Chapter 150: Sky City

Chapter 150: Sky City[Reward - One Star Sky Mark...]

[Extra reward for 100% Killing bonus - 100 Sky Points]

Apollo quickly glanced at the rewards. The One Star Sky Mark was something he had expected, but the surprise came with the bonus for killing all the Minotaurs—100 Sky Points. He wasn’t sure where or how to use these points, but as he was contemplating his next move, the mysterious voice returned.

[Please enter your name...]

"Apollo," he quickly gave his real name, as he didn’t think much about using a false name or hiding.

[The first task is completed. The trialist is being transported to the Sky City...]

"Hmm".

Before he could figure out more, a mysterious force came from the sky and in an instant teleported him.

The tribe members who were going to welcome the victorious Apollo happily were shocked to see him suddenly disappear and couldn’t grasp what happened. It was like everything was a dream; the Minotaur attack and Apollo’s powerful counterattack all happened at the same time.

They tried to find anything, but in the end, they found nothing.

At that time, the mysterious force enveloped Apollo; he felt a sudden pull, and in the blink of an eye, the world around him shifted. The once grassy plains and towering mountains of the Toda tribe’s territory were replaced by a completely different environment. The air grew colder, thinner, and filled with an unfamiliar energy that crackled with power.

Apollo found himself standing in a vast, open space, surrounded by a magnificent city floating high above the clouds. Sky City was a breathtaking sight to behold—its architecture was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Massive towers of crystalline glass reached toward the heavens, their surfaces shimmering with a rainbow of colours.

Bridges made of light connected the structures, and strange, ethereal creatures roamed the streets, their forms barely tangible.

The city seemed to be filled with life and energy, and Apollo could sense the presence of countless powerful beings all around him. This place was a hub of activity, and he even noticed countless trialists from across the Eastern Continent who were just like him.

[Welcome to Sky City, trialist. You have been granted access to stay in the city]

With that, the voice disappeared, and on his hand, a tattoo of a small single-story tower appeared.

His sudden appearance didn’t surprise others, as it can be seen many before arriving like him.

It seems that after clearing their respective trials, they will be transported here, and the large people from the eastern continent he sees should have cleared their task before they appeared here.

But now he needed to find out more about this place and plan his next move. As he was thinking about this, a guy came to him with a smile.

"Haha, brother, congratulations on passing the trial." He laughed and congratulated him.

Apollo glanced at the man who had approached him, taking in his appearance with a quick yet thorough scan. The young man seemed friendly, with an easygoing demeanour and a confident smile, but Apollo remained cautious. In an unknown place like Sky City, where countless trialists gathered, each one potentially more dangerous than the last, appearances could be deceiving.

"Thank you," Apollo replied, his tone polite but guarded. "Brother, it seems you’ve been here for a while. Could you tell me more about this place?"

Seeing the guy being friendly, he directly asked the important question without wasting any moment.

The young man chuckled, clearly noticing Apollo’s cautiousness. "No need to be so tense, brother. We’re all in the same boat here, after all. My name’s Sol, from the Silver Sun Clan. I’ve been in Sky City for a day now, so I can help you with my understanding."

Sol gestured around them, pointing out various landmarks in the city. "Sky City is the hub for all trialists who pass the first stage. Each of us has a temporary residence here, marked by the tattoo of the tower on your hand. That mark is important—it’s your key to the city and proof that you’ve earned your place here."

He continued, "The city is divided into several districts, each catering to different needs. There’s the Exchange District, where you can trade your Sky Points for skills, items, and other resources."

"The Combat District is where trialists can fight with different opponents, spar or challenge one another, and it’s a good way to gauge your strength against others and earn some Sky points."

"And the most important place is the Trial District, where you can receive your next task. Everyone is required to complete at least one task every week to remain here or upgrade their Sky Mark. If you fail to complete the required task, you will either be punished or cast out of the Sky Tower."

Sol paused, giving Apollo a moment to process the information. "But here’s the thing—this city might seem like a safe haven, but it’s also a place of competition. Every trialist here is looking for an edge, a way to get stronger."

Apollo nodded thoughtfully after hearing and learning all these things about the Sky City.

"Let’s go. I will give you a small tour." He then led Apollo to the different places in this gigantic mystical city.

Then both of them strolled around the city, taking in its mysteries and marvelling at the magnificent views of floating buildings and more.

But as they were exploring, they overheard something interesting.

"Hey, the top ten on the trialist leaderboard has changed again."

"Again? Well, that’s to be expected. There are probably many who still haven’t completed their trials, so it’s naturally going to change."

Hearing others talking Apollo’s interest piqued. "What are they talking about, brother Sol?"

Sol smiled at Apollo’s curiosity. "Ah, that’s the trialist leaderboard. It tracks the top performers among all those who have completed their trials."

"The rankings are based on how well someone completed their tasks—things like speed, efficiency, and the points they get. It’s a big deal because being at the top for a week can earn you special privileges and access to exclusive areas in Sky City."

"Although it is not known what kind of privileges you will get, it is still the direct means to measure talent and strength among the trialists."

He gestured towards a large, glowing pillar in the centre of a nearby plaza. "See that? That’s one of the leaderboard displays. You can check your rank there anytime. But remember, the competition is fierce. Only the best of the best make it to the top ten."

"We are too young; I didn’t know about you, but my name would definitely be among the top ten if I were eighty or ninety years old."

Apollo didn’t comment, and as they approached the leaderboard, it was clear that the names listed there were of people who had accomplished incredible feats. The glowing inscriptions showed not only their names but also the number of Sky points and Sky marks they had earned, along with their rank.

"Want to see where you stand, brother Apollo?" Sol asked with a grin.

He nodded as he wanted to see where his hundred Sky points would let him rank.

"Hmm, the list on display only shows the top hundred names, but you can check your name by using your Sky Mark on this pillar."

Apollo nodded as he began to scan the hundred names displayed on the screen.

"Hey, brother, why are you looking at the list of the top hundred? It’s not like we’ll see our names there," Sol laughed, about to continue when he suddenly stopped, hearing Apollo’s next words.

"Ah, found it."

"What?" Sol’s laughter faded into a surprise.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Apollo, who had just casually mentioned finding his name on the leaderboard.

"You’re joking, right?" Sol asked his tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity. He quickly stepped closer to the glowing pillar, his gaze following Apollo’s finger as it pointed towards the list of names.

There, at a spot within the top hundred, was indeed Apollo’s name, glowing brightly with the number of Sky Points he had earned—100, a figure that placed him comfortably within the ranks of the most elite trialists.

"Ranking: 87, Name: Apollo, Sky points: 100."

Sol blinked a few times, trying to process what he was seeing. "How... how is that possible?"

"What kind of task did you do, that you directly received a hundred Sky points?"

"You’re telling me you just completed your first trial, and you’re already on the leaderboard?" He pointed at Apollo’s name, his voice tinged with both shock and admiration.

Apollo remained calm as if this was the most natural outcome in the world. "It seems so," he said simply, his tone unruffled.

"Well, anyways, how many did you get after completing your task?" he asked with curiosity, noticing Sol’s shocked expression after seeing his points.

Sol calmed down. "Well, usually for most, it’s only ten points. Some get higher by fulfilling additional requirements and based on the difficulty according to the trialist’s strength."

"According to the trialist’s strength? Does that mean according to their cultivation rank?" Apollo murmured, considering the possibility. It might explain why he received so many points, even though the task wasn’t particularly difficult.