Chapter Seventy-six: Selfishness

“What?! Invincible right after being born?!” Upon hearing this, Sky Blue’s face turned pale once more.

“Though this Flame Zeal has only just been born, by my estimation, its power already reaches the initial Nebula level...” White sighed again. “Even at the lowest tier, Nebula-level power is unmatched on Earth. And with its formidable physique, even if every nuclear bomb on Earth detonated at once, it wouldn’t be enough to inflict fatal harm...”

Sky Blue sank into profound silence. He already knew from White what Nebula level meant. His own strength had only just reached the peak of Human Energy Gathering Level Seven. Only after completing all eighty-one levels of Energy Gathering would he touch the threshold of cosmic cultivators, the Star Radiance level. Nebula was a whole realm above Star Radiance. The gulf between them defied reason—it was like the difference between an ant and an elephant, but even that failed to capture it. Exaggerating, it was more like an ant and the ocean...

“It’s over...” A sense of utter helplessness overwhelmed him. If Flame Zeal were merely Star Radiance, he would still dare to rally all of Earth’s power and wage battle. But Nebula...

That was true despair.

In that moment, countless thoughts flashed through his mind: his parents, Wang Ling’s family, Chen Xiaoxuan, his friends and loved ones, even his long-forgotten ex-girlfriend Li Mei...

Was everyone destined to die?

Was his journey through the universe doomed to end before it had even begun?

Damn the heavens! If I was chosen to inherit the God of Battle, why couldn’t I have just a little more time?

If I possess such extraordinary insight, why not give me more chances to grow?

What is this?

I’ve only just begun to understand the universe, only just started to plan, not yet had the chance to rewrite Earth’s fate, not yet truly encountered the powers of the cosmos—and all my grand ambitions are to die before birth...

Unwilling! So deeply unwilling!

“White! Can you send us away? Not many people, just my family of three, Wang Ling’s family, and... Chen Xiaoxuan, just a handful. Do you have the power to send us away? I can’t die! I need time!” Sky Blue’s eyes reddened, and he roared.

He wasn’t angry, but ashamed.

He admitted, confronted by the threat of death, he was afraid; faced with an irresistible force, he truly faltered. All his talk of rewriting Earth’s fate and protecting its people was abandoned in that moment. Before the prospect of death, before the possibility of witnessing those he cared about perish, he realized he was, at heart, a selfish person.

What is a savior?

Sky Blue believed that saving the world was the duty of one who had the power. Without it, waiting to die together was nothing but pointless sacrifice.

He couldn’t die—not while he had found so many opportunities, so many trump cards, such an endlessly promising future. How could it all be cut short before it had even begun...

“I’m sorry—I don’t have that ability...” White looked at him with some disappointment and shook his head. “Never mind that I’m just a damaged version now—even at my peak, I couldn’t bring you all away. After all, I’m an intelligent lifeform, not a spaceship...”

“What do we do, then? What do we do?! Are we really just supposed to wait here and die...” Sky Blue saw White’s decisive refusal, and all hope in his eyes dissolved into profound sorrow. He muttered to himself.

“Have you never considered... fighting for your home planet, defeating Flame Zeal?” White suddenly asked.

“Fight? Defeat Flame Zeal?” Sky Blue repeated, burying his head, speaking in anguish: “Do you think I want to run away? Do you think I don’t want to save Earth? But... with such a vast difference in power, how? How am I supposed to fight?”

“Yes! I’m afraid of dying. I have so many opportunities, such a bright future, I really am afraid. I’m unwilling! I’m afraid for my parents, for Wang Ling, I want to protect them—even if every person on Earth spits on me, I still want them to escape first!”

“Yes! I admit I’m selfish! I’m not so noble as to risk my life for strangers—I only care about those I care about, and myself.”

“If it were possible, if I had the power, I would save everyone—even if my strength were a bit less, I could fight, I could risk it. But I don’t... The gap is simply too vast.”

“I don’t have the power to save everyone, so I can’t convince myself to go to my death...”

“Maybe I really am a selfish person.” Sky Blue kept speaking, almost incoherently. Anyone versed in psychology would recognize this as the outward expression of an intensifying inner conflict.

He was indeed caught in contradiction. On one hand, he admitted his selfishness and cowardice; on the other, he didn’t want to be so selfish, wanted to do something for humanity. But lacking the power, he could only keep talking to persuade himself to become wholly selfish.

“You humans really are contradictory...” White shook his head, genuinely puzzled by Sky Blue’s current thoughts.

“But you’re not without options. I’ll give you a choice—whether to flee or stay, that’s up to you.” White continued, “When I came to Earth, besides myself and this newborn Flame Zeal, there was something else you seem to have forgotten.”

Sky Blue was deep in psychological turmoil, but at White’s words, his eyes suddenly lit up, shining with brilliance.

Of course! The Crimson Star God Armor!

There was still the Crimson Star God Armor!

White had always instilled in him the idea that without reaching Star Radiance, he couldn’t restore it, nor could he find the Crimson Star God Armor. So he had gradually forgotten about it. Now, with White’s reminder, he abruptly recalled the existence of this ultimate weapon!

If anything on Earth could threaten Flame Zeal, it would surely be the Crimson Star God Armor!

But...

Where was the Crimson Star God Armor? Wasn’t it lost?

“The Crimson Star God Armor has different effects depending on the wielder. For my master, its boost was considerable, but no longer earthshaking,” White explained, ignoring Sky Blue’s confusion. “But for you, with your current strength, once you acknowledge the Crimson Star God Armor through me, it can raise your power by about two entire realms.”

“In other words, after putting on the Crimson Star God Armor, you can also reach the initial Nebula level. But with such a sudden surge in power, you likely won’t be able to control it. Without corresponding attack methods, you’ll be unable to unleash its full might—at best, you could defend yourself, but any mistake would still mean death.”