Ethan frowned.
Just seconds ago, he had felt it clearly:
a gaze. Deep. Malicious.
It was fleeting, sharp, without a specific direction. It did not come from a particular point…
It seemed to emanate from everywhere.
There were no visible signs in the office. No fluctuations in spiritual energy. No changes in atmospheric pressure. The environment was as silent as always.
AION had issued no warnings.
"Analysis?" he murmured quietly, without moving his lips.
[No relevant disturbances. Vital signs: stable. Environment: no abnormal variations. Probability: high subjective perception.]
Ethan did not respond.
He simply kept his frown for a few more seconds. His hand gripped the C96 under the desk. But he found nothing. Maybe it was a passing impression, an illusion born from accumulated fatigue and long hours of work.
He exhaled silently and, without insisting, turned his attention back to his notebook.
Two days passed quickly.
In the underground workshop laboratory, Ethan met with the seven chosen ones and a group of trusted guards who had accompanied him in previous experiments. Everyone present in the room shared unshakable loyalty and absolute trust.
The laboratory had been remodeled and designated as a strictly restricted area. Only people authorized by Ethan could approach. The guards at the entrance had doubled to prevent any incidents. Although in Omega Zero everyone enjoyed strong loyalty and full trust, enhanced security was not a luxury but a necessity.
In front of him, in formation, were the Hu brothers — Hu Jian and Hu Zhan — along with Shen Bao, Ye Han, V-12, Officer Wei, and Officer Jian.
Ethan looked at them all with a cold, deep gaze before speaking.
"Some of you should already know what I am about to talk about," he began, his voice full of gravity.
"As mortals, we are born without the ability to cultivate. We are treated like ants, like insignificant and disposable pieces that can be eliminated without more."
"The immortals, they are born with something we do not possess, a spiritual root that allows them to transcend. They walk above the fate that crushes the rest, as if the world itself favors them."
"Why can only they cultivate?" Ethan asked, his voice cold and challenging. "Is it because they are superior to us? Just because they were born with something we do not have?"
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink into the silent room.
"They call us inferior, they consider us expendable."
Ethan looked at each of them, his voice resonating with icy determination.
"We are not immortals, we do not have spiritual roots, but we can overcome those limitations with science, with will."
Ethan walked slowly before them, observing each face carefully.
In their eyes, he saw no fear.
What he found was contained anger, invisible scars of years of helplessness. Looks hardened by hatred, frustration… and a resignation that was not weakness, but a silent acceptance of the burden they carried.
A silent fury that did not burn with madness, but with purpose.
Determination. Firm will.
Those men were not just soldiers. They were humans who had seen too much, who had been crushed by an unjust world…
"I know some of you have been with me in recent experiments. We have developed a method, which I have called Artificial Genetic Sequence, or AGS."
"This process allows humans to overcome their natural limitations, granting them strength and endurance that exceed by more than four times any known conventional permanent enhancement to date."
"Some of you have already tried the D-Serum. We could consider it an advanced method… and, in theory, with permanent effects."
"But this goes further," Ethan said.
"Those who undergo this procedure will not only improve. They will be reborn. They will enter a new evolutionary threshold. I have called these individuals Sequence 1."
Ethan paused. Silence grew denser, as if the very air awaited his next word.
"However, the method is not free of risks. You have all witnessed what happened to the first subjects: the instability, the mental collapses, the initial loss of control. You have seen with your own eyes the consequences of crossing this boundary."
"Despite that, in recent weeks we have managed to stabilize the process. We have applied it to three new subjects, and the success rate has been 100%. No visible side effects or mental deterioration have been detected. At least, so far."
"But you must understand this well: this remains an uncertain frontier. A direct intervention against natural design. We do not know what long-term consequences may arise. This choice is not light… it is a declaration against the established order."
He raised his gaze and scanned each of them intensely.
"So now I ask you…"
"Who is willing?"
"Who dares to become the first Human Sequences in Astralis?"
His voice sounded like a verdict. There was no pressure. Only truth.
The decision was theirs alone. No one would be forced.
Silence reigned for a few seconds.
Then, a single pair of firm footsteps echoed through the laboratory.
Ye Han stepped forward.
He stood at attention respectfully before Ethan.
"I am willing, sir."
His voice was clear, without hesitation.
But inside him, memories boiled.
He remembered the day the Iron Fist Sect rejected him for lacking spiritual roots.
He remembered his childhood friend, someone he had considered family, cruelly mocking him in front of others.
"A useless talentless fool, you should go back," he had said with a sneer of contempt.
Hatred did not consume him…
But the pain had never left.
Ye Han lifted his head and held Ethan's gaze firmly.
"Even if this process costs me my life… I am willing. I don't want to remain weak. I'd rather die standing than live on my knees."
The laboratory remained silent, but in that instant, something invisible seemed to tremble in the air.
The first to take the step…
The first to defy fate.
One by one, those present began to move forward.
Shen Bao was next. Without a word, he stepped forward and placed his fist over his chest in a gesture of respect.
"My hands have held a rifle, but my heart has always longed for something more."
V-12 advanced with a cold expression. His eyes seemed to shine with the dim light of the laboratory.
"If this makes us stronger, if this gives us a chance against those who see us as insects… Then I have nothing to lose."
The Hu brothers, Jian and Zhan, stepped forward in unison, as they always did.
"We are ready."
Both spoke with a conviction tempered by years of silent service.
Officer Wei, head of security in Ciudad Stella, and Officer Jian, in charge of the Black Iron mine, took the final step forward. Both men had lived among constant dangers, invisible threats, and life-costing decisions.
"Death has breathed down my neck many times," Officer Jian said in a grave voice. "If this time I can become stronger… and do more for Astralis, I will do it without hesitation."
One by one, the seven now stood aligned at the front. Firm, straight, with serious faces and eyes burning with determination.
Ethan watched them silently. Then, he smiled.
"As expected from the best Vesper elites," he said, his voice low but with undeniable respect.
He turned toward a nearby table, where eight glasses waited.
Ethan took the Dragon's Breath liquor and, without delegating the task, poured a glass for each one.
His gesture was meticulous, personal. Almost ritualistic.
When everyone held their glasses, Ethan raised his.
"For Astralis."
"For a future where we will no longer be trampled by those born with spiritual roots. For those who dare to go against the established order. And for the Human Sequence… that will mark a new beginning."
The seven repeated the last line softly, like a solemn echo:
"For the Human Sequence."
And in unison, they all drank it down in one gulp.
The liquor burned like liquid fire as it went down their throats, igniting their bodies.
Ethan let out a slight laugh.
Not out of mockery.
But for the first time… out of satisfaction.
A brief, controlled laugh. But genuine.
"Good," he said, setting the glass down on the table with determination. "It's time to forge this new era with our own hands."
Note
Hey everyone. I've been absent these days, and I don't really have an excuse — I just didn't feel like writing.
For years, I've been a reader first, and while I've been writing lately, I stopped reading some stories I had on hold. I missed that feeling and decided to go back and enjoy a few of them.
Honestly, you could say I was "studying" in a way. I found a lot of inspiration while reading — especially in how other authors handle battles and fight scenes — and I took notes for the future.
Anyway, I'll try to stay active again. I've got some ideas in mind, but I'd also love to hear what you think about the direction of the story so far.
At first, I planned to focus purely on technology, but I felt like I was missing out on potential. After all, there's so much room to explore when you combine cultivation techniques with technology — and that's the path I want to explore going forward.
Still, feel free to share your ideas.
I'd love to know what you want to see next
Should I focus more on the development of Stella City, and introducing things like electricity and infrastructure to lay the foundation for future tech?
Or would you prefer more challenges and conflict, like cultivators starting to notice Ethan and tension rising?
Looking forward to your thoughts!