Adrian's future abilities fell on one thought, 'The medium can make me more powerful at the cost of gaining more weaknesses.'
Each time this sentence crossed his mind only one thought appeared, 'What if the medium isn't the deciding factor for the gaining of abilities, but the achievements in it?'
With that in mind, Adrian thought back on what Sakura said before saying, "You specifically said each SENSE they can experience the medium with could give me more abilities and weaknesses."
As he spoke an idea formed in his mind, but before he mentioned it he asked, "Did you mean specifically the medium would give me the 'buffs' or were you referring to what was in it?"
Sakura couldn't help but light up at the question as information poured into her mind to answer Adrian's question.
After processing the information for a few seconds, Sakura responded saying, ~I'm glad you asked. The medium only allows others to sense, and/or experience your achievements, it does NOT affect what they experience only how they do so.~
Hearing her answer a devilish grin appeared on Adrian's face before he commanded the system, "Change medium to energy intake."
[Achievement collection medium now set to "energy intake"]
[Medium can affect: physical, mental, and soul-linked senses]
[Chance of power & weakness gain increased by 12,000%]
[Description: With a simple exchange of energy your testament can be spread and experienced with perfect accuracy.]
[Please continue after processing… 5-minute wait time]
Shocked everyone watching Adrian's decision-making froze like stone collectively sharing the same thought, 'How did he figure out the system that we failed to comprehend during our first testament?'
Their shock only lasted for moments before they remembered who they were watching. Soon a new face applied to send Adrian a message paying the exploitative fee.
[Constellation Lonely White Moon painfully, sponsored 50 fate value asking, "Will you accept a small mission from me? I will be simple."]
Confused, Adrian re-read the message from an unfamiliar sender.
Racking his brain Adrian quickly remembered her username as one of the few encouraging senders within the forest.
Smiling, Adrian uncharacteristically sent a request to refund her spent value while saying, "It depends on the mission and reward. I'm sorry but I don't work for free."
White Moon was confused when her fate value returned to her expecting Adrian had rejected her request, but with his prompt response, she knew that Adrian wanted her to use the value to send more details.
Cursed Writer pouted watching White Moon get special treatment when he was the one who messaged the most.
While waiting for White Moon's response, Adrian started walking down the passage once again hoping to escape the damp floor he had been walking barefoot on.
Stubbornly, even with the discomfort of stepping on such an environment, Adrian refused to summon his shoes to cover his feet as they provided an extra sense to work with.
Adrian could only walk 4 meters before White Moon's request came through.
[Constellation Lonely White Moon used 100 fate value to issue a quest]
[Quest info]
[Lunar Awakening]
[Description: Practice the Nine Emotions, Infinite Weapon Art exposed under the moonlight.]
[Reward: Lunar Spirit connection forms]
[Accept or Decline]
Glancing at the description Adrian felt uncomfortable about the use of the word 'exposed,' but other than that the quest didn't seem difficult so Adrian accepted without even asking about the reward.
Sakura wanted to say something, but Adrian accepted before she could, leaving her to pout in much the same way as Cursed Writer.
Just as Adrian continued down the passage another set of messages appeared.
[Faith Title acquired: Evo, the Soul Exception]
[New tab added to Nexus Entertainment messenger]
[Faith Creation Complete]
[Faith suppressed by the island of souls… failed to spread]
[Please leave the island of souls to spread your Faith]
Once his initial excitement of something new happening Adrian only became annoyed by the influx of messages. Soon he just ignored responding to them, quickly jogging down the passage in front of him focused on his escape.
******
After a few minutes of jogging, Adrian reached the end of the passage being stopped by a grand staircase leading to a lone gate at its peak.
Arriving at the staircase, made up of only 12 steps, Adrian thought nothing of it and attempted to rush up the stairs, but as he skipped multiple steps to jump up it faster Adrian's leg was dissolved midair as a message appeared.
[You must step on each step, and complete the 12 trials in order]
Rolling his eyes, Adrian followed the nonsensical trial as his leg reformed in seconds from blood tendrils.
Stepping on the first stair Adrian's entire body was soon accosted by 4 times the gravity of the outside environment, which was already many times that of Earth's. However, this increase didn't matter much to Adrian's insane endurance.
Stepping up the next step the gravity became 27 times the outside making him a little sluggish but still easily passable.
The third step became a slightly more intense challenge as once his foot landed on it the step stretched out becoming a 5-foot wide platform while increasing his gravity up to 256 times the ground.
With a single stride, Adrian crossed the platform coming upon the next step and without hesitation, Adrian hopped on to the fourth step.
The fourth step caused his body to immediately break apart when his feet touched the step. Once his body reformed Adrian felt the intensity of 3,125 times the ground's gravity pushing him into the step.
Even with his evolved body, any movement would cause his body to break down under immense pressure & gravity.
Immediately Adrian mobilized all the energy inside his body, while making his cells produce a strengthening toxin, to withstand the few steps it would take to clear the now 25-meter-wide step.
Adrian wanted to use teleportation, blood mist, or his authority, but something told him he would be punished for using them here. With labored steps, Adrian had to plod to the edge of this relatively small step.
Unlike before Adrian couldn't just hop feet first up to the next stair and instead had to slowly and carefully raise his leg over the 6-inch step.