As his add-on scoured the Sun Shop for the best Concept to integrate into his inner world, Priam contemplated the different choices available.
Sun Shop
Fragnt:
Fire Fragnt (5 000 points) - A standard-sized chunk of Fire Concept.
Fire Array A (50 000 points) - An array made up of Fire Fragnts, filtering the ambient aether to spawn more Fire Fragnts.
Fire Array B (50 000 points) - An array made up of Fire Fragnts, filtering the ambient aether to establish an environnt teeming with Fire Concept.
Fire Array C (50 000 points) - An array made up of Fire Fragnts, filtering the ambient aether to create an environnt devoid of Fire Concept.
Fire Baptism (250 000 points) - A soul-baptism amplifying affinity for the Fire Concept. Affinity increase ranging from 1% to 10%. One baptism per Concept.
...
Mist Fragnt (10 000 points) - A standard-sized chunk of Mist Concept.
...
Tranquility Fragnt (10 000 points) - A standard-sized chunk of Tranquility Concept.
...
Concentration Fragnt (10 000 points) - A standard-sized chunk of Concentration Concept.
"No Tier 2 or higher Concepts," Priam noted.
"The System won't give you a chance to turn apocryphal," explained the phoenix.
"Well, I wouldn't mind snagging a Ti fragnt." Slowing down ti in Concepts Archipelago would have been a formidable ability.
"Dream on. Have you made your choice?"
"I’m debating between support Concepts," Priam replied, eyeing his System's feedback. "Logic, concentration, abstraction, etc."
The phoenix arched a fiery brow, a peculiar sight for a bird. "Why did you select only Tier 1 Concepts?"
The question caught Priam off guard. "Because they pack more punch?"
"Concepts Archipelago is a Gold Talent. It'll find it easier to wield a Tier 0 Concept than a Tier 1," the phoenix inford. "What you need isn’t a high Concept but a fitting one."
Priam pondered for a mont before exclaiming, "Puzzle!"
The phoenix nodded. "That's what I would go for personally. The exercises and brain-teasers designed to boost your aether manipulation are puzzles, be they ntal or physical."
Pleased with his choice, Priam purchased a Puzzle fragnt. A solid figure materialized above his hand, its nurous edges separating a multitude of faces. As he looked at it, a headache began to creep in. Visually, the solid seed to exist in more than three dinsions, stretching across aberrant axes. [Kinetic Control] assured him the fragnt was static, yet its impossible geotry gave the illusion of movent, challenging Priam's understanding.
Lvl Up: [Geotry] lvl 12,13
VIVA 2
M 4
"You might wanna stash that away," advised the phoenix, seeing Priam's pupils dilate. "Only a Sage with Unity can start to grasp what a Concept fragnt truly is."
Priam blinked, and the fragnt's geotry shifted. Turning his gaze away, he focused on his inner world to dispel his headache.
"I thought Unity was the ultimate stage to understand a Concept?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"As a Fire Champion, do you think you understand every facet of fire? How each individual thinks of it, dreams of it, and feels it? Unity is being able to understand a Concept as well as you understand yourself. Do you understand how your body, mind, and soul work? Being one with a Concept is just the first step."
Priam's lips ford an annoyed grimace. Despite his recent discoveries, he had only a superficial knowledge of his body. And I'm barely getting to know myself after stripping off all my masks.
The phoenix continued, "Unity is both the final stage and the first. It's hard to quantify progress beyond that."
Priam knew he should focus on his training, but the subject intrigued him. "So, would a fifth stage be absolute understanding?"
"Zenith is theoretically possible but practically inconceivable. Rember your first Unity. Your emotions and those of the Concept blur. A primal anger roars within you: is it yours or the Fire's? A Concept influences you as much as you influence it. Think of it like gravity: you pull the planet towards you, and it pulls you with the sa force—action and reaction."
The scientific analogy resonated with Priam.
"Yet, just as my influence on the planet is negligible, I influence the Fire little because it's more massive than ."
"Exactly. But the analogy breaks down when enough people have reached Unity with a Concept. Fire is a popular Concept that you share with countless users. Collectively, you shape the Concept."
"So people more than others?" guessed Priam.
"Of course. Advancing your Concept to the next Tier, becoming a Champion in that new Concept, deepening your understanding, or possessing a more potent soul are ways to gain shares. Approaching the Zenith ans having such strong influence that you theoretically have a tangible impact on the Concept and those who've reached Unity with it."
"Is it possible to achieve?"
The phoenix fell silent for a mont before sighing. "To tell you the truth, the Zenith is hardly conceivable, even for the Tier 6 I was. I believe Pyro belonged entirely to my ancestor, but how can I be sure? All I know is that so Tier 8s are convinced it's possible."
Priam remained pensive for a mont. The phoenix's explanation had monuntal implications for his future. Bonding with a Concept ant being influenced by it and by the sum of individuals who had reached Unity. Conversely, a powerful individual could influence billions if they were linked to the sa Concept.
The primary emotion of Fire is anger... That explains my natural affinity, but it won't help control myself. At least it's balanced by the Mist Concept.
Choosing a Concept compatible with his goals was thus of paramount importance. A bolt of fire fell from the sun, making Priam jump.
"Focus," said the phoenix, ignoring Priam's glare. "Toss the fragnt into your world's fulcrum and activate it."
Priam hurled the Puzzle fragnt, and gravity caught it. The solid sank into the pool at the heart of Concepts Archipelago. Priam focused on his Talent.
[Concepts Archipelago - Gold(Growth)] - A world now lies within you. Its initial paraters of gravity, space and ti allow for life. Its aether structure is exceptional, capable of using any concept fragnt to grow and evolve.
You have the perfect seed. It's up to you to transform it into Yggdrasil.
Following Priam's ntal command, the spirit water effortlessly dissolved the fragnt. A mass of aether dispersed into the water. With [Ideal Aether Perception], Priam observed what was happening. The aether bore a silvery hue, indicating a Puzzle affinity.
Lvl Up: [Ideal Aether Perception] lvl 3
TA (AFFI) 3
TA (PERC) 6
Priam felt Concepts Archipelago activate and inquire about his intentions. Should he infuse his entire world or just a portion of it? Priam opted for a spot beneath the towering maple planted a few ters away. ditating beneath a tree seed like a solid idea.
The air around the chosen area froze as a wave of aether descended. Priam then honed in on the aspect of the Concept that intrigued him. He didn't want to enchant the blades of grass beneath the tree to create a maze for insects. Nor did he desire to craft a formation concentrating or expelling the Concept. What he sought was a zone capable of enhancing his puzzle-solving prowess.
With an almost audible click, the Talent surged, manipulating the aether of the Puzzle fragnt into a ritualistic form. This ritual was infinitely more intricate than any Priam had concocted in the past. The formation crafted by Concepts Archipelago seed to span multiple dinsions, with the aether animating it imbued with Puzzle affinity.
Lvl Up: [Ideal Aether Perception] lvl 4
TA (AFFI) 3
TA (PERC) 6
The ritual crystallized before anchoring itself into the very fabric of the internal world. A notification confird Priam's success.
Concepts Archipelago:
New enchantnt detected.
Puzzle(T0 - Area Effect) - Within a four-cubic-ter volu, all the following qualities are boosted by 8% when the subject attempts to solve or create a puzzle, brainteaser, or similar exercise.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringent.
Qualities: Understanding, visualization, logic, reasoning, organization, concentration, mory, patience, perseverance, creativity, inspiration.
"That's mighty specific, but I reckon it's just what the doctor ordered," grinned Priam. "Even if eight percent's a tad on the low side, it’s better than nothing."
The phoenix grinned. "So why not enhance the ritual with another fragnt?"
Status:
PHYSICAL:
Strength 557
Constitution 860
Agility 552
Vitality 840
Perception 714
NTAL:
Vivacity 511 ( 2)
Dexterity 587
mory 447 ( 6)
Willpower 1 028
Charisma 631
TA:
ta-affinity 531 ( 7)
ta-focus 350
ta-endurance 354
ta-perception 235 ( 14)
ta-chance 230
ta-authority 51
Potential: 9 989 ( 10)
Tier 0
Sun points: 131 260 (-187 632)
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRID.
[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:
Ti: 164 days 11 hours 40 minutes 28 seconds.
Next thresholds: 6 attributes > 600 / 3 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200
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