Reina May was completely unaware of everything happening on Blue Star. Of course, even if she had known, she wouldn't have cared.
At this moment, she stood still, her right hand pressed over her chest, feeling the rapid beating of her heart. Make no mistake this was not fear or panic, but joy and anticipation.
This world was entirely different from Blue Star, an alternate dimension teeming with unknown possibilities. There could be life forms with existence entirely unlike anything on her home planet. There could be an abundance of specimens for her experiments. She could explore vast, uncharted lands.
"The Destiny Battle officially begins. Best of luck to all contestants."
As the grand announcement echoed in each contestant's mind, the transparent protective dome shattered, and time resumed flowing.
Reina May stood in the forest, feeling the wind brush against her skin.
"Earth, leaves, rocks… the wind carries a metallic tang of blood. There's a strange distortion, the fabric of existence itself seems disrupted. Hmm, traces of informational transfer could this be a form of contamination?"
Using her tactile senses to heighten her perception, she detected subtleties in the wind no ordinary human could perceive.
Sure enough, this world was unlike Blue Star in every way. The Destiny Battle arena was, indeed, a place of wonder.
"What an intriguing world."
A smile curved her lips as she walked slowly through the forest, following the direction of the breeze. She moved like a traveler enjoying a spring outing, revealing no hint of the life-or-death stakes surrounding her.
"Reina May is bold she's moving already?"
"Seems reckless, but for some reason, I feel a sense of safety. What's going on?"
"Guys, great news. Go check the neighboring White Eagle stream. Their contestant is a professional powerhouse!"
Hearing this, many viewers switched over to White Eagle's stream. The camera revealed a muscular man moving swiftly yet cautiously through the forest, deliberately avoiding piles of leaves.
"Jimmy's movement is very professional," one guest commented. "Leaf piles are prime hiding spots for snakes or scorpions."
"Whoa, I know this guy! Professional fitness coach, outdoorsy type, featured in multiple reality shows," a sharp-eyed viewer from Eastern Horizon recognized White Eagle's contestant.
"Outdoorsy? I don't buy it. White Eagle's training is intense. Natural or not, those who push that hard usually meet disaster eventually."
"Then explain this if he isn't natural, how come his head isn't shaped like a cone?"
After lingering on White Eagle's feed for a while, viewers returned to Eastern Horizon's stream. The scene of Reina May moving gracefully through the forest left them speechless. Her beauty was undeniable, her legs seemed longer than life itself, and every frame could be captured as a wallpaper.
"Something unusual is going on. Reina May moves with such confidence… could she have some special ability?"
"Maybe she's an agent from a secret organization. A Dragon Team member, perhaps?"
"Stop with the novels. But you have to admit, she's extremely composed."
"+1. Since stepping into the Destiny Battle, Reina May hasn't shown an ounce of panic."
"White Eagle's contestant has strength. Our contestant seems intelligent. If they cooperate, they might actually clear the arena."
Watching the barrage of comments, Skyler scratched his head. He had no objection. After all, the arrival of the Destiny Battle had begun to reshape the international landscape. Following the first two editions, countries had slowly begun to coordinate.
It was understandable. In the first Destiny Battle, a small African nation failed. The punishment was otherworldly creatures, disease-carrying insects. With limited sanitation, the outbreak spread rapidly, wiping out half the population and affecting neighboring continents, sending global markets into turmoil.
The second Destiny Battle was even more catastrophic. The entire Kiwi nation perished in flames, with nearby regions suffering heavy casualties. Flames raged globally for three years before governments contained them, causing sea levels to rise and submerging low-lying coastal areas.
Destiny Battle punishments, though targeted at a single nation, could trigger worldwide chain reactions. If White Eagle's punishment involved Yellowstone's volcano erupting, volcanic ash alone could push billions to the brink of death.
Since then, governments realized that the Destiny Battle was no longer just a test for a single country it concerned humanity itself. Even a minor failure in one nation could endanger global civilization.
As a result, countries began uniting to counteract the effects, and small nations even merged for protection.
The real shift occurred in the fourth Destiny Battle. Contestants from the Northern Union, after defeating the final boss, received a reward that allowed nations to unite.
That reward fundamentally changed the rules. Previously, if all contestants from a country perished, their nation would face immediate catastrophe. Now, punishments were temporarily held. Only when all contestants from every country died would calamities strike.
As long as at least one contestant survived, all punishments were nullified.
By the fifth edition, contestants began cooperating across borders, even assisting rivals to ensure mutual survival. Those who sacrificed themselves to pave the way for others became revered worldwide.
At the United Nations headquarters, a monument was erected in their honor.
Blue Star had never been so tightly connected. Nations and peoples united, achieving unprecedented peace and prosperity.
As viewers debated fiercely in the chat, a sudden shock arrived from the Sun Nation's stream.