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

Chapter 54: Drugs are bad

New Quest: Abomination II

Depths are part of the Concepts.

However, not all worlds are ready to welcome these monstrosities. Humanity is too young right now.

Kill the three Abominations.

Reward: Potential +300. [Depths Resistance] lvl ups. Bonus according to your participation.

Difficulty: Gold

Beta, Gamma and... Alpha. In his mind, Priam named the three Abominations facing him. Alpha was the central Abomination and more imposing than the other two. Priam concentrated on it. A second later, the fight began.

The chimera swung its arm in his direction. It was more than ten meters from the young man, but the limb extended to hit him. Priam leaped into the air and the attack passed beneath him before striking the armored door. It buckled with a terrible noise and a crater about ten centimeters deep was created.

Priam, suspended on the top rail of the armored door, swallowed as he saw the damage. His body was now very resistant, but this attack would have killed him instantly. I guess it's going to be a no hit run.

Without giving him a moment's rest, Alpha opened its mouth and spat. The sputum was terrifyingly black and Priam shuddered as he watched it. For [Aether Perception], the attack was like a black hole: absorbing the aether in its path. Priam leaned on the top of the door and leaped forward, avoiding the spit. The two remaining Abominations tried to intercept him in the air. Priam accelerated with a kinetic charge and dodged the clawed hands of the two monsters.

He landed behind the chimeras and looked up. A few meters ahead of him was a terrified Revenant hiding behind a barricade. Throwing his spear with all his might, Priam killed the traitor before quickly observing his surroundings. The vast hall must have been around a thousand square meters, and sections filled with cores and other resources were laid out like a supermarket. A dozen Revenants were barricaded behind a few overturned displays.

Priam ignored the majority before concentrating for a moment on the last Revenant. While the first nine seemed almost transparent when he observed them with [Aether Perception], the tenth appeared tangible.

[Identification]

[Revenant General - Mathis the suicidal] - One of the Revenant Generals. Mathis agreed to be resurrected in order to get a better death. Before the Tutorial, he was a serial killer who preferred to end his life rather than surrender to the police. He won't hesitate to drag you to the grave.

A general... Priam had a quest asking him to kill three Revenant Generals. Apparently, one of them had presented himself to him. Mathis looked at him with a demented stare.

"You will die here Priam. Grand Master Anatole knows all about you.

Priam ignored him. He would grant this madman's wish when he'd finished dealing with the Abominations.

Priam's sixth sense kicked in, and the Baron stepped forward, merging with the mist. Reappearing in front of the vault door - behind the chimeras' backs - Priam watched his previous location explode. Alpha had rushed to attack his position. A fraction of a second after his disappearance, the ground had exploded. Priam squinted as he saw the Abomination's fist. It had tripled in volume and mass, causing a terrifying attack. These creatures can manipulate their bodies very easily, he analyzed.

The room was beginning to be covered in mist. [Moon Mist] consumed a lot of aether, but Priam needed the mobility the skill offered. Bringing his spear back into his hand, he registered a few kinetic charges. Having lost him, the three chimeras stood still momentarily before turning towards him. They had spotted him through the mist. Are they detecting my aether? My heat? My soul? An upgrade of [Moon Mist] was necessary.

Among the three Abominations, Priam chose his prey. Gamma, the monster on the left, was the smallest. It's the weak link. All he had to do was reach its core. Unfortunately, the mountain of flesh, blood, and bone didn't seem to agree.

Without asking her opinion, Priam raised his spear and threw it. The next instant, it struck the chimera's torso with the force of a small cannonball. Gamma retreated a step before stabilizing. Seeing the result, Priam's eyes widened. A few pieces of flesh had been annihilated, but the hole was no bigger than Priam's fist.

Shit.

[Identification]

[Abomination - Depths - Viscount] - Artificially created during a ritual, this is the superior version of a basic Abomination. Able to adapt and evolve, it is advisable to eliminate this monster before it becomes unstoppable. High pollution capacity.

Although weak due to an imperfect ritual, it is a Tier 1 creature. Its Vitality and Constitution are over 500. Its core is very well protected.

Holy shit...

The Abomination's constitution was far superior to its Baron version. Priam quickly calculated that it would take dozens of attacks to reach the cage protecting the core. It would then have to be destroyed. Moreover, if the flesh was so resistant, the bones would be excruciatingly difficult to break.

Pondering his options, Priam dodged a spit by leaning to his right. The attack grazed him. Even so, he felt a burn on his left arm a moment later. The saliva had hit the door behind him, and a few drops had splashed onto his arm. Cursing his bad luck, Priam wiped off the polluted drops.

The pain began to increase rapidly. Priam concentrated on Micro to block the pain without success. It wasn't just his physical sensors that were transmitting the pain. As he watched, he realized that his aether was becoming polluted. The Depths were breaking his aether.

Gamma screamed and leaped towards Priam, bringing him back to reality. With one leap, he found himself on the ceiling and stayed there thanks to [Kinetic Control]. Carried away by its momentum, the chimera crashed against the door with a sound like the end of the world. It was not a fight he could win by conserving his resources.

His only advantage was that the three Abominations didn't work together. Since the Abominations didn't seem the type to play fair, there had to be a reason - other than their stupidity. Priam connected to his Potential.

[Focus], [Aether Manipulation], [Depths Resistance]. Under the exhilarating effect of the Potential, Priam began to smile.

The skills worked together to repel the pollution of the Depths. [Depths Resistance] trained his cells to passively repel the invader. Unfortunately, the breakdown seemed as much aethereal as physical. [Aether Manipulation] and [Focus] attempted to actively use his aether to repel the pollution.

Still clinging to the ceiling, Priam opened his eyes and split his efforts in two using [Focus]. One part of his consciousness focused on slowing down the corruption, the other on the fight in progress. Half-focused on the fight, Priam leaped from the ceiling towards Alpha.

As Priam left Gamma's proximity, Alpha tried to sweep him away, transforming its arm into a whip of bone and ligaments. The air snapped, and the blow struck the Baron's outstretched hand. [Kinetic Control], aided by his Potential, almost absorbed the entire attack. His constitution was close to two hundred, and Priam took the rest of the strike with his body.

He was thrown on the floor, between Alpha and Gamma. Priam called up his spear and aimed at Gamma. He didn't want to give the creature time to heal. Already, not a trace of his previous attack remained.

The spear produced a supersonic boom as it accelerated and struck the Abomination. A crater twenty centimeters deep formed. A smile came to Priam's lips as he realized he had a chance to win. He had to use the energy of Alpha and Beta to attack Gamma.

Suddenly, Priam turned and held out his hand, palm flattened, toward Alpha's massive fist. Seen up close, the attack was terrifying. The fist must have been the size of an SUV and developed colossal power.

Lvl Up : [Kinetic Control] lvl 21

VIVA +2

DEXT +3

META (FOCUS) +4

Priam's meridians protested as he absorbed the blow. His other hand closed on his recalled spear. Priam then teleported to Alpha's shoulder and immobilized it. He intended to absorb its kinetic energy in real time. The chimera had insane physical strength, but [Kinetic Control] boosted by Potential was the ultimate weapon against this kind of monster.

Priam cocked his spear, aimed at the wound he had just caused - which was beginning to heal - and attacked again. Part of his Potential imbued his [Throw] skill and his movements automatically corrected themselves. A second supersonic boom sounded and the chimera screamed in pain. The hole was now almost forty centimeters deep. Priam estimated that he would have to dig another two meters - a dozen attacks - before reaching the bone cage protecting the core.

Lvl Up: [Throw] lvl 18

DEXT +1

His spear reappeared in his hand as Priam leaned to the side to dodge a spit from Beta. He straightened up and turned back to Gamma, the wounded chimera. One enemy at a time.

Lvl Up: [Dodge] lvl 8

AGI +1

As he prepared to attack again, Priam looked down. He was standing on Alpha's shoulder, and his skill immobilized the chimera. Despite this, the flesh beneath his feet seemed to move slowly. Priam's heart sank. Since the tutorial and thanks to [Humanity Adapts], he wasn't afraid of much anymore. His racial talent gradually erased his fears when he faced them.

However, being absorbed, fused and digested by an undead monstrosity terrified him. Only the Potential that ran through his veins and the feeling of omnipotence that accompanied it kept Priam from leaving the Abomination's shoulder. If he hadn't activated his skill, he would have been absorbed by the monster. Anatole, I need someone to blame, and you'll pay for everything...

Alpha kept passively supplying him with kinetic energy as it tried to move. Priam was stealing its energy. This ambush would cost him dearly in Potential, but he would survive. A second later, he attacked. Gamma screamed again, thrown against the door as its wound grew larger.

Lvl Up: [Throw] lvl 19

DEXT +1

Lvl Up: [Erosion Resistance] lvl 15

META (END) +3

Lvl Up: [Depths Resistance] lvl ... Delayed.

Thirty seconds later, Gamma was lying in front of the armored door. A titanic hole almost three meters deep adorned its chest. Priam, still perched on Alpha, was gasping for breath. He had managed to maintain a status quo by consuming his Potential, but he was at his wits' end.

His meridians were screaming in pain, his aether weakening from creating mist and sustaining his growth. The war between his aether and the Depths was not looking good. Despite the influx of Potential, the pollution was terrible. Priam's left arm was now black and unusable. His heart was now in the path of corruption.

The third chimera seemed to be spamming its spit, and Priam was steadily losing aether as he teleported from one shoulder to the other of the central chimera. He attacked again, concentrating on Micro, [Throw] and [Eidetic Memory] to rapidly improve his skill.

It was now terrifying, and his spear pushed the air back through the sound barrier. A split second later, Priam winced. His spear had just collided with a hard material. Very hard. Gamma screamed, and Priam understood: his spear finally found the bone cage.

The Abomination's core - its weakest point - lay behind. Priam recalled his spear and stepped forward before reappearing on Alpha's left shoulder, dodging another spit. His mist warned him of the third chimera's every move. Priam waited.

One second. He stored the chimera's muscular energy. Two seconds. He wanted a powerful attack. Three seconds and Priam Dodged. He would need the most powerful attack of his life to break through this protection. Four seconds. He would then have to die or consume one of his treasures. His meridians were in a disastrous state. Five seconds. Priam cocked his spear. Six seconds. With a grunt, Priam summoned all the skills he could muster.

Seven seconds after starting to steal Alpha's kinetic energy, Priam attacked.

Lvl Up: [Throw] lvl 20

DEXT +1

[Throw] has reached level 20, its maximum level as a common skill. Depending on your background, three upgrades are available.

[Great Throw - Rare] - General upgrade. No future upgrade possible. Potential Cost: 5

[Spear Throw - Rare] - You have exclusively thrown your spear. You specialize and learn more about your weapon. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 15

[Supersonic Throw - Rare] - Your throws have broken the sound barrier at Tier 0. You like speed. Future upgrades possible. Potential Cost: 15

Later...

His muscles ripped under the power of the movement. The throw was perfect, but Micro had drained all the energy from Priam's body. The spear spun faster than ever before.

The young man's eardrums burst and the shockwave threw him backward. His body flew before crashing into a barricade erected by the Revenants.

A few seconds later, Priam slowly got to his feet, massaging his head. A titanic headache had set in during the fight, his Vivacity and brain not powerful enough to keep up with the demands of [Focus].

At last, he looked up as he heard heavy footsteps. The Revenants had been blown away and Priam saw Beta heading towards him. Behind him, Alpha was finally moving its shoulders, stretching. Priam's gaze fell on Gamma. The monster was slumped over. A gaping hole revealed a cracked sphere of bone. In the crack lay Priam's spear, twisted.

The attack hadn't been enough. The Abomination was wounded but not dead. Priam sighed as he realized he wouldn't get out of this alive. His body was in a terrible state, and the pollution of the Depths was unstoppable. He would die, and the seal of Bechar would break. A fourth tribulation was inevitable.

"While we're at it, I might as well die with a Title and a new Achievement..." With his eardrums pierced, Priam couldn't hear his own voice, but he'd made up his mind.

He quickly reached into one of his pockets. It took a few moments for his trembling hand to catch one of the treasures he had stolen.

[Essence of Silver Catha Edulis - Tier 1] - A powerful stimulant. Your body and mind will rise to fight with vigor. Beware, this medicine will not heal your wounds. Nothing beats natural rest...

Swallowing the liquid, Priam recalled his spear. His body was in a pitiful state and the pollution would soon kill him. His heart was already beginning to slow down. Priam grabbed a second bottle and swallowed its content.

[Last stand of the Warrior - Tier 1] - A decoction swallowed by brave warriors. Temporarily doubles the attributes of the drinker. After a few minutes, the effect dissipates, leaving behind a broken warrior.

In the best-case scenario, you'll end up disabled. Is it worth it?

Yes.

The drug let Priam stand up proudly. For the next few minutes, he would be unstoppable. Less than five meters away was Beta. The chimera brought its arm down on him. The volume of the fist was so massive that it filled Priam's vision. With a flick of his hand, the Baron stopped the attack, absorbing its energy. Beta's flesh opened up to suck him in and Priam disappeared into the mist. He reappeared in front of Gamma.

The creature was in bad shape and Priam wanted to finish the job. Looking at his twisted spear, Priam sent it an apologetic thought. The good thing is, the more damage you take now, the stronger you'll be. The spear didnt answer.

Priam concentrated on Gamma. He inhaled, then attacked.

Lvl Up: [Strike] lvl 18,19

STR +2

The tip of his spear sank into the previous crack. Priam activated [Kinetic Control] to keep himself from flying off, and the ground shook. He winced as he felt his right hand. Although he had absorbed the backlash, it had caused many of his blood vessels to explode. His spear was now wholly bent, and an attack would shatter it.

Priam observed his handiwork. The bone cage was now open. Unfortunately, the opening was tiny. Enough to fit a few fingers, but no more. The core was so close and yet so far away... A dark aether was escaping from the hole and corrupting the atmosphere.

Using his left hand, Priam grabbed a luminous pebble hidden in one of his pockets. Another thing he'd stolen.

[Make a Wish] - A wish is made while watching a shooting star. Someone has wished to capture this star. Grant the stars wish and set it free.

Be careful, a shooting star moves at tens of kilometers per second.

Do not use it in a house. Not suitable for children under three years of age

Priam placed the pebble at the entrance to the hole. He had burned his Potential, resources, and promises during this fight. But it didn't matter. At least, he would win.

"Make a Wish."

The world turned white. Then the light disappeared.

Congratulations, you are dead!

Your Talent [He Who Eludes Death] brings you back to life once a day

Number of deaths: 10

Ten deaths detected. Message from your patron:

You're progressing too slowly. You must put aside your fears and abuse this power. Don't forget your promise.

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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 145 (+2)

Constitution 197

Agility 151 (+1)

Vitality 215

Perception 284

MENTAL:

Vivacity 170 (+2)

Dexterity 161 (+6)

Memory 39

Willpower 193

Charisma 138

META:

Meta-affinity 122

Meta-focus 90 (+4)

Meta-endurance 64 (+3)

Meta-perception 26

Meta-chance 114

Potential: 766 (+11)(-107)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 18 hours 23 min 55s

[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.

Time: 22 hours 43 minutes 49 seconds.