Garion slowly stretched his body.

Crack... crack...

The sharp sounds echoed through the empty white space, and he immediately paused. Something felt different.

"Hm?"

Atlas glanced over from his shoulder.

[What is it?]

Garion frowned slightly while staring at his hand, flexing his fingers a few times.

"My body... it feels different than before. Not worse... better."

The moment he moved, the surrounding energy naturally drifted toward him like it was being pulled in by instinct alone.

Atlas instantly looked proud.

[Of course it does.]

Garion looked at him curiously.

[During these five years, I didn’t just let you sleep.]

Atlas floated off his shoulder and crossed his tiny arms.

[I also used the gathered energy to stabilize and awaken your God Physique.]

Garion blinked. "Awaken? Didn’t I already awaken my God Physique five years ago?"

Atlas nodded calmly.

[You did. But back then, it was basically a newborn. Even if you could already use it, it was still unstable.]

He pointed directly at Garion’s chest.

[Now it’s fully stabilized. Your God Physique can finally grow properly with a perfect foundation.]

"I see..."

Garion flexed his arm again before grinning. The amount of energy flowing through him now was far greater than before.

Then he looked back at Atlas. "So... where are we going now that I’m finally awake?"

Atlas’ eyes gleamed slightly.

[Now... we’re heading to a High Grade Civilization.]

Garion froze. "...High Grade already?"

[Of course.]

Garion stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell do you mean, of course?"

He pointed at himself.

"I literally just learned the real cultivation system a few hours ago. And didn’t you also say I’m basically a walking divine elixir?"

Atlas shrugged.

[And?]

Garion frowned harder. "Wouldn’t it make more sense to start somewhere safer first?"

A mischievous grin suddenly spread across Atlas’ face.

[Are you scared?]

Garion’s expression changed instantly. "...Scared?"

Atlas nodded repeatedly.

[Honestly, it would be understandable. High Grade Civilizations are filled with terrifying monsters.]

[Maybe you should start somewhere smaller first.]

Garion’s eyebrow twitched. Then he suddenly laughed. "You really think provoking me is gonna change my mind?"

Atlas whistled innocently.

[I have absolutely no idea what you mean.]

Garion rolled his shoulders before finally standing upright. "Damn it... fine. Let’s go there. I’m not scared of them at all."

Atlas’ smile widened immediately.

[Now that sounds more like you.]

The endless white space around them suddenly began to shake. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Cracks of light spread across the void while massive cosmic energy gathered around Garion’s body.

Garion looked ahead calmly.

A High Grade Civilization.

A place filled with real cosmic monsters and ancient gods... far beyond the tiny lower world he once called home.

But instead of fear, excitement slowly burned within his eyes. "Let’s see what kind of monsters are waiting for us there."

---

The moment the white space shattered completely, everything around Garion instantly turned black, countless stars shining across the endless darkness.

Garion’s eyes widened slightly as he floated silently in the middle of space itself.

Unlike before, this was no illusion or projection. This was the true cosmic universe.

Garion could feel it immediately: the cold, the pressure, the absolute silence. Yet strangely enough, his body endured it all naturally.

The surrounding cosmic energy flowed around him smoothly, almost as if space itself accepted his existence.

Garion grinned, excitement rising inside him.

But then he suddenly remembered something else and quickly turned toward Atlas. "What about the others? Rachel, Dahlia, and the rest?"

Atlas smiled calmly.

[Don’t worry... they’re still inside the system space.]

Garion crossed his arms. "You’re just leaving them there?"

Atlas immediately waved his tiny hands dismissively.

[Relax, relax. They’re completely safe inside there.]

Garion still looked unconvinced.

Atlas sighed before explaining further.

[I intentionally kept them asleep for now because they’re still weak compared to you.]

[And Rachel and Dahlia... I’m currently stabilizing their God Physiques as well.]

Garion slowly nodded. "I see..."

Atlas continued.

[So for now, they’ll remain inside the system space while their physiques stabilize naturally, and while the others slowly evolve their own physiques too.]

Garion looked quietly toward the endless darkness surrounding them. "And they’ll really be okay there?"

[Of course.]

Atlas crossed his tiny arms proudly again.

[The system space is safer than most places in the universe.]

Garion finally relaxed slightly. "Good."

A moment later, he glanced around again before looking back at Atlas. "So where exactly is this High Grade Civilization?"

Atlas immediately pointed somewhere far off into the darkness.

[There.]

Garion blinked. "That’s it?"

[Yes.]

Garion stared at him blankly. "You know, directions become a lot less helpful when we’re literally floating in infinite space."

Atlas rolled his eyes dramatically.

[Just move in that direction. There’s a terminal nearby.]

Garion looked surprised. "A terminal?"

Atlas smiled smugly.

[Yep. Think of it like an airport or a bus station from your old world.]

Garion blinked several times. "There are space bus stations?"

[More or less.]

Garion rubbed his forehead. "The universe somehow keeps sounding both cooler and dumber at the same time."

Atlas laughed loudly.

[That’s because civilization always becomes weird once it reaches a high enough level.]

Garion snorted. "Fair enough."

Atlas pointed forward again.

[Now stop talking and move already.]

Garion looked toward the distant stars before slowly raising one hand.

The next second... BOOOOM.

Gravity distorted violently around him.

His body instantly shot forward through space like a meteor.

Atlas nearly got blown away from the sudden acceleration.

[OI! WARN ME FIRST!]

Garion burst out laughing while flying forward. "Hahaha!"

The stars stretched past him rapidly as he moved through the endless universe for the very first time using his own power.

No ship or protection. Just his body directly enduring space itself.

Garion’s grin slowly widened. "This feels insane... and not bad at all."

Atlas floated beside him while angrily fixing his messy hair.

[Of course it does. Most Awakening Realm beings still can’t move through space this comfortably.]

Garion looked genuinely surprised. "Really?"

[But for you, your stabilized God Physique already gives you absurd adaptability.]

Garion smirked proudly. "So basically, I’m built different."

Atlas immediately deadpanned at him.

[...Sometimes I regret teaching you modern slang.]

Garion laughed again. "Hahaha!"

The two continued moving through the endless darkness while distant stars and massive cosmic structures slowly passed by them.

For the first time in his life, Garion truly felt like he had stepped into an entirely different world.