Cosmic Peak

Aren spent an entire day repairing his hammer and learning more about the Amber core of Eturnia. During this time, he actually managed to find another way to use this mutant magic.

He actually managed to use this magic energy in his skills!

"Mutant magic....is that why it's called mutant magic ability?" Aren muttered as he waved his hand and released <Wind slash>, but this wind slash looked unique!

This wind slash had amber sparks in it, and it actually increased the damage of <Wind slash> skill and it also got an additional powerful effect!

Aren could use the Amber Core of Eturnia crudely like once he uses its power, his body becomes more powerful and releases heat and the amber sparks of different shades of orange and red. He had tried to gather that energy and attacked a boulder with it as well in the test world.

So in the last twenty-four hours of continuously using the amber of eturnia to repair his hammer, he did some experiments and found great use of this power.

As his body can handle that power, which means that his body can basically house that mutant magic's energy, he tried to infuse that magic energy while executing his skills and succeeded after some tries.

Spirit energy and the magic energy of Amber core of eturnia didn't clash but combined!

Now his <Wind Slash> became more powerful, and additionally, once it hits someone or something, it will explode due to the effect of magic energy of Amber core of Eturnia!

Not just <Wind slash> but he can infuse that mutant magic's power in all of his skills.

Because of this achievement, he heard a voice and got a notification that he had taken a correct step towards learning this mutant magic ability, and more info was unlocked about it in the tab.

[Mutant-magic ability]: Amber core of Eturnia.

-Grade: S

-Mutant Magic level: 1 (11% mastery).

-Magic energy: [210/1,000] (18/per min).

-Primary trait: As a mutant magic ability: It can combine and adapt with anything as long as the user can handle the power and has sufficient control.

-Effect: Extreme melting, Extreme heat, Reactive Explosion, Extreme burn, Crystalized Fire.

-Skills: None.

"It seems like I have to create skills related to this power myself...," Aren muttered before he looked at the 11% mastery and guessed, "Since this power reacted more to my soul energy, then I guess I can only make progress in it by using my soul energy."

But Aren felt that there was more about this mutant magic ability than shown in the information panel.

'I want to confirm another thing, but I need a target for it which I don't have right now,' Aren thought as he looked at the blue orb to see the outside situation.

'It's been a day, so people should be on the way to here. I guess it's time to go outside as my hammer is fixed as well.'

Aren put the hammer in his inner space and left the Emporio Zone with a single thought as he appeared on the branch while the blue orb disappeared.

He focused through gaps to get the view of the bloody altar and saw that it was still there while the blood aura around it had increased along.

However, Aren was surprised because the intense, bloody smell that he smelled yesterday disappeared entirely.

....

On the other hand, many people were indeed flocking to this place.

The old man posted his upgraded quest in the guild hall, but the rewards had increased even more. From 10,000 gold, he raised them to 15,000 gold.

Ten thousand gold coins was already an overwhelming sum of money for the majority, but fifteen thousand gold coins increased the number of people who took the quest through the roof.

However, there was another thing, and it was that several more quests related to Blood Spring valley with enticing rewards appeared in the guild hall, causing mayhem as all adventurers went to the Blood Spring Valley.

Duke Heigan was notified of this, and he actually became suspicious of this phenomenon.

Inside his palace, duke Heigan was sitting on the chair with a serious expression, "something is wrong..."

After thinking for a few moments, he shouted, "Jugarth!"

After a few seconds, a man arrived in the room, and the aura he exuded felt more powerful than Reto.

He wore solid full-body armor and a mace in his hand. Arriving in front of the duke, he bowed.

Duke Heigan looked at Jugarth and spoke in a serious tone, "Although we don't need to interfere in the affairs of adventurers and guild, we have a duty to protect this duchy. I feel that something is wrong with this situation, so I want you and two other peers of your choice to go to the Blood Spring Valley and check the situation out."

Jugarth's eyes turned sharp as he saluted by making a fist on his chest and said, "Understood, Lord. I will be taking Hafina and Godan with me."

Duke Heigan nodded severally, "If you find any abnormality, immediately return and notify me about it. Go"

After Jugarth left, he called Jeralt and said, "Keep an eye on that old man and try to find others who posted the quest about the Blood Spring Valley."

Jeralt nodded and left.

...

He was still focusing on the bloody altar, but when he saw the first person arriving, the bloody altar suddenly disappeared.

Afterward, more and more people started to arrive and went deeper towards the blood spring valley while he just stayed in his position, hidden in the tree.

After an hour, Aren counted two hundred people entering, and it was at this moment that something big happened.

From the center of that blood spring valley, where the mysterious bloody altar disappeared from Aren's eyes, A pillar of blood-red light shot up in the sky.

Everyone saw this pilar of blood-red light, including Jogarth and the other two with him.

Jogarth frowned as he spoke in this thick voice, "lord Heigan told us to return as soon as any abnormality occurs. Let's go!"

He and the other two with him didn't waste any time as they started running back with their full speed.

*Bong...!*

However, after running for a few minutes, they crashed into an invisible barrier that flickered with a blood-red glow when they hit it.

A thick smell of blood also permeated the whole atmosphere, and Aren saw the blood altar once again appearing with the two sons of that old man.

Other people tried to run, but nobody could escape.

After a few minutes, loud cries of various beasts suddenly started reverberating, and the blood pillar slowly subsided.

However...in place of the blood pillar, everyone could now see a bloody cocoon with blood threads whirling around it.

"W-what is going on here! WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

"Calm down! Everyone, we should gather together first to increase our safety! We don't know what's going to happen, but we have to work together!!"

"Anyone knows any deep history about this place? Like any rumor or other old information?"

"I-I have a very b-bad feeling about this..."

People started panicking while Aren's face also turned grave.

Seeing how everyone was getting bad vibes and that dark cocoon, they somehow felt that they....fucked up by coming here.