Chapter 155: Nocturnal Confessions

Have a great weekend! A chapter to celebrate and the next one tomorrow!

Enjoy!

*

Calm and collected, Kazuki stretched upon emerging from the basin. The contact of his feet with the stone created a fleeting wave of light that spread across the marble before vanishing a few meters away. It was the sole illumination in a dark world, revealing a physically fit hoplite. He was healthy, yet his features were strained.

Kazuki took a few steps forward without a single glance backward. He knew he would see a heavy double door. The exit was as close as it was tempting. For him, it was synonymous with death.

After a few meters, he entered a tunnel and passed by a mirror. In fiery letters, the number five hundred ninety-nine was displayed. The reflective object displaying his record was the only witness to the warrior's nudity. Here, clothes did not last long. Beyond the mirror, Kazuki reached a large bowl. He was unaware of its original purpose, using it to count. Clenching his jaws, Kazuki broke one of his teeth before tossing a fragment into the bowl.

Four hundred and twenty-three.

Once his ritual was complete, he plunged into the darkness. The light produced by his steps began to diminish in intensity. Kazuki prepared himself.

Two meters ahead, the sound of a click warned him. Kazuki shifted to his right, dodging a crossbow bolt. The temple then shot two more. Then four. Then eight. Kazuki used a bolt caught in mid-air to deflect those he couldn't dodge.

The fifth ambush was devious. Eleven bolts shot forth when Kazuki had only heard ten clicks. It was where the warrior had been hit the first time. Now, he could easily avoid all eleven projectiles. He never knew where they came from, but their number remained constant.

After a hundred meters, Kazuki stopped. The tiny waves of light caused by his movements disappeared. He stood before a hole. The hoplite warrior took a leap, covering more than ten meters—a ridiculous distance under normal circumstances, but formidable given his attributes limited to a hundred. With Elysium's gravity, it was barely enough to clear the gap.

He landed in a controlled roll and continued on his way.

Kazuki walked fifty more meters before reaching the second hole. During his second leap, he had to deflect a crossbow bolt mid-air.

Seven minutes later, five hundred eighty meters from his starting point, he paused briefly to catch his breath. The toughest part was yet to come.

Gritting his teeth, Kazuki gained some momentum and jumped. He landed eight meters further on an invisible pole in the middle of the void. Balancing on one foot, he deflected about fifteen bolts, each attempting to destabilize him. Not a single projectile touched him, saving him from contact poison.

Without wasting time, the Champion hoplite stood up and leaped forward. The pole disappeared into the void the next moment. The second pole was a waste of time. Kazuki placed one foot on it before continuing his path. A crossbar appeared. Kazuki bit his bolt to grab the bar with both hands. With a thrust of his hips, he flew just in time. Behind him, the bar collapsed into the void.

Kazuki landed on the cold marble and began to run. The ground exploded behind him, hurling large debris that he instinctively avoided. It's now.

The obstacle Kazuki had never crossed before. The endless void.

The ground disappeared abruptly. Kazuki's foot positioned itself on the edge of the hole and, using Micro, he overclocked his muscles to leap. Ten meters, nothing. Eleven meters, nothing. Twelve meters, nothing. Kazuki started to descend. Was there a trick? It was impossible to jump farther with his attributes.

Suddenly, a click. A crossbow bolt had just been fired. Kazuki contorted with a pirouette. The projectile passed a centimeter from his left foot. Instinctively, Kazuki kicked. The bolt was heavy. So heavy that the recoil allowed Kazuki to gain half a meter.

A second bolt pierced his thigh, sending Kazuki onto sharp spikes. He died a few minutes later, exsanguinated.

At the temple's entrance, the surface of the basin stirred as a body resurfaced. Climbing the steps quickly, Kazuki displayed a fierce smile. His reflection in the mirror showed no scratches. He quickly broke one of his teeth in the bowl before plunging into the darkness.

Four hundred and twenty-four.

The Tribulations would begin in thirteen hours.

*

"I don't intend to harm you," Priam said in his gentlest voice. Muyri curled up even more against Log-a-rhythm, and the young man sighed. The night had fallen completely, and despite the low light, Priam could discern tears wetting the scars of the empyrean.

"Do you have any ideas?" he asked Jasmine. She blinked before looking at her boss.

"She's afraid of you."

"I can see that, but why?"

"Perhaps she thinks you'll enslave her?"

"She was already a slave; it wouldn't change anything for her."

Jasmine shrugged, and Priam sighed. "It's night, and my father is sleeping. Accompany her to sleep; I'll leave you my room for tonight," he decided. They would have time to prepare the assassin's room tomorrow.

Jasmine's gaze turned to Myuri. "She wouldn't have lasted three days in Arkana before ending up drugged in a brothel."

"Charming city."

"Not really." Jasmine approached the slave and took her into her arms. Myuri's tremors subsided, but her eyes continued to search for Priam. She refused to meet his gaze but still tried to figure out where he was. Jasmine's proximity didn't seem to frighten her. Is she androphobic? What has this damn prince done to you?

Priam stepped away before Myuri misinterpreted his anger. Behind him, the two young women disappeared into Log-a-rhythm.

Under the red glow of the Necromoon shining in the sky, Priam walked towards the Menhir of Secrets. He glanced quickly at the bone stairs that had swallowed Kazuki. Good luck, my friend.

Only one silhouette remained near the Menhir. After more than two hours, most pressing questions must have been asked, and most of his acquaintances had retired to sleep. They would review the news tomorrow.

Priam approached and sat on the grass. "This is incredibly comfortable," he remarked. Sitting on the grass was not the worst activity, but Priam felt like he had placed his buttocks on a fluffy cloud.

"Alain asked Log-a-rhythm to modify the grass in the clearing. It's like nature is giving us a hug," Rose smiled.

"Best tree in this damn world. Aren't you sleeping with Sphinx?"

Rose shook her head. "She mumbles in her sleep. I don't hate ASMR, but I don’t want to ponder her riddles all night."

"Overthinking and not sleeping. I know that feeling," Priam grimaced.

Rose turned to him, locking her eyes with his. "Really? That's why you never sleep?"

Priam shook his head, plucking a few strands of grass. "With my constitution and vitality, I feel less need for it. Plus, when I die, it gives me the equivalent of an optimal night's sleep. Not like I have time to sleep."

Arnold, Seth, and Dishnu don't sleep either... he thought while starting to weave the strands of grass together.

"Don't you miss dreaming?" A gust of wind picked up, and Rose shivered in the cold. Her clothes were thin, and Priam moved slightly closer. Using his Domain, he warmed the surrounding air to the temperature of a warm summer evening.

"Thank you," Rose smiled.

"You're welcome. I still dream, I think. Between my death and the moment my soul becomes conscious again, there's a short period. In those moments, my mind is truly free. And you?"

"... I dream of Mom and Dad. They are with me and we explore this new world together."

Priam looked at the menhir. "What did the Gardien say?"

"That I could resurrect Mom at the next Gathering or by performing exceptionally well in the Necromoon Event. But that won't be enough to bring back my father."

"I destroyed his soul." Priam had used [There is no Heaven] because he liked his enemies to stay dead. He didn't regret his actions but understood his daughter's distress.

Rose shook her head. "My father was corrupted by a Prince of the Depths. This being still has a part of his soul. I could resurrect him if I destroy that Prince. According to the Guardian, it would be conceivable for a Tier 6 or 7." Her voice trembled.

Bechar had several centuries and wasn't even a Tier 4.

"... It's good to have a long-term goal."

Thanks to his Domain, Priam felt a tear rolling down the teenager's cheek. He pretended not to notice.

After several minutes, Rose cleared her throat. "I will become strong. Strong enough to resurrect my mother, then my father. I'm working on runes with Alain, and I enjoy it. It's easy and natural."

"I feel we'll need you for what's to come," Priam predicted with a smile. Dishnu and then Alain had demonstrated the value of runes. His father was a remarkable architect, skilled with his hands, but he didn't have a particular affinity for runes. If Rose said she was talented, Priam believed her. "Your father told me you have an exceptional mind, and I trust him on that."

Rose smiled. "We used to play a lot of logic games, and I beat him more and more often. It annoyed him a bit, but he still smiled."

"The pride he felt for you was stronger than his ego," Priam guessed. Anatole had loved his family more than himself.

"Despite everything you and the others told me, his love gives me strength." Some monsters turned into angels when they were with their family. "And you?" Rose asked.

"Me?"

"What gives you so much strength? You constantly push your limits, and we all admire you for that. What flame burns within you? I asked Alain, but he doesn't know..."

The question baffled Priam. What made him move forward? Looking at the crown of woven grass he was creating, Priam thought about an answer.

The clearing fell into silence, and Rose turned red.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be intrusive, I was just curious..."

Priam smiled at her. "No, it's an interesting question, and I realize I don't really have a straightforward answer. I’m afraid I don't have a heroic reason. I was looking to save my father, and I’m still searching for my sister, but if I'm honest, that's not what propels me forward. It's quite selfish, right ?"

"You're allowed to be selfish."

"I am," Priam admitted, finishing the woven grass crown. "I think I've always had an adventurous spirit, but I was also cautious. It prevented me from fully living my life before the Tutorial. Now, my resurrection power liberates me. It makes me want to walk into the lion's den to see what is hidden there."

"And what does it hide?"

"Even more monsters and ever more dangers. The more I explore the System, the more I realize the chances of completing the game are slim. It makes me want to achieve it even more."

"It's a game for you? You're as proud as my father," Rose smiled.

Priam took a moment to think before nodding. "I suppose. You see, I was the first of the Tier 0s for this year's Tribulation in this sector. I think the System expects us to be Tier 1s for the next Reunion. Do you know what I want deep down?"

Rose shook her head.

"I want to be the first of the Tier 0s in the Universe. Not just for this year, but for all the years. It's impossible, of course; some races have too much natural advantage. But I want to climb as high as possible," Priam said, clenching his fists.

His draconic instinct roared, and the Phoenix blood in his veins created a flame in the depths of his misty eyes.

"And if it's impossible in the entire Universe, it's at least possible in this sector. I want to shock all emperors' sons and the gods' daughters. I want to surpass dragons and phoenixes. When I first arrived in Elysium, I promised myself that I would eat a dragon one day. I will."

A real Dragon, one of those whose words were Law. Uttering these words, Priam's heart raced. He had only one desire: to return to training. I want to tear out Arnold's heart while staring him down.

"You're a competitor," Rose analyzed. "You can't stand having someone above you."

"True," Priam admitted. "They always say there's a higher mountain. I want to be the sun that dominates those mountains. Sometimes I feel ashamed looking at Kazuki. Behind each step he takes, there is the will to save his family and his race."

"He's terrifyingly intense," Rose acknowledged.

"Clearly. I find it beautiful, but I don't have such a sense of duty. I like to have fun, and I like to be the best. I like plunging Promesse into the bodies of terrifying beasts, and I like the world bending to my will. I want to cultivate my concepts, understand magic, and make Log-a-rhythm grow."

Priam pointed to the Necromoon covering the world in bloody hues. "You see, it's the kind of thing that annoys me incredibly. This cursed moon fills me with terror without even being aware of my existence... It pisses me off. I want to destroy it with my own hands."

Rose smiled. "I'm sure you'll do it."

Priam smiled, placing the woven grass crown on his head.

"Too small," he grimaced.

"Your desire for freedom is too great to be confined by a crown," Rose teased.

Priam burst into laughter before handing the crown to Rose. "For you, the future best arcanist in this world. I know you'll impress us."

Rose blushed as she received the crown. "Promise."

“Now, I’m going to train. Bye Rose, sleep well.”

Priam leaped to his feet, heading towards the river. Behind him, Rose quickly stood up before shouting.

"I think your dream is cool!" the teenager yelled.

*

The rays of the three suns were beginning their celestial battle against the Necromoon's sinister influence. Elysium was bathed in the golden glow of the three stars as morning dew adorned the clearing with minuscule droplets. A few centimeters above the grass blades, Priam's feet remained dry.

The young warrior meditated on a solid aether platform. With the aid of [Aether Manipulation], he had crafted a thin surface resilient enough to bear his weight. His Assistant maintained the creation, his mind preoccupied by the flame dancing between his fingers.

Lvl Up: [Aether Perception] lvl 25,26,27,28
META (PERC) +12
Lvl Up: [Aether Manipulation] lvl 22,23,24
META (PERC) +3
META (AFFI) +3
META (FOCUS) +3
Lvl Up: [Frozen Meditation] lvl 14,15,16,17
PERC +4
WILL +8

In addition to his heat resistance, Priam's innate Phoenix gift allowed him to control small flames. During the last Concept Archipelago analysis, his Assistant had uncovered that the Phoenix Prince had left something at the heart of the sun. Priam then remembered that he possessed the bloodline of one of the most powerful creatures in the Universe.

A power he had completely neglected.

The Phoenix bloodline surely had a purpose beyond lighting candles, and Priam was determined to discover it. His instinct whispered that it would be one way to complete his build. Whether as supernovas or concentrated points, flames could fulfill various roles. It wasn't for nothing that they were the most represented power in manga.

Unfortunately, the origin of his power eluded Priam. He had spent the last few hours attempting to increase the volume and intensity of the flame he created, to no avail. [Kinetic Control] and his combustion and thermal energy knowledge hadn't helped. Something was blocking him. Yet, Priam knew his current bloodline was potent. What am I doing wrong?

Was he missing a concept, or was it because he was in Elysium? On the horizon, one of the three rising suns was the progenitor of the Phoenix. Perhaps that was why the flames summoned by Priam had a subtle golden hue.

There must be something else.

Maybe he just needed to plunge his hands into the sun at the heart of his world and find the answers left by the Prince.

A smile stretched across Priam's lips. A bold solution that would enhance his resistances? The more he thought about it, the more jumping into the core of a star seemed like a good idea.

"Son!" His father called. Priam shattered his aether platform and plunged into the nearby river. The coolness of the flowing water woke him as he swam to the shore.

"You're up early," his father remarked, seeing him emerge from the water.

"I didn't sleep," Priam confessed. The best way to be the first up was to be the last to bed.

"I can't say I'm pleased, but you're a grown man."

Priam smiled, transforming the water droplets clinging to his naked body into mist. His coat thickened, concealing his chiseled muscles. The High Human physique was impressive.

"I thought you could help me plan our camp?" Alain continued. "With the arrival of two recruits and hoplites soon, we need to think about it."

Log-a-rhythm's domain was expanding, and new faces were arriving. Alain had a multitude of ideas in mind and sought Priam's input. Building the forum, relocating the Menhir, planting trees, constructing cabins, setting traps...

"I'm all ears, Dad," Priam responded with a smile. It was time to build.

*

Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)

PHYSICAL:
Strength 419
Constitution 724
Agility 432
Vitality 547
Perception 642 (+5)

MENTAL:
Vivacity 352
Dexterity 444
Memory 182
Willpower 706 (+12)  
Charisma 450

META:
Meta-affinity 374 (+3)
Meta-focus 264 (+3)
Meta-endurance 208
Meta-perception 147 (+16)
Meta-chance 219
Meta-authority 15

Potential: 1044 (+20)
Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 5 hours 12 minutes 29 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 175 days 5 hours 45 minutes 42 seconds.