The Mechanis council awaited him in the Coreforge chamber—a massive room of rotating gears, spinning energy cores, and towering AI avatars.
Trial One: Combat against AI simulacrums designed to mimic divine beings. Every strike had to be measured, balanced with Core resonance.
Trial Two: Technomancy puzzle. Kaleo synchronized Core output with Mechanis code, weaving circuits and energy flows in harmony.
[Edict of Dominion Triggered — Partial Trial Passed. Vitality +5%, Affinity +3%, Resonance +7%]
By the end, he had proven his worth. The council murmured, noting his unusual bloodline and battle skill. They did not know he was the last of Halburn, and he had no intention of revealing it.
[Core Update: Trial Data Recorded — Resonance Optimization Ready.]
His cultivation progressed steadily: Heaven Stage Late — nearly at Core Manifestation Realm. The integration of Core energy, combat, and tech was nearing perfection.