Standing on the main deck below the floater, Rylan nervously eyed the dome of fog.
Most of the crew was on deck with him. He and the other Quinthar were there to defend from any curious Malequints attracted by the mana emitter, while Nazyr, Yuel, and Halloth were there to perform tasks related to steering the Soggy Shepherd.
Rylan had thought they might just try to go straight up before heading in any direction, but apparently that had been naïve. As Isai had explained on the way...
2025-03-21 09:30:03 +0000 UTC
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Since Isai had repurposed the stove, the crew gathered around the bamboo fire for dinner, dragging over wicker chairs and cots to sit on.
Rylan and Ezra started by serving the gilderberry and bamboo-sap glazed boar medallions straight from their sizzling skillets, but encouraged their dinner guests to grab any skewer that looked ready from where they were planted next to the fire.
Finally, when they were done searing the medallions, they went over to the earth oven and dug up a co...
2025-03-14 08:38:26 +0000 UTC
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Captain Hammermore delegated a series of tasks in quick succession. Halloth was to harvest the last of his bamboo, then bring it to Nazyr and assist the one-eyed shipwright in finishing his final renovations to the ship. From what Rylan understood, the last main things it needed were a couple of large steering fins on the side of the floater that would help with making sharp turns.
Other than that, it could use more rope connecting the floater to the deck, to make sure it didn’t tear ...
2025-03-07 11:04:10 +0000 UTC
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By which I mean, I've started posting it on RoyalRoad. ;)
This is also the reason I've renamed the tiers. Don't worry, the names are the only things that changed about them! And while the public chapters catch up a bit, I will also still be posting a new chapter each Friday.
Anyway, endorsements on RoyalRoad in the shape of reviews full of glowing praise are naturally always welcome. <3
For that and any other purposes, you can find the webnovel here: 2025-03-04 18:38:32 +0000 UTC
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As the beast blew out its last breath, the ball of white light in its chest started to waver, before it suddenly shattered into a loose collection of hundreds of little wisps.
For a moment, the wisps just languished there, slowly drifting apart, but then dots of blue light came flying over from all around them. Each dot hit a different wisp, causing it to turn blue.
Rylan’s eyes widened at the familiar scene of the wisps of blue energy streaming out of its chest, where they star...
2025-02-28 09:38:14 +0000 UTC
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Swearing internally, Rylan forcibly deactivated his Jump Skill, pulling back as much of his mana as he could while he turned in the opposite direction the ramtusk had, and ran.
His pool of pillars had been shrinking far too fast anyway. Since he was on the ground, he might as well make his getaway now.
[I did it, Boss, I hit him!] Stan cried. [Hey, where are you going?!]
Rylan wordlessly held out a hand as he felt the telltale tugging on the node inside his spirit, and a spl...
2025-02-21 09:29:53 +0000 UTC
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The shimmering light receded from Rylan’s eyes, revealing that he had stepped onto a hexagonal floating platform of glittering green stone, hanging inside a massive violet bubble.
Rylan’s mind was only half there, however, as he brought his fingers up to his tingling lips, still feeling the ghost of Tammi’s linger there.
[What was that, right Boss?] Stan asked. [Like, seriously, what was that? I mean, I’ve seen other people do that before, but so far...
2025-02-14 08:36:27 +0000 UTC
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“Professor?” Rylan called out the next morning, sticking his head into Isai’s remodelled, considerably smaller workplace. He found the white-haired man sitting on a stool, bent over a piece of the floating prison that used to hold Maris. “I brought your breakfast.”
Isai looked up and grimaced at the bowl of gruel Rylan was holding, but waved him in. “Just put it down somewhere. I’m sure I’ll work up an appetite... eventually.”
Rylan walked over and ...
2025-02-07 09:24:29 +0000 UTC
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By the time Soren and Rylan had finished talking, the professor was done studying the dehumidifier, so Soren led them all outside. The first thing Rylan did upon exiting the staircase where the foghorn had passed away, was look up.
Though he’d known it would be the case, it was still a shock to see how much smaller the dome of fog overhead had become, how much lower it hung.
Seeing how dark it was, for a brief instant, Rylan worried way more time had passed than he’d thought. ...
2025-01-31 11:54:44 +0000 UTC
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As the professor went back to check on the dehumidifier, Rylan crouched down by the pool to stare at the still intact Hermean spirit prison which now lay at the bottom.
From the side, it kinda looks like a hexagon... So this is what the mark of the Hermeans signifies, huh? It’s not a flame at all, it’s a trapped spirit.
The ancient civilisation lost some of its shine to Rylan in that moment. Maris didn’t owe them anything; they just lured her in then told her to...
2025-01-24 08:28:34 +0000 UTC
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The captain drew herself back up, and glanced over her shoulder at Soren. “Sabotage, that’s what’s going on,” she spat. “Your friends here compromised our mission; they released the spirit!”
She took a step forward, raising her hammer once more, and Tamina braced herself.
At the same time, Rylan lifted Stan, his vision narrowing on the captain’s neck. If I could hit her there, maybe... He swallowed.
[Are-are we really doing this, Bos...
2025-01-17 09:42:13 +0000 UTC
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Rylan opened his eyes, momentarily disoriented. Feeling a strong urge to breathe, he opened his mouth, only for water to rush in.
[Boss! That’s your air hole, not your food hole!] Stan helpfully said.
Rylan managed to get his feet under him, and stood up, spluttering and coughing as he broke the pool’s serene surface.
[See? Now you have trouble breathing.]
“Rylan!” Tamina called to him, inches from the pool with one hand stretched out. “Are you all right?! Wh...
2025-01-10 09:14:12 +0000 UTC
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The gentle caress of the breeze, the diffuse light filtering through the fog above, and the chirping of the hoppers all slowly faded away as Rylan and Tamina descended the spiral staircase. They were replaced by an almost oppressive silence, filled with the scent of dust and loose earth, and something slightly foul.
The distant rumble of shifting stone caused Tamina to let out a gasp behind him.
Rylan glanced back at her, finding her awfully pale. “Ehm... you okay?”
She ...
2025-01-03 12:14:58 +0000 UTC
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My girlfriend decided to draw a Christmas card this year; I figured I'd share it with you all. ^^
Happy Holidays!
2024-12-27 11:29:35 +0000 UTC
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“Ye’re absolutely sure?” the one-eyed former pirate asked for the third time.
“Yes, Nazyr, I’m sure,” Rylan repeated, smiling exasperatedly. “You deserve a night off. Besides, I’m not doing the dishes by myself; this was actually Tammi’s idea.”
Nazyr’s brows shot up, before a sly grin spread across his face. “Ah, say no more, m’lord. I shan’t keep ye any longer.”
Rylan eyed Nazyr suspiciously as the man clapped him on the shoulder and s...
2024-12-27 11:26:31 +0000 UTC
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As Quintessence flowed into the Challenge Dungeon, no doubt headed for Tamina, Rylan felt the corners of his mouth curling up and his spine straightening.
And that despite his suspicion that Soren had just lied to his face about not having found the statue from Rylan’s memory-vision yet.
“Am I the only one who didn’t Rank-Up a Skill inside the Challenge Dungeon?” the young noble complained. “Now I feel left behind!”
“Actually,” Rylan said, doing...
2024-12-20 09:52:12 +0000 UTC
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The shimmering gold fled Rylan’s eyelids as he stepped through the portal, leaving him waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dark, foggy basement.
“Ryles!” Soren called out enthusiastically. “How’d it—is that blood?!”
Rylan blinked, his vision slowly clearing. “Ehm, probably?”
[Ah, yeah, the side of your head is leaking, Boss... I figured you knew.]
Rylan lifted a hand to his temple, where a bolt had impacted, and his fingers came back wet.
Tami...
2024-12-13 09:21:51 +0000 UTC
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With the ringing in his ears and his throbbing headache, Rylan had some difficulty focusing his eyes on the approaching platform that he was about to launch himself towards. When he finally managed, however, his blood ran cold at the sight of the blue puppet soldier standing there, slowly raising its arm.
[Woah! Don’t worry, Boss, I'll uh, I'll look for another route!]
“No—there’s no time!”
The rush of nervous energy helped clear his head a little, allowing Rylan t...
2024-12-05 20:07:49 +0000 UTC
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With the puppet destroyed, Rylan took his time to seek a path through the cloud of platforms that didn’t require the use of his Jumping Skill.
Once Stan was done gushing about their successful takedown, he was actually quite helpful in determining a good route forward.
Finally, after a wobbly landing or two and what would have been a scraped knee if not for his Mana Shell, Rylan managed to get to the larger platform that seemed to form the boundary between the two s...
2024-11-29 14:41:47 +0000 UTC
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For a moment, Rylan wished he’d borrowed Soren’s new boots, as they would’ve made the cloud of platforms in front of him wildly easier to traverse.
Then he shook his head. They would’ve been useless to him anyway, as he had zero experience using them. Even if he managed to somehow activate their effect, it would probably just trip him up, like it used to do to Soren in the beginning.
No. He had to use his own Skills and advantages. Not the least of which was ...
2024-11-22 08:40:18 +0000 UTC
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Seated on the bare stone, squinting in the eerie glow of the three still-functional Dungeon portals, Rylan went over his Status one last time.
Status
Mana
Pool: 13/13
Shell: 5/5
Attributes
Strength 2
Dexterity 3
Endurance 2
Mind 3
Perception 3
Presence -1
Skills
Knife-Throwing, Rank 3
Jumping, Rank 2
2024-11-15 09:51:23 +0000 UTC
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Rylan woke up the next day with a mild headache and a string of drool connecting his mouth to his pillow which he quickly wiped away, hoping that Tamina hadn’t spotted it.
Breakfast was a rather calm affair, with Yuel seemingly the only one who was somehow full of energy. Nazyr on the other hand, looked wrecked, but happy.
It was almost enough to make Rylan ask Stan what exactly the two got up to the night before. Almost. Not that he really needed to ask; Stan was doing...
2024-11-08 10:53:27 +0000 UTC
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Captain Hammermore came out of the Challenge Dungeon some twenty minutes later, breathing heavily, but looking little worse for the wear and smirking in satisfaction. Unfortunately, she informed them, she had been rewarded an Enhancer for her efforts, not a Pearl of Inspiration.
She didn’t mention what she’d done with it, and Rylan wasn’t about to ask.
For a moment, Yuel seemed genuinely disappointed, but he rapidly bounced back, returning to his usual flippant self.
<...
2024-11-01 08:52:59 +0000 UTC
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“I knew something was hazy when you mentioned looking for octopus eggs,” Tamina grumbled, the soft lines of her face—the only part of her sticking out of her bedroll—hard to read in the dimly lit tent. “Still can’t believe Yuel just went with it.”
Rylan shot her a sheepish look. “It was the only thing I could come up with so fast.”
“Forget about Rylan’s terrible lies,” Soren whispered heatedly. “You obtained an actual spiritgear... And you named it St...
2024-10-25 09:21:23 +0000 UTC
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Rylan stared down in surprise at the sentient blade that had suddenly reappeared in his hand.
[Phew, that’s better,] Stan babbled. [Boy, am I glad you regularly wash your hands, Boss!]
Truth be told, Rylan only properly scrubbed up before cooking, to avoid tainting the food he touched. He didn’t have time to formulate a reply however, as he wasn’t the only one caught off-guard by the event.
“Where did it—woah!” Soren exclaimed. “Did-did you all see that?!”
2024-10-18 14:54:28 +0000 UTC
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The flap of the tent opened, and everyone turned to watch as Holly came out, auburn hairs that had escaped from her bun plastered across her sweaty forehead, the heavy bags under her eyes lending extra weight to the grim look on her face.
Behind her, Rylan caught a glimpse of her shivering, ailing husband, his blotchy skin having taken on a bluish-grey tint.
Then the flap closed behind Holly. She didn’t appear surprised to see them all gathered around as she straightened up. “...
2024-10-11 13:31:01 +0000 UTC
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Rylan was grazing with his herd under the big dome of fog, next to a large pile of rocks. Though the air was a bit dry here, it was still a good place, for there were plenty of juicy greens to chew on, and no large hungry floating things trying to eat him.
The herd spent a lot of time here, near the big inedible green thing—he’d checked, it was hard as rock—as it was delightfully safe. Or at the very least, it had been.
Suddenly, the peace and tranquil...
2024-10-04 08:43:58 +0000 UTC
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The third platform once again had a plinth with a bandolier holding twelve knives laid out... but no hourglass.
It seemed like things were going to be a bit different this time, though Rylan had no doubt it would only end up being harder, not easier. Which meant he had to give it his all, as he’d already missed three throws on the last challenge.
He’d gotten this far, and he was not going to fail now. He just hoped whatever the mysterious being that led him here ...
2024-09-27 08:00:50 +0000 UTC
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“Ethereon, don’t I get to choose a Skill myself?” Rylan asked, his confusion rapidly turning to alarm. Knife-Throwing was the Skill he’d been planning to choose, but still!
《Skill: Knife-Throwing, has been selected,》Ethereon simply repeated.《If you wish to alter your—》
A chill crawled up Rylan’s spine as Ethereon once more cut off mid-sentence. Tamina’s earlier comments about the Dungeons’ functions degrading suddenly felt&nb...
2024-09-20 07:44:31 +0000 UTC
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The moment Tamina made contact with the silver portal’s surface, it seemed to come alive, flowing over her like a liquid and practically pulling her in.
The moment she was fully inside, however, it turned smooth, like a plate of solid metal. Rylan’s reflection on its surface wore a rather stricken expression, which he quickly schooled. That looks impassable... I guess the entrance’s shut now.
Standing next to him, Yuel made use of the opportunity to idly fix his hai...
2024-09-13 08:28:24 +0000 UTC
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