Blake Hawthorne was terrified.
He had just been warned by the Goddess of Wisdom, one of the three ultimate intelligences of the Universal Human Alliance. Her authority surpassed nearly all other institutions. Even the distant and powerful Star Lords showed only reverence in her presence.
To be personally warned by the Goddess of Wisdom was like staring into the abyss—a chilling reminder that he had dared poke into something far beyond his station.
"W-What…?" he stammered, heart pounding.
And then another voice—Seth Cross—gasped audibly, his face drained of color. The panic written on his face was just as intense as Blake's.
"Did… did you try looking up Aeron's file too?" Blake asked, turning toward him sharply.
Seth gave a hollow nod.
Realizing the danger, Blake turned to the others at the table and said with grave urgency, **"Do not—**and I mean do not—try to check Aeron's personal data."
Even his own simple inquiry had resulted in a direct warning from the highest AI in the known universe. If anyone else tried, they might not be as lucky.
The others sat in stunned silence.
"Wait," one of the girls blinked, confused. "You're saying Aeron's info is protected by the Goddess of Wisdom? Why?"
Blake explained in a low voice what had just happened to him.
A moment of silence passed.
Then Seth slowly muttered, "That level of data encryption… It's only used for either high-ranking citizens or classified talents in special government programs."
Everyone stiffened.
Was Aeron one of them?
The pieces were falling into place too fast.
Blake clenched his fists. "No matter who he is… I really embarrassed myself just now."
Just earlier, he had proudly offered to ask his uncle for help with Aeron's so-called conscription. Now, he realized how laughable that offer had been.
And then someone turned to Quinn Harper, the quiet girl who had earlier hinted at knowing more.
"Quinn," Seth asked, narrowing his eyes. "You knew Aeron wasn't on the draft list before we did. Do you know more than you're telling us?"
Everyone turned toward her.
Quinn hesitated, then gave a small nod. "I don't know everything. But… a few days ago, I was working part-time at the Moonwater Estates sales office."
"I saw Aeron there. He bought a luxury house on the spot."
Silence.
Moonwater Estates was one of the most prestigious residential areas in the city. Even the smallest unit cost over ten million credits.
No one in their school—certainly no student—should've been able to afford that.
Seth's jaw tightened. He came from a decent family, but ten million wasn't something he could casually throw around without parental approval.
Blake and Seth exchanged a long, complex look. For three years, they'd been subtly competing—both academically and socially—assuming themselves to be the top of their class.
Now it seemed that Aeron had been watching them the entire time with disinterest, like someone staring at a pair of squabbling children.
Quinn glanced at them. There was one detail she didn't mention:
The sales manager of the estate—Mr. Wang—had treated Aeron with the kind of reverence usually reserved for government officials.
He'd bowed. Apologized. Spoken with hands folded.
Quinn still remembered the scene vividly. It had sent chills down her spine.
She looked down at the table, her heart full of conflicting emotions.
"How could I have been so blind?" she whispered to herself.
Derek, who had remained quiet, finally spoke. "Was he really always this powerful? I've known him for three years, and now I feel like I don't know him at all."
---
Meanwhile.
A black hover car glided smoothly through the city, coming to a stop in front of a dull, nondescript gray building.
Aeron stepped out, his eyes scanning the structure in front of him.
This was the Evolutionary Association.
From the outside, it didn't look like much. There was no sign. No grand entrance.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
A young woman in a tight black skirt and polished heels hurried up to him.
"Mr. Aeron?" she asked tentatively.
"That's me," he nodded.
She visibly exhaled in relief. "This way, please."
Her name tag read: Claire. She was the staff member who had nearly lost her job the day before. It was only Aeron's gracious forgiveness that had prevented a formal reprimand.
She glanced at him again. So young… And yet so intimidating.
They stepped into a sleek elevator. Claire tapped the control panel, and the elevator began its silent ascent.
"Before registering as an evolver," she explained, "you'll need to undergo a strength assessment. Your Evolution Certificate will be issued based on that."
"Understood," Aeron nodded.
They stepped off on the twenty-second floor, and Claire guided him through a corridor lined with dark alloy rooms.
They stopped at the very end.
"Here's your assessment chamber," Claire said, gesturing to the final door.
Aeron opened it.
Inside was a polished silver-white pod.
"A virtual world cabin?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
Claire smiled. "Correct. High-level evolvers like yourself can't be tested in the real world. Some of them can destroy entire cities with a single blow. We'd have to reserve a planet just to run a fair test."
She continued, "This cabin scans your entire body and simulates it one-to-one in the virtual world. Your strength, reflexes, and internal power are all duplicated perfectly. The results are highly accurate."
Aeron nodded slowly.
It made sense. He was strong—very strong—and growing stronger by the day. If they tried to test him physically, this entire building might collapse.
He s
tepped toward the pod and rested his hand on its side.
"Let's begin."
---
(End of Chapter 22)
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