Hand Of God

Chapter 60 Level 5

After a moment, Richard spoke: “Mentally, there doesn’t seem to be any issue. It doesn’t look like he’s been corrupted or bewitched by the Deity.”

“If anything, I suspect he might’ve broken through to a new level.”

“Broken through? To what level?” Clark asked, confused.

“Level 5—Paragon.”

Richard’s explanation was brief, followed by a sigh. “He’s already reached level 5… I’m only at the fifth level myself right now. People really can’t be compared.”

Upon hearing this conclusion, Clark and the others were stunned. Then, Clark suddenly grabbed Richard’s arm and exclaimed, “Richard! Are you serious?!”

“The fifth level?! Just like that? He hasn’t even enrolled yet!”

It was no wonder Clark was so shocked. The gap between the fourth and fifth levels was immense.

From the first to the fourth level, it was mostly about accumulating energy and developing one’s superpower—a process many could achieve step by step, provided they weren’t completely talentless.

But from the fifth level onward, every breakthrough required a unique combination of factors: sufficient accumulation of power, mental evolution, external stimuli, and sheer luck.

Take Diana for example. Her overwhelming anger during the battle had driven her to view the Deity as nothing more than prey, allowing her to ascend from the peak of the fifth level to the sixth.

With this leap, all eight members of the BEA’s Super Elite had now reached levels above the sixth.

If Adam’s situation was true, then this single battle had resulted in two monumental advancements: Diana breaking into the sixth level, and Adam reaching the fifth!

It was an incredible harvest.

“Speak up, Richard! Are you sure about this?” Clark continued shaking Richard, clearly losing his usual composure.

“I’m not entirely sure, but probably,” Richard replied impatiently. “He’s a genius with fourth-level strength. Between the trials and everything else these past few days, it’s likely pushed his potential to the limit.”

“Oh my god! Such a talent is heading to Orienta University now. How old was I when I broke through? Twenty-nine, I think? And how old is he?!”

Clark clutched his head in frustration, his expression a mix of disbelief and pride. Despite his exaggerated despair, it was clear he was thrilled.

The emergence of such a prodigy was undoubtedly a stroke of luck for humanity.

“In comparison,” Norman suddenly interjected, standing nearby, “I’m more curious about how he managed to hold the venue for three whole hours of continuous fighting without a scratch. Did his strength utterly dominate the opponents?”

Having confirmed Adam’s safety, Diana had relaxed and casually responded, “Not at all. He sustained numerous injuries, even critical ones like puncture wounds.”

“But it seems his ability has developed a new variant—possibly an evolved self-healing capacity. All his wounds have already healed.”

Clark’s raised hand froze mid-air.

Norman’s lips twitched involuntarily.

Richard awkwardly ran his hand over his bald head, which gleamed under the light.

The group fell silent for a few seconds before everyone instinctively changed the subject.

It was too demoralizing. While others struggled to develop their powers, Adam seemingly stumbled upon extraordinary breakthroughs by accident.

*Buzz~*

A ringing sound echoed as golden waves rolled across the sky. Soon after, a rain of golden light began to fall.

*Bam!*

A muscular, Santa Claus-like figure with fierce eyes landed heavily beside the group. Covered in golden scars, Thomas had finally completed his battle.

“What’s wrong with this kid?!” Thomas barked upon seeing Adam lying unconscious.

Then after he learned Adam's situation from the others, he visibly relaxed, his imposing aura dissipating as exhaustion and frailty took over, making him look like an ordinary old man.

“Have the details of this battle been tallied yet?” His drooping eyelids revealed his fatigue as he turned to Clark.

Clark’s playful demeanor vanished. He glanced at the now-ruined Doyles Stadium and sighed.

“Casualty reports are still being compiled. As for property damage… forget it. This place is beyond repair. We’ll need to rebuild.”

“And we still have to figure out how to contain the information. Thankfully, the most powerful Deity here was a Rampant-class projection. Otherwise…”

Clark shuddered at the thought.

Thomas let out a long sigh, his back hunching further. His cloudy eyes brimmed with worry as he muttered, “The world won’t be at peace for much longer.”

“Acolytes’ activities are increasing, and the concentration of spiritual energy in the world is rising. We need to prepare for what’s coming.”

In truth, he was holding back from saying too much. In his perception, a storm was brewing, and the world was on the brink of massive change.

Whether humanity would survive this trial or face its end depended on the younger generation.

At this thought, Thomas couldn’t help but glance at Adam, still lying unconscious.

“Well, let’s clean up and head home.”

---

On a pristine white bed, Adam slowly opened his eyes.

It felt as though he’d emerged from a long dream. The sunlight streaming through the window was blinding, and the chirping of birds and buzzing of insects conveyed a sense of tranquil normalcy.

“Was I dreaming?!” Adam bolted upright, staring at the unfamiliar scene outside the window.

Could everything have been a dream?

Just then, the door creaked open.

Diana entered, holding a bottle. Seeing Adam awake, she remarked in surprise, “Oh, you’re finally up?”

“Why are you here?” Adam’s tone betrayed a hint of disappointment, confirming that it hadn’t all been a dream.

Diana: ???

What did that mean?

“Are you not happy to see me? You’ve been unconscious for days—I’ve been injecting you with nutrient solutions!”

“It’s not that. I should say… thank you. My mind’s just a little scrambled right now.” Adam adjusted his emotions and accepted reality.

“Where am I?”

Diana shrugged and placed the nutrient solution on the table.

“This is Orienta. Now that you’re awake, the Opening Ceremony will likely start soon.”

She then looked at Adam with a knowing smile.

“Do you have any idea how famous and important you’ve become?”

“The Opening Ceremony at Orienta has been postponed for two whole days just to wait for you.”

“Your name, Adam, is already the talk of the university.”

“Want to know what they’re saying about you?”

"The Opening Ceremony was postponed because of me? Why? I usually skip these kinds of events anyway."

Adam rubbed his slightly throbbing head, sat up on the bed, and pulled out the nutrient injection tube from his arm.

After removing the needle, the puncture wound healed at a visible speed.

Seeing that Adam seemed fine, Diana naturally sat down beside him. After their previous battles and interactions, the two had grown closer.

"Why? Because you're the top freshman."

"Plus, the vice president really wants to meet you. Thanks to you, this year has been a 'bumper harvest' for Orienta."

"More than a quarter of the assessment-free admissions are because of you—students who joined Orienta because of your influence."

"After all, you saved them. By the way, quite a few girls wanted to visit you these past few days, but I stopped them to let you rest."

As she said the word "girls", Diana's tone carried a hint of annoyed, though Adam didn’t notice.

Adam: "Top freshman? What’s that? Does that mean I have to go? Forget it—it’s a waste of time."

Diana: "Not only do you have to go, but you also need to give a speech as the top freshman to inspire your schoolmates."

Adam: "What?! Can I skip it?"

Diana: "Nope. Everyone is waiting for you. Plus, your reward will be handed to you by President Freud during the ceremony."

Adam: "Oh, well, that works then."

In truth, none of the other reasons mattered. The only thing that convinced Adam to attend was the reward being given during the ceremony. Very pragmatic.

"You don’t seem excited at all about this. Top freshman! The strongest freshman of the year! Isn’t being in the spotlight fun?"