Strategy

"297..."

"298..."

"299..."

"300!"

Asher's arm gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat. He had been undergoing a physical training regimen—three hundred one-arm push-ups were a routine exercise in the surface training camp, but considering he was doing them under twice Earth's gravity, the intensity was certainly no less than before.

In the 20-square-meter gravity chamber, capable of simulating up to ten times Earth's gravity, the intensity could be adjusted according to the user's requirements. It was a special room for contestants to train their physical strength, and in Babylon, such tenfold gravity rooms were commonplace. As Hudson had mentioned in his ramblings, the military or those large noble families had private gravity rooms that could simulate up to fifty times Earth's gravity.

Training in the gravity room was beyond the capacity of ordinary human endurance; only by infusing one's entire body with Source Energy could one partially counteract the gravitational pressure. Thus, physical training also became a process of refining Source Energy.

Asher flipped onto his back and said to the ceiling, "End training."

Suddenly, his body felt light as the room's smart brain ceased simulating Earth's gravity. Nearly every facility in the training building could be voice-controlled. Asher was already adapting to this new lifestyle, even though he had been in Babylon for barely half a day.

Staring at the ceiling, the silver metallic dome reflected Asher's image. The young man thought of Hudson's words earlier, and his mood sank as heavily as his body had under the gravity's oppression.

Source Energy Binding was far more complex than he had imagined. Recalling their conversation, when he pressed Hudson about a way to undo the binding, the old drunk fell silent. After a moment, he said, "Of course, there's a way to remove it, and there are two methods. But neither is easy. The first method is the simplest yet the hardest—having the person who locked you undo it themselves. The combination of Source Energy is in the hundreds, if not thousands. Even with smart brain logic calculations, it's nearly impossible to find the true answer. Different attributes, varying strengths of Source Energy, and so on, create countless possibilities. So this password is only known to the person who applied the Source Energy Binding..."

"And the second method?" Asher pressed on.

Hudson didn't answer directly but looked at him and said, "Kid, why are you so fixated? Let's put it this way, even if you can't form a genetic circuit, I have some tricks that might help you—perhaps even to win."

Asher shook his head, the determined gaze and words of Loretta at their parting flashing through his mind. He stated firmly, "Major, because my end goal will never be some Death Arena."

Looking into Asher's crimson eyes, Hudson seemed to sense something. He shrugged and said, "Alright, I might as well tell you. The second method is up to you. Actually, you're quite lucky; there are three layers of binding on your heart. I feel that the first layer is the weakest, perhaps with nine vortices of Source Energy you could forcibly break it from the outside."

"It's like breaking a lock without a key. But I must warn you, Source Energy Binding is like a barrier, and this barrier is on your heart. When you strike it forcefully, even if you succeed in breaking through, it will inevitably damage your heart." Hudson patted his shoulder and advised, "If you want to use the second method, then go back to the gravity room and continue your series of physical training. Only with a stronger physique and Source Energy can you withstand the damage from breaking the barrier."

"Thank you, Major," Asher grinned and then ran back to the gravity room without another word.

Hudson shook his head, "Stubborn and foolish kid..."

"But I'm starting to like this little brat," he muttered, returning to his work.

Now with four Source Energy vortices, Asher still needed five more to meet the basic requirement for challenging the barrier. Considering the time left, he had one month to refine five more vortices—a task nearly impossible for a normal person. Asher gritted his teeth and ordered the room's smart brain to continue the gravity simulation, then started another set of physical exercises.

Despite the difficulty, Asher wouldn't give up. He had already lost so much and didn't want to lose the chance to avenge his mother and Bai Fang.

Outside the gravity chamber, Hudson had finished his work. He stared at a screen on the wall, which displayed Asher training. Hudson took a swig of his drink and remained silent.

When Asher stumbled out of the gravity room, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground involuntarily. Every muscle in his body trembled, and some tendons were even damaged. Lacking the strength to move a finger, Asher could barely keep his eyes open. Hudson came over, picked him up, and said, "It's good to push yourself, young man, but it's not wise to do so before the competition even starts. You can tap into your potential, but don't drain it all at once—that could kill you, kid."

Hudson carried him back to his room and tossed him onto the bed. After stepping out for a moment, he returned with an injection and plunged it into Asher's arm, pressing the liquid inside. "Don't think about anything now, just get some sleep," Hudson patted his face.

As the world blurred and even Hudson's face became indistinct, Asher finally drifted off to sleep. When he woke up, it was already the following morning. After a shower and a change into clean clothes, Asher returned to the main hall, which was eerily quiet—Hudson hadn't gotten up yet.

Rampage lay on the table, and Asher walked over to pick it up. The black steel broadsword had been reassembled, and after swinging it a few times, he detected no abnormalities. Suddenly, Hudson's voice came from behind, "You can try channeling your Source Energy into the blade, see what happens."

The old drunk, clutching a bottle, stood behind Asher, disheveled and bloodshot-eyed, looking like a man who hadn't slept all night. Following Hudson's suggestion, Asher willed his Source Energy to flow into Rampage. As the energy entered, it felt like a black hole within the blade, sucking away his meager Source Energy in an instant.

The young man was hit with a wave of emptiness, barely able to stand. But Rampage underwent a change—the dark lines along the blade's edge lit up, and a 20-centimeter energy blade shot out from the tip. The dark red energy blade buzzed like a screen of light, illuminating Asher's face with excitement. He could finally wield Rampage!

After about 30 seconds, the energy blade flickered and retracted. Asher could no longer hold Rampage steady, and the broadsword clattered to the floor. Hudson picked it up and placed it on the table, looking at Asher, now pale and slumped on the ground, "See, you can now use this toy. That's good news. The bad news is, to wield it proficiently, you need more Source Energy to support it. Otherwise, you'll end up a limp shrimp just after activating the energy sharpness sequence, and that's just a joke."

That day, Asher experienced the agony of draining his Source Energy. The vast emptiness felt as if it filled his soul, and his heart pumped like a bellows, the beat echoing in his ears, reminding him to be more cautious next time.

Asher sat on the floor for an entire morning, with Hudson ignoring him while he drank. When Asher recovered a single Source Energy vortex, the sense of emptiness gradually subsided, and he managed to get up. By afternoon, Hudson threw him back into the gravity room. For the next two days, aside from physical training, Asher almost thought the old drunk was slacking off, as he hadn't guided him in anything else.

Totonis visited twice, briefly seeing him before hurrying off again, appearing quite busy.

On the fifth day, after breakfast, Asher, out of habit, headed towards the gravity room, but Hudson called out to him. Asher looked at the major questioningly, and the old drunk motioned for him to come over.

"I've reviewed the other contestants' files; these little brats are no joke. Asher, once the competition starts, what's your plan?" Hudson asked casually.

Asher thought for a moment, then swung his fist and said, "Knock everyone out. Isn't that how you win?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than his head was struck by Hudson's liquor flask. The blow made Asher grimace, and Hudson shook his head, "Did Ronan only teach you to exercise until your brains fell into your muscles? You fool, didn't I make myself clear? Your competitors won't be much different from you; most are about the same level. If you just charge in without thinking, I bet you won't last two days."

"What should I do?" Asher asked, rubbing his head.

Hudson snorted through his nose, "You need a strategy, understand? Brute strength without strategy is just a brute. Only with both courage and cunning do you have a chance to become a great general like me!"

Looking at the so-called "great general," Asher seriously doubted how much water was in Hudson's words. Hudson cleared his throat and said, "Don't look at me like this now. When I was young and off conquering distant territories, you probably didn't even know where you were. Or how do you think I got the rank of major? I fought for it!"

"Now listen carefully, you have some free time every day. During this time, apart from not leaving the building, you can go anywhere you like. My advice is to use this time to visit the training hall on the top floor. Make some friends, and if the conditions are right, form a temporary alliance. It will help you in the Death Arena."

"Remember, the strength of one person is limited, whether in the Death Arena or on the path ahead. Whether it's your soldiers or your friends, you need to find a way to integrate the resources you can use. You'll find that this collective strength is much more powerful than you alone." After a pause, Hudson added, "And lastly, read these books when you have time; they'll help you." Hudson pulled out three books from his coat and tossed them to Asher.