CHAPTER 57

[TEMPORARY BESTOWAL(1 star): Other than the three borrowed skills you can give your avatars, you can also grant them temporary skills from any you have in your arsenal.]

[MANA COST: Varies]

[DURATION: 1 Hour]

[EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE(1 Star): For something of equal value, get access to skills & proficiency. Increase in proficiency allows wider variety of options to exchange for selection]

"Hahahaha," I laughed before turning to Valeria, who was giving me a weird look. "You said you're a spacetime mage, right? But you don't have time magic, right?"

"Y-yes, I can only affect time a bit, but not as much as if I had time magic."

The time mage class was an epic class like its counterpart, the space mage. It was still harder to come by; only one in ten million people could be a time mage. This rarity put the class on the edge of the epic class, almost classified as unique.

Time to get myself a unique skill!

[EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE]

My hands started to glow a bright gold. The glow spread from my hands to my body, and I heard the ringing of a bell all around us. A gigantic golden scale began to manifest above us.

Anya and Valeria stared at me with wide eyes.

"Is-isn't that...?" Valeria stuttered, pointing at the golden scale.

"Equivalent exchange," Anya said solemnly.

"What's that?" Diana asked, looking confusedly at the two shocked women.

David just looked at the scale solemnly. Emma seemed calm as usual, while Lena looked on with shining eyes.

A giant translucent blue clock appeared in the air and settled on one part of the scale.

[DING!]

[WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXCHANGE FOR THE TIME MAGIC SKILL]

Hmmm!

Let's see.

Puppeteer's spy phone, that one has outlived its purpose. I'll put that first. Those guys imprisoned in the mansion, yeah, they've suffered enough.

[CURRENT RATIO: 1:15]

Damn!

Still not enough!

What can I exchange?

"Do you guys have anything valuable I can use? I didn't know this thing was this expensive."

Valeria put the chains that bound her. Anya put one of her crowns. Daniel put his second most precious hammer. Diana put a bracelet, but still...

[CURRENT RATIO: 3:15]

I gritted my teeth and put on my armor, but the damn thing didn't even budge. I looked at David with a glint in my eye, considering whether to put him there also.

"Hey, hey," David moved back. "I know what you're thinking, and I assure you it won't work."

I laughed inwardly before looking at the blue clock. Is this how much time magic costs? I wasn't even buying the entire time mage package, just one part of it already costs this much.

[IN TRADE, COST INCREASES ACCORDING TO DEMAND AND RARITY]

What the fuck?

I could almost imagine the system as an old merchant, stroking his beard and patting his belly as he bathed in my misery.

Damn system!

What a ripoff!

Sigh!

Author, why have you forsaken me

[SKILL CANCELLED]

[PENALTY: PUPPETEER'S SPY PHONE CONFISCATED]

What the f**k!

There's a penalty too!

After minutes of complaining about the unfairness of the world, we finally set off on our sea journey. We sailed through the 78th floor, killing the sea monsters that appeared in our path until we reached the 79th floor, which was an island.

As we landed on the island, our ears were assaulted by the pleasant sound of singing. We walked towards the source to see what was there, or at least that was our intention. Without knowing it, me and David were already enchanted by the voice and mindlessly moved in the direction of the sound.

After walking for a while, we saw a group of beautiful women sitting on rocks. The voice we had heard was coming from them, and the most enchanting voice came from the most beautiful woman, who sat at their center. I slowly walked toward her, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. But as I got closer, a sense of unease began to creep over me. There was something off about the whole situation...

Why was I walking towards them?

Why do I feel so comfortable?

I don't know them but the feel familiar.why?

And I soon got the answer I needed in form of a cute vampire.

"Silence wench" 

BOOOM!!

The head of the woman at the center exploded in a burst of blood.

"RAAAARRGHH!!" came a terrifying roar from the one of the women.

The other women stopped singing and turned to us angrily, beginning to transform into ugly-looking monsters that made my skin crawl.

One of them opened her mouth, and I immediately felt an intense feeling of danger. I jumped away just as my previous location exploded, sending rocks flying everywhere.

F**K SONIC ATTACKS!