Sector Authority and Lv.5 (6k)

A wave of dizziness rose in Ron's mind, then vanished in an instant.

["Fantasy Dissolution" was being worn away by a trace amount of "Mysticism Influence Alpha" and a moderate amount of "Mysticism Influence Beta."]

[Characteristic Damage: 60%]

The Manual's cold notification sounded by his ear. Ron blinked, deep in thought.

Alpha and Beta... were actually two different kinds of "Mysticism Influence"?

He recalled that eye. Aside from the dark blue magic power on it, there had also been an illusory force that seemed to be protecting it.

It seemed this was the source: two distinct forms of "mystical" power, one from the "Potion Era" and one from the "Void."

No wonder it possessed magic power but had not been worn down by the Superpowered Era's version environment like Ron's [Potion Sequence].

But the rank of this Mysticism Influence from the Void was far too high, wasn't it?

Based on Ron's experience, that surging dark blue magic power could at most wear away around five percent of [Fantasy Dissolution]. Yet that immeasurable bit of power from the Void had caused fifty-five percent damage?

If his estimate was correct, after a [Superpowered] advanced to Lv.2, fifty-five percent of [Fantasy Dissolution] would be enough to erase a Sequence Eight extraordinary creature!

Take a War Puppet from the Potion Era, for instance. [Fantasy Dissolution] would probably only need to consume around fifty percent of its durability to reduce it completely to ashes.

Could that tiny trace of influence from the Void actually surpass a Sequence Eight extraordinary creature?

Its energy level definitely wasn't greater... Could it be a matter of suppression?

Just as [Fantasy Dissolution] suppressed everything extraordinary in the Potion Era...

Did the Void also suppress everything brought about by superpowers?

As Ron pondered, he saw Ms. Irina sit back in her chair somewhat dazedly. Her fingertips tapped rapidly against the armrest, and her brows furrowed slightly.

She contemplated for a long while before finally smiling in relief, her voice full of emotion.

"It seems I should put the application to headquarters for that specially tailored investment plan on the agenda right now."

"No wonder Deng Yin told me you possessed the strongest Ability Model he had ever seen."

Unconsciously, she rubbed an openwork gold ring on her finger. Distinct cloud patterns adorned it, like clusters of golden auspicious clouds wrapped around her hand.

"If there are still gods in this world, then this power is practically a gift from the gods—just as [War] grants fire to its believers, [Time] grants its believers eternal life, and [Death] grants its believers immortality—"

She spoke words from ancient texts, words passed down from the previous era, and unconsciously said:

"The [Anti-Mystery Equation] will probably also make you—"

The instant the words left her mouth, she calmed down and shut it.

[Anti-Mystery Equation]?!

Wait, had Irina just said something extremely important?

Ron narrowed his eyes, recalling the prompt he had seen in the Dimensional Update Manual.

The [Anti-Mystery Equation] was precisely the most important version setting of this Superpowered Era, Version 4.0!

According to the setting description in the Dimensional Update Manual, it was after an existence named "Atina" hacked the [Anti-Mystery Equation] into the world that those transcendent fantasies fell into the dust.

It had been the most crucial turning point from Version 3.0 to Version 4.0. Ron's [Fantasy Dissolution] was also a foundational setting extracted by the Manual from the [Anti-Mystery Equation].

To be honest, when Ron had first learned of the [Anti-Mystery Equation], it wasn't as if he had never tried looking for it. He had found time to wander through the busiest mall in District D, and had secretly created an alt account to search online, but he could never find any related information through the search engines.

What was more, after a few searches, that alt account had received a warning. It had scared him into immediately throwing away the secondhand phone he had bought online and going home as though nothing had happened.

Even then, he had known this was definitely a secret the Ideal City authorities had sealed away tightly.

He never expected to hear it from Ms. Irina now.

He couldn't let such vital intelligence slip past his ears for nothing. Ron immediately struck while the iron was hot, afraid that Irina would simply keep quiet and gloss over the matter.

"Ms. Irina, what is the [Anti-Mystery Equation]?"

"This—"

She opened her mouth, glanced at An Hui and Kevin standing nearby, and visibly hesitated for a moment.

It seemed she did not want An Hui and Kevin to hear about this.

Kevin was sharp enough to catch Irina's glance and immediately raised his hand to speak.

"I'm a little hungry, Ms. Irina. I heard the company cafeteria's meals are pretty good?"

"Since I'm already here, even if my task was only to pick up my junior brother, I've picked him up. I should at least grab a bite, right?"

As he spoke, he slipped away and stepped directly into the elevator.

"I'm heading to the staff cafeteria downstairs for a meal. Don't forget to call me when you're done so we can head back together!"

Watching Kevin leave at a brisk pace, Ron couldn't help smiling in relief.

This bargain-bin senior brother of his... really knew how to read the room.

He knew this wasn't something he should hear, so to avoid getting in the way of Ron's conversation with Irina, he had directly found such a clumsy excuse to excuse himself...

When he had time, Ron should treat him to a meal.

But what about Huihui?

If this secret wasn't something he dug up through extraordinary means, but something told to him by an important executive of a giant corporation, then it definitely wouldn't be a bad thing...

He couldn't have An Hui leave like Kevin.

Looking at An Hui, who had seemed nervous from the moment she arrived and now clearly had no idea what to do with herself, Ron had just begun considering how to persuade Irina when a knocking sound drew away his attention—knock, knock, knock.

Deng Yin tapped the floor with his walnut cane, breaking the stiff atmosphere between them.

He spoke.

"An Hui is a good child. Unlike Kevin, who's merely idling through life, she also has a chance to construct a Formula during university."

"As long as she can construct a Formula, she'll be qualified to participate in experiments—perhaps she can even become Ron's experimental assistant."

Hearing Deng Yin's words, Irina hesitated for a moment before finally sighing.

"Since you've put it that way..."

She opened a virtual screen and tapped it. A pop-up immediately appeared in Ron and An Hui's brain-computer interfaces.

[Moen Municipal Government: Irina has applied to sign a confidentiality agreement with you.]

"Sign this first. This matter concerns an important secret of Ideal City. At the very least, you need to sign a confidentiality agreement through the municipal government's contract website."

Ron looked over the terms of the confidentiality agreement and discovered that if a signer leaked the secret, the Moen Municipal Government would immediately arrest them and sentence them to life imprisonment. Depending on the impact of the leak, the punishment could quickly be raised to the death penalty.

Come on, Ideal City had abolished the death penalty over a century ago!

Yet because of this secret, they would make a special exception and reinstate legal provisions the justices considered "disrespectful of human rights"?

He would have to be more careful in the future and watch his mouth.

Ron and An Hui both cautiously signed their names. Only after filing the confidentiality agreement did Irina sigh and explain.

"You should know that after the Great Cataclysm that burned the planet to ashes, when everything was waiting to be rebuilt, the three great corporations joined forces and reconstructed the entire planet."

"But I don't think you understand what exactly that Great Cataclysm that burned the planet was—"

She swiped across the screen and brought up several new images.

They showed many somewhat weathered and dilapidated metropolises. They were clearly the Outer City of Ideal City.

However, in these pictures, enormous holes had opened in the skies above those cities. Illusory, translucent streams of fire poured from them, completely engulfing the cities.

Then translucent, grotesque monsters poured out of the Void and descended into the cities.

"The [Anti-Mystery Equation] was created to deal with these monsters. It is the Central Intelligent Brain's primary program when operating at full capacity."

Irina explained, "The Great Cataclysm that burned the planet was these inexplicably opened 'Historical Hollows' that spat out magical monsters from the previous era."

Magical monsters from the previous era?

Was that how Irina understood these things too?

Although Irina had just taken out an organ from a Void monster that still contained magic power...

Ron knew that it should not have been a product of the Potion Era.

Their illusory nature and the strange power from the Void were more fundamental components than their magic power. Compared to the Potion Era, they were clearly closer to the Void.

Rather than saying they were monsters that had come from the Potion Era, it would be more accurate to say they were illusory creations fabricated by the Void.

It seemed that even the presidents of giant corporations did not know much about the Potion Era.

As Ron silently considered this, he heard Irina continue.

"This College Entrance Exam simulated a Hollow Battlefield. I believe you already have some understanding of the Void's danger."

"It is said that when Ideal City was established, the executives of the three great corporations jointly created the [Central Intelligent Brain] and established the [Anti-Mystery Equation]. Only then could they protect the Inner City from disturbance."

As she spoke, she could not help sighing worriedly.

"However, with the progress of the times and the development of technology, the scale and danger of the Void have inexplicably become increasingly severe."

"This College Entrance Exam reform was also because the Void's threat had become harder and harder to conceal. They had no choice but to loosen information control and let the public adapt."

"Then, when the opportunity arises, they will explain this Catastrophe to everyone—but that will probably happen years from now, so there's no need to care about it yet."

She shook her head and did not continue on that subject. Instead, her gaze fell on Ron again.

"And you, Ron—you are the favored child of the [Anti-Mystery Equation]."

"A Superpowered like you, favored by the [Anti-Mystery Equation], whose [Personal Reality] is strengthened by it and can resist the Void—"

"Is precisely the genius most suited to completing the Central Intelligent Brain's Knowledge-Seeking Experiment and becoming Lv.5!"

At this point, Irina was clearly excited and uncharacteristically lost her composure somewhat.

It seemed Ron's performance just now had truly made Irina fully acknowledge his ability.

However, while Irina's talk of becoming Lv.5 stirred Ron's blood, he was still completely confused.

"But Ms. Irina, why would a Superpowered favored by the [Anti-Mystery Equation] be suited to completing that Knowledge-Seeking Experiment and becoming Lv.5?"

He couldn't make sense of the logic behind it at all!

Only then did Irina pause at Ron's question, unable to help laughing.

"I forgot that you don't even know about 'authority.' For a moment, I didn't know where to begin—"

After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Do you remember what the textbooks say is the essence of superpowers?"

The essence of superpowers?

Ron paused. An Hui thought for a moment before replying with the textbook's standard answer.

"The source is [Personal Reality], which can distort the world, while its mode of expression is one's unique [Ability Model]. Through the [Ability Model], Superpowered individuals can cause [Personal Reality] to manifest the power their superpowers are capable of displaying, thereby distorting reality and releasing it into the real world."

"That's right," Irina nodded slightly. "But there is a problem—how does that concept explain Lv.4 and Lv.5?"

"Have you ever considered that a person can indeed rely on Personal Reality to alter a small area of the world and display their own abilities—"

"But when that ability expands to encompass a village, a city, or even the surface of an entire planet—"

"How can such an immense Personal Reality possibly be sustained?"

Right, how could Lv.4 and Lv.5 be explained?

Ron frowned, realizing this blind spot.

Lv.4 might still be understandable. Ron had once seen videos online of Lv.4 Patrol Bureau agents pursuing criminals.

Although that person could smash apart an entire building with one punch, Ron thought carefully about it and felt that once he reached Lv.3, he would probably possess that kind of power too.

But... what about Lv.5?

The ability to effortlessly destroy cities, even scour the planet's surface—how could their [Personal Reality] possibly cover such a vast range?

Ron knew full well that [Personal Reality] had a limit to its growth. Through his own training, he could feel that expanding his [Personal Reality] to a range of several meters would probably already be Lv.3.

Expanding it to twenty or thirty meters would probably grant the strength of Lv.4.

But... how was one supposed to advance to Lv.5?

The range affected by an Lv.5's Personal Reality could already be measured in the size of cities, or even the surface area of a planet!

The gap between them was simply astronomical!

The difference in strength between such [Personal Realities] was absolutely not something hard training could bridge!

Seeing Ron frown, Irina spoke softly.

"This is actually the second secret I wanted to tell you—"

"The advancement path of Superpowered individuals is practically cut off once they become Lv.3 and construct their own Formula."

"The limit of human [Personal Reality] is the peak of Lv.3. Relying on training alone, it is fundamentally impossible to reach any higher."

"And if you want to climb further and gain even greater power—"

As she spoke, she lightly waved her hand. A screen unfolded before them, displaying a circle.

It was divided into twelve sectors, marked in different colors and labeled with names. Ron did not recognize those names, but merely seeing the "ability titles" before them told him that every single one was an Lv.5 standing at the pinnacle of Ideal City!

"—You can only advance further by obtaining Sector Authority from Ideal City's [Central Intelligent Brain] and taking control of that authority!"

The path of Superpowered individuals was actually cut off after Lv.3!

Every ability user above that level had achieved their power through the Sector Authority of the [Central Intelligent Brain]?

Ron could not help being stunned, immediately recalling what Yuan had said before.

Teacher Deng Yin wanted to use the results of "that experiment" to obtain Prometheus's Sector Authority. Didn't that mean he had almost become Lv.5?!

No wonder Yuan's father still valued Deng Yin so highly, and had even kept Ron, Deng Yin's disciple, under close watch.

It was probably because they believed there was a very real chance that Ron, taught by Deng Yin, would defeat them in the struggle for Prometheus's authority. Yuan's father had worked on Prometheus for so long and had finally pushed aside Deng Yin, his old rival, only for the old one to be replaced by the young one...

Considering how Yuan had already regarded Prometheus's authority as his property, choosing to assassinate Ron was only natural.

As Ron pondered, he listened to Irina's explanation.

"Unfortunately, if you want to obtain Sector Authority from the [Central Intelligent Brain], aside from certain backdoor methods, the only way is to complete the Knowledge-Seeking Experiments issued by the [Central Intelligent Brain]."

"These experiments are strange and varied. Each explores an unknown field of knowledge or technology. If one can be completed, Ideal City's technological level can easily advance once more."

"However, not only do the experiments themselves have strict requirements for the experimenter's abilities, they also carry enormous risks—"

"These experiments involving unknown knowledge can cause a Void outbreak at the experimental site, drawing attacks from monsters."

As she spoke, she opened an extremely blurry video showing a vast metropolis engulfed by a Void.

Above the city stood a figure wearing a white laboratory coat.

He raised both hands, and every falling monster seemed to bear infinite pressure as they suddenly crashed toward the ground.

They smashed into the city and fused with concrete and steel, becoming clusters of illusory corpses intermingled with ruins.

"It is said that before Ideal City was completed, [Gravity Control], the first Lv.5, caused the London Great Hollow through the Knowledge-Seeking Experiment for [Anti-Gravity Engineering]."

"However, after the [Anti-Mystery Equation] was refined, such a Catastrophe never happened again."

She opened several pictures. None of the people in them showed their faces; they were almost all silhouettes.

But it was clear that they all seemed to be facing a newly opened Void, using their abilities to fight it.

"Afterward, every Knowledge-Seeking Experiment completed by Lv.5 relied on the power of the [Anti-Mystery Equation] to erase the newly opened 'Historical Hollow' within the experiment."

"Like you, they were all favored by the [Anti-Mystery Equation], and could use their abilities to eliminate the Void's influence—"

As Irina spoke, she could not help sighing. Her expression was complicated as she glanced at Deng Yin beside her.

"Deng Yin's failure back then was because his ability could not resist the Void. Not long after the experimental calculations began, the Void forced him out of the laboratory."

"Then, because Laboratory Zero was damaged, his old rivals attacked him and had him expelled from Moen University on all kinds of fabricated charges."

So Professor Deng Yin had left Moen University because of this.

But a Void could erupt simply because of scientific research itself?!

What was this? A catastrophe brought about by knowledge?

Recalling the power from the Void that he had just encountered, Ron could not help feeling that it was utterly bizarre.

It was like version 4.0 of the [Anti-Mystery Equation] had brought forth a special power that countered version 3.0 of the [Potion Sequence].

This Void's power so thoroughly restrained Superpowered individuals and was clearly hindering technological progress—it was practically like some version 5.0 [Anti-Science Equation], if such a version 5.0 really existed.

Ron furrowed his brow in thought, then heard Irina say softly,

"Though the Knowledge-Seeking Experiment is dangerous, its rewards are enough to drive every Superpowered individual mad—"

"Accumulate contributions and apply for delegated authority, and you can become Lv.4. Complete a Knowledge-Seeking Experiment and obtain supervisory authority, and you can become an Lv.5 standing at the pinnacle of Ideal City!"

She pointed to the only unnamed white sector in the circle.

"The computational core, [Prometheus]—this is the only vacant sector without a supervising authority, and it can still support one more Lv.5!"

"Then how do I compete for [Prometheus]'s supervisory authority?"

Ron asked. This time, Deng Yin answered with a distant look in his eyes and a trace of emotion in his voice.

"Of course, by becoming first in Moen University's department rankings, securing the right to use Laboratory Zero, completing the Knowledge-Seeking Experiment I failed to complete, and earning [Prometheus]'s recognition."

Then he changed the subject. "But you do not need to worry about that yet."

"You have already beaten Yuan once. In [Prometheus]'s data calculations, your score coefficient is higher, putting you clearly far ahead of Yuan."

"The department rankings are only finalized during the ranking examinations at the end of the academic year."

"Laboratory Zero has already been damaged. Repairs will not be completed until at least the middle of next year."

"So during the rest of your first year, no one can possibly take Laboratory Zero's usage rights from you."

"In other words," he said, staring intently at Ron, "you still have a full year to prepare for the ranking examination at the end of the preparatory year."

"And after the examination, if you want to obtain [Prometheus]'s supervisory authority and become an Lv.5 Superpowered individual—"

"Then you must meet the minimum threshold for the authority advancement of the three of you: become Lv.3, and construct your own unique [Ability Formula]."

"Reach the pinnacle that ordinary Superpowered individuals can touch!"