For longer than Zarian could recall, he sat there in silence as he thought about the implications of Jack still being alive. Zarian wasn’t exactly angry. He wasn’t entirely upset.
He was, however, a little bothered.
That crazy guy, a former peer from high school of all things, should’ve died in Castle Grimrock. Instead, Jack was alive, and he was working with Foodie to kill Zarian.
It didn’t take long for the Madness Wizard to connect the dots. He soon realized Jack ...
2024-08-07 20:23:47 +0000 UTC
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Being in the presence of Luciana Shadowfell was interesting.
She wasn’t like the other gods. She had a large presence while also feeling strangely inviting.
Maybe Zarian was naturally drawn to her more than the others. Maybe that was why Ariana had Zarian open the portal leading to Shadowfell territory, because Zarian and the young goddess naturally vibed well together.
My little sister is a mastermind of the highest degree.
Was Ariana on the evil alignment ...
2024-08-07 19:32:56 +0000 UTC
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I do a lot behind the scenes. From marketing to editing to business and more.
The past two and half months have been a grind from getting OP Wizard off the ground and having it reach #1 on Rising Stars while having 50 chaps ahead on Patreon.
With most of my goals accomplished, I can focus more on the writing itself and moving us along to plot points, fights, sections of world building I want to explore in more depth, and character-driven narratives.
Which will sometimes lead...
2024-08-07 14:41:16 +0000 UTC
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There were seven Evil Gods.
Zarian was already in a partnership with one of them, Shadowfell, who was known as the great slothful and somber evil. The goddess was a vast power of inevitability, tragedy, corruption, and self-death.
Despite her young age, everybody knew her as possibly the third or second most powerful of all the good and evil gods.
She could be Zarian’s sister, Ariana, but he doubted it.
Then there were the other evil gods:
Hisscreep.
Sinf...
2024-08-06 23:00:26 +0000 UTC
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He y'all! Since I've burned through my personal backlog to get to 50 ahead, I'm working straight from the jump from here. I do like editing a chap before I release it to Patreon. So today's chap will come out a little later than usual.
It'll be a good one, though. Chapter 79 will reveal some things about the major players involved while Zarian finally gets a conversation with someone important.
Thanks for the support!
2024-08-06 13:49:33 +0000 UTC
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Woo!
I hit 3000 followers on RR, over 100 patrons, and now we're 50 chaps ahead of free release.
Thanks for the support everyone. We're going to have a lot of fun going forward.
2024-08-06 01:23:42 +0000 UTC
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Zarian left the Man Butcher alive, wiping away his Black Fire spell.
The Man Butcher could still die from the leg wound. Zarian left just enough vitality for the hardcore warrior to survive.
Back on his feet, Zarian went back to the T-section. He walked past the Infernal Witch, who stayed put in her crater, rubbing the handprint around her neck. Her dark eyes set in the sunken hollows of her sockets rotated to follow his heavy march.
Zarian stopped. The Infernal Witch quiver...
2024-08-06 01:05:55 +0000 UTC
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Yeah, I’m tired, Zarian thought as he passed through the void.
He was all healed up now. The wounds from the dungeon boss had faded away with time and some subtle healing from Gilbert.
But vitality was one part health and another part stamina.
Zarian hadn’t given himself adequate rest since the night he’d blown a hole through the mansion’s roof from the kitchen. He could feel the weariness, and that would affect his vitality.
I can still kick ass.<...
2024-08-06 01:00:23 +0000 UTC
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Zarian signaled for one of his spectral spiders to appear on Naomi’s shoulder. The spider admitted a pale blue and white glow, like an actual ghost. Even while visible, they were still see-through.
The spider gave Naomi a friendly wave with its foreleg.
She gave it a wave with her finger before the spider crawled into her mouth, wriggling past her lips and disappearing inside. Naomi shivered, her eyes twitching.
Then her eyes rolled up, showing white, before rolling back t...
2024-08-05 22:47:04 +0000 UTC
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Zarian watched as the kitchen exploded into a meta-gaming affair, everyone else debating and questioning which class he’d picked. This was why he’d held back from telling Hannah. It was fun to see how everyone would react and how they would debate each other to figure out his most likely choice.
Things became competitive, too. Naomi wanted to win.
Zarian lounged back in his seat on the kitchen counter as he sipped more from his delicious beer. The shouting was growing louder i...
2024-08-05 22:12:15 +0000 UTC
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Zarian watched as Naomi and Gilbert kept their mouth shuts, which was wise of them. Bianca, of course, didn’t sense the tension in the air.
She bounced giddily and threw her hand up. “Surprise! It was my idea!”
Then Bianca furrowed her brow. “Wait, how do you know? You’ve been gone for three days! Naomi was about to take on the entire Hemlock Family.”
“I really was,” Naomi admitted.
“I was tracking a few gangs and underworld groups with spectral spide...
2024-08-05 20:58:27 +0000 UTC
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Zarian was back in charge.
He’d felt it the moment Hannah accepted his hug and pleaded for him to take the lead like usual. Other than her acting cute and bratty, which was fairly unexpected, Zarian had felt a shift in the atmosphere from that switch in roles. He couldn’t describe what it was exactly, but he tried anyway.
Did we have … a character switch? Like in a Japanese RPG?
Zarian didn’t think deeply about it. Such thoughts were too freaky and meta for ...
2024-08-05 19:42:27 +0000 UTC
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For the next hour, Hannah found the peace of exploring a cavern system under the city an interesting and welcomed diversion.
She and Zarian had spent three days crawling through the Devouring Librarian Dungeon. The last battles were mighty, epic, and draining. She’d nearly torn her mind apart to sabotage the obelisks.
Now her spirit was renewed. She had new toys to play with. She couldn’t stop from using her Cube Maker.
She pointed at a spot and drained material rapidly ...
2024-08-05 18:46:19 +0000 UTC
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Hannah looked down at the three treasure chests waiting to be opened. They glowed with an allure that invited all desires, imaginations, and greed. They stood out compared to the rocky cavern floor and the surrounding darkness.
The only lights came from the glow from the treasure chests and the glow of the most elemental skeletons – mostly Glowy. Hannah patted her hands together and looked back at the others.
The skeletons gave her all thumbs up, and the spectral spiders saluted...
2024-08-05 17:56:38 +0000 UTC
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Hannah ran to the nearest hidden object of power while accompanied by nine skeletons and her Roller Golem. She kept the dynamic fight in the corner of her eye.
She pushed down the feeling of guilt that she was using Zarian. He was risking his life and holding himself back against an enemy that could kill him.
It took a certain type of mindset that was beyond selfless. Zarian was truly a demigod, in Hannah’s belief, and a crazy one at that.
In fact, she could hear his howls...
2024-08-05 17:11:05 +0000 UTC
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Hannah looked up at the newest notifications to appear.
<You’ve climbed up the steps to the Devouring Librarian Boss Arena. There is no escape now! Prepare to begin the boss battle!>
<You’re in the presence of the Honored Outsider while leading a boss battle! Would you like to play thematic music?>
“Yes, please.” Hannah didn’t care too much about the orchestral soundtrack.
Zarian would like it, at the very least.<...
2024-08-05 16:33:33 +0000 UTC
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The traps were the easiest part of the dungeon. They were all reliant on runes. Hannah took joy in dismantling them as they traveled through the tunnels and entered new rooms laden with monsters.
The walk between monster rooms had a routine that helped Hannah get into the flow.
For the most part, the beginning always remained the same. The monsters wouldn’t engage first. They would let the crawlers kick things off. It was through increasing difficulty and the appearance of new, ...
2024-08-05 16:05:17 +0000 UTC
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I've told you guys I was going to reach 50 chaps ahead on free release.
It took a lot of work. But I didn't quit. I wrote extra chaps while keeping up a schedule of 1 post a day. I know it's not necessary, but I've always wanted to cross this off my list.
I feel like I'm accomplishing goals I've always wanted for years. I hit #1 on Rising Stars on Royal Road. And now I've got 50 chaps in the Patreon bank for anyone who wants to support with a big tip.
With that said, my plan...
2024-08-05 13:48:56 +0000 UTC
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The dungeon crawl sped up. Hannah relied on the advancing skeletons and spectral spiders more. She hadn’t exploited her command list for Zarian’s heavy artillery support just yet.
She saved the big guns for later.
Zarian remained just fine and always willing to help. When he wasn’t needed, he studied in the background. The spider scouts found multiple traps and marked them each with a glowing x made of blue arcane webbing.
Hannah scanned each marked trap. She broke the...
2024-08-04 15:10:02 +0000 UTC
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Hannah hadn’t noticed until she was looking down the hallway that she’d leveled up from 30 to 33. And she’d done so without a side quest. She’d gained three levels of experience from merely being part of a spectacular, world-changing event.
Hannah could hardly believe it. Hell, she could hardly believe the part she’d played in all of this.
I messed with something I shouldn’t have. Reiki could’ve been destroyed.
Thankfully, she had a demigod with gold n...
2024-08-03 14:48:22 +0000 UTC
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Hannah worked up the nerve to turn to Zarian and admit that she’d made a dumb mistake and he should take over. Obviously, she was too weak to lead an expedition against a Rare Level 40 Dungeon.
She figured she lacked the potential. Or the ability to make her potential greater than the Devouring Librarian Dungeon.
The words tasted bitter in her mouth, and she couldn’t even recall what she was saying exactly. It all came down to thinking it was best to fall under Zarian’s lead...
2024-08-02 14:27:29 +0000 UTC
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Hannah’s prior research was a focused on key points in Central Bramblevale’s history as the tip of the frontier for the Eternal Garden Kingdom. The information she delved into went back to the previous two eras, the Restart Era, and the Adventure Era, before settling into the Dark Era.
Central Bramblevale became more prominent in the Restart Era when it was first a fortress for the invading orcs. The elves had driven them out and reclaimed their ancestral lands and turned back the g...
2024-08-01 14:54:31 +0000 UTC
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The story wasn't great once you break it down...
But Deadpool and Wolverine was a freaking entertaining movie! Just a blast and a lot of fun. So go for the entertainment factor and you will enjoy it!
My recommendation!
Also, enjoy the next chapter. ;D
And remember, keep your pimp hand strong.
2024-08-01 14:52:49 +0000 UTC
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It was a breezy and cool autumn morning, and Zarian was in the kitchen. The morning suns had broken past the dawn horizon, bathing Central Bramblevale with their cheerful light. Heavy, blocky clouds, stacked over each other like Jenga towers, crawled across the sky at a brisk pace.
The wind picked up and whistled loudly through the kitchen. A few autumn-colored leaves blew through unobstructed. Nothing much could stop them while a big hole in the wall and ceiling and multiple floors abo...
2024-07-31 15:31:28 +0000 UTC
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They arrived at the mansion as heroes. While the barrier remained, it became evident to everyone that Zarian, Naomi, and Bianca had succeeded when the blockade ended.
The soldiers had removed themselves from the premise around the barrier before Zarian and the ladies returned. The neighbors staying in the other mansions and personal towers hadn’t returned fully, especially when there were damages made by the soldiers. But that wasn’t much of a concern to everyone staying in the Love...
2024-07-30 21:27:19 +0000 UTC
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Yeah, just keeping you guys updated. Today's chapter is coming out later today. Got caught up doing a bunch of errands.
But no worries, it's going to be a banger of a chapter ... which might be literal.
2024-07-30 16:44:46 +0000 UTC
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It was late afternoon. The suns torched the sky of blocky clouds reddish as they neared the finale of their daily arc. The moons and stars trailed in, chasing away the dying tyranny of the twin suns.
Zarian was outside the Bramblevale Keep’s front entrance with the ladies. He was looking down at a small rectangular case he’d taken as a trophy from Lord Cassian’s desk.
He looked up when a group notification appeared.
<Congrats! You’ve completed a Rare Side ...
2024-07-29 16:53:03 +0000 UTC
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The Bramblevale Keep was a monumental construction. It was as wide as a stadium and as tall as a skyscraper. It had six sides and a hexagonal design. The steps leading up its elevated foundation had twenty-foot tall greenery going down each of the edges of the hexagon. The grounds around the keep were spacious, with manicured grass and stone pavement combined in checkered patterns.
Now that Zarian was looking up at it from the bottom, he didn’t think three thousand men were enough to ...
2024-07-28 17:45:46 +0000 UTC
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Operation Domination was shaping up to be an interesting event for Zarian. He’d fought the town’s upper crust of good aligned fighters and saw what his most powerful girls could do as a duo. He’d also paid close attention to how the evil humans conducted themselves.
In Zarian’s opinion, the kingdom’s evil underbelly wasn’t that impressive.
Yes, the evil humans had seemed stronger and scarier than the soldiers. They must’ve been cunning to exist in Central Bramblevale...
2024-07-27 16:17:20 +0000 UTC
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Naomi found it exciting and annoying to work beside Bianca. The young woman had a crybaby and happy-go-lucky presence at the start of their adventures in the Infinita. Now Bianca was channeling the force of good +3 while equipped with powerful light abilities that could impact every battle.
The glamorous Light Bringer Child made Naomi feel insecure.
It sucked that the battle psion had to train more than the others. She couldn’t give herself much time to relax. Every day was an u...
2024-07-26 16:35:36 +0000 UTC
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