Chapter 160: Hatched Phoenix

Chapter 160: Hatched Phoenix

Congratulations, you are dead! Your Talent [He Who Eludes Death] brings you back to life once a day.

Number of deaths: 17

Synergy detected with your talent [High Human adaptation] and your Titles [Three-Headed Hydra] and [Weathered]. Your body and spirit are rebuilt and will be more resistant to what killed them:

VIT +6

CONST +8

Lvl Up: [Asphyxia Resistance] lvl 12,13

VIT +4

META (END) +2

Lvl Up: [Infantile Phoenix Metabolism] lvl 31,32,33

VIT +6

CONST +3

Lvl Up: [Light Resistance] lvl 16,17,18,19,20

CONST +5

[Light Resistance] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available:

[Great Light Resistance - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5

[LASER Resistance - Rare] - You tanked a Wyvern's Breath. Stupi Impressive. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 10

[Solar Resistance - Rare] - Sunlight got the best of you before you developed skin cancer. Impressive. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 20

POT -20

You've chosen [Solar Resistance - Rare].

[Solar Resistance] - Life and energy provider, symbol of hope and divinity, humanity has always worshiped the Sun. Its light has many benefits, but don't overdo it. Like Icarus, you've burned your wings.

Your DNA is now fortified against UV radiation. Your cells resist skin tumor growth. Your Domain can absorb part of the received light, transforming it into aether.

This skill almost got named Sunscreen.

CONST +2

VIT +1

New Concept!

[Fire - Concept] - You have touched on a Tier 0 Concept.

Destroyer, Creator, Liberator.

Affinity - Your connection now lets you grasp certain truths about Fire and manipulate it.

Bloodlines:

Phoenix - 1% - awakened (T1) NEW.

Dragon -

Title upgraded: [Infantile Phoenix - Silver] becomes [Hatched Phoenix - Gold]!

[Hatched Phoenix - Gold] - The phoenix within you has hatched. Its brilliance shines bright, and its flames are already trying to conquer the world. Burning Yggdrasil, boiling the seas, and replacing the sun, that's the Phoenix's path.

You control most T0 fires. Flames naturally temper you. Being on the verge of death has a minor chance of triggering Nirvana. It's time to spread your wings. Will you survive?

(Of course you'll survive, you cheating scoundrel.)

VIT +30%

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 10 hours 35 minutes 38 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 174 days 11 hours 38 minutes 51 seconds.

A couple of minutes later, Priam came back to his senses. He was lying near the central pond of his world, under the branches of the young magical birch. Blinking, he leaned against the tree trunk, smiling as he read through his notifications. He felt invigorated.

"I guess that's normal considering my newfound vitality. I feel like I could lift a mountain."

By now, Priam was accustomed to attribute increases, but his vitality had surged by more than ten percent. Such a significant boost made him feel remarkably awake. I haven't felt this way since I discovered coffee in college.

Alongside his improved form, Priam experienced a strange sensation. Something in him has changed.

This certainty puzzled him. Closing his eyes again, he focused his perception inward, exploring himself. A myriad of sensations greeted him.

He heard the blood pulsing in his veins and the air filling his lungs. He sensed a slight ambient humidity, the precursor to mist. He discerned the currents of aether escaping from the siphon, increasing the ambient density of his world. He felt the faint tremors of the ground caused by Louis's Tribulations.

"Don't interrupt me," the phoenix snarled. "More than fifty percent pure. Upon our death, we can choose to trigger a Nirvana. It's a sort of test of consciousness. If successful, in addition to our resurrection, our soul is elevated, enhanced, and baptized. One of the side effects is increasing the purity of our bloodline."

Priam's breath quickened. "Does this soul elevation make it apocryphal?"

"Of course not; I just told you that the soul is baptized. Although it doesn't involve the Seven Concepts, the Nirvana is a kind of High Tribulation unique to phoenixes. It allows a few chosen ones to possess a soul more powerful than their Tier suggests. That's why we are so feared," explained the phoenix with pride.

An idea began to germinate in Priam's mind. The System considered his soul apocryphal. He was almost certain that his repeated resurrections strengthened his soul.

[Soul density since Assistant creation: +3%]

This impression was confirmed by his add-on. The problem was that the System perceived this increase in density as an error. For now, Priam wasn't worried, but more deaths could lead to more dramatic consequences. Yet, Priam currently had no desire to reach Tier 1. But Nirvana could solve my problems!

"How do you trigger a Nirvana?" he asked.

"First step: die," the phoenix replied naturally. "Second step: reduce your body to ashes. Third step: accept the nirvanic judgment."

Seeing Priam's lost look, the phoenix added, "You just need to want to attempt a Nirvana. Your bloodline will connect you to the birth world of our Primogenitors, and you will be tested."

"Oh, so youre aliens, too?" Priam asked. The news surprised him.

"There is only one native race in this universe; all others have been imported. But let's stay focused: if you want to increase the purity of your bloodline, Nirvana is the key."

"It sounds simple. What's the catch?"

The phoenix blinked for a few seconds before trembling. Finally, it couldn't contain its hilarity and burst into laughter. Priam watched the scene with wide eyes. Where had the majestic presence of the Prince gone? Tumbling through the air, the bird took almost ten seconds before managing to respond.

"The catch is that by accepting a Nirvana, a phoenix gives up a regular resurrection. If we fail, our death is final. You understand why few of us attempt the experience," it chuckled.

"Death doesn't scare me," smiled Priam.

The phoenix stayed silent for a moment before sighing. "Thats why my corrupted self would do anything to obtain your power. It's like a cheat."

I guess this bloodline synergizes well with my Talent.

"Indeed," the bird continued, "Speaking about synergy, would you tell me why you haven't invested your Merit points yet?"

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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 420

Constitution 764 (+21)

Agility 432

Vitality 645 (+67)

Perception 652

MENTAL:

Vivacity 359

Dexterity 453

Memory 185

Willpower 706

Charisma 456

META:

Meta-affinity 408

Meta-focus 284

Meta-endurance 210 (+2)

Meta-perception 170

Meta-chance 219

Meta-authority 15

Potential: 1089 (-3)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 10 hours 27 minutes 17 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 174 days 11 hours 30 minutes 30 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 1 attribute > 800