Chapter 422: Tal Quercus

PS: Priam Character Sheet (you can thanks the Discord guys!)

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Chapter 422: Tal Quercus

“Which Title did you pick?”

“[Four-Headed Hydra].”

“…May the Primogenitor grant me the strength to keep conversing with this fool,” his mentor swore. “Throw that thing away. Now.”

Drama queen, Priam thought. Then corrected himself: Drama prince.

“That core cost me six hundred thousand Sun points.”

“And?”

“I’d rather pluck my leg hair out one by one with my teeth than throw away something that expensive.”

“Damned dragons…” The phoenix drew in a deep breath and spoke with the strained patience of someone trying to reason with a particularly stubborn—or dim—child. “Priam, you do realize Hydra is one of the eleven known high bloodlines?”

“Nope, but I’m not surprised.” Among all the nightmare creatures of myth, Priam had always had a soft spot for hydras: nearly immortal, masters of multitasking, and venom-blooded, he found them oddly relatable.

“A high bloodline means a pureblood will have a Tier 9 race. By its nature, aether despises disproportionate advantage at birth. The only way to appease—or command—it is to reach the Zenith.” The phoenix’s voice climbed a pitch. “Which means that the Hydras’ Primogenitor—the one whose Myth still echoes across the multiverse, whose legend reached even the miserable backwater planet unlucky enough to spawn you—is Tier 10. Tier 10. You do not want to draw her attention, you idiot!”

Priam paused mid-erasing and lifted his gaze toward the horizon. Beyond the hills, the valleys, and the forests, three Transcendents waited.

“I’d tell you I’ll only use that card as a last resort,” he said, “but I’d rather not jinx it.” He sighed and went back to work. “You were close to pureblood level?”

“I was barely over sixty percent. A once-in-an-era genius in Sector Hope, and nothing back in my home universe. Not even close to a high Tier race.”

*

Protective Barrier IX (2 500 000 points) - A protective barrier capable of covering 250 000 square meters and stopping attacks from a weak Tier 0 Elysian Prince. 

I’ll need to save up for that upgrade—and the next one. If the scaling holds, Protective Barrier X should be able to tank a strong Tier 0 Elysian Prince. I doubt Léo can do better, especially if we throw a wrench in his gears.

Log-a-rhythm kept rolling forward, its roots and branches carving a path through the undead tide while the hoplites scurried behind it, gathering every last Sun point they could and transferring them to Hyshana… and by extension, to Priam.

While Sphinx guarded Moonie—taunting hundreds of thousands of undead wasn’t exactly risk-free for the Holy Guardian—and Louis regularly dove into the fray, the young Lord was making preparations for the next battle. At the moment, he was slightly annoyed by his lack of Sun points. 

Some items in the Sun Shop were simply too tempting.

Sun Shop:

Resource
Fragment
Territory
Medicine
Lottery
Auction 

Item

Body Tempering pill X (10 000 000 points) - A catalyst for Tempering. Acts as a perfect base/trophy during the creation of a Gate (Foundation Tempering). Limited to one use per System user. 197 remaining.
Body Tempering purification pill (15 000 000 points) - A marvel of alchemy capable of erasing all traces of Foundation tempering, effectively resetting your physique. Ineffective if Aura Body Tempering is underway.
…
Story stealing card (49 000 000 points) - Apply this card to a target to expropriate the karma of one of their narrative arcs. Failure possible; read instructions carefully. 199 remaining.
…
Minor Blessing of Gaia (20 000 000 points) - Increases affinity with all related Concepts by +50% (T0) and +25% (T1). Protects against epiphany ego erasure when discovering Unity. Consumes one Talent slot.
…
Mutant Fragment of Animism (15 000 000 points) - A mutated Concept fragment. Awakens or accelerates the birth of a spirit within an object. 8 remaining.
…
Controlled Racial Mutation Serum; T3 (9 500 000 points) - A nanotechnological and arcane compound allowing Tier up of a Tier 2 race. Can influence Talent direction. 5,781 remaining.
…
Back in Time; 30 minutes (35 000 000 points) - Allows you to return 30 minutes in the past, at any time, and with all your earnings. One use only.
Memoir of a Survivor (35 000 000 points) - A survivor’s memoir of your coming Tribulations.
…
Assassin’s Guild Pity (500 001 points) - Reveals your bounty by Sector.
…
Nova Steel (5 500 000 points) - One-kilogram ingot of Nova Steel, a superior alloy to Sun Steel.
…
Hearthstone (3 000 000 points) - Enables the wearer to open a portal once a month at <Hearthstone Location>. The portal lasts for five minutes. The link can be renewed once a month.
Tempering Die (2 000 000 points) - Generates a perfect Foundation Body Tempering method.
…
Phoenix’ blood essence I (1 000 000 points) - Improves the phoenix bloodline purity by +1%.  Useless beyond 5%.
Phoenix’ blood essence II (2 500 000 points) - Improves the phoenix bloodline purity by +1%. Useless beyond 10%.
Phoenix’ blood essence III (5 000 000 points) - Improves the phoenix bloodline purity by +1%. Useless beyond 20%.
Phoenix’ blood essence IV (25 000 000 points) - Improves the phoenix bloodline purity by +1%. Useless beyond 25%. 14 remaining.
…
Titan’ ichor essence IV (25 000 000 points) - Improves the titan bloodline purity by +1%. Useless beyond 25%. 8 remaining.
…
Draconic’ blood essence (5 000 points) - Grants a random draconic bloodline. Psychological side effects likely. Ego mutation likely.
…
Notification cry (500 001 points) - Sends a System notification to all sapient users within a 100-kilometer radius.
…
Curse bomb (1 000 000 / 10 000 000 / 25 000 000 points) - Curse-infused explosive. Destructive power equivalent to the ultimate of a weak / normal / strong Elysian Tier 0 Prince. Buyer NOT immune.
…

The list went on endlessly, taunting Priam with many treasures he would never get his hands on. The System clearly knew that every Prince was capable of farming undead at a ridiculous pace, and it adjusted its economy accordingly.

Once this shitstorm ended, Priam planned to unleash a few Pyro cyclones across the island to snatch a few trinkets. For now, he forced himself to be patient, focusing instead on his soulbound tree.

If the lack of heartbeat among the undead made the battlefield feel like a slaughterhouse, then Log-a-rhythm was the multitasking butcher running it.

And like all passionate craftsmen, its work kept it healthy. The purple hue of its leaves had deepened into an imperial crimson, threaded with veins of luminous gold that pulsed with power along its branches. Good food and exercise; nothing beats that!

A glance at his tree’s status made Priam smile again.

Log-a-rhythm:

Status
Current POT: 10 015 (+1 950 POT bonus from Natural Growth VIII)

“At last!”

Available Themes

Primo (1 000 000)

Tal Quercus I (10 000) ACQUIRED

Tal Quercus II (25 000) NEW

Nature (1 000)

Cocoa (500)

Sequoia (1 000)

Tea (500)

Abundance - Life V (10 000)

Abundance - Aether IV (5 000)

Protection VI (25 000)

Tribulation Resistance V (10 000)

 ̶S̶e̶c̶r̶e̶t̶ ̶P̶a̶s̶s̶a̶g̶e̶ ̶I̶I̶ ̶(̶5̶0̶0̶)̶ ̶(̶-̶5̶0̶0̶)̶

 ̶C̶a̶m̶o̶u̶f̶l̶a̶g̶e̶ ̶I̶I̶I̶ ̶(̶2̶ ̶0̶0̶0̶)̶ ̶(̶-̶5̶0̶0̶)̶

Attraction I (500)

 ̶U̶n̶d̶e̶r̶g̶r̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶I̶I̶ ̶(̶2̶ ̶3̶0̶0̶)̶ ̶(̶-̶2̶0̶0̶)̶

Comfort I (500)

Volume III (2 500)

Water Control I (500)

Land Owner III (2 000) (-500)

Protective Barrier IX (250 000)

 ̶G̶u̶a̶r̶d̶i̶a̶n̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶F̶o̶r̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶I̶X̶ ̶(̶2̶4̶9̶ ̶5̶0̶0̶)̶ ̶(̶-̶3̶0̶0̶)̶(̶-̶2̶0̶0̶)̶

Mighty Roots II (1 000)

 ̶R̶o̶o̶t̶ ̶n̶e̶t̶w̶o̶r̶k̶ ̶-̶ ̶P̶l̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶I̶n̶t̶e̶l̶l̶i̶g̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶I̶I̶ ̶(̶3̶0̶0̶)̶ ̶(̶-̶5̶0̶0̶)̶(̶-̶2̶0̶0̶)̶

 ̶R̶o̶o̶t̶ ̶n̶e̶t̶w̶o̶r̶k̶ ̶-̶ ̶P̶l̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶C̶o̶n̶t̶r̶o̶l̶ ̶I̶I̶ ̶(̶(̶3̶0̶0̶)̶ ̶(̶-̶5̶0̶0̶)̶(̶-̶2̶0̶0̶)̶

Necro Purification IX (250 000)

Natural Growth IX (250 000) 

Necro Resistance VI (25 000)

Rot Resistance III (2 500)

Valaryth Adaptation II (1 000)

Fire Resistance II (900) (-100)

Fungal Resistance II (900) (-100)

Tréant II (25 000) NEW

 Strikethrough features require that Log-a-rhythm be planted.
Current POT: 15

Priam had been hesitating to buy Tal Quercus I for some time now. Quercus being the biological genus of oaks, the feature was considered the best possible power-up before a tough fight.

Rather than triggering an evolution, the System manifested:

After centuries of growth or the realization of its potential, the Tal Quercus must choose a path:

• Yggdrasil 

• Royal Elf

According to Norse mythology, Yggdrasil was the World Tree upon which nine realms rested—from Asgard, home of the Aesir, to Hel, the land of the dead. It had three main roots, one guarded by the dragon Nidhogg.

Priam’s gaze flicked toward Moonie, and a grin spread across his face. The symbolism fit perfectly.

In the legend, Yggdrasil had also catalyzed Odin’s discovery of the runes, one of Priam’s strong points. Finally, “Ygg” meant Dreaded. Watching his tree butcher the necro-horde, Priam could only find the name fitting.

Yet not every connection was convenient. For example, depending on the poem, Yggdrasil was an ash or a yew, never an oak. 

Still, Priam knew better than to dwell too much on such details; legends changed across cultures, distorted echoes of a truth left by beings whose Myths had marked the aether.

By contrast, Royal Elf was a path tied to Log-a-rhythm’s origin. When Priam had first arrived in Elysium, he had discovered a stump charred by Tribulations. [Identification] had called it the remains of a Tal Quercus, a tree born from the sacrifice of a Royal Elf. That fact had later been confirmed by the Demiurge’s respect.

Royal Elf would mean resurrection or rebirth, at the cost of Priam’s home, of Oasis’ protector, of the very cornerstone of his territory.

“Yggdrasil.”

The word echoed through the battlefield.

The tree shuddered, then stilled. For an instant, the world held its breath as a mythic resonance rippled through reality.

The Necromoon vanished. In its place, an image bloomed, that of an impossible tree whose crown pierced infinity. Every leaf contained a world. Every fruit, a galaxy. As a cosmic gale swept through its branches, the resulting roar of nature was heard.

After a moment that might have lasted seconds or centuries, a single samara detached from that infinite canopy. It spiraled down through unseen skies until it brushed against Log-a-rhythm’s bark—and sank into it.

The vision vanished, the image of Yggdrasil fading.

Having received the Myth’s permission, Log-a-rhythm began to evolve. Its roots erupted outward, spearing through the undead by the thousands, draining their corrupted essence to fuel its transformation. Its leaves shifted shape, blending oak and ash. Its three thickest roots swelled, each now capable of easily drilling through bedrock. Then, the base of its trunk split open, revealing a tear in space that Priam recognized instantly—the portal to Valaryth.

A mental prompt rippled through their link, and Priam hesitated only an instant before accepting.

A World Tree’s defining feature was its ability to bear worlds. In the old sagas, Midgard—the world of men—was cradled at the junction of trunk and foliage. Guiding the portal’s coordinates with precision, Priam anchored the rift there. It fused seamlessly with the bark, and Log-a-rhythm trembled as power coursed through it.

When the quake subsided, Priam felt overwhelming joy flooding their bond: his tree was happy. It had integrated the rift, and it would have to be cut down to extract it. 

It was by sharing the senses of his tree that Priam felt the extent of its transformation.

At every moment, a flow of aether and Concepts coursed through the Tal Quercus from the world fragment, fueling its growth. More astonishingly, Valaryth’s collapse had slowed—stabilized, however slightly—by the tree’s intervention. The implications were beyond him, and only the System knew what it truly meant.

Priam was about to celebrate his tree’s first step on the path of Yggdrasil when a third consciousness reached through their soul link from another world.

“Yggdrasil could not be felled by the Seven until its realms lay in ruin. For your Tal Quercus to bear a fragment as its first world… is that a declaration? For your tree to grow upon the corpse of its two fathers… is that mere coincidence?”

The reptilian part of Priam’s brain screamed. His body froze, instincts overridden by primordial terror. When his thoughts finally cleared, the presence was gone, leaving behind only a few last words.

“The whims of the Juggernaut toy with fate. She must hate you as much as she loves you.”

Saying Priam hadn’t understood a thing would have been an understatement. 

Fifteen hours of relentless farming later, Log-a-rhythm reached the outskirts of the tribal encampment.

*

Status: 

PHYSICAL:
Strength 1 259
Constitution 2 313
Agility 1 659
Vitality 2 147
Perception 988 

MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 666
Dexterity 988
Memory 1 229
Willpower 1 310
Charisma 1 117 

META:
Meta-affinity (O) 1 466
Meta-focus 902
Meta-endurance 1 692
Meta-perception 929
Meta-chance 1 621
Meta-authority 1044 

Potential: 42 736
Tier 0

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 1 200 / 3 attributes > 1 800 / 1 attribute > 2 400