Skipping a new planet's visit? Unacceptable—it'd be irresponsible to the empire's people. Joining us were Cohen and his research institute scientists. Watching them cautiously disembark in Dragon Armor, research vehicles rolling off warships, I nodded. The Palace Guard secured the perimeter.
"Cohen, you guys get busy here. I'm checking elsewhere." With a wave, I took two guards, hopped into armaments, and flew toward the planet's forest. Landing in a clearing, we switched to foot. From above, you couldn't grasp this primeval forest's beauty—only immersion revealed its charm. Unlike any Earth trees, these were orderly, almost man-made. None of the usual forest dampness or gloom; spaced trees let daylight flood in, bright and clear. Unknown flowers bloomed at roots and in grass. It felt like a crafted masterpiece.
I learned a thing or two. Flowers as big as bathtubs? Never seen that. Earth's jungles had vivid blooms that could knock out prey with scent, then digest them with sticky ooze. To test, I tossed a broken branch into one. Soon, the flower's core oozed goo. Beauty and danger coexist.
"Stay sharp," I warned. Despite armaments, who knew what lurked? After walking, something felt off. Too quiet—no animal sounds. If we'd scared off wildlife, fine, but our armaments scanned the planet—nothing. Weird.
"Let's hit the coast." Diving underwater, I cursed—no coral, no fish, nothing. This upended all known theories: water breeds life. Here? Just water and plants, not even a rat.
"Cohen, doesn't this planet feel strange? No animal vibes in the forest, no sea life. Too still," I said, joining him at the satellite scan station.
"Really?" Cohen asked, skeptical.
"I'm not messing around. The forest trees feel planted. I suspect this is an engineered planet. Its star's position is perfect for humans," I speculated boldly.
"Dean, tests on seawater, air, tree rings, and cells confirm this is a man-made planet," a researcher reported, rushing over with data.
"Called it. But why build a perfect planet and abandon it?" I mused. "How old is it?" I asked the researcher.
"Majesty, it's about 1,000 years old. We found only minor algae in the sea," he replied respectfully. Unknown to us, this was a cosmic noble's backup planet for a comeback, killed in an ambush, leaving it a secret.
"Cohen, why leave a finished planet idle? Whatever—ours now. Its strategic value is huge, guarding our system's eastern gate. Check for rare metals. If there's any, mine it. We'll need to tweak this planet later."
Cohen scanned mineral deposits via satellite, dispatching 100+ small Dragon exploration ships to sample sites. By afternoon, they returned with reports.
"Majesty, it's got 0001 rare metal! Heaven's on our side—no worries for space fortress materials!" Cohen beamed.
"Great. Call Along's legion ASAP for backup, just in case the builders show up. Oh, have them bring some herbivore dinosaurs for meat supply," I chuckled.
"Whoever built it, we've claimed it. Once our fortress is up, who'll challenge us?" Cohen's swagger surprised me.
"Dean, we found a cave with an iron door," a researcher from the last ship reported, sprinting over.
Cohen and I locked eyes, ideas sparking. He dreamed of tech; my gut screamed treasure. Why an iron door on a lifeless planet? Precious goods demanded such caution.
We rushed over, eyes gleaming. The door's material suggested a laser cutter could handle it, but we checked for traps—bombs, maybe. After 30 minutes, it seemed safe. A soldier carefully cut the door with a laser knife. As it fell, a shimmering hall appeared, the mountain's belly hollowed out.
Before us, countless stacks of yellow and white metal lined the walls and center. My first thought: I'm rich—millions of tons! "Don't dream. That's not gold or silver," Cohen said, crashing my high. I bit a "gold" brick—nothing. Cohen, ever the scientist, ordered tests on the "gold" and "silver." I knew it was valuable, but not how insanely so. These metals, rarer than Earth's gold, didn't exist in our system. Like gold, they were cosmic currency. The noble, at his peak, smuggled his empire's wealth here. His stealth in building this planet hinted at his power. Now, it was mine. The first civilization's strength lay in tech and might; wealth was these metals. The entire cosmos held maybe 10 billion tons. When this noble stole three-quarters of his empire's reserves, their war chest crumbled. Invaded by rivals, the first civilization's top nation fell to second-tier. Sucks for them, jackpot for me.
Seeing only metals, I was slightly let down. Circling a gold wall, I spotted a passage, its ceiling studded with glowing gems, lighting it like day. Downstairs, another hall mirrored the first, packed with metals. In a corner, boxes held fist-sized, five-colored glass-like orbs, pulsing with single-element energy, like beast cores. Cohen won't care. I tossed them into my spatial ring. The last box had a yellow metal case. Inside, five lychee-sized, golden, tough-skinned fruits lay. Familiar… Wait! Like the Life Source fruit from Dragon Island. Comparing one from my ring, the white fruit had yellowed over time. The white was clear, like water; the yellow, thick and solidified, felt richer. These are better. My first Zhu Fruit and stone milk boosted my body's strength; Life Source fruits remade my cells, letting me handle massive energy without dying. Eating less would've killed me. At Tier 8 mid-level, despite daily training, breaking through seemed distant. One yellow fruit should be fine, right?
Nothing else caught my eye. Back upstairs, I told Cohen, "Same stuff below, plus these—check them out." I handed over the five colored orbs.
Alone, I flew to a remote island, donned Dragon Armor, sliced the yellow fruit, mixed it with stone milk, and swallowed. Sitting cross-legged, I circulated true qi. Holy hell, it's intense! True qi raced uncontrollably, following usual paths but at lightspeed. I was a bystander, enduring agony. After storms, sunlight; survive, and blessings follow. Biting back screams, I felt ants gnawing my body, bones creaking. I blacked out, unsure how long. Awakening, I felt euphoric, one with the cosmos—I am the universe. The planet's life pulsed vividly; I sensed Cohen's team, saw energy films on guards' armor, all with eyes closed. Pinching myself, the sensation held. I saw my palm's lines clearly, confirmed by opening my eyes. To onlookers, five-colored energy streamed into my crown, my skin writhing like worms.
My strength soared—each leap brought new insights. Running true qi, I saw my meridians and cells, now pure cosmic energy. Per Cohen's scale, I'd hit Tier 12—military-martial peak. Impossible! That'd take millennia, yet here I was. Heaven, I love you, you old bastard!
Luck was unstoppable. Yellow Life Source fruits, formed over billions of years, dwarfed the million-year-old white ones I'd eaten. Only my body's stored energy, unleashed and fused by the fruit, pushed me to Tier 9, letting me absorb cosmic energy without bursting. On this untouched planet, with its vast energy, I hit Tier 12. Timing, place, harmony—countless "ifs" made me.
Standing, I felt taller (I'd grown 10 cm from 185 to 195 cm, plus 2 cm from Dragon Armor—nearly 2 meters). The island's trees were uprooted, like a typhoon hit. At Tier 12, my Dragon Armor shattered with a bang. Cohen swore it could handle double Tier 12 force. Theory's not reality. I sensed untapped potential. Storing the broken armor in my ring, I considered punching the ground but stopped—that'd wreck the planet.
Savoring the sensation, eyes closed, I "saw" Palace Guards flying toward me. Thinking to meet them, I felt a guard crash into me, rebounding and spitting blood, knocked out. Guards saw me as a god, my face sharper, my waist-length white hair—once Tier 3 transformed—now golden, a seven-colored halo behind me like a temple deity, radiating majesty. My aura pushed them 100 meters back, forcing them to kneel, chanting, "Long live our emperor!" Worshipping strength, they'd sensed a familiar, then alien, overwhelming presence, rushing over, fearing I faced a foe.
Their shouts snapped me back. I'd crossed 1,000 km instantly, on raw physical speed. Seeing them strain against my aura, I retracted it. They exhaled in relief.
"Back to base—don't keep them waiting."
"You're different—stronger," Cohen said, eyeing me.
"Much stronger. Your Dragon Armor's junk—it broke," I said, showing him. "Now I'm scared to use armaments, might wreck them too."
"No way! It's built for double Tier 12 force!" Staring at the shards, Cohen gaped. "You're a monster. God, why'd I meet you?"
"Doubt me?" I surged to Tier 12. Everyone donned Dragon Armor and scattered. "Stop, you'll kill me!" Cohen yelled. My power was 10^81 times his, by energy metrics.
"Fine, I'll test it." I rocketed into space, five-colored true qi shielding me, sparking against air with shrill screeches.
I vanished from sight. "Monster. Insane monster," Cohen muttered, jealous of my luck. Without me, he'd have quit research, never married two beauties, had three kids, or regained youthful vigor.
In space, I moved freely, breathing easier than on ground. Channeling full power, I smashed a dead star. Pure thrill! I howled like the Beast Brigade. My habit spread—empire victories sparked wolf howls, irking the wolf clan elder, who claimed we stole their shtick. In cosmic battles, we roared pre- and post-fight, earning the "beast" label. Screw it—black society roots, who fears who?
On Silver Dragon Star, Cohen's team heard the stellar explosion. "Monster. Maniac," they grumbled, covering ears.
I laughed smugly. Pandorans, taste absolute invasion.
Reader's Corner: Yo, readers, Feitian's a cosmic titan now! Will his Tier 12 power crush Pandora, or lure bigger foes? Can Cohen's fortress match this windfall's wealth? Drop your galactic predictions in the comments—let's loot this cosmic jackpot!