Chương 65: Chapter 64: Siblings but not Twins

His mind was overwhelmed by pain as his Potential changed the foundations of his skill. But once the pain passed, Priam burst out laughing. Changing skills and their attributes opened up a whole new field of possibilities. Better still, he had kept the Perception point from his old skill. Which meant something important to Priam. Notifications of attribute increases were not System rewards. Priam had sharpened his Perception by focusing on his sense of smell, and his body had adapted.

He had gained that point of Perception the way you gain muscle by lifting heavy weights. Priam knew how to make better use of his sense of smell and the System had translated this into a skill. But even if the System disappeared, Priam now knew he'd keep his skill - his experience, his memory, and his ability to smell better. Is this because it's a common skill? Or could I also manipulate kinetic energy without the System? Anyway, he had no intention of modifying common skills again.

Creating [Kinetic Control], an epic skill, had cost him a mere 84 points of Potential. This meant that modifying a skill was excessively expensive as well as being relatively useless. After all, he could have kept the first [Sense of Smell] and tried to focus his sense of smell on the scent differentiation part. He could then have created a new skill [Sense of Smell] - the one he currently had - and merged the two with a little Potential.

For the same cost, he would have had a rare skill, giving perception and dexterity. Of course, this was still what Priam planned to do, but it took time to build up a skill. Time he didn't have. In the end, modifying a skill was certainly only useful for rare or epic skills. But it was useful information. Ev en the pain had taught him something. Micro had been powerless to stop it, meaning it wasn't linked to his body. Priam theorized that his skills were related to his soul and meridians.

He had shrugged, suspecting that this kind of subject went far beyond Tier 0. Priam had then spent almost two hours playing with Sphinx to increase his attributes and learn to better use his great olfactory sense. He felt as if a new dimension was opening up to him. Above all, he suspected that human assassins and thieves would prefer visual rather than olfactory camouflage. So Priam had a head start - two with [Aether Perception]. Priam refocused on the game and placed the pebble gently back into Sphinx's paw.

He closed his eyes while she mixed the stones and waited for her signal to open them again. The young Viscount began to stir the pebbles, sniffing one after another. After about thirty seconds, his nose was saturated, and Priam had limited his choices. Three pebbles remained in front of him, each smelling of elderflower. His nose was not yet sensitive enough to detect their subtle difference, and Priam took them in his hand. He lifted them one by one before looking up at Sphinx, who was watching him.

His friend had managed to win all their previous games, and Blueberry had quickly declared that he had no wish to play against her. The talent of a mythical creature was truly exceptional.

"This one," declared Priam, pointing to a pebble. Lvl Up: [Comparison] lvl 8 MEM +1 Lvl Up: [Identification] lvl 9 MEM +1 Blueberry straightened up and looked at the pebble before looking at Sphinx. The legendary monster smiled, and Priam smiled back.

"Bravo Priam!" Priam stood up with a smile. It had taken him two hours to increase his Memory, and it had finally reached 50. He had learned much about the System and had several ideas for improving his power. Moreover, he was pretty sure that this kind of knowledge was scarce. Most factions used their members' Potential to create specific skill sets. Nobody had too much Potential, and certainly not enough to use it in such an outrageous way.

"But these tests were necessary..."

"Excuse me?" asked Blueberry.

"Nothing," Priam replied, stretching.

"I'm hearing more and more commotion below, and I think we're about to march on the Revenants. Before that, I'll need your help, Sphinx," said Priam.

"What should I do?!" asked his friend, still enthusiastic.

"Attack me. It's time to see the limits of [Kinetic Control]. I want to surprise Anatole." The training had paid off. The Earl had even granted Sphinx three big drops of the Spring to heal her wounds. The proud creature had refused to use these treasures but had entrusted them to Priam. The young Viscount gloated as he analyzed them a second time. With the drops, the price in Potential to Enhance [Axolotl or Hydra?] had fallen. [Axolotl or Hydra?] is ready for evolution. Absence of a catalyst detected.

Use Potential (2786) to trigger evolution? Priam nearly choked on the number. Fortunately, with three drops, the System was kinder. [Axolotl or Hydra?] is ready for evolution. Presence of a catalyst detected. Use 3 [Spring Drops] and Potential (2783) to trigger evolution? It was still far too expensive for Priam, but the Spring made it possible. After all, there were a lot of drops... So Priam decided to change his plan. [Axolotl or Hydra?] was necessary to survive his Tribulations - and the ones to follow.

But thanks to the Spring, he had another option. Of course, it was dangerous not to directly improve his better Title by using the Evolution Token - a quest reward he'd received for discovering the true identity of the Revenants. But Priam wanted to gain as much as possible before his Tribulations. Go big or go home, right? Well, it's rather: go big or go die. Priam felt that he would not have a moment's rest before his Tribulations. He wanted to improve his Titles before the battle against the Revenants.

Priam decided to ask an open question. Why limit the question when he didn't know what lay ahead? Which Title should I improve now? Answer: Ask for a second heart, yet don't choose one. Another cryptic phrase. But if Priam didn't understand the purpose, the meaning was very clear. He took the Evolution Token in his right hand and injected it with his Aether using [Aether Manipulation]. The Token lit up for a few moments, and a notification appeared. Bronze Title token used.

Choose a Title to upgrade to Silver rank: [Heartless] [Brainless] [Axolotl or Hydra?] [Hermes' apprentice] [Upgrade] [To the Moon] [Admirer of Atlas] [Veteran] [Threat Killer] [Fighter of the Depths] Priam selected [Heartless]. Had he not asked, he would undoubtedly have chosen [Veteran]. But his doubles must have known something he didn't. The token activated, and Priam fell to his knees. He had lost all control of his body, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. [Heartless] is evolving.

No catalyst detected... Detection of multiple Achievements... Selection of five compatible evolutions. [Heartless - Silver] [Silver Heart - Silver] [Human Heart - Silver] [Bloodline Engine - Silver] [Double Heart - Silver] Priam's first heart sank as he read about the possible developments. He wanted to buy everything. Bloodline Engine could perhaps refine further my Phoenix bloodline... He bit his tongue to stop thinking. His duplicates must have had a good reason. [Double Heart - Silver] chosen.

[Double Heart] confers a second heart. The heart is a vital organ, and extremely important in more ways than one. The choice of affinity is crucial. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Choose an affinity. [Human] [Death] [Energy conversion] [Mist] [Depths] [Phoenix]... Affinities denied. Priam had hesitated when he saw the possible affinities. [Death] had to refer to his Talent [He Who Eludes Death] and could potentially boost it, or facilitate his patron's request.

[Phoenix] was self-explanatory. Priam had seen an echo of Phoenix's power and wished to reach that level. But his doubles would not betray him. Priam had to trust himself and clung to this idea. A second heart without affinity will be created. Warning: [Double Heart] requires affinity. In the absence of an affinity, the surrounding aether will seek to fill the void. The System will protect your second heart for the next forty-eight hours. A catastrophic event will occur if an affinity is not found by then.

The empty heart can absorb any affinity without an owner. Priam only had time to read the notification before the System descended. Time stopped, and the Potential in Priam trembled. The divine passage he knew so well opened wide. The divine tunnel widened from a trickle to a stellar river. This time, no inspiration, no miracle arrived to water Priam's soul or body. Seven Concepts took charge. Perhaps the creation of a heart without affinity was a bigger taboo than Priam realized?

Perhaps the Evolution Token was simply this powerful? Perhaps a succession of choices had piqued the Concepts' interest? Whatever the reason, they had momentarily turned their gaze to the Moon, humanity, and Priam. Seven consciousnesses as old as the Universe arrived. The young man forgot even his own name in the face of the Concepts' divine attention. The Moon disappeared, leaving his body, mind and soul floating in space. In the middle of the infinite firmament, the anonymous soul contemplated the Universe.

The distant stars were no longer the same as he had known them. The constellations had changed. Continued to. All around him, the billions of visible stars changed position, taking on impossible shapes before bending over him. The attention of the Universe was focused on him. If his thoughts hadn't been manipulated, his mind would have fractured. The Sun, the nearest star, approached the young man.

In one thousand years or one second, the fireball traveled one hundred and fifty million kilometers or a few meters, then imploded. All that remained of the giant was an aether sphere. The seven constellations embroidered and seven threads sprang from the solar orb. The anonymous body's thorax opened. Skin, blood vessels and bones vanished. His right lung diminished in volume, leaving space beneath the young man's floating ribs. Symmetrically to his left side, an absent heart appeared in his torso.

A mirror symmetry had taken place, and an empty space now lay in the right side of his ribcage. The seven threads, drawn from the astral ball, invaded this cavity. Forming esoteric runes, they exhausted the stellar globe until it evaporated. In the young man's torso now lay a cage designed to house a heart. The skeleton of the second heart was formed. Their work done, the Concepts' attention dispersed. The stars in the sky returned to their places, once again forming natural constellations.

The divine bridge broke, and the young man's chest closed. As the Moon called to him once more, the young man, in a final epiphany, became aware of his surroundings. The Universe was the sum of the stars and the void. This void sought to be filled. The infinite blackness trembled.

"Priam!" The young man - Priam was his name - opened his eyes. Above him stood a terrifying monster, with teeth the size of his arm. Priam groaned. His body was so sore he could barely move. The right side of his torso was burning, begging to be filled. Priam felt empty, and the sensation was horrible.

"Hey Sphinx," he greeted weakly.

"What do you mean 'hey Sphinx'?! You tripped and fainted. I've been trying to wake you up for almost two hours now. And how did you lose almost five hundred grams?!" Swallowing, Priam straightened up, placing a hand on his right pectoral. Underneath, an aether cage created by sacrificing a sun waited for him to choose a heart. Instinctively, Priam sensed that the frame would accept any concept and affinity. As long as he could claim its ownership. This future heart could be anything…

The pain ebbed away as Priam understood its actual cause. The emptiness in his body wasn't just physical. His soul, too, needed to fill the void. Priam stood up fully and dusted off his pants with his left hand.

"Sorry Sphinx, I underestimated a reward. I feel fine now," he lied.

"Are you sure?" asked his friend. Priam looked at his notifications for a moment. Improved title! [Heartless - Bronze] becomes [Double Heart - Silver]! [Double Heart - Silver] - You now have a hole in your chest and are waiting for a transplant. The potential of this second heart is almost infinite. Make the right choice. It doesn't mean you can become a bigamist. Bonus… Error. Bonus dependent on the second heart chosen. VIT +10%.

"Sure," smiled Priam. There's nothing like an excellent notification to get you back on track. No sooner had he uttered these words than the air trembled. The Earl's roar resounded, and Priam opened his fingers, letting out a little dust. It was the remnants of his token.

"That must be the signal," said Blueberry, hearing the roar.

"No, are you sure? Perhaps the Earl is roaring to woo another sphinx."

"You think so? It's unlikely but not impossible..." hesitated the bear. Priam sighed, realizing that irony was an art that couldn't be acquired in a few days.

"No, I think that was the signal, you're right. Let's go," said Priam, trying to pat the bear's shoulder. The bear was too big, and Priam's hand caressed his knee. His fur is soft... Priam, perched on Sphinx's head, observed the future battlefield. Before them, the forest was dead. The few remaining trees were shedding their last leaves. Countless trunks were lying on the ground. About two kilometers away, huge trenches had been dug and fortifications erected.

Made of earth and wood, they would not hold the nobles, but would effectively contain the wild animals. Finally, hundreds of holes lined with stakes were hidden two hundred meters before the fortifications. Invisible to the naked eye, the Earl's scouts had noticed them. Priam could already see the rivers of blood they would soon provoke. On the Revenants' fortifications, Priam could make out hundreds of men and women armed with rifles, grenades and spears. Behind them, beyond their walls, huge Abominations waited.

The Earl's scouts had counted around eighty of them. It was too much and too little at the same time. Priam sighed. He knew that every Abomination was the result of the sacrifice of many humans. Yet the Revenants certainly wished they had more.

"Anatole is running out of Baron and Viscount cores," Priam realized.

"How so?" Priam turned to the newly arrived Earl and saluted. He pointed to the Abominations.

"There are about eighty of them. Anatole needs human sacrifices and noble cores to create them. If he could have raised an army of a thousand Abominations, he would have. Which means he's running out of Baron cores. Too few are available for purchase, and native Barons are rare." Of course, it was also possible that Anatole was hiding part of his army, but Priam didn't want to arouse the Earl's caution. The lion nodded his massive head.

"There are ten Barons per dome. Some are guardians, and others are hidden. Yes, there must be a shortage of cores. But eighty Barons or a thousand, it doesn't matter. They can't stop me." Priam remained silent, listening with interest to the Earl's information. He looked toward the Revenants' camp, pondering the coming battle and its significance. For the Earl was right: no matter how many Abominations there were, they wouldn't stop him. Although the Grand Master of the Revenants was arrogant, he wasn't stupid.

Each title of nobility was more challenging to acquire than the last. A Viscount could easily sweep aside Barons. A hundred Barons wouldn't even slow down the Earl. Priam suspected Anatole had a plan, but kept quiet. After all, his interest was not necessarily the same as the Earl's. Priam and Sphinx were the Earl's allies for the time being, but this was a temporary status. Whether to acquire the Spring or to obtain a new Title, Priam and the lion were destined to be enemies.

But first, I'd appreciate it if Anatole could weaken him a little... The Earl turned to Priam.

"My court will take care of the small fry. This battle will strengthen my army, sorting the wheat from the chaff. But are you sure you can keep your word?" Priam nodded, "I need this urn, and I'm sure it's the object that allows Anatole to corrupt the Jubokko. I'll wait until the battle begins to infiltrate the camp and steal it."

"Good. Get into position; we'll attack in a few minutes," replied the lion. Priam bowed slightly and excused himself. It was undoubtedly the last time he'd have a friendly chat with the Earl.

Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0) PHYSICAL: Strength 148 Constitution 258 Agility 161 Vitality 284 Perception 296 MENTAL: Vivacity 175 Dexterity 192 Memory 50 (+2) Willpower 274 Charisma 146 META: Meta-affinity 141 Meta-focus 98 Meta-endurance 90 Meta-perception 32 Meta-chance 114 Potential: 1074 (+2) Tier 0 [He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 7 hours 6 min 36s [Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming. Time: 11 hours 26 minutes 30 seconds.