NOVEL NEXT Chapter 41: In the end, I win
"Now, who drinks water? Who owns the zebra? You've got thirty seconds."
Priam's body came to a complete stop and the debris covering Sphinx stopped shaking. Sphinx's power worked both ways. Seconds began to tick away as Sphinx searched for the solution to the riddle.
Before the apocalypse, Priam had succeeded in solving the riddle. The trick was to create a picture. For example, the Norwegian lived in the first house, next to the blue house. Hence, the second house was blue. Writing down the answers as you went along made it easy to find the solution.
However, Priam was betting that Sphinx would be paralyzed and, therefore, unable to use a table. The mythological creature's physical capabilities were titanic, so logically, her mental abilities, such as Vivacity and Memory, must have been relatively weak. Finally, the riddle was designed to take a long time to solve - thirty seconds wasn’t enough.
"The Norwegian drinks water and the Japanese owns the Zebra," announced Sphinx.
Priam opened his eyes wide, mouth agape. It couldn't be! No more than six seconds had passed.
Sphinx smiled as she saw Priam's face.
"Riddles are my specialty. Even so, it took me almost seven seconds to solve it. It's an excellent riddle and I'm glad I heard it," she says.
Priam's body began to tremble. The price of defeat showed: an invisible vise was closing in on him. Sphinx continued.
"You're going to die, Priam, but I want to thank you. That masterful fight made me realize I shouldn't underestimate my opponents. Concluding on a riddle is very pleasant. I'll remember my promise. May we become friends in the next life." Sphinx said before pausing. "Any last words?"
The vise stopped crushing Priam. Despair disappeared along with it. He had lost and this news almost soothed him. After all the pressure he'd built up over the last few days, he'd still lost. There was a kind of relief in defeat. He no longer had to be perfect - he never was.
He remembered a phrase his Dad repeated when he was a little boy."The important thing is not to win, son. The important thing is never to give up and always to progress." He would do better tomorrow than today. He had to survive to do that, which was undoubtedly his specialty.
The ball of stress he had been harboring in the pit of his stomach since the start of the Reunion disappeared. Priam decided he would do his best. His family wouldn't ask any more of him.
"I don't have much to say, Sphinx. You've learned from this fight and so have I. You underestimated me and I made the mistake of underestimating you too. I knew it was a trap, but I believed modern knowledge would be enough to defeat you. You specialize in riddles, and I was a fool to fight on your turf. It's a good lesson..." declared Priam. His brain was already thinking about what to do next. After a defeat, it was better to get up quickly. For him, death wasn’t the end. "I hope you keep your promise. I could use a friend like you in my next lives."
Sphinx nodded and returned Priam's smile. Now that the fight was over and he was going to die, there was no need for her to be so solemn. The majestic veneer was gone and her honest smile was bright. "Wise words, Priam. A creature like me is not meant to have friends in this world, but I'll be happy to be yours in the next. May your next life be epic," she wished. Priam nodded.
The vise tightened again as Priam closed his eyes. The pain was coming fast, but he refused to scream. Sphinx's friendship could be crucial in the next few days, and every friendship had a dose of respect. If there was a noble way to die, Priam wanted to find it.
The pain increased slowly but surely. Priam's bones ached, his muscles compressed and his eyes squeezed back into their sockets. Soon, his eardrums burst, then his brain began to be compressed. His various organs were oppressed and his heart struggled to beat.
Priam tried to think of something else to keep from screaming, but death was never more pleasant the ninth time than the eight times before. I really need to find gentle ways to die...
Without [Brainless], Priam would already have lost consciousness; for once, he wouldn't have minded as the pain was unbearable. The force pressing down on him seemed omnidirectional. It brought every cell in his body closer to his center of mass as if a black hole had appeared in his abdomen.
You have gained the skill: [Gravity Resistance - Rare].
[Gravity Resistance] - Gravity is one of the fundamental interactions responsible for the attraction of massive bodies. That's probably why your massive ego attracts so much trouble. Stop triggering Tribulations.
The architecture of your cells changes to better resist the effects of strong gravity. Your body becomes more elastic.
Be careful, too much gravity may lead to the grave.
CONST +3
New Title: [Veteran - Bronze].
[Veteran - Bronze] - You have acquired ten different types of resistance. You've fought many enemies. The elements, weapons, magic and even the laws of the universe have left their mark on you. You have bled and hardened. Your path is full of suffering, but you persevere.
Your resistances now increase in levels more rapidly. You can acquire new resistances more easily.
CONST +10%
The notification was the last thing Priam saw before his mind sank into darkness.
Congratulations, you are dead!
Your Talent [He Who Eludes Death] brings you back to life once a day
Number of deaths: 9
Synergy detected with your talent [Humanity adapts] and your Title [Axolotl or Hydra ?]. Your body is rebuilt and will be more resistant to what killed it:
VIT +10
CONST +8
Synergy detected with [Veteran].
You have gained the skill: [Consequence Resistance - Epic].
[Consequence Resistance] -You have lost to a Karma user. Contracts are not something to be signed lightly. Remember that every action has a consequence. As your personal Karma begins to flow, consequences have less of a hold on it.
If there's a price to pay, you now enjoy a discount.
CHAR +3
META (Chance) +6
Lvl up: [Gravity Resistance] lvl 2,3,4
CONST +9
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 21h 29min 18s.
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: 49 hours 59 minutes 12 seconds.
I have to be very careful with my constitution...
Priam's eyes opened slowly. Moments later, a smile appeared on his face. His last stand was proving incredibly useful. He'd lost to Sphinx, but his instincts told him it was worth it. It was an eventuality he had foreseen from the start, for which he had prepared himself. Priam wasn't arrogant enough not to contemplate defeat. As in many games, the important thing was to win in the end. If losing a battle meant winning a war, Priam was prepared to sacrifice many lives.
Sphinx had a wealth of knowledge - about the Domains, at least - and befriending her would help. Priam was not yet strong enough to do without the help of others.
Straightening up quickly, Priam looked around. His resurrection had lasted no more than seven minutes and Sphinx was still there. She had pulled herself out of the rubble and closed her eyes to concentrate on her regeneration. Her wounds were certainly serious, but they were gradually disappearing. Even her limbs were slowly starting to grow back. Even IRL, a Boss's life is truly ridiculous. I wonder if she has a second phase?
The Boss hadn't realized Priam had resurrected, but he wasn't planning to attack her. If losing a riddle had killed him so easily, then perjuring himself would kill him too. Perhaps his new resistance would allow him to get away, using his new synergies and Potential to the fullest but somehow Priam doubted it.
He remembered his oath. ‘May that death erase any ill will one may have for the other and allow us to befriend each other in the next life.'
In absolute terms, the oath did not forbid Priam to attack Sphinx. After all, he hadn't held a grudge against Sphinx the first time he'd tried to kill her. But now they were supposed to befriend each other. Of course, some men might stick a knife in their friend's back if honor or their family's safety demanded it. Others might do it for a few dollars, but friendship was a vague concept for them. Priam, however, was not a man who took it lightly.
He had been - too - patient with Claire because he believed in a budding friendship. Before the apocalypse, he was the kind of person who would take in a friend for a few weeks to tide them over. He had few friends but shared a unique and strong relationship with all of them.
He would never attack Sphinx in a moment of distress for material reward. If he did that, it meant he didn't consider her a possible friend. He would break his oath and die for it. If Karma were to witness their friendship, Priam would keep his promise.
Priam stood up and walked towards Sphinx. He stopped a few meters from her and cleared his throat.
"Hey! My new life's starting sooner than expected," he said shyly. He'd tricked her and hoped she wouldn't hold it against him.
Sphinx opened one eye and stepped back hurriedly. Priam laughed as Sphinx looked like a frightened kitten. "H-How?!" she stammered after a few seconds.
Priam shrugged. "Let's say the movie of my life could be called 'The Many Lives of Priam'."
Sphinx lay back on the ground. Her wounds were severe and she hadn't finished healing. "You knew it all along," she murmured.
"... Yes," confirmed Priam. A friendship couldn't be built on a lie. Without knowing how Karma would interpret his promise, he preferred to do his utmost to treat Sphinx as a true friend.
Sphinx remained silent for a few seconds before nodding slowly. "Okay. My first friend has to be smart, whether it's solving my riddles or in life," she said before continuing softly. "I've never had a friend, so I'm unsure what to do... Should we continue the fight?"
Priam smiled gently. Now that the veil of solemnity had fallen, Sphinx reminded him of a child. She was only a few days old and certainly needed someone honest to guide her. "No, friends don't fight to the death. They can fight to practice, but you're in no condition right now, so rest up. For now... Friends help each other," Priam said, pointing at Sphinx and then himself. "I want to become strong enough to survive my triple Tribulation and beat the fiftieth wave of the Colosseum before the end of the week. And you, what do you want to do?" he asked.
Sphinx remained silent for a few seconds before replying. "I'm not sure. I suppose I want to become a Queen?" Her voice was almost interrogative at the end, and Priam understood that she had no goal other than the one the Concepts set when she was created. He shook his head gently.
"The first thing to do is to know what you really want. You need to live, not just survive. Make friends, read books, and explore the world. Even if you want to become a Queen, it'll be easier by exploring the world and facing difficulties than by staying here, in this Palace."
Sphinx's eyes sparkled with curiosity and Priam thought she looked like a cat. Fortunately, if curiosity killed the cat, the Sphinx survived.
"You're right!" declared Sphinx. Having a purpose seemed to have boosted her. She tried to stand up, but her body collapsed again. Priam raised his hand to reassure her.
"There's no hurry," he lied. "I've got to go and talk to a man to maybe find my family, but I'll be back soon. Until then, try to heal."
Sphinx pouted. "But I don't want to stay here alone. You said friends should help each other, and here I'm useless..."
"You're not. I need you to be fit enough to talk with me. While you're waiting for me, you can try to think of how to get me to withstand my next triple Tribulation. I'll be back in less than an hour, I promise," Priam reassured her as he turned to leave. Sphinx looked like a cat, but he had a feeling that sometimes she'd be as clingy as a dog...
"Oh, I've got it! It's a pretty simple riddle," Sphinx replied with a yawn.
"What?! How?" It was Priam's turn to be surprised. Sphinx laughed.
"You had a good idea coming to kill me. The Titles would have strengthened you, and the Palace facilities are perfect for training. But the icing on the cake is that the Lord of a Dome can use the barrier to block part of a Tribulation," Sphinx explained.
"Even a triple Tribulation?" asked Priam hopefully. If the Dome's barrier could block the appearance of a Tribulation outside it, then he had a chance. Of course, it all depended on the nature of the Tribulation. Priam had no intention of making friends with every Dome Lord. Maybe by going to Viracocha, I could kill two birds with one stone...
Sphinx burst out laughing.
"Of course not. But the barrier will buy you time to avoid facing all three Tribulations simultaneously. With several lives, powerful Titles, and following my training, you'll have a chance," she encouraged him.
"Several lives? I only have two," Priam clarified.
Sphinx paused. "... I'll take good care of your family if you die," she promised.
Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)
PHYSICAL:
Strength 106
Constitution 194
Agility 131
Vitality 203
Perception 217
MENTAL:
Vivacity 148
Dexterity 132
Memory 36
Willpower 76
Charisma 101
META:
Meta-affinity 92
Meta-focus 80
Meta-endurance 55
Meta-chance 46
Potential: 278
Tier 0
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 21h 21 minutes 46 seconds.
[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.
Time: 49 hours 51 minutes 40 seconds.