Chapter 185: Sun Steel Body

Chapter 185: Sun Steel Body

In the void that cradled his soul before each resurrection, Priam grimaced. He had felt it wither as his body exploded. [Tenacious Spirit] hadn't even had time to activate before his soul flickered out.

[Homo Elysian Obsession] had its perks, but that was its major drawback. When his body took damage, so did his soul.

"I wonder if I can fix this," Priam's soul murmured before assessing his gains.

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

Number of deaths: 19

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

STR +15

CONST +11

META(END) +13

[Pyro - Concept] - Natural Affinity +3% (63%)

Lvl Up: [Hemorrhage Resistance] lvl 20

VIT +1

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

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

[Hemorrhage Resilience - Rare] - You've endured numerous internal and external hemorrhages. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 10

Not even a high upgrade? No way.

...Decision postponed.

Lvl Up: [Perforation Resistance] lvl 20

CONST +1

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

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

[Perforation Resilience - Rare] - Various weapons and magical attacks have pierced you. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 10

[Kevlar Tissue - Rare] - Your organs have all been simultaneously penetrated by shards of your own bones. Impressive. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 20

You have selected the skill [Kevlar Tissue - Rare].

POT -20

[Kevlar Tissue] - To better withstand perforation and penetration, the tissues of your organism evolve. The establishment of a new molecular structure, along with the strategic rearrangement of fibers in your body, allows them to gain flexibility.

You dont fear bullets; bullets fear you.

CONST +3

Lvl Up: [Erosion Resistance] lvl 40

META (END) +3

[Erosion Resistance] has reached level 40, its maximum level as a rare skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available:

[Erosion Resistance - Epic] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5

[Strong Meridians - Epic] - Your meridians have been damaged and regenerated many times. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 80

[Meridians Resilience - Epic] - You've blown up one of your main meridians and are still alive. Impressive. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 160

It's a resistance too important to miss out on an ideal upgrade.

...Decision postponed.

Lvl Up: [Battle Flow] lvl 17, 18

PERC +2

DEXT +4

Lvl Up: [Priams System] lvl 2

MEM +3

VIVA +3

META(Authority) + 3

Lvl Up: [Necromoon Resistance] lvl 6, 7, 8

VIT +9

WILL +9

META(END) +9

Lvl Up: [Spirit resistance] lvl 19

WILL +3

[Star Iron Body - Rare] has reached level 40, its maximum level as a rare skill.

Prerequisites met:

- Plunge into a chaotic space

- Draconic Scales

- Homo Elysian Obsession

- Pyro Concept

- Crushed by a Tier 3

Ideal Upgrade unlocked:

[Sun Steel Body - Epic] - Steel forged in the heart of a shining sun once reinforced the scales of a young dragon. Ideal upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 320

I wonder how normal people manage to unlock ideal upgrades... I guess they die trying.

You have selected the skill [Sun Steel Body - Epic].

POT -320

[Sun Steel Body - Epic] - Crushed by dimensional currents, crushed by a giant, your scales mixed with your flesh. The heat from Pyro melted them, and your legendary Obsession integrated them into your body. Its aethereal structure evolves to forge an ideal material. Your physique passively shares the resistance of your scales. Improving one improves the other.

This resistance should tip the scales in your favor.

Priam and his system had concluded that his rival was a dangerous opponent when she set the rules and rather weak when caught off guard. Clearly, she had anticipated this event.

That didn't bother Priam much. The first prize was undoubtedly better, but a wyrm with an affinity for the moon was great when he had to upgrade [Moon Mist] and control Hecates New Moon.

The vegetal cocoon closed completely around the giant, and Priam looked up at Dishnu. With giant strides, the treant was quickly approaching. Up close, the Dryad's combat form was terrifying. His body was an assembly of half-necrotic trunks, roots, and branches. His eyes were two red dots piercing cracked bark and burning with intense hatred.

Priam was ready to merge with his mist at the first sign of hostility. Dishnu had always seemed peaceful, but it was clear that he wasn't entirely himself. Without extra life and unable to use any active skills, Priam preferred not to take any risks.

With a crack, the treant's torso opened to let out the Dryad. Casting a saddened look at the chrysalis containing the skeleton, he turned to Priam.

I thought I would have to take care of Log-a-rhythm after your death...

Sorry for surviving. Are you trying to convert the corrupted? Priam asked, looking at the vegetal cocoon.

Dishnu shook his head. Unfortunately, it's impossible. His heart contains a Necro Concept fragment too pure to erode. I just bought us some time to escape.

Escape? I'm not sure he's ready to fight anytime soon.

He can absorb the corrupted to regenerate. In a few minutes, he'll have regained his strength and will know our techniques.

To think Arnold managed to kill one of those monsters alone

Dishnu remained silent for a moment before looking towards the horizon. This kind of event is not his specialty, but he would have had no trouble taking second place. I think his victory cost him dearly.

I like that theory, so I'll believe it. Would you mind dropping me off at my base? Priam asked without shame. Without his most powerful abilities, he saw no point in unnecessarily endangering himself.

The Dryad gave him a look that Priam couldn't decipher.

I suppose I could go check on Log-a-rhythm... he finally replied. Priam grunted.

An egg half a meter tall sat on a wooden pedestal. Inside Log-a-rhythm, Priam grimaced from pain that Micro couldn't silence. His shattered meridians poisoned his body with impure aether. His spiritual body was eroding; he had no more than two days to live.

No cause for concern for him, who was observing the Holy Guardian he had just summoned. The first level had been almost free, but the subsequent ones became expensive.

Holy Guardian I (5 000 points) - Transforms a blueprint into a Guardian. Capable of detecting intruders, it defends your territories.

Properties: Immune to the Necro curse. Resistant to the Necro Concept. Cannot leave your Territory. ACQUIRED

Holy Guardian IV (50,000 points) - Develops the power of your Holy Guardian and grants it the potential of a Marquess. Only a High Tribulation can improve your Holy Guardian's Soul Tier.

Properties: Immune to the Necro curse. Resistant to the Necro Concept. Cannot leave your Territory. Development speed x4. Number of available resurrections: 4. Natural affinity (Moon): 90% (50% (base) + 40%). ACQUIRED

Developing his wyrm's power had cost Priam ninety thousand points. It was expensive, but it would be profitable if the creature quickly reached its adult power. It would hatch in a few days if Priam didn't find another use for it sooner.

[Detection of a high-quality trophy. Creating a gate using this trophy is recommended.]

Priam knew he couldn't sacrifice one of his pets to complete Heavenly Dragon. However, as long as the egg hadn't hatched, it was fair game.

"Might as well wait," he decided.

Priam could buy a Mist Wyrm egg for a little over a quarter of a million Sun points. Before completing Heavenly Dragon, he still needed to upgrade [Aether Perception] and [Aether Manipulation] to Epic rank. In the meantime, he would let this egg grow.

As he prepared to leave the secret room, Priam's draconic instinct stopped him. A Moon Wyrm... Opening a passage to his internal world, Priam placed the egg at the bottom of the central pond. It was directly connected to his soul, and he invoked his own [Moon Mist].

A fog appeared, camouflaging and incubating the egg. Priam smiled as he left Log-a-rhythm.

He found Jasmine at the top of Log-a-rhythm. The assassin swung on a flexible branch, twenty meters above the ground.

Have you made up your mind? Priam asked.

Yeah, I would like you to transform me into Homo Elysian a second after the beginning of my Tribulations.

Priam nodded. Jasmine had decided to attempt a quadruple Tribulation. The ordeal would start in a few hours, and resetting her race would have turned a quadruple Tribulation into a double, increasing her chances of survival but reducing her potential.

Jasmine had chosen servitude over death by accepting their pact, but that didn't mean she was cowardly. The assassin was afraid of death, but she was even more fearful of powerlessness. Without Priam's guarantees, she would never have accepted her soul leash.

Did you buy a Hydra Pill?

Capable of reforming the body in moments, this pill was essential for changing race without suffering from genetic incompatibility issues in the middle of a Tribulation.

Jasmine nodded. I'm ready. Mirscella is still in the Tribulations Chamber?

Priam grimaced. Yes, but I don't sense anything except her breathing and heartbeat. She must be asleep, so you can start whenever you want.

Jasmine nodded. I bought everything I wanted. No reason to wait any longer.

As you wish, Priam replied, opening a passage to the Tribulations Chamber.

Status:

PHYSICAL:

Strength 489 (+25)

Constitution 856 (+29)

Agility 473 (+3)

Vitality 765 (+16)

Perception 685 (+2)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 421 (+5)

Dexterity 538 (+21)

Memory 318 (+4)

Willpower 925 (+16)

Charisma 585

META:

Meta-affinity 418 (+3)

Meta-focus 350 (+8)

Meta-endurance 296 (+34)

Meta-perception 204 (+3)

Meta-chance 230

Meta-authority 30 (+6)

Potential: 1940 (-288)

Tier 0

Sun points: 53 122 (-59 342)

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 13 hours 10 minutes 16 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 166 days 13 hours 43 minutes 9 seconds.

Next thresholds: 6 attributes > 600 / 3 attributes > 900/ 1 attribute > 1 200