A Novel Concept - A death a day, MC will live anyway!-Chapter 329: Tribulations are amazing—If you survive them - (1)

[Chimera - Legendary] is ready for evolution. Presence of a catalyst detected.

Use 1 POT to trigger evolution?

Ideal upgrade available for [Kinetic Control - Epic].

Prerequisites met:

Ideal Upgrade unlocked :

[Kinetic Sovereignty - Legendary] - Potential Cost: 720

Alone in his protective bubble, floating kilometers above Proxima’s atmosphere, Priam smiled. [Kinetic Control] was the first skill he had consciously chosen to create. More than a mere gift from the System, it represented the sum of the scientific knowledge he had acquired over the first two decades of his life. It embodied his passion for understanding the world and physics. [Kinetic Control] had ensured his survival against Kazuki and secured his victory against his first Baron.

Pyro was a force of destruction, Promesse a weapon destined for legend, and Breath a power that could jump Tiers. Yet, the true cornerstone of Priam’s arsenal was his mastery over kinetics—a skill he had neglected for far too long.

“No more.”

Priam hesitated for a fraction of a second, fully aware that the number of legendary slots in the fourth layer of his soul was limited. Five, maybe six at best.

“A shame for my tempering, but I need an offensive skill.” Without further delay, Priam confirmed his choice.

You have selected the ideal skill [Kinetic Sovereignty - Legendary]

POT -720

[Kinetic Sovereignty] - Absorbing a blow, amplifying a punch, levitating weapons… These are the crude applications of [Kinetic Control], tools to help lesser fighters scrape by another day. Most who wield this power never evolve beyond the stage.

You are cut from a different stone.

Through relentless manipulation of the kinetic energy around you, you have stumbled upon the principle of thermal agitation: manipulating the motion of matter on a microscopic scale—by slowing it down or accelerating it—enables freezing or heating. Your scientific background whispers that the laws of physics hold deeper secrets still.

This skill grants you sovereignty over the kinetic energy of matter at both the microscopic and macroscopic levels.

"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration." —Tesla. (Hopefully in a non-sexual way.)

PERC +9

META (Focus) +9

META (Perception) +9

Tier 0 Soul legendary skill limit: 3/5

Priam inhaled deeply as the epic rune shifted stratum, embedding itself alongside [Ciphered Record]. The layer closest to his soul trembled upon receiving it, then the System merged his accumulated Potential with his experience, refining the rune’s structure. Its surface tripled in size before the sigil stabilized.

Priam flexed his new skill, widened his eyes, and then burst into laughter. A terrifying surge of energy coursed through him. Even without delving into the manipulation of fundamental particles, his skill had undergone a qualitative leap in how much kinetic energy it could absorb and redistribute in an instant. He felt like he could take on a titan with his bare hands.

A second laugh shook Priam as the thought crossed his mind—that day might not be far off.

His gaze dropped to the clouds shrouding Arkana. His grin thinned into something sharper. I hope you’re ready, my dear Nemesis.

Excitement burned in his chest, but Priam forced himself to calm down. Rushing into battle was a good way to die. There were still things he needed to address before leaving the protection of the mythical shield that had safeguarded him through his two mental Tribulations.

“I’m not the novice I once was,” he muttered before rereading his skill description. The author—or authors—implied that he had only taken the first step on a long path. His scientific background agreed.

Reaching absolute zero was impressive, but it was just the beginning.

“At the other end of the temperature scale, there’s plasma…” Priam mused. With Pyro Unity as an ideal prerequisite to [Kinetic Sovereignty], he had a bridge to the fourth state of matter. From there, controlling the movement of electrons was within reach—paving the way for electricity!

A smirk tugged at his lips as he pictured himself juggling lightning. He would need to multiply his attributes to wield it properly, but the idea was viable.

His analytical mind kicked into overdrive, listing fundamental particles of interest. He assessed the feasibility of manipulating massless photons to create lasers, and the plausibility of splitting or fusing nuclei to dominate matter itself. Of course, Pyro was only a Tier 1 Concept, meaning those abilities were beyond a low-Tier being. Still, the power of a god was almost within his grasp…

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Lvl Up: [Free Will] lvl 30

WILL +6

CHAR +3

The notification snapped Priam out of his reverie, and he frowned. The Tribulations weren’t over, yet his mind was already wandering into non-urgent theoretical speculation.

With his constitution having long since surpassed a thousand points, Priam could sense the stimuli affecting his resistances. Reaching out to [Free Will] through the gate in his right eye, he quickly found the culprit behind the level-up.

A searing flame burned at the edge of his soul space, stirring his emotions. Attaining Unity with a Concept was a trial he had mostly bypassed—smothering it under a dream, then burying it beneath two Tribulations. Now, he had to face the consequences of his unorthodox breakthrough.

Priam studied the nova critically. The storm had passed, but it had left behind waves he would have to learn to navigate. Unity with a Concept meant he could draw more from it, but the influence went both ways. Right now, Pyro was restless, fanning the flames of Priam’s passions.

“Addon, notify me if my actions start seeming… impulsive.”

[Command registered.]

Only half reassured, Priam withdrew from his soul space. Unlike most of his chains, he had shackled himself to Pyro willingly—he couldn’t exactly complain about the consequences. At least the new gate helped [Free Will]temper the Concept’s urges.

The pun made him smirk as he pulled up a System report.

[Pyro - Concept] – A fragment of a shattered Concept from an Eighth Throne Candidate. Let its creator’s failure be your stepping stone.

You still master the Fire Concept.

Your Fire Concept is ready to evolve to Tier 2… Error: Soul Tier too low.

Lvl Up: [Fire Champion Physique] lvl 29,..., 33

VIT +15

CONST +15

META (Endurance) +15

“Primal fire, Nirvana, and probably an ideal prerequisite for [Fire Champion Physique]… Guess I haven’t been slacking after all,” Priam laughed, contemplating whether or not to summon Pyro. He changed his mind, realizing that his first communion with the Concept should take place during an epic battle. As it happened, an opponent of that caliber was waiting for him below…

A sharp pang in his right eye dulled his excitement, drawing his attention to his right eye. Hecate’s New Moon was still struggling against the new gate and the pain made Priam growl.

“Some mutation this turned out to be,” he muttered, confirming Chimera’s evolution. Time to show his curse who was the boss.

The equivalent of an adrenaline rush surged through his veins, making him tremble as liquid fire coursed through his body. The sensation vanished as quickly as it had come, and Priam smiled as different parts of himself were fixed.

Talent upgraded!

[Chimera - Mythic] - Your body, mind, and soul now better accommodate conflicting elements. Your biological, mental and spiritual systems will adapt to many changes. You may now possess two low-grade bloodlines.

His body had been a battlefield for too long, strained by the clash of hostile components forced to coexist. Like a puzzle with ill-fitting pieces jammed together, the constant tension had taken its toll, creating problems everywhere.

The mythic Talent reshaped everything, allowing his physique to breathe easily for the first time in ages. No longer a war zone, his flesh was no more torn between opposing bloodlines. Priam exhaled, feeling a fatigue he hadn’t noticed finally fade. Even though he could adapt to many things, the absence of an unpleasant sensation was always welcome.

“I haven’t felt this relieved since my tinnitus vanished!”

Priam blinked, rubbed his eyes, and then grinned as he realized the curse inhabiting his eye had finally gone dormant—without blinding him. Even better, he detected a new mental lever leading toward the mutation. Was the mythical rarity of [Chimera] allowing him to summon Hecate’s New Moon without consequences?! The Colosseum’s final reward—the perfect fight against Clock—hinted that [Chimera] could be actively used. Maybe…

Priam shook his head as he felt Pyro’s influence stir. A new ace up his sleeve was always welcome, but now wasn’t the time to test it.

Refusing to waste another second, Priam checked his next notifications.

You have gained the high skill: [Mental Bridge - Epic]...

[Mind Bridge] detected. Merging lower skill…

[Mental Bridge] – By weaving aether and inscribing the correct runes, you can create a stable connection between your mind and another. Conceived in a moment of panic and influenced by the secrets of the Necromoon, this skill allows for the transmission of thoughts and for measuring your willpower against that of your target.

Be careful not to think of anything compromising while the link is active. Your partner might read your surface thoughts and decide you’re a pervert.

Dick, tits, ass. Your grandma twerking on your little cousin’s face.

META (Affinity) +3

META (Perception) +3

META (Authority) +3

Priam grimaced at the final line. Fortunately for him, his aphantasia prevented him from vividly visualizing things, shielding him from disturbing images.

“Whoever wrote this description belongs in a padded cell,” he muttered, swiping to the next notification.

Next arc already complete on Patreon if you want to find out what happens next!

/ANovelConcept