agoraphobic_dragon

Godfather's System 55

I stood still for a moment as the camp burst into action, trying to decide what to focus on first. I was spoiled for choice. There was the young, panicking noble and his injured knight, the rest of their retainers gone; the Greens were acting suspicious enough to earn some of my attention; the camp was showing signs of chaos as the realization that they had just been conscripted for a dangerous mission…

I followed Karak, his balance ruined by the absence of his right arm, disappearing...

Godfather's System 54

“So, the wards are finally in place,” I said as I looked at the tent that was covered with silver runes, one that took a small fortune to handle. Luckily, I had already gathered a bigger fortune. 

The gambling operation was working even better than I had hoped. I already have thirty employees, split between two shifts, serving the camp — the camp that got only bigger as some smaller caravans decided to join as they struggled under the growing presence of monsters — and afte...

Godfather's System 53 (Interlude, Zolast)

Zolast didn’t remember the last time he felt this conflicted…

No, that was a bald-faced lie. No, he still remembered his greatest conflict, when he had learned the truth about the System and the Gods, confused about what to do with the truth … not that he had handled it well, ending up with a curse from the god he served, an excommunication from the temple he lived, and an order of death from the comrades he had fought together…

He chose poorly, and ended up on the other s...

Godfather's System 52

When I arrived at the line of separation, I temporarily shelved the mysterious objectives of the Greens. It didn’t feel comfortable, but life had taught me that trying to handle problems before understanding them was a bad choice.  

It went doubly in a world that I was yet to understand. 

Instead, I focused on my more immediate problem. Where to establish my fledging gambling operation. The general lines were obvious. I had already decided to keep an eye on the Greens,...

Godfather's System 51

As we walked back to the camp, we stopped by Jertann and Terma. “Are you feeling fine already, old man?” Terma shouted the moment he noticed our approach, his excitement booming. 

“Brother, be careful,” Jertann called as he rushed forward and slammed his hammer, taking down the beast that was rushing toward Terma. A big mistake, one that Jertann was already admonishing him for, so I let that slide. 

“How’s it going, boys?” I asked. 

“Excellent,...

Godfather's System 50

Zolast’s first response to my declaration was a long, lingering sigh. “You’re asking very difficult questions. The kind that will get very dangerous if they spread.” 

“Don’t worry. I didn’t get to this age of blabbing about things that were best left buried,” I answered. “Living as a mercenary taught me a lot more than just fighting.” 

“I can see that,” Zolast answered. He paused a bit, looking around. “The question you ask has a complicated ans...

Godfather's System 49

Killing more beasts away from the camp had a certain amount of temptation, but a literal earthquake and volcanic burst in response to my leveling showed that it was not a sustainable path. 

The natives clearly had their own reasons to keep that restricted. 

Instead, I returned to the camp, using similar tricks to the last time. It was harder to do so without the young noble distracting the camp on the other side, but the stat increase was more than enough to compensate f...

Godfather's System 48

The rest of the day had passed without anything of note ... though it was fascinating just how easily I started referred another half a day filled with killing dangerous monsters hungry for human blood, all the while experimenting with a magical effect that created some kind of magical command effect. Extraordinary became ordinary in quick order. 

Ultimately, that was life. 

The assistance of Jertann started to provide after his promotion played a significant role in the...

Godfather's System 47

“Can’t we rest for just five minutes,” Jertann gasped as he run behind me as we rushed forward to cut the path of another beast before they could meet with the second line. 

For the last four hours, we were continuing our extremely exhausting pace of fighting on the front line of the camp, an elatriss away from the other line, rushing back and forth to kill any large beast that was on the path of meeting with the line of the unaffiliated. 

I even used Charisma spar...

Godfather's System 46

I decided to make my first showing for the Greens, though that was less about my existing impression of the Blacks, but the appearance of a large beast rushing forward, toward the border between Greens and the unaffiliated.

I wasn't the only one who noticed the beast. Both groups already noticed, trying to react to it. The unaffiliated tried to pull back, but the Greens were against that, forcing the group to take the point against the beast.

Considering the ragtag nature of the u...

Godfather's System 45

As I walked back with two beasts in tow, I expected two things. First, I expected to meet with the caravan midway as the first carts started to move, hurrying up to catch up with the others. Second, I expected to create a spectacle as I dragged two large beasts back with me. 

Curiously, neither happened. As I moved back, I could see that, rather than piling the tents on the ground, they were establishing those tents again, just in a tighter manner, closer to the huge bonfire. Very ...

Godfather's System 44

“Stay with Zolast,” I warned Jertann and the rest as we reached the edge of the camp. “The smell of the food will gather a crowd, and I don’t want my food to be spoiled, understood?” I said as I finally put down my plate. 

I had recovered enough to feel confident against an unexpected situation, even some spare to experiment with Charisma. 

[Health (182/225)]

“Are you sure you want to go forward alone? Maybe one of us should…” he started, but fell s...

Godfather's System 43

Going back to the camp after discarding my disguise was an easy affair, though I still made sure to keep my sword in a way that didn’t grab a lot of attention. A magical sword was precious. Exactly how much, I didn’t know, but I didn’t need an accurate valuation to guess the extent of the trouble it would trigger for me in the camp if that was revealed. 

And while I was more confident to handle such trouble if the need arose, that didn’t mean I would be strutting around, in...

Godfather's System 42

I took the challenge of dressing fast seriously. The river monster let out a shout of rage as it stayed on the surface, which, luckily, didn’t last enough to steal the attention of the camp, which was occupied by the great battle that was occurring on the other side. 

The flying ship was still lingering down, and to my surprise, the battle was still ongoing — my perception allowing me to see it clearly, even enough to catch some of the details. Six armored figures attacked the ...

Godfather's System 41

Five minutes. 

I just needed to stay under water for five minutes to reach the little corner of hidden items I had prepared. Simple, very simple, I thought even as I dodged another tentacle, followed by another sharp pull to avoid the huge body of the beast, staying as close to the bottom of the river as I could manage. 

It was dangerous. 

The temptation to escape the river early, hoping that I could slip back to the camp was sweet, but unless the option was b...

Godfather's System 40

I was thinking about the best way to level up even after I lay on a thick mat — in my new tent, courtesy of Jertann.

The return had been smooth, and I was tempted to lie down and enjoy a long nap — while spending Health kept my body in optimal condition, not sleeping for three days was already taking its mental tool.

Especially considering none of those days could be called ordinary by any stretch of the word.

Yet, I didn’t want to risk delaying the opportunity to leve...

Godfather's System 39

The distance between the nearest inner camp and our camp was a bit more than two miles — which meant that it was about three elatriss in their measurements. More importantly, the walk was the only time I hadn’t been disrupted by the constant attacks of the small beasts. 

Ours wasn’t the only camp in our immediate surroundings, and bonfires of the outer camps were enough to attract most of the beasts when combined, and the rest was killed by the archers that were patrolling ar...

Godfather's System 38

Cheating against a bunch of amateurs was going to be easy, I decided even as I watched the current dealer use the palm swish once again for the next bet, replacing weighed dice with normal dice for a few hands. 

The palm switch was a simple trick in concept. Hold a pair of dice in hand, hidden, while grabbing the target dice on the ground, but put the initial set into the throwing cup instead. 

Ordinarily, that trick requires incredibly nimble fingers, the kind that requ...

Godfather's System 37

With the disappearance of the sun came the time to camp once more, as most people lacked the necessary perception to kill the beasts in the dark. They still attacked, of course, but the lack of movement meant much less intensity; especially with most of the attackers drawn to the huge bonfire. 

As we moved, the camp was in chaos around us once more, with tents being erected, carts being repaired in a hurry, forges being set up to repair weapons… A chaotic mess, making me glad tha...

Godfather's System 36

As I walked to join my little group, I observed the changes that happened in my short absence. Some things, like their position, were the same. They were still at the border between the Blacks and the Reds, still killing the little horde of critters that attacked them, a rare few, usually, the smallest, ignoring them to move forward recklessly.  

I dealt with them as I moved. 

[+9 Experience]

My actions were less about the concern for others, and more about increas...

Godfather's System 35

The move back to the red camp was without issue. I moved, with Zolast following me. He didn’t seem to be in the mood to speak, and I didn’t prompt him, letting him process his impromptu recruitment. Though, my reputation didn’t extend to the rest of the people, at least not yet, as people ignored our presence until I put on my armband once again. 

Once I put my band, things changed, and people started putting some distance, even if it meant creating some traffic for other car...

Godfather's System 34

I was prepared to act when I noticed the change in Zolast. 

He had been already holding his knife when the overenthusiastic thugs approached his cart, but it had been a harmless gesture, a cook holding onto his tools of trade. Yet, the moment the threat was uttered, his grip shifted. 

Not significantly. His thumb shifted to the other side, his index finger shifted a bit, his hold loosened a touch. 

Enough to add just a bit of whipping effect as he delivered an...

Godfather's System 33

I didn’t do much for a while as I walked around the camp. I just walked around while taking deep breaths, trying to control that sudden flare of anger. 

I didn’t question the anger. With everything going on, it was a natural response, and even I had limits when it came to compartmentalizing such feelings. No matter the experience, sometimes, one needed to let the shock run. 

If I was still back on Earth, I would have retreated to my secluded cabin in the woods, enjoy...

Godfather's System 32

Jertann was the first to speak as I walked away. “W-where are you going?” he stammered as he followed me, easily catching up to me with his large steps even with his initial freeze, shocked not by my combat proficiency but by choice.  

“Wrong question,” I said with a chuckle, not stopping even for a moment. 

“What do you mean, wrong question?” he stammered, even skipping a step as he followed me. Behind him, Silas was following silently, but only because Kara...

Godfather's System 31

Jertann was a good fighter, and from everything I had seen, a good brother and a friend as well. 

But observant, he was not, as evidenced by the way he walked forward toward the beast that the group had just downed, uncaring of the large group of Blacks that was walking toward us, their weapons threateningly raised. 

I looked at Karak, who just shrugged in resignation. Clearly, it was not the first time. 

I sighed, ignoring my desire to complain even as I coul...

Godfather's System 30

I was quick to realize that, moving as a part of a huge group had its own challenges. Speed was one. Alone, using the river as a highway, I was able to rival a car, and even without cheating, I was moving at a speed that would kill a thoroughbred horse due to overexertion. 

However, the moment the first large beast, some kind of mutated tiger, overgrown to match an elephant in the size appeared, rushing forward at a speed I could never match, I was reassured about my decisions.&nbs...

Godfather's System 29

I had to admit, fighting as a part of the group was different than fighting alone despite some disadvantages, like more monsters targeting the larger group. That was a disadvantage, but not a huge one — especially since the bonfire was still burning bright, holding the attention of most of the flying monsters, leaving us to contend with the land-based variety. 

The biggest advantage, I didn’t need to deal with all monsters myself. I walked behind the group, not contributing muc...

Godfather's System 28

“So, what’s next,” I asked even as I glanced at the camp of the Reds. The first thing I noticed was a number of wagons, several people loading boxes, while others were gathering some large, pavilion-like tents. 

“It seems that we have our next job, scouting the path,” he said. “We don’t want any monster to ambush the camp.” 

“Naturally,” I answered. I didn’t ask any questions, as, while I tried to avoid the huge crowd, I had already other caravans u...

Godfather's System 1-23 - Archive

Choice - 1 

A library wasn’t one of my us

Godfather's System 27

We didn’t talk much for the rest of the way. After finished bragging about his martial potential, he fell silent, mulling on my offer. And, I was lost in my thoughts, wondering whether the mention of a familiar divine name meant anything. 

My conclusion, it probably did, but nothing that would actually matter in the short term. Instead, I turned my attention to his mention of Promotion. 

His offhand mention of gods and being chosen implied that they believed that it wa...