The white void returned, but this time Kaito wasn't alone.
Yumi, Takeshi, and Hiroshi materialized beside him, all looking as disoriented as he felt. The four of them stood on what appeared to be solid ground, though the endless white made it impossible to tell where the floor ended and the walls began.
"Not this again," Kaito muttered, remembering his first moments in the trial.
"What is this place?" Yumi asked, spinning in a slow circle.
Before anyone could answer, screens appeared in front of each of them—but these were different from before. Larger, more detailed, with information that made Kaito's scientific mind reel.
**[Integration Process Initiated]**
**[Analyzing Trial Performance...]**
**[Participant: Hayashi Kaito]**
**[Survival Time: 7 days (Maximum)]**
**[Creatures Defeated: 47]**
**[Highest Rank Defeated: D (Solo)]**
**[Allies Saved: 3]**
**[Titles Earned: 4]**
**[Overall Grade: A]**
An A grade. Kaito stared at the assessment, not sure whether to feel proud or terrified. What happened to people who got lower grades?
He glanced at the others' screens, trying to see their results, but the information was angled so only each individual could read their own.
"What'd you get?" Takeshi asked, his voice tight with anxiety.
"A," Kaito said. "You?"
"B," Takeshi said, relief evident in his voice. "Yumi?"
"B as well," she said. "Hiroshi?"
Hiroshi's face had gone pale. "C."
The white void fell silent. A C wasn't failing, but it wasn't passing with flying colors either.
"It's fine," Yumi said quickly. "You were injured for most of the trial. A C under those circumstances is—"
**[Grades Acknowledged]**
**[Beginning Integration Explanation]**
The screens shifted, displaying new information that all of them could see this time.
**[The Trial Ascension was the preliminary assessment.]**
**[You have now been deemed suitable for Integration into the Ascension Realm.]**
**[Earth is undergoing its Seventh Summoned Ascension attempt.]**
**[Previous attempts: 6 failures.]**
**[Current attempt will determine humanity's fate.]**
Kaito's blood ran cold. "Seventh attempt? What happened to the previous six?"
The screen continued as if he hadn't spoken:
**[In the Ascension Realm, Earth's dominant species will compete with other worlds' dominant species for survival and advancement.]**
**[Failure to achieve adequate strength will result in species extinction.]**
**[Your role: Establish territorial control, eliminate competing species, achieve ascension.]**
"Competing species?" Yumi whispered. "You mean... aliens?"
**[Your performance during the Trial has determined your starting position and resources.]**
**[Grade A: Optimal starting location, enhanced resource access, special privileges.]**
**[Grade B: Standard starting location, standard resource access.]**
**[Grade C: Suboptimal starting location, limited resource access.]**
Hiroshi's hands clenched into fists. "So because I was injured during the trial, I'm being punished?"
**[Integration is not punishment. Integration is opportunity.]**
**[Those who prove themselves may rise regardless of starting position.]**
**[Those who fail will fall regardless of advantages.]**
The screen shifted again, and suddenly Kaito was looking at something that resembled a map—except instead of showing terrain, it showed a complex web of territories, connections, and symbols he didn't recognize.
**[The Ascension Realm contains multiple zones, each with varying difficulty and resources.]**
**[Your Trial performance has earned you placement in the following locations:]**
A portion of the map zoomed in, highlighting four different areas.
**[Hayashi Kaito - Grade A]**
**[Assigned Territory: Bronze-tier Zone, Central Regions]**
**[Special Privilege: City Stele (Dormant) granted retroactively]**
**[Note: You may claim one additional companion to share your territory.]**
Kaito's mind raced. The City Stele—that had been one of the three initial options he'd rejected in favor of the Gene State modifier. Now the system was giving it to him anyway because of his performance?
And he could bring someone with him?
**[Nakamura Takeshi - Grade B]**
**[Assigned Territory: Bronze-tier Zone, Outer Regions]**
**[Sasaki Yumi - Grade B]**
**[Assigned Territory: Bronze-tier Zone, Outer Regions]**
**[Watanabe Hiroshi - Grade C]**
**[Assigned Territory: Bronze-tier Zone, Border Regions]**
**[Note: Border Regions experience frequent hostile entity incursions.]**
Hiroshi's face had gone from pale to ashen. The Border Regions sounded like a death sentence for someone who'd barely survived the trial.
"This isn't fair," Takeshi said angrily. "Hiroshi was injured protecting us. He deserves better than—"
**[Fairness is irrelevant. Capability determines survival.]**
**[However, participants may form alliances and share territories through mutual agreement.]**
**[Warning: Shared territories split resource generation. Choose carefully.]**
Kaito looked at his three companions. He could bring one person to the Central Regions with him—presumably the safest and most resource-rich area. But that meant leaving two others to fend for themselves in less advantageous positions.
And Hiroshi would be alone in the Border Regions, the most dangerous area, with limited resources and frequent attacks.
"Kaito," Yumi said quietly. "You should take Hiroshi with you. Give him a chance to recover, to get stronger in a safer environment."
"What? No," Hiroshi said immediately. "You earned that placement, Kaito. I won't—"
"She's right," Takeshi interrupted. "You're injured and you got the worst placement. Kaito's territory is the safest. It makes tactical sense."
Kaito's mind was spinning through possibilities. If he took Hiroshi, the others would be in the Outer Regions but together. They could potentially form an alliance, share resources, watch each other's backs.
But was that the right choice strategically? Hiroshi was still recovering. Taking him meant splitting resources with someone who couldn't contribute as much initially.
On the other hand, leaving him alone in the Border Regions was essentially a death sentence.
'When did I start thinking like this?' Kaito thought. 'Calculating people's worth based on tactical value?'
The trial had changed him more than he'd realized.
"There's another option," Kaito said slowly. "The system said participants can share territories through mutual agreement. What if all four of us went to the Central Regions together?"
**[Correction: City Stele territories may only be shared with one additional participant during initial Integration.]**
**[Additional participants may be invited later once the territory achieves certain development thresholds.]**
So that option was out. It was a choice between optimal strategy and basic humanity.
Kaito looked at Hiroshi—exhausted, injured, trying to hide his fear. Then he looked at Yumi and Takeshi, both clearly prepared to manage in the Outer Regions if it meant Hiroshi had a better chance.
The scientist in him said to make the logical choice, to maximize his chances of success by taking the strongest companion.
But his Will stat of 12—that stubborn core of determination that had kept him alive through seven days of hell—made the decision simple.
"Hiroshi," Kaito said. "You're coming with me."
"Kaito, I can't—"
"Yes, you can," Kaito interrupted firmly. "You saved Yumi's life during that final surge. You fought through an injury that should have kept you down. You've earned this."
**[Selection confirmed: Watanabe Hiroshi will share Hayashi Kaito's territory.]**
**[Remaining participants will be assigned their respective territories.]**
**[Integration will commence in 30 seconds.]**
"Thank you," Hiroshi said quietly, and Kaito saw tears in the man's eyes.
"Don't thank me yet," Kaito said with a slight smile. "You'll have to work hard to keep up once that leg heals."
"We'll be fine," Yumi said, though her voice wavered slightly. "Takeshi and I will establish our territories and get stronger. When your territory develops enough, we'll reunite."
"Count on it," Takeshi added, gripping his club. "We survived the trial together. We'll survive this too."
The white void began to fade, replaced by colors and shapes. Kaito felt solid ground materializing beneath his feet, felt air moving against his skin.
**[Integration Complete]**
**[Welcome to the Ascension Realm]**
**[Territory Assignment: Central Region, Sector 7]**
**[City Stele Status: Dormant]**
**[Current Territory Radius: 100 meters]**
**[Current Population: 2]**
**[Current Defenses: None]**
**[Current Resources: Basic]**
**[Objective: Survive. Expand. Ascend.]**
The white light faded completely, and Kaito found himself standing in a clearing surrounded by forest. But this forest was different from the Trial—the trees were larger, more vibrant, and the air thrummed with an energy he could almost feel against his skin.
Beside him, Hiroshi appeared, looking around with wide eyes.
And in the center of the clearing stood a stone pillar about two meters tall, covered in intricate carvings that glowed with a faint bronze light.
**[City Stele detected]**
**[Would you like to claim this territory?]**
Kaito walked up to the pillar and placed his hand on it. The bronze light flared, spreading outward in a perfect circle until it reached the edge of the clearing.
**[Territory claimed: Unnamed City]**
**[You are now the City Lord]**
**[All entities within your territory are subject to your authority]**
**[Warning: Territory is vulnerable until basic defenses are established]**
**[Warning: Hostile entities detected in surrounding area]**
**[Recommendation: Fortify immediately]**
Kaito looked at Hiroshi, who was staring at the glowing boundary line with a mixture of awe and fear.
"Well," Kaito said, hefting his chipped stone blade. "I guess we'd better get to work."
The trial had been about survival.
Integration, it seemed, was about building something that could survive.
And somewhere in the distance, Kaito heard a sound that made his blood run cold—a roar that echoed through the forest, far louder and more terrifying than anything he'd encountered in the trial.
The real challenge was just beginning.