Fusion

Light and shadow intertwined, and all the light screen scenes converged into a ball of milky white flame.

At the top of the milky white flame, an illusion gradually emerged: a hunched, aged man, missing an eye and on the brink of death.

"Future humans, the Star Core is the central controller of the Aurora Metal Fortress. To return to the Aurora world, you must first break through this world's star screen barrier, then use the Star Core to open the temporal communication device and contact the Aurora world."

"Where is the Aurora world?"

However, it seemed like only a letter. Reilo, in his small black figure state, did not receive an answer.

The old man continued, "The Great Elder has been sealed by native creatures. The traitors are growing stronger by accumulating faith power, while we have become dark creatures, enduring this world's rejection. Our understanding of this continent remains in a state of dark unknown. Many family members who attempted to explore have never returned."

The old man's gaze was dejected, as if he no longer held any hope. He left this letter merely out of a sense of duty.

"I never thought I would die here."

The old man's voice was unspeakably lonely, desolate, and regretful.

"The Star Core records information on the valuable resources of the explored parts of this world. Due to the family inheritance prohibition against unauthorized leakage, this is what I have created with the efforts of my entire life…"

Gradually, dense characters appeared before Reilo.

Although the text differed slightly from modern human writing, it bore some similarities. After discerning a few characters, they formed sentences, and the meaning could be vaguely recognized.

"What is this?"

Self-Control

The first stage: Self-Control of the muscles.

Limited by the level of food energy supply, the human body normally only utilizes twenty percent of its capacity. Only in extremely rare crisis situations does it unlock its self-potential and unleash one hundred percent.

By refining a corrosive blood-flesh toxin to create a crisis for the cells, and then administering an antidote, the repeated process of poisoning and detoxification stimulates adrenaline secretion, enhancing the body's adaptability to adrenaline and gradually liberating one hundred percent of the human body's basic cellular potential.

The second stage: Self-Control of the heart.

Blood is the basic energy unit of the human body. By finding extremely cold and extremely hot creatures with regenerative abilities and continuously injecting their blood into the heart, the heart repeatedly contracts and expands in extreme cold and heat, strengthening the regenerative attribute factors in the blood. This allows for autonomous control of blood flow speed, granting hibernation abilities and short bursts of extraordinary power.

The third stage: Self-Control of the five senses.

The five senses are the body's basic perception of the outside world. By finding radiation stones and accumulating extremely subtle stimuli to the body's cells, one gains subtle perception of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, enhancing self-judgment and enabling the selection of the optimal combat method in the shortest possible time.

"Uh?"

As if experiencing an almost real dream, Reilo struggled a few times before finally opening his tired eyes, a hint of brightness appearing within them.

"Mmm…"

He couldn't help but groan in pain.

His body felt incredibly stiff, as if it hadn't moved for too long. In an infant-like posture, through blurry eyes, Reilo vaguely saw many small fish swimming around.

He immediately realized something and instinctively let out a "wuwu" sound, struggling. Like a drowning person, the surrounding small fish scattered.

At this moment, Reilo was lying in a giant fish tank, breathing through a special mask.

Splash!

Reilo suddenly stood up in the water, gasping for air, and looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings in confusion.

The sound roused Jiahei, who was taking a nap nearby. Reilo dazedly scanned the strange environment. The room was filled with various biological specimens. Even though Reilo didn't recognize them, it didn't prevent him from clearly sensing the rarity and power of these specimens when they were alive. They were all magical beasts!

The black cat let out a "meow," yawned, and said nonchalantly, "You're awake?"

"Uh?"

Reilo tried hard to recall, managing to remember some of what had happened before.

Creak.

The wooden door opened.

"Junior disciple, you're finally awake!"

A surprised voice. It was Bailing, who had returned from collecting specimens in the Demon Eagle Forest and was alerted by Reilo's struggles in the water. Seeing the dazed and confused Reilo, she ran over, tears of joy streaming down her face.

"Senior disciple?"

Reilo froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered something…

Pfft!

Seeing Reilo like this, Bailing broke into a tearful laugh.

Reilo said anxiously, "Senior disciple, please go out first!"

Although Bailing still had tears in her eyes, she was now laughing so hard she could barely stand, pointing at Reilo and giggling uncontrollably. Reilo's current appearance was truly amusing and cute in her eyes.

After a while, Bailing finally recovered and turned her back. "I've put all your things in the spatial box. I'll go downstairs and have Mother prepare some food. You'd best rest a bit more and let the Remnant Bait Fish clean your wounds so you don't get scars. Come out later."

"Senior disciple! How many days have I been unconscious?"

Reilo quickly seized the opportunity to ask.

"Nine days!"

Bailing closed the door. Reilo squatted in the bathtub, murmuring blankly, "I've been unconscious for nine days."

A strange itching sensation on his shoulder bone made Reilo pause. He looked down and saw that the over a hundred small, round-mouthed fish in the fish tank had gathered around his tender, red flesh, constantly nibbling. His wounds were clearly visible, making him realize how dangerous the battle had been just days ago!

If not for...

Right!

The Star Core Necklace!

Frantically searching for the Star Core Necklace, Reilo finally understood its origin, which involved historical grievances between wizards and the Church, even tracing back to another unknown world called Aurora!

No wonder the capital of the Great Empire of Light was named Aurora!

"These Remnant Bait Fish are precious healing items your mentor borrowed, and the restorative potion in the fish tank is even more valuable. Otherwise, with your injuries, even if you didn't end up disabled, recovering would take months, if not longer."

Jiahei muttered idly. Reilo looked over and finally saw his spatial box, exclaiming anxiously, "Why are you still here!"

The black cat looked at Reilo strangely, then, realizing what was happening, snapped, "What are you looking at!"

"Huh?"

Suddenly, mysterious text appeared in Reilo's eyes.

[System Prompt: High-energy unknown creature detected, shielded by unknown Energy Magnetic Field.]

Remembering something, Reilo quickly took off the mask that was helping him breathe.

The mask was emerald green, carved with dense wooden scales, each only a few millimeters in size and etched with even finer spiral patterns. It seemed to hold other mysteries as well.

Could the Star Core Necklace have merged with this mask?

"Hey there, handsome boy, come play with us, hee hee hee."

A strange female voice suddenly came from behind. Reilo instinctively turned his head and saw a tall girl with wheat-colored skin lying on a table, beckoning him. He exclaimed in shock, "Who are you?"

At the same time, another prompt appeared before Reilo's eyes.

[System Prompt: High-energy unknown creature detected, shielded by unknown Energy Magnetic Field.]

The wheat-colored skinned girl transformed back into a black cat. She glanced at the dumbfounded Reilo and left the room without looking back, muttering, "Idiot."

Reilo wasn't angry at Jiahei's teasing; his face was filled with disbelief. "The Star Core... has merged with me!"