Chapter 116: A Piece of his Mind

Chapter 116: A Piece of his Mind

Lvl Up: [Divination Resistance] lvl 14,15,16

META (AFFI) +9

Lvl up: [Consequence Resistance] lvl 11

CHAR +3

META (Chance) +6

A massive surge of Potential flooded [Focus], and Priam deactivated [Frozen Meditation]. [Emotional Discipline] operated in the background without him needing to pay it any mind. In the zone, Priam's focus was absolute.

He commanded Log-a-rhythm to immobilize the patient. The bottom of the bathtub shook before beginning to cover his father's body, leaving only part of his head sticking out. Neat.

His father wouldn't risk injuring himself by struggling even without anesthesia.

In his right hand, Priam held an ice scalpel. Part of his mind was focused on [Kinetic Control]. He couldn't let the scalpel's temperature affect his father's warmth. So, the surgical tool was cooled while the molecules it came into contact with retained their agitation.

This dual application of his skill would have been impossible just a few days ago, but now such maneuvers were not only achievable but also profitable.

Lvl Up: [Kinetic Control] lvl 36

VIVA +2

DEXT +3

META (FOCUS) +4

Taking one last deep breath, Priam carefully incised the scalp for less than a centimeter. He didn't need more. Thanks to his exceptional dexterity, his hand didn't tremble for an instant. [Moon Mist] and [Kinetic Control] fashioned a drill bit of ice to pierce the skull. Priam had no intention of performing a conventional operation.

POT -3

With robotic precision, Domain took control of the drill and brought it closer to the bone. [Kinetic Control] enforced a rapid rotation on the tool. After a split second of thought, Priam added the aether weave needed to use [Tribulation Piercing Spear]. The main feature of this skill was its impressive penetration ability. He didn't want to traumatize his father's cranial bone, only to make a hole.

Lvl Up: [Human Anatomy] lvl 13

MEM +1

Three strands of aether wound around the drill before it touched the bone. In less than a second, a five-millimeter burr hole had been drilled into the skull. Satisfied, Priam withdrew the drill, which turned into mist.

Lvl Up: [Tribulation Piercing Spear] lvl 9

STR +1

AGI +1

DEXT +1

POT -3

Using his Domain, he continuously monitored the hemorrhage. The operation aimed to drain the blood, allowing his father to naturally repair the ruptured blood vessel. Blood was flowing from this artery, accumulating in the brain. Ultimately, this could compress the organ and cause severe damage.

Death awaited at the end of this path. Priam wasn't about to let it take his father.

Now that an exit existed, his Domain seized the blood bubble swelling in his father's brain. With delicate use of [Kinetic Control], he separated it from the damaged artery. The next part of the operation was the most delicate.

Before evacuating it, the blood vessel needed to be restored. Without this, the blood evacuated would be replaced. Priam had no desire to empty a leaking ship.

Repairing the artery had no simple solution. If the vessel had been outside the brain, Priam could have cauterized it with [Kinetic Control]. Unfortunately, its location was too perilous. Hesitating for a moment, Priam thought of [Aether Manipulation]. It was a temporary solution - without surveillance, the aether would dissipate quickly - but it was precisely what he needed.

Less than a millimeter from the accident, an almost invisible thread of aether appeared. Most of his skills were summonable where his Domain held authority. That was the power of this Supremacy.

Mentally, Priam used the aether thread to suture the vessel. The line was too fine to hold the wound alone.

Lvl Up: [Aether Manipulation] lvl 13

META (PERC) +1

META (AFFI) +1

META (FOCUS) +1

Lvl Up: [Human Anatomy] lvl 14

MEM +1

Priam's mind split in two. The human wasn't a creature who could master parallel thinking perfectly, but his attributes allowed him to emulate this capacity. Part of his consciousness focused on freezing the outside of the sutured vessel with [Kinetic Control]. The important thing was to prevent the blood flow from bursting the suture.

If all went well, his father's vitality and [Humanity Adapts] would heal the tiny wound in a matter of minutes.

The second half of his consciousness focused on evacuating the blood. He wouldn't leave a dried clot in his father's brain. Unfortunately, the lump was too large to be removed in one piece.

Mentally, Priam selected a tenth of the blood bubble and concentrated on [Kinetic Control]. The goal was to move the liquid slowly, guiding it between the meninges and expelling it through the burr hole.

Slowly, Priam channeled a fraction of his kinetic energy to unlock the blood. He had never before had to manipulate such a small quantity of energy. Usually, he preferred using destructive amounts of energy. Here, that wasn't possible.

Intensely focused, Priam monitored the operation through his sphere of authority. A small bubble separated from the large blood bubble and began its journey through the human brain.

"And what if you were dead, huh?" he asked. Alain, asleep, didn't answer.

Would the System have offered him a quest to resurrect a soul? Probably. However, the Concepts would have chosen a nearly impossible quest. It was simply the law of supply and demand. Priam was fairly certain Anatole had struck a deal with the Depths to resurrect his daughter. It had still cost him his life.

[Human Anatomy] sent him new information. According to the latest scan from his Domain, his father's artery was nearly healed. Priam stood up; he needed some fresh air.

Turning around one last time, he cast a gaze full of love at his father.

"I love you, Dad. But you'll have to follow my rules."

It also applied to Sphinx. Elysium wasn't a game.

As Priam stepped through the portal leading to the meadow, the damaged artery finally restored itself.

Title gained!

[Doctor - Bronze] - You have assisted in the healing of a patient using deep knowledge. Your involvement was crucial. Using aether, you operated and innovated, adding to the sum of this Universe's knowledge.

Above all, you saved a life. You can be proud of yourself. Now, you know the drill.

Some young nobles kill many patients before earning this Title...

New skill unlocked: [Diagnostic].

MEM +10%

[Diagnostic - Common] - Allows you to scan other living beings. Analyzing this scan provides you with information about your target's health.

PERC +1

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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 320 (+2)

Constitution 451

Agility 309 (+1)

Vitality 469 (+3)

Perception 538 (+3)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 294 (+6)

Dexterity 365 (+8)

Memory 99 (+12)

Willpower 488

Charisma 414 (+4)

META:

Meta-affinity 262 (+10)

Meta-focus 213 (+27)

Meta-endurance 165 (+1)

Meta-perception 81 (+1)

Meta-chance 213 (+6)

Meta-authority 12

Potential: 1003 (+20)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 179 days 22 hours 55 minutes 48 seconds.