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Chapter 108: Space Owner
Chapter 108: Space Owner
Chapter 108: Space Owner
Sphinx roared, drawing from her bloodline. The energized shockwave surged toward her foe. The winged tiger's eardrums burst.
Without granting her adversary a moment to acclimate to a silent world, the young Lord tapped into her gravitational power. A wave of aether manifested from her being, inundating her Domain. Gravity was now under her command.
The tiger found itself crushed beneath his mass. Light as a feather, Sphinx leaped into the air. Ten meters up, she canceled her miniaturization. Increasing her own weight, Sphinx allowed herself to fall upon her adversary. He had no time to evade.
The floor of Viracochas Ducal Palace exploded simultaneously with its master's bones. Cracks fissured the throne room's floor, and Sphinx nodded, satisfied.
While rising, she struck out with a paw towards the enemy Lord's neck. The tiger vanished abruptly. Sphinx's attack struck the ground.
Raising her nose, she sniffed the air in search of her prey's karmic scent. There!
The tiger clung to the ceiling. Great lightning bolts crackled around him, as he glared at her with enraged eyes. He was the eye of the storm.
A colossal gold lightning bolt took shape. An instant before the strike, Sphinx swiftly wove a telepathic bridge linking her to her enemy. The tiger attempted to sever it, but Sphinx's Domain was superior.
"Hey, tomcat! I touch the earth, I touch the sky, But if I touch a man, he'll surely die? Who am I? You've got five seconds," she said, sporting a magnificent smile.
The lightning froze in mid-air. Karmically bound, the two adversaries were now immobile.
One second passed, then two. The tiger was struggling to find the answer. Sometimes the obvious was the least seen.
Five seconds later, he responded in a deep voice, "Well Arent you a Sphinx?"
Sphinx shook her head. "You're dumb. It was lightning!"
The tiger howled as karma surged. The vengeful lightning turned crimson and struck its own master. Gravity crushed his organs and pressed him like a citrus.
Moments later, the corpse of the former Lord of Viracocha fell to the ground. The palace trembled, as if mourning its master's death.
Sphinx trotted to the throne, taking her seat, satisfied with her victory. Rose took the opportunity to peer through the partially open door.
"Is it over?"
"Yes! I made some cat food," Sphinx joked. "But he's too ugly for me to eat. You can have him."
Rose looked at the crushed tiger's remains with a disgusted expression. Shaking her head, she approached the throne. "No thanks." Glancing at Sphinx, she continued. "You were amazing! You turned him into pulp so effortlessly!"
Sphinx yawned. "Well, I have to keep up with Priam, or he'll leave me behind..."
Rose raised an eyebrow. "Is he stronger than you?"
"I don't know. But I don't want him to leave me if I become too weak..."
Sphinx trembled as she spoke, and Rose approached. After a moment's hesitation, she gathered her courage. Her hand reached out to pet Sphinx's head. Sphinx calmed down.
"He won't abandon you. Only mean humans abandon their pets. You're too cute for that," reassured Rose.
"A pet? Do you take me for a kitten?" Sphinx asked, looking Rose straight in the eyes.
"I... Uh..." Rose's hand began to shake.
Sphinx smiled. "Perfect. If I'm a pet, then he'll have to put in all the effort while I get to sleep. Works for me!"
The next moment, she started to yawn. "I'm going to take a nap, and then we'll raid the treasures of the Palace. Wake me up in an hour, okay? I don't want to miss the execution..."
Rose was momentarily stunned before hearing a snore. "She's already asleep? That was fast."
Squinting, Rose observed Sphinx for a few moments.
"She's even cuter than a kitten," she decided. "I want one too..."
The human resumed petting Sphinx. Once again, cuteness had won.
"Hahaha." Priam laughed towards the sky. Levitating about a meter from the ground thanks to [Kinetic Control], he waited for the arena floor to cool down. Despite his resistances, the heat was painful.
A cloak of mist swirled around him, cooling the air. Priam eventually settled down. He slowly stroked his throat while closing his eyes. Despite the cataclysm he had unleashed, his throat was in perfect condition. It was hard to imagine. After all, it was the cannon of an attack that had annihilated an Earl and transformed the atmosphere into plasma.
The Merit Tree had modified his throat, giving it draconic properties. Not for the first time, Priam tried to imagine a Dragon. If this creature's throat was so resilient, then its scales must be indestructible...
The System snapped him out of his reverie, reminding him he had a reward to choose.
Reward: Evolution Token (Epic/Gold).
- Skill
- Title
- Talent
- Object
- Land/Building/Structure
"So?!" Bechar asked.
"I can choose an Evolution Token," Priam replied.
"Not bad. What rarity?"
"Epic or Gold. Not as good as the Legendary I received for completing my Tribulations," grumbled Priam.
The mental equivalent of a shrug was conveyed to Priam. "You can't compare a reward for a Quadruple Tribulation with the fifty-fifth wave of the Colosseum."
This time, it was Priam who shrugged. A tendril of mist approached him and condensed into a few large drops of water that dripped directly into his open mouth.
"The Tribulations weren't that hard," Priam replied after drinking.
"... Tribulations are personal. You succeeded partly due to an alien Talent, from what I understand. Somehow, it wasn't adequately taken into account by the System."
Priam nodded. [He Who Eludes Death] had been recognized by the System, but not [Tribulation Hunter]. The System acknowledged already existing alien Talents, not their potential synergy. Good to know...
Bechar continued, unaware of Priam's thoughts. "Despite that, you expended considerable resources, were aided by your clones, and put millions of lives at risk to survive. The Colosseum is an arena where you can forfeit at any moment and try your luck again. The fights are known in advance, and the monsters have limited adaptability. I repeat: it's not comparable."
Priam fell silent; Bechar was right. His thoughts began to drift towards the deaths he had caused. His debt to the dead and the living would not be paid today. The important thing was that it would be paid someday. The important thing was that it wouldn't happen again. Shaking his head, he focused on the present moment. Dwelling on his wrongs wasn't productive. If he truly wanted to change things, actions were the only effective way.
Reviewing his rewards once more, he eliminated Skill, Object, and Structure first. For Skill, the reason seemed obvious: he had enough Potential to quickly enhance his skills. Elysium would also aid him.
He didn't use any objects except for Promesse, and his lance would grow alongside him. The outfit he had commissioned from Boss - the tailor of Viracocha - would likely be less resilient than his own skin. It would likely be ceremonial attire - covering his mist-clad nudity wouldn't suit all occasions.
Finally, Land/Building/Structure seemed to be a Token for Noble Lands. Priam had no plans to redecorate New Earth at his own expense, so he didn't currently need this kind of Token.
Regarding Title or Talent... Priam leaned towards the latter.
The reason was fairly evident: he had accumulated over twenty Titles and only about ten Talents. For someone with the ability to resurrect, Talents were rarer. He also had an idea of how to improve most of his Titles, whereas he had no clue how to improve his Talents - except perhaps by investing his Potential massively.
Selected reward: Evolution Token (Talent - Gold).
Ok, Im done. In his condition, with no stamina, no energy, no trump card and wounded, Priam couldn't see himself continuing the fight. He rode the mist to the exit. The heavy doors opened onto Bechar.
"Come with me, I might have an idea for the Space Seed."
"I think we have the same one," Priam smiled.
"It's madness, you know that, right?" Bechar asked.
"So we're both mad. It's the only way, and you wouldn't have brought me here if you didn't think so too," Priam replied, gesturing towards the training room.
They were currently in Bechar's quarters. The shapeshifter had a rather luxurious suite. Several rooms were at his disposal for training, relaxing, or even having fun. According to the supervisor, only the [First Gladiator]'s quarters were better equipped. Unfortunately, the Title was still out of his reach.
"If it fails, the Space Seed will shatter," Bechar sighed. "At that point, you might see me cry over the waste of such a precious resource."
"Is it really that rare?" Priam asked, looking at the black and gold orb that sat in the center of his palm.
Bechar snorted. "I'm a Tier 3; even if I sold myself as a slave for a century, I'm not sure I could afford one. There's no market for that kind of thing. At least, not for regular mortals."
Upon hearing these words, stars began to glitter in Priam's eyes. He began to fondly stroke the orb.
"Your stupid, sappy grin makes me nauseous. I hope youll fail," Bechar grumbled.
Priam chuckled as they made their way to the center of the room. "I know you don't mean that."
A few moments later, he sat cross-legged in the middle of a circle. Runes pulsated around him. Priam could feel the aether just by looking at them. According to Bechar, its role was to provide energy and isolate him from the outside world. This would facilitate the creation of the space.
Indeed, Priam intended to use the orb immediately. He would have preferred to find a suitable object to house the space, but the Colosseum didn't grant his wish. Time was running out: the Reunion would end in a few hours.
By then, Priam would be teleported to Elysium, and he didn't plan on returning alone. He had finally found his father and refused another separation. Unfortunately, Priam couldn't stay in Elysium for long. It would be up to his father to come. The role of the space was to transport his father along with him. Perhaps even Sphinx if she agreed.
Of course, Elysium was a dangerous place, and his father's safety came first. However, the rest of the Universe wasn't necessarily safer - especially if they learned who his son was.
So, Priam's plan was to enhance Log-a-rhythm. The tree could create a haven of peace in this terrifying world, and his loved ones would be safe there. Moreover, opportunities coexisted with dangers in Elysium. The density of aether would accelerate the acquisition speed of skills and attributes like vitality. I guess not many Elysians die of old age.
All of this was only possible if Priam managed to bring his father with him. The space was the central element of this project, but it needed to be hosted in a suitable object. In practical terms, he needed one of mythical rank... or equivalent.
He had the idea that his body could be that object. Anyway, he didn't really have an alternative, and his physique was the most resilient object he knew. Between [Chimera] and [High Human Adaptation], he thought he stood a chance.
"Are you sure you don't want to wait a little longer?" Bechar asked again, configuring the runes surrounding Priam.
"Sure. I think my body is sturdy enough. By the way, if my body disappears for a while..."
Bechar looked at him, a wry smile on his face. "If your body disappears, the space will still exist. It's a parallel space to our dimension. A kind of mini-world, not just a simple spatial pocket."
"What's the difference?"
Bechar shrugged. "There are quite a few containers - rings, bags, carts, etc. - enchanted to increase their dimensions. In essence, they're larger on the inside than on the outside. That's the principle of a spatial pocket. If the object is destroyed, the pocket too."
Priam nodded. Pointing to the orb, Bechar continued. "A Space Seed creates a kind of miniature world."
Priam furrowed his brows. "The world isn't stored in the object?"
"No, and you need a passage to enter it. This isn't my specialty, so take it with a grain of salt but... This passage destabilizes the space around it, as if you were creating a door in a wall - the wall loses solidity. You can't create a door in a wall that's too fragile."
Priam remained pensive for a moment. "I think I understand. If the wall, I mean the object, isn't sturdy enough, it collapses." Bechar nodded, and a thought occurred to Priam. "If I fail, my body... ?"
"Your body will implode in a spatial quagmire," Bechar finished. "I saw you resurrect after being disintegrated by the wyvern. It won't be worse than that, don't worry."
"..." Priam massaged his temples. [He Who Eludes Death] wasn't primed yet. If the space collapsed around him, it would be the end. He hesitated for a moment before affirming his decision.
He had come all this way to reunite with his family and keep them safe. He wasn't going to stop now. I can't always wait for a safety net. If I lose my courage, I'll never be free...
Priam raised his thumb, and Bechar activated the runes. A sphere materialized around him, cutting him off from the world.
Using his Domain, Priam activated the Space Seed.
Space Seed detected.
Choose a host object.
My magnificent body.
High Human body chosen.
Suitability calculation...
Tier 0, Constitution (448), presence of adaptation Talents - [Chimera], [High Human Adaptation] - presence of a regeneration Title [Three-Headed Hydra]...
... Low suitability (23%).
Use Potential to increase chances of success?
Thanks to his Tribulations, Priam had accumulated a lot of Potential. It was time to use it. Yes.
2546 Potential required to create a stable passage to the future space.
Priam's draconic heart clenched as he read the number. He had accumulated so much Potential, and half of it would vanish... A new notification appeared.
Subject residing in Elysium.
Warning: limited freedom.
Searching for a solution...
[Mirror of the Soul] detected.
4787 Potential required to merge the future space with your soul.
A cry of distress escaped Priam's lips. Bechar gave him a concerned look, which he ignored. I'm going to be POOR!
Despite this, Priam felt no reluctance in choosing the second possibility. From the start, his quests warned him: leaving Elysium wasn't easy. Having a space he couldn't access was useless. If this space is within me, I'll always have access to an inventory.
[Eidetic Memory] was already busy scanning all the books he had read, searching for synergies to use this new power.
Bechar's voice echoed in the bubble protecting Priam. "I shall point out that these runes are expensive. If you don't mind, could we get to work?"
"Sorry, Bechar," Priam grimaced. "I'll begin."
Priam accepted the System's proposal.
Activation of the Space Seed.
POT -4787
Like a superfluid, the orb entered his hand. Micro detected the seed's dissolution into his body. For a few moments, Priam felt nothing.
Suddenly, his Potential activated. A passage to infinite energy formed within his soul. A miraculous fluid poured into his body, and Priam smiled. For once, he felt no pain.
He felt his Talents, Titles, and body working in harmony. Something was changing within him.
[Mirror of the Soul] activated. Priam blinked, surprised to find himself in his mental space.
Compared to the last time, work was underway. The space was compressing. The lake that held his reflection - along with two fragments of concepts, purity, and mental stamina - was shrinking, condensing. The spiritual was becoming material.
The mental space was shaken by an earthquake.
A kind of infinite meadow previously surrounded the lake. It gradually disappeared, making way for a thin strip of land. The lake was now the size of a pond. It began to shine, releasing torrents of Potential. An atmosphere appeared, and Priam's body gained corporeality.
The sky lost its characteristic blue, becoming starless black. In the distance, a border appeared. The world was a kind of sphere with a radius of about thirty meters. The various fragments of concepts previously stored dived into the pond.
Beneath the surface, Priam saw them orbiting alongside his reflection. A light reflected in the water, blinding him. Priam looked up.
The brightness came from the Phoenix hibernating a few meters above the pond. It was now the only source of light illuminating the island.
A few moments later, the world stabilized just as the Potential ran dry.
Congratulations! [Mirror of the Soul - Bronze] has evolved into [Space Island - Silver(Growth)].
Looking around, perched on a floating island in the void, Priam smiled. This world was his.
And it could grow.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 317
Constitution 448
Agility 304
Vitality 465
Perception 521
MENTAL:
Vivacity 282
Dexterity 345
Memory 72
Willpower 464
Charisma 378
META:
Meta-affinity 249
Meta-focus 183
Meta-endurance 161
Meta-perception 77
Meta-chance 207
Meta-authority 12
Potential: 829 (-4787)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 16 hours 26 minutes 4 seconds.
[Tribulation]: One Tribulation pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 180 days 16 hours 59 minutes 17 seconds.