Arthur rubbed his chin, his thoughts racing. "This isn't going to be a walk in the park. Whatever is behind that door… it's going to be difficult."
He glanced at the bottom of the notification, his eyes narrowing at the red text: "WARNING! You are given one chance. You will not be able to participate in the trial upon failure."
"Only one shot, huh?" Arthur muttered, a sharp exhale escaping his lips. "That means no do-overs, no retries. It wants me to be absolutely sure before I step in." His fingers instinctively tapped against the hilt of his dagger as he considered his options.
Arthur wasn't the type to hesitate, but this was different. This wasn't about pride or recklessness—this trial was clearly meant for something greater. Something tied to the village's protection. And failure wasn't just about losing access; it could have lasting consequences, especially if the trial held key rewards that could bolster his strength.
He sighed, his frown giving way to a small smirk. "Well, I guess I'll have to prepare, then. I'm not about to let some trial get the better of me."
With a flick of his wrist, Arthur activated his summoning talent. A dark portal appeared beside him, swirling with faint whispers of shadow. Moments later, Neko emerged, her sleek fur shimmering in the dim light as she jumped gracefully onto his head.
Neko's tail curled lazily around Arthur's neck like a scarf. She gave him a look that was both inquisitive and slightly annoyed as if wondering why she'd been summoned so suddenly on a mountain.
Arthur chuckled, reaching up to scratch behind her ears. "Alright, Neko. Time to get serious. I need all the firepower I can muster for this trial, and you're a big part of that. Let's see how you're doing."
Opening his status menu, Arthur selected Neko's profile. Her details appeared before him, glowing softly in the air.
[Race:] Primordial Felidae
[Talent:] Lucky (SSS)
[Phyiscal Damage:] 20
[Damage Resistance:] 14
[Attributes:] Strength 20, Agility 20, Vitality 14, Intelligence 25
[Skills:] Claw Slash (Rare), Paw Steps (Rare), Ninefold Fortune(Mythical), Shadow Pounce (Legendary)
[Attribute Points:] 10
Arthur's eyes scanned her stats, his lips curling into an approving grin. "Not bad. Not bad at all," he murmured, though deep down he was thoroughly impressed.
His gaze landed on the new skill she received for reaching level 10, and his grin faltered for a moment, replaced by genuine astonishment.
"A legendary skill," Arthur muttered under his breath. "She collects legendary and mythical skills like they're vegetables at a market." He chuckled, shaking his head. But then again, he reasoned, it made sense. She was a Primordial Felidae with an SSS-Rank Talent. If anyone was destined to break the game's logic, it was her.
Curiosity piqued, Arthur tapped on the newly acquired skill, opening the description. His eyes widened as he read the details.
Arthur leaned back, his jaw slightly slack as he processed what he was looking at. "That's... overpowered," he muttered to himself, unable to suppress a smile.
With a cooldown of only 5 seconds, this skill could devastate opponents, especially in one-on-one combat or sneak attacks.
The ability to flank and strike from the shadows was practically tailor-made for an assassin, and yet here it was—on a sleek, arrogant feline who was perched casually on his head as if she wasn't carrying skills that could dismantle armies.
"Neko," Arthur said, glancing at her with a mixture of awe and playful exasperation. "You're starting to feel like a cheat code."
The cat tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. She looked like she didn't care, with her usual aloof behaviour, though her thoughts betrayed her smugness.
"Of course I'm powerful-nya. It's only natural. I am the proud Princess of the Primordial Felidae clan-nya. This human should be grateful to have me beside him-nya."
Arthur chuckled, hearing her thoughts through his talent.
As he closed her skill description, his grin returned—but this time, it was laced with a hint of mischief.
He had another reason for opening Neko's status screen, and it wasn't just to check her progress.
The cooldown for the second effect of his Primordial Summoner talent had finished.
Talent Effect #2: You are able to 'extract' one talent or skill from your summoned beasts and keep it as your own. This ability has a cooldown of two weeks.
Arthur rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The possibilities were endless. He could extract one of the A-Grade talents from his other summons, which would already be a significant boost. Or… he could be greedy.
His gaze returned to Neko's skill list, landing on her mythical ability: Ninefold Fortune.
Arthur's heart skipped a beat as he reread the description, his mind racing. A skill that essentially gave him an extra life. Not just that—it reset all cooldowns and even made him invincible for five whole seconds. That wasn't just game-changing; it was world-shattering.
"Thanks, Neko," he said, reaching out to tap the Extract option next to Ninefold Fortune. "I think I'll have to steal this one too."
Neko's ears perked up, and her tail stiffened slightly as she felt a strange pull. Her thoughts betrayed her confusion and irritation.
"What's this-nya? What's happening-nya? Is he copying my power again-nya? This human… how dare he-nya!"
Arthur laughed, patting her on the head. "Relax, Princess. You still have your power, i didn't steal it. You'll be fine."