"It seemed we passed the test." Astria let out a sigh of relief.
"The Void Ark has acknowledged our qualifications." Lin Ye nodded. "We can head for the core consciousness now."
Pushing open the Concept Gate, the three entered an even more complex space. Every inch of this place was filled with intense conceptual conflict, and the air itself seemed to echo with the sound of countless thoughts colliding.
"The conceptual density here is too high." Lin Ye felt as though his head were splitting apart. The multiple Constellation Marks within him began to resonate violently. "I can feel the thought patterns of thousands of civilizations striking my consciousness at once."
As they went deeper, the fused consciousness established through the Concept Throne began to undergo subtle changes.
Rio walked at the front. The golden glow of his Leo Mark had become stronger than before, but also more domineering. "Lin Ye, you're moving too slowly. In an environment this dangerous, what we need is swift decisions, not your cautious analysis."
"We need to observe our surroundings and understand—" Lin Ye tried to explain.
"Understand what?" Rio cut him off, turning to face Lin Ye with impatience flashing in his eyes. "The enemy is right ahead. Every minute we waste means another minute the civilizations outside suffer conceptual contamination."
"Leo possesses natural leadership. It is authority bestowed by the laws of the universe. At a critical time like this, I should be leading our actions."
Astria stopped walking, her Libra Mark emitting an unstable purple glow. "Wait, should we really keep going?"
"What do you mean?" Lin Ye looked at her in confusion.
"I'm considering something." Astria frowned. "If the Void Ark truly is the universe's immune system, then what exactly are we doing right now?"
She began to pace, sinking