“You don’t have to pay immediately, sir,” the man said amicably, rubbing his hands, “You can stay for two weeks and then decide.”
Freddy stared across his new rental apartment and nodded his head. “Okay, thanks. I’ll see you in two weeks then.”
They shook hands, and the man left, looking rather pleased. It was easy to tell why he was so happy. Having a two-star renting place in this run-down building was probably its biggest mark of prestige.
Not that it was ...
2023-12-12 08:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Standing in his ethercosm, Freddy stared at the dark blue part of his core, mesmerized. And afraid. There was a reason why he hadn’t tested this affinity yet—because it felt dangerous and not in a good way.
It gave him a sensation of both being unable to tear his eyes away from it and desperately wanting to look behind himself to ensure nothing was there. It was suffocating and anxiety-inducing, sort of like diving into the ocean and taking a look down into the darkness below. His e...
2023-12-08 08:00:09 +0000 UTC
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Marven stood in his spirit realm. It still took the form of the golden fields he used to toil in, but it had been thoroughly wrecked by that point. Destruction spread all around him.
Unknowingly, he had the same thought all his companions had had at roughly the same time.
‘Isn’t this a little too easy?’
They hadn’t ascended to the diamond path yet due to the demigod and the emperor’s ability to track them if they did so, so they were only at the level of a...
2023-12-07 00:04:14 +0000 UTC
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It had been a warm, pleasant evening above the empire capital when the emperor told Kingean, under spirit oath, the secret to his ascent up to the second step of the diamond path. A hundred years had passed since then.
And he hadn’t made a single step of progress toward achieving that goal.
A rope-thick strand of potential spreading seemingly infinitely in both directions, so long and glorious that it must have held a secret of the universe itself. And the emperor had grasped on...
2023-12-06 16:16:12 +0000 UTC
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The Abyssal Depths were much richer in qi than the surface. And monsters were attracted to energy density. However, that didn’t mean that the surface was wholly unappealing. A place like the empire's capital is still attractive enough that veritable hordes of monsters charge at it all the time.
The former Empress was a wise woman, however. With an Earth Manipulation spirit power, she formed intricately shaped caverns beneath the capital, and their unique shape prevents energy...
2023-12-06 14:12:04 +0000 UTC
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For as long as he could remember, Freddy hated walks. When he had no money, no time, no energy, friends, hobbies, or really any reason to leave his house, the only time he went for a walk was when he was forced to do so.
His steps would always take him past attractions he was too poor to enjoy, and as the reward, all that waited for him were annoying chores and responsibilities. Needless to say, nothing about walking had ever been gratifying for him.
Thus, he woke up frustrated.
2023-12-05 08:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Sequela was an unavoidable reality for living organisms—one could even call it a symptom of life. Tissue could regenerate. But damage always left a mark. Scarring, fragility, weakness, fatigue; these were only some of the consequences, but two were the most difficult to cope with. The first was the loss of function.
And the second was pain.
“Ugh, fuck man, my back is killing me,” Freddy heard an older man complain.
“Yeah,” another concurred. “My neck is so stiff ...
2023-12-01 08:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Mark watched the white-suited figure walk confidently into the room.
Basilisk spread his arms and smiled joyously at them. “Hey there, boys, how have you been?” he asked, and Mark rushed to get up.
He tried giving his respects and fleeing immediately, but the man placed a firm hand on his shoulder. The touch sent shivers down Mark’s spine, but all the man did was lightly massage his shoulder as he laughed.
“Don’t worry, young man!” he said. “It’s nothing impo...
2023-11-28 08:00:05 +0000 UTC
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The capital of this dingy empire might have been prominent by the standards of these lower realm hicks, but from Hosolar’s perspective, it was little more than a corner a rat was trapped in. After a whole week of tireless searching, he was sure beyond doubt that that child, together with what they had gathered to be five allies, had escaped into the underground.
That was, to Hosolar, a minor inconvenience. Even if it took years to track the child down, it was no problem for him. To hi...
2023-11-25 23:32:37 +0000 UTC
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The Rift had changed much about how reality worked. Those changes had made one of the greatest inventions and most commonly used pieces of old technology utterly worthless.
What had once been called an automobile, or, colloquially, a car, simply no longer worked. How it was even possible for such fundamental aspects of reality to change without it thoroughly destroying the fabric of the universe was still a mystery to that day.
There were numerous theories, though. Given that comp...
2023-11-24 08:00:05 +0000 UTC
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In the central hall of the Falken sect, three domes of spirit stood undisturbed. With a flicker, Neave and Dukean appeared before them.
“You remember what we agreed upon?” Neave asked him.
Sighing, Dukean answered, “Don’t worry. I’m not going to say anything. I’m not an idiot.”
He nodded at the young master. “Good.” then, with a swing, he shattered the first of the four domes.
The person inside flinched and jumped as the dome dissipated and the liquid...
2023-11-22 16:10:33 +0000 UTC
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Kingean had believed that he could never forgive Beanna for her mistake. Their comrade’s life—and the failure to subdue a great calamity—was an unacceptable price to pay.
Yet, it didn’t take long for the ice around his heart to be melted by the eternal fire burning from within. Indeed. Although he would never admit it, as he couldn’t act on these feelings, he had been deeply in love with Beanna for a long, long time. From even before he met his late wife.
But now, yet ag...
2023-11-21 23:10:17 +0000 UTC
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The world of archhumans was an elusive, mystical place for most mortals. Information was sparse, and the circulated rumors were often grossly exaggerated, if not intentionally misleading.
But some subjects were too well-known to easily fall victim to misinformation. For example, the vast majority knew that archs had talents and affinities, almost all knew that their power was measured in stars, and everyone knew about the existence of Interspace.
The whats, whys, and hows...
2023-11-21 08:00:04 +0000 UTC
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[AUTHOR'S NOTE]
Greetings, my children :)
I proudly present to y'all the start of book four. Been a while in the making, I apologize for the delays! I'm going to be doing my best to supply as many chapters as I can, but it will be rough doing it parallel with 1% Lifesteal. I can't promise any sort of schedule for now, but hopefully, within the next 10-15 chapters, I'll have a better idea of what I'm capable of sustaining without killing myself from overwork.
Enough author cringe. TI...
2023-11-17 22:43:14 +0000 UTC
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The meeting room was around twice as big as a middle-class living room. The grey couch with the coffee table was on one end, and a large meeting table was on the other. In the far corner was a window facing a tree that partly covered the neighboring plot of land, where a large, red mansion resided.
On the table, there were several cups of coffee. Some were empty, and others had long run cold. The doors opened, and the servant lady brought several fresh, steaming cups. Freddy nearly than...
2023-11-17 08:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Imperta was a medium-sized town, with only around fifty thousand people living there. In one of its nicer corners, there was a street. It was clean of dirt, potholes, and other signs of deterioration. Carriages not moved by drake but self-propelled dominated the busy avenue—with each day, they became cheaper and more accessible, even to the mortal folk.
There was a boutique between a small restaurant and a lawyer's office. The doors opened, and an above-average-height male walked out....
2023-11-14 08:00:04 +0000 UTC
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The cool, pleasant wind of early spring caressed the tall wheat, carried gusts of dust across the tilled soil, and rustled the branches of a nearby tree. The tall sun bit with the burning heat of noon, and none but a few tiny clouds speckled the edges of the horizon.
There, in his torn straitjacket and white underwear, splattered in blood and smelling of beer, stood a reaper holding a scythe, carefully observing the house where he had—less than twenty minutes ago—claimed a life.
...
2023-11-10 10:37:49 +0000 UTC
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Kraven Industries Faralethal Mercantile and Information Agency
Excavation, Foraging, and Spelunking Department
Faralethal Activity Excavation Site: Camp Violet: Destruction Investigation Report
REPORT: CVDCSR-00056
*This is a transcribed comprehensive summary of all reports and report sections in reference to Subject and their involvement with the Camp Violet Destruction Incident. The reports referenced i...
2023-11-07 10:50:14 +0000 UTC
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[MINOR EDIT NOTICE]
In the previous chapter, Freddy notes that, in order to pass as Peter Vane, he has to reach the second star and find a way to temporarily undo Abyssal Depths.
That's it. Enjoy the Finale :)
[CHAPTER START]
Being dragged into the mouth of the beast left Freddy frozen stiff, terrified beyond what he believed was possible; his hand clutched the dagger in a death grip, but his shoulder was locked, making him incapable of even taking a swing, and as the num...
2023-11-03 08:00:04 +0000 UTC
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They said that Janhalar, the reigning patriarch of the Kraven clan, smiled only once in his life. It wasn’t when his child was born—nor was it when he underwent his marriage ceremony.
The only time he had ever smiled was when he reached the third star and evolved his talent.
To the Kraven, blood was all, and his was particularly special. Aptly named Blood of the Patriarch, his talent made his blood incredibly potent. Whether in creating blood-attuned equipment or for ...
2023-10-31 09:38:55 +0000 UTC
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Stephen woke up as his alarm went off—a sound of chirping birds accompanied by a faintly glowing orange light illuminating his room, simulating the lighting of a beautiful sunrise. His living quarters were predominantly of elegant white, accented by a few shades of grey, mainly to make the expensive Cloudego-brand furniture pop out. His room had window-screens of shifting light that simulated a time of day, currently shining Morning’s Optimism—a setting he enjoyed the ...
2023-10-27 09:11:40 +0000 UTC
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Mark woke up with both his arms numb. The curtains in the large, opulent bedroom were pulled over the windows, and the light just barely revealed the warm, soft reasons why. Trapping his left side was a beautiful brunette woman, and lying on the other was a handsome blonde.
“Son of a—!” he whispered under his breath. “Not again…”
Pulling his arms out from under his two naked companions, he got up and went to the toilet.
Going up a star was often accompanied by no...
2023-10-24 10:34:44 +0000 UTC
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The biggest problem Freddy had noticed after moving out of the main compound was that it was nearly impossible to keep track of time. Luckily, he hadn’t missed any days before and still had free days he wasn’t using usually, so it had no considerable consequences.
His solution to the problem was simple. He just went to the equipment distribution center and requested a small pocket watch. Yup. They gave those away. For free. He had no clue. Made sense when he thought about it. People...
2023-10-20 09:53:07 +0000 UTC
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Freddy glanced at the five men rushing at him and the one still on the ground. They had all covered their faces in brown, make-shift cloth masks. Three had short, two had longer hair, and the man he toppled was bald.
Before he could discern anything else, he turned around and ran through the maze of tents.
"Help!" He yelled. "Help me!" He yelled louder.
His thigh bled, people rushed out of his way and past him, and his pursuers were hot on his trail. The tents rose high enou...
2023-10-17 10:59:25 +0000 UTC
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Over the next few days, Freddy gradually got more comfortable with his new job. And in no small part, his newly upgraded stage one Adaptive Water Body was to thank for this.
The upgrade had unexpected results in several aspects. When his Create Water upgraded, the outer shell basically didn’t change at all besides a few minor adjustments to the individual runes.
Water Body had been a straightforward shell, barely more complex than Create Water. But the upgraded version…
...
2023-10-13 09:00:04 +0000 UTC
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Despite only barely fulfilling the daily quota, Freddy felt dead tired. His body was struggling, and his constant abuse of it didn’t help one bit.
With a shiver in his arms and a lop in his gait, he waddled back to the camp. He visited the public ‘bathhouse,’ or, rather, the cleansing pond used for washing clothes and bathing.
Enchanted with ether script, the water within had strong cleaning properties and made hygiene simple, if, admittedly, unenjoyable. The frigid liquid h...
2023-10-10 09:00:04 +0000 UTC
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Freddy woke up in an almost entirely dark room, disoriented. It took his sight a few moments to snap into focus, and as it did, he observed the filthy, draping tarp cloth that comprised the ceiling of what appeared to be a dingy, poorly lit tent.
A strange, startling noise came from his side, making him jolt as he tried to turn to face it, but his entire body, which he just then perceived to be wrapped in bandages from head to toe, hurt at even the mention of movement.
It di...
2023-10-06 14:02:22 +0000 UTC
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In the splotchy netherecho of the caverns, thick in water, darkness, earth, and mysterious wisps Freddy didn’t even recognize, a snake of coiling water morphed through the air, shifting and shuffling above the painted ground as it made loops in a set pattern.
Suddenly, a pointy blue trident whistled, catching the watery snake by its tail. The weapon didn’t remain embedded in the liquid body for long, but even once it dropped to the ground, the pattern of shifting water was clearly n...
2023-10-03 10:22:54 +0000 UTC
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Underground cave systems after Earth’s integration into the interspace had become a rather terrifying area to venture into, and this seemed to be the case for any planet scattered with passages.
It made sense. Numerous portals leading to different realms frequently resulted in unwanted pests, invasions, diseases, and other problems that created a volatile environment.
Camp Violet had their hands full trying to manage this volatility, and a particular area they had encountered wa...
2023-09-29 13:14:47 +0000 UTC
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Hello everyone! I am sorry to say that there will be no chapter today, unfortunately. Frankly, I'm surprised that I managed to write the last two at all, given how little time I had with preparations.
To summarize, I got married. Yay me!
I'm also right about ready to die from exhaustion. The sheer quantity of work and effort I've put into first preparing the wedding, then all the cleaning and organizing and moving and... Yeah. It's been rough.
I'll hopefully make...
2023-09-26 18:11:49 +0000 UTC
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