CCTnovel Chapter 305: Belligerent Var Elegis
Chapter 305: Belligerent Var Elegis
Oasis, a few minutes earlier.
“Yesterday was Priam’s birthday,” Jasmine announced.
“WHAT?!”
“MOOOOOO!”
The simultaneous exclamations of Sphinx and Moonie echoed in reply. While the first was clearly shocked, the second was simply mimicking the reaction, likely without understanding the concept of a birthday.
“I don’t have much time,” Jasmine continued. “We’re leaving for Proxima in a few minutes. I’d like your help to plan a party for when we get back.”
“Of course!”
“Mooo?”
“It’s what we do for birthdays,” Sphinx explained. “We celebrate with food, drinks, games, and feasts!”
“Mooo!” the little wyrm exclaimed, chasing after her own tail to express her excitement. Like Sphinx and her master, she was very invested in matters of the stomach.
“Out of four items, two involve eating,” Jasmine pointed out.
“It’s the most important part.”
“Wise words,” the young woman acknowledged. “But you’re forgetting something...”
Sphinx tilted her head in thought before her eyes lit up. “Oh, right! Do you have it?”
“Not yet...”
“Mooo!”
The little wyrm headbutted Sphinx lightly, expressing her frustration at being left out of the loop.
With an air of mystical authority befitting her species, Sphinx spoke. “You hide it from people even though you know someday you’ll give it away forever. You won’t be sad when it's gone, even though you went out of your way to make it perfect... A gift!” ʀάNọBÈṦ
Jasmine nodded. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time to handle this myself, and Rose and Alain are busy with their Tribulations. Of everyone left, Blueberry is the only one close enough to Priam to contribute, but he’s already handling the food. That leaves only you two for this mission... if you accept.”
“We accept!” Sphinx cried, her eyes shining.
“Mooo!”
A few seconds later, Jasmine reentered Priam’s shadow, leaving Moonie and Sphinx alone.
“We need an amazing gift,” Sphinx decided, and Moonie squealed her agreement. “But what’s the best gift?” The child frowned, recognizing a riddle to which she didn’t yet have an answer.
The two children brainstormed for hours—or rather, Sphinx thought aloud while Moonie chirped and chimed in enthusiastically. The session ended when Louis approached, holding two fish.
“Freshly caught,” he grinned, tossing his two catches. The wyrm and the sphinx pounced, devouring scales, bones, and all in a flurry of gluttony. The aquatic prey lacked the nutrients of corrupted beasts but tasted far better—especially once gutted.
“You two scheming something? It’s been two hours since you’ve caused any trouble,” Louis teased, his tone light.
“What’s that supposed to mean, old man?” Sphinx narrowed her eyes.
“Oh, don’t give me that look. I know that behind that cute exterior lies a little feline mischief. I’ve had cats, you know?” Seeing Sphinx bristle at the comparison, he quickly changed the subject. “So, what are you up to?”@@@@
“Moooooooooooooooooo.”
“...”
“We’re looking for a gift for Priam’s birthday,” Sphinx translated. “But we can’t think of anything good... Do you think he likes fish?”
“Mermaids, maybe—I’ve seen the way he looks at that princess,” Louis chuckled.
“Oh! Can you catch those?”
“I’m a bit too old,” laughed Louis. “How about drawing him something? That’s what kids usually do.”
Sphinx flexed her claws, and Moonie flicked her tail. Art was not their forte.
“Yeah, that complicates things,” Louis admitted. “Besides, most drawings are ugly. Parents say it’s pretty to be nice, but if an adult made the same thing, we’d lock them up in an asylum.” He scratched his beard thoughtfully. “You could always put on a performance.”
“...I think I’d prefer something material,” Sphinx mused. “What do people usually give men?”
Louis shrugged. “Shirts or pants? But given Priam’s exhibitionist tendencies, we can scratch that. Perfumes or watches might work, but without a mall nearby, good luck. Actually, let’s generalize that.” The old man gestured to the forest around them. “Here, aside from dragon hearts, I’m not sure you’ll find the perfect gift.”
Sphinx’s eyes lit up with a mix of mischief and excitement. “Moonie, follow me!”
“Mooo?”
“To find a gift, no time like the present! With your bloodline and my karmic powers, we’ll pull this off!”
As the two bounded off, Louis felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Still, he made no move to stop them. When kids were set on getting into trouble, they would find a way eventually.
In a hangar five stories high, Ishaka stood waiting. Around him, his guards patrolled with precision, securing the perimeter for the arrival of the other two Generals. A hundred meters beneath the surface and at the heart of the Hoplite Empire’s military power, their vigilance might seem excessive. Anyone who thought so was a fool: when facing the Var Elegis, no defensive measure was too drastic.
As the metallic clang of exoskeleton boots echoed in the building, reality itself tore apart. A circular portal appeared, flooding the hangar with crimson light. Ishaka shivered as he felt an alien power attempt to influence his mind. It vanished quickly, leaving in its place one of his compatriots. With hair as black as midnight and scales as white as sea foam, Hyshana Akashi emerged from the portal, returning from her mission.
“General Hyshana, welcome!” the Hoplites roared in unison.
Hyshana stepped into the hangar, pausing briefly. Ishaka noticed her gaze momentarily lost in the void—a telltale sign of someone reading a notification. The pause lasted only a heartbeat before she resumed her stride. Her gaze swept the room, landing on Ishaka for a fleeting moment before flicking away without acknowledgment. The Hoplite within him sighed. The one he loved disdained him—or rather, she despised his ideals.
The warrior within Ishaka suppressed all emotions to focus on the unfolding events.
The first thing he noticed was the stars in the sky. The constellations were different from those visible from Elysium or the Moon. It took this realization for Priam to fully grasp that he was in another world. I wonder if one of those stars is our new sun.
The question would remain unanswered for now, and he lowered his gaze. A city stretched out before him. It wasn’t a sprawling megalopolis, but its lights, the bustle in the streets despite the late hour, and the sheer number of buildings marked it as a thriving metropolis.
“How many inhabitants?” Kazuki asked as he joined him. The hoplite appeared calm, but Priam’s superhuman senses detected a tremor in his voice. After being separated from his people for so long, the reunion stirred deep emotions in the Champion.
“Is it wise to discuss this in front of our guest?” Ishaka interjected, gesturing toward Priam.
The young man shrugged. “I can leave if you want. Just point me in humanity’s direction, and I’ll be on my way.”
Hyshana nodded, and Ishaka pressed a button. “We’re preparing the data.”
“How many?” Kazuki repeated, his eyes still fixed on the city.
“One million eight hundred thousand,” Ishaka finally replied.
“When I left, projections estimated two million,” Hyshana pointed out.
“The projections didn’t account for our belligerent neighbors. Lately, the Var Elegis have turned all their armies against us.”
Priam wasn’t the only one to clench his fists at the mention of Arnold’s civilization. The hegemonic ambitions of the Champion and its race ran deep.
“I thought the Duatians were holding half their forces in check?” Hyshana frowned. Priam recognized the civilization of Seth and Osiris.
“That’s no longer the case. They’re all dead.”
Just like their Champion, the Var Elegis had begun annihilating the competition.
Status:
PHYSICAL:
Strength 893
Constitution 1 422
Agility 1 173
Vitality 1 322
Perception 858
MENTAL:
Vivacity (D) 599
Dexterity 752
Memory 891
Willpower 1 012
Charisma 653
META:
Meta-affinity 999
Meta-focus 559
Meta-endurance 915
Meta-perception 539
Meta-chance 594
Meta-authority 429
Potential: 27 621
Tier 0
Sun points: 1 143 444
[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 15 hours 33 minutes 30 seconds.
Concepts:
Breath (T0): 100% / HarmonyFire (T0): 100% / UnityPyro (T1): 100% / Half-step UnityMist (T1): 100% / Symphony
Bloodlines:
Phoenix: 3%Dragon: 1%
Rewards standing:
Fusion Token - Skill (Epic) Evolution Token - Skill (Legendary)Affinity Token - Tier 1 (30%)Alien Concept fragment (7th Terror)Talent Token - Upgrade (Seraph)Revelation Token - Ideal Prerequisites (Epic)Colosseum VIP TokenReborn Token - Reset biological lifespan (Legendary) Minor skill EpiphanyHigh Tribulation essence (Soul Tailored - Sumstreh’s half core)Seed of PotentialTrophy Compass
[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.
Future Tribulations delayed until:
Time: 132 days 16 hours 2 minutes 43 seconds.
Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 900 / 3 attributes > 1 200 / 1 attribute > 1 500
Next arc already complete on Patreon if you want to find out what happens next!
/ANovelConcept