Priam
patreon
Chapter 340: To Reap the Rewards!
🕑 Added 2025-03-05 03:16:50 +0000 UTCNot easy to think of everything, but I think I haven't forgotten anything!
I'll add Priam's status tomorrow. Enjoy!
PS: Priam Character Sheet (you can thanks the Discord guys!)
*
When his laughter subsided, Priam was surprised to feel lighter. A weight he hadn’t even realized he was carrying had lifted. Jasmine’s death, however fleeting it had been, had shaken him. His friends weren’t as immortal as he was, and that realization unsettled him.
How many will still be by my side in ten years? The answer terrified him.
“Priam?” The amusement on Jasmine’s face had been replaced by concern. “You’re making a weird face.”
“Thinking about a depressing future.”
“Well, I’ve always had a thing for tortured poets.”
Her declaration rekindled Priam’s laughter before he admitted, “I don’t think I’ve quite processed your death yet."
“Ah!” Jasmine jabbed her finger into his chest. “Now you know how it feels when you pull one of your suicide stunts! That helplessness of watching you suffer without being able to do a damn thing? That hurts.”
Priam grimaced, rubbing his pectoral. “Sorry,” he muttered, though even to his own ears, it sounded hollow.
“We both know you’ll do it again.” Jasmine shot him an exasperated look before continuing. “If you’re done brooding, let’s talk about Arnold. Are you going to publish your Achievement?”
“Why not—” Priam froze. “Shit. You think he might attack Oasis if he thinks he has a shot at taking me down?”
“You know him best,” Jasmine shrugged. “But from what you saw in Back in Time, our dear Var Elegis rival only behaves because he thinks you’re stronger than him.”
That was Priam’s hypothesis, at least. The homunculus’s biology, mind, and experiences were utterly alien, making it hard to predict its thoughts. However, the alternate timeline had proven that the Tyrant would attack if he believed he could execute Priam. Given that, the Juggernaut hesitated to show any sign of weakness, such as taking second place. He was confident he could survive for a bit, but protecting Oasis was another matter entirely.
“You’re adorable when you chew your lip like that,” Jasmine murmured.
Priam blushed before sharing his conclusion. “I think I’ll publish it anyway. It’ll help me level up [Ciphered Record] while also galvanizing humanity. They’re probably still fighting the necromantic army—some hope wouldn’t hurt. Besides, just because I placed second doesn’t mean I’m inferior to first place.”
Jasmine cocked an eyebrow. “I’m your biggest fan, but that makes no sense.”
“Look at my rankings. Two top 1s, one top 3, one top 20, and one in the top ninety percent—my last Tribulation tanked my overall score, yet I’m still second.”
“Which means…?”
“That no one else even comes close to my first-place finishes. I overachieved.”
Though Priam couldn't be taxed with arrogance, he was far from modest.
“If you hadn’t taken so long dealing with your nemesis, you might’ve been first,” Jasmine pointed out.
Priam shrugged. “The day I’m willing to execute my own blood without hesitation is the day I’ve strayed from the path to the Zenith.”
As he reaffirmed his principles, Priam studied the dark sphere floating above his palm. It contained half a liter of genetic material, extracted from his son before he incinerated him. Opening a passage to his inner world, Priam stored the vital fluid beside a warrior’s bone—the one responsible for the Deluge—and blood beads from Ophis and Braato, the leaders of the Snahert and Gaesert tribes. His genetic collection, crucial for upgrading Homo Elysian to Tier 3, was growing.
Closing the passage, Priam met Jasmine’s gaze.
“Anyway, Arnold has the better overall ranking, but I have the higher peaks. Concretely, that means he probably got solid rewards across all his Tribulations, but my first two gave me an exceptional one. And if I had to choose between my Oneiric meta-affinity and five lesser rewards, I’d take the former every damn time.”
“Or maybe he aced his last three Tribulations and got something even better than you.”
“Possible,” Priam admitted. “But it doesn’t really matter because he won’t be first for long.” Seeing Jasmine’s puzzled expression, he clarified, “Dishnu. With Log-a-rhythm and what I know about the future, there’s no way our tree-loving friend won’t ace his Tribulations.”
“Mmh. If Arnold thinks his two biggest rivals have allied, he’ll be more cautious?”
“I hope so. In Back in Time, he waited for backup from two Tier 4s and a crucial piece of intel on me before betraying us. In this timeline, I’d bet he’ll be even more careful.”
“Mmh… I agree about Arnold—his ultra-pragmatic nature makes him predictable. But Dishnu is a free spirit. If that drya decides to steal your tree…”
“With the Sun Points I just earned, I’ll be able to invest heavily in Log-a-rhythm’s defense,” Priam grinned as he opened his rewards.
General awards:
Achievement - Mythic
Mythical Title (Selection Required)
Without further delay, Priam broadcasted his feat.
Achievement - Mythic : As a Tier 0, you have endured a quintuple Tribulation. Far from Elysium, you unleashed these mythical trials upon Proxima, the war-planet of your integration round. This decision is not insignificant, and its consequences will impact humanity and its rival civilizations. Already, the echoes of your deeds spread, adding to your Story.
Message for Humanity and Sector Hope:
Priam Azura withstood a quintuple Tribulation at Tier 0.
Final rank: Sector - year: 2
The Seven Concepts congratulate you.
Potential + 10 000. 1 000 000 Sun points. Seed of Potential. Revelation Token - Ideal Prerequisites (Epic).
“Well?” Jasmine prompted.
“A Seed of Potential—it can replace most ideal prerequisites—and a Revelation Token, which will be perfect for [Virus Resistance] if I can’t downgrade it fast enough.”
His son had proven that this was a weakness capable of bypassing [He Who Eludes Death], and Priam intended to patch it as best he could.
“Not bad,” said Jasmine.
“It’s solid.”
“Then why the weird face?”
“...I’m frustrated about being second,” the Juggernaut admitted.
“You know what you have to do to fix that.”
Priam’s competitive spirit ignited, and he swore to relegate Arnold to second place as soon as possible.
Lvl Up: [Ciphered Record] lvl 4
MEM +6
META (Affinity) +6
META (Authority) +15
“The voyeurs are coming,” Priam sneered, half pleased to see his legendary resistance progressing. “Welcome guys!”
“Jasmine, let's continue communicating through our add-ons.”
“Okay!”
Priam resumed reading through his rewards, saving his Title selection for last.
Rewards - customized:
Quintuple Tribulation: five rewards selectable from the following list:
Next Tribulation delayed by a year.
Alloy formula for a spear (Gold rarity).
Fusion of [Tribulation Wyvern Heart - Gold] and Heart of a Draconic Necro-Chimera.
One soul to resurrect.
Time stasis - duration: 2 days.
POT +20 000.
Access to humanity's knowledge on a topic (equivalent to 1 000 000 words).
Purification of your Phoenix Bloodline (2%)
Purification of your Dragon Bloodline (1%)
Five drops of [Elixir of Eternity - 10 years].
Free attributes (+200)
Free skill level-ups (+20)
Seed of experience
Seed of Potential
Branch of Garoe - the Mist Tree
Tear of an Elysium Star.
Breath of Serket.
Perfect Tribulation Run Memories
Experience Phantom Advisor - Skill (Epic - 1 hour)
Experience Phantom Advisor - Talent (Gold - 1 hour)
Experience Phantom Advisor - Supremacy (Tier I - 1 hour)
Experience Phantom Advisor - Concept (Tier I - 1 hour)
Race upgrade (Divergent from Homo Elysian)
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 29 days 22 hours 12 minutes 47 seconds.
Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 900 / 6 attributes > 1 200 / 1 attribute > 1 800
Priam whistled as he finished the list. “Priam whistled as he finished the list. “Well, that’s tempting!”
“You say that, but you’re going to hoard most of your rewards,” Jasmine teased.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Choosing wisdom over pointless bickering, Priam let the argument go. In childish games like this, Jasmine could be incredibly stubborn—and he had a public image to defend.
“The first reward is a no-brainer—I need to purify my Phoenix bloodline.”
“If you do that, it’ll be almost twice as pure as your Draconic bloodline. That won’t be a problem?”
“Between you and me, my draconic bloodline is more tyrannical than the phoenix’s one. For now, [Chimera] forces them to behave, but down the line, I’ll either need to enhance that Talent or find another way to balance them. Maybe both.”
The most obvious way to pressure his draconic bloodline was to introduce a third, but just the thought sent cold sweat down his back. That was the kind of dumb decision even [He Who Eludes Death] wouldn’t save him from. For now.
“In the short term, I should purify my Phoenix bloodline as much as possible so it can stand up to the despotic dragon,” Priam summarized. “Especially since each gate of Heavenly Dragon refines it by one percent. The fulcrum being a league of its own, I expect the bloodline to reach the ten percent threshold by the end of my first tempering.”
“I can hardly imagine how powerful your Breath will be at that stage.”
“Enough to ruffle Sumstreh’s ball hairs,” Priam grinned, confirming his choice. His smile vanished as a drop of magma manifested at the center of his human heart. Its heat seared the organ, and the Pyro Champion collapsed to his knees as the fluid mixed with his blood. His draconic heart kept pulsing, sending the infernal essence to the farthest reaches of his body.
The infernal fluid scorched everything in its path, and Priam panicked as he felt his brain heat up and his eyes begin to liquefy. A second later, the essence shifted, exuding a regenerative aura that restored his body. Then the searing heat returned. Like a cosmic star, his body radiated a wave of thermal energy so intense it forced Jasmine to retreat to the edge of the bunker.
As agony ravaged Priam’s consciousness, the essence of the phoenix infused every one of his cells before sinking even deeper. Soon, the Juggernaut heard the roar of a mythical beast echoing from the depths of his being.
When Micro detected an itch beneath his nails, Priam hastily awakened [Chimera] and his draconic bloodline. The Talent’s rank and the authoritative presence of a supreme creature managed to suppress an unwanted atavism, allowing him to retain his hands.
Unwilling to waste this opportunity, Priam permitted less radical changes. His connection with Pyro deepened, and his body was reforged.
Lvl Up: [Fire Champion Physique] lvl 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
VIT +15
CONST +15
META (Endurance) +15
The rune of [Phoenix Wings] trembled violently, and for a fleeting instant, Priam thought it would mutate on its own. The moment passed, and he exhaled upon realizing no change had occurred. His bloodline was still too weak to trigger that kind of evolution. Nonetheless, deep down, the Champion knew it would now be easier to observe his mentor’s wings to obtain the ideal upgrade. Soon, he promised himself.
“So?” Jasmine asked, smothering a few burning embers with her shadows.
Bloodlines:
Phoenix: 5% (+2%)
Dragon: 3%
“Five percent is the first atavism threshold.” Seeing Jasmine’s puzzled expression, Priam clarified. “I almost ended up with talons instead of hands.”
“Oh. That wouldn’t have been great for handling your spear.”
“Promesse would’ve hated it,” Priam confirmed.
“I wasn’t talking about Promesse. Whatever, next reward.”
Rolling his eyes, Priam selected the formula for a gold alloy. It had been one of the rewards he hesitated to claim after triumphing over the Deluge, but now it seemed fitting. Given his current enemies, his bound weapon needed an upgrade. The longer he waited, the less he would be able to rely on it. The immediate consequence would be a delay in learning Spear Mastery—unthinkable for an Ace.
The mental equivalent of a massive file appeared in his memory, and Priam directed his add-on to sort the data and formulate a plan to acquire the necessary materials. The conclusions arrived swiftly, and he smiled as he reviewed them.
“Mmh… With the Sun Shop, upgrading Promesse when I get back should be easy.”
“Without a smith?”
“One of Prometheus’ retainers has the skill,” Priam said with a grin. “And I have him in Concepts Archipelago. Help your neighbor, and the world will help you.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to expect anything in return, but whatever. Third reward?”
“Twenty free levels.”
“That’s dumb.”
“For [Tribulation Resistance],” Priam lied smoothly. There was no reason to name his true skill when everyone and their mother was watching. Who could say whether a high-tier individual was capable of listening to their private conversation?
“That’s genius. Do it.”
Laughing, Priam instead selected [Tribulation Hunter]. Since Thaal, a System Administrator, considered the skill intriguing, he would have been a fool not to invest in it. The Juggernaut had big plans for it, but its epic rank was a roadblock to his ambitions. And with twenty extra levels, tracking down my Tribulations will be much easier if one ever tries to hide…
With those three solid reasons in mind, Priam locked in his choice.
At the core of his soul, the source of his Potential stirred without his consent, and a geyser of energy erupted. The divine liquid shot straight into the third layer of his skills, soaking the alien rune of [Tribulation Hunter] and forcing it to accept the System’s pure energy.
Lvl up: [Tribulation Hunter - Unique] lvl 21,...,40
META (Chance) +180
META (Chance) exceeds 1 000 points. Second milestone reached. Congratulations!
Priam gasped as an entirely new sense awakened within him. If meta chance had always been an abstract attribute, this milestone was impossible to ignore.
At the edge of his perception, he felt something shifting in the aether. As if the world was whispering to him—not secrets, but gossip. Where his instincts once screamed at him in primal warnings, this new voice was ever-present yet less intelligible. Straining his ears, Priam spent several minutes deciphering the incomprehensible noise. Just as frustration was setting in, a single truth cut through with perfect clarity.
“The necro-drake… It’s Seth.”
“You mean he sent the beast? Or did he orchestrate my death?”
“Both.”
“This fucking bonehead! How do you know?”
“The aether told me.”
Jasmine simply nodded, a deadly glint flashing in her gray eyes. Her revenge would be as cold as it was final.
“You still have two rewards left,” she reminded him.
Priam scanned the list again and sighed. “Three are calling to me… Seed of Potential is always useful.” Several of his movement and martial skills were capped, just waiting for ideal prerequisites to be upgraded. “And the Experience Phantom Advisors. Skill and Supremacy are especially tempting.”
The other rewards were more mundane, except for the fusion of his draconic heart and the Perfect Run. The first was off the table—he needed that trophy for his tempering—and the second was depressing. Priam had no desire to see himself execute his son just to win first place.
“Hm. Ask your mentor’s opinion?”
“Already did before coming to Proxima.” Priam had taken precautions, discussing everything with the phoenix except topics protected by his oaths. “Basically, everything’s a good choice. The Phantoms are masters in their fields and exceptional teachers. Supremacy is a must for Domain II, and Skill could help me understand [Tribulation Resistance], [There is No Heaven], [Priam’s System], or [Runic Language].”
“Domain II?”
“One of the prerequisites for [Ideal Aether Manipulation]. That skill is practically calling my name.”
“Mmh. Why do I feel like you’ve already decided?”
“Because I have,” Priam chuckled. “A Mythic Achievement could give me more Seeds of Potential. I want those Experience Phantom Advisors.”
He confirmed his choice, and a moment later, two silver dice landed in his palm.
“…Fuck.”
“What?”
“What does this look like to you?” Priam asked, handing one of the dice to Jasmine.
“A die?”
“Without numbered faces? If we both think ‘die’ just by looking at what everybody should call a cube, I’m afraid I understand why. Plus, my boxers just went down a size.”
“You scared of getting socks this time?” Jasmine teased before looking up. “You feel that?”
“The laws of Elysium. It's almost time to leave.”
[Time remaining on Proxima: 30 minutes]
“Finish your shopping. Only the Title left, right?”
Priam nodded, pulling up his general rewards.
Mythical Title (Selection Required)
You have survived a Quintuple Tribulation, and two incompatible Myths fragments present themselves:
Title upgrade: [Horseman of the Apocalypse]
New Title: [The Five Ages of Man]
Possessing one of these Titles permanently excludes the other.
“From religion to mythology,” Priam murmured.
As a lover of Greek mythology, he was almost certain the second Title referred to the five ages described by Hesiod. The poet had written about the gradual decline of human existence, from a state of harmony and perfection to one of suffering and decay. In a way, the concept echoed the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, whose arrival heralded the end of the world.
“I’d love an explanation, because this has nothing to do with the tribulations of my civilization,” Jasmine said.
“Well, let’s start with [The Five Ages of Man]. If I select this Title, I’ll likely have to choose one of the five ages—just like I chose Conquest, one of the Four Horsemen. I assume my choice would grant me a corresponding power.”
“You know the essence of these ages?”
“I read a children’s version of the poem when I was five,” Priam replied, grateful for his eidetic memory. “The Golden Age describes an era of perfection, where humans are immortal and at peace. Maybe a way to gain [Ageless] or [Senescence Resistance]. The Silver Age marks the beginning of decline but also humanity’s defiance against the gods.”
“That could complement [Iconoclast].”
“True, but I’ve got enough enemies for now.” Despite appearances, Priam had no desire to become the enemy of an entire universe. “The Bronze Age is violent and should synergize with [Hoplite Warpath] to turn me into a true spearmaster. Then comes the Age of Heroes… No idea what it would grant me, but it sounds impressive. Finally, the Iron Age—miserable, bleak, and unjust.” Feeling his eyes pulse, Priam paused. “Hecate's New Moon seems interested in that one.”
“Feed your curse. Brilliant idea.” Jasmine’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “What about the upgrade for [Horseman of the Apocalypse]?”
“Either it’ll evolve into [Horsemen of the Apocalypse] and gain the other three powers, or it’ll specialize further into Conquest. I’m leaning toward the latter.”
“Your instinct?”
“My logic. Advancing from a Legendary Title to a Mythical one should have more impact than just stacking multiple Legendary perks. Strengthening Conquest would be a solid move, especially since I already have the associated Aura… On the other hand, it’s a concept with a strong destructive connotation.”
“Fitting for a Juggernaut.”
“True, but I’m more than that.”
Comparing the two Titles, Priam began to weigh the pros and cons. One thing was certain: he had to choose.
*
Status:
PHYSICAL:
Strength 915
Constitution 1 653 (+21)
Agility 1 256
Vitality 1 709 (+33)
Perception 888 (+4)
MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 634
Dexterity 787
Memory 995 (+10)
Willpower 1 221
Charisma 894
META:
Meta-affinity (O) 1 110 (+7)
Meta-focus 633
Meta-endurance 1 145 (+23)
Meta-perception 558
Meta-chance 1 020 (+342)
Meta-authority 579 (+58)
Potential: 36 752 (+10 079)
Tier 0
Sun points: 2 143 444
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 16 hours 17 minutes 52 seconds.
Concepts:
Breath (T0): 100% / Harmony
Fire (T0): 100% / Unity
Pyro (T1): 100% / Unity
Mist (T1): 100% / Symphony
Bloodlines:
Phoenix: 5% (+2%)
Dragon: 3%
Tempering:
Order Gate (Brain)
Soul Gate (Right eye)
Rewards standing:
Fusion Token - Skill (Epic)
Affinity Token - Tier 1 (30%)
Alien Concept fragment (7th Terror)
Talent Token - Upgrade (Seraph)
Revelation Token - Ideal Prerequisites (Epic) x2
Colosseum VIP Token
Minor skill Epiphany
Seed of Potential x2
Trophy Compass
Experience Phantom Advisor - Skill (Epic - 1 hour)
Experience Phantom Advisor - Supremacy (Tier I - 1 hour)
[Tribulation]: Two Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 29 days 18 hours 18 minutes 40 seconds.
Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 900 / 6 attributes > 1 200 / 1 attribute > 1 800
*
Funnily enough, I’ve thought of developments for both Titles. So, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the choice Priam should make.
As you may have guessed, the name of the Title obtained at the end of the Tribulation depends on the candidate’s civilization, but the effects remain the same (that’s why Jasmine has the Death Aura).
Comments
PriÀm
Fixed, thanks Geekdumb! I rewrote a bit the last part: “The necro-drake… It’s Seth.” “You mean he sent the beast?” asked Jasmine. “Or did he orchestrate my death?” “Both.” “This fucking bonehead! How do you know?” “The aether told me.”
Geekdumb
the echoes of your deeds spread,(no comma) adding to your Story. but just the thought sent a(remove) cold sweat down his back. “Who sent him? Or who orchestrated my death?” “Who sent sent the drake or who orchestrated my death?” The him is ambiguous
Pievalley
I’d reason horseman makes more sense the ages of man are destined to fall but the horseman of the apocalypse destroy the world seems like a better story to have in your foot notes
PriÀm
Well spotted, fixed!
PriÀm
Fixed!
PriÀm
Well spotted! Fixed!
Sam
Age of hero for future foundation, Iron Age for moon and connection to concepts and curse, cause the concepts see something in the moons of humanity, the Iron Age also represents the origins of humanity and a ton of intellectually scientific growth
Zaim İpek
I think Golden Age works best because Priam is a resistance and regeneration heavy build. Adding the longevity element has the most synergy potential with Hydra, Phoenix, and even dragon. He is likely to unlock hidden features of Phoenix and Dragon in addition to enhancing all aspects of his steadily developing Hydra nature. And while he may get Ageless another way, titles have ranks. This will almost certainly enable him to get a higher rank of the ageless title than he would get otherwise.
Zaim İpek
The best part is the synergy it will have with the three aspects of Dragon, Phoenix, and Hydra. I think he will unlock hidden longevity, regeneration, and resistance related bonuses from all three.
Zaim İpek
A merit tree won't give him a new title. He has to actually earn it. A merit tree could give him immortality, but is won't get him the ageless title and will probably forever lock him out of getting senescence resistance.
Zaim İpek
Thaal intervened and made himself the advisor for entertainment purposes, and also because he has plans for Priam and want to make sure Priam gets the exact kind of instruction he needs to keep Thaal's plans running smoothly.
Subliminary
Thaal likes gambling so the “advisor” will be him and his token to summon him is a die
Hemlock
At first I thought it obvious that Priam must choose upgraded Horseman, but after considering it, I really like Age of Heroes and Iron Age. Hecate is a curse to be sure, but it is extremely powerful. Improving it or getting more agency with it would be a great investment. He'll need some more information before making that choice, but if so it would play well into his defiant nature.
Baconwargod
No problem man
Boyoo_
Guys, I don’t understand. What’s the die relation with the phantom advisers? Did thaal scam him? That part was kinda obscure for me to understand..
Zaim İpek
Using this to get age of Gold and get his Ageless title and senescence resistance would mean that he no longer needs to spend time and effort trying to figure out how to get the title and can spend that time and energy on other matters of importance. It also has extreme synergy with his Hydra regeneration that should not be underestimated in value. At first I was thinking he should upgrade his conquest aura, but this more I think about it, focusing on survivability has always been Priam's modus operendi. I think focusing on getting the ageless title make more sense at his current stage. And the more resistances he collects, the closer he gets to upgrading his "Life is hard, I'm harder" title, which gives him some very great benefits. I think the synergy with his resistance and regeneration focused build is more important at this early stage than upgrading an offensive ability. He has many other ways of increasing his offensive abilities, including the phantom instructors.
Shadow Korosu
With the explanation he has given Jasmine on the importance of developing your Story on the path to the Zenith, I personally believe choosing the Age of Heroes would serve the greatest benefit to his own. Regardless of what benefits it would give, it would be thematically fitting for him, since he is already the Champion of Humanity. He would simply be elevating that, becoming the Hero of Humanity. I believe it would also synergize well with his indomitable will and desire for constant improvement, and to maximize his improvements as much as possible. Heroes are unrivaled inspirations to their allies and terrifying deterrents to their foes, something that I believe fits Priam perfectly.
Astral Aion
I thought so but couldn’t remember if I was just imagining that or not thanks
Baconwargod
Merits can’t be revoked so he would keep what he’s invested
Brett Gragg Jr
Ruffled his balls? Not fur, hair or feathers?
GreatCabbage
Gotta go with ages of man. Either gold or iron in my opinion
Renn
I mean, it really doesn’t have to be as for a single merit point he can double his lifespan, if I remember correctly. A whole new merit tree for fighting old age is not really what he needs As he already has that
Renn
The way I see it There’s only one option that really stands out. Conquerors aura he does not use enough to justify the upgrade maybe if he had gotten into the habit of using it more. Golden age And being already perfect doesn’t really fit his whole deal He has going on and any aging related things that could come from it he has a myriad of Other merit trees that could solve the problem without getting a whole new one Silver age he’s already dismissed as an option as well as iconoclast Outclasses it as a merit tree, and is a lot easier to upgrade. Bronze age is Better as an option, but spear skills are always the most interesting part of his kit, And making up for its weakness, is not worth an unoptimal pick in such a big reward Heroic age Is my personal pick as I think it’s the one that suits him the best as being the age of where a bunch of people drug them selves up from nothing and accomplished impossible feats. It suits his theme he already has with his archetype and the merit tree It would give him doesn’t really overlap with anything else. And then Iron Age I don’t really know what to say about it. It seems to be about in fighting and it would help with new moon, but he doesn’t understand that as it is so he doesn’t really need more synergy with it. Good path for Jasmine though
Renn
As far as I can tell, he’s not actually losing anything from conquest he’s just getting a completely new title
Derze
another 20k potential wouldnt be bad either lol
Astral Aion
I think he should take 5 ages of man but I don’t think he should take it for ageless as he could just get that himself with a little effort and maybe some help although losing the buff from conquest would suck he can make up for it
Sander hult
i like The Five Ages of Man and then choosing the first age as the representation of man he is to stay closest to perfection of the first age
Derze
Interesting development. Idk which to pick.
Lion Heart
He would need more tribulations to manage ideal manip at T0. While Mastery 2 is achievable (the tribes person thought he would manage it), it’ll take a large amount of time. Time that he doesn’t really want to use as things stand bc he’s more of a mage. Something like Bronze Age would let him do it faster, or it would give him good reason to focus more on his spearmanship. With the improvements coming to Promesse, it seems that he wants those reasons.
pukeofhurl
One of priams real weaknesses right now is his regenerating ages his soul... he needs too fix that before he ages too much since he already uses lifespan to regen. Ageless would change how the hydra works he might even be able too accelerate his aging of that title too a full grown hydra. The downside being he would need to increase his caloric intake since I remember it being stated regenerating requires sustenance not just not dying of old age.
Simon
... Did priam just say tribulation Hunter aloud immediately after saying he shouldn't do that when everyone's watching?????
MomoDG
At least for Mastery II the support from [Hoplite Warpath] and training with Kazuki will be enough. He also isn't on a strict timelimit with that one. But Priam probably wants to downgrade [High Aether Manipulation] and getting the Ideal Epic Variant before advancing to Tier 1, to save massive amounts of potential. For that Priam needs to reach Domain II in the next 4 months, his deadline for reaching Tier 1(before 2md Reunuion).
MomoDG
The 5 Ages of Man fit Priam in totally better. Priam embodies the human concepts of Adaptability and free Will. Its also telling that there are stronger connection to most of the 5 Ages then Priam had to the Horseman, where it really was only Conquest and maybe Death. Golden Age - Priam being Immortal, perfecting and improving the Human Race(Tier). Silver Age - Priams defiance against oppression, Gods, Authority. Bronze Age - Priams Warrior Path, connecting to 2 Talents (Hoplite Warpath and Promesse) Age of Heroes - Priam seeking and overcoming impossible challenges, writing his Legend, Myth, Story. Iron Age - Ressonance with his Mythical Mutation. Summa summarum is Priams Affinity for 5 Ages of Man a lot higher than that for Conquest. Regardless of which Age Priam picks, they synergize with/strengthen already existing parts of his build instead of adding to something that mainly has benefit against masses of fodder, which is an area Priam already excels even without it.
Dungeonborn
Swap the eye like last time maybe 🤔😂
CherMi
I can't quite find words to describe how stupid it is to discuss rewards out in the open, with scryers watching. Never mind that he planted a couple misdirects, it's incredibly dumb.
Custus
Thanks for the chapter!
Wyatt Jones
How would that work with his body and soul being bound with each other?
omri tal
He mentioned 'tribulation hunter' out loud when discussing the phantom skill reward option
Bootsie Mcfootsie
Priam hasn't really focused on conquesting. Not sure if you're planning on that being a focal point moving forward. Seems important if he's going to specialize rather than broadening to cover other bases.
_mori
Plus Priam seems to already have a plan for ageless. Not sure how concrete it is but I get the feeling that he intends to do something similar to what Jasmine did. We’ve seen him regrow a separate body just a chapter ago. If he can figure out how to regrow said body without sacrificing lifespan (while having his original body older than the new one), I think he’d meet the requirements for ageless.
_mori
Conquest is good on paper, but Priam’s hasn’t done much with it. Despite being a legendary title, he only has like its first merit (because of the second merit is likely to clash with New Moon). If he can side step it and pick a similarly destructive path with Ages of Man, that might be more useful for him. Plus Ages of Man seems like it’s meant to help him grow? Unlike horsemen that just grants an ability, the title seems like it’ll let him pick an area it’ll support. Either his resilience (golden), iconoclastic (or just anti suppressive) ability (silver), combat (bronze), possibly something to do with making a myth (hero), and the ability to suppress others (new moon). Analysis may be off the mark, but personally, I’d pick Iron Age. Golden age is a close second if it grant him ageless. But that’s based on an if. Of all the tortures needed to get whatever reward is being dangled (something even a clan of high tier phoenixes pined after), Priam may be one tiny step away from a massive water shed, especially if said reward augments his survivability in the same vein as his talent does. Still, golden age granting ageless is Priam’s speculation. On the other hand, Iron already seems to draw a reaction from New Moon. Despite Jasmine’s words, I don’t think it’s much of an issue so long as he upgrades Chimera (now that we know chimera can keep it in check). And a mythic title alone will not upgrade new moon to seraph rarity, I think. having a stronger new moon, that he can also use more constantly without going blind (chimera upgrade), and is now connected to a title seems like a synergy he should go after. Not to mention, there stream sense to want to connect humanity to Moon/mist stuff And new moon is bound to have some synergy with Moon mist. If Moon mist incorporates some of new moon’s abilities upon upgrading to legendary, that would make it even more worthwhile an upgrade
Ihsan Gunay
He can easily power level adaptive golden meridians if he prioritizes it. He can even combo osmosis training at the same time too. He can’t do the same for tribulation hunter.
Syls
“Basically, everything’s a good choice. The Phantoms are masters in their fields and exceptional teachers. Supremacy is a must for Domain II, and Skill could help me understand [Tribulation Hunter], [There is No Heaven], [Priam’s System], or [Runic Language].” Wasn’t he hiding [Tribulation Hunter] as [Tribulation Resistance]? Thanks for the chapter!
PikaAndrew
Tftc
ItsBeru
Are we possibly getting another chapter tomorrow or the day after??
James Faulkner
I vote for [The Five Ages of Man] -> The Golden Age for [Ageless]. I think him being able to burn lifespan to power up without actually having to worry about his age is a pretty huge advantage. Also I fundamentally dislike the use of old age as a mechanic for driving conflict in stories
Wiggles1
Also, for ideal Aether Manipulation's 3rd requirement he needs Meta(Focus) to significantly increase through a different Skill. If taking the Tribulation Hunter level-ups isn't a major plot point, he might be better off taking Adaptive Gold Meridians (for +60 * 110%), or if he's willing to get more Tribs, Kinetic Sovereignty (for +180 * 110%).
Wiggles1
I bet his next tribulations will target his senescence issues. He should take Golden Age.
James Faulkner
Tftc!
Tyrone Jason
Conquests influence and usefullness has been neglibe to the story, which is a damn shame. It only working VS weak enemies quite literally does nothing for our MC so id like to see it either get buffed or swapped for something else entirely. Combining all the horseman buffs into one would be dope and quite fitting as a it would be a nice representation/symbolism of whats to come for the MC’s enemies. An Apocalypse manifest.
Andrew
Thank you!
HeavenlyQuasar
5 ages of man seems better in my opinion it’s more versatile and horseman of the apocalypse biggest boost conquest aura only really shines when fighting loads of weaker enemies.
Lion Heart
Unsure if Priam would need the guide for Domain II. His power set seems well set up for advancing that Supremacy, and trying to evolve Tenacious Spirit is an alternative if it’s not working. The Supremacy that worries me is Mastery, so I’d like to see Bronze Age. Golden Age may be a must if he wants to continue using that Hydra merit, though. Regardless, the Conquest aura doesn’t feel super important and I wouldn’t miss it. Which skill he chooses for guidance is interesting, ngl. Could Priam’s System help train him in how to upgrade its programming? That will be quite important as I imagine hacking a rising star’s AI would be quite the feat for all sorts of villainous types. If not the System, probably Tribulation Hunter.
brennon Petersen
Tftc!
Luke Scheffe
I feel like the five ages would be a good option for Priam. But it would need to be either the golden age or the age of heroes.
Connor Barkley
The age of heroes sounds good, and would align the idea of Priam being humanities spear in a way that potentially allows a fuller expression of that position (the spear opens the way that guides humanity further) in contrast to conquest— allowing for underlying compassion in Priams path, and arguably a more fitting future for his myth
Dhen 1410
Hi
