[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-grinding-to-become-the-master-of-the-universe":3,"chapter-grinding-to-become-the-master-of-the-universe-grinding-to-become-the-master-of-the-universe-chapter-67":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Grinding to Become the Master of the Universe",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},255248,526,"Chapter 67 - 55: How Fragile the Empire’s Steel Is","grinding-to-become-the-master-of-the-universe-chapter-67",67,"\u003Cp>A bloated, monstrously large figure appeared in everyone’s line of sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a giant, over three meters tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body had completely lost its human form, becoming a constantly writhing mountain of flesh piled high with rotting meat, tumors, and pustules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its skin was a corpse-like grayish-green, covered in all sorts of unidentifiable, slimy mosses and fungi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless fat, white maggots crawled in and out of the sores on its body, producing a skin-crawling RUSTLE.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its left arm had been replaced by a thick, rust-spotted mining drill, its surface still stained with dark red blood and minced flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In its right hand, it dragged a massive War Axe cobbled together from scrap mechanical parts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most nauseating part was its abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, a massive, crater-like wound gaped open, its edges curling with putrid, granulated flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the wound, one could even see its writhing, bacteria-infected innards and several fist-sized flies nesting within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step by step, it walked out of the mine tunnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each step, it left behind a foul-smelling footprint on the ground—a mixture of pus, mucus, and maggots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It raised its head, revealing a face just as bloated and rotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its eyes were nothing but two black, gaping holes, yet everyone could feel a gaze full of venom, madness, and... joy scrutinizing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ghh... ghh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It opened its mouth, and a hoarse laugh like a broken bellows issued from its throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fresh... flesh... Fresh... souls...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its voice had a thick, unsettling quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Emperor’s... little puppies... Why... have you come to disturb... our wondrous... rebirth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the words had even faded, Kro’s massive body moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His speed was completely at odds with his bloated frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a cannonball fired from a barrel, he crossed dozens of meters in an instant, appearing before Chu Lan, who was closest to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant War Axe, cobbled together from scrap iron, descended upon Chu Lan’s head with a terrifying power that seemed capable of cleaving the very earth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deafening metallic crash echoed throughout the entire mine pit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the last possible moment, Chu Lan raised his Horse-Slaying Saber horizontally, barely managing to block Kro’s thunderous blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A terrifying force surged down the axe handle and flooded into his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground beneath his feet instantly fractured. The immense force drove him, power armor and all, halfway into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The joints of his power armor groaned under the unbearable load, emitting a grating CREAK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Vitality Index... 14.5...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Lan’s voice, tinged with disbelief and gravity, came over the comms channel. \"His strength is far beyond the data assessment!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kro cracked open his rotten mouth in a grin, his empty black sockets fixed on the pinned and helpless Chu Lan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Little guy... uses a saber... Good... very good...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He laughed hoarsely and suddenly put more force into his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Lan could no longer hold on. An irresistible force blasted him away, sending both him and his saber flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His power armor tumbled across the ground for over ten meters before slamming into a massive rock. A clear dent had appeared on his chest plate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One blow. Just one blow, and Chu Lan, widely recognized as the second strongest in the class, had been crushed in a direct confrontation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chu Lan!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dammit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Potian and two other students, the closest ones, roared and charged in to flank the creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Courting death!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kro’s massive body spun around with an eerie agility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mining drill on his left arm whirred to life with a piercing, high-frequency sound. Like a viper striking from its den, it shot toward Shi Potian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Potian’s pupils contracted. He precisely struck the rapidly spinning drill with his Long Saber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks flew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A powerful recoil traveled up the blade. The webbing of Shi Potian’s hand was instantly numbed by the shock, and he nearly lost his grip on the Long Saber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the mining drill only paused for a fraction of a second before continuing forward, even faster than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shi Potian used all his strength to roll clumsily aside, barely dodging at the very instant the drill was about to pierce his chest plate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the other two students’ attacks landed on Kro’s bloated back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SQUELCH! SQUELCH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A War Sword and a Long Saber simultaneously bit into its rotten flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the expected spray of blood did not occur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their weapons felt like they had struck a huge, tough piece of cowhide. They only sank a few inches deep before getting stuck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slick, cold sensation traveled up their blades, as if countless tiny insects were crawling up the steel toward their arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Garden’s... gift... is not something... your mortal steel... can harm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kro let out a low roar, and his obese body suddenly shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A powerful force erupted from his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two students grunted as if struck by a giant hammer. They spat blood as they were sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground. The alarms on their power armor instantly began to blare shrilly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, three students were down: two seriously injured, one left in a sorry state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster’s power was completely beyond their ability to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll hold him off!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Duoduo roared, raised his giant shield, and charged forward again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All of you, attack from the sides! Concentrate fire on his head and limbs!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>THUD!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Duoduo’s tower shield slammed solidly into Kro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Kro’s massive body only swayed slightly before steadying itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his head, his empty black sockets looking down at the short, stout man before him, who resembled a tin can.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A shield... heh... Just like me, back in the day...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out a huge, fan-like hand and grabbed the edge of the tower shield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CR... CRACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To everyone’s horror, the giant tower shield—forged from high-strength alloy and reinforced with an Energy Field—was being torn, crumpled, and twisted in his hand as if it were made of paper!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No... Impossible!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Duoduo was horrified beyond belief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing... is impossible...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kro’s voice suddenly grew clearer, no longer so hoarse and thick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you’re stuffed into a cold mining Mecha, day after day, year after year, digging these damn rocks that never end... you learn just how... fragile the Empire’s steel really is...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He threw a punch, smashing the deformed shield—and Qian Duoduo behind it—and sending them both flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Duoduo’s body traced an arc through the air, fragments of his power armor scattering in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qian Duoduo!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Feng and Shi Potian cried out in alarm at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>",1101,"2026-05-29T16:17:35.718Z","2026-06-01T04:29:43.187Z",1,"novelbin.me","2dd29490b64cbb6d22f9184695d4104ff2fce2caa6c20e45c06ecf5319d4a834","grinding-to-become-the-master-of-the-universe-chapter-136","grinding-to-become-the-master-of-the-universe-chapter-135",325,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fgrinding-to-become-the-master-of-the-universe-cover.jpg"]