A few minutes later, the massive doors inside the upper registration chamber slowly opened again.

Soft blue light flowed through the hallway outside while streams of floating holographic symbols moved across the metallic walls.

Paren calmly looked toward the entrance. "Looks like your guide arrived."

Garion slipped the Silver ID card into his pocket while stretching lightly.

"Hopefully this one doesn’t randomly launch me through the building again."

Atlas instantly laughed beside him invisibly.

[Honestly, that was hilarious.]

No it wasn’t.

The next second, a young woman slowly walked into the room.

She looked mostly human at first glance, but faint silver markings glowed lightly beneath her neck and arms.

Her dark-blue uniform looked clean and professional while several floating holographic screens automatically followed behind her.

The woman placed one hand over her chest politely. "Guide Alira reporting."

Garion blinked slightly. "So you really do have tour guides."

Paren looked genuinely confused. "I already told you we did."

Garion pointed dramatically. "Yeah, but hearing it and seeing it are different things."

Alira looked slightly curious now while quietly observing Garion.

Honestly, after hearing about the A1 registration incident earlier, she expected someone far more arrogant or dangerous-looking.

Instead, Garion somehow looked more like an overly relaxed traveler.

Paren walked toward Alira calmly. "You’ll guide him around the Cosmic Terminal for now."

Alira nodded immediately. "Understood."

Then Paren looked back at Garion. "I still need to finish your territorial arrangements."

Garion waved casually. "Alright. I’ll go look around."

Paren nodded lightly before glancing toward Alira again. "And try preventing him from causing trouble."

Garion immediately pointed at himself in disbelief. "Why are you saying that like I’m dangerous?"

Paren, Atlas, and even Alira all stared at him silently.

Garion slowly lowered his hand. "...Fair enough."

Atlas almost started laughing again.

Soon after, Garion followed Alira out of the upper chamber.

The giant metallic hallway outside stretched endlessly while streams of light moved beneath the transparent floor itself.

Garion looked around curiously. "This place seriously feels like some sci-fi movie."

Alira glanced back slightly. "Sci-fi?"

Garion coughed lightly. "Figure of speech."

Atlas floated beside him.

[You really say weird things constantly.]

Garion ignored him immediately.

As they entered one of the giant floating elevators, the entire floor beneath them instantly became transparent.

Garion immediately looked downward. "...Holy shit."

The entire Cosmic Terminal spread endlessly below them.

Gigantic ships moved through space outside the station while countless pathways connected enormous districts together like a giant cosmic city.

Alira looked slightly amused after seeing his expression. "Most newcomers react like that."

Garion pointed downward. "This place is bigger than planets."

"Some smaller planets, yes."

Garion stared blankly at her. "...You people seriously need to stop saying insane things casually."

The elevator rapidly descended while Alira calmly began explaining things. "The Cosmic Terminal is divided into several main districts."

Holographic maps instantly appeared around them. "This section is the Registration District."

One section of the map lit up brightly. "Most newly awakened cultivators arrive here first."

Garion nodded slowly. "Makes sense."

Then another district lit up. "The Trade District."

Garion looked interested immediately. "That sounds dangerous for my wallet already."

Alira blinked once. "...Wallet?"

Garion waved casually. "Money."

"I see."

She continued calmly. "That district contains shops, auctions, cultivation materials, weapon markets, technology vendors, and resource exchanges."

Garion’s eyes slowly widened. "So basically the shopping district from hell."

Atlas instantly laughed.

[You’re going to spend money recklessly here eventually.]

No I won’t.

[Yes you will.]

Garion chose to ignore him again.

Then another section lit up.

"The Travel District."

Garion tilted his head slightly. "That’s for ships?"

Alira nodded. "Interstellar transportation, long-distance portals, territory gates, and cosmic route stations."

Garion slowly nodded while trying to absorb everything.

Honestly, the Cosmic Terminal felt less like a station and more like a civilization by itself.

Then another district lit up. "The Combat District."

Garion immediately looked interested. "Now that sounds fun."

Alira glanced toward him. "That area contains arenas, sparring grounds, combat simulations, military testing zones, and so on."

Garion grinned slightly. "Yeah, definitely fun."

Atlas sighed beside him.

[I knew you’d like that area immediately.]

Of course.

Then suddenly... BOOOOM.

A massive vibration shook the elevator lightly.

Garion instinctively looked outside.

Far away, several gigantic armored cultivators were currently fighting inside an enormous floating arena surrounded by energy barriers.

Every collision distorted the surrounding space itself.

Garion’s eyes widened slightly. "...That’s still inside the Terminal?"

Alira nodded calmly. "The barriers can withstand Star Realm combat."

Garion slowly looked at her. "...You people really turned cosmic civilization into a game lobby."

Alira blinked slightly. "...I’m not sure what that means."

Garion sighed. "Honestly, neither do I anymore."

The elevator finally slowed before arriving inside another giant district filled with glowing shops and endless crowds.

The doors opened slowly and instantly; noise exploded around them.

People shouting.

Advertisements glowing everywhere.

Floating drones moving through the streets.

Massive screens displaying cultivation products.

Garion stared blankly ahead again. "...This is worse than Earth capitalism."

Atlas burst out laughing.

[You adapted way too quickly.]

---

Garion looked around curiously while keeping both hands in his pockets. "So we’re heading to the Combat District now?"

Alira nodded lightly. "You seemed interested in it earlier."

"Of course I was."

Garion grinned slightly. "A place where strong people fight each other? That sounds way more interesting than shopping."

Atlas floated nearby.

[You say that now until you discover cultivation supplements.]

Garion ignored him immediately.

As they walked, several people around them occasionally glanced toward Alira before quickly looking away again.

Garion noticed it almost immediately. "Hm?"

Alira blinked slightly. "What?"

Garion pointed around casually. "People keep staring at you."

Alira stayed quiet for a second before answering calmly. "I work directly under the upper management division."

Garion blinked. "So basically you’re important?"

"Somewhat."

Garion nodded slowly. "Yeah, cosmic civilization really loves hierarchy."

Atlas snorted softly.

[Every civilization does.]

Before Garion could continue speaking...

"GARION!"

A familiar voice suddenly echoed from the side of the street, surprising Garion.