Chapter 113: Autumn is coming

Chapter 113: Autumn is coming

Lvl Up: [Frozen Meditation] lvl 5,6,7,8

PERC +4

WILL +8

Lvl Up: [Focus] lvl 28,29,30

PERC +3

VIVA +3

DEXT +3

POT -42

You have gained the skill: [Hoplite Language - Rare].

[Hoplite Language] - Finally, you're becoming trilingual. If your high school Spanish teacher knew you spoke Hoplite better than you ever spoke Spanish, what would she say? Nothing. She died during her Tutorial. ...

I've ruined the mood. A tip to make amends: learn more languages. Special bonus if it doesn't use sound signals.

MEM +2

DEXT +1

Forty-nine minutes later and at the cost of a net loss in Potential, Priam could now speak Hoplite. He knew he'd been lucky. Just like French - his native language - or English, this language was a fusional one. Meaning, they combined concepts into a single word.

For instance, the Hoplite had greeted him with the word "Geka Eaz". "Gak-" was the verb for "challenge to a duel" and the suffix "-a" represented both first-person singular agreement and present tense.

Thus, "Geka" meant "I challenge you to a duel." Which, for a warrior society like the Hoplites, was simply a formal greeting. The structure of both languages being close, Priam - thanks in large part to [Eidetic Memory] - had managed the feat of absorbing the alien language in less than an hour. If the language had been agglutinative, like Finnish or Turkish, it would have taken him several hours. Learning an analytical language like Chinese would take him a day or two.

It was both a short and long time. With his mental abilities, Priam knew he could have done better. After all, he was supposed to think twenty-eight times faster than an average human. Unless Vivacity didn't work exactly like that?

Priam felt himself thinking much faster than he could before, but not twenty-eight times. Moreover, he didn't always think at the same speed, depending on his actions or... his surroundings. My social interactions are restraining me, he realized.

His mind prevented him from fully unleashing the power of his brain when he was just talking. For example, if he tried to speak twenty times faster to his father, Louis or Mirscella, they wouldn't understand a thing. In the same way, Priam couldn't discuss multiple things at once. Besides, human language wasn't suited for that kind of feat.

So, to remain a sociable creature, Priam unconsciously limited himself. This can't go on.

As he was devising a plan to learn how to harness his attribute's full potential, the Hoplite interrupted him.

Mnele w ploy w gurt Eaz. Priam looked up at the Hoplite and translated. 'You can't help but think, biped.'

Clearing his throat, he looked the Hoplite in the eyes. "Don't call me Eaz. I'm human," he responded in Hoplite.

Eaz referred to a hypothetical species resembling a Hoplite. Any intelligent biped could be named that. The word held no pejorative or racist connotation, but many aliens were Eaz. Besides, Priam wanted to forge a connection with the Hoplite. It was harder to betray someone whose name you knew than a stranger.

"I'm Priam," he introduced himself.

"Kazuki, Champion and Heart of the Hoplites," Kazuki replied, tilting his head. "I'm impressed, you speak my language without an accent."

"Dexterity and Micro help," Priam replied with a shrug. There was a reason why [Hoplite Language] granted him Dexterity. "I think I've understood quite a bit from watching those movies, but I need confirmation. How do you feel about our previous..."

Priam hesitated on the word. The Hoplite language had many ways to refer to a fight. All were nuanced and left little room for interpretation. Here, it didn't make things easier for Priam.

If he wanted to indicate he had fought poorly or that he was then a beginner, "Encobt" or "serious combat between a child and an adult" was the proper term. However, he had managed to defeat the Hoplite. If he thought Priam was insulting him, he would be compelled to avenge his honor by attacking. At least, that's what the movies he had seen implied.

That wasn't what Priam wanted.

I could use "Mothol". "Combat between two unknown warriors" described the situation fairly, but the Hoplite could argue that there hadn't been a fight. There had been a chase, and Priam had turned the tide when his opponent had lowered his guard in the face of Priam's pathetic resistance.

"Narey," Kazuki completed. "A Fight for survival. You won't besmirch my honor by presenting the truth. Besides, you're a human. You don't know our traditions, and you defeated me. It would be uncouth for me to reproach you with harsh, but just, words."

Lvl Up: [Hoplite Language] lvl 2

MEM +2

DEXT +1

Priam nodded. Kazuki seemed to be a level-headed Hoplite, which was pleasant.

"You're right to be cautious," the Hoplite added, plucking a few strands of grass from the ground. "Some won't hesitate to challenge you to a duel. After all, you speak our language and... you're strong," he acknowledged.

The remark caught Priam's attention.

"When will I have the pleasure of meeting other Hoplites?" he asked suspiciously.

"Sooner than expected, I suppose. They're opening a portal here."

"What?!"

The news caught Priam off guard. The Hoplites could already open a portal to Elysium? How? Certainly by trying to reach Kazuki or with the help of coordinates. If they try to reach him...

Priam's eyes hardened. He had no desire to see millions of Hoplites arrive near Log-a-rhythm. It would not only endanger his family but also himself. Should I kill him now?

Kazuki smiled coldly. "You should refine your bloodlust into kill intent and learn to master it. I can clearly sense your hostility - which, by the way, is unfounded."

Priam relaxed slightly. The Hoplite invasion was unlikely to be triggered in the next few seconds. Moreover, Kazuki must have had a reason for informing him of this. After all, he wasn't obliged to notify Priam. Hoplites abhorred lies, but not to the extent of revealing their military secret to an opponent.

Forcing himself to stay calm, Priam asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"If the wound had been bigger..." Priam let his sentence trail off, and Kazuki nodded darkly. The Champion would have died.

An image of his sick father came to Priam, and he gritted his teeth. Sphinx and Blueberry would have a chance to survive, but the slightest scratch would kill a human. For a moment, Priam regretted bringing him along.

No! He rebelled against resignation. This new world was full of dangers, but as long as they could face them together, it was worth it.

A glance at Log-a-rhythm reassured him. His family would be safe. Turning to Kazuki, Priam questioned him.

"So, what do you expect from me?"

The Champion gave him a long look before responding. "I'd like to retrieve my pendant. It has sentimental value to me," he admitted.

Priam didn't hesitate for a moment before agreeing. "Very well." He turned to Log-a-rhythm and raised his voice. "Pendant, please."

A primal intelligence brushed his soul. The tree's leaves quivered in greeting, happy to find their master again. At least, that's how Priam chose to interpret it. Some questions assaulted Priam, and he understood that Log-a-rhythm had a bunch of notifications waiting. I'll see you soon.

A few moments later, a branch stretched towards Priam and deposited a medallion in his hand. Priam observed it for a moment before offering it to the Hoplite. Kazuki gave him a grateful look as he retrieved his pendant.

Priam smiled inwardly. He could empathize with someone searching for their family. Of course, he could have traded the pendant for a resource or information, but his interlocutor was a Champion. Gaining the favor of one of his rivals was the best reward possible.

For once, emotions and pragmatism agree.

"I appreciate it, Priam," said Kazuki, bowing deeply.

"I shouldn't have taken it from you in the first place. I apologize," Priam replied, slightly embarrassed by Kazuki's extreme politeness.

Silence fell between the two rivals. Priam sensed Kazuki's hesitation and chose to wait. His instinct whispered to him that the Hoplite had something to ask. He had already thought of compensation.

In the end, Kazuki broke the silence.

"I may have a proposition."

Priam grinned. Me too.

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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 318

Constitution 451

Agility 308

Vitality 466

Perception 534 (+8)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 288 (+3)

Dexterity 357 (+5)

Memory 76 (+4)

Willpower 477 (+10)

Charisma 410

META:

Meta-affinity 252

Meta-focus 186

Meta-endurance 164

Meta-perception 77

Meta-chance 207

Meta-authority 12

Potential: 966 (-24)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: One Tribulation pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 179 days 23 hours 35 minutes 11 seconds.