Chương 119: Star Shard

Once again, something that had become far too common since the new arrivals at Landradad, Joe awoke to find his bed filled with ladies. None of them was lying directly on top of him, so he wasn't that bothered by their presence. He guessed the only reason they weren't clinging to him had to do with his wrapped limbs and still healing body rather than courtesy. So he was a little grateful for his injuries and not having to peel someone off him.

Still, the frequency with which he found himself battered and broken was becoming concerning. He really hoped it wasn't turning into a habit. As he shifted slightly, Meris's face appeared above his own, peering down with bright eyes.

"The Farmer's awake," she declared before promptly returning to Corel's arms and burying herself in a hug. Now Joe groaned.

"Dammit, Esha! Stop teaching the brats bad habits!"

"Not so loud…" Esha moaned, rudely dragged out of her nap.

"Fuck that," Joe shot back.

"I demand respect!" With a burst of mischief, he blasted Esha straight off the bed. Needless to say, he regretted the act immediately. Esha came back swinging, adding fresh injuries to his already battered form until a combined effort from Gao, Corel, and Tevenny managed to drag her away from him. A couple of days later, a still-tender Joe sat in a wheelchair he'd purchased from the pillar store, watching the brats rebuild the house they used to live in.

Currently, they all shared a room inside his own home, alongside Alice and Felicia, who had their own rooms, because they claimed their house had also burned down. For obvious reasons, they seemed determined to convince him of that fact. Corel, naturally, welcomed them without hesitation, and Joe, being in no condition to object, found his once spacious house rather more crowded. As he sat watching the construction efforts, he noticed Tevenny lingering behind a tree, casting glances in his direction.

It wasn't the first time either. Ever since she had received her new body, she had been acting this way. Curious, Joe wheeled himself over.

"Alright, Tevenny, out with it. What's got you acting all weird?" he asked. She stepped out from behind the tree, hesitating as she looked around to ensure no one else was nearby. Finally, she approached and gave a small flourish of her hands.

"I… just had a question that's been bothering me," she admitted, her voice soft. Joe frowned at her unusual timidity and decided to wait, giving her space to continue in her own time.

"I wanted to thank you again for my new body," she said at last.

"But… I've been a little confused."

"Oh? Did I get something wrong?" Joe asked, his brow furrowing as genuine concern crept into his voice.

"I'm sorry if I did. I was mostly going off memory and your sister's appearance. Along with the anatomy books, she showed me. You're not in any kind of discomfort, are you?"

"No, no," Tevenny said quickly, waving her hands to dismiss the thought.

"Nothing like that. Everything is exactly how I remember it. The body is perfect. Except… there's just one thing I noticed you… altered, and I was wondering why."

"Altered?" Joe blinked, startled. Had he actually made a mistake? His eyes swept over her, searching for anything out of place. She looked about the same height as before. Her head was the same shape. Her arms and legs matched. Even her antennae looked right, he leaned forward slightly to double-check. But Tevenny was making a strange motion with her hands, and he just stared in confusion as they rotated around her upper torso.

"You… increased the size of these, and I just wanted to know why," she said softly.

"Increased the…" Joe followed her gesture. A heartbeat passed before understanding slammed into him. His stomach dropped, and he slammed his eyes shut. Oh gods. Tevenny bounced on the spot, her hands still framing her chest.

"They're much larger now," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Shit," Joe muttered, raising a hand to still her movements.

"Please stop bouncing."

"One question," he said tightly, his face heating.

"How old are you?"

"I just turned twenty-one this rotation," she said proudly, chin high. She wasn't very tall, barely over five feet, but she straightened like she was giving a formal report. Joe thanked every god and the system itself that at least she was over twenty.

"I… apologize for my mistake. I did not mean to alter your body in any way. Again, I'm very sorry," he said, bowing his head as his cheeks burned in shame.

"So it wasn't on purpose?" she asked timidly.

"Oh no, not at all. It was a complete mistake," he assured her quickly. She tilted her head, thinking it over, while Joe silently wished someone would bury him in a hole and leave him there.

"Oh. I thought you did it to make me more in line with your… tastes. Like your bonds ample…" Joe squeezed his eyes shut once more.

"Oh gods. Please, let's not talk about that. It was a mistake, a stray moment of distraction. Please forgive me, and let's never bring this up again." It took a while before Tevenny replied, her shyness melting away.

"Okay. I just wanted to be sure. Thank you again." Joe finally opened his eyes and found her smiling. For a moment, he didn't recognize the glint of danger behind that smile. She gave him another flourish of her hands, and an unnecessarily deep bow, and with a playful wink, ran off. Only then did Joe realize the mistake he'd made. He slapped a hand to his face. He'd just handed her ammunition to torment him with. And torment him she did.

From that moment on, Tevenny began wearing low-cut tops, clearly mimicking Corel and Esha. Whenever Joe was nearby, she made a habit of leaning forward far too much and punctuating it with a wink, leaving him with an uncomfortably clear view of cleavage. Joe sighed and tried to avoid her, but, stuck in a wheelchair, escape was nearly impossible. Worse still, seated as he was, his eye level aligned all too perfectly with her antics.

His misery only deepened when Corel noticed what was happening and decided to join in, doubling the torment. The final straw came one morning when Joe awoke to find himself sandwiched between the two of them. One cheek pressed against Tevenny, the other firmly against Corel, both of them wrapped around him as if he were a pillow. His fuse snapped. That very day, he declared a complete veto on shared bedtime. No one was allowed into his room for at least a month.

The groans of protest were silenced with a single stern look, and at last Joe had a quiet, blessedly empty bed to himself. Time moved on. Bodies healed, life in Landradad settled into peace, and for a while, everything seemed stable. But months later, that calm was shattered as the first global integration announcement fizzled into being before everyone's eyes. Greetings, surviving worlds of the integration.

As we near the final three years, it is with great pleasure that I announce the first of the three Star Shard competitions. You may be wondering, what is a Star Shard? That is for you to discover. Just know it is vitally important, and whoever claims one will be on the path to a bright future. This competition will differ from any other. Every being within the Integration may sign up. Two thousand entrants will be chosen through a lottery system. Only luck will decide who is set free.

If I were you, I would make sure you were touching someone with a high Luck stat when you register. Oh, I don't know… perhaps a certain bounty target? Wink, wink. Good Luck, everyone. May the stars forever be in your favour. Joe read the global announcement and cursed.

"Why the fuck did it just say that?!" he shouted at the sky.

"What is wrong with you?!?" He barely had time to lower his arms before four dots appeared behind him, greed shining in their eyes. Esha, Gao, Alice, and Felicia charged like predators who'd just spotted their prey. Joe raised his hands.

"Ladies, wait a minute. Let me explain…!" They didn't let him explain. All four jumped him at once, pinning him down as they each signed up for the competition. That night, Joe crept into his house like a thief, tiptoeing through the main room and slipping toward one of the unoccupied bedrooms. He was almost safe when a familiar dot flashed into being beside him, and Corel pounced.

"Corel, wait!" he tried to protest, but one look at the red gleam in her eyes had him groaning.

"Really? Right now?" She didn't answer with words, just a kiss. Joe scooped her up and carried her into what he thought was a vacant room. That illusion shattered when a small form suddenly leapt onto his back.

"What's going on? Why are Corel's eyes red?" Tevenny asked, clinging to him. Joe could only grunt in frustration as he struggled to calm Corel and kick Tevenny out at the same time. Eventually, everyone had signed up for the Star Shard competition. Locke and Travis did it the simple way, each placing a hand on Joe's shoulder, which he was fine with. At least they hadn't gone to Esha's extreme.

She had sunk her teeth into his shoulder when her group had pounced on him, and shaking her off while three others pinned him down… was difficult. Joe was relieved now that the madness had finally ended. But his respite lasted only minutes. One of his communicators pinged, and Sarah's message appeared: Come to Heliopolis right now, or I'll bring every female in the city down upon you. Naturally, Joe was in Heliopolis within the minute, smiling as if he had intended to visit today anyway.

Sarah had gathered the strongest people in the city, and Joe's role became painfully clear: stand there while they signed up in pairs, one hand at a time. Thankfully, she limited the number to about two hundred. Even so, by the end of it, Joe felt like a living relic passed around a museum, his patience worn thin, but the task was complete.

"That's it?" Joe asked once the last hand was shaken. Sarah gave him a sharp look, and he understood that it wasn't. With Hakeem still inside his Seven Wonders gate, she needed muscle for errands and tasks she couldn't be bothered with herself. So Joe was the most convenient option. And so began his day of menial city jobs, though that, mercifully, was a story for another time. A week passed in relative quiet. Joe spent the days grinding his levels, clearing Gates, and hunting down roaming Beast packs.

The system had paused all resource grabs, and with no competitions scheduled, the week became one of rare peace, no deaths, no looming countdowns. It was quite an uncommon scene during the Integration. Unbeknownst to most participants, this Integration was already far bloodier than any in recorded history. Across the Multiverse, the slaughter had drawn notice.

Whispers began, questions rose, and the Six Great empires prepared to ramp up recruitment at the next Empire Meeting before the dwindling pool of elites vanished altogether. Interest in the integration live streams surged as the Star Shard competition drew near. Soon, the final phase would begin. Soon, the top contenders would be forced into battle against one another to determine who would be crowned this Integration's Delamarjay, the best of the best.

The bearer of a rare title that often marked the rise of a new powerhouse in the Multiverse. Whether that powerhouse thrived… or burned out and died, was up to fate. And while the storm gathered, elsewhere, a certain princess left the Eludian palace, venturing into the outer sectors to visit her father and cousins. There, a hidden gate awaited her, one that would alter her fate forever. But that, too, is a story for another time.

Back on Thropia, Joe stood before the finished, revamped training grounds and the newly built home of the brats. A small smile touched his lips. Maybe now there would be a little more space in his house. He doubted it, but the thought made him chuckle. Then… it began. Greetings, surviving worlds of the integration. The lottery for the 2, 000 entry slots of the first Star Shard competition shall now commence.

Once the slots have been allocated, the lucky competitors will receive a notification explaining the rules of the event. Good luck to those fortunate enough to enter. On a final note: The bounty target will be competitor number one. His bounty reward will be doubled, and he will be the only participant capable of dying during the Star Shard competition. … Joe decided that one day, he was going to kill this damn System Seedling. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Star Shard competition - Rules and Guidelines: Welcome to the Star Shard competition. The objective is to decipher clues, collect four entry tokens, and gain access to the inner section while eliminating other competitors. Every participant will be marked with a star on their chest. Once your star is destroyed, you will be ejected from the competition. Protect it with all your strength. Killing is forbidden. System protections will enforce this, so unleash your skills without restraint to eliminate rivals.

Once the inner section is reached, the final stage begins. When the first ten competitors enter, access to the Star Shard will unlock. Whoever claims the Star Shard and holds it for five minutes will be declared the winner and receive the Star Shard, an Array Token, and an exclusive private Empire Meeting as prizes. Only three Star Shards can be claimed before the integration ends. Joe read the description as the lottery began in earnest, names flickering into existence beneath his own.

He sat back, arms folded, watching line after line appear. The first name he recognized was entrant #176 - Esha Bakshi. He smiled. At least that bite hadn't been in vain. Soon after, more familiar names scrolled past: #232 - Gao YuanYuan #480 - Corel Relashra #798 - Kilch'Kitz Novo'Fara #1200 - Gale'So Con'Dora Joe's brow lifted at Gale's name. He still had questions for the Corthegian and hoped this competition would give him the chance for a little talk.

Further down came others he knew: #1480 - Tevenny Loquitor #1590 - Valeri Loquitor And a handful of Heliopolis entrants he'd fought beside before. At last, the lottery ended. The roster was full. Joe's gaze drifted back to the top of the list. #1 - Feormere. Double Bounty. The glowing letters pulsed, mocking him. He shook his head. He had a feeling a Harbinger of Demise task would be arriving very, very soon.

They had ten days to prepare for the competition, so Joe went in search of Corel to stock up on healing pills. During that time, he also pushed his profession to level 170, and for the first time, he encountered the mythical obstacle everyone spoke about. A bottleneck. The moment he crossed the threshold, he felt a strange blockage deep within, a wall that cut him off from further growth. His classes were only at level 165, so he hoped they remained unaffected, but this was uncharted territory for him.

"I guess I've finally hit the end of my lucky streak," he muttered with a wry chuckle. Shoving the bottleneck aside for now, he turned to one last task before the competition began. His steps carried him to Zevra's house. Unusually, she wasn't waiting at the door. That alone made him uneasy; the old Seer always anticipated his visits, enjoying every chance to lord her foresight over him. He knocked once. The door creaked open under the touch. No answer. The unease grew heavier as he pushed inside.

Zevra sat at her table, a large glass orb cupped in her hands. Her eyes were glazed, fixed on the ceiling. Joe hesitated, about to step closer, when she suddenly flicked her hand and gestured for him to sit. So he did. For several long minutes, he watched in silence. At last, she exhaled sharply and leaned back in her chair.

"I found it," she whispered. Joe wasn't even sure she'd meant to speak aloud, but the words pricked his curiosity.

"Found what?" he asked. Her head snapped toward him, glare sharp as a blade. She lifted her cane and wagged it at him.

"Keep your nose out of my business," she growled.

"Now, what do you want?" The sudden shift in her demeanour left him momentarily blank. Then he remembered why he'd come.

"Oh, right. I had a question. Do you know anything about the upcoming event?" Zevra jabbed her cane toward the kitchen. Joe sighed, got up, and made her a cup of tea. Only once the warm mug was in her hands did she deign to answer.

"I don't. I can only tell you one thing," Zevra said, voice unusually steady.

"A woman is going to approach you. And no matter what, you must listen to her..."

"Woman? Anyone specific? I kinda know quite a few of those," Joe chuckled.

"You will know." Great. He hated cryptic messages. But he knew better than to press her; this was all he'd get today. Rising to his feet, he gave her a nod.

"Thank you. Anything else you need before I go?" She studied him for a moment before shaking her head.

"Good luck." With his preparations complete, Joe regrouped with Corel, Esha, and Gao. When the countdown hit zero, the four of them were pulled into a teleportation, and the Star Shard competition began. Joe and Corel landed together inside a small metallic chamber, cut off from the other competitors. The room was simple: a beige couch in one corner, a console linked to the competition shop, and little else… aside from a bouncing rabbit wearing a top hat and monocle.

"Welcome, number one. Bounty target and bond," the rabbit said with a flourishing deep bow.

"We decided to give you a separate room today, to prevent… unforeseeable problems."

"Thank you," Corel replied politely, returning the bow. Then she leaned close to whisper in Joe's ear.

"Does this usually happen? Because of the bounty?"

"This is new," Joe murmured back. She nodded and went to inspect the shop console while Joe dropped onto the couch. He wasn't surprised when the rabbit bounced up and sat beside him. Harbinger. Twelve competitors will have special marks that only you can see. Your goal is to kill all twelve; they will have no protections. Great. Joe leaned back and closed his eyes. Congratulations, Star Shard Competitors.

In a moment, you will all be teleported in pairs to the surface of px-u67, where you will compete for the first Star Shard. As you all know, the bounty target Feormere has had his bounty increased. We encourage you to hunt him down and claim that bounty. On a final note. An emergency quest is available for those lucky enough to encounter the hidden chests scattered throughout the continent. Good Luck. With a flash, all two thousand competitors vanished, hurled toward the surface of px-u67.

Joe materialized on a small sandy beach, Corel landing beside him with her twin blades already drawn. His gaze flicked to the glowing star burning on her chest, bright and flashing. Looking down, he saw his own, a black star shimmering with the same intensity. According to the rules, if hers shattered, she'd be teleported back to Thropia.

"Can you hide that star?" he asked, sending out a pulse of Nature's Paradise. His mini-map lit up, revealing the dense forest ahead and the vast ocean stretching behind them.

"I can't. No matter what I try, the star can't be hidden," Corel replied after testing clothing and skills in quick succession.

"Makes sense," Joe replied with a nod. Corel released her own pulse of Nature's Paradise, amplifying his. She drew out a heavy cloak and wrapped it around herself. Her form shimmered, fading until she was difficult to focus on, but the star still blazed defiantly on her chest. Normally, that cloak would erase her presence from tracking skills and even his mini-map, but it had another function: once she set a target, she could move to their location after a short countdown. She set him as her anchor. [Ready.] - Corel. [Let's go.] - Joe. Together, they slipped into the forest, hunting their first clue. __ Far to the north, ten miles from Joe's position, a pair of Corthegians began their own hunt. Gale stood in the clearing, eyes fixed southward as she drew in a slow breath. She turned to her partner.

"Go north. I'll head east," she ordered. Kilch growled, but didn't argue. He knew she was trying to keep him from Feormere. He'd wait, pretend compliance, then, when she was gone, he'd begin his own hunt. He had waited too long for this chance. Too long to kill the human. Fear had kept him back before. Gale was a monster even by his standards, so caution was needed. Crouching low, he prepared to move north until something pulsed to the east. His head snapped toward it, at the same time Gale's did.

A chill stabbed down his spine. Whatever that presence was, it radiated icy cold dread. Gale burst forward, sprinting straight toward the icy aura. Kilch clenched his beak. Questions swirled, but he shoved them aside. First, hunt the bounty. Then, if he had time, investigate whatever could draw Gale's full attention. __ Far to the north, on the same continent, two brothers stood over six fresh corpses, both staring south toward that unsettling pulse of frozen dread.

Gaston shifted nervously from foot to foot, eyes wide.

"What the hell is that? Is that… aura? Why is it so damn cold?"

"I don't know," Ark admitted, his fingers flickering at impossible speed as he ran calculation after calculation. His motions slowed, then stopped. His eyes narrowed.

"Nothing I do works. All probability has stalled."

"What?!" Gaston's voice cracked as he lurched closer.

"That's never happened before! What do we do now?"

"Remain Calm," Ark snapped, with a rare burst of emotion sharp enough to silence his brother. He caught himself, drew in a slow breath, then spoke more evenly.

"Sorry," Gaston muttered, still bouncing on his toes.

"But seriously, what do we do? Do we… go check it out? Because I really, really don't want to." Ark exhaled, pulling two orbs from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, they blurred away faster than the eye could track, one streaking toward the island's heart, the other arcing east, in the direction of that icy dread.

"Change of plan," Ark said after a long pause.

"We break into the inner section now." Gaston froze mid-bounce, hovering in the air.

"Are you serious? The seedling won't like that."

"It doesn't matter. If we go the normal route and collect clues, the probability of failure is too high." Ark didn't wait for Gaston's reply. He vanished, Space-Jumping toward the island's centre. A heartbeat later, Gaston swallowed hard and followed, Space-Skimming in his wake, two brothers of space, already rewriting the path to the Star Shard. __ Joe cursed as he ducked a spear whistling straight for his neck. The weapon curved midflight, tracking him, and he was forced to trigger his barding.

Wood surged up, encasing his torso just in time. The spear clanged off and dropped to the ground. Still midair, Joe spun as two hooked claws slashed toward him. The insectoid lunged, spitting a glob of viscous fluid that sizzled on impact with his chest, burning a layer of his barding away. Joe ignored the sting, driving his foot into its chitin-plated chest. The force hurled the Beast into a tree, splintering it to pieces. That moment bought him time.

He Space-Jumped to the right, reappearing behind one of the two insectoids harrying Corel. Her twin blades flashed, carving chunks from their armour, but the pair pressed forward, pressing her hard. Joe's sudden arrival forced one to falter, spinning clumsily to counter. Too slow. Mana Stream bubbled around Joe's leg in a violent sheen as his kick landed. Crack! The insectoid's spine gave way, its body folding at an unnatural angle before he kicked the husk aside.

Corel seized the opening, pivoting to overwhelm the last of them. Her blades cut relentlessly until her strike cleaved through its neck, the head tumbling into the brush. Joe gagged as the stench of death hit him.

"Ugh. Why do they always smell like rotting corpses?" Corel only wrinkled her nose slightly, then calmly cleaned her blades. She moved to the half-buried chest they had been after before the ambush from these native Beasts. With a creak, it opened, and a slip of parchment materialized in her hand. She scanned it, then passed it to Joe. His eyes narrowed at the twisting script, but his translation skill flickered to life.

The words shifted into clarity: First Clue: An old man once said, Only the young are foolish enough to challenge the heavens. But was he right? What you seek is far above, on the yellow shimmering cloud. To reach the cloud, you must ride the flying fish, which comes with the sound of rain. Seek the pond to the north and claim a position upon the fish, before it's too late.

"So, north?" Joe asked. Corel nodded, sprinting into the underbrush. Joe followed with a grin. At least they weren't heading east. That way, the air still carried that unnatural chill, a creeping sense of something vast and wrong. Whatever it was, he wanted no part of it. It took them five minutes to reach the pond. As they broke into the clearing, Joe froze at the sight above. A colossal fish, scales glowing blue and green, hung suspended in the air like a whale swimming through the sky.

"We have to ride that thing?" Joe asked, momentarily lost for words.

"Yes. Look, others are already on its back." Corel pointed, and Joe noticed the chaos unfolding above. Competitors clashed in flashes of steel and bursts of mana, the explosions rippling harmlessly across the fish's hide as it floated serenely above the pond. Shouts rang out as a group burst from the western tree line and spotted them.

"Shit. Let's go," Joe muttered, breaking into a sprint. Corel followed close at his heels. Ahead, the rival group also sprinted for the fish, only for three more groups to emerge and join the rush. The fish had begun to tilt skyward, its massive body shifting as if preparing to ascend. Corel blurred ahead, activating her movement skill to streak up the creature's glowing side. Joe followed an instant later, sprinting as the pond below dwindled away.

A shimmering bubble snapped into place around the fish, cutting off the last group, who slammed against it too late. Joe couldn't help but laugh, only for his grin to vanish when a squad of four hurled themselves at him, mid-climb. Their blades and mana arcs came fast, forcing him to counter before even reaching the summit. Waves of attacks and skills flared around him as his Mana Stream deflected strikes and his kicks cracked against armoured chests. Strangely, his footing held firm on the fish's side.

It didn't feel like running up a near-vertical wall but like moving across flat ground. The fish seemingly had its own gravity field. Shrugging off the oddity, Joe ducked a slash and vaulted forward, finally cresting the edge onto the creature's back. His eyes located Corel. She was a whirlwind of motion, weaving between two massive rock men whose blows shook the fish's scales. Joe didn't interfere; she had them handled. Instead, he turned toward the squad still pursuing him.

He slipped into Drifts on Fated Wings, his footwork flowing with impossible precision as he danced through their strikes. Their weapons cut only air while his counters landed with brutal grace. The fish's great tail flicked once, and the world tilted. Its body angled straight upward, climbing toward the golden clouds above.

"Gentlemen! Can we have a discussion for a moment?" Joe asked as five figures closed in.

"No!" roared a grey-skinned, humanoid turtle as the air warped around him. Three shimmering lances shot for Joe's chest. He twisted aside, snatching one mid-flight and whipping it into the others, knocking them wide. Heat surged through the weapon, searing his palm until steam hissed off his skin. He dropped it with a wince.

"Damn, that wasn't very polite. I'm trying to…" A pair of massive stone arms clamped around him from behind.

"That was a mistake," Joe tutted. His Mana Stream pulsed, a bubble snapping into being beside the glowing star on the rock man's chest. It shattered. The giant wailed before dissolving into light and vanishing. [One.] - Joe. He spun, just in time to meet a yellow frog with glittering blue eyes as it bounded toward him. The tongue lashed out like a whip. Joe sidestepped, caught it, and grinned as the frog tried to reel him in. But he overpowered it, forcing the frog to slingshot forward.

Joe ducked, released, and kicked upward in one fluid motion, sending it crashing into a pair of squabbling furballs across the battlefield. [One. Behind you.] - Corel. He turned. She had already felled one rock man and was dismantling the second with ruthless precision. Joe's instincts hummed; three more competitors leapt for him. He roared with an aura shout, blasting them away as silence rippled through the bubble. The colossal fish swam ever higher, tail flukes driving them toward the clouds. Joe moved.

Three rapid Space-Jumps, three precise strikes, each finding its mark. Three stars shattered, three bodies blinked out of existence. [Four.] - Joe, grinning. Corel dispatched her opponent, shaking her head. [You just had to draw attention, didn't you?] - Corel. Joe looked around. Every eye in the bubble was now fixed on him. [Oops.] - Joe. As his quarterstaff flashed into his hand, two of the competitors facing him shimmered with a deep red glow. Two targets near. Kill!

"Fuck," Joe whispered, tightening his grip on the staff. 2/12 targets killed. Ten remain.