"You're faster than expected," sighed Anatole. Seeing Priam's gaze, he added. "Why are you looking at like that? I've created chiras by fusing humans. I'm ready to make sacrifices too."
Priam floated to the ground and raised his spear. Knowing Anatole, a trap could happen at any mont. The giant spider lowered its head slightly so that Anatole and Priam could exchange a glance.
"... Why?" Priam didn't know what else to say. That a man could willingly rge with a creature of horror seed impossible to him.
"Because it's the only way to control these spiders. They listen to their progenitor - and now to ."
"All this to turn the Jubokko into an Abomination?"
Anatole shrugged. "When the tree will perish, I'll be rewarded by the System comnsurate with my efforts." Priam was stunned for a mont. The conversation seed outlandish to him. Anatole had tried to take control of his body only a few hours ago. Now he was talking as if nothing had happened. Why am I talking to this lunatic?
"I find you very calm, knowing I'm here to kill you."
"You can try. My body is currently fused with an Earl. This spider is weaker in attack than the lion and less resistant than the redwood. But it's still an Earl."
Anatole must have succeeded in replacing or dominating the Earl's mind. Priam observed his opponent. The Revenant could be bluffing, of course, but his instincts told him that Anatole was more of a chess player than a poker player. Why bluff when you could weave a dozen backup plans?
"The more I get to know you, the more similarities I find between you and spiders," comnted Priam.
The sentence drew a smile from his enemy. "Yet, I'm arachnophobic. But I have to fight my weaknesses."
"I'm not sure you're fighting all your weaknesses. For example, I've heard you wish to resurrect your wife and daughter?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the atmosphere froze. The light dimd, and the mushrooms closed. The distant sound of battle faded. Anatole was in complete control of his domain. Perhaps even his Domain. Maybe I should have attacked without wasting ti... Part of Priam's brain pondered his possible attacks and escapes.
After about ten seconds, Anatole unlocked his jaw. "How?"
Priam looked at him as if his opponent were an idiot. "You think I'm going to answer that?"
"... Your bait worked. Ill hear what you have to say. Think carefully about your words."
Silence filled the room as the workers withdrew. In the distance, the high-pitched cries of spiders could be heard. The ground shook occasionally when the Jubokko tried to hide its root.
Priam didn't know what to say. His clones had given him Anatole's weakness, which must have been complicated to find. It had undoubtedly taken thousands of hypothetical interactions between Anatole and Priam for the secret to be revealed. But if there was just one chance - even in a billion - that Anatole could explain his weakness, then one of his clones could learn it.
I could ask for the perfect phrase to keep the conversation going...
He had eight questions left, three of them before his tribulations. It wasn't much, and he didn't want to waste one now. His doubles had given him all the cards. All he had to do was play them well. Priam had not forgotten his primary objective: to survive his Tribulations. Secondarily, he also wanted to save as many people as possible, succeed in his quests and kill Anatole. All three objectives were linked...
The silence dragged on until Priam raised his head.
"I have the ans to resurrect Rose as a human without side effects. I swear it on my Potential."
Priam's heart missed a beat as a horrible sensation rose inside him. Like the tide, it invaded his body before receding, leaving him breathless and amputated of part of his Potential.
POT -50.
His oath was accepted by his Potential. After all, he was telling the truth. The System had offered him an excellent quest reward.
First Quest: Soon to be reunited?
Eliminate as many Revenants as possible.
Next reward: Depending on your participation.
Bonus: Kill Anatole Aely'Samael, the Grand Master of the Cultists.
Reward: You can choose one soul to resurrect.
For a mont, Priam wondered if everything had been planned. His instincts told him no. The Concepts gave young civilizations a great deal of freedom, certainly in the hope of a miracle.
Anatoles eyes widened. "I... How?"
"Let's be honest, yeah? What's your interest in destroying the Jubokko?"
Of course, being in command of a Viscount-rank spider army and having an Earl to protect his base was positive for Anatole. However, the man hadn't done all this to accumulate so little power. Above all, he wanted to resurrect his family.
The Grand Master of the Revenants remained silent for several seconds. The news seed to have disturbed him greatly.
"I want to use the Jubokko to kill Safamu - the Lion Earl - that spider and then kill the sequoia. Killing three Earls would create enough of a feat for the Concepts to give a personalized reward. I... I'd like to resurrect Rose." Anatole's voice was so soft as he spoke his daughter's na that Priam surprised himself with compassion. The man was a monster, but his love seed genuine.
Priam took so ti to ponder the revelation. On his third Achievent, the Concepts had interceded to modify his reward and increase his chances of survival. So, Anatole might have been telling the truth: certain feats made it possible to formulate a wish. But would that be enough?
"You're not sure it'll work," Priam realized. Faced with Anatole's silence, Priam continued. "Even if killing those three Earls would allow you to resurrect your wife or daughter, there's little chance you'd succeed. After all, everyone is against you. I'm not easily killed and... My Tribulations are about to begin."
Priam had a plan that required Anatole's cooperation, and he intended to be honest. You couldn't teach an old dog new tricks, so Priam had no intention of lying to his enemy. Truth was his weapon.
"I have several Tribulations coming at once, and they will destroy the plans of most of the factions that gather here."
Anatole raised an eyebrow. "So I'm talking to a dead man."
"That's what we'll see. But even without that, the most powerful human fighters are coming and intend to reap so benefits. The chances of you killing those three Earls on your own are... slim."
"You think I don't know that?!"
Priam raised his weapon when he heard Anatole's angry exclamation. The man was losing his temper when his family was at stake.
"I have no choice! I've accumulated two Achievents using the Revenants, but nothing is good enough for the System," Anatole caught his breath before sighing. "The more ti passes, the more powerful fools will beco by finding treasure or selling their souls to super factions. If I want to impress the Concepts, it's now or never!"
Thanks to the urn, Anatole had t an early opportunity, but he knew that others would soon et their own. Humanity was a competitive species, and staying ahead would be harder and harder. The only way was to make the most of his winnings and reinvest them quickly.
"Then I'll make you a deal. You help and I'll resurrect your daughter in exchange. Rose will enjoy life once again." Priam felt dirty using a little girl's life to achieve his ends. Anatole's appearance suggested a man in his forties. His daughter must have been barely in her teens.
Anatole watched him for a mont, and Priam took the opportunity to review his plan. The decision was not a hasty one. Anatole currently controlled both an Earl and thousands of spiders. If a fight broke out, he'd have a hard ti winning. Even in the event of victory, his injuries would handicap him during his Tribulations.
Priam was not a fool blinded by the presence of an enemy. Anatole was a monster who deserved to die, but Priam had no intention of sacrificing himself to avenge strangers.
"How can you be so sure it will work?" Anatole asked at last.
"Well, I swore on my Potential and..."
Anatole cut him off.
"It ans you think it will work. Not that it will work."
"It's a quest reward. Kill Anatole Aely'Samael, the Grand Master of the Cultists.
Reward: You can choose one soul to resurrect'," read Priam.
Anatole looked him straight in the eye, and Priam tightened his grip on Prosse. After several intense seconds, the man smiled.
"Good."
"What?"
"Good. What do you want in return?" smiled Anatole.
"... Youre sure?" asked Priam. Perhaps this was yet another trap set by his enemy.
"My family is the most important thing to . I know I have little chance of resurrecting them myself. Almost none, in fact. So super factions are waiting for the lion to show any sign of weakness. Your proposal assures of resurrecting my daughter. Im glad to accept."
A smile lit up his face and he continued. "My wife would die of grief without her baby, so better resurrect my daughter."
"... Perfect then," replied Priam after a pause.
Anatole seed capable of dying for his daughter, but sothing was fishy here. Perhaps he had a way to resurrect himself? If so, Anatole would be disappointed. By pissing on the statue of Viracocha, Priam had acquired a particular skill. [There is no Heaven] was capable of damaging the souls of his enemies. Priam had no desire to let his enemy live a third ti.
"Let's make a contract to bind us," proposed Anatole.
"That's what I was going to suggest."
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