A Novel Concept - A death a day, MC will live anyway!

[Auctions:

Legacy Core (Rare/T0) - Territory: Knaya/Wanderings Islands - A core containing memories of an Ace who survived 9 Tribulations at Tier 0.

Note from the seller: One Legendary resistance confirmed, [Flexible as a Reed, Elastic as Rubber]. An upgrade and fusion of [Bending Resistance], [Torsion Resistance], and [Tension Resistance].

Current bid: 747 000 Sun points. Auction ends in 139 hours.

Note (add-on): All forces can be broken down into combinations of compression, tension, bending, shear, and torsion. The host already resists compression thanks to [Sun Steel Body] and shear via [Atomos] and [Kevlar Tissue]. [Flexible as a Reed, Elastic as Rubber] would complete your build.

Legacy Core (Rare/T1) - Territory: Pnothl/Sky Ring - A core containing memories of an Ace who survived 8 Tribulations at Tier 0, 3 at Tier 1, and unlocked Mastery - Spear III.

Note from the seller: One ideal Mythic spear skill confirmed. If you're fated…

Current bid: 1 948 000 Sun points. Auction ends in 1 677 hours.

Note (add-on): Except for Breath, all the host's attacks are spear-based. A Mythical spear skill could holistically enhance your offensive capabilities. Alternatively, Kazuki might find it useful as well.]

As Priam stepped out of Esmée's chamber, he paused before the Auction altar. The fulcrum of Sumstreh was still up for sale, but none of the aether puzzle propositions Ymir had received appealed to Priam. Enhancing his aether proficiency was crucial, and he sought an exceptional item for himself and his family.

That didn't mean nothing caught his eye. His add-on had flagged two cores from the list of new items. The second was too expensive for now, but the first boasted a Legendary resistance that intrigued him. Briefly wondering if the former owner of [Flexible as a Reed, Elastic as Rubber] was named Luffy, Priam agreed with his add-on: he lacked three fundamental resistances.

With his father being an architect, Priam knew the five forces that could act on a structure—and by extension, a body. Fortifying his body to endure all types of physical stress seemed like a stellar idea.

Sun points: 1 480 545

His funds weren't endless, but points were meant to be spent. The only question was: was this the best way?

"You're troubled?"

Priam turned to see Esmée watching him with concern.

"Not really. More like facing choice overload. I'm afraid of making a mistake and overlooking something crucial."

Ymir stepped forward. "Is there an item you fancy? Perhaps I can offer my expertise?" On Earth, Priam disliked when a biased seller offered help. He hated being influenced. However, Ymir worked for him and knew a lot.

"I saw a Legacy Core with a Legendary resistance I don't have. If I buy it, can I acquire the resistance?"

Ymir grimaced. "That's complicated. Consuming the core during specialized rituals can grant advantages, but rarely the deceased's skills. If that were the case, the tribes would be much more powerful."

"What kind of advantages?" asked Esmée.

"It depends on the ritual. The Gaeserts use boar cores to enhance their bloodline and improve their racial Talent. If there's a strong resonance between the subject and the core, their race can evolve. I've seen other tribes fuse the cores of elders with those of the young. They manage to acquire the elders' skills at lower rarities, but it requires active participation from both core owners."

"So there are possibilities."

"With the right ritual. However, they are often crafted by Tier 4 Shamans and refined over generations. It's a risky gamble," the merchant concluded.

"Maybe not so much," Esmée said, holding a small core. "I wanted to see the differences between a monster core and a humanoid one."

Using advanced search, Priam's add-on found the cheapest core in the Auction and bought it outright for a hundred Sun points. It was ten times the starting price, but his time was more valuable than ninety Sun points.

Focusing his senses on the crystallized aether, Priam detected a single rune. Comparing it to those etched on the layers of his soul, he estimated its rarity as rare. The skill was unknown to him, but [Ideal Aether Perception] suggested it had to do with air and... life? No, the living. A bird. A skill for flying?

Judging by the core's size, Priam understood the former owner hadn't created this core alone; he had been aided by a ritual. Even with his draconic lung and [High Aether Manipulation], Priam doubted he could make such a large piece of solid aether.

Now, the warrior is dead, and someone has sold his core for a few Sun points. What a waste.

"You think by studying the runes at the core's heart, we could gain their skills?" Priam said after copying the rune into his add-on's database.

"It's less barbaric than ingesting the core, with superior results. Several people could benefit from it."

Priam considered Esmée's proposal before pointing out its weaknesses. "To gain a skill, the rune must be etched onto one's soul; I can't do that—and far from even considering that possibility."

"The System must handle it," Esmée agreed. "It's not impossible; you just need to use the rune consciously." She conjured an orb of light in her hand. "When I concentrate, I feel the System querying me. If I didn't have to worry about Tribulation thresholds, I might have accepted."

Priam mimicked Esmée by summoning a light-making rune and realizing she was right. In the background, he felt the System's query. He could transform the rune into a common skill. With the right runes, it should be possible to min-max my attributes. To test later.

"It won't work with a Legendary skill," Ymir interjected. "The System will grant at most Epic rarity."

"That suits me because I want an ideal resistance," Priam replied. A resistance capable of enduring three different physical forces must be ideal if he wanted to become the ultimate tank. "However, we’re overlooking the main issue: it’s a resistance, not an active skill. My body must withstand these forces; I can't simply invoke a rune."

"With the Sun Shop, you could subject yourself to these forces by purchasing a few traps," Esmée pointed out.

"Or my father could build machines to stress my body," Priam said, shrugging. "That doesn’t solve the problem: my body needs to resonate with the core’s rune to acquire the resistance. Preferably, the epic version."

Priam's true goal was to skip the common and rare skill rarities to avoid gaining too many attributes. His Tribulations loomed, and his constitution was nearing the next threshold. If he wanted to include this new resistance in Heavenly Dragon, he couldn't wait for level-ups, upgrades, and fusions of the three basic skills.

Esmée was contemplating a solution when Priam had an idea.

"Could I temporarily transplant the core in my body?"

Esmée shook her head. "A core is made of crystallized aether; you would poison your meridians and spirit body by doing that."

"I'd survive," Priam grimaced. "But not the core; my aether would corrode it..."

For several minutes, the two rivals exchanged ideas, formulating a plan while Ymir occasionally chimed in. Numerous theories were proposed, tested, and discarded. When their ideas began to dwindle, Priam ended the brainstorming session. Delving into aether arcane with a prodigy like Esmée was exhilarating, but he sensed the baby wyrm coiled around his wrist growing bored.

"I'll ponder it in my free time," Esmée sighed. "I feel a solution is close."

Priam nodded. He would consult the phoenix once they had exhausted all their ideas—but not before. No one improved by simply looking at the answer.

Perched atop the ramparts of Oasis, Priam and Esmée watched as waves of corrupted creatures were ground to dust by bio-traps, decimated by hoplites, and shredded by Rose's turrets. On the warrior's left shoulder, the young wyrm observed the battle with keen interest.

"Our Holy Guardian has finally hatched?"

Priam smiled as he saw Kazuki approaching, wiping blood from the tip of his spear. A simple application of Spear Mastery II could have done the job, but the hoplite warrior insisted on cleaning his weapon himself. Perhaps this purist mindset explained why he was such a spear virtuoso.

"Meet our future protector," Priam said, mentally indicating to the young creature that Kazuki was a friend. The wyrm floated in the air to Kazuki's cheek, licking it with her tongue. A brief smile crossed the hoplite's face as he gently stroked the scales of Oasis's future guardian.

"She's adorable. Does she have a name?"

"Not yet," Priam admitted. "I want to get to know her personality first."

"How about Moonie?"

Priam turned to see Blueberry approaching. "That's the second worst name I've ever heard."

"If the first is Blueberry, I swear I won't cook for you for at least a month," the bear declared.

Kazuki and Esmée smiled as Priam grumbled.

"Speaking of food, I'm organizing a banquet tonight for the arrival of the new artisans... and for our new guardian, I suppose," Blueberry added.

"That could be good for team cohesion," Priam agreed.

"It's just an excuse to make you pay for the food," the bear laughed. "By the way, my instincts tell me you have something for me."

Opening a portal to his internal world, Priam pulled out the carcass of a giant amphiptere. "Tastes like a cross between chicken and duck," he said.

The giant bear slung the winged serpent over his shoulder like a scarf and started to walk away. "Don't be late."

"... There's no way I'm calling her Moonie," Priam declared once the cook was out of earshot. "I'll come up with something else."

"It's important not to rush these things," the hoplite agreed, turning back to the scene of carnage. Protected by the second barrier created by the ramparts, they couldn't hear anything, but the trembling forest spoke volumes about the battle's violence. "Are you going to have her fight?"

"That's what she wants." The wyrm struggled against Priam's Domain, eager to approach the battlefield. "She's small, but she's a weapon created by the System, and I have a feeling it'll boost her growth."

"The war forges strong people," agreed Kazuki.

Priam hesitated before releasing his bond.

"Show us what you're capable of..."

The tiny wyrm zipped toward the battlefield at a walking pace. Within seconds, she reached the nearest corrupted creature. A fox’s skeleton was attempting to cut the roots of a bio-trap.

The Holy Guardian's monochrome scales turned white just before she touched her foe. The collision wasn't brutal; the wyrm created a hole in the bone, vaporizing the fox's body and aether upon contact.

The undead's remains fell to the ground, disarticulated, as the wyrm continued her hunt.

Priam whistled, impressed. The fox was as weak as a corrupted creature could be, but the wyrm was only a few hours old.

"She's the natural enemy of the undead," Kazuki noted.

"Their anathema," Esmée added. "Her aether possesses a Holy affinity that nullifies the Necro Concept of these creatures."

Priam smiled as his bond shredded more corrupted beings. The Tier 0s didn't stand a chance against her; they didn't even seem to register her presence until she touched them.

He squinted as he saw the wyrm approach a fallen Tier 1. One of the turrets had broken its legs, and the zombie bear was crawling toward a hoplite. When the future guardian touched it, the Tier 1 froze. Its flesh began to smoke before being eaten away, but its resistance slowed the wyrm. The bear roared and attacked. Before it could reach the draconic creature, a small ice bullet-spear exploded its head.

"I guess it's still too early for her to kill Tier 1s," Priam said, sensing the wyrm's confusion. She wondered why she hadn't absorbed energy from her adversary. "She doesn't just nullify the Necro Concept; she devours it."

"Does that help her growth?" Esmée asked.

"I suppose so."

The rivals watched the battle for a few more minutes before Kazuki broke the silence. "Have you built her a nest?"

"No?"

The hoplite pointed to the creature innocently stalking the undead. "She's already flying slower than before. She's not a robot; she needs rest."

Priam grimaced and turned toward Log-a-rhythm. The two protectors of Oasis would be a tree of life and a pseudo-dragon. It reminded him of Norse mythology, where Nídhögg lived under Yggdrasil. The legend said the dragon gnawed at the world tree's roots, but the young lord had no intention of letting that happen.

Mentally, he connected his link with Log-a-rhythm with that of the wyrm. The young creature turned toward the tree, puzzled. The guardian tree's leaves rustled to greet her, and Priam smiled as the draconic creature headed for a random tree. A Secret Passage opened, depositing the wyrm into Log-a-rhythm's trunk. A sort of snake's nest awaited her, and he felt his bond drink a bit of sap before falling asleep.

Her scales darkened, and her digestion began.

As Priam, Esmée, Kazuki, and Jasmine crossed the rift, they discovered that the construction was progressing well. A large circular slab, twenty meters in radius, lay beneath the rift, serving as the foundation for the future outpost. Domain reported a crystalline structure, resembling quartz, with numerous hidden channels. Upon closer inspection, Priam realized the foundation was embedded with concealed runes.

A few meters away, Alain, Bertomne, Rose, and Myuri were engaged in a heated discussion. Priam cleared his throat to announce their arrival.

“Hey kid, back already? Did the egg hatch?”

“Into an adorable wyrm,” Priam grinned as Jasmine groaned. The assassin hadn't seen the creature before it fell asleep and was disappointed. “I see the project is coming along well.”

“The foundations are complete; a half-sphere twenty meters in radius with stakes driven forty meters deep. Reinforced by my skills, it will withstand any earthquake,” Bertomne explained. “We’re adding various runes now, but Miss Rose isn’t satisfied with my work.”

Priam noted a hint of respect in his voice when he spoke of Rose.

“Alain says this structure looks like purified and vitrified sand, almost like glass. The material is exceptionally conductive and can amplify the power of the runes. Accepting energy losses is just stupid,” the teenager complained, sifting through the plans scattered across a table. “I won't settle for anything less than perfect patterns.”

Priam nodded. He was a perfectionist too and understood her sentiment.

“What runes are you using?”

“Boundary to trap Elysium's aether, Dynamic shield to distribute attacks over a large surface, Elasticity to prevent the crystalline structure from shattering, and Growth on Bertomne's advice.”

“Growth? To make the material replicate on its own?”

“Not that kind of growth,” the artisan clarified. “The slab is made of Tier 0 sand, and Growth will infuse it with aether over time. In a few months, the sand’s aetheric code will mutate, and this crystal will reach Tier 1. With Elysium's aether flowing through the rift, it might even reach Tier 2, making it nearly indestructible in a Tier 1 world.”

The argument was sound, and the rivals discussed the banquet with the artisans before heading off. Kazuki and Jasmine ventured into the forest to explore, while Priam and Esmée headed toward the sea.

As the waves began to lap at his feet, Priam cloaked his body in a film of opaque mist, allowing him to dive underwater without looking like a streaker.

A surprised cry behind him made him turn around.

“It’s cold,” Esmée grimaced as the water reached her ankles.

“You’ll get used to it,” Priam promised. Their inhuman constitution protected them from the cold’s damage but didn’t make it any more comfortable.

The princess waded in until the water reached her knees. “My outfit isn’t exactly appropriate, is it?”

“Not really,” Priam laughed. Her dress was perfect for a ball, not for swimming.

“I’ll be right back,” Esmée said, heading towards the rift.

A few minutes later, Priam sighed in disappointment.

“This is better,” the princess smiled as she easily stepped into the water, now wearing a wetsuit. “Is there a problem?”

“I thought you were going to get a swimsuit,” Priam admitted.

Esmée pointed to her outfit. “The Sun Shop suggested this for comfort and warmth. It even has an enchantment against pressure. Do swimsuits offer better protection?”

“In some video games, maybe, but not in real life,” Priam chuckled. “They just highlight your figure more.”

Esmée raised an eyebrow before smiling. “Maybe I’ll buy one when we get back.”

Before Priam’s imagination could run wild, the princess pulled out a piece of chewing gum and dove underwater. Taking a deep breath, he followed her.

The water was cool but not cold, and crystal clear. Dodging a school of unfamiliar fish, Priam caught up to Esmée as she swam away from the shore. To his surprise, the princess wasn’t swimming; she had summoned two solid aether propellers that she used to propel herself. Weaving his aether into a mental bridge, he directed it toward Esmée, who connected to it.

“I didn’t see you take any dioxygen gum.”

“To breathe?” Priam guessed. “I can hold my breath for a long time, and if necessary, I can even breathe my aether for a while.”

“Handy.” As they left the protected bay, Esmée stopped. “I’m going to divine the location of the seventh Terror. Give me your hand.”

Priam complied. The princess’s hand seemed small in his as she appeared to read his palm. Suddenly, he felt his draconic bloodline react.

“Found it!” exclaimed Esmée. “It's a hundred kilometers from here, alone and unmoving. That must be its lair.”

“Let’s not waste any time; I don’t want to miss Blueberry’s meal.”

Nodding, the princess pointed in a direction, and the two rivals set off. It was time to obtain the first trophy.

Status:

PHYSICAL:

Strength 707

Constitution 1 105

Agility 773

Vitality 1 040

Perception 766

MENTAL:

Vivacity (D) 570

Dexterity 656

Memory 842

Willpower 1 163

Charisma 692

META:

Meta-affinity 799

Meta-focus 409

Meta-endurance 617

Meta-perception 339

Meta-chance 274

Meta-authority 216

Potential: 13 607

Tier 0

Sun points: 1 480 901 (+356)

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 153 days 12 hours 47 minutes 5 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200