SIMULATION CONTINUES...
[This simulation is set to hard difficulty. You receive two additional random rewards.
Drawing now...
You have obtained a Talent Upgrade Crystal!
You have obtained a Heart Communication Crystal!
Talent Upgrade Crystal: Use this crystal to choose either a martial arts or supernatural talent and increase its level by one.
Heart Communication Crystal: Choose a target, and with their consent, you can share thoughts and vision, and gain the ability to use any one of their abilities once per day!
The next simulation will be in one day!]
Doomsday Squad? How did the Doomsday Squad get involved? Bertram's heart slams against his ribs.
The Doomsday Squad is the backbone of humanity after the apocalypse, they scoop up the brightest minds and forge them into weapons.
How the hell did they suddenly start paying attention to him?
Just as Bertram chews on this, his phone buzzes. He snatches it up. Whitney's voice cuts through the speaker.
"Thank you. My sister's been rescued. Stay at school, don't wander off. We'll come see you soon to discuss some matters."
We? Besides Whitney, who else could it be?
Whitney's already a monster among the younger generation. Could she have the Doomsday Squad backing her up?
Bertram's pulse spikes.
A connection this strong, he can't let it slip.
"Okay!" he fires back, playing it cool.
Whitney hangs up.
Bertram drags his focus back to the rewards from reshaping his destiny.
Inside the Infinite Life Simulation, his martial arts level hit F+ grade. His psychic ability, Silver Threads, stretched to sixteen feet, creeping closer to F grade.
All that experience, all those levels, they're about to pour into his real body. Every scrap of insight, every hard-won reflex.
Once he absorbs Blood Source and White Source later, he'll rocket his real abilities up to match the simulation.
The random reward drops two crystals. First up: the Talent Upgrade Crystal.
Unlike the last one, which only boosted martial arts, this one lets him pick either path. Though, no chance to unlock a special physique this time.
My martial arts talent is already E grade. But psychic talent? Still stuck at F.
Training feels like dragging feet through mud. Normally I should handle three Silver Threads, but right now I can barely manage one.
Bertram rolls it around in his head, then locks in his choice, he pumps the Talent Upgrade Crystal into his psychic abilities.
"Congratulations, your psychic ability, Silver Threads, has been upgraded to E grade!"
Now both of his talents sit at E grade.
And honestly? These Talent Upgrade Crystals keep showing up. Doesn't seem that hard to grab them.
If he can push both talents to S grade down the line... that would be something else.
Bertram's eyes gleam.
"There's barely any humans walking around with S grade talents."
The other item: a Heart Communication Crystal.
First time he's ever seen one of these.
You bind it to a target. Once locked in, you share thoughts, vision and you can borrow one of their abilities per day.
But there's a catch. The binding's got to be voluntary.
Bertram runs through his options.
Right now, only Dina fits. Dina's an S-class extradimensional freak, massive potential.
Binding with her is a jackpot.
He sets the Heart Communication Crystal's target to the Seven-Star Phantom Death Butterfly. In an instant, a new channel rips open inside his mind, connected to the butterfly nestled in his arms.
He catches the faint, confused pulse of the butterfly's thoughts. And through her eyes, he sees the inside of his own shirt.
"With this heart-link, commanding Dina gets way easier," Bertram thinks, the realization hitting him. "Plus, we share vision and can borrow each other's abilities."
The Heart Communication Crystal's value just skyrocketed in his eyes.
"Life simulations on difficult mode are damn thrilling. But for double rewards? Totally worth it."
"Especially those talent upgrade crystals. If I could snag ten or eight of those at once..."
"And ability activation crystals too. There's people out there running around with dual or even triple abilities. If I stack enough activation crystals, could I unlock multiple abilities myself?"
While Whitney and the others haven't made it back yet, Bertram heads to the training room to absorb the Blood Source and White Source.
After fully draining the Blood Source, his martial arts cultivation smoothly pushes into F+ level.
He also pulls in about one-fifth of the White Source, stretching the silver threads to sixteen feet.
During the Blood Source absorption, he accidentally sucks up the golden aura from Moses' Blood Source too. The number of dark sword auras inside his body jumps to five strands.
With his strength climbing to heights he's never touched before, Bertram feels the future cracking open wide in front of him.
An unexplainable wave of confidence surges through him for the next simulation.
Next time, I'll survive longer. Even if I bite the dust, it'll be for something big. Something grand. Not like those pathetic deaths the first three times.
"Tomorrow can't come fast enough," Bertram breathes out.
His phone rips through the silence. Whitney. "Come to the office!"
Whitney's already back at school?
This is it, his shot to latch onto something huge. Bertram's chest tightens with excitement.
He strides to the office door and shoves it open.
Five pairs of eyes snap toward him from every direction.
The weight of their stares drills into his skin, makes him squirm. He shifts his gaze to the only familiar face in the room, Whitney.
"Bertram, let me introduce you," Whitney says. "These four are my teammates."
"As for what team... you might've heard of the Apocalypse Squad Plan. Starting from year one of the apocalypse, every five years, they form ten squads. Each squad pulls together the six most brilliant human talents alive."
"This is our captain, Tristian. He's got an A-grade special physique, the Ninefold Body. His current power level is B-grade."
A burly young man radiates raw, crushing strength. He gives Bertram a gentle smile.
"I'm the vice-captain," Whitney continues. "I've got an A-grade ability called Frost Power. Currently sitting at C++ level."
"This is Tevin. Team member. A-grade special physique, the Phantom Body. His martial arts level is at C+ right now."
A man wrapped in a black trench coat shows a pale face that hasn't seen sunlight in what looks like years.
He forces a smile that's not too awkward.
"This is Ryder. Team member. A-grade ability called Mist Sea. His ability level's at C+."
A young man in white robes with messy hair waves at Bertram, flashing a cheerful grin.
"And this is Tabitha. Team member. A-grade ability called Metal. She's a mechanical engineer. Her ability level's at C+."
The last introduction lands on a stunning woman in a black and red bodysuit. Special metal devices are strapped across her suit.
Two guns hug her thighs.
A cannon hangs off her back.