Novel East
Chapter 123: Invasion
The moment Priam realized he'd been spotted, he sprang into action. Gripping Promesse, he sacrificed half his kinetic energy and released it. Like a missile, the spear shot towards the boss.
Simultaneously, Priam felt his mist tremble. The cocoon covering the abandoned tower above him tightened. He looked up and cursed. The well was already halfway closed. The way out was now impossible.
"Fuck. Let's see who's trapped with whom!"
The cave trembled as Promesse impacted the Brood Mother. Surrounded by minions, Priam dropped from the ceiling to dodge multiple strands of silk shot in his direction. Gravity pulled him down, while some spiders anticipated his vertical trajectory, aiming where he would land. Priam manipulated [Kinetic Control] to project himself to the sides, preemptively evading the attacks.
He touched the silk-covered ground and cursed. The silk clung to his feet, forming a new trap. The cave was lined with this substance, hindering his movements. Priam channeled [Moon Mist] with all the aether the skill could accept. Alone, surrounded by hundreds of spiders and bathed in ambient light, he was an all-too-easy target.
Enveloped in a cloak of mist, he merged with it, dodging attacks. He could maintain this intangible state for only a few seconds and made the most of it by tapping into his Potential. [Kinetic Control] activated, freezing a portion of his mist. Fifty ice pillars appeared in the room as his aether and Potential reserves diminished.
POT -65
Lvl Up: [Kinetic Control] lvl 39
VIVA +2
DEXT +3
META (FOCUS) +4
The price was steep, but Priam had no choice. It was the only way to move around the room without alerting all his enemies.
He reappeared on top of a pillar barely a meter high and focused on [Phantom]. His mist camouflaged him, and his skill activated, erasing his presence. Priam assessed the situation.
His previous position was buried under a mound of silk. Hundreds of spiders rushed in all directions, searching for the intruder. In the center of the cave, the Brood Mother seethed with anger. One of her front legs had been torn off by Promesse, which was now locked in a silk cocoon.
Priam recalled his spear, disappointed with the result. The creature had tanked one of his most potent attacks and had only lost one of its eight legs for it. Well, I'll just have to attack seven more times. It was important to stay optimistic during an apocalypse.
He hardly had that thought when the Brood Mother turned in his direction. Her mandibles opened, and Priam's Domain registered an attack. Instinctively, [Kinetic Control] absorbed the kinetic energy of the projectile. It must have been special because the skill only managed to slow it down.
Priam was violently thrown backward, and only the presence of a silk cocoon stopped his course. The structure exploded upon impact, releasing a dozen spiders the size of a human fist. Priam shook his head, instantly regaining his composure. He tried to get up in vain. The silk clung to him, and his right shoulder was half torn. [Three-Headed Hydra] immediately began to restore his flesh.
Subtle sounds made him look up, and he swore as he watched dozens of spiders rushing toward his position. Simultaneously, he was assaulted by tiny bites. The juvenile spiders, prematurely freed from their cocoons, sought revenge on the intruder.
A shiver ran down his spine, and Priam vanished into his mist. Reappearing behind an enemy, he raised Promesse and thrust. One less, five hundred to go.
Barely had he retrieved his spear when the spiders charged in his new direction. Priam teleported again, activated [Phantom], and growled. The room was now covered in mist, but the spiders still found him instantly. Perched on an ice pillar, Priam turned to the boss and understood. As long as the mother could spot him, her daughters could too.
"Time to spend some resources."
Drawing from his Potential, Priam created thousands of hailstones and guided his mist to create a tornado. He had already used this technique against Prometheus and counted on the area attack to get rid of the small fry.
Lvl Up: [Moon Mist] lvl 49
PERC +4
CHAR +2
META (AFFI) +3
The Boss opened its mouth again, and Priam teleported out. The cave walls shook from the attack. Looking up, Priam noticed a freshly embedded white and golden sphere in the wall. Compact silk.
Another projectile pierced his mist. Due to his numerous teleportations, his kinetic reserves had halved, and Priam decided to block rather than evade. [Unrelenting Thrust]! Promesse violently collided with the Boss's attack. [Kinetic Control] absorbed part of the impact, and the spear absorbed the rest. Priam smiled and redistributed this new kinetic energy into his tornado. The wind gained speed, tearing through even more enemies.
Meanwhile, Priam exulted. He had managed to block a Tier 1 attack! The Boss seemed to have specialized in creating an army rather than fighting, but it was still impressive.
SKREEEEEK!
Priam intercepted a second attack, then a third. On the fourth, his meridians began to heat up. On the seventh, Priam's smile froze. The Brood Mother seemed capable of maintaining this kind of offensive all day.
Suddenly, power surged through Priam's arms, renewing his strength. Seizing the opportunity, he accelerated. Leaping to his right, his own speed surprised him for a moment. With a smile, he easily dodged the boss's long-range attacks.
Lvl Up: [Dodge] lvl 16
AGI +1
While dodging the silk spheres, Priam attempted a counterattack. During one of his pirouettes, he twisted in the air and launched Promesse. Without any kinetic charge, the spear shot off, surpassing the speed of sound and tearing off another leg from the boss.
Exulting, Priam landed back on the ground and recalled his partner. The pace of the attacks increased, preventing him from finding another opening. The Brood Mother seemed enraged. All the better!
Suddenly, the surge of power ebbed. Priam still felt energized, but he wasn't gaining more. After a moment's reflection, he understood the source.
Conquest: In battle, every enemy you defeat temporarily increases your momentum.
[Horseman of the Apocalypse - Conquest] had granted him a temporary boost for every defeated enemy. His tornado must have slaughtered most of the spiders.
The Brood Mother stridulated angrily, seeing the insect that faced her refuse to die and kill her offspring. Priam's instinct trembled as the silk under his feet came to life. She wants to immobilize me!
Vanishing into his mist, Priam focused on the rest of the battle. The hailstorm - pieces the size of his fist, accelerated to half the speed of sound - had devastated most of the spiders. The remaining horrors were larger, some as big as horses.
They had only been injured by the hailstones, not killed. Their exoskeletons were less sturdy than the Brood Mother's, but enough to withstand his attacks. They shot silk nets that trapped more and more hailstones, depleting the storm's lethal potential.
Priam reappeared behind an ice pillar and waited. A second later, the pillar exploded, struck by a new projectile. His kinetic reserves were increasing, but his aether reserves were reaching a critical level. If they ran out, his mist would become useless, and he'd be bombarded to death.
Riding from pillar to pillar, Priam understood that he had to end the fight. Drawing from his Potential, he began constructing a massive ice block. Nearly a meter thick, it would buy him some time. With a thought, he summoned Promesse three meters above the Brood Mother and attacked. Mobilizing half his kinetic energy, the spear plunged deep into the boss's exoskeleton.
The Brood Mother screamed, and Priam winced. An enemy who could scream was still alive. The attack had missed the brain. Teleporting behind the ice block, Priam began charging a Draconic Breath. The ambient aether rushed to the back of his throat.
The aether density in Elysium was terrifying. It became evident when Priam realized that the Breath was charging almost five times faster than on the Moon. It would only take him a second or two to attack.
The ice block trembled. The Brood Mother had sensed the aether fluctuations. The surviving spiders went berserk and rushed him. Priam increased the tornado's power to slow them down.
In a fraction of a second, half of the ice block had disappeared, eroded by the boss's attacks. Suddenly, the vibrations ceased; the Brood Mother had stopped her direct assaults.
Undoubtedly stressed by the aether buildup she sensed in her opponent, the boss changed her strategy. Priam widened his eyes, feeling the cave come alive. A second before the Breath finished charging, Priam turned to face the monster.
She had risen, and a white and golden halo appeared above her head. The entire silk of the cave undulated before splitting into two waves. One half began creating a silk shield around the Boss. The other half enveloped Priam. The Breath prevented him from teleporting, and he found himself trapped.
One-tenth of a second before releasing his attack, Priam hesitated. Was it a good idea to unleash hell while being imprisoned in a sphere?
Maybe not. Might as well make sure to take this horror with me then.
His draconic instinct roared, and Priam exhaled. The attack had been modified at the last second by [Draconic Instinct] and contained the power of Conquest. Instead of a flamethrower, it looked more like a laser beam. It passed through the silk sphere with hardly a slowdown and struck the back of the cave.
Mist Harmony, Priam's affinity for mist, indicated that the sphere protecting the Brood Mother had shifted to the left. Priam turned his head slightly, directing the Draconic Breath at his enemy. A moment later, a terrifying cry resounded.
The Brood Mother was in pain. Good.
Priam released the full blast in three seconds. Then, literally out of Breath, he used the last remnants of it to widen the attack's radius.
Finally, Priam fell to his knees, exhausted. The attack had drained him, burning part of his meridians and depleting his own aether reserves. He had overloaded the Breath at the end. A bad idea.
His stomach rebelled. Too weak to activate Micro, Priam vomited a bit of bile. The moment of weakness passed, and his vitality reactivated. His two hearts pulsed once again, sending energy throughout his body. Priam took a deep breath before coughing violently. The gases created by the burned silk were toxic.
Without aether, Priam staggered toward the hole caused by his Breath. Pulling himself out of the silk prison, he began to breathe again. The tornado had dissipated, leaving only a field of ruined silk and hailstones.
For a few seconds, Priam remained still, slowly regaining his energy. A mental inquiry pulled him from his trance. Promesse reminded him that the battle was not over. A tired smile stretched across Priam's lips. His partner was right.
The quest was still not finished after all.
Updating Quest: Hunter
Exterminate the 3 Trichonephila Aether clavipes.
Reward: A massive rainbow silk ball OR [Golden Silk Creation - Rare]. Potential + 150.
Bonus: Kill the Brood Mother.
Reward: [Sixth Sense - Epic].
Difficulty: Medium
Remaining time: 2 Days
Three spiders had survived his attack, and the Brood Mother was still alive.
Priam cast a tired gaze at the boss.
Fuck
The laser beam had sliced through the silk dome and the Boss within. Yet, the Brood Mother clung to life. The white and golden halo still hung above her head, and silk threads were struggling to reconnect the two parts of her body. The Breath had bisected her a meter below the head. The horror was in dire straits, but not dead.
Without aether, Priam had only one solution left. He gripped Promesse and staggered toward the Boss. The eight malevolent eyes of the creature watched him, and she stridulated with hatred. Priam advanced, too tired to pay attention to his enemy's threats. On his right, a spider crawled in his direction. With a thrust, Priam finished the job and continued his path.
Arriving at the foot of the silk sphere, Priam began to climb it. The substance was coated with poison, and he felt his vitality and Poison Body struggling to allow him to continue. Thanking his body, he pressed on.
Lvl Up: [Poison Body] lvl 11
CONST +1
VIT +1
META (END) +1
Priam finally arrived in front of the Boss. The two opponents locked eyes for a moment. Micro, Promesse, and [Unrelenting Thrust] activated.
Say hello to death for me.
[Sixth Sense - Epic] - The human body possesses more than five senses, but the sixth is commonly used to refer to intuition. While most of your senses are rooted in your body, the origin of this one lies in your soul. Passively communicating with Concepts, it can sometimes grasp a fragment of the truth. Knowing all the initial conditions, it can then discern the near future. This is what you call exceptional foresight.
This skill awakens you to the world and its concepts. They have much to say when one knows how to listen.
Just ask Bruce Willis.
META(AFFI) +3
META(PERC) +3
META(CHANCE) +3
His new skill seamlessly integrated with his instinct. Upon observing the attributes it conferred, Priam drew two conclusions. First, the Meta-attributes seemed useful even in a passive state - without using a skill. Clearly, META(AFFI) gave an affinity for metaphysics... Priam was almost certain this pertained to concepts or aether. Perhaps both.
Based on some skill descriptions, aether was the foundation of everything. Even Concepts?
The second conclusion was related to the information downloaded by the System when it granted him the skill. [Sixth Sense] was a chance-based skill. Not the word used in common language, nor the presence of chance in statistical or quantum physics.
No, the skill relied on metaphysical luck. Aether responded to the living. If Priam had this luck, then his soul could foresee an event. To increase the frequency and intensity of these revelations... There was only one way. Boost the relevant meta attribute: Chance.
With a smile on his lips, Priam stood and stretched. This battle had taught him a lot. Around him, hundreds of corpses littered the ground. He had collected a few cores and some glands that could create silk. He had even transported the Brood Mother's carcass into his world. I hope it didn't scare Mirscella...
Clutching his prize, Priam convinced himself once again that he had made the right choice.
Reward: A massive rainbow silk ball. Potential + 150.
[Golden Silk Creation - Rare] was undoubtedly an excellent skill. However, Priam could create it himself. If the System gave him the choice between a skill and an item, then the latter must be superior to the former. After all, a skill was tied to its user and could progress.
[Identification]
[Rainbow Silk Ball - Tier 1 - Epic] - A sphere of Rainbow Silk that taps into the ambient aether for regeneration.
"Papa will have as much silk as he wants," Priam grinned.
The battle was over, and his aether reserves had begun to increase again. Priam scanned the cavern one last time before leaving.
Suddenly, a detail caught his eye. The Boss's throne was intact.
Intrigued, Priam approached slowly. Despite the end of his quest, one question remained: how had the spiders become so numerous, so quickly? If the Brood Mother had been here from the beginning... Priam shivered. It was almost impossible; she couldn't even enter the abandoned tower.
"She must have evolved here..."
The prospect of a rank-up intrigued Priam. He didn't know much about it, except that the System sent a High tribulation to test the candidate. But how did one become worthy of that? It was one of the reasons he had kept the corpse. An autopsy would surely give him clues about his journey's next steps.
The throne, pure white, was the size of a school bus. It was a compact layer of silk designed to fit the boss's morphology. Intrigued, Priam tried to dig into it with Promesse. Without success. Not even an [Unrelenting Thrust] made a dent, and [Tribulation Piercing Spear] barely sank in a few centimeters.
Realizing these assaults were futile, Priam ceased. In mere moments, the marks vanished. The throne regenerated. Priam squinted, struck again, and observed. A second later, an odd aetheric flow inundated the assaulted area. The next instant, the silk around the gap multiplied like stem cells, mending it.
"What in the world..." he murmured.
The silk was ordinary - Priam had confirmed this much - and, as far as he could tell, no one had tampered with the throne. The aetheric flow emanated from within the structure. Either a treasure lay hidden within, or something else entirely. Whatever it was, Priam coveted it.
For five minutes, he tried various techniques. [Kinetic control] to cool or heat the silk. Attempting to plug the gaps with ice. Moving the throne to his personal world. Even drenching the silk with his poisoned blood in hopes of corrosion... Nothing worked. The throne seemed glued to the rock, which was even more immovable than the silk.
The only thing that changed was a peculiar sensation that burgeoned within him. An anticipation that eventually unfurled. [Sixth Sense] stirred.
The source of the Brood Mother's rank-up lay within this throne, and its alien.
Priam's heartbeats quickened. He refused to be thwarted, on the verge of an incredible discovery, by a block of sentientless silk. With a smile on his lips, Priam withdrew.
"Desperate times require desperate measures."
Priam backed up several meters before opening a portal. From it emerged a sphere of fire. The sun created by the Phoenix left its nest.
The moment the star touched the silk, the concept created by a Prince Phoenix broke the silk's fire resistance. The oxygen in the air fueled the flame, and the cavern ignited. Priam's eyes widened before he rushed towards the exit.
Emerging from the abandoned tower, whose cocoon had unraveled upon the Brood Mother's death, he ran, using all the power of [Kinetic Control].
Behind him, the glade exploded. A terrifying burst of flame licked the clouds before spreading into the cocoon forest. The silk's fire-resistant property had completely disappeared, and it was eager to burn.
Priam passed the silk tunnel just as the wave of fire caught up to him. Fortunately, it stopped at the edge of the spider's domain.
With no silk to devour, the fire tsunami stopped with reluctance. A second later, the heat surge scorched his face.
After a few moments, Priam turned to observe his work. The silk kingdom was burning. The fearsome flames rose into the sky, and the temperature soared to thousands of degrees.
"Shit, that wasn't part of the plan..."
Hopefully the flames wouldn't attract too much attention. Shades of red and orange shimmered on the leaves of the surrounding trees. Almost magically, none of them caught fire.
'The power of a star?'
"Yes Sunshine. Sorry for the forest," Priam replied to the mental voice.
'These trees were already dead. You've rid us of parasites, and for that, I thank you. I will bring Log-a-rhythm a gift soon,' Dishnu said before cutting the telepathic link.
Priam watched the flames expectantly. It took almost three hours for the raging blaze to subside.
His curiosity, however, was only burning brighter.
Esme gazed at the forest ablaze, its flames so fierce they painted the clouds with an eerie glow. The source of this inferno could only be the First. Even Arnold wasn't powerful enough to unleash such a hellfire.
Such a display of power would surely compel the other rivals to make their moves. She could wait no longer.
With a heavy heart, Esme activated the object her father had entrusted to her. Intricate runes brimmed with energy, and a rift opened in the void.
A moment later, Aydan, the Crown Prince, stepped through. Behind him, a retinue of formidable champions accompanied him.
"Ahhhh... The aether here is so pure. It feels like a rebirth," Aydan exclaimed.
The passage sealed behind the last guardsman. The prince surveyed his surroundings and shot Esme a dark look.
"No shelter or supper in sight. Have you made no preparations to welcome your future King? Such incompetence..."
Esme gritted her teeth, bowing low. Youre wrong, my brother. I've arranged your funeral.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 339 ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ.๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ
Constitution 479 (+2)
Agility 319 (+2)
Vitality 470 (+1)
Perception 554 (+4)
MENTAL:
Vivacity 298 (+2)
Dexterity 373 (+3)
Memory 99
Willpower 557
Charisma 418 (+4)
META:
Meta-affinity 295 (+7)
Meta-focus 221 (+4)
Meta-endurance 166 (+1)
Meta-perception 84 (+3)
Meta-chance 216 (+3)
Meta-authority 12
Potential: 1108 (+96)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 178 days 6 hours 20 minutes 18 seconds.๐๐ธ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ช๐ผ๐.๐ฌ๐ธ๐
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