A stack of wood floated behind Priam as his Assistant had advised him to use [Kinetic Control] and [Moon Mist] at every possible moment. The surroundings were thus saturated with an invisible mist, courtesy of his routine application. It wasn't the most efficient way to level up, but it wasn't entirely futile either. Priam was edging close to level sixty, each small advancement bringing him closer to the Legendary rank.
Lvl Up : [Kinetic Control] lvl 48
VIVA +2
DEXT +3
META (FOCUS) +4
So, with the equivalent of a cubic meter of crimson wood, he passed through the portal. Entering Concepts Archipelago, Priam circled the central pond and continued for about ten meters. There, a hole had been dug - the future location of the Tribulations Chamber.
At the bottom, massive stones had been arranged and cast in a semi-rigid resin, a kind of magical concrete providing a stable foundation capable of absorbing shocks without the chamber sinking into the soft earth. Log-a-rhythm had supplied the tons of resin needed for the project.
Approaching the hole, Priam deposited the final load of planks next to the already massive pile and leaped. Below, Alain and Rose, kneeling on the resin, were inscribing thousands of runes. Dissipation, Restoration, Boundary, and Purification followed a precise plan.
It was [Priam's system] which had theorized a two-dimensional circuit based on electrical knowledge. Aether seemed capable of assuming properties of 'lower' energies, such as electricity. According to Dishnu, a runic circuit could take many forms, and Priam had the idea to draw inspiration from logical, electrical, and electronic circuits.
The aether, generated by capture runes, was redistributed linearly or divided by passing through current nodes before reaching dipolar runes. Priam had only touched the surface of the laws governing aether circulation. Still, if other similarities existed, this could mean that aether particles produced aetheric fields and could be approached by laws akin to Maxwell's equations.
In any case, it worked, and the combination of runes formed a closed circuit where aether followed a cycle. All of this was still theoretical, and Priam relied on this experience to refine his model and correct its flaws. With his Assistant and knowledge, he knew it was only a matter of time before he unraveled the secrets of the aether.
"We have enough wood," Priam announced as his father finished a new rune. It glowed momentarily as the artisan pushed his aether into it. Satisfied, he looked up to smile at his son.
"I hope Log-a-rhythm wasn't too impacted."
To avoid interference with the Tribulations, the chamber had been designed as a hollow ten-meter cube with walls ten centimeters thick. It represented a bit over thirty cubic meters of wood resistant to Tribulations, all provided by Log-a-rhythm.
"It produced about thirty tons of wood," Priam grimaced. It was the mass of a twenty-meter-high oak, roughly corresponding to his tree's own mass.
The announcement snapped Rose out of her trance. She looked up with a worried expression.
"That much?! Are our defenses weakened?"
"No, it emptied the reserves it kept in its internal world. I took the second level of Guardian of the Forest to speed up its regeneration."
Alain and Rose nodded, reassured, before returning to work. Each rune was small, and there was a large surface to engrave. Log-a-rhythm's status had slightly changed.
Log-a-rhythm:
Measurements : Ceiling Height: 3 meters. Interior Area: 37 m² (+2, due to Log-a-rhythm's growth)
Status
Current POT: 52
Passive gain: 200 POT/day.
Available Themes :
…Guardian of the Forest III (2300) (-100)(-100)
Root network - plant intelligence I (200) (-200)(-100) NEW
Priam observed Alain and Rose's work for a moment before furrowing his brow. His enhanced eyes detected errors in the engravings. Under his watch, his father made another mistake. His dexterity wasn’t bad, but hours of repeating precise motions affected the quality of his work.
Rose seemed more in shape, her hands remaining perfectly steady. However, she lacked the measurement skills of the architect, and some segments were not long enough.
Both were undoubtedly aware of their mistakes but hadn’t the time to rest or repair them.
Without a word, Priam headed towards the nearest runes. His Domain covered a hundred inscriptions simultaneously, highlighting the flaws. Priam knelt down before running his hand over a defective Dissipation rune. Its role was to distribute the forces in the material.
The idea was simple: there was the same energy in a 9mm bullet as in an average punch. The difference was that the bullet delivered its energy over a small surface, causing significant damage. The rune transformed a bullet into a punch.
As each rune was connected to another, the force would not only be distributed over the surface of one rune but over the surface of all runes. In essence, an attack would have to break the entire resin block in one blow to hope to break it. Simple, but extremely effective for strengthening the structure.
Using his Domain, Priam channeled his aether directly into the rune to activate it. It glowed slightly in his eyes. Concentrating, Priam followed the flow of aether inside the rune until it encountered an obstacle. In one spot, the engraving was not deep enough, slowing the aether.
Priam looked up to find a tool. His father and Rose each held a knife, and Priam knew they had nothing else at their disposal. He hesitated for a moment to summon Promesse before dismissing the idea. A three-meter-long spear was not what one could call a precision tool.
He had encountered this problem before while operating on his father, and Priam decided to opt for the same solution. Without waiting, he created a tiny ice scalpel and took control of it through his Domain and [Kinetic Control]. The blade approached the rune before scratching the place where the aether flow was hindered, fixing the flaw.
Once satisfied, Priam pushed some aether into the rune and smiled. The flow was now fluid, reducing energy losses and strengthening the enchantment's effect.
Priam turned to a Boundary rune a few centimeters away. Measuring ten centimeters on each side, it had the opposite problem. The knife had bitten too deeply, disrupting the aether's passage. Priam quickly sealed the hole with resin. Without waiting, he continued his path, testing and correcting the runes as he went.
Around him, thousands of runes awaited.
Lvl Up : [Kinetic Control] lvl 49,50
VIVA +4
DEXT +6
META (FOCUS) +8Lvl Up : [Moon Mist] lvl 57,58PERC +8CHAR +4META (AFFI) +6Lvl Up : [Aether Perception] lvl 29,30
META (PERC) +6Lvl Up : [Aether Manipulation] lvl 25,26,27META (AFFI) +6META (FOCUS) +6META (PERC) +6Lvl Up : [Enchantment] lvl 2,3META (AFFI) +2
META (FOCUS) +2META (PERC) +2Lvl Up: [Priam’s System] lvl 26MEM+2VIVA +1
Five hours later, Priam stood at the bottom of a resin cube covered in runes. Alain and Rose had finished engraving the runic circuit two hours earlier, and Priam had continued to correct their mistakes. Unlike the others, his speed had increased over time. His superhuman mental attributes had helped, but it was his Assistant who had really shone.If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
The artificial intelligence had created and updated a model, enabling a quick resolution of each previously encountered problem. The skill had evolved beyond Priam's expectations. Towards the end, his mind focused on one rune while his Assistant simultaneously corrected five others. This single skill multiplied his efficiency.
The data collected by his add-on was analyzed and transmitted to Priam. Since it was his soul doing the work, this translated into juicy level-ups.
Better yet, the level-ups were concentrated in useful skills. The next Reunion was in six months, and Priam wanted to reach Tier 1 before then. Despite the limited time, his competitive spirit refused a mediocre Tier up. His Assistant had concocted a list aiming for the optimal Tier up:
[Pre-Tier 1 Objective:
Maximize the number of Tribulations at Tier 0 (consult with the Guardian).
To achieve this: evolve High Human into a Tier 2 race (hint: analyze Jasmine and Myuri).
Obtain Heavenly Dragon (at least one Legendary resistance required).
Attain Spear Mastery.
Find a Concept for which I have a natural affinity.
Secure the best possible reward from the Colosseum.]
It was a lot. Yet, each step was necessary. Heavenly Dragon would allow him to temper his body, approaching the realistic limits of Tier 0. This was probably the reason the technique mentioned a Tier 1 transition.
To achieve this, he would need several epic-rank resistances and one of Legendary quality. These attributes would push his Tribulation thresholds beyond reason. The only way to survive was to evolve into High Human, raising the thresholds.
The last Supremacy and the Concept were obvious, but Priam also planned to briefly return to the Moon through his [Hearthstone]. His instinct whispered that it would be the last opportunity to plunder the Colosseum. If the fifty-fifth wave allowed the creation of a small world, what would the rewards of the hundredth wave be? Priam wanted to know.
A notification from his add-on resonated, notifying him that the last rune had just been corrected.
"It's done!" he shouted, lifting his head. Twenty meters above, a silhouette twitched.
"... I was in the middle of a dream," his father replied in a drowsy voice.
"You'll sleep when you're dead."
The old man mumbled something incomprehensible. He stretched before grabbing and tossing a plank into the hole. Priam caught it with his Domain and laid it on the ground. Others followed, and Priam arranged them at the bottom of the cube, side by side.
"We’re good," he said, giving a thumbs up once the bottom was covered.
"Coming!"
Priam widened his eyes as he saw his father jump from over twenty meters high before catching him with Domain at the last moment.
"What the fuck Dad?!"
Alain burst into laughter, proud of his joke. "I may be old, son, but I like having fun now and then. I can tell you we did bigger nonsense when I worked on construction sites. Anyway, let's get back to it."
The kind of nonsense that had led you to have a stroke upon arriving in Elysium. Priam preferred to keep silent.
While continuing to chuckle, Alain began to merge the planks together, creating a uniform wooden slab.
"Can I jump too?" a voice asked. Priam looked up at Rose and smiled.
"I guess if the old man gets it, so do you."
"Awesome!" Rose exclaimed before leaping. A magnificent somersault later, she landed smoothly next to Priam. A few seconds later, the three enchanters got back to work. The wood also had to be enchanted.
"Ain't too shabby," Alain grinned weakly.
"It’s incredible!" exclaimed Rose, despite her fatigue. Excitement kept her awake, but not for much longer.
Priam merely smiled, proud of the accomplished work. They were inside the Tribulations Chamber. Buried ten meters deep and encased in a gangue of enchanted resin, the ten-meter cube was adorned with runes. The golden glow of the runes accentuated the crimson light emanating from the wood.
"Time to see if it works," Priam smiled. He summoned Promesse and motioned for the others to step back. A simple thrust left no mark on the wood. Priam knew Log-a-rhythm possessed Protection III, and nothing less than his most powerful attack could scar the structure. Enhanced by various Boundary and Dissipation runes, the true resistance of the wood was unknown.
"You should step back even more," he advised. Rose and Alain crossed the portal opened behind Priam and positioned themselves alongside Louis.
[Tribulation Piercing Spear]. An aether cone enveloped Promesse as Priam applied Micro. His muscles tensed up, and the attack shot towards the wall. Priam felt a peculiar resistance, as if Promesse was sinking into rubber. Blinking, he realized his attack hadn't even pierced the protection offered by Boundary.
The runic circuit was effective.
A gleam sparkled in Priam's eyes. Enchanted with Restoration runes, the Tribulations Chamber could partially regenerate. He wanted to leave at least a temporary mark. Priam summoned Conquest. Assisted by his Assistant, he wove an aether and aura cone around the tip of Promesse. [Tribulation Piercing Spear], [Kinetic Control], Micro.
The spear shot like a missile. Priam's form was perfect, and the energy contained in the attack pushed the air away. A bang echoed as the sound barrier was pierced. Outside, spectators were blown away by the wind crossing the portal.
Priam felt his arm groan as Promesse hit the wooden wall. Boundary dissipated part of the attack before letting it pass. The spear's tip struck the wood, and the Dissipation runes lit up. Instantly, Promesse came to a halt.
Taking a deep breath and dismissing Conquest, Priam withdrew Promesse. Where the spear had hit the wood, there was only a tiny mark. Without his Domain, Priam wouldn't have even detected it. The next second, Restoration activated, erasing the damage. One of Priam's most powerful attacks had been ignored. Priam was so surprised that the rage that had given life to Conquest dissipated.
For a brief moment, he considered using his Breath before abandoning the idea. The room was large - a hundred square meters of floor space - but the Breath would hurt him too.
"I guess it can serve as a panic room," Priam murmured. He was impressed by the chamber's resilience. Apparently, so was the System.
Title upgraded: [Apprentice Aetherist - Silver] becomes [Aetherist - Gold]!
[Aetherist - Gold] - In your quest for knowledge, you've started to acquaint yourself with aether. There are many ways to manipulate it, and you've opted for runes.You've created a Gold-rank artifact. Your Tribulations Chamber is primitive but sturdy. Its runic circuit is well-inspired and will withstand most Tier 0 Tribulations. You should identify it.I guess you got a room, now all you lack is the lady. META(AFFI) +15%META(PERC) +15%
[Identification][Tribulations Chamber - Gold - Tier 0] - Created by Alain Azura, Rose Williams, and Priam Azura, this chamber is recognized by the System as capable of hosting a Tribulation. As long as the user doesn't leave this room and isn't assisted by an external force, the Tribulation will be contained.
A smile lit up Priam's face as he left his world.
"The System recognizes the chamber," he announced, turning to Louis. "Your Tribulations won't impact my world."
The old man nodded. "Then let's get started."
"Now?" Priam asked, surprised. "Don't you want to wait for Mirscella?"
Louis shook his head. "If I have to die, I prefer she doesn't have pathetic goodbyes as her last memory of me. If I have to live, might as well spare her the stress of waiting. Plus, I suck at goodbyes."
Priam was both impressed by the old man's resolve and slightly worried. Nevertheless, it wasn't his place to judge.
Louis shook hands with Alain, ruffled Rose's hair, and nodded at Priam. With a straight back, he entered the portal without looking back.
"Good luck, old brother..." Alain murmured as the portal closed on his friend.
Shaking his head, he walked away slowly. Priam remained silent. His father was rational, and no words could reassure him. He needed actions and proof. It was in Louis's hands now.
"I'll train and monitor the Tribulations. Wanna come?" Priam asked, turning to Rose.
"I..." Rose hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "I had some ideas while building the Chamber; I need to run some tests," Rose replied, walking away bravely.
Faced with danger, some crumbled, and others fought. Rose was a fighter.
Summoning a new portal, Priam entered his world. Above him shone a blazing sun. According to his Assistant, the Phoenix had left something for him there. Priam planned to wait for the end of Louis's Tribulations before diving into the star, but nothing prevented him from analyzing it earlier.
Suddenly, the world shook.
The Tribulations had begun.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:Strength 420 Constitution 724Agility 432 Vitality 547Perception 652 (+10)
MENTAL:Vivacity 359 (+7)Dexterity 453 (+9) Memory 185 (+3)Willpower 706Charisma 456 (+6) META:Meta-affinity 408 (+34) Meta-focus 284 (+20)Meta-endurance 208 Meta-perception 170 (+23) Meta-chance 219Meta-authority 15Potential: 1094 (+31)Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED
[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:Time: 174 days 11 hours 54 minutes 9 seconds.Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 1 attribute > 800