Staring at the twisted rip in space, Ethan felt a headache coming on.
This Void Realm wasn't that far from where Fallen Star City stood now. If sothing crawled out again, Fallen Star City would be the first compound to get hit.
Don't tell we have to move again… Ethan thought.
But he shook his head almost right away. If so truly horrific monster ca through, it wouldn't matter where they ran. It'd just be the difference between dying sooner or later. Better to spend that energy getting stronger.
Only strength could carry you through anything. Running didn't solve problems.
"Let's go," Ethan said. "We're heading to the Stonepeak City compound."
Everyone climbed onto the Flabird's back, and they took off in the direction of Stonepeak City's compound.
Right now, if Ethan and the others wanted to keep improving, aside from using the ritual circle to power up, their only real hope was the Void Realms.
Of the Void Realms they knew about, they'd already visited the other ones.
At this point, Riverton City's Void Realm was impossible to enter. As for Clearford City's Void Realm… Ethan still didn't have the confidence.
Back then, they'd been absurdly far away, and that thing had only needed to glance at him to leave him badly injured. Even now, thinking about it made his skin crawl.
He'd once guessed that terrifying feral beast was around Stage A (Tier 24). Now, the more he thought about it, the more he suspected it was even higher. Either way, if he didn't have to provoke it, he wasn't going to.
With those Void Realms crossed off, the only one left that they could go to was the Void Realm tied to the Stonepeak City compound.
The Stonepeak City compound's Void Realm had been confird to exist.
But right now, only Stonepeak City compound's leadership knew exactly where it was. Even people from Atlas City had gone asking and still couldn't get an answer.
Stonepeak City compound's top brass were strong—strong enough that they didn't fear Atlas City.
Still, Ethan was confident.
If he asked, they'd tell him.
…
Stonepeak City compound.
Located inside Stonepeak City, it was the only non-governnt Safe Zone besides Fallen Star City.
Everything about it scread that it wasn't simple.
Deep in the endless mountain range behind Stonepeak City compound, there was a warped space—an ugly twist in the world itself.
This was the entrance to Stonepeak City compound's Void Realm… and the key to Oliver and his people rising so fast.
At that mont, Oliver backed out of the Void Realm. Excitent flashed across his face.
"Boss—did you break through?"
"Yeah." Oliver nodded, unable to hide his thrill. "Tier 15."
"This place is seriously blessed," soone said, eyes bright. "The mysterious energy is so dense. And with the Energy Absorption Technique Atlas City gave us, our growth rate is basically an elevator."
"Ha!" one of the underlings laughed, practically buzzing. "At this pace, we'll surpass that so-called Fallen Star Squad in no ti!"
The mont the na Fallen Star Squad left his mouth, the area fell into a brief silence.
That na carried too much weight.
They'd originally believed that with this Void Realm, their strength would tower over everyone else.
Instead, Fallen Star Squad had kept them pinned down so hard they could barely breathe.
Sure, they'd built a major compound through their own capability. But Fallen Star Squad's compound was the strongest in the entire Atlas Federation.
After getting the Energy Absorption Technique, they'd thought the Void Realm's dense mysterious energy would let them leave everyone else in the dust.
Then Fallen Star Squad turned around and wiped out the Yamato Empire.
From the video footage, they couldn't pin down Fallen Star Squad's exact strength—but they could be certain of one thing.
Fallen Star Squad was stronger than them.
And it wasn't even close.
Oliver's buzz from breaking through got stomped flat by that one line. The excitent drained out of him, leaving him looking a little deflated.
"Boss, don't let it get to you," another underling said, shooting the first guy a glare. "Yeah, we're still behind them right now, but we've got this Void Realm. We'll catch up—slowly but surely."
"It's not that I'm discouraged," Oliver said with a crooked smile. "I've just accepted it. The gap between us and them is… huge."
Oliver was the confident, proud type, and he wasn't stupid, either.
After the apocalypse hit, he'd relied on his protective armor ability to pull a crew together fast, carving out a place for themselves in the chaos. Then they found this Void Realm, and everything got easier. Like fish in water, they built their power step by step.
He'd honestly thought he was going to be the main character of the end of the world.
Turns out he was just set dressing.
No matter how bright he shined, in front of the Fallen Star Squad he still didn't even rate. The realization had hit him hard.
It hurt. Bad.
But his mindset was solid. Even with the blow to his ego, he didn't turn it into hatred.
If they'd gotten that far, it only ant they were more capable than he was. He could be arrogant, sure—but he could also admit when soone else was better.
"Co on," Oliver said, exhaling. "We've been in there a little too long today. Ti to head out."
"Got it!"
The group got up and left the Void Realm together.
There were more than twenty of them—people who'd followed Oliver from the beginning and managed to survive all the way to now.
They were strong too. Most of them were around Tier 13 or Tier 14.
Honestly, if they'd found the Energy Absorption Technique inside this Void Realm, then with how thick the mysterious energy was in there, they wouldn't be sitting at these tiers at all.
Once Atlas City announced the Energy Absorption Technique, they were practically living in the Void Realm every day. Their Tier levels shot up at a terrifying pace.
They'd just returned to the compound when soone spotted several red figures in the distant sky, tearing toward them at high speed.
Oliver frowned, pulled out a pair of binoculars, and looked.
His face changed instantly.
"It's them."
"Who?" the others asked, all snapping their attention to him.
"The Fallen Star Squad," Oliver said heavily.
"—!"
A shock ran through the group. They'd been talking about them one second, and the next second they were here.
"What are they doing here?" soone muttered, frowning along with the rest.
"No idea," Oliver said. His voice turned sharp. "When we et them, nobody runs their mouth. I handle everything."
With Fallen Star Squad's reputation, he couldn't afford to be careless.
And that reputation wasn't just about being strong. They were notoriously overbearing—more like bandits than actual bandits.
"Yes, boss." Everyone nodded hard. They clearly knew the stories too.
The newcors were moving fast. In the ti it took them to speak, they'd already reached the airspace above the compound.
Stonepeak City compound's guards had been about to respond, but the mont they recognized the fiery-red giant bird, they all froze and lowered their hands.
By now, the Flabird was famous. It was basically a flying banner for the Fallen Star Squad.
And the squad behind it—everyone feared them. Who the hell would dare stop that?
Up on the wall, the guard captain forced himself to shout upward. "Is it… is it the Fallen Star Squad visiting us?"
From above ca Ethan's voice, calm and direct. "Wouldn't call it a 'visit.' Yeah, we're the Fallen Star Squad. Is your commander here?"
"He is! He is!" The guard captain almost tripped over himself. "Our commander just got back. I'll take you to him right away."
"Good."
Ethan nodded. Then the group leapt down from the Flabird, landing inside the city.
The guards stared at the people they'd only ever seen on video. One by one, their faces lit up—half excitent, half nerves.
"Ethan, and everyone from Fallen Star Squad—this way, please!" The guard captain hurried over and took point imdiately.
"Alright."
They followed him deeper into the compound.
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