“Thank you, all for coming to this panel that ENN is hosting on the role of super guilds in Exponential,” Fred said while smiling at the virtual camera icon. ENN now had a building in the Capital that they did their reporting from in game.
“Today we are joined by the officers for public relations of the top three super guilds in Exponential. It was going to be four, but Apex pulled out after the most recent disaster and massive loss. Let’s start with Integra from Super Guild For...
2025-10-21 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me, owe 4 chapters.
***
Surprisingly, once we reached a specific passage, the ascent towards the surface was very quick. There was no stream of cold air coming down the passage towards the surface and there was no city name written into the bottom step, which would have been the case for Eldarin entrances.
I was the first to climb up and there was a cave the passage exited into. There was the smell of salt water and light from the sun outside the entrance. Not the...
2025-10-21 08:08:21 +0000 UTC
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We were on the 12th layer and had just defeated a Champion monster. It hadn’t been that difficult with a bit of preparation.
What was concerning me was my skill Compass of Desire. It had been pointing for me to go deeper to get back to the Eldarin continent. I then focused on getting to the Eldarin continent from this layer. Right now it was currently spinning around and around, no clear direction.
I had been worried that this might happen. I had checked the last couple of layer...
2025-10-21 08:07:25 +0000 UTC
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“This ancient, what about building bombs or other traps ahead of time? Why do you need Michael?” Clarissa asked.
“I would have a chance of winning, but it is like fighting on a broken ship. The Chaos monsters outside would target all of us. The Ancient believes it can survive. I can probably survive and win, but the result would sub-optimal.”
“Can Michael even win? Against a foe you would struggle against?” Clarissa asked.
“Maybe. Such a fight would be impossib...
2025-10-21 08:06:51 +0000 UTC
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Clarissa had four guards with her as she followed me through the large white structure with falling water. I could tell that everyone other than me was uncomfortable by the amount of energy in the air. No one said anything though.
We reached the large doors which swung open and slowly advanced towards the raised dais in the center of this indoor lake. The doors didn’t close behind us, which I didn’t know if it was a good or bad thing.
“Greetings, I am Clarissa. Michael asked...
2025-10-21 08:06:21 +0000 UTC
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“Well, we are screwed. Like a cactus shoved up one’s-,” Quant Z said.
“Thank you for the vivid imagery,” I said, cutting him off. I didn’t need to think about something like that. My brain already had enough contamination from the nonsense I had heard from members of my Mercenery Guild.
“Of course. I find it quite helpful to use vivid imagery in communicating. I am glad it is working,” he replied. I resisted the urge to puke over his smug face.
“Our busines...
2025-10-20 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me
***
While we made our way down through the dungeon, I checked for any nearby Abnormals. That knowledge was probably the second greatest thing I had gotten from the beastkin continent, right after my divination skill.
Most of the time Compass of Desire just spun about, with no clear direction. But as were passing through the 6th layer, I picked up on an Abnormal and adjusted our course from heading directly to the next layer.
The Abnormal was a fire breath...
2025-10-19 20:12:48 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete on edit
***
I looked at the ruined city in the light. The valley had a certain warmth to it and there was steam rising up into the air. The dungeon entrance was just ahead.
We hadn’t found anything useful in the ruined settlement. But this place was clearly a city of some kind. The metal buildings were still intact and there was even a circular layout for the streets.
Some of the buildings had collapsed and there was clear signs of battle damage. Trenches ...
2025-10-19 17:31:41 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me!
***
“You don’t expect that to work?” the demon asked as it took a step forward while carefully scanning everything.
“You were the one to injure Lazarus. Did you kill him and Mandaeism,” the demon casually asked me with a rumbling voice.
“Perhaps, do you truly care,” I replied without hesitation and the demon nodded. I considered lying, but that would remove any chance of resolving this through dialogue.
“Then you are strong enough t...
2025-10-19 16:23:34 +0000 UTC
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AN: Replace on edit. I owe 1 chapter still.
***
We got two days of travel, including sled rides on the demon, before my Danger Sense began to increase again. There were hints of light for about an hour each day. Not enough to change how cold it was, but it was nice to see a bit better and get some hope that the dark season was ending.
I didn’t say anything to my companions about my Danger Sense increasing once more. I had a choice to make. If I wanted to leave them behind...
2025-10-19 04:49:50 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me.
***
“Hmmm,” I hummed lightly, rejecting a Humming skill. My Danger Sense had increased. There was a touch of light. The dark season was almost over. It would be time to leave soon.
Going back inside, my Danger Sense hadn’t decreased. The only beings that could be approaching now were either beastkin or demons. I would put my money on demons, since it was still the dark season. Beastkin wouldn’t be traveling.
“We have trouble approaching,” I ...
2025-10-19 03:33:32 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me
***
Supreme Warlady Elena Burnstock
We looked at each other, once more as I chewed the salted meat I had pulled out of my spatial pouch. The demon was tenacious, but the odds were slowly moving in my favor.
“You are tenacious. But I haven’t gone all out yet,” the demon said while glaring at me. It had taken to trash talking me back. That was fine. I would let it waste its time and energy hitting my Social Immunity with no effect.
2025-10-19 01:49:50 +0000 UTC
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“That’s what happened,” I explained to Clarissa. She had listened carefully as I recounted my entire interaction with the alien known as Artifex.
“So, this Artifex isn’t really controlling this place. That seems convenient, a little too convenient,” Clarissa said.
“But it does explain a lot of oddities. As for waiting for someone to show up to even talk and the Avatar, I am less sure. But this alien is incredibly powerful,” I replied.
“It countered you inst...
2025-10-19 00:19:07 +0000 UTC
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“That is horrible,” I replied.
“Indeed it is,” Artifex replied casually.
“And you couldn’t do anything?” I asked.
“Not easily. Everything comes with a cost. You don’t go out of your way to save every human. For me all of you matter very little,” the System said.
“And if I don’t trust you or want to work with you?” I asked.
“That is your choice. But I can trade you the remaining meta-points that I have access to, in exchange for your he...
2025-10-18 22:57:31 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me.
***
Level: 20 Experience: BLOCKED
Healing: 530/530 Stamina: 660/660 Mana: 800/800
Class: Tier 1, Adult Human(Blue)
Effect: Increased Skill Acquisition(+10%), Increased Learning Speed(+10%), Increased Stat Gain(+10%), Increased Physical Gain(+10%), Increased Mental Gain(+10%)
Vitality: 53 ()
Endurance: 66 (+1)
Strength: 44+3 (+1)
Agility: 52+14 (+1)
Perception: 44 (+1)
Mind: 176 (+3)
Magic: 73+7 (+2)
Focus: 64+12 (+1)
Free...
2025-10-18 17:47:17 +0000 UTC
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AN: Replace me on edit.
***
“I am Lanner Thunderdust,” Lanner introduced himself. I didn’t mention anything about him using his last name. If he was keeping it, that was his choice.
“Wild Tail of the Blood Fox Clan,” the beast kin said. “Um, are all humans so short?”
“I had an accident growing up,” Lanner said, and Wild Tail nodded.
“The sleeping monster is my pet Ozy. Welcome to our little room for the dark season. I got a bed set up for you....
2025-10-18 15:45:24 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete on edit. Next two chapters are written, but I need to reread them in the morning before posting. Lots of social stuff, which has a big impact I need to double check when I am not tired.
***
My Danger Sense had been steadily increasing over the past couple of days. It wasn’t at panic levels yet, but it was concerning. I had warned Lanner to be on guard. While he also had Danger Sense it was far from being maximized.
I changed up my outdoor excursion routes. With ...
2025-10-18 04:13:34 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me.
***
“Well that was unproductive,” I muttered. We had been searching the settlement and had found nothing of value for the last week. There were no corpses either, from demons or beastkin.
Even targeting the wealthier and central areas of the settlement, they had been picked clean by the beastkin or the demons. There were a couple pieces of jewelry made of gold and silver that we had found, but they weren’t worth much. The central refinery, entrance to th...
2025-10-18 04:11:46 +0000 UTC
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“The country of India declares this attack by the Mercenery Guild and Foxy Blight on Super Guild Apex as highly reckless and destabilizing for international relations. We condemn Foxy’s actions at the highest levels and ask that other nations act in conjunction with us to prevent her continued domination in Exponential.”
“That was Jagdeep Kumar, known as Ice Warrior, the representative of the Indian government. We have had our financial analysts here at ENN break do...
2025-10-17 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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AN: Remove me when edited.
***
I am Demon Mandaeism.
I write to improve my mind.
My first memories are of the depths. The sweet taste of the soul fruit had past my lips, granting me consciousness. My soul was freed from the cloying embrace of the depths.
Escaping the confines of the depths, breathing in the surface air, was my first taste of freedom. Freedom from the Mana that both fed and shackled me.
My benefactor w...
2025-10-17 02:23:57 +0000 UTC
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AN: Remove me when edited.
***
Getting back to the mountains had been a trek. I cut out a cave into a cliff wall. It was quick and messy. I doubted it would hold up for that long, but it should last through the night. I pushed a boulder to cover most of the doorway, leaving only a small crack so we didn’t suffocate.
“Fire Blade.”
The small room instantly heated up, and I felt better. Lanner let out a sigh of relief. Ozy also seemed to relax as our small ...
2025-10-17 02:23:13 +0000 UTC
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“ETA on all teams, five and a half minutes,” a communications officer reported. The three approaching airships would be here in three minutes. I had to make a quick decision. Leave behind a lot of the valuable manufacturing equipment or escape.
The quick disassembly had reduced the value by over half, but even with the damage they were still worth quite a bit. Leaving them behind was letting another group profit off our hard work of taking this place and clearing it out. That was ne...
2025-10-16 23:00:01 +0000 UTC
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AN: Replace me on edit.
***
“Vibration Blade!”
I rushed in at the singed demon. He had dodged the worst of the fire blast. The problem with runic circles was aiming them precisely. Against a horde of monsters, it wasn’t a huge issue, but against a demon, it made a huge difference.
The demon Mandaeism, had dodged to the side and had blocked the worst of the attack. The steam was quickly refreezing in the cold air, turning into a jagged ice sculpture betwe...
2025-10-16 17:06:18 +0000 UTC
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AN: Have a chapter early. I got into the zone and did another one. Sometimes the lightning comes a bit sooner.
***
The cave where the cursed longblade was going to be kept was deep, very deep. Leaving it behind was a huge risk. I wasn’t about to make a shallow hole and I needed space for the runic circle I wanted to make about the metal coffin.
Ozy was getting put to work, digging out a narrow tunnel, that I would have to crawl through and then a much larger cave behind th...
2025-10-16 05:16:55 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me on edit
***
Legend Xanatos
“Hmmm. Someone is causing trouble. Things have shifted. They have shifted greatly,” I casually said while letting the currents of Mana blow past me. “What do you think?”
The male elf tried to scream, but I had already removed his vocal cords and tongue. I had the information I wanted from him. The war mech had been lost in the dungeon. A shame, it would have made for a useful weapon in so many ways.
<...
2025-10-16 04:09:47 +0000 UTC
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AN: Waiting to be deleted and edits.
***
“Hmm,” I said while I carefully sketched out the design I wanted to make. I would be using the metal I had collected from Harren and the beastkin to make the container for the cursed longsword.
With my limited supplies, I had to make the container count. The sword would go in the container and then the container would go into a hole in the ground. Blocking out all the Mana wasn’t possible with the amount it gave off.
But I...
2025-10-16 04:08:42 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete this on edited version.
***
Level: 20 Experience: BLOCKED
Healing: 501/530 Stamina: 254/650 Mana: 642/780
Class: Tier 1, Adult Human(Blue)
Effect: Increased Skill Acquisition(+10%), Increased Learning Speed(+10%), Increased Stat Gain(+10%), Increased Physical Gain(+10%), Increased Mental Gain(+10%)
Vitality: 53 (+1)
Endurance: 65 (+2)
Strength: 43+3 (+1)
Agility: 51+14 (+1)
Perception: 43 (+1)
Mind: 173 (+3)
Magic: 71+7 (+2)
Foc...
2025-10-16 04:08:04 +0000 UTC
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AN: Delete me!
***
I was breathing heavily and sweating after the last battle. Too many of the monsters had been fire resistant. The longsword truly was cursed. The dungeon was adapting in a way that normally didn’t happen.
What was even worse, was that we still hadn’t reached the passage back up to the 11th layer. It had been a month, and we were still slogging through the 11th layer. I knew that I wanted the exit at the White Wastes.
Unfortunately, the skill Comp...
2025-10-16 04:07:06 +0000 UTC
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I appeared above the top of the second wall. The bad thing about line of sight teleportation and walls, was that I had to appear in the air to get on top of them. Since the skill had been upgraded to the Heirloom rank, I had a teleportation distance of 40 meters.
Super Guild Apex had made the wall just the right height to counter Blink. But with its increased rank and the ramp, I was able to teleport far enough into the air to reach the air above the wall.
“Blink!...
2025-10-15 23:00:01 +0000 UTC
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AN: Replace me sempai with edits. Riding the lightning with my release schedule. This story arc took thought to make everything line up with the larger story. No AI here lol. But it also means, that I couldn't just crank out a bunch of chapters at once casually.
***
In the end practicality won out. “Does Compass of Desire respond to my thoughts?” I asked.
“It is a divination type skill. It is a bit difficult to use. But it will see you to what you want. But it can get ...
2025-10-15 01:39:07 +0000 UTC
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