The evaluation scores flashed across the giant holographic displays in the center of the sector, visible to all ten thousand platforms.
[ RANK 1: CANDIDATE GEN ]
[ WORLD TYPE: STELLAR IRON FORTRESS ]
[ FINAL EVALUATION SCORE: 98,400 POINTS ]
[ CLASSIFICATION: S TIER ]
A roar of applause erupted from the upper balconies. Representatives from the top guilds cheered, frantically firing off contract offers toward Gen’s platform.
Gen stood tall, surrounded by glowing blue reward crates, his expression serene and victorious.
Then, the bottom of the scoreboard flashed into view.
[ RANK 9,998: CANDIDATE ZEE ]
[ WORLD TYPE: UNKNOWN / LIVING WORLD ]
[ FINAL EVALUATION SCORE: 104 POINTS ]
[ CLASSIFICATION: UNRANKED (TRASH GRADE) ]
Jeers and taunts immediately echoed across the surrounding decks.
“Rank nine thousand!” a Creator laughed, throwing a piece of metal scrap toward Zee’s platform. “He broke the System rules and still ended up at the absolute bottom!”
“Look at him!” another sneered. “He brought a sentient pile of mud to a planetary trial!”
Zee stood in silence, the harsh hum of their laughter washing over him.
Gen looked down from his elevated platform, his gaze filled with cold, distant pity. “You threw away your future for a useless anomaly, Zee. In the next round, unranked worlds are assigned as raw harvesting nodes for the elite.”
Zee clenched his fists, staring down at his dark, blue skinned world.
The score called it trash. The trial called it a failure.
Humiliation burned hot in Zee’s chest, but as he reached out toward the surface of his core, he felt the deep, steady pulse of the living planet resting beneath the mud.
It wasn’t a static machine. It wasn’t just metal and rock. It was breathing.
Then, the standard green interface over his platform glitched violently, replaced by an unscripted, crimson line of text.
[ EVALUATION OVERRIDDEN BY PLANETARY CORE ]
[ REJECTING SYSTEM RATING ]
[ UNIQUE ANOMALY ACTIVE: PRIMORDIAL HUNGER ]
[ UNEXPLAINED BONUS ATTRIBUTE UNLOCKED: DEVOURING CAPACITY (0/100) ]