Within the Seven Luminaries Tech Conglomerate, a momentous event unfolded during this period.
Ryder Blackwood, the idol of the new generation of apprentices, had proven his exceptional vigilance. He'd uncovered a conspiracy by two Wolfpack Raiders spies—who'd infiltrated the Conglomerate as low-ranking staff—attempting to steal the candidate list for the upcoming Gene Ascension Field Trial. Teaming up with over a dozen fellow apprentices, he'd apprehended the spies outright, securing a significant merit for the Conglomerate.
A few days later, Director Wang publicly bestowed upon Ryder the title of Senior Enforcer during a gathering of apprentices, formally elevating him to the Conglomerate's mid-tier leadership. The announcement sent ripples of excitement through the ranks, and Ryder's reputation as a rising star shone brighter than ever.
Kael Voss, however, remained oblivious to all this. Sequestered in his hidden training sanctuary within an abandoned interstellar colony ruin, he'd cut off all contact with others save for occasional trips to replenish nutrient supplies. Naturally, he had no inkling of his friend's newfound glory.
As the artificial seasons shifted from simulated summer to autumn in the bio-dome's environmental cycle, time slipped by like sand through an hourglass—until the final day before his fateful meeting with Dr. Thorne arrived.
In the tangled thicket of bio-metallic thorns at the ruin's core, a bizarre figure flickered in and out of view. The razor-sharp, energy-infused spines that lined every branch failed to hinder him in the slightest. He moved like wisps of cosmic smoke, gliding ghostly through the dense web of thorns—appearing nearby one moment, materializing far away the next—his movements utterly silent, as if he were not flesh and blood but an intangible specter.
At last, the figure came to rest on a gnarled piece of discarded starship hull, standing tall as he gazed toward the direction of the Verdant Bio-Dome. It was Kael, his training having borne fruit.
His tactical suit was tattered and shredded, exposing patches of tanned skin beneath. His hair was matted and unkempt, his face streaked with grime and faint scratches that masked his features. Most striking of all were the six miniature vibration sensors attached to his neck, waist, forearms, thighs, and ankles—their soft blue glow pulsing in rhythm with his movements.
Given these sensors and his phantom-like traversal of the thorns, it was clear just how extraordinary his newly mastered technique had become.
Kael stood motionless, his eyes fixed on the distant bio-dome as he muttered softly to himself:
"Right on schedule. I finally mastered the Nebula Stealth Protocol just in time. With this, I've gained one more layer of protection."
Though his face was obscured, the elation in his eyes shone unhidden.
After months of relentless study and grueling practice, Kael had mastered several potent combat protocols. He felt a quiet confidence in these skills—enough, he believed, to defend himself even against Dr. Thorne's unfathomable power, if not outright defeat him.
A cool draft of recycled air swept through the thicket, sending a chill across Kael's exposed skin. He glanced down at his tattered suit, envisioning his disheveled appearance, and let out a dry chuckle.
Recalling the trials of mastering the Nebula Stealth Protocol still sent a twinge of unease through him. Training a stealth technique amid bio-metallic thorns was a deadly endeavor. In the early days, his unfamiliarity with the protocol had left him covered in deep gashes, his suit soaked in blood from the razor-sharp spines.
Fortunately, he'd had a steady supply of Psionic Vitality Supplements—Dr. Thorne's so-called "spiritual nourishment serums." Not only did they heal internal injuries, but they worked miracles on external wounds too. A single dose would stop bleeding and form a protective scab within minutes, and by the next day, even the scars would vanish without a trace.
Kael had marveled at their efficacy for days. These serums were far more potent than standard combat med-patches, yet their name—"Psionic Vitality Supplement"—seemed odd to him. "Wound-Sealing Elixir" or "Scar-Erasing Tincture" would have been far more fitting.
Had the alchemist who developed these serums heard Kael's thoughts, he likely would have choked on his own nutrient paste. To have his meticulously crafted healing panacea compared to crude battlefield first-aid kits would have been an unforgivable slight.
Yet it was precisely this high-stakes training environment that had forced Kael to unlock his full potential. In just a few short months, he'd attained a proficient mastery of the Nebula Stealth Protocol—enough to put it to immediate use when the time came.
Additionally, Kael's Cellular Activation Protocol (the once-unnamed gene calibration protocol) had, as expected, advanced to the Sixth Tier a few days prior—the highest tier for which Dr. Thorne had provided the formula. Without the aid of over a dozen vials of rare bio-enhancement elixirs he'd cultivated using the jade-green liquid, he doubted he would have achieved this milestone in his lifetime, no matter how hard he trained.
After years of practicing the protocol, Kael had gained profound insights into its nature. He'd come to realize it was vastly different from conventional gene augmentation techniques—both in its methodology and its effects.
First, he deduced that the protocol's success and progression speed depended entirely on the practitioner's genetic compatibility. Those with pure, unadulterated gene sequences could advance smoothly, potentially reaching high tiers through sheer diligence even without external aids.
For those with impure or fragmented gene sequences, however, progress would grind to a halt at a certain tier without the support of powerful elixirs. Kael suspected such practitioners would remain stuck forever—just as he had been, struggling to advance beyond the Fourth Tier until he'd supplemented his training with the enhanced elixirs.
With the right bio-enhancements, though, the impossible became possible. The protocol's heavy reliance on medicinal support was undeniable.
That said, Kael's approach to using these elixirs—popping them like nutrient tablets, one or two a day—was likely unprecedented. It was no wonder he'd sailed through the supposedly more difficult Fifth and Sixth Tiers without the slightest hitch, never encountering the bottlenecks he'd faced at the Fourth.
At the Sixth Tier, the Cellular Activation Protocol had heightened his vitality and sharpened his mental acuity, but he hadn't yet discovered any other practical applications. Curiously, since he'd begun practicing it, each tier had enhanced his mental focus, sensory perception, and cognitive processing—yet its physical benefits were minimal, limited to increased stamina and agility. The bio-energy flux it generated—what Kael termed "pseudo-bio-energy"—could circulate freely through his neural pathways like conventional bio-energy, but beyond enhancing his tactile sensitivity, it lacked the destructive power of true combat-ready bio-energy.
Moreover, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that the Sixth Tier was not the end. He suspected there were additional tiers beyond what Dr. Thorne had revealed, and that the protocol's true power lay in those untaught stages.
Thinking this, he shook his head helplessly and let out a sigh. Given his current strained relationship with Dr. Thorne, obtaining the subsequent tiers of the formula was nothing more than a pipe dream.
Shoving aside his wandering thoughts, Kael leaped from the hull fragment, landing softly on the ground without a sound. He strode purposefully toward his prefabricated cabin, his steps steady and resolute.
Tomorrow, he would face Dr. Thorne. Before then, he intended to leverage his enhanced cognitive abilities—honed by the Sixth Tier protocol—to map out every possible scenario, dissect every potential detail of their meeting, and formulate optimal responses to any danger that might arise.
All pieces were now in place. The stage was set for their confrontation.