Chapter 126: A Second Skill
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Chapter 126: A Second Skill
"Hey Rose, check out what I can do!" shouted Sphinx.
Rose turned toward Sphinx and took a step forward. Instantly, she fell upward. A few branches of Log-a-rhythm caught her as Sphinx burst into laughter.
"I'll get you back," chuckled Rose, starting to climb the branches in reverse.
In her miniaturized form, Sphinx somersaulted through the air. Since she learned to manipulate gravity, it had become one of her favorite games. She created zones of weightlessness and played around with them. The two friends had a blast, especially with liquids. There was something incredible about bathing in a huge floating water sphere.
Suddenly, Rose exited the weightless zone, and gravity reversed. Startled, the teenager cried out and clung tightly to the branches to avoid falling to the ground. Hesitating for a moment, she decided to climb the tree. She had just been scared and wasn't quite ready to rejoin Sphinx. She was her friend, of course, but sometimes the mythological girl was a tad too exuberant.
Or maybe it's just me feeling lost...
Rose was weak, and she was aware of it. Even her friend's innocent games reminded her of this. Since her arrival in Elysium, she had felt like a burden, incapable of helping or ensuring her own safety. This feeling bothered her. She wasn't as feeble as before, but the gap between her and the others wasn't narrowing. Quite the opposite, in fact.
To clear her mind, Rose smoothly scaled the Log-a-rhythm trunk. She relished in her newfound agility and the freedom the attribute provided her.
A few meters above the trunk, she caught a glimpse of Alain. Priam's father was kind, but more importantly, he was the only one not constantly reminding her of her own weakness. His pursuits were less aggressive than the others, and he put his skills to use for the community.
"Rose?"
Apparently, he had spotted her.
"Yes?"
"I've finished your treehouse. Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the teenager.
Ten seconds later, she stood next to the old man, gazing at her new abode. Perched high on Log-a-rhythm, shielded from the forest by a few branches, a cabin made of wood and vines overlooked the clearing. Its brown hue blended well with the red of Log-a-rhythm, and a few rays of sunlight filtered through a skylight. On the simple door, a name was engraved. Rose.
The architect had outdone himself.
"I love it," she murmured, moved. "Thank you, Alain."
"It's my pleasure," smiled the old man. "A teen needs some personal space. Go inside and tell me what you think."
Rose nodded. They had arrived just over a day ago, and the lack of privacy had been keenly felt. The space inside Log-a-rhythm contained only a living room and Priam's bedroom. Kazuki and Louis slept outside, and Alain took turns resting with the girls, but it wasn't sustainable in the long run. The group's handyman had thus decided to build cabins within Log-a-rhythm.
Pushing open the door, a simple yet cozy room greeted her. The treehouse couldn't have been more than ten square meters, but Rose didn't mind. It was hers.
A skylight and a window let in light, slightly tinted by the amber resin. Rose was surprised at how well she could see through them. The only piece of furniture was a bed, crafted by Alain and covered with red leaves. Stepping into the cabin proper, Rose looked down at her feet.
"The floor is warm!"
"Log-a-rhythm created a slab and heats it. I built the rest from salvaged wood and helped with the windows. The trickiest part was carving the door gongs," he explained.
"So, I can reach my room from anywhere?"
Alain smiled at the possessive use.
"Exactly. You're the only one who can enter your room from the trunk. The door is for guests and if you feel like climbing," winked Alain.
Rose smiled, sitting on the bed.
"Surprisingly comfortable for a pile of leaves."
"I'll do better when Priam brings back some silk," Alain said. His face lost its smile, and Rose scolded herself. Im dumb!
"Sorry, I... He'll come back. Sphinx says he's immortal."
"A parent always worries."
The old man hesitated before continuing.
"And you, Rose. Are you doing well?"
The question caught Rose off guard, and she opened her mouth without answering. To others, she would have lied, but to Alain...
"I'm useless," she finally admitted.
Alain tapped the floor, and a stool sprouted. Perhaps because it sensed a blood connection, Log-a-rhythm listened to Priam's father more than anyone else.
Once seated, Alain offered a smile to Rose. "No one is asking anything of you, you know?"
"I know, and I hate it. I need to feel useful to be sure that..."
A tear rolled down Rose's cheek, and Alain remained silent.
"You're not my parents; you owe me nothing. I'm afraid of being left alone..."
And I'm afraid of being abandoned. That's what Rose felt and what she was ashamed to say.
"I'm not the best at reassuring people," Alain admitted after a few seconds of silence. "I'm not your father, but I won't abandon you. Neither will the others. We're a group now, and everyone likes you. They voted for you to have the first cabin, you know ?"
Rose smiled weakly, looking at her hands. Just talking about her fears had lifted a weight off her.
"Thank you..."
"You're a smart girl, Rose," Alain said, rising. "I understand not wanting to feel useless, and I'm sure you'll find a way to help the group. If you need to talk, don't hesitate. At worse, Ill make you help me.
I would like that.
Smiling, Alain left, closing the door behind him.
For a few minutes, Rose replayed the conversation in her mind several times. Finally, she let out a deep sigh. Mom, Dad, I've found good people. If only you were here...The roots of this story extend from novell bìn origin.
Rose looked up at the amber ceiling. The wind shifted a leaf, and a ray of sunlight momentarily blinded her. Rose let herself fall onto the leaf mattress.
Mirscella sighed, looking around. "Indeed. Are we on an island?"
"Yeah. Don't wander too far; the mainland isn't safe. But theres some fish," he said as he presented her with his gift.
"Thanks. I wasn't planning on swimming in an unknown sea. I'll train here," the thief announced, heading towards a bush.
"I'll be going then. By the way, the pink berries are poisonous."
Mouth still open, Mirscella let the toxic berry fall to the ground. "Choose a slightly more peaceful world next time, will you?"
"I'll try," Priam laughed, entering his world. He felt safer there than outside. The portal closed behind him, and he wondered for a moment. What can be seen from the outside when I'm in this world?
Smiling, Priam knelt under the Phoenix's sun and connected to his Potential.
Potential - Skill Creation
Please think about the skill you want to create. The Concepts will help you in its design.
Current potential: 1107
Divine inspiration hit him like a tidal wave. Exultant, Priam tried to remember everything he knew about computing. [Eidetic Memory] activated, and for the thousandth time, Priam was grateful he had chosen this Talent.
All the hours he'd spent coding in HTML, C++, and Python resurfaced. The grand theories behind artificial intelligence and the famous algorithms he'd briefly heard of became more explicit. Priam's sharpness, logic, memory, and Potential worked together to refine his knowledge.
Finally, after several minutes, Priam had a good idea of his request. He didn't want to create an artificial intelligence - at least not for now - but instead use this skill to help him think in a computer manner. Compared to a human, a computer took less time and energy to calculate because the structure of its processor was different. If Priam had to process terabytes of data, he might as well use a program.
Satisfied, he finalized his request.
A system integrated into my mind that I can program.
Potential required: 187
Priam smiled at the number. The skill was less impressive than [Kinetic Control] but cost more. It was indicative of Priam's knowledge. Even with [Eidetic Memory], he was a physicist, not a programmer.
Create competence?
Yes.
Priam loved the Concepts' System. It was a wonderful, if limited, tool. Time for System modding!
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 345
Constitution 599
Agility 344
Vitality 493
Perception 554
MENTAL:
Vivacity 300
Dexterity 374
Memory 100
Willpower 598
Charisma 418
META:
Meta-affinity 295
Meta-focus 225
Meta-endurance 167
Meta-perception 84
Meta-chance 216
Meta-authority 12
Potential: 920 (-187)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 177 days 14 hours 33 minutes 33 seconds.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 126: A Second Skill
"Hey Rose, check out what I can do!" shouted Sphinx.
Rose turned toward Sphinx and took a step forward. Instantly, she fell upward. A few branches of Log-a-rhythm caught her as Sphinx burst into laughter.
"I'll get you back," chuckled Rose, starting to climb the branches in reverse.
In her miniaturized form, Sphinx somersaulted through the air. Since she learned to manipulate gravity, it had become one of her favorite games. She created zones of weightlessness and played around with them. The two friends had a blast, especially with liquids. There was something incredible about bathing in a huge floating water sphere.
Suddenly, Rose exited the weightless zone, and gravity reversed. Startled, the teenager cried out and clung tightly to the branches to avoid falling to the ground. Hesitating for a moment, she decided to climb the tree. She had just been scared and wasn't quite ready to rejoin Sphinx. She was her friend, of course, but sometimes the mythological girl was a tad too exuberant.
Or maybe it's just me feeling lost...
Rose was weak, and she was aware of it. Even her friend's innocent games reminded her of this. Since her arrival in Elysium, she had felt like a burden, incapable of helping or ensuring her own safety. This feeling bothered her. She wasn't as feeble as before, but the gap between her and the others wasn't narrowing. Quite the opposite, in fact.
To clear her mind, Rose smoothly scaled the Log-a-rhythm trunk. She relished in her newfound agility and the freedom the attribute provided her.
A few meters above the trunk, she caught a glimpse of Alain. Priam's father was kind, but more importantly, he was the only one not constantly reminding her of her own weakness. His pursuits were less aggressive than the others, and he put his skills to use for the community.
"Rose?"
Apparently, he had spotted her.
"Yes?"
"I've finished your treehouse. Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the teenager.
Ten seconds later, she stood next to the old man, gazing at her new abode. Perched high on Log-a-rhythm, shielded from the forest by a few branches, a cabin made of wood and vines overlooked the clearing. Its brown hue blended well with the red of Log-a-rhythm, and a few rays of sunlight filtered through a skylight. On the simple door, a name was engraved. Rose.
The architect had outdone himself.
"I love it," she murmured, moved. "Thank you, Alain."
"It's my pleasure," smiled the old man. "A teen needs some personal space. Go inside and tell me what you think."
Rose nodded. They had arrived just over a day ago, and the lack of privacy had been keenly felt. The space inside Log-a-rhythm contained only a living room and Priam's bedroom. Kazuki and Louis slept outside, and Alain took turns resting with the girls, but it wasn't sustainable in the long run. The group's handyman had thus decided to build cabins within Log-a-rhythm.
Pushing open the door, a simple yet cozy room greeted her. The treehouse couldn't have been more than ten square meters, but Rose didn't mind. It was hers.
A skylight and a window let in light, slightly tinted by the amber resin. Rose was surprised at how well she could see through them. The only piece of furniture was a bed, crafted by Alain and covered with red leaves. Stepping into the cabin proper, Rose looked down at her feet.
"The floor is warm!"
"Log-a-rhythm created a slab and heats it. I built the rest from salvaged wood and helped with the windows. The trickiest part was carving the door gongs," he explained.
"So, I can reach my room from anywhere?"
Alain smiled at the possessive use.
"Exactly. You're the only one who can enter your room from the trunk. The door is for guests and if you feel like climbing," winked Alain.
Rose smiled, sitting on the bed.
"Surprisingly comfortable for a pile of leaves."
"I'll do better when Priam brings back some silk," Alain said. His face lost its smile, and Rose scolded herself. Im dumb!
"Sorry, I... He'll come back. Sphinx says he's immortal."
"A parent always worries."
The old man hesitated before continuing.
"And you, Rose. Are you doing well?"
The question caught Rose off guard, and she opened her mouth without answering. To others, she would have lied, but to Alain...
"I'm useless," she finally admitted.
Alain tapped the floor, and a stool sprouted. Perhaps because it sensed a blood connection, Log-a-rhythm listened to Priam's father more than anyone else.
Once seated, Alain offered a smile to Rose. "No one is asking anything of you, you know?"
"I know, and I hate it. I need to feel useful to be sure that..."
A tear rolled down Rose's cheek, and Alain remained silent.
"You're not my parents; you owe me nothing. I'm afraid of being left alone..."
And I'm afraid of being abandoned. That's what Rose felt and what she was ashamed to say.
"I'm not the best at reassuring people," Alain admitted after a few seconds of silence. "I'm not your father, but I won't abandon you. Neither will the others. We're a group now, and everyone likes you. They voted for you to have the first cabin, you know ?"
Rose smiled weakly, looking at her hands. Just talking about her fears had lifted a weight off her.
"Thank you..."
"You're a smart girl, Rose," Alain said, rising. "I understand not wanting to feel useless, and I'm sure you'll find a way to help the group. If you need to talk, don't hesitate. At worse, Ill make you help me.
I would like that.
Smiling, Alain left, closing the door behind him.
For a few minutes, Rose replayed the conversation in her mind several times. Finally, she let out a deep sigh. Mom, Dad, I've found good people. If only you were here...The roots of this story extend from novell bìn origin.
Rose looked up at the amber ceiling. The wind shifted a leaf, and a ray of sunlight momentarily blinded her. Rose let herself fall onto the leaf mattress.
Mirscella sighed, looking around. "Indeed. Are we on an island?"
"Yeah. Don't wander too far; the mainland isn't safe. But theres some fish," he said as he presented her with his gift.
"Thanks. I wasn't planning on swimming in an unknown sea. I'll train here," the thief announced, heading towards a bush.
"I'll be going then. By the way, the pink berries are poisonous."
Mouth still open, Mirscella let the toxic berry fall to the ground. "Choose a slightly more peaceful world next time, will you?"
"I'll try," Priam laughed, entering his world. He felt safer there than outside. The portal closed behind him, and he wondered for a moment. What can be seen from the outside when I'm in this world?
Smiling, Priam knelt under the Phoenix's sun and connected to his Potential.
Potential - Skill Creation
Please think about the skill you want to create. The Concepts will help you in its design.
Current potential: 1107
Divine inspiration hit him like a tidal wave. Exultant, Priam tried to remember everything he knew about computing. [Eidetic Memory] activated, and for the thousandth time, Priam was grateful he had chosen this Talent.
All the hours he'd spent coding in HTML, C++, and Python resurfaced. The grand theories behind artificial intelligence and the famous algorithms he'd briefly heard of became more explicit. Priam's sharpness, logic, memory, and Potential worked together to refine his knowledge.
Finally, after several minutes, Priam had a good idea of his request. He didn't want to create an artificial intelligence - at least not for now - but instead use this skill to help him think in a computer manner. Compared to a human, a computer took less time and energy to calculate because the structure of its processor was different. If Priam had to process terabytes of data, he might as well use a program.
Satisfied, he finalized his request.
A system integrated into my mind that I can program.
Potential required: 187
Priam smiled at the number. The skill was less impressive than [Kinetic Control] but cost more. It was indicative of Priam's knowledge. Even with [Eidetic Memory], he was a physicist, not a programmer.
Create competence?
Yes.
Priam loved the Concepts' System. It was a wonderful, if limited, tool. Time for System modding!
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 345
Constitution 599
Agility 344
Vitality 493
Perception 554
MENTAL:
Vivacity 300
Dexterity 374
Memory 100
Willpower 598
Charisma 418
META:
Meta-affinity 295
Meta-focus 225
Meta-endurance 167
Meta-perception 84
Meta-chance 216
Meta-authority 12
Potential: 920 (-187)
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 177 days 14 hours 33 minutes 33 seconds.
Chapter 126: A Second Skill"Hey Rose, check out what I can do!" shouted Sphinx.Rose turned toward Sphinx and took a step forward. Instantly, she fell upward. A few branches of Log-a-rhythm caught her as Sphinx burst into laughter."I'll get you back," chuckled Rose, starting to climb the branches in reverse.In her miniaturized form, Sphinx somersaulted through the air. Since she learned to manipulate gravity, it had become one of her favorite games. She created zones of weightlessness and played around with them. The two friends had a blast, especially with liquids. There was something incredible about bathing in a huge floating water sphere.Suddenly, Rose exited the weightless zone, and gravity reversed. Startled, the teenager cried out and clung tightly to the branches to avoid falling to the ground. Hesitating for a moment, she decided to climb the tree. She had just been scared and wasn't quite ready to rejoin Sphinx. She was her friend, of course, but sometimes the mythological girl was a tad too exuberant.Or maybe it's just me feeling lost...Rose was weak, and she was aware of it. Even her friend's innocent games reminded her of this. Since her arrival in Elysium, she had felt like a burden, incapable of helping or ensuring her own safety. This feeling bothered her. She wasn't as feeble as before, but the gap between her and the others wasn't narrowing. Quite the opposite, in fact.To clear her mind, Rose smoothly scaled the Log-a-rhythm trunk. She relished in her newfound agility and the freedom the attribute provided her.A few meters above the trunk, she caught a glimpse of Alain. Priam's father was kind, but more importantly, he was the only one not constantly reminding her of her own weakness. His pursuits were less aggressive than the others, and he put his skills to use for the community."Rose?"Apparently, he had spotted her."Yes?""I've finished your treehouse. Would you like to see it?""Oh, yes!" exclaimed the teenager.Ten seconds later, she stood next to the old man, gazing at her new abode. Perched high on Log-a-rhythm, shielded from the forest by a few branches, a cabin made of wood and vines overlooked the clearing. Its brown hue blended well with the red of Log-a-rhythm, and a few rays of sunlight filtered through a skylight. On the simple door, a name was engraved. Rose.The architect had outdone himself."I love it," she murmured, moved. "Thank you, Alain.""It's my pleasure," smiled the old man. "A teen needs some personal space. Go inside and tell me what you think."Rose nodded. They had arrived just over a day ago, and the lack of privacy had been keenly felt. The space inside Log-a-rhythm contained only a living room and Priam's bedroom. Kazuki and Louis slept outside, and Alain took turns resting with the girls, but it wasn't sustainable in the long run. The group's handyman had thus decided to build cabins within Log-a-rhythm.Pushing open the door, a simple yet cozy room greeted her. The treehouse couldn't have been more than ten square meters, but Rose didn't mind. It was hers.A skylight and a window let in light, slightly tinted by the amber resin. Rose was surprised at how well she could see through them. The only piece of furniture was a bed, crafted by Alain and covered with red leaves. Stepping into the cabin proper, Rose looked down at her feet."The floor is warm!""Log-a-rhythm created a slab and heats it. I built the rest from salvaged wood and helped with the windows. The trickiest part was carving the door gongs," he explained."So, I can reach my room from anywhere?"Alain smiled at the possessive use."Exactly. You're the only one who can enter your room from the trunk. The door is for guests and if you feel like climbing," winked Alain.Rose smiled, sitting on the bed."Surprisingly comfortable for a pile of leaves.""I'll do better when Priam brings back some silk," Alain said. His face lost its smile, and Rose scolded herself. Im dumb!"Sorry, I... He'll come back. Sphinx says he's immortal.""A parent always worries."The old man hesitated before continuing."And you, Rose. Are you doing well?"The question caught Rose off guard, and she opened her mouth without answering. To others, she would have lied, but to Alain..."I'm useless," she finally admitted.Alain tapped the floor, and a stool sprouted. Perhaps because it sensed a blood connection, Log-a-rhythm listened to Priam's father more than anyone else.Once seated, Alain offered a smile to Rose. "No one is asking anything of you, you know?""I know, and I hate it. I need to feel useful to be sure that..."A tear rolled down Rose's cheek, and Alain remained silent."You're not my parents; you owe me nothing. I'm afraid of being left alone..."And I'm afraid of being abandoned. That's what Rose felt and what she was ashamed to say."I'm not the best at reassuring people," Alain admitted after a few seconds of silence. "I'm not your father, but I won't abandon you. Neither will the others. We're a group now, and everyone likes you. They voted for you to have the first cabin, you know ?"Rose smiled weakly, looking at her hands. Just talking about her fears had lifted a weight off her."Thank you...""You're a smart girl, Rose," Alain said, rising. "I understand not wanting to feel useless, and I'm sure you'll find a way to help the group. If you need to talk, don't hesitate. At worse, Ill make you help me.I would like that.Smiling, Alain left, closing the door behind him.For a few minutes, Rose replayed the conversation in her mind several times. Finally, she let out a deep sigh. Mom, Dad, I've found good people. If only you were here...The roots of this story extend from novell bin origin.Rose looked up at the amber ceiling. The wind shifted a leaf, and a ray of sunlight momentarily blinded her. Rose let herself fall onto the leaf mattress.Mirscella sighed, looking around. "Indeed. Are we on an island?""Yeah. Don't wander too far; the mainland isn't safe. But theres some fish," he said as he presented her with his gift."Thanks. I wasn't planning on swimming in an unknown sea. I'll train here," the thief announced, heading towards a bush."I'll be going then. By the way, the pink berries are poisonous."Mouth still open, Mirscella let the toxic berry fall to the ground. "Choose a slightly more peaceful world next time, will you?""I'll try," Priam laughed, entering his world. He felt safer there than outside. The portal closed behind him, and he wondered for a moment. What can be seen from the outside when I'm in this world? Smiling, Priam knelt under the Phoenix's sun and connected to his Potential.Potential - Skill CreationPlease think about the skill you want to create. The Concepts will help you in its design.Current potential: 1107Divine inspiration hit him like a tidal wave. Exultant, Priam tried to remember everything he knew about computing. Eidetic Memory activated, and for the thousandth time, Priam was grateful he had chosen this Talent.All the hours he'd spent coding in HTML, C++, and Python resurfaced. The grand theories behind artificial intelligence and the famous algorithms he'd briefly heard of became more explicit. Priam's sharpness, logic, memory, and Potential worked together to refine his knowledge.Finally, after several minutes, Priam had a good idea of his request. He didn't want to create an artificial intelligence - at least not for now - but instead use this skill to help him think in a computer manner. Compared to a human, a computer took less time and energy to calculate because the structure of its processor was different. If Priam had to process terabytes of data, he might as well use a program.Satisfied, he finalized his request.A system integrated into my mind that I can program.Potential required: 187Priam smiled at the number. The skill was less impressive than Kinetic Control but cost more. It was indicative of Priam's knowledge. Even with Eidetic Memory, he was a physicist, not a programmer.Create competence?Yes. Priam loved the Concepts' System. It was a wonderful, if limited, tool. Time for System modding!Status: Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0PHYSICAL:Strength 345 Constitution 599 Agility 344 Vitality 493 Perception 554 MENTAL:Vivacity 300 Dexterity 374Memory 100 Willpower 598 Charisma 418 META:Meta-affinity 295 Meta-focus 225 Meta-endurance 167Meta-perception 84 Meta-chance 216 Meta-authority 12 Potential: 920 -187 Tier 0He Who Eludes Death charge: PRIMED.Tribulation: Two Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:Time: 177 days 14 hours 33 minutes 33 seconds.
