Chapter 115: A Stroke of Unluck

Chapter 115: A Stroke of Unluck

"BLAHHHHH!"

Sphinx rolled in the grass, repulsed by its taste. As Priam watched her, a memory resurfaced in his mind. At age four, he decided to sample some grass in a park. Before his parents could stop him, he had stuffed a handful into his mouth. All kids had a great sense of timing to cause before they could be stopped.

[Eidetic Memory] reminded him of the taste of the grass - a kind of raw salad. He had promptly spat it out on the ground - who liked salad at four? - before searching for an earthworm. Fortunately for him and the potential protein source, he found nothing. A child's body was resilient, and he hadn't fallen ill. He would later learn that most grass species were edible.

In the background, his parents, too busy arguing, had not noticed a thing.

As if sensing that she was no longer the center of Priam's attention, Sphinx had gotten up. She seemed torn between sulking and being concerned. Was Priam upset that she had disobeyed?

A reassuring smile lit up Priam's face as he approached and took her into his arms.

"Blue grass tastes awful," Sphinx whispered in his ear.

"That's because you're a sphinx. Rabbits like it," Priam replied. To divert her attention, he gave her a bowl of fresh sap. A few moments later, the adorable creature had forgotten the taste of the grass and was lapping up the contents of the bowl.

"Kazuki, meet Sphinx, my best friend. Sphinx, this is Kazuki, the Hoplite Champion," Priam introduced Sphinx to the hoplite who was stowing his lance. Lips full of sap, Sphinx gave a big smile.

"A child?"

"I sense the judgment in your voice from here, but I'm pretty sure she could give you a run for your money."

Upon hearing these words, Kazuki's demeanor changed. "Nice to meet you, noble Sphinx," he said with a nod. The hoplite seemed to respect strength.

Sphinx emptied the bowl before sniffing in Kazuki's direction. Tilting her head, she blinked her eyes. One of her ears twitched cutely.

"I sense your karma rumbling," Sphinx declared.

Kazuki looked at Priam, who shrugged. "What does that mean?" Priam asked.

Sphinx abandoned the empty bowl and leaped onto Priam's shoulder. A second jump allowed her to reach his head. Perched like an oracle on a promontory, she proclaimed:

"Clad in power armor, you march to the fight,

Spear in hand, under a grim, starless night.

In the grimdark future, where all hope seems lost,

Youre the Hoplite's wrath, at a terrible cost."

For a few seconds, the spectators remained dumbfounded. Instead of admitting his incomprehension, Priam decided to applaud. After all, there were some nice rhymes in there. He smiled as he heard Sphinx purring.

Suddenly, Priam stopped. "Is that a prophecy?" he worried.

He hated prophecies. Most were just self-fulfilling paths. Above all, he refused to have his destiny written in advance.

Sphinx shook her head. "Karma doesn't create prophecies. At least, I think so" She seemed to be searching for her words. "The karmic weight on his shoulders is immense. I think my bloodline inspired me?"

Sphinx didn't sound very sure. Priam scratched her head to reassure her. "Don't worry. If you knew everything, life would be dull."

If a mythological creature specializing in karma manipulation couldn't say more, Priam decided he wasn't the best person to dwell on it. Kazuki didn't seem to agree.

"What do you mean? Is my civilization in danger?"

Sphinx brushed the question aside with a sweep of her paw. "Perhaps. If so, there is only one solution."

"Which one?" Kazuki asked. All his attention was focused on Sphinx, and he didn't notice the bear struggling to emerge from the portal Sphinx had opened behind him.

"Become stronger!" Sphinx declared.

"..." Silence greeted her declaration before Kazuki respectfully nodded.

"A simple but eternal truth. Such is the path of the Hoplite. Thank you for reminding me."

Sphinx nodded solemnly, and Priam suppressed a smile. There was something amusing about seeing a hoplite over two meters tall seriously listening to the advice of a child sphinx. In one final groan, Blueberry slumped into the clearing, and Kazuki turned towards him.The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.

"You humans don't all look the same," he commented.

"What? He's not a human. Blueberry is a bear, Priam replied, before turning to the bear. "And he shouldn't be here. You were supposed to wait for my signal before crossing, he added in English.

Blueberry grumbled as he got up. "But Sphinx"

Is a child. Are you?

... Sorry.

Priam sighed. "What's done is done." He turned to Kazuki and switched to hoplite.

"Blueberry. A loyal friend."

Kazuki smiled. "Kazuki, Champion of the hoplites, pleased to meet y

A brief cry cut him off. Priam turned abruptly to the portal. Alain had just collapsed in front of the portal. A feeling of horror washed over Priam as he saw the old man convulsing, face down on the ground.

He teleported next to his father. Using [Kinetic Control], Priam lifted him and leaped toward Log-a-rhythm.

The tree inside had changed, but Priam paid no attention to it. "Log-a-rhythm, help him!"

A sort of bathtub formed in the ground, and clear liquid began to fill it. Anxious, Priam gently placed his father into it before forcing himself to breathe deeply.

His Domain covered the unconscious man and scanned him without resistance. It was a bad sign because the mind was supposed to resist this type of intrusion. [Human Anatomy] activated to assess the damage. Over the next few seconds, Priam's face turned pale.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed down. "Then there's only one solution. We have to remove the blood to relieve the brain."

"You are a doctor?" Kazuki asked.

"Not yet." Closing his eyes, Priam selected his rewards. Humanity had received ten skill points, and it was time to use them.

Lvl Up: [Human Anatomy] lvl 12

MEM +10

A surge of information reached his brain, and Priam welcomed it by unlocking his Potential. He would have only one chance and no possibility of turning back. Activating Micro and [Focus], Priam entered the zone.

His Domain scanned his father's brain, mapping the damaged area. His Vivacity monitored the changes and devised plans. [Kinetic Control] and [Moon Mist] activated to form ice scalpels. The silence was disturbed only by his father's breathing.

Two hundred ninety-nine. Three hundred.

"Let's do this," Priam decided.

The operation began.

A few kilometers from Log-a-rhythm, Esme sensed an opportunity. Her relationship with the First could evolve positively. If she could obtain a favor, the chances of her plan succeeding would increase. As her plan was directly linked to her survival, this was of great interest to her.

She hesitated only for a moment. Sacrificing Potential, she used one of her two legendary skills. [Spoilers].

Seconds later, she grimaced as she understood. The First's father had stumbled. Esme would have loved to see her father die of a stroke, but the First seemed to have a better relationship with his.

This was her moment. Esme didn't really manipulate luck. She manipulated probabilities.

Chaos.

"[Loaded dice]."

A hundred points of Potential went up in smoke. Closing her Grimoire, Esme set off again. She'd done what she could. You owe me one, First.

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 535 (+1)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 288

Dexterity 357

Memory 87 (+11)

Willpower 488 (+11)

Charisma 410

META:

Meta-affinity 252

Meta-focus 186

Meta-endurance 164

Meta-perception 77

Meta-chance 207

Meta-authority 12

Potential: 983 (+17)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: One Tribulation pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 179 days 22 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds.