Chapter 189: Hot-Blooded, Cold-Blooded, Bloodless

Chapter 189: Hot-Blooded, Cold-Blooded, Bloodless

Lvl Up: [Shadow Boxing] lvl 12, 13, 14

STR +3

AGI +3

DEXT +3

Lvl Up: [Matrix Dodge] lvl 5, 6, 7

AGI +6

DEXT +3

Lvl Up: [Battle Footwork] lvl 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

AGI +10

DEXT +5

Lvl Up: [Battle Flow] lvl 17

PERC +1

DEXT +2

Lvl Up: [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 17, 18

STR +6

Lvl Up: [Spear Slash] lvl 20

STR +1

[Spear Slash] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available:Updated from n0velbIn.(c)o/m

[Great Spear Slash - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5

[Many Slashes - Rare] - You mastered several slash variations. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 10

[Hoplite Slash - Rare] - Your body and mind have assimilated the Hoplite expertise of the spear. Impressive. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 20

You have selected the skill [Hoplite Slash - Rare].

POT -20

[Hoplite Slash] - For millennia, hoplites have refined the Art of War. Many of them have reached Mastery in their weapon of choice: the Spear. This ancestral knowledge has been passed down and purified over the years to create a devastating style. By observing the greatest contemporary hoplite masters, you have captured the essence of an ever-changing form: the Hoplite Slash.

Don't confuse a duel with a battle.

STR +3

Lvl Up: [Osmosis] lvl 6

PHY +1

META (AFFI) +4

Agility exceeds 500 points. First milestone reached. Congratulations!

Strength exceeds 500 points. First milestone reached. Congratulations!

Drawing from the knowledge offered by his skills, Priam moved his body with agility. Dodging a thrust with a step to the right, he spotted an opening but chose to step back. The next moment, his opponent turned the frontal movement into a lateral strike. If Priam had attempted to counter, Shadow-Hyshana's sword would have disemboweled him.

Lvl Up: [Battle Flow] lvl 18

PERC +1

DEXT +2

This was followed by a devastating combo that forced Priam to give up even more ground. Listening to [Battle Footwork], Priam used quick but sure steps to stay out of reach of the enemy's blade.

Priam could have easily won a fight against the real Hyshana, but the shadow hoplite possessed his attributes. Without a Concept or active skill, Priam was overwhelmed by his opponent's style. It was the best way to feel the technical gap between him and Hyshana. The gap created by Mastery.

For now, Priam was outmatched... Yet his determination and racial Talent aided him in adapting.

After ten minutes of torture, the shadow changed, taking the form of Louis. Taking advantage of the brief respite offered by the transformation, Priam launched into a deadly combo that the illusion of the old man avoided effortlessly. Body Mastery and Micro made it as agile as an eel. The shadow played with Promesse, waiting for the right moment to counter.

The two opponents danced for several seconds, advancing and retreating, turning around each other in a deadly waltz.

Priam smiled, overclocking his muscles one by one, using his attributes to their maximum. The strength and agility milestones had altered his body, allowing his muscles to summon more strength and injecting more flexibility into his tendons. His body was now capable of withstanding more violent efforts. However, unlike a quantitative increase in his constitution, the strength and agility thresholds qualitatively reinforced his tissues.

The improvement was useful for any user, but Micro owners had a particular use for it.

Previously, Priam had to be careful with each overclock. Most of the time, he used a series of micro-overclocks to speed up at key moments in a fight. Overclocks that were too long or intense tore his muscles and tendons or damaged his joints. Only his bones could withstand the repercussions thanks to the first constitution threshold.

Now, more extreme overclocks were possible. The first physical thresholds complemented Micro, and Priam was sure it wasn't a coincidence. The System - or perhaps the laws of all Universes - tended to create a path that led each organism to a peak of power where each improvement complemented the others. The Zenith.

Breathing heavily, Priam felt fatigue accumulating. Using Micro and overclocks so freely depleted even his titanic endurance reserves. Pushing Louis's shadow into a corner of the room, he pressed his advantage before delivering the final blow.

Overclocking the most powerful muscles in his body, Priam focused on the knowledge brought by his latest skill. [Hoplite Slash] showed him the way, guiding Promesse in a perfect arc that sliced through the air with crushing intensity. Pressure built up in his body before exploding into an irresistible attack.

For a moment, the movement transcended the possible, opening an eternal door.

Lvl Up: [Hoplite Slash] lvl 2, 3

STR +6

The blow sliced through the air without touching Louis. The shadow must have used its Supremacies and a movement skill to avoid being cut. Despite the power of the attack, Shadow-Louis had evaded. It was inconsequential; Priam had felt the Mastery. It still eluded him, but he already felt closer to his weapon. The first time was always the hardest; now that the door was ajar.

Under the speed of the attack, a gust arose in the training room. Shadow-Louis leaped, ready to counter as Priam braced himself, grimacing. In the heat of exhilaration, he had forgotten to analyze the sound waves and air movements in his Domain. In a real fight, such errors could have cost him dearly.

Promesse barely parried the shadow's first attack, but its foot struck Priam's lower abdomen. Game over.

Priam canceled the shadow before sitting on the floor, letting the tension leave his body. When Louis used his Body Mastery and Micro, Priam stood no chance. The shadow's movements became lightning-fast, and its attacks exquisite. His two Supremacies supported each other, allowing Louis to briefly triple or quadruple his attributes.

It didn't matter; Priam wasn't there to win. He was there to lose, to reveal and patch his weaknesses, and to observe the movements of a master. It was already paying off, as evidenced by the upgrade of [Spear Slash].

All hoplites learned spear handling from a tender age. Some, like Hyshana, developed a preference for the sword, yet none forgot the weapon that had forged them into warriors. Priam had faced every hoplite for hours, analyzing their movements and imitating their forms.

Every soldier who came to Elysium was a master and a prodigy. All had trained since birth and were heirs to an ancient martial art. Each master had developed their own style, so there were as many variations as there were hoplites. But by facing them, by analyzing their technique and forms, Priam had discovered a common foundation. A pure and stable core on which their spear expertise rested.

A normal human would have taken years to integrate hoplite knowledge, to glimpse the martial truth in the different movements. Priam had taken a few hours. It was, of course, due to his great vivacity and his system capable of dissecting the trajectory, shape, and tempo of hoplite attacks, but also thanks to his Supremacies.

Micro gave Priam almost perfect control over his body and increased his coordination and affinity. Domain allowed him to observe the execution of his movement, making sure it was ideal.

All his advantages synergized to allow Priam to progress at a terrifying speed.

When he will unlock Mastery, the last Supremacy will enhance his natural talent, synergizing with his other Supremacies to complete his build.

[[Spear Grappling] should unlock Spear Mastery I.]

Priam agreed with his add-on. The last spear skill that would complete his set was based on grappling. In other words, the spear shaft would be used to trip an enemy, redirect an attack, or even strike after a wide-ranging slash.

There were, however, two problems with acquiring the skill.

CONST +3

META (Endurance) +3

META (Authority) +3

Title won!

[Bloodless - Bronze] - You have survived after losing your blood. Your body adapts and discovers another vital fluid. The aether flowing in your meridians gradually permeates your body.

This is the first step on a mythic path. On the ground, you see a dragon's footprints.

You have a little blood left. On your hands.

VIT +10%

[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 165 days 23 hours 52 minutes 17 seconds.

"The wolf leaves his den."

"I was hungry," Priam replied, smiling at his rival. "The Auctions?"

"Will get us out of the Stone Age," Kazuki completed. "Your father found reagents capable of reinforcing the stone, allowing Rose to create more powerful runes. They've started upgrading the rampart to rank II, and we plan to buy rank III soon."

It only took a glance at Priam to understand why. The trees lining the clearing were in a pathetic state. It didn't seem to bother Blueberry, who was tending to a barbecue. The aroma tickled Priam's nostrils. The bear must have found spices at the Auctions.

"Was there an attack?" Judging by the Sun points Priam had passively earned during his retreat, tens of thousands of corrupted beings had met their demise.

"A big one. We spent all our points to buy bio-traps, and it barely sufficed. I was close to calling you for backup. By the way, Louis is sure he spotted the Necro Envoy watching the battle." Kazuki shrugged. "I don't know if he's right, but it's likely."

Priam grimaced. "I see. No casualties?"

"Our ammunition reserves bled, but not our men."

"Good. I'm not sure if it's the best timing for you, but do you have time for a duel?"

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have enough opponents as it is?"

"I feel like I'm on the verge of unlocking Mastery. I want to face another spear master to learn grappling."

Kazuki's gaze shifted. He scrutinized Priam's face as if trying to read a secret before nodding.

"You're close. Follow me."

Kazuki led him to a circle of packed earth that served as a dueling ground for the hoplites. Most were busy fortifying the defenses, but two soldiers were tending to their gear on the side. They saluted Kazuki.

"I may not be your instructor anymore, but I advise you all to watch this duel," Kazuki said. The hoplites saluted before observing Priam with intensity.

"No active skills, Concept, or Aura," Priam proposed.

"Just the spear," Kazuki smiled before assuming a stance. His flawless position offered no openings. Priam had fought his shadow dozens of times, but it made no difference. With a spear in hand, Kazuki was a monster. "Ready?"

Priam's hearts quickened. He would awaken his Supremacy during this duel.

"Ready."

Status:

PHYSICAL:

Strength 525 (+30)

Constitution 860 (+4)

Agility 525 (+30)

Vitality 840 (+75)

Perception 689 (+4)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 421

Dexterity 562 (+15)

Memory 318

Willpower 984 (+59)

Charisma 615 (+30)

META:

Meta-affinity 423 (+5)

Meta-focus 350

Meta-endurance 299 (+3)

Meta-perception 204

Meta-chance 230

Meta-authority 33 (+3)

Potential: 1974 (+12)

Tier 0

Sun points: 47 791 (+12 938)

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 23 hours 6 minutes 59 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 165 days 23 hours 40 minutes 12 seconds.

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