Chapter 55: He Who Rose From The Ashes
Congratulations, you are dead! Your Talent [He Who Eludes Death] brings you back to life once a day.
Number of deaths: 10
Ten deaths detected. Message from your patron:
You're progressing too slowly. You must put aside your fears and abuse this power. Don't forget your promise.
A seal breaks.
Synergy detected with your talent [Humanity adapts] and your Title [Axolotl or Hydra ?]. Your body is rebuilt and will be more resistant to what killed it:
VIT +5
CONST +7
WILL +3
META (END) +10
[Tribulation]: Three characteristics above 200 were detected in Tier 0.
A quadruple Tribulation is coming.
Time: 22 hours 43 minutes 49 seconds.
Synergy detected with [Veteran].
Lvl Up: [Depths Resistance] lvl 2,...,8
CONST +14
VIT +14
WILL +35
Lvl Up: [Erosion Resistance] lvl 16,17
META (END) +6
Lvl Up: [Heat Resistance] lvl 15,16,17
VIT +3
Lvl Up : [Thermal Resistance] lvl 5,6,7,8
CONST +4
Lvl Up: [Blunt Resistance] lvl 18,19,20
CONST +3
[Blunt Resistance] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available.
[Blunt Resistance - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5
[Armored - Rare] - You have tanked a large-caliber bullet. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 10
[Star Iron Body - Rare]- You've endured the fall of a million tons. You survived the impact of a meteor. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 20
You have selected the skill [Star Iron Body - Rare].
POT -20
[Star Iron Body - Rare] - Your flesh is transformed. Your body has taken its first steps on a mythical path. Star Iron is a cosmic metal, naturally forged in the heart of a Tier 1 star. The high aether density and terrible physical conditions under which it was created make this metal extremely resistant. Increase the level of this skill and temper your body to complete your Star Iron Body.
Your enemies will despair facing your constitution.
You are pushing back the Tier 0 limits of tempering.
CONST +3
You have selected the skill [Spear Throw - Rare].
POT -15
[Spear Throw - Rare] - You specialize in throwing. Leaving behind other weapons and projectiles, you become more familiar with your Bound Weapon. Together, you can make your enemies tremble.
Your bound spear will always find its target.
DEXT+3
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 18 hours 23 minutes 55 seconds
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: 22 hours 43 minutes 49 seconds.
Priam opened his eyes. The room was still shrouded in mist as he began to get his bearings. His body - or rather, the pieces of it - must have been thrown to the back of the vault. That was where he had been resurrected.
A glance allowed Priam to pinpoint its original location. Where the meteor had struck was now a huge hole. His mist was slightly disturbed as it approached the crater. A draft... It must be the real vault.
Priam noted the information in his head while rubbing his nose mechanically. It tickled. The tiny white flakes floating in the air were undoubtedly the cause. They were the residues of the cores stored in the room that had shattered in the explosion. Nothing remained of the shelves and racks that had previously occupied the room. The cores had been shattered and the air was saturated with aether.
Lvl Up: [Osmosis] lvl 4
PHY +1
META (AFFI) +4
Without wasting time, Priam spotted his enemies. Gamma had been destroyed. Pieces of flesh and splinters of bone were scattered around the room. Some must have belonged to the Revenants. Among them, only the body of Mathis, their General, was more or less intact - meaning in one piece. The corpse was so charred that Priam only recognized it thanks to [Identification].
The last two Abominations had been... Priam widened his eyes and straightened up. They were healing at full speed. Or rather, Alpha was regenerating by absorbing Beta. The explosion and shockwave had heavily damaged it. Alpha had always been more imposing, and Beta's wounds made it impossible for it to resist. That's why they stayed away from each other...
Alpha absorbed Beta very quickly, and Priam gritted his teeth. He was far more resistant than a few seconds earlier, but the Abomination was growing stronger and more polluting by the second. Moreover, its resistance to kinetic absorption had increased as Priam immobilized it. His flagship skill was now less useful. Priam wasn't the only one to come out of the fight stronger.
"Damn it," he muttered. Now he'd have to deal with a quadruple Tribulation and a Viscount-rank Abomination whose power kept increasing.
Speaking of Viscount... Priam had notifications, which he opened.
Special conditions met:
Title upgraded! [Moon Viscount - Silver]
Congratulations!
[Moon Viscount - Silver] - Alone, you slayed a Viscount. For this outstanding performance in the Reunion, you are promoted. A Viscount is a powerful Title of Nobility for a new civilization. Enhance this Title to have the right to actively participate in decisions concerning the future of your species.
The Earl is getting impatient. He summons you to his court. If you don't find him soon, he'll turn hostile.
Wherever you are, the Moon Mist is. You can make your mist undetectable, invisible, odorless, and untouchable. Additionally, it would be concealed from the ethereal senses.
Achievement - Silver: You are the first human to eliminate a Viscount without help.
You lead the way, and your species admires you.
Message for humanity:
Priam Azura single-handedly eliminated a Moon Viscount.
Humanity will be rewarded for this achievement.
The Seven Concepts congratulate you.
Potential + 300. personalized message for humanity. Tailored reward.
...
Tailored reward: A third Achievement has been detected at Tier 0. You are the first of your kind to achieve this feat. The Concepts are watching and deliberating... Chance of death during your quadruple Tribulation: 96%. Choose one reward to increase your chances of survival.
Priam looked up at Alpha. The Abomination had finished absorbing Beta and was now devouring the scattered pieces of Gamma and the Revenants. It would soon arrive for him. The monster was titanic and horrible. For Priam, it was a symbol of his difficulties.
Yet it was nothing. 96% chance of dying... Statistically, Priam was a walking corpse. He trusted himself, of course, and knew there was a chance of survival. He'd always survived.
However, that wasn't enough for him. He was like a man jumping off a building. Before impact, it was easy to say, "so far, so good". But he wouldnt lie to himself.
The Concepts, quasi-omniscient entities, had little hope for his survival. Despite all his advantages, despite all the challenges he'd met, despite all the pain he'd experienced... It wasn't enough. For a few moments, Priam's confidence cracked, and his eyes moistened. His half-length hair fell over his face, unable to hide his tears. He was tired. He was doing his best, but it was never enough. Suddenly, he saw himself as a kid and remembered his mother. Despite all his efforts, she had never praised him...
Priam sighed and brushed aside his gloomy thoughts. As usual, he would take it in his stride. One day, when it would be over, he'd allow himself to break down and cry. But right now, he had to concentrate on the moment and enjoy it. This new world might be relentless and brutal, but it was also incomparably beautiful and magical.
Alpha was still advancing, now swallowing the corpses of the Revenants. They had given everything they possessed to stay alive. To manipulate magic. They were dead, and their death was ugly. Absorbed by an undead monstrosity to grow it. Priam didn't want to die like that.
"I don't want to die," he murmured.
Priam closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his features had become hard. The rules were against him - he was close to a quintuple Tribulation - but he had a chance. His reward could get him through.
Priam took a moment to think it over. He didn't want to make any more mistakes. There were five choices, and only one would allow him to emerge strong enough to live. Priam had never really trusted others. But he trusted himself. If he gave it his all, he'd survive. He had to believe that.
Deciding to proceed by elimination, Priam crossed out the last opportunity, Lord Fourth. Increasing his attributes could be helpful, but it wouldn't be a few dozen points that would drastically change his survival percentage.