Chapter 216: Priam vs Necro Giant, (1)

Chapter 216: Priam vs Necro Giant, (1)

The necro giant's roar ceased as Promesse collided between its eyes. Priam briefly wondered how the creature could howl without vocal cords or lungs, but [Focus] pushed aside such pointless musings.

No damage, he noted mentally as his opponent was rocking. As a Tier 3 giant skeleton, its bones were exceptionally sturdy. But how much? he pondered as Promesse returned to his hand.

Reaching the Fire Concept spark in his soul, Priam summoned a blazing nova into his Domain. The temperature soared, and he began absorbing the thermal energy from the overheated air molecules.

In about ten seconds, his kinetic reserves were full. To store more energy, Priam would need to increase his meta-endurance or upgrade [Kinetic Control].

Arming Promesse, Priam aimed again at the giant skull and channeled the accumulated energy. His body tensed like a bow ready to snap, before he launched the projectile with the force of a ballista.

[Kinetic Control] supplied kinetic energy to Promesse until it left his Domain. His reinforced arteries trembled under the unleashed power, but none burst. Feeling the supersonic bang, Priam believed he heard his spear roar in defiance.

[Promesse's velocity upon exiting your Domain: approximately 3500 m/s; ten times the speed of sound.

Kinetic Energy: approximately 30 MJ.

Note: A strike comparable to that of a small military railgun.]

Lvl Up: [Adaptive Golden Meridians] lvl 2

META (Focus) +3

META (Endurance) +6

Lvl Up: [Spear Throw] lvl 28, 29

DEXT +6

[Tribulation]: Six attributes above 600 were detected in Tier 0.

A Tribulation is coming.

Time: 162 days 3 hours 47 minutes 30 seconds.

Dexterity had crossed a critical threshold, triggering a new Tribulation. It was bound to happen someday... Rather than lamenting over the future trials, Priam focused on the outcome of his throw.

The Tier 3 necro was thrown to the ground as if struck by a railgun. The shockwave uprooted some trees and swept away the nearest corrupted beings. Less than two seconds later, the explosion's blast reached Priam, tousling his hair. His raw throw was powerful enough to obliterate any Tier 2.

However, his opponent was a Tier 3.Rêạd new chapters at novelhall.com wasn't surprised to see the giant flinch. Promesse returned to his hand as the enemy began to rise. The warrior's eyes sparkled as he saw his wounded adversary.

A crack on its forehead threatened to split its skull in two. The wound was terrible, and a second attack would have shattered the giant's head.

The fight's opening was to Priam's advantage, hence his grunt when he saw a cascade of light falling from the sky. As if blessing a chosen one, the Necromoon’s beams were mending the skeleton's bone. Priam had progressed since their last duel, but the giant had the advantage of terrain. Not for long. [Moon Mist].

An opaque cloud formed around Priam before creeping towards the skeleton. As a Mist Sage with Harmony and a maxed-out epic skill, the creation cost was laughable. The thick fog eventually covered the entire area, engulfing the necro giant and absorbing the crimson light. The Necromoon wasn't so easily masked, but the giant's regeneration speed was halved.

Taking advantage of his opponent's confusion, Priam rode the mist, reappearing outside the corrupted's Domain. He dashed toward the colossus, skillfully circumvented the massive knee, and aimed for the space between the tibia and femur. Promesse's tip plunged into the gap. Placing his hands at the end of the shaft, Priam leveraged the weapon to dislocate the joint.

Defeating the corrupted was secondary; his main objective was to prevent it from reaching the reformed barrier. With half a leg missing, the colossus would move slower.

Muscles tensed under the effort, Priam activated [Kinetic Control], drawing thermal energy from his Domain to transmit it to Promesse in a kinetic form. The ambient temperature dropped, causing ice crystals to appear. The tibia and femur began to grind.

As the two bones threatened to separate, the connecting joint manifested physically. A crimson ectoplasm covered the giant's skeleton in a fraction of a second. Before Priam could comprehend what was happening, a titanic force struck him, and the world spun. The corrupted titan had just slapped him.

Sky, ground, sky, tree, sky, earth.

His add-on activated [Kinetic Control] to cushion the impact. The forest shook as a cloud of dust concealed his fall.

Suppressing a groan, Priam rose as quickly as his injuries allowed. His Domain seized a necro squirrel approaching stealthily, and his spear decapitated it. No other attack followed. The giant—and certainly the Necro Envoy through its eyes—was trying to orient itself in the thick fog.

Part of Priam's attention was focused on diagnosing his injuries while the other observed his opponent. A kind of fluid ectoplasm covered the skeleton, a manifestation of the Necro Concept that gave it life. The spiritual substance functioned like a multitude of muscles and sinews, articulating the bones and allowing the corrupted to move. Unlike Tier 0s and 1s, the ectoplasm seemed impervious to the Conquest Mist.

Worse, the outer part of the ectoplasm seemed solid. A kind of semi-transparent spectral armor now clad the giant. Looks like Susanoo in Naruto...

"Rahhh..."

After a growl, the titan turned towards Oasis and resumed walking. Its orders were more important than their duel.

Priam gritted his teeth before touching his right shoulder. The colossus's attack had been violent—without his boosted constitution, it would have killed him instantly. According to Micro and [Diagnostic], his shoulder was dislocated, and several ribs were cracked. Listening to [Humanoïde Anatomy], Priam relocated his shoulder and used [Kinetic Control] to petrify his damaged ribs.

Lvl Up: [Diagnostic] lvl 11

PERC +1

Without further delay, Priam dashed toward the corrupted giant. It was now less than three hundred meters from Oasis.

Coming from behind, Priam attacked the knee again. Even with Spear Mastery and Conquest Aura, Promesse struggled to pierce the armor and was then stopped by the viscous liquid inside.

From the corner of his eye, Priam spotted a new attack. He turned, parried, and allowed himself to be pushed aside. The giant did not pursue the offensive, and Priam took the opportunity to analyze the battle. His usual attacks would not be enough to breach the tank's double defense.

"Time to bring out the big guns."

Taking a deep breath, Priam began to fill his draconic lung. The ambient aether rushed towards him, and the Tier 3 turned as it sensed the phenomenon. Levitating over fifty meters high, Priam challenged it with his gaze.

Growling, the titan knelt on one knee and raised an arm in front of him. It was preparing to tank the Draconic Breath.

[High-frequency Barrage] - When a single attack isn't enough, you strike ten times. When ten assaults are insufficient, you launch a hundred more. Your enemies crumble under the intensity of your blows.

This skill is based on a multitude of rapid and recoilless strikes.

To fail a thousand times and try again without changing a thing. Some call it perseverance; others call it stupidity. You must have an excellent affinity with this Concept.

AGI +3

Lvl Up: [High-frequency Barrage] lvl 2, 3, 4

AGI +9

Under the extreme percussion, the crack widened until it covered the vertebra. The giant roared and turned around. Too late.

The bone exploded, showering Priam with hundreds of shards, some of which pierced his skin. Grimacing, he hastily expelled the cursed shards from his body and stepped back. A slight dizziness signaled that [Necro Resistance] was working to fight the corruption.

Assuming a defensive stance, Priam looked at the frozen skeleton. The ectoplasm supporting it writhed, as if trying to replace the missing vertebra. Even if it succeeded, it would still be a weak point.

Priam wondered how many bones he'd have to crush to the dust to vanquish his adversary. Whatever the number, Priam could finally aspire to defeat a Tier 3. One bone at a time if necessary.

"This changes nothing," said Mirscella's voice.

Status:

PHYSICAL:

Strength 593 (+11)

Constitution 979

Agility 581 (+20)

Vitality 860

Perception 720 (+1)

MENTAL:

Vivacity (D) 516

Dexterity 606 (+7)

Memory 476

Willpower 1 036

Charisma 631

META:

Meta-affinity 564

Meta-focus 376 (+6)

Meta-endurance 397 (+16)

Meta-perception 258

Meta-chance 230

Meta-authority 66

Potential: 8 760 (+25)

Tier 0

Sun points: 37 505 (+325)

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 3 hours 13 minutes 26 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Four Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 162 days 3 hours 46 minutes 39 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 3 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200