Global Era of Star trekking Chapter 2: Torch Warship

Chapter 2: Torch Warship

“All successful Awakeners, pay attention! Please follow your respective homeroom teachers to the Torch Building. For those who failed to awaken, you are required to vacate the school grounds within one hour.”

A resonant voice boomed from the vicinity of the faculty office block, drawing the immediate gaze of every student. They witnessed a silhouette plummet from the roof of the building, surrounded by a violent eruption of dark Spectral Energy. In the blink of an eye, a ring of obsidian flames ignited beneath the figure's feet, and they vanished from the rooftop instantly.

By the time the figure materialized again, they were hovering in the air, looking down upon the entire student body.

Zhu Yaokui, the Principal of Jiangyuan City’s First Torch Academy, was a man of legendary standing. It was rumored that he commanded a High Level Torch Warship and had already evolved into a third-tier life form. Having held his position at the First Academy for a century and a half, his reputation was unparalleled.

Song Chi felt a faint, crushing weight descending from above, making him feel as though he were supporting a massive load. Even though his proficiency in the Guidance Technique had reached level 4—meaning such pressure shouldn't be overwhelming—he understood clearly that this was only because Principal Zhu Yaokui was strictly suppressing his aura.

Had the Principal unleashed the full might of a third-tier life form’s presence, every student present would have likely been driven into the dirt, their very bones shattering under the strain.

Song Chi’s breath grew heavy, yet his expression showed no sign of pain. Instead, a fervent longing burned within his eyes.

Treading upon the air as if the wind itself were a path, the kind of transcendent being that the people of Blue Star had once only dreamed of was now standing right before him. Despite having witnessed such displays previously, he could not suppress the pounding excitement in his chest.

...

Under the Principal’s personal supervision, the efficiency of both faculty and students reached its peak. A group of nearly two hundred individuals moved swiftly toward the Torch Building.

Glancing sideways, Song Chi noted that only sixteen students in his particular class had successfully triggered the Seed of Torch. Among them, only two possessed the white Seed of Torch: Sun Hao and Wang Yuan. The remaining fourteen, himself included, held the Colorless Seed of Torch.

Upon reaching Spectral Cultivation Room Number 5 on the second floor, the sixteen students of Class 5 followed Teacher Yang Minghui’s instructions. One by one, they climbed into individual Spectral Transformation Pods.

When the group was settled, Teacher Yang Minghui engaged the start mechanism. The pods slid shut, sealing hemmetically,

as a surge of dark Spectral Energy flooded the interior chambers.

Song Chi remained calm throughout the process, having studied these procedures extensively. This was the mandatory Spectral Transformation that followed the awakening of the Seed of Torch.

Once the Seed of Torch is awakened, it grants the Awakener and their bound Torch Warship the power to manipulate Spectral Energy.

Among the countless energies found within the Shattered Starry Sea, Spectral Energy is unique for its extreme inclusivity. It possesses the ability to transmute almost any known energy source into a standardized form of Spectral Energy.

Because of this, Torchlight Humanity is able to convert various resources harvested from the Starry Sea for their own benefit, fueling rapid self-improvement. This fundamental mechanic is the reason the Torch Human Civilization has expanded so aggressively and why its borders continue to grow.

However, during the initial awakening, even though the student can technically control Spectral Energy, their physical body is not yet accustomed to it, leading to various forms of biological rejection.

This issue is only solved when the body is immersed in Spectral Energy for a prolonged duration, evolving into a Spectral Energy Body. The Spectral Transformation Pods are specialized tools designed to fast-track this biological evolution.

With his eyes shut tight and his hands open, Song Chi began to circulate the Guidance Technique he had memorized through his internal pathways.

Time seemed to blur until a throbbing sensation began to build in the center of his forehead. Song Chi felt a surge of joy; this was the sign that the Spectral Transformation was reaching its conclusion.

Only when the physical form becomes a Spectral Energy Body can the Ancestral Torch be formed within the brow—the sanctum that houses the internal Seed of Torch and serves as the future dock for the Torch Warship.

Minutes passed, and all sixteen students from Class 5 finished their transformations, successfully manifesting their Ancestral Torches.

“Very well, follow me. We have reached the final phase: the Warship Integration.”

“Only when your Seed of Torch merges with a standard vessel, elevating it into a Torch Warship, will you truly be recognized as a legitimate successor of the Torch legacy.”

...

Situated behind the Torch Building was a massive dock for conventional vessels. Every student from Jiangyuan City’s Advanced Torch Academies who had awakened the Seed of Torch gathered here to bond with their first Torch Warships.

Inside the hangar for the Scout Class Starry Sea Shuttle, nearly two hundred youths assembled to undergo the Torch fusion in an orderly fashion. There were no options here; every bearer of the Seed of Torch was required to start with the same vessel: the Scout Class Starry Sea Shuttle.

The Torch – Spectral Shuttle served as the universal foundation for all rookie Torch Warships.

“Song Chi!”

Hearing his name, Song Chi stepped forward immediately.

Positioned before a standard Scout Class Shuttle, Song Chi focused, clumsily guiding the Spectral Energy within him toward his forehead. A beam of Ghost Light soon shot out from his brow, striking the hull of the shuttle directly.

A powerful vacuum-like force suddenly erupted from the Ancestral Torch in his forehead. Under this intense pull, the large shuttle began to shrink rapidly. It eventually reached the size of a thumbnail before flying into Song Chi’s Ancestral Torch.

Song Chi shut his eyes instantly, shifting his consciousness to probe the space within his Ancestral Torch.

In the heart of the void-like Chaos Space, a flicker of black flame danced. Suspended above it, the Scout Class Shuttle was being continuously refined by the dark fire.

Moments later, a shimmering light flashed across Song Chi’s vision, and a status window manifested next to the miniature shuttle.

[Name: None (Please name as soon as possible)] [Model: Torch – Spectral Shuttle] [Level: lv0] [Basic Components: Colorless Torch Warship Body lv0, Spectral Main Cannon lv0, Spectral Secondary Cannon lv0, Warship Armor lv0, Spectral Engine lv0, Spectral Shield lv0, Void Radar lv0, Spectral Cultivation Room lv0 (8/8)] [Additional Components: None (0/2)] [Spectral Energy Pool: 100/1000] [Supplies: None]

Scanning the interface, Song Chi bypassed the first three entries and focused his attention on the Basic Components list.

As the category implied, these Basic Components were the standard systems that every newly integrated Spectral Shuttle possessed.

The Colorless Torch Warship Body was straightforward; it was tethered to the Seed of Torch within his Ancestral Aperture. Whenever the Seed of Torch progressed, the hull would improve accordingly.

To advance the Seed of Torch from level 0 to level 1, one would require 5 units of Floating Land Origin and 200 Spectral Energy Points.

Just as Song Chi was about to delve deeper into the details, the voice of his teacher, Yang Minghui, cut through his concentration. Song Chi was forced to pull his Spiritual awareness out of his Ancestral Aperture and step aside so the next student could begin their fusion.

Before long, every Awakened student had finished the process. Not a single person had suffered a fusion failure, much to the relief of the Academy staff.

While the odds of failing the Torch fusion were incredibly low—almost nonexistent—

a failure would force the bearer of the Seed of Torch to wait through a thirty-day cooldown before they could try again.

The real problem was that the first three days following the awakening of the Seed of Torch were a protected "grace period." During this window, any expeditions into the Alien Star Domain were significantly less hazardous.

It was a unique advantage provided to all beginners. Provided one didn't do anything suicidal, there was virtually no threat to one's life. It allowed rookies to gain vital experience in the Alien Star Domain at no risk while bringing back valuable materials. For new captains, this was a golden opportunity.

If one failed the fusion, they would be stuck in that month-long buffer period, forced to watch as this once-in-a-lifetime benefit expired, leaving them with nothing but regret.