Chapter 118: Guardian of Nature
Congratulations, you are dead! Your Talent [He Who Eludes Death] brings you back to life once a day.
Number of deaths: 13
Synergy detected with your talent [High Human adaptation] and your Titles [Three-Headed Hydra] and [Veteran]. Your body and spirit are rebuilt and will be more resistant to what killed them:
CONST +12
WILL +20
Lvl Up: [Star Iron Body] lvl 19,20
CONST +6
[Star Iron Body] has reached level 20. As a rare skill, you're entitled to a bonus. Choose from these three options:
[Tough] - Your body toughens up. POT -30
[Elastic] - Your body bends but doesn't break. POT -30
[Temper] - The best metal is one that's been tempered. POT -30
You have selected [Temper].
POT -30
Lvl Up: [Cut Resistance] lvl 12,13,14,15,16,17
CONST +6
You've acquired the skill: [Spirit Resistance - Rare].
[Spirit Resistance] - While your soul may be pseudo-immortal, your spirit is not. Situated between the soul and the body, the spirit is the essence of thought, consciousness, and the life force that animates you.
Unlike your soul, it is easier to violate, alter, capture, or destroy. From now on, it won't be so easy.
Your spirit densifies and gains a minor regenerative power.
WILL +3
Title earned!
[Spiritless - Silver] - Losing one's spirit typically spells death. The lone soul shall then reincarnate, ascend to a divine realm, or become a slave to necromantic powers.
Yet, here you still stand.
The imprint of your spirit clings to your soul...
WILL +10%
META(Affinity) +10%
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 21 hours 44 minutes 1 second.
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 179 days 22 hours 17 minutes 14 seconds.
The moment the wind caressed his body, Priam sprang to life, eyes wide open. Conjuring his mist, he checked for any nearby threats. Was the monster still there? If so, Priam was ready to fight tooth and nail.
If not, he hoped he had managed to divert its attention. If the necromoon wolf had turned back toward Log-a-rhythm... it would be already over.
A second after his resurrection, nothing had attacked him yet. His heart rate slowed as he realized he was out of immediate danger. Priam then massaged his right eye, which had been blinded by the use of Hecate's New Moon. As he expected, the resurrection had repaired his body.
It feels good to be in a new body, he thought, carefully observing his surroundings. The surrounding trees were painted red, and the vegetation around them was dead.
Priam furrowed his brows, examining the blackened grass beneath dried blood. His perfect memory recalled the scene where the necrowolf had attacked the barrier. The mere presence of the beast had tainted the grass. Instead of killing it, the necromantic aura had transformed it.
Here, the grass was dead. Either corrupted vegetation dies without a source of corruption, or someone cleaned the area.
This thought heightened his wariness even further - if that was possible. Stranded and alone in the Elysian forest, with no extra lives left, Priam wasn't taking any chances. His mist continued to spread, depleting his aether reserves. Thankfully, the ambient aether allowed for swift regeneration.
After waiting a handful of seconds without sensing anything, Priam headed towards Log-a-rhythm. Internally, he focused on his mist. It covered a radius of a hundred and twenty meters, but only the first fifty were comprised of thick fog. The rest hovered in the form of a faint water vapor, entirely invisible to the naked eye.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.
If an enemy hoped to trail him just outside the mist, Priam would detect them. Meanwhile, he grimaced under the influx of information. Soon, it wouldn't be the level of [Moon Mist] or his mist concept limiting the size of his zone, but rather his agility. Processing so much information gave him a headache. This pain was nothing compared to his determination.
Crossing the five-hundred Willpower mark seemed to have given him wings. Priam had a goal - to return to his base - and it crushed all mental obstacles. The sensation was both exhilarating - he felt like he could accomplish anything - and strange. His will - something fundamental - had changed. Artificially tempered, Priam now wielded it like a blade.
This revelation was especially strange because Priam didn't want to lose his identity. However, he knew he would have to make concessions. The power he would gain would change him. If I'm not ready for this, I might as well stop now.
He didnt.
After a few hundred meters, Priam entered the invisible perimeter of the Secret Passage. Log-a-rhythm's first theme allowed its occupants to open a passage to the base from any tree within a hundred-meter radius.
Using his powerful Perception, he double-checked his mist one last time. According to his senses, nothing had followed him. Cautious, Priam preferred to continue on his way rather than use a Secret Passage. The more hidden cards he had, the better.
Priam crossed the clearing and laid his hand against Log-a-rhythm's trunk. A passage opened, and he stepped inside.
Before his eyes could adjust to the difference in brightness, Priam's Domain detected a projectile about to strike him. Smiling, he opened his arms to receive Sphinx.
Instantly, Priam recognized the rival he had glimpsed just after Claire's betrayal. Driven to madness by the poison, he dreamt of the treant now standing before him. In his visions, the Guardian of Nature tirelessly repelled hordes of fire elementals.
"Priam, enchanted," he said, nodding.
"Kazuki. May your battle be glorious and your victory resounding," the hoplite added in his own language.
Hearing this, Priam raised an eyebrow. The formula was polite. Too polite. He acknowledges his inferiority. Reassessing the treant-like being, Priam consulted his instinct. The answer came swiftly - he was outclassed. Meeting two beings stronger than me on the very first day... That's two too many. Elysium had a knack for grounding him.
As the newcomer scrutinized them, Priam identified him.
[Identification]
[Dishnu - Drya - Tier 0] - The Guardian of the Forest. Luckily for you, he's a pacifist - and fascinated by Log-a-rhythm.
Priam twitched at the description. The System wasn't betting on his victory. However, the real problem was Dishnu's fascination. Log-a-rhythm was crucial for Priam, but more so for his loved ones. Concepts Archipelago was currently too small to house his team permanently. If he lost his base, everyone would be in mortal danger...
'You are taking good care of the tree. It's one of the most beautiful specimens I've seen thus far,' a soft yet strong voice echoed in Priams mind.
Soft was an understatement for the Dryan language. If asked to describe it, Priam would speak of the sound of pebbles rolling in a river or tree leaves swaying in the wind. The words of the Dryan language were like a budding flower. Full of meaning, they were felt more than understood.
In a few words, the Drya language expressed nature. It was imbued with magic, which was likely why Priam could understand it.
Looking up at Log-a-rhythm, Priam took a moment to appreciate his tree's new beauty. The world continued to turn, time flowed, but one must not forget to live.
"The System helped me resurrect a Tal Quercus. I offered it a great treasure that helped it evolve," he explained after a brief silence.
Instinctively, he wanted to tell the Drya the truth. It wasn't due to mental manipulation or the Drya's charismatic aura - which focused more on flora than fauna. It was simply his draconic instinct urging him to be honest. He must be able to sense lies...
'The tallest trees draw the wrath of the heavens, but you saved this one. I'll think of a present.
Priam had no doubts about who would be the recipient of the gift.
Dishnu's gaze shifted from Priam to Log-a-rhythm. His charismatic aura turned joyful. Drya truly loved trees. I hope its just a platonic obsession...
'Fortunately, the moon didn't shine on this tree, he said, turning back to Priam. You were also not corrupted by the beast. Truly, the heavens have chosen peculiar individuals...'
Priam's breath quickened. Dishnu was talking about the other rivals.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 320
Constitution 477 (+26)
Agility 309
Vitality 469
Perception 538
MENTAL:
Vivacity 294
Dexterity 365
Memory 99
Willpower 557 (+69)
Charisma 414
META:
Meta-affinity 288 (+16)
Meta-focus 213
Meta-endurance 165
Meta-perception 81
Meta-chance 213
Meta-authority 12
Potential: 985 (-18)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 21 hours 31 minutes 54 seconds.
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 179 days 22 hours 35 minutes 7 seconds.
