Varian didn't want to wait for their results. His curiosity wasn't that strong.

But more importantly, his anticipation was burning him.

'Even though I can meet Sia on the last day, I want to be as strong as possible.'

The words she said without thinking much rang in his mind.

'I am level 7 now. I can take care of myself. And if I'm not unlucky, this will be our last meeting.'

Varian clenched his fists and took in a deep breath.

Since he was going to see her, he needed to be as strong as her.

But as a hybrid, Sia would have three level 7 paths. Moreover, he didn't know if she was a low level 7 or peak level 7.

'I want to at least say that I'm trying my best.' Varian's figure blurred and he walked through the gate.

Space twisted and rippled.

The next second, Varian found himself in a large room with no ceiling, showing the green with four moons.

The room's walls, including the floor, were dark gold.

'Golden room, what a simpleton name.' He thought.

But this was the perfect trial for him.

{Welcome to the trial, contestant. Are you ready?}

An ethereal voice sounded in his mind. He couldn't understand its language, but he did understand its meaning.

"Yes," Varian said.

The walls of the room started receding and the room began expanding.

One of the moons in the sky shone brightly and a beam of light descended on him.

{Mortal Rank 2, final layer. Initiating the first stage.} The voice trailed off.

'Moral Rank?' Varian muttered.

[Mortal Ranks encompass level 1 to level 9.] System answered.

[Higher civilizations have a different classification.

Level 1-Level 3 is Rank 1, 4-6 is Rank 2, and 7-9 is Rank 3. The first three ranks are collectively called Mortal Ranks and sometimes, Mortal Boundary.]

'Then the celestial ranking starts from Rank 4. Wait, how many of these ranks are there? Is there anything above Celestial Ranks?'

[Yes]

'Yes, what?'

[…Focus on the trial. Host, at least get out of mortal ranks before trying to enquire about the universe.]

'…' Varian cursed the system's mother and father and every other relative it ever had or would have.

"Kreh!"

A war cry stopped him from cursing further.

Varian turned to the source and saw a...giant?

"Roar!"

A huge aura exploded in the now vast room.

Varian felt it too.

'His aura is peak level 6. If he compared it to his own classification, it'd be 1/6'

This was one of the few known areas that gave out opponents based on their own level rather than basing it on a fixed standard.

For example, there were trials that had good resources but needed the strength of at least level 8 to enter.

'But this one is actually better if I can get the final reward.'

Varian's lips curled up.

Boom!

The giant stomped the ground and shot at Varian. His giant hands clenched into a fist and were about to hit him.

Snap!

With a single snap, an invisible force slapped the giant.

Kaa!

Like a fly swatted, the huge giant was slapped to the ground. His arms and torso were bleeding heavily as his internal organs were in a literal mess.

But he wasn't done yet.

"Roar!" With another war cry, the giant stood up or at least tried to.

Varian tapped his finger into the air and the space fluctuated.

Kaa! Kaa! Kacha!

Space cracked around the giant's body and like invisible blades, sliced him.

The previously tough giant collapsed into a puddle of violet blood. Varian's first attack broke his bones and internal organs. The second attack was now bleeding him to death.

"I can't let him die such a miserable death." Varian put on a kind expression and waved his hand.

Zap! Zap! Zap!

Following the rumbling of lightning, a golden lightning spear pierced the giant's head and broke it into pieces.

Varian watched all this with a smile.

[Host, you seem to be enjoying this.]

'Why wouldn't I? I am always playing against higher opponents, not like I'm complaining. But this takes a burden off my chest. Snapping my fingers and killing enemies on the same level as me. Now that's very refreshing.'

[…]

The corpse of the giant turned into specks of light and dispersed. But one particular light shot out and reached Varian.

Before he could even react, it entered his body.

Varian didn't panic. This was the reason why he chose this place.

Closing his eyes, he sensed a golden orb in his body. It was filled with a very special aura.

He could assimilate it whenever he wanted and once he did, it would progress his divine paths significantly.

Obviously, it was also the prize for winning the fight and the main attraction of the golden room.

Others would assimilate only after exiting the ruins, but Varian had none of that concern.

With a single thought, the golden orb melted away and the special aura mixed into his body.

It contained every aura derivative. Others would've taken only the aura derivative of the path they were following and wasted the rest. But Varian wasted none.

Even though a single orb couldn't help much, it still made a difference.

[Body Path Level 6: 2/6

Space Path Level 6: 3/6

Lightning Path Level 6: 2/6

Morpher Path Level 6: 2/6

Telepath Path Level 6: 2/6

Telekinetic Path Level 6: 1/6

Water Path Level 5: 50/2000 (+50)]

His other paths would need more orbs and in fact, better orbs to improve.

{Initializing the second stage.}

Following the ethereal voice, a cunning cry sounded.

"Heeee~" A green fox-like creature appeared at the other end of the room, which was now, almost a few miles away.

"Kee!"

As their gaze connected, Varian felt a sharp prickling pain in his mind and his body started to resist his own control.

"Fuck off." As he spat coldly, Varian's body blurred.

"Kee!"

The fox thought he was going to teleport to it and forcefully intervened.

As a result, Varian's teleportation was off by a large margin and he appeared in a corner of the room.

But the fox couldn't laugh.

Shuaa!

A lightning claw appeared out of nowhere and tore its weak body to pieces.

Soon, its body also turned into light particles and disappeared.

Two golden orbs shot out from the corpse and entered Varian's body.

'This one's strength is peak level 6's 2/6'

He shrugged and prepared himself.

What followed later could only be described as slaughter.

{Initializing third stage}

{Initializing fourth stage}

…

{Initializing sixth stage}

The opponent was an ape that morphed into a king kong.

Varian sweated a little but finished it off by merging his powers.

'There we go, this one has peak level 6/6 strength.' Varian thought as six golden orbs from the ape's corpse entered his body.

'Next is the real meat.' His eyes narrowed.

The golden room had ten stages.

Your opponent would be at the peak of your level.

They'd start at the first point of peak, for instance, 1/6 for level 6, and reach the absolute peak. But he just defeated a 6/6.

'The last four stages will be opponents stronger than any peak level 6, but weaker than level 7.'

Varian felt his blood boil in excitement.

Compared to the previous six, these last four stages had far better rewards!

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