Cosmic Awakening: Ascension of the Cosmic God

When I arrived on the second floor, the cavern's oppressive atmosphere greeted me like a hostile stranger. The air was heavy, damp, and tinged with a metallic tang that I couldn't quite place.

Dim patches of bioluminescent moss clung stubbornly to the walls, their soft blue glow casting long, eerie shadows. It was also the only source of illumination in the room.

"My vision is better though" I could swear that my eyes were seeing thing too good for the source of light to project. "At least, I probably won't worry about not clearly seeing enemies"

Tiny puddles dotted the uneven ground, reflecting the moss's light in rippling pools. The faint skittering of claws on stone and the squelching of gelatinous bodies confirmed what I had read about.

Tiny scurrying sounds reached my ears, undoubtedly the rats and slimes I'd read about. It was a uniform trial for all explorers.

As I took a step forward, the system's familiar chime echoed in my mind.

=====

[Warning! Monsters on this floor have been strengthened by 150% to adapt to explorer abilities. Proceed with caution.]

=====

I paused, a bitter chuckle escaping my lips.

"Strengthened, huh? Guess the tower is really strict about enacting fairness. Lovely." I already 50% increase from reading the Tower Master's post and with the trial, I was expecting a doubled difficulty, but this might be insane. Not that I could talk though, after all it was caused by my actions.

"Alright," I muttered to myself, clenching my fists. "Step one: scope out the size of this place."

I focused on my ability, letting the cosmic energy pulse through me. To make my powers to work as I intended, I need a strong visualized will. Closing my eyes, I extended my awareness outward like a ripple in a pond.

Slowly, I felt the edges of the space materialize in my mind—a massive labyrinth spanning approximately five kilometers in diameter. The knowledge on space manipulations that the goddess of space had given to me was working here.

Caverns twisted into one another, some filled with the faint glow of slime colonies, others dark and foreboding. Narrow passages branched out into a network of tunnels, each one likely teeming with these enhanced creatures. It was good that I had a skill that dulled my senses to fear or I might have begun to panic.

"This…. Is too much for a normal explorer" I sighed.

If I tried clearing them all manually by blade or try shooting beams at them, I'd exhaust myself long before reaching the next floor. I still even have something to confirm from the system.

But at least the condition for clearing the floor is to defeat all the monsters. And as a bonus the monsters themselves would come to attack me.

"No point in dragging this out," I muttered. "Let's end this in one shot."

===

"Wave of radiation"

I centered myself, drawing cosmic energy from deep within. The energy coursed through my body, humming with anticipation. My unique skill, Cosmic Radiation Manipulation, was the key to my plan.

The idea was deceptively simple: unleash a wave of radiation strong enough to neutralize every monster on the floor. But to do that, I needed precision.

Too much power, and I risked damaging the floor itself—or worse. I won't be affected thanks to my skill but I doubt my clothes will come out in one piece.

"Well I bought enough to account for a change of clothes on each floor" Taking a deep breath, I visualized a perfect sphere of energy expanding outward, wiping out everything in its path. My body began to glow.

"Let's see how adaptable these monsters really are."

I unleashed the energy.

The cavern vibrated as the wave spread, shimmering like a heat haze. The moss reacted first. Its soft blue glow intensified, flaring up as if resisting its impending death.

For a fleeting moment, the cavern was bathed in a radiant, otherworldly starlight. Then, one by one, the patches of moss dimmed and withered, their remains drifting down like ash.

The slimes didn't fare much better. Their gelatinous bodies convulsed, bubbling and hissing before collapsing into inert puddles. Even the enhanced ones, which had darkened into ominous shades of black and purple, were no match.

The rats, quick and desperate, tried to flee, but the wave consumed them before they could escape. Their fur singed, their tiny bodies went limp, and the cavern fell silent.

"One-shot victory!" I declared triumphantly, punching the air.

I opened the system to check how much energy had been consumed. To my surprise I had only lost 200/2000. This was perfect: High damage power, Low energy consumption. I could use the same attack at least 9 more times before I run out of energy. Plus I was blocking the cosmic energy that was trying to flow into me.

If I let it run free, theoretically maybe I could use it for as long as I want? But I would also be crushed immediately.

The entire cosmic energy present was not something I could dream to control but luckily my simple will was enough to not let it invade my body.

"Well I will think about it later." I concluded before focusing on my surroundings.

I stood in the center of the devastation, surrounded by the results of my power. For a moment, I felt a swell of pride.

Before a dramatic scene where my clothes began to break down as the energy wave had passed through it, revealing the power's raw intensity and heat.

The cloak and shoes I was wearing was no better, they lasted a little longer than the clothes though, probably from their increased durability.

I took out the spare clothes I had reserved for the 2nd floor before proceeding to buy the same items from the store.

Then I noticed the walls.

The rocky surfaces of the cavern were corroding. Cracks spread like veins, jagged and deep.

Chunks of stone began crumbling away, exposing the raw, brittle rock beneath. The ground fared no better—wherever the wave had passed, the stone had become brittle and uneven.

As if calculating, the system came to life at that point.

[You have cleared the 2nd floor!]

[Kill evaluation: SSS]

[System will now distribute rewards!]

[You have earned 1000 DC]

[You have unlock the Sell function in the store! Click the store to check it out!]

[Warning! Excessive radiation levels detected. Floor integrity compromised.]

"Yeah, no kidding," I muttered, kicking a piece of crumbling stone aside.

I crouched down, pressing a hand to the ground. The once-solid surface gave slightly under my weight. If I wasn't careful, I could end up destroying the floor entirely.

"Note to self: don't nuke the environment you're standing in."

But I wasn't done experimenting yet. There was no way I would quickly try to leave this free experiment zone.

"Strengthening the Body" I focused on channeling my cosmic energy inward, letting it flow through my muscles and bones. I'd never tried enhancing my physical body before, but if energy manipulation could be applied externally, there was no reason it couldn't work internally too.

And from what I have read through [A Beginner's Guide to Mana Sensing by Elara Nightshade].

Magicians could do the same too. Knights or martial artist wielding Aura could do it more easily, it was just amplifying the body base strength.

Almost immediately, I felt the difference. My muscles tensed, my skin tingled, and I felt a surge of raw strength.

I clenched my fist experimentally, the air around it shimmering faintly. The cosmic energy resonated in my body perfectly.

"Let's see what this can do."

I picked a sturdy-looking section of the cavern floor, walked towards it and stomped my foot down with all my might.

The results were… spectacular.

The ground cracked beneath my boot, fissures radiating outward in a spiderweb pattern. A shockwave rippled through the cavern, dislodging loose rocks from the walls and ceiling.

One particularly large stalactite came crashing down with a deafening boom, sending shards of stone flying everywhere.

"Okay… maybe tone it down next time." I stared at the destruction, wide-eyed.

"Maybe because the floor has been weakened in the first place. Yeah it must be" I convinced myself though I couldn't get rid of the thought in my heart that I would have done almost the same amount of damage either ways.

The system chimed again, its tone almost scolding.

=====

[Observation complete. System adapting. Reinforcements to monster strength and floor integrity will be implemented on subsequent floors. As the explorer did not experience growth from the just concluded battle.]

=====

I groaned, throwing my hands up. "Oh, come on! You're adapting to me? What are you, a sentient cheat code? No. I really did not grow, but don't expect a thank you from me"

The system didn't respond, but I could feel it smirking. It was indeed programmed by the gods to help explorers to grow.

It had immediately detected that the strength of the monsters was too low and I did not level up, so it is planning on fixing that. Well-done, what a perfect creation.

"Wait…? Does this not means that the next floor monsters will be stronger?" I realized my error. "Come on, Seun don't be stupid! I just need to also get stronger then, no need to panic"

With the monsters wiped out and the floor structurally compromised, I should be trying to get the remains of the rats but since there was no drop item and the furs of the rats were destroyed.

I doubt I would get anything from picking it up. Hence I decided to spend some time testing my powers further and gain more practical experience.

Test 1: Cosmic Push

Standing in the center of the cavern, I took a deep breath and extended my hands forward. My goal was to generate a concentrated burst of energy strong enough to shove an opponent backward.

"Cosmic Push!"

A surge of energy erupted from my palms, blasting forward in a shimmering wave. Unfortunately, it also blasted a section of the wall, which promptly crumbled into rubble.

"Effective… but maybe not ideal for confined spaces."

Test 2: Cosmic Net

Next, I tried creating an energy web to ensnare enemies. I visualized intricate threads of cosmic energy weaving together into a trap.

What I got instead was a chaotic tangle of energy strands that fizzled out before even touching the ground.

I scratched my head. "Alright, not every experiment's a winner. It should get better as my mastery proficiency goes up"

Test 3: Cosmic Sword

Inspired by every fantasy protagonist ever, I attempted to form a weapon out of pure energy. Slowly, a blade began to take shape in my hand, its edges shimmering like starlight. Grinning, I swung it experimentally.

It dissolved halfway through the motion.

"Great. I can't even keep the sword from ghosting me."

Test 4: Cosmic Orb

Finally, I decided to create a compressed orb of energy—a controlled explosion for emergencies. I condensed the energy into a swirling sphere, its surface crackling with power.

Satisfied, I hurled it into the distance.

Nothing happened.

I frowned, stepping closer to inspect. Just as I leaned in, the orb detonated with a deafening BOOM, sending me flying backward. I landed in a puddle that had somehow survived the radiation wave.

Drenched and slightly singed, I groaned. "Great. My ultimate weapon is a glorified jump scare. And now I need to change clothes again!"

Despite the mishaps, the testing had been invaluable. I'd learned more about my powers—and about the risks of pushing them too far.

The system had learned too, apparently, and I couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement.

I knew that deep down in me, I was getting satisfied from having these powers. I had long dreamt of protagonist's with different powers, fighting monsters and saving worlds.

But at this point when I could actually use it. The feeling of exhilaration was too much for me not to smile.

But if this floor had been the first challenge, what would the next one bring?

"System," I called out, stretching after changing my clothes. "Transport me to floor three. Let's see what you've got."

[Request accepted. Transporting in 3… 2… 1…]

As the light enveloped me, I couldn't help but laugh. The second floor might have ended as a radioactive wasteland, but I'd survived—and I was just getting started.