A Novel Concept - He Who Eludes Death

"The fight was INSANE!"

Priam winced as Osiris shouted the last word. With both Arnold and Dishnu missing—no one knew where they were—the teenager had reverted to his usual carefree self and shrill voice.

"The guy with the swords was impressive, but that tiger… I got chills when it showed up. And you went blow for blow with it!" The teen started shadowboxing in the air. "Left, right, uppercut—you acted like you didn't even feel his attacks!"

"I felt them," Priam confirmed, though a stranger might have called him a liar. He glanced at his arms. Not a bruise, not a scar. High Vitality had its perks; aside from his usual messy hair, he looked like he had just stepped out of a spa.

"We all felt them!" Osiris exclaimed. "When the tiger raised a paw, the displaced air kicked up tons of sand. When it slammed it down, the ground shook. Every strike had me thinking, 'This is it, he's gonna blow up like a paksha.'"

Priam's addon saved him the trouble of asking.

[A native berry from Duatia with a tangy taste.]

"Our Juggernaut's got a hard head," Rose quipped.

"Says the one who was screaming the loudest to cheer him on," he shot back.

The young woman blushed. "I'm a fangirl. So what?" She turned to Priam. "Just make sure you keep winning. A girl doesn't like losers."

Priam laughed. "I plan on keeping my streak alive."

"Really? Your next match is against a Tier 2 and…" The teen bit her lower lip, hesitating to finish.

"And my win over Rohan wasn't exactly clean?" Priam finished with a smile. "I could've destroyed him."

"You did destroy him."

"Then I could've annihilated him." He shrugged. "Honestly, I was fighting with one hand tied behind my back."

"Saving your best moves to surprise the Tier 2s?" Louis chuckled. The old man was doing a headstand in the corner of the box. According to him, it helped keep rheumatism at bay.

"Yup."

"For real?" Osiris asked.

"For real," Priam replied, giving a confident thumbs-up. "Didn't even use a single one of my four ultimates."

"Four ultimates?!" Osiris turned to Rose. "What's an ultimate?"

"A jump Tier move."

The boy's mouth formed a perfect O as he spun back to Priam. "What are they?! Tell me!"

The Champion winked. "No spoilers."

Osiris turned to Rose, who started counting on her fingers. "His Dragon Breath's definitely one. The others… I dunno. Jasmine?"

The assassin mimed locking her lips and tossing the key into the arena.

"Kazuki?" Rose asked as a last resort.

The hoplite looked at Priam. "I only know of three. There's a fourth?"

The Juggernaut grinned. "Since the end of the Gu Trial, yeah. If I'm right, the upgrade to [Bloodless] offers some busted synergy."

[Bloodless - Gold] - Blood, the human body's traditional transport medium, is liquid. Yours has transcended that state to become fire.
With this Title, Pyro integrates seamlessly with your body. Through your Concept, you control the fluid coursing through your veins—regardless of its form. Journeying further down the path of Unity, you glimpse the place where all paths converge—the next stage.
The Phoenix in you cries out, recognizing your potential. Second atavism possible (10% bloodline purity required).
Your blood can now fuel your flames. The reverse is also true.
What should have ended your Story has been subverted by your ingenuity. Through this feat, this Myth fragment has been partially restored.

A spark of understanding lit in the hoplite's eyes. Before Osiris could pepper him with more questions, a loud announcement rang out.

"Tier 1 semi-finals will begin soon. Betting closes in twenty minutes. To avoid disrupting the show, Colosseum doors will close five minutes prior. Please return to your seats promptly."

"My turn's coming up," Kazuki said. "Priam, Jasmine—can we talk?" he asked, gesturing to an empty box.

"Sure." Priam turned to Louis. "I'll leave the kids with you."

As Rose and Osiris grumbled in protest, Blueberry raised an eyebrow in a remarkably human gesture. "And me?"

"You're eight."

"In bear years, that's thirty."

"In human years, that's eight."

"Then I'm done cooking for you. No more child labor."

Defeated, Priam followed Jasmine into the adjacent room. As Kazuki shut the door after stepping in, the young man dropped into a chair while his Shadow perched on the armrest. The wood creaked under her weight, but Priam refrained from comment. To court death, one needed to choose their fights wisely.

"I assume this is about the fight?" he asked the hoplite. "You're unsure about using Knightmare before the finals?"

"I don't need advice." Kazuki crossed his arms. "I've seen my opponent, and I know I'll win. I called this meeting because we have to talk about your mercy toward Rohan. I'm having trouble understanding it."

Priam blinked, surprised. "Well… You know that was mostly for show, right? There's not much chance we'll become real friends."

"That's not what I mean." Kazuki narrowed his eyes. "Why spare him at the end?"

Priam tilted his head. "You wanted me to kill him? Sure, he was merciless with Jasmine, but he didn't cross a line. Or did he?" he asked, glancing at his Shadow.

"I couldn't be bothered to hate him." Jasmine shrugged. "I lost the duel. That's the end of it."

Kazuki growled. "That's not the point. Had Rohan died, his participation would have been voided. As the runner-up, Jasmine would have been declared the winner of the Tier 0 category by default, and my victory tomorrow would have sealed the Empire's approval. We could have been done with this race before a single clan set off."

Priam's frown deepened as he worked through Kazuki's logic.

This entire tournament served one goal: acquiring an Empire-recognized land. With it, the factions would gain access to the most potent Land Owner perks, including purification and protective rituals essential for enduring the corrupted light of the Necromoon.

To determine the two winners, Oasis and the tribes had each sent four champions, one per category. There were four in total, to divide duels based on Soul Tier. Rather than holding round-robin brackets, the Demiurge had opted for two semi-finals and a final per Tier. Winning a bracket earned three points for one's faction. The runner-up earned one point. From there, the math was simple: winning two finals secured the Empire's recognition.

If Priam had eliminated Rohan in their duel, and Kazuki won the Tier 1 bracket, Oasis would have secured the Empire's approval before the other categories even started.

"We were this close to winning," Priam realized while running a hand through his hair. A sign of frustration.

"Fuck," muttered Jasmine, reaching the same conclusion.

"I thought you accepted Rohan's challenge to take him out," Kazuki went on. "I would have understood if you lost. But this…" He clicked his tongue in a rare show of irritation. "You had him at your mercy and let him walk. Why?"

"I didn't want to burn the bridge with the Aelbes before securing the ideal upgrade for [Art of Movement]." Even as he spoke, Priam realized that wasn't the whole truth. "Plus, Rohan's arrogant and disrespectful, but I don't hate him."

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Kazuki's eyes flashed with annoyance. "Does the life of an honorable opponent outweigh that of an Oasis citizen?"

"Of course not, but I don't get your point. Killing Rohan would've been necessary if we weren't sure about the Tier 2 match. I don't plan to lose."

"I do love a confident man," Jasmine said with a sly smile, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Okay guys, it was just a missed opportunity. We're back to square one."

Kazuki remained stiff, arms crossed.

"You don't agree," Priam noted.

"It doesn't prevent us from winning," Kazuki replied, "but it delays our victory by a day."

"And you think the tribes will try something."

"I know it." The hoplite gestured toward the clan boxes on the far side of the arena. "For them, this tournament is a matter of life and death. They must win it. And to that end, they've tried—and will try again—to assassinate us. Not you, Priam—after the Gu Trial and that duel, everyone understands you're tough to crack—but me and the Tyrant."

"I pity the assassin who has to take on Arnold," smiled Priam. "And I won't let anything happen to you, my friend. Let's stick together until the end of the tournament."

"I'm not afraid for myself. I'm afraid for you."

"You just said I wasn't in danger?"

"I said they won't attack you. That's different." Kazuki pointed to the arena. "If I win tomorrow's final and you, your semi-final, Oasis will have at least five points—one short of claiming the prize."

One for Jasmine, three for Kazuki, and between one and three for me, depending on my last match.

"With their backs to the wall, the clans will have to act. If they decide the Champions are too tough to chew…"

He trailed off, and Jasmine picked up the thread with a grimace. "They'll go after Louis and the kids. Fuck."

Priam clenched his fists as the dragon within him stirred. "They'd dare to kill them? That would make them our mortal enemies."

"They already are," the hoplite reminded him. "Though I doubt they'll go the kill."

"For them, kidnapping would be smarter," Jasmine confirmed. "If they're holding one of ours hostage, we can't strike back without risking an execution. So no nukes. Plus, they'd gain leverage. 'Throw the fight or your friends die.' Worst case, they kill them just to rattle us."

Her distant look told Priam she spoke from experience. Priam went pale.

"If I'd killed Rohan, they could only act today. Now they have tomorrow too. Fuck." Laughter from Rose and Louis drifted through the door, and Priam ground his teeth. "If they suffer because of my mistake, I'll never forgive myself."

He took great pride in never making the same mistake twice. This time, once was already too much.

Jasmine laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, and Priam looked up. "And you?" He turned to Kazuki. "You didn't mention her name."

The young woman shook her head. "The finalists will receive a reward from the High Marshal at the end of the tournament. No one's stupid enough to disrupt a Tier 5's plan."

"So Rohan's off the assassination list…"

"Rohan put himself in a dangerous position by provoking you," Kazuki confirmed. "That won't happen again. Same goes for Jasmine. As long as she doesn't strike first, she's safe."

"Too bad they're allowed to defend themselves," grinned the Shadow.

"They're going to provoke you, hoping you'll attack first. Killing you won't earn them any points, but it'll deduct some from us, which works in their favor."

"So we should expect taunts," said Priam. He closed his eyes and counted to ten to steady himself. No use crying over spilled milk. They had to move forward. "Alright. I missed my opportunity, and now we're back where we started this morning. Still, I doubt you brought us here just to highlight my screw-up. You've got something in mind."

The general nodded. "We can remain passive—weather their assassins and insults until the end of the tournament—or we can seize the initiative."

"I have a feeling there's only one good choice."

"Not necessarily. Laying low would draw less attention. Let's not forget that our enemies hate each other and will tear each other apart first. On the other hand, being proactive could help us win the tournament. My opponent today is easy; tomorrow's will be more complicated. It would be a good thing if Jasmine took care of his family."

"Can do," nodded the Shadow.

Priam blinked. The conversation had escalated way too quickly.

"Whoa, wait! Did I hear that right?"

"The fighter will be too well-guarded. His loved ones won't be," explained Jasmine. "By removing them, we can destabilize him emotionally, make Kazuki's fight easier."

"You want to kill innocents," Priam said, staring at his two friends. "Fuck, you're serious!" Sometimes he forgot he was dealing with an alien general and a trained assassin. "Sorry, but count me out. I can't support targeting innocents."

"Then renounce your title."

Priam thought he had misheard. "Come again?"

"As Lord of Oasis, you have both privileges and responsibilities. If you can't understand that your moral dilemmas weigh less than the safety of your people, then you're not fit to lead." Kazuki's face was hard. It wasn't the friend speaking, it was the general.

Stunned, Priam turned to Jasmine.

"I'll stay with you," swore the loyal Shadow. Still, she didn't meet his eyes.

She agrees with him.

The hoplite continued, his voice rising. "This is war. We have to make hard choices. Ordering the death of children isn't something I enjoy. Jasmine doesn't like carrying out those orders. It doesn't matter. Our feelings mean nothing next to our Duty."

Priam felt [Free Will] activate. Without that resistance, the hoplite's Concept would have nudged his thoughts. Knowing Kazuki, it wasn't deliberate, just a side effect of an uncontrolled power. Priam made a mental note to bring it up—later.

The interruption gave him a moment to ponder.

"So a lord must put his people before the rest of the world? Fine, that makes sense. To kill innocents to keep Rose and the others safe... That's like the trolley problem. In theory, everyone agrees, but in practice, no one wants to touch the lever." Priam gave a mirthless laugh. "Fuck, I can do it."

"I'm glad—"

"But!" Priam interrupted. "This isn't the black-and-white scenario you're making it out to be. You can win the Tier 1 finale without Jasmine sabotaging your opponent. Hey, I know you want a clean win."

Kazuki clenched his jaw, his pride warring with his caution.

Got him.

"We're Champions," Priam continued softly. "The Warrior and the Juggernaut. You'll crush the Tier 1s, and I'll wipe the floor with the Tier 2s. That'll be enough to earn the Empire's approval. No need to tarnish our honor."

Kazuki let a few seconds pass before nodding. "Alright. We'll leave my opponent's family alone. Attacking them would only draw attention; let them think we're insignificant."

"That's our best defense," Priam agreed. "Still, we should go on the offensive. I suggest Jasmine targets participants we won't be facing. It'll stir up tension between the clans—and they won't see her coming."

"Smart," the Shadow approved.

"Let's do that," said Kazuki. Seeing Priam's smile, he sighed. "You're pleased you managed to reconcile your conscience with our objectives, but I hope you realize it's all in vain."

"Meaning?"

"All these people have to die." Seeing the confusion in their faces, Kazuki elaborated. "If Oasis wins one of the two prizes, the two defeated tribes won't wait for death. To get a territory protected from the corruption of the Necromoon, they'll have to go to war with one of the victors. We all know they'll select us over the last clan." The general's gaze turned to steel. "You won't abandon Oasis, and I won't abandon you. If I have to drop one nuke or ten to annihilate those clans, I won't hesitate."

It was the most beautiful—and most terrifying—declaration of friendship Priam had ever heard.

"Even if we lose this tournament, the tribes will tear each other apart," said the Hoplite. "Then, the loser will use the Empyreans to emigrate to Proxima to start anew. That would endanger my people."

The towering Champion didn't need to elaborate on his intended actions.

Priam felt as though his mouth was full of ash. "You're talking about nuclear strikes. Genocide."

Kazuki's eyes narrowed. "I am the supreme general of the Hoplites. The safety of my people is my responsibility. Their survival, my Duty."

Status:

PHYSICAL:
Strength 1 249
Constitution 2 083
Agility 1 637
Vitality 2 092
Perception 988

MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 666
Dexterity 891
Memory 1 152
Willpower 1 298
Charisma 990

META:
Meta-affinity (O) 1 398
Meta-focus 886
Meta-endurance 1 584
Meta-perception 842
Meta-chance 1 089
Meta-authority 768

Potential: 34 005
Tier 0

[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 2 months 12 days 7 hours 28 minutes 5 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 900 / 3 attributes > 1 800 / 1 attribute > 2 100

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