Update on the medical stuff:
I appreciate everyone patience and understanding about the chapters in the last few weeks. I have an appointment with a specialist next week but currently my doctor and I have the rash under control with a 20mg prednisone once a day. We started with 60 a day which just kicked my ass but 20 a day keeps the rash at a low enough level I can work its not so much prednisone that I cant function.
Hopefully the specialist can fix this shit next week but for ...
TLDR: Ill be taking next monday off as well, hopefully the last time.
Long story is the meds worked but when I ran out of prednisone the rash came back twice as bad so I'm clearly allergic to something new but we have no idea what. Im trying to see a specialize but im back on the meds with a stronger dose and they are keeping me foggy as hell. So for at least the next week I'll be down to one chapter as I work through this. Sorry all and thank you for understanding.
So for the few days I've been having a persistent rash that wont leave my hands and wrist. Long story short the doctor things its stress hives and while the meds are working I'm sleeping nearly 16 hours.
To that end I'll be take monday off hoping that helps. Sorry everyone.
Chapter 134
With their victory over the now eighth-placed team, Quill expected some pushback from the other top ten competitors. With just a look, the pair prepared themselves to dea...
2022-04-15 19:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostThe set up for this arc won't be forever but there are a few pieces I want to show and have placed before things really kick off.
Chapter 133
When Matt and Liz returned to their rooms that evening, Luna and Kurt briefed them on what their other personas had been up to.
Which amounted to… not much.
Their managers had enjoyed a very casual walk around the city. The only interesting thing that had happened was when they were invited to a ‘mask wearers only...
2022-04-11 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostMedical stuff update.
So finally got in to see the specialist for the rash and he actually knew what it was and we have a treatment plan. So ya! Nothing to be worried about for long term health I'm just going to be sucking down antihistamines for the next few weeks while my body resets its self. 0/10 don't recommend.
Chapter 132
After a few days of downtime with her parents, Liz was itching to get out of the house. While Matt wasn't nearly as bothered by ...
2022-04-08 19:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 131
Matt's next few days were a combination of hectic work and leisure time.
The morning after their arrival, the first thing they did was register for their slots in the tournament with their real identities.
It was an easy process that consisted of a simple examination and demonstration of their skills. At least, the ones they were willing to show.
An hour later, they were finished and able to return to their room, only for Mara and Leon to telepor...
2022-04-04 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostUpdate on the medical stuff:
So finally got in to see the specialist for the rash and he actually knew what it was and we have a treatment plan. So ya! Nothing to be worried about for long term health I'm just going to be sucking down antihistamines for the next few weeks while my body resets its self. 0/10 don't recommend.
Chapter 130
As Matt left Lilly he wanted to look at his parents' information packet, but despite having fond memories of Lilly now,...
2022-04-01 19:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 129
Baroness Margaret Thresh carried herself with a demeanor like a tightly coiled spring as she watched them exit the building. She was unmoving, but it felt like she could burst out with full power at any time, for any reason.
If Matt couldn’t read the clear irritation in her eyes, rather than hostility, he would have been worried about being attacked. Even though it would be a suicidal maneuver on her part.
“Miles, why don't we talk more tomorrow?...
2022-03-28 19:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostUpdate on the medical stuff:
So finally got in to see the specialist for the rash and he actually knew what it was and we have a treatment plan. So ya! Nothing to be worried about for long term health I'm just going to be sucking down antihistamines for the next few weeks while my body resets its self. 0/10 don't recommend.
Chapter 128
As Matt stepped out of the formation that had just swapped space to return him home, he paused and took a deep breath.<...
2022-03-25 19:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostTLDR: Ill be taking next monday off as well, hopefully the last time.
Long story is the meds worked but when I ran out of prednisone the rash came back twice as bad so I'm clearly allergic to something new but we have no idea what. Im trying to see a specialize but im back on the meds with a stronger dose and they are keeping me foggy as hell. So for at least the next week I'll be down to one chapter as I work through this. Sorry all and thank you for understanding.
... 2022-03-18 19:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostUpdate on the medical stuff:
I appreciate everyone patience and understanding about the chapters in the last few weeks. I have an appointment with a specialist next week but currently my doctor and I have the rash under control with a 20mg prednisone once a day. We started with 60 a day which just kicked my ass but 20 a day keeps the rash at a low enough level I can work while its not so much prednisone that I cant function. Hopefully the specialist can fix this shit next week but for n...
2022-03-14 19:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostTLDR: Ill be taking next monday off as well, hopefully the last time.
Long story is the meds worked but when I ran out of prednisone the rash came back twice as bad so I'm clearly allergic to something new but we have no idea what. Im trying to see a specialize but im back on the meds with a stronger dose and they are keeping me foggy as hell. So for at least the next week I'll be down to one chapter as I work through this. Sorry all and thank you for understanding.
... 2022-03-11 20:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostNEW MESSAGE
So for the few days I've been having a persistent rash that wont leave my hands and wrist. Long story short the doctor things its stress hives and while the meds are working I'm sleeping nearly 16 hours.
To that end I'll be take monday off hoping that helps. Sorry everyone.
Chapter 124
Matt, Liz, and Aster spent the next few days trying to follow up on whatever leads they had been looking into before the latest capture.
No one tu...
2022-03-07 20:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostI am no longer sick and even caught up on chapters I missed. A back log is the greatest thing.
Chapter 123
Matt, Liz, and Aster were all startled by the report, and were going to investigate when Kurt and Luna appeared in front of the door to their hotel room.
Luna seemed only half interested in them, and was looking off into the distance in a manner that would’ve suggested the use of an AI in anyone else. Considering Luna’s vocal hatred of th...
2022-03-04 20:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostSorry forgot to change the date on the schedule. I've been sick this weekend sorry foggy brain. Right time wrong day.
Chapter 122
Matt walked through the crowd and pointedly ignored the waiter as he snagged a champagne flute off their tray and weaved his way through the crowd.
He had to be careful with his actions; the Tier 35 mask he wore wasn’t as simple as a mask for hiding one's face. It was a shape-changing device, given to Pathers to...
2022-02-28 20:15:09 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 121
Matt struggled with locking down space more than he expected. He knew that it was well within his capabilities, but he still struggled with performing the maneuver consciously.
Luna was not patient. She started out by guiding him through exercise, but eventually, her guidance devolved into mockery.
Despite knowing that she was only needling him, the tactic worked wonders. With her throwing increasingly childish taunts at him, he was able to lock down s...
2022-02-25 20:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostOk. So what happened with this math crap and why does it make everyone kinda dumb seeming?
Short story: I'm bad at math and confused the beta readers who then said Matt was fucked if he didn't get all the conc he can get. When we figured out that we were confused we realized he really doesn't have to worry that much to remain competitive.
So ill be making some of lunas comments less numbered. more vague. she still wants to get every drop out of him but no 'he'll be half as weak'...
This chapter game me so many troubles. It was rewritten four times then split for two chapters as it was nearing 9k. ugh. Lol. Pretty happy with where it is now.
Chapter 119
Liz stirred the mixture as Regina stood back and watched the culmination of three months of experiments.
When the dour woman first arrived, she hadn’t seemed like she wanted to be there. But the worst of her personality seemed to slough off with each passing day as they worke...
2022-02-18 20:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostAnother 7k chapter. Apparently I am incapable of not going well over my word minimum but I refuse to make choppy chapters.
For those tired of the rift building this is the last chapter for it. For those that like it, well it will be back eventually. Soon TM.
Chapter 118
Achlys was an utterly plain man, Matt found through the brief introductions. It only took minutes for the man to change the topic to rift creation.
Matt thought he was a kindred sp...
2022-02-14 20:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 117
When Matt crawled out of the rift exit, his only good leg was doing most of the work. He was quickly scooped up by Mathew and Kyle, who dragged him over to where his team and Melinda. She had clearly started casting spell after spell at the sight of their condition, unwilling to stop until they were whole again.
Knowing she was burning through mana at a prodigious rate, Matt used his Concept to keep her mana topped off, though he barely had any willpower lef...
2022-02-11 20:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 116
When they left the rift, Matt threw himself into training to work off his frustration. His flying sword's destruction didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but he was still upset about the loss.
The sword had served him well over the last few years, and had saved their lives on more than one occasion during the golem disaster and vassal war. To see it reduced to slag hurt far more than he would have expected.
Still, he wouldn’t let his frust...
2022-02-07 20:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 115
April moved through the world with as much speed as her Intent would allow.
Luna had her running around like a chicken with its head cut off. At first, she had just been tasked with finding some of the better combatants in the Empire, near the Tier 30 mark.
That should have been easy.
It had been one of her last assignments as a liaison.
This time, the people Luna wanted located did not want to be found.
April wasn't sure if ...
2022-02-04 20:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 114
Their preparation wasn't as simple as last time.
They started by doubling down on their training, with Kurt overseeing the melee aspect and Luna the magical.
Kurt actually stopped them from training with their new gear against him after they got used to it, instead sending them to fight members from the various local guilds closer to their Tier. The arrangement felt just like they had returned to the vassal kingdom's world, and were able to duel the ot...
2022-01-31 20:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 113
They got out of the rift and were debriefed by Luna while Melinda healed them, and the three of them received quite the shock.
“That wasn't a sub-boss. It was just a stronger variant of the normal monster. If you weren't delving the rift at full mana, I don't think they would appear.” Their trainer sounded smug as she finished.
For a second, Matt wondered if he could get away with not charging the rift to full before they delved, but didn't want to...
2022-01-28 20:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 112
Emmanuel stood in Mara’s and Leon’s capital world estate as he scolded the newly returned couple.
“You idiots! Do you know what you've done!?”
Leon pursed his lips and tapped his chin, while Mara inspected a fingernail that looked more like a talon as she buffed it with her shirt sleeve.
As if he had an idea, Leon snapped his fingers and said, “We didn’t come into the designated reality stepping location and came into our house directly. Sor...
2022-01-24 20:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 111
As they neared the third month of their training, Luna returned and gave them the okay to delve a Tier 9 rift, as expected.
What Matt and Liz didn't expect was for Luna to have a counter offer and additional conditions.
“I don’t think either of you are ready.”
Seeing both of them about to react, their manager elaborated. “No, it’s not that I think you aren't strong enough to fight in a Tier 9 rift. I think you should both leave The Path...
2022-01-21 20:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 110
The first thing Erwin did was have Matt make a series of rifts, starting from Tier 1 to Tier 6. The first set he wanted were just random rifts using only Matt's mana. The second set he wanted to create were all made with a singular elemental mana type. In this case, he was using earth mana.
Erwin had his own set of formation plates ready, which kept the ambient mana out of the rift, preventing them from Tiering up. The idea wasn't unknown to Matt, but the wa...
2022-01-17 20:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostChapter 109
The next week was spent sleeping and charging Wrangle's personal mana stone reserves.
The stones were different from what Matt was used to seeing. The shape was the same, but these stones had a greater weight. Not physically. Or at least, not when they were empty. It was more like a spiritual weight, combined with a sense that the massive crystal was more real than the surrounding materials.
That didn't stop Matt from dumping mana into the ten...
2022-01-14 20:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostAuthors note. One 8k chapter wasn't enough? Have another. Also I said things would be moving fast this arc, let me know if I struck the right balance.
Chapter 108
Matt and his friends panted as their break neared its end. He didn't know if he had the energy to do more physical activity after barely finishing the obstacle course. His arms shook involuntarily, and he had drank too much water, which now threatened to come back up.
He, like everyone else, had taken a lesson...
2022-01-10 20:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostI'd like to thank everyone's patience for my break. Had a good rest and was able to reset by brain and recharge quite a bit while also editing a good chunk of the first book and writing ahead.
As a thanks for the long break here is a 8k chapter. Things are gonna move fast after this so strap in.
Chapter 107
The group landed on the small front lawn of the floating house. Wrangle waved them in.
As they walked in, the man held the door open for them. Matt...
2022-01-07 20:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post