Arka's voice echoed.
Without hesitation, Juanlu pulled his weapon from his pocket ring and flung it directly into the orange-red ball of light.
The orange-red ball of light, mingling with the surrounding magic, merged into the bat.
The bat trembled as it transformed, its shape changing with it.
Everyone had never witnessed anything like this, but from their earlier conversation, they all had a general idea of what the situation entailed, and they all stared intently.
This was a rare opportunity.
The originally slender and flexible bat grew thicker.
It then became as thick as a forearm and rapidly lengthened, reaching over two meters.
Instead of a single floating sphere, its crown was surrounded by three orange-red spheres.
Each sphere was visible, resembling a gaping mouth with sharp teeth.
There was no doubt it could crush anything. The stick was emblazoned with red lines, with several grooves running straight down.
Just by looking at it, one could tell it wasn't an ordinary item.
And it had clearly become a treasure.
Juanlu watched, reaching out and grasping the stick.
As he grasped it, magical energy poured into the stick, causing it to tremble and then emit a glow that also affected Juanlu.
A feeling of hunger spread throughout the surroundings.
Everyone felt a slight pang of hunger, but that was all. Alka, with his stronger soul and mental defenses, didn't even feel hunger.
They had seen this happen many times before.
It was Juanlu who was controlling the treasure.
The process was swift, taking no time.
The treasure was completely in Juanlu's grasp, and he was seen brandishing it with abandon.
This must be the first weapon-shaped artifact on the ship.
Strangely enough, after seeing so many artifacts, the only one related to a weapon was the Virgin's Sword of Mercy.
The other artifacts were all of various shapes.
And this, the only weapon-like artifact, was one they had chosen to construct themselves.
They wondered if this would affect the artifact's power.
Alka and Simon were both pondering various matters.
After all, a brand-new artifact had just been created from nothing before them.
Most people would never see such a scene; it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But they might see it many times.
After all, they hadn't even begun their challenge yet.
"What abilities does this artifact have?" Simon asked from the side, his eyes full of curiosity.
Juanlu nodded, looking at the staff in his hand with considerable satisfaction. He said, "See those three spheres with mouths? They can consume anything, digest it, and pass it on to me.
Depending on what they eat, the feedback they provide me will vary. I'll have to study this myself to find out.
The equivalent is my own mouth. What I eat has the same function, only even better, and even lasts forever."
Hearing this, everyone around was a little surprised.
This is clearly a treasure that can bring growth. The initial effects won't be obvious.
But the improvement will become greater over time, because the gains from the food consumed may last forever.
Obviously, the better the food, the better the effect.
But I don't know the specific manifestations yet.
"This thing really suits you," Jason said with a smile.
Don't underestimate Juanlu himself. He has activated his bloodline and has a good appetite. If he truly indulged, he could eat more than Porolo, and digest it quickly.
‐‐Not to mention that this challenge wasn't just about obtaining a treasure; it also fully activated his bloodline.
‐‐And it was strongly connected to his treasure, complementing each other and perhaps even bringing about even greater changes.
‐‐Hearing Jason's words, Juanlu nodded happily. This item truly suited him.
‐‐He watched as the staff in his hand merged directly into his body, leaving only the three spheres floating outside.
‐‐"It seems you truly have a good compatibility with this treasure. You mastered it so easily," Alka remarked beside him.
‐‐Juanlu nodded and explained, "After all, I share a similar bloodline, so it's bound to have some bonuses."
‐‐Regardless, this person was delighted to have obtained a treasure that was perfectly suited to him.
‐‐And powerful enough.
…
It didn't take long for Matresha to appear on the teleportation array.
‐ Her equipment and clothing looked a little worn, but there were no visible wounds on her body. It seemed she had already treated herself before emerging.
‐ However, her facial expression indicated a slight drowsiness.
‐ "How are you? Is anything alright?"
‐ Matresha shook her head. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I just need some rest."
‐ A pink mist drifted over, wrapping around Matresha. Matresha then closed her eyes and fell asleep, supported by the pink mist.
‐ "Her spirit is exhausted. I will force her into a deep dream to quickly recover."
‐ Everyone nodded at Alka's words.
‐ "I'll go in first," Alka said, standing on the teleportation platform.
‐ However, he didn't challenge her.
Instead, they were conducting a trial.
As the figure disappeared,
Alka was born directly into a stone chamber and pushed open the door before him.
He stepped onto the familiar stone platform.
The instructor stood there, having been waiting for him for a long time.
Looking at Alka as he arrived, he smiled and said, "Two of my colleagues have already completed their tasks. It seems that two of your friends have successfully passed the challenge."
Alka nodded. "Yes, it seems quite successful."
"That's good. What about you? Are you ready for the challenge?"
Hearing the instructor's words, Alka shook his head.
"No, I'm not strong enough yet. I won't proceed until I'm strong enough to complete the challenge mode."
Hearing Alka's words, the instructor's expression showed clear satisfaction. He nodded and said with a smile, "Very good, this is the perfect time. You have the talent to complete the entire tower. It would be a shame to challenge it just for the ordinary rewards."
"Okay, let's talk later. Now, let me see the ability you mentioned that will increase your melee strength." The instructor said as a light military uniform appeared on his body.
Alka nodded without hesitation, and a mirror appeared in his hand.
But this time, the figure that appeared on the mirror was no longer Mirmi's.
Instead, it was a pitch-black figure.
Then the mask changed, becoming as black as ink, with three sharp horns extending from its top.
The entire face took on a triangular structure.
Alka put the mask on. Rolling black shadows began to spread downward from the mask, forming a soft, shell-like armor that clung to Alka's body.
Alka's hands grew thicker, and four claw-like fingers appeared on each palm. The palms were wide, at least half the size of Alka's face.
The shadows at the tail formed a slender tail like a whipcord, with a blade-like wind structure at the tip.
Clearly, this tail could also be used as a flexible weapon.
The most noticeable change was Alka's shoulders, where a pair of upward-pointing hands extended once again. These palms appeared much clearer and more slender.
The palms of the arms formed by the black shadows had transformed into blades, appearing incredibly sharp.
These were Alka's extra arms, which would be more useful in the battle.
"Is it a simulated transformation like a deer?"
"Your mask is indeed the divine essence of the Magic Mirror Walker."
This statement immediately caused Alka, who was preparing for battle, to drop his stance. Curiously, he asked, "Magic Realm Walker? What is that?"
"A title for a demigod. He hid his true name, and the world called him the Magic Mirror Walker. In the era before the War of Gods, his reputation was quite resounding.
He loved playing pranks, had an extremely bad temper, and lacked empathy. He often caused destruction just for fun.
If his father hadn't been so powerful, he would have been annihilated by the coalition.
It seems he perished during the War of Gods, which is a good thing."
After briefly recounting the Magic Mirror Walker's deeds and explaining his origins, the instructor rushed forward.
Alka immediately met him.
The two of them instantly engaged in a fierce battle.
After so much close combat training, Alka's melee skills had improved dramatically.
With this new form, his fighting stance was much smoother. Aside from the two new arms on his back, which required some adjustment, everything was progressing smoothly.
The instructor seemed intent on training the new arms, constantly manipulating them.
Even Alka's tail was being trained, as it was clearly a weapon. Since every part of his body was a weapon, it had to be used effectively.
The instructor's expression showed his immense satisfaction with this performance.
Combined with Alka's often uncanny movements in close combat, his attacks were incredibly deceptive.
Alka had already mastered the art of cunning in close combat.
Even though the shadowy creature he transformed into was skilled in close combat, it was undeniable that he was still a creature of the dream world.
The battle went on like this for a long time.
Until Alka's strength was completely exhausted and he was sent flying to the ground by a punch, he lay on the ground and waved his hands weakly, indicating that he was no longer able to continue.
The instructor walked over, extended a hand, and pulled Alka, now maskless, from the ground.
"Very good! This form is truly amazing! As expected, there are all sorts of strange things in the dream world, and I've never seen any of them," the instructor said with a hint of regret.
Hearing this, Alka couldn't help but smile.
His instructor had always prided himself on his erudition, but it was only when it came to dreams that he repeatedly failed.
The two sat and chatted.
In fact, it was more like Alka asking questions.
After all, this instructor had survived the era before the War of Gods.
The only pity was that he didn't know much about some of the circumstances surrounding the War of Gods.
Because he had died before then, becoming an instructor in this tower.
"After today, you won't have to enter the Trials every week. There's very little you can do to improve your strength now. You just need to follow this path."
Hearing this, Alka turned and looked at him.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not asking you to leave now. It's just that the Trials at this stage won't be of much use to you unless your strength improves enough to advance to the next level. Then this level will become a challenge.
But by then, you'll have achieved 19 spirals, and you'll have to stay here even longer. It's not good to train in one place all the time."
Alka nodded. "Is that so? Thank you for your guidance recently. I'll come back to see you when I'm stronger. But before that, I have to wait until my companions enter Challenge Mode before I leave."
Hearing this, the instructor beside him smiled and shook his head.
"Forget it. They definitely can't challenge me at this stage."
"Why?" Alka turned to look at him, somewhat puzzled.
"The two friends you challenged today passed because they lacked divine power... well, in your terms, treasures."
"Of course, the challenge wasn't difficult for them, so they easily reached their bottlenecks and broke through."
He turned again, looking at Alka seriously, and said, "But it's different for you. For those of you who possess divine power, that is, control treasures, the challenge will be greatly increased."
"The difficulty for you will be increased to that of demigods, and you will be challenged at the standard of demigods."
"The world has become a little strange now, a little unfamiliar to me, but when the Trial Tower was built, they certainly didn't anticipate such changes.
Demigods are born with... The special abilities represented by each godhood are freely controlled, just like one's own hands.
But you are different. You control them through the medium of this treasure. You need to fully master it to reach the beginning of your former demigod status.
The free control and mastery of power between the two cannot possibly be compared, right?
How could you possibly pass such a difficult task at your current level? The Trial of Progress aims to surpass oneself, assuming the difficulty is not excessive.
If you face a hopeless opponent who can easily defeat you, the so-called Trial of Progress is meaningless.
"So, their instructor will certainly not let them waste this hard-earned opportunity."
After hearing this explanation, Alka nodded.
I see.
How did ordinary people without treasures improve their strength before the God War?
"And when can we start the challenge?" Alka asked.
"I don't quite understand the power expression of this era. If I had to give a standard, well... like you, when you control the treasure like you do," the instructor replied after a moment's thought.
Hearing this, Alka seemed to understand and nodded.
This means one must reach the fourth stage, because at this stage one can fully control the treasure.
Only then, while controlling the treasure, can one overcome the challenges specifically designed for demigods.
After understanding this, Alka stopped asking questions. Instead, they chatted about other things.
"What was the world like before the War of Gods?" Alka couldn't help but ask.
"That's a question, but it's definitely different from now. The world... is shattered," the instructor said, as if lamenting.
The world he once inhabited has been shattered.
Thinking about it, I still feel a sense of sadness.
But I still said: "In the era I lived in, the size of the world was unknown.
I only know it's enormous.
It consists of three vast continents, surrounded by countless small islands.
"At that time, the gods still built their kingdoms on land. They roamed the world, living alongside their followers and spreading their ideals.
It was precisely because of this that all sorts of mortal beings began to believe in these powerful beings, reverently calling them gods and practicing the ideals they passed down."
"To go into the details would be too much to detail, and it would take days and nights to finish. Not to mention that I was only active in the southern part of the Sublime Continent until my death, and I only knew about places farther away by hearsay."
At this point, he looked at Alka with a hint of amusement and said, "I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I never sailed on the sea until my death, so I have no idea how you live now." "
Just like them now, they can't understand what it's like to live on the mainland.
But at least Alka has experienced it.
"Alright, enough small talk. I hope we'll see you again, and I hope you won't be overwhelmed by the goals you've chosen."
Hearing this, Alka stood up and nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely live well until the day I achieve my goal."
"Haha, then I'll wait and see."
The instructor looked at Alka, smiled, nodded, then reached out and patted him on the shoulder.
The figure vanished from the spot.
Alka also returned to the secret room he'd always entered.
Looking at the closed door.
Disappeared from the spot.