SSS-Rank Talent: Super Upgrade System-Chapter 113: Game On!

Olenna Houten guided Daniel, Lia, and Ayra through the beautiful and peaceful streets of the resting platform.

The elegant buildings shone under the soft, constant twilight. The air smelled clean and fresh.

As they walked, Olenna kept talking, her voice smooth and friendly, telling them about the platform.

"This platform is split into two parts by the Styx River," Olenna explained, pointing towards a wide, shimmering river that wound through the settlement.

"On one side, there’s Rivernorth, which is where Astralis Academy’s Upper House is located.

It’s dedicated to training the strongest Awakened."

She gestured towards towering, futuristic structures that seemed to reach towards the sky.

"On the other side, there’s Riversouth, which is more of a normal place to live and has many shops and businesses."

She pointed to the Riversouth side, which looked lively and busy, with market stalls and smaller, bustling residential areas.

"Many Awakened who decide not to climb the Verge any higher choose to settle in Riversouth.

They build new lives here, safe from the dangers of the higher levels of the Verge. It’s quite a thriving community."

Ayra looked at the peaceful Rivernorth side with the Academy buildings.

"So, this is where the really smart people live?" she grumbled, her S-Grade Crystal Gloves gleaming slightly as she clenched her fist.

"Looks a bit too quiet for my taste. I prefer a place where the ground shakes more often."

Lia, on the other hand, looked interested, her eyes taking in the details of the advanced settlement, her A-Grade Staff of the World Ash giving off a soft, curious hum.

Olenna smiled. "Indeed, Aspirant Ayra. Rivernorth is where those who aim for the pinnacle of power and knowledge reside. But for now, let’s get you settled."

She led them to a quiet, secluded area on the Riversouth side.

It was a large, very fancy tent, almost like a luxurious pavilion. It was pitched by the Styx River, in a small, well-kept forest grove.

It looked almost like a luxury camp, with soft glowing lights and comfortable chairs outside, far more opulent than any tent he had ever imagined.

As they approached, a group of polite, smiling employees rushed out to greet them. They wore neat uniforms and bowed deeply, their smiles a little too wide, a little too eager.

"Welcome, honored Awakened!" one employee said, smiling widely, his voice a touch too enthusiastic. "We have prepared everything for your comfort."

Another employee quickly brought over a tray with delicate cups of fragrant tea. "Freshly brewed herbal tea, just for you. To soothe your weary spirits after your trials in Level 3 of the Verge."

Daniel felt a faint prickle of unease. This was all a bit too much. Too friendly. Too perfect.

His S-Grade [Aura Sense+] was constantly working, and while it detected nothing directly hostile, the overly eager smiles, the perfectly timed tea, and the general air of manufactured hospitality felt... off. It was almost like a performance.

The employees then served a meal. It was a feast! frёeweɓηovel_coɱ

Roasted meats, fresh vegetables, fragrant rice, and sweet fruits were laid out on a low table.

After days of eating dried beast jerky and nutrient paste in the Verge, the sight and smell of real, delicious food made Daniel’s stomach rumble with anticipation.

Ayra’s eyes practically lit up like a supernova, and she immediately dove into the food, forgetting all her worries and fears.

Lia, though more graceful, also ate with clear enjoyment, her serene expression showing her appreciation for the fresh flavors.

Daniel, despite his caution, couldn’t help but feel tempted.

He used his [Omniscient Insight], probing the food, the tea, the employees themselves, even the very air around them.

His incredibly high Spirit and Adaptability attributes allowed him to analyze complex energy signatures and detect subtle impurities or hidden intentions.

He found nothing. No poison in the food, no hidden weapons on the employees, no immediate threats lurking in the shadows.

It seemed utterly safe, almost too safe.

He decided to trust his senses, for now. He picked up a piece of roasted meat and took a bite.

It was delicious, tender and flavorful. He ate with enjoyment, though he kept a small part of his mind alert, observing Olenna.

As they ate, Olenna kept up her pleasant conversation, her voice smooth and charming.

But her eyes, Daniel noticed, often flickered towards him, a subtle, calculating look in their depths, as if she were trying to assess him, to figure him out.

She seemed to be searching for something, a tell, a weakness, any sign that her plan was working.

After they had eaten their fill, one of the employees, at a subtle signal from Olenna, brought over a bottle of wine.

It was a beautiful, clear liquid in a delicate glass bottle, labeled "Palm Wine." It glowed faintly with a soft, pink light, looking utterly inviting.

"And to celebrate your incredible success, I have personally selected a bottle of our finest Palm Wine!" Olenna announced, her smile beaming, radiating warmth and sincerity.

"It is renowned for its delightful taste and low alcohol content. Perfect for relaxing after a long journey in the Verge!"

She poured three glasses, each one filled with the shimmering pink liquid.

Lia, always cautious and attuned to subtle energies, politely declined.

"Thank you, Ms. Houten, but I prefer to remain clear-headed. Especially with the Academy registration tomorrow."

She suspected nothing directly harmful, but her instincts told her to be wary of anything that might dull her senses.

Olenna’s smile didn’t falter, but her eyes held a hint of disappointment that was quickly masked.

She then turned to Ayra, a hopeful glint in her gaze. "Aspirant Ayra, perhaps? A toast to your formidable strength?"

Ayra, after a moment’s hesitation, her natural wariness battling with her desire for something more exciting than water, decided against it.

"Nah, I’m good," she grunted, pushing the glass slightly away. "Wine makes me sleepy, and I need to be sharp for smashing things tomorrow."

She was not subtle in her refusal, her instincts guiding her away from anything that might dull her berserker edge.

Olenna’s disappointment deepened, but she quickly covered it, her smile now a touch too bright.

She then turned to Daniel, her eyes sparkling with what seemed like genuine warmth.

"Captain Vance, surely you will join me in a toast? To your unprecedented achievements, and to your future at Astralis Academy?"

She held out a glass to him, her hand steady.

Daniel felt a subtle tingle from his [Omniscient Insight].

The wine, while not poisoned, carried a faint, almost imperceptible energy signature.

It was designed to relax, to lower inhibitions, to make one sleep deeply. It was a knockout drug, very weak, carefully masked, but strong enough to affect anyone not as powerful as him.

It was a deception, carefully crafted to appear harmless.

He realized then what Olenna was planning. This entire welcoming committee, the delicious food, the comfortable homestay, the gentle probing questions,it was all a setup.

She was trying to drug them, to make them sleep deeply, likely to search their belongings, to steal their precious Yin and Yang cards. Or perhaps, something more sinister.

His SSS-Rank [Soul Assimilation] talent and his incredibly high Spirit and Adaptability attributes had allowed him to detect the subtle trick.

He took the glass. He raised it.

"To Astralis Academy," Daniel said, his voice calm, his eyes meeting Olenna’s.

He took a sip, then another, letting the sweet, floral taste linger on his tongue.

He swallowed it all, feeling the subtle sedative effects begin to work, but his body, supercharged by the Leviathan’s essence and his S-Grade skills, easily shrugged it off.

He felt only a faint, pleasant warmth, nothing more. His senses remained razor-sharp, his mind clear.

Olenna’s smile became genuinely wide this time. She had succeeded. She emptied her own glass, her eyes filled with triumph, believing her carefully laid plan was unfolding perfectly.

"Excellent! I knew you were a man of discerning taste, Captain Vance!"

Daniel just smiled back, a cold, knowing glint in his eyes that she couldn’t see.

He knew. He knew everything. The game was on!

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