Kazuki scrutinized his opponent with unwavering focus. Ève—or Ophia, as she preferred to be called—was a petite young woman, at least from the perspective of a titan-class hoplite. In reality, she stood twenty centimeters taller than Rose or Mirscella, resembling more of a high human than an ordinary one.

However, looks could be deceiving. Priam had informed Kazuki that Ève concealed her true face. Only her golden eyes were authentic – and even that wasn't certain.

Yet, despite Kazuki's heightened perception and state-of-the-art mecha sensors, he couldn't penetrate the illusion. It was dangerous because it meant she could also disguise an attack. His defense would be useless if he tried to block a chest strike while she aimed for his head.

Even worse, Ève might be nothing more than an illusion. The hoplite entertained every possibility, never one to underestimate an opponent. Let's see what Hyshana thinks about this.

The warrior stretched before closing in on his adversary. Officially, it was just a friendly spar, but Priam had told Kazuki the truth. Ève was in cahoots with a Tier 4 individual with unknown objectives. The treatment they had inflicted on Priam proved their hostility. Their rival's intentions were less clear, but she had orchestrated a trap for Priam and Sphinx to serve her interests.

Sphinx... The child had carved a place in the hoplite's heart through antics and cuteness. As his emotions threatened to interfere with his mission, Kazuki regained focus.

"If you're ready, we might as well start," he proposed as he approached Ève. She nodded toward him and then winked at Rose.

"We'll finish this conversation later."

"Okay!"

The teenager seemed to appreciate Ève, as the newcomer appeared close to her age and more open than Jasmine or Myuri.

Two minutes later, Kazuki stood at one end of the Forum, facing Ève. Created by the System, the public square was an ideal training ground as it was virtually indestructible. All base residents with no urgent missions had gathered to witness the duel. Ophia – or Ève – was the fourth rival to join the base, and everyone wondered about her capabilities.

"I'll count from three," announced Priam. "Three."

Kazuki gripped his spear, ready to strike. He grimaced internally as he felt his wounds flare up. His quadruple Tribulation had nearly bested him, and he wasn't fully healed yet. He pushed aside his pointless reflections; war waited for no hoplite.

"Two."

The hoplite gathered his Wind Concept, determined to catch his opponent off guard. Ève winked at him.

"One."

Kazuki summoned Micro II and Mastery. The duo of Supremacies triggered, synergizing to surpass the mere sum of their abilities. His soul pulsed, his will concentrated into a perfect martial form.

"Zero."

The ground shook as the hoplite shot forward like a bullet. No supersonic bang ensued; the wind accompanied the warrior. A fraction of a second later, the tip of his spear pierced Eve's eye. A spray of blood blossomed, transforming into a swarm of butterflies. The cloud rushed toward Kazuki, who grimaced; each wing could cut his skin.

Summoning a gust, he rid himself of the pests before striking again. His rival's body became transparent. His weapon sank into it before slowing down. The hoplite stepped back just a moment before the humanoid form exploded.

Kazuki landed ten meters back, groaning. His left eyebrow was damaged, blood flowing freely. He summoned Micro II, swiftly closing the wound. A few seconds later, nothing remained of the gash.

Eve appeared before him, and the warrior thrust. His spear penetrated the flesh without resistance, and the illusion vanished. Kazuki furrowed his brow before feeling his weight increase. Damn!

He observed the ground and cursed. A ten-meter-diameter rune had just appeared around him. Gravity increased, and the Champion roared. Gathering his strength, he dashed out of the danger zone. The next moment, the rune disappeared.

She can summon illusory runes.

It was bad news; it meant Ève could freely use the ambient aether. Kazuki would run out of resources before her.

I have to end this.

He already had to locate his opponent. [Odyssey] would reveal her position, but tarnishing his legend with a spar was a bad move. There had to be simpler solutions. [Taunt].

Kazuki's charismatic aura detected a killing intent on his left. He dashed and thrust. At the Forum's edge, Ève appeared, the hoplite spear planted in her throat. His rival flashed a smile, ignoring her wound, before countering with a punch.

Kazuki's heightened senses perceived no danger. He tried to step back, but Ève's fist seemed inevitable. Reality stretched as the distance between the hoplite and the attack diminished. He couldn’t flee. Finally, the blow connected.

The spell affecting Kazuki's perception shattered. When he managed to move away, he discovered with astonishment a hole in his chest. The punch had erased the flesh it had come into contact with, and his heart was almost exposed.

A different opponent would have succumbed to pain, but Kazuki was a trained warrior. He knew he couldn't afford to get caught up in his opponent's game. Without giving fear a foothold, he doubled his attack to disrupt his opponent's rhythm.

His spear described a deadly arc, enhanced by Micro II and Mastery. The blade was surrounded by a coppery halo as it slashed towards his rival. In normal circumstances, the hoplite instructor wouldn't have used such a devastating attack in a spar, but Ève was an enemy, and he wanted to check her abilities.

If she was too weak to withstand it... No one will mourn her.

The formidable blade only bit air; Ève had disappeared. The Champion grimaced as a stream of blood gushed from the hole in his chest. The hemorrhage was too severe for Micro II to handle quickly.

The young woman reappeared a few meters away and had to dodge a wind blade. She vanished again as Kazuki summoned a tornado centered on him. He wasn't going to play cat and mouse. The Forum was soon swept by violent winds, augmented by a Concept. The cyclone sang of death, revealing that the hoplite had reached the Symphony.

Focused, Kazuki scanned the battleground for Ève. Nothing. The young woman seemed to have vanished.

"This kind of technique won't work against me," a voice said, seemingly from nowhere.

Kazuki blinked, then furrowed his brow. There, less than a meter away from him, stood Ève. Winds capable of cutting oaks passed through her without harming her.

The warrior didn't let himself be intimidated. With a thrust, he sought blood. Activating Micro II and Mastery, he pierced the young woman's chest. She shook her head, amused.

She's not there. Ève wasn't a warrior. If she ignored his blows, it was because he wasn't hitting her. I have to find her...

Kazuki closed his eyes before deactivating his Concept and Mastery. It was madness, but his Tribulations had taught him that sometimes one had to abandon all retreat options to win.

The hoplite warrior, spear in hand, focused entirely on Micro II. A clarity enveloped him. With senses heightened and instincts alert, Kazuki opened himself to the world.

The wind on his skin, the warmth of the suns, and the clamor of the spectators were recorded and then ignored. Suddenly, he noticed a problem. The temperature sensed by his brain was slightly different from that measured by Micro. Kazuki traced the error before understanding.

His senses were altered.

His instinct trembled, and the hoplite executed a side step to dodge an attack. His muscles contracted and then relaxed. His body moved fifty-three centimeters instead of the sixty planned, and the attack tore through his right heel.

Yet, Kazuki smiled. Ève was in front of him, but the attack had come from behind. He had been injured, but he had understood his opponent's game.

The warrior turned with his uninjured leg, and his arm moved like a snake. A few centimeters from his target, his brain ordered his muscles to stop the attack. Micro II bypassed the order and continued the strike. His hand closed in the void.

Really?

His instinct told him to tighten, and the hoplite obeyed. He squeezed, eyes closed, while the wind whispered the approach of a devastating attack. Ignoring the information, Kazuki continued to close his hand even as an arm pierced his heart.

Despite his catastrophic injury, Kazuki remained standing thanks to Micro, his hand compressing emptiness. A few seconds later, his brain fainted due to lack of blood. A weight lifted off Kazuki's shoulders. He could now command his body without being hindered.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

His senses unfolded, and Micro analyzed their information. Kazuki smiled, lifting some of the veil covering reality. His tornado had already ceased, and he held in his hand a woman's body. Eyes bulging from strangulation, hands clenched on the warrior's fingers, she seemed lifeless.

Of course, it was false. An illusion within an illusion.

Like my wounds. In the second stage, Micro could take control of his natural regeneration. Yet, Kazuki detected cells where his heart had disappeared. Faced with the paradox, his consciousness struggled for a moment before recognizing the truth.

His heart, and then his Achilles' heel, reappeared. After his eyebrow, Ève had never seriously injured him.

Satisfied, the warrior then searched for his opponent. His eyes and Concept were useless against Ève, so he focused on his instinct. Nothing.

"I don't know where you are. Should we call it a draw?" Kazuki proposed, releasing the fake body that fell like a puppet.

Spectators exchanged surprised glances as Rose covered her mouth in horror.

"I cheated; it's your victory," a voice replied. Everyone turned to one of the hoplites, whose silhouette trembled before transforming into Ève. The rival had never entered the arena. The corpse at Kazuki's feet vanished like the illusion it was.

The hoplite grunted.

Priam sighed internally as Kazuki approached him. He, too, had failed to notice Ève infiltrating the hoplite group. For someone with his mental attributes, that was impossible. She's using a concept that plays with our senses and memory...

He sent a query to Log-a-rhythm, which assured him that it had always seen Ève alongside Hyshana. However, it had also witnessed Kazuki fighting a clone whose feet didn't stir up any dust.

So, her range is limited. She focuses more on consciousness than reality. Illusion? Mirage? Hypnosis?

Priam despised this type of build. It screamed "manipulator" and reminded him that his rival hadn't hesitated to sacrifice Sphinx. The strained smile on Kazuki's face indicated he wasn't the only one thinking this way.

"Ophia is an asset; you did well to bring her back," the hoplite said. Simultaneously, Priam's Domain noticed a repeated and fast contraction of a tendon in the hoplite's elbow.

[Code detection. Match found in hoplite base database. Translation.]

"She's using a Tier 1 Concept, likely augmented by a Talent and skills. Without Micro II, she would have trapped me," Kazuki explained.

Priam continued the verbal exchange while also contracting one of his muscles.

"Have you found another way to detect her?"

Priam lacked Micro II but needed a way to monitor his rival.

"My senses and Concept were entirely blind to her manipulations. Aura seemed to have an effect, but it's not my specialty," Kazuki explained.

"Could you detect her again?"

"She won't catch me by surprise again, but... I have no idea how to find her real body. I didn't even notice there was one too many spectators."

Priam nodded as Ève approached. Is this her real body?

"Good fight, Kazuki. I hope you'll forgive me for cheating, but your attacks were too powerful. A head-on battle isn't my strong suit."

"I appreciate you taking it seriously," the hoplite replied diplomatically. "The Necromoon is approaching, and I'm glad to have additional help."

Ève sighed. "We'll need all the help we can get."

"Oh?" Priam turned to her, playing the role of an engaged leader. "You know something?"

"The weather changes, night falls, and the dead awaken. In Elysium, that means long-buried skeletons find purpose again. Luckily, it's an event."

Seeing the confused faces of the two warriors, she clarified.

"An event means missions and rewards. If we play it right, we can come out on top. That being said, the event is no picnic. People will die."

"In war, there are always casualties."

Priam remained silent. He refused to lose more loved ones.

"You know more than us," Kazuki noted. "The Necromoon is coming in two days, and we're gearing up. Maybe you have suggestions?"

Ève nodded energetically. "I have a few ideas, yes. My power allows me to go unnoticed, so I should be able to enhance our camouflage by..."

The new rival was dangerous, but there was no way of keeping her at bay without arousing her suspicions. Kazuki had decided to put her to work. Priam didn't like it, but he understood the logic.

After a few seconds, he walked away. The event wasn't his only concern. He had triggered a sextuple Tribulation and suspected that the System wouldn't let him accumulate hundreds over the next six months. He couldn't keep running forward.

Entering Log-a-rhythm to escape surveillance, Priam opened a portal to Concept Archipelago.

Inside, he greeted Louis, who seemed thoughtful in front of a berry bush, before soaring toward the sun. Mentally, he checked on Mirscella. With closed eyes, the old lady trembled like a leaf, trapped in a nightmare. Good luck...

"Hey," he said to the sun.

The Phoenix manifested before him. It observed him for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Unity in two days?! Are you speedrunning Concepts? How did you manage that?"

Priam smiled before updating him on recent events. The Phoenix remained silent for a few moments before whistling.

"You rely too much on your resurrection—and that's coming from a phoenix. You were probably close to becoming an incarnation of your Concept. A hollow shell whose soul was consumed by its Concept."

Priam shuddered. If the Tier 2 hadn't forced a mutual destruction, he knew he would have let the Fire Concept devour him.

"What should I have done?"

"Exactly what you did."

The young man gave the phoenix a confused look, who chuckled.

"You're alive, aware of the risks, and more powerful than before. Be proud, learn your lesson, but don't forget there's no easy path to the Zenith. That being said, two days must be a record. It took me almost four months, and I was born with a gold spoon in my mouth."

"How does one reach Unity without risk?" Priam asked. He couldn't solve everything by dying. Even though it has worked quite well so far...

"You progress gradually, using your Potential to simulate a partial Unity. You select Merits that reduce the distance or consume resources and concept fragments. The list is long, but in a word: you take your time."

Mistwalker, one of Priam's Merits, allowed him to ride his mist. It was undoubtedly one of the many Merits capable of helping someone reach Unity more easily.

"We'll discuss it again when you've refined your Fire Concept to reach Tier 1. For now, tell me how you resisted the Fallen."

"A Fallen?"

"The false god. It should be a weak Tier 4, but their conversion ability is formidable."

"They didn't look weak to me."

"Any self-respecting Tier 4 should have been able to peel your soul without giving you a chance. Their soul quality is Tier 4, but I'm sure its volume doesn't follow. We'll talk about that later, I'm curious how you resisted him."

"Oh, I created a kind of system that assists me..."

As Priam explained, the Phoenix cooled down. In phoenix language, it was a bad sign.

"Is there a problem?"

"Yes and no. This kind of assistant was the specialty of a mighty clan—their primogenitor was a Tier 9. A few million years ago, they disappeared. They resurfaced during a Universal War, lobotomized and serving a Primordial of the Depths. He had created a virus capable of taking control of their Assistant."

"... I'll avoid clicking on weird links."

"I sense you're trying to make a joke, but be careful with your add-on. Few Tier 0s can penetrate your soul to take control, but you're not just facing Tier 0s. This Fallen could discover the truth if they ever get their hands on you again. I suppose you don't plan on running as far away as possible while you still can?"

Priam clenched his fist.

"Not without Sphinx."

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

PHYSICAL:Strength 420 Constitution 794 Agility 446 Vitality 680 Perception 654

MENTAL:Vivacity 383Dexterity 475 Memory 218Willpower 832Charisma 499

META:Meta-affinity 408 Meta-focus 326Meta-endurance 256 Meta-perception 201 Meta-chance 230Meta-authority 15Potential: 3427Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.Necromoon Event: 2 days, 17 hours, and 19 minutes.

[Tribulation]: Six Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:Time: 172 days 19 hours 2 minutes 56 seconds.Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 3 attributes > 800