Chapters 318 + 319

Hey! A bit late, but here's a double chapter to make up for it!

For those who are new here, it sometimes happens that I give a date and fail to meet it. I promise you, it's something I hate to the point that it keeps me up at night. However, writing requires inspiration, and that's not something I can always force, especially if I'm sick or tired. When it happens, I always try to make up for it, like today with this double chapter. That way, you don’t miss out!

Your unwavering support deserves these explanations, and if you ever have a question about the next chapter release, don’t hesitate to ask/tag me on Discord!

Enjoy!

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

PSS: I slightly modified chapter 317 to make it more understandable. When Phantom is about to level up, [Priam's system] activates to seal it (so as to not trigger a sextuple Trib). Here’s the addition: 

Lvl Up: [Phantom] Lvl …

[Event detected: Skill level-up. Reading pre-recorded conditions set by the administrator... Condition met: Agility about to exceed 1200—next Tribulation threshold. "If next Tribulation threshold is in range, then use Potential to temporize the level-up." Executing procedure.]

POT -3

[Phantom] level sealed.

The algorithmic syntax is intentional to give it a soulless vibe.

*

Chapter 318: Encounter with a Fan

More than a kilometer above the ground, an invisible mist seeped through the doors of an elevator, swirling into a second lobby. The vapor hung in the air for a moment before coalescing at the center of the room, taking on a human form.

Bare-chested and wearing only a pair of sleek black suit trousers, Priam stretched before glancing at his shoes. After a brief moment of thought, he crouched down to remove the loafers that would hinder his movements in the high-intensity fight he anticipated.

“Not even trying to be inconspicuous anymore?” asked his shadow as it rose, gaining volume and color to reveal a stunning young woman.

“We’re on the two hundred and ninetieth floor of a villain’s tower. If the guards show up, convincing them I’m just a lost tourist isn’t going to cut it.”

“So you’ll knock them out with the stench of your feet?”

Priam rolled his eyes. “You’re only complaining because of your heightened perception. My feet barely smell.”

In truth, his skin didn’t like the contact of leather; it made him sweat.

“The funk wafting off them is practically assaulting my nostrils, and you’re blaming me?” Jasmine raised an eyebrow. “Nice gaslighting.”

With a grunt, Priam summoned Pyro. A shower of flames bathed his feet, incinerating any lingering odor. “There. Can we drop the subject now?”

“Thanks. So, you’re keeping the pants?” Jasmine asked, watching as Priam straightened up.

“Yep. The wool’s super soft.”

“That’s because it’s cashmere—or the Arkanean equivalent, anyway.”

“If you say so. Either way, it’s comfortable, and it keeps my red boxers hidden.”

“... and your cute little butt,” Jasmine murmured.

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. This way,” she said quickly, slipping toward a door across from the elevator.

They entered a spacious antechamber outfitted with plush couches and a massive window overlooking the city below. A young woman, lost in thought, stood by the glass, gazing at the view. She didn’t react to Jasmine’s entrance but turned at the sound of Priam’s bare feet on the tiled floor.

Priam was surprised by the stranger’s sharp hearing. Following [Phantom]’s advice should have made him undetectable to an average Arkanean.

This one isn’t ordinary.

Tall, gaunt, and pale as ash, the stranger resembled a starving predator. Dangerous… and visibly startled. Priam turned to Jasmine for her take, only to find his friend frozen, her expression mirroring the stranger’s surprise.

“Jasmine?!”

“Cassandre?!”

Cassandre took a tentative step forward, then hesitated. “Is it really you?”

“In the shadow.” 

“Prove it.”

Jasmine pointed to her lower abdomen. “Your pubic scar—you tell everyone you got it in a knife fight, but the truth is, you sliced yourself shaving with a machete after a drunken night out. I warned you it was a stupid idea.”

With the System, impersonators were bound to appear, capable of fooling even [Identification]. A power display paired with a few personal secrets made for a solid authenticity test.

“And you? Are you really you?” Jasmine challenged.

The second assassin’s lips curved into a grin. “You botched your first mission, killing the target’s twin. When his brother entered the room, he slipped on his sibling’s blood and cracked his skull on the edge of the bed. The police ruled it a domestic dispute, and the Guild masters praised your staging.”

Jasmine returned the smile. As though receiving permission, Cassandre vaulted over a couch and enveloped the shadowy figure in an embrace.

Priam tensed, ready to vaporize Cassandre if she proved hostile. While he trusted Jasmine’s ability to fend for herself, he couldn’t help being protective.

When the newcomer began sobbing in Jasmine’s arms, Priam relaxed slightly and averted his gaze out of courtesy. Three minutes later, the embrace loosened. Cassandre was ready to talk. The trio settled on one of the couches.

“What are you doing here?” Jasmine asked.

“I—” Cassandre hesitated, glancing at Priam. “Is he safe?”

“He’s very dangerous,” Jasmine replied with a smirk, “but not to me.”

Simultaneously, she sent Priam a message through their link. “She was my partner before the Tutorial. The sister I never had.”

“Is she still?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”

Cassandre studied Priam, who gave her a curt nod. A flicker of surprise crossed her face when her attempt to identify him failed, but she continued.

“After the Tutorial, there was… infighting within the Guild. When it was over, two of the five Twilights were dead. Only One, Two, and Five remained.”

“The Guild changed direction,” Jasmine deduced.

Cassandre nodded. “Why stay loyal to Arkana in such a vast universe? What can nobles offer us when their wealth is meaningless? They wanted to betray our civilization… Well, it made no difference to me; I followed orders.” Her skeletal hands began to tremble. “A month ago, Two died, and I realized I had to leave.”

“Why?”

Cassandre bit her pale, bloodless lips. “You know Five. ‘Every kill plants a seed of vengeance. Never forget to uproot it.’ When I heard about Two, I knew I was next.”

Jasmine scowled. “You and Two…”

“He took me under his wing.”

“You mean he fucked you.”

Cassandre didn’t answer, twisting her hands instead.

“Fuck,” Jasmine muttered. “Well, you needed a boss to protect you from the Guild… and you chose Dal Cal? That’s a shit decision.”

A bitter laugh escaped Cassandre’s lips. “Didn’t have much of a choice. The other Barons refused me. Nobody wants a rogue element in their crew right now.”

It didn’t take an expert to guess how Dal Cal had secured her loyalty. Cassandre’s pathetic appearance spoke volumes. The junkie suddenly lifted her head. “But that doesn’t matter now. You’re back, and you’re the Champion!” Her eyes shone brightly above her dark circles.

Priam and Jasmine exchanged a look.

“How do you know that?” Jasmine asked.

“You’re the target of one of the Hideout’s side missions. Killing you would let us become Champions too.”

Priam winced. The Hideout—the equivalent of the Colosseum for thieves and assassins—offered lucrative rewards, including the Heartstone in his possession. If the Hideout had put a price on Jasmine’s head, his own was likely up there too. The Champion wasn’t afraid of human assassins but worried that an amateur might cause collateral damage in an attempt to reach him.

“I figured you visited the Hideout during your Reunion.”

“I hold the record for most missions completed by a Tier 0, but they didn’t suggest I assassinate myself. Strange, right?” shot Jasmine in his mind. 

With both Champions remaining silent, Cassandra added, “It’s a Mythic-tier mission for Tier 0s, if that’s any comfort. No more than four of us have unlocked it, and I doubt the other three will try.”

“Mmh. The Guild knows, don’t they? That’s why I’m an honorary Twilight now.”

“Not just honorary!” Cassandre exclaimed. “You’re one of the Guild’s masters. If you vouch for me…”

Jasmine met Priam’s eyes. He shrugged. Your call.

“I’m not going back,” Jasmine admitted. “The Guild was never my home, and the masters are right: this universe is bigger than Arkana. Even if I wanted to, I’m evolving in Elysium now.”

“What does that mean?”

“We’ll talk about it later,” Jasmine dismissed. They had a mission to complete, and time waited for no one. At least not for low Tiers. “Is the Baron here?”

Cassandre flinched, brushing her cheekbone. Beneath the makeup, Priam spotted a bruise. “He just went to bed… Why?”

“We’re here to kill him.”

The mention of her new employer’s murder didn’t seem to faze Cassandra. She merely raised an eyebrow. “He’s a Tier 3.”

“A Tier 3 who spent most of his life without a real System,” Priam interjected. “I’d say it’s doable.”

“You’re either arrogant or insane. Both tend to die quickly.”

Priam burst out laughing. “I’m both, and I can confirm.”

Cassandre turned to Jasmine. “I always wondered if you were a lesbian, but it turns out you just have catastrophically bad taste in men.”

“Priam’s virtues overshadow his flaws,” Jasmine defended.

Love was blind.

“Priam?” Cassandre’s eyes widened. “Like Priam Azura?!”

“The one and only,” the man in question replied with a small smirk.

The young assassin sprang to her feet. “I’ve been a fan since your first Achievement!”

“...That’s kind of you,” Priam said, leaning back into the couch, slightly overwhelmed by her enthusiasm.

“Just two days ago, the humans said you took down an alien Tribulation! Is that true? Did you really visit a third universe to find it?”

“Well,” Priam started, shifting uncomfortably as her excitement grew. “It was more like a fragment of a universe, but yeah.”

“Fantastic!” Cassandre blushed, her awe palpable. “I’m so sorry about the Tier 3—I thought… But you’ve killed one before, right? What did it look like?”

“It was an undead skeletal titan.”

“Incredible!” Cassandre grabbed Priam’s hands and squeezed them tightly, holding them close to her chest in the process. “I’m not as skilled as Jasmine, but if there’s anything I can do—”

“We’ll let you know,” Jasmine interjected, stepping between them. She pried Cassandre off Priam, irritation flashing across her face. “Let’s focus on the present. Can you get us to Dal Cal?”

Cassandre reluctantly tore her gaze from Priam. “Well, the place is locked down tight—reinforced doors, mass detectors, lasers, ultrasonic sensors, radio and magnetic scanners, plus guards everywhere. He’ll know you’re coming and bolt the moment he sees you.”

“We’re that scary, huh?” Jasmine’s tone dripped with sarcasm. Could a Tier 3 really fear two Tier 0s?

“Not you alone, but he won’t believe the Guild would send its Champion without heavy backup,” Cassandre explained, biting her lip. “Unless…”

“What? Speak your mind.”

“Unless he thinks you’re here to cut a deal. Here’s what I’m thinking.”

Jasmine raised an eyebrow at Cassandre’s plan but eventually nodded. Priam, on the other hand, groaned multiple times before finally agreeing, persuaded by his friend.

Before heading out, Jasmine handed Priam her two daggers and her red thong—whose color matched his boxer.

“It’ll get in the way,” she explained nonchalantly.

Priam had a really bad feeling about this plan.

*

Chapter 319: Got him by the balls

Jasmine climbed the stairs behind Cassandre. Unlike the rest of the tower, the final ten floors lacked elevators. Staff and visitors had to climb on foot, while Dal Cal could zip around using his personal Concept road—a subtle way of reminding everyone who was in charge.

The assassin’s sharp eyes caught the neon-green channel running the length of the ceiling in the sprawling penthouse. A knockoff of the Guild’s umbral highway, no doubt. Poison? Drugs? Sadism? Who could say what twisted Concept powered it? Either way, Jasmine’s shadows couldn’t infiltrate here. Only the Baron could use this path to move swiftly—or escape.

Priam’s job was to destroy the Concept road the moment Jasmine started the fight. With no way out and a wound from Jasmine’s initial strike, the Tier 3 would be forced to fight at a disadvantage. Together, the two Champions would bring him down, with Priam delivering the final blow.

The plan was straightforward but hinged on Jasmine getting close enough to land a devastating first strike. To avoid rousing suspicion, Priam had stayed back while the two women ventured deeper into the lion’s den.

“This is it,” Cassandre said, her voice tight as she placed a trembling hand on the doorknob.

Jasmine sighed inwardly. Where was the fierce, proud woman who had been her partner for a decade? Less than a month on Dal Cal’s leash, and drugs had broken her. Malnourishment and dehydration had carved lines into her face, and every tremor betrayed her addiction. If she didn’t get a fix soon, she might die.

Dal Cal had forged a leash stronger than steel.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Jasmine said, projecting confidence.

After a shaky breath, Cassandre pushed open the door, revealing a chaotic suite. The stench of tobacco, drugs, and sex assaulted Jasmine as she stepped inside.

Six armed guards awaited them, one stepping forward with a lecherous smirk. “We need to search you.”

“Do we look dangerous, Karlo?” tried Cassandra.

“Two bombshells like you deserve a lot of attention,” the creep replied.

Cassandre rolled her eyes and spread her arms. Jasmine hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. Just weeks ago, she wouldn’t have thought twice—this was part of the job.

Now, as wandering hands roamed her body, her mind snarled in defiance. Who were these weaklings to touch her? In her dreams, it was Priam’s hands that caressed her, stirring both desire and pride. Once, she had considered her body merely a tool. Now, she yearned to love herself, to be loved in return.

The guard mistook her stillness for fear and took the opportunity to grope her behind. Jasmine leaned forward slightly, drawing his gaze to her deep cleavage. He bent closer, only to freeze when he felt the cold of a shadow blade against his throat.

“I think that’s enough,” she murmured, her voice deadly calm. 

The guard gulped. “Welcome. The Baron’s waiting…”

He stepped aside, letting the women enter the main apartment. It was like every wealthy home Jasmine had visited—tastefully decorated by people who didn’t live there.

Cassandre led her through a den of debauchery. Naked bodies littered the floor among shattered screens, sex toys, and powders in every hue. A quartet of blindfolded musicians played a soft tune in one corner. The display of depravity continued, but Jasmine’s harsh upbringing had long since desensitized her to such sights.

“An orgy to celebrate his nomination as leader of the Barons?” she asked.

“Not really, it's like that every night,” Cassandre replied, crouching to pocket a pouch of cyan powder. She avoided Jasmine’s gaze as she stood and continued walking.

Jasmine clenched her teeth, recognizing the pouch’s contents as shal’quicine. The drug turned its users into puppets. Lost in a pleasant dream, their mind relinquished control of their body, leaving them to obey any command. Dal Cal supplied it to most of his prostitutes.

Highly addictive, withdrawal was a grueling ordeal.

The rest of the walk passed in silence, Jasmine imagining all the ways she could make Dal Cal pay for what he had done to her friend and this city. Once it was done… With the System, there must be a way to help her. Maybe Osiris can reboot her brain.

Her friend stopped before a heavy purple curtain, snapping Jasmine out of her thoughts.

“He’s waiting in there,” Cassandre said. “Do… do you want me to stay?”

The offer clearly cost Cassandre, and Jasmine’s heart swelled with pride. 

“No need. I won’t be trapped in there with him—he’ll be trapped in there with me,” Jasmine said with a predatory smile.

“You’ve always been a fighter,” Cassandre replied, hugging her briefly before turning to leave.

Now alone, the Champion centered herself, shedding fear, joy, and anticipation. Emotions had no place in an assassination. This was a job, and she was a professional.

The shadows rippled and flowed over her skin, forming a delicate Venetian mask. It didn’t hide her identity but added an air of mystery while emphasizing the depth of her eyes.

Clad in all her finery, the Shadow stepped through the curtain. The room beyond was dimly lit, hazy with green smoke. The sole piece of furniture was an enormous bed—a throne for debauchery. A nude man lounged against a pile of pillows, idly stroking the bruised body of a sleeping woman who had clearly endured rough treatment. From her faint smile, it wasn’t impossible she had consented.

The Baron’s heavy lids lifted as he noticed Jasmine, and a slow grin spread across his face.

“The Mistress of Shadows herself… Cassandre said you were here to propose an alliance.”

“A leader and a Champion to guide our people. A match made in heaven,” Jasmine replied smoothly. “If you’ve got what it takes to stand by my side.”

Ugo Dal Cal laughed, shoving the unconscious woman off the bed without a second thought. Her body tumbled to the floor, without waking her.

“Come closer, then,” he said arrogantly, “and let me convince you.”

What kind of idiot invites an assassin to approach him?

In Jasmine’s experience, men fell into two categories. Those who devalued themselves, putting women on a pedestal, and fools who believed themselves irresistible. The pride of the latter often led to their downfall.

Jasmine smiled and, drawing inspiration from the lithe grace of a street cat, rolled her hips toward the bed and climbed onto it. Crawling on all fours, she leaned forward, offering the enemy a tantalizing view of her ample cleavage. Her right hand slid up the Baron’s leg, starting at his foot and creeping higher with deliberate slowness. With her left hand, she began to loosen the side of her dress, the fabric parting to reveal a thong so dark it captured the Baron’s attention.

“A shadow that hides only the view,” she murmured, moving closer. [Homo Elysian Predation].

“I want to see,” the Baron growled, succumbing to his basest instincts. His heart raced, sending blood rushing to his private parts.

“As you wish,” Jasmine purred.

Her right hand reached the Baron’s groin and gripped the monster by his testicles, holding him in place. With her other hand, she gathered the shadowy material of her lingerie into her palm and rose slightly. Her loosened dress parted further, revealing her flawless body.

The Baron, mesmerized by the glorious sight, failed to notice the subtle shift in her posture or her raised arm. In Jasmine's hand, the shadowy thong transformed into a blade. [A Shadow of Their Former Self], [Apex Huntress’s Eye], Death Aura, Dagger Mastery!

The Juggernaut’s Shadow struck with precision, her arm descending like the executioner’s axe. Augmented by her most powerful abilities, the weapon pierced the Baron’s temple with a sickening crunch.

Jasmine leapt back, shadows swirling around her in a defensive cocoon as she prepared for retaliation. The first blood was hers, but she still needed to stall Dal Cal until Priam arrived to finish the job. To this end, her add-on sent her boss a signal.

A trickle of black fluid seeped from the corners of the Baron’s lips before his body went limp.

“... Really?”

Completed Quest: Proxima - Domination
A territorial war pits humans, Arkanians, and Empyreans against each other.

You have eliminated an enemy leader.
Congratulations! From beginning to end, you had him by the balls!

Your race is in conflict with your Title [Champion of the Arkanians]... Priority established.
Reward: Teleportation of one million Arkanians to Proxima.

Reward (Last Hit): A̶c̶q̶u̶i̶s̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶t̶a̶r̶g̶e̶t̶’̶s̶ ̶r̶a̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ ̶T̶a̶l̶e̶n̶t̶(̶s̶)̶. Deeper understanding of associated Talent (Homo Elysian Predation).

Jasmine let out a low growl as she finished reading the notification. Approaching the corpse, she collected a drop of blood on her finger and licked it.

“Drugged?” she muttered, frowning. Dal Cal had many flaws, but he wasn’t stupid enough to sample his own merchandise. It had to be a setup.

“Fuck!” she cursed before melding into the shadows.

*

Cassandre hurried down the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her. Bursting through the final door, she spotted Priam sitting before a glass wall overlooking the city. She let out an involuntary sigh of relief.

“Priam?” she called uncertainly. Her boss had assured her that the contact poison she had applied to her hands was potent enough to kill a Tier 3, but she wasn’t about to underestimate a man repeatedly lauded by the System.

“… Yeah?” the young man replied, his voice groggy.

Cassandre swore under her breath. The poison should have killed him outright, yet he only seemed dazed. She approached quickly, studying his dilated pupils before summoning a shadow blade to finish the job herself.

Her weapon shattered against his skin, shards embedding themselves in the marble floor.

Fuck, I hate tanks.

What could she do? She didn’t have time to go get a drill! Cassandre’s pulse quickened. In moments, Jasmine would eliminate the Baron, summoning a million Arkanians, then rush to Priam’s side. Staying meant death, but fleeing without killing Priam would ensure her boss’s wrath—a death sentence in itself.

Hesitating only briefly, she pulled a pouch of cyan powder from her pocket, dissolving it into a vial of water. Scanning his body for a visible vein, she cursed again, recalling the hardness of his skin.

“Drink this,” she barked, thrusting the concoction toward him. With this dose, an overdose was inevitable, even orally.

The young man weakly extended a hand, as feeble as a newborn’s, and took the vial.

Proxima Announcement:
Congratulations to Jasmine Kaldwin for slaying the arkanian Leader !
Ugo Dal Sal, the Crime Lord, has passed away.

Teleportation of one million arkanians to Proxima.

“Oh.”

“Oh,” Priam echoed. A searing light burst from his eyes, and Cassandre caught the acrid scent of burning fat. In the next instant, his pupils normalized, and he raised the vial to his nose, sniffing deeply. “Cherry flavor?”

“You—the neurotoxin should’ve fried your brain!” Cassandre stammered, stumbling backward.

“It did. I just purged it with fire. Thanks for the [Poison Body] levels, by the way.”

Cassandre’s thoughts spiraled as she recalled her orders: kill Priam Azura, first among the Champions. A monster who made Tier 3s quake in fear.

“This is too much…”

“That’s what she said. Sorry, couldn’t resist. But you’re right, it is a lot,” he said, glancing behind her.

Cassandre turned. In the cyberpunk city, a million portals had opened, disgorging a tide of Arkanians. Before the newcomers could find their footing, colossal forms pierced the clouds—winged titans diving to feast on the helpless. The assassin gaped at the spectacle of gigafauna, creatures that typically patrolled between continents. Revived by some unholy power, the monsters attacked the city, leaving behind corpses that were already beginning to rise.

“The apocalypse…”

“Meh. I haven’t even started my Tribulations yet… Though I’d really like to know why the spawn of the Necromoon is present on Proxima.”

Priam now stood beside her. 

“Are you going to kill me?” Cassandre asked, her voice imploring, clinging to a slim hope. He was male, and though Jasmine was undoubtedly more beautiful, few powerful men settled for just one woman.

“I already did,” her own shadow replied.

Cassandre barely registered the words before her head hit the ground. As her soul was about to embark on its great journey, a non-System screen appeared.

The Necromoon sees your soul,
Tears it from the cursed Seven,

Rise anew…
Seek the Demiurge Father
and the Revolutionary Son. 

Find the Depths.

Before Cassandre could comprehend her new reality, a blaze of fire consumed her. A terrible force devoured her soul, reducing it to ash.

“I prefer for my enemies to remain dead,” said Priam.

*

Lvl Up: [Poison Body] lvl 30, 31
CONST +2
VIT +2
META (Endurance) +2

*

Status: 

PHYSICAL:
Strength 893
Constitution 1 434 (+3)
Agility 1 194
Vitality 1 326 (+4)
Perception 864 

MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 599
Dexterity 758
Memory 902
Willpower 1 015
Charisma 680 

META:
Meta-affinity 1 016
Meta-focus 568
Meta-endurance 935 (+3)
Meta-perception 541
Meta-chance 616
Meta-authority 453 

Potential: 27 674 (+4)
Tier 0

Sun points: 1 143 444 

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 0 hour 17 minutes 14 seconds.

Concepts:

• Breath (T0): 100% / Harmony

• Fire (T0): 100% / Unity

• Pyro (T1): 100% / Half-step Unity

• Mist (T1): 100% / Symphony

Bloodlines:

• Phoenix: 3%

• Dragon: 1%

Rewards standing: 

• Fusion Token - Skill (Epic) 

• Evolution Token - Skill (Legendary)

• Affinity Token - Tier 1 (30%)

• Alien Concept fragment (7th Terror)

• Talent Token - Upgrade (Seraph)

• Revelation Token - Ideal Prerequisites (Epic)

• Colosseum VIP Token

• Reborn Token - Reset biological lifespan (Legendary) 

• Minor skill Epiphany

• High Tribulation essence (Soul Tailored - Sumstreh’s half core)

• Seed of Potential

• Trophy Compass

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 132 days 0 hour 46 minutes 27 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 900 / 3 attributes > 1 200 / 1 attribute > 1 500

*

Jasmine - Deadly Beauty