Priam closed the door to Bechar's office. The rest of their conversation had given the changeling ideas. [He Who Eludes Death] was an alien Talent he had no chance of reproducing, and Priam had no interest in telling him about it. What they had discussed was the possibility of using Titles or Talents to steal affinities from Concepts. This was sothing Bechar had never heard of.
Priam could do it every day of the week with [Tribulation Hunter]. Whether this only works for Tribulations remains to be seen.
The more he thought about it, the more Priam was convinced that the System wasn't against a user trying to take advantage of the rules. It was almost encouraged. The Tribulations were both a trial and a reward.
Descending the steps to leave the Colosseum, Priam abruptly stopped. On the second floor, rcury was waiting. The rchant looked up at Priam and smiled.
Priam descended the last steps and shook hands with the rchant.
"I suppose Sphinx was able to pass the Urn to you?" asked Priam.
"Indeed," smiled rcury. "I've been inford that you've found your father safe and sound. I'm very happy for you. I'll keep looking for your sister."
"Thank you," Priam replied. The System had told him that his sister was not on the Moon, but perhaps the rchant would find soone who had seen her on another world. He kept that to himself - after all, rcury had specified in their contract that his search would stop at the Moon and Reunion. Sorry, rcury, but this is too important to be honest.
"I don't suppose you ca here just for that?"
"No indeed... I think we can still help each other," rcury said in a low voice.
"aning?"
"You have enemies who spread… Annoying information, shall we say. They're trying to undermine your authority as Champion by accusing you of sacrificing innocent lives to temporize your Tribulations," rcury said, probing Priam's eyes.
Priam's gaze remained clear. On the one hand, because the mist concept he controlled now deeply penetrated his being. A kind of cloud now covered his eyes. His gaze could now disconcert those who plunged into it.
On the other hand, Priam was determined to assu his responsibilities.
"That's both true and false," admitted Priam. "To tell you the truth, I didn't think about the dangers to the inhabitants. I was fighting for my life and did what I had to do to survive. However, at no ti did I deliberately place the life of an innocent person between myself and danger. I spent about twenty hours saving hundreds, maybe even thousands, of innocent people."
Priam's gaze hardened, "I have wrongs that I intend to right to the best of my ability. If any factions try to play with that, I'll destroy them."
rcury recoiled, and Priam realized that he had just used his Domain. The Champion of Humanity's aura was heavy. "Sorry, I haven't yet mastered all the subtleties of my Supremacy," he apologized.
rcury swallowed and smiled again. The man was a professional, Priam had to give him that.
"It's nothing. To tell you the truth, it's even a good experience because I'm sure so people will try to pressure with this technique. In fact, that's part of the reason I ca here today," he explained. "I've got a proposition for you if you'll listen to ."
Priam agreed. Maintaining a cordial relationship with rcury was a good idea. Even the best fighter would need information to apply his force.
200 / 3 attributes > 400 / 1 attribute > 600
Tribulations on hold: 0
Improved Racial Talent!
[Humanity adapts - Silver] becos [High Human adaptation - Gold].
[High Human adaptation - Gold] - The wearer adapts physically and ntally to situations and environnts.
The more hostile the environnt or situation, the faster the adaptation.
Titles obtained!
[Primogenitor - Gold] - You are the pioneer of a new race. It's your job to keep improving it.
Your charisma doubles when you talk to a mber of your own or your original race.
CHAR 30%
Woah… I might as well see my last notification.
[Horseman of the Apocalypse - Legendary] - You're already a legend. Take control of your destiny. Choose one of the proposals and chart your course:
Death, Famine, War, and Conquest.
Conquest.
You are an artificial force. As such, you refuse to bow to Fate and Nature.
Conquest is a force that gains in power until it is stopped. Beco the unstoppable Juggernaut. In this rciless world, you're charting your course.
Long may it be.
In battle, every enemy you defeat temporarily increases your montum.
STR 20%
CHAR 10%
VIVA 10%
Priam looked slightly up at rcury and saw that the man had closed his eyes. The rchant was gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. It's my Charisma, Priam realized. With his Progenitor bonus, it was now challenging to escape his allure. I'll have to be careful if I don't want to manipulate people unintentionally.
Priam tried to diminish his aura, and rcury gave him a grateful look. Learning to control his new attributes, Priam gradually cald down.
He began by lightly testing his Domain before stopping. His Will was terrifying, and his sphere of authority had increased in volu. Moreover, Priam sensed that a qualitative change was approaching. There's a five-hundred-point cap, he understood.
A few seconds later, he reread the notification. It was useless with his mory, but it couldn't hurt. There was good news and bad news.
He began by analyzing the main bad news. Tribulation thresholds did depend on race. During its growth, a High Human, with its capacity for adaptation, would undoubtedly manage to exceed a hundred points in its physical and ntal attributes. To avoid killing adolescents or children, the System modified the thresholds. Only multiples of two hundred would now trigger a Tribulation.
It was good news because Priam wouldn't have to spend the next six months avoiding improving his attributes.
It was terrible news, as it ant that a Tier 4 race would have - on average - twice as many attributes as a High Human for the sa number of Tribulations. That's why a Dragon is mighty. With that kind of disadvantage, I’ll have to work hard to catch up. But if I can…
For soone willing to work hard, it was potentially positive. Priam thought he could withstand another five or six Tribulations before moving to Tier 1. That ant ten Tribulations at Tier 0. A Tier 9 race being would have to push all its attributes over three thousand to reach that figure. Reaching those heights at Tier 0 seed unlikely unless you spent centuries there...
In practical terms, Priam was quite happy that humanity was Tier 0. The road would be much longer, but his summit could be higher.
When the robot returned with their dishes, Priam let his joy explode as he reread the description of his race a third ti. His relief was palpable. He was still human! He was just a flawless human, with all the genetic and aethereal qualities of his congeners.
His laughter cald as he analyzed this thought. Although objective, this information could lead to a feeling of superiority. I'll have to never mistreat anyone because I'm more powerful, he promised himself. I'll use my powers to explore the world's wonders and magic.
Priam analyzed his emotions for a mont before smiling. His personality hadn't changed; he was still the sa. Moreover, the System allowed every man and woman to beco a High Human. Rather than fairness, it was equality.
Reassured, Priam looked again at rcury.
"Any good news?" asked the rchant.
"I'm a High Human. In practical terms..."
The two n ate while Priam explained a few things to rcury. In the arena, the human finally forfeited after the twelfth wave. The summoned falcons were too quick for him. The al ended calmly.
"Your information is valuable. I just would have thought you'd want to draw up a contract with before sharing it."
"Originally, yes," admitted Priam. "I like to ensure everyone holds up their end of the bargain. But you're a rchant. If I'd negotiated your help, you'd have had the advantage with your skills."
rcury grinned. "Not sure. You have extrely high charisma, making you almost impervious to social manipulation. My skills help use my charisma, but even the best sword can't pierce a concrete wall."
Priam chuckled. "You'd be surprised..."
"... Right, it’s a new world. Anyway, you've helped . Since you didn't let set the limits of my investnt, I guess it's up to to decide?"
"Exactly," smiled Priam. Despite his modest words, rcury was an expert in negotiations. When you couldn't fight, you might as well cooperate in the na of a future cordial relationship. "I intend to help humanity survive this apocalypse. If that's your project too, you'd better help ."
rcury beckoned to the robot waiting by the door. "Coffee, please. No sugar."
He turned back to Priam. "You've survived a quadruple Tribulation, Priam. This Reunion looks huge, but it's an illusion. I've seen one of the capitals of this sector. This world is huge. Infinite even. And you're already making waves in the ocean. Tiny little waves, but that's enough for . I'll help you."
rcury pulled a few pieces of paper from his pocket. "Here are the nas of the factions that annoy you. We can try to buy them or..."
He looked at Priam, uncertain.
"We scare them. If that's not enough, we kill them," confird Priam. "This world has changed, and so have I. Trying to disrupt law and order to scrape together power... Humanity doesn't need this kind of individual."
The rchant nodded, reassured. "Good. Their bases are in several dos, so I'll handle that. You need to make a public speech. Reassure the people. With your charisma, your strength, your Lord Title, and my skills, we'll be able to persuade the population that you're not a monster."
Priam winced. "Listen rcury, I appreciate you trying to help , but I refuse to magically manipulate thousands of people. Soone tried it with , and I hated it." Priam rembered Anne. He should have killed her, but he'd been weak then. Not anymore.
rcury frowned. "Your insinuation is insulting. I simply want to present you in a good light. I want to emphasize your qualities, your acts of bravery, and the role you can play as a Champion. As a Guardian. When I said skills, I ant increasing your eloquence, helping you find the words and feel the audience's emotions. Nothing more."
"Excuse , I misunderstood. But... people already know that, no?"
"No. They know that a super-powered man exists. That this Priam brought calamity to their city. That he fought for them afterward. They wonder: Why did he help us?"
rcury snapped his fingers. "Deep down, they're hoping for a hero to protect them from the horrors of the System. They need hope. They need a symbol. They need to put a shining face on this overpowering unknown. They'd like to see themselves in you. They'll talk about you. Their children will see you as a hero. They'll recognize your mistakes, making you human in their eyes."
"It's not just a mistake. People died because of ."
"True, but... will you allow a personal opinion?" asked rcury. Priam nodded. "You're too powerful, Priam. Above all, we need you. Unfortunately, that ans you'll be your only real judge. It's up to you to choose whether these dead will eat away at you or be a force you'll use to better yourself."
Silence greeted rcury's statent. The rchant sipped his coffee while Priam pondered. Finally, he answered: "Let's do it."
rcury smiled before coming to a halt. Reaching out, he listened to sothing before sighing.
"Is there a problem?" asked Priam.
"I've just received a report. There's an influential man who needs convincing. He's too strong for to kill and too influential to bend," rcury apologized. "He'd like to et you."
"Who is it?" asked Priam.
"Protheus, the Divine King."
Priam nodded. "Where and when?"
"... Now and here. He's waiting for you in the arena, sword in hand."
"That's the kind of talk I like," grinned Priam. His body was bursting with power, and he needed a release. I'm going to crush him.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / N 10 / TA 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 231 ( 58)
Constitution 373 ( 26)
Agility 277 ( 49)
Vitality 370 ( 30)
Perception 450 ( 24)
NTAL:
Vivacity 277 ( 76)
Dexterity 321 ( 32)
mory 70 ( 20)
Willpower 406 ( 26)
Charisma 333 ( 111)
TA:
ta-affinity 216
ta-focus 167 ( 12)
ta-endurance 119
ta-perception 71
ta-chance 198
Potential: 5866 ( 4868)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 21 hours 30 min 57s
[Tribulation]: No Tribulation pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Ti: 182 days 22 hours 4 minutes 10 seconds.
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