A Novel Concept - A death a day, MC will live anyway! Chapter 37: Σφίγξ

The old man smiled as he approached the edge of the roof. A clamor was rising from the street. The Phoenix Clan was beginning to search every passerby and they were not always in agreent.

"I had to steal this Tear, but I obviously arrived too late. It's my fault, I wanted to orchestrate an impressive theft by announcing it. It would have increased the prestige of my Guild..." he lanted. "But maybe it's not so bad. Bravo for the theft, by the way. You can teleport, right?"

Priam raised his eyebrows. Diamond hadn't even tried to disguise his question. "I have a feeling I'll be teleporting away from this conversation soon..."

The elder raised his hands in the air. "No no, wait. Sorry, I guess it's a taboo question now. However, that was really impressive. Before you leave, I have a proposal. I'd like to propose a mission to you. The rewards are worth it, and between the two of us, we might be able to pull it off."

"I'm very busy right now," Priam replied, staring at Diamond. [He Who Eludes Death] was almost recharged, and he wanted to get to the Palace quickly.

"I suspect you might be interested. The Phoenix Tear is rare, but this move would make it look like a trinket. I won't bore you with the details, but while the Colosseum is there to help warriors, there is also the Hideout, which helps thieves and assassins," Diamond revealed. "I need you for a level four mission. It's the equivalent of the fortieth Wave of the Colosseum."

Priam squinted his eyes. "I don't want to question your skills, Diamond, but I barely made it through the twentieth wave. I can't imagine you being that strong."

"You're right. I'm amazing, but level 4 is still too hard for . I'd say I'm between levels 2 and 3 right now - and I'm the best thief of this Do," he added. Priam reassessed the thief. If he was telling the truth, the thief was exceptionally talented - if not modest. Priam touched the Tear box through his robe to ensure it was still there. If he gets too close, I'll skewer him...

"However, with my flying skills and your teleportation, it's possible," continued Diamond. "Not now, of course, but at the end of the week. It would be interesting for both of us. I get the mission reward from the Hideout - certainly a Talent or skill - and then Ill attempt other Level 4 missions solo. You get the physical reward. We're here to steal sothing after all," Diamond chuckled.

"... What would we steal?" asked Priam.

The thief checked his surroundings before answering. "The Moon Key," he whispered. "It opens a portal to the Moon after the Reunion. For the return trip, you'll need another key, though."

Priam thought about the proposal. He didn't need another key. Elysium wouldn't let him go for long. Coming back to the Moon when no one else was there... He looked up to the sky and beyond. A few seconds later, he began to smile. If it works...

"I might be interested," he replied. "But not until the end of the week. If you're still interested, contact Tjay, an orphan selling information. Oh and, Diamond? You better not try to fool ..." he threatened.

"Don't forget the Honor Among Thieves, he reminded.

"You stole that from a movie," retorted Priam.

Diamond smiled with all his teeth, and Priam thought he liked gold too. "Don't worry, I'm the best because I know who to steal from," the thief replied before reaching for his ear. "I've got to get going. I can't wait to hear about your next exploit Priam Pizza Azura" he finished.

The thief's face turned blacker than night. A mont later, his body turned to black ink and fell to the ground, rging with the shadows. Priam, despite his impressive perception, could no longer detect anything.

Feeling vibrations coming from the building, he stepped forward and disappeared too. A few seconds later, a door on the roof opened.

"Search the roof," the man in the red robe with the silver embroidery ordered curtly. He had just lost sothing of great value. The only upside to the theft was that the Tear belonged to him personally. He didn't dare imagine his punishnt for losing a clan treasure.

A few seconds later, one of his subordinates ca to report. "No trace on the roof, Leader. Our guys detected a slightly high percentage of humidity in one of the unoccupied rooms on the lower floor. But even searching near the chimney overlooking the room, we found nothing. Since we're outside, if there was a very light mist, it would have dissipated long ago," he reported.

The leader's face turned the color of his robe. "Are you telling we have no leads?"

"Yes, Leader. But we're still looking," the subordinate swallowed.

"You won't find anything," announced a voice. The man in black, whose wrists were splinted for easy healing, was approaching. "But we will. We will bring the Tear back to the Phoenix Clan, have no fear. We are partners, after all, and the Cult of Revenants never abandons its allies," he smiled.

The leader visibly cald down.

"Thank you, Antoine. If there is anything I can do to help..."

"That won't be necessary," Antoine replied. "I already have a lead..."

Lvl Up: [ditation] lvl 3,4

WILL 6

M 3

Fifty minutes later, Priam opened his eyes. [ditation] coupled with [Eidetic mory] had refreshed his mind. He realized that the talent allowed him to increase his mory without leveling up a skill.

Just as doing push-ups could increase his strength, thodically searching his mory would improve it. Of course, he knew that the skill, as valuable as it was, would begin to lose its effectiveness as he accumulated more mories and knowledge. But then there would always be ti to improve the skill. If Priam were to hazard an analogy, he had started with a standard mory and now had a directory to access his mories. In the future, perhaps he could create so sort of AI that could sort out his mory for him?

But there was no substitute for naturally increasing his mory attribute. It was the easiest way to think of all his knowledge simultaneously and rember everything. Right now, [Eidetic mory] was helping him to complete his mory, but in twenty or thirty years? The talent would not be enough.

Priam rummaged through his clothes and pulled out the Tear first. He identified it to make sure Diamond hadn't managed to steal it, but it seed genuine. He slipped it into an easily accessible pocket. If he had to use it, he might not have ti to get it out of the box.

Priam then took the black box he had retrieved. The man in black certainly wanted to exchange it for the Tear. So it was only natural to assu that its contents were of the sa rarity level as the Tear. Priam turned the box away from him. Its bearer was a dart enthusiast, and if Priam was to believe the books he had read, such people liked to trap their treasures.

Priam grabbed the edges of the box and pressed it open. Nothing happened. He frowned as he applied more force. The little box remained closed.

A few seconds later, Priam swore as he tried to open the box. He tried to insert the tip of his spear into the gap to pry it open, but the box remained obstinate. A splash attack would have had more effect.

Copiously insulting the box, the tree that had created its wood, and the seed of that sa tree, he finally got up. As a wise man once said: 'If your problem cannot be solved by strength, you are not using enough strength'.

Priam put the box on the ground and held it down with his foot. He had a fight to the death scheduled in less than fifteen minutes and didn't want to waste ti with a box. He raised his spear and struck the lock of the box. Magikarp becos Gyarados. The lock snapped, making Priam smile. He opened the box with the tip of his spear and revealed the object inside. A twin Tear to the one he had stolen was in the box. The only difference was its black color.

[Identification]

[Tear of a Phoenix of the Depths] - The Depths is a terrible place, containing the cataclysms to co. Long ago, an evil god locked up a child Phoenix there. Lost, abandoned, and tortured, the Depths won him over. His distress made him cry one last ti. Here is his diluted tear.

This Tear tainted by the Depths allows influencing the consciousness of a Phoenix. Its consumption promises a rebirth.

Beware: when consud, the influence of the Depths will arise to corrupt the surrounding environnt.

Priam watched the corrupted Tear montarily before putting it away in one of his pockets. He wasn't sure he wanted to use the Tear, despite [He Who Eludes Death]. The identification advised against it, and he shouldn't be reckless if a real Phoenix and a god were involved.

After a few seconds, Priam turned his gaze to the Phoenix Hotel. The leader of the Phoenix Clan must have known what the object was for. So it was a safe bet that he wanted to trade in the corrupted Tear for social status. If it was possible to influence the feelings of a real Phoenix, then affecting the sentints of a half-Phoenix from a secondary family should be easy... Humans always manage to adapt, even after an apocalypse...

Shaking his head, he turned to the picture window and opened it. The longer he waited, the more powerful the Viscount beca. Before entering the apartnt, Priam changed his mind and glanced down from the balcony railing. Ti to get ready...