Chapter 216 + 217 (Patreon)

Sorry for being a day late... So, I'm making it up to you with a bonus chapter! I swear I'm not hiding chapters from you guys; it's just easier for me to write them in pairs right now... I'd like to call it the artist's instinct, but honestly, it bugs me that I can't control my inspiration better!

Guess it's something to work on!
Chapitre 218: 16/04.
Enjoy!

Chapter 216: Priam vs Necro Giant, Part 1

The necro giant's roar ceased as Promesse collided between its eyes. Priam briefly wondered how the creature could howl without vocal cords or lungs, but [Focus] pushed aside such pointless musings. 

No damage, he noted mentally as his opponent was rocking. As a Tier 3 giant skeleton, its bones were exceptionally sturdy. But how much? he pondered as Promesse returned to his hand.

Reaching the Fire Concept spark in his soul, Priam summoned a blazing nova into his Domain. The temperature soared, and he began absorbing the thermal energy from the overheated air molecules. 

In about ten seconds, his kinetic reserves were full. To store more energy, Priam would need to increase his meta-endurance or upgrade [Kinetic Control].

Arming Promesse, Priam aimed again at the giant skull and channeled the accumulated energy. His body tensed like a bow ready to snap, before he launched the projectile with the force of a ballista. 

[Kinetic Control] supplied kinetic energy to Promesse until it left his Domain. His reinforced arteries trembled under the unleashed power, but none burst. Feeling the supersonic bang, Priam believed he heard his spear roar in defiance.

[Promesse's velocity upon exiting your Domain: ~3500 m/s; ten times the speed of sound.

Kinetic Energy: ~30 MJ.

Note: A strike comparable to that of a small military railgun.]

Lvl Up: [Adaptive Golden Meridians] lvl 2
META (Focus) +3
META (Endurance) +6
Lvl Up: [Spear Throw] lvl 28, 29 
DEXT +6

[Tribulation]: Six attributes above 600 were detected in Tier 0.
A Tribulation is coming.
Time: 162 days 3 hours 47 minutes 30 seconds.

Dexterity had crossed a critical threshold, triggering a new Tribulation. It was bound to happen someday... Rather than lamenting over the future trials, Priam focused on the outcome of his throw.

The Tier 3 necro was thrown to the ground as if struck by a railgun. The shockwave uprooted some trees and swept away the nearest corrupted beings. Less than two seconds later, the explosion's blast reached Priam, tousling his hair. His raw throw was powerful enough to obliterate any Tier 2.

However, his opponent was a Tier 3.

Priam wasn't surprised to see the giant flinch. Promesse returned to his hand as the enemy began to rise. The warrior's eyes sparkled as he saw his wounded adversary.

A crack on its forehead threatened to split its skull in two. The wound was terrible, and a second attack would have shattered the giant's head. 

The fight's opening was to Priam's advantage, hence his grunt when he saw a cascade of light falling from the sky. As if blessing a chosen one, the Necromoon’s beams were mending the skeleton's bone. Priam had progressed since their last duel, but the giant had the advantage of terrain. Not for long. [Moon Mist].

An opaque cloud formed around Priam before creeping towards the skeleton. As a Mist Sage with Harmony and a maxed-out epic skill, the creation cost was laughable. The thick fog eventually covered the entire area, engulfing the necro giant and absorbing the crimson light. The Necromoon wasn't so easily masked, but the giant's regeneration speed was halved.

Taking advantage of his opponent's confusion, Priam rode the mist, reappearing outside the corrupted's Domain. He dashed toward the colossus, skillfully circumvented the massive knee, and aimed for the space between the tibia and femur. Promesse's tip plunged into the gap. Placing his hands at the end of the shaft, Priam leveraged the weapon to dislocate the joint.

Defeating the corrupted was secondary; his main objective was to prevent it from reaching the reformed barrier. With half a leg missing, the colossus would move slower.

Muscles tensed under the effort, Priam activated [Kinetic Control], drawing thermal energy from his Domain to transmit it to Promesse in a kinetic form. The ambient temperature dropped, causing ice crystals to appear. The tibia and femur began to grind.

As the two bones threatened to separate, the connecting joint manifested physically. In a fraction of a second, a crimson ectoplasm covered the giant's skeleton. Before Priam could comprehend what was happening, a titanic force struck him, and the world spun. The corrupted titan had just slapped him.

Sky, ground, sky, tree, sky, earth. 

His add-on activated [Kinetic Control] to cushion the impact. The forest shook as a cloud of dust concealed his fall. 

Suppressing a groan, Priam rose as quickly as his injuries allowed. His Domain seized a necro squirrel approaching stealthily, and his spear decapitated it. No other attack followed. The giant—and certainly the Necro Envoy through its eyes—was trying to orient itself in the thick fog.

Part of Priam's attention was focused on diagnosing his injuries while the other observed his opponent. A kind of fluid ectoplasm covered the skeleton, a manifestation of the Necro Concept that gave it life. The spiritual substance functioned like a multitude of muscles and sinews, articulating the bones and allowing the corrupted to move. Unlike Tier 0s and 1s, the ectoplasm seemed impervious to the Conquest Mist.

Worse, the outer part of the ectoplasm seemed solid. A kind of semi-transparent spectral armor now clad the giant. Looks like Susanoo in Naruto...

"Rahhh..."

After a growl, the titan turned towards Oasis and resumed walking. Its orders were more important than their duel.

Priam gritted his teeth before touching his right shoulder. The colossus's attack had been violent—without his boosted constitution, it would have killed him instantly. According to Micro and [Diagnostic], his shoulder was dislocated, and several ribs were cracked. Listening to [Humanoïde Anatomy], Priam relocated his shoulder and used [Kinetic Control] to petrify his damaged ribs.

Lvl Up: [Diagnostic] lvl 11
PERC +1

Without further delay, Priam dashed toward the corrupted giant. It was now less than three hundred meters from Oasis.

Coming from behind, Priam attacked the knee again. Even with Spear Mastery and Conquest Aura, Promesse struggled to pierce the armor and was then stopped by the viscous liquid inside.

From the corner of his eye, Priam spotted a new attack. He turned, parried, and allowed himself to be pushed aside. The giant did not pursue the offensive, and Priam took the opportunity to analyze the battle. His usual attacks would not be enough to breach the tank's double defense.

"Time to bring out the big guns."

Taking a deep breath, Priam began to fill his draconic lung. The ambient aether rushed towards him, and the Tier 3 turned as it sensed the phenomenon. Levitating over fifty meters high, Priam challenged it with his gaze.

Growling, the titan knelt on one knee and raised an arm in front of him. It was preparing to tank the Draconic Breath.

Thirty seconds later, Priam felt his third lung full. A mixture of condensed aether and flames formed a veritable inferno inside him. In a final effort, Priam activated Pyro's new ability.

[Pyro - Concept]
Harmony - Allows you to infuse your aether into your flames to increase their tenacity. Nothing can withstand your flames.

The spark transformed into a blazing flame, delivering a stream of liquid fire into Priam's arteries. The conceptual energy was guided to his mouth, and Priam unleashed the Breath.

A bolt of flame descended from the sky like the herald of Armageddon. The Pyro Breath struck the giant head-on, turning the air into plasma and the ground into lava. The conflagration pushed back the cloud of mist and painted red and orange hues in the sky.

The inferno raged for ten seconds, horrifying everyone witnessing the carnage. 

When the ground stopped trembling and Priam caught his breath, he checked the consequences of his ultimate. The spectral armor had disappeared, and less than ten percent of the ectoplasm remained. The skeleton, however, was unscathed. 

Tough motherfucker…

As the titan plunged its bony hand into the lava, using the ground to rise, Priam noticed flames still gnawing at its defenses. If fire needed fuel and some combustibles to exist, Pyro transcended these constraints. The flames catalyzed by Priam's aether were devouring the ectoplasm. The giant tried for a bit to extinguish the fire by striking it—in vain. Despite the success, no smile lit the warrior's face.

[Aether Reserve: 42/391
Pyro - Harmony consumes 10 units of aether per second.]

One glance was enough for Priam to understand that his fire wouldn't finish off his opponent in four seconds. Pyro wasn't the right way to continue this fight, but the warrior had other cards to play.

Exhausted by his ultimate attack, Priam canceled Pyro and raised Promesse. Guiding the remaining aether within him, he began to create an energetic drill around the spear's tip. The mastery of aether he had acquired through Esmée's exercises helped him to overload [Tribulation Piercing Spear]. Priam smiled as he felt his original heart produce pure energy, which, shaped by his skill and Domain, covered his spear like a rotating sheath.

As the giant resumed its march through the cloud, Priam rode the mist and attacked from a blind spot. The aether drill was barely slowed by the ectoplasm before striking one of the giant's cervical vertebrae.

For the first time in its existence, the skill was blocked. The sheath crashed against the bone, but instead of shattering, it persisted. Like a drill, [Tribulation Piercing Spear] was trying to perforate the bone. Promesse began to vibrate, and Priam growled as he tightened his grip.

Lvl Up: [Tribulation Piercing Spear] lvl 13
STR +1
AGI +1
DEXT +1

The Tier 3 roared as a dozen spectral tentacles sprouted from the ectoplasm before melting towards Priam.

Overclocking his [Phoenix Wings], Priam dodged the attack. The duel against Eleha had taught him that merging with his flames or mist wouldn't protect him from all attacks. Breaking the sound barrier, he growled under the acceleration and then deceleration. The two opponents exchanged a glance before the giant resumed his march.

As the giant advanced through the mist, Priam observed its neck. His sight was blurry from the aftermath of the Hecate New Moon's activation, but squinting his eyes, Priam spotted a thin crack in the titan's vertebra. A slight smile lit his face. The piercing attack had overcome the Tier 3's constitution.

A dozen cries diverted Priam's attention. Looking up, he saw birds diving towards him. With a wave of his hand, Priam summoned a dozen fireballs that greeted the creatures. Several explosions shook the mist.

Dodging a rain of decomposed bones and flesh, Priam frowned. His attack had annihilated the assailants, but a second wave of enemies was already approaching. Worse, the giant had taken advantage of the exchange to progress towards Oasis. The Necro Envoy wasn't stupid and didn't intend to grant Priam a duel. Fuck.

Charging his system to detect the birds and snipe them using the Fire Concept, Priam dashed to catch up with his adversary.

"Our seismographs indicate that the colossus is less than two hundred meters away. Do you need a cover?" Hyshana worried as the giant approached Oasis.

"Your attacks won't pierce that monster's defense. Look for the Necro Envoy instead."

"Got it."

Priam observed the fissure already beginning to regenerate before making a decision. The aether forest had been a great idea, but Priam wanted to destroy solid bone, not dig a hole in it. He didn't need a drill; he required a jackhammer.

Raising Promesse, Priam launched another attack. Conquest Aura and Spear Supremacy merged within the weapon as Priam aimed for the crack. Upon impact, he activated [Kinetic Control]. His spear surged forward, struck the crack, and bounced back. 

All fighters experienced a recoil when striking a wall, a punching bag, or an opponent. Sometimes, it was so violent that it was possible to break a bone by hitting an object hard. Priam's idea was to absorb this recoil. By doing so, he would waste no kinetic energy and could launch another strike without delay.

Activating [Kinetic Control] again, Priam propelled Promesse forward. As the weapon struck the vertebra, he absorbed its kinetic energy. Rather than recoiling from the attack's backlash, the spear simply stopped. With a smile on his lips, Priam reused the recycled energy to propel Promesse forward, then absorbed the returning impact.

Lvl Up: [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 23
STR +3

Faster!

Stealing heat from his Domain, Priam struck, absorbed the recoil, then struck again and again. His second set of meridians—his own arteries and veins—began to heat up as Priam pumped and unleashed a colossal amount of energy every instant.

Lvl Up: [Adaptive Golden Meridians] lvl 3
META (Focus) +3
META (Endurance) +6

The rhythm accelerated, and Promesse's back-and-forth became an increasingly rapid cycle. Soon, the spear's tip struck the corrupted bone dozens of times per second, mimicking a jackhammer.

Lvl Up: [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 24
STR +3

You have gained the skill: [High-frequency Barrage - Rare].
[High-frequency Barrage] -  When a single attack isn't enough, you strike ten times. When ten assaults are insufficient, you launch a hundred more. Your enemies crumble under the intensity of your blows.
This skill is based on a multitude of rapid and recoilless strikes.
To fail a thousand times and try again without changing a thing. Some call it perseverance; others call it stupidity. You must have an excellent affinity with this Concept. 
AGI +3
Lvl Up: [High-frequency Barrage] lvl 2, 3, 4
AGI +9

Under the extreme percussion, the crack widened until it covered the vertebra. The giant roared and turned around. Too late.

The bone exploded, showering Priam with hundreds of shards, some of which pierced his skin. Grimacing, he hastily expelled the cursed shards from his body and stepped back. A slight dizziness signaled that [Necro Resistance] was working to fight the corruption.

Assuming a defensive stance, Priam looked at the frozen skeleton. The ectoplasm supporting it writhed, as if trying to replace the missing vertebra. Even if it succeeded, it would still be a weak point. 

Priam wondered how many bones he'd have to crush to the dust to vanquish his adversary. Whatever the number, Priam could finally aspire to defeat a Tier 3. One bone at a time if necessary.

"This changes nothing," said Mirscella's voice. 

*

Status: 

PHYSICAL:
Strength 593 (+11)
Constitution 979
Agility 581 (+20)
Vitality 860
Perception 720 (+1) 

MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 516
Dexterity 606 (+7)
Memory 471
Willpower 1 036
Charisma 631 

META:
Meta-affinity 563
Meta-focus 378 (+6)
Meta-endurance 397 (+16)
Meta-perception 260
Meta-chance 230
Meta-authority 66

Potential: 8 762 (+25)
Tier 0

Sun points: 37 505 (+325)
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 3 hours 13 minutes 26 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Four Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 162 days 3 hours 46 minutes 39 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 3 attributes > 900

*

Chapter 217: Priam vs. Necro Giant, feat. [Redacted] Part 2

Seated cross-legged, mere centimeters from an enchanted diamond, a man with obsidian hair sighed deeply.

"I despise those golden boys..."

"Stop grimacing," said a young boy beside him.

"You gave me the muscles for this morning," his brother countered.

"I should slap a smile on your face," the child muttered.

"I'd abandon this body right away."

Osiris grunted before returning his attention to the broadcast. Priam was locked in combat against a towering Tier 3. The battle was breathtaking, and though he didn't grasp every detail, the young Duatian relished in the explosions and shockwaves. He had cheered while witnessing Priam's Breath and then jeered at the opponent who had failed to succumb to such a remarkable attack.

Now, something was troubling the young boy. If Priam struggled against this Tier 3, how would he overcome the Necro Envoy controlling it? A furtive glance in his brother's direction didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't worry, she can’t control me."

"...She commands the Tier 3."

"And I have access to the System."

Osiris nodded. His brother had unlocked the Legendary rank of [Necro Resistance] and used rewards from Tribulations, quests, and Merits to shield himself from the Necromoon's influence. It wasn't perfect, but he was convinced that not even a Necro Herald, a true Tier 5, could manipulate him.

"He's more powerful than I thought," grumbled Seth, focused on the combat projected in the diamond.

"He's Jasmine's boss," Osiris replied as if that explained everything.

"She's too old for you. Anyway, I was talking about the giant."

"You said 'he'."

"I can hear his soul screaming," Seth shivered. "Well, he's a Tier 3. Creating an instinct of that level is possible but complicated. The Necromoon prefers enslaving souls."

The bitter tone in his voice indicated Seth included himself in that group. The subject displeased Osiris, who diverted the conversation.

"You were saying it's… Hum, he’s more powerful than you thought? I find him powerful enough as is."

"He's supposed to be weakened by Elysian laws. So early in the event, no corrupted should approach Tier 3. He's not on the level of a Tier 3 Viscount as stated in his description, but he's not a Tier 2 either."

"It makes no difference to Priam; if he kills him, he'll get the Achievement," commented Osiris.

"That's the tricky part."

*

"A Tier 3’s corruption is not trivial."

Priam froze upon hearing Mirscella's mental voice. No, it's the Necro Envoy!

"Do you feel so alone that you want to talk to me?" he spat.

"I sense... hatred within you? I haven't killed any of yours yet."

Priam clenched his teeth.

"Except Eiji."

"...The hoplite? I admit I forgot about him. The laws of your world limit my power; I have to make choices."

Priam had several insults ready, but he chose to remain silent. Allowing oneself to be disturbed during a fight was foolish. He couldn't resurrect Eiji, but he could avenge him.

Lvl Up: [Necro Resistance] lvl 9
VIT +3
WILL +3
META(Endurance) +3

A brief diagnosis confirmed that the Tier 3's corruption wouldn't pollute his body before the cooldown of [He Who Eludes Death] ended. Reassured, Priam focused on his Domain.

"The Necromoon spares the ego of those who willingly pledge allegiance to it. Think about it."

To communicate with him, the Necro Envoy had to establish a connection. His fine perception of the aether detected a link. A sort of thread connected to his body. If he could trace it back...

Lvl Up: [Ideal Aether Perception] lvl 7
META (Affinity) +3
META (Perception) +6

It took him less than two seconds to find its origin.

"You're using the necro giant as a proxy," Priam understood as his system recorded the shape of the telepathic bridge. A useful trick.

"Of course. But you haven't answered my proposal. Will you join me?"

"In exchange for the prerequisites of an ideal upgrade, I'll consider it," replied Priam.

"The servants of the Necromoon don't have access to your heathen System."

The honesty he felt unsettled Priam. Either the Necro Envoy was an incredible actress, or she thought there was a chance he would accept joining her. If the latter was true, then her soul was so alien that she didn't even comprehend the stupidity of her request.

Using his newfound proficiency with the aether, Priam severed the connection. Maintaining a mental link with a Necro Envoy couldn't be a good idea. It wasn't impossible that the connection could allow reading his thoughts or influencing his subconscious.

The necro giant hadn't remained inactive during the brief conversation. The crimson ectoplasm covering its skeleton had condensed to replace the destroyed vertebra. Despite all of Priam's efforts, he was back to square one. As frustration brewed in his heart, he received a notification.

Announcement to Humanity:

Prometheus slayed an Arkana Elite (Tier 2) while in Tier 0.
A Legendary feat!

"... I suppose I'm not the only one making progress."

Priam was humanity's trailblazer, but how many geniuses and brave souls were fighting to rise alongside him? Many. The System itself acknowledged it: humans knew how to adapt. His competitive spirit ignited, and Priam refocused on the giant. If I hurry, I should be able to reply to Prometheus before he cracks open the champagne.

As Priam prepared to return to the fray, the giant turned towards him. Trapped in its jaws, a crimson nova was brewing. Priam's instinct screamed. Activating his wings, he narrowly dodged the bloody beam. The attack grazed him before igniting the atmosphere with the power of a gigajoule laser. Three kilometers away, the flank of a hill collapsed, ravaged by the ray.

The necro giant closed its mouth, growling its dissatisfaction before continuing toward Oasis. Its target was now just a hundred meters away.

"Priam..."

"I know."

The laser could have easily pierced Oasis's defenses. The Necro Envoy was sending a message: she didn't just want to kill them; she wanted to convert them.

The realization awakened Priam. He had to stop the necro giant, and he had to do it now.

Emerging from the mist, Priam attacked the second vertebra. Using [High-frequency Barrage], he struck dozens of times per second, pushing back the ectoplasm and fracturing the bone. A punch forced him to dodge, but Priam didn't give up. He attacked from another angle, exploiting the weakness until the bone yielded. Rotating Promesse, Priam prevented new shards from penetrating his skin.

Lvl Up: [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 25, 26
STR +6
Lvl Up: [High-frequency Barrage] lvl 5, 6
AGI +6

Furious, the Tier 3 tried to grab him, but failed. Its strength lay in its constitution, not its agility. Priam's wings and kinetic mastery ensured exceptional mobility. A dozen bloody tentacles born from the ectoplasm sought to reach him, but Priam dodged them all. Occasionally, Pyro burned an appendage, punishing the skeleton's audacity.

Taking advantage of his speed and agility, Priam played with his opponent, creating weaknesses in every bone. A third vertebra exploded, followed by two ribs. Dodging between the giant's legs, Priam attacked everywhere, accumulating damage before delivering a final blow. 

After two minutes of driving the corrupted crazy, he succeeded in shattering its humerus. The skeletal right arm detached and fell to the ground with a loud crash. No ectoplasm came to replace it.

Lvl Up: [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 27, 28
STR +6
Lvl Up: [High-frequency Barrage] lvl 7, 8
AGI +6

The smile on Priam's lips died as the titan roared before running towards Oasis. The Necro Envoy had had enough.

Priam rushed, attacking the creature's legs without restraint. Promesse's tip gleamed, striking again and again on the nearly indestructible bones. Cracks appeared, but it would take several minutes to exploit them. Priam had only a few seconds.

Fifty meters from Oasis, Promesse pierced the viscous liquid and struck the bone twice before an ectoplasmic spine attempted to pierce Priam. With only one life at his disposal, he had to retreat as the giant advanced a step. Oasis was only forty meters away.

An explosion sounded at the giant's skull, and shadow vines wrapped around its femur. The skeleton struggled, tearing the shadows and ignoring the hoplites' attacks. It was now so close that its gleaming eyes lit up the defenders. 

"Priam, we have to send one of the Tier 3s," said Hyshana.

"If we do that, the Necro Envoy will flee!"

Damn it!

Gritting his teeth, Priam rode the mist, reappearing just in front of the titan. Risking it all, he plunged a flame-gloved hand into the ectoplasm. Pyro burned the substance, allowing his palm to touch the bone. [Kinetic Control].

A terrifying amount of energy rushed into his meridians. Breathless, Priam trembled in pain, a torrent of fire coursing through his veins. Clenching his teeth, he endured. Less than twenty meters from Oasis, a twenty-meter-tall colossus stopped, frozen by the tiny human at its feet.

The David versus Goliath reenactment shocked the forest, giving rise to a brief moment of silence.

“Fire!” shouted Priam. In response, each defender struck, burning their aether to bring down the titan. 

The flurry of attacks seemed to awaken the ectoplasm. It pulsed, sending a dozen spikes to impale Priam. Turning his cloak into a fiery nova, he intercepted the attack. The corrupted thorns slowed as they penetrated the protection. Deep in the incandescent storm, Pyro waited. The Concept carried on the work of the flames, devouring the intruders.

The burning appendages didn't stop their progress: the Tier 3 produced them faster than they were consumed.

The sight of the approaching tentacles disgusted Priam. From his desire to repel them emerged an idea. His draconic vivacity split his attention. One part continued to freeze his opponent, while the other recycled the kinetic energy absorbed. [Echolocalization], [Kinetic Control].

A sonic shockwave was ejected from his body outward. The disturbance spread through the air, pushing the tentacles back and creating a crater under Priam. Nearby trees shattered, and the Oasis barrier trembled.

Lvl Up: [Echolocalisation] lvl 6, 7, 8
PERC +6
DEXT +3
Lvl Up: [Adaptive Golden Meridians] lvl 4
META (Focus) +3
META (Endurance) +6

A second wave of spikes approached, and Priam emitted a new mechanical wave. The necro giant lacked imagination and repeated its assault. In the following seconds, the two adversaries clashed in a stalemate.

Finally, the attacks ceased. Priam gritted his teeth, continuing to absorb the titanic energy of the Tier 3. As long as he held on, his loved ones would be safe.

Lvl Up: [Echolocalisation] lvl 9
PERC +2
DEXT +1
Lvl Up: [Adaptive Golden Meridians] lvl 5
META (Focus) +3
META (Endurance) +6

The titan was struggling, deploying its formidable strength to overcome the suppression. Focused on [Kinetic Control], Priam barely noticed the moment when his second set of meridians began to erode. Even an epic ideal resistance couldn't fight forever against a Tier 3.

"I give your circulatory system less than a minute to explode."The Necro Envoy's voice returned, and Priam paid her no attention. Half of his consciousness imprisoned the Tier 3, and the other fought against the increasing pain. His body was falling apart, and the damage was reflected in his soul. Micro alleviated physical suffering but could do nothing against spiritual agony.

"You have only one word to say, and Laepa will come to help you," said Hyshana.

Priam remained silent. He didn't need help. [Three-Headed Hydra]’s Merit could save him at any moment, but his instinct whispered that he should endure.

Seconds ticked by, and he began to taste a metallic tang in his mouth. His veins burst one after another, and his entire body weakened.

Lvl Up: [Adaptive Golden Meridians] lvl 6
META (Focus) +3
META (Endurance) +6
Lvl Up: [Necro Resistance] lvl 10
VIT +3
WILL +3
META(Endurance) +3

"A word, just one, and you'll be free." Wracked with spasms, Priam briefly wondered if the message came from Hyshana or the Necro Envoy.

As his body fell apart and his soul crumbled, Priam felt the call of his second racial Talent. Half-conscious, he realized that the Talent was active. It had prevented Eleha from taking him seriously, and now it was influencing the Necro Envoy.

[Homo Elysian Predation] manipulated the instincts of his enemies to lead them to their demise. The fusion of Jasmine and Esmée's Talents could overturn the chessboard, offering a chance of victory to its bearer.

Ignoring the calls of the Necro Envoy, Priam listened to the whispers of his Talent. Something was brewing. All he had to do was appear weak. If the Necro Envoy underestimated him, the roles of hunter and prey would be reversed.

Time passed, and Priam continued to paralyze the giant. A black veil appeared before his eyes, robbing him of his vision. The screams of the corrupted who perished as they approached vanished. The smell of ash and decay faded. He hadn't been this close to death since his Tutorial.

This thought made him smile. If [He Who Eludes Death] were made public, many would think that was why Priam wasn't afraid of death. It was false. His Patron had chosen him above all because Priam didn't flinch in the face of the reaper. He dared to dance with her, to endure her attention, without ever accepting her kiss.

Priam never gave up.

"So this is how Priam Azura will die."

"You can't kill me," murmured Priam, unable to hear his own voice. "Neither you nor anyone else. There's a reason They named me Death's Obsession."

Priam still didn't know if the title bestowed by his Patron was serious, but the word of such a powerful being carried weight.

"If you're not dying, what are you doing?"

"I'm waiting."

"For whom?"

"... I think the First is talking about me," said a third voice.

When his add-on confirmed to him that the pain hadn't driven him insane, Priam breathed a sigh of relief and traded his lifespan for a hydra's regeneration. In mere moments, his body and soul were restored. Only his vision remained slightly blurred—the curse of Hecate New Moon not so easily dispelled.

Raising his eyes, he spotted the one-armed necro giant. Half his skull was gone, the defenders' work. On its shoulder, Mirscella's possessed body glared at him with eyes ablaze with hatred. The Necro Envoy had revealed herself, believing in her victory. She finally understood that Priam had held onto his cards all this time. The Homo Elysian flashed her a mocking smile.

Priam turned to the newcomer. Just outside his Domain, a humanoid with synthetic skin observed him. Standing two meters tall, his high stature was less remarkable than his gaze. Inhuman, intelligent, and intensely focused, the eyes of the Var Elegis judged the world at every moment.

Priam looked at the homunculus who had killed him a few hours after his arrival in Elysium and smiled.

"You took your time."

*

Status: 

PHYSICAL:
Strength 611 (+18)
Constitution 979
Agility 599 (+18)
Vitality 870 (+10)
Perception 730 (+10) 

MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 516
Dexterity 610 (+4)
Memory 471
Willpower 1 044 (+8)
Charisma 631 

META:
Meta-affinity 566 (+3)
Meta-focus 387 (+9)
Meta-endurance 428 (+31)
Meta-perception 267 (+7)
Meta-chance 230
Meta-authority 66

Potential: 8 784 (+22)
Tier 0

Sun points: 37 505 (+0)
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 3 hours 10 minutes 39 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Four Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 162 days 3 hours 43 minutes 52 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 3 attributes > 900