Noticed

Strider stood atop Death Island, feeling the surge of raw power coursing through his newly evolved body.

Unlike his previous wraith form, which existed in a semi-corporeal state, he now possessed a fully material body.

He clenched his fist, feeling the immense strength that pulsed through his very being.

His physical strength had reached the 1st layer of Core Building Realm.

His demonic qi cultivation had advanced to the 3rd layer of Core Building Realm.

This was a massive leap from his previous state.

With his newfound power, he could effortlessly destroy entire cities and reshape the fate of this world.

However, as he inspected himself, something unexpected happened—

Far beyond Death Island, on the other side of the Gate, a dark presence stirred.

In the depths of the Gate Realm, where creatures of unimaginable horror lurked, a shadowed figure observed the flow of power coming from the Lumar world.

This being, shrouded in dark fog, had remained silent for centuries, waiting for the perfect moment to invade.

But now, something had changed.

The presence of Core Building Realm energy had suddenly appeared in the world of Lumar.

This was not supposed to happen.

"A being has reached Core Building Realm this fast… in the mortal world?"

"Eliminate the variable"

Its voice rumbled through the dark void.

A moment later, another figure, equally terrifying, kneeled before it.

This being, also at the 3rd layer of Core Building Realm, awaited its orders.

"Cross over the Gate," the dark figure commanded.

"Eliminate this threat before he grows stronger."

Without hesitation, the monstrous warrior forced its way through the Gate—

The moment it did, the world of Lumar shook violently.

High in the sky, a tear in space appeared, and a massive shockwave spread across the land.

The people of Lumar panicked, believing an apocalypse had begun.

In reality, what had happened was far worse.

A 3rd-layer Core Building Realm monster had entered their world.

The moment it crossed the threshold, the very fabric of reality shuddered as if rejecting its existence.

Strider, still standing on Death Island, immediately felt the disturbance.

His eyes snapped upward just in time to see the colossal beast descend.

It was humanoid but covered in obsidian-black scales, with crimson eyes burning like embers.

As it landed, the ground beneath it cracked, and a wave of pure killing intent spread across the entire island.

Strider could tell immediately—

This thing had come for him.

With a single step, Strider rose into the sky, locking eyes with the intruder.

The monster has a humanoid body meaning he is in the core building realm.

Monster learn to speak at energy accumulation realm while they can transform into humanoid form at core building realm.

There were no words exchanged.

Both beings understood that only one of them would leave this battle alive.

The air trembled as they clashed, and the first shockwave sent massive tsunamis crashing across the sea.

The entire world turned its attention toward Death Island.

The battle had begun.

The monster struck first.

With a single swipe, its clawed hand tore through the sky, releasing an energy wave that split the ocean below them.

Strider barely dodged, using his spectral movement to flicker through the air.

In retaliation, he condensed a sphere of black demonic qi and hurled it toward the monster's chest.

The moment it struck—

A massive explosion erupted, sending the beast tumbling backward.

But before Strider could follow up, the monster recovered instantly.

"Fast..." Strider thought, narrowing his eyes.

The two charged toward each other.

Strider used his new physical body to engage in close combat, exchanging devastating blows with his opponent.

Each punch and kick sent shockwaves that could be felt hundreds of kilometers away.

The monster roared, unleashing a pulse of dark energy, trying to crush Strider with pure force.

Strider countered by summoning chains of death energy, wrapping them around the monster's limbs and tightening them with immense force.

The creature let out a deafening roar, breaking free.

Strider grinned.

"So you can still resist?"

Realizing it was at a disadvantage, the monster unleashed its final technique—

It gathered all its Core Building Realm energy into its body, causing its muscles to expand grotesquely.

With an earth-shaking roar, it rushed at Strider with full force, aiming to end the battle in a single blow.

Strider did not move.

Instead, he calmly raised his hand, condensing all of his Specter Qi into a single black sphere.

"This ends now."

With a single motion, he pushed the sphere forward.

The moment it touched the monster—

The creature froze.

Then, in an instant—

It collapsed inward, crushed by an unseen force.

No sound. No explosion.

Just absolute annihilation.

A moment later, the sky cleared, and silence returned to the world.

The entire battle had lasted less than fifteen minutes, but the effects were catastrophic.

The ocean was still raging, the sky was torn, and countless individuals across the world had witnessed the impossible.

For the first time, humanity had seen two god-like beings battle in the sky.

And one had won.

Strider, still hovering in the air, examined his hand.

"That was… easier than expected."

But even as he said this, a dark feeling loomed in his mind.

If one Core Building Realm being had noticed him—

Wouldn't others follow?

Had he just alerted something even greater?

For now, the simulation had not ended.

Meaning his final task had not yet appeared.

As Strider floated above the ruined battlefield, he had only one thought—

"What comes next?"

Before Strider could process his victory, a sudden tremor shook the entire world.

The Gate vibrated violently, this time with far more intensity than before.

A terrifying pressure descended upon the world, making even the air feel heavy.

From within the swirling abyss of the Gate, a humanoid figure emerged.

Unlike the previous monster, this one was shrouded entirely in fog, its features barely visible except for two piercing crimson eyes that radiated pure malice.

Strider's instincts screamed in alarm—this being was at the 9th Layer of the Core Building Realm, the absolute peak of that stage!

He had no time to think.

He immediately launched himself forward, unleashing his full strength for the first time since his evolution.

His spectral energy surged, boosting his combat power to the 7th Layer of the Core Building Realm.

The sky darkened, black lightning crackled around his body as he summoned his most powerful attacks.

He struck first.

BOOM!

His spear, imbued with pure destructive Qi, tore through the sky toward the enemy.

But—

Clang!

The figure blocked it effortlessly with a single hand.

Without hesitation, Strider followed up with a relentless assault—chains of darkness, phantom blades, waves of demonic fire.

The battlefield turned into a maelstrom of chaos.

But no matter what Strider threw at him—

The figure didn't move an inch.

Then—

CRACK!

A single counterattack.

The fog-shrouded being struck Strider's chest, sending him crashing through several kilometers of ocean before he barely managed to stop himself midair.

He coughed out black blood, his entire body trembling from the sheer impact.

It wasn't just strength.

This entity was on a completely different level.

Strider had no chance.

The figure spoke in a cold, emotionless voice.

"I don't know how a demonic entity like you emerged in this mortal world, but you are a variable. And variables must be erased."

Strider barely had time to react.

A single motion—

And he was dead.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[You are dead.]

[Cause of death: Death after a fight.]

[Copy Completion: 20%.]

[Note: If you use your brain, you can reach a completion of 100% in the next attempt. You just have to use system points.]

The next moment, Strider found himself back in the foggy system space—his mind still reeling from what had just happened.