Bechar: I have a feeling that my protégé is going to make it to wave 51!
Golpar't: Not bad, but mine will reach wave 61.
Pmthu: Do you think he can beat a Marquess? In Tier 0 I was struggling against Viscounts...
Golpar't: I wonder how you reached Tier 3...
Pmthu: Well, I’m sorry I didn't have parents who helped me farm Titres from age two.
Bechar winced as he read the answer. His two friends tended to bicker. It was particularly true when talking about their birth. Golpar't had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, while Pmthu was an orphan from the slums.
Today, all three were proud Tiers 3 contracted by the System, but Pmthu had never forgotten.
Nevertheless, the two liked each other well enough to have married over three hundred years ago. I couldn't stand their love-hate relationship...
Bechar: Let's calm down guys. I hate being the third wheel. Pmthu, it seems your candidate is the strongest, right?
Pmthu: This Arnold will win the 70th wave. Maybe even the 75th. He's an absolute monster. I almost feel sorry for the Colosseum creations. Golpar't: I don't understand why he didn't finish first in this year’s Tribulation ranking. A monster capable of defeating a Marquess so quickly...
Pmthu: He could become a King while in Tier 0.
Golpar't: I'd be surprised if this Arnold became a King. There hasn't been one in this area for over a thousand years.
Pmthu: I don't think this guy will let the stats hold him back.... He's been using the System for two weeks, and he's just destroyed a Marquess - and not a weak one at that.
Bechar: It's clear to me that this year's System recruits are quite extraordinary.
Golpar't: Well, these three are indeed exceptionally powerful, but they're just Tier 0.
Bechar: Tiers 0 living in Elysium.
Pmthu: Bad luck for them. I wonder if this insane world will kill them before they kill each other…
Bechar: I wish courage to whoever tries to kill Priam. He's starting the fiftieth wave, so I'll afk.
Golpar't: Bye!
Pmthu: Piss off :)
Bechar left the chat application and refocused on the fight. He'd never managed the fiftieth wave while in Tier 0.
"Make me dream, Priam..."
The sand of the arena gathered. Several tons of particles began to orbit like a desert tornado.
Priam squinted, trying to feel the monster's appearance through the aether.
Seconds later, the tornado calmed, revealing a sand golem. Almost fifteen meters tall, the colossus turned aether-gleaming eyes in Priam's direction.
"Woah. That thing could step over a building!"
Clutching Promesse, the warrior leaped forward. A web of aether, created from [Battle Footwork] , shattered, propelling him forward at impressive speed.
The elemental opened its mouth. A sound wave shook Priam's mist. Using [Kinetic Control] , Priam created an absorption bubble at the edge of his Domain. The sonic wave crashed into it before dissipating.
Lvl Up: [Kinetic Control] lvl 35
VIVA +2
DEXT +3
META (FOCUS) +4
The next instant, Priam stepped into a sand avalanche summoned by the boss. Without slowing down for a moment, the warrior continued on his way, drawing on his kinetic reserves to absorb the impact.
Crossing the sandy wave, Priam appeared in front of the golem's face. The word was perhaps too strong to describe a head where two eyes, a nose and a mouth were barely visible. Well, what's the point of a nose for an elemental? Perhaps it created one because I'm his opponent?
Unaware of the stupid thoughts running through its opponent's head, the boss tried to intercept Priam. Its right hand began to move - too late. Promesse penetrated the golem's head... with no noticeable effect.
Priam merged with his mist, dodging the titanic hand.
Reappearing at the top of the Boss's head, Priam placed his hand on it and activated [Tribulation Hunter] . A colossal concept fragment appeared in his mind's eye. Priam tried to draw it to him. The boss howled in rage. Its spirit appeared around the fragment. Instantly detecting Priam, it charged at him.
The mental collision was violent. Priam fell. Holding his head with both hands, he tore his vocal cords, screaming at the top of his lungs.
The ground jolted him back to reality. His constitution prevented him from taking too much damage, but the shock briefly drew him out of his pain. Activing [Frozen Meditation] , Priam was able to take a step back and observe the damage.
He was in pain. According to Micro, his body was fine. That is, if you overlooked that he was missing a heart and an eye. [Iconoclast] told him that his soul was also in good condition. Priam noticed that it seemed even more real than when it had first crystallized. There's nothing like pissing on the statue of an evil god to earn a soul.
Yet despite the distance created by [Frozen Meditation] , Priam still felt immense pain.
Lvl Up: [Frozen Meditation] lvl 2
PERC +1
WILL +2
The Champion theorized that the spiritual shock must have damaged his spirit body. Fortunately, he didn't seem to be the only one to have suffered damage: the sand golem had petrified following the collision of their spirits. But it wouldn't last forever.
Priam forced himself to move, which broke the trance brought on by [Frozen Meditation] .
The pain returned with a vengeance. Gritting his teeth, Priam focused on Promesse, still embedded in the monster. Reconnecting to [Tribulation Hunter] , Priam took another look at the concept fragment, the elemental’s core.
The sand fragment levitated inside the monster in a spiritual dimension. Without his skill, Priam would never have been able to detect its presence.
Beneath the fragment, a luminous mass - the golem's spirit body - trembled. The shock had not spared it.
The elemental was in a precarious and defenseless position. [Pseudo Immortal Slayer] had no intention of letting this opportunity pass. Heightened by the Title, his instincts whispered the golem's weakness to him. Only a Supremacy, a Concept or a specialized skill can injure a spirit...
Between two spikes of pain, Priam tried to analyze his possibilities. However, despite the clues, he couldn't come up with a single idea. Pain anesthetized his senses and his thinking. The warrior bit his tongue, and the physical pain anchored him back in reality.
Priam's arsenal was limited: with no specialized skills, he could only rely on his Supremacies and Concepts. Micro's Stage 0 did not allow him to touch a spirit.
Priam concentrated on his Domain - projected thanks to Promesse's presence. The sphere of authority began to penetrate the elemental's body before slowing down after a few centimeters. His Supremacy was encountering resistance.
Priam frowned, massaging his temples. One of Bechar's words came back to him. On his first attempt, the changeform had revealed the existence of a Space Seed. Apparently, the object could be used to cultivate a world. However, such a treasure could only be obtained during the first Reunion, by overcoming the fiftieth wave.
The Colosseum supervisor had then expressed doubts about Priam's abilities, arguing that the boss - now standing before him - possessed a half Domain. Certainly the source of the resistance I'm encountering...
As he pondered, Priam's Supremacy continued to push on the opposing Domain. It seemed almost fragile to him. It lacked a certain kind of solidity. A half Domain should equal Stage 0.
His was at Stage 1, which gave him a distinct advantage. His Domain was gaining ground, nibbling away at the golem's mental space. Unfortunately, the pain prevented Priam from attacking effectively. I've got no time to lose, and it won't stay inactive for long!
No sooner had he uttered this thought than the boss's mind began to shake. Priam gritted his teeth. Calling up his mist, he connected to his Concept.
It replied.
Mist invaded his mind, warding off pain and relieving fatigue. Closing his eyes, Priam concentrated on his link with Promesse and the Domain he projected thanks to it.
How do you attack a mind with a concept of mist? Priam’s draconic heart quickened, and his instincts guided him. A spear of mist appeared in his Domain - and thus on the border of the boss's mental space. The weapon was unusual in that it didn't exist materially.
Conceptually, it represented Priam's idea of a misty attack: a misty Promesse. Without further ado, Priam aimed the spear at the golem's spirit.
The attack spun through the elemental's mental space and penetrated the spiritual body. It screamed silently. Freed from the boss's influence, the sand concept fragment was finally within Priam's grasp. [Mirror of the Soul] opened, drawing the fragment to itself.
During the transfer, Priam kept an eye on his adversary. The golem's spirit was still alive, though weakened by the spear of mist that pierced it. It was the essence of Priam’s concept. Thanks to it, he could feel certain things.
My mist isn't enough to kill this boss, but it can hold him back , Priam realized. Mist was not a specialized combat concept. Nevertheless, it was a concept that could camouflage its user or lose an enemy in a thick fog.
The golem's mind was disoriented, weakened by the shock of their consciousness and the mist attack. The mist was blurring its senses. Priam smiled as he checked the power of his concept. His mist was an effective support for his arsenal, and he liked it.
Moments later, the fragment reached Priam's Domain, where it was absorbed into [Mirror of the Soul]. Instantly, the elemental's body disintegrated. Tons of sand fell and vanished.
Bodiless, conceptless and badly wounded, the golem's spirit began to dissipate. In a final fit of rage, it turned in all directions, trying to find its opponent. Priam, shrouded in his mist, watched it dissipate.
A notification echoed in Priam's mind, and he collapsed. The pain was becoming too intense.
"You should stop there," Bechar advised.
Lying on the ground, Priam was sweating profusely. The experience of spiritual pain confirmed to him that it could be even more painful than physical pain. Opening his eyes to the black sky, Priam swallowed before connecting to his Potential.
POT -10
Potential poured into him like a river of panacea. Priam sighed with relief as the pain began to subside.
"Your mind is fractured. You need rest. Even if you spend your Potential generously, you'll barely be healed by the end of the Reunion. If you return to Elysium wounded, it may be your last mistake," Bechar warned again.
"Fuck... I just need forty minutes," Priam replied.
"What for?"
"Charging my Breath. I would like to test it." Priam had to admit that he found it incredibly cool to be able to use a draconic attack.
"A Breath? As if a draconic Breath?"
"Exactly."
"... You could drag out the next four waves," Bechar replied.
Priam burst out laughing. Apparently, the changeling was also keen to contemplate his new trump card.
"Now stop wasting time and look at the rewards list!"
"Hmm? Didn't you tell me it was the Space Seed?" Priam was suddenly worried. He'd based everything on it. If the changeling had lied to him...
"I don't know the awards in advance. I just know some of the famous ones. I'm sure there are other incredible awards," Bechar explained.
Like a child at Christmas, Priam opened his notification.
Reward: Mythical object.
Precision: semi-unique reward. Whatever you choose will no longer be available to anyone else in your civilization in that reward round.
Polymorphic weapon Leviathan egg Ring of ubiquity Space Seed Second life Tattoo Priam's breathing stopped as he read the various awards. Each one looked exceptional. He smiled briefly as he read the last one. Some fighters must have fought with all their might to get a second life.
For the umpteenth time, Priam realized the power of his Talent [He Who Eludes Death] .
Without wasting any more time, he selected the Space Seed. Protecting his family was his priority.
A black orb encrusted with golden runes appeared in his hand. The mere sight of the runes disturbed him. Incredible magic was embedded in the object.
[Identification]
[Space Seed - Mythic] - A seed capable of creating a growth space. To be embedded in a suitable object.
Priam frowned as he read the description. What’s a suitable object?
Bechar's voice is heard. " Um... Sorry, I didn't really know how the seed worked. You'll need something mythic rank to withstand the artificial space. "
Priam gritted his teeth, partly because of the pain but mainly because of Bechar's answer. "And where am I supposed to find that?"
" ... As a reward for wave fifty-five? "
Priam sensed the hesitation in the changeling's voice. The supervisor had no idea of the rewards offered by his own Colosseum after that.
[Frozen Meditation] dismissed his concerns. Priam sat cross-legged, trying to take advantage of every second before the next battle to rest.
The gong sounded as Priam gasped for breath. The monsters of the previous four waves were all Viscounts of the highest rank. A logical sequence began to emerge. Every twenty waves, the nobility of the bosses increased by one rank. The boss of wave sixty would be a Marquess.
Thus, the Boss of wave fifty-five would be the last Earl. The waves in between were starting to get complicated. The fifty-fourth wave had summoned a Viscount as mighty as the Basilisk of wave thirty-five.
Priam had dragged out the fights. Now, he had to face the truth: he was exhausted. The last Earl was coming, and Priam was pinning all his hopes on his Breath. The aim was to severely wound the boss to finish the fight quickly.
Two minutes earlier, his Breath had finally finished charging. Priam couldn't wait to set it free.
POT -10
Spending his Potential had enabled him to recover slowly. At the cost of several hundred points, the pain had begun to recede. Too bad I haven't gained any resistance yet... [Spirit Resistance] has a nice ring to it.
The clip-clop of a horse coming up was heard. A gate opened, revealing the silhouette of a centaur. Unlike the creatures common to human fantasy culture, the boss had the torso of a treant. It possessed attributes not only of plants but also of horses.
In his hand, the boss held a wooden spear - an oak of some kind. From experience, Priam knew the creature possessed Micro as well as Mastery. Close combat was a bad idea.
The centaur cocked his arm, and Priam teleported into the mist to dodge the attack. An explosion confirmed the weapon had crossed the ground in less than a second.
Reappearing some ten meters from the boss, Priam opened his mouth without wasting time. Draconic Breath!
A warmth invaded his body, and a power built up at the back of his throat.
The centaur widened his eyes and disappeared. His speed was so great that he created a tunnel of vacuum behind him - the air being pushed back. At Priam's command, the mist condensed for a moment, slowing his enemy down.
Priam turned to the hobbled centaur.
A second after invoking it, the Draconic Breath took shape. A blinding glow appeared at the back of Priam's throat.
Suddenly, an avalanche of light invaded the arena. Colors disappeared. The world turned white. The air turned to plasma as the mist disappeared. The Colosseum barrier shook, and the sand turned to lava.
The Breath finally dissipated. Exhausted, Priam blinked and closed his mouth. He couldn't tell how long the attack had lasted. The overheated air in the arena turned back into gas.
Breathing in the scorched air, Priam winced. Wrapping a cloak of mist around himself to cool off, he searched his eyes for his enemy.
"Holy..."
A notification sounded. Of the centaur, a creature at the pinnacle of Earl rank, not even bones remained.
Faced with draconic wrath, annihilation was total.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 317
Constitution 448
Agility 304
Vitality 465
Perception 521 (+1)
MENTAL:
Vivacity 282 (+2)
Dexterity 345 (+5)
Memory 72
Willpower 464 (+2)
Charisma 378
META:
Meta-affinity 249
Meta-focus 183 (+4)
Meta-endurance 161
Meta-perception 77
Meta-chance 207
Meta-authority 12
Potential: 5616 (-345)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 17 hours 38 minutes 50 seconds.
[Tribulation] : One Tribulation pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 180 days 18 hours 12 minutes 3 seconds.