Primordial Awakening: I Breathe Skill Points!-Chapter 57: The Momentum Investment

The next morning, Zeph woke to a notification that made him smile for the first time in what felt like weeks.

[TRANSFER COMPLETE: 50,000 credits]

[New Balance: 60,461 credits]

He immediately opened his banking app and transferred 16,000 credits to his landlord. Two months rent, paid in advance.

[Transfer Complete: Rent Payment - 16,000 credits]

[New Balance: 44,461 credits]

’That’s breathing room. That’s security. That’s not having to worry about eviction notices or employment verification for at least eight weeks.’

A message from his landlord arrived thirty seconds later:

"Rent received. Thank you for the advance payment. Hope you’re feeling better!"

’Right. I told him I was sick. Should probably maintain that story.’

He sent back: "Much better now. Thanks for understanding."

’Okay. Rent handled. Now for the important part.’

Zeph opened the Union marketplace again and started his search in earnest.

He wasn’t shopping randomly. He had a PLAN.

’The Skill Fusion Crystal lets me combine two skills into one hybrid. But the fusion destroys the original skills permanently. So I can’t just buy two random A-ranks and hope for the best.’

’I need skills that synergize. That complement each other. That create something greater than the sum of parts.’

’Zeus showed me I can’t break through enhanced defenses. I have speed and mobility covered. What I need is a FINISHER. Something that actually kills enemies who survive my initial assault.’

’Something that rewards extended combat but can be unleashed for devastating burst damage when I need it.’

He filtered his search:

- Rank A minimum

- Damage scaling OR momentum-based

- Compatible with aggressive sustained combat

- Under 20,000 credits each

Thirty-three results.

He started reading.

-----

Two hours later, he’d narrowed it down to four possibilities.

Then two.

SKILL 1: ACCUMULATED DISASTER (Rank A)

```

Cost: 18,000 credits

Type: Passive/Active - Momentum Building

Effect: Generate 1 Calamity Point (CP) every 30 seconds while in combat.

Store maximum 100 CP. Can consume all stored CP in a single devastating

strike. Damage scales linearly: Each CP adds 10% to base weapon damage

(50 CP = 500% damage, 100 CP = 1000% damage).

Active ability cooldown: None (can be used whenever CP is available)

MP Cost: 100 + (10 per CP consumed)

Description: A skill designed for patient warriors. The longer you fight,

the more devastating your finishing blow becomes. Popular among duelists

and boss raiders who value single-target burst damage.

```

’Momentum building. Damage scaling. Patient accumulation for massive payoff.’

’At 30 seconds per CP, it takes 50 minutes to reach 100 CP in normal combat. That’s... way too long for most fights.’

’But the damage potential is insane. 1000% weapon damage at max stacks would one-shot most enemies my level.’

’The question is: can I build CP fast enough to make this useful?’

SKILL 2: MOMENTUM OVERFLOW (Rank A)

```

Cost: 16,000 credits

Type: Active - Burst Amplification

Effect: Channel all accumulated combat momentum into your next attack.

The attack gains bonus damage based on how many consecutive actions

you’ve taken in the past 60 seconds (attacks, dodges, skill uses all count).

Maximum 50 actions tracked. Each action adds 15% bonus damage (max 750% at 50 actions).

Additionally, the strike releases a shockwave dealing 30% of impact damage

to all enemies within 8 meters.

Cooldown: 45 seconds

MP Cost: 300

Description: Turn sustained aggression into explosive finishers.

The more active you are in combat, the more devastating this skill becomes.

```

’Action tracking. Shockwave for AOE. Rewards constant activity.’

’Fifty actions in 60 seconds is... doable with my speed. That’s less than one action per second.

’But the damage cap is 750%. That’s less than Accumulated Disaster’s maximum potential.’

He stared at both skills, his tactical mind already seeing the synergy.

’Wait. What if I fuse these?’

The vision crystallized.

’Accumulated Disaster provides long-term momentum building through CP generation. Momentum Overflow provides immediate burst amplification through action tracking.’

’Combined? A skill that generates CP over time AND scales based on my combat activity. The patience of Accumulated Disaster with the aggression of Momentum Overflow.’

’Perfect for my playstyle. I’m always aggressive, always attacking. The action counter would build naturally. And the CP would accumulate in the background, giving me a massive finisher for when I need it.’

He checked his credit balance: 44,461.

The two skills together: 34,000.

’That leaves me with 10,461 credits for everything else. Runes. Equipment. Survival gear for the expedition.’

’And if the fusion FAILS, I’ve wasted 34,000 credits and destroyed two A-rank skills for nothing.’

’That’s the risk. That’s the gamble.’

’But the potential payoff...’

He imagined it. A skill that punished enemies for letting fights drag on while also rewarding his aggressive tempo. Something that gave him both sustained threat AND a finishing blow strong enough to break through any defense.

’Zeus had body enhancement runes that made him nearly immune to my attacks. This would give me the damage to actually HURT enemies like that.’

’Fuck it. This is the vision. Commit or die trying.’

He pressed purchase on both skills.

[PURCHASE CONFIRMED: Accumulated Disaster - 18,000 credits]

[PURCHASE CONFIRMED: Momentum Overflow - 16,000 credits]

[New Balance: 10,461 credits]

[Skill books will arrive via courier within 2 hours]

’Okay. Committed. No turning back now.’

’Next: the rune.’

-----

Zeph searched for speed-enhancement runes, expecting the usual body-inscription type that required professional services and hours of painful etching.

What he found instead made him stop scrolling.

Rune of Dazzling Speed (Rank D)

```

Cost: 8,000 credits

Type: Soul-Integrated Rune (Self-Installing)

Rarity: Uncommon

Effect: Permanent AGI increase

- D-rank: +25 AGI

- C-rank: +100 AGI (upgrade cost: 5,000 PP)

- B-rank: +500 AGI (upgrade cost: 10,000 PP)

- A-rank: +1,500 AGI (upgrade cost: 25,000 PP)

Description: Unlike traditional body-inscribed runes, soul-integrated

runes exist as pure magical constructs that merge directly with the

user’s System interface. No inscription process required. No body

modification. No removal possible.

Simply activate the rune and integrate it with your soul structure.

The effect is PERMANENT and IRREVERSIBLE. Upgrades function

identically to skill upgrades using PP.

Warning: Soul-integrated runes cannot be removed once installed.

Choose carefully. Maximum of 3 soul-integrated runes per awakened.

```

’Soul-integrated. Self-installing. Upgradeable with PP.’

’And the upgrade path...’

He did the math.

D-rank: +25 AGI (8,000 credits)

Upgrade to C-rank: +100 AGI (5,000 PP)

Upgrade to B-rank: +500 AGI (10,000 PP)

’I have 122,529 PP. Upgrading to B-rank would cost 15,000 PP total. That still leaves me with 107,529.’ 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

’+500 AGI. That’s...’

He checked his current AGI: 156

Add 500 from B-rank rune: 656.

With predator advance applied: 1,312.

’One thousand three hundred and twelve AGI.’

’That’s faster than most A-rank awakened. That’s approaching S-rank speed tier.’

’That’s the kind of speed where I can dodge attacks people can’t even see coming.’

’And it’s PERMANENT. Can’t be dispelled. Can’t be stolen. Just... always there.’

His cursor hovered over the purchase button.

’8,000 credits. Leaves me with 2,461. That’s... not much of a buffer.’

’But this is a permanent power increase that scales with everything else. And I can upgrade it further as I generate more PP.’

’And I need every advantage I can get for ruins that killed thirty B-rank scouts.’

He pressed purchase before he could overthink it.

[PURCHASE CONFIRMED: Rune of Dazzling Speed (D-rank) - 8,000 credits]

[New Balance: 2,461 credits]

[Digital delivery: Rune integration code sent to System interface]

A notification appeared in his vision.

[RUNE INTEGRATION CODE RECEIVED]

[Access System interface to activate]

’Right. Self-installing. I can do this now.’

He pulled up his System interface and navigated to the new section that had appeared:

[SOUL-INTEGRATED RUNES]

[Available Slots: 3]

[Current Runes: 0]

[Pending Integration: Rune of Dazzling Speed (D-rank)]

[Activate integration? Y/N]

’No turning back after this. The rune becomes permanent.’

’But I’m already committed to the speed-focused build. This just makes it better.’

He selected [Y].

A sphere of pure white light materialized in front of him, hovering at eye level. About the size of a baseball, pulsing with gentle, rhythmic luminescence.

[RUNE OF DAZZLING SPEED DETECTED]

[Beginning soul integration...]

[This process is PERMANENT and IRREVERSIBLE]

[Confirm? Y/N]

’Fuck it. All in.’

[Y]

The sphere dissolved into streams of light that flowed directly into his chest. Not through his skin—through the space where his soul resided within his System interface.

There was no pain. No discomfort. Just warmth.

A pleasant, almost soothing sensation as the rune integrated itself into his fundamental existence.

[INTEGRATION COMPLETE]

[Rune of Dazzling Speed (D-rank) - ACTIVE]

He immediately navigated to the upgrade option.

[RUNE UPGRADE AVAILABLE]

[D→C: 5,000 PP]

[C→B: 10,000 PP]

[Total cost for B-rank: 15,000 PP]

[Proceed with full upgrade? Y/N]

’I have 122,529 PP. This is nothing.’

[Y]

[UPGRADING: Rune of Dazzling Speed]

[D→C: 5,000 PP]

[C→B: 10,000 PP]

[PP: 122,529 → 107,529]

The warmth intensified. Not uncomfortably, just... more.

His body felt lighter. His perception sharpened. Reality seemed to slow down slightly, like the entire world was moving through water and he was the only one unaffected.

[UPGRADE COMPLETE]

[Rune of Dazzling Speed (B-rank) - ACTIVE]

[AGI: 156→ 656 (+500)]

[Effective AGI with predator advance: 1,312]

’One thousand three hundred and twelve AGI.’

’I’m Level 35 with S-rank speed.’

He took a single step forward.

And nearly crashed through his apartment wall because he moved FIVE TIMES faster than he’d intended.

’Oh. Oh fuck.’

His body wasn’t calibrated for this level of speed. His muscle memory was built for 156 AGI, not 656

He’d just given himself superhuman speed without the motor control to use it properly.

’This is going to take some getting used to