A Novel Concept - A death a day, MC will live anyway!-Chapter 301: The Greed in Your Eyes

"What about a quadruple?" The being winked. "Pleasure meeting you in the flesh and soul, Priam. I’m Thaal, the Immortal Gambler, and the System has sent me to strike a deal."

Thaal. The name triggered alarms in Priam’s head, but the extraordinary control afforded by his Micro kept his eyes from widening.

"An honor to meet the Administrator of the Hope Sector," Priam replied, tilting his head slightly. His modern upbringing hadn’t covered etiquette for dealing with galactic overlords, but politeness seemed prudent. "My name is Priam Azura, and I suppose we’re both frustrating Death."

"Ah! An Immortal and an undying. Sounds like the beginning of a joke. Well, please, don’t let the fact that I could annihilate your entire civilization with a mere thought make you uncomfortable. Treat me as a peer... one you admire, of course. That reminds me—" The High Tier rummaged through one of his pockets, pulling out a piece of fabric. "Here, I’ve been meaning to give you this."

Priam unfolded the garment to reveal a red pair of boxers. Embroidered on the right cheek was the phrase "I like to" followed by a multicolored die—identical to the one dangling from the Immortal Gambler's belt.

"I like to... die? Is that a pun?"

"Indeed! It’s my specialty—after gambling. That’s celestial silk, spun from Tier 6 celestial silkworms. Very comfortable, I assure you. In fact, I’m wearing the same pair right now." Thaal tugged down his waistband slightly to reveal an identical underwear.

What. The. Fuck?

For a moment, Priam wondered if this might be an imposter. He had expected an august figure and was facing a clown.

[Identification]

[Thaal, the Immortal Gambler - System’s Admin] - The one and only. Now stop identifying me and feel how soft this silk is. That’s good shit.

Thaal pointed to the tag, where a "2," a die, and a "4" were printed. "It’s a rebus. ‘Two die four.’ Get it? I’ve just launched this luxury underwear brand, and let me tell you—it’s top-tier. No washing required! Just pass it through your Pyro flame daily to burn off any odors. Durable enough to protect your family jewels yet softer than a baby’s cheek."

"... It’s an underwear," Priam reminded him dryly.

"Hmm, true. I’ll have my marketing team brainstorm a pitch that doesn’t appeal exclusively to pedos. Anyway, it has other features." Thaal began stretching the fabric in every direction. "See how elastic it is? You can even use it as a condom. ‘Sorry, Esmée, the boxers stay on during sex.’ Normally, it’s satisfaction guaranteed or your money back, but since you didn’t pay for it..."

Priam stared silently for a moment. He hadn’t expected the admin to be this eccentric. Well, one can’t become an Immortal without a bit of madness…

"What do you think?"

"... Seems like a solid product," Priam replied reluctantly.

"Glad to hear it! I was tired of seeing you running around naked," Thaal said, turning away. "It should be your size."

After a few awkward seconds, Priam realized he was supposed to put the boxers on. Resigned, he complied, reminding himself the garment probably cost more than Promesse. The unnaturally soft silk against his skin did ease some of his irritation.

"Done."

Thaal turned back, scrutinized Priam’s lower half with unnerving intensity, then gave a thumbs-up. "Perfect."

"Ahem." Priam crossed his arms in front of his new underwear. "Back to the deal, the status of a messenger reflects the importance of the message. If the System sent a High Tier, the heart of the Deluge must be incredibly valuable…"

Thaal laughed, a sound as casual as it was unsettling. "The greed in your eyes! No wonder you absorbed that draconic bloodline so well." He raised a hand to stop Priam’s question. "The heart is rare, yes, but not rare enough to drag me to this backwater." With a snap of the High Tier’s fingers, the heart vanished from Priam’s draconic lung to reappear in his hand. "Beautiful thing, though."

Priam wasn't convinced. Of course, the High Tier wouldn’t outright admit the worth of something he wanted.

"Then you’re here for me? To collect on the favor you did by redacting [Tribulation Hunter] from my status?"

Thanks to his eidetic memory, Priam recalled the exact message he had received when [Tribulation Resistance] evolved into [Tribulation Hunter]:

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Protocol Eight:

Next notifications hidden from moderators

[Tribulation Hunter] - [Identification] will show [Tribulation Resistance].

Message from administrator Thaal: You owe me one.

Even if he wasn’t certain that possessing the skill was inherently dangerous, Priam knew Thaal’s machinations had paved the way for the prerequisites of [Ciphered Record]. He intended to repay the service.

A gleam flickered in Thaal’s eyes. "I’ve got a feeling holding onto this favor will increase its value."

"I’m a bitcoin?" Priam grimaced.

"That’s what I’m hoping," winked the Immortal Gambler. "So far, you've never disappointed."

"Did you know?" Priam pointed to the Heart of the Deluge. "Did you foresee this when the System gave me [Tribulation Hunter]?"

Thaal shook his head. "There’s a misunderstanding. That alien skill of yours, which lets you interact with the essence of Tribulations, isn’t a gift from my employer. It’s born of [Tribulation Resistance], a System specialty, and your Patron’s Talent. Similar skills exist, but until now, no one was sure you could target the hearts of High Tribulations."

"Not even the Concepts?"

"I wouldn’t know—I don’t work for the Seven," the administrator replied, summoning a tie and tightening it with an air of exaggerated professionalism. "Let’s stay on topic. I’m here as an agent of the System. The fact that I’m vastly overqualified for this interview is simple to explain: I enjoy seeing the chips I’m playing with."

Priam suppressed a flicker of annoyance. "Am I a chip or a pawn?"

The Immortal Gambler smiled, flashing perfectly white teeth. "I’m not your enemy, Priam."

The mere presence of the High Tier was freezing reality, a palpable reminder of the gulf between them. One didn’t need to be an enemy of an ant to crush it underfoot...

Forcing himself to quiet his fear, Priam returned to the matter at hand. "So, why does the System want the Deluge’s heart?"

"Do you want to know its value to haggle better?"

"I want to know its value to decide if I should haggle at all," Priam countered. "My body craves this item as a trophy for a gate, and after the hell I’ve been through to claim it, I’m not about to trade it for the equivalent of a triple Tribulation."

"Your body probably craves a donut, too. Doesn’t mean you should listen to it," Thaal retorted, summoning a glazed donut out of thin air and taking a bite. "The real question is: do you have the option to refuse this deal? Neither I nor the System will force you into anything. But you unsealed your constitution to get here. Right now, six Tribulations are weighing on you. Keeping this heart will kill you."

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Priam grinned. "I wouldn’t bet on my death."

The Immortal Gambler grinned back. "I would. The odds are stacked heavily against you."

"..."

"To answer your original question," Thaal continued, "the heart’s value is both immense and insignificant. Without boring you with details, the System collects High Tribulations. Observing those from our universe with the Seven’s help offers a varied library, but it lacks… diversity. My employer seeks that diversity in other universes. As an alien High Tribulation, the Deluge piques their interest."

"I'm not sure I understand," Priam admitted. He knew a High Tribulation baptized the soul, increasing Soul Tier, but that was about it. "Is there any benefit to changing universes to face a High Tribulation?"

The administrator conjured another donut and devoured it. "None whatsoever. High Tribulations are perfectly tailored to the candidate who triggers them. However, a collector like my employer seeks… other flavors. You’ve lived in Bordeaux, yes? Let me use an analogy."

Two stemmed glasses filled with deep crimson liquid appeared in his hands, and he offered one to Priam.

"Thanks," the Champion said, sipping cautiously. It was grape juice.

"You can produce a multitude of wines from the same soil by blending grape varieties, tweaking fermentation methods, or changing storage vessels. Still, despite all these variables, sometimes you need to change the location, the soil, the climate—the terroir, as the French say—to find a particular taste. It’s the same with High Tribulations: shifting universes allows for new flavors. Delicious," Thaal commented, taking a sip from his own glass. "I have a similar analogy starring Jasmine and Esmée, if you’re interested."

Priam raised an eyebrow. Thaal’s casual and irreverent attitude reminded him of something... "I’ll pass." He glanced down at the sphere in his hand. The Deluge’s essence was in stasis, petrified by the administrator’s mere presence. "The Tribulations triggered by System attribute thresholds… Are they copies of old High Tribulations?"

"High Tribulations are a fundamental law of the aether. Tribulations are an artificial creation, the fruit of a Concept. Despite their surface similarities, they’re very different. Now, it’s possible the System draws inspiration from the former to design the latter, but I wouldn’t call my employer a plagiarist."

"What does it gain from this? I mean, why collect High Tribulations?"

Thaal chuckled softly. "Curious as a child, aren’t you? Well, some theorize it’s a way for the Seven to harvest alien Concepts. Others think it’s an attempt to better understand the fundamental laws of the aether. The scandalmongers claim the System aims to upgrade its Tribulations to challenge the Primordials. There are as many theories as there are ultracrepidarians."

"And what does an administrator think?"

"That he’d better keep his tongue in check. Some secrets are dangerous, even for me," Thaal winked, pressing a finger to his lips in a universal gesture of silence.

Realizing he would get no more answers, Priam shifted back to the primary topic. "Thanks for the insight. From what you’ve said, it seems the essence of an alien High Tribulation is quite valuable to the System..."

...Which increased the value of the Deluge’s heart.

"Nice try," the High Tier said, finishing his glass. To Priam’s surprise, he swallowed it whole. "Crunchy. If the Deluge’s essence were truly critical, the System would’ve absorbed it as soon as it spawned."

"Why didn’t it? Why send an administrator now to retrieve it?"

Thaal locked eyes with Priam. "Why let the Deluge rampage for five centuries alone? For you, of course. Well, you and your rivals," the administrator gestured at the frozen Deluge. "You see, one of the System’s main goals is to foster its users’ progression. This world’s fragment, Valaryth 84th, is a massive sandbox placed in your path. Stripped of its resources, it would’ve lost much of its appeal. That doesn’t mean the System will let you consume them all unchecked—hence my presence."

"That’s…" Priam was speechless. He knew the System paid close attention to Tutorial survivors, but dedicating an entire world to them seemed ludicrous. "A whole world for us?"

"Oh, much more than that," Thaal leaned forward conspiratorially. "You’re not the only Champion who’s stumbled upon a wild rift. Plenty of opportunities await. And perhaps that’s the main reason you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you..."

The implication was clear: if Priam got too greedy, the System might stop favoring him.

"I guess I don’t want that," the warrior growled, tightening his grip on the precious object in his hand. If the administrator had been more forceful or less cooperative, Priam would have refused outright to strike a deal. He despised authority that much. Yet he wasn’t stubborn enough to risk falling out of the System’s good graces. "I’m in a dilemma. I’m willing to trade this High Tribulation heart, but my body craves it."

"I know you’ve got an eidetic memory, but let me repeat myself: just because your body desires this heart doesn’t mean it’s the best thing for you." Thaal straightened, his tone turning serious. "A married man might get hard looking at a woman who isn’t his wife, but there’s a good chance he’d regret an affair. Keep it in your pants, kid."

I feel like I recognize this way of speaking...

Status:

PHYSICAL:

Strength 893 SEALED

Constitution 1 383

Agility 1 173

Vitality 1 179

Perception 858

MENTAL:

Vivacity (D) 599 SEALED

Dexterity 752

Memory 891 SEALED

Willpower 1 012

Charisma 653

META:

Meta-affinity 999

Meta-focus 554

Meta-endurance 899 SEALED

Meta-perception 539

Meta-chance 589 SEALED

Meta-authority 343

Potential: 17 597

Tier 0

Sun points: 143 444

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF/ Reloaded in 19 hours 36 minutes 7 seconds.

Concepts:

Bloodlines:

Rewards standing:

[Tribulation]: Six Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 132 days 20 hours 5 minutes 20 seconds.

Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 600 / 6 attributes > 900 / 3 attributes > 1 200 / 1 attribute > 1 500

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