The Final Desperation

"You're leaving so soon?" Alysha asked as Genji packed up the tools. It was the last day of Genji's stay, so he bid his goodbyes to the enthusiastic girl.

"Business calls. I don't know how long I will be gone, so don't think too much about me."

Genji didn't want Alysha to worry about him. He was constantly risking his life in EverRealm, so there was a high chance he would end up dead sometime. If Alysha got too attached to him, it would only hurt her more.

"Will you promise to visit me in the future?"

"No promises. Let fate dictate that."

Alysha frowned when she heard that. Wasn't that what he had said last time they parted?

"Okay. Then I'll pray to fate to let us meet again."

Genji laughed at that.

"Yes. Let's pray."

"I'll work hard while you're gone. Next time we meet, I'll show you how much I've improved."

"Is that so? How about I sharpen your carving knife then?"

Genji pulled out the same "whetstone" he had used last time. Seeing this, Alysha's eyes lit up. There was something about the way he sharpened the blade that made it unbeatable. No matter how she practiced, nothing seemed to match the ease she had when she first got the carving knife.

"Yes, please!"

She exclaimed excitedly, eagerly handing over the blade. Genji took it and went through the motions, injecting half of his energy into it. This time, he tried one of the techniques he had developed over the past month: energy crystallization. Not the crystallization of Solid Core, but an extension of it.

Since energy can be crystallized inside the body, what happens if it crystallizes outside of it? That was the thought process Genji had when he tried this. The result was interesting. Instead of dissipating with each cut like before, the crystallized version trapped the energy inside its confines, resulting in a passive increase.

Although the increase in sharpness had a smaller increase per unit of energy, the energy could stay in the weapon for a long time. So long that Genji had charged his weapons to their bearing capacity, ready to unleash when he needed it.

In addition, the crystallization acted as a reinforcement to the weapon, allowing them to sustain higher levels of strains. Basically, he converted his weapons into portable batteries that boosted the structural integrity.

"Here you go. Be careful with it, or you might lose a finger."

"I will." That was a given for Alysha. If she lost a finger, then it wouldn't just be her hand that got hurt. It would also be her passion. Her parents would never let her continue after tht.

"Then I'll get going now."

"Goodbye, Genji!"

Seeing the psychotic person leaving, Kosa finally let out a sigh of relief. She had been on edge the entire time because of a certain threat the last time they had met.

'Let's hope he never comes back,' she thought as she put her hands into her pocket. Yet when she did, she froze. There was something foreign in it. How could someone slip something onto her without her noticing? She was one of the best assassins, for God's sake! How long had it been there?

With a shaking hand, Kosa pulled out a folded piece of paper and read its contents.

"Take care of Alysha. If anything happens to her, I'll hold you responsible."

'Holy, when did he?'

"Kosa. Are you okay? You seem pale," Alysha asked after Genji walked out of sight.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

"You sure? You've been acting weird since we met Genji."

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Could it be that you knew him before?"

This innocent question caused Kosa to become flustered. How could this kid be so perceptive? Quick! Think of a way to deflect this.

"Ha ha. How can that be possible?" Kosa answered with a dry laugh.

"Okay. Let's go home then. You still owe me some walnut wood."

"Yeah. Let's go." Kosa inwardly let out a sigh of relief, happy with the change in topic. As long as she doesn't associate with a certain psycho, she will be fine.

'Kosa, you're bad at lying.'

 

---

Spatial Battlefield

Background:

In this expansive galaxy, a multitude of distinct species vie for supremacy. Following numerous years of conflicts and struggles over vital resources, numerous planets met their demise. Among these were planets capable of sustaining life, resulting in a cycle of destruction that impacted all parties involved. To avert further catastrophic events, the major factions have come to a consensus. They will cease aggressiveness and focus their combined forces on a singular planet.

Here, they will engage in battles and resolve their disagreements, forming the Spatial Battlefield. Should any party violate this agreement, the others will unite to ensure their downfall. The Realms, observing this specific arrangement, have also chosen to incorporate their disputes into this shared arena.

Participating Realms: Ever, Luminal, Mana, Omega, and Sanguine 

Overseer: Eternal Void

Mission: Serve in the Spatial Battlefield for 40 days. 

Note: Achievements are not calculated in this world. In its place, contribution points will be rewarded. At the end of your service, you can redeem the points for rewards of your choice.

Restrictions: None

 

---

 

When Genji opened his eyes, he found himself in a high-tech-looking room. Around him, groups of people were also looking around, trying to make sense of where they were.

"So you're the recruits of this cycle? There's a lot less of you than usual," a voice came from the railing above. Genji looked up to see a person in a large trenchcoat looking down at them. A gun with energy streaks decorating the sides rested on the belt of this figure.

"Who are you?" Someone shouted out.

"Me? I'm the guide for you newbies. Now listen up because I will only go over this once. If you fail to understand, then don't blame me for your deaths."

Over the next few minutes, the person explained their situation in this world. Turns out he was one of the people who had entered the battlefield last month. The reason EverRealm had 40 days as the requirement was that after fighting for a month, they would have 10 days to show the newbies the ropes.

The spatial battlefield differed from the previous worlds they had traversed. No advantages were granted in this realm compared to the natives. In fact, they found themselves on the weaker side, assuming roles as foot soldiers and expendable pawns for hazardous operations. The natives were well aware of the realms' existence and had forged some sort of agreement for the monthly reinforcements.

In this world, seven factions reigned. Each faction possessed distinct traits and strengths that set them apart from one another. A corresponding faction was associated with each realm, determined by the specialties inherent to each realm. This arrangement left two factions without reinforcements, but not for the reasons one might assume. Here are the seven factions present in this world:

Firstly, the Celestials, the faction to which EverRealm was aligned. At this moment, Genji and his fellow members occupied a base in the rear ranks. This was the hub for supply drops and monthly teleportation of reinforcements. Unlike the previous world, members were instantly transported back once combat ceased and their allotted time expired.

The Celestials excelled in the innate manipulation of energy. Armed with this energy, they could unleash diverse combat techniques in the heat of battle, turning the tide in their favor. Think of them as cultivators that can't grow.

EverRealm was affiliated with this faction due to their shared specialization: a broad array of energy systems. Genji's shadow energy fell into this category of power.

Next were the Sentinels, paired with ManaRealm. Sentinels are sentient robots that harness cutting-edge technology based on a single energy source. ManaRealm's forte lay in unrivaled research in magic and mana, the very foundation of the Sentinels' might, which justified their pairing.

Thirdly, the Zergs. Not much needs to be said about them since their bug swarm tactics are notorious across the galaxy. Overwhelming these evolved creatures through sheer numbers was nothing short of a pipe dream. They were partnered with OmegaRealm, whose defining trait was its numerous members.

Omega realm has the most lenient rules among all realms, resulting in the lowest casualty rates. Most of the realm members entering this world were from OmegaRealm. However, due to their large size, not everyone entering the battlefield was worthy.

Many among their ranks were among the weakest across all realms. The lax rules worsened the situation: failed missions resulted in punitive labor rather than perilous consequences, fostering a relaxed mentality rather than a desperate one. Overall, this realm's strength lay in numbers, thereby justifying their pairing with the Zergs.

Then came the Beasts, paired with SanguineRealm. SanguineRealm is on the opposite side of the spectrum compared to OmegaRealm. This realm boasted the highest casualty rates, with 90% of its members perishing in their first world, a grim statistic persisting across subsequent worlds.

The primary cause was the realm's stringent policy, imposing death upon mission failure. No warning or anything. Just death. Because of this feature, the members exhibit insanity that remains unrivaled by everyone. As long as the mission requires it, they will do whatever is necessary.

This constant flirting with death had broken the weak-willed and made the strong very extreme in their actions. It was this defining trait that earned them the nickname of the "Realm of Lunatics" among the members of the other realms.

In addition, when facing death, they devise strategies to bring their opponents down with them. In a sense, Genji's actions aligned more with Sanguine's methods than EverRealm's. Overall, this realm's strength lay in exceptional quality, justifying their alliance with the Beasts, a faction characterized by scarce but resilient creatures.

LuminalRealm followed, paired with the Parasite faction, both outcasts among their peers. That is the only reason they are together. LuminalRealm's power structure was rooted in faith and belief in gods. Offerings and propagation of faith led to rewards, cultivating a cult-like atmosphere.

The Parasite faction, in contrast, was led by the Parasite King and his three generals, the sole faction governed by a dictatorial leader. Although galactically weakest, they wielded formidable influence on this battlefield, stemming from their unique forces' composition.

Rather than train their own forces, they steal from the other factions using parasites under the King's control. These parasites would enter the brain of the soldiers and forcibly take over, brainwashing them to be loyal to their new leader. Does this sound familiar? Well, it should. Genji went through an entire world that is based on this concept, the Corruption world.

Indeed, these were the same parasites from that world, albeit having evolved over the hundreds of years during which Panolis was trapped.

[You have been marked by the King Of Parasites. This mark will relay your position to him during your term.]

The side effect of using Panolis's Legacy has finally manifested. At the time, Genji hadn't paid much attention to it, but circumstances had since shifted. Despite this revelation, Genji had no regrets. If he was given the same choice, he would still accept the inheritance since it was the main contribution to his current strength. 

This comprehensively details the factions and their realm pairings. Now, let's delve into the factions without such associations. Firstly, the Reapers stood out. Unlike their counterparts, this faction was not native to this world. Comprising individuals from a higher realm seeking experience, they functioned as trainee death gods, congregating on this battlefield to grasp the essence of death.

Although they were fewer in number than the Beasts, their superior strength allowed them to ignore this shortcoming. On the battlefield, they ranked second in individual might, only behind the Balancers.

If anyone was unlucky enough to encounter them, run and pray for the best. Trying to fight them in this place would be suicidal, not when the constant massacres boost their powers immensely. Think of them like bosses who have overpowered field buffs.

Finally, there are the Balancers, the mightiest group in this battleground. They are similar to the Reapers in that they came from a higher world. Each Balancer possesses immense powers, making them the sole voice of authority. If they wanted to, they could easily massacre the other six factions. Luckily, they are not here to kill but to keep order.

Just like their name suggests, the Balancers are responsible for keeping the war fair - to make sure that everyone follows the rules. If that means using force, then that's what will happen. That was because were sent by the Eternal Void, the overseer of this battlefield. 

In a battle between multiple realms, a higher authority is required to keep the Realms in check. Otherwise, things would spiral into a competition of who can drop the most nukes or other weapons of mass destruction.

As the agents of such order, it is no surprise that each Balancer holds tremendous abilities. To get an idea of how strong they are, we have to talk about the limits of the world.

In the Spatial Battlefield, the strongest characters can have 50 points in any stat, which isn't as simple as 2.5 times the first benchmark. No. After reaching 20 points in stats, the increase is no longer linear, but exponential. Every stat point provides more power than the one before it, making the peak many times stronger than the entry.

The reason for this high limit is that all 2nd step members will enter the Spatial Battlefield at least twice. This is inevitable as long as the members remain in the 2nd step.

And because of this high benchmark, every time they enter, it becomes a struggle for survival. By the end of this process, only the worthy remain to advance to the 3rd step.

As for these Balancers, they forcibly sealed their powers to come down to moderate. Although their stats are sealed, their skills are not, making them a formidable force. In fact, their skills are so potent that no one in the second step can rival them. That's what it takes to be a Balancer.

"You got all that? If not, too bad. Now get moving. Each of you breaks up into groups of 3 or 4. Then find a veteran to guide you."

As the man finished the sentence, groups of people walked into view on the railing. This was a swift process since many people had entered this place with their respective party members. As for loners like Genji who didn't know anyone, they were forced to awkwardly group up with other stragglers.

"So this is what an intergalactic war feels like."

Genji didn't care whether he grouped up or not. He's confident he can find a group once he showcases his abilities. While he might possess only the stats of a common fighter here, his combat techniques more than makeup for it. At worst, he escapes by combining Flashstep and Swift Movement. This was normally a combination he never dared to use, but now things are different. 

After transitioning to a special main, he stopped allocating most of his points to the dexterity stat and instead chose a balanced approach. His growth might be slower this way, but at least he has no weaknesses. 

Soon Genji was shoved into a group full of rag tags. Once the group was formed, they walked through the automatic metal door and came to a random veteran. 

"Good. Follow me."

Soon they came across a squad of around 20 people.

"I'm Solus and this is my squad. Since you people are new here, let's go around and introduce our abilities. I'm a pyromancer. Flames and high dps are my thing."

"I'm Goren and I'm the main tank in the party."

Each member of the squad introduced their abilities, and soon it was the newcomers' turn.

"Enigma, a swordsman."

Genji revealed [Jaguar], his most prominent weapon. It's very hard to hide this once he starts fighting so he might as well show it now. As for the other equipment, Genji isn't going to tell a group of strangers about them, no matter how this war turns out. Not when they are all Legendary ranked and powerful trump cards.

"A swordsman? That's fine, but let's hope we never get to that point."

After the introductions, Solus started speaking again.

"Now that we have that settled, let me go over the plans. Since we're about to leave, we will be on guard duty. The fortress at the front line is running low on manpower so that's where we will be stationed. Now follow me."

Solus led the group to a large ship and got into the pilot's seat.

"Take a seat. It'll be about 4 hours. While that's happening, Goren will introduce you to the equipment you will be using."

The slowly rose off the ground and its thrusters started shooting blue flames. Soon the ship started accelerating, causing everyone to slide to the back. This pushing force continued for around 10 minutes before the ship reached top speed and stabilized there.

"Come over, newbies," Goren and a few others opened some crates and beckoned them.

When Genji and a few others walked over, Goren tossed them a gun with the same energy streaks as the figure that talked to them. 

"That's a plasma riffle, a specialty of the Celestials. The brightness of the energy bar shows how many shots you have left."

After they familiarized themselves with that, Goren tossed them a cylindrical tube filled with blue liquid.

"That's an energy cell. We use them to charge the guns, but be careful with your usage. While we have access to an unlimited amount of them, that only applies when we're at base. Once you leave the base for other missions, use them sparingly. These plasma rifles are powerful, but they go through a lot of energy. And before any of you ask, no you can't put them in your storage. EverRealm doesn't allow us to take these powerful weapons out of here."

His last sentence caused a few newbies to become downcast. That's a shame. If they can take these out, they could easily clear their next worlds.

[Plasma Rifle]

Rating: Epic

Damage: 20

Energy: 20/20 (Each shot consumes 1 energy)

Durability: 40/40

Effects:

Energy Blast (passive): increased damage for significantly lower durability and usage of power

Description: A high-tech rifle that uses process energy. A standard for the soldiers in the Celestial army.

 

[Energy Cell I]

Rating: Rare

Effect: Upon use, charge a weapon with 20 points of energy

 

The weapon might have a low damage number, but actual damage was never determined by that alone. Instead, the damage dealt is calculated based on a number of factors that won't be explained. Just know that the damage stat is how well the weapon ignores defense.

If a low-damage weapon hits something with high defense, then the weapon would do very little damage. On the other hand, if a high-damage weapon hits someone with low defense, then it will have a high potential for damage.

For a gun, a weapon with 20 damage is very powerful, considering Genji's [Curse Bearer] only has 25 damage. The general trend is that firearms have a lower damage number compared to melee ones.

The main reason for this is that ranged weapons don't have much variation in damage while a melee on does. It's very consistent while the melee ones display their maximum potential. As for whether the user can bring out all that power, that depends on their proficiency.