This was where their progress hit a wall. Access to Floor 20 required not only recommendation but a direct nomination by a high-ranking overseer. Someone above even Captain Draven. "Now this," Angy voiced while staring at the document requirements, "is a problem." Falco smirked. "Not really. We just need the right person." "Then we need to dig," E.E said. Aildris exhaled slowly. "We're this close." Angy nodded. "One more push. We get to Floor 20… and then the Commander will be within our grasp." ... ... Meanwhile, close to the center of the universe... Gustav's body glowed brighter with light seeping into his skin, circulating through his veins like radiant rivers. Tiny crystalline patterns bloomed across his arms and chest like tattoos made from stars. The five relics sent spindles of light straight into him. Each beam carried a different frequency, a different color, a different function. They didn't pierce him... they seemed to be melting instead. "He's… merging with everything," Sersi whispered. And she was right. He was. The flow of information into Gustav's mind was beyond comprehension. The universe was opening itself to him... every particle, every law, every ripple of existence. He was becoming one with it again. Endric's voice was steady as he stepped back. "I'd say in about two weeks or a bit beyond that... the ritual should be completed..." Sersi sighed. "And during this time, we have to make sure there is no interruption." Ria glanced around nervously. "Can we even tell what's happening out there? Time feels strange here." Endric nodded. "It might distort a little. We've only been here a few days but it might already be more in the outside world..." "So we're blind," Ria concluded. "Let's just stay vigilant," Sersi mummured. Gustav floated at the center of the formation, glowing brighter with every passing breath. A sudden ripple spread outward in every direction like a circular shockwave through the ocean of space. They felt it like a tremor in their bones. Ria grabbed his chest. "What… what was that?" Endric's face turned pale. "That," he whispered, "is the consequence." The ripple spread instantly across star systems. Every galaxy. Every planet. Every dimension within the known universe. Even the beings sleeping in ancient voids jolted awake. Creatures who had slumbered since before light existed stirred. Civilizations across distant worlds looked up at their skies as constellations flickered. Energy storms broke out on distant nebulae. Even the most primitive beasts felt it. Every living being understood one thing: Something was awakening... Something old. Something powerful. Something that had once shaped reality itself. Sersi held her head. "People will notice." Ria nodded. "Everyone will notice." Endric exhaled shakily. "A being reclaiming 100% outworldly power… the universe cannot hide that. The balance cannot hide that." "Hopefully, it won't point enemies to our location..." ... ... Back at the 42nd Commander station, some members of the Gustavo Alliance were gathered at a particular place. Because today… was test day. A day hundreds of officers had prepared months and even some, years for. A day that would decide who got the privilege to ascend upward. To the floors where the Commander's shadow itself fell. The testing arena was a vast battleground enclosed by a giant dome shimmering with a translucent shield. Angy, E.E, Falco, and Aildris stood among five hundred Gustavo officers. Some paced nervously. Some grinned with arrogance. Some prayed under their breaths. The four disguised infiltrators stood perfectly calm, though each for painfully different reasons. Angy's fingers twitched with impatient excitement. Falco's eyes half-closed, reading the thoughts swirling around the room. Aildris analyzed the metallic walls, already memorizing every reflective surface. E.E stretched lazily, pretending disinterest though his mind raced. Loudspeakers crackled. "ASCENSION TEST—BEGIN." The dome lit up, and the floor beneath everyone glowed up before transforming into a simulation grid. Holographic enemies, obstacles, traps, and energy fields materialized across the wide area. But this was no ordinary simulation. This was a full-grade evaluation. There were six categories. Candidates had to pass at least five to be promoted. First was the Combat Category... A wave of mechanical beasts swept forward, each designed to replicate the strength of an Elite-class soldier. Angy sped through them in seconds but she had to hold back due to the speed limitations. Falco controlled shadows, letting them bite and bind. Aildris manipulated his color spectrum to distort vision, confusing the simulation bots. E.E simply dodged and countered, swiftly. Dozens of Gustavo officers fell behind but the four passed smoothly. The second was Tactical Maneuver Category Gravity fluctuations shifted randomly. Everyone had to navigate through space-pockets, inverted gravity walls, and zero-G fields to reach a floating marker. Angy burst through like she was born for it. Falco's dark constructs created footholds. Aildris surfed through each distortion by altering his own visual form, letting gravity slip. E.E stumbled once on purpose, but cleared the field easily. The third was Mental Fortitude Category Illusionary hells. Sensory inversion. Fear-projection. Falco nearly smirked... this was his home turf. The fourth was Weapon Mastery Category Rows of weapons appeared. Candidates had to cycle through each while being attacked. The fifth was the Team Coordination Category Random teams were formed. None of the four were placed together which made things trickier but nonetheless, they still put in their all. Angy was placed with arrogant candidates who underestimated her, but she dominated the field so efficiently that her teammates followed instinctively. Falco's team became puppets unknowingly, manipulating them secretly. Aildris simply complemented everyone's strengths. E.E carried his group quietly. All four passed again. The sixth happened to be Commander Proximity Protocol The final and hardest test. Candidates were placed in different simulated environments and tasked with "approaching" a virtual recreation of the Commander without being detected. This test was legendary. Even Gustavo elites had failed it repeatedly. The simulated Commander avatar had extraordinary sensory detection, unpredictable teleportation bursts, and immediate kill protocols for intruders. Candidates needed perfect stealth, perfect timing, and perfect strategy. This was where most failed. The simulation ended with a bright flash. Holograms shut off. Announcers walked forward mechanically. "Final results compiled." The entire dome fell silent. One by one, candidates' names flashed red or blue on the giant screen. Red — failure. Blue — promoted. Red, red, red. Many top soldiers cursed. Angy folded her arms, bored. Falco exhaled slowly. Aildris raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. Then— Blue. Just one. The name: E.E (Gustavo Alliance Personnel #77-B) PASSED ALL SIX CATEGORIES. Gasps filled the hall. Some officers glared in envy. Some respected him instantly. Some whispered. Angy, Falco, and Aildris, feigning alliance personas, masked their reactions. The announcer continued: "Candidate #77-B is authorized to ascend to the Top Floor Access Pathway." Angy whispered through barely-moved lips, "Damn it. Only one of us? That screws the entire plan." Aildris nodded calmly. "Then he simply has to succeed in our place." Falco watched E.E with narrowed eyes. "He can..." E.E forced a grin and shrugged casually. --- A smooth and metallic, floating ring descended from the ceiling, glowing purple along its edges. Only E.E and the others who passed were allowed to step inside. The guards surrounding the lift radiated hostility. Anyone else trying to approach would die. Falco whispered from afar, "Stay calm. Remember the mission." Angy added quietly, "We're counting on you." Aildris gave him a stoic nod. E.E stepped onto the lift with a straight face… but inside? 'Holy shit holy shit holy shit… why me? Why am I the only one moving up? Why couldn't Falco or Angy pass? Damn it—and I can't rely on vortexes because of these spatial distortions…' The lift rose slowly. His heart pounded. He was going alone into the lion's den. The elevator stopped at a serene, unnervingly quiet hallway. The air felt heavier, like reality thickened here. Energy-packed walls whirred like living things. Everything was pristine. Every corner meticulously cleaned. These floors were nothing like the chaotic middle sectors. This was where privileged officers lived. This was where rules tightened to suffocation. This was where the Commander resided. A soft voice echoed from speakers: "Candidate #77-B, welcome to the Executive Living Quarters." Doors opened on both sides of the hallway, revealing lush private rooms, lounges, training areas, and surveillance corridors. Officers here stood straighter, looked more composed, and walked with silent lethal confidence. But they all looked stressed too. Because being closer to the Commander meant being closer to punishment. Being closer to danger. Being closer to expectations. E.E swallowed hard. 'Alright, man… don't fuck up. Don't trip. Don't draw attention. Just get to the Commander, knock him out, and let the others up here… simple, right?' He gave himself a mental slap. The moment he tried to subtly test a vortex portal in a corner… The space around him bent unnaturally like heated glass. His vortex flickered a bunch of times and when he put something in, they appeared in an entirely different location from what he wanted. "Ssshhhii—STOP!" He canceled the move instantly, stumbling forward.