Chapter 300: The Heart of the Deluge

Chapter 300! How time flies.
This is a very big chapter, both in length and content, but you deserve it!

Two small announcements:

• I'll be taking the weekend to go help family in Spain (there were some heavy rains recently, and flooding…). I won’t be able to write until Monday, which will push back chapter 301. To make up for the delay, I’ve taken a day off (from my day job) next week to write and will take another if necessary. There will be the usual number of chapters this month!

• This chapter wraps up this Deluge mini-arc, and as you might have guessed, the next one will be Priam’s Tribulations. I’ll take advantage of this weekend to review all the details, but as Patreons, I have a surprise for you. Check it out at the end of the chapter (after the status).
  Enjoy!

PS: Priam Character Sheet (you can thanks the Discord guys! Come say hello.)

*

With every turn of the spit, the meat browned a little more, sizzling in a dance with the flames. Not a minute went by without Priam's stomach growling from the delicious aromas tickling his nostrils. Honest with himself, the amateur cook admitted that the scent of smoke was stronger than that of the meat.

Using a strip of Chenoo fur as fuel, a crackling fire roasted a few choice cuts from the beast’s chest. The gaseous combustion product, mostly carbon dioxide, rose lazily toward the igloo’s ceiling, drifting through a crude opening Priam generously called a "chimney." He had miscalculated the position and size of the vent but relied on [Poison Body] and [Asphyxia Resistance] to endure the impure air in his shelter.

As he kept a close eye on his meal, a droplet fell onto his hair, prompting him to cast a wary glance upward before refocusing on the roasting meat. An Inuit might have had a thing or two to say about his ice shelter’s questionable design, but the dome was solid enough to cut the wind, which was all Priam needed for now.

When the smell of the meat finally became too tempting, he carved a thick fillet with Promesse and wolfed it down. Knowing the meat contained the souls of the Chenoo's victims, Priam had been hesitant about eating it. Those concerns vanished with the burst of flavor that shook his taste buds as he started chewing. The surprisingly tender texture caressed his palate, revealing a delicate taste, akin to wild boar.

A warmth spread from his stomach like a cozy blanket, wrapping him in comfort. Either this meat had anti-freezing properties, or the gratitude of the dead was palpable.

“Did you even read the description?” Jasmine’s disgusted voice echoed. “You’re eating a local humanoid.”

“That thing was way past being a Rhem.”

Priam was hungry, but not enough to eat a sentient being.

“How do you know?”

“I’ve got a quest that lets me earn the racial Talents and Concepts of the locals if I kill enough of them, and it didn’t upgrade.”

“All that proves is that Chenoos aren’t native to this universe but ours. One of this creature’s ancestors was infected by that bloodline and had descendants with a Valaryth native. In the transformation, it must’ve lost any Racial Talent or Concept tied to the Rhems—if it even had one—and adopted the Chenoo's traits.”

Priam paused mid-bite. Jasmine’s theory was plausible. According to Titus, there had been a war between their universes ages ago. It was entirely possible that some Rhems had had descendants with an invader. Willingly or not…

“Well, it’s possible, but its bloodline turned it into a mindless beast. I saw it in its eyes; that thing was as smart as a rock—actually, I’m almost sure coral is smarter.” Priam took another bite, feeling a warmth spread through him again. “Anyway, I’m freeing souls with every bite, so I’d say my karma’s in the clear.”

“... Do they taste good?”

Priam carved another chunk before answering. “The souls? Like booze—burns a bit going down. But the meat itself? Excellent.”

A shadow dancing along the wall stretched out, and a hand emerged. “Gimme.”

The young woman’s principles faded in the face of her stomach’s call. Smirking, Priam offered her another piece. Her hand vanished back into the shadows, prize in tow. Even in the igloo, the temperature was biting.

After gorging on several kilos of yeti meat—Priam’s stomach was strangely elastic—he turned back to the Chenoo’s corpse. He had made a clean incision at the belly to remove the entrails and retrieve his meal.

Pulling at the skin, the warrior opened it like a sack and smiled as steam emerged. The monster had mutated to resist the cold, and its body was warm inside. Nodding, Priam slid inside.

“What are you doing?!”

“Keeping warm,” Priam grinned. Bear Grylls would be proud.

With that, he drifted off, lulled by the crackling of the fire.

*

Jasmine didn’t speak to him until he melted some snow to wash up. She insisted she could still smell his stench despite ordering Micro to block her olfactory sensors. For revenge, Priam created a tiny hot spring inside the igloo as a bath. Apart from annoying her, the pause let him recharge mentally.

At dawn, Priam continued his journey, trudging through snow for nearly eight hours and sparing two more yetis he encountered. His father had taught him not to waste good food. With a glance from the apex predator, the creatures bolted without looking back.

The freezing atmosphere soon returned to bite at him, and despite his efforts, Priam still couldn’t acquire [Cold Resistance]. His adaptation was hindered by the Deluge and its Concept, his cell mutation incredibly slow. His instincts told him it wasn’t impossible, but Priam had to give his body time. When the light began to fade again, the warrior started to believe he wouldn’t unlock the resistance before finding the exit.

Yet, just as Priam began to question his sense of direction, a gray-and-white column appeared on the horizon. It covered only a small area, barely the size of a baseball field. Seeing the small dimensions of the zone, Priam understood that this would be the last. The quest’s objective, the heart of the Deluge, was within reach.

The Juggernaut took a few more steps before stopping and turned to his shadow.

“… Head back to the igloo.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“If you’re going—”

“Please.”

There was no arguing with Priam’s tone, and Jasmine understood. He wasn’t sending her back to guard his secrets but because she would be a liability. Priam was ready to risk his life to finish this quest—but not his friend’s.

After a moment, his shadow split in two, and half of it receded. “I’ll be waiting…”

Alone again, Priam approached the curtain and touched it with his fingertips.

Fifth zone of the Deluge cleared. Valaryth’s Ocean’s reward: Seed of Potential - Cold.

System integration… Ideal prerequisites for [Cold Resistance] recorded.

The mutation of Priam’s cells sped up as a white aether orb appeared near his soul. The seed gradually dissipated, infusing its energy into his second soul layer. Soon, he could make out the outlines of a rune.

Prerequisites met:

• [Homo Elysian Obsession]

• [Life is Hard; I’m Harder]

• You witnessed the cold of space.

• You survived the Deluge’s blizzard. 

• Valaryth’s seed of Potential - Cold detected.

You have selected the ideal skill: [Cold Resistance - Rare].
[Cold Resistance] - What is cold but the absence of heat?
Microscopically, particles slow; on a human scale, your body fails, and hypothermia sets in. You shiver, your teeth chatter, and you’re numb as your body temperature drops. The cold progresses further, and you now experience frostbite, lack of coordination, and impaired judgment. Then the shivers stop, your body becomes pale, and finally comes death.
This skill turns your skin into an effective insulator, preserving your warmth. The rest of your tissues are now better irrigated by your blood to prevent frostbite.
You used to be hot and cold. Now, you’re just hot.
CONST +1
VIT +2

Priam couldn’t help but smile at his new resistance. Another ideal skill for his collection!

Lvl Up: [Cold Resistance] lvl 2
CONST +1
VIT +2

Despite the frostbite and fatigue, conquering the blizzard had been worth it. Valaryth’s reward allowed the one who braved the Deluge to surpass the block created by the Tribulation. Better still, the aether seed poured its energy into the resistance, accelerating its growth.

Lvl Up: [Cold Resistance] lvl 3
CONST +1
VIT +2

Over the next few minutes, Priam’s body translated his survival experience into progress, quickly leveling up the skill. When the rush slowed, the ambient cold was still biting but less deadly.

Lvl Up: [Cold Resistance] lvl 4, 5
CONST +2
VIT +4

A snowflake drifted onto his palm, and Priam examined it closely. Despite the cold, it should have melted from absorbing his body heat. Instead, the snowflake stayed solid. This clear demonstration of his new resistance kindled a fire of excitement in Priam. In mere minutes, his body had adapted to a fundamental force of the universe. Now, that’s what I call magic…

Releasing the snowflake back to the wind, Priam hesitated to endure the snowstorm until he gained immunity, but quickly reconsidered. Kazuki and Hyshana were waiting to travel with him to Proxima, where he would initiate his own Tribulations. This was not the time for training but for action. With his decision made, the warrior took a deep breath and stepped into the new zone.

The fury of the Tribulation hit the instant he crossed the threshold. In this final zone, rain, snow, and hail coexisted in an environment worthy of hell. Yet the wind didn’t try to push him back—he was free to move forward. Priam caught a glimpse of a lightning bolt before his retinas were scratched a thousand times over by microscopic ice crystals. His eyes slammed shut, his pained growl devoured by the tempest.

Lvl Up: [Shear Resistance] lvl 35
CONST +3

He might have retreated if not for the pulse of his draconic heart. The Tribulation sensed kin. Shielding his head with his arms, the warrior took another step. The wind intensified, its roar shattering Priam’s eardrums with its power. Anyone who had never heard the scream of a tornado couldn’t understand the monstrosity of the sound that the air produced as it tore itself apart. It was as if reality itself were crying out, and the consequences were always destructive.

Lvl Up: [Shear Resistance] lvl 36
CONST +3

With the third step, Priam felt his skin being torn away. Dust and hail powder whipped against his body like the world’s most powerful sandblaster. Layer by layer, the tempest eroded his dermis.

Lvl Up: [Shear Resistance] lvl 37
CONST +3

Reaching for his Mist Concept, Priam attempted to ride the fog, one of the elements of the storm. His Concept remained silent. Undeterred, and while advancing another step, he tried to harness the ambient aether to conjure a protective rune. The fluid slipped from his grasp, whisked away by the magical maelstrom.

Lvl Up: [Shear Resistance] lvl 38
CONST +3

Then came [Kinetic Control]. A kinetic pulse blasted out from his body in all directions, creating a bubble of calm. Another step. Before Priam could weave a protective ritual, the Deluge’s fury manifested as an apocalyptic lightning pillar.

Lvl Up: [Lightning Resistance] lvl 2, 3, 4
CONST +6
VIT +3

Priam’s pain receptors drowned in agony before the cyclone closed in on him. Priam’s resolve wavered on the sixth step. As the flesh of his hands was torn away by the wind, he refused to continue training his resistances in this way. His will was strong, and he was ready to endure torture to secure his freedom, but even he couldn’t remain indifferent in a walking grinder. The progressive, inevitable destruction of his body rippled through his linked soul, giving rise to a primal fear impossible to master.

Lvl Up: [Shear Resistance] lvl 39
CONST +3

The wind grew so vicious that it cut off his breath despite his Concept. Ripping the air from his lungs, the tempest drained the warrior’s remaining strength. Priam stopped, wanting to turn back. Nothing prevented him from grinding his skills for a few days before returning. All he had to do was leave, and the torture would stop. Thanks to Micro, he was feeling every gram of his flesh leaving his body, torn away by the Tribulation. He didn’t have to endure this. Nothing was worth such suffering.

Except my freedom. And in this world, power is the prerequisite.

Pain and death were forces that couldn’t stop him. Not yesterday, and not today. Shedding tears of blood, Priam took another step toward the Zenith, driven by his obsession.

Lvl Up: [Free Will] lvl 12
WILL +6
CHAR +3

Another step, and his soul’s state no longer allowed for coherent thought. His instincts took over, forcing his body to continue. They knew that sometimes, fleeing was more dangerous than advancing. This philosophy resonated with his battered soul, pushing him another step forward.

As his muscles were worn by the crystal storm, as the wind’s pressure exploded his lungs, as his soul was too damaged for his skills to progress, Priam smiled. In his blind eyes, an Immortal would have read no fear.

Reduced to a few muscles on a skeleton, the Juggernaut took one final step.

*

Congratulations, you are dead! Your Talent [He Who Eludes Death] brings you back to life once a day.

Number of deaths: 25

Synergy detected with your talent [Homo Elysian Obsession] and your Titles [Three-Headed Hydra] and [Life is Hard; I’m Harder]. Your body and spirit are rebuilt and will be more resistant to what killed them:

… Attribute potential redirected to skills per user request.

Lvl Up: [Cold Resistance] lvl 6, 7
CONST +2
VIT +4
Lvl Up: [Lightning Resistance] lvl 5, 6, 7
CONST +6
VIT +3
Lvl Up: [Shear Resistance] lvl 40
CONST +3

[Shear Resistance] has reached level 40, its maximum level as a rare skill. Depending on your background, two upgrades are available:

Prerequisites met:

• You have faced dimensional blades.

• Your soul has been cleaved.

• You were bisected during a Tribulation.

• Traces of Valaryth’s Laws detected.

• Your body has been eroded by billions of ice crystals.

Ideal Upgrade unlocked :
[Blades’ Arch-enemy - Epic] - Most sane people fear blades. Blades fear you. Potential Cost: 360.

You have selected the ideal skill [Shear Resistance - Epic].
POT -360

[Shear Resistance - Epic] - Shear is one of the five physical forces that can damage an object. Not you.
Small or large, you ignore blades that seek to cut you. Sharpened or rusty, you disdain tips that seek to pierce you.
This skill enhances cellular cohesion, resisting separation by external force. Your cell membranes become capable of absorbing a small portion of an attack's kinetic energy. Multiplied by their number, the result is significant.
Some masters have spent a lifetime honing swordsmanship; this skill spits in their face.
CONST +7
META (Endurance) +2

*

As Priam regained consciousness, he braced himself for the storm’s return. It never came. After a few seconds, he noticed something else missing: the fury of the wind. Opening his eyes, the warrior understood: he stood in the cyclone’s eye.

Valaryth Quest: Invasion I - Fragment 84’s Map.

Discovered unique landmark: Heart of the Deluge.
Reward: Your property title “Valaryth’s rift” is extended by one year.

“Looks like I made it,” Priam smiled as he rose and stretched. Like after each of his resurrections, he felt in Olympic form. While warming up—the temperature was cold enough for his breath to form clouds—he surveyed his surroundings. Within a three-meter radius, peace reigned. Just beyond, winds strong enough to uproot Yggdrasil raged. The contrast was striking.

The only thing Priam felt was a breath on his skin, the effect of an aether current so dense it restricted his Domain.

Looking up, Priam glimpsed the stars. Few ever thought to check above, often falling to basic traps. Although he sensed no immediate threat, he remained wary; disrespecting the Deluge was a sure way to die.

Feeling somewhat reassured, he gazed down at the ice beneath him. Just a few centimeters below the surface lay a skeleton, likely that of a Tier 2 warrior who had triggered and then failed this aborted High Tribulation. Nodding respectfully, Priam refrained from disturbing its rest. After paying his respects, the warrior extended his hand to the cyclone’s exact center. Nothing seemed to be there, but [Tribulation Hunter] sensed something hidden.

A unique evolution of [Tribulation Resistance], it allowed him to detect the weaknesses of a Tribulation. Closing his eyes, Priam connected the skill with his Domain. As if an illusion lifted, an object appeared in his palm. It was an organ, a pearl, an orb, a star… The heart shifted constantly, devouring the ambient aether to produce something. Whatever it was, it couldn’t succeed. The operation released filtered energy that surged toward the sky to fuel the Deluge cloud and down into the ocean to power the vortex. The cyclone and siphon then returned the aether to the heart, creating an unending cycle, a vicious circle doomed never to birth the aether capable of baptizing a Tier 2 soul.

Priam closed his hand, plucking the organ like a divine fruit. The instant his skin made direct contact with the Tribulation’s nucleus, his body jolted awake. The Champion gasped, momentarily overwhelmed by the ravenous hunger of his draconic heart. The Deluge core was ideal for his body tempering. Heavenly Dragon had mentioned a draconic trophy for his fulcrum, but now, every instinct in Priam craved the object in his hand.

Valaryth Quest: Invasion I - Pseudo Alien Tribulation. 

Retrieve the heart of the Tier 2 High Tribulation ‘Deluge’ for the System.
Reward: Rewards of a Triple Tribulation, plus validation of the following thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1,200
Difficulty: Mythic

“Yeah, nope. That’s mine.”

A divine power descended to claim its prize, but Priam tightened his grip, instinctively rejecting the quest. The equivalent of a triple Tribulation was an incredible reward, but it wasn’t as valuable as the intact heart of a High Tribulation. The opportunity to go beyond perfection with Heavenly Dragon was too tempting to let slip away. This was a chance to become unique, to harness for himself the power of a fundamental law of aether.

For a split second, the omnipotent will of the System hesitated. Then it resumed, and reality itself bent around Priam’s hand, folding like origami, prepared to stash the heart away. Without a second thought, Priam yanked the prize toward him and swallowed it whole. The physique of a Homo Elysian was not designed to contain an unreal object, but the lung of a dragon could manage.

Priam grimaced as he felt the heart settle in his spiritual organ, but satisfaction settled over him. He knew he couldn’t resist the System, but his action proved his commitment to rejecting both the quest and its reward. The Tutorial had spelled out only one rule for the System: it respected the will of its users. Time to put that principle to the test.

For seven heartbeats, nothing happened. Then a pulse froze reality itself. Time halted as the dimensional fabric peeled back to reveal an incomprehensible creature.

Priam blinked, and the monstrous form shifted into a humanoid silhouette. His skin and clothing were so deeply black they could shame a black hole. Only a few golden jewels, a red ribbon, and a rainbow-colored die contrasted with the absence of color.

Instinctively, the Juggernaut felt he was absolutely outclassed. That didn’t stop him from summoning Promesse. With a bit of luck, he would upgrade [Iconoclast] before dying.

The entity smiled, and Priam’s fear dissolved, swept away by an impossible charisma.

“I knew you’d refuse the rewards—had a bet on it, actually.”

“… I prefer the Tribulation’s heart over a free triple Tribulation.”

“What about a quadruple?” the being winked. “Pleasure meeting you in the flesh and soul, Priam. I’m called Thaal, the Immortal Gambler, and the System has sent me to strike a deal.”

*

Status:

PHYSICAL:
Strength 893 SEALED
Constitution 1 383 (+56)
Agility 1 173
Vitality 1 179 (+36)
Perception 858

MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 599 SEALED
Dexterity 752
Memory 891 SEALED
Willpower 1 012 (+8)
Charisma 653 (+5)

META:
Meta-affinity 999
Meta-focus 554
Meta-endurance 899 (+3)
Meta-perception 539
Meta-chance 589
Meta-authority 343 

Potential: 17 597 (-316)
Tier 0

Sun points: 143 444

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF/ Reloaded in 19 hours 41 minutes 16 seconds.

Concepts:

• Breath (T0): 100% / Harmony

• Fire (T0): 100% / Unity

• Pyro (T1): 100% / Half-step Unity

• Mist (T1): 100% / Symphony

Bloodlines:

• Phoenix: 2%

• 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) 

[Tribulation]: Six Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 132 days 20 hours 14 minutes 29 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 3 attributes > 1 200 / 1 attribute > 1 500

*

Thaal is the administrator of the Hope Sector and a genuine Tier 8. Even on a universal scale, there are very few of them.

As Patreons, I’ll let you become the MC for the next chapter:

• What questions would you ask this Primordial? (not just about the reward; about anything in ANC)

• In addition to the three free Tribulations (the base reward), what would you ask for?