Priam forced a smile as Micro smoothed the beats of his heart. The Guardian was unfamiliar with humans, but an erratic heartbeat couldn't be normal. Priam had to be careful not to arouse suspicion.

He suspected that not everything about Apocryphal souls had been revealed. Perhaps because the Guardian didn't know the whole truth? After all, the System knew he was an Apocryphal soul, and no one had tried to kill him yet. This could mean two things. Either there are different degrees of Apocryphal souls, and I am still within acceptable limits. Or [He Who Eludes Death] is stabilizing my soul.

If Concepts could do it with a Grace, why not his Patron? After all, Priam didn't feel insane. His memories indicated that his temperament had changed within reasonable limits - partly due to circumstances. This might explain why the Concepts attempted to kill my Patron. They were interested in his power.

Of course, there was one last possible explanation. The Guardian of Secrets No. 37 458 seemed powerful and part of an organization with at least forty thousand others. They appeared to adhere to strict rules; otherwise, the Guardian would have read the memories of rivals. Priam was convinced that wasn't the case. After all, Prince Phoenix himself had said he would torture Priam for eternity to extract secrets from [He Who Eludes Death].

It made sense to assume the Guardian followed a code of rules. It was highly likely that payment guaranteed the accuracy of information. But Priam hadn't paid for information about Apocryphal souls. Did the Guardian have suspicions? Did he lie to Priam? In any case, Priam preferred not to ask more questions.

"I see I've given you something to ponder."

Priam almost jumped at the voice. He summoned a small smile and nodded.

"Indeed. I now understand a bit more how the world works and what the Concepts are truly after."

The Guardian burst into laughter. "We'll talk about it again when you grasp the kind of world you've landed in. Meanwhile, if you're not planning to trade more films, here's the location of the assassin's base." The Guardian snapped his fingers, and Priam felt a location appear in his mind.

"Thanks. By the way, I was wondering, what other information can you give me for free?"

"I see I'm dealing with a clever one," the Guardian grinned. "Sorry, but that information isn't free."

Priam rolled his eyes. "How much is it?"

"A silver Coin. Now, if you'd let me watch my films in peace..."

"Sorry for being poor. One last question before I go. Would you mind if I moved your menhir?" Priam asked.

Normally, he would refuse to let a potential threat near his family, but he had seen the power of the Guardian. Being a few kilometers away from Log-a-rhythm or right next to it made no difference. The Guardian was more potent than a minor god like Viracocha. "If I pee on this menhir, would it improve [Iconoclast]?" wondered Priam.

"Oh? You mean in the space where you placed a sun?" the Guardian asked, oblivious to Priam's thoughts.

"At first, but then next to my base," Priam replied. "The Necromoon is coming, and I don't know if I'll regularly be able to come see you once the event starts. Plus, I'm not the only one who will want to ask you questions."

"Hmm," the Guardian seemed to hesitate for a moment. "My mere presence would put your dimension to the test. But a few minutes to return to your base? I agree on one condition."

"Movies?" Priam guessed.

The Guardian smiled. "I know you'll eventually trade me your films. No, I want you to create a forum."

"A forum?"

"A public place outdoors, like an agora. It's a structure you can create with the Land Owner's Merit."

Priam checked the Merit Tree.

[Land Owner - Silver] - Tier 0: You can instantly create a building (Tier 1) on your Land - from a list provided by the System.

Seeing Priam grimace, the Guardian added, "I know your Merit points are scarce, but I promise it would benefit both of us in the long run."

Hesitating, Priam took a few seconds to think. Merits were among the most impressive boosts the System offered. Unique enhancements he couldn't buy with Potential. He was reluctant to part with them for nothing.

"I need to know what a forum does first."

"One iron Coin."

It was almost a giveaway. "Deal."

"The forum is the foundation of a camp. It's where merchants and travelers gather. With the upcoming event, it could greatly interest you..."

The Guardian's conspiratorial air indicated that there was a secret or at least synergy between the forum and the approaching Necromoon. Even so, Priam was reluctant to lose such a precious asset.

"One of my Merits allows me to emulate a Dragon's Breath. Will the forum be as interesting?"

"... This forum could save your base and your life within weeks. The decision is yours."

Did Priam trust the Guardian of Secrets? Not yet, no. But a being capable of killing him easily had little to gain by tricking him for so little. In the end, it was a gamble, and Priam knew that one didn't get to the top without betting once or twice.

"I accept."

"Great. And now... Hasta la vista, baby!"

With a laugh, the Guardian disappeared. Weird dwarf...

"I have the location of the assassin's base," Priam declared, turning to Kazuki. He knew their rival probably heard him, but there was little chance she had deciphered the hoplite language.

"It won't be necessary," Kazuki replied, shaking his head.

"Huh?"

"I found our mouse. When you absorb the menhir, she'll likely be distracted, and I'll take the chance to attack."

"Are you sure? We could simply set up an ambush and—"

"Priam," Kazuki cut him off, looking him straight in the eyes. "I need the Skull Key to unlock Micro II. I need Micro II to survive my Tribulations. I need to be alive to save my family and civilization. My path is clear to me. Every second brings me closer to my Tribulations, so let's not waste time."

The intensity of Kazuki's gaze shocked Priam. He knew why he was fighting, and it gave him a terrifying strength. He's driven. Kazuki's determination stirred something in Priam. He too wanted a purpose.

Without further ado, Priam turned and placed his hand on the menhir. [Kinetic Control]. The stone was impossibly heavy. Priam's meridians began to groan as he expended more and more kinetic energy. Finally, in a tremor, the Guardian's phylactery lifted slightly.

At ground level, Priam summoned a portal leading to his world and released the runic stone far from Myuri. Priam closed the portal and shuddered. His mind felt nauseous, as if he had eaten too much. His spirit was destabilized by the presence of the Guardian of Secrets. I need to hurry home.

An explosion echoed behind him, and Priam turned around. Kazuki's mecha was single-handedly attacking the ruins of a burning barracks. Suddenly, the shifting shadow created by a flame behind a wall gained substance. A moment later, a female silhouette dashed towards the forest.

Kazuki remotely piloted his armor, javelin in hand. As Priam prepared to pursue the fleeing assassin, the hoplite stopped him with a hand.

"Let me handle this."

Under Priam's gaze, Kazuki threw the javelin. Wrapped in his Mastery, the projectile crossed space to reappear a few meters behind their rival. To avoid being impaled, the assassin jumped to her left. There waited Knightmare. The mecha shifted from purple to a dazzling white.

"[Fallout]!" shouted Kazuki. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

An immense wave of light forced Priam to close his eyes. The next moment, the shockwave and heat hit him as the ground trembled. Despite the distance - over three hundred meters - between him and the mecha, Priam felt the scorching air arrive like an avalanche. His Domain activated to protect him.

A few seconds later, he turned around. An immense flaming crater replaced the skulc village. Nothing remained of the mecha or their rival. Kazuki clenched his fists.

"She's still alive even if badly injured."

"Your mecha—"

"It was the only way. It will come back stronger. Can you lead me to her base?"

Priam winced at the sight of the small nuclear mushroom rising into the sky.

"Let's go quickly. Arnold must not be far from here."

Without a word more, Priam and Kazuki darted away.

Jasmine grimaced, hand on her belly. If her blood spilled on the ground, her rivals would have an easy time tracking her down.

One of the pieces of the mechanical armor had pierced her stomach before [Shadow’s Home] kicked in. The explosion had been so intense that it destroyed the shadow world before she could fully take cover, causing a backlash. Who used a nuclear attack in combat?! Jasmine was used to knives, firearms, and psychic powers, not atomic explosions.

Dodging a paralyzing vine, Jasmine winced as she diagnosed her meridians. As if on fire, they prohibited the use of any skills. She had ingested a Mana Elixir, but it would take a few minutes to take effect. Time she might not have.

The only silver lining was that the heat had cauterized the stump replacing her left arm. The thought made her laugh, then wince in pain. Everything had gone wrong.

Running through the woods towards her hideout, Jasmine cursed herself. I'm so stupid! I should have left immediately.

Despite his brutish appearance, the hoplite was skilled. Normally, she knew he wouldn't have been able to detect her, but he must have used his Potential. Hidden in the ruins' debris, it had been enough to find her.

A bolt of pain shot through her body, from her guts to her shoulders. She deserved to suffer. Jasmine was no longer the assassin spreading death in a metropolis, ready to change faces and blend into the crowd. She was in a deadly forest with rivals more monstrous than the next. Foes she couldn't seduce before poisoning them. Adversaries impervious to her charms, who wouldn't put her in jail.

Enemies who refused to die.

How is the human still alive?! Jasmine was sure she had dissolved and then burned his body. Less than an hour later, he was back, unscathed. Did she burn a decoy? Yet, she had felt his mind inhabit the body. An illusion? Was the Mage in their group?

Questions that would remain unanswered for now. Like all others now that the human had stolen the menhir.

Jumping over a root, the assassin decided to reassess her goals. She had to face reality: she wasn't up to the task for now. The System's quest was a trap.

"I'm an idiot," she muttered as she reached her hideout. The tree was nothing special. A perfectly common specimen in a vast forest. She looked left and right, making sure she was alone, before moving a moss covering a trunk. Behind it, a dark well awaited, carved into the hollow trunk. Let’s retrieve everything and leave. This place is no longer safe.

As Jasmine swung her leg into the opening, a hand landed on her shoulder. With reflexes born from thousands of hours of training, the assassin grabbed a blade strapped to her calf and pivoted.

Her eyes instantly locked onto the neck of the stranger, and Jasmine aimed for the nape. Most creatures had their most important nerves there. Once severed, her attacker would be paralyzed.

The blade shattered against the hard skin.

With one hand, the stranger lifted her to eye level. Jasmine wasn't short at one meter seventy-five, but her opponent was a giant. His bluish skin rolled over inorganic muscles. His cold eyes slid over her curves without being charmed. Her rival looked like one of the Patrollers who had populated her nightmares in childhood, but reality was far worse.

The hand crushing Jasmine's shoulder belonged to Arnold. The Var Elegis was the monster that scared the other monsters. The only rival who had managed to kill another. I’m fucked. The Mana Elixir was rebuilding her meridians, blocking her access to Aether. Without that, Jasmine had no chance of escaping.

For a few seconds, Arnold stared at her without saying a word. What was the point when they had no language in common?

I need a miracle. Any god, please help me.

At the sound of a leaf rustling, the Var Elegis turned. Pushing aside a giant fern, the hoplite and the human advanced before stopping a few meters away. Despair washed over Jasmine. The Concepts hate me.

Priam's gaze shifted from Arnold to Jasmine and then to Kazuki. His friend needed the Skull Key and, therefore, Jasmine. Their chances of victory were slim. The hoplite had lost a hand and his mecha. Priam had no [He Who Eludes Death] recharge.

"You should go," Kazuki suggested.

Slightly ahead of him, the hoplite's back was straight. He knew he was going to die, but he faced it with pride. That asshole's got class.

Priam stepped forward. "I won't let you hog all the glory."

Kazuki was his friend. That reason was enough, but Priam had no illusions about his chances of escape. Even if he reached Log-a-rhythm, he refused to bring death and destruction to his family.

Together, they had a small chance. Separately, none.

Kazuki smiled without taking his eyes off the Var Elegis. Priam just held Arnold's gaze while summoning his invisible mist. If the homunculus wanted a fight, he'd get it. This time I'll make him bleed.

Arnold stared at them in silence, and Priam analyzed him in return. His appearance hadn't changed much since their first meeting, except for his eyes. The soulless monster who landed in Elysium now seemed to possess some emotions. Ignoring Kazuki, the homunculus seemed to size up Priam.

Suddenly, [Concept Archipelago] trembled. The magical weight of the menhir distorted space. Under the pain, Priam's gaze hardened. His internal world sought to expel the Guardian's phylactery. The environment around the rivals began to warp as a second space overlaid.

"Var Elegis dä men tu byr," announced Arnold, stepping back. With a wave of his hand, he tossed Jasmine at Priam's feet. A nod later, the homunculus disappeared.

Priam blinked before focusing on his internal world. By consuming his Potential, he managed to stabilize it. A few seconds later, he turned to Kazuki. "Did he just leave like that?"

"It seems so. I don't know what you did, but it was terrifying," replied the hoplite, professionally searching the assassin's body. Their rival was a woman whose appearance seemed human. She looked at them in turn without moving. "I was using Potential to detect his skills. At the end, Arnold used a legendary skill, [Quantum Teleportation]. He must be far away by now."

"... Damn monster."

A monster that spared them, and in addition, gave them a gift. Priam had no idea why, but he wasn't one to ignore a blessing.

"Ha!" Kazuki stood up, smiling. In his hand, the Skull Key glowed faintly. "Mind if I?"

"I lost it, and you found it. It's yours."

"Ours," Kazuki replied with a big smile. The man knew how to respect the bro code.

"I'm happy for you," said Priam, hiding a grimace. His internal world wasn't entirely stable. "We need to get back. My internal world is suffering, and I'm losing a lot of Potential."

"I'm with you. And her?"

Priam turned to the assassin and crouched in front of her, enveloping her in his Domain. The woman who had tried to assassinate him and Kazuki was no older than twenty. Pale gray eyes stared at him from under her black hood. Priam read fear, pride, and hope in them.

What should he do with her?

[Identification][Jasmine Kaldwin - Arkana] - The assassin.

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 342Dexterity 444 Memory 142Willpower 682 Charisma 450 META:Meta-affinity 371 Meta-focus 261Meta-endurance 208 Meta-perception 131 Meta-chance 219Meta-authority 15Potential: 1067 (-30) Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 18 hours 50 minutes 54 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:Time: 175 days 19 hours 24 minutes 7 seconds.Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 1 attribute > 800