Roth drummed his fingers on the bench and grabbed the acorn that was the home of the Leafies. The colony was still in its very beginning, and the acorn was pretty much intact, but there might be benefits to upgrading their house. Ten gold was a considerable sum, but he wasn’t currently lacking funds, and it looked like a good investment. He purchased an extra [Golden Acorn] to keep in his inventory.
Reading about the acorns made him think about his plans to become a herbalist and a ca...
2024-01-04 14:14:39 +0000 UTC
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After two weeks of drawing plants, Clara gave Kai a new exercise. He now had to spend an hour hiking alone, looking for plants he had never seen before. It wasn’t difficult. These woods were teeming with life, and Kai had never paid much attention to plants. Biology should have been Alex’s department, after all.
After studying them and committing their features to memory, he was supposed to return to the shack and spend the rest of the day drawing what he had seen. Clar...
2024-01-03 14:54:03 +0000 UTC
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Roth approached Rhapsody’s dummy and studied the stats of each piece of equipment.
Forest Lambswool Cap (Rare)
Description: A cap knitted from a lamb’s first wool. It smells like the forest and has a beautiful sheen. This is part of a set.
Item effects:
+1% cooldown reduction;
+8 intelligence;
+2 wisdom;
+5 hp regeneration;
...
2024-01-02 13:53:27 +0000 UTC
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In the short time Roth was gone talking to his mother, Rhapsody had finished working on her second piece, a woolen cap. Both the cap and the mittens had the same beautiful marbled pattern of mixed green and white. Roth had never thought wool could look so colorful and beautiful.
Leanne, on the other side, had caught up. She was now working on a pair of pants. Whereas the clothes that Leanne had knitted had a fluffy, cozy look, Leanne’s jacket was elegant and thin, giving it a lighter,...
2024-01-01 16:05:43 +0000 UTC
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“How is the drawing going?” Clara asked from a distance.
“It's my best one yet,” cheekily replied Kai.
Clara came over and squatted by his side, looking at the page in his notebook. “See. You aren’t hopeless. You are getting better!”
“Thanks,” he had never been too good at drawing, and when he began making illustrations of the plants he saw, all that came out were doodles that cavemen would have easily outdone. “But I still ...
2023-12-30 16:24:19 +0000 UTC
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By now, over ten people in the tent had gathered around Leanne and Rhapsody, who stared daggers at each other and had a look of resolution and total concentration. They also glanced at Roth, waiting for him to signal the start of the battle.
Roth scratched his head as he watched what he had inadvertently started. He sighed. The girls were right. This battle needed some flare before it could begin. It would also be good for the Union. However, Roth had something better in mind than just ...
2023-12-29 17:17:28 +0000 UTC
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The guild camp was north of the city, conveniently near the gate and the citadel. The proximity to the first was especially important because players had to keep running back and forth between the camp and the city. Although establishing their headquarters inside the city would be much more convenient, no guild had yet figured out how to convince the city management to let them do so.
The proximity to the white garrisoned fortress was also important because soldiers often came down to s...
2023-12-28 17:23:09 +0000 UTC
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As much as he hated to admit it, coming to the mountains had been good for him. Kai found himself thinking less about Ariel. Clara had pointed out to him on several occasions that he was smiling more since he came here.
It had been another day of collecting samples, making drawings of plants, and brushing up on his Latin. Now, Clara snored in the armchair by the fire while Kai goofed around, fiddling with his hands, twisting them into different shapes and casting whimsical ...
2023-12-27 17:27:33 +0000 UTC
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Eager to buy new equipment that suited his needs, Roth checked all the items for sale in the auction house window. His excitement soon dissipated.
“That’s it? No more items?” He was surprised to finish checking the listings so quickly. Why was there so little on offer? He turned the filters on and off and quickly found the reason. It seemed that his ecotailor profession didn’t just block materials such as skins and leather. It also blocked other materials depending on how...
2023-12-26 17:42:56 +0000 UTC
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Roth studied the face of the tactician of the Ogres, who had been willing to invest in his freedom more than anyone else.
“Hi, Pax. It looks like you’re doing well.”
Roth frowned at how BlueFire chose to address him. Why not just say his name? His impression that BlueFire wanted to create some distance between them only grew. “Hey, BlueFire. Thank you for taking us in.”
“The Ogres just stuck to our end of the deal,” he replied coolly. “Now, it is your turn....
2023-12-25 15:23:17 +0000 UTC
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Here are the cards related to the crafting stage of Snap Craft. Enjoy!
Card Library Index
2023-12-23 18:55:36 +0000 UTC
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Clara sat on a chair, reading a book while leisurely watching Kai. Every so often, she checked her watch. Kai wondered if this was her way of goading him. He knew better than to ask her if he had sat still long enough. Three hours of motionlessness had gone down the drain the last time he had done that.
So far, he had yet to receive a satisfying explanation that justified this absurd training. “Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is to do nothing at all,” Cla...
2023-12-23 14:17:24 +0000 UTC
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“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE’S GONE?!” screamed Loki, picking up the heavy table at the center of the guild and throwing it at Zin. Zin calmly sidestepped and avoided the table, annoying Loki even further. The massive piece of furniture kept flying and shattered the cases displaying the guilds’ artifacts.
“Zin, this is completely unacceptable. I demand an explanation! Didn’t I tell you to post guards?! And how did they even find the place where his capsule was?”
“I suspect...
2023-12-22 17:16:18 +0000 UTC
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Roth sat by the fountain, rocking Lin as he listened to his mother’s voice. It had been a while since he spent hours on the phone with her like this. He chuckled at the thought of many players waiting to hear back from the Union Collective because their secretary was chatting with her son.
“It’s been fun to experiment with all these new ingredients,” she spoke in a high register, excited to share her baking adventures. “You’ll have to taste my new pie. It’s to die...
2023-12-21 18:05:47 +0000 UTC
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Kai tried making out the sector's capital through the mist, but the thick white smoke of the mountains concealed the city. He saw nothing but white.
“I’ve been keeping count of how often you look back toward the capital, Kai. Right now, you’re doing it once every three minutes.”
“So what?” Kai answered irritably, continuing his march. He didn’t need Clara to remind him he was pining for Ariel; the pain in his heart constantly reminded him of tha...
2023-12-20 19:11:43 +0000 UTC
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Here are the cards Kai finds in the rainy city in the 5th stage.
I hope you like it!
Card Library Index
2023-12-19 18:48:12 +0000 UTC
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Roth didn’t have to wait this time around. As soon as the bidding started, BlueFire raised his hand. Roth fought a tear that threatened to form in the corner of his eye. He had just been given a new breath of fresh air. If at least one of them was willing to shield him and his family for a month, he would be OK. This was no time to break down crying, though.
“Do I hear 35?” Roth forced himself to shout.
The representative from the Phoenixes raised their hand.
“40,”...
2023-12-19 15:30:50 +0000 UTC
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Roth looked into the eyes of each of the cats and began, “I have seen what these parasitoids can do if they spread. Trust me. It’s not pretty. I can see that some of you don’t want to get involved in this at all. " Roth glanced at the tiger, who showed him its teeth in response. “Some of you want to dive head-on into this conflict.” Now, he looked at Oli, who remained motionless. “As for me, all I want is for this war to end quickly. If you, powerful as you are, can help this conf...
2023-12-18 10:44:49 +0000 UTC
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"What do you mean, a study trip?" Kai demanded.
When Trudy told him she and Clara wanted to speak with him, he never imagined this was what they wanted to drop on him. How would he make things right with Ariel if he was on a study trip?
“It would be a good idea for you and Ariel to spend time apart. That's all."
"Trudy, that doesn't even make any sense! This city is big enough to accommodate millions, and that still isn't enough space for Ari...
2023-12-15 17:57:48 +0000 UTC
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Roth checked the flurry of messages from the guild representatives while he waited for Shadow to return. They were mostly accounts of how the guild reps had come running back to the auction house, only to be sent to the graveyards again. All they saw was a black blur, and they were dead. The consensus among the guild reps was that they would wait far away until Roth could promise them that the auction house was safe.
Roth clenched his teeth and observed the cats, who were now all lickin...
2023-12-15 17:42:41 +0000 UTC
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Roth’s worries about his life or death, concern for little Lin, and embarrassment for causing trouble to the top guilds vanished the moment the lion entered the room. He could only see or think about the eyes that looked at him from within that swaying mane.
“Do not worry, peacemaker; King Zion just wants to talk to you,” came a telepathic message from Mildred. The message acted like a needle that had burst a bubble in Roth’s mind. Was she helping him deal with the mental pressu...
2023-12-14 13:59:53 +0000 UTC
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It had been two weeks since Sunny’s funeral. Elderly ones had less vitality to fight off the blight. She went from stage one to stage three in a matter of weeks. Before he knew it, Kai was holding a torch at her funeral pyre.
The bonfire wasn’t lit for seven days in honor of the old engineer. Kai thought he had hit rock bottom, but Sunny’s departure had proved him wrong. During the week away from his studies, Kai stayed cooped up in Sunny’s workshop.
...
2023-12-13 14:49:54 +0000 UTC
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The hesitation in the air was palpable. Roth could see the gears turning in the heads of the guild representatives. They ran the numbers, possibly even consulting with their leaders or colleagues but hadn’t placed a bid yet. It wasn’t a matter of whether they had the means to save Roth and shield him from Loki, but of whether the benefits outweighed the costs.
Any respectable guild had the means to protect its elders and star players from harm. Safety protocols, such as apartments i...
2023-12-12 12:39:31 +0000 UTC
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Hey, everyone!
This is a bonus chapter to thank you all for your fantastic support!
Enjoy.
***************************
“Why don't I just read it?” Jurgen asked his teacher.
“I know it doesn't make sense to you right now, but trust me. It will be enough.”
Sighing, Jurgen picked up the book and leafed through it briefly. He could make out some illustrations through the flapping pages, but none of the words. How was ...
2023-12-11 16:06:10 +0000 UTC
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The golden hawk jumped from his arm, flapped its wings, and jumped over to Mel. Even after landing on Mel’s shoulders, he kept flapping his wings.
“Goldie, what's up with you? Why are you acting out like this?” protested Mel.
Goldie just ignored her. “The Crrrow Emperrrorrr! Who hasn’t hearrrd of the king of the night sky? He is one of the thrrree grrreat birrrds.”
It looked like the crow emperor was a big deal. “Cool. Do you know where he lives?”
“Oh...
2023-12-11 16:01:05 +0000 UTC
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Greetings, awesome people!
Thank you all for your generous support. I can't thank you enough.
If you have a Goodreads account, could I please ask you to leave a sincere rating/review for my novels there?
Thank you!
**********************
Kai had just dropped another bouquet at Ariel’s and was on his way to go he...
2023-12-08 14:31:46 +0000 UTC
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Greetings, awesome people!
Thank you all for your generous support. I can't thank you enough.
If you have a Goodreads account, could I please ask you to leave a sincere rating/review for my novels there?
Thank you!
**********************
Loki looked at his character sheet and smiled. He was almost level 79. At this ra...
2023-12-08 14:22:24 +0000 UTC
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Mrs. Bessie studied the man on the screen. He had long brown hair and intelligent blue eyes. The way he spoke showed he knew how handsome he was. Her brows furrowed as the man stared at her for a long, awkward moment.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Have we met before?”
“I don’t think so.”
The man seemed unsettled. Mrs. Bessie checked the mirror. Is there something on my face?
The man shook his head and went to the point. “It has been brought to my attentio...
2023-12-07 11:31:57 +0000 UTC
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“What are you doing?”
Kai almost dropped the flowers he had picked up. “Hi Clara, you startled me.”
“Who are the flowers for?”
Kai faced her squarely and went back to making his bouquet. “Why are you asking me questions you know the answer to?”
Clara walked over and squatted next to him so they would be at eye level. She was surprisingly agile for someone her age. “You know she burns them?”
“W...
2023-12-06 16:05:29 +0000 UTC
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The Eagle Has Landed!
Goldie became a golden comet that crashed right into the middle of the group of hivies, shaving a huge chunk off their HP and sending them flying. A barrage of crossbow bolts and flashy skills from Mel’s colleagues followed, finishing the last remnants of the contaminated NPCs in the fishing village. As her colleagues collected the pile of loot, Mel looked at her newly leveled armor.
[Human Defender Golden Set] has leveled up!
2023-12-05 12:11:02 +0000 UTC
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