Chapter 143: I want that. And that. I want it all!

Chapter 143: I want that. And that. I want it all!

"This is the second spot," declared Priam, absorbing his momentum. His bare foot landed on a broad maple leaf without even causing a tremor. Thanks to [Kinetic Control], he seemed to weigh no more than a shadow.

A large and heavy form crashed onto a nearby branch, causing a deafening crack. The tree and its red foliage trembled. A subtle entrance courtesy of Kazuki.

"I don't feel anything special," replied the hoplite at the controls of his mecha, jumping from the branch he had just broken.

Rolling his eyes, Priam joined him below. As he landed, he knelt to brush aside the carpet of dead leaves. Underneath lay a rich, dark soil.

"Seth's map didn't lie; the humus here is special," Priam declared.

"Hum, it's abnormally charged with aether."

Around them, towering maples created a forest in autumn colors. Some almost reached a hundred meters. Priam was reasonably sure that no earthly maple approached this size.

"The trees are twice as tall as anywhere else. Do you think this soil will accelerate the growth of Log-a-rhythm?" Kazuki asked, picking up some himself.

"It can't hurt, but the majority is for my world. If I want to use it properly, I have to fill the void. This will do. Then we can gather as many resources as possible before the event starts."

"Hmm..." The hoplite seemed annoyed. Kazuki had promised to help improve Log-a-rhythm, not dig holes for [Concepts Archipelago]. He's my rival, not my servant, Priam reminded himself with a grimace.

"I'll reserve a quarter for Log-a-rhythm anyway. Plus, I was thinking of taking a maple tree with us. Have you ever tasted maple syrup?"

A thin smile appeared on Kazuki's face. "I don't know this particular tree, but I get what you mean. My wife loves it so Ill select a tree for her."

"Then it's settled."

"You need at least fifty thousand cubic meters of soil, right? I hope you brought a big shovel."

"I have something much better than that," Priam smiled, summoning Promesse.

Faced with his companion's enigmatic smile, the hoplite raised an eyebrow.

Raising his spear, Priam used their connection to invoke his Domain around it. The sphere of authority materialized. Placing Promesse horizontally, he opened a portal to his internal world about ten centimeters above his spear. On the side of his world, the portal's exit was just under the floating island. Mentally, Priam locked the portal's position relative to Promesse. If the weapon moved, the portal would follow.

Manipulating [Kinetic Control] precisely, Priam levitated his spear just above the grass. The lower half of his sphere of authority now penetrated the ground. Thanks to his Supremacy, Priam felt every bit of soil, every root, every seed, every insect present in his sphere.

Priam took a deep breath. When he created his first skill, [Kinetic Control] had many limitations due to a lack of Potential. With each level, the skill had gradually overcome those limitations. His number of charges had exceeded five long ago. But one of the only limitations his skill had not overcome was contact with an object.

To move an object, Priam had to touch it. By placing his hand on the ground, he could only influence the soil in direct contact with his skin.

Domain changed that.

Priam used his kinetic skill to propel all the matter encompassed by his sphere of authority upward. In an instant, over a cubic meter of soil crossed the portal before crashing into the void of his world. Promesse began to descend into the ground, sucking up a large volume of humus with each moment.

It took less than three seconds for Priam to create a hole five meters deep - the equivalent of sixty-two cubic meters of soil. Reaching the indestructible rock after a few dozen meters, his spear stopped. Priam smiled, ordering a horizontal movement. It was much more practical than using a shovel.

"Call me Dyson," Priam declared, turning to Kazuki.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. It should be quick, an hour tops."

Kazuki nodded before pointing to the ground.

"I know why the soil is better here."

"Oh?" On Seth's map, the necromancer had only mentioned that the trees grew better in the vicinity. The strangest part was that no buried treasure explained it.

Kazuki opened his mechanical hand, revealing a handful of rich, black humus. "It is mixed with ashes. The homogeneous structure of the aether suggests a unique and colossal monster. Definitely a Tier 4 or 5."

According to Seth's map, the magical humus-rich area was supposed to be less than a hectare. Kazuki had declared the monster colossal, and it was an understatement.

"... One day, I'll defeat this kind of titan," Priam swore.

Kazuki nodded. "I hope so. Unless you die first due to hasty decisions."

Detecting a hint of reproach, Priam looked his rival in the eyes. "Did I make a mistake?"

"The girl with the scarred face, Muyri. You welcomed her into your internal world. I don't like the shazha status much, but you're taking a risk. She could be a spy."

For hoplites, a shazha was someone who had lost all honor and served the community through unpaid work. It was a status freely chosen, unlike that of a slave.

"She's not a shazha. Well, I suppose I owe you an explanation."

Priam sighed, heading towards a nearby maple. Summoning an ice blade, he cut into the trunk to harvest its sap. On Earth, the good season for that was at the end of winter, but the seasons in Elysium were certainly not the same.

Watching the clear liquid flow, Priam pondered. What could he tell Kazuki?

He had a hundred and seventy-six days before his new Tribulations. His quadruple Tribulation had ended less than a week ago, and he already had a new one scheduled. Realistically, he should soon stop leveling up his skills to avoid triggering too many Tribulations.

Was it possible? His family needed him. The Necromoon was coming soon, and Elysium was never without danger.

Above all, he had to keep improving to catch up with his rivals. Esme had told him that he wouldn't easily defeat her face-to-face. Maybe it was the truth, maybe it was a bluff. Either way, if the princess prepared an ambush several weeks in advance, his chances of survival were almost nil. Dishnu and Seth were monsters, and Arnold was the monster that scared other monsters.

I have to keep progressing.

To ward off Tribulations, Priam knew only one way: improve his race. Myuri was his ticket for that.

"Even if she was a spy, I would have taken her with me. I have no choice," he declared to Kazuki. "If it reassures you, I have a part of my consciousness watching her in this internal world."

It was a half-truth; [Priam's System] took care of that. It was Priam's concession to the young woman's privacy. He refused to be a voyeur and watch Muyri take her shower, but his add-on would monitor her every move.

"Maybe, but I would have appreciated it if you had consulted me first. We're rivals, but we're also partners, are we not?"

"... You're right. I've got into the bad habit of deciding on my own. It won't happen again."

Priam didn't apologize. Hoplite culture hadn't even invented the concept. For them, only actions counted.

"If she tries to communicate or trap my world, I'll see it and neutralize her," he assured.

"Strange choice of words," remarked the hoplite, cutting into another tree in turn. For him, the incident was over.

"Thats two," Priam smiled. "Let's move on, my loot is waiting."

The Elysian forest surprised Priam. The grove of maples quickly gave way to blue-tinted spruces. The temperature was the same, but the plant species were entirely different.

His earpiece vibrated.

"We're entering Skulc territory," said Kazuki.

"Skulcs? What are those?"

"Green humanoid creatures as intelligent as monkeys. I have a quest to annihilate them, and I think your goal is in their village."

"Oh?"

A quest meant rewards, and it was a chance to repay Kazuki for his help.

"I'm in."

Kazuki nodded before recalling his armor. Spear in hand, the hoplite began to advance slowly towards the heart of the forest. Seeing the precautions taken by the hoplite, Priam felt his heart accelerate. If his rival was this serious, it meant the prey could fight back.

A few minutes later, Kazuki stopped. He pointed to the ground, and Priam saw a trace. That was enough for the System.

Quest: The green menace

What's small, green, cruel, vicious, lustful, and fried?

A goblin cooked by a Skulc.

Exterminate the 548 Wild Skulcs.

Reward: Potential + 548.

Bonus: Kill the Shaman.

Reward: Fusion Token - Rare.

Bonus: Kill the Skull.

Reward: Skull Key

Difficulty: Hard

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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 399

Constitution 662

Agility 404

Vitality 538

Perception 584

MENTAL:

Vivacity 334 (+2)

Dexterity 432 (+3)

Memory 134

Willpower 648

Charisma 427

META:

Meta-affinity 336

Meta-focus 255 (+4)

Meta-endurance 185

Meta-perception 119

Meta-chance 216

Meta-authority 15

Potential: 570 (+3)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: Four Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 175 days 22 hours 14 minutes 45 seconds.