As the Doctor's voice faded, the conference room instantly fell into a dead silence, save for the faint hum of the ventilation system droning through the air.
Jing Liuli held Mo Ying even tighter, staring at Tendo with a face full of shock and eyes brimming with disbelief. She had never imagined that the Doctor and Enite would place the heavy burden of the Federation's survival so directly upon Tendo's shoulders.
Yun Meng's expression was solemn as her fingertips unconsciously stroked the warm head of Little Jin. She understood clearly that this was not just a heavy weight of trust, but a massive gamble with the entire future of the Federation as the stake.
Caroline, meanwhile, quickly pulled up the tablet on her wrist. Her fingers slid rapidly across the glowing screen as she entered work mode, beginning to calculate the timeline for three years of combat preparation, resource allocation, and risk contingency plans. Her rational mind allowed her to anchor core priorities at the first available moment.
Tendo looked down at the pale blue vector Star Power swirling in his palm. The starlight condensed into a tiny vortex at his fingertips before silently dissipating. Facing this sudden entrustment, there was no sign of being flattered on his face; instead, he displayed a calm that bordered on indifference. He neither explicitly refused nor accepted.
He slowly raised his eyes to meet the Doctor's, his tone flat and his words precise.
"Doctor, I will not fight for the so-called coexistence of Star Beasts, nor do I have any intention of becoming some guardian of the Federation."
The Doctor seemed to have already seen through Tendo's thoughts. A flash of understanding crossed the eyes beneath his mechanical mask, but his tone remained as steady as ever, carrying an unquestionable certainty.
"I know. You only need to remember one thing: protecting the Federation is never for the sake of the Star Beasts, not for Enite, and certainly not for me. It is for yourself."
"You are the core result of the Project Stars. Once the Federation falls and the Royal Court takes control of the entire situation, a 'hybrid' like you—possessing both the Star Core and Star Source powers—will only become an anomaly that both sides wish to eliminate. You would never know a day of peace."
The pale blue Star Power within Tendo suddenly surged, disturbing the airflow around him, but he forcibly suppressed it. The starlight vanished from his palm in an instant. The Doctor's words had accurately struck his most private concern.
He had always ignored the topic of human-beast coexistence and looked down upon so-called ethnic righteousness. His lifelong pursuit was merely to control his own power and destiny.
After a moment of silence, Tendo spoke slowly: "Three years? That is enough."
"But I want priority allocation rights for all cultivation resources in the base to completely master the fused power of the Star Core and Star Source."
"Agreed," the Doctor replied without hesitation.
"The base's Star Power amplification chambers and the Star Energy potions refined from the remains of legendary-grade Star Beasts are all yours to call upon first."
"I will help you smooth out the fusion barriers between the Star Core and Star Source and deconstruct the points of power conflict. As for what realm you can break through to, that will depend entirely on you."
The Doctor paused, his gaze sweeping over Yun Meng, Jing Liuli, and Caroline in turn, as he assigned tasks in a deep voice.
"Yun Meng, you are responsible for assisting Tendo in his training while stabilizing your own Star Power realm."
"Liuli, your combat style actually shares many similarities with Yun Meng's. You can appropriately practice Star Beast collaborative combat techniques."
"Caroline, you will continue to optimize the Star Power monitoring devices and the base's defense matrix. At the same time, accelerate the development of containment weapons targeting Star Beast Cores to secure critical windows of opportunity for Tendo."
"Understood!" everyone responded in unison, their tones firm.
The Star Beasts seemed to understand the orders as well, responding one after another. Little Jin let out a low growl, and scorching flame Star Power ignited around its body, the firelight illuminating half the conference room. The Spirit Fox leaped lightly onto Caroline's shoulder, rubbing its furry head against her cheek, its amber eyes full of obedience. The Streamer Bird fluttered its wings, circling above the conference room and letting out a clear, resounding cry as if in agreement.
Only Mo Ying remained clung to the Doctor's feet, occasionally looking up at Tendo with golden beast pupils full of curiosity, its small tail gently sweeping the floor.
The next morning, before dawn had even broken, the sea mist of the unknown waters shrouded the base like a light veil. Dull thuds of Star Power collisions were already echoing from the training grounds of the Ember Base.
Tendo stood in the center of the Star Power amplification chamber, surrounded by a pale blue Star Power barrier. The azure vector Star Power flowed through his body like a surging tide, sometimes raging like thunder, sometimes restrained and sharp.
The Doctor stood before the console outside the chamber. His dragon-like vertical pupils beneath the mechanical mask stared intently at Tendo's status, constantly fine-tuning the parameters to precisely manage the concentration of Star Power within the chamber, ensuring training efficiency while avoiding the risk of a power rampage.
"The power of the Star Core is hidden within the texture of your bones and muscles; the power of the Star Source flows through your blood vessels and meridians. Both share the same root and origin; there is no need to deliberately fragment or oppose them."
The Doctor's voice came through the communicator, carrying a faint metallic texture that reached Tendo's ears clearly.
"Try using the vector field to draw the two powers together. Guide their fusion according to their instincts. Do not suppress them by force, or it will only intensify the internal conflict."
Tendo did as instructed. His brow furrowed tightly, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, sliding down his jawline. The two powers clashed violently within him, entangling and coiling. The cold Star Core power and the scorching Star Source power tore at each other, bringing a piercing sensation of being ripped apart that nearly shattered his physical form.
He gritted his teeth, his lower lip bitten into a faint red mark. Pure vector fields condensed at his fingertips like invisible threads, guiding the chaotic energy toward his dantian bit by bit. Every pull was accompanied by a violent trembling of his entire body, and his Star Power fluctuations rose and fell erratically.
But he did not retreat in the slightest; his eyes held only a monomaniacal determination.
In a nearby training area, Yun Meng was conducting collaborative offense and defense drills with Little Jin. Little Jin opened its mouth and exhaled a raging inferno, which quickly condensed into a massive wall of fire in the air, sending a scorching heatwave toward her. Yun Meng leaped into the air, her figure tracing a fluid arc. Her fingertips condensed refined flame Star Power that merged precisely with Little Jin's flames. A more intense flame blade slashed through the air, whistling as it struck an alloy training target in the distance.
The target was instantly engulfed by the flames, turning into ash amidst the crackling sound. After landing, Yun Meng wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked at Little Jin encouragingly.
"Work harder. The high-level Star Beasts of the Royal Court have extremely strong defenses. Ordinary flames can hardly scratch them. Our flame power must be raised to another level to form an effective deterrent."
Little Jin nodded submissively, rubbing its head against Yun Meng's palm, the flame Star Power around it growing increasingly dense and the firelight brightening.
Jing Liuli, meanwhile, was training with Mo Ying in the intricate, hidden tunnels of the base. Mo Ying's form was small and agile, darting through the narrow passages at high speeds. A faint black Star Power rose around it, completely concealing its presence as if it were one with the darkness. Jing Liuli followed close behind, a faint starlight gathering in her hand—enough to light the path ahead without exposing their position through excessive energy.
"Mo Ying, a little faster," Jing Liuli whispered, her tone urgent. "The Royal Court has dense Star Power detection arrays inside. The margin for error is extremely low. We must reach the core area before we are detected."
Mo Ying seemed to understand; its speed increased again, darting around a tunnel corner like a black shadow. Occasionally encountering a simulated Star Beast guard, Mo Ying would suddenly strike, its sharp claws accurately hitting the guard's vitals. The movement was clean and efficient, and it vanished into hiding immediately after succeeding—the entire sequence was as fluid as flowing water.
Caroline, for her part, had almost taken root in the laboratory. Her desk was covered with Star Beast Core samples, precision instruments, and experimental logs. Wearing sterile gloves and holding an extraction needle, she carefully extracted energy factors from the cores. Her expression was focused and rigorous as she attempted to develop a potion that could interfere with the operation of a Star Beast Core without dealing a fatal blow.
After all, only by leaving a margin for error could they secure more possibilities for future actions.
The Spirit Fox crouched beside the lab table, occasionally sniffing the Star Core samples with its nose. If it encountered a core with unstable energy or a risk of explosion, it would let out a low warning sound.
"It's almost ready..."
A flash of excitement crossed Caroline's eyes. She held a vial containing a pale purple liquid that flowed slowly within the glass, shimmering with tiny specks of starlight.
"As long as we can make the Royal Court's Star Beasts temporarily lose control of their Star Power, Tendo will have enough time to complete the mission."
Time flowed quietly through the rigorous daily cultivation, and a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Tendo's power had achieved a qualitative leap. He could comfortably control the fused power of the Star Core and Star Source. Within his azure vector Star Power, the complex patterns of the "Star Eclipse Heavenly Eye" were faintly visible—the best proof of the perfect union of the two powers.
In a live combat simulation, he suppressed the joint attack of Yun Meng and Little Jin single-handedly. His vector field could easily withstand the fire impacts while cleverly redirecting Little Jin's flames back at it. With offense and defense integrated into one, his strength was already nearing the threshold of the legendary grade.
Yet, Tendo did not stop. He pushed himself even more harshly. Every day, he would enter the Star Power amplification chamber and cultivate until the energy in his body was completely exhausted, then use high-concentration Star Energy potions to forcibly recover, repeating this cycle in a near-obsessive manner.
The Doctor had advised him more than once that overdrawing his body would leave irreversible damage that could affect future breakthroughs. Tendo merely looked up coldly, his tone as calm as still water: "Three years is very short. I cannot afford any mistakes."
His goal had never wavered. It had nothing to do with the Federation's survival or the coexistence of species; it was solely to make himself strong enough to handle any crisis—strong enough that no one could ever dictate his destiny again.
Meanwhile, the undercurrents within the New Human Federation never ceased; instead, they grew more turbulent. Several old-guard factions keenly sensed that Enite's state was weakening daily, with his Star Power fluctuations becoming increasingly unstable. They began to secretly conspire and link up, plotting to seize control of the Federation before the Covenant shattered.
They frequently sent spies to lurk at the borders, searching for news of the Ember Base in an attempt to seize the power of the Child of the Stars for their own use. Some went even further, secretly establishing contact with the radicals of the Star Beast Royal Court to form a brief alliance of interests. Though their goals differed, they shared a common demand: to completely overthrow the existing order and re-divide spheres of influence after the three-year term ended.
Through the intelligence transmitted by the Streamer Bird, the Doctor had long been aware of these secret movements. During a break in cultivation, he gathered Tendo and the others in the conference room once more. The holographic projection clearly displayed evidence of the Federation factions colluding with the Royal Court radicals. Secret correspondence, images of clandestine meetings, and records of power trades were all laid bare.
"The situation is more complex than we anticipated," the Doctor said, his tone growing more solemn and the aura beneath his mechanical mask turning colder. "These factions will never sit idly by while we prepare for war. Over the next two years, they will certainly launch attacks."
Yun Meng's face darkened, the flame Star Power around her body becoming slightly restless. Her voice carried a sense of resolve: "Should we take the initiative? Strike first to completely resolve these internal threats? We shouldn't let this drag on and affect our preparations."
"No need."
Tendo was the first to speak. A cold, sharp light flashed in his azure eyes, and his tone was devoid of any ripple, as if he were discussing a trivial matter.
"We can use them for practice. This will test the results of this past year's cultivation and give us the chance to clear out these nuisances so we aren't distracted during the actual war."
In his eyes, these factions working in the shadows were merely stepping stones to increase his own strength, unworthy of mention.
A flash of approval appeared in the Doctor's eyes.
"Very well. Then, I will appropriately leave defensive vulnerabilities in the base, intentionally showing a weakness to lure them into a sneak attack."
"Yun Meng, you will be responsible for setting up flame traps and Star Power early-warning arrays around the perimeter of the base."
"Liuli, you and Mo Ying will handle scouting and tracking to precisely locate the attackers. If necessary, execute assassination missions to clear out isolated targets."
"Caroline, the containment potions you developed can be put to the test in live combat, used in conjunction with the traps."
"Tendo, you will be responsible for intercepting the main force head-on. Try to leave survivors; we need to squeeze more information out of them regarding the Royal Court's troop deployments and battle plans."
"Understood!" they answered in unison, their voices full of fighting spirit.
The Star Beasts also became restless. Little Jin let out a low roar, the flames around it burning fiercely as if it couldn't wait to welcome the battle. Mo Ying leaped out from Jing Liuli's arms, rolling on the ground in excitement, its golden pupils flashing with eagerness. The Spirit Fox jumped lightly into the center of the conference table, its amber eyes full of vigilance and sharpness, ready to plunge into battle at any moment.
As the night deepened, the lights of the Ember Base remained bright. The sound of Star Power collisions from the training grounds, the hum of instruments in the lab, and the low growls of the Star Beasts intertwined, playing a tense and stirring overture to the coming war.
Tendo stood alone at the highest point of the training grounds, looking out at the deep, dark sea in the distance. The azure Star Power in his palm swirled slowly, the light flickering at his fingertips. One-third of the three-year period had already passed. He could clearly feel the growing strength within him, and he could keenly sense the crises surging in the shadows. An invisible contest had already quietly begun.
He did not care at all about the Federation's future, the survival of the Star Beasts, or whether the Doctor and Enite's plan would succeed. He only knew that the battle three years from now was the key to shaking off all shackles and taking charge of his own destiny. Whether it was the legendary Star Beasts of the Royal Court or the old factions within the Federation, if they dared stand in his way, he would crush them one by one.
He would use absolute power to build a security wall that belonged only to him.
To the side, the Doctor silently watched Tendo's back. A complex array of emotions flashed through the dragon-like vertical pupils beneath his mechanical mask: understanding, approval, and a hint of nearly imperceptible worry. He understood Tendo's mindset, yet he never spoke of it. Because to him, as long as Tendo could shoulder the responsibility and hold the Federation three years from now, it mattered little what his original intention was.
After all, the ultimate goal of Project Stars was never to cultivate a perfect guardian, but to cultivate a powerhouse who could break the human-beast stalemate and end the strife.
The sea mist rolled in once more, quietly shrouding the Ember Base and concealing the sharp edge and fighting spirit dormant within. But everyone knew that this peace was only temporary. As the three-year deadline drew closer, a storm sweeping through the New Human Federation and the Star Beast Royal Court was quietly brewing in the darkness.
And Tendo and the others were honing themselves in the most rigorous manner, accumulating power and silently waiting for the moment the storm arrived and their sharp edges were fully revealed.
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