Ultragene Warlord

A loud alarm blared through the air as the spectators were dumped from the virtual realm. The screen was a mosaic of black and white with a few pixelated patches of color. The apparatuses all displayed a uniform notice: An unknown error has occurred.

All those spectating the match, as well as all those who had entered the virtual realm, spectators and contestants alike, were unceremoniously dumped out.

Everyone panicked. Just what had happened?

The virtual realm had been active for countless years, a stable construct formed by a group of top-tier existences. The Cup had never been disrupted by a problem of this magnitude—until now.

The spectators, communicating via online platforms with each other, discovered the source of the problem: a single match within the Cup.

As everything before them collapsed, the members of Team Zenith found themselves back in their coffins by the time they regained consciousness. Zhang Lie climbed out to see the members of Team Zenith and Bu Wentian in the hall.

Zhang Lie frowned. "What's the matter?"

Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, you were kicked out too?"

Yang Ze said, "Apparently, an unknown error in the system caused us all to get kicked out."

Bu Wentian frowned. "That's unusual. The virtual realm almost never encounters any such problems, let alone during such an important time as the Galactic Rising Stars Cup."

Sun Xiaowu shrugged. "Is it unusual? Any game can have server or hosting issues, after all."

Bu Wentian shook his head. "This is no ordinary game."

Yang Ze didn't seem concerned. "They're more or less the same, aren't they?"

Bu Wentian grumbled, "You don't know about the origins of the space, so you naturally wouldn't be aware."

Zhang Lie replied, "Explain everything, then."

Bu Wentian changed the topic. "How did it go for all of you?"

Sun Xiaowu asked, "The results of our battles, you mena?"

Yang Ze grinned. "We dominated over our opponents, of course."

Li Feng nodded. "How could those random competitors hope to overcome us?"

Sun Mengmeng stated, "I was in the middle of my last match when the system collapsed."

"Same here," Zhou Ying added.

The members of Team Zenith all indicated that they were each on their final matches.

Bu Wentian nodded in satisfaction. "I haven't wasted my time, then."

Sun Xiaowu huffed. "As if it's all thanks to you! We were already very strong before that."

The members of Team Zenith all looked toward Zhang Lie, waiting for his response.

Zhang Lie asked Bu Wentian curiously, "Didn't you have a look at my match?"

Bu Wentian replied, "As an avatar, I can't enter the Cup, but my main body did."

Zhang Lie replied, "I don't know if it counts as victory or defeat for me, either."

Bu Wentian frowned. "What sort of response is that? Either you've won or you've lost."

Zhang Lie shrugged. "The system collapsed at the final moment. I don't know what the result was."

Zhang Lie wouldn't mind repeating the fight. His expended resources had naturally replenished once he returned to the dimensional world.

Furthermore, he now had a good sense as to the level of his opponents.

Bu Wentian suddenly shook. As though having just received some news, he grabbed hold of Zhang Lie's shoulder in a moment.

"Just what did you do during the final trial?"

"What's the matter?" Zhang Lie didn't understand why Bu Wentian's attitude had suddenly changed.

Bu Wentian continued, "My primary body just sent me a piece of news. He was watching your final fight against Resplendent Sun, and if he's not mistaken, you two were the culprits behind the realm's instability!"

Zhang Lie recalled that he had just activated Third Form: Separating Earth and Sky before the realm collapsed. Was this really his fault...?

Zhang Lie asked, "They're not going to ask for compensation from me, are they?"

Bu Wentian shouted, "That's not the important part! Just what happened in your fight against that member of the Solarvine race termed invincible? What did you do to cause such a collapse?"

Zhang Lie frowned. "Nothing out of the ordinary. It was just another fight. Were you unable to witness it?"

Bu Wentian shook his head. "During that final clash, none of the audience members could see anything. Your fight was beyond what the virtual realm could support."

Sun Mengmeng sighed. "We know the truth even without asking anything."

Bu Wentian turned to them. "Really?"

Sun Mengmeng shrugged. "There's no need to be surprised. Our captain has always been this way—an 'ordinary fight' is something that goes beyond understood limits and dimensions of strength."

Sun Xiaowu asked, "Captain, what did you think of the opponent?"

Zhang Lie replied, "He was fine. Very strong, about on the same level as all of you."

Sun Mengmeng turned to Bu Wentian. "See? Anyone whose strength our captain acknowledges has to be really strong."

Bu Wentian replied, "But of course. He was conferred the title of invincible, and no one would bat an eye at calling him the strongest competitor in the qualifiers."

Zhang Lie continued, "I did think something was funny. The competitors I met during the qualifiers were exactly like the ones you encountered during your trial. Even the order was the same. Was any of that your doing, Senior?"

Bu Wentian rolled his eyes. "Do you think I have the authority or skill to do so? It's likely a coincidence."

"Really?" Zhang Lie was still doubtful.

Bu Wentian shrugged. "There's not much to it. Zhang Lie, with your strength, you must have finished your matches very quickly."

Sun Mengmeng nodded. "While we were still on our third match, or just barely starting our third match, the realm kicked us all out. By that time, our captain was already finishing up the third match."

Sun Xiaowu asked, "Is there a connection with how quickly you finish your matches?"

Bu Wentian replied, "Not directly, but it does end up being relevant for matchmaking."

Zhang Lie frowned. "What do you mean?"

Bu Wentian replied, "You finished your first match quickly with barely any consumption of energy, so you likely chose to continue with the second match immediately."

Zhang Lie nodded. "That's right."

"In that case, your opponent must be under the same circumstances."

Zhang Lie asked, "So there are specific protocols in place that match you with a competitor of similar strength?"

"Not a protocol," Bu Wentian replied. "I suppose you can consider it natural elimination. Those stronger competitors who finished their first match quickly, without much consumption of energy, would naturally start their second match quickly. On the other hand, the ones who are defeated would either be under too much strain to continue or would need to rest and replenish their reserves, or reflect on their defeat. They wouldn't participate in the second match immediately."

Sun Mengmeng nodded in understanding. "That's why our captain encountered such strong competitors—they were in the same condition that he was!"

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