Cosmic Traversal

Allen was a man of steadfast character. Faced with challenges, he felt neither fear nor the urge to retreat.

Allen drew his wand, pointed it at the Tower model, and softly said, "Move." A blue light shot from his wand and struck the Tower. A large "4" appeared above it, and the Tower model on the screen moved forward four tracks.

The Tower Allen was in suddenly began to drift. Looking through its windows, Allen discovered that outside was the real universe. Could he truly be floating through interstellar space?

For a moment, Allen could no longer tell illusion from reality.

Not only could the Magic Flame not warm Allen, but the Tower's other decorations were gradually frozen over as well. Apart from the flickering magical screen, Allen seemed to be standing in a world of ice sculptures.

There was no time to waste. He could only continue the cosmic traversal game. Allen decisively pointed his wand at the Tower model and shouted, "Move!" A large 8 appeared above the model. The Tower model traveled eight tracks along the crisscrossing lines of light.

The real Tower Allen occupied continued drifting, then soon came to a standstill again. Red light filled the sky outside the Tower. This truly was a world of ice and fire—cold turning to scorching heat in an instant. The edges of the structure closest to the incomparably blazing planet gradually began to melt. If he did not leave quickly, he might lose his life.

Only then did Allen realize that he was not truly fearless. He, too, had something he feared— the unknown.

The Tower traversed into an asteroid belt, and its sturdy outer walls were battered into a shattered mess by the asteroids. "Oh, my luck is terrible!" Allen gave a bitter smile.

Allen wanted to finish the game as quickly as possible. His Incantation swiftly struck the Tower model. It was a "6"! A cool female voice rang out. "This is a tranquil starfield. You may rest here."

Creak, creak. The wall on the side of the Tower hall with the Fireplace rotated open, revealing piles of materials that shimmered in various colors. Behind the materials stood a massive Alchemy Furnace.

The hint was obvious. To continue clearing the level, he first needed to repair the Tower. It was not as simple as waving a wand and saying "Reparo." Many parts of the Tower had been completely destroyed during the earlier traversals, vanishing without a trace.

A thin book suddenly appeared on the table. Allen picked up the booklet and found that it was the Tower Structure Atlas. It seemed this level truly was for rest—not just resting, but repairs as well.

Looking at the enormous pile of materials, Allen realized that the earlier levels had tested their ability to handle crises. This level probably tested comprehension, practical skill, and perhaps courage as well. Successfully fitting the refined materials back into their original positions clearly required leaving the Tower and coming into contact with the universe outside.

Of course, for now, Allen first had to refine the repair materials. He entered the materials room. The atlas provided by the Tower was remarkably magical, marking every damaged section of the Tower and the materials required for each one.

Allen summoned the system and brought up the insights of Geber, the ancient alchemy master, which he had obtained from the Lizard-man mission. He flipped through them in his mind, considering whether there was anything he could learn from. "Found it!" Allen was thrilled. As expected of something produced by the system—it not only provided alchemical methods, but also a way to raise the flame's temperature, effectively reducing the time needed for alchemy.

With Geber's insights, Allen successfully ignited the furnace and soon prepared all the materials.

Allen transformed the Miaomiao Wizard Robe into a mask to ensure that he could still breathe oxygen after leaving the Tower.

Carrying some of the materials, Allen darted outside the Tower. Sure enough, there was no gravity outside, and Allen floated in midair with nowhere to brace himself. Fortunately, Neptune was still in the system storage slot. Allen summoned Neptune, swung himself onto it, and found that he could control it with ease. "Reparo! Reparo!" The materials flew out one by one toward the damaged areas, restoring them to their original state. No—even better than before, with an added hint of luster.

Allen drained the red tea, which had already turned warm, and continued shuttling between the Tower's interior and exterior. After an unknown amount of time, he successfully repaired the Tower.

Allen steadied his breathing after the strenuous exertion, then raised his wand and cast another Incantation to continue the game. A large 9 appeared above the model. Allen readied himself, waiting to face the coming challenge.

Allen was suddenly isolated within a barrier of light. The cool female voice sounded again. "Great wealth or continuing onward—you may choose only one. If you leave with the wealth, you will never be able to return here. If you continue onward, this journey may yield nothing at all. Please make your choice within ten minutes."

Between wealth and continuing onward, what would Allen choose?

Between wealth and knowledge, what would Allen choose?