Cosmic Peak

After thinking for some time, Aren decided to enter Magia Adepta gate.

The reason for deciding that gate was because he was curious about its Note: Conquer all, Absorb all, Own All.

He didn't know what was not about, but he guessed that it was related to the content inside the gate. Another main reason for choosing this gate was because he couldn't understand the reward hint of this gate as solidly as he guessed about the two other gates.

"Magia Adepta...let's see what do you have for me," Aren muttered as he walked towards the Magia Adepta gate.

He stretched his hand to push the doors, but right when he touched those doors, he felt dizzy before the scenery changed and he arrived at a strange place.

The closest words to describe this place were...a scenery after magic and science-related apocalypse.

[Here, you are only allowed to use things related to your path and nothing else. You have to complete three tasks in twenty-four hours.]

[First task: Conquer a random settlement of any mutated species.]

[Second task: Find or snatch an item with a power level of 1000 or more. Make it yours by becoming its owner through blood bond. A measurement device is added to your inventory that can gauge the power level of items in this place.]

[Third task: Absorb any type of mutated-magic ability of A-grade or above. There is more than one way of absorbing such ability. So, find those methods and absorb one ability. Note: you can only absorb one ability.]

[Passable result: Finish one task]

[B-grade result: Finish two tasks.]

[A-grade result: Finish three tasks.]

[If you die inside, the test will be over, and you won't get any rewards even if you have completed the task. Surviving for 24 hours here is a must.]

[23:59]

After hearing the voice and reading the last notification, Aren became aware of the fact that if he dies here, he won't really die but just be kicked outside to that dark place.

He looked around in this barren land with ground filled with cracks and oozing out the glowing green liquid.

The sky was dark with sparkling, colorful stars, and the atmosphere was heavy and dark.

There was no one in sight, so Aren first hopped on his sword and started flying in a random direction.

There were plants on the ground, but they looked grotesque and alive. Thus, dangerous.

After flying for five minutes at his full speed, Aren saw a cyber-punk type gate with metal walls that were covered in green vines with spikes.

Two humanoid creatures with fish heads stood as guards at the gate.

Aren didn't go there and stopped one kilometer away from the settlement and hid behind a boulder. After observing gates for a minute, he put away his sword and chakrams in his body before becoming completely unarmed except for the leather armor on his body that was already damaged to an extent.

He then took out the measurement device that looked like one eye goggle and wore it on before he started walking towards the settlement at a fast speed. Yes, he started WALKING at a fast speed.

Soon, he arrived at the gate and slowed down while observing the fish-head men.

He thought they would stop him, so he slowed down, but all they did was to glance at him and then look away.

Seeing that, he also didn't care and entered inside the settlement where he saw different kinds of alien-like beings walking the streets—Fish-head, octopus-head, grotesque head with tentacle-like limbs, blade limbs, etc.

He just observed everything and continued walking deeper into the settlement.

But his eyes caught one a shop with a glowing name "Mutant-Magic Ability shop." The name-board had green glowing worms moving on them that highlighted the name.

Aren decided to check it out as he walked towards it and entered the shop.

The shop was two stories big, and its room size was four hundred square feet.

The shop seemed empty, with only the shop owner sitting on the chair while reading a newspaper. The shop owner had a pig-head that looked dangerous with piecing accessories on its ears and nose. Slash marks on his dark pink skin, and one of its eyes was covered with an eyepatch.

The shop had several glass showcases on walls and two big tables that displayed glass vials with different colored liquids that glowed with different colors sparks in them.

After Aren entered the shop, the pig-owner put away the newspaper and spoke, "Yo, human. What do you want to buy?"

Aren looked at the owner and spoke plainly, "I want A-grade or above grade Mutant-magic ability."

Hearing his words, the pig-owner released a piggy sound from his nose before slapping the table, "Hon hon hon...are you kidding me? You won't be able to find A-grade or higher grade mutant-magic ability in this settlement. The most I have are B-grade vials. If you want one of them, then you can take it for the price displayed."

Aren frowned as he looked at those magical vials with strange liquids on them, 'I want to try one, but...I am only allowed to absorb one. The task mentioned me of finding a method to absorb one, but there's this shop as well...Hmm, I need to find more information about this thing.'

Thinking of that, he thought of something and asked the pig-man, "I have never absorbed mutant-magic ability from vials. Do you know how would one absorb them?"

Hearing him, The pig-man revealed a surprised expression, "So you are a wild absorber? Hmmm, if that's the case, then I can give you a location of Magia-deviant spot where you can absorb A-grade mutant-magic ability,"-Pig-man revealed a sly smile as he rubbed his hand, "However since that location is a secret and only I know about it, It will cost some money."

Hearing all that, Aren internally grinned, 'Bingo. I thought I could get information if I asked that question since the task told me to find methods and absorb it even though there's a shop like this here.'

Aren looked at the shop owner as he narrowed his eyes on his plain expression and asked, "How much?"

Pig-man rubbed his hand as he spoke with his eyes forming a smile, "Ahem...I have been holding on to this information and waiting for a Wild absorber to appear to get some good price for it, hehehe."

Aren frowned and spoke sharply, "Don't waste my time and speak up the price."

There was also this currency problem since the price displayed on the showcase was not in gold coins but something like crista-shards. He had seen these crista-shards while walking the streets and seeing people buying things with them.

But he hoped that he could exchange his gold coins with them.