The combat tiers referred to the Hunter, the Awakener—realms whose ascension was agonizingly difficult, with each level representing a massive surge in power.

Noah Space C’s final, casually delivered remark instantly caused an uproar! Fang Senyan could already distinctly feel the potion’s power beginning to dissipate, his temporary Executor combat rank slipping back towards the peak of a Refiner, and the sense tentacles he had only just mastered began to vanish like wisps of smoke.

But when he heard that voice, an indescribable surge of power flooded his entire being. Not only did the quickly fading sense tentacles reactivate, but they began to proliferate wildly, striving to climb towards an even higher echelon!

Fang Senyan had momentarily reached the Executor rank via item enhancement, but now, Noah Space C evaluated his strength as that of a genuine Executor. Therefore, the reward of advancing one combat tier was based on this temporary, achieved standard.

This couldn't be counted as Fang Senyan exploiting a loophole or stumbling upon a bug; it should be considered an extra reward from Noah Space C. If one considered the merit of destroying Space E, Fang Senyan was solidly among the top three, if not number one. An extra combat level increase from Noah Space C was hardly excessive.

Countless specks of starlight gathered under the will of Nightmare Space C, scattering into the bodies of the surviving Contractors spread across the void. Those who had defected from Noah Space E could only watch this unfold with envious eyes.

While many were advancing to the Executor rank, Fang Senyan found himself plunged into a state of hazy bewilderment. At first, he felt such agonizing pressure, as if every strand of his hair could hold no more energy, yet immediately afterward, he felt an emptiness, as though he were a speck of dust in a vast ocean, utterly hollow.

This was the drawback of forcibly ascending beyond one’s true attainment. Seeking rewards without effort was nearly impossible in the space; if one did not invest in effort and experience, then one would suffer the most painful trial during the comprehension phase.

While tortured by this frenzied pain, Fang Senyan, for some unknown reason within the chaos of his mind, suddenly recalled an event: the sensation of every single cell in his body being ripped and segmented when he faced the terrifying detonation of the bomb into which Eve had transformed!

Fang Senyan had previously suppressed that feeling deep within his sea of consciousness. That indescribable, intense fear had made him feel infinitesimally small, so if he could discard any memory, he would have instantly thrown that one a hundred thousand miles away.

But under this torment, that memory resurfaced! That terrifying and fatal sensation descended with overwhelming dominance, instantly wiping away all the negative emotions that had been grinding him to death. It was as if the King of Hell had arrived, causing all lesser specters and demons to flee for their very lives.

Humans possess a natural resistance to almost everything, especially when dealing with mere recollection. Initially, the subconscious mind constantly assures the core self: You are safe now; what you are doing is only remembering. Thus, the pain generated by repeated recollection acts like a knife repeatedly striking an anvil: with every blow, the blade dulls a little more, until it can cut nothing more.

After being forced to relive the memory countless times, the terror finally receded to a bearable level, allowing Fang Senyan’s thoughts to function again. When he could finally fully control that fear, he discovered he had become strangely fascinated by the sensation of every cell in his body breaking apart. It felt as if he could manifest into countless forms, merging with the universe itself—a joy that seemed capable of enduring as long as the cosmos.

As the extreme fear was slowly peeled away, Fang Senyan realized that at its core, what remained was elation. Isn't this feeling bizarrely wondrous?

In truth, the world operates this way. Too much sugar turns sweet things bitter; pain causes suffering and fear, yet the pain induced by a masseuse can become addictive and worth paying for. Behind extreme darkness, a sliver of light is ultimately nurtured. It is a world full of contradictions, but behind those contradictions lies vibrant, thriving vitality!

The instant he grasped that sliver of joy, Fang Senyan suddenly went limp. It was as if every ounce of power had been completely drained from him. Yet, precisely because of this draining, the previous sensation of relentless energy injection, which had threatened to make him explode, vanished instantly.

Soon, he received a prompt:

“You have successfully advanced your Combat Tier level.”

“When combat demands higher-order power, warriors at the Executor level are no longer sufficient for the needs of war. On the battlefield, opponents must be resolved more swiftly!”

“The power to deliver a final blow is required!”

“The power of Arbitration is needed!!”

“Your Survival Awakening Skill: Survival Mark has advanced!”

“You have acquired the Arbitration Skill: Arbitration Mark. At the cost of being unable to move/attack, the Arbitrator can mark a target within a three-hundred-meter radius, greatly enhancing that target's survivability and combat ability. For the next ten seconds, 75% of any damage the marked target receives will be shared by the Arbitrator, and any movement restrictions imposed on the target will also be transferred to the Arbitrator. Concurrently, the marked target's movement speed, attack speed, casting speed, and attack power will all be comprehensively boosted by 50% of the caster’s attributes.”

“Your Offensive Awakening Skill: Predator’s Eye has advanced!”

“You have acquired the Offensive Arbitration Skill: Predator’s Eye (True). Prey targeted by you will find it difficult to escape. Psychic energy will continuously emanate from your eyes, affecting the target’s body. During this period, the enemy will be unable to use Awakening Skills/Arbitration Skills.”

“For every second the enemy remains in continuous view, one of their three attributes—Critical Hit Rate, Hit Rate, or Evasion Rate—will randomly decrease by 1 point and be added to the Caster’s stats for a duration of three hundred seconds.”

“Predator’s Eye (True) has an initial cooldown of 10 seconds. Each subsequent use increases the cooldown by 30 seconds, up to a maximum of a 300-second cooldown. The cooldown resets every 24 hours.”

“If the enemy moves outside a hundred meters of Predator’s Eye, this ability will be interrupted.”

“Truly powerful—is this the might of Arbitration?” Fang Senyan felt the surging, boiling power within his body, unable to resist the urge to find someone for a good fight. Moreover, he discovered his sense tentacles now extended three kilometers; although the base attributes had not changed drastically compared to an Awakener, Fang Senyan knew clearly that even five of his Awakener selves stood no chance against the current Arbitrator Fang Senyan! The precise calculation ability granted by the sense tentacles combined with the commanding dominance of an Arbitrator resulted in an exponential improvement in sustained combat power.

Fang Senyan’s promotion process took a full seven hours. If he hadn't been protected by the flesh armor of Noah Space C externally, he would have been reduced to ash in the void long ago. However, he was not the one who took the longest; a large portion of those who advanced their tiers experienced forced growth. Fang Senyan’s foundation was solid, which was fortunate; some fared worse, becoming trapped in illusions!

Putting others aside, Aziz had actually temporarily released the restraint of the flesh armor, exposing himself to the vacuum of space, using the threat of death to force his way through to a successful promotion. However, the majority succeeded in advancing, and even among those who failed, there had been no casualties yet.

Fang Senyan had no interest in waiting around in space. He signaled with a wave of his hand, and the Imperial starship that had been patrolling in the distance immediately flew over, respectfully receiving him aboard and heading towards the distant steel dreadnought. At this moment, Fang Senyan was a genuine Imperial Vice Admiral—an unassailable high-ranking official! His identity as a Contractor inspired fear, and his military rank demanded reverence from others. Even the captain of this colossal starship was only a Rear Admiral; in the strictly hierarchical Empire, how would he dare risk the crime of profound disrespect? Thus, he waited early at the docking port to welcome them.

Fang Senyan nodded slightly, declining the banquet and all the tedious welcoming ceremonies. The others breathed a collective sigh of relief. Such formalities were highly valued by the Imperial aristocracy, and the Rear Admiral dared not deviate, as if Fang Senyan, his superior, cared about them, it could easily terminate his entire career path.

Once inside the battleship, under Fang Senyan’s orders, the entire Ace Squad quickly assembled there. Naturally, they were accorded officer treatment, a stark, heaven-and-earth difference compared to the cold and merely symbolic courtesies received by the others.

Shortly after everyone settled in, the Rear Admiral, who should have been on duty in the Captain’s quarters, reappeared before him with a deeply serious expression. He stated in a low voice:

“Your Excellency, Vice Admiral, Prince Pompallou has learned of the monumental changes here. The mutual consumption of spaces is unprecedented, and he expresses profound interest…”

Fang Senyan responded gravely:

“And?”

“The Prince wishes to know all the detailed circumstances, and you will consequently gain his friendship,” the Rear Admiral stated respectfully, glancing at Fang Senyan: “More importantly, the Prince emphasized that this is not just his intention, but that of the entire Big Ben Research Institute.”

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