I looked at the mirror and my facial hair. I was taking the day off and would be leaving tomorrow. Naran was doing his thing. Clarissa was managing the good doctor and the city. I was sitting on top of my home, looking out at the plaza as the light source slowly rose in the sky.
Also, the mirror in my left hand. I looked at the pair of tweezers in my right hand. My hair was too strong to cut normally. That was the real reason I wanted better equipment. So, I didn’t have this wild anim...
2022-10-25 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“People of Purgatory!” I called out from my position at the podium inside the Meeting Hall. Looking out, there were only around 550 people. The total population was around 650. That included the last arrivals. Thousands of people of had perished in both the battles.
“Today we are gathered here for three reasons. The first reason is to look back upon our past. To remember the people that fell in defense of this city. In defense of every other person here.” I noted Elise was still...
2022-10-24 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I sat in my office and the good doctor had just entered. He gave me a short bow which I returned as a head nod. He took a seat across from me. I close the book of research the doctor had given me, with his tests, conclusions, and plans.
The silence stayed in the air. “You are sure there are cognitive impacts with potions?” I asked.
“As sure as I can be without further testing,” he said. I tapped my fingers on the desk.
“Which is a key component for energy sensing?...
2022-10-23 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I had gotten back late the night before. Now it was morning and the leadership council as I had taken to calling it had assembled once again. I sat at the head of the table. Naran was to my right, Clarissa to my left. Next to Naran was Gerold. Next to Clarissa was Bob. At the opposite end of the table was Laura.
A copy of the treaty had been passed around and eventually came to a stop in front of Clarissa who was making notes. I could see people going from relieved to pensive and then b...
2022-10-22 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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“I was unable to corner the Ritualist. I could threaten the store pillars. I could run around the city. But it was impossible to find and kill him,” I said. I wonder if anyone else was looking up at the night sky right now. Looking at all those tiny dots, wishing they were stars instead of pinpricks of light.
“And?” Sam asked. I turned my head slowly to look at him and glared.
“I am speaking with Naran,” I said slowly and went back to looking at the night sky.
...
2022-10-21 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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I finished signing the fourth copy with my werewolf. This couldn’t be over soon enough. The entire process had been exhausting and Champion Michael seemed to delight in hammering out the details.
I didn’t push the issue of him having his name first. The treaty was named after my city after all. The biggest win in my opinion was the third clause about assassins or attacks. Also, clause four about people outside of Purgatory.
It wasn’t that big of an issue. I was only concerne...
2022-10-20 23:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Treaty of Heaven
1. Champion Michael of Purgatory and the Ritualist of Heaven recognize each other as leaders of their respective cities. No superiority between either is inferred by this treaty. Both represent their interests and respective claims as equals. No land or territory claims beyond the level 1 zone around each city are recognized by this treaty. No claims about past battles, fights, or deaths are recognized by this treaty.
2. The level 1 zone arou...
2022-10-20 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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I had visitors. Champion Michael with a group of ten people. I had been getting better, but pain still wracked me occasionally. I still had no idea what had happened. If it was Champion Michael who had used some kind of skill, then I had no chance. I could only hope it was something I had overlooked. It hurt me to even admit that I might have overlooked something.
I hadn’t been idle. I knew there would be a response and had my forces prepared. I snuck my mental attack summons into a b...
2022-10-19 23:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Acid Shot. More acid landed on the building. I kept moving around the plaza killing and dodging the weak ants. It was starting to get dark, but I wasn’t worried. I could keep this up. The Ritualist was going to die.
The ants suddenly stopped chasing me and backed off. A werewolf appeared from a side street. I scanned the surroundings and could clearly see the doorway to the melted building. If the Ritualist wanted to talk, I could use that time to regain energy.
“Cham...
2022-10-19 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I stood outside the city of Heaven at its West gate. There were only ten other people with me. The only people that weren’t traumatized and willing to take the fight to the Ritualist. Naran was included in that count. Ten people, it was a depressing number.
Too many people had died, and the Second Battle of Purgatory was a pyric victory at best. I kept thinking over what I had talked to Clarissa about as we made our way to this city.
I entered the tunnel through the wall first. ...
2022-10-18 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Clarissa
I sat at Michael’s desk, which was really my desk when he wasn’t around. “Room for one more?” Naran asked and I waved at the empty seat across the table. All the crystal reserves had been used for regenerations. The treasury was once again empty. I didn’t risk bringing that up with Michael. That could be a conversation for later.
“Surprised you aren’t asleep,” I said.
“Just finished making preparations for tomorrow for us to leave....
2022-10-17 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The silence had stretched on for a while so Clarissa spoke again. “We pushed him back. You pushed him back. You can grind faster than he can gather power.” That was a good point, but peace was impossible.
“To delay the confrontation through diplomacy and attack him on our terms?” I asked. I didn’t like it. Asking for peace would be weakness and a step back. I had lost this battle, but I was personally winning. It was only a matter of time until he was dead.
“Yes,” Cl...
2022-10-16 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“Ahhhh!” I screamed and screamed. My head felt like it was melting. Why? Oh god the pain. I could barely focus. I needed to keep moving. Move.
Dammit, the second trap. It was too late to stop it. I coughed out blood. Blood was coming from my eyes and nose. This didn’t make sense.
Summons didn’t have feedback like hybrids. So why? The tether was gone, so why was the pain still there? I needed to study this. I needed time.
Champion Michael was rushing at my real trap w...
2022-10-15 23:01:02 +0000 UTC
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A beam of energy swept out burning the grass, melting the ground, and incinerating the mental attack monsters to our left.
“Charge!” I shouted and took the lead. There was shouting behind me, but I needed to focus. I stepped to the side and lunged forward, dragging my blade through a wolf. It collapsed to the ground and turned to dust.
Arrows flew at me. I dived out of the way and rolled up to my feet. Acid Shot x2! Several of the archers went down. I kept moving forw...
2022-10-15 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The good doctor was covered in blood. There was no spare water to wash off with or a spare shower since we were under siege at the center of the plaza. Every spare point was needed for supplies and regenerations. At least the birth was successful. Purgatory had its first baby. I had gotten a regeneration to be at top condition for this assault.
“Let me see if I have this right. You can sense a link or tether from a monster to its summoner if the monster is close enough.”
“Ye...
2022-10-14 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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My outer patrol forces froze for a second as I felt a tremor of shock and fear race through my body. It was Champion Michael racing for the South gate. It was only the second day of the battle. I should have had another day at least before he got back. How was he so fast?
He must have risked traveling through the night. I chuckled to myself. He wanted to kill me just as much as I wanted to kill him. He easily spotted and killed the brown slimes just outside and inside the tunnel. My exp...
2022-10-13 23:01:02 +0000 UTC
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We reached the level 1 zone around Purgatory to the Southwest in the morning of day 327. I rushed ahead towards the South gate. It was slightly closer than the West Gate, killing any of the small brown wolves in my path.
Naran would be going along with the cart towards the South gate right on my heels. I was exhausted from the high speed and constant travel we had done. That was why we had made it here mid-day instead of evening.
I was breathing heavily as I got closer to the seco...
2022-10-13 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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My massive army marched on Purgatory, clearing out the monsters in my path. I reached the outer edge of the level 1 zone for Purgatory early in the morning. Managing the respawns when I had to sleep was incredibly frustrating to get a good night’s sleep, but I had practiced enough gathering up crystals, that I knew what I had to do to travel.
Time to split my forces into five groups. Four groups would have 200 hybrids each, 10 wolves with blue slimes, and 10 white deer. That put me at...
2022-10-12 23:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Sam
The Black Horned Crows were on our break when the alarm was sounded. I looked at my four teammates. We were going to kill this bastard Ritualist and what he had done to our friends.
Still, that didn’t do anything for my nervousness. “Stand ready!” I heard General Gerald shout from up above on the wall. I readied my hand to unleash Acid Shot for when monsters broke through the door.
“Archers nock! Draw! Loose!” Arrows went flyi...
2022-10-12 23:01:00 +0000 UTC
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I felt my building under attack. It was just before mid-day. I knew Naran got the alert as well, as my heir to my property. I was at viewing distance of the tower. It was my mid-point for my grinding loop and the only real landmark in the frostlands.
I turned around and ran through the areas I had already cleared. I was breathing heavily when I got back. Aahan quickly began packing up the cart the moment he saw me. I did mental math while I waited for Naran to return.
I had about ...
2022-10-11 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Clarissa
“Unacceptable Doctor Katz.” I stopped myself from rubbing my forehead. Running this disaster of a city, was a lot harder than helping to run one of the top companies back on Earth. At least there my life and existence weren’t on the line and there were other people to help. Michael was off grinding, and everyone else was being difficult. I had no doubt when he showed up, they would all say yes, but for now there was just frustration.
“I will not a...
2022-10-10 23:00:51 +0000 UTC
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I began gathering up the arrivals that had appeared in the plaza. There was screaming and shouting, but they stood no chance against my hybrids and summons.
There had been nothing more from Champion Michael or Purgatory since his last attack. I kept thinking another one would come any day. I had left the city a couple of times to scout out new monster types and found something quite amazing.
“You sure are a handsome devil,” I had my summoned monster say.
“Yes, I am,”...
2022-10-09 23:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Chapter fixed.
***-***
Body-350; Mind-100; Spirt-200; Perception-100; Aura-100; Regeneration-300; Endurance-50; Absorption-50 for a total of 1,250 upgrades.
The fact I hadn’t received an alert from Purgatory was concerning, but the longer I could grind the better off I would be when a fight finally did occur. It felt good to have 200 energy in reserve.
“So, I tested the frostlands,” Naran said.
“And?” I asked.
“Having 200 Body helps a lot. Possibly...
2022-10-09 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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We had just come back from our second deposit of crystals in Neo Brasilia. I had grinded out around 648k points worth of level 3 crystals and spent around 274k points on 50 stat upgrades. That left me with around 556k points in reserve for emergency healing. I wasn’t ever going to go below 500k for anything except a regeneration.
Body-300; Mind-100; Spirt-100; Perception-100; Aura-100; Regeneration-300; Endurance-50; Absorption-50 for a total of 1,100 upgrades with all 50 going into R...
2022-10-08 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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We entered the city of Neo Brasilia. There was no one grinding the monsters outside of it. That was strange. We kept walking through the streets to get to the plaza without seeing a single person or piece of trash. The first was far more concerning, the second implied no one had passed through the street.
There was a stink as we approached the plaza. As it came into sight, it was a mess. Dead bodies, guts, blood, and half starved people. There were areas covered in shit and piss as well...
2022-10-07 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Acid Shot. I then leapt to the side as a woosh of air swept through my previous position. Those force walls were incredibly annoying. But with a little effort I had gotten the timing down. It was good training to be on the alert for any counter attacks and blocks.
The cold of the frostlands was biting into me. I couldn’t tell if it was my stats helping or the lack of the dark blue rats emitting ice energy. Regardless, I wouldn’t complain at having to deal with super cold, i...
2022-10-06 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Acid Shot. Another living armor carrying a sword melted away. Naran, Aahan, and I were South of Neo Brasilia at coordinates (-1,-3), taking a look at the deadlands.
“Try the East?” Naran asked. It would be a long trek. I looked to the Southwest, where there was a hole in the world and cracks coming off of it. The other side of it was where I had run into Death.
“Yeah, these can’t be killed with a sword.” We went a bit North and then turned towards the East.
<...
2022-10-05 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I now had an office. It was normally Clarissa’s office when I wasn’t here, but for now it doubled as my office. The first person I was speaking to was Bob. He gave me a slight bow which I returned with a head nod. I didn’t get up from my chair.
He took a seat at the table across from me. “Do you know why you are here?” I asked.
“You want to make sure I am acceptable for the office of President.” At least he was clued into what was happening right now.
“Yes. T...
2022-10-04 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Gerold
I don’t even know why I put my name up to be General of the Red Military Police Force, RMPF. The Ritualist’s attack and then Tyrese’s death. The entire city was on edge, what was left of it. That was one of the most frustrating parts, not having competent people.
I had to train people who never fought a day in their life to hold a club or sword and put their life on the line. It was frustrating on the best of days, but at least Champion Michael did on...
2022-10-03 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I took my seat at the head of table in the conference room Clarissa had set up in my home. Naran was seated to my right, looking distinctly uncomfortable being in such a high-level meeting. But I valued and trusted his opinion. He could deal with the discomfort, especially in a crisis situation like we were currently facing.
Clarissa was sitting on my left with notes and books ready to go. She had arranged this meeting the second she had confirmed my return the previous night. She had i...
2022-10-02 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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