Novel East
Chapter 89: Revenge is a dish best served without insects
Priam sat down abruptly on the steps leading to the Ducal Palace. He massaged his temples for a moment, exhausted but happy. He'd done his best. The heavy doors had just closed behind him. Despite being the Lord of New Earth, he couldn't get inside. Well, not without endangering thousands of lives.
The Colosseum and the Hideout were firmly off-limits to him, but not the Palace. Unfortunately, the locusts would only stay away if he didn't enter the grounds himself.
After more than nineteen hours of going back and forth searching for survivors, Priam was exhausted, both physically and mentally. If he had to be honest with himself, the sight of the hundreds of victims he had rescued had shocked him. Intellectually, he knew what thousands of deaths meant. In practice, seeing traumatized faces was different. It was even worse when the victims were seriously injured.
He would have liked so much to flee, taking those pesky insects with him. But he couldn't. According to his clones, he had to stay within the city walls until the end of his Tribulations.
That was the second part of his clones' answer.
Answer: First, kill the Earls, then rush toward New Earth's dome...
Answer: ...Stay there and wait for the locust timer to end.
Despite the horror their advice had unleashed, Priam trusted them. He knew his clones were trying to keep casualties to a minimum.
Hands stained with blood - he'd just carried a little girl barely five years old who'd lost an arm - Priam watched the cloud of locusts descend on the city. The insects were countless. He had killed thousands of them. The geniuses with Mastery had also killed a number of them. In addition, several dozen factions had gathered around the three impregnable buildings and diligently captured tens of thousands of insects. Rumor had it that fighting a Tribulation was excellent for leveling-up skills.
When word of this spread, thousands of volunteers began trapping the locusts. After all, even an average human with a quilt and an oven could capture an insect.
Thinking back on the rumor, Priam laughed. It was he who had started it, almost unintentionally. It had happened during the fifth hour, when he had tried to reassure a little boy.
"Carrying you here, I leveled up [Art of Movement]. Thanks to you, I'm stronger!"
Priam had always loved children and wanted to become a teacher before the System. Seeing the boy's face light up had done him good. He'd even smiled - his first smile in a while.
Someone had overheard him and asked if facing insects helped develop his skills. Priam confirmed, and everyone listened. After all, he was the most powerful human present. Suddenly, a lot of people had started fighting and doing favors. Priam didn't regret his lie.
In fact, it wasn't false. Fighting insects, putting one's life on the line, and concentrating on survival were more effective ways of increasing one's fighting skills than shadow boxing.
Even with skills as high as his, this kind of rescue was profitable.
Lvl Up: [Art of Movement] lvl 21,22,23,24
AGI +4
PERC +4
DEXT +4
Lvl Up: [Iron Marathon] lvl 3,4,5
AGI +9
Lvl Up: [Manipulation] lvl 5,...,9
CHAR +15
Lvl Up: [Focus] lvl 23,24,25
PERC +3
VIVA +3
DEXT +3
Lvl Up: [Kinetic Control] lvl 30,31,32
VIVA +6
DEXT +9
META (Focus) +12
However, despite all their efforts, the locusts' swarm continued to grow. The hole in the barrier had never fully closed - the locusts devoured its edges when it became too small for many to pass through.
Worse still, Priam could feel the insects getting restless. Over the past hour, it had become increasingly difficult for him to rescue people. The insects were now following him en masse. Their numbers were becoming too great for him to escape them.
Priam understood what the problem was. The Tribulation would self-destruct in less than an hour. The vengeance concept was becoming more and more powerful as their end drew near.
The good news was that the assault on the city was now drawing to an end. The last of the locusts had left the inhabitants to concentrate on their original objective: devouring Priam alive. The warrior didn't quite agree and planned to strike back.
"One way or another, it's the last dance," Priam murmured as he rose. Fatigue could wait. In an hour, he'd have a chance to sleep. He missed the sensation and needed it to gain perspective on the situation. For now, he'd finished his role as rescuer and had to return to being a fighter.
Priam clutched Promesse and turned to the titanic spear he had used to defeat the wyvern. The lack of notification worried him slightly, but he had an idea to get rid of the locusts for good.
Lowering his head, Priam leaned on the steps and leaped towards the Colosseum. Using Micro to control his muscles, he accelerated in the space of a few meters. Twenty meters from the Palace gates, a wall of insects awaited him.
Instead of slowing down, Priam accelerated further, reaching a hundred kilometers per hour. From zero to a hundred faster than a sports car! He was now close enough to see the insects and study their anatomy if he wished. Summoning his Domain, Priam slammed into the cloud like a cannonball. His sphere of authority hit the first locusts, making them disappear. Gone, but not dead.
How to kill thousands of insects without the proper skills? Priam was currently unable to inflict AOE damage. It would need to change in the future. For now, he decided to use the tools at his disposal. He had linked his Domain and [Kinetic Control]. Each locust touching his sphere was charged with a certain amount of kinetic energy and projected in the opposite direction. ๐๐ธ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ช๐ผ๐.๐ฌ๐ธ๐
The calculation of the insects' expulsion speed took into account the kinetic energy transmitted and their mass. As the latter was low, Priam sacrificed a tiny fraction of his reserves for each insect expelled. He could have done this for hours.
At present, Priam's Domain was a glorified bowling ball. Insects were thrown in all directions, bouncing off their cousins, which were in turn jostled. The chain reaction was almost comical. Moreover, thanks to their resistance, the violent acceleration stunned the locusts without killing them.
Priam continued into the swarm, landing a memorable Strike. Two meters after penetrating the wall of insects, their density began to decrease. Priam accelerated further using [Kinetic Control]. A few seconds later, he reached the edge of Palace Square.
His momentum enabled him to jump, and an additional kinetic charge landed him on the roof of a hotel. He hit the ground running, and continued across the rooftops. Occasionally, a few insects came crashing down on his Domain, but most of his pursuers were in the cloud behind him. A cloud containing at least a hundred thousand individuals.
Priam accelerated again. His large mass enabled him to keep his feet on the ground, without soaring too high with each stride. [Art of Movement] changed his habits. When reaching the end of a roof, for example, Priam was careful to place his foot on the edge, pushing almost horizontally rather than vertically like on flat ground. This kind of technique allowed him to accelerate even faster.
Of course, as his speed increased, so did air resistance. Priam felt as if he were running through a liquid. Far behind him, the sound of locust's flights terrified the entire city.
Lvl Up: [Friction Resistance] lvl 5
AGI +1
Priam smiled at the terrifying synergy of his skills. Suddenly, while dodging rain-damaged furniture stored on a roof, Priam had an idea.
Rather than just repelling locusts, Priam instructed his Domain to repel air molecules in the direction of his travel. Instantly, the air's resistance disappeared utterly. His speed increased again, but Priam winced. His reserves of kinetic energy were dwindling fast. Provoking a wind - even over a small area - of over three hundred kilometers per hour was costly.
Sighing, Priam canceled his experiment. All he had to do was get in front of the locusts, not lose them.
A minute later, he leaped from the last roof, crossing half the Colosseum square before landing in front of his ice spear. Instantly, he looked in the direction of the trapped wyvern.
A feeling difficult to explain linked him to his mist and the ice he had created. His soul was in harmony with the Concept of Mist and sent him certain information. [Moon Mist] reinforced his perception. Their synergy enabled Priam to sense the state of his ice spear and the lake imprisoning the wyvern beneath it.
Or rather, from the lake that had imprisoned the wyvern. The monster had managed to free itself and was currently devouring the ice of his spear. It must have been several hours since the wyvern had tried to climb back up, for it was now in perfect health. Perhaps even more so. Priam squinted. The fragment of concept metal that had permeated the lake had disappeared.
Pride's shadow... It was the only explanation Priam could think of. The virtual absence of light and its physical state should have prevented the beast from rising. Priam turned back to the locust cloud. It didn't matter. No, it's even positive for me.
It was time to put an end to his Tribulations. The spear would hold the wyvern for another few dozen minutes. Enough for revenge to consume the insects.
They approached before stopping a hundred yards from Priam. The face-to-face lasted a few seconds, and a bad feeling came over the Earl. I'm wondering
Grabbing the corpse of a locust he kept in his pocket, Priam identified it.
[Identification]
[Blade Hydra Locust - Tribulation touched] - A Tribulation-touched insect. Has the annoying property of creating two clones after death. Each death makes its clones more powerful than the original.
[Tribulation Hunter - Unique - Epic] A locust possessing a concept fragment - Vengeance.
Each death strengthens the fragment, multiplying and resurrecting the insect. Its burning vengeance is mighty, but its destruction spares no one. The user of this concept exposes himself to a tragic death.
Time remaining: 0h 30 min 02 seconds.
Time remaining: 0h 30 min 01 seconds.
Time remaining: 0h 30 min 00 seconds.
The cloud trembled. Like any respectable Boss, the Tribulation was entering its second phase.
The swarm gathered around itself to form a swarming sphere of insects. Pressed together, the volume occupied by the locusts was no longer so impressive. A transformation seemed to occur, and Priam was content to watch. After all, his skills weren't designed to damage a big volume. One of the objects he had stolen could be used as a grenade, but Priam had no desire to double the number of his enemies.
Another reason for his inaction was that fighting a hundred thousand weak opponents was a chore. If the locust's final form was a single enemy, that was fine by him.
A minute later, the swarming mass of insects came to a standstill. The next instant, it burst into flames, and the heat produced knocked Priam back despite [Infantile Phoenix Metabolism]. Steam began to rise from the ice spear.
Pointing Promesse toward his future enemy, Priam prepared his throw. The heat dissipated as the flame disappeared, revealing a dark bubble. The charred exoskeletons of the insects seemed to form... a shell?
With an agonizing crack, a fissure appeared. A second followed, before the shell exploded completely. Falling heavily to the ground, a massive praying mantis unfolded its limbs. Black and red, the insect measured over three meters in height. It didn't look like much, but its aura made Priam wary.
The praying mantis seemed to hesitate momentarily, turning its antennae in all directions before pointing them at Priam. Instantly, its attitude changed, and its two raptorial legs planted themselves in the ground. The force of the impact split the stone. The beast must have weighed over two tons. It seemed logical from the point of view of mass conservation. Tribulation locusts weighed ten times more than an ordinary locust; a hundred thousand equated to around two tons. The count was right.
The beast's striking force was monstrous, and its spikes seemed sharp. Priam decided to amputate it directly. He had no intention of killing it before analyzing it. If the concept of vengeance fragment still allowed him to split into two, he had no desire to face two praying mantises.
Micro helped him into firing position, and Promesse was ready. The mantis stood still for a moment before jumping off. Its speed was formidable, and Priam took no chances. Once in the air, dodging was more complicated. [Spear Throw], [Kinetic Control].
The weapon disappeared, flying towards the mantis's right rear legs. Breaking the sound barrier, Promesse announced her fury with a supersonic bang. Priam's mist caught the rest of the fight, which was too fast for his eyes. The Boss spread his wings and shifted slightly to the left. Promesse grazed its legs without really hurting them.
The artillery fire reached the far end of the square and exploded the buildings behind. Priam automatically called back his weapon and threw himself backward. The mantis was extremely fast, and one of its raptorial legs tried to decapitate him. Priam stepped back, using rapid boosts of [Kinetic Control] to stay out of the monster's reach.
In one second, the Boss attacked ten times, splitting the air in a promise of death. Priam concentrated on [Dodge] and Micro, avoiding the attacks with difficulty. The Boss was too fast. I must immobilize it.
Lvl Up: [Dodge] lvl 12
AGI +1
Summoning his Domain, Priam moved forward, braving his fear. His sphere encompassed the front quarter of the insect, and he triggered [Kinetic Control]. The mantis froze, and Priam smiled. Without Supremacy, his opponents were powerless.
Stepping forward to identify the Boss, Priam stopped before throwing himself backward. A raptorial leg passed within a centimeter of his throat, nearly decapitating him. The mantis turned red, and his Domain trembled. Shit, I spoke too fast. A Domain could be ignored by a powerful enough Concept. Priam noted the information in his mind and continued to back away. Being a pioneer was exhilarating, but the lack of knowledge was painful. ๐ง๐จ๐ฏ๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐.๐๐จ๐ฆ
The mantis lunged at him, and Priam stepped back again, furiously thinking. His spear was still far, and he would have to do without it for the time being. [Kinetic Control] should be able to immobilize it. It worked in theory, but his timing would have to be perfect.
Without Promesse or his Domain, he would have to touch his swift opponent. Without [Kinetic Control], the mantis was about twice as fast as Priam. This gap made the action perilous. Triggering his skill a tenth of a second too early would be useless. A tenth of a second too late, and Priam would lose his arm. Unfortunately, the Colosseum would soon be at Priam's back. It was now or never!
Riding the mist above the insect was impossible - his wings disturbed it. Instead, Priam stepped back, merging with the fog. He reappeared behind the mantis. Instantly, the mantis began to turn. Its color turned scarlet, and its speed doubled. Its raptorial leg descended in a deadly arc.
The attack stopped ten centimeters short of decapitating the Earl. His hand touched one of its hind legs, and [Kinetic Control] petrified his opponent. Priam noticed that, for the first time, the skill required aether. The vengeance concept was fighting against it. Priam calculated that he had enough aether to immobilize his opponent for over half an hour. It wasn't that hard...
As if summoned by the thought, yet another catastrophe descended on New Earth. The dome barrier shook. A crack appeared at the top, followed by a second. A second later, the entire barrier shattered, like a punctured soap bubble.
A monster fell from the sky. Priam looked up at his new adversary. If the male mantis had been created from a hundred thousand locusts, the female had required several million.
Fifty tons of enraged monster were falling toward Priam. Vengeance was here.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 173
Constitution 343
Agility 228 (+18)
Vitality 339
Perception 422 (+8)
MENTAL:
Vivacity 198 (+9)
Dexterity 286 (+16)
Memory 50
Willpower 380
Charisma 216 (+17)
META:
Meta-affinity 216
Meta-focus 155 (+12)
Meta-endurance 110
Meta-perception 71
Meta-chance 150
Potential: 1236 (+41)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: ???
Delayed.
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