Lantern city was dilapidated, with body of Dreadbeasts filing the streets.
Nature have reclaimed the city, as vegetation had covered the shops and tall building.
Simon traversed through the street that was overgrowing with grass and bushes, he could not help be amazed.
A strong gust of wind blew from behind, for second his heart skipped a beat.
Immediately side-step dodging the attack.
A 3-meter-long Rodent-type Dreadbeast, with sharp claws and grey fur all over its body with two sets of 15-centimeter-long fangs sticking out of its mouth came to vision.
"Level-1 Dreadbeast, Glutton Rat!"
Simon immediately recognized it.
Beside practicing the Planet breathing technique and training in controlling his Astral skill for the past six months, he also learned theoretical knowledge about Dreadbeasts, including how to differentiate species.
Simon was confident that he could recognize every species Dreadbeasts ever recorded.
Glutton Rat, evolved from rats that roamed the gutters, after its evolution these rats became aggressively following strong eat the weak format eating everything on its path.
Roarr!
Glutton Rat stared viciously at Simon before it leaped forward, straight for his head.
"LET'S GO!"
Simon raised his hand, launching flaming arrows straight at the rampaging Rat.
Arrow hit the glutton rats open mouth, burning its whole mouth.
Painful roar escaped its mouth, but before it go on a rampage Simon created another flaming arrow which shot straight through its eye piercing it brain.
Glutton Rat gave a dying cry which was so loud and sharp that it alone could take a 0-Star Lord with it.
A last bit struggle to drag its enemy with it, to its grave but it was futile.
Glutton Rat died after its last struggle but to make sure he shot another flaming straight through it head again.
Simon looked down at the Glutton Rat body, remembering it dying cry he was shaken.
Feeling the Astral Star in his Muladhara, nestled at the base of his spine, made him sigh in relief.
Astral lord followed Seven Chakras System—a path etched into the marrow of human, a blue print of ascension that every awakened being instinctively felt yet rarely understood.
Each time an Astral Star formed within the body, it aligned with one of the seven chakras, Harmonizing raw power with spiritual equilibrium.
Without alignment, the star would destabilize the body, tearing it apart inside-out entirely.
First Star—Muladhara.
The Root Chakra.
A 1-Star Astral Lord.
Second Star—Svadhisthana.
The Sacral Chakra
A 2-Star Astral Lord.
Third Star—Manipura.
The Solar plexus.
A 3-Star Astral Lord.
Fourth Star—Anahata.
The Heart Chakra.
A 4-Star Astral Lord.
Fifth Star—Vishuddha.
The Throat Chakra.
A 5-Star Astral Lord
Sixth Star—Ajna.
The Third Eye Chakra.
A 6-Star Astral Lord.
Seventh Star—Sahasrara.
The Crown Chakra.
A 7-Star Astral Lord.
When all seven chakras are fill from root to crown, the Astral Lord stand at the peak of what ordinary humanity could ever dream to reach.
Many lived their entire lives desperately trying to advance even a single step along the path.
Some never see past Seventh Star.
But the true journey didn't end at the Seventh Star.
No… that was merely the threshold.
Above the crown chakra, nestled in the hidden space between flesh and soul, the Eight Star needed to form—known as the Core Star or the Astral Heart.
It was not anchored to a chakra.
It anchored the chakras themselves.
When the Eighth Star is created…
The Astral lord ceased being a Simple wielder of power.
They became a vessel.
An 8-Star Astral Lord.
A commander of nations.
A calamity of Dreadbeasts.
A walking natural disaster.
And yet, even they are not the apex.
In the presence of an 8-Star, under their strict guidance.
Those who wish to transcend must commit to the final metamorphosis.
All Seven Star Collapse.
All Seven merge.
Each chakra stripped bare, emptied, reduced to pure essence.
The seven lights condense into a single seed, folding into the blazing heart of the Eighth Star.
A Union of power.
A Singularity of self.
The Ninth Star is born.
The pinnacle of human existence.
Their body become vessel of flowing Astral energy.
Their Lifespan expands beyond centuries, a presence that bends the world.
Simon felt the faint warmth and power of his Muladhara Star.
One star.
A single chakra filled.
A single step taken.
A long path laid ahead.
His eye sharpened, a quiet conviction forming in the depth of his heart.
"Just the Start… journey for strength is long"
He whispered like a vow for himself.
Taking the short knife from his waist, he dug out its heart.
But before he could put the heart in his space belt, more sound of beast was heard.
As many Gluttons Rat ran out from the forest.
Quickly placing the heart inside the space belt, flaming arrow formed around him.
Snap!
Flaming arrow shot forward, raining down on rat.
With piercing scream, glutton rat dropped dead.