Utopian System

What started as simple military formations evolved into sophisticated combined arms operations. Each new challenge presented armies that built upon the lessons of their predecessors, forcing Elio to constantly refine his approach.

But the wolf's sensory capabilities combined with chemical mastery proved consistently devastating.

"The tighter their formation, the more vulnerable they are to chain reactions."

Yet the orcs continued to evolve. They developed rotating shield formations that could rapidly adapt to threats. Their mages learned to create layered defenses that had to be stripped away methodically. Support units carried artifacts specifically designed to dampen chemical reactions.

Each challenge became a test not just of power, but of tactical adaptation. Elio had to coordinate Emberg's elemental control, Poison Stinger's defensive capabilities, and the wolf's explosions in increasingly complex ways.

The numbers kept growing - tens of thousands becoming hundreds of thousands.

Yet no matter how they evolved, the fundamental power of precisely triggered chemical reactions remained devastating. The wolf's hunting instincts guided each strike to maximum effect, while Emberg and Poison Stinger's abilities helped control the battlefield.

The latest army arrived with full siege support - towers equipped with magical artillery, units carrying artifacts he'd never seen before, formations that spoke of centuries of battlefield experience. Their approach wasn't just coordinated - it was strategically brilliant, designed to counter every tactic he'd shown in previous encounters.

But that's where the wolf's adaptability proved crucial, combined with its chemical mastery, it turned each carefully planned assault into an opportunity for devastating counter-attacks.

The explosions might have been harder to set up, requiring more precise timing and placement, but when they came, they were no less effective.

The orcs might have evolved into sophisticated armies, but Elio's capabilities had evolved to match them.

In the end, no matter how advanced their tactics became, they couldn't overcome the fundamental power of perfectly placed chemical magic reactions.

♢♢♢♢

The journey back through the rings felt entirely different with Gorgita's enhanced form.

The divine equipment Elio had provided turned what had been a desperate race into an almost comfortable passage. Only the tenth ring posed any real challenge.

But even there, the difference was clear. Where before she had needed perfect timing and luck to slip through gaps in reality, now her enhanced form could withstand direct confrontation.

The divine sphere, securely contained within her enhanced form, pulsed with quiet power throughout the journey. Its presence was like carrying a piece of concentrated potential, waiting to be unleashed.

Mei was exactly where Lila had left, guarding her physical body in their secure chamber. Her friend's eyes widened as Gorgita's radiant form arrived.

"Lila? What happened to…"

But Lila was already guiding her consciousness back to her body, transferring the sphere along with her. The moment she opened her physical eyes, she could feel it - the divine power waiting to be absorbed.

Without hesitation, before Mei could even form another question, Lila consumed the sphere.

The change was immediate and overwhelming. Divine energy coursed through her being, enhancing every aspect of her existence. But more than that, something unexpected happened - a connection formed, a link she hadn't anticipated.
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In that moment, she could feel Elio. Not just thoughts or emotions, but a fundamental awareness of his existence. A small part of the corruption that had been solely his burden now flowed between them, its weight somehow lighter for being shared.

Lila Stats Updated

+100 Attack & Magic Damage

+10 Physical & Magic Defense

Resistance: + 100

Speed: +1

Perception: +0.1

New Skills Acquired: Divine Corruption 1/100

Shared World Weight

"Lila?" Mei's voice was full of concern. "What did you just..."

"I reached him," Lila sat up, her eyes bright with power and discovery. "I actually reached him, Mei. And he's... he's incredible. Everything we hoped the mana increases meant, it's all true and more."

She explained what she'd found - Elio in the divine space with Dionz, mastering elements and growing stronger with each challenge. How he'd equipped Gorgita with divine gear, how they'd managed to send back one of his accumulated spheres.

"But something else happened when I consumed it," she added, feeling the new connection humming in her consciousness. "I can feel him now, feel the corruption he's been carrying. It's like... like we're linked somehow."

Miles away, in his divine challenge space, Elio felt the same connection forming. The weight of corruption that had been his alone to bear suddenly felt a bit lighter, shared across their newly formed bond.

"The spheres were meant to be shared among ten," Lila continued, understanding flowing through their connection. "That's why... that's why absorbing just one created this small link but with more... We're meant to carry this power together."

Mei listened with growing amazement as Lila detailed everything she'd learned. About the corruption levels, the elemental challenges, how each increase in Elio's power translated to support they could use to expand their territory.

"He's reached level 30," Lila explained, "with twenty-one levels of corruption. Each advancement lets him send more power back to us. And now..." She gestured to herself, divine energy still settling into her being, "now we can start sharing that burden directly with my new summon."

"The others need to know," Mei said, already thinking of implications. "If we can establish more of these connections..."

"We will," Lila assured her. "But we need to be careful, strategic. These spheres... they're more than just power boosts. They create real links, permanent connections. We need to be sure about who takes them and about not losing any in the way."

The corruption wasn't just power - it was a fundamental change to one's being.

"He sent me back with so much more than just the sphere," Lila continued, examining Gorgita's enhanced form.

Mei studied her friend carefully. Something fundamental had changed about Lila - not just the obvious power increase, but something deeper. The connection to Elio had altered her in ways that went beyond simple statistics.

"We should gather everyone," Mei suggested. "They need to know what you found, what's possible now."

Lila nodded, rising from the meditation cushions they'd used for her consciousness transfer. As she moved, she could feel the new power settling into her being, the corruption link to Elio stabilizing into something permanent and profound.