Chapter 793 - Four traits
After listening to their descriptions, Elian leans back and seems to muse about something. I think he is hiding it, but he appears very interested in my trait options.
“The wording on all of your traits suggests that each one carries significant power. That does make sense when I look at your body. It shows how hard you push yourself for strength, and the System does tend to reward people like that, even if it might not be for too long.”
“I hear that a lot.”
“I’m not surprised. I want you to select Predatory Mana Parasite… no, wait… Mana-Absorbent Gastric Lining. It’s honestly hard to decide. I’ve met someone with an Immutable Halo Frame before, and she’s been dead for a long time, so I can speak about it. I know what it does and what it allows for. As for Empyrean Ichor, I’ve heard of it, but not firsthand, and I’ve never met anyone who had it. Still, I think I can figure out what it does. The Predatory Mana Parasite, though, interests me a great deal. Traits like that are very rare, and the last time I met someone with it, I couldn’t properly observe them. But the Mana-Absorbent Gastric Lining is something I’ve never heard of at all. It’s very curious. I’d offer you a mid-pristine item for…”
In the middle of that sentence, he furrows his brows. The air dims around us slightly, and the Fragment of Eternal Fire blazes in a way that seems like it is about to die off from the pressure the Magi radiates. I, meanwhile, can’t feel anything.
A mere moment later, everything returns to normal, and Elian says, “I have little patience for eavesdropping. I permitted an exception, as you are his handler, yet I will not suffer interference. Should I decide to trade such an item, it will be on my terms alone. I am fully aware of the System limitations that govern such dealings.”
There is no answer or other reaction to his words, and Elian snorts and looks back at me. “Do you accept my offer?”
“Nope.”
"How tiresome."
"That sucks," I say. "Why won’t we talk about them one after another? You might still make me change my mind, but I would rather you don’t lie or hide things from me."
“What do you take me for, Mister Gwyn? We made a deal, and I agreed to share my knowledge with you. I regard passing of that knowledge as a matter of great importance and always strive to do so with the utmost accuracy.”
"Well, you used to be a professor, didn’t you?"
"I did indeed, a long time ago. Have you met my replica during that floor?"
"I became your assistant. We were best friends. It is kind of weird to think that you have been teaching the future Ruler of Envy."
“I highly doubt that. As for young Tyven, he was always talented, ruthless, and driven by an insatiable hunger for knowledge. It carried him to the heights he reached, yet the very gaps in his character also led to his downfall. But enough of that.”
"Fine. So, Mana Parasite. I don’t like it. I don’t want some asshole to live rent-free inside of my body and steal mana from me as well."
"That is a terrible assessment. Parasites, after multiple strengthenings and possibly after going through evolution, can become exceedingly powerful. The wording of your offer suggests it would absorb ambient mana. That could allow you to take over that mana once it enters your body."
"Are you telling me I would have to fight that thing for mana?"
“That is why it is called a parasite. It simply takes, and any advantage you gain from it is an unexpected side effect. And, to an extent, yes. Some even use their parasites for training. Hyper-condensed mana could prove highly useful to you, particularly for you as an Amplificator. With a few strengthenings, the condensed mana would likely exceed what your normal mana pool could hold.”
I shake my head. "I can do that on my own."
"It would be shameful if you weren’t able to do at least some of those things," Elian says, and I expect him to snort, but of course he doesn’t. He just says it with that confident, noble air around him.
"And the increase in physical stats?" I ask quickly, before I say something rude.
"At early strengthenings, just a simple active reinforcement by using your mana. With further strengthening, you could expect permanent changes to your body, such as more durable bones and possibly a permanent increase in physical stats. In rare cases or with the correct evolution, the parasite could expand your mana pool."
"To increase its source of food?" I ask.
"Obviously."
"Is this just a normal Fragment of Eternal Fire? And what is that wood?" I change the subject and ask what I was curious about since we came here.
The Magi lifts his eyebrow and glances at the flame floating over the white wood in the middle of this cupola.“It is, in fact, ten flames of the Eternal Fire, each on the stronger side, combined into a single one. The wood is there mostly as decoration.”
"Is it expensive?"
"Very much so, though if you attempt to steal it, Mister Gwyn, you would burn to ashes."
"I wouldn’t do that. And the part in the trait description about violent retaliation against anything threatening the food source?" I change the subject back to the traits.
“Weak at first, but with the right evolutions and sufficient strengthenings, it can kill an average Champion and absorb all of their mana in the process.”
It causes me to pause in surprise. "That powerful?"
“Mister Gwyn, I must say, your reading comprehension is abysmal. Allow me to test you: explain your second offer and what you expect from it.”
"Sure, Magi Elian. By the way, isn't 'Magi' plural? Shouldn't that be Mage or Magus? Well, whatever, you do your own thing. With Mana Stomach..."
“I will stop you here. It is common sense to use the correct names and terms when discussing matters. Such simplifications are unwise and can foster habits that may harm you later. And please, drop that tone with me. I am not accustomed to it and find it highly unpleasant. I afford you a certain measure of respect, and I expect the same in return.”
"You have called my reading comprehension trash."
“I have called it abysmal. I do not consider such an accurate description of your actions a breach of decorum.”
Giving myself some time to think, I lean against the glass wall and look up through the glass cupola with the thin metal frame in between the glass panels. With my hand, I touch the fur pelt I sit on and think of this guy in front of me. I wonder if I have ever met someone normal, someone actually kind. So far, everyone is twisted in their own way. Liss, Ruby, Kindness, Envy, New Envy, Lycan, Hornless Heartmaxer, and many others.
Actually, aren't Diligence and Pride the most normal ones so far? As much as I dislike that thiefing Armory destroyer, the ant has acted fairly so far with understandable objectives in mind. And from what I know about Pride, the guy is just chilling while every other asshole keeps trying to challenge or kill him for some reason.
I look back at the Magi. And then there is this guy. A uppermost level of power Absolute. Someone I have heard mentioned, along with Absolutes like the Last Elf and Warden Kyralon.
Indeed, so far, I remain the most normal one.
Looking out of the window, I begin to talk. "Mana Absorbent Gastric Lining... I don’t like it that much. I could probably make thousands of mana orbs with highly compressed mana and eat them during fights to get some stat boosts and healing. I can craft items, so I could eat some of those as well. There is one unhealthily patient and cowardly guy whose expression I would love to see if I ate his fancy sword. It might be worth picking this trait just for that. In the long run, this trait could be really good for getting myself plenty of stats. If I became a Champion and an Absolute later, I could just start getting plenty of even more powerful items."
I stop there and think to myself. With the right amount of strengthenings, I could possibly eat a black mana orb, even if I had to make it weaker than usual. It is possible that the trait wouldn't be able to digest it, as black mana seems to fuck with the System, but if I could, the gains would likely be quite insane. I imagine just eating an orb or two before and during a fight. I am sure I could experiment a lot with different frequencies and densities to get the effects I would want. It could even allow me to free up one of my passive spots and get rid of thermal healing, healing with eating orbs instead.
At this point, I am fairly certain that I got this trait offered thanks to Biscuit and possibly thanks to my black mana. So it must be good.
“You are more or less correct,” Elian agrees. “However, while consuming mana is not exceedingly rare, the ability to consume items and materials is, particularly for a human. There are many unknowns and possibilities, and that is what piques my curiosity. As before, should you select this trait, I offer you a mid pristine item. I will bear the backlash from your Handler and, to a certain extent, the backlash from the System and Beyond.”
"You can do that?"
“To an extent, I am capable of it, though not to the level of the Rulers. The peak of the Absolutes often dabble in such matters. For example, the Last Elf is well known for it and may even exert influence beyond some of the Rulers themselves. Now, tell me about the Immutable Halo Frame. I want to hear your thought process again.”
"Like a teacher testing a student."
"Indeed."
"Well, anyway... Empyrean Ichor. Is it correct that things with 'Empyrean' in the name are usually from the time when the System was beginning to spread?" I ask him.
“From our observations, yes. The System underwent many changes as it adapted and addressed some of its loopholes, or the ways certain individuals might have exploited it. A sense of fairness is deeply ingrained in the System, so it strives toward it automatically. The Empyreans were a race long since extinct. At their peak, they were regarded as someone to be avoided, particularly their Thaumarch, who could match any of the Rulers.”
"Let me guess: he also died after challenging Pride."
"How curious. Where did you gain that knowledge?"
"Just a hunch."
“I usually look down on those, but at least this one was accurate. Yes, the Empyrean Thaumarch initiated it and died in a duel against Pride. Before that, he and his people were known for a certain mutation that had not been seen in the universe since. And before you ask, no, it was not their blood. The System is likely just using ‘Empyrean’ as the most fitting term. While the System strives for fairness, it also seeks to evolve and strengthen in a manner consistent with one’s performance or achievements, even if that means bending some of its other rules.”
"So, if you were to think of the most important rule of the System, would it be: To evolve or to strengthen what is already present?"
“Or to awaken and evolve a strength with the highest chance to grow within you. Many think in such a way. I am inclined to as well, but without hard proof, I leave room for other theories. As for the Empyreans, their mutation, which many historians claim was linked to one of the powerful gods of the Pantheon, partially resisted the System. This allowed their awakened mana to differ from that of others. It is said the System itself created a system-wide quest with an objective to eradicate all Empyreans and every trace of their bloodline. Since then, the System occasionally uses the name for skills, traits, passives, or items. The Warden of the Parallax Eyes, Kyralon, theorizes that the System does not do so intentionally, but that as it reabsorbed what remained of the Empyreans, their mutation slightly damaged a small part of the System, allowing such Empyrean phenomena to appear.”
I can't help but think that this is some of the coolest shit I have ever heard.
Out loud, I just say, "Sure then, Empyrean Ichor sounds interesting. To get to the Immutable Halo Frame, I have a question. Do you know a skill I have..."
"To gain such a trait offer, and from what I have observed, it is quite possible you possess a skill like [Materialization], [Conjuration], [Ideation], or [Incarnation]. There are many others, though they are rare, and I won't spend much time on them. So you can talk mostly freely. In order for you to keep the name of your skill to yourself, let’s say you have [Incarnation].”
I find it curious he didn't mention [Manifestation], but I find no reason to tell him that.
"Okay, so from the Immutable Halo Frame, I would mainly expect my [Incarnation] to become much, much stronger. Any of my incarnations would instantly become more powerful and stable. By using my reading comprehension and thinking of the wording of the trait offer, I really think that boost would be the best part. Not to mention the arrays, anchors, teleportation marks, and other crazy things I could do."
He nods. "Accurate. I also find that part about the trait the most interesting. The wording mentioning absolute stability against spatial warping, and then mentioning your abilities being connected to it and sharing the Frame’s stability, means that the stability likely won't be as absolute as the one against spatial warping, but likely very impressive nonetheless. Well, now that we have this out of the way, why don't you tell me what you chosen?"
Comments (95)
Cerim, if you see this this is written a bit confusingly. While Nat gets back to the Halo, the way this is set up seems like he meant to ask about empyrean ichor instead, especially with no acknowledgement of Nat dodging the question to answer something else. Small potatoes but wanted to point it out since I was confused at the beginning of it thinking you made a mistake rather than Nat just being Nat. "... Last Elf is well known for it and may even exert influence beyond some of the Rulers themselves. Now, tell me about the Immutable Halo Frame. I want to hear your thought process again.” "Like a teacher testing a student." "Indeed." "Well, anyway... Empyrean Ichor. Is it correct that things with 'Empyrean' in the name are usually from the time when the System was beginning to spread?" I ask him.
Mana stomach for sure
Anything Empyrean just sounds goated and anything related to the system releasing some mass genocide quest is more than worth it. I think the can eventually recreate the effects of the Immutable Halo with [Manifestation], I wouldn't be surprised if a long time down the line the trait becomes useless replaced by the high leveled Manifestation
I honestly think the parasite would be interesting. It would fight nat for it's food source, making nat stronger.
issue: just before emperian blood is described by nathaniel,the professor asks him to describe immutable halo frame
I took that as Nathaniel being snarky...
I think Ichor is the choice. The only thing that leaves me with doubt is the halo frame is immaterial. At some point his body could be destroyed and he is a pure manifestation of mana. The halo frame, I feel like he may be able to hold onto some sort of form and continued control over mana until he remanifest his body.
What you have chosen? Or what you've chosen?
I think he will choose Empyrean Ichor for Five reasons. First, it has the best synergy with his existing traits by far. Second, it "generates a field within that rejects any foreign mana" and we all know mana daddy loves mana sovereignty. Third, the empyrean's were so powerful they posed a threat to the system so great it actively sought their eradication, and even in defeat they managed to "slightly damaged a small part of the system". An insane feat which hints at crazy system breaking shenanigans in the endgame, and we know Nat loves that idea. Fourth, it's the only trait with the word UNIQUE in the description and we all know unique is best. Fifth, its the only trait Elian didn't want him to take so fuck him.
Elian probably has no interest in empyrian mana because he is a mana purist
I love chapters like this. If he’s not mowing down challengers then this casual lore drop and broken trait selection/theorizing is almost as fun
ICHOR..... blood of mana(empyrean ichor) .... body of mana(mana physique)... eye of mana(eye trait)..... heart of mana(original mana heart) by these powers combined i have become the MANA GOD(mana daddy)
Interesting analysis as Ichor in Greek mythology is the golden blood of Gods. Best take on where Cerim is headed with this trait IMO
Does the mid-pristine factor into a decision that’s a huge payoff
Highly doubt he will go for lining or the parasite and only those would be rewarded. And crippling his path for short term gain is stupid.
Do u think there is a fifth choice he has not shared yet? Usually we get 5 options right? Or am i bugging
He had 7 last time.
I feel like it's gonna be the Ichor. 2nd place Halo Frame, 3rd the Lining, last place the Parasite. Ichor feels like the pick to me, it gives some of the same potentially physical/concentration boosts as the Parasite, without the powerful counterattack/best, but he has potential ways to stack/amplify it in silly ways if he can beat Nyssa in a challenge. (stack it with primordial blood won in a challenge? That feels like the highest *potential* power synergy if we go that plot route). Since this is the highest power (and danger) pick I can 'see' for Nat in the story it feels right to me. The defense against others mana is also huge and I can see him leveraging weird combinations with this and Manifestation done right. Halo Frame feels like the 'immediate power/toolkit' pick that could open up a lot of shenanigans, it wouldn't shock me as a trait for Current Liss given her spatial abilities and insane manipulation as an 'amplifier' of what she's already good at for those floor-wide massive formations. But for Nat it might slow down his skill growth by relying more on the trait, which is really the big argument against it, as it feels like 'just have better active skills' does everything it wants to. Stomach lining has the ability to raise his total mana pool, which he doesn't have as great way to do without gaining levels. (and upgrading his mana attribute). Potentially freeing up one of his passive slots is low key good. That said, it is kinda off-brand Savant. And we've seen him care less about raw stats otherwise, and this trait is *mostly* about raw stat buffs, although with proper evolutions it feels like it could be really strong. That said the fact that it's long term 'stat gain centric' makes me feel like it's not worth the pick when we have Adrian (who can Mirror stats) as the biggest 'person I need to murder'. Parasite is physical stat boost, mana conc boost, and counterattacking. Nat dgaf about the physical stat boost and he has plenty of ways to raise them, there are other mana conc boost options, meaning the biggest value is the auto counterattck feature. Training tool is nice, but it's permanent and he's already done the long-term body sharing thing with Lioren, who was cool and not a weird parasite. Hard pass.
I think Manifestation+ Empyrean attack skill Plus Black mana is setting Nat up too put in work against the system in the future he could be his own new species with a few more body mods
The final sentence has an error: "Why don't you tell me what chosen*" error, -> what you chose, or -> what you have chosen.
nah I'm pretty sure nat picked a trait while they were talking
Bro you could have included the next sentence lol
The Magi combined the Fragments into the full thing! I have a feeling that he's using it for training and as a source of power for the station and something else. He's using all those fancy thingies like runes to control it when he's not there. Also, why in space?
I dont feel like it can be the Frame, Since it will lessen the burden on Nat. Nat is using the pressure to increase his focus and mana manipulation skills and which makes him more self reliant. Frame is the easy get out of jail card. So i think its the blood it has the danger element towards it self and the mystery of the Empyrean
I agree also the trait gezzer on the 8th floor said sth about if the traits synergize it's better than a different on paper stronger trait. As he has physique and eye I feel like blood combined those into a rly good combo.
The Magi combined the Fragments into the full thing! I have a feeling that he's using it for training and as a source of power for the station and something else, maybe his mana? He's using all those fancy thingies like runes to control it. Also, why in space?
Honestly, I think he’s just using it as a nice fireplace. It is clearly valuable, but going off of what I remember from the negotiations for selling Nathaniel’s to Greed and diligence it isn’t anything special to people on their level.
So, foreshadowing meeting an Empyrean, possibly getting some training/information from him, and/or embracing and evolving the Empyrean way to get stronger than the System.
From what I gather, it explicitly states all the Empyreans are dead. It also says they had a unique never again seen mutation which means Nat can’t really follow after them. I’d really love to actually see an empyrean but it’s currently sounding like that isn’t really an option.
BREAKING: Manifestation Stock Shooting To The Moon In a stunning display of ambition, shares of [Manifestation] skill surged 67% this morning after waking up and choosing violence against other skills. Traderthaniel is calling the move "unprecedented", "remarkable", and "honestly, I'm just guessing like everyone else". In other news, shares of Ruler of Pride [RPRD] continue to rise steadily, with no end in sight. Empyrean [EMPRN] corporation suffered a small dip but is projected to recover swiftly.
DAMN YOU CLIFFHANGER!
They were best friends! LOL!
I was laughing at this one 2 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you!
Thank you for the chappie!
Okay boys, theory time. It has to be the Ichor because it's the only one that is not reliant on external things like the parasite or the gastric lines with the items, and in synergizes with his other traits already. Because at the end of the day, you know, if you slice open an eye, what's in there? Blood, right? So there might be a synergistic effect and his mana physique also, you know, has something to do with blood because the blood is in it. So it appears to me that the highest synergy level would come from the Ichor.
After thinking about it, i think empyrean ichor is the best choice. It synergizes with his other traits best because it is a body upgrade. He has mana physique and eyes already. Mana stomache is an ok choice for eating items but he doesn't want to rely on items. He can learn to do the other stuff on his own but directly modifying his blood is completely outside his skill set.
Double it and give it to the next upgrade!
If biscuit wasn't already there, That crazy Nat could have cooked a plan choosing the parasite & bond with it down the road over their luv for mana
Can someone tell me why kindness doesn't challenge pride if she wants to die.. I know it was said somewhere
She did but Pride was unable to kill her
And so we have completed chapter 2 of 15 discussing upgrade choices. I swear Nat could spend an entire week just asking and answering questions, just like any normal person.
He’s already been working on absorbing the energy of his [Empyrean Lance] so he should be able to manipulate the energy and pair it with his fragment to absorb in the future. Also Pride being repeatedly challenged reminds me of Adrian for some reason.
I still dont believe these are all his options. There has (iirc) never been an even number of options, he hasnt gotten a *single* option for primordial energies, he didnt get a *single* option for skeleton, heart, or brain. The system expands your strengths, how is it that dude is an ABSOLUTE candidate and his 3rd and final trait options include a parasite and a halo, but not a HEART? None of this makes sense, I call BS.
It doesn’t really make any sense to hide an option at this point. You clearly don’t like the options, but I think this is what he got.
Is it just me or did cerim just call all our reading skills abysmal..
probably lol.. but I'm self aware enough to know that that's an accurate assessment of my reading ability lol.🤣
I'm starting to get an interesting view of Pride's version of pride. I think everyone who we have heard he killed initiated the fight so its their own pride that causes them to die, which fits with the mirror skill.
This is a great take
I wonder if Elian will start a Loop just to fuck Nat's choices, if Nat walks through a different corridor do the choices change? How big does the butterfly have to be to take effect? What if he kills the helpers in one of the Loops, or creates a black mana crown before reading the options?
What are we talking about right now?
This week is edging awfully close to it's end without a choice, the main reason I hate Elian so much is the is slowing everything down that you just wish the loop to end
Tftc!!! Too many good options for Natty boy haha
Probably Nat will say: „I will choose the fifth trait”. The one which he didn’t mention and will keep the knowledge of it to himself. 😂
It’s what he did during the academy arc when he eventually chose manifestation. It’d be oddly fitting.
He is going to choose Empyrian Ichor. It is the trait that is the least safe, most "double down" kind of upgrade. All other choices are too reasonable.
Yeah I was thinking the same thing, the others somewhat fix some of his problems, which is boring. Heading straight more into problems is the better option!
Fuck, the way empyrean and the halo are being played off each other makes me think it’s neither and he’ll go with the gastric one.
Blood or parasite please!!!!
I picked Halo last chapter but i have feeling it’s going to empyrean.
damn how are so many people b4 me.. it's 530 am est lol.🤣
The miracle of times zones
I would go parasite just to kill it eventually and train if the backlash is that powerful it be amazing practice tug of war with it but deadly
If he selects the halo, without listening to the magi about the details of what it does, im gonna be upset. Its the perfect setup to know for once, what a trait does before selection, and he even stated, he knows a lot about it. " I’ve met someone with an Immutable Halo Frame before, and she’s been dead for a long time, so I can speak about it. I know what it does and what it allows for. "
<3
TFTC. Do you think Nat will avoid Empyrean Ichor because their Empyrean leader at their best failed to defeat Pride or will Nat’s pride say what an asshole, I can do better?
Quite opposite. The leader of Emphyreans is Pride. 🤷🏼♂️ That would be a twist, wouldn’t it? 😉
I knew it. Emphyrean stuff is like a virus inside the System. So, the question is: does Nat want to play by the rules? or he aims at destroying the System? 🤔🤔
I don't think he has any thing against the system tho... not really
Still believe he is going for Halo. He has way too much stuff to stabilize
Starting with his body...
Ack, I was definitely sure he would choose empyrean ichor because blood mana but Manifest plus halo could be a tempting choice for him just because that's not something 'the magi' forsaw
Ichor seems cool. Maybe parasites like bg3 parasite powers?
At this point I'm fully prepared for an alternate POV next chapter.
I would start crying
I originally thought it will be [Empyrean Ichor], if only because everything else seems like something Nat could eventually develop on his own with System encouragement and rewards. Any by its nature Empyrean is something partially outside the System. ... but his existing Empyrean skill was offered by the system. In my head the way I resolve this is Empyrean *skills* are likely less rare and less valuable than Empyrean *traits*. It seems also in principle that correct Constructs and body reforging techniques could arrive at any of the other traits, in time.
> why don't you tell me what you chosen?" What you have chosen? or What you chose? I prefer the former though.
The parasite sounds bad cuz once he is a absolute he could probably kill champions easily anyway.
Bruh, what's with the gratuitous cliff? *wails to the sky*
It's not a cliff yet, calm your tits.
So parasite is out of the question, stomach too. What will it be? From the context of the last 2 paragraphs, halo frame might be what he chooses, but the Ichor just sounds so much more badass.
Tftc 🍻 still hoping for the ichor as any chance to fit more mana in nats body without using more of his concentration is a boon. Now we know the broken things the empyreans did, even emulating that mana trait would massively improve him going forward
I bet there will be another «black mana» bit in the upcoming chapter/s when Nat does mention that ability of his to this Nerd.
You really think he doesn't know about black mana? Nat used it in front of who knows how many champions/absolutes in that beyond event, its not secret at all
Goddamnit Cerim stop edging me!
Hmm, it does feel like he's going to choose the Empyrean trait. Sounds sick, a way of using mana outside of the systems' norms. Fingers crossed.
I wonder if black mana is truly that empyrean mana. Magi said that empyrean awakened mana differed from normal mana. Maybe that's the difference. Which brings me to another thought - is kindness the last living empyrean? Did she per chance see her race ultimate decline and that's why she wanted to end her life as well?
If it was black mana it should have been censored by his submind.
This chapter is what we in the pirate era calls a hanger.
It seems like Pride has killed everyone of notable strength in history😂
Thanks for the chapter
Thank God, it's not the SHRIMP/Parasite
I mean. We dont know yet. Could still be the parasite. Imagine Nat fostering this baby parasite inside him, it would be the most powerful and best parasite in the tutorial haha. But I suspect this is not his choice. I feel either enpyrean or halo.
TFTC
TFTC!!!