Cain's presence was impossible to ignore. His broad, imposing frame and piercing blue eyes demanded attention the moment he climbed into the military truck. Whispers spread through the ranks of recruits, their curious stares lingering longer than politeness allowed. A few young women flashed coquettish smiles, but Cain never returned them.
He wasn't interested. Not anymore.
The memory of Cinthy lingered like a wound that refused to close. To Cain, romantic love was a distraction he was not particularly interested in bearing anytime soon.
Once the last recruit was shoved inside, including the fat youth who now sat hunched and pale after his earlier humiliation, the truck lifted from the ground with a low hum. It rose above the crooked rooftops of the slums and then accelerated, streaking forward at incredible speed. The inertia dampeners inside ensured the passengers felt no lurch, no shift—only the steady silence of motion.
Some of the recruits pressed their faces to the reinforced windows, mesmerized by the view of the sprawling Sector vanishing beneath them. To them, this was a rare chance to see their world from above. But Cain didn't waste time gawking.
He found a quiet corner, crossed his legs, and immediately sank into cultivation.
The moment he did, the atmosphere inside the truck shifted. The recruits couldn't explain it—they only felt the air grow heavier, charged, as if something unseen pulled at them. But Tristan and Lodon, seasoned soldiers with sharp senses, immediately recognized the phenomenon.
Their eyes flickered toward Cain.
"This brat…" Tristan muttered under his breath. "His absorption is monstrous."
Lodon nodded, his scarred jaw tightening. "Easily above Tier 3. Who would've thought a slum rat could hide such talent?"
Cain remained oblivious to their whispers. To him, the process was everything. Before his bloodline had awakened, drawing Life Wave had been like waiting for drops of water to fall into his Evolution Core—slow, torturous. Now it was as though he stood beneath a roaring waterfall, torrents crashing into him endlessly. The sensation was intoxicating. He wanted more.
Still, he wasn't careless. Surrounded by strangers, Cain activated one of his System's tools: the [Basic Scan Force Field].
The invisible field spread from him like a sonar wave, mapping every movement in his immediate space. If anyone crossed the boundary, the System would alert him instantly. The tool could also jam communications, but Cain left that function dormant—no need to draw suspicion.
Hours blurred as the military truck flew. Cain smiled faintly to himself. The closer they traveled toward a Sector's core, the denser the Life Wave became. Faster cultivation, greater opportunities—everything he hungered for.
---
The Godslayer Humankind Empire divided the vast Gaia Continent into seventy-two Sectors. Each was massive enough to swallow the Old World's continents whole. Cain's home was the Hellblazer Sector.
After more than a day of uninterrupted travel, the truck descended onto solid ground, rolling into the fortified expanse of the Hellblazer Military Base.
Cain broke from cultivation as the doors hissed open. His eyes widened at the sight before him.
A colossal vessel loomed in the distance, parked like a slumbering titan upon the landing field. Gleaming metal hulls, runways stretching for kilometers, and towers bristling with weaponry—it resembled a futuristic aircraft carrier, but many times larger. Its shadow swallowed the recruits whole.
A Star Cruiser.
"Board the vessel," Tristan commanded curtly. "Once all recruits have arrived, we depart."
Confusion rippled among the youths. Whispers filled the air. Why would they need such a monstrous ship just to reach the Academy?
Seeing their unease, Lodon elaborated. "The Imperial Military Academy does not maintain a base in the Hellblazer Sector. Your destination is the Collapsing Lightning Sector."
The explanation only deepened the silence.
Leaving one's Sector was no small thing. To these recruits, it was like leaving the world itself. None of them had ever traveled beyond Hellblazer's borders. Fear flickered in their eyes.
Cain trembled too, but not from fear. His chest tightened with something else—excitement. The thought of crossing vast distances, of seeing other Sectors, stirred something wild in him. For the first time in years, he felt an unrestrained thrill.
He smiled and strode forward.
---
Ahead, Tristan and Lodon joined a cluster of soldiers waiting near the Star Cruiser's embarkation ramp. At their center stood a giant of a man, nearly two meters tall, with sun-darkened skin and scars crisscrossing his face like a war map.
"Tristan!" the man barked, his voice booming like thunder. "You're one of the last to arrive. Tell me—how are your cadets?"
Though he wore only a standard uniform, the deference of those around him revealed his rank.
Vice-Captain Josef.
Tristan shook his head. "You assigned us to the worst parts of the Sector. Most of the brats lack either talent or will. They won't last long on the battlefield."
Grim nods followed his words. The Dark Races were merciless, and war against them was nothing like squabbles of the Old World. Weaklings weren't just useless—they were liabilities.
"But," Lodon added, stepping forward, "we found one who shows promise."
Josef's scarred face twisted into a smirk. His gaze swept over the recruits until it landed squarely on Cain.
"That one," Josef said.
His eyes narrowed. Power radiated from him, invisible but suffocating. Cain's instincts screamed. His breath caught as if a predator had fixed its fangs upon his throat.
Without hesitation, his Astral Wave Cloak erupted, crackling dark-purple energy surging around him. His aura exploded outward, drawing startled gasps from the recruits.
Cain spun, feet sliding into a battle stance, every nerve taut with readiness.
But the killing intent evaporated an instant later. Josef's aura retracted as though it had never existed.
Cain blinked, confusion flashing across his features. He scanned the area, searching for the source of danger. Finding nothing, he exhaled and slowly dismissed his Wave Cloak. Without another word, he entered the Star Cruiser.
Josef's grin widened. "Good. Very good. He unleashed everything instantly, without hesitation. His martial skills, his power—I can't yet judge. But his perception rivals that of a Second Lieutenant."
Approval rumbled through the soldiers. On the battlefield, perception was survival. Many promising warriors had died simply because they failed to sense the strike meant to kill them.
---
Inside the Star Cruiser's cavernous interior, Cain found a seat along the wall. His body hummed with residual tension, but his mind had already returned to cultivation. Just as he prepared to sink into it, the entrance drew his attention.
Another youth entered.
This one rivaled Cain's build, tall and imposing. His face was strikingly handsome, framed by sleek black hair. But it was his eyes—burning red like molten fire—that seized attention. A crimson ring gleamed on his right hand, pulsing faintly with power.
The boy ignored every stare, moving with an air of superiority. He sat with deliberate calm, closing his eyes as he began to draw Life Wave in staggering amounts.
Cain's interest sharpened. This wasn't ordinary talent.
After a moment of thought, he whispered inwardly: 'System, use [Pseudo Cellular Analysis] on him.'
A faint pulse of electromagnetic force spread from Cain, brushing against the youth. Data compiled instantly. A screen unfolded before Cain's eyes.
[Scan of target completed.
---
Name: ???
Race: Godslayer Humankind
Lineage: ???
Path of Power: Astral Rebirth (Level 2 Astral Wave Warrior)
---
Stats:
* Strength: 0.49
* Agility: 0.29
* Vitality: 0.54
* Wave: 0.41]
Cain's lips tightened.
'So… he's one of the Abnormals.'