Lvl Up : [Balance] lvl 11,12
AGI 2
DEXT 4
Lvl Up: [Parry] lvl 11,12
STR 2
Lvl Up: [Battle Flow] lvl 10
PERC 1
DEXT 2
Lvl Up : [Dodge] lvl 19
AGI 1
Lvl Up: [Perforation Resistance] lvl 19
CONST 1
Lvl Up: [Atomos] lvl 2,3
CONST 6
Lvl Up: [Star Iron Body] lvl 26,27,28
CONST 9
Lvl Up: [Focus] lvl 35
PERC 1
VIVA 1
DEXT 1
Lvl Up : [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 8,9
STR 6
Lvl Up: [Hemorrhage Resistance] lvl 14,15
VIT 2
Lvl up: [Gravity Resistance] lvl 10,11
CONST 6
Lvl Up: [Spear Slash] lvl 10,11
STR 2
Priam's muscles groaned under the strain. Even Sphinx's focused deanor couldn't coax a laugh out of him anymore. His friend had steadily increased the gravity's intensity, and Priam could feel the influence of this fundantal force on every cell of his body. The distraction of the fight had prevented him from fully grasping the phenonon, but his body was adapting on its own. His Titles, Talents, skills, and his newfound race were synergizing, compelling his cells to evolve.
His bones were densifying, bolstering his constitution. His blood and marrow were stimulated, evolving with each passing mont, fueling his vitality. His muscle fibers would break before repairing, amplifying his strength. The saying "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" had never been truer.
Except even death strengthened Priam.
An hour into the spar, the gravity had reached thirty tis Earth's. Five minutes later, Kazuki called off the match. After blocking another charge from Priam, his arms trembled.
"This is my limit," he said.
"Already tired?" Priam taunted.
"Your constitution surpasses mine," Kazuki acknowledged.
Priam's nascent smile froze upon hearing the rest of the sentence. "However, you must press on. If you want to unlock Micro, you have to push your limits. Do you guys do strength training on your planet?"
"...Yes," Priam replied after spitting out so blood. The hoplite hadn't held back all his strikes, and Priam suffered from several internal hemorrhages. "But I'm not a big fan..."
He'd frequented a few gyms on Earth, but without consistency. Fitness bored him when there wasn't a system capable of perfectly evaluating his progress and shattering the ceiling of human limits.
"The worse you are, the less you like it. Now that you can do ten thousand pull-ups in a row, you'll appreciate it."
The argunt made sense.
"Start with fifty push-ups," Kazuki announced.
"I'm not sure it's the best way to build muscle," Priam remarked.
"Definitely not, but that's not why you're here. You're here to push your body to its limits and feel the pain in every cell."
Priam sighed before assuming the position. As he prepared to execute his first push-up, Kazuki stopped him to correct his form. Once satisfied, the hoplite gave him the green light.
Priam descended for the first ti. Focused on [Fitness], he smiled as he perford the physical exercise. Despite the increased gravity and his fatigue, his powerful muscles managed to lift him back up. He began a second descent. Then a third.
The seconds ticked by, and the monotony of the training allowed Priam's mind to ponder. What was the goal of this exercise? Kazuki wanted to wear him down, but more importantly, to familiarize him with his body. Thanks to Micro, Priam could discern which muscles were working the hardest. [Human Anatomy] labeled them: pectoralis major, deltoid, and triceps.
Lvl Up: [Fitness] lvl 14
STR 1
Smiling, Priam continued his push-ups. Once finished, Kazuki gave him variations. Fifty Diamond push-ups, fifty archer push-ups, fifty flying push-ups, and of course, fifty Sphinx push-ups.
Lvl Up: [Fitness] lvl 15
STR 1
Lvl up: [Gravity Resistance] lvl 12
CONST 3
With each repetition, Priam's smile widened. Despite the heightened gravity, fatigue seed unable to grip him. Deep within him was an endless wellspring of energy. This energy regenerated his muscle cells, repaired micro-fissures in his bones, and kept his hearts beating. No, it’s the opposite! The source of his vitality ca from his hearts. The draconic one seed to possess inexhaustible energy, while the High Human one compelled his cells to evolve.
Lvl Up: [Fitness] lvl 16
STR 1
Using Micro to monitor his body's condition, Priam smiled. He could feel his strength increasing in real ti. [Fitness] taught him how to best apply his knowledge and dexterity to perform perfect push-ups, and the exercise was building his muscles. The System - or was it a skill? - altered the aethereal code of his cells to allow them to evolve beyond terrestrial biology. This was how his STR attribute progressed. When Priam reached the necessary level of knowledge and power, the System notified him of his progress.
I'll retain my attributes even without the System. The Concepts provided him with the tools to optimize his strength and knowledge. The notifications weren't rewards, just... notifications
Micro shook. Understanding his body had brought Priam closer to his evolution.
Lvl Up: [Fitness] lvl 17
STR 1
After two hundred fifty varied push-ups, Priam finally began to feel his arms tremble. Despite his draconic vitality, he took a quick break to drink and noticed Kazuki furrowing his brows.
"Is sothing wrong?" Priam asked, setting down his bowl of fresh sap.
"Your body is strengthening in real ti."
"I'm gaining skills and, therefore, attributes. Is that a problem?"
"You're already getting used to this gravity. These exercises tire you superficially, not to your core. Right now, if I asked you to do ten thousand push-ups, you'd eventually collapse from exhaustion. Yet, a few minutes later, you'd be ready to continue."
"I'm resilient, and I adapt quickly," Priam admitted. "Are you saying that without an almost... deadly level of fatigue, I won't unlock Micro's Stage 1?"
Kazuki grimaced. "Not necessarily. You might unlock Micro in two minutes. Or maybe never. Your species is different from mine, and I don't know your status. What's certain is that Micro requires an epiphany. According to hoplite researchers, this supernatural inspiration is more likely to occur in situations of intense stress. You're not stressed, neither physically nor ntally."
Priam winced, realizing Kazuki was right. His body felt like it weighed tons, and rather than experiencing fatigue, he relished in the difficulty of moving. He knew his body would evolve to rise to the challenge.
"Let's increase the gravity," he suggested.
"That will put you in danger. Vitality can't heal all injuries," Kazuki warned.
"I know, but it's my decision."
Determination glead in Priam's misty eyes. Kazuki must have seen it too, because he sighed. "You're going to do it with or without , aren't you?"
"Yes."
"... Very well. Sphinx?"
"Right away!"
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A leaden weight descended onto Priam's shoulders. "Forty lunar gravities," Sphinx announced. After the transformation of the moon, lunar gravity equated to terrestrial gravity. It was the only unit of asurent she knew.
"I can handle more," Priam requested.
Kazuki grimaced but kept silent as Sphinx concentrated. "Fifty."
The imnse gravity now fought against Priam's blood, attempting to prevent the life-giving fluid from reaching his brain. To allow his blood to circulate, Priam's two hearts pulsed forcefully. The vital fluid flowed through the major arteries easily but regularly ruptured small vessels. [Hemorrhage Resistance] had its work cut out for it.
Lvl up: [Gravity Resistance] lvl 13
CONST 3
"Sixty."
"Now, a few pull-ups," said Kazuki.
Priam's body grew heavier as the world loaded him with a new burden. Clenching his teeth, he turned his thoughts to Log-a-rhythm. A mont later, the tree grew a reinforced pull-up bar.
Priam grasped it and winced as his tendons - grip and shoulders - neared the breaking point. [Star Iron Body] and [Gravity Resistance] worked at full tilt to enable his body to endure. He began the exercise with a grunt. Laboriously, he managed to hoist his shoulders above the bar.
One.
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