SSS-Rank Talent: Super Upgrade System-Chapter 62: The Cliff of Golden Temptation

The aroma of roasted shadow-panther jerky, surprisingly edible after Daniel applied some of his scavenged herbs and a touch of controlled Solar Flare heat, filled the small cave.

Even Ayra had to admit it wasn’t half bad, though she still grumbled about the lack of a proper five-course meal with a side of things to smash.

Lia ate with her usual quiet grace, occasionally offering a thoughtful comment on the local flora they might encounter.

Nyx, having devoured her share with puppy-like enthusiasm.

"Alright," Daniel said, wiping grease from his A-Grade Phantom Edge Striking Wraps. "Breakfast is done. Nyx, lead the way to these golden fruits."

The pup yipped with excitement and darted out of the cave, a flicker of shadow vanishing into the dense gloom of the Yin region.

Lia, ever observant, remarked, "She’s remarkably agile for such a young familiar.

And her senses seem exceptionally keen."

"B-Grade potential," Daniel replied. "And she’s a quick learner. Just needs a bit more... combat experience."

They followed Nyx through the twisted, dark forest.

The trees absorbed the pale, ghostly light, their gnarled branches looming menacingly.

The ground was soft and black, muffling their footsteps.

Daniel kept his [Aura Sense+] active, sweeping the area, his enhanced perception picking up the faint rustlings of unseen creatures and the subtle shifts in the dense Yin energy.

Ayra moved with a surprising stealth for someone who usually announced her presence with a shockwave, her hand never far from the great-axe she now carried openly, its polished surface gleaming faintly.

Lia’s Verdant Lifespring Staff-Sword pulsed with a gentle green light, a beacon of calm in the oppressive darkness.

After nearly an hour of careful trekking, Nyx led them to the base of a towering cliff.

It was a sheer wall of black, obsidian-like rock, rising into the swirling mists that constantly veiled the Yin region’s mountain peaks.

Nyx pawed at the base of the cliff, then looked up, yipping and pointing her nose towards a spot about halfway up the rock face.

"So, the fruits are up there?" Ayra asked, tilting her neck.

"How do you expect us to get up that? I don’t see any convenient stairs."

Daniel scanned the cliff face. It was smooth, almost featureless in many places. "My [Aura Sense+] isn’t picking up any obvious paths. But Nyx seems certain."

He focused his senses upwards, pushing past the oppressive Yin energy. He could feel it now, a faint, sweet aroma drifting down, almost imperceptible, but incredibly enticing. And with it, a faint pulse of concentrated life energy.

"She’s right," Daniel confirmed. "Something powerful is up there. I’ll go check it out. You two cover the base. If anything comes sniffing around, you know what to do."

"Hey! No fair!" Ayra protested. "I want to climb the giant scary cliff and find the magic fruit too!"

"Your idea of ’climbing’ usually involves making new handholds with your axe, Ayra," Daniel retorted.

"This requires a bit more finesse. My Agility is higher, and I have skills better suited for this."

He thought of his [Phantom Blink] and his A-Grade Phantom Edge Striking Wraps, which offered excellent grip.

He found a series of small, almost invisible cracks and ledges. With his incredible Strength and Agility, boosted to monstrous levels by his Level 5 status and countless assimilations, the climb was challenging but not impossible.

He moved like a spider, his A-Grade wraps finding purchase on the smallest imperfections in the rock.

The wind shrieked around him as he ascended, a cold, biting Yin wind that threatened to tear him from the cliff face.

"Boom!"

He had to use a small burst from his [Phantom Blink] once to cross a particularly wide, featureless section, the almost silent activation a testament to the skill’s C+-Grade refinement.

Finally, after a tense twenty-minute climb, he reached a wide, sheltered recess hidden behind a curtain of hanging, shadow-slick vines.

He pushed them aside. And there it was!

An ancient, gnarled tree with bark as black as the surrounding rock protruded horizontally from a deep fissure in the cliff.

Its twisted branches held six fruits, with only a few silvery leaves shimmering in the dim light.

Each fruit was the size of a large apple, perfectly round, and glowed with a soft, internal golden light.

The sweet, intoxicating aroma was much stronger here.

"Jackpot," Daniel breathed, his eyes wide. These fruits felt incredibly potent.

He carefully plucked one. It was warm to the touch, its skin smooth and yielding.

Nyx, who had somehow scrambled up the cliff face after him with her surprising pup-agility and probably a good deal of Shadow Affinity, nudged his hand excitedly, whining for a taste.

"Patience, girl," Daniel chuckled. Then, Nyx projected another urgent warning into his mind: Fragrance! Strong! Others come! Eat fast!

Daniel frowned. He focused, and even without [Aura Sense+] fully active, he could feel it.

The moment he picked the fruit, its aroma intensified tenfold, a beacon of irresistible temptation broadcasting itself across the gloomy forest.

"Oh, that’s not good."

He quickly contacted Lia and Ayra via his Nexus Interface. "Found the fruits. Six of them. They look... extremely potent.

Downside? Picking them basically sends out a dinner invitation to every hungry beast and greedy Awakened in a five-mile radius.

I’m going to try one now. You two prepare for company. Lots of company."

He looked at the golden fruit in his hand. He could try to assimilate it directly, but his SSS-Talent seemed to work best on essences or refined concepts.

Eating it, letting his body process it first, felt like the right approach for something this... pure.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered. He took a large bite.

The taste was indescribable. Sweet, tangy and cool all at once.

A wave of pure, untamed life energy exploded through his body, flooding his cells, invigorating his spirit.

[Golden Sun-Kissed Fruit Consumed!]

[Potent Life Force and Solar Essence absorbed!]

[All Attributes temporarily boosted by +20!]

[Latent Solar Affinity awakened! Solar Flare Fist Art synergy dramatically increased!]

[Warning: Rapid energy influx causing temporary system instability. Body undergoing rapid adaptation.]

Daniel gasped as power surged through him, even more intense than a level-up. His muscles burned, his vision swam for a moment, then cleared, sharper than ever.

He felt... incredible. Stronger, faster, his connection to his Solar Flare Fist Art thrumming like a live wire.

But Nyx was right, the scent now drifted down the cliff like a thick fog.

Daniel quickly plucked the remaining five golden fruits, stowing them securely in his inventory space.

One was for him, maybe two. The others... his teammates deserved a taste of this power too.

But first, they had to survive the incoming wave of unwanted dinner guests. He grinned, his A-Grade Kinetic Void Gauntlets already humming in anticipation.

This was going to be fun.