Lvl Up: [Revelation Resilience] lvl 42
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MEM +3
META (Affinity) +3
META (Authority) +3
Lvl Up: [Spear Throw] lvl 36, 37
DEXT +6
Lvl Up: [Physics - Forces] lvl 6
VIVA +3
The length of a massless projectile didnât affect its accuracy or aerodynamics; that was one of Priamâs conclusions. Another was that creating spears solely from the Pyro Concept was foolish. Gas lacked a fixed form, making the spear's structure dependent on his willpower. It was a waste of resources when a solid could naturally retain its rigidity.
This idea had prompted Priam to create hybrid ice-fire spears. The result was both deadly and magnificent.
His previous research had culminated in the creation of four formsâteardrop, shell, bullet, and kinetic energy penetratorâthat he infused with his Fire Concept. During the initial tests, the flames melted the ice, causing mid-flight explosions.
Despite these failures, Priam persisted, inspired by a comment from the phoenix. According to it, the Symphony bonus of one Concept could be utilized by another. The Symphony of the Mist Concept was particularly intriguing:
Symphony - Your Mist is both present and absent. Itâs up to you to decide who can feel it.
As the Fire Champion, Priam tried to tame his flames, not to make them docile but to make them absent. He struggled for several minutes before realizing that mist and fire reacted differently.
Mist was always more or less present as long as there was gas. On humid mornings, the horizon sometimes disappeared into a white blur, without anyone declaring that a haze lingered. Evasive, the mist was as poetic as it was physical.
Flames, however, were different. When a flame was born, it fought fiercely to burn the world before it extinguished. Yet, Priam knew a fire could be rekindled; all it took was a breath. This truth was a breakthrough.
The solution to using the Symphony with his Fire Concept was not to make the flames elusive but to put them to sleep.
Priam created a mist spear, condensed it into liquid, and then solidified it into ice. He then used the spark in his soul space to infuse dormant fire into the projectile. The flames poured into the weapon, giving it a luminescent quality. âAwaken upon impact,â Priam whispered to his Concept.
Firing the projectile at an unlucky enemy, Priam watched the hybrid spear streak across the battlefield, striking a Tier 2 necro. The projectile pierced the thick hide of the hippopotamus-like creature before shattering inside its body. In the next instant, the flames awakened, and an explosion tore the beast apart from within.
âNice,â Priam grinned.
He briefly regretted not being able to use a hybrid ice-Pyro spear, but since Pyro hadnât yet reached Symphony, the Concept refused to cooperate.
Over the next few hours, he continued refining his projectiles to maximize their penetration coefficient and reduce air friction losses. He eventually hit a wall where further improvements became negligible. The next step was to enhance his mastery of the Concepts or to engrave runes on the projectiles.
Progress was never-ending, and it was a good thing.
Lvl Up: [Spear Throw] lvl 38, 39
DEXT +6
Lvl Up: [Revelation Resilience] lvl 43, 44, 45
MEM +9
META (Affinity) +9
META (Authority) +9
Despite the unyielding presence of the Necromoon in the sky, time flew by. New craters appeared as tens of thousands of undead burned. Gradually, a cloud of smoke created a black roof over the battlefield. Thunder rumbled, drowning out the screams of the necro soldiers. The battle raged on, and the flood of creatures seemed endless.
Seeing his fingers tremble, Priam realized his exhaustion. How long has it been since the start of the Wave?
[11 hours 14 minutes 12 seconds.]
A grimace twisted his lips as Priam looked down. Esmée was writing in her grimoire without uttering a word. Her red eyes and ash-covered hair were the only signs of her fatigue.
In front of her, Jasmine staggered as she gutted some corrupted that werenât drawn to Priam. After an hour of wrestling and two hours of guerrilla warfare, she had defeated the Tier 2 Earl, earning the title of Duchess. Her opponent had been less powerful than the necro legionnaire, but Priam was proud of her.
Now, she no longer had the strength to decapitate a Tier 1.
Realizing he was the last one capable of finishing the Wave, Priam used his attributes boosted by Conquest and transformed into a living gatling gun. Every second, he summoned and fired dozens of explosive ice spears, accelerating some with [Kinetic Control].
He eventually slowed down as a headache split his skull. He had overtaxed his willpower, and using his aether to compensate wasnât enough anymore.
Beneath him, the waves of corrupted began to wane. Low on resources, Priam flew up to the cloud hovering over the battlefield and took control of it with his Mist Concept. He injected his entire Conquest Aura into it and guided it to the ground. The last thousands of undead were silently dissolved.
Event: Necromoon
Third wave:
Victory!
You defended your home against a horde of corrupted!
Reward:
300 Sun points
24 hours of respite
Priam found Esmée and Jasmine by the edge of the cenote. The two young women sat a few meters apart, trying to catch their breath.
âYou guys okay?â Priam asked.
EsmĂ©e coughed. âI have got ash in my throat, my lungs, my eyes, my hair, and even under my clothes,â she said, shaking the sleeves of her robe. This action released another cloud of ash, causing her to cough again. âI am most displeased.â
Priam smirked at EsmĂ©eâs formal language.
âYou mean, âfuck this shit,ââ Jasmine mocked, pulling a piece of bone out of her hair. âYouâve just got ash. I donât even want to imagine what Iâm covered in.â
The assassin had been in close contact with the undead and was therefore coated in various semi-coagulated fluids, ash, bone dust, and charcoal.
âIt is nothing personal, but you make me feel like vomiting,â EsmĂ©e said, inching further away. The physical distance between the two rivals wasnât just a matter of affinity.
âYeah, me too. I have to use Micro to cut off my sense of smell and focus on my future bath.â
EsmĂ©e looked sadly towards the cenote. âI saw at least a hundred corpses fall in there...â
âIâm covered in shit, blood, and rotting flesh because I went with you,â Jasmine said to Priam. âCan I have a hot spring as a reward?â
EsmĂ©eâs eyes lit up with hope.
âIâm not sure thatâs a good ideaâŠâ
âI propose a democratic vote,â EsmĂ©e smiled, turning to Jasmine, who raised her hand. âTwo against one, we win.â
âYou didnât even know what democracy was before I taught you,â Priam pointed out.
âI still think itâs a stupid ideaâwhy should I let idiots decide my life? But Iâm willing to be a hypocrite for a hot spring.â
Priam opened his mouth to protest but noticed Jasmine was already dispelling her boots.
âYouâve got thirty seconds before I take off the rest,â the young woman smiled.
Leaning against the rock, Priam sighed in contentment. Giving in to the girls' demands, he had dug two large, shallow holes and filled them with forty-degree Celsius water. Seated on a polished stone bench, he was submerged up to his neck, gazing at the false night sky.
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Jasmine had created a massive dome of shadow to mask the cursed light of the Necromoon, and Esmée had summoned thousands of tiny light runes to replace the stars. The firmament was as artificial as it was fantastic.
A thick mist separated him from the second bath behind him, preserving the girlsâ privacy. They had been soaking for thirty minutes, and so far, silence reigned as they all enjoyed the calm and serene atmosphere.
Yet Priam wasnât idle. Half his attention was reorganizing his meridians to prepare his temperance, while the other half created small water currents. The experience was pleasantâhe enjoyed the sensation of warm fluid caressing his legsâand instructive as he felt his mastery of mist and [Kinetic Control] increasing.
Not every training has to be torture, he thought with a smile.
âHave you decided where to place the rift?â Jasmineâs clear, strong voice woke Priam from his thoughts.
He nearly turned around before remembering the girls were bathing naked, and he could see through his own mist.
âIn Log-a-rhythm,â he replied. âWhen I feel the aether seeping from Valaryth, I think of a tree growing tall to withstand the storm. Log-a-rhythm needs a Concept to endure its High Tribulation so it fits. At the same time, it will allow me to offer the hoplites training in Valaryth and thus defend the other side of the rift.â
If a Wave came to destroy the rift on Valarythâs side while Priam was occupied... It was a stupid way to lose access to an entire world. All this without even mentioning a potential invasion into Concepts Archipelago.
âA shame for your inner world,â Jasmine noted.
âIt should not be neglected.â Priam recognized EsmĂ©eâs melodious voice. The princess must have trained hard to achieve such a pleasant voice. âMid-Tiers are based on cultivating an inner world. If you could start at Tier 0, you would gain time and a solid foundation.â
âBy mid-Tiers, you mean..?â
âTiers 4, 5, and 6. I donât know the details, but low Tiers are about creating your own Concept, and mid-Tiers are about creating your own world.â
âBĂ©charâthe supervisor of humanityâs Colosseumâtold me all Tier 5s have an internal world,â Priam recalled before sighing. âI know Concepts Archipelago is currently underutilized, but I lack the time to use it properly.â
âYou could use Bastardâs fulcrum for the upgrade,â Jasmine pointed out. âYou donât really need to exchange it for an aether puzzle.â
Priam still remembered the desire Concepts Archipelago had for Sumstrehâs fulcrum shard. He had to carry it by hand, fearing his inner world would consume it.
âAn aether puzzle is never useless,â EsmĂ©e interjected. âDirect aether manipulation grants you a flexibility that skills will never achieve. Itâs a talent too powerful not to cultivate constantly.â
Having unlocked [Ideal Aether Perception] and [High Aether Manipulation], Priam couldnât agree more with the princess.
âWeâll loot other shards from Bastardâs body,â Priam vowed. âI was thinking of trading this one for something useful at the Auctions.â
âWhat kind of thing?â
âI have a few ideas,â Priam admitted. âHowever, suggestions are welcome.â
âIf you didnât already have a method of temperance, I would have said to buy one,â EsmĂ©e replied. âThatâs what I plan to do.â
âIâm looking for an item, a core, or a bloodline that contains one of the evolutions of the Shadow Concept,â Jasmine said. âMy Shadow Heart is a first step, and one of the rewards from the Skull Temple interests me too, but I want several points of comparison to create something unique.â
Both of them have a plan to become more powerful.
âIf you need Sun points, let me know,â he told Jasmine.
â...Thanks.â
Priam smiled, hearing the note of joy in Jasmineâs voice. His offer was purely pragmaticâthe assassin was a part of his strengthâbut if it made her happy, all the better.
âYou are not offering me?â EsmĂ©e asked playfully.
âDo you want to be my subordinate?â
âIn your dreams,â EsmĂ©e laughed. âBesides, I can earn my points on my own.â
The provocation was evident, and Jasmine groaned.
âAre you implying I need Priamâs charity? I earned nearly seven hundred thousand Sun points with my kills.â
âOne million three hundred twelve thousand Sun points.â EsmĂ©eâs voice was full of pride.
Priam froze at the number. He had seen thousands of undead perish in various accidents during the Wave, but he hadnât realized the extent of EsmĂ©eâs impact on the battle.
âYou tripped up a lot of monsters over those fourteen hours,â taunted Jasmine.
âWithout me, the cenote would be filled with corpses, and the rift would be in the hands of the Necromoon forces,â EsmĂ©e retorted.
âWithout me, bosses would have roamed the battlefield, and I donât see how you could have dealt with the centipede.â
âYou are simply upset because I won.â
âWon what? You were writing in your diary while I was saving your ass.â
Priam smiled, hearing the rivalry in the voices of the two Champions. He found them cute, but he wasn't suicidal enough to tell them so. [He Who Eludes Death] didn't cover that kind of mistake.
âBy the way, how many points did you get?â EsmĂ©e asked the young man.
âOne million two hundred ninety-four thousand. Less than you, but I consider my main contribution to be these two hot springs,â Priam joked.
â...Youâre the MVP,â Jasmine sighed contentedly.
âI agree,â EsmĂ©e acknowledged.
The three rivals passed through the protective dome and headed towards the rampart. They had relaxed for an hour before retrieving the rift. It had collapsed on itself, much to the dismay of Priam and EsmĂ©e. They had hoped to observe and emulate the Systemâs technique for transporting the rift later. Instead, his System interface now had a new tab for creating a rift to Valaryth.
Dodging the bio traps, the three young people greeted the hoplite sentinels and jumped onto the rampart walk.
âIâm going to find Kazuki,â Jasmine informed.
âThanks,â Priam replied.
âI need to buy some things to help your Moon Wyrmâs mutation.â
As he headed towards Log-a-rhythm, Priam couldnât help but glance at EsmĂ©e. Her white robe had been ruined by the battle and ash, and Jasmine had created an outfit for her from her own shadow.
A form-fitting black biker suit now covered the Empyreanâs body. The outfit contrasted with her royal demeanor, giving her a rebellious look.
âIs there a problem?â the princess asked, noticing Priamâs gaze.
âNone. This leather-like outfit suits you.â
â...Thanks,â she blushed.
âSee you later,â Priam smiled, reaching the base of his tree.
Log-a-rhythm opened a portal, and Priam stepped through. The passage led to the heart of the magical oakâs foliage, and Priam took a deep, satisfied breath. The air, saturated with life aether, made his cells vibrate with joy. He could almost feel his lifespan lengthening.
âDid you get the rift?â
Kazuki landed on a branch without making it crack. It was a testament to the treeâs strength, as the hoplite warrior wasnât light.
âI did, and Iâm considering installing it here. What do you think?â
Priam could already imagine his tree containing rifts to other worlds, like a fantastic Yggdrasil.
âCould there be an invasion from the other side?â
âHard to say,â Priam replied. âI donât think so, but I donât know enough about the Rehms to be sure.â
Kazuki nodded. âThen itâs better to err on the side of caution. A rift here would be hard to defend since we canât establish an omnidirectional fortification.â
âI wanted Log-a-rhythm to benefit from the Concept leaking from Valaryth,â Priam grimaced. âIt could help it grow. Can we install the rift inside it?â
The hoplite was the defense expert, and Priam would defer to his judgment, but he wanted to ensure they got the best solution.
Kazuki hesitated before shaking his head. âI have another idea,â he said, pointing downward. âUnderground.â
"What do you mean by that?"
âThe bedrock is almost indestructible, but Log-a-rhythm can pierce it with its Underground features. With the rift under it, its roots would benefit from Valaryth's special aether. Moreover, if an invasion occurs, the enemies would find themselves in an underground bunker with no exit.â
Underground was part of the first generation of upgrades offered to Log-a-rhythm. Priam had never purchased it before, but the idea of a subterranean bunker appealed to him. The only way to leave would be to ask the tree to open a passage between its roots and trunk.
âWith the Sun Shop and some enchantments, we could even isolate it from the outside world: we could hide the rift from the tribes,â Priam thought aloud. âThatâs a great idea!â
âGlad you like it,â Kazuki smiled. âAny other good news for me?â
âWell, Iâve unlocked several quests I can share with my army. How would you like to explore a new world?â
Status:
PHYSICAL:
Strength 707
Constitution 1 105
Agility 614
Vitality 1 040
Perception 760
MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 570 (+4)
Dexterity 652 (+12)
Memory 824 (+21)
Willpower 1 134
Charisma 661
META:
Meta-affinity 780 (+15)
Meta-focus 403
Meta-endurance 608
Meta-perception 339
Meta-chance 274
Meta-authority 207 (+12)
Potential: 13 517 (+22)
Tier 0
Sun points: 1 979 223 (+1 081 412)
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED
[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 156 days 18 hours 33 minutes 59 seconds.
Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200