A cold system prompt echoed in Lance’s mind.

  System Alert: Soul Qualitative Shift detected!

  Lance paused. According to public Federation records, when a warrior's Constitution reached Gold Tier MAX, they needed to guide their Mana through high-pressure aggregation. Each completed "Cycle" of compression doubled their explosive power. Once the gaseous Mana was fully transformed into a liquid "Source Core," their lethality underwent a tenfold qualitative change.

  However, information regarding a Soul Qualitative Shift was extremely rare at the civilian level.

  Lance used his Wrist Communicator to access the Profession Guild’s deep-level database. Encrypted files regarding soul advancement flooded his mind instantly.

  As it turned out, the principle of a Soul Qualitative Shift was identical to Mana condensation. Once a Psion’s Soul value reached the 10,000-point threshold, the soul stopped growing in quantity and entered a "High-Dimensional Colpse" phase.

  This colpse was divided into ten levels. Only after achieving Level 1 Qualitative Shift could the soul sublimate into a higher state, allowing the user to step into Grandmaster rank.

  The records stated that the higher the level of Soul Qualitative Shift, the more terrifying the future potential. Simirly, the more Cycles (Turns) one performed during Mana condensation, the firmer their foundation.

  "While there are no records of what happens if someone reaches 'Level 10 Qualitative Shift' and '10-Cycle Condensation' simultaneously, you'd have to be an idiot not to realize that’s synonymous with being invincible within the same rank."

  Lance’s eyes hardened. If he was going to do this, he would be the strongest. He wouldn't let his foundation sck, only to be challenged by some so-called "10-Cycle Genius" ter in life. That would be a true embarrassment.

  "But the standard condensation process is agonizingly slow. It can even lead to rank stagnation. I wonder if the System has a shortcut..."

  As Lance pondered, he realized a problem. Because he had reached Gold Tier MAX, his Constitution and Soul values could no longer grow through standard methods before reaching Grandmaster. This meant his "farming" exploit using the Near-Death Loop was temporarily offline.

  System Alert: Strong intent to achieve '10-Cycle Mana Condensation' and '10-Level Soul Qualitative Shift' detected! Enable Overclocked Evolution support program?

  Lance’s spirit soared. "System, expin the function of Overclocked Evolution."

  System Prompt: Overclocked Evolution allows the host to continue using the Near-Death Loop to accumute excess attribute points. The system will temporarily seal this overflow energy. Once the accumution reaches a critical point, the system will execute an instantaneous burst, bypassing the long grinding period and allowing the host to achieve the corresponding Qualitative Shift instantly.Current requirement for Level 3 Soul Qualitative Shift: 30,000 overflow Soul points.

  Lance’s eyes lit up. "So, as long as I farm thirty thousand soul points, I can skip straight to Level 3 Shift?"

  System Prompt: Correct.

  It seemed like more effort, but Lance knew these gains would yield exponential rewards in the long run.

  "In that case, activate it now!"

  System Prompt: Command confirmed. Overclocked Evolution enabled. User Status Panel updated.

  Lance gnced at his panel. A new progress bar appeared behind his Soul value: 10,000 (240 / 30,000). The 240 points were clearly the residual energy from his recent breakthrough.

  "Good. Back to the self-torture training!"

  Lance focused. In his consciousness space, he instantly tore his soul into twenty pieces. A violent sense of emptiness and weakness washed over him, but he found that with his higher rank, his soul's resilience had increased. The efficiency of repairing these twenty fragments was actually higher than before; a single cycle took only thirty minutes.

  During the recovery downtime, Lance checked the unread notifications on his bracelet.

  System Notification: Department of Elite Evaluation.Respected S-Rank Elite. Given your rating upgrade, your privileges have been updated. Benefits include: 100 Billion Credits, one Rank 4 - MAX Protocol, two Rank 4 - Mid or below War Arts, one weapon of the same rank, and one Tactical Gi.Note: Since you have already cimed A+ Rank benefits, new benefits require the return of previous rewards. If skills have already been learned, the system will execute a Memory Erasure Protocol via the bracelet to ensure fairness. If erasure fails or muscle memory is already established, it will be considered a gift. The credit difference has been deposited into your account.

  Lance looked at the message with a peculiar smile. "Return the rewards? Erase my memory?"

  He asked the bracelet’s sub-intellect, "Are you sure you can erase my memory?"

  The marketpce intellect replied coldly: "Memory Erasure Protocol is a mature technology with zero side effects. If you can resist the erasure, it will not only be a gift but a recognition of your potential by the Federation."

  Lance smirked. Under the protection of the Eternal Soul Protocol and the Bck-Syer Combat Set (Rank 7 Intellect), the technology to wipe his memory simply didn't exist in this world yet.

  "Go ahead. Let's see what you've got."

  Hum—!

  The bracelet fshed with intense light, attempting to invade Lance's neurons. But a second ter, the light vanished.

  Beep—Memory erasure complete. Recovery protocol finished.

  Lance blinked. His knowledge of the Titanium War Art and fist techniques remained crystal clear.

  "Master," the Rank 7 intellect of the Bck-Syer suit spoke up pyfully. "That low-level intellect just tried to attack your primary hub. I blocked it with a forged success signal. All its invasive commands were intercepted."

  "Nice work." Lance was delighted.

  This was a massive exploit. Not only did he keep his original rewards, but he also gained another selection. He quickly filtered through the choices:

  Cultivation: He chose a body-refining Rank 4 Protocol.

  War Art 1: A movement-type technique. Speed was his weakness; the Titanium War Body boost wasn't enough anymore.

  War Art 2: A defensive technique.

  Weapon: He upgraded his Crimson Dragon Spear to a Rank 4 - Mid version.

  Lance calcuted that by the time they reached their destination, his reconstruction quota would refresh again.

  BOOM—!!

  Suddenly, an earth-shattering explosion rocked the ship. The Morton warship shuddered violently, and the red emergency lights in the cabin turned the room into a sea of blood.

  Warning: Attacked by Dark Universe Tunnel Bomb! Shield integrity at 21%!Warning: Ship is being forcibly pulled out of the Dark Universe!

  Lance’s expression shifted. A Tunnel Bomb? Those were contraband items used only by space pirates and alien assassins. How could they intercept a ship in the vastness of the Dark Universe?

  He sprinted out of his cabin. The door opposite him flew open, and Selina stepped out, frost swirling around her, her face grim.

  "Lance, what's happening?"

  "Assassination attempt, likely. Come on, to the bridge!"

  Rumble!!

  Another massive impact. The corridor tilted sharply. Selina stumbled as the gravity system flickered. She began to fall toward the wall.

  "Careful."

  Lance reached out instinctively, catching Selina and pulling her into a firm embrace.

  The embrace was warm and radiated a sense of immense power. Selina’s icy face instantly flushed a deep crimson. She froze in his arms, her brain short-circuiting.

  Warning: Shield integrity at 45%! Evacuate immediately!

  "Little girl, how long do you pn to linger in his arms? Are you in heat?" her mysterious master’s voice teased in her mind, snapping her back to reality. She scrambled away, flustered.

  "Sorry... reflex," Lance said. He didn't think much of it and offered a sincere apology.

  "It's fine," Selina said, trying to regain her cold exterior, but her bright red ears betrayed her.

  Lance took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His powerful Psionic Telekinesis expanded outward like a tsunami. Under the 32x boost of the Eternal Soul Protocol, his sensory radius instantly covered 3,200 kilometers.

  "Hiss! This brat can maintain such a terrifying Psionic scan range at the Gold Rank? What kind of monster is he!" The hidden powerhouse in Selina’s Consciousness Hub was utterly floored.

  Lance ignored the shock. His senses picked up a ship—ghastly green and covered in jagged, menacing hooks.

  "A Skrull vessel?" Lance’s brow furrowed.

  The Skrulls were an ancient, powerful race in the gaxy. They had once viewed humans as food until the Legendary Grand Marshal appeared and suppressed them. Their presence here meant only one thing: an assassination of the Federation’s newest S-Rank talent.

  "I just got rated S-Rank and I haven't even enjoyed the perks yet, and you guys send me this 'gift'?" Lance sneered, though he was on guard. The news had traveled too fast; there was definitely a high-level mole within the Federation.

  He quickly scanned the enemy ship's data: One 3-Cycle Grandmaster, four Gold Tier MAX elites, three hundred Gold Tier warriors, and a hundred thousand apprentices.

  "Lance, what’s the situation?" Selina asked anxiously.

  "We're fine. Come on, let me show you something." Lance gave a mysterious smile, grabbed Selina’s hand, and ran in the opposite direction of the escape pods.

  "Wait, Instructor Reed said to go to the pods—"

  "Trust me."

  Selina hesitated, but looking at Lance's confident profile, she followed him.

  They reached a breached observation port on the warship. Outside, the massive green ship was charging its psma cannons with eerie green light.

  "Selina, what happens next is a secret between us. Don't tell a soul," Lance said, turning back with a grin.

  "A secret?" Selina’s heart skipped a beat. "Okay... I promise."

  Lance patted his pocket. "Noir, time to work."

  "Rawr?"

  A tiny, high-pitched voice chirped as a small, three-headed lizard—ugly yet somehow cute—crawled from Lance’s pocket onto his shoulder.

  Selina stared at Noir for a moment, her expression turning odd before she managed a sentence. "Is... is that a three-headed lizard? He looks..."

  Noir puffed out his three chests proudly, waiting for the beautiful girl's praise.

  "He looks really ugly," Selina said seriously.

  Noir froze instantly. Then, he erupted into an angry roar, waving his cws and protesting wildly at Selina.

  "Alright, alright, Noir. Go and 'handle' everyone on that ship." Lance was stuck between ughing and crying. Selina usually didn't talk much, but when she did, her tongue was lethal.

  "Pfft!" Noir stuck his tongues out at Selina before turning into a bck blur. He shot out through the breached airlock and plunged into the dark vacuum of space.

  "He's so small... can he really do it?" Selina asked, worried.

  "Don't worry. Even I’m a bit wary of Noir’s true strength."

  Deep in Selina’s Consciousness Hub, her master shrieked again: "Rank 4 - Rank 4 juvenile Infernal Cerberus-Dragon?! That’s a legendary Ancient Primordial God-species! What the hell is this boy’s background?!"

  In the void, Sis Stuart stood suspended in space, gripping a spear. His face was grim as he blocked the path of the enemy ship.

  "Skrulls... you dare to infiltrate the Morton Province!"

  His voice traveled through vacuum-vibration frequencies at the speed of light.

  "Hahahaha!" A maniacal ugh echoed from the green ship. A five-meter-tall, emerald-green Skrull commander flew out of the hangar. "Sis! Today, those two A+ Rank brats must die!"