Chương 320: Chapter 312: The Juggernaut That Shattered His Allies’ Certainties

"Is the aether density of the Wandering Islands really that high?"

"Yeah, it's almost like breathing underwater. You get used to it eventually, and it's great for leveling up quickly, but the enemies there are absolute monsters. Honestly, I'm a lightweight in Elysium," Priam admitted.

"I'm looking forward to seeing it," Prometheus replied, pulling a pipe seemingly out of nowhere. The Shield of Humanity stood beside the Spear, leaning against a balcony railing at the bar. The two men enjoyed the night view and a rare moment of quiet. Below them, Jasmine was still lighting up the dance floor. The king's royal escort was conspicuously absent.

"Planning to leave Proxima?" Priam asked.

"I'll have to. The aether density and quality here won't let me surpass Tier 4." Make me think about Valaryth, except the ceiling is even lower there.

"Will you be able to return here after outgrowing Proxima?"

"If I've properly ennobled my mind," the king replied, offering Priam yet another piece of a fundamental puzzle. While the importance of tempering one's body and baptizing one's soul was obvious, the ennobling of the mind remained an elusive concept.

"But if I have the choice, I'd rather find a way to uplift the entire planet." Priam whistled.

"Is that even possible?"

"If the inner world of a Tier 5 can be upgraded, why not a planet?" Prometheus countered.

"Our merchant friend Mercury has heard legends, and there's no smoke without fire. Still, it's a distant problem, one that'll require colossal resources." The king smiled, took a puff from his pipe, and turned to Priam.

"In the meantime, I'd like to send a few of my people to Elysium. They're progressing quickly here, but if you're right, it's nothing compared to what's possible in the spearhead world."

"If Elysium's laws naturalize them, they won't be able to return," Priam warned. No one could leave the spearhead world for long, except to invade another universe.

"At least, not for long. It would cripple your army."

"My knights are part of my kingdom; I won't accept them becoming citizens of another world," the king declared. Priam froze for a moment.

"You think your Talent will allow your knights to bypass Elysium's laws? If you're right, your power is seriously broken... But I doubt it. That world is special." When Priam first arrived in Elysium, he had received a quest with a simple goal: survive. Once [He Who Eludes Death] activated, the quest had adapted to account for this unique Talent. Even if Prometheus' gift came from a powerhouse on par with Priam's patron, Elysium's laws weren't so easily twisted.

"You know this world better than I do," Prometheus admitted.

"But I'd like to give it a shot. If you'll help me smuggle them in, they'll be under your command for the duration of their mission." With Concepts Archipelago, sneaking a few knights into Oasis would be child's play for Priam.

"For that crate of seeds you're hoarding in your vault, I can take three people." The king took a contemplative puff from his pipe before exhaling. He managed to create a perfect eight with smoke, leaving Priam to wonder if it was a skill or a System skill.

"What about five? In exchange, you can pick three professions, and I'll make sure my subordinates have the corresponding expertise." Had the king guessed that Priam needed specific artisans to develop Oasis? It wasn't impossible; Prometheus seemed to have many contingency plans. When Jasmine spotted a crate labeled Seeds for Priam in his vault, she was astonished.

"Deal. Five it is," Priam said, extending his hand. The king clasped it with a smile.

"Your body… I can tell you've started your tempering. Mythic grade?"

"Seraphic." Prometheus roared with laughter.

"You really are the System's sugar baby." Priam thought about a certain gambler and shuddered. Prometheus continued without noticing.

"Could you provide high-quality tempering methods for humanity? Name your price." He punctuated his sentence with a wink, and Priam grimaced.

"Request number one: never give me a sexy wink again."

"You're the one who called it sexy," Prometheus grinned, taking another puff. Priam ignored him.

"As for tempering methods, I've seen some at the Sun Auctions. I'll try to get my hands on them. In exchange... seeds and the prerequisites for ideal Skills will suffice." He could have demanded more, but Priam was willing to work at cost to elevate humanity. This time, at least.

"Thanks. One last thing: I'd appreciate it if you'd donate a drop of blood to our scientists. We've cracked the code for High Humans, but Homo Elysian remains a mystery. Even with Duatian, Arkanian, human, and Empyrean blood samples, my researchers are stuck."

"Not surprising." Priam wasn't shocked that Prometheus had become a High Human. With the System's help, geneticists could easily isolate the best features of the human genome. Homo Elysian was an entirely different mountain to climb.

"I had to use hoplite tech and a quantum computer to sequence all the necessary genomes. Even then, I might not have succeeded without Osiris—the brother of the Duatian Champion."

"You don't talk much about your rivals. Are they strong?" Priam laughed.

"I'm pretty sure Osiris could turn me into a giant tumor with just a touch. His brother, Seth… well, he might become a problem with the current Necromoon event. Generally, you'd do well to avoid Champions. I'm sure you've got contingencies for a powerhouse visit, but trust me, they'd be useless." Not to mention monsters like Eve, humanity currently couldn't even stop a trickless warrior like Kazuki. The king nodded without elaborating on his plans. The two men didn't trust each other enough to share their secrets.

"Is that why you want to trigger your Tribulations here? So none of your rivals can take advantage of them to attack you?"

"That, or other monsters even worse."

"Hmm. I'm almost insulted that you consider Proxima safe… But if you're wrong and die, it would be a shame to have lost the secret to Homo Elysian."

"You never miss a beat," Priam muttered, biting his thumb to extract a drop of blood. His wound healed quickly.

"Here, try analyzing this." Prometheus stared at the crimson bead, then frowned." [Analysis], [Identification], [Inspection], [Observation]... None of my Skills are working." [Ciphered Record] was working overtime. Priam frowned before shrugging.

"I can't disable my resistances yet, sorry." Jasmine's blood would have worked too, but he wasn't about to hand over a medium that could harm his Shadow.

"There is a more natural way to create Homo Elysian, though." Prometheus scrutinized him for a moment before nodding.

"I imagine volunteers won't be hard to find. You're more pretty than rugged, but hey, lots of women loved DiCaprio in Titanic." Priam rolled his eyes.

"I'm too young to be a father. By 'natural way,' I meant I can transform people into Homo Elysian. Primogenitor's privilege."

"Oh." Prometheus laughed.

"That'll speed things up. Is it that easy?"

"After upgrading your genome, every cell in your body will have to be replaced, much like the Ship of Theseus. To survive the ritual, you'll need near-instantaneous regeneration. Ideally, you'd take a Hydra pill, but some Titles or Merits can fulfill the same purpose." [Three-Headed Hydra], for example, could regenerate an organ or limb once a day. Prometheus took a final drag on his pipe before stowing it away.

"Well, if you'll have me, I'll be your first partner." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Really dude, I like women." Twenty minutes later, Priam sat cross-legged before the king in a vast chamber hewn from solid rock. The laboratory's lowest level had been chosen deliberately—if the Champion decided to kill Prometheus instead of helping him, escaping would mean fighting through an army. A part of the Juggernaut found the prospect tempting.

"Your Majesty, the ritual should stimulate your vitality. Do you feel it?" Markus stood a few meters away, just beyond the crude yet essential formation surrounding them.

"I do," Prometheus replied. In his faster heartbeats, in his warmer blood, and within his hyperactive bone marrow, Priam felt it too. His stomach growled as his body rapidly consumed every available nutrient. Taken to the extreme, this vitality overclocking could be weaponized, he thought, watching the preparations being made by the king's team. All around them, dozens of scientists and healers had gathered—either to study the racial Tier-up process or to assist in case of complications.

Further back, a contingent of thirty giants, men and women covered in scars, stood silently waiting. Each of these knights was a tank, ready to lend their skills to their king to ensure his survival through the racial change.

"Excellent," Markus said.

"Our chefs have prepared three highly nutritious bars—they're on the tray beside you, Your Majesty. Please consume them as soon as your body begins to falter."

"What's the purpose of that?" Priam asked. Markus gave him a surprised look.

"This formation and the tanks' abilities will accelerate our king's natural regeneration. Thanks to certain... advantages, His Majesty can recover from the loss of vital organs and even regrow limbs. However, the energy and matter required for such regeneration don't come out of thin air."

"That makes sense, but I know for a fact that I've regenerated some of my organs without consuming nutrients." Delving into details would have revealed certain secrets, but Priam had regenerated one of his hearts even when the rest of his body was little more than a bag of bones. A smile tugged at Markus's lips.

"Ah, but you're talking about restoration, not regeneration." Priam opened his interface, scrolling to the description of one of his Merits. [Tribulation Wyvern Heart - Gold] - First Merit: Once a day, one heart can restore itself instantly.

"It took us quite some time to realize the difference," Markus continued.

"Restoration draws on ambient aether, while regeneration uses the body's energy. Since this discovery, our scientists unanimously agree that the System chooses its words carefully—especially when it comes to the effects of Titles, Talents, Merits, and skills. I'm almost certain that's why it rewards learning multiple languages. Some concepts and ideas are impossible to express with a single English word, leading to misinterpretations.

I've even petitioned the king to fund a College of Languages that—""Markus," Prometheus interjected.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. We're ready to begin. Champion Priam?" With a nod, Priam extended his hand to Prometheus, closed his eyes and triggered the ability of his Title. A moment later, both men were standing in a mental space.

"Now's your chance to tweak your physical appearance," Priam explained.

"The racial Tier-up will rewrite your genetic code, so you might as well fix any flaws. Got one leg shorter than the other?"

"Sounds like one of those ads to increase your penis size."

"Except this time, it's not a scam."

"Seriously? Did you try—" Priam's eyes snapped open as Prometheus's body began to bleed from every pore. When his brain liquefied, his Domain vanished, allowing Priam's authority sphere to scan the king's body. His cells were mutating at a terrifying speed, drawing on both aether and the nutrients in his blood to fuel their evolution.

"The king—""Silence!" Markus barked. The horrified onlookers watched as their king fought to ascend into an Homo Elysian. Fifty seconds after his brain's destruction, the organ reformed in an explosion of aether. Out of the corner of his eye, Priam noticed one of the tanks falter. Interesting.

"Now!" Markus shouted. At his command, the healers cast their spells, aiding the king's recovery. Twenty seconds later, three nutritional bars floated toward Prometheus's mouth. He swallowed them, and what remained of his digestive system got to work. Soon, his surging vitality began to pull him back from death's edge. Aided by his add-on, Priam calculated that Prometheus' regeneration was at least three times faster than his own, despite the vast attribute difference.

Borrowing skills from multiple tanks was excellent for health. There had to be weaknesses to this ability, but the possibilities were immense. If he manages to build an army of elites, he could rival a Champion. But without his companions, he loses most of his strength. The thought might have worried Priam, but it didn't. On the contrary, he was reassured by the knowledge that Prometheus had a vested interest in humanity's growth.

The image of a noble king, solely devoted to his civilization's survival, was too perfect to be entirely believable.

"These racial talents… Incredible."

"I did a pretty good job," Priam admitted with a grin. Prometheus nodded as his own blood was collected by the medics. Without the Hydra pill, the Primogenitor ritual was too dangerous for Priam to test on anyone else. Humanity's geneticists would need to find another way to propagate this race.

"It's very altruistic of you to share your race with us," Prometheus said. Priam shrugged.

"Doesn't cost me anything."

"Even so, I'd like to offer you a gift." The king handed Priam four crystals. Their bluish hue and the intricate runes etched within made them instantly recognizable.

"Skill crystals?" He had already consumed one to learn [Mask], a skill that later fused with his add-on to shield it from Sumstreh's attention.

"Four high rare identification skills. If you fuse them after upgrading [Identification] to Rare rank, you should get an ideal upgrade."

"That's... a lot," Priam said, pocketing the crystals. Whatever the catch, he had no intention of parting with these treasures. [Identification] was one of the hardest skills to level, and an ideal upgrade was too rare to ignore.

"Why such generosity?"

"Because of karma," Prometheus replied.

"My Concept makes me acutely aware of it. Human, High Human, and now Homo Elysian… There's a connection between you and me, and the proxy is my race. You have authority over it, don't you?"

"My charisma doubles when interacting with members of a race I've founded," Priam admitted.

"Some of the associated Merits are… sickening. I don't plan to invest any points in them." The first Merit allowed him to siphon a bit of Potential from direct descendants. He didn't know what the next were, but one might grant him some measure of control over his race. This wasn't Priam's style.

"I suspected as much. Without questioning your character, I can't let humanity become overly dependent on one man—even its Champion. This gift establishes a karmic link between us. If you ever misuse your authority to harm our civilization, I'll have the means to intervene. Knowing this, do you accept those crystals?"

"I accept."

"Do humanity proud. Your brothers and sisters await your return."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Prometheus' knights saluted sharply before stepping into the Archipelago of Concepts. In the throne room, Priam closed the portal to his internal world and turned to Prometheus.

"Well then, I'm off."

"You still plan to visit the Arkanian capital?"

"Yeah. I have some business there." A particular quest had caught Priam's interest, but it wasn't the only reason. Through their bond, he could feel Jasmine's impatience and fear. Despite her progress, the young woman remained haunted by her former masters. Priam wasn't about to let that stand.

"Very well. Cécilia will open a portal near their capital. It'll save you some time."

"Thanks." As the Mistress of Arcana gathered a group of mages to create a rift, Priam voiced a question that had been gnawing at him for a while.

"I've seen your subordinates, walked your city, and spoken with your people. What you're doing here… It's a bit extreme, but desperate times call for radical measures. That said, I've got one last question: if the day comes when you unite this entire continent, what's next?"

"I'll turn my attention to the rest of Proxima. No threat will be allowed to endanger our civilization," the king replied without hesitation. Priam nodded thoughtfully before offering his perspective.

"In a universe this vast, eradicating every threat is impossible. Even if it weren't, it wouldn't be wise. It's the sun, not fire, that should warm a civilization, and water, not blood, that should nourish it. War stimulates humans because they dream of the peace that follows. You, who have devoted your life to humanity, beware of diverting it from what makes it strong." As his warning hung in the air, Priam turned to the ritual Cécilia had begun constructing.

With a sweep of his Domain, he seized control, imbuing the runes with aether. The air before him shimmered as reality's fabric tore, bridging two places that should never have been connected. Through a tiny rift, Pyro found a small flame that was both near and far. My instinct tells me that this spark will soon become a conflagration. Arkana, here I come. Priam rode the fire, vanishing from the throne room. In his wake, he left behind awe and doubt.

The Juggernaut had destroyed nothing, but he had shaken the convictions of some. [He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 3 hours 55 minutes 41 seconds. Next arc already complete on Patreon if you want to find out what happens next! https: //www. patreon. com/ANovelConcept