Without hesitation he chosed, [Echo Perception] (Rare) created by the combination of two uncommon skills, costing 5 000 attribute energy, or almost all his attribute energy.
[Echo Perception] (Rare)
Type: Passive / Sensory
Description: Combines mana resonance with vibration detection to form a full-environment awareness field. Detects movement, mana fluctuations, and energy distortion in real time. For every 100 meters radius, mana consumption increase to 10 per minute.
•••
–5 000 attribute energy
{Energy Pool Details}
Mana: 500 / 500
Vital Essence: ---
Stamina: 100 / 100
Attribute Energy: 1 083
After gaining new combined skill, he cannot help but thought that the cost for skill upgrade jump a bit too much, but what can he do about it? He can only sigh and thought that it because the newbie's trial have ended.
Then, after reading the description of his new skill he become trance for a moment as he tried to familiarize his new skill.
Whoosh~
–10 mana
Mana: 490 / 500
Invisible ripple of energy scanned the hundred meter radius from him, creating a hazy mental image inside Micheal's head.
–10 mana
–10 mana
–10 mana
...
Mana: 90 / 500
He slowly increase his range of perception, finding out couple monster groups along the way, warning his group about them before it become to late.
As they cannot afford to split apart, they all continue to walk to the north direction, finding many interesting things along the way.
After marching for couple of hours, and the crimson sun about to rise into the horizon, Micheal finally sense something amiss in his perception.
Based on his echo perception, it's some sort of a barrier that stopped energy from coming in, he can't perceive what was inside this thing but he knows that this were the safe zone the system talk about.
"Stop! I found something interesting!" Micheal softly said, but it felt deafening when everyone heard it.
The remaining survivors stopped on their tracks and stared confused at Micheal. They stopped at the middle of a ruined city, everywhere you look here seems to contain danger and air of mystery.
"At 10 o'clock, 4.3 kilometers away. There's something interesting, maybe it's the safe zone were looking for!" Michael stared deep into the ruined buildings, like he can see through it.
"Huh? You sure, I saw nothing here other than fallen old buildings"
"Bro! Don't question sir Micheal. He isn't a person that joke around in serious situation"
"Yeah! Give respect!"
"Maybe sir Micheal have a perception type skill"
"Wow, he ave so much overpowered skills aye, where do you think he got one? I want one."
"..."
The people burst into gossip after Micheal announced something. Even do some people where skeptical, they soon trust his words due to his overwhelming prestige and trust gained from the crowd.
Their skepticism are logical, especially when they got surrounded by seemingly endless ruined building, corroded beyond repair. Staring into the horizon to look far where not applicable due to it, so it was shocking to ear someone found the safe zone amongst this seemingly maze city.
Everyone now trust Micheal's words... Well, except for one, the azure haired girl Katrina. No one knows what problem she got from Micheal nor know why she's like this, but either way, the group marched towards the location Micheal pointed out.
After walking across a couple battered alleys and corroded buildings, they finally saw the silhouette of the so called safe zone.
It's a light barrier that surrounded a large area of half square kilometer. Surrounding it where a gathering of monsters that seeks refuge from the upcoming calamity, but it seems like they cannot enter the safe zone for some unknown reason.
Roar!
Growl!
As the group of surviving humans approach close, the roars and growls of monsters slowly becoming louder and louder. Their anxious appearance showed how terrified and desperate they are.
Sadly, the gathering of desperate monsters needs to be cleared out as the humans needed to investigate this zone that maybe their only salvation.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Magic explosion rang out as soon as the two sides meet each other, the humans spammed elemental magic skills: fire, wind, earth, water, etc. while the monster used their magical fighting skills, which are barbaric and primal but overwhelmingly dangerous.
A shadow hound entered the darkness and suddenly appeared behind a human who is using his fireball barrage skill ready to pounce at him.
Boom!
Suddenly, a delicate hand grabbed the pouncing hound on it's head, smashing it hard onto the hard ground, crushing it into a bloody mush.
It was Katrina, the seemingly delicate young woman that keep finding fault on Micheal. Who knows that she could be this barbaric and her delicate hands were hiding such tremendous strength.
Everyone are not shocked, at her show of strength. They already knew she's powerful, and have a powerful ability, same goes with the other dozen strong individuals who are aiding on the battle, it just that they doesn't know what their abilities are.
Sometime later, the 156 monsters that gathered outside the safe zone have been thoroughly eliminated. Leaving the area safe for any danger, at least for now.
Staring at the seemingly powerful barrier, they stared dumbstruck at the information that were presented over them. This maybe the reason those monsters got to entered the safe zone in the first place.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, you've found the Safe Zone 55. To enter it, you need to meet the corresponding requirement.]
[Requirement: Slay 100 creatures of at the Peak Greater Rank, or slay 10 individuals of the same species]
[Safe Zone holding capacity: --- / 100]
The people reading the information layed infront of them, cannot help but bicker at each other.
"God! Why are you playing with us!"
"F*cking system! F*ck this Trial World! It just want us to die!"
"Only 100 people can stay inside! F*ck this is a competition!"
"Guys relax, the system would not create impossible missions and requirements, we can accomplish this, just relax!"
"What the hell are you saying? We need to slay 100 creatures of Peak Greater Rank! We just rank up a while ago and consolidating our strength, fighting those creatures are tantamount to suicide!"
"Why fret? We all have Superior Grade Profession and couple rare skills, it would be easy"
"We're not cannon fodder anymore guys, were powerful now!"
"Yeah, it would be easy. We're at the same level as those 13 strongest guys now, I'm sure I can bet the ass of those monsters."
"Yeah you're right, I'll never going to listen to their orders anymore"
"I'm gonna take one slot for my own! F*ck this group. Bye!"
"Sayunnara!"
"..."
The group argued at one another before they realize they were not ordinary anymore and started to become over confident out of the sudden.
They become complacent that they didn't listen to 13 strongest individuals orders anymore, and immediately rushed towards the wasteland to hunt for the requirements without preparations.
"Damn it, these ungrateful people! I shouldn't have save this bunch in the first place" Erick seeing all of these, was furious he never have thought that the people he tried to protect would just leave them when they finally can stand up.
Some of the 13 strongest individuals were angry, some nonchalant like Katrina, and those that doesn't really care like Micheal.
Not all the people have left and rush on their own, there are still 47 individuals that are waiting for them. They knew that these 13 were the best leaders and best people to trust on, being in a group are beneficial than being solo, especially when they are in a survival trial.
"To those that are still willing to stay, you made the right choice. I've already warned them to not get too over confident, but alas." Erick sighed sadly, but become composed soon after. "This is also a good sign, only 100 of us can get inside and it's good that we'll never going to choose whose the one to be kick out right?"
Erick grinned, and proceeds to create a strategy. "Well then..."