Amidst the ruins of the skulk village, two combatants stared at each other in silence. One was covered in futuristic armor, the other was naked below the waist.

Glancing at his quests, Kazuki grinned. The bounty on Skull had vanished: Priam had succeeded. If I don't hurry, he'll think I'm weak. This thought ignited Kazuki's competitive spirit. The hoplite was as proud as he was strong. Unfortunately, his strength was futile against the omnidirectional shield summoned by the Shaman. So, he chose to suffocate his opponent. Let's go with DPS rather than burst, as Priam would say.

[Breathless] had been active for nearly twenty minutes, and despite his breath-holding training, Kazuki's lungs were starting to protest. Nevertheless, he remained confident.

When his ability had banished oxygen in a large radius, the skulc Shaman had ignored the lack of air, thinking he was safe within his shield. Now, his red eyes and tremors betrayed the air shortage beneath the barrier. The battle was nearing its end.

Refusing to succumb easily, the skulc created a dozen red orbs with a flick of his wrist. They looked benign, but Kazuki wasn't fooled. Each one was capable of significant destruction. Twelve at once? He must want to end the fight.

With a snap of his fingers, the albino Shaman shot one of the orbs. Approaching within three meters of Kazuki, the attack penetrated the tornado swirling around the warrior. Born of his mastery of the wind, the air shield effectively protected him from the Shaman's fiery projectiles. A gust of wind deflected the fireball at the last moment, heading toward a barracks thirty meters behind Kazuki. His armor wobbled under the explosion's force.

The released heat triggered alarms in his mecha. From the corner of his eye, Kazuki saw wood vanish and stone turn to lava. Immense magical flames burned the air despite the lack of oxygen. The infernal furnace resembled the hells described by some hoplite religions.

The other destructive orbs vibrated before disappearing. Displaying exceptional agility despite his massive armor, Kazuki dodged or deflected them one by one. When the twelfth one exploded, he took advantage of the blast to leap into the air and target his opponent.

[Railgun - MK Javelin]. The projectile fired by the mecha sliced through the air before hitting the Shaman's shield, creating a bell-like sound. It was the first time the Boss's protection had reacted. Kazuki was briefly surprised before spotting a crack in the barrier. A predatory smile formed on his lips.

The eyes of the two adversaries met, and the Boss's lips began to move. The shield dissipated just before Kazuki felt a disturbance in his tornado. Without hesitation, he leaped forward, activating [Heroic Tenacity].

The world seemed to freeze.

Kazuki's spirit left his body and armor to investigate. Around him, a hundred mini-suns had just appeared. The size of a passion fruit, they were extremely bright. The amount of aether injected into them by the Shaman was terrifying. It was an all-in move by the Boss.

Quickly, Kazuki passed through one of these suns, ignoring its heat, before approaching the Shaman. He widened his red eyes, a veined hand on his throat. The lack of air was killing him, and his defeat was evident. Kazuki observed his opponent's mad gaze for a moment before understanding. The albino skulc wouldn't flee. He intended to drag Kazuki into his grave. Typical of a pyromaniac lunatic.

Assured of his opponent's plan, Kazuki turned back. The suns had already doubled in size. [Heroic Tenacity] didn't stop time; it slowed it proportionally to the hoplite's vivacity. Activating this skill was also an excellent way to drain his aether reserves.

Having his body again, Kazuki felt the second part of the skill trigger. His immense will enveloped his armor, turning it as black as a moonless night. The next moment, a shockwave hit him. Terrifying heat and magical flames fought against his will to reach his armor. In vain.

Lvl Up: [Heroic Tenacity] lvl 6VIVA +9WILL +18

[Tribulation]: Six characteristics above 400 were detected in Tier 0.A Tribulation is coming.Time: 15 hours 38 minutes 59 seconds.

A second later, his momentum added to the explosion pulled Kazuki out of the lethal zone, and he retracted his skill. The heat wave made him grimace inside his mecha, but he focused on his goal. Three meters in front of him stood the stunned Shaman.

The Tier 1 had sacrificed a significant portion of his aether to create an infernal attack capable of turning iron into gas. Yet, Kazuki emerged unscathed.

How could he understand that the hoplite's will was indestructible? His entire civilization relied on him. He was their Champion, their Spear, and their Shield. His Legendary skill was based on Kazuki's ideals, granting him near invulnerability.

Taking advantage of his opponent's astonishment and fatigue, Kazuki grabbed [Dóry]. Pointing his spear at the skulc, Kazuki prepared for the final blow. Micro I, Mastery I - Spear, [Death Sentence].

Without a shield to stop it, the weapon easily penetrated the Shaman's heart and began to glow. The conditions were met. Even before the Shaman could ignite his aether reserves, [Death Sentence] condemned him. His spirit disappeared, and the corpse fell at Kazuki's feet.

A notification chimed in his ears as a white token appeared before him. The hoplite grabbed it before collecting the javelins scattered on the ground.

A few POT points were awarded to him, but most of the deaths were the work of the Shaman. The terrifying explosions he triggered in the underground had caused the tunnels to collapse. Females and juvenile skulcs had perished at that moment.

While waiting for the flames to subside, Kazuki distanced himself. The Shaman's final attack had destroyed half of the village. Only the runic-covered menhir seemed intact. His armor was not.

[Knightmare Status:

Critical state of thermal protections

Damaged armor plates (5)

% of sensors are out of service

Low energy reserves

Microprocessors overheating

Damaged superconductor cooling system

...]

The list of problems was long, and Kazuki sighed. His armor needed repairs. [Symbiosis - Off]. Knightmare disappeared into a mental space. As a linked equipment, it would regenerate on its own, awaiting its next summon. I hope it will be ready soon, he worried.

Despite his temperament, Kazuki shivered. His Tribulations were starting in just over fifteen hours, and he was afraid. Afraid of dying, leaving his family and civilization behind. In this new universe, they needed him more than ever. His duty was to take risks to gain the strength to lead his people.

"But the line between risks and death is thin," he sighed.

Most of the flames quickly vanished with the Shaman's death, and Kazuki headed toward the menhir. Skull was dead, and Priam wouldn't be long.

"So we came for this..."

The hoplite scrutinized the stone carefully. The skulcs had worshiped it; hence it must have had a purpose. These creatures weren't the type to worship a useless stone or god. Kazuki and Priam weren't either.

His findings were meager. The stone emitted a powerful aether field, undoubtedly thanks to the runes covering it. The material it was made of was impermeable and refused to give any information to his sensors or skills.

[Multi-Analysis]

[??? - ???] - ???

After ten minutes, Kazuki finished inspecting it by studying the stone's angles. It seemed to have belonged to a more significant structure.

Faced with the lack of results, Kazuki resolved to take a riskier approach. He placed his hand on the menhir's surface.

...

blïzZ-üâx-jëllïk-øblîtêrâtê-šçrüblê-šnörglïšh-blömpf.

...

Hello, Kazuki, Champion and Heart of the Hoplites.

Do you accept communication with the Guardian of Secrets (No. 37 458)?

Kazuki hesitated for a moment before affirmatively responding. The last two sentences were written in hoplite, and the stone communicated in the same way as the System. If it wanted to harm him, Kazuki was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to do much about it.

"A language I don't know… It's been a long time. Welcome to Elysium."

Kazuki quickly turned upon hearing the new voice. His hand closed where his spear should have been, and he grimaced. The Shaman had turned his wooden spear into ashes.

Before him stood a strange biped. About one meter twenty tall and robust, wearing a white toga that reached the ground, he was smiling. His features could have passed for a hoplite's if one forgot that his skin seemed to be made of jade. That is, green and with a rocky texture. His two quartz eyes convincingly asserted that the creature was no hoplite.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Nor alive.

"Are you the Guardian of Secrets?"

Despite the texture of his skin, the stranger easily nodded. "Indeed," he replied in perfect hoplite. Kazuki frowned.

"I don't hear your heartbeat," he remarked neutrally. He was wary of undead since his encounter with Seth and the Necrowolf.

The Guardian remained silent.

"... You're not alive?" Kazuki asked when he understood that the Guardian didn't intend to comment on his statement.

"I fear your definition of living and mine may be somewhat different. I have consciousness and reasoning. I cannot say more without revealing secrets, and... I live up to my name."

Now it was Kazuki's turn to keep silent as he analyzed the Guardian's response. It was likely that the latter was trying to convey a message. Each race, each civilization had its ways of life, and the Guardian of Secrets was not a hoplite. Kazuki had questions and didn't mean to insult the individual before him.

"In the eyes of my race, that makes you a person. What can I do for you?"

Despite his stony skin, the Guardian's smile widened. "You have questions, and I have answers. You have a physical body, and I am but a projection."

"You propose a collaboration," summarized Kazuki. He was a hoplite of few words.

"That implies a privileged relationship, and I'm afraid I cannot offer that now. Every Guardian will make you the same proposition: I will exchange the secrets I keep in exchange for Coins."

"I have many questions."

A gleam shone in the Guardian's eyes. "Tier 9s seek our services."

"Oh." Kazuki couldn't help but look up at the three suns shining on Elysium. Priam had told him that one of them was the ancestor of the Phoenix. Such creatures must be Tier 9, right? If that was the case, the Guardian in front of him knew a lot. If he’s speaking the truth.

"Why is someone like you trapped in a stone in the middle of a skulc village?"

"This secret costs twelve Bronze Coins. For this modest sum, you will learn much about the place where the System transported you," as he spoke these words, the Guardian displayed a bright smile. His teeth shone way too much, like diamonds.

"... Suppose I want to pay, how do I obtain these coins?"

"These Coins," corrected the Guardian. "My civilization fought to earn that capital letter."

"How do I get these… Coins?" Kazuki asked, trying to focus on the capital letter. It seemed to satisfy the Guardian.

"By completing some quests."

"Some Quests?"

The Guardian shook his head, making his quartz eyes sparkle. "That capital letter is reserved for the System. Just quests. For example, I am curious about the customs of your race and its culture. I have analyzed your brain to facilitate our communication, but my code of ethics prohibits me from scanning the rest of your memory."

Kazuki remained silent before sighing. A Tier 0 had no power in this universe. "I guess I should thank you for not violating my thoughts." The hoplite's gaze drifted to the burning village. Life was hard in this world; only power mattered.

And information was a weapon.

"Your proposition is interesting, but I don't yet know what I want to know."

The Guardian's smile became radiant. "This information will cost you zero Iron Coins. You want to know how to survive your Tribulation. You want to know how to survive the Necromoon. You want to know how to make the most of Tier 0 and then advance to Tier 1. You want to know if you can entrust your family's lives to your rival. You want to know how to save your race. You want to know where your daughter is."

The last flames reflected in the Guardian's eyes, giving him a demonic appearance.

Kazuki's fist tightened. "I thought you hadn't analyzed my thoughts."

"The first rule of a Guardian of Secrets is to never lie. Nothing prohibits me from cross-referencing information. Let me make an investment: other Guardians have spoken to hoplites, and one of them spoke to your daughter."

"Where?! How is she?" Kazuki cried.

"The answer costs a Silver Coin."

"... How much are my memories worth?"

"There's only one way to find out..."

"Fifty-three Bronze Coins. Always happy to enrich our film collection," grinned the Guardian, returning Knightmare's helm to Kazuki. A copy of his memories and some data from his AI hadn't even yielded enough to gather information about his daughter. Moreover, a Silver Coin could be transformed into a hundred Bronze Coins, but not the other way around.

"It's to protect our poo… our weak buyers," had explained the Guardian.

"... What can I do to get more Coins?" Kazuki asked, clenching his fists. Shame stained him, but the hoplite opened his arms if it meant finding his family.

The Guardian sighed. "You've sold almost the entirety of your race's culture and memories for barely more than half the sum you desire. Tier 0 quests rarely yield more than a few Iron Coins. I regret to inform you that I'm not authorized to extend you credit. I advise you to wait before searching for your daughter."

"Are you taking pity on me?" Shame transformed into anger. Despite his discipline, it seeped into his voice.

A hint of sadness shone in the Guardian's eyes. "Even if I wanted to help, I couldn't."

Kazuki looked at the Guardian without responding before sitting against the runic menhir. "At least she's alive," he sighed. It was incredible already. His daughter must have chosen the Impossible difficulty, and if she was alive, she had survived. Maybe she's somewhere in Elysium… I hope not.

If he wanted a chance to find her, he had to survive until then.

"How do I survive my Tribulations?" he finally asked.

Priam had told him about his own. He had barely survived a quadruple, dying once in the process. Kazuki had just triggered his fourth. Knowing he had already faced a Tribulation to exit Log-a-rhythm, he suspected his chances of survival were low.

"Eight Bronze Coins," announced the Guardian.

"... Deal."

Coins: 45 bronze; 0 iron.

"You've just triggered your fourth Tribulation. You're strong enough to resist the first three, but the fourth will likely kill you,” recapitulated the Guardian. “Several options are available to you, such as traveling to another Universe where Tribulations are simpler. The journey would almost certainly kill you, so I'll set aside those options. Your best chance of survival is to gain power quickly but without exceeding other thresholds. For that, you have three choices. Unlock Micro II, Mastery II, Domain or a Concept."

Kazuki grimaced. In the eyes of the hoplites, he was a genius. Yet, he knew better than anyone that it would take weeks of real effort and battles to unlock Micro's stage two. Mastery II and Domain were currently impossible, and he had no idea how to unlock a concept. The Guardian continued.

"Realistically, only Micro II is possible thanks to the Skull Key. I also advise you to trigger your Tribulations a second before advancing your Supremacy. Of course, all of this is a summary of a complete report that I have directly transferred to your AI's memory."

Using his retinal implant, Kazuki quickly found the file the Guardian referred to. It was over a hundred pages, providing several other leads for Kazuki and techniques to promptly unlock Micro II. Is it really possible in less than fifteen hours?

According to hoplite texts, no more than five members of his race had reached this level. Kazuki was almost sure that three of them were lying. Would I be the third hoplite to unlock Micro II?

He nodded towards the Guardian. He had paid a high price, but the information received was comprehensive and useful. "Thanks for all this," he said, turning on his heels. He had to find Priam now.

"With pleasure. It's in my interest to cultivate a good client. One last thing, though."

"Yes?"

"I got distracted and forgot to give you the location of the Skull Key."

"I already know—."

"It's hidden in your shadow," the Guardian interrupted before disappearing.

Kazuki lowered his eyes just in time to see a blade gleaming.

Exiting the mist dome, Priam saw a red horizon. The world was burning, and the clouds were weeping. It took him only a few seconds to reach the village by flying. Tapping into his kinetic reserves, he flew over it before spotting Kazuki. The hoplite was sitting cross-legged in front of the runic menhir, a javelin in his left hand.

The hoplite’s right hand was gone.

"Kazuki," Priam exclaimed, landing next to him. "Is it the Shaman who..."

“It's her," replied the hoplite, pointing to the other end of the square. Priam turned. It took him several seconds to spot a strange shadow hidden among the debris. The assassin was there; she was missing her left arm.

Three kilometers away, Arnold was waiting. He didn't want to approach the menhir for fear of annoying the First, but he also needed answers to his questions. So, he had sent a nanorobot to collect information. It had just reached the menhir.

A few seconds later, the Guardian appeared next to Arnold.

"A Var Elegis? I don't know your race," the dwarf said joyfully.

"The Empire will dominate all Universes."

"... Something tells me your civilization doesn't collect films," the Guardian sighed.

"I want information about—"

"The information you seek about the First is beyond my reach," the Guardian interrupted. It had the power to observe the complete status of any Tier 6. Yet, [He Who Eludes Death] remained a mystery to his eyes.

"... As expected from the First," Arnold replied. "I have other questions..."

Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)

PHYSICAL:Strength 419Constitution 724Agility 432 Vitality 547Perception 637

MENTAL:Vivacity 341Dexterity 444 Memory 140 Willpower 673 Charisma 450 META:Meta-affinity 371 Meta-focus 261Meta-endurance 208 Meta-perception 131 Meta-chance 219Meta-authority 15Potential: 1073 Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 19 hours 8 minutes 32 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 175 days 19 hours 41 minutes 45 seconds.Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 1 attribute > 800