Chapter 150: The Guardian of Secrets
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Chapter 150: The Guardian of Secrets
Amidst the ruins of the skulk village, two combatants stared at each other in silence. One was covered in futuristic armor, the other was naked below the waist.
Glancing at his quests, Kazuki grinned. The bounty on Skull had vanished: Priam had succeeded. If I don't hurry, he'll think I'm weak. This thought ignited Kazuki's competitive spirit. The hoplite was as proud as he was strong. Unfortunately, his strength was futile against the omnidirectional shield summoned by the Shaman. So, he chose to suffocate his opponent. Let's go with DPS rather than burst, as Priam would say.
[Breathless] had been active for nearly twenty minutes, and despite his breath-holding training, Kazuki's lungs were starting to protest. Nevertheless, he remained confident.
When his ability had banished oxygen in a large radius, the skulc Shaman had ignored the lack of air, thinking he was safe within his shield. Now, his red eyes and tremors betrayed the air shortage beneath the barrier. The battle was nearing its end.
Refusing to succumb easily, the skulc created a dozen red orbs with a flick of his wrist. They looked benign, but Kazuki wasn't fooled. Each one was capable of significant destruction. Twelve at once? He must want to end the fight.
With a snap of his fingers, the albino Shaman shot one of the orbs. Approaching within three meters of Kazuki, the attack penetrated the tornado swirling around the warrior. Born of his mastery of the wind, the air shield effectively protected him from the Shaman's fiery projectiles. A gust of wind deflected the fireball at the last moment, heading toward a barracks thirty meters behind Kazuki. His armor wobbled under the explosion's force.
The released heat triggered alarms in his mecha. From the corner of his eye, Kazuki saw wood vanish and stone turn to lava. Immense magical flames burned the air despite the lack of oxygen. The infernal furnace resembled the hells described by some hoplite religions.
The other destructive orbs vibrated before disappearing. Displaying exceptional agility despite his massive armor, Kazuki dodged or deflected them one by one. When the twelfth one exploded, he took advantage of the blast to leap into the air and target his opponent.
[Railgun - MK Javelin]. The projectile fired by the mecha sliced through the air before hitting the Shaman's shield, creating a bell-like sound. It was the first time the Boss's protection had reacted. Kazuki was briefly surprised before spotting a crack in the barrier. A predatory smile formed on his lips.
The eyes of the two adversaries met, and the Boss's lips began to move. The shield dissipated just before Kazuki felt a disturbance in his tornado. Without hesitation, he leaped forward, activating [Heroic Tenacity].
The world seemed to freeze.
Kazuki's spirit left his body and armor to investigate. Around him, a hundred mini-suns had just appeared. The size of a passion fruit, they were extremely bright. The amount of aether injected into them by the Shaman was terrifying. It was an all-in move by the Boss.
Quickly, Kazuki passed through one of these suns, ignoring its heat, before approaching the Shaman. He widened his red eyes, a veined hand on his throat. The lack of air was killing him, and his defeat was evident. Kazuki observed his opponent's mad gaze for a moment before understanding. The albino skulc wouldn't flee. He intended to drag Kazuki into his grave. Typical of a pyromaniac lunatic.This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.
Assured of his opponent's plan, Kazuki turned back. The suns had already doubled in size. [Heroic Tenacity] didn't stop time; it slowed it proportionally to the hoplite's vivacity. Activating this skill was also an excellent way to drain his aether reserves.
Having his body again, Kazuki felt the second part of the skill trigger. His immense will enveloped his armor, turning it as black as a moonless night. The next moment, a shockwave hit him. Terrifying heat and magical flames fought against his will to reach his armor. In vain.
Lvl Up: [Heroic Tenacity] lvl 6
VIVA +9
WILL +18
[Tribulation]: Six characteristics above 400 were detected in Tier 0.
A Tribulation is coming.
Time: 15 hours 38 minutes 59 seconds.
A second later, his momentum added to the explosion pulled Kazuki out of the lethal zone, and he retracted his skill. The heat wave made him grimace inside his mecha, but he focused on his goal. Three meters in front of him stood the stunned Shaman.
The Tier 1 had sacrificed a significant portion of his aether to create an infernal attack capable of turning iron into gas. Yet, Kazuki emerged unscathed.
How could he understand that the hoplite's will was indestructible? His entire civilization relied on him. He was their Champion, their Spear, and their Shield. His Legendary skill was based on Kazuki's ideals, granting him near invulnerability.
Taking advantage of his opponent's astonishment and fatigue, Kazuki grabbed [Dry]. Pointing his spear at the skulc, Kazuki prepared for the final blow.Micro I, Mastery I - Spear, [Death Sentence].
Without a shield to stop it, the weapon easily penetrated the Shaman's heart and began to glow. The conditions were met. Even before the Shaman could ignite his aether reserves, [Death Sentence] condemned him. His spirit disappeared, and the corpse fell at Kazuki's feet.
A notification chimed in his ears as a white token appeared before him. The hoplite grabbed it before collecting the javelins scattered on the ground.
A few POT points were awarded to him, but most of the deaths were the work of the Shaman. The terrifying explosions he triggered in the underground had caused the tunnels to collapse. Females and juvenile skulcs had perished at that moment.
While waiting for the flames to subside, Kazuki distanced himself. The Shaman's final attack had destroyed half of the village. Only the runic-covered menhir seemed intact. His armor was not.
[Knightmare Status:
Critical state of thermal protections
Damaged armor plates (5)
38% of sensors are out of service
Low energy reserves
Microprocessors overheating
Damaged superconductor cooling system
...]
The list of problems was long, and Kazuki sighed. His armor needed repairs. [Symbiosis - Off]. Knightmare disappeared into a mental space. As a linked equipment, it would regenerate on its own, awaiting its next summon. I hope it will be ready soon, he worried.
Despite his temperament, Kazuki shivered. His Tribulations were starting in just over fifteen hours, and he was afraid. Afraid of dying, leaving his family and civilization behind. In this new universe, they needed him more than ever. His duty was to take risks to gain the strength to lead his people.
"But the line between risks and death is thin," he sighed.
Most of the flames quickly vanished with the Shaman's death, and Kazuki headed toward the menhir. Skull was dead, and Priam wouldn't be long.
"So we came for this..."
The hoplite scrutinized the stone carefully. The skulcs had worshiped it; hence it must have had a purpose. These creatures weren't the type to worship a useless stone or god. Kazuki and Priam weren't either.
His findings were meager. The stone emitted a powerful aether field, undoubtedly thanks to the runes covering it. The material it was made of was impermeable and refused to give any information to his sensors or skills.
[Multi-Analysis]
[??? - ???] - ???
After ten minutes, Kazuki finished inspecting it by studying the stone's angles. It seemed to have belonged to a more significant structure.
Faced with the lack of results, Kazuki resolved to take a riskier approach. He placed his hand on the menhir's surface.
...
blzZ-x-jllk-bltrt-rbl-nrglh-blmpf.
...
Hello, Kazuki, Champion and Heart of the Hoplites.
Do you accept communication with the Guardian of Secrets (No. 37 458)?
Kazuki hesitated for a moment before affirmatively responding. The last two sentences were written in hoplite, and the stone communicated in the same way as the System. If it wanted to harm him, Kazuki was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to do much about it.
"Realistically, only Micro II is possible thanks to the Skull Key. I also advise you to trigger your Tribulations a second before advancing your Supremacy. Of course, all of this is a summary of a complete report that I have directly transferred to your AI's memory."
Using his retinal implant, Kazuki quickly found the file the Guardian referred to. It was over a hundred pages, providing several other leads for Kazuki and techniques to promptly unlock Micro II. Is it really possible in less than fifteen hours?
According to hoplite texts, no more than five members of his race had reached this level. Kazuki was almost sure that three of them were lying. Would I be the third hoplite to unlock Micro II?
He nodded towards the Guardian. He had paid a high price, but the information received was comprehensive and useful. "Thanks for all this," he said, turning on his heels. He had to find Priam now.
"With pleasure. It's in my interest to cultivate a good client. One last thing, though."
"Yes?"
"I got distracted and forgot to give you the location of the Skull Key."
"I already know."
"It's hidden in your shadow," the Guardian interrupted before disappearing.
Kazuki lowered his eyes just in time to see a blade gleaming.
Exiting the mist dome, Priam saw a red horizon. The world was burning, and the clouds were weeping. It took him only a few seconds to reach the village by flying. Tapping into his kinetic reserves, he flew over it before spotting Kazuki. The hoplite was sitting cross-legged in front of the runic menhir, a javelin in his left hand.
The hoplites right hand was gone.
"Kazuki," Priam exclaimed, landing next to him. "Is it the Shaman who..."
It's her," replied the hoplite, pointing to the other end of the square. Priam turned. It took him several seconds to spot a strange shadow hidden among the debris. The assassin was there; she was missing her left arm.
Three kilometers away, Arnold was waiting. He didn't want to approach the menhir for fear of annoying the First, but he also needed answers to his questions. So, he had sent a nanorobot to collect information. It had just reached the menhir.
A few seconds later, the Guardian appeared next to Arnold.
"A Var Elegis? I don't know your race," the dwarf said joyfully.
"The Empire will dominate all Universes."
"... Something tells me your civilization doesn't collect films," the Guardian sighed.
"I want information about"
"The information you seek about the First is beyond my reach," the Guardian interrupted. It had the power to observe the complete status of any Tier 6. Yet, [He Who Eludes Death] remained a mystery to his eyes.
"... As expected from the First," Arnold replied. "I have other questions..."
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 419
Constitution 724
Agility 432
Vitality 547
Perception 637
MENTAL:
Vivacity 341
Dexterity 444
Memory 140
Willpower 673
Charisma 450
META:
Meta-affinity 371
Meta-focus 261
Meta-endurance 208
Meta-perception 131
Meta-chance 219
Meta-authority 15
Potential: 1073
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 19 hours 8 minutes 32 seconds.
[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 175 days 19 hours 41 minutes 45 seconds.
Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 1 attribute > 800
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 150: The Guardian of Secrets
Amidst the ruins of the skulk village, two combatants stared at each other in silence. One was covered in futuristic armor, the other was naked below the waist.
Glancing at his quests, Kazuki grinned. The bounty on Skull had vanished: Priam had succeeded. If I don't hurry, he'll think I'm weak. This thought ignited Kazuki's competitive spirit. The hoplite was as proud as he was strong. Unfortunately, his strength was futile against the omnidirectional shield summoned by the Shaman. So, he chose to suffocate his opponent. Let's go with DPS rather than burst, as Priam would say.
[Breathless] had been active for nearly twenty minutes, and despite his breath-holding training, Kazuki's lungs were starting to protest. Nevertheless, he remained confident.
When his ability had banished oxygen in a large radius, the skulc Shaman had ignored the lack of air, thinking he was safe within his shield. Now, his red eyes and tremors betrayed the air shortage beneath the barrier. The battle was nearing its end.
Refusing to succumb easily, the skulc created a dozen red orbs with a flick of his wrist. They looked benign, but Kazuki wasn't fooled. Each one was capable of significant destruction. Twelve at once? He must want to end the fight.
With a snap of his fingers, the albino Shaman shot one of the orbs. Approaching within three meters of Kazuki, the attack penetrated the tornado swirling around the warrior. Born of his mastery of the wind, the air shield effectively protected him from the Shaman's fiery projectiles. A gust of wind deflected the fireball at the last moment, heading toward a barracks thirty meters behind Kazuki. His armor wobbled under the explosion's force.
The released heat triggered alarms in his mecha. From the corner of his eye, Kazuki saw wood vanish and stone turn to lava. Immense magical flames burned the air despite the lack of oxygen. The infernal furnace resembled the hells described by some hoplite religions.
The other destructive orbs vibrated before disappearing. Displaying exceptional agility despite his massive armor, Kazuki dodged or deflected them one by one. When the twelfth one exploded, he took advantage of the blast to leap into the air and target his opponent.
[Railgun - MK Javelin]. The projectile fired by the mecha sliced through the air before hitting the Shaman's shield, creating a bell-like sound. It was the first time the Boss's protection had reacted. Kazuki was briefly surprised before spotting a crack in the barrier. A predatory smile formed on his lips.
The eyes of the two adversaries met, and the Boss's lips began to move. The shield dissipated just before Kazuki felt a disturbance in his tornado. Without hesitation, he leaped forward, activating [Heroic Tenacity].
The world seemed to freeze.
Kazuki's spirit left his body and armor to investigate. Around him, a hundred mini-suns had just appeared. The size of a passion fruit, they were extremely bright. The amount of aether injected into them by the Shaman was terrifying. It was an all-in move by the Boss.
Quickly, Kazuki passed through one of these suns, ignoring its heat, before approaching the Shaman. He widened his red eyes, a veined hand on his throat. The lack of air was killing him, and his defeat was evident. Kazuki observed his opponent's mad gaze for a moment before understanding. The albino skulc wouldn't flee. He intended to drag Kazuki into his grave. Typical of a pyromaniac lunatic.This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.
Assured of his opponent's plan, Kazuki turned back. The suns had already doubled in size. [Heroic Tenacity] didn't stop time; it slowed it proportionally to the hoplite's vivacity. Activating this skill was also an excellent way to drain his aether reserves.
Having his body again, Kazuki felt the second part of the skill trigger. His immense will enveloped his armor, turning it as black as a moonless night. The next moment, a shockwave hit him. Terrifying heat and magical flames fought against his will to reach his armor. In vain.
Lvl Up: [Heroic Tenacity] lvl 6
VIVA +9
WILL +18
[Tribulation]: Six characteristics above 400 were detected in Tier 0.
A Tribulation is coming.
Time: 15 hours 38 minutes 59 seconds.
A second later, his momentum added to the explosion pulled Kazuki out of the lethal zone, and he retracted his skill. The heat wave made him grimace inside his mecha, but he focused on his goal. Three meters in front of him stood the stunned Shaman.
The Tier 1 had sacrificed a significant portion of his aether to create an infernal attack capable of turning iron into gas. Yet, Kazuki emerged unscathed.
How could he understand that the hoplite's will was indestructible? His entire civilization relied on him. He was their Champion, their Spear, and their Shield. His Legendary skill was based on Kazuki's ideals, granting him near invulnerability.
Taking advantage of his opponent's astonishment and fatigue, Kazuki grabbed [Dry]. Pointing his spear at the skulc, Kazuki prepared for the final blow.Micro I, Mastery I - Spear, [Death Sentence].
Without a shield to stop it, the weapon easily penetrated the Shaman's heart and began to glow. The conditions were met. Even before the Shaman could ignite his aether reserves, [Death Sentence] condemned him. His spirit disappeared, and the corpse fell at Kazuki's feet.
A notification chimed in his ears as a white token appeared before him. The hoplite grabbed it before collecting the javelins scattered on the ground.
A few POT points were awarded to him, but most of the deaths were the work of the Shaman. The terrifying explosions he triggered in the underground had caused the tunnels to collapse. Females and juvenile skulcs had perished at that moment.
While waiting for the flames to subside, Kazuki distanced himself. The Shaman's final attack had destroyed half of the village. Only the runic-covered menhir seemed intact. His armor was not.
[Knightmare Status:
Critical state of thermal protections
Damaged armor plates (5)
38% of sensors are out of service
Low energy reserves
Microprocessors overheating
Damaged superconductor cooling system
...]
The list of problems was long, and Kazuki sighed. His armor needed repairs. [Symbiosis - Off]. Knightmare disappeared into a mental space. As a linked equipment, it would regenerate on its own, awaiting its next summon. I hope it will be ready soon, he worried.
Despite his temperament, Kazuki shivered. His Tribulations were starting in just over fifteen hours, and he was afraid. Afraid of dying, leaving his family and civilization behind. In this new universe, they needed him more than ever. His duty was to take risks to gain the strength to lead his people.
"But the line between risks and death is thin," he sighed.
Most of the flames quickly vanished with the Shaman's death, and Kazuki headed toward the menhir. Skull was dead, and Priam wouldn't be long.
"So we came for this..."
The hoplite scrutinized the stone carefully. The skulcs had worshiped it; hence it must have had a purpose. These creatures weren't the type to worship a useless stone or god. Kazuki and Priam weren't either.
His findings were meager. The stone emitted a powerful aether field, undoubtedly thanks to the runes covering it. The material it was made of was impermeable and refused to give any information to his sensors or skills.
[Multi-Analysis]
[??? - ???] - ???
After ten minutes, Kazuki finished inspecting it by studying the stone's angles. It seemed to have belonged to a more significant structure.
Faced with the lack of results, Kazuki resolved to take a riskier approach. He placed his hand on the menhir's surface.
...
blzZ-x-jllk-bltrt-rbl-nrglh-blmpf.
...
Hello, Kazuki, Champion and Heart of the Hoplites.
Do you accept communication with the Guardian of Secrets (No. 37 458)?
Kazuki hesitated for a moment before affirmatively responding. The last two sentences were written in hoplite, and the stone communicated in the same way as the System. If it wanted to harm him, Kazuki was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to do much about it.
"Realistically, only Micro II is possible thanks to the Skull Key. I also advise you to trigger your Tribulations a second before advancing your Supremacy. Of course, all of this is a summary of a complete report that I have directly transferred to your AI's memory."
Using his retinal implant, Kazuki quickly found the file the Guardian referred to. It was over a hundred pages, providing several other leads for Kazuki and techniques to promptly unlock Micro II. Is it really possible in less than fifteen hours?
According to hoplite texts, no more than five members of his race had reached this level. Kazuki was almost sure that three of them were lying. Would I be the third hoplite to unlock Micro II?
He nodded towards the Guardian. He had paid a high price, but the information received was comprehensive and useful. "Thanks for all this," he said, turning on his heels. He had to find Priam now.
"With pleasure. It's in my interest to cultivate a good client. One last thing, though."
"Yes?"
"I got distracted and forgot to give you the location of the Skull Key."
"I already know."
"It's hidden in your shadow," the Guardian interrupted before disappearing.
Kazuki lowered his eyes just in time to see a blade gleaming.
Exiting the mist dome, Priam saw a red horizon. The world was burning, and the clouds were weeping. It took him only a few seconds to reach the village by flying. Tapping into his kinetic reserves, he flew over it before spotting Kazuki. The hoplite was sitting cross-legged in front of the runic menhir, a javelin in his left hand.
The hoplites right hand was gone.
"Kazuki," Priam exclaimed, landing next to him. "Is it the Shaman who..."
It's her," replied the hoplite, pointing to the other end of the square. Priam turned. It took him several seconds to spot a strange shadow hidden among the debris. The assassin was there; she was missing her left arm.
Three kilometers away, Arnold was waiting. He didn't want to approach the menhir for fear of annoying the First, but he also needed answers to his questions. So, he had sent a nanorobot to collect information. It had just reached the menhir.
A few seconds later, the Guardian appeared next to Arnold.
"A Var Elegis? I don't know your race," the dwarf said joyfully.
"The Empire will dominate all Universes."
"... Something tells me your civilization doesn't collect films," the Guardian sighed.
"I want information about"
"The information you seek about the First is beyond my reach," the Guardian interrupted. It had the power to observe the complete status of any Tier 6. Yet, [He Who Eludes Death] remained a mystery to his eyes.
"... As expected from the First," Arnold replied. "I have other questions..."
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 419
Constitution 724
Agility 432
Vitality 547
Perception 637
MENTAL:
Vivacity 341
Dexterity 444
Memory 140
Willpower 673
Charisma 450
META:
Meta-affinity 371
Meta-focus 261
Meta-endurance 208
Meta-perception 131
Meta-chance 219
Meta-authority 15
Potential: 1073
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 19 hours 8 minutes 32 seconds.
[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 175 days 19 hours 41 minutes 45 seconds.
Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 1 attribute > 800
Chapter 150: The Guardian of SecretsAmidst the ruins of the skulk village, two combatants stared at each other in silence. One was covered in futuristic armor, the other was naked below the waist.Glancing at his quests, Kazuki grinned. The bounty on Skull had vanished: Priam had succeeded. If I don't hurry, he'll think I'm weak. This thought ignited Kazuki's competitive spirit. The hoplite was as proud as he was strong. Unfortunately, his strength was futile against the omnidirectional shield summoned by the Shaman. So, he chose to suffocate his opponent. Let's go with DPS rather than burst, as Priam would say.Breathless had been active for nearly twenty minutes, and despite his breath-holding training, Kazuki's lungs were starting to protest. Nevertheless, he remained confident.When his ability had banished oxygen in a large radius, the skulc Shaman had ignored the lack of air, thinking he was safe within his shield. Now, his red eyes and tremors betrayed the air shortage beneath the barrier. The battle was nearing its end.Refusing to succumb easily, the skulc created a dozen red orbs with a flick of his wrist. They looked benign, but Kazuki wasn't fooled. Each one was capable of significant destruction. Twelve at once? He must want to end the fight.With a snap of his fingers, the albino Shaman shot one of the orbs. Approaching within three meters of Kazuki, the attack penetrated the tornado swirling around the warrior. Born of his mastery of the wind, the air shield effectively protected him from the Shaman's fiery projectiles. A gust of wind deflected the fireball at the last moment, heading toward a barracks thirty meters behind Kazuki. His armor wobbled under the explosion's force.The released heat triggered alarms in his mecha. From the corner of his eye, Kazuki saw wood vanish and stone turn to lava. Immense magical flames burned the air despite the lack of oxygen. The infernal furnace resembled the hells described by some hoplite religions.The other destructive orbs vibrated before disappearing. Displaying exceptional agility despite his massive armor, Kazuki dodged or deflected them one by one. When the twelfth one exploded, he took advantage of the blast to leap into the air and target his opponent.Railgun - MK Javelin. The projectile fired by the mecha sliced through the air before hitting the Shaman's shield, creating a bell-like sound. It was the first time the Boss's protection had reacted. Kazuki was briefly surprised before spotting a crack in the barrier. A predatory smile formed on his lips.The eyes of the two adversaries met, and the Boss's lips began to move. The shield dissipated just before Kazuki felt a disturbance in his tornado. Without hesitation, he leaped forward, activating Heroic Tenacity.The world seemed to freeze.Kazuki's spirit left his body and armor to investigate. Around him, a hundred mini-suns had just appeared. The size of a passion fruit, they were extremely bright. The amount of aether injected into them by the Shaman was terrifying. It was an all-in move by the Boss.Quickly, Kazuki passed through one of these suns, ignoring its heat, before approaching the Shaman. He widened his red eyes, a veined hand on his throat. The lack of air was killing him, and his defeat was evident. Kazuki observed his opponent's mad gaze for a moment before understanding. The albino skulc wouldn't flee. He intended to drag Kazuki into his grave. Typical of a pyromaniac lunatic.This chapter was first shared on the Nvl1n platform.Assured of his opponent's plan, Kazuki turned back. The suns had already doubled in size. Heroic Tenacity didn't stop time; it slowed it proportionally to the hoplite's vivacity. Activating this skill was also an excellent way to drain his aether reserves.Having his body again, Kazuki felt the second part of the skill trigger. His immense will enveloped his armor, turning it as black as a moonless night. The next moment, a shockwave hit him. Terrifying heat and magical flames fought against his will to reach his armor. In vain.Lvl Up: Heroic Tenacity lvl 6VIVA +9WILL +18Tribulation: Six characteristics above 400 were detected in Tier 0.A Tribulation is coming.Time: 15 hours 38 minutes 59 seconds.A second later, his momentum added to the explosion pulled Kazuki out of the lethal zone, and he retracted his skill. The heat wave made him grimace inside his mecha, but he focused on his goal. Three meters in front of him stood the stunned Shaman.The Tier 1 had sacrificed a significant portion of his aether to create an infernal attack capable of turning iron into gas. Yet, Kazuki emerged unscathed.How could he understand that the hoplite's will was indestructible? His entire civilization relied on him. He was their Champion, their Spear, and their Shield. His Legendary skill was based on Kazuki's ideals, granting him near invulnerability.Taking advantage of his opponent's astonishment and fatigue, Kazuki grabbed Dry. Pointing his spear at the skulc, Kazuki prepared for the final blow.Micro I, Mastery I - Spear, Death Sentence.Without a shield to stop it, the weapon easily penetrated the Shaman's heart and began to glow. The conditions were met. Even before the Shaman could ignite his aether reserves, Death Sentence condemned him. His spirit disappeared, and the corpse fell at Kazuki's feet.A notification chimed in his ears as a white token appeared before him. The hoplite grabbed it before collecting the javelins scattered on the ground.A few POT points were awarded to him, but most of the deaths were the work of the Shaman. The terrifying explosions he triggered in the underground had caused the tunnels to collapse. Females and juvenile skulcs had perished at that moment.While waiting for the flames to subside, Kazuki distanced himself. The Shaman's final attack had destroyed half of the village. Only the runic-covered menhir seemed intact. His armor was not.Knightmare Status:Critical state of thermal protectionsDamaged armor plates 538% of sensors are out of serviceLow energy reservesMicroprocessors overheatingDamaged superconductor cooling system...The list of problems was long, and Kazuki sighed. His armor needed repairs. Symbiosis - Off. Knightmare disappeared into a mental space. As a linked equipment, it would regenerate on its own, awaiting its next summon. I hope it will be ready soon, he worried.Despite his temperament, Kazuki shivered. His Tribulations were starting in just over fifteen hours, and he was afraid. Afraid of dying, leaving his family and civilization behind. In this new universe, they needed him more than ever. His duty was to take risks to gain the strength to lead his people."But the line between risks and death is thin," he sighed.Most of the flames quickly vanished with the Shaman's death, and Kazuki headed toward the menhir. Skull was dead, and Priam wouldn't be long."So we came for this..."The hoplite scrutinized the stone carefully. The skulcs had worshiped it; hence it must have had a purpose. These creatures weren't the type to worship a useless stone or god. Kazuki and Priam weren't either.His findings were meager. The stone emitted a powerful aether field, undoubtedly thanks to the runes covering it. The material it was made of was impermeable and refused to give any information to his sensors or skills.Multi-Analysis??? - ??? - ???After ten minutes, Kazuki finished inspecting it by studying the stone's angles. It seemed to have belonged to a more significant structure.Faced with the lack of results, Kazuki resolved to take a riskier approach. He placed his hand on the menhir's surface....blzZ-x-jllk-bltrt-rbl-nrglh-blmpf....Hello, Kazuki, Champion and Heart of the Hoplites.Do you accept communication with the Guardian of Secrets No. 37 458?Kazuki hesitated for a moment before affirmatively responding. The last two sentences were written in hoplite, and the stone communicated in the same way as the System. If it wanted to harm him, Kazuki was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to do much about it."Realistically, only Micro II is possible thanks to the Skull Key. I also advise you to trigger your Tribulations a second before advancing your Supremacy. Of course, all of this is a summary of a complete report that I have directly transferred to your AI's memory."Using his retinal implant, Kazuki quickly found the file the Guardian referred to. It was over a hundred pages, providing several other leads for Kazuki and techniques to promptly unlock Micro II. Is it really possible in less than fifteen hours?According to hoplite texts, no more than five members of his race had reached this level. Kazuki was almost sure that three of them were lying. Would I be the third hoplite to unlock Micro II?He nodded towards the Guardian. He had paid a high price, but the information received was comprehensive and useful. "Thanks for all this," he said, turning on his heels. He had to find Priam now."With pleasure. It's in my interest to cultivate a good client. One last thing, though.""Yes?""I got distracted and forgot to give you the location of the Skull Key.""I already know.""It's hidden in your shadow," the Guardian interrupted before disappearing.Kazuki lowered his eyes just in time to see a blade gleaming.Exiting the mist dome, Priam saw a red horizon. The world was burning, and the clouds were weeping. It took him only a few seconds to reach the village by flying. Tapping into his kinetic reserves, he flew over it before spotting Kazuki. The hoplite was sitting cross-legged in front of the runic menhir, a javelin in his left hand.The hoplites right hand was gone."Kazuki," Priam exclaimed, landing next to him. "Is it the Shaman who..."It's her," replied the hoplite, pointing to the other end of the square. Priam turned. It took him several seconds to spot a strange shadow hidden among the debris. The assassin was there; she was missing her left arm.Three kilometers away, Arnold was waiting. He didn't want to approach the menhir for fear of annoying the First, but he also needed answers to his questions. So, he had sent a nanorobot to collect information. It had just reached the menhir.A few seconds later, the Guardian appeared next to Arnold."A Var Elegis? I don't know your race," the dwarf said joyfully."The Empire will dominate all Universes.""... Something tells me your civilization doesn't collect films," the Guardian sighed."I want information about""The information you seek about the First is beyond my reach," the Guardian interrupted. It had the power to observe the complete status of any Tier 6. Yet, He Who Eludes Death remained a mystery to his eyes."... As expected from the First," Arnold replied. "I have other questions..."Status: Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0PHYSICAL:Strength 419Constitution 724Agility 432 Vitality 547Perception 637 MENTAL:Vivacity 341Dexterity 444 Memory 140 Willpower 673 Charisma 450 META:Meta-affinity 371 Meta-focus 261Meta-endurance 208 Meta-perception 131 Meta-chance 219Meta-authority 15Potential: 1073 Tier 0He Who Eludes Death charge: OFF. Reloaded in 19 hours 8 minutes 32 seconds.Tribulation: Five Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:Time: 175 days 19 hours 41 minutes 45 seconds.Next thresholds: 12 attributes 400 / 6 attribute 600 / 1 attribute 800
