Rumors spread fast in the outer-ring slums.
Most were useless, just empty talks to pass the boring, hard days.
But one rumor stuck with Kay.
It was about ancient ruins.
Three miles away from the shanty town, hidden in the desolate star wasteland.
Scavengers who'd dared to go near came back muttering.
They spoke of strange energy, flickering lights, and glimmering crystals that hummed with power.
Kay didn't care about idle tales.
He cared about survival.
He cared about getting stronger.
His training had hit a dead end.
The half bottle of low-grade energy serum from his father was almost gone.
The few credits from selling wooden trinkets couldn't buy a single drop of basic cultivation solution.
His Interstellar Battle Energy was still thin, barely enough to tingle in his fingers.
He couldn't even gather it into a steady stream.
The Federal Star Military Academy felt farther away than ever.
Karl's sneer, the noble's cold contempt, the helplessness in the alley—all of it gnawed at him every night.
He needed a breakthrough.
Desperately.
So he packed a cloth bag.
A worn dagger, a piece of dry bread, the EMP device Ella had fixed for him.
He planned to leave at dawn, alone.
But Ella found him before he could step out of the hut.
She stood in the doorway, her shoulders squared.
A canvas bag slung over her shoulder, full of scavenged tools and extra EMP devices.
She'd spent three nights putting those devices together.
"I'm going with you."
Her voice was firm, no room for argument.
Kay looked at her.
He knew better than to argue with Ella when she made up her mind.
And deep down, he was relieved.
The ruins were dangerous.
He couldn't watch his back alone.
"Okay."
He nodded simply.
They set off at first light.
The ground was cracked, covered in dust and broken starship parts.
Rusted metal debris littered the path.
The stench of the slums faded slowly.
In its place, a thick, ancient energy hung in the air.
It pressed against their skin, prickly and heavy.
Not gentle at all.
Wild. Untamed.
Like the leftover power of a long-lost era.
An hour later, the ruins came into view.
Kay's breath caught.
They were far bigger than the rumors said.
Towering stone walls, half-buried in sand.
Faded runes carved on the surface, glowing faintly in starlight.
Twisted metal beams jutted out like broken bones.
Collapsed archways led into dark, gaping passages.
It was a graveyard of forgotten civilization.
Silent. Imposing.
Awe mixed with fear flickered in Kay's chest.
Then it was gone, replaced by burning determination.
This was his chance.
"Stick close."
He whispered to Ella, his voice steady.
"Don't touch anything unless I say so."
Ella nodded, her face tight with tension.
"I will."
They stepped into the main passage.
Ella turned on a small flashlight, the beam cutting through the dark.
Dust motes danced in the light.
Only their soft footsteps echoed off the stone walls.
Kay paused every few steps.
Listened.
His hand rested on the dagger at his waist.
His faint spatial talent tingled at the back of his mind, warning him of hidden dangers.
They'd walked barely ten minutes.
A sharp, high-pitched screech cut through the silence.
It came from a dark corner up ahead, hidden by collapsed stones.
Kay froze.
He held up a hand, signaling Ella to stop.
Every muscle in his body coiled tight.
"Stay quiet."
He breathed, eyes fixed on the corner.
Ella's breath hitched.
She pressed herself against the stone wall, nodding.
Kay inched forward, footsteps silent.
The screech came again, louder.
A small mechanical creature lunged out from the shadows.
Dented, rusted metal body.
Four sharp, gleaming claws.
Two red eyes glowing like embers.
Ancient security drone.
A defense bot, left to guard the ruins for countless years.
Still functional.
"It's a level-one interstellar defense bot!"
Ella whispered in panic, stepping forward slightly.
"They're fast. Their claws can tear through metal. We can't outrun it here."
The bot screeched again.
It lunged straight for Kay, claws slashing through the air.
Kay dove to the side on instinct.
The sharp claws grazed his arm.
A shallow cut opened up, stinging sharply.
He grunted in pain, but didn't back down.
In the slums, he'd fought off stray dogs and thugs twice his size.
He wouldn't fear a broken machine.
"We have to take it down."
Kay gritted his teeth.
He closed his eyes for a split second.
Focused all his attention on the thin wisp of battle energy in his body.
Forced it to flow through his veins, into his limbs.
The energy was weak.
But it made his movements faster, sharper.
The bot charged again.
Kay activated his spatial talent.
A tiny flicker of power warped the air around him.
Blurred his figure just enough to confuse the bot's sensors.
The bot skidded to a halt.
Red eyes darted around, unable to lock onto him.
"Now, Ella!"
Kay shouted.
Ella didn't hesitate.
She pulled an EMP device from her bag.
Hurled it with perfect aim.
The device stuck to the bot's metal body.
Blue sparks exploded outward.
The electromagnetic pulse short-circuited its systems.
The bot twitched violently.
Red eyes dimmed.
It collapsed to the ground, completely still.
Kay let out a long sigh of relief.
He clutched his injured arm, the pain throbbing softly.
"Nice shot."
He said, giving Ella a small, grateful smile.
Ella hurried over.
She pulled a strip of cloth from her bag, gently wrapping his arm.
"You scared me."
Her voice was soft, laced with worry.
"Don't be so reckless next time."
Kay nodded.
They rested for a minute, catching their breath.
Then moved on, more cautious now.
The passages twisted and turned.
Kay's spatial intuition guided them.
Leading them toward the strongest source of energy.
Five more minutes of walking.
They found a small, hidden chamber.
Entrance blocked by a fallen stone slab.
Kay gritted his teeth, pushing with all his strength.
Ella helped, shoulders braced against the stone.
They shifted it just enough to squeeze through.
Inside the chamber, the air was thick with pure, dense energy.
In the center, set in a stone niche.
A glowing blue crystal.
Pulsing with a steady, warm light.
No bigger than Kay's palm.
But the energy radiating from it was stronger than any serum he'd ever felt.
Kay stepped forward.
His hands trembled slightly as he reached out.
He picked up the crystal.
The moment his fingers touched it.
A surge of wild, pure energy flooded his body.
Rushing through his veins, warming his dantian.
His thin battle energy strengthened, flowing steadily for the first time.
He was breaking through.
Toward the first level of the Interstellar Martial Realm.
This was a high-grade energy crystal.
The kind nobles used for cultivation.
Something he'd only heard of in stories.
"This is it."
Kay whispered, eyes shining with awe and joy.
"This can help me get strong, fast."
Ella smiled, genuine happiness for him.
"We did it, Kay."
Their joy didn't last long.
Loud, arrogant footsteps echoed from the passage outside.
Followed by mocking, cruel laughter.
Kay's blood turned cold.
He knew that laugh.
The stone slab was pushed open roughly.
Karl stepped into the chamber.
Flanked by his two lackeys.
He wore a clean, expensive combat suit.
A smirk stretched across his face.
His eyes locked immediately on the crystal in Kay's hand.
Greedy. Contemptuous.
"Well, well."
Karl sneered, crossing his arms.
He looked at Kay and Ella like they were tiny, annoying insects.
"A couple of slum rats, sneaking into the ruins to steal treasure."
"My men saw you leave the slums this morning. I knew I'd find you here."
Kay clenched his fist around the crystal.
He hid it behind his back, gaze sharp and defensive.
"This isn't yours. We found it first."
Karl laughed, loud and mocking.
"Found it first?"
"That's not how the world works, slum trash."
"The strong take what they want. The weak hand it over."
"That crystal's worth more than your entire miserable life."
He took a step forward, the smirk turning threatening.
"Hand it over now, and I might let you both leave here unhurt."
His lackeys stepped up beside him, cracking their knuckles.
Menacing.
Kay stepped in front of Ella, shielding her.
His mind raced.
He'd just broken through a little.
He was no match for Karl, who'd been trained since birth.
But he wasn't giving up the crystal.
Not after everything.
Not when it was his only hope.
Kay stared at Karl.
Jaw set tight.
No fear in his eyes.
Only cold, unyielding determination.
"I'm not giving you anything."