Neo believed that synthesizing a fragment of a World Core would be simple, but he couldn’t have been more wrong.

"Arghhhh!"

As soon as he channeled his [Universal Synthesis] into the containment chamber, the sheer weight of the planetary essence slammed into his consciousness like the gravitational pull of a collapsing star.

​The difficulty was unimaginable. A World Core wasn’t just a energy core, it was a condensed history of a billion years of tectonic shifts and atmospheric pressure.

So when Neo attempted to bridge the fractures in the core with his own Cosmic Force, the feedback loop was immediate and violent.

​His [Titanium Tempest Body] groaned under the pressure. The metallic sheen of his skin began to spiderweb with glowing orange cracks. Every time he tried to force the synthesis forward, the World Core rejected his "inferior" energy, sending a backlash through his nervous system that felt like molten lead being poured into his veins.

​"Argh!" Neo screamed, his knees buckling.

​Blood, shimmering with the dark red hue of his Hellfire evolution, leaked from his eyes and ears.

Crack, crack!

His bones cracked as they fractured and instantly began to knit back together thanks to his [Undead Regeneration].

"No! I Won’t Give Up!" he growled.

The torturous cycle began. His power was being consumed faster than he could replenish it, causing his body to break and heal a dozen times a second.

​[ Warning: Cosmic Force Depleted... 0.2/25.0 ]

​[ Warning: Critical Physical Failure Imminent ]

​He was hitting a wall. His current capacity was simply too small to contain the "planetary essence" required to mend the ship’s heart.

"Can I really not succeed?" he muttered, looking down.

However, just as his vision began to fade into a dark haze, his [Heat-Signature Perception] caught a heat from the pile of tributes behind him.

It flashed like a ray of hope to his flickering vitality.

He frantically scrambled through and soon, amidst the mountain of junk and precious metals, a rough violet stone sat, emitting a cold light.

​Ding!

​[ Discovery: Void-Mana Crystal (C-Grade) ]

​[ Notification: This object contains highly concentrated Cosmic Essence. If assimilated through the proper method, it can permanently expand the user’s Cosmic Force capacity and restore current reserves. ]

​Neo smiled: A mad, sadistic smile. Without delay, he pressed the crystal against his chest, right over his heart. Then, he initiated the synthesis once more.

​[ Synthesis Initiated: Titanium Tempest Body + Void-Mana Crystal (C) ]

​[ Assimilation Pathway Activated... ]

​Ding!

​[ Success! ]

​[ Your Cosmic Force has been restored, and your reserve has increased by +200! ]

​[ Your Cosmic Pool has been strengthened due to continuous strain. ]

​[ Cosmic Force: 225 / 225 ]

​Neo felt incredible as a violent, icy surge of energy erupt from his chest, flooding his parched veins.

Every cell inside his body felt rejuvenated. The agonizing heat of the World Core was suddenly met with the boundless, chilling depth of the Void-Mana.

The cracks in his skin closed and fused with a violet luster, reinforcing his body to handle the astronomical output.

​"Now..." Neo growled, "Let’s finish this."

​

Buzz!

The Synthesis output he delivered this time was many times more intense. The whole world core and the pile of materials was encased in the radiant protective cocoon just like last time.

[ Synthesizing... Progress 5%...19%...37%...69%... 100%]

[ Synthesis Was Successful! ]

[ Titanic Energy Core upgraded to Planetary Energy Core ]

"Buzzz!"

The Titan class ship, Ghost, which had been buried in dirt for years, finally came to life.

Every corner of the ship felt the energetic vibration.

​The reaction among the inhabitants of the lower decks was instantaneous and chaotic.

​In the main market, the "manic traders" who had just been shouting about alien cuisine and energy reactors fell silent as their stalls began to vibrate.

The magnetic levitation tracks, which had been sparking and stuttering for years, suddenly locked into perfect alignment with a loud clack.

​"Oh god! The ship... it’s breathing!" one merchant shrieked, dropping a crate of scavenged medical pods.

He scrambled under his counter, terrified that the sudden surge of power meant an imminent explosion.

"Damn it!"

Others gripped their displays, watching in awe as ancient, dusty monitors flickered to life, displaying high-definition star charts of sectors they hadn’t seen in a lifetime.

​"It’s the star map! What’s happening here?"

​The battle-hardened mercenaries near the upper docks reached for their weapons, their instincts screaming "ambush."

​"Is it the Rothschilds again? Did they remotely activate the self-destruct?" a scarred veteran barked, bracing himself against a bulkhead.

But instead of the booming sound of explosion, he felt an energetic vibe.

Oxygen and other life supporting wind elements filled the air.

"Boss, could it be.... the Ghost came alive?"

"I am not sure." the scarred face veteran replied, his gaze melancholic.

For men who had lived in the scent of rot and oil for years, the smell of clean air was more terrifying than a gun pointed at their heads.

Humm!

​Outside the ship, the massive wreck groaned as it shifted its position from years.

Buzz!

As the thruster ports cleared themselves, huge plumes of frozen exhaust and ancient dust were blasted away.

The scavengers living in the surrounding debris fields watched as the "titanic" hunk of metal began to glow.

"Grandpa, I am scared," a young boy saud, clutching an old scavenger.

​"Don’t be, grandson," the old scavenger said gently. "It’s not a graveyard anymore. The Ghost has found a soul."

​Back in the Main Core, Ghost was in a jovial mood.

​"He really did it! I can finally be free from this junkyard!"

​"Humph, don’t forget your duties, Ghost," Dr. Clark added, adjusting his glasses. "Our Lord requires your full cooperation. And if you ever try anything funny, you know I can always audit your code," he threatened.

​Elena joined in as well, "If you betray the Emperor, you will die a horrible death."

​Ghost displayed a flustered, sweating face on the large monitor.

"Ahem! What are you two talking about? I am not like those humans who break their word every chance they get. I will assist my master, Neo Godson, with my full capabilities."

​At that moment, Neo emerged from the secret room. His figure looked far from exhausted; on the contrary, his presence seemed much stronger than before.

He looked at Ghost with an immovable gaze, a quality that had recently emerged within him.

​"Remember your words, Ghost. After all, I chose to trust you when I had other options."

​Ghost felt an unknown shiver through its artificial intelligence. And thus, instead of making a shallow promise, the AI responded with action.

​"Systems at 85% capacity and climbing. Engines engaged. Kinetic barriers at full strength. Master... I am yours to command. Where shall we strike first?"

​With effortless grace, Neo sat down on the main throne, from which he could observe everything through the transparent shielding.

​"We will head east. But first, connect me to the Market. I have a few serious things to say to those scavengers."