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Published at 16th of April 2024 11:40:45 AM


Chapter 173: The Necromoon Era begins.

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Chapter 173: The Necromoon Era begins.

Blueberry deftly flipped the trout in the stone container, ensuring it soaked in the marinade. The preparation had been intricate, calling for maple syrup and endemic berry juice, graciously provided by Priam, along with a rhizome powder. Louis had assisted in gathering the ingredients, the old man developing an unexpected passion for gardening. According to him, every human needed to handle the soil at some point before returning to it.

The bear didn't necessarily share the old man's patience or philosophy, but he had to admit that the ingredients from Elysium tantalized his appetite. The scent of maple syrup was divine, and the berry juice at the thought, Blueberry licked his lips. He had always been fond of berries.

A delightful aroma wafted to his nostrils, signaling that the cooking was perfect. Without hesitation, Blueberry removed the container from the fire and sat beside the flames. Even in this position, his head towered nearly three meters high. The flames were comparatively small, but he enjoyed watching them. As a wild beast, he had always feared fire. Appreciating this spectacle reaffirmed that he had become more than a mere animal.

Satisfied, he delicately used one of his claws to extract a fillet from the trout. He brought the piece to his nose and smelled it. The delicate aroma made him tremble with anticipation and he opened his jaws.

As his mouth sealed shut, the bear's ears trembled, and he began swaying back and forth, on the verge of singing. "The simple bare necessities," he hummed.

His taste buds vibrated under the delight and the myriad sensations emanating from the fillet. The maple syrup exploded in his mouth, bringing caramelized and floral notes that mingled with the berry juice. Its tangy taste blended with the rhizome a kind of ginger he had used. Their alliance created a piquant and spicy flavor, both warm and refreshing.

Finally, the fish melted in his mouth, releasing its aromas and pulsing a wave of aether throughout the bear's body.

VIT +2

Lvl Up: [Delicate Palate] lvl 38

PERC +2

DEXT +1

Lvl Up: [Retronasal Olfaction] lvl 32

PERC +1

DEXT +2

Lvl Up: [Ambrosia Cooking] lvl 7

VIVA +4

DEXT +2

MEM +3

It was the best dish the bear had ever eaten, and the System seemed to agree. His epic skill [Ambrosia Cooking] allowed him to boost attributes by preparing a feast, and it was the first time he had gained two attribute points.

He leaned towards the rest of the trout, determined to relish the second, still-warm fillet, when he caught a strange smell. The scent of a hungry person.

Blueberry focused before smiling.

"There's a second piece left," he announced.

Silence answered him, and he shrugged. "Oh well, if nobody wants it, I'll take it."

"Wait!"

The bear smiled. A shadow dancing in the flickering flames grew into a human form. Suddenly, the dark shades of the silhouette dissipated to reveal Jasmine.

The young woman approached Blueberry before sitting next to him. The first time she had done this, he had been surprised because she didn't smell of fear. Most people worried about the proximity of a beast capable of decapitating them with a single move, but not Jasmine.

The assassin had explained that the only item that had accompanied her during her childhood was a plush creature resembling him. For that reason, she felt at ease in the company of the bear, and the feeling had become mutual. There was a contained wildness in the young woman that appealed to Blueberry. For someone who had grown up in an ecumenopolis, Jasmine was remarkably untamed.

"I thought I managed to erase my scent. How did you find me this time?" she asked, blowing on the trout fillet.

"My new Title, [Bonfire Cook], lets me sense people who crave my food. It gives me some clues about their preferred flavor, and I can deduce their identity."

"Your trout's aroma fills the entire clearing; I can't be the only one hungry," observed Jasmine.

Blueberry was well aware of that. He could feel the eyes of the hoplites building barricades behind him.

"You're the only one I'm willing to share with."

The young woman raised an eyebrow. "You, wanting to share food? Just admit you plan to ask Priam for more ingredients, claiming I ate everything."

Blueberry didn't like lying and decided to remain silent. Nevertheless, he crossed his arms in protest.

"By the way, a suspicious individual is also hungry," he whispered. For a being of his size, he could sometimes be very discreet.

With closed eyes, Jasmine was too focused on her food to respond.

"There's a young woman who also dreams of sinking her teeth into this trout fillet, and she's right at the edge of Log-a-rhythm's domain," Blueberry continued, seeing that Jasmine wasn't taking the bait.

"What?!" Jasmine opened her eyes, quickly swallowed, and turned to Blueberry. "Are you sure? How do you know it's a young woman?"

The bear smiled, seeing that his information intrigued Jasmine.

"My Title indicates that her current tastes are slightly modified because she's in her ovulation period. It only applies to female bears, so I assume it's a woman?"

Jasmine shook her head. "I'm not sure that applies to all living species, but whatever. It must be Eve avoiding the base. That's why I couldn't locate her since yesterday!"

Jasmine groaned before shrugging and biting into the fish again. The sound she made while savoring her meal would have made Rose blush.

Blueberry took it as a compliment.

"Why do you dislike Eve?" he asked as Jasmine licked the bottom of the stone bowl.

"... I distrust all rivals," Jasmine answered after surveying the surroundings.

"You don't distrust Priam or Kazuki."

"Kazuki is an honorable warrior as long as you don't cross his limits. I pity the fool who will lay a hand on his wife. Priam is a dreamer, eyes set on the stars and the Zenith. I've made the mistake of forcing him to avert his gaze, and I won't do it again."

"And Eve?"

"I can't fully figure her out, but my female instinct tells me she's an arriviste. Just look at her build. Deception, secrecy, illusion... How can you trust that kind of woman?"

"You hide in the shadows," Blueberry pointed out.

Jasmine shot him a dark look. "I conceal my presence before slashing my target's throat. It's swift and straightforward. Occasionally, I charm them to lower their guard. You should worry when I'm invisible, not when I'm here. Since she arrived, I have spent half my days making sure I'm not in an illusion."

Blueberry shrugged; he had nothing to hide. Unless Eve threatened the trout population in the river near Log-a-rhythm, he had no concern about her.

"And Priam?"

Jasmine tensed imperceptibly. "What about Priam?"

"He doesn't like her. I can sense it. Not at the smell level he masters that with Micro. But he doesn't care about her."

"He spends all his time trying to upgrade his race."

Jasmine tried to steer the conversation away, and Blueberry accepted.

"I thought he could borrow equipment from the hoplites?"

"He did, but even so... It's complicated," sighed Jasmine.

Within it, you must abide by the event's rules.

Feats are optional but earn points for exchangeable rewards.

To exit the event, leave the zone.

Rule (Tier 0):

Resist the Necromoon's corruption.

Feats:

Survive until the end of the event.

Survive the Necro hordes.

Kill the Necromoon's envoys.

???

Reward:

Access to the Sun Shop (1 point).

Good luck!

As soon as the announcement ended, night fell and cold came. At its zenith, the Necromoon pulsed, generating a ripple. A crimson wave ravaged the sky, erasing stars and covering the cosmos in an unfathomable darkness film. Visually, the firmament remained black, but Priam knew a barrier now enveloped a portion of the world. Escaping wouldn't be easy.

Before he could worry further, the crimson wave hit the protection around the clearing, shattering it. The next moment, it struck Priam, knocking him to the ground. Apart from the physical shock, he felt an unpleasant substance streaming over his skin. Oil?

Lvl Up: [Necromoon Resistance] lvl 5

VIT +3

WILL +3

META(END) +3

"Fuck." The substance dried quickly as an intense cold seeped through him. Priam got up to survey the clearing. Kazuki and Eve were the only ones in sight. It was agreed that the rest of the base would stay in Log-a-rhythm at the event's beginning, and everyone listened.

Priam dispelled his misty garment and created a cloak of flames. The fire cleansed his skin, and he sighed in relief, feeling the malevolent influence and the frost recede.

Suddenly, his instincts shivered. In the dark crimson night, without the camouflage of Log-a-rhythm, his flames were visible from afar. He met Eve's gaze and swallowed at the sight of fear in her eyes. Less than two seconds after their appearance, Priam deactivated his flames. Too late.

The forest trembled under distant howls.

Event: Necromoon

First wave:

A horde masses near Log-a-rhythm.

Defend your territory.

Reward:

200 Sun points



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

PHYSICAL:

Strength 420

Constitution 794

Agility 446

Vitality 684 (+4)

Perception 654

MENTAL:

Vivacity 383

Dexterity 475

Memory 218

Willpower 836 (+4)

Charisma 499



META:

Meta-affinity 408

Meta-focus 326

Meta-endurance 260 (+4)

Meta-perception 201

Meta-chance 230

Meta-authority 15



Potential: 3278 (-149)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: Six Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 170 days 1 hours 43 minutes 7 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 3 attributes > 800




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