A Novel Concept - A death a day, MC will live anyway!

Chapter 182: Obsession and Predation

A seismic jolt rattled the aether galaxy. In his luminous wisp form, Priam marveled as the foundations of the universe trembled after the baptism's end, integrating a new nuance into the laws of the Universe.

A new race had emerged.

As the quake's intensity waned, Priam's consciousness felt the pull of reality. His awareness was plucked from the pure and infinite world of aether to return to the safety of his soul.

Micro, Domain, and his Concepts reconnected, allowing Priam to regain his senses. The Primogenitor opened his eyes, surveying his surroundings.

His body was lying on the ground at the center of unlit runes. Log-a-rhythm's sap gently illuminated the room, and the hoplite mecha was waiting in a corner. Nothing had changed.

"Except me," murmured Priam. For a moment, he didn't recognize his own voice. His vocal cords now had access to a broader frequency range, and his auditory system captured sounds more finely.

Examining his body, he noticed he had grown a few centimeters taller. His lean silhouette resembled that of a predator, with elegant muscles poised to pounce at his will.

While stretching, Priam marveled at the fluidity of his movements. His new nervous system allowed him finer control over his body. But genetic changes weren't the only factor explaining his condition. Priam reread one of the latest notifications.

Dexterity exceeds 500 points. First milestone reached. Congratulations!

A new attribute threshold had been crossed. The last one, Charisma, had allowed him to merge his Aura with his Concepts. I wonder what Dexterity does.

To find out, there was only one way. Priam recalled the katas practiced by Kazuki during his training. The hoplite's exercises seemed simple, but Priam had never been able to imitate them, partly due to anatomical differences but mainly because the hoplite had sublime control over his body.

[Shadow Boxing] summoned Kazuki's image, and Priam began to mimic him. Guided by Micro, his body took one step, then another. A fascinating dance began, with seemingly impossible positions executed effortlessly. The speed of kata execution gradually increased, testing his new limits. His physique felt more familiar, now capable of using small overclocks naturally.

Starting a new series of particularly challenging katas, Priam widened his eyes as a bad feeling invaded him. Could it be? Halting the exercise, he attempted a quadruple somersault. The next moment, the room shook as Priam's head collided with the floor. Far from being saddened, the Champion was smiling.

After sitting cross-legged, Priam closed his eyes and imagined a very high jump. Even before starting, he knew he would fail. Dexterity now allowed him to sense when a feat was beyond his body's capability. The attribute went further by showing him a solution. A quadruple somersault was possible with a second overclock but would tear his quadriceps.

The upgrade seemed trivial, but Priam knew that being aware of his limits was paramount. Most battles between two opponents of similar levels were won by exploiting a mistake. [He Who Eludes Death] granted him a second chance, not a third.

Priam stood up, smiling, in excellent spirits. Dexterity's upgrade was good but far from the most important.

Without waiting, he opened his list of merits.

Trees of Merit

[Tribulation Wyvern Heart - Gold] - Tier 4: Draconic atavism manifests. Your spirit is covered in runic tattoos. Dragon scales provide the ultimate defense.

[Tenacious Spirit - Silver] - Tier 4: Locked. Requires a Gold Title.

[Quester - Silver] - Tier 0: Your instincts are sharpening.

[Hatched Phoenix - Gold] - Tier 2: Hardly Hatched, already a Fire Champion. As such, you know how restricted Fire is. The Seven Concepts have imprisoned its potential in a shell. Let it hatch.

[Three-headed Hydra - Silver] - Tier 2: When your body is in perfect health, your Vitality accumulates. The subsequent injury you receive will be healed all the faster because your Vitality has accumulated.

[Hermes' Apprentice] - Tier 0: Future messenger, you are temporarily accepted when traveling to other worlds than Elysium.

[Upgrader - Silver] - Tier 0: You begin to feel the aethereal workings of your skills

[Forerunner - Silver] - Tier 0: Your META (chance) increases temporarily when you work on a project capable of improving humanity's standing.

[To the Moon - Bronze] - Tier 0: Time stops for one second within a ten-meter radius when you are in mortal danger.

[Admirer of Atlas - Bronze] - Tier 0: Your power works miracles. You can temporarily double your strength.

[Weathered - Silver] - Tier 0: Your resistance is even more effective.

[Threat Killer] - Tier 0: You feel people's hostile thoughts toward you.

[Iconoclast - Gold] - Tier 0: You're beginning to feel your soul.

[Fighter of the Depths] - Tier 0: You are more resistant to the corruption of the Depths.

[Supersonic Boy - Silver] - Tier 0: Passively modifies your aethereal code to make you more aerodynamic.

[Land Owner - Silver] - Tier 1: Link your Land to the System's Local Network.

[Primogenitor - Legendary] - Tier 0: You can tax one-thousandth of the Potential gain of your hundred most powerful descendants. Limited to 100 POT per decade.

[Horseman of the Apocalypse - Legendary] - Tier 1: Eye of the Conqueror. It's hard to run away from a Conqueror.

[Pseudo Immortal Slayer - Silver] - Tier 0: Double your life expectancy.

[The Reaper - Bronze] - Tier 0: The Reaper is a Tracker. Place a mark on an afraid enemy and follow them to the ends of the earth.

[Champion - Humanity (Tier 0) - Bronze] - Tier 0: Share your burden - increases the power of your race's Tribulations by 5%. Decreases the power of your Tribulations by 20%.

[Doctor - Bronze] - Tier 0: Your skills and Supremacies don't need to overcome your patient's passive resistance if they consent to the operation.

[Spiritless - Bronze] - Tier 0: The regeneration of your spirit leaves no natural scars.

[Atlantis Citizen - Silver] - Tier 0: Allows your lungs to absorb oxygen present in water.

[Aetherist - Gold] - Tier 0: Allows you to simulate the effect of a rune or ritual in your mind - depends on Memory and Vivacity.

[Polyglot - Bronze] - Tier 0: Increases your affinity with foreign alphabets and characters.

[Fire Sage - Bronze] - Tier 0: The Fire Concept spark that warms your soul comes to life as a fire elemental of absolute loyalty. Evolves with your Concept.

[Elysium Marquess - Legendary] - Tier 0: Creates one invasion portal.

10 Unused Merit Points.

Priam wasted no time and validated the Draconic Merit.

[Tribulation Wyvern Heart - Gold] - Tier 4: Draconic atavism manifests. Your spirit is covered in runic tattoos. Dragon scales provide the ultimate defense. ACQUIRED.

[Tribulation Wyvern Heart - Gold] - Tier 5: Locked. Requires a Legendary Title.

9 Unused Merit Points.

For the second time that day, Priam felt an infinite power touch him. The next moment, his skin tingled. Dispelling the mist cloak that covered his modesty, Priam observed his body.

His physical appearance hadn't changed. Pressing a mental switch, primal energy invaded his spiritual body. Since it overlapped with his physical body, a shift occurred. Tiny silver scales, made of aether, appeared on his skin. Cool.

Priam asked Log-a-rhythm to tighten around his arm like a boa constrictor. A root grew from the ground, coiling around the scaly member. The more the tree tightened, the more Priam smiled. He felt the pressure but not the danger. Testing the limits of his new defense would be necessary, but Priam wasn't short of enemies.

At the thought of a battle, his new draconic heart accelerated, sending colossal energy into his body. Priam used Micro to block the adrenaline; he had other things to do before, starting with choosing his new racial talents.

When Priam found her, Jasmine was having lunch with Rose, Blueberry, Louis, and Myuri. The five companions gathered on a terrace atop Log-a-rhythm brought joy to Priam. Despite difficulties, their bonds had tightened.

"Hey," said Priam, pretending to ignore Myuri's flinch. The empyrean still seemed to fear him.

"Hey, Priam," smiled Louis. "Finally out of your lair."

"Hmm," replied Blueberry with his mouth full. Rose greeted him, blushing, while Jasmine squinted her eyes.

"What?" asked Priam, sitting on a stool summoned by Log-a-rhythm.

"... You look better than before," said Jasmine.

Priam blinked before smiling. With his transformation, his features had slightly changed.

"I just upgraded my race using part of yours. I guess I fit better into your civilization's aesthetics now."

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"It's not just that," replied Jasmine, leaning over the table to get closer. "You're almost hypnotic."

Priam made an effort to keep his eyes at the level of the alluring assassin's face.

"One of my Titles doubles the effectiveness of my Charisma on members of my race or my original races. Do you really feel it?"

"My [Manipulation Resistance] just leveled up by looking at you, Rose is discovering the utility of peripheral vision, and Myuri stopped trembling to start blushing. At this point, your charisma is weaponizable."

Priam glanced at the former slave, who looked at the ground, petrified by Jasmine's words. A smile appeared on his face. If his Charisma could break the ice between him and Myuri, all the better. Simultaneously, he thanked his add-on for creating [True Will]. Without resistance, any high-tier specializing in mental manipulation with a charisma build could enslave entire worlds. I should stop raising flags...

"Speaking of my new race, I can now convert you. It would reduce your number of Tribulations."

Jasmine widened her eyes before shaking her head. "I have a quadruple tomorrow. I want the best possible reward. After that, Im in."

Priam nodded. Thanks to his link with the assassin, he knew she desired freedom. With the System, it was tied to personal strength.

"All right. That goes for all of you. Well, except Blueberry."

The bear growled. "Do I stink or something?"

"Now that you mention it, there is a smell," joked Priam. "Sorry, my Title doesn't allow me to convert you. Maybe when I upgrade my race to Tier 3?"

"For me to lose my fur and hibernation ability? I like you guys, but you're ugly. I shall remain a bear."

Everyone smiled before Priam remembered the purpose of his visit.

"I wanted to ask you both a few questions. About your racial Talents," specified Priam, looking at Jasmine and Myuri.

Jasmine shrugged before serving herself more soup under Blueberry's watchful eye.

"It's not very complicated. [MKX Flair] allows me to sense when I'm in danger, when I'm being observed, or when my prey knows I'm there. It's a racial Talent developed by my former organization for centuries, and why they sponsored me when I received it. It's useful for fighting and surviving," summarized Jasmine.

Priam nodded. Among the different Talents, it was the easiest to understand.

He turned to Myuri. "Could you tell me about yours? [Royal Path] interests me."

The scared slave looked up before turning to Jasmine, who winked at her. Nodding imperceptibly, Myuri swallowed. "... It is the Talent of the royal family," she murmured before pausing to gauge his reaction. Priam offered a smile without pressuring her.

"When they want something, the world ensures they get it."

On paper, it was utterly broken, but Priam knew there had to be limits.

"What if two royals have opposing goals?"

"The one with the most... authority wins."

META Authority?

"What are the limits of the Talent?"

"... The King can influence any commoner but struggles with the nobility," Myuri revealed after a moment of hesitation.

Is there a connection with the awareness of being influenced? Others' will opposes the King's? The more powerful the soul, the stronger the resistance? It would partly explain why Esme manipulated objects to kill Seth rather than animals or corrupted. A rock doesn't resist.

"Thank you both," smiled Priam.

"No problem," replied Jasmine, serving herself another bowl of soup in front of Blueberry's nose. The bear growled. "Make yourself at home."

"That's what I'm doing. Do you want some?" she asked Priam.

The Champion glanced at Blueberry, who rolled his eyes. "I'll let you finish in exchange for some maple syrup."

"Deal!" Priam exclaimed.

Enjoying a delicious lunch with his loved ones, Priam smiled. He was delighted to learn that Rose continued to progress and that Myuri was gradually emerging from her shell. As Jasmine recounted how she defeated Hyshana during their last training session, Louis leaned toward Priam.

"Priam?" he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Do you have any news about Mirscella?"

Priam grimaced. The thief had started her Tribulations several days ago.

"Still nothing. The fluctuations of the Tribulations have almost disappeared, but she remains asleep."

"... I see. She must be consolidating her gains."

"Lets trust her."

An hour later, Priam found himself alone on the terrace, gazing at the crimson horizon, gearing up to make a pivotal choice. Though he wished for more data to make an informed decision, he understood that waiting was a gamble he couldn't afford. The corrupted were growing in strength, and his rivals were keeping pace. With the arrival of the locals, it was high time to kick things up a notch.

Summoning his system, he carefully reviewed his options one last time.

[Royal Path - Gold] - Royal Empyrean's racial talent. Your will passively guides aether, manipulating probabilities to achieve your goals.

[MKX Flair - Gold] - MKX Arkanian's racial talent. Your animal instinct is highly developed.

[Soul Duality - Gold] - High Duatian's racial talent. Your soul is linked to your body. The degeneration of your physical envelope leads to that of your soul.

"I want to keep [High Human Adaptation] as the foundation of my Talent. Its synergy with [He Who Eludes Death] is too good to ignore," Priam voiced his thoughts. "If I choose to fuse it with [Royal Path]: Adaptation plus probabilities equals..."

Priam pondered the possibilities. The new Talent could boost his odds with every death as long as he stuck to the same objective. Powerful, yet Priam was not a fan of leaving his destiny in the hands of something as capricious as luck. Moreover, diluting the adaptation of his race might not be the wisest move.

"Not this one," murmured Priam before considering the next option. "[MKX Flair] would adapt my instincts against my adversaries. It's powerful in theory, but any foe I can't overcome without it will find a workaround. That leaves [Soul Duality]..."

Osiris had shared details about his racial Talent. According to the child, it allowed one to sense their soul. For someone incapable of resurrection, it was an excellent means to acquire and enhance Domain.

Some consequences might seem negative at first glance, but it was all a matter of perspective. Body damage reflected on the soul, and vice versa.

Cultivating the body equaled cultivating the soul.

Moreover, the term 'physical envelope' was broad. Seth had transferred his soul to a Tier 3 skull using necromancy. Priam and Kazuki had thought that death was driving him mad, but it wasn't true. The exceptional constitution of the skull reinforced his soul, enabling him to resist the influence of the Necromoon.

For someone incapable of aging and with a body that regenerated daily, the Talent was exceptional, not to mention its synergy with Priam's first racial Talent.

Fusion of [High Human Adaptation] and [Soul Duality]...

First racial Talent unlocked!

[Homo Elysian Obsession - Legendary] - The body and soul of the Homo Elysian are closely entwined. From this intimate connection arises a primal desire: survival.

In trials and suffering, you grow, transcending your limits.

Legend has it that a Homo Elysian can even adapt to death...

Fusion of [Royal Path] and [MKX Flair]...

Second racial Talent unlocked!

[Homo Elysian Predation - Legendary] - Your will manipulates the instincts of your enemies to facilitate your designs. Your instinct has a minor chance of hearing the whispers of the aether.

The world hunts alongside the Homo Elysian.

Priam felt his soul gleam before pulsing. The connection between the material and the spiritual had strengthened. The sensation filled him with joy, as if he had just rediscovered something precious that had been denied to him all along. The boundary between mortal and immortal had just crumbled. His memory flashed with an image of a famous painting, "The Creation of Adam," where God and the first man reached out to each other.

Right now, his soul embraced his body.

Priam felt his draconic heart throbbing forcefully, sending torrents of energy into his arteries, nurturing both physical and spiritual form.

His Domain detected changes. His human heart was now adorned with a silver halo, representing his obsession. Meanwhile, his draconic heart was surrounded by a golden halo symbolizing his predation.

The Homo Elysian was ready. All that remained was to choose the attribute to evolve and to advance his Concepts. For that, nothing beats a good old-fashioned battle.

The System seemed to concur.

Event:Necromoon

Champions of the Sun.

Earn the maximum Sun points.

Timer: 1 hour.

Reward (Tier 0):

First place: Blueprint - Holy Guardian (Sun Wyrm Egg)

Second place: Blueprint - Holy Guardian (Moon Wyrm Egg)

Third place: Automatic Resurrection (Body&Soul)

Priam flashed a smile as he observed the infinite horde of revenants swarming in the distance.

"I hope you'll join in, too, Arnold"

A pair of fiery wings emerged from his back, and Priam took flight.

Status:

PHYSICAL:

Strength 464

Constitution 827

Agility 470

Vitality 749

Perception 683

MENTAL:

Vivacity 416

Dexterity 508

Memory 313

Willpower 858

Charisma 554

META:

Meta-affinity 415

Meta-focus 342

Meta-endurance 262

Meta-perception 201

Meta-chance 230

Meta-authority 24

Potential: 2246

Tier 0

Sun points: 4010

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 166 days 16 hours 58 minutes 45 seconds.

Next thresholds: 6 attributes > 600 / 1 attribute > 900

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