Garion sat quietly, staring at the holographic planet rotating in front of him.

The planet itself looked brutal.

Violent storms swirled across the surface while endless mountain ranges stretched through the land like jagged scars.

Parts of the oceans were frozen solid, while other regions glowed red from volcanic activity.

Garion raised an eyebrow. "This is the planet you’re giving me? Why does it look more like a death trap than a gym world?"

Paren smiled calmly. "Because it practically is a death trap planet."

Hearing that, Garion blinked in surprise. "Then why the hell are you giving it to me?"

He crossed his arms in annoyance. "Didn’t I tell you I wanted a planet to train on, not a place to die?"

Paren only chuckled. "Of course I know that. But hear me out for a second, will you?"

Garion sighed dramatically. "Fine then. Please enlighten me, Sir Paren."

Paren nodded. "Thank you, Garion. Now let me explain why I chose this planet for you."

The hologram shifted, displaying detailed scans and statistics of the world.

"This planet doesn’t even have an official name," Paren explained. "It’s located near unstable cosmic currents, which makes the environment extremely harsh."

He typed something into the console, and a series of numbers appeared.

"And the gravity here is several times heavier than that of a standard civilized planet."

The hologram shifted again, showing the planet’s chaotic climate in action.

"The weather changes unpredictably too. Blizzards, heatwaves, toxic rain... and even cosmic storms appear regularly."

Garion frowned even harder. "So basically, exactly what I said before. A death trap. Or maybe a torture chamber planet."

Paren nodded without hesitation. "Yeah, pretty much. And just like you asked, there’s no civilization here at all. Only fierce beasts."

The screen zoomed in on massive creatures roaming the planet’s surface.

Gigantic horned beasts climbed steep cliffs with ease while enormous winged monsters soared through raging storms as if the violent winds meant nothing to them.

Garion’s eyebrow twitched. "Okay, Paren. Explain something to me."

He pointed at the hologram. "I asked for a training planet, but somehow you keep making this place sound worse and worse."

Paren laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But isn’t this exactly the kind of planet that’s perfect for you?"

Garion frowned. "What do you mean perfect for me? I said I wanted a planet for training..."

Then he suddenly paused. "Wait a minute..."

His eyes slowly widened as realization hit him. "Are you saying you want me to open a gym on this insane world, turning it into a huge training ground?"

Paren snapped his fingers with a grin. "Exactly. Pretty good planet for you, isn’t it?"

Garion looked back at the projection again. This time, though, he seemed far more interested.

Paren waved his hand again, and several holographic images suddenly appeared around the room.

Massive chunks of glowing meat floated in the air alongside strange fruits, crystal-like vegetables, and enormous fish covered in thick cosmic scales.

Garion blinked for a moment at the sheer number of images, but before he could say anything, Paren turned toward him with a grin.

"If I’m not mistaken," Paren said, "A gym isn’t just important for training. Nutrition matters too, right?"

Garion nodded vigorously. "Of course. Besides training, we need proper nutrients to grow stronger."

Paren laughed. "Exactly. That’s the second reason I picked this planet for you."

He pointed toward one of the floating slabs of meat. "Unlike most planets, the beasts here evolved under such harsh conditions that their meat became insanely nutritious."

Then he gestured toward the fruits and vegetables. "Even the ordinary plants here contain enormous amounts of energy. But..."

He coughed lightly. "Because of the climate, most of them are either poisonous, hard to eat, or both. Still, the nutritional value is incredible."

A smug grin spread across his face. "That’s why this planet used to be a favorite training ground. But most people gave up because the environment is completely insane."

Paren paused before turning back to Garion. "But for you? The nobody who could get the Golden Cosmic ID... the guy who received an A1 Threat Evaluation rating..."

His grin widened. "This place is basically paradise for you. The perfect training ground."

Garion stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! Paren, you really are amazing. You seriously know me that well."

He stood up and patted Paren on the shoulder. "And... sorry for doubting you earlier."

Paren laughed along with him. "No problem. As long as you stay in our territory."

Meanwhile, Alira stood quietly at the side, staring at the two of them in disbelief.

You’re seriously excited about moving to a death planet... What the hell is wrong with this guy?

---

Garion crossed his arms while staring at the holographic planet floating in front of him.

Then he suddenly looked back at Paren. "By the way... just how long do I actually need to stay in this territory?"

Paren blinked. "Hm?"

Garion scratched the back of his head. "Earlier, you also mentioned something about being in this territory, so my future being tied to you guys or something. Explain that part again."

Paren immediately burst into laughter. "Hahaha! So that’s what’s bothering you?"

Garion shrugged. "Well yeah. I’m not exactly planning to be in your territory forever, am I?"

Paren waved his hand casually. "Relax. It’s not that complicated."

He leaned back against the desk before pointing directly at Garion. "You’re an A1 Threat Evaluation."

Garion raised an eyebrow.

Paren continued calmly, "Do you know what that means in the Cosmic Universe?"

Without waiting for an answer, he grinned.

"It means everyone believes you have monstrous potential. At the very least, people think you’ll become a top Star Realm cultivator someday."

Alira’s expression changed slightly after hearing that.

Paren crossed his arms. "And when people like you become famous later..."

He pointed at himself proudly. "They’ll always remember where you first appeared." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Garion blinked. "I see..."

Then he narrowed his eyes. "So it’s not the Cosmic Terminal you care about."

Paren’s grin widened instantly. "Nope."

He pointed at himself again. "It’s me. The current manager who helped you first."