Chapitre 8: The Third Test 2

After his brief rant, he finally caught sight of the monsters that were summoned. He was utterly bewildered. They looked repulsive, with purple skin and grotesquely disfigured bodies, arms longer than their torsos, and ridiculously short legs. Each had eight small, creepy eyes fixated on Shin, a toothless grin, and five tongues protruding from their mouths. Shin was so disgusted that he would have preferred to run away if not for the test. Moreover, they emitted a horrendous odor reminiscent of eggs left to rot for years.

Shin swiftly manipulated space, ascending into the air to hover above the grotesque monsters. He used his Appraisal ability to identify these unfamiliar creatures, as he had never encountered nor heard of such monsters before.

Poisonous mongels: These small creatures are universally despised as descendants of one of the cosmos' greatest calamities. Cursed to never develop beyond their current grotesque appearance, and cannot cultivate. They are highly toxic; anything they touch succumbs to their poisonous skin. Their sole method of harming others is through physical contact with the other party.

"I didn't expect to encounter something this intriguing here. If I devour them, I might acquire and evolve their bloodline to match their ancestor's form. After the tests, I'll inquire with the gatekeeper about this so-called calamity," Shin thought, though he was also disappointed there still wasn't any challenge. Despite having complete immunity to most poisons, he was vulnerable to a specific type that only descendants of Jormungandr possessed. And these creatures did not possess that.

So he swiftly dispatched them by hurling bolts of lightning, at one after another, while devouring them immediately afterward. "These creatures are so feeble; their only strength is entirely ineffective against me. It's almost pitiful," he mused, continuing to slay them without slowing his pace.

[Killed 100 Poisonous mongels and gained 50.000 SP]

Shin's eyes widened in astonishment at the number of system points he received. Despite their weakness, he acquired nearly half the points he earned for creating his Lucid Mana Heart. He hadn't expected to receive that much; he assumed they might yield fewer system points than the goblins. However, an even bigger surprise awaited him.

[Gained bloodline Poisonous Mongel(Cursed)]

[Bloodline ability evolution evolved the Poisonous Witchmongel(Cursed) into Mongel(???)]

[Integrate bloodline Yes/No]

"Yes"

[Integration successful host gained following bloodline skills]

[Integrated successfully]

[Host awakened nihil affinity]

[Host learned the following bloodline abilities:

Void Manipulation: The ability to manipulate and control the primordial void itself, allowing the user to create vacuums, nullify energies, or erase matter from existence.

Entropy Infusion: The ability to accelerate the natural process of decay and entropy, causing objects or living beings to disintegrate or dissolve into nothing over time.

Nullification: The ability to nullify or neutralize the powers and abilities of others by invoking the essence of nothingness, rendering them temporarily powerless or ineffective.

Nihilistic Empowerment: Temporary enhancement of physical or metaphysical abilities by embracing the nihilistic essence, tapping into the void's limitless potential for destruction and renewal.

Locked.

Locked.]

[Host gained title Last Mongel]

Shin was astounded by the strength of his new bloodline. It exceeded even the Pandemonium rank, revealing a level of power he hadn't anticipated. This discovery hinted at even greater challenges lurking within the cosmos, but Shin felt excited and ready to face them all.

***

Somewhere in the vast cosmos, on an enormous planet, stood a majestic palace. Constructed with materials so precious that it seemed perpetually enshrouded in an aura of divinity, housed only the direct descendants of the Barzillai clan, one of the most powerful lineages in the universe. Inside this palace, seven individuals sat around a round golden table, their expressions grim as they exchanged concerned glances.

"Did you all feel the disturbance in the cosmos?" an ancient-looking man inquired, directing his gaze toward the head of the table. Seated there was Eran Absalom Barzillai, the patriarch of the Barzillai clan and one of the most formidable beings in existence.

"Yes," Eran replied, his tone grave. "It felt similar to when the Mongels rampaged countless eons ago." His eyes then shifted to his firstborn and heir, Azarel Festus Barzillai.

The Barzillai clan possessed a unique bloodline ability known as the Seer of Destiny. However, since the disturbance, their once-clear visions had been obscured. "Just like back then, we cannot see anything with our most precious ability," Eran continued the weight of his words palpable.

Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Eran made a decisive announcement. "I will convene a grand meeting with the heads of the other nine major clans. Together, we will determine our course of action."

***

"That boy has awakened yet another affinity," the guardian spirit remarked, eyes wide with astonishment. The gatekeeper, equally astonished, found himself in a state of disbelief. He knew he had to inform his master, Zephyros, about this exceptional boy, Shin Luppiter.

As a gatekeeper, he understood the stringent rules set by Judgment, the powerful overseer of the cosmos. These rules dictated that young talents could not be recruited from their home planets until they had left to explore the wider universe. This restriction now felt like a significant obstacle. The gatekeeper yearned to take Shin to his master's academy immediately, but Judgment's vigilance was absolute.

Judgment's influence extended across nearly every planet, with spells and guardians ensuring that any attempt to circumvent the rules would be swiftly detected and thwarted. The gatekeeper knew that even if someone managed to evade the ever-watchful guardians, the detection spells in place made it nearly impossible to kidnap young talents without extraordinary skill or overwhelming power.

Frustrated but bound by the rules, the gatekeeper could only hope that Shin would remain unnoticed by other powerful factions. The thought of losing such a prodigious talent to rivals was troubling, but he resolved to keep a vigilant watch over Shin, ensuring that when the time came, he would be ready to act swiftly and decisively.

Shin Luppiter was no ordinary boy. His multiple affinity awakenings were rare, signaling immense potential and power. The gatekeeper could see that Shin's abilities would make him a highly sought-after asset in the cosmic struggles for power and influence. Thus, he remained vigilant, knowing that the fate of this remarkable boy could significantly impact the balance of power in the universe.

***

The magic circles lit up once more, and this time, kobolds emerged. Shin quickly appraised them, noting that they were slightly stronger than the goblins, possessing better skills and greater intelligence. Despite this, they posed no real challenge. Shin swiftly dispatched two waves of kobolds, devouring them in the process.

[Killed 200 kobolds and gained 2000 SP]

[Gained bloodline Ancient Kobold(Mortal)]

[Integrate bloodline Yes/No]

"Yes"

[Integration successful host gained following bloodline skill]

[Enhanced Senses.]

The next wave began, revealing hobgoblins. According to his appraisal skill, these hobgoblins also lacked any form of cultivation. However, they were special due to their nature affinity a trait he had yet to acquire. This intrigued him, as he wondered how gaining the hobgoblin bloodline might affect his ancient goblin bloodline. Would it mutate or change, or would nothing happen at all?

After defeating the wave of hobgoblins, he checked his system messages to review his gains.

[Killed 100 hobgoblins and gained 1500 SP]

[Gained bloodline Ancient hobgoblins(Mortal)]

[Integrate bloodline Yes/No]

"Yes"

[Integration successful host gained Nature affinity and zero bloodline skills]

"So, nothing happened," he muttered to himself, feeling dejected. "I was hoping for a mutation or something, but oh well."

As he voiced his disappointment, the gatekeeper suddenly appeared beside him.

"We're going to change the tests," the gatekeeper announced. "These challenges have become too easy for you. With the third test now complete, the next one will be more difficult."

"That's fine by me," Shin replied, growing weary of defeating monsters without any real challenge.

After arriving at the house where he prepared for the third test, the gatekeeper reminded him that he still only had a year to prepare for the next test and then left again.