Nitish began collecting the items dropped by the golem.
"An elite's loot!" he grinned, overwhelmed with excitement.
From the fallen elite, Nitish received a treasure trove of items:
20 Black Stones
Black Stone Club(Bronze Rank, Level 5)
Black Shield(Bronze Rank, Level 8)
Skill: Defensive Blade
Aside from these, he also obtained various ores and miscellaneous drops—but nothing that caught his eye the way these rare items did.
"Jackpot, baby! This is a straight-up lottery win!"Nitish could hardly contain himself; he almost broke into a dance from sheer joy.
Stuffing the loot quickly into his bag, he sat down on a nearby rock to rest.
"Ugh… I'm so drained. Fighting that Elite must've eaten up all my energy."
He pulled a water bottle from his inventory, took a long sip, then stretched his arms out, trying to relax his sore body.
By now, Nitish had spent nearly 6–7 hours in the game world.In real-world time, that translated to about 3–4.5 hours.(In Celestial Domain, 24 in-game hours = 12 Earth hours.)
He tried to call Aaryan through the system panel—but there was no response.
"Hmph… he's probably still caught up in that quest," Nitish muttered, putting the device away and heading toward the exit of the cave.
"Let's see what's at the top."
Activating his climbing skill, he began ascending once more—and before long, he finally reached the peak of the mountain.
As soon as he stepped onto the summit, his eyes sparkled.
The peak was breathtaking.
Tall, elegant trees swayed gently in the breeze, surrounded by radiant, blooming flowers of all colors. It was beautiful—unexpectedly so for a harsh, rocky mountain.
Nitish stood in awe.
System Guide Message: A mystery lies nearby.
Nitish froze.
"…What? A mystery?" he whispered, stunned.
His eyes scanned the area rapidly. He began moving, combing through every corner of the mountain top.
"What could it be…?"
For the next half an hour, Nitish searched relentlessly. He sprinted across ridges and wove through trees.
"This peak is way too big," he mumbled, completely puzzled.
Eventually, drained and frustrated, he collapsed under the shade of a tree, planning his next steps.
That's when he heard a voice.
"How are you, young man? Taking a break, are you?"
Nitish jerked his head around in surprise.
Behind him, leaning against the tree with one hand resting on the trunk, was an old man.
"I can't believe you're relaxing right under the Shakti Fruit Tree, hahaha. Kids these days—so innocent and clueless," the old man chuckled.
"Shakti Fruit?! This is a Shakti Fruit Tree?" Nitish quickly stood up and turned toward the tree in disbelief.
He then looked at the old man, bowed slightly, and spoke softly:
"I-I'm so sorry, sir… I didn't know this was a sacred Shakti tree."
He had realized this tree must belong to the old man in some way.
"No need to apologize, child," the elder smiled warmly."I'm surprised. You're incredibly polite. I didn't expect someone of your generation to be so respectful and soft-spoken."
Clearly pleased, the old man plucked three fruits from the tree and handed them to Nitish.
"Here, take these, son. Eat up," he said with a gentle smile.
Nitish was surprised and touched by the gesture.
Shakti Fruit.These were among the rarest fruits in Celestial Domain. Consuming one could increase a player's Strength stat by up to 3 points.
However, a person could only consume three Shakti Fruits in their entire lifetime.
"Thank you, sir," Nitish said earnestly, picking up one of the fruits and taking a bite.
Notification: Strength Fruit Eaten — +2 Strength
A wide smile spread across his face. He wasted no time in eating the remaining two fruits as well.
Total Strength Gained: +6
Nitish felt a surge of strength course through his body. Smiling, he extended his hand to the old man.
"My name's Smight," he said cheerfully.
The old man grinned and shook his hand."My real name is Yeonggam, but you can call me Mr. Red."
Nitish glanced at Mr. Red—and then froze.
His eyes widened.
Mr. Red's level was 50.And not just that—he was a Tier 2 Mage.
Nitish's expression gave away his surprise.
Mr. Red chuckled at his reaction."What's the matter? Do I look too handsome today? Haha. I'm a retired mage, kid. Used to be a soldier and researcher in Crimson City back in the day."
"Woah… It's an honor to meet you, Red," Nitish replied, now fully understanding.
Crimson City was one of the top 10 cities in the Great Fornia Kingdom's northern territory. Anyone who'd served as a researcher there had to be someone of immense status and respect.
Nitish and Mr. Red kept talking for quite a while. The old man seemed genuinely entertained and intrigued by Nitish's stories and personality.
"Red… can I ask you something?" Nitish asked casually, hiding his real intent."Is there… some kind of mystery around here? I mean, I heard something."
Mr. Red's eyes glimmered."Wait—how did you know that?!"
"What do you mean? What's here?"
Mr. Red gave a mysterious smirk, placed a hand on Nitish's shoulder, and gestured toward the far side of the mountain peak.
"This mountain… hides something amazing."
He began walking, and Nitish followed close behind.
A short hike later, they stood near a large rock formation. Mr. Red stepped in front of it and whispered something under his breath:
"Counse hiyari niyalo jien…"—an incantation in a language Nitish had never heard before.
Suddenly…
BOOOOOOM!
The ground began to shake.Cracks split through the mountain beneath their feet.
"SHIT!" Nitish gasped, his eyes wide with shock.
Within moments, the land before him transformed.
A city emerged from the shadows of time.
Ancient, weathered, and crumbling—yet grand beyond imagination.
Enormous buildings stood tall despite their shattered edges. At the heart of it all loomed a massive, towering watchtower.
"This, my boy, is the Ancient City of Nalhala," Mr. Red declared proudly.
System Notification:Quest Available – "One Who Fights Many"Would you like to accept this quest?
Nitish's eyes lit up."So this… this is the quest my system guide hinted at," he thought.
"But Red… what happened to this city?"
"War, kid. The war of the ancient gods ruined this place. Everyone who lived here either died or fled. It took me years of research to uncover this location. I never expected someone like you—so young—to stumble upon it."
Mr. Red seemed genuinely impressed.
By now, Nitish had already accepted the quest.
New Quest Objective:Ask Mr. Red about the special trial here.
Nitish turned toward the old man.
"Sir..."
"Yes?"
"You're hiding something from me, aren't you?"
Mr. Red's face tensed slightly. He looked… nervous.
"N-No, not at all…"
"Red," Nitish said calmly, "you called me your friend earlier, didn't you? You trusted me. Please… tell me the truth."
The old man sighed deeply.
"You're right, Smight. Listen closely…"
"This city holds a treasure—a trial. Anyone who completes it is rewarded with something truly extraordinary. But…"
He paused.
"…this trial is nearly impossible."
"Why?"
"Because the only rule is: you must defeat multiple monsters all at once. And they'll all be five levels higher than you."
Nitish's eyes narrowed with curiosity.
"I've never completed it myself. And you're not allowed to use any items or stat-boosting spells inside the trial. Nothing. Pure skill and grit only."
"How many monsters?" Nitish asked.
"Why are you asking?"
"You already know why."
Mr. Red's eyes widened."No way..."
"You didn't hear a word I just said? Sure, you're a Heaven-born player—but why throw away your level like that?"
"It's fine. No harm in trying once, is there?"
"You're stubborn," Red grumbled, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
"There are three levels in this quest," he finally explained.
Level 1: Defeat 10 monsters.
Level 2: Defeat 100 monsters.
Level 3: Defeat 1000 monsters—a full army.
Mr. Red's voice trembled slightly."Level 3 has the greatest rewards… but also the deadliest difficulty."
Nitish's eyes lit up with fire.
"How do I activate the trial?" he asked, smiling confidently.
"You… you're seriously going to do this?"Red looked exasperated."I've warned you. There's no shame in walking away."
"Don't worry, sir. I've got this."
"…Fine. Go stand on that altar. I'll assist you. You crazy boy…"
Mr. Red sighed and moved to the altar. Within moments, he began chanting and activated the trial.
Suddenly, the sky turned a deep crimson.
Mr. Red vanished, teleporting far off to the distant cliffs—clearly, even he couldn't remain inside the city during what was about to unfold.
System Notification:Quest Activated!Defeat 1000 monsters to earn a reward!Quest Difficulty: EPIC
Nitish grinned as the red sky lit his face.
"Now… it's my time to shine."
Before Nitish now stood nearly a thousand monsters.
They looked like a twisted hybrid of wolves, humans, and goats. Each creature stared at him with glowing red eyes, their breath thick with bloodlust.
[Monster Info]Name: WolfkinLevel: 8HP: 1000/1000
Despite being just level 8, they were unusually powerful for their rank. But even with this overwhelming army before him, Nitish didn't flinch.
He didn't utter a single word.
RAAAAAAAAAWWWRRR!
All the Wolfkins screamed in unison, sprinting toward Nitish with terrifying speed, twin daggers gleaming in their hands.
From a distance, Mr. Red watched the scene unfold through his Insight Magic. His breath caught in his throat.
Nitish closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply.
"The time has come… to forget the old Nitish."
He made a silent promise to himself—then suddenly—
FWOOOOOOOOOSHHHHH~~~
Instead of charging forward, Nitish dashed backward with blinding speed!
He activated his ring and blasted toward the watchtower, moving at maximum velocity!
"What is he trying to do?" Mr. Red muttered, confused.
Nitish began climbing the tall watchtower in a blur, leaping up its stone stairs with precision. The horde of monsters followed close behind, swarming up the tower like angry hornets.
One of the Wolfkins nearly struck him, but Nitish ducked just in time and pushed upward even faster.
At last, he reached the topmost chamber of the watchtower.
He spun around instantly—and attacked the two Wolfkins who had followed him up!
SLASH! SLASH!
-6 HP, -10 HP, -10 HP, -10 HP
With a series of swift slashes and one solid strike, he carved through their health.
But wait…
Why had Nitish come all the way up here?
"SO THIS WAS HIS PLAN?! OH MY GOD! GENIUS!! ABSOLUTE BRILLIANCE!!"Mr. Red nearly jumped from his spot, overwhelmed with excitement.
It was obvious—even a child could see it:There was no way Nitish could face 1000 Wolfkins head-on.
He couldn't even handle 10 at once.
In fact, if only 10 of those monsters had surrounded him instead of a thousand, he'd already be dead by now.
But Nitish had thought ahead.
As soon as he heard the trial's objective, his mind had gone to one thing:
The Watchtower.
There was only one way up to the top room of the tower—the narrow stairway.
Only 2 or 3 Wolfkins could fight him at a time in such a confined space. The rest would be stuck, unable to reach him.
This meant he could battle them in waves, using the limited space to his advantage and slowly grind his way to victory!
It was a brilliant tactic.
But Nitish had overlooked one crucial thing.
This trial might have a time limit…
And it did.
4 hours.
"Damn it… I'm in trouble now," Nitish muttered, anxiety flickering across his face.
But even then—deep down—he couldn't help but smile.
He was right in the middle of an epic challenge, facing down insurmountable odds, and pushing his limits beyond imagination.
And in his heart…
Nitish was loving every second of it.
Chop skill used!-40 HP+70 Proficiency Points Gained
Even though these monsters weren't granting any experience points, every single strike was boosting Nitish's proficiency, steadily leveling up his skills!
Suddenly, one of the Wolfkins dashed from the side and lunged at him with full force.
But before the creature could celebrate landing a hit, Nitish blocked the attack and retaliated instantly.
Skill: Defensive Blade used!+100 Proficiency Points Gained
A calm smile spread across Nitish's face.
[Skill Info: Defensive Blade]Level: 1Description: Completely block 2 incoming attacks within a 3-meter radius.Cooldown: 1 minute
The skill he had earned from the elite golem held special importance for him—its utility in battle was already proving immense.
And now? Nitish began to face off against two to three Wolfkins at a time, weaving between them and striking with precision.
Wolfkin (Level 8) has been killed.No EXP gained.
"Hah… I figured. They don't give any experience. Disappointing… but at least I'm gaining proficiency," Nitish sighed slightly, but quickly brushed it off.
Wolfkin (Level 8) killed!Wolfkin (Level 8) killed!
Three hours had passed.
Nitish had been battling non-stop, and now only about 200 Wolfkins remained. But strangely, they seemed easier to kill now.
Why?
[Chop (Melee Skill) - Level 8]Proficiency: 180 / 80,000Description: Deals approximately +90% bonus damage.Cooldown: 2 seconds
[Defensive Blade - Level 6]Proficiency: 90 / 30,000Description: Blocks up to 3 attacks within a 4-meter radius.Cooldown: 35 seconds
Nitish slashed another Wolfkin.
Chop Skill used!-90 HP
The increased damage combined with his defensive blocks made him a flawless killing machine.
From afar, Mr. Red's eyes widened in disbelief. He was sweating.
"This boy… what kind of monster is he?! I've never even cleared Level 1 of this trial… and he's wiping out Level 3!
Look at that swordwork… that agility… incredible!"
Mr. Red smiled so wide it nearly reached his ears. Watching Nitish fight reminded him of his youth.
FWOOOOOOOSHHHHH~~~
Nitish dodged another incoming strike, then immediately struck back. But soon, he realized—
He was no longer gaining any proficiency.
He had killed too many of the same type of monster. The system no longer rewarded him for repeating the same actions on the same enemies.
But it didn't matter anymore.
In just 45 more minutes, Nitish finished off the last remaining Wolfkins.
Congratulations!You have completed the quest: "One Who Fights Many"!Please collect your rewards at the altar.
Nitish climbed down from the watchtower and made his way toward the altar. Mr. Red was already there, waiting with open arms.
He ran up to Nitish and pulled him into a tight hug.
"My boy!! I can't believe it! You completed this quest so easily! You're amazing!""I've never married, but if I had a son— I'd want him to be exactly like you!"
Mr. Red was beaming with pride.
Nitish smiled and replied,
"I could only do this because of you, sir."
"Hah! Go on, go stand on the altar—I'll get your reward ready!"
Nitish laughed softly and stepped onto the platform. Mr. Red once again chanted the ancient words, and light began to rise all around Nitish.
"Ahh… W-whoa…"
Before his eyes, a glowing treasure chest materialized before him.
Congratulations!You have received an EPIC RANKED CHEST!
Seeing the notification, Nitish's breath caught in his throat.
He slowly sat down on the ground, speechless.
"No way… I got an Epic Ranked Chest…"
He didn't even realize when it happened, but a single tear slipped from his eye.
Yes—Nitish was crying.To Mr. Red, this might have just been a rare treasure.But to Nitish, this chest… it was a turning point in his life.Something too overwhelming for words.
Mr. Red quietly observed Nitish's joy—and when he saw that tear, his own eyes welled up.
He understood.
This boy had given everything he had in that fight. His body. His mind. His soul.And now… he had finally been rewarded.
After a moment of quiet happiness, Nitish finally stood up and opened the chest.
Epic Chest Opened!Items Obtained:
The Titan Book of Forging
Draconic Strike (Tier 5 - Taboo Skill)
Parry (Melee Skill)
As soon as he read the name of the first item, Nitish jumped to his feet and started dancing with joy.
"TITAN BOOK OF FORGING!?"
This wasn't just a forging guide—it was a sacred text written by the Titans themselves.
Who were the Titans?They were one of the most revered ancient species in the Celestial Domain, known to be the greatest forgers to have ever existed. No race—no person—could rival their craftsmanship.
And this book was written by those ancient Titans?
This wasn't just valuable… it was a world-shaking treasure.
Any skilled forger on the planet would be willing to kill for even a page of this book.
Nitish carefully stored the book in his bag, already thinking of the plans he would make around it.
But then… he looked at the second item—And his jaw dropped.
"W-What the hell!? Shit! SHIT!!"
Seeing Nitish's face, even Mr. Red grew alarmed.
"What happened, my boy?" he asked with concern.
Nitish didn't respond immediately.
A Tier 5 Taboo Skill?
That was unheard of.
In Celestial Domain, skills weren't ranked the same way as items. There were only two major categories:
Common Skills
Taboo Skills
Taboo skills were in a league of their own.They were incredibly rare. Unbelievably powerful.So powerful, in fact, that even a lower-tier player could defeat higher-tier enemies… if they mastered one.
Nitish's heart was pounding.
"But… how is this possible?" he muttered. "A Taboo skill? At this stage of the game? This doesn't make any sense…"
He quickly showed the skill to Mr. Red.
The old man was well-traveled and had seen Taboo skills before. But when he saw the name of this one, his eyes flew wide open.
"Draconic Strike…? No way. That's the signature skill of the Dragon Lord!"
Nitish's eyes lit up.
"The same Dragon Lord… Tier 10?"
"Yes, child," Mr. Red nodded, still stunned. "This was the skill he created himself… when he was still young."
Nitish eagerly opened the skill's description:
[Draconic Strike (Tier 5 - Taboo Skill)]
Created by the Dragon Lord Thalamus during his youth. It is said that whoever masters this strike becomes unmatched among their entire species.This is the only known Taboo skill that can be learned at any tier.
To learn this skill:Activate Draconic Aura using Black Stones and Red Gems, 1,000 times.
(Progress: 0 / 1000)
As he read the requirements… Nitish's heart sank.
"A thousand activations…?"
It was overwhelming.Impossible, almost.
He had a few Black Stones—but not even close to a thousand.And he didn't have any Red Gems at all.
Nitish sat back again, staring at the screen.
"What should I do now…? Am I never going to be able to use this skill?"
He had earned one of the most powerful techniques in existence…And yet, it seemed to lie just beyond his reach.
Will Nitish ever be able to unlock Draconic Strike?Will he find the materials he needs?Or is this legendary skill destined to remain sealed forever?
— To be continued...