Chapter 280: Ciphered Record (Patreon)

A bit late for the morning, but I had to edit it quite a bit! Next one: Friday 27th.

Enjoy!

*

“Now it’s our turn,” Priam said, sitting cross-legged in the grass.

The phoenix settled in front of him. “At last. Which reward are we starting with?”

“You tell me,” Priam replied, forcing himself to ignore Jasmine’s acrobatics in the background. “I’ve got a ton of rewards pending, and I think it’s time to map out exactly how I’m progressing until the Tier up.”

“A wise decision,” the phoenix responded, glancing at Priam’s shadow dancing on the ground. As a being of fire, the bird cast none itself. “I assume you have already thought about it? I would rather advise than dictate.”

Priam organized his thoughts, glancing at the notes in his add-on. “Top priority is surviving my quintuple Tribulation. I can still delay them for five more months, but the longer I wait, the more it strangles my progress.”

Some of his attributes were already nearing the threshold for triggering a sixth Tribulation.

“Waiting beyond necessity is a bad idea. Tribulations are the perfect opportunity to secure prerequisites for ideal upgrades and to harmonize your soul with a Concept. Think of them as a trial to ensure your foundation is strong before moving forward.”

Priam groaned but nodded. He knew it was good in the long run, but right now, it was just a massive pain.

“With Back in Time, I got a glimpse of my Tribulations. The first two are mental. I died too quickly to study them properly, but I remember being trapped in nightmares where the masks I wore on Earth replaced my identity.”

The phoenix cocked a fiery eyebrow. “I’m not sure I follow.”

Priam winced. “Before the Tutorial, I forced myself to fit in. To be accepted, I wore a mask rather than showing my true self. Not literally, of course, but… I acted how people expected me to. It was easier to blend in without showing my true feelings.”

“A lot of people do that.”

“With everyone?” Priam countered.

The phoenix hesitated before shaking his head. “I don’t know humanity well enough to judge, sorry. Have you figured out what the System sees as a weakness?”

“I wore those masks for so long that I forgot who I was. Maybe I still don’t know.” Priam looked at his hands. They had changed since the Tutorial, and now, even his body felt alien to him. “Who am I? The System wants me to find an answer to that question.”

The phoenix nodded. “Identity is the strongest anchor for an ego. Without it, your personality would dilute as you strive for Unity with a Concept.”

“It already happened,” Priam recalled. He had lost control when he became the incarnation of Fire and nearly killed Sphinx.

“So we have identified the reason for your first two Tribulations.”

Priam let out a hollow laugh. “All I need to do is figure out who I am. Piece of cake!”

The phoenix gestured toward Jasmine. “Earlier, with your friend... You weren’t wearing a mask. It’s a start.”

Priam glanced at the young woman. Her distress had moved him, and he had been so caught up in the moment that he hadn’t played any role.

“It’s a start,” he admitted, before sighing. “I’d rather the System stay out of my mental health problems. Just give me an enemy to punch, that’s all I ask!”

“Ignoring your mental health is dangerous. Letting it fester is like letting emotional wounds rot... until they turn you into a monster.” The phoenix paused, and Priam understood he was thinking about the corruption of his original self. “The System is trying to patch that.”

“By killing those who lose their minds?”

“A cruel method devised by a merciless machine. I am sure you have got a plan to survive.”

“Of course I’ve got a plan. I’m not dying twice from the same shit.” Priam glanced at the sky of his world, aware that the System was listening. Was it wise to lay all his cards on the table? As if this thing wasn’t reading my mind 24/7. “I’ve got a mythical shield to tank the physical Tribulations while I deal with the mental ones,” Priam revealed. In the erased timeline, Sumstreh had destroyed it, but this time, he managed to keep it.

“You realize you can’t punch your nightmares until they go away, right?”

“No, but I can adapt to them. [True Will] should help, though I’m planning to downgrade it to Epic to get the ideal version.”

“Are you sure you will check off all five prerequisites?”

“I didn’t live through [Back in Time] for nothing.”

“I suppose. However, you are still taking a risk as an ideal Epic skill is weaker than its high Legendary version.”

Priam tapped his temple. “With [He Who Eludes Death], my only weaknesses are my soul, mind, ego, and memory. If I want to secure them as best as possible, I need a flawless foundation. Plus, my gut tells me that tempering my body with ideal resistances is the way to become a Heavenly Dragon.”

“Your gut or your obsession with perfection?”

“Both,” Priam grinned. “I can’t imagine a dragon settling for anything less than perfection.”

“That does sound like those prideful creatures,” the phoenix chuckled. “So, you have chosen a skill for one of the seven gates of your perfect body. Now, you just have to anchor it.”

“I was planning to use the Tribulation to create the first gate. The method requires using a trophy and undergoing 'vigorous tempering' to anchor the resistance. All I’m missing is the trophy.”

The phoenix remained silent for several seconds before smacking his head with a wing. “Sorry, I must have misheard. Did you just suggest using a Tribulation to temper your body?”

“You say that like it’s a bad idea.”

“It’s the dumbest idea I have heard since my death. I’m honestly surprised you didn’t get the [Dumbass] Title just for saying it.”

“... Is that a real Title?”

“I don’t know, but if you know a King, ask them to petition the System to grant it to you!”

“Will do; I’m not turning down Merit points,” Priam grinned. “So, is tempering by Tribulation possible?”

“It’s madness.”

“Trying to achieve perfection without taking risks—that’s the real madness.”

They locked eyes for a moment before the phoenix looked away.

“We will talk about it later.”

There was nothing more to add, so Priam proceeded.

Potential - Skill Creation

Do you wish to downgrade the rarity of [True Will - Legendary]?

Potential required: 4 754Current potential: 13 451

And here I thought I was rich...

Downgrade of [True Will - Legendary].WILL -198CHAR -99

Searching for a compatible skill...Prerequisites met:

[Homo Elysian Obsession].

Presence of a legendary heritage—[True Will].

You resisted the assault of a divine consciousness.

You survived a mental Tribulation.

You survived an amputation of your soul.

Ideal Upgrade unlocked:

[Free Will - Epic] - Level 11 - Without free will, the universe would be born, grow, and die at the command of fate.A soul offers the chance to rebel, but few seize it. By shedding the masks you have worn your entire life and defying the world with your true self, you risk failure. By the law of equivalent exchange, you also gain a chance to triumph.Experiences will change you, but as long as you pursue your dreams, this skill will help you maintain your identity and free will.“Man is free at the instant he wants to be.” — Voltaire.WILL +6 (x11)CHAR +3 (x11)

Like a runner on the verge of collapse, Priam felt his mind waver. As a passive skill, [True Will] had been supporting him at every moment. Now that the resistance was gone, no longer reinforcing his identity, he felt his mental state weaken.

Simultaneously, his ego hardened into a core. The sensation was hard to pin down, maybe because it came from his mind itself, but it was real. What he lost in sheer mental resistance, he gained in raw quality. As long as Priam fought for his freedom, his ego would endure.

That resistance was fueled by his determination, and that was all he had ever hoped for. A smile tugged at his lips, but the System wasn’t done surprising him.

Achievement - Mythic: As a Tier 0, you have unlocked ten ideal upgrades.As a Wonder seeker wandering the world isn’t enough; you need to understand it.

Message for Humanity, Sector Hope and Wandering Islands:

Priam Azura unlocks a tenth Ideal Upgrade.

The Seven Concepts congratulate you.Potential + 10 000. 1 000 000 Sun points. Fusion Token - Epic skill. Revelation Token - Ideal Prerequisites (Epic)

As if awakened by his latest accomplishment, the world caught fire. He was trending across a thousand networks, no doubt—and some people were already trying to dig up info on him.

Lvl Up: [Revelation Resilience] lvl 57MEM +3META (Affinity) +3META (Authority) +3

“The more you spy on me, the less you’ll see,” Priam smirked.

Lvl Up: [Revelation Resilience] lvl 58MEM +3META (Affinity) +3META (Authority) +3

His shadow quivered, and Jasmine stepped out of it.

“I feel like a ton of people are watching us. I hate it.”

“It’s not just a feeling.”

Jasmine groaned while the phoenix furrowed his fiery brows.

“Would someone care to explain?”

“[Free Will] became my tenth Ideal skill, and the System decided that was worthy of an Achievement.”

Lvl Up: [Revelation Resilience] lvl 59MEM +3META (Affinity) +3META (Authority) +3

“You could have guessed that. Why didn’t you block the announcement?”

“Because I’m sick of all these assholes constantly watching me. If they want to gift me a legendary resistance, I’ll gladly take it.”

“So, it has nothing to do with being pissed about your rivals’ progress?”

Priam burst out laughing. “Of course it does. Time to remind them who’s the First.”

Lvl Up: [Revelation Resilience] lvl 60MEM +3META (Affinity) +3META (Authority) +3

“Here we go!”

[Revelation Resilience - Epic] has reached level 60, its maximum level as an epic skill. ̶N̶a̶t̶u̶r̶a̶l̶ ̶e̶v̶o̶l̶u̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶L̶e̶g̶e̶n̶d̶a̶r̶y̶ ̶T̶i̶e̶r̶ ̶r̶e̶q̶u̶i̶r̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶n̶e̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶a̶ ̶C̶o̶n̶c̶e̶p̶t̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶S̶u̶p̶r̶e̶m̶a̶c̶y̶.̶.̶.̶ Prerequisites met:

Over a billion people attempted to read your record.

Tier 8s failed to read your full record.

[Homo Elysian Obsession].

Over a billion people have forgotten your record.

Parent skill of Ideal quality.

Ideal Upgrade unlocked :[Ciphered Record - Legendary] - As famous as you are incomprehensible, that is how they will see you. Potential Cost: 720

“[Ciphered Record]... That’s got a nice ring to it.”

You have selected the skill [Ciphered Record - Legendary].POT -720

[Ciphered Record - Legendary] -  Word of your exploits has spread across many sectors and piqued the interest of the powerful. As a rising star, your ascent draws all eyes... but your brilliance blinds them. Inspired by the manipulations of a certain administrator, this skill will encrypt your secrets.Attempting to decrypt your Akashic signature is now futile. Your trails run deep but form a labyrinth for those trying to follow them.Everyone sees you, but none understand.MEM +6META (AFFI) +6META (AUTH) +15

Title upgraded: [Upgrader - Silver] becomes [Upgrader - Gold]!

[Upgrader - Gold] - You have pushed an epic skill to its limits at Tier 0, then increased its rarity.You must have the life set to easy mode; that’s the only explanation.POT +1 000

With eyes closed, Priam focused on his soul. On the fourth and final layer, a massive rune had just formed. The aether produced by his soul passed through this sigil, gaining an odd affinity. The energy was then distributed throughout his body via his meridians, granting him a peculiar property.

His aetheric signature seemed distorted, and [Ideal Aether Perception] sensed a confusing quality to it. That was likely why most of the divination probes hovering around him appeared lost. He could sense millions of them, like butterflies waiting to steal his secrets. Mysteriously, most were circling endlessly, unable to close the final gap. Those that did reach his skin were often destroyed by the more offensive aspects of his resistance. [Ciphered Record] was going above and beyond to kick some asses.

One probe, however, caught Priam’s attention with its familiarity, and he used [Divination Interception] to connect with it. The foreign structure responded by striking like a serpent. A connection opened, and Priam felt the distant presence of Sna, the shaman of the Snaherts.

“I thought Oasis and the Snaherts had an agreement,” he sent.

A ripple of surprise passed through the mental bridge. The Tier 4 hadn’t expected him to detect her probe, much less connect with it—and certainly not recognize her.

“Indeed. My probe must have... wandered,” replied the shaman.

“Sure. See you in a month for the tournament.”

With that, Priam summoned [There Is No Heaven] and severed the connection brutally. It was definitely the psychic equivalent of an insult, but he didn’t care for voyeurs.

“Someone woke up today and chose violence,” the phoenix commented.

“That’s all they understand.”

*

Prometheus dismounted the summoned horse, surveying the devastated landscape beyond the camp. What was once a lush forest had been reduced to a broken plain. The monstrous wails echoing from the cracks mingled with cries of despair rising from smoldering craters.

Despite the dry air, he heard a sniffle to his right. A young man, barely sporting a beard, was sobbing. Around him, men and women stared at their king, a mix of hope and pride battling against sorrow and fear in their eyes.

“The survivors, Your Majesty,” Guandi presented. The general-in-chief was pale. “Fifty-four out of ten thousand.”

Less than one percent.

When Mercury had told him about the survival rates of the Tribulations, Prometheus had been shocked. However, this knowledge hadn’t prepared him for the sight before him. When piles of corpses were reduced to statistics, the ink was blood red.

“In this cruel new universe, you have taken up arms,” Prometheus addressed the survivors. “The trial was harsh, yet your victory has reforged you. Those who have fallen are watching us, and their hopes walk with us. If we are to join them tomorrow, then today must matter. The battle is coming, and I will await you by my side,” he roared, raising his sword. “For humanity!”

“For humanity!” the survivors echoed, tears streaming down their faces.

The cry reached the camp behind them, and the warriors responded in kind.

“FOR HUMANITY!”

As the ground trembled beneath the roar of the Royal Army, Prometheus felt hope begin to chase away the fear in his heart. Priam proved every day that a human could stand against fate.

The King would prove that all of humanity could.

*

Status: PHYSICAL:Strength 807 Constitution 1 187 Agility 948 Vitality 1 130Perception 828 MENTAL:Vivacity (D) 599 Dexterity 690 Memory 891 (+32)Willpower 987 (-185) Charisma 648 (-119) META:Meta-affinity 945 (+22) Meta-focus 444Meta-endurance 804 Meta-perception 443Meta-chance 379Meta-authority 285 (+27)

Potential: 17 872 (+5 545) Tier 0Sun points: 1 000 609 (+1 000 019)[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED

Concepts:

Breath (T0): 100% / Dormant

Fire (T0): 100% / Unity

Pyro (T1): 95% / Symphony

Mist (T1): 100% / Symphony

Bloodlines:

Phoenix: 1%

Dragon: <1%

Rewards standing: 

Fusion Token - Skill (Epic) x2

Evolution Token - Skill (Legendary)

Affinity Token - Tier 1 (30%)

Alien Concept fragment (7th Terror)

Bloodline Purification (+1%)

Talent Token - Upgrade (Seraph)

Revelation Token - Ideal Prerequisites (Epic)

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:Time: 152 days 0 hour 54 minutes 41 seconds.Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200 

*

There are rewards left to spend!