Chapter 136: The Slave, the Princess and the Madman

Chapter 136: The Slave, the Princess and the Madman

Esmes grimoire trembled. The princess, her hands covered in soapy water, mentally connected to it. A moment later, she froze.

The Corrupted was heading towards the First. The Hoplite was also present. Three out of the ten rivals would soon be united. The Corrupted would undoubtedly be hostile, and a fight would draw the attention of the others.

This opened up possibilities she had to seize. After all, an [Author]'s job was to use every possible element to craft a story... a bloody one.

Preferably with her brother in the role of the sacrifice.

"Hurry up!" an impatient voice exclaimed.

Esme raised her head. Across from her, Muyri vigorously scrubbed the plates of the Crown Prince's guards.

"You seem almost happy to be doing the dishes for your master's men."

"I'll be most happy not to be whipped. Not all of us are princesses."

The slave was not wrong. Even among women, some were treated better than others. As evidenced by the scarred face of Muyri, one could always fall lower.

"They won't whip you," Esme assured. "The smell of blood could attract beasts."

The prince and his guard had set up a camp near a stream. The nearby trees had been young enough to be cut down, and the monsters were relatively weak. Meaning they had only killed three out of the nine guards in just under two days.

"They'll find something else. The Prince is more inventive than his brothers," murmured the slave. She, who had served all her life in the Royal Palace, knew as much.

Esme shook her head as she resumed polishing a knife. She needed to finish the dishes quickly to take action. However, one thing still troubled her.

"I don't understand why my brother chose to bring a slave instead of a warrior."

The brother had been able to keep ten people close to him, and he had chosen nine champions and a jack-of-all-trades woman. A strange noise made Esme look up. Muyri was laughing. She had never heard the slave laugh.

Esme felt anger wash over her. How dare this slave mock her?

"Why are you laughing?" she spat.

"Because it's obvious," Muyri replied with a cold smile. "And its funny how you would have preferred a tenth guard. You think you're better than me, so you hate it when reality reminds you that we are both washing dishes. You can't stand men looking down on you, but you do the same to me."

Esme almost retorted that she had a plan. That she didn't intend to be submissive for the rest of her life. In her thoughts, she killed her brother every night!

She fell silent. If they heard her, she would die. After a few seconds of silence, she responded.

"Do you think my double standard is ridiculous?" Esme asked. "It might be true. I despise you. I despise all the women of the Empire. For three thousand years of oppression, none have fought. Because of half of my ancestors, I have to obey my brother, my father, and all the others."

Muyri looked up at the princess with cold eyes.

"You think no one has fought? Men write history, Your Highness. You're not the first princess to want to eliminate a moronic brother."

Upon hearing those words, Esme's heart raced. Was it true? It might explain many things. However, she refrained from responding. Muyri was treading on dangerous ground, and there was no indication that she was an ally. Esme had been betrayed too many times to confide easily.

"You still haven't told me why my brother chose you over a guard."

The silence lasted almost a minute before Muyri replied.

"Because he's not just foolish, he's also lecherous."

Congratulations, you've unlocked Micro - Stage 1.

[Supremacy - Micro] - Micro allows the user to control his body down to the smallest detail. Operating in Stages, Micro is used in every Universe.

You've successfully influenced your body using Micro - Stage 0.

You've succeeded in creating a resonance between your mind and Micro. You now have a better understanding of this Supremacy - Stage 1.

Current stage: 1 - Micro Imprinted

Old Bonus: PERC +5 / DEX +10 / VIVA +10 / WILL +5

New Bonus: PERC +10 / DEX +20 / VIVA +10 / WILL +20

Good news never came alone.

Your draconic heart becomes more compatible with your body.

Bonus: Micro +5% > Micro +15%

New compatibility assessed at 79%.

[Tribulation Wyvern Heart - Silver(Gold)] The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñøv€l-B1n.

The Dragons' first gift is an innate instinct for destruction and creation. [Instinct Draconique].

The Dragons second gift... Delayed until compatibility exceeds 90%.

VIT +20% (30%)

Attribute evolution... Delayed until compatibility reaches 100%

Just a little over ten percent left for my heart... No Achievement for Micro? Too bad, but understandable.

From what Priam gathered, an Achievement was often tied to being one of the first to accomplish a particular feat. Micro I had undoubtedly been achieved by many grandmasters already. Ill get it for stage 2!

Priam tried to smile as he reread his notification. After transcending his limits and facing death head-on, he had successfully accessed Micro I. His mind now communicated directly with the Supremacy, bypassing his brain. With a single thought, he could clearly feel every nerve in his body.

Nerves that all sent him the same message: pain.

"Are you okay?" Sphinx asked, concern in her voice.

He hadn't even felt his friend approaching. Priam, slumped against Log-a-rhythm, tried to articulate a response but was unsuccessful. Feels like Blueberry slept on me...

Without a telepathic link, she didn't hear his response. But his tree did. Log-a-rhythm's artificial consciousness asked him if he wanted to be moved into a bath of regenerative sap. Priam hesitated. Moving an injured person was a delicate matter that could worsen his condition. What state am I exactly in?

Hyshana was often right. Kazuki's pride forced him to face the truth: he felt respect for Priam. Maybe they were on the verge of becoming friends?

"I hope you'll make it..."

A loud noise snapped him out of his thoughts. Kazuki sprang to his feet and turned toward the forest.

Boom!

Something was attacking the barrier! Without a moment's hesitation, the hoplite began to run.

"Take refuge in Log-a-rhythm!" he shouted to the others before entering the forest.

Log-a-rhythm's influence was still weak, and its domain was limited. Ten meters into the forest, the hoplite detected the intruder.

Standing at a towering two and a half meters, with intensely black hair and piercing red eyes, the stranger was skeletal. His clothes were torn but still concealed his body. A dark, cursed aura surrounded him while he was delivering powerful blows to the barrier protecting the camp.

Looking at him, Kazuki's corrupted wound began to throb.

[Multi-Analysis]

[Seth - Tier 0] - A dead rival.

The NecroMoon had already converted one of them.

Upon spotting him, the individual - Seth - stopped.

"When I knock on the door, it's rare for someone to answer," he chuckled, his voice hoarse. The hairs on the hoplite's neck stood on end upon hearing the unknown yet understandable language.

"I'm sorry a warrior has fallen so far from his world. Let me grant you rest," Kazuki responded in the hoplite tongue.

"Rest? After the trouble I've gone through to survive? I dont think so."

Kazuki furrowed his brow. "Is your corruption voluntary?"

Seth's red eyes gleamed, and he growled. "Let's just say it was a way to survive after a certain homunculus vaporized half of my body."

He fought another rival, Kazuki realized.

"What do you want?"

"Me?" Seth burst into insane laughter. "Just to convert you," the madman grinned.

Kazuki smiled back. Seth was a threat, and he knew how to respond to threats.

Summoning his lance and Mecha, the hoplite Champion took a defensive stance.

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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 398

Constitution 646

Agility 404

Vitality 511

Perception 582 (+8)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 322

Dexterity 422 (+10)

Memory 127

Willpower 620 (+21)

Charisma 418

META:

Meta-affinity 326

Meta-focus 241

Meta-endurance 173

Meta-perception 107

Meta-chance 216

Meta-authority 12

Potential: 805 (+2)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: Four Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 176 days 14 hours 23 minutes 16 seconds.