Earth's Alpha Prime

Jay had recovered all his lost stamina, Spirit Energy, and Health, with two minutes still remaining before the 10-minute rest period ended. He considered skipping the break and proceeding to the 17th difficulty level but paused when MJ's voice chimed in his mind:

'Master, there is a guest in your Storage Space.'

Jay halted his decision, sending his consciousness into his storage ring instead. He already knew the identity of the guest. In fact, he had anticipated this and had already arranged a simple setup within the 10 x 10 x 10 meter dimension of his storage space—a writing board hung neatly on one side, with a marker placed conveniently beside it.

Sure enough, Jay watched as an ethereal dark-skinned hand gripped the marker and began scrawling hurriedly on the board in the Genonian language. The moment the hand finished its writing, it disappeared as if it had never existed.

This sight was nothing new to Jay. He had witnessed it numerous times before, each instance bringing a message from Zeix. In the beginning, Zeix would painstakingly carve his warnings onto wooden bark each time he needed to communicate. 

Understanding the hassle, Jay had left the board and marker in his storage space, making it easier for Zeix to convey his messages.

Zeix's assistance had proven invaluable. Every time Urzo had sent his followers and suicide bombers to target Jay's followers, Zeix had provided advance warnings, allowing Jay to counter the attacks without any losses on his side.

However, Jay had grown concerned when he received no information about the attack Urzo orchestrated using Yinad. For a while, he suspected that Zeix might have been caught, his silence a result of capture or worse.

While Jay had never met Zeix in person nor felt obligated to protect him, the help Zeix had provided was undeniable. Without those warnings, Jay would have lost several followers during the sneaky assaults Urzo had orchestrated.

In response, Jay had fortified his defenses. He assigned Hobgoblin MJ and Shadow Leopard MJ to guard his followers while scouting for signs of Urzo's puppets. This precaution enabled Jay to counter the guerrilla tactics Urzo had employed to terrorize his group.

Although Jay remained cautious of trusting Zeix completely, he acknowledged the lengths Zeix had gone to warn him—even at the risk of his own life.

Jay was keenly aware that Zeix's motives were rooted in self-preservation. Zeix believed that only Jay could shield him from Urzo, and this belief had driven his actions.

Setting those thoughts aside, Jay focused on the message Zeix had left:

"Urzo is planning to launch a full-scale attack and mobilize everyone under his control once you exit the Reality Simulator. Look out for the Time-elemental user and my own space restriction ability. He plans to take you down when you are at your weakest after fighting the monster simulations."

Jay narrowed his eyes as he absorbed the warning. He hadn't anticipated Urzo making such a bold move so soon, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. He had already accounted for such possibilities.

The situation, however, was far from simple. The people possessed by Urzo were innocent—victims unable to resist his commands. Yet, if they attacked Jay or his followers, they would be forced to kill them in self-defense.

But the complications didn't stop there. The rules of the Tournament added another layer of difficulty. Killing another participant, even in self-defense, would result in disqualification from the next Tournament. Worse still, it could lead to reduced rewards—or none at all.

Jay knew Urzo was capitalizing on this. The cost of sacrificing his 4,000 or so possessed Alpha Chosen would mean little to Urzo if it meant disrupting Jay's plans. Unlike Jay, Urzo had no one to protect, no followers to worry about losing.

Jay, on the other hand, refused to allow any harm to come to his people. With that resolve in mind, he issued swift orders to MJ:

'Alert everyone from our Trial Zone to remain on guard. When the assailants make their move, activate the defensive measures I provided.'

As for the specific warnings Zeix had given—about a Time-elemental user and his own spatial restriction ability—Jay didn't feel overly concerned. The vast stat difference between him and his potential attackers ensured that such restrictions would have minimal effect on him.

More importantly, Jay had the Origin Glaive. Its control over space and time was unmistakable, making it an ideal defense against such abilities. He was confident that the situation wouldn't escalate to the point where those could pose a challenge.

Not giving it more thought, Jay shifted his focus to the task at hand. The 17th difficulty level began, and he was determined to give it his all. 

Jay braced himself, ready to give it his all as the five-second countdown began. Before him, a serpent of monstrous proportions materialized—the Venomscale Serpent, its massive, train-sized body coiling ominously in the white expanse. 

At Lv.417, the beast was at the peak of Tier-6 Mid-Phase (Lv.334 - Lv.417), exuding a level of menace unmatched by any monster simulation Jay had encountered before.

Jay immediately recognized the peril of his opponent. A poison-based monster of this caliber required swift action; prolonged combat would only increase the risk. Despite the arsenal of passive skills he possessed to bolster his resistance to toxins and venomous substances, he wasn't yet confident enough to withstand poison of this magnitude.

Without hesitation, Jay activated <Berserk> and Pseudo-Speed Energy simultaneously. His movements became a blur, effortlessly evading the serpent's swift advances. 

Despite its massive size, the Venomscale Serpent moved with unnerving speed, its sinuous body lashing out to strike. Yet, against Jay's enhanced agility, it couldn't land even a hit.

Jay countered with rapid strikes, targeting the serpent from every angle, but its scaled armor proved impenetrable. Every attack, no matter how powerful, deflected harmlessly off its dense exterior.

Shifting his focus, Jay aimed for its eyes, a common weak point. To his frustration, the serpent's eyes were shielded by thick, scaled lids, rendering his blows ineffective even with his full strength.

Each time Jay's fists, clad in the Centauri Kavach, struck the serpent, they were quickly coated in its venom. The corrosive substance quickly began to eat away at the armor's outer layers. Jay retreated, shaking off the venom, and watched as the full body armor's self-repair ability restored its integrity.

Realizing that direct attacks weren't yielding results, Jay decided to escalate. He summoned his Arcane Element, shrouding his body with its radiant, rainbow-colored energy. Carefully, he blanketed this over the Pseudo-Speed Energy enveloping him, replicating the strategy he had used against the Plasma Predator. 

He ensured the two forces didn't destabilize each other—a delicate balance that demanded immense mental focus and drained significant amounts of Spirit Energy and Stamina.

The Arcane Element spun around him, transforming his form into a kaleidoscope of light. To any observer, Jay's physical presence would have been almost imperceptible—only the streaks of swirling colors remained visible, tracing his movements at phenomenal speeds.

Jay surged forward, accelerating to Mach 15, easily outpacing the Venomscale Serpent. The creature retaliated with volleys of venomous acid projectiles, but Jay weaved through them effortlessly, his speed making him untouchable.

The battle was far from over, but Jay's strategy was clear—strike fast, strike hard, and end it before the venom spreads all around, corrode his armor, and escalate the danger.

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Author Note: 

Exclusive artwork for every free chapter is now available on my PATRE0N page! You can find the link in my Discord server.

I'm thrilled to share that I'm taking a big leap forward! Alongside Earth's Alpha Prime, I've launched the first sub-book for EAP.

ALTER REALITY: Online

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The first ten to comment for new chapter releases will get '1 ADVANCED CHAPTER' for free on Earth Alpha Prime's Discord server.

In the discord server, I opened a private channel for those Top 10 candidates, where I posted the respective Advanced Chapter.

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Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :

https://discord.gg/maQC7xDBYZ

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