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Chapter 2: Heartless and Fearless
Chapter 2: Heartless and Fearless
Chapter 2: Heartless and Fearless
Congratulations, you are dead!
Your talent [He who eludes Death] brings you back to life once a day.
Number of deaths: 3
Synergy detected with your talent [Humanity adapts]. Your body is rebuilt and will be more resistant to what killed it:
VIT + 5
CONST +5
[Touched by aether] - Adjustment time: 23 days (previously 26 days)
Titles won!
[Heartless - Bronze] - You have survived after losing your heart, one of the vital organs of your species. In the future, you will be able to stay alive for a while without this vital organ.
But a word of advice: try to keep it anyway.
VIT +10%
[Brainless - Bronze] - You have survived after losing your brain. Your mind gradually becomes more than a few neural connections. This is the first step to unlocking your domain.
Try to use this organ more. It will help you lose it less.
WILL + 10%
[He who eludes Death] Charge: 0, Recharge in 13 hours at 0h.
Cooldown before forced resurrection: 28 minutes 38 seconds.
Priam opened his eyes to the blue sky. His mind was a little confused as he thought that dying once a day to return stronger was good. When you had a bonus life like him, it was a good way to maximize your growth. You just had to avoid dying twice.
The resurrection erased his traumas. An ordinary person pierced by a Terminator could not be well despite a miraculous recovery. Priam had felt his body being destroyed. He had felt the arms of Var Elegis working their way through his skin, muscles, bones, and organs. He thought he heard the sound of his flesh being torn apart by a monstrous force just before he lost consciousness.
Priam should have vomited in terror when he woke up, yet he felt fine. He knew he should have felt bad but didn't feel that way. The System had anesthetized his consciousness and forced him to move on. Despite being in a daze, he felt good because the Concepts were manipulating his thoughts. He hated the feeling but couldn't get horrified at his death. This contradiction disturbed his brain. His mind struggled against the geas of the System and soon, he was seized with spasms.
A few seconds later, Priam forced himself to stop thinking about it. He was too weak to fight the System. He would have a chance to find a solution to this problem later. For now, he and the System had the same goal: he had to survive.
As the fog of death slowly left his mind, he thought back to the Var Elegi. He had just had time to identify him, perhaps by reflex, before he died.
[Arnold - Var Elegi] - A paragon of the Var Elegi. With intelligence that is half personal, half hive, they are dangerous enemies, difficult to befriend. This species has a considerable advantage in its reproduction: cloning and biological procreation. The Var Elegi are an invasive and numerous species. As a siliconized form of life, they have wiped out all carbonaceous life forms on their home planet. One of your main rivals in this new world.
Arnold was stronger than he was at the moment. But that fact was not set in stone. With his perk [He Who Eludes Death], Priam could become stronger. Much stronger.
He looked at the portal and then decided to walk away from it. If champions like Arnold were coming, it was getting too dangerous for him. He had to find a safe place. Priam wanted to wait until midnight to get another life. Currently, he was too weak to take any chances. The boost in vitality and constitution made it easier for him to stand the heat. He ventured into the undergrowth and took a path perpendicular to Arnold's, visible by footprints.
He walked for a long time. First, because he didn't know where to stop yet. How many kilometers would he have to walk to be safe from Arnold or others? The Var Elegi had detected him almost a hundred meters away. Second, these other survivors of the tutorial were ultimately not the biggest problem. He was in an unknown forest where every plant could be covered with contact poison, where every creeper could seek to strangle him. Every sound, every silence, could hide the approach of a predator.
So Priam moved forward with caution. He moved each branch away with a torn piece of cloth and took care to walk carefully without leaving a trace. He had lost his shoes in the Tutorial and had to be careful not to hurt himself. A layer of hard skin was already starting to form under his feet. The aether really speeds up the growth of everything...
Arnold would come back and notice the absence of a body. It was only a matter of time. He had to abandon his jacket and T-shirt. The holes were not problematic, but they were stained with his blood. The smell of blood could have been a problem.
You have gained the skill: [Stealth].
[Stealth] lvl 1: Years of slowly walking down the stairs to get a snack in the middle of the night have taught you to calculate your every step carefully. You pay attention to where you put your feet. You control your breathing. Flexed on your feet, your movement is deliberately silent. Entities in your environment have a harder time detecting you.
You manage to outdo yourself when a cupcake is at stake.
AGI +1
Right now, I'm hiding by necessity. But one day, I will be back... Wait for me, Arnold.
Lvl Up: [Stealth] lvl 2
AGI +1
Lvl Up: [Heat Resistance] lvl 4
VIT +1
After about an hour, Priam froze. There, in front of him, a few meters away, was a mound. The kind of landmark for a colony of ants. On Earth, Priam would have taken a picture and continued on his way. But here, he was going to turn around very quickly.
Only several seconds after his discovery, Priam was still petrified. His brain was torn between his survival instincts and an overwhelming attraction to the tree that stood only two or three meters from the anthill. It looked like a milky white, almost luminescent birch with three bluish-colored fruit. These fruit were unbelievably hypnotic.
Only the synergy between the traumatic experience of his recent death and his new title [Brainless] could keep Priam from foolishly rushing to try to devour one of the fruit. The increase in his Willpower allowed Priam to control himself better to detach himself from his emotions if he wished. He was beginning to tame his cravings.
Once Priam thought for a few seconds, the scary effect of the fruit began to fade. I've got to get out of here. The fruit must be a trap to attract prey and sacrifice it to the ant colony. Despite his growing hunger, Priam began to back away slowly. Ahead of him, he saw an ant enter the mound, bringing back food to expand the colony.
New Quest: A lovely fruit.
Steal and consume at least one Passiflora.
Reward: System help when consuming Passiflora. Potential + 10.
Difficulty: Low
Maximum time: 2 Days
"Shit..." Priam whispered.
The System wanted to see him fight. Since the Tutorial, the Concepts had never hidden the fact that they wanted to sort the wheat from the chaff...
Priam had no desire to play the Concepts' game. He was not a pawn and cherished few things more than his freedom. But he also knew that as long as he was weak, he would have no say in the matter. Gritting his teeth, the young man analyzed the fruit.
[Identification].
[Passiflora Aether] - A passion fruit loaded with aether. Its intense appeal often makes it the lure of crude traps set by underdeveloped species. Only a fool would fall for it. However, since prey often has powerful instincts, this fruit is not just a lure. Its consumption causes a significant increase in mental and physical attributes.
Priam froze, hidden by the branches, and thought about the situation. He had no extra life. He had to wait until at least midnight to recharge his perk.
Should he really try to steal these fruit? Deep down, he knew the answer was yes. Priam was almost immortal, but his mind was not. He needed these mental attributes to protect himself.
With his decision made, Priam slowly circled the area he considered dangerous and continued on his way. His plan was relatively simple. Stretch two vines between the Passiflora tree and another tree. He would only need to throw a vine with a noose at the end to hang on to the tree without going near it. A descending vine to reach the fruit quickly without touching the ground and thus not attract the attention of ants with vibrations in the ground. Another liana would allow him to leave again. With these two makeshift zip lines, Priam expected to be gone before the ants even noticed a problem. Of course, eating the fruit on the spot was out of the question. The smell might alert the ants.
That was the basis of the plan. But all plans fall apart in the face of reality. So Priam began to plan his escape route.
You have gained the skill: [Climbing].
[Climbing] lvl 1: Excellent sport activity using the whole human body to move. The sedentary lifestyle has forced most men to move only with two legs. You have begun to question this axiom.
Monkeys aren't your cousins, but your skill level puts them to shame all the same.
AGI +1
A few hours later, Priam moved slowly but surely from tree to tree along a chosen path. The branches he stepped on were wide and sturdy. Near the trunk, the branches were thicker, harder, and less flexible, making it easier for him to move.
He had placed lianas in different places to ensure his progress on this vegetal path, even when the branches were too thin, so as not to lose his balance. A few dozen meters long, the path had been rubbed with very fragrant flowers that he had found in abundance near here. He had made sure to identify them, and his skill did not mention poison. [Identification] was not yet very well developed, but it was better than nothing.
Before the end of the path, a decoy path had been rubbed with this same flower. Meanwhile, the real path had been impregnated with another false odor: that of a fern species. He hoped most ants would follow the decoy path until the smell disappeared. The sole purpose of this whole operation was to disrupt the ants' sense of smell. It might be a waste, but I would have tried.
The only thing left to do, besides waiting for the next morning, was to prepare a shelter for the night and start a fire for the next day.
Priam reached the end of his exit path. He gathered some dry dead branches, some tall grass that would surely smoke a lot, and a large bundle of dead leaves. The idea was to light the fire before stealing the fruit and then return to this spot when the fire was strong enough to obscure the sight and smell of the pursuers.
If I rub a stick against a piece of dry wood, I should be able to start a fire by friction... Let's try it!
After a constant effort and several hours, Priam finally found the technique to start a fire. Despite his strength, dexterity, and the heat, some sticks refused to ignite. Priam had finally lit some twigs after several unsuccessful attempts. Far from being saddened by the fact that he was less efficient than some Neolithic men, he would have shouted with joy if he had not been afraid of drawing attention to himself! Lets get those Passiflora!
Lvl Up: [Stealth] lvl 3
AGI +1
Lvl Up: [Heat Resistance] lvl 5
VIT +1
The next morning, Priam was thirsty. This seemed to be becoming a habit. He had spent a horrible night holed up in a rabbit hole that would have made a rabbit feel bad. Controlling his breathing, trying to control the rhythm of his body - and therefore his sweating, and other factors that could have made him noticeable - had not been in vain.
You have gained the skill: [Meditation].
[Meditation] lvl 1: A mental practice that focuses on a certain state of thought, emotions, and the body. You seek mental calm, relaxation, and ultimately physical control of your body. The art of meditation is ancient, and yet there are still secrets that humans have not discovered. The road is long, but this skill could be instrumental if practiced diligently. Possible synergy with a title detected.
Stop thinking you are a Buddhist monk. Your distracting thoughts do not help with meditation.
WILL+3
Meditation promised to be an incredible skill, especially with his Title [Brainless]. However, Priam didn't have time to think about that now. That would have to wait until after the operation. Without wasting any more time thinking, Priam got out of his hole and headed for the anthill. He didn't detect any particular change except for a few ants entering the colony through some tunnels. It seemed logical, as they are mostly active at night. Sorry girls, the following will certainly wake you up!
The majority of the members of an ant colony are female, with the males used primarily to impregnate the Queen. Priam had no intention of approaching the colony or the Queen.
Priam slowly made his way back to the fire preparation area. He noticed that he was now unconsciously walking more stealthily. The effect of the skill [Stealth] seemed to remind his body every moment that he could use the techniques he had learned. The skill integrated his thoughts and knowledge directly into his muscle memory. Its role was to synthesize months of effort. Priam felt he could still make mistakes if he didn't concentrate properly, but this reassured him. If the skill was not absolute, his enemies could also make errors. This made a fight against a superior opponent possible by exploiting loopholes.
Once he reached the fire, Priam began to check his preparations. Once satisfied with the setup, he lit the fire in just a few minutes. The next moment, Priam darted toward the colony as he made his way up his exit path. He moved almost effortlessly from tree to tree. His skill was still weak, but the effects were already impressive.
Arriving at the descending zip line, he checked the terrain one last time before taking a deep breath. He had few illusions to escape alive. Despite his preparations, he had a good chance of dying. If he created too much of a ruckus, it was even possible that he would die permanently. It was impossible. Priam wanted to live. Not just survive, but live freely. Proudly. To do that, he needed power. In this new world, that was a very literal concept. Hence, his determination to succeed in this quest and all others that would follow.
Without further questioning, he took off. In near free fall, his heart sped up for one exhilarating second, and he smiled. Priam loved risk, speed, and adrenaline. Before the Tutorial, he skied, surfed, and enjoyed thrill rides. In spite of the danger, Priam was having fun.
He put his foot softly on a branch of the Passiflora and cushioned his landing. With a smile on his face, he briefly observed his surroundings. The anthill was positioned on the other side of the tree. Without waiting for a reaction from the ants, he easily climbed the tree and plucked the three fruit. They were about the size of a tangerine and barely fit in his pants pockets. The last fruit Priam put in his mouth. If he couldn't store it in his pockets, he might as well swallow it right away.
He had barely had time to pick the three fruit and calculate the best way to reach the exit zip line when his new senses screamed. He felt a blast on his right shoulder. Priam didn't try to figure out what was happening, and trusting his instincts, he jumped from branch to branch, forgetting to secure his descent. It was no longer the time to be careful. Priam reached for the zipline, but in his haste, he dropped the piece of vine that was supporting him. He grabbed the zipline connecting him to his way out with his full hand and slipped down it, skinning his hands. With his flesh raw, he caught himself and fled without looking back.
Within the first few feet of his green path, Priam's head began to spin. The adrenaline momentarily blocked out the pain, but looking briefly at his right shoulder, he already knew he was doomed. The attack contained a powerful acid that was already beginning to eat away at his shoulder. Only adrenaline kept Priam going.
Meanwhile, the anthill seemed to have exploded. Hundreds of baby-sized white ants were scurrying about in the open. The royal soldiers had sounded the alarm and fired off a few jets of acid, but they mostly missed. Most of the insects, specialized in close combat and quantity-based tactics, would not be able to catch the intruder but would be busy securing the area for the champions. A few winged ants streaked with gold were tasked with catching the intruder. They flew toward the human while the soldiers ran.
Priam was doing parkour in the trees. He only had a few dozen meters to go, but every step was dangerous. A mistake or a fall would cost him precious seconds, not to mention a possible injury. Those seconds would allow the ants to catch up with him. It would be game over.
Priam focused on his every step, on each support, and on his breath. He was trying to efficiently cross the natural obstacles in his way. The path was memorized from the day before, but the forest was always changing. Priam was changing with it. Where he had decided the day before to jump, today he was leaning. Where he had pushed off a thin branch, he was dodging a trunk. Aware of his surroundings, senses alert, muscles finely controlled, Priam felt more alive than ever. He hadn't forgotten the ants, but they didn't matter anymore. Maybe he would die, but not before he finished his race. At that very moment, he was unstoppable.
You have gained the skill: [Art of Movement - Rare].
AGI +1
PERC +1
DEXT +1
He had already reached the end of the path. The ants had not caught up with him, slowed down by the foliage. But surely they weren't getting tired as fast as he was. Priam hadn't thought ants could fly that fast, but he had thought to create a smoke screen. Up ahead, the fire had already started. The small fire of a few minutes ago had even turned into a full-blown inferno. But how? With the green wood, there shouldn't be so much flame. Not in such a short time. Are the trees here more flammable?
The ants were gaining ground. Without wasting any more time, Priam accelerated by jumping through the smoke curtain. His blind landing was tricky, and he landed at a wrong angle. Feeling pain shoot through his ankle, he hobbled on. Flames licked the trees on either side of the fire he had started. The smoke stayed close to the ground, trapped by the green roof. Without being able to rise, it moved parallel to the ground in all directions, obscuring sight and smell.
Priam kept moving forward. Despite the terrible heat, his skills, attributes, and adrenaline kept him going. He was careful, however, to take a few breaths every ten seconds near the ground. Most people who died in a fire did not die from the heat but rather from smoke asphyxiation. With his eyes closed because of the smoke, he walked blindly.
After about thirty seconds, the only sounds reaching him were the reports of bark cracking under the heat of the blaze. I must get out of this furnace quickly. I can't open my eyes, but if I keep going straight ahead, it should do the trick...
The fruit he had swallowed also seemed to have a refreshing effect. It was as if a cool liquid was pouring into his veins. Remembering the other two fruit in his pockets, he swallowed them quickly.
Quest completed: A lovely fruit.
Reward: Concepts help when eating the three Passiflora. Potential + 10.
Congratulations!
Title received: [Quester - Bronze] - You completed a Concepts quest successfully. All given quests have a solution. Potentially more. It's up to you to find them and come out stronger.
Imagine, some will entrust you with a vital quest. Poor souls...
PERC +10%
Priam opened his eyes, feeling fresh air before freezing. In front of him, dozens of ants surrounded the smoke-filled area. The entire perimeter must have been under surveillance. They had bypassed the burned area, and some were still coming out of tunnels hidden by the vegetation. Three flying ants were positioned in the trees in front of him. He had no way out.
"Well... Game Over I guess," Priam commented. "I wasted too much time with the smoke and fire, and despite that, they easily located me. If I can get skills, why not them? Vibration detection I guess? I underestimated the flying ants too. At least I passed the quest."
In one movement, the ants began to move towards Priam, snapping their mandibles. He couldn't even bring himself to hate the ants. They weren't brilliant, and Priam wasn't stupid enough to hate a rock or a blade of grass. He hadn't been up to the task. With any luck, the Concepts would give him another chance.
In front of him was an army of omnivorous ants. Behind him, an inferno. Priam grimaced.
"One more day in hell. But I'll survive. I will be back," Priam promised. "Until then, I hope you like your meat well done!"
With that, Priam turned and, limping painfully, entered the ash-gray realm again. Death terrified him. He still wasn't sure he would ever wake up. Perhaps the flames would still be there when he resurfaced, burning him again. But between the torment of fire and ants, he would choose the fire. Maybe he could get a few more levels for his resistances.
As the flames began to consume him, Priam screamed. The pain was horrible. His thoughts disappeared and were replaced by absolute pain.
Soon, his lungs became empty of air, and he finally became silent.
Status: (Average value for a male Homo sapiens before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Force 19
Constitution 28
Agility 28
Vitality 34
Perception 17
MENTAL:
Vivacity 30
Dexterity 16
Memory 28
Will 33
Charisma 26
META:
Meta-affinity 4
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