The Spark Before the Storm
The underground training facility buzzed with activity. Mana surged through the air as hundreds of awakeners practiced tirelessly. The scent of sweat and burnt ozone filled the enclosed space as flames, wind, and lightning crackled.
The countdown to the gods' descent had begun. Less than two months remained.
Su Chen stood on a raised platform, overseeing everything. His expression was calm, but his mind churned. They were improving, but would it be enough?
The Harsh Reality
Luo Qian, one of the most promising trainees, approached him. His uniform was soaked with sweat, but his gaze was sharp.
"Commander Su," he said, saluting. "We've had some breakthroughs."
Su Chen glanced at the group behind him—about fifty elite awakeners. Unlike the struggling newcomers, these warriors controlled their powers with precision.
"We've reached Tier 3 Awakening," Luo Qian continued. "Our abilities are stable, and our combat strength has increased."
Tier 3? In just a few weeks?
Su Chen was impressed, but he didn't show it. Because Tier 3 wouldn't be enough.
"If we fight the gods with just this," Su Chen said, "we die."
The words were harsh, but they needed to hear it.
Silence spread across the training ground. The weaker trainees trembled, but the stronger ones clenched their fists, determination burning in their eyes.
Luo Qian hesitated before asking, "Then how do we get stronger?"
The More Gods You Kill, The Stronger You Become
Su Chen turned to the holographic projection displaying Blue Star. His fingers moved swiftly, marking several locations in red.
"We can't rely on training alone. We need real battles."
"Real battles?" Luo Qian repeated, frowning. "Against who?"
Su Chen's gaze sharpened.
"Monsters. The world calls them anomalies. We call them opportunities."
The red zones he highlighted were dungeons—places where strange creatures had begun appearing over the past few years. The world's governments had declared them no-go zones, as those who entered never returned.
But Su Chen knew the truth.
These creatures were connected to the gods. Killing them would accelerate their awakening.
But there was a hidden benefit.
The more gods you killed, the stronger you became.
This rule didn't only apply to gods—it applied to all beings connected to them.
"If we want to be strong enough to fight the gods," Su Chen said, "we need to enter these dungeons and come back alive."
The room fell into stunned silence.
Luo Qian was the first to recover.
"Are you saying… we should do what no one else has dared?"
"Yes."
---
Understanding the Dungeons
The command center flickered to life as satellite footage displayed one of the nearest dungeons—a sprawling ruined city, its skies covered in crimson mist.
"Dungeon: Scarlet Ruins," Su Chen announced. "Estimated threat level: High. Uncharted territory. No survivors have ever returned."
A heavy silence settled.
Han Ming, a burly man with a scar running down his left cheek, crossed his arms. "Sounds like a perfect first challenge."
Su Chen nodded. "We leave tomorrow at dawn. Prepare yourselves. From this point forward, there's no turning back."
With that, the meeting dispersed.
As the trainees returned to their quarters, Su Chen lingered behind. He stared at the Scarlet Ruins' satellite feed, lost in thought.
They had less than two months.
They needed to push beyond human limits. They needed to evolve.
Su Chen exhaled. This was just the beginning.
---
Midnight Preparation
Back in his private quarters, Su Chen studied an ancient book—the very one he had discovered weeks ago.
The pages detailed the gods, their descent, and humanity's doomed fate.
A particular passage caught his eye:
"Billions of gods await their turn to claim Blue Star. Their hunger is endless, and their patience is wearing thin."
His grip on the book tightened.
Billions. Not hundreds. Not thousands. Billions.
How was humanity supposed to fight against that?
Su Chen closed the book, exhaling sharply. It didn't matter.
He had already decided—he would fight until the very end.