like the Middle Stage and Perfect Stage will feel much easier."

Venix looked confused. Shouldn't advancing to higher levels be more difficult?

"Why?" he asked curiously.

Luna smiled faintly. "Why? Because at the Middle Stage and Perfect Stage, other Origin Fragment Realms will emerge. By then, the main Seed Origin you've developed can be used to devour the Seed Origins in those new realms. That's why the later stages are simpler."

"But my experiment deviates slightly from the normal process. Because of that, it's more dangerous and carries a certain level of failure risk."

Venix raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her explanation.

Luna then said seriously, "The Origin Fragment Realm operates on the principle of survival of the fittest. Whoever endures to the end becomes stronger. Those who survive such a world become the Kings of the Origin Fragment Realm."

"Building on this concept, I had an idea. What if, at the Middle Stage and Perfect Stage, instead of using the main Seed Origin you've developed to devour other Origin Fragment Realms, you create new main Seed Origins at each of those stages or realms?"

"Imagine, at the final stage, you'll have three Seed Origins—let's call them A, B, and C. Then, you can choose one to devour the other two."

Venix furrowed his brows. "So... you want me to create multiple Seed Origins just to have them devour each other later? Won't that destabilize the process?"

Luna smiled faintly. "It's a calculated risk. Think of it this way: a tiger raised in the wild is always stronger than one raised in captivity. It's survival of the fittest."

Venix nodded slowly, beginning to grasp the logic behind her plan.

"If this experiment succeeds, the power and potential of your Seed Origin will increase drastically. You might even surpass an ordinary Sky Awaken!" Luna leaned back with pride before adding, "And it's not impossible that your Seed Origin could rise to the legendary level: Mythic Grade!"

If Venix could reach Mythic Grade... it would significantly elevate his power.

Luna looked at Venix with anticipation. "What do you think? Doesn't that sound incredibly promising?"

On the other hand, Venix opened his mouth slightly, unsure of what to say.

If successful, this would indeed benefit him greatly! The risks and rewards were immense, and Venix felt compelled to succeed to further enhance his strength.

Everything Luna said made sense. However, the final outcome remained a mystery.

Driven by curiosity, Venix asked, "Even if this works, what's in it for you? Haven't you already surpassed the Awaken stage?"

"Of course I know that," Luna replied casually. "But if it works, the data collected will allow me to create a new Origin Meditation Technique. This technique will be invaluable for the next generation."

Venix looked at Luna oddly, never imagining she was doing this for future generations.

Luna grinned before continuing, "Additionally, I stand to gain a lot of money and wealth if it succeeds. As a collaborator, I certainly won't forget your contributions to this."

Hearing that, Venix fell silent, pondering Luna's plan.

There was undoubtedly a great risk involved, but if successful, the rewards would far outweigh the dangers.

"Alright," said Venix with a faint smile, "now I'm very intrigued. In that case, I look forward to our cooperation."

Luna smiled as well, satisfied to see Venix accept her offer.

By sheer luck, Luna had stumbled upon Venix—a Sky Awaken—through her side job, a discovery that felt like a monumental stroke of fortune.

Although Luna's ideas and plans seemed promising, the reality was that many other researchers were also studying ways to enhance the Grade of Seed Origins.

As a newcomer to this field, Luna faced numerous challenges, especially in finding a Sky Awaken as a test subject.

Government authorities could not easily provide her with support either. Sky Awakens were incredibly valuable resources, highly sought after by numerous researchers.

In fact, securing permission to open a laboratory and conduct experiments was already a significant achievement for Luna as a novice researcher.

Ten minutes later, Luna and Venix arrived at her home.

Luna's residence was in an upscale neighborhood, an exclusive area filled with magnificent houses, each boasting expansive yards.

Her house was a two-story building with an additional two basement levels that she used for experiments and research.

Upon their arrival, the guards and household staff greeted them warmly. Luna introduced Venix to everyone.

"From today onwards, treat him as you treat me," Luna said firmly, ensuring that her instructions were clear to all.

Afterward, Luna escorted Venix inside and allowed him to choose one of the vacant rooms as his living quarters.

Venix, who had never stepped into such a luxurious and spacious home, was genuinely impressed. His curiosity led him to explore every corner of the house.

While Venix roamed around, Luna headed to her office to register his identity, making him an official resident of the city.

Several minutes later, two guests arrived at Luna's house.

Luna warmly welcomed them into the living room. Both appeared professional, dressed in immaculate black suits.

They were Jenna and Jerry, a pair of twins Luna had known for quite some time.

Jenna was a woman with white hair, while Jerry was a man with dark purple hair.

Jenna glanced at Luna with a curious expression.

"So, you found a Sky Awaken from the 'Lost Sheep'? And he agreed to be your test subject?" Jenna asked, her tone slightly tinged with envy.

Luna smiled contentedly. "Exactly."

Jerry, who had a more serious demeanor, warned, "We need to ensure he is genuinely willing. If he has agreed to be your test subject, no one else can take him from you until the contract is complete."

Jenna added with a cautionary tone, "And since he's a 'Lost Sheep,' you are fully responsible for his actions. If he causes trouble or breaks the law, you'll have to bear the consequences."

Luna simply nodded, unfazed. "No problem. I can handle it."

In her view, Venix did not seem like the reckless or troublemaking type. From their interactions so far, Venix appeared quite composed.

In truth, Luna found Venix very different from the people of his tribe she had encountered before. There wasn't even the slightest resemblance between them.

The people from that tribe might have eventually accepted their new reality and begun adapting to modern life. But they remained cautious, kept their distance, and were always wary of others.

Venix, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed, open, and devoid of the defensive aura typical of his kin.

Luna called out to Venix, and he came, standing before Jenna and Jerry with a puzzled and curious expression.

Jerry closed his eyes briefly, and when he reopened them, they glowed with a purple sheen. The light enveloped Venix's body.

Naturally, Venix was startled. He took a step back but, realizing nothing was happening to him, stood still once more.

"That's a technique to dispel hypnosis or mind control," Jerry explained flatly. "If there had been any reaction, it would indicate you're under some form of influence. But since nothing happened, you're clear."

Venix nodded slightly, though he still felt a little confused by the process.

Next, it was Jenna's turn. She stepped forward, and her black pupils gradually transformed into gleaming white.

Jenna began asking Venix a series of questions. Her voice was firm but not intimidating. Venix answered casually, feeling he had nothing to hide.

After a few minutes of questioning, Jenna nodded at Jerry, signaling that everything was in order.

With the examination complete, the next steps proceeded smoothly. Venix's identity was officially registered, along with a collaboration contract between him and Luna.

The contract was signed swiftly.

Under the agreement, Venix was required to complete the Awaken stage and advance to becoming a Seedbound under Luna's supervision.

Once he achieved the Seedbound level, Venix would be completely free and no longer bound by the contract.

On the other hand, the contract also protected Venix. No other party could claim him for research or collaboration during its duration.

As part of the deal, Luna was responsible for meeting all of Venix's needs—food, Origin resources, or anything else—throughout the contract period.

Additionally, Luna included a compelling clause: if her research succeeded, Venix would receive 20% of the revenue from selling the technique to the public.

Hearing all this, Venix looked at Luna with a strange expression, feeling that her actions were excessively generous.

From the beginning until now, Luna had been too kind to him. Too benevolent.

He didn't know the reason behind her kindness, but it was clear Luna likely had her own selfish motives in this matter, ones he could not discern yet.

In reality, Luna had a compelling reason.

When she first saw Venix's Monster Tentacle, she immediately knew his Seed Origin was no ordinary one.

Though not yet fully developed, the Monster Tentacle possessed immense potential. Luna could also sense that Venix's Seed Origin was still in its growth stage.

If just one of Venix's Seed Origins was already like this, Luna could imagine that any other Seed Origin Venix chose in the Origin Fragment Realm would likely have similarly intriguing potential.

His potential was too significant to overlook.

Whether the experiment succeeded or not, Luna understood that Venix was someone whose good graces she had to maintain.

In the future, as Venix continued to grow, who knew—he might become an invaluable ally to her.