"You took your ti," said the First, his body regenerating within monts.
Arnold, Champion of the Var Elegis, sole Homunculus of the seventh generation, administrator of the Empire's AGI, and Elysian Duke, almost glitched. According to the films he'd purchased from the Guardian of Secrets, the First's statent could be interpreted as a greeting and it was impolite not to respond. However, the response options provided by his processors were suboptimal.
Arnold decided to run a thousand simulations to find the perfect reply.
[Approximate duration of the simulations: 1 838 526 000 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom. Approximately twenty-hundredths of a human second.]
Human customs allowed for a few hundredths of a second of thought between a remark and a response; that was more than enough ti to devise an optimal coback.
The Var Elegis' processors kicked into high gear. It was an opportunity to nd a relationship that had begun with an attack on his part. During their first encounter, Arnold had obeyed his initial protocols and attempted to neutralize a threat. The failure had alard the Var Elegis, forcing him to adapt.
For the first ti, Arnold had ignored the Empire's commands and developed an ego. His binary worldview had shattered, forcing him to drastically change his ways.
These changes had led to successes, such as the restructuring of the Empire or his cooperation with the Princess. All of it stemd from the First, and Arnold was determined to understand his rival—and their relationship.
Each new interaction portrayed a complex character.
During their second encounter, the First had ignored him before leaping into a spatial rift. What seed like suicide had not eliminated his rival. After analyzing the rift, the conclusions were clear: the physique of a mythical race was necessary to survive the crossing.
During their third encounter, accompanied by the Warrior, the First had demanded the body of the Assassin. His anger had almost caused a localized spatial collapse. Nurous hypotheses could explain this, each more terrifying than the last.
Today, the converted Assassin defended the First's base, alongside the Warrior's subordinates and two local Tier 3s in hiding. Facing them, the Necro Envoy was only just beginning to realize she was the prey. Once again, the First's plans were terrifying.
Even more terrifying were his powers. Arnold had watched the battle from the start, trying to better understand the First. Why was he dragging out the fight? The Tribulation in his chest or the curse in his eyes could have decimated his opponent a hundred tis over.
Arnold had understood why just monts ago when he received a new Talent.
[Artificial Instinct - Gold] - Your biology, mind, and soul predispose you to extre pragmatism; the antithesis of instinct. Yet, the influence of [Redacted] has granted you this gift.
So lines of code optimize the system while others destroy it.
Despite the censorship, Arnold's new instinct left him with no doubt about its creator. The First had dragged out the fight in part to bestow upon him a Gold Talent. What did he expect in return? All of this was part of a plan that none of the Var Elegis’ AGIs could comprehend.
This fourth encounter promised to be as enigmatic for Arnold as the first three. He refocused on the First. Whether his rival was an orphaned Dragon or an agent of the System, it made no difference to the Mission.
The Var Elegis would prevail.
But before their fated death duel fractured the universe of Concepts, temporary collaborations could benefit both sides. He had to get closer to the First, if only to study him. Arnold was aware that his nascent personality was still fragile. Imitating that of his greatest rival would bring him closer to the Zenith.
"I didn't know I was expected," replied the Var Elegis twenty-three hundredths of a second after the First's remark. His simulations had concluded that an honest response in the French language was relevant.
"Yet here you are," pointed out the First.
"The existence of a primary objective—discussing a mutual defense pact—and a secondary objective—a weakened Tier 3 Marquess—in the sa geographical area is the reason for my presence."
"You have a powerful body; too bad I have a preference for a carbon base," comnted the Necro Envoy. "In what way am I an objective?"
The Var Elegis ignored the question. Responding to a future corpse was a waste of energy.
"It seems obvious to . If he kills you, he'll beco a King," the First said.
"Just him?" chuckled the Necro Envoy.
A smile spread across the First's lips. "No, not just him."
Lvl Up: [Echolocalisation] lvl 10, 11
PERC 4
DEXT 2
Lvl Up: [Unrelenting Thrust] lvl 29, 30
STR 6
Lvl Up: [High-frequency Barrage] lvl 9, 10
AGI 6
Like a tyrannical teenager, Priam demolished his toy, bone by bone, a grin plastered on his face. Now that Oasis was safe and the giant necro's rage was directed at him, he relished the duel.
It might seem ludicrous, but Priam chuckled as he dodged the titan's frenzied attacks. Blocking waves of thorny tentacles and retaliating at the risk of his life made his hearts beat as loud as if Esmée were to smile at him. Micro allowed him to harness the full power of his physical attributes, and Priam made his body sing.
Overclocking the muscles in his legs, he sidestepped a monuntal skeletal palm hurtling toward him. Two ters from the monster's skull, Priam offered Prosse his own kinetic energy. Listening to Micro and Spear Mastery, his muscles tensed optimally. Domain spotted a weakness in the opponent's bone, and his dexterity slightly altered the trajectory of his thrust.
The tip of his spear pierced the ectoplasm before striking the massive skull at the site of a microscopic crack. Priam absorbed the recoil energy to generate a shockwave that pushed back a wave of spectral thorns. His muscles contracted and then tensed again, doubling the attack. An infernal combo followed.
Each movent was analyzed by his add-on, and real-ti feedback allowed Priam to improve his next strike. Faced with a weakened Tier 3, the Tier 0 honed his skills and perfected his style.
With a colossal crack, the corrupted skull split open. The ectoplasm covering the skeleton had gathered inside, and Priam predicted a suicide attack. The giant necro intended to take him down with it. Naughty boy.
Priam put away Prosse and intensified the flas of his outfit in a move more spectacular than useful. If Esmée were watching, he wanted to appear at his best.
The skull pulsed as Priam tapped into his brimming reservoir of kinetic energy. For the first ti, he used both sets of his ideal ridians simultaneously to invoke [Kinetic Control] within his draconic lung. In a fraction of a second, a disturbance arose within him, using the principle of [Echolocation] to form, but more violent from a sonic wave. Draconic magic condensed it, increasing the pressure and refining the wave.
When the skull exploded, releasing a phenonal amount of necromantic energy, Priam was ready. Taking an offensive stance, he opened his mouth and released a kinetic Breath.
Even an emulated draconic roar could shake the world. The energy cone galloped toward the necromantic explosion. The two forces struggled for a fraction of a second before Priam's shockwave prevailed.
The Tier 3 skeleton exploded, along with all the trees and corrupted beings in a half-circle of a hundred ters. Gazing at a flurry of wood chips, Priam smiled as he watched his notification count skyrocket.
Lvl Up: [Echolocalisation] lvl 12, …, 19
PERC 16
DEXT 8
Event: Necromoon.
Banishnt of a corrupted (Tier 3 - Viscount) - Sun points 100 000
Banishnt of a corrupted (Tier 1- Baron) - Sun points 100
Banishnt…
Kill participation: 99%. Received assistance is considered negligible.
Achievent - Mythic: As a Tier 0, you have eliminated a Necro Tier 3.
What most people consider impossible, you have achieved.
The Zenith is still a long way off, but the echo of your footsteps can already be heard on this mythical Path.
ssage for Humanity & the Wandering Islands :
Priam Azura slayed a Necromoon Viscount (Tier 3) while in Tier 0.
The Seven Concepts congratulate you.
Potential 10 000. 1 000 000 Sun points. Affinity Token - Tier 1 (30%). Gift (Mythic).
"I hope Protheus won't be too disappointed," Priam lied. His voice was hoarse, and he had to spit a little blood on the ground. The kinetic Breath hadn't spared his body.
With the ongoing Necro event, he doubted anyone would bother to co get him, which was why he had authorized a local broadcast. Of course, many powerhouses would try to scry him, but he didn't mind. In fact, he welcod it.
You have defeated [Necro Giant - Tier 3 - Corrupted - Viscount].
Nobility equivalent to Tier 0 - Duke.
[Elysium Marquess - Legendary] becos [Elysium Duke - Mythic]!
[Elysium Duke - Mythic] - Elysium is a dreadful world where the weak perish. The decomposition of their corpses creates fertile soil where your roots anchor to boost your growth. For you, the sky is the limit, but beware: the tallest trees no longer benefit from the canopy's protection. Your vision extends to the horizon, and you understand that you are not the only giant.
Where the Marquess must defend his power, the Duke begins to conquer.
The System grants you this power.
Letter of Nobility (Elysium):
Baron - Designate a territory shielded from the creation of wild rifts and Concept storms.
Viscount - Instantly return to your territory - cooldown: (Ten to the power of Soul Tier) years.
Earl - Unlocked Sub-System: Army.
Marquess - Defend your territory against an invasion to earn a reward (1 Necro Wave defeated.)
Duke - Elysian laws allow you to exploit (1) wild rift. A successful exploitation strengthens your Nobility Title.
You're at the pinnacle of the lesser nobility. The next step is royalty.
Lvl Up: [Revelation Resilience] lvl 9
M 3
TA (AFFI) 3
TA (AUTH) 3
"The fuckers waste no ti."
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