Chương 304: Chapter 296: Flat Earth or Discworld

You have left the Concepts Universe. Location: Valaryth - fragment 84. A fragment of a world destroyed in a war won by the Seven Grand Concepts.

"What's a fragment of a world?" murmured Priam. A simple string of words describing something almost impossible to imagine. High above the blue expanse of Valaryth, the Juggernaut fought his fiercest enemy—his own curiosity. The secrets of the aether, the origins of the System, the mysteries of the Zenith… Priam sought answers to it all, for his own sake and for the sheer power that knowledge promised. Here, understanding Valaryth was essential—not just to survive, but to conquer it, as his Duke's quest demanded.

With his enhanced vision and high perception, Priam gazed over a world that stretched infinitely in every direction. The absence of any curvature told him one thing: Valaryth wasn't a sphere. Despite the sun in the sky and stars shimmering above, this was no planet. Priam's scientific mind sparked, formulating theories one after another. First hypothesis—he was on a flat world. An ocean resting atop a bed of rock floating in a void.

Ancient scholars once imagined Earth the same way, certain that a ship could sail off the edge of the world into the abyss. Terry Pratchett had taken that concept with Discworld and added four elephants and a turtle. Other scholars had used mathematics to break down the flat Earth theory. Applied to Valaryth, Priam didn't yet have enough data to confirm or deny it. Despite his enhanced vision, a faint mist cloaked the world fragment.

Practically invisible to the average human eye, the atmospheric haze created a white veil a hundred kilometers out, obscuring most details beyond a thousand. If there were borders to this world, he couldn't see them. What Priam did know had come from the locals. The tribe that had saved him from the Seventh Terror had hinted that the void was nibbling away at pieces of their world. Their chief Titus was even searching for a way to escape Valaryth. I owe them for saving my life.

Now that I have a stronghold and a portal, I'll have to find them again. After one last scan of his surroundings, Priam noted a distant storm brewing in the north and descended back to the ground. Nestled on a beach between the forest and sea, the Oasis outpost awaited him. The fort, a vitrified sandcastle, was adorned with runes that strengthened its structure. Spanning about the size of a tennis court, it had a ten-meter-high tower.

Its top floor, a terrace bordered by small crenelated walls, offered a panoramic view of the surroundings. Landing atop the outpost, Priam smiled as he took in the paradise-like cove before him. Two rocky promontories framed a natural harbor where turquoise waters lapped gently at the shore. It wasn't unusual to see a few Oasis members swimming or sunbathing on the beach.

Despite the purification rituals and the comforting presence of Log-a-rhythm in Elysium, the eerie light of the Necromoon wore on everyone's nerves, and the bone-chilling howls of the corrupted didn't help anyone get a good night's sleep…

"Lord Priam." Turning, Priam saw Myuri. The Empyrean was slightly out of breath, having evidently hurried up the stairs to join him.

"Myuri! Everything alright?" The supervisor inclined her head—Priam had long given up trying to stop her—and replied, "The main building's structure is nearly finished. Miss Rose has a few more runes to inscribe, but I haven't seen her today." Noting the faint concern in her voice, Priam reassured her.

"She started her first Tribulation a few hours ago." Unlike warriors, crafters could trigger their Tribulations at will. When they felt ready to face the System's test, they only needed to ask. Failure carried consequences, but it wasn't fatal.

"Oh." Myuri cracked her knuckles, then stopped as she realized the nervous habit. She took a deep breath.

"I'm sure she'll succeed!"

"She's overqualified," Priam confirmed.

"In terms of rune knowledge, she's my equal." A stranger wouldn't have appreciated the achievement; after all, Priam was not just a talented aetherist but a powerful warrior. Yet it was crucial to remember that Rose had a fraction of his mental attributes and no add-on, bloodline, Talent, or [Ideal Aether Perception] to help her understand. To match him in rune studies, she relied only on her eidetic memory, innate intelligence, and every waking moment she could spare.

In short, Anatole's daughter had a monstrous potential comparable to her father's or Osiris'.

"The basement is still being excavated with periodic help from the hoplites," Myuri continued.

"Right now, we're focusing on the first level of defense: a perimeter wall." Priam turned his gaze outward, admiring the beginnings of a beige rampart encircling the outpost. The wall was a blemish on the landscape, but Myuri had sacrificed aesthetics for security.

"It's modeled after the Oasis rampart," he noted.

"Managed to find a solution for the lack of the Sun Shop?" The biggest difference between Oasis and Valaryth was that the Sun Shop didn't function here. Summoning fortifications and other structures by spending hard-earned Sun Points was impossible. Maybe the local laws conflicted with the System's attempts to alter reality so forcefully? Myuri shook her head.

"I wouldn't say we found a solution, exactly… more like a workaround. After studying the original wall and the blueprints for each upgrade, your father, Miss Rose, and Messrs. Bertomne and Lamnas began construction. Log-a-rhythm's wooden stakes provide a stable foundation and the rest of the structure is enchanted sand, sung into shape. Reinforced metal panels, bought from the Elysium Auction, form the outer layer. It should serve as a reasonably durable protection."

"Meaning?" The Oasis wall was Legendary-grade with Rank VII enchantments. The engraved runes and the quality of its materials could indefinitely withstand a powerful Tier 0 Duke. In practical terms, Priam had to unleash his Breath, augmented by Pyro, Breath, and Conquest Aura, just to punch a basketball-sized hole in it—a result that didn't meet his expectations. His disappointment had only lasted until Jasmine and Kazuki had made fools of themselves trying.

The hoplite had even torn a muscle trying to leave a mark on the wall.

"Gold-grade, with a series of Rank V enchantments. Should hold off a relentless assault from an Elysian Marquess."

"Not bad. No, let's not be stingy—it's damn impressive! I'm floored by your progress." Myuri blushed.

"Our achievement is minor. The Sun Shop's presence and nearly limitless funds help a lot."

"Of course, but that would be useless without your talent and hard work."

"Everyone's doing their best just to survive another day." Her gaze darkened.

"However, even this fortification won't hold off a Terror." Priam cast a grim glance at the serene waters of the cove.

"With the power of the Second Terror, even a Mythic-grade wall would be reduced to dust." Forcing a smile, he added, "Don't stress too much about those monsters. Just focus on fortifying the outpost; I'll handle the Terrors." The relieved look on her face weighed on Priam's shoulders like a heavy mantle. Myuri knew she couldn't withstand an apocalypse, but she had no doubt that Priam could save them all. His father and most of the crafters were like that. The responsibility was daunting.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Any plans after this?" he asked, shifting the topic. Myuri pointed toward the bay.

"Securing the ocean access in front and the forest behind, and then installing aerial defenses." An ambitious project. Valaryth's supervisor sought to fortify dozens of hectares on three fronts. Ambitious but also necessary if they were to avoid a Terror raid before they had the means to evacuate. Out of the corner of his eye, Priam saw her crack her knuckles again. The weight of her responsibilities was as clear as her desire to do a good job.

"Your work… It's everything I hoped for and more," he smiled, watching the tension in her shoulders ease.

"Just, try not to destroy the view. For many, Valaryth is a place to unwind, and I wouldn't want an ugly fortress spoiling the panorama." Myuri nodded enthusiastically.

"As you wish!" Priam opened his mouth to correct her overly formal attitude but reconsidered. Her extreme professionalism was a kind of social armor. Who am I to take that from her? I bet she'll relax with time… Lvl Up: [Phoenix Wings] lvl 36 META(Focus) +2 META(Endurance) +1 With a lazy beat of his wings, Priam surged nearly three hundred meters forward, leaving a fiery trail in his wake. On Earth, countless fantasy novels and mythologies had described the powers and abilities of phoenixes.

Yet Priam couldn't recall a single mention of their speed. In his opinion, it was a serious oversight. If a rare skill like [Phoenix Wings] could break the sound barrier, who could say what an adult phoenix was capable of? [[Phoenix Wings] synergizes with Fire/Pyro Concept and [Golden Adaptive Meridians] to propel the user to supersonic speeds. The minimal air resistance achieved through [Glide], [Smooth Scales], and [Kinetic Control] also plays a significant role in the final speed.] His add-on's objective assessment made sense, and Priam accepted the correction gracefully. Phoenixes were fast, but it was his own synergies that allowed him to break the sound barrier.

"I'm just that good," he joked, though the words were warped by the rush of wind that filled his mouth. In the end, it sounded like the muffled groans of someone at the dentist. A few minutes later, Priam adjusted his wings to slow down. Looming ahead was a wall of storm clouds, nearly black in hue. From the surface of the ocean to dozens of kilometers into the sky, the cloud formation obscured everything in its path. A sudden flash of lightning eclipsed the sunlight, and Priam narrowed his eyes.

He had just witnessed the father of all thunderbolts, and his instincts warned him that his constitution would be severely tested to survive it.

"This must be it." Priam moved closer until he was within arm's reach of the furious cumulonimbus. Strangely enough, there was a kind of invisible boundary separating the storm from the surrounding area. Not even a meter from the tempest's edge, Priam felt no wind or rain on his skin. And yet, just centimeters away, hell was raging. The cyclone was contained either by powerful magic… or by the world's laws, if the Rehm tribespeople were to be believed.

During his first visit to Valaryth, Urr, a member of a local tribe, had told him about these tempests.

"Legend has it that almost five centuries ago, one of the last Tier Twos tried to level up. The world's laws summoned a High Tribulation, but there wasn't enough aether to complete it. The warrior's soul couldn't be blessed, and the Tribulation never reached its final phase. Since then, the sky has poured down rain without end. Those who brave this torrent get rewarded. The longer you withstand it, the greater the prize."

Priam was willing to bet this so-called torrent was the alien Tribulation his quest had mentioned. From there, he reached an obvious conclusion. The storm before him wasn't natural but rather the remnants of an aborted High Tribulation. Enduring it would earn him rewards from both Valaryth's laws and the System. That was all he needed to make up his mind.

"A High Tribulation… I wonder how it differs from a regular one."

Status: PHYSICAL: Strength 893 SEALED Constitution 1 199 SEALED Agility 1 169 Vitality 1 136 Perception 858 MENTAL: Vivacity (D) 599 SEALED Dexterity 752 Memory 891 SEALED Willpower 1 004 Charisma 648 META: Meta-affinity 980 Meta-focus 551 (+2) Meta-endurance 887 (+2) Meta-perception 461 Meta-chance 523 Meta-authority 286 Potential: 17 825 (+2) Tier 0 Sun points: 143 444 [He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED Concepts: Breath (T0): 100% / Harmony Fire (T0): 100% / Unity Pyro (T1): 100% / Half-step Unity Mist (T1): 100% / Symphony Bloodlines: Phoenix: 2% Dragon: 1% Rewards standing: Fusion Token - Skill (Epic) Evolution Token - Skill (Legendary) Affinity Token - Tier 1 (30%) Alien Concept fragment (7th Terror) Talent Token - Upgrade (Seraph) Revelation Token - Ideal Prerequisites (Epic) Colosseum VIP Token Reborn Token - Reset biological lifespan (Legendary) [Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until: Time: 133 days 15 hours 40 minutes 19 seconds. Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200 Next arc already complete on Patreon if you want to find out what happens next! https: //www. patreon. com/ANovelConcept