DefianceNovels

Chapter 1,187.

A small settlement had formed at the breach, with dozens of grand palaces of varied origins floating in space. The settlement had an air of expectancy and youthful vigor, with dozens of heated duels taking place on specifically erected platforms. Others sat right at the edge, silently searching for Karma.

True Destiny took in the weak swirls of fate. Some carried seeds of potential, yet none came close to the display his Eminence relayed four weeks ago. The Arhat stopped before the invi...

Chapter 1,186.

A/N: Reminder, next chapter Wednesday.

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"You're still alive? Let me see."

The Thousandflame Eccentric sat at the same spot as before, locked in the same position, holding the same leaf. It was as though a month hadn't passed since she hurled him into that pit of despair to reforge his core. Kruta stuffed down the choice words that were always bubbling just beneath the surface.

"You don't have to sound so surprised...

Chapter 1,185.

A/N: Small schedule update. I'm out of town first half next week, so I'm moving things around a bit. No chapters Monday and Tuesday. Instead, I'll release an extra chapter this weekend (TBD), and release the other four Wed-Sat.

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"Terminal seclusion?" Zac said with a sinking feeling, trying to recall the old man's latest reports. "That can't be right. He should have centuries left."

Almost any ...

Chapter 1,184.

Billions of dark red trickles poured out of the depths of Zac's cells as the Void regurgitated its unpalatable fare. The lightning looked innocuous compared to the tyrannical arcs that had ravaged his body just moments before, yet they held whispers of a far greater terror—morsels of eradication sanctioned by Law.

Whatever they touched seemed to fade away, whether it was flesh or the spiritual elements that made up his path. Even the Abyssal ponds turned into a faded grey after the li...

Chapter 1,183.

Zac was mentally and physically exhausted after madly pushing through the breakthrough. Time waited for no man, so Zac steeled himself as he faced the rumbling sky. Nothing happened beyond the palpable feeling of anger being stronger than before, and a smile spread across Zac's lips as he opened his quest screen.

The First Step of Destiny (Void Road): Form a High-quality Middle D-grade Cosmic Core of the Void Road. Reward: - (0/1) [00:18:46:24] (COMPLETE)

He was w...

Chapter 1,182.

Like the rest of the Cosmic Core, the nucleus was supposed to be dismantled and rebuilt. You could argue it was the most important step, considering the nucleus was the foundation that kept the core stable. Zac had no intention of adhering to convention on this matter, so it was an immense relief to see it survive despite his failure to protect it during the ignition.

The nucleus's resilience only proved the merit of Zac's untested idea. It was made from materials so incredible they cou...

Chapter 1,181.

The unfettered storm raged within Zac's quantum space. He was the universe, ripped apart and reborn in a Big Bang of his own making. The next minutes would decide whether the road that led him here was paved with discernment or hubris. The calamitous mayhem mostly adhered to his path, but there were hundreds of discordant notes in the mix—disarray brought from the core's imperfections.

His Cosmic Core may have been High Quality in terms of qualifications, but there were still weakness...

Chapter 1,180.

Hegemony only had three bottlenecks to E-grade's seventy-five. In return, each was like walking a tightrope where the smallest mistake meant death. The only way to upgrade one's core was through a process of breaking down and rebuilding. Pathways needed to be multiplied and expanded, and schematics needed to be upgraded to accommodate higher energy levels and loftier Daos.

Tackling the minor bottlenecks of Hegemony could be broken down into three stages: ignition, ascension, and formati...

Chapter 1,179.

A/N: Final chapter for the week most likely on Sunday.

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Zac hadn't realized how much he'd needed a short break from the pressures of office. The bloodshed and constant threat of death were bad enough. He also had to play the roles of the Atwood Empire's tyrannical emperors. Any hint of weakness could ripple through the ranks of his men or invite trouble from those eying their wealth and position.

The wide-eyed innocence of the ne...

No chapter today due to illness

Aiming to catch up over weekend

Chapter 1,178.

Zac nodded, feeling the knot in his heart loosen. He initially had no plans to take Max as a disciple, and the young swordsman's strength, frankly, wasn't impressive enough to warrant it. His affinities had clearly risen compared to his human counterpart, thanks to the special attention that went into his awakening. It was still only at the level of an elite, a noticeable gap from people such as Vilari and the Echelon Class.

Reaching Hegemony was up to fate, and rising above would depen...

Chapter 1,177.

Zac stepped off the platform, taking in the fresh air of Earth. It felt like the sweetest perfume after smelling nothing but ash, steel, and blood for over two months. The honeymoon phase after dealing a blow to the Kan'Tanu had been woefully short, and the shocking appearance of the Kan'Tanu Pope hadn't stopped the battles at the lower levels. If anything, the Alliance was desperate to communicate they weren't backing down.

The worry hidden in the corners of the frontline soldiers' eye...

Chapter 1,176.

A/N: We're back! As always, thank you for the ongoing support, and welcome new Patrons. Many things on the stove right now, so we'll dive right into it!

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The roiling oil of the upper seas created a nauseating green light show on the windswept range below. The lack of sound forced by the region's current taboo amplified the kaleidoscopic torture, but Ogras preferred it over having any of his other senses sealed. Attackers wouldn't make a...

Chapter 1,175.

A/N: This is the last chapter of 2023, thank you everyone who have supported me and DotF over the past year. I believe 2024 will become the best one yet, so I'm clocking out to meet the upcoming arcs and all other fun stuff cooking with a fresh mind.

I hope to see you all when I return on Jan 8! Until then, Happy Holidays, fellow defiers!

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The third layer of his Body Tempering Method represented a major threshold,...

Chapter 1,174.

A/N: Chapter 1 of 2 today. The next one will be in a couple of hours.

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Zac walked through the sprawling camp, returning the enthusiastic greetings of his soldiers. The Starflash Vessel had let him and the others off on a fortified planet instead of the floating army bases they first appeared on. The Atwood Empire had been designated a proper garrison on a Middle D-grade world instead of the crude barracks they'd seen, one of the ma...

No chapter today.

Sorry for the late notice. I've decided to do some rewrites, making it impossible to finish up the editing as well. I'm aiming to do double chapter tomorrow.

Chapter 1,173.

Zac stepped out of the Tower of Myriad Dao, his mind a mess. Ralz Calzood had fulfilled her promise by teaching him how to set up a Beseechment Ritual. The [Epiclesis Bell]'s true spirit had fused with and been twisted by the evil entity, but Vilari's captor was forced to take on some of the bell's characteristics. Otherwise, the bell would lose its function, exposing the entity.

Unfortunately, Ralz's warning was right on the money. The original ritual wasn't enough to ...

Chapter 1,172.

Zac felt a surge of annoyance flare up at the grating voice, yet it was followed by a flicker of guilt. Brazla's sarcastic remark hinted at an undeniable truth. He had only visited Brazla twice over the past six months, having been too busy with the war. And Zac wasn't much better during his years of seclusion, despite only being a stone's toss away.

It wasn't like anyone else visited either, except for the occasional soldier trading their Atwood Empire Contribution Points for one of th...

Chapter 1,171.

Catheya's eyes snapped open and she took a shuddering breath. It was a big mistake. Icy liquid poured into her lungs, nourishing the frigid chill that had already invaded her body. She was drowning, entombed, in the dark waters far beneath the surface. Desperate and confused, her mind latched onto a comforting memory.

Her plight was oddly familiar to her first visit to the depths of the Abyssal Lake, even if this experience had ensconced her in utmost cold. Back then, she'd been overwhe...

Chapter 1,170.

Zac took his and Emily's appearance at the top of the ladder in stride. Anything else would be a surprise, considering the situation. He was more curious about the other changes. For one, the previous first place-holder was gone rather than pushed down two pegs, and he wasn't alone.

Six more entries had disappeared since the last update. It wasn't unheard of for rankers to die, especially at the last fifty of the ladder. However, there was rarely more than one per week. Those who manage...

Chapter 1,169.

"Welcome back," Qul'Uster said, looking up from the terminal as Nutzu entered his office. "You've seen better days."

"Wouldn't mind a vacation," Nutzu grunted while slumping into a chair. "Here's the reports you wanted. It should be all there."

"What an unexpected harvest," Qul'Uster said with satisfaction.

"Why would you even want those old pieces of junk?" Nutzu muttered, still annoyed about losing so many of her men to that devious bastard's plot.

"Junk?" Qul'Uster ...

Chapter 1,168.

Zac didn't bother examining the treasure. It'd still be there when he returned, and every second counted. He had a huge advantage between his Luck and Galau's expertise, but at least five thousand Hegemons were scouring the city, with more joining every minute. Zac led them through a couple of blocks, pretending to investigate the sealed doors along the way. Eventually, he stopped before an inconspicuous building.

"This should only be an Array Station," Tusko said, scratching his beard....

Chapter 1,167.

Zac found Emily and the others sitting with a handful of soldiers in the common area upon emerging. The newcomers wore the surcoats of the Dravorak guard, though they could have been cousins of the burly men of the Muscle Brigade. They were from the same rough stock, bearing barely any resemblance to the Royal Guard he'd seen before.

Their clothes were scuffed, bloodied, and dirty, carrying the mark of intense battle. Their strength was quite varied, ranging from Late E-grade to the pea...

Chapter 1,166.

A/N: Reminder, next chapter is on Tuesday!

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Zac crashed through the Merit Exchange's doors with such momentum the guards believed they were under attack. They exhaled in relief upon seeing it was just Zac rushing toward the side room holding the Faction Exchange. On his way over, Zac had already confirmed his merit had taken a great leap.

[Flamebearer of Zecia (Campaign, Inheritance (2/?)): Accumulate 500,000 Merit through Fa...