SSS-Rank Talent: Super Upgrade System-Chapter 81: New Level, New Devils!

The darkness of the Dark Forest faded as Daniel, Lia, and Ayra neared the massive S-shaped mountain range that split the Taiji Basin.

The air here felt different, still carrying the heavy Yin energy but now tinged with a faint, almost imperceptible warmth from the distant Yang region.

They had meticulously swept their designated sectors of the Yin forest, their pouches now bulging with an impressive one hundred Yin Cards, a testament to their brutal efficiency and Daniel’s uncanny ability to find... "opportunities."

Yang Cards, however, remained stubbornly elusive.

"One hundred Yin and not a single Yang to show for it," Ayra grumbled, kicking a loose obsidian rock that darted into the undergrowth.

She had thoroughly enjoyed the strategic takedown of Kane’s Savage Blades and the efficient neutralization of Tariq’s treacherous trio, but the absence of new card types was beginning to dull her berserker spirit.

"This place is seriously unbalanced. It’s like a buffet with only one kind of appetizer."

Lia, her A-Grade Staff of the World Ash glowing with a soft, steady emerald light, consulted the updated map on her Nexus Interface.

’’According to the data Daniel acquired, and general Basin topography, the highest concentration of Yang energy, and thus Yang Card-dropping beasts, will be on the other side of this range. The question is, how do we cross?"

Daniel, who had been silently scanning the towering foothills with his [Aura Sense+], nodded.

"Ayra, you mentioned before, back on Platform Alpha when Director Thorne was giving his speech, that there are usually two ways to traverse these inter-regional mountain barriers in dimensional assessments?"

Ayra brightened, pleased to be consulted on matters of strategic traversal, especially if it involved potential danger.

"Yep! Standard Academy playbook.

Option one: the scenic route." She gestured vaguely towards a distant, almost invisible trail that seemed to wind endlessly around the base of the mountains. fгeewebnovёl.com

"Long, probably boring and full of minor annoyances.

Safe-ish, but takes forever. You’d probably fall asleep from sheer tedium before we even saw a Yang-infused dandelion."

"And option two?" Daniel prompted, a glint in his eye.

Ayra’s grin widened, revealing a hint of her S-Grade Berserker teeth.

"Option two, my dear Captain, is always more fun.

The direct route typically involves a poorly maintained, potentially booby-trapped tunnel or a narrow, cliffside path last inspected around the time of the last interdimensional cataclysm.

And, almost invariably," she paused for dramatic effect, "it’s guarded by something big, ugly, and peerlessly fierce."

"I vote for option two," Daniel said without hesitation, his SSS-Rank [Soul Assimilation] talent practically purring at the thought of a "peerlessly fierce beast" ripe for... "negotiation."

Lia sighed softly. "Of course, you do. Why am I not surprised?"

She looked at Ayra. "Still choosing the path with the most collateral damage and property loss?"

"Is there any other way to travel?" Ayra retorted, hefting her great-axe.

"Besides, if it’s guarding the pass, it probably drops a guaranteed Yang Card. Efficiency, Lia! Efficiency!"

"We’ll scout for this ’direct route’ tomorrow, at first light," Daniel decided.

"Tonight, we find a defensible spot at the base of these foothills and get some rest. The Yin energy here feels... thinner. Less oppressive than the deep forest or the Whispering Mire."

As dusk began to settle, Nyx, who had been scouting ahead, let out a series of excited, high-pitched yips from a nearby ridge.

Daniel focused his [Aura Sense+], and even from this distance, he felt it too, a strange, rhythmic pulsing of silver-white light emanating from higher up in the foothills, like a hidden beacon in the encroaching darkness.

It wasn’t moonlight; the current phase of whatever celestial body governed the Taiji Basin’s sky was a sliver of shadowy jade.

"Well, that’s not on the tourist brochure," Daniel muttered. "Nyx, what do you see?"

The image that flashed into his mind from their familiar bond was clear: a moonlit clearing, high on a rocky plateau, and in the center, a troop of massive, ape-like creatures.

They moved with a surprising, almost liquid grace, their thick fur shimmering with the same silver-white light that pulsed from the plateau.

"Silver light, ape-like... Nyx says they’re fast, and there’s a lot of them," Daniel relayed.

"Let’s get a closer look. Stealthily."

He activated his S-Grade [Twilight Phantom Step], Lia and Ayra following his almost invisible lead.

They ascended the rocky slope, the wind shrieking a mournful welcome around the crags.

Soon, they reached a vantage point overlooking the plateau Nyx had indicated.

The scene below was breathtaking, and terrifying.

At least two dozen massive creatures, easily three meters tall when standing, moved with a coordinated, powerful rhythm.

Their bodies were enveloped in thick, azure-blue fur, while their broad backs and powerful shoulders were draped in a mantle of shimmering silver-white.

This lustrous fur seemed to capture and reflect the faint ambient light of the Yin region, creating the pulsing glow they’d seen.

Their faces were intelligent, almost thoughtful, with deep-set eyes that scanned their surroundings with keen awareness. These were the Silverback Blue Apes.

Daniel quickly scanned one with his Nexus Interface.

[Silverback Blue Ape – Mountain Sentinel]

Level: 18

Potential: A-Grade

Stats: High Strength, High Vitality, Very High Agility, Moderate Spirit.

Abilities: [Crushing Grip], [Sonic Howl (Area Disorient)], [Sentinel’s Leap], [Coordinated Pack Tactics]

Threat Assessment: Highly Territorial Guardians. Possess formidable strength, speed, and pack coordination. Avoid direct confrontation with large groups.

"A-Grade, Level 18," Daniel breathed, impressed. "And they move like a well-oiled machine. Looks like the mountain pass has some serious security."

Suddenly, one of the Apes, a particularly large specimen with a magnificent silver mantle, let out a sharp, barking cry.

Its head snapped up, its keen eyes fixing directly on their concealed position!

The wind seemed to die down for a heartbeat, replaced by a palpable wave of focused hostility.

"Oops," Ayra whispered. "I think we’ve been spotted."

Before Daniel could even utter a tactical retreat order, the entire troop of Silverback Blue Apes roared in unison!

"BOOM! HOOOOWL!"

The sound was deafening, a physical wave of force that slammed into them, making the very rock beneath their feet tremble.

The wind shrieked around them as the Apes, with astonishing speed and power, bounded up the rocky slope towards them, their silver backs gleaming menacingly in the dim light.

They moved with the coordinated grace of a perfectly drilled infantry unit, quickly fanning out to surround Daniel’s small team.

"Well, this escalated quickly," Lia commented dryly, her A-Grade Staff of the World Ash already glowing with a potent emerald light.

Ayra, however, looked positively ecstatic.

"Surrounded by giant, angry, silver-backed super-apes? Finally, a proper welcoming committee!"

She hefted her great-axe, a terrifying grin splitting her face. "[Primal Fury Berserker: Second Stage – Tyrant’s Mantle]!"

"BOOM!"

A shockwave of crimson berserker energy erupted from her, pushing back against the Apes’ oppressive aura!

The ground beneath her feet cracked and smoked!

Daniel sighed. So much for a quiet night’s rest. He glanced at Lia. "Protect yourself, Lia! Keep Ayra standing!"

He cracked his knuckles, his A-Grade Kinetic Void Gauntlets thrumming softly. His S-Grade [Solar Flare Fist Art] burned within him, but he opted for a more sustained, less apocalyptic power-up. "[Savage Might]!"

"Boom!"

Another, deeper shockwave rolled outwards as Daniel’s muscles visibly hardened, his Strength and Vitality surging.

The wind shrieked around him as he met the charge of the first Silverback Blue Ape, his eyes blazing with a predatory light that matched their own.

The foothills were about to become a battleground.