With the location secured, the Star-Forge Alliance relocated the mobile lab and the massive Fusion Core to the Nexus of the Dragon. This hidden underground confluence of spiritual energy was overwhelming; the Tier 7 Qi flow was chaotic, immense, and completely natural—a spiritual generator that dwarfed the energy Kai had stolen from the Grand Nexus Array.
The atmosphere was dangerously unstable. The energy was so concentrated that the air shimmered, and physical materials experienced rapid spiritual erosion.
Empress Lyra stood at the edge of the central convergence point, her Absolute Order Talisman glowing faintly. Her Peak-Stage Qi Condensation essence was engaged in a constant, subtle battle with the ambient chaos, stabilizing the immediate area around the landing site.
"The energy here is absolute, Kai," Lyra reported, her voice calm despite the surrounding spiritual storm. "It's too powerful for the Moebius Strip design to anchor directly. The chaotic fluctuations would tear the sanctuary apart during construction."
Dr. Seraphina Voss, her face protected by a specialized containment hood, was already setting up magnetic field readers. "Lyra is correct. We need a perfect spiritual ballast. The Fusion Core is our power, but it must also become the anchor point—the eye of this spiritual hurricane."
Kai's Task: Forging the Tier 6 Balancer
Kai's job was to forge the component that would allow Voss and Lyra to fuse their expertise: the Spatial Balancer. This artifact would allow the Fusion Core, currently Tier 5, to harmonize with the Nexus of the Dragon's Tier 7 energy.
He positioned the Fusion Core beside the central nexus point. The core's stable hum was battling the earth's natural roar.
[FORGE (TIER 3) ABILITY ACTIVATED – TIER 6 SPATIAL ARTIFACT.]
[TARGET: SPATIAL BALANCER (TIER 6 – ARTIFACT).]
[COST: 150 E-PTs (Anya's latest transfer) + TIRED 5 IRIDIUM-ADAMANTITE ALLOY (REQUIRED).]
Kai drew on the pure power of the Fusion Core. He placed a sheet of the Iridium-Adamantite Alloy—stolen by Anya—into the Forge matrix. The Tier 5 alloy instantly melted and was channeled into a complex, spiral schematic provided by Dr. Voss.
He poured 150 E-PTs into the forge, using his Peak-Stage Qi Condensation Essence to manually align the spiritual flow within the alloy, forcing the chaotic energy to take on a geometric, stabilizing pattern.
[FORGE COMPLETE: SPATIAL BALANCER (TIER 6) CREATED.]
The Balancer materialized—a complex, gyroscopic sphere that radiated a calm, steady spiritual light. It was a masterpiece of Qi-Tech engineering, capable of handling immense energy flux.
Lyra's Qi Barrier & Voss's Magnetic Field
The next step required absolute coordination between the two formidable women.
"Lyra, the Balancer must be placed at the nexus point," Kai commanded. "You must use your Ice Qi to freeze the ambient chaotic Qi long enough for Voss to lock the Balancer in place."
Lyra nodded, activating her Peak-Stage Ice Qi. A shimmering dome of absolute zero spiritual energy expanded rapidly from her body, instantly freezing the terrifying, swirling purple and red chaos of the nexus point into a dome of solid, spiritual crystal.
[EMPRESS LYRA: ICE QI DOMAIN ACTIVATED. TIER 7 CHAOS TEMPORARILY CONTAINED.]
"The Ice Barrier will hold for 60 seconds!" Lyra warned, her face straining under the immense spiritual output.
Dr. Voss rushed forward, placing the Spatial Balancer inside the Ice Barrier. She then deployed a massive, specialized magnetic drill designed to pierce the spiritual crystal.
"Kai! I need your Peak-Stage Qi to stabilize the magnetic field! The drill will shatter without a spiritual anchor!" Voss shouted, her voice amplified by her suit.
Kai channeled his energy. He extended his pure, boundless Essence into the magnetic drill, making his Qi the structural reinforcement for Voss's technology.
> EXECUTE ACTION: QI CONDENSATION DOMAIN – MAGNETIC REINFORCEMENT.
Voss drove the drill through the Tier 7 spiritual crystal. It was a deafening, grinding sound of metal against spiritual force. The drill placed a perfect titanium mounting plate, securing the Balancer at the nexus point.
"Mounting plate secured! Now, the Core integration!" Voss yelled.
Lyra maintained the Ice Barrier, her immense focus preventing the crystal from fracturing.
Kai, using his [STELLAR LEAP] Tier 4 ability, teleported the massive Fusion Core onto the mounting plate with precise, gentle force.
The Anchor is Set
Voss immediately connected the Fusion Core to the Spatial Balancer. The Core's power slammed into the Tier 6 artifact.
The Balancer spun violently, harmonizing the Fusion Core's stable energy with the earth's chaotic Tier 7 flow.
WHOOOM!
The Ice Barrier instantly melted, and the chaos of the nexus point subsided, replaced by a massive, contained wellspring of stable, clean energy. The Fusion Core was now a Tier 7 power source, perpetually drawing energy from the earth's nexus.
[FUSION CORE UPGRADE SUCCESSFUL. TIER 7 POWER SOURCE ESTABLISHED.]
[REWARD: PERMANENT HOST QI REFINEMENT BOOST (MAJOR). TIER 7 MATERIAL FORGING UNLOCKED.]
Lyra deactivated her Ice Qi, visibly drained but triumphant. She looked at Voss, a grudging respect in her eyes. "The synthesis worked. Your science is sound, Doctor Voss."
"And your spiritual control is flawless, Empress," Voss countered, equally professional.
Kai, standing between his two powerful, dedicated allies, felt the boundless energy flowing into his core. His Peak-Stage Qi Condensation realm was fully stabilized by the earth's natural power.
He looked at the Nexus of the Dragon—no longer a danger, but a sanctuary. "The foundation is set. Anya has the alloys. Voss, Lyra, the Moebius Strip requires thousands of Tier 5 components. We forge the structural beams now. We have 85 days remaining."
Kai raised his Celestial Forge Blade. He was ready to begin the ultimate construction project. The Star-Forge Sanctuary, the ultimate home for his family and the launchpad for his cosmic war, was now underway.