Battle Armor

"This is a photo of my wife. I guarantee it'll work better than that Safety Talisman."

Li Gang wiped the photo, a sweet smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "This time, we're going to Phoenix Valley to pull off something big. With that and the money I've saved over the years, breaking through to the Mortal Transformation Realm after we get back shouldn't be a problem. Then I can send my wife to a Level-One Safe Dark Domain to enjoy life."

Father Chu felt somewhat envious. Compared with fighting and killing in the Pioneer Dark Domain, the Safe Dark Domains had long since been completely controlled by humanity, and the danger inside was practically nonexistent.

Moreover, the source energy in a Level-One Dark Domain was abundant. If his wife stayed there for a long time, her cultivation would progress much faster, and her chances of breaking through to the Mortal Transformation Realm would increase considerably.

The only problem was that settling in a Safe Dark Domain required paying a Source Energy Tax every year, something Apprentice Level martial artists could not afford.

But regardless, for the vast majority of Apprentice Level martial artists in this world, their greatest lifelong goal was to break through to the Mortal Transformation Realm and then move into a Safe Dark Domain permanently.

"..."

Early the next morning, Chu Kuang got up before dawn. After signing for three hundred doses of Nutrient Solution, he headed to school.

When he arrived at Tian Heng Third Middle School, he found that nearly all his classmates had already arrived. Clearly, everyone took this Special Training very seriously.

At exactly seven in the morning, homeroom teacher Xu Yue and several other Class Seven teachers entered the martial arts room.

Xu Yue wore a handsome set of source energy battle armor. His alloy combat boots struck the floor with repeated metallic clanks.

He walked through the classroom expressionlessly, his gaze sharp as he swept over everyone. "This Special Training is an opportunity for all of you to leap through the dragon gate."

"If you fail to stand out, you'll most likely only get into a Third-Tier Martial University. You may not even get into one at all."

At this point, Xu Yue added, "This time, aside from the Key Classes, more than five thousand students from the forty-eight regular classes at our school will be going as well."

"If you want to seize a Source Energy Spring Eye from so many people, sticking together will give you the best chance of success. Especially you three—Chu Kuang, Jiang Feng, and Lin Shuyao..."

Xu Yue paused slightly, his eyes passing over the three of them before he continued, "No matter what grudges you have, you must put aside your past differences this time and join forces to fight for the Source Energy Spring Eye."

The three of them had their own thoughts, but they still answered calmly, "We'll do our best."

Xu Yue nodded and said nothing more. He merely clapped his hands, prompting robots to bring in a hundred boxes.

He distributed the boxes to everyone and said, "This Special Training will take place in the Dark Domain. These are the battle armor and weapons the school has temporarily prepared for you."

"With this armor, you can fight without holding back and won't end up dying in there."

"The armor was prepared according to your physical data. As for weapons, choose your own."

As Xu Yue explained, Chu Kuang opened the box before him and found a set of alloy battle armor inside.

The armor consisted of more than thirty components. It did not greatly hinder a martial artist's movements when worn, but it could vastly increase their defense.

Besides the battle armor, Chu Kuang selected an assemblable Ma Shuo from the weapons.

It was an alloy-forged war lance. Once assembled, it measured over three meters long, with a shaft made of three sections of alloy and a two-foot-long spear blade shaped like a longsword.

"Fine spear. Fine armor."

With the robots' assistance, Chu Kuang put on the battle armor and assembled the war lance, unable to suppress a faint smile.

The armor and war lance were entirely dark black, radiating a cold metallic sheen. Combined with Chu Kuang's tall, slender frame, he exuded an invisible pressure simply by standing there.

"Damn, you look so cool."

Zhang Ming had just finished putting on his own battle armor. Seeing Chu Kuang's bearing, he could not help revealing a look of envy.

Chu Kuang was tall and lean, originally a handsome youth with delicate features. Recently, as his martial arts realm had risen at a rapid pace, he had shot up another half a head in height. A restrained heroic air now clung to him, making him impossible to ignore at a glance.

But that alone was not enough to make Zhang Ming react like this.

The main reason was that once Chu Kuang put on the battle armor, his entire aura changed dramatically. He resembled a born general, possessing the majestic bearing of an ancient conqueror reborn.

"Chu Kuang, your name really suits you."

"Looking at you like this just makes me want to beat you up."

Zhang Ming's teeth itched with frustration. They were wearing the same set of battle armor, yet he looked like an utterly ordinary foot soldier in his, while Chu Kuang somehow looked completely different.

In fact, it was not only him. Even Lin Shuyao, standing not far away, could not help looking over, a flash of amazement appearing in her beautiful eyes.

"A3 Battle Armor and weapons."

Chu Kuang ignored Zhang Ming. He simply moved his limbs and revealed a satisfied expression.

An A3 Battle Armor corresponded to vitality level 10, equivalent to the base defense of a martial artist who had mastered Advanced External and Internal Martial Arts.

This type of battle armor had extremely strong defensive power. Generally speaking, unless someone had cultivated Intermediate Internal and External Martial Arts to mastery, it would be difficult to break through an A3 Battle Armor's defense.

"This A3 Battle Armor costs over one hundred thousand Federal Coin at market price. An ordinary Apprentice Level martial artist would have to work for ten years without eating or drinking to afford one."

"What a pity it's only on loan. I'll only have the right to use this armor during these few days of Special Training."

With some regret, Chu Kuang put the thought aside.

Source energy battle armor was one of humanity's most common pieces of equipment in the main universe. Once worn, it allowed its user to possess the strength corresponding to that grade of battle armor.

However, it was heavily suppressed in the Dark Domain and could only provide the most basic defensive power, making it no different from ordinary armor.

Fortunately, in abandoned Dark Domains where source energy had been depleted, that suppression was greatly reduced or even nearly nonexistent. That was why they could wear battle armor into abandoned Dark Domains.

Of course, the battle armor the school had issued for this Special Training was mainly intended to keep them alive.

Its combat capabilities were heavily restricted, providing only the most basic defense, and the armor was fitted with all kinds of sensors.

Once the armor's intelligent computer determined that its wearer had been severely injured by an enemy, the wearer would be directly declared eliminated, even if the armor itself remained perfectly intact.

"Not bad."

"Since you're all ready, let's set off."

Seeing everyone gradually put on their battle armor, Xu Yue smiled and led them toward the school plaza.

Chu Kuang followed the crowd there and discovered that a warship over one hundred meters long had already been waiting in the school plaza.

"A Planetary Spaceship."

Chu Kuang glanced at it, envy appearing in his eyes.

Human civilization divided spacecraft into four grades: Planetary, Stellar, Starfield, and Galactic.

Even a Planetary Spaceship cost at least tens of millions of Federal Coin. Most First-Order Mortal Transformation Realm martial artists would not be able to afford one in their entire lives.