The Dragon's Way helped Priam's cells and soul absorb the draconic essence flowing through his veins.
Lvl Up: [Friction Resistance] lvl 19, 20
AGI 2
As his body and soul transford, the experience made Priam reflect on the different paths that could lead to Tier 10. Cultivating the Three Heart Supremacies elevated the self by increasing attributes and aligning the body, mind, and soul closer to the Zenith. Micro, Domain, and Mastery—each thod was different, yet Priam knew they were pure and complentary.
A more dangerous but vast path was that of the Concepts. To change the world, one had to understand and integrate it. It was dangerous for the ego because drawing closer to an idea was no trivial matter. Getting too close to Fire would get you burned, just as whoever tastes Freedom would seek to break their chains. Concepts changed your way of thinking, so it was crucial to avoid practicing those not aligned with your true nature.
That was without even ntioning the influence of those walking the sa path as you. Nonetheless, despite its pitfalls, it was a viable path, as proven by the Seven.
A last alternative was the perception, understanding, and manipulation of aether. The primordial energy was the source of everything and defied the rules. Beginning, end, concepts, ideas, logic, and even entropy had no hold on the eternal essence; at least, that’s what Priam had been told.
Unlike the other paths, mastering aether required a dium. One had to use runes—a structure that had aning for the aether, that resonated with it—which could take an infinite number of forms and concepts. A sigil drawn in the sand was as valid as a spoken incantation or the specific vibration of an atom… and easier to replicate than creating a constellation.
Runes, the alphabet of aether, were as infinite as the fluid they allowed one to manipulate, but so creatures had almost managed to comprehend them. The most famous were the dragons.
Where most mythical races created cores and fulcrums, the supre race had the innate ability to inscribe runes directly onto their souls. This power allowed them to manipulate reality directly.
A fantastic power that the System had managed to democratize.
Priam had recently understood the true nature of skills: a rune or a ritual etched onto one of the layers of the soul. Besides being a shortcut to manipulate reality, these sigils perfected the self’s trilogy: body, mind, and soul. This improvent was gradual and better known as “leveling up.”
Several thods existed to level up one’s skills. The most common was to train hard and consciously. The System and runes then helped with the regeneration of muscle fibers after work, guided the repair of microfractures in the bones, oriented body growth, perfected muscle mory, and optimized brain synapses.
Priam hadn’t yet fully understood what leveling up and upgrading a skill entailed for the soul, but the result was clear. The user learned and progressed faster and better without the System replacing the effort; it simply maximized the results obtained.
Leveling up corresponded to better proficiency and the attributes gained by the user. Achievents, Titles, Quests, or Colosseum rewards could also level up skills, but all these thods had a common point: these gains were not simply given by an omnipotent entity, they were earned, untainted by a bloodline or Concept.
Each level-up was thus a new step towards the Zenith: a miracle in line with the policies of the Seven Grand Concepts, which refused to corrupt the inhabitants of their world.
Chewing the last piece of the defeated beast’s heart, its barely controlled energy coursing through his body, Priam understood why dragons were so feared. The similarity between their Way and that of the System ant their bloodline was also capable of conferring level-ups. It was marvelous because it ant every draconic adversary was a potential source of raw power.
It was perilous because the more Priam ascended, the more appetizing he would beco to those who shared his bloodline.
“Let them co,” he smiled.
As he used his mist and Domain to rinse off the draconic blood, part of Priam’s attention checked his notifications.
[Friction Resistance] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill.
Depending on your background, two upgrades are available:
[Great Friction Resistance - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5
[Smooth Scales - Rare] - You possess draconic scales and the essence of an amphiptere flows in your veins. High upgrade potential. Potential Cost: 20
Priam hesitated for a mont to accept a high upgrade. Could he unlock an ideal upgrade with his unique build? Maybe, but it will be hard. He hadn’t even unlocked a standard upgrade, not having worked hard on this resistance. [He Who Eludes Death] and [Kinetic Control] might eventually help him reach insane speeds in a fluid, maybe even explode in flight like a rocket re-entering the atmosphere, but would that be enough?
Moreover, Priam was reluctant to die like that. His constitution was too close to twelve hundred, which would be a death sentence. Plus, he had been alive for almost four days—a record so far—and one of Elysium’s chain quests was to survive. Log-a-rhythm’s seed had been his reward for surviving three days, so Priam anticipated the next milestone: a week.
“Too bad, I would have liked to see what happens when you only unlock ideal upgrades for a skill,” he murmured as he validated the upgrade. “Next ti.”
You have selected the skill [Smooth Scales - Rare].
POT -20
[Smooth Scales] - Friction is the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another. Your draconic scales act like a lubricant, allowing you to partially ignore this force. You lose less speed due to interactions with your environnt.
This skill has other advantages that will not be listed here to keep this description kid-friendly.
AGI 3
A layer of spectral scales appeared on the surface of his skin, bringing a smile to Priam’s lips. Thanks to [Ideal Aether Perception] and his constitution’s milestones, he could see that his new resistance only applied to his draconic scales; a protection he could invoke and banish at will. In short, he could switch between a mode with friction and one without. This could be an interesting trick...
While studying his new skill, Priam noticed another important point by reading the option description. He had obtained a high upgrade for two reasons: he possessed draconic scales and had absorbed the essence of the amphiptere. By extrapolating a bit, one could think that the draconic essence had been integrated into [Friction Resistance] because it was one of the winged serpent’s main characteristics.
“Depending on the species of dragon I hunt, I’ll get a corresponding reward,” mused Priam. By targeting specific monsters, he could fill his gaps. “Better yet, I could get better upgrades. If I had absorbed the essence of a Tier 2 amphiptere, it would certainly have counted as a prerequisite for an ideal upgrade.”
Priam had to clench his abs to avoid bursting out laughing. This was excellent news! Of course, it was dangerous, but between this discovery and his [Life is Hard; I’m Harder] Title, he now had two free prerequisites for the ideal upgrade of all his common and rare resistances. The day he beca the ultimate juggernaut was no longer so far off.
The chirping of a bird outside pulled Priam from his reverie. Counting your chickens before they hatch was stupid.
“I need to verify that killing and absorbing the draconic essence of other amphipteres can increase the level of [Smooth Scales]. If it’s true, then I need to find them all.”
The skill boosted his agility, an attribute far from the next dangerous threshold—nine hundred points. The resistance effect would allow him to fly and swim faster, which would surely be instruntal in his future hunt against the Terrors of Valaryth.
“Absorb the essence of amphipteres and other draconic species, track and kill the Terrors, use their cores as trophies for Heavenly Dragon, then survive my Tribulations. Sounds like a plan,” Priam smiled. After a final glance at the carcass beginning to attract flies, he cautiously exited the building.
With his bloodline roaring in his ears, Priam grilled the draconic heart over a fire. To avoid alerting nearby creatures, he had lit it manually. What had troubled him upon arriving in Elysium was now trivial for the Fire Champion. A Concept was more than the ability to alter reality; it was an intimate understanding of the notions behind it.
The massive vital organ sizzled over the flas as Priam endured the call of his bloodline. The Dragon in him demanded he devour the heart raw, but the human found that repulsive.
“No one, not even my own power, will dictate my actions.” Seated on the arena's sand, Priam repeated the mantra to affirm his resolve. If he hadn't used his Potential to seal [True Will], the skill would have undoubtedly leveled up, given how hard it was to resist. However, his willpower was too close to triggering a sixth Tribulation to risk it.
When the scent made his stomach growl, Priam gave in and devoured the still-rare at in a few bites. Chin dripping with blood, he smiled as he licked his fingers.
“I’m not sure if it tastes like duck or chicken, but it’s delicious!”
Glancing at the enormous carcass, he opened a passage to Concept Archipelago and stored it there. If an unseasoned heart was this good, Blueberry could work wonders with the rest.
Monts after closing the portal, Priam felt a surge of energy gathering in his stomach. As his digestive system absorbed the at’s proteins, acids, and fats, his bloodline consud the hidden draconic essence.
Lvl Up: [Smooth Scales] lvl 2, 3, 4
AGI 9
Satisfied, Priam allowed himself a few minutes of rest to rinse off and retaliate against those who continued to spy on him. Then, after covering the fire with sand, he stood. The hunt was far from over.
Status:
PHYSICAL:
Strength 707
Constitution 1 105
Agility 773 ( 143)
Vitality 1 040
Perception 766 ( 5)
NTAL:
Vivacity (D) 570
Dexterity 656 ( 3)
mory 842 ( 10)
Willpower 1 163
Charisma 692
TA:
ta-affinity 799 ( 15)
ta-focus 409 ( 6)
ta-endurance 617 ( 9)
ta-perception 339
ta-chance 274
ta-authority 216 ( 6)
Potential: 13 607 ( 64)
Tier 0
Sun points: 1 478 906 ( 11 290)
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRID
[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Ti: 153 days 18 hours 47 minutes 10 seconds.
Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200
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