Chương 62: Ability Card

Arthur inspected the Ant King's body from a few steps away, just to make sure it did not heal back with some kind of healing magic. Its body was truly strange. There was no blood of any kind, nor were there any intestines or innards. It was simply made of pure crystal as a single object. It had just broken like a vase made of porcelain pot. At the very least, he expected he would obtain a core, which he was eager about.

However, before he could command Coburn to dig out the core, the whole crystal body started to emit a bright glow. It slowly turned into a wisp of mist and flowed upwards. In a few seconds, the entire body of the Ant King turned into a wisp of bright mist, gathering in midair into a ball. Arthur took a few steps back, expecting the ball was going to explode as a mechanism of a final struggle to kill its enemies by Ant King. Arthur urgently commanded the Skeletons to run away from the spot.

He, himself, ran for 10 meters before turning around to see what had become of the ball. To his surprise, the ball of mist had already dissipated. Surprised by this phenomenon, Arthur walked back to the spot. Before he could reach it to inspect, his eyes spotted something on the ground, straight down from where the ball had hung. Cautiously, Arthur closed the distance. From afar, the object didn't seem dangerous. In fact, it looked a lot like the bank card he carried himself. He knelt down for a closer look.

It was indeed a rectangular card, roughly the same size as his own, but the color was entirely different. His card was bronze, and he had seen gold ones before, but this one was black. It was a shade so deep that, even if placed in a pitch-dark room, the card would somehow still stand out as a stark midnight black. Though reluctant, he couldn't suppress his curiosity. What if it was an actual bank card with a billion credits loaded onto it? Wouldn't he regret it for the rest of his life if he just left it here?

Gathering his courage, he reached out to pick it up. Suddenly, however, he paused, remembering that he had servants who could take these risks for him.

"Coburn, pick this card up for me," he commanded. He didn't need to worry about hidden dangers when he had his skeletons with him. However, even after waiting for a reasonable amount of time, the skeleton made no move to do as it was asked. Surprised, Arthur lifted his head and looked up at his undead minion, which stood silently, nonchalantly gripping its longsword. Arthur was confused. Had it not heard his command?

"Coburn, come here," he said. Immediately, the skeleton walked over and stood by his side. It was listening to his commands without any issue. Arthur felt a flash of irritation; the skeleton had clearly just disobeyed his previous order.

"Pick up this card," he said clearly, stripping any urgency from his voice. Arthur stared at Coburn, but the skeleton stood adamantly still, acting as if it hadn't heard his command at all.

"Dolph, come and pick this card up." Arthur called over another skeleton, thinking Coburn might have taken a hit to the head and gotten confused. But Dolph didn't follow the command either. He tried commanding Maan as well, only to get the exact same result. The strange thing was, if he gave a different command, the skeletons followed it without hesitation. But the moment he asked them to interact with the card, they just stood completely still.

"Coburn, jump once if this card is dangerous." Arthur decided to rely on his wits to test the situation. Fortunately, it seemed the card wasn't a threat, as the skeleton didn't move a muscle. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Coburn, jump once if I can pick the card up without any issues." A single jump. What kind of strange situation is this? The card isn't dangerous, and I can pick it up without an issue, yet the skeletons flat-out refuse to touch it themselves. Arthur was genuinely baffled by the scenario. Since Coburn had confirmed it was safe, Arthur decided to grab it himself. He slowly extended his hand and pinched the black card between his fingers. Surprisingly, nothing happened.

He brought it close to his face to inspect it, but before he could even register what the black card truly looked like, it dissolved into nothingness. Arthur's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't even gotten a proper look at it. However, before his confusion could deepen, he suddenly heard a chime, and a translucent screen materialized right in front of his face.

[Concentric Trial: Ability Card Consumed Successfully] [Choose One Ability] 1) Photo Frame Trap The user can manifest a physical photograph of an incoming attack (such as a sword slash, a cannonball, or a fire blast) and trap that attack inside the photo, where it becomes a still, harmless image. The photo can later be torn to release the attack in its original direction with full force or the user can simply discard it. Only one attack can be trapped per photo.

2) Thermal Discharge By converting stored internal thermal energy and channeling it into your extremities, you can forcefully inject extreme heat into any physical object or entity you maintain contact with. The effects scale based on the material targeted and the amount of Thermal Stacks expended. 3) Absolute Calculation When activated, your vision is overlaid with floating numbers and live data.

By seeing the world as pure math, you can perfectly predict movements, pinpoint structural weak spots, and read your enemies' bodies. Arthur was dumbstruck after reading the message's contents. Is this real? What in the world is happening? He had to pinch himself just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. How was this even possible?

Abilities normally only came with the awakening of a Class, and a person had to wait until a Core Layer evolution to gain a new one and even then, it would always be strictly tied to their specific class. Now, seeing three entirely distinct abilities laid out in front of him to choose from, he could only assume this was a hallucination. However, before he could spiral into further disbelief, logic grounded him.

He was currently inside a strange Trial, where nothing was concrete and anything could happen in the next second. Following that line of thought, perhaps this was simply a unique mechanic of this specific trial. Concentric Trials were not only dangerous and mysterious, but also brimming with opportunity. They offered participants numerous gifts and chances to grow. Most people only focused on the lethality of the trials, remaining entirely blind to the massive benefits hidden within.

Arthur finally felt a deep sense of satisfaction in his heart; he was continuously learning the rules of this place. If he fully utilized the opportunities this realm offered, his personal power would soar to heights he had never even imagined. Now, however, came the hard part. He had to choose just one of these three magnificent options. Each one could help him immensely in a variety of situations. For example, [Photo Frame Trap] was an absolute lifesaver.

He could easily neutralize and escape a deadly attack using it. Though the first ability was incredibly powerful, he didn't know if it could absorb any incoming attack. For example, if an expert at the Seventh Core Layer were to strike, would this ability still work against them? If the answer was yes, then it was truly a flawless lifeline he could rely on. Looking down the list, the second ability seemed incredibly handy for day-to-day survival and highly effective in combat.

It was a tempting option; he could melt through any obstacle in his path if he ever found himself trapped without a means of escape. But the final ability seemed to overshadow the first two. [Absolute Calculation], what kind of overpowered ability was this? After reading its description, Arthur was left in a state of sheer shock. Wouldn't having this ability essentially be a cheat code in any battle? He could easily use it to pinpoint an enemy's exact weak points before striking.

Can this ability really do what it promises? Arthur wondered. It almost felt too surreal to actually exist. Arthur found himself caught in a deep dilemma. The first option was the ultimate lifesaver. The second would be incredibly versatile in tough situations. But the last... the last made him feel as though he could become practically invincible in this world.

"God damn it, why isn't there an option to take all three?" Arthur cursed aloud. It was agonizingly difficult to choose, especially between the first and the third.