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Chapter 92: Last Round
Chapter 92: Last Round
Chapter 92: Last Round
The list of rewards was incredible! Priam was both happy to have four possibilities and pained. He wanted them all. If I'd known, I'd have gone for the quintuple... Scratching his chin, Priam changed his mind. He knew that he would probably have died attempting a quintuple.
"Next time!" he exclaimed. In an excellent mood, Priam took his time. The world was frozen, and he was tired of running all the time.
Taking advantage of the system, Priam moved his arms and tried to take a few steps. After about ten meters, he felt a sort of warning. The System wouldn't let him explore the world with impunity.
His wounds weren't healing either, but he wasn't feeling pain anymore. The System let him think about his choices in peace.
Refocusing, Priam looked at his rewards. He winced as he read about Promesse. If the System was offering this reward, that meant he had no chance of getting it otherwise. Perhaps Pride's Shadow was more dangerous than he thought...
Priam validated two options with a sigh. Promesse appeared in his hand and vibrated. Sensing its contentment, Priam stroked his spear with a smile. It had fought well.
Seeing a fighter stroking his weapon would have seemed odd to him, but he was different! After all, his weapon was developing a consciousness, so he was almost a child, and it was essential to take care of them. By making them kill dragons, for example...
Shaking his head, Priam refocused. The second option he had chosen was a new opportunity for [Double Heart] absorption. His heart could now obtain a second affinity that would be supported by [Tribulation]. Well, he still had to choose between [Sun] and [Draconic].
Priam also barred the purification of his bloodline. The Phoenix had promised to purify it if he killed Anatole. He would certainly receive his reward after his Tribulations, so it was redundant.
The last two options were more complicated. Without help from the System, he had to imagine the scope of the rewards. Time stasis was probably a way for the System to overcome its inability to control [He Who Eludes Death]. Priam refused to choose such an option. He had fought with all his might to survive his Tribulations. Now he wanted the best options for the future. Recovering the charge of his Talent was suboptimal.
Similarly, he quickly eliminated Free Attributes and Potential. He saw this as a shortcut to immediate power. What interested him was the long term.
With this in mind, he reduced the number of choices until he had the following list:
Rewards - customized:
Quadruple Tribulation: two rewards selectable from the following list:
Next Tribulation delayed by six months.
Access to humanity's knowledge on a topic (equivalent to 500,000 words).
Four drops of [Elixir of Eternity - 10 years].
Seed of experience
Branch of Garoe - the Mist Tree
Perfect Tribulation Run Memories
Evolution Token - Title
Evolution Token - Talent
Evolution Token - Legendary skill
Racial Upgrade - Human
"Ah, it's so hard! Let's proceed by elimination. Elixir of Eternity..."
This potion could undoubtedly be exchanged for a favor from a powerful faction. Priam knew his strengths and weaknesses. Haggling was not one of his strengths. He crossed out the Elixir.
Then he scratched the Memory option. A hypothetical Priam who had succeeded perfectly in his Tribulations... He could imagine what would happen. If he could go back in time with his memory, he too would have succeeded perfectly in his Tribulations.
As soon as Tribulations began, he'd rip the legs off the first locust and bury it under Safamus body. Without delay, he would unlock his Domain and mist concept by committing suicide thanks to the wyvern's laser. He would then use the Damocles cloud to defeat the wyvern and absorb its power. With the right knowledge, he could have speedrun the Tribulation. The trouble was, had he known this in advance, the System would have created other Tribulations.
Priam froze, thinking of a possibility. Could his Tribulations had been programmed to force him to make Cornelian choices? The Concepts remained fairly low-key, but they could be looking for something in particular. For example, a spirit of steel.
After all, his and Safamu's Tribulation had forced them to put their survival before their races. Were the Tribulations as much mental as physical?
Priam shook his head. He didn't want to try and clear his name. The dead were on his consciousness, and he would have to think about them later. As for his theory, he would ask Bechar. Maybe he was wrong, and maybe he wasn't. What was certain was that the ways of the Concepts were as inscrutable as those of God. Could a mere human understand the plan of such deities?
Priam looked at his rewards again and sighed. He wanted more choices. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. There was an obvious way to have more choices: withstanding news Tribulations.
New Tribulations were just three days away. That was far too short to get a sextuple one. I should be careful not to bite off more than I can chew. Priam selected next Tribulations delayed by six months. One more.
Priam decided to forget human knowledge. He had access to everything he wanted right now. He was interested in strengthening his scientific knowledge, but the other rewards were too incredible to pass up. The list had already been whittled down.
Rewards - customized:
Quadruple Tribulation: one reward selectable from the following list
Seed of experience
Branch of Garoe - the Mist Tree
Evolution Token - Title
Evolution Token - Talent
Evolution Token - Legendary skill
Racial Upgrade - Human
The first two rewards were for Log-a-rhythm. Priam hadn't forgotten that he'd be back soon in Elysium. Seed of experience was vague, and Priam wasn't prepared to bet on its usefulness. Branch of Garoa - the Mist Tree - was to enable a tree to gain a mist affinity. Next to Log-a-rhythm, Priam would be much more powerful. The mist would be permanent near his house.
However, this would be an artificial affinity. My connection with Log-a-rhythm should be able to help me change it in the long run, and I'll save myself a reward.
Priam didn't lose sight of one important thing: in a free, magical world, most of these rewards were shortcuts. What interested him were the rewards he couldn't get without the help of the System.
Reluctantly, Priam ignored those two possibilities. He already had a gift for his tree, and he suspected the Crimson Fruit would be compatible with it too.
All that remained were the evolutions. Title, Talent, skill and race. The dilemma was terrible.
Let's continue with the eliminations... Priam had ideas for upgrading most of his Titles. After all, his Resurrection Talent was mighty to farm improvements. The only Title he was interested in was [Iconoclast]. It concerned the soul. Enhancing it promised to be interesting.
Even so, he changed his mind. He already had a lot to do, and spreading his attention too thin wasn't necessarily a good idea.
The only Talent Priam found powerful enough to enhance it was [He Who Eludes Death]. Unfortunately, it was alien - originating from another universe - and the System couldn't help him. [Humanity adapts] was also interesting, but it was a racial Talent. If he wanted to improve it, he might as well improve his race directly.
Priam hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. His two best skills, [Moon Mist] and [Kinetic Control] still had the potential to evolve quickly and get him some attributes. What's more, he was familiar enough with both to be sure he'd manage to upgrade them. It may have been arrogant of him, but he was confident.
All that remained was to improve his race. Priam had no idea of the potential of this enhancement, but he knew that his Racial Talent was extremely powerful.
Priam sighed hesitantly. All the options were excellent, but some would be more so than others. I'm in a quandary... Just before selecting his racial upgrade, Priam decided to ask for advice.
"Lord Phoenix, may I ask you a question?" Priam remained courteous, remembering that the mythical creature loved politeness.
I'm here.
"Um, I have to choose a reward, and I'm hesitating," confessed Priam.
Give me the list of rewards.
Priam complied, describing his preferences to the Phoenix.
You've analyzed the situation well. You may underestimate the difficulty of upgrading a Legendary skill, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. If I were you, I'd hesitate between improving your race and two Talents, [Bound Weapon] and [He Who Eludes Gods].
Priam looked at Promesse. "Can I make my spear more powerful?" The possibility interested him.
Indirectly. You can strengthen your bond and accelerate its growth. It's something that will happen naturally, but this will save you months. It will also allow you to unlock Mastery quickly, the Phoenix clarified.
"I think I'd rather take my time," decided Priam. If it were up to him, he had nothing against torturing himself to become more powerful. However, forcing a childish consciousness to grow up faster was at odds with his values. If Promesse was to be his partner, he intended to treat it better than he treated himself.
"[He Who Eludes Gods] would strengthen my soul I suppose? Why not upgrade [Iconoclast] instead?"
The Phoenix manages to sneer majestically. Because this Title is an insult to Viracocha. If you improve it, he might decide to pay the necessary price and reduce you to ashes. Even if he fails, he'll destroy your family, your civilization and make your life a living hell. A Tier 0 should stay away from gods, advised the Phoenix.
Priam gritted his teeth at the advice but remained silent. If he'd made so much progress in the space of a few weeks, an ancient god could snuff him out like blowing out a candle.
[He Who Eludes Gods] is linked to your alien Talent. It would indeed strengthen your soul, but... Let's just say it depends partly on the entities who entrusted you with your resurrection power. They must have modified your soul to enable you to resurrect so easily, so I can't say how effective the enhancement will be.'
Priam thought of his Tutorial. The words he had exchanged with them. It was still too early. He was still too weak.
"I'll take the race enhancement instead," he decided. "One last question, between [Sun] and [Draconic], which would you recommend?"
The Phoenix remained silent. A second passed, then two. Ten seconds later, Priam cleared his throat and prepared to validate the race upgrade. The Phoenix finally replied.
[Draconic] is superior. A Dragon can create a star, the reverse is not true. But a Dragon is a creature made to reach the Zenith. Do you know why the System respects this option?'
The Phoenix's voice was perfectly neutral. Such a powerful creature wouldn't have let his fear show, yet Priam could sense it. A question was burning his lips. Was the most powerful Phoenix as powerful as the most powerful Dragon? Priam wasn't stupid enough to ask the question and preferred to answer the truth.
"No."
Because some Dragons are powerful enough to change the laws of the Universe. They are alien creatures traveling between Universes, sowing civilization and destruction in their wake. Fortunately, Ancient Dragons are as rare as their descendants are numerous. If you choose [Draconic], prepare to face hordes of mixed bloods. Devouring their hearts will increase the purity of the bloodline.'
Priam looked at the wyvern corpse for a moment. Basically, the draconic bloodline was a battle royale that spanned several Universes. Without realizing it, his lips stretched. If he had a gift, it was that of surviving.
"Thank you, Lord Phoenix. System, Ill take Racial Upgrade - Human."
His nerve receptors were in a sorry state. Yet when the wave of pain came, Priam had only time to scream before collapsing to the ground.
The bed shook. The mattress was hard, but at least his feet weren't sticking out. Priam turned, reaching for his blanket, and his hand touched Promesse. The best spear in the world vibrated, and its master smiled. What could be better than waking up with a faithful partner?
He opened his eyes and sighed. He had fallen asleep, or rather passed out in the rubble of a building. Straightening up, he grabbed Promesse and wondered for a moment. Had his spear shrunk? His immature part chuckled for a moment before he pulled himself together.
His favorite weapon hadn't shrunk, he'd grown. An exceptional growth spurt, especially after puberty. He compared his size to the ruins of the buildings around him.
"I must be two meters tall... My voice!" His voice was deeper and more musical than before. It would undoubtedly have been a hit in an opera. Rather than simply reading the System's notifications, Priam observed himself from every angle and listed the differences.
Firstly, he was as naked as a worm and in perfect health. Secondly, his proportions had remained the same, but he'd gained about fifteen centimeters and at least fifty kilograms. His scars, even the oldest ones, had all disappeared. His skin had kept its coppery color, characteristic of the Mediterranean climate. It seemed firmer, and its imperfections had disappeared. The System had literally photoshopped him.
Im looking good! smiled Priam.
In addition to his appearance, Priam had undergone a profound change. His thoughts were sharper, his senses more alert, and his movements more fluid. Yet the sensation was different from an increase in attributes. It was as if he was taking greater advantage of his body and its possibilities.
For example, his hearing seemed sharper. Between two people with normal ears, the one who practiced and spent his life making music had better control of his hearing. Priam now felt able to exploit his attributes to the full.
Before he could check his notifications to ensure he hadn't forgotten anything, he felt a movement behind him.
His mist informed him that the lizard was waking up too. Priam turned and smiled with all his teeth - which were now as white as snow. Nothing like a good fight to test my new limits.
He twirled Promesse between his fingers and took up a fighting stance. His mist wrapped around him, densifying to hide his nakedness.
"Last Round!"
The wyvern howled, and Priam leaped. His body disappeared, swallowed by the mist. His sudden acceleration had split the stone slab beneath his feet.
The wyvern turned its head to the right, looking for Priam. Nothing. It turned its head to the left, missing Priam's reappearance on its right. He could now delay his reappearance for a few moments.
Promesse penetrated the wyvern's eye and continued on its way. Just as it was about to penetrate the boss's brain, it turned into a light beam.
Reappearing on the roof of a hotel fifty meters away, the wyvern opened its mouth and blew out a laser beam. The light was too fast for Priam to dodge. His Domain automatically and instantly materialized a meter of opaque mist in his sphere of authority. The water vapor deflected most of the attack.
Priam teleported behind a building, grimacing as he saw the deep belly wound. He had already used his regeneration skills and grumbled. Had he known...
The laser turned the ground into magma, creating a terrible din. The boss's attack then set fire to the surrounding buildings, and Priam gritted his teeth.
Determined not to face another hyper beam, Priam had an idea. Looking up at the sky, he launched Promesse. The weapon quickly rose to over two hundred meters, and Priam closed his eyes.
His fog gave him a vision of the surroundings as if he were playing a strategy game. Except that the fog of war was now on his side.
Priam materialized a kind of mist golem some fifty meters away. The harmless creation attracted the wyvern's attention and received a light spear for its trouble. Masking his presence with his mist, Priam transmitted half his remaining kinetic energy to Promesse. Direction: big lizard!
The weapon exceeded the speed of sound in an instant. It penetrated the wyvern at over eight kilometers per second, shattering its head and shaking half the dome. The shockwave destroyed buildings within a forty-meter radius.
Without waiting for the wyvern to retaliate, Priam teleported to its chest. Clenching his fist, he delivered a powerful blow to the monster's scales. The attack made him wince. The monster's scales seemed to be in perfect health.
Priam sighed, looking down at his hand. [Strike] had evolved into [Spear Strike], and he felt that hand-to-hand combat was now unnatural. I'll have to unlock [Fist Strike]. There must be such a thing.
The wyvern's neck began to attract the sunlight. In a second, the wyvern had regained a quarter of its head. Priam plunged into [Mirror of the Soul] and mentally ordered the steel concept to reinforce him. Instantly, his body seemed to weigh more.
Simultaneously, [Moon Mist] began to create vast quantities of mist. If the wyvern liked the sun, he was going to give it shade.
Clenching his fists, strengthened by the steel concept, he began to pummel the lizard's torso. Promesse could have done the job quicker, but he wanted to test his limits. He felt invincible!
The deluge of blows was cathartic for Priam. A human eye couldn't follow his movements; they were too fast. Micro allowed him to feel his muscles. Gradually, Priam corrected his position. His powerful intellect optimized his movements.
Three seconds later, the wyvern reared back with a terrible roar. Delivering a final strike that finally shattered a scale, Priam materialized mist at his fingertips. He quickly condensed it and connected to his Potential.
[Kinetic Control]. A moment later, the water had frozen, preventing the boss from healing himself. Satisfied, Priam smiled before taking a swipe with his tail. Staying too long around an enraged wyvern was a bad idea.
The blow threw him into the air, half knocking him unconscious. Finally, the hard landing put him back on his feet. His body ricocheted off the ground like a pebble on a lake. A hundred meters from the wyvern, he finally came to a halt.
His instincts kicked in, and despite the pain, Priam melted into the mist. An instant later, the ground under him was vaporized, swallowed by a beam of light.
Near there, in an abandoned kitchen, Priam winced as he checked his wounds. He had half a dozen broken ribs and a punctured lung. The internal bleeding was severe, but fortunately, the steel concept was useful. Maybe it saved my life.
"It has invested in Strength," grimaced Priam.
Mentally, he contacted Promesse, still embedded beneath the boss. Sacrificing a tenth of his reserve, he summoned it again.
Eighty meters away, the ground beneath the false dragon's head shook. Like an erupting volcano, it lifted and Promesse closed the wyvern's beak. The laser ray died along with the gleam in the monster's eyes.
Priam teleported twenty meters from the boss, ready to resume his deadly dance. The wyvern was lying amidst ruins. Haze merged with the smoke from the fire. Suddenly, his perception picked up intruders. Civilians here?! No, they're getting closer.
Turning, he watched a group approaching. The eight men and women seemed unafraid of death. Armed with swords and firearms, seven people stood before him. A hundred meters away, a sniper had him in his sights.
As the wyvern regenerated behind his back, Priam welcomed the fools. Hopefully, they would not be killjoys.
"Hey, are you maybe lost?" asked Priam.
At the center of the group, a man stepped forward. Rifle in hand, he pointed at the wyvern.
"We want our share," he coughed through the smoke.
Priam's ribs throbbed, but the pain didn't stop him from laughing.
Status: Race change detected. Please read the notification regarding attribute calibration.
[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 23 hours 25 min 38s
[Tribulation]: Tribulationsare coming.
Time: 182 days 23 hours 58 minutes 51 seconds.