Novel East
Chapter 57: To Make a killing
Priam straightened up and quickly consulted the Tribulations timer. Twelve minutes had passed since the explosion.
In his mental space, he had suffered for several hours under the Phoenix's guidance. The Phoenix had demonstrated its skill over and over again. Apparently, the Phoenixes had excellent aether perception, enabling them to observe the exact functioning of a skill and then emulate it. Any Phoenix was expected to understand the basics after seeing it just once. Some were able to improve their new skill directly to level 10.
Priam was far from having that kind of perception. Fortunately, in his mental space, his perception was high. Even so, it had taken him almost three hours to acquire the skill. At least his aether perception had improved.
Lvl Up: [Aether Perception] lvl 9,10
META (PERC) +6
Priam now understood that not all races were born equal. He could increase his Vivacity and Memory to exceptional levels, but no attribute ruled talent. Only specific resources, Titles, Talents, and opportunities could profoundly alter an individual's mind and soul. According to the Phoenix, improving one's bloodline was one of them.
Sighing, Priam dusted off his pants - his jacket had been reduced to ashes. What mattered was where Priam ended up, not where he began. The Viscount quickly checked his notifications.
Lvl Up : [Thermal Resistance] lvl 9,10,11,12
CONST +4
Sleeping in an inferno did help. Priam smiled as he read his notification. He'd had to be burned alive fighting ants to gain a few resistance levels. Today, his Title [Infantile Phoenix] gave him a pseudo immunity to weak flames. Sleeping surrounded by flames strengthened him rather than harming him. With this kind of advantage, the gap between him and most humans would only widen.
Priam then consulted his other notifications.
[Heat Resistance] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available [Infantile Phoenix] detected. Merging [Thermal Resistance]. Upgrade.
[Heat Resistance - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5
[Infantile Phoenix Metabolism - Rare] - Your body has burned more than once. Phoenix blood runs through your veins. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 100
You have selected the skill [Infantile Phoenix Metabolism - Rare].
POT -100
[Infantile Phoenix Metabolism - Rare] - Your body is transformed. Your cells become half material, half aethereal. The chemical reactions your body needs to function change. Slowly, you're letting go of your humanity. It is the path you have chosen in order to survive.
You can now convert part of your thermal energy into pure aether. The water in your body remains liquid even at over 100C - 1 bar pressure.
VIT +2
CONST +1
Priam had been surprised by the cost of the upgrade - 100 points of Potential. He suspected that something was different this time. The skill description wasn't very long but indicated that each of his cells had changed. And so did he.
The Potential opened a bridge between the Concepts and Priam's body. He felt a flame rising in his heart and spreading through his veins. The next instant, some kind of electric current ran through his whole body and Priam spasmed. He lost consciousness for a second as [Brainless] tried to disconnect his consciousness from his brain.
The next instant his brain reconnected, and Priam took a deep breath. The intense pain had only lasted a second. His Title had already prepared him and his body was simply adapting to the new blood flowing through his veins. After all, Phoenixes were more aethereal than material.
After a second breath, Priam reread his notification. He wasn't really human anymore. With his Titles, his Constitution, and now this skill, he could run his hand through a flame without feeling pain. Priam wondered for a second what this meant. Would his family recognize him? Where would the changes stop? Was he still able to procreate?
And how do I feel about it all?
Priam didn't yet know how to answer this question. He was doing what he had to do to survive, and wouldn't have taken a less powerful option. Above all...
Beggars can't be choosers. In order not to die and to remain free, Priam knew he would have to make many sacrifices.
His third inhalation triggered a coughing fit that prevented Priam from feeling sorry for himself. He took a second to try and breathe, but the smoke and dust made it difficult.
Lvl Up: [Asphyxia Resistance] lvl 2
VIT +2
META (END) +1
Grimacing, Priam stood up to observe his surroundings. Rubble surrounded him, and the mixture of smoke and dust prevented him from seeing much. Flames had also broken out on the carpet and some furniture decorating the room. His new title conferred him some fire immunity, and the heat comforted him. Surrounded by the fires, he felt good despite the lack of visibility. Only [Aether Perception] and his mist gave him some information about the surroundings.
Firstly, above him, the ceiling was over ten meters high. Priam realized that the explosion had partially destroyed the separation between the two vaults. He was now in the real Revenants' treasure room.
This one was smaller and decorated in red. According to his aethereal perception, there were five pedestals in the room. Before dealing with the treasures they contained, Priam recalled his spear and moved towards a mass of flesh and bone a few meters away.
Alpha was at death's door. The explosion had charred most of the Abomination's flesh. Its remaining muscles, ligaments, and bones were too heavy to move correctly. The chimera dragged itself pitifully along the ground, trying to escape the flames.
Priam stopped at his level and looked at the monster, the result of the unnatural fusion of humans, cores and black magic. He had nothing against black magic as long as it was used against his enemies.
As he watched the creature to guess where to strike, a detail stopped him in his tracks. One of the recognizable faces in the still-intact mass of flesh was familiar to him. [Eidetic Memory] gave him the information he was looking for. The features bore some resemblance to Albin. A screaming Albin.
"Albin?" whispered Priam.
The Abomination stopped. Only the crackling of flames and the creaking of the last beams holding up the rest of the ceiling disturbed the silence. Seconds later, the Abomination began to move again. Priam shook his head and cocked his spear. Gloomily, he brought it down on the chimera. He didn't feel sorry for Albin but for all the humans caught up in this madness.
The hoplite weapon found a crack in the bone cage and split it open. Priam bent down to pick up the six cores inside. A new creak was heard, and he hurried towards the first pedestal. It wouldn't be long before the ceiling collapsed utterly, and he had no desire to improve [Atlas Admirer].
Quest completed: Abomination II
Reward: Potential +300.
Lvl Up: [Depths Resistance] lvl 11,12
Participation: 62%.
You have eliminated three Viscount rank Abominations aided by the Cult of Revenants.
[Surface Orb] obtained.
Lvl Up: [Depths Resistance] lvl 11,12
CONST +4
VIT +4
WILL +10
Priam sorted and put the various treasures back into his pockets. He was delighted with his haul and even more so with his quest reward. All the treasures were fascinating, and two were equivalent to a Phoenix Tear.
As the ceiling creaked more and more, Priam wondered what to do next. Sphinx was waiting for him to fight the Lord of the Dome. On the other hand, he still had over ten hours before he had to kill the Lord. He could also try to get new rewards from the Colosseum. Or he could try to kill Anatole during his fight with the Earl.
He had several options, but only the best would increase his chances of surviving the Tribulations. Fortunately for him, he had access to the solution.
"What must I do to be as ready as possible for my Tribulations?"
Warning: You've already asked this question. Seventeen questions left.
"Shit!" That complicated things. Now he had to be careful with his questions.
After a second's thought, Priam tried something else.
"Should I join Sphinx, go to the Colosseum or find Anatole?" He might be missing a good opportunity by not broadening his question enough, but Priam wanted to save broad questions for the future.
Answer: Join the Earl and warn Sphinx that Anatole is attacking.
Priam stopped just before the sacrificial hall. No one had yet cleaned the corpse of the Abomination. He wasn't a churchgoer, and the existence of the Concepts must have contradicted most religious texts. Nevertheless, he hoped the souls of these poor souls would find rest.
Reaching the back of the room, he grabbed a torch from the wall, then pushed open the door. Behind it lay a natural corridor similar to the one he had used to enter the Dome. Priam quickly climbed up it. He had to leave Viracocha to find Anatole and the Earl. Fortunately, a reward from a previous quest had shown him the location of the Earl's courtyard. Anatole would be there - and his army with him.
With a bit of luck, completing most of his objectives in one go would be possible. All he had to do was kill all the Abominations, two more Generals, a Champion, the Grand Master of the Revenants and maybe even the Earl of the Dark Wood. Easy win...
Fortunately, he wasn't alone. Sphinx would undoubtedly arrive soon. To warn her, he had an idea. The message for humanity could be a broadcast resonating all over the Moon. Humans who couldn't attend the Reunion would just receive a notification. Priam was quite proud of his message.
For humanity: Hi Papous, hi sis, it's Priam. It's an apocalypse and as expected, I'm doing fine. Some friends of mine are coming to reunite us. They know your age, Papous. I love you.
Sphinx, change of plan, join me.
With the information he'd given, his family would be able to confirm that he was alive. Priam felt a brief twinge of sadness as he sent the message. He would have liked to tell them a thousand things, but the message was limited. Nevertheless, he had managed to say the most important things. He may have been a paranoiac, but he was wary of Revenants
After the stone door, the tunnel leading out of the dome took many detours. Using his skills and attributes, Priam moved quickly, but the tunnel was too dark to go very fast. The wall had been attacked with pickaxes, and there were no luminous crystals left, as there had been in the tunnel he'd traveled through with Claire.
Lvl Up: [Art of Movement] lvl 18
AGI +1
PERC +1
DEXT +1
The tunnel was coming up at last, and Priam prepared himself. As he emerged from the ground, the sun momentarily blinded him. Priam looked away and swore as he heard the sound of weapons. He should have known the exit was guarded.
"Halt!" resounded a man's voice.
The Viscount sighed at the idiotic order. He was already at a standstill.
"Disclose your identity."
Priam's eyes began to adjust to the light as he spread his fingers to check his surroundings. He was well outside Viracocha - the Earth perched high in the sky was evidence of that - and at the bottom of a crater.
On its ledges, twenty armed men were present. Their commander looked like an old military man, coolly observing Priam.
He smiled. Less than three days had passed since he had returned to the Dome. Since then, everything had changed.
His mist, now invisible, invaded the crater and would soon reach the enemy's positions. All he had to do was gain a few seconds.
Priam raised his hands. "I-I... Don't shoot! He's coming, he's right behind me. We've got to run, or he'll kill us!"
The military man frowned. "Who's 'he'?"
"Priam Azura!"
Lvl up: [Acting] lvl 4
CHAR +3
"What? But why would he come here?"
Priam answered with a shudder. "To kill Anatole and the Abominations!"
Instantly, the military man's eyes hardened, and his facial muscles twitched. Priam relaxed and smiled.
"What betrayed me?"
"... Its Grand Master Anatole for us. Disrespect is severely punished among the Revenants."
"Too bad. I'll know next time," replied Priam.
"There won't be a next time. Attack!"
Priam disappeared and reappeared behind the leader. A blow from his spear decapitated the commander, and chaos ensued. Bullets flew in his direction as Priam activated [Bullet Time]. ๐ฏ๐๐ท๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ ๐ต.๐๐๐
His perception of time accelerated so much that he could see the trajectories of the projectiles. His haze gave him information on each of the hundreds of bullets targeting him. Priam concentrated on his body and activated Micro. A notification appeared, but he ignored it. Bullets were flying in his direction and the Viscount focused on the nearest one.
When it came within two meters of him, he pointed his spear in its direction. The large-caliber bullet grazed the tip of his weapon. Priam thrust his spear slightly so as to hit the side of the shot. In a fraction of a second, he stole the bullet's energy, changed its trajectory with his spear, and returned its momentum.
The bullet's trajectory was altered by just a few degrees. That was enough. Priam's Vivacity had enabled him to calculate its future trajectory. The shot continued on its way, passing just a few centimeters from his jaw. A meter further on, it entered the nose of the Revenant who had approached to stab Priam.
You have gained the skill: [Battle Flow - Rare]...
Priam's lips stretched. He leaped forward, dodging some bullets and deflecting others. The number of projectiles was such that he sometimes couldn't avoid them all. At such times, Priam let the smaller bullets hit him. [Kinetic Control] prevented him from taking damage.
Lvl Up: [Dodge] lvl 9
AGI +1
The third adversary unloaded five bullets, each striking the same spot on the young Viscount's torso. The sharpshooter's eyes widened in horror as he saw that his attacks had not left a mark. Priam's spear brought him peace. The age of firearms is over.
Priam lunged at the next Revenant, who had drawn a sword. Priam dodged a thrust by moving to his right. The opponent turned his movement into a horizontal strike. The staff of the hoplite spear stopped the blow, and Priam held out his hand. The Revenant leaped back. Priam smiled as he watched him flee. The poor man was fast, but Priam was a monster.
He used a kinetic charge to accelerate, and his finger touched the Revenant's chin. Discharging part of the kinetic charge he had absorbed during Mathis's explosion, the Revenant's body broke the sound barrier. The acceleration killed him instantly, and the corpse exploded, striking one of the Revenants on the other side of the crater.
The fifth Revenant chose this moment to pounce on Priam, a cooking grenade in his hand. Disappearing with a wink, Priam rode through the mist to the other end of the crater. A young Revenant watched the carnage with horrified eyes. Priam pierced his heart before hearing a grenade explode.
As he withdrew his spear, he felt a pang of pain in his right cheek. Priam instantly teleported thirty meters above the crater and brought a hand to his cheek. The scarlet color covering his fingers was familiar. His constitution had protected him from the worst, and to him the wound was superficial.
With a stern look, Priam observed the battlefield. [Kinetic Control] allowed him to float for a few moments. Under [Bullet Time], less than a second had passed since his disappearance, and the Revenants were looking for him.
Lvl Up: [Divination Resistance] lvl 8
META (AFFI) +3
Scanning the crater with his eyes, Priam's gaze came to rest on a man lying on the ground, a sniper rifle in his hands, wearing a ghillie suit. His eyes could barely see him, and his mist failed to detect him. Only [Aether Perception] highlighted the sniper's presence. Priam cocked his spear and threw it before disappearing.
He reappeared on the crater's crest, on the sniper's opposite side. The sniper instantly changed his line of fire, and Priam waved his hand. The man died a tenth of a second later. The spear passed through his body and exploded the rock he was standing on.
Priam reached into his pocket and jumped out. He had appeared in the midst of a five men team. They had opened fire immediately. These Revenants were clearly adept with firearms, for, despite the crossfire, no one hit an ally. Anatole had the entrance to Viracocha professionally guarded. No man could have left the town.
Unfortunately for them, Priam was no longer just a man.
At the top of his leap, almost five meters high, Priam, feet up to the stars and head down, opened his hand toward his opponents. It contained a handful of grains of sand from the Ducal Palace training room. Priam charged them with all the kinetic energy at his disposal.
Lvl Up: [Balance] lvl 5
AGI +1
DEXT +2
Lvl Up: [Kinetic Control] lvl 23
VIVA +2
DEXT +3
META (FOCUS) +4
The tiny grains of sand disappeared from Priam's sight due to their terrifying speed. The resistance of the air was enormous, but so was their energy. This kind of attack would lose all power after a few dozen meters. But Priam was close to his enemies. A fraction of a second later, the cone-shaped attack reached the Revenants. All five bodies exploded, and so did the ground beneath them.
The explosion raised a cloud of dust, and the few surviving Revenants attacked the cloud.
A few seconds later, out of bullets, they stopped to reload. The calm only lasted a second. One of the Revenants dropped his weapon and put his hands to his neck. A two-centimeter diameter hole had appeared there.
He collapsed to the ground, and Priam continued his work. The sound of gunfire resounded again.
Like the rising sun, Priam advanced, unstoppable. To these Revenants, he was more a force of nature than a man. He was their Tribulation.
At last, he stopped. His spear had just tasted the blood of the last Revenant. Priam looked one last time in the commander's direction.
"I was right, Commander. There will be a next time..."
Looking in the direction of the Earl's courtyard, Priam began to run. The fight hadn't lasted more than two minutes.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 148
Constitution 251 (+6)
Agility 156 (+3)
Vitality 284 (+11)
Perception 288 (+2)
MENTAL:
Vivacity 174 (+2)
Dexterity 176 (+8)
Memory 39
Willpower 263 (+12)
Charisma 141 (+3)
META:
Meta-affinity 129 (+3)
Meta-focus 98 (+4)
Meta-endurance 81 (+1)
Meta-perception 32 (+6)
Meta-chance 114
Potential: 1323 (+232)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 17 hours 1 min 16s
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: 21 hours 21 minutes 10 seconds.
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