The Intergalactic University's courtyard stretched into impossibility, twisting upwards into an endless sky. Holo-screens floated around the campus, reporting catastrophic news.
The squad's old enemies the Captain-level villain group had been annihilated without warning. Not just beaten, obliterated, erased by power levels far beyond the squad's imagination.
Astro's shadows twitched. "Yo… mfana… we just barely handled them… and now they're toast? Lowkey, universe wildin'."
Tenji slammed a fist into his palm. "Bruh… Big dawg barely punched them, and now? Universe just nerfed them to dust."
Hunter analyzed the data with his Omni-Grid. "Dawg… every single signature—gone. No survivors. Power scales? Totally recalibrated. Lowkey, we're ants."
Phantom's shadows coiled menacingly. "Lowkey… if this is what's next, survival's gonna be hell."
New Villains Emerge
Holo-screens displayed cosmic-level entities:
Zerathion – manipulates timelines and reality, multi-dimensional attacks
Nyxara – shadow-light hybrid, can collapse entire voids
Kryvos – absorbs energy, grows stronger with every opponent
Astro muttered: "Yo… mfana… universe playing chess, and we're just pawns."
Lyara hovered beside him. "Dawg… remember, the psychological trial was just the first. Many more hard trials coming."
Testing Powers
The squad entered a training arena designed for cosmic-scale combat. Gravity fluctuated, time distorted, and illusions attacked from multiple angles:
Astro: blended shadow and light instinctively, creating clones that acted ahead of perception. He dodged attacks from multiple near-futures at once.
Tenji: golden fists generated instant reflexive shockwaves, demolishing the terrain while illusions tried to crush him.
Hunter: Omni-Grid synced with instinct, predicting attacks before opponents executed them.
Phantom: clones acted autonomously across temporal slices, striking enemies that didn't exist yet.
Despite this, the squad realized their current powers were insufficient against real cosmic threats.
Psychological Trial : Part 2
The arena itself was a mind-bending psychological test:
Hallucinations of loved ones in danger
Endless waves of enemies, faster and stronger than their perception could follow
Time distortion seconds felt like centuries
Emotional attacks: fear, doubt, existential dread
Astro whispered to himself, "Yo… mfana… thought the first trial hurt… this? Universe laughing at us."
Tenji grimaced, aura flaring. "Bruh… pain isn't just physical. Mind snapping lowkey…"
Hunter's Omni-Grid flickered. "Dawg… almost lost myself… instinct holding, barely."
Phantom's shadows writhed violently. "Lowkey… this is next-level torture. Soul screaming."
They barely survived, learning not to over-rely on raw power, understanding that mental resilience was as critical as physical strength.
Foreshadowing Needed Upgrades
Lyara floated near Astro. "Man... instinct, speed, mind… all evolved. But universe-level enemies will force upgrades. Shadows alone won't cut it."
Astro nodded. "… guess we gotta push further. Time to unlock hidden layers."
Tenji clenched his fists. "Bruh… Big dawg evolving again… can't just muscle through."
Hunter analyzed data. "Dawg… power ceiling still low. Need skill fusion, mental calibration."
Phantom's shadows flickered. "Lowkey… evolution mandatory. Universe ain't waiting."
Aftermath – Cosmic Scale Reality
Previous villains wiped out no one is safe!!!!!!
Squad's powers evolved, but still insufficient
Universe scale shifted, threats grew exponentially
Intergalactic politics hinted: alliances forming, eyes on humans as potential threats
Squad realized: psychological resilience is the true battlefield
Astro whispered, "Yo… mfana… survival step one. Next trials? Universe ain't joking."