On Terra at the beach near Sarsee Town.
There is a young man 7.5 tall and muscular standing on the sand as he stares the waves crash into the land.
The beach was familiar, yet it felt alien. It had been 11 years since Joshua had first washed up on these shores, a lost soul with stranded in a new land.
Now, as he looked out at the horizon, he couldn't help but think of all that had transpired in the year since he discovered the [VOID] and the power within.
Ten years of mundane existence had shaped him into a man, but it was the past year that had sculpted him into something more.
The memory of his first steps into the [VOID] was as vivid as the saltwater spray against his face. The year had been a whirlwind of discovery, of pushing the boundaries of his own existence, and of harnessing power that seemed to have been pulled straight from the pages of myth and sci-fi.
The beach was unchanged, a timeless stretch of sand that whispered the secrets of the sea to any who would listen. Yet, everything else had changed, he had changed.
Joshua took a deep breath, feeling the power of the 'Blood Knight' enhancements coursing through his veins. He was no longer the lost boy he once was; he had become a man with a purpose, a man who could bend reality to his will.
He strode through the bustling streets of Sarsee Town, his massive frame seemingly unnoticed by the townsfolk. To them, he was just another face in the crowd, thanks to the [Shape Shift] spell Nexus had created for him derive from the spell [Hidden].
He could be a young boy, an elderly man, or even a beautiful woman if he so chose. The illusion was flawless, leaving him free to explore Terra without the burden of his true form's notoriety.
Joshua's first stop was a high-end restaurant, where he indulged in the finest cuisines Terra had to offer. The rich flavors of each dish were a delightful contrast to the simple foods of the Hidden Village.
He sat at a corner table, watching the hustle and bustle of the patrons, all of them blissfully unaware of the monstrous figure hiding in plain sight.
His [Shape Shift] was set to the illusion of a young premodified version of himself, unassuming mob... well he is considered good looking, nevermind as he was still able to blend seamlessly into the bustling environment.
Next, he ventured into the nightlife, his steps leading him to a rowdy bar filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses. The music was loud, the air thick with the scent of alcohol and good cheer.
He ordered a drink, the bartender's eyes never once straying from his own reflection in the mirror behind the bar. It was a peculiar sensation, being so powerful yet invisible to the very people he met now.
He took a sip, the liquid burning his throat, reminding him of his humanity.
It was in that moment of revelry that Nexus's calm voice broke through the din of the bar.
[I've detected a profiling] it whispered in his mind.
Joshua's eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath, savoring the sweet scent of alcohol that lingered in the air. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but to his heightened senses, it was as clear as day. His hand tightened around his drink as he scanned the room, searching for the source of the unease.
Nexus's voice was a whisper in his mind, a beacon of calm in the storm of his thoughts.
[They are federal agents, working with the local authorities]
[Reasons unknown but they're searching for stolen goods]
[Military weapons, medical supplies, concrete, foods,steel bars and etc]
[Their intent is clear, but the connection to him, a mystery]
Joshua had taken supplies while also paid them secretly through hacking by Nexus, He made sure every move he made was not traceable or it all lead somewhere else.
So why was he being profiled for stolen goods that should have no connection to him?
He ask Nexus to hack the government and see why he was being profiled.
Nexus, ever efficient, went to work immediately. It scoured the depths of Terra's data banks, searching for any clue as to why Joshua's identity had been flagged. The minutes ticked by, and the tension in the air grew as thick as the smoke from the patrons' cigarettes.
Finally, the answer came.
Nexus spoke to him.
[Your profile has been flagged due to your recent acquisitions of wealth and he incident of kidnapped. You have been included as a person of interest in the investigation of the stolen goods, but the primary focus remains on known criminal organizations and high-profile targets]
Joshua's heartbeat remained steady as he digested this information. He took another sip of his drink, his eyes scanning the room as if he could see through the walls of the bar and into the minds of the federal agents.
"I'm not the only one," he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible above the clink of glasses and the laughter of the patrons.
The news that he was being profiled didn't come as a complete surprise, but it was unsettling nonetheless. He had always known that the stolen goods would drew attention, especially when it was as if magic had been cast on it making the goods disappeared.
Joshua remained calm, finishing his drink with a measured swig. He had faced danger before and had come out on top. He was no longer just a rich teenager; he is higher level entity, a force to be reckoned with.
He rose from his seat, his eyes scanning the crowd one last time before stepping into the night. The cool breeze washed over him, carrying with it the faint scent of the ocean and the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore. He had to be careful, the eyes of Terra's authorities were now upon him, and any misstep could lead to the unraveling of his plans.
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Back in his mansion, a personal fortress of modern and comfort nestled in the outskirts of the city, Joshua accessed the terminal in Nexus. The holographic screens flickered to life, displaying the vast network of information that was the [VOID]. Nexus had compiled a list of the other suspects, a motley crew of the powerful and the desperate. Wealthy collectors, underground gangs, and even whispers of international terrorists seeking to capitalize on the chaos.
"Guard the house with the clones," he instructed Nexus, his voice firm and unwavering.
Nexus acknowledged the command with a soft beep, and the screens before him shifted to display the clones, standing sentinel in the shadowed halls of his mansion. Their golden eyes gleamed with a fierce loyalty as they awaited their master's return.
They had been sent in shift to the Immortal World to train and to build a hidden based underground.
The 'Noble Knights' had become a well-oiled machine, each movement synchronized with the others, as they trained in the ancient art of martial arts and immortal cultivation.
The Noble Knights he talks about is the Clones that are fully trained and Genetically altered were renamed into Noble Knights.
Their days were filled with a relentless routine of exercise and meditation, pushing their bodies and souls to the brink of exhaustion and beyond. Yet, they never faltered, driven by a purpose that went beyond their own existence.
As they trained, Joshua couldn't help but feel a strange kinship with his creations. They were an extension of himself, a reflection of his own desire for power and control.
He studied them closely, noticing how each was able to improve his realm a little bit.
The 'Blood Knights' and the clones had become a microcosm of his own ambition, a reflection of his ceaseless pursuit of power. They were more than just clones; they were his survival and legacy, his investment are being doubled.
Joshua had spent months perfecting the cloning process, refining it to produce the most capable and adaptable soldiers.
Each one was a masterpiece, a blend of human intelligence and the raw power. Yet, the number was still too low for his grander plans.
He knew that quantity could not replace quality, but the potential of the clones was too greater than the Blood Knights. Since they are basically a part of him and they can naturally evolve and integrate modification for they're own, unlike Blood Knights who had to slowly needed to genetically alter and how to understand the new physiology.
His thoughts turned to the [Bio Chip]. He could mass produce it and could integrate it into any willing subject, exponentially increasing his ranks without the need for expensive and time-consuming cloning processes.
The two each has its own strength and overall he is getting stronger using the two process. But the problem is this two needed a lot of resources to run, so where could he get them.
Joshua knew that Terra, with its modern surveillance and advanced technology, was not the ideal place to gather the resources needed for his ambitious projects. The Immortal World, though rich in ancient knowledge and powerful beasts, was fraught with danger, as it was a battleground for beings beyond his current capabilities but not as bad as the fourth world which he named 'Sky Net' which made him giggle.
This left him with Di, the ancient eastern-like world that seemed ripe for the picking. It was a world of clans, nobles and martial artist, where power was measured by the size of one's army and the strength of one's sword. Here, he could operate more freely, amassing resources without the scrutiny of Terra's authorities.
With a plan forming in his mind, he returned to the [VOID].
Teleporting back to Di and heading straight back to the Sunset Breeze Pass City until he was standing in front of the Wu Flying Sparrow Shop.
He stepped in and the bell above the door chimed, alerting the employee inside.
The young man looked up from the counter, eyes widening as he took in the towering figure before him. The employee's gaze darted around, searching for any sign of trouble before finally settling on the calm expression of the 'customer'.
Joshua did not cast [Shape Shift] as there are northern people who are 8 feet tall, the Northern Barbarians.
"Is your master, Wu Rei, in?" Joshua's calm voice echoed in the ears of the shop employee, causing the young man's hand to shake slightly as he nodded and left to call Wu Rei.
Noticing the man shaking, Joshua realize he needed Nexus to Micro manage his aura as he is continuously gaining strength and not being able to perfectly control it.
Needing to maintain a low profile, Joshua instructed Nexus to carefully micro-manage his aura, shrinking it down to a more human-like level. The change was subtle but immediately noticeable. The air around him no longer intimidating but more appropriate. He was still an imposing figure, but the raw power that once radiated from him was now contained within the confines of his own body.
Moments later, a man emerged from the back of the shop, his eyes squinting in the dim light as he searched for the source of the disturbance. As the employee stepped aside, revealing the 'customer', the man's expression shifted from mild annoyance to one of shocked recognition.
Wu Rei, a seasoned martial artist with a sharp gaze and an even sharper wit, took in the figure before him.
The young man was unmistakably Joshua, a fellow true disciple who stayed. When he learned the village he was staying at was attack, he hope that he was safe, he waited and even search for him when no news of him emerge for months.
He had thought his Junior brother was killed during the attack and he even send letters to master Hu Bin of the demise of Joshua, but suddenly seeing him stand before him and bigger than what he remembered.
"Joshua, is it really you?" Wu Rei's voice was a mix of disbelief and relief as he stepped forward, his hands reaching out to grasp his juniour shoulders but with his 5.5 height made him look funny.
Joshua smiled beneath his new, slightly taller frame, his eyes gleaming with the same mischief they had always held.
"No, you got the wrong person."
"Ehh..." Wu Re awkwardly pulled back his hand.
"I was joking ,It's me all right," he said, his voice a familiar rumble that washed over Wu Rei like a warm embrace.
Wu Rei searched his eyes, looking for any hint of the horrors he must have faced. But all he saw was the same fiery determination that had shown them all those years ago.
"What happen all this time? I haven't seen you for months." Wu Rei ask, ashe was curious how Joshua got this big.
Joshua only told him how the village was attack, him and other few survivors are hiding in the mountains.
He didn't tell him about other stuff that happen.
Wu Rei knows he was hiding something from, but he dared not snoop around his junior business.
"So did you only come to greet me or do you have other things in mind?"
"Yes, but I hope you don't spread the information about what we are going to talk about." Joshua suddenly shifts into a more serious tone making Wu Rei pay close attention.
"I need a lot of resources" as he handed him a piece of paper that Nexus had compiled few raw resources that is needed for his forces.
Wu Re looking into it saw stuff like different raw ores, woods, herb and etc. Shock of the vast amount he look at his face saying are you serious.
"Can you gather this amount?" Joshua question him.
"No," shaking his head Wu Re pointed few of things.
"We can gather most of them such as sand, wood and herbs, but for the ores of this large quantities. You can only gather this amount in the north, more specifically the Jo Empire."
The Jo Empire is known for their harsh cold lands, where barely any crops grow on them making the people hunt wild beast as the majority of thier food. Even though they are poor in food they are rich in metal ores, making them develop good heritage of blacksmiths and strong and hardy folks fiercer than other empires.
"That place is too dangerous as bandits is causing troubles now a days." Wu Re voice his concern.
Joshua nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He knew that the north was a place of harsh conditions and fierce creatures. But the thought of the rich resources it held was too tempting to ignore. He had to find a way to secure these materials for his cause.
He leaned in closer to Wu Re, his eyes gleaming with a hint of excitement.
"I propose a partnership," he began. "I'll send a few of my Blood Wolf Knights and some of the Noble Knights, my trusted men, to assist in securing these resources."
