Chapter 189: Hot-Blooded, Cold-Blooded, Bloodless

Enjoy the chapter! Next one on Monday!

*

Lvl Up: [Shadow Boxing] lvl 12, 13, 14
STR +3
AGI +3
DEXT +3
Lvl Up: [Matrix Dodge] lvl 5, 6, 7
AGI +6
DEXT +3
Lvl Up: [Battle Footwork] lvl 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
AGI +10
DEXT +5
Lvl Up: [Battle Flow] lvl 17
PERC +1
DEXT +2
Lvl Up: [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 17, 18
STR +6
Lvl Up: [Spear Slash] lvl 20
STR +1

[Spear Slash] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available:

[Great Spear Slash - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5
[Many Slashes - Rare] - You mastered several slash variations. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 10
[Hoplite Slash - Rare] - Your body and mind have assimilated the Hoplite expertise of the spear. Impressive. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 20

You have selected the skill [Hoplite Slash - Rare].
POT -20

[Hoplite Slash] - For millennia, hoplites have refined the Art of War. Many of them have reached Mastery in their weapon of choice: the Spear. This ancestral knowledge has been passed down and purified over the years to create a devastating style. By observing the greatest contemporary hoplite masters, you have captured the essence of an ever-changing form: the Hoplite Slash.
Don't confuse a duel with a battle.
STR +3

Lvl Up: [Osmosis] lvl 6
PHY +1
META (AFFI) +4

Agility exceeds 500 points. First milestone reached. Congratulations!
Strength exceeds 500 points. First milestone reached. Congratulations!

Drawing from the knowledge offered by his skills, Priam moved his body with agility. Dodging a thrust with a step to the right, he spotted an opening but chose to step back. The next moment, his opponent turned the frontal movement into a lateral strike. If Priam had attempted to counter, Shadow-Hyshana's sword would have disemboweled him.

Lvl Up: [Battle Flow] lvl 18
PERC +1
DEXT +2

This was followed by a devastating combo that forced Priam to give up even more ground. Listening to [Battle Footwork], Priam used quick but sure steps to stay out of reach of the enemy's blade.

Priam could have easily won a fight against the real Hyshana, but the shadow hoplite possessed his attributes. Without a Concept or active skill, Priam was overwhelmed by his opponent's style. It was the best way to feel the technical gap between him and Hyshana. The gap created by Mastery.

For now, Priam was outmatched... But the present was not the future.

After ten minutes of torture, the shadow changed, taking the form of Louis. Taking advantage of the brief respite offered by the transformation, Priam launched into a deadly combo that the illusion of the old man avoided effortlessly. Body Mastery and Micro made it as agile as an eel. The shadow played with Promesse, waiting for the right moment to counter.

The two opponents danced for several seconds, advancing and retreating, turning around each other in a deadly waltz.

Priam smiled, overclocking his muscles one by one, using his attributes to their maximum. The strength and agility milestones had altered his body, allowing his muscles to summon more strength and injecting more flexibility into his tendons. His body was now capable of withstanding more violent efforts. However, unlike a quantitative increase in his constitution, the strength and agility thresholds qualitatively reinforced his tissues.

The improvement was useful for any user, but Micro owners had a particular use for it.

Previously, Priam had to be careful with each overclock. Most of the time, he used a series of micro-overclocks to speed up at key moments in a fight. Overclocks that were too long or intense tore his muscles and tendons or damaged his joints. Only his bones could withstand the repercussions thanks to the first constitution threshold.

Now, more extreme overclocks were possible. The first physical thresholds complemented Micro, and Priam was sure it wasn't a coincidence. The System - or perhaps the laws of all Universes - tended to create a path that led each organism to a peak of power where each improvement complemented the others. The Zenith.

Breathing heavily, Priam felt fatigue accumulating. Using Micro and overclocks so freely depleted even his titanic endurance reserves. Pushing Louis's shadow into a corner of the room, he pressed his advantage before delivering the final blow.

Overclocking the most powerful muscles in his body, Priam focused on the knowledge brought by his latest skill. [Hoplite Slash] showed him the way, guiding Promesse in a perfect arc that sliced through the air with crushing intensity. Pressure built up in his body before exploding into an irresistible attack.

For a moment, the movement transcended the possible, opening an eternal door.

Lvl Up: [Hoplite Slash] lvl 2, 3
STR +6

The blow sliced through the air without touching Louis. The shadow must have used its Supremacies and a movement skill to avoid being cut. Despite the power of the attack, Shadow-Louis had evaded. It was inconsequential; Priam had felt the Mastery. It still eluded him, but he already felt closer to his weapon. The first time was always the hardest; now that the door was ajar.

Under the speed of the attack, a gust arose in the training room. Shadow-Louis leaped, ready to counter as Priam braced himself, grimacing. In the heat of exhilaration, he had forgotten to analyze the sound waves and air movements in his Domain. In a real fight, such errors could have cost him dearly.

Promesse barely parried the shadow's first attack, but its foot struck Priam's lower abdomen. Game over.

Priam canceled the shadow before sitting on the floor, letting the tension leave his body. When Louis used his Body Mastery and Micro, Priam stood no chance. The shadow's movements became lightning-fast, and its attacks exquisite. His two Supremacies supported each other, allowing Louis to briefly triple or quadruple his attributes.

It didn't matter; Priam wasn't there to win. He was there to lose, to reveal and patch his weaknesses, and to observe the movements of a master. It was already paying off, as evidenced by the upgrade of [Spear Slash].

All hoplites wielded the spear. Some, like Hyshana, preferred other weapons, but all regularly trained with the spear. Priam had faced every hoplite for hours, analyzing their movements and imitating their forms.

Every soldier who came to Elysium was a master and a prodigy. All had trained since birth and were heirs to an ancient martial art. Each master had developed their own style, so there were as many variations as there were hoplites. But by facing them, by analyzing their technique and forms, Priam had discovered a common foundation. A pure and stable core on which their spear expertise rested.

A normal human would have taken months or even years to integrate hoplite knowledge, to glimpse the martial truth in the different movements. Priam had taken a few hours. It was, of course, due to his great vivacity and his system capable of dissecting the trajectory, shape, and tempo of hoplite attacks, but also thanks to his Supremacies.

Micro gave Priam almost perfect control over his body and increased his coordination and affinity. Domain allowed him to observe the execution of his movement, making sure it was ideal.

All his advantages synergized to allow Priam to progress at a terrifying speed.

When he will unlock Mastery, the last Supremacy will enhance his natural talent, synergizing with his other Supremacies to complete his build.

[It is likely that the last skill [Spear Grappling] allows the permanent unlocking of the Spear Mastery.]

Priam agreed with his add-on. The last spear skill that would complete his set was based on grappling. In other words, the spear shaft would be used to trip an enemy, redirect an attack, or even strike after a wide-ranging slash.

There were, however, two problems with acquiring the skill.

The first was the lack of data for his system to simulate and analyze the skill. When facing corrupted beings, hoplites used thrusts and cuts more than the shaft of their spear. Why topple an enemy when you could crush their skull?

Hoplites only used grappling in their duels, but those had become scarce since the beginning of the Necro event. If a soldier had enough energy to fight, it was better to acquire Sun points.

The second problem was the spar. [Unrelenting Thrust] and [Hoplite Slash] could be practiced against a shadow. But to acquire a grappling skill, a real duel was needed.

"I need Kazuki's help. But first, I have to reset my body."

Training without Aether had been a success because Priam had been able to focus on the teachings of his skills rather than their power. He had even made a serendipitous discovery: each skill level-up absorbed a certain amount of ambient Aether.

His current theory was that skills, like attributes, were runes inscribed in his cells or his soul. Perhaps both. During a level-up, skills required Aether in small quantities, either to fill themselves or to be edited. It was still a conjecture, but Priam believed in it.

But how had he absorbed Aether without meridians? [Osmosis] was the answer. The lack of Aether circulation in his body had forced it to absorb ambient Aether. The skill was still weak, but Priam was convinced that it could eventually allow him to freely use ambient Aether. If that were the case, his reserves would be infinite.

The possibility was interesting but distant. There were more urgent matters.

[[He Who Eludes Death] primed. It is advised to use Death #7: exsanguination. The probability of obtaining a high upgrade for [Hemorrhage Resistance] is high.]

A new death unlocked...

With a sigh, Priam spent five thousand Sun points to buy a rare scalpel. Without Aether, he could no longer condense ice into a blade. He could have cut himself with Promesse, but the spear was impractical for what he was about to do.

Priam lay in a bath of fluid sap and closed his eyes. Invoking Micro, he blocked his nociceptive receptors. If he had to die, it might as well be painless.

Making several incisions at major arteries, Priam felt his blood flow out of his body. He was surprised at how quickly his strength left him. His resistance to hemorrhage was too weak compared to his vitality. His two hearts sent a colossal amount of blood into his cardiovascular system, and the significant flow prevented his blood from clotting.

Simultaneously, [Homo Elysian Obsession] activated. As the vital fluid fled Priam, he felt his soul cracking.

[Immediate memory loss. Loss of consciousness. Loss of will. Source: [Homo Elysian Obsession]. Emergency protocol in place.]

Priam grimaced, trying to concentrate his will to stay conscious. He had things to do before dying.

The next minutes stretched. Priam lost liters of blood before realizing that his bone marrow was producing an enormous amount of blood cells. Certainly one of the advantages brought by the first threshold of his vitality. I would never have discovered this if I hadn't bled several liters in a few minutes...

Unfortunately for his vigorous organism, Priam was determined to reset his body. His face turned pale, his hearts pounded, and dizziness and headaches shook him. Several times, he forgot the situation and thought he was being attacked. Why was he lying in a pool of his own blood? Without his add-on reminders, Priam would have forgotten his goal. Damn, I must stay focused!

Lvl Up: [True Will] lvl 5
WILL +18
CHAR +9

As his mental lapses became more concerning, Priam began to question the advice of his system. Had it been hacked? Panic gripped him for a moment before partial memory returned. Taking advantage of a last moment of consciousness, Priam decided to speed things up.

Holding the scalpel with difficulty in his left hand, he opened his chest. Covering the blade with his Aura, Priam used it to sever his sternum. Once the thorax was open, he took a final breath and performed an aortic dissection on his human heart, then on his draconic heart. Blood surged inside the aorta wall. Priam instantly realized that he would not recover from the cardiac hemorrhage. Good…

Mentally, his ego was already eroding. Who was he?

[Imminent death. Implementation of test protocols #1, #2, and #3.

Test #1: search for increased Pyro Affinity through adaptation to spiritual damage. Search for increased Domain through adaptation to spiritual damage.

Test #2: search for increased Pyro Affinity through adaptation to physical damage.

Test #3: search for Nirvana through immolation with Pyro.]

Mobilizing Pyro and Conquest, the Assistant created fireballs in the center of Priam's lungs. Simultaneously, the spark symbolizing the Pyro Concept orbiting around his soul destabilized.

A rift leading to the Pyro Domain tore through the mental space. The next moment, Priam's body and soul were engulfed in flames.

*

Nirvana activated. Connection established.

Pyro… The fragment of one of my fieriest children.

It's a potent Concept, but a proud one.
If you manage to make it evolve, come back to me.

Nirvana failure.

*

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

Number of deaths: 20

Message from your patron:

My Concept synergizes with your newfound Talent to expand the size of your soul. The perks are apparent, but beware the High Tribulations...

Synergy detected with your talent [Homo Elysian Obsession] and your Titles [Three-Headed Hydra] and [Weathered]. Your body and spirit are rebuilt and will be more resistant to what killed them:

VIT +15
WILL +6

[Pyro - Concept] - Natural Affinity +5% (68%).
[Supremacy - Domain] - Sphere of authority radius: +0.5 meters (2.5 meters).

New upgrade available for [Hemorrhage Resistance].

[Hemorrhage Resistance] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available:

[Hemorrhage Resistance - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5
[Hemorrhage Resilience - Rare] - You've endured numerous internal and external hemorrhages. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 10
NEW - [Thick Blood - Rare] - You've lost nearly all your blood. You've experienced a cardiac hemorrhage. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 20

You have selected the skill [Thick Blood - Rare].
POT -20

[Thick Blood] -  Your blood transforms to clot more easily. You shouldn't bleed out after nicking your pinky finger.

Blood is thicker than water. Except for the one who forgets his mother.

VIT +3

Lvl Up: [True Will] lvl 6
WILL +18
CHAR +9
Lvl Up: [Aura Resistance] lvl 2
CONST +3
META (Endurance) +3
META (Authority) +3

Titles won!

[Bloodless - Bronze] - You have survived after losing your blood. Your body adapts and discovers another vital fluid. The aether flowing in your meridians gradually permeates your body.
This is the first step on a mythic path. On the ground, you see a dragon's footprints.
You have a little blood left. On your hands.
VIT +10%

[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 165 days 23 hours 52 minutes 17 seconds.

*

"The wolf leaves his den."

"I was hungry," Priam replied, smiling at his rival. "The Auctions?"

"Will get us out of the Stone Age," Kazuki completed. "Your father found reagents capable of reinforcing the stone, allowing Rose to create more powerful runes. They've started upgrading the rampart to rank II, and we plan to buy rank III soon."

It only took a glance at Priam to understand why. The trees lining the clearing were in a pathetic state. It didn't seem to bother Blueberry, who was tending to a barbecue. The aroma tickled Priam's nostrils. The bear must have found spices at the Auctions.

"Was there an attack?" Judging by the Sun points Priam had passively earned during his retreat, tens of thousands of corrupted beings had met their demise.

"A big one. We spent all our points to buy bio-traps, and it barely sufficed. I was close to calling you for backup. By the way, Louis is sure he spotted the Envoy watching the battle." Kazuki shrugged. "I don't know if he's right, but it's likely."

Priam grimaced. "I see. Anything else about the Auctions?"

"We only have access to a small part because Ymir has a Merchant I license. We need to buy Merchant II to view the pricier products."

"I'll take care of it. But before that, I have a favor to ask."

"Oh? I'm listening."

"Do you have time for a duel?"

Kazuki burst into laughter. "Don't you have enough opponents as it is?"

"I feel like I'm on the verge of unlocking Mastery. I want to face another spear master to learn grappling."

Kazuki's gaze shifted. He scrutinized Priam's face as if trying to read a secret before nodding.

"You're close. Follow me."

Kazuki led him to a circle of packed earth that served as a dueling ground for the hoplites. Most were busy fortifying the defenses, but two soldiers were tending to their gear on the side. They saluted Kazuki.

"I may not be your instructor anymore, but I advise you all to watch this duel," Kazuki said. The hoplites saluted before observing Priam with intensity.

"No active skills, Concept, or Aura," Priam proposed.

"Just the spear," Kazuki smiled before assuming a stance. His flawless position offered no openings. Priam had fought his shadow dozens of times, but it made no difference. With a spear in hand, Kazuki was a monster. "Ready?"

Priam's hearts quickened. He would awaken his Supremacy during this duel.

"Ready."

*

Status:

PHYSICAL:
Strength 525 (+30)
Constitution 860 (+4)
Agility 525 (+30)
Vitality 840 (+75)
Perception 689 (+4)

MENTAL:
Vivacity 421
Dexterity 562 (+15)
Memory 318
Willpower 984 (+59)
Charisma 615 (+30)

META:
Meta-affinity 423 (+5)
Meta-focus 350
Meta-endurance 299 (+3)
Meta-perception 204
Meta-chance 230
Meta-authority 33 (+3)

Potential: 1974 (+12)
Tier 0

Sun points: 47 791 (+12 938)

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 23 hours 6 minutes 59 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 165 days 23 hours 40 minutes 12 seconds.

Next thresholds: 6 attributes > 600 / 3 attributes > 900