Chapter 103: Rewards. Lots of rewards!

Chapter 103: Rewards. Lots of rewards!

Choose a skill:

[Combat placement - Common][Spear mastery - Common][Human anatomy - Common]

Priam activated [Bullet Time]. Why hurry when you can speed up your perception of time?

Content to watch the world slow down, Priam began to ponder again. [Combat placement] seemed an exciting way to dominate a battle and could complement [Battle Flow]. The two skills were distinct but close.

[Spear Mastery] was a skill Priam had long wanted to unlock. Squeezing Promesse in his hand, he felt a familiarity with it. With this skill, he could master it better and get the most out of it. He would finally be worthy of wielding such a mighty spear.

Promesse vibrated even more, and Priam frowned. He still didn't understand precisely what his spear was up to, but it seemed... annoyed. Suddenly, he laughed. He was fighting better and better with his partner. His linked weapon was proud of them. Too proud to accept help from the System.

"I'll soon be worthy of you..." murmured Priam, stroking his weapon. [Spear Mastery] was of common rarity, and he would undoubtedly unlock the skill in the coming days. Promesse shifted its vibration frequency, satisfied.

That left [Human Anatomy]. The skill would have seemed of little use to him until recently. However, it would be helpful in improving Micro. Besides, humanity had done a lot of research into the human body. By asking Mercury, he could find scientists and doctors capable of teaching him anatomy. The skill would quickly gain in level.

Time was getting shorter and shorter. Instinctively, Priam guided more aether into [Bullet Time]. The skill redoubled its efforts.

Lvl Up : [Bullet Time] lvl 15

PERC +3

Perception exceeds 500 points. First milestone reached. Congratulations!

Priam froze. His senses were evolving. As if a filter had been removed from his eyes, he could see clearly for the first time. Billions of colors, shades of light, were opening up to him. He could see infrared, he could see ultraviolet. Maybe even more... His eyes were capturing wavelengths normally impossible for humans.

His ears now heard new frequencies. The simple beat of his heart created a sound wave. Bouncing off the sand and the arena walls, it allowed him to locate himself.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.

All his senses were now alert. The five basic senses, but also other lesser-known ones. Priam could feel his body's position in space with incredible clarity. He could feel the temperature gradients of his skin caressed by the wind. A new world was opening up to him.

Time was running out. The next fight was coming, and he had to make a decision. He would experiment with his new senses later.

Priam's thoughts sped up again, and he came up with an idea. The classic enhancement to [Human Anatomy] should be [High Human Anatomy]. This would allow him to get to know his body better. It would be a major breakthrough, essential to unlock Micro's Stage 2.

Maybe even to unlock a Tier 2 race.

Priam validated the option.

You have gained a new skill [Human Anatomy - Common].

[Human Anatomy] - Anatomy is the study of the structure and form of an organism. The organs and tissues that make up the body have relationships that anatomy analyzes. This skill enables its user to glean knowledge about humans and, to a lesser extent, the superior races based on humanity.

Observing, analyzing, dissecting and studying your body will provide invaluable knowledge.

After a thorough analysis of your anatomy, here's a piece of information: the size of your reproductive system is about average. Congratulations!

MEM +1

"YES! Memory!" exulted Priam, ignoring the System's comment. He was the only High Human in the world, of course he was average.

To celebrate his new Memory point, Priam tried out a few steps of a victory dance. Step right, step left. Right arm in the air, left arm in front of the face, then turn around. After two turns, Priam remembered Bechar's presence.

Coughing, he used Micro to prevent his cheeks from turning red. Simultaneously, he turned his dancing into stretching, without much conviction. Past a hundred in Agility, muscles were always ready for action...

Rereading his notification, Priam's shame disappeared, replaced by his analytical mind. [Human Anatomy] was already taking effect.

The basic skill required specific knowledge that Priam didn't have. Therefore, The System had given him a certain amount of valuable data on the human body and his own body. Coupled with Micro, this information already enhanced his abilities and gave him plenty of ideas.

Using [Eidetic Memory], he recalled the acceleration of his regeneration. He winced as he contemplated all his mistakes.

In practical terms, he had exhausted his body for a suboptimal result. However, it wasn't all in vain. With a bit of training, he was pretty sure he could optimize this restoration.

The gong sounded again in the arena and Priam smiled. It was time to polish his skills.

The boss of the thirtieth wave was still a Viscount. About the same level as the Cyclops who had ruled New Earth, the centaur had been a superb training partner.

During the twenty seconds of the match.

Select reward...

Priam smiled as he read the new notification. He knew the rewards were limited, but even so, he felt like a child unwrapping Christmas presents.

Reward: One of humankind's most prized pre-integration gifts:

A puppy (selectable breed - Tier 1)A kitten (selectable breed - Tier 1)A baby (with half your genetic heritage. Possibility of choosing the 'mother' among Tier 0/1 races)One ton of consumables (chocolate/coffee/tea) or one viable seed from a productive plant (rarity: Gold)An enchanted Gold rarity jewel (choice of active enchantment: invisibility, acceleration, protection, vigor, regeneration)

"What the... A baby isnt a gift, dude!"

Once his disbelief had passed, Priam sighed as he looked again at the various rewards. These were clearly not his favorite rewards, but at second glance... Some of them could be interesting.

Priam understood the System's choice. For an advanced race, receiving an improved folk gift could be interesting. Had the Champion Hoplite been in his place, there was little doubt that he would have received highly advanced genetic modification vials.

Unfortunately for Priam, he was - almost - human. As such, the gifts were disappointing. Priam shook his head. No reward could be truly frustrating. There had to be something else...

Lvl Up : [Bullet Time] lvl 16

PERC +3

Let's think about it. Without Sphinx, a dog or cat of a superior breed might have been an excellent companion to combat loneliness and help him in Elysium. However, Priam was aiming for the fiftieth wave and intended to take Sphinx with him. Eliminated.

A baby was out of the question. He wanted children, but... later. Above all, he intended to offer his children an exceptional living environment. Elysium, where the temperature and gravity were extreme, and psychopaths like Arnold were on the loose, wasn't a place for babies. Eliminated.

That left the jewel or the seeds. Priam eliminated the jewel, remembering his battle with the wyvern. He would face opponents far stronger than himself. He would dance with death. Inevitably, he would die.

A bracelet he could lose after his death was out of the question. Of course, he could link it to himself - like Promesse - to prevent theft. But any enemy would be suspicious of the bracelet's disappearance after Priam's death.

META (END) +1

An excellent resistance partner... When I finish my run.

Raising his head, Priam activated Micro and [Dodge], dodging a powerful tail strike that shook the arena. The snake stood still, then stuck out its tongue. The mist was preventing it from confirming its victory.

Lvl Up : [Dodge] lvl 14

AGI +1

Priam tightened his grip on Promesse and attacked. The spear tore through the snake's scales. Poisoned blood spurted in his direction. Grimacing, Priam leaped back. The snake howled and spat several spheres of venom in his direction.

Domain redirected the projectiles and Priam leaped towards the monster's skull. It was time to end the fight.

The snakes head turned towards the human and attacked. Priam felt his body froze. Instinctively, he activated Domain and the sensation disappeared. Priam closed his eyes, deciding to end the fight blind. His mist took over: the snake was now less than a meter away.

Priam used a kinetic charge, accelerating to almost 20 G and dodging the monster's fangs. Without his superb constitution, he would have lost consciousness.

As the snake's head grazed him, Priam froze in mid-air. [Battle Flow] offered a possible counterattack. [Tribulation Piercing Spear]. Promesse easily penetrated the monster's scales, skull and brain.

Lvl Up : [Battle Flow] lvl 5

PERC +1

DEXT +2

Priam landed lightly on the ground and opened his eyes. Observing the corpse, he analyzed the fight. The snake had been mighty. Perhaps as powerful as Safamu. The next boss will be an Earl...

In spite of its terrifying physical abilities, the basilisk had stumbled on a bone. Its petrification attacks were useless against Priam. His mist and Domain let him fight with his eyes closed. The fight hadn't lasted more than ten seconds.

"That was easy," smiled Priam.

Reward: Choose two skills to merge. Rarity limit: Common or Rare rank.

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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 236

Constitution 415 (+2)

Agility 298 (+2)

Vitality 423 (+2)

Perception 508 (+9)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 280

Dexterity 335 (+2)

Memory 72( +1)

Willpower 447

Charisma 375

META:

Meta-affinity 245

Meta-focus 178

Meta-endurance 125 (+1)

Meta-perception 76

Meta-chance 198

Meta-authority 12

Potential: 5926 (+11)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 18 hours 56 minutes 17 seconds.

[Tribulation]: One Tribulation pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 180 days 19 hours 29 minutes 30 seconds.