PierceGrey

Chapter 346: Difficult words

[Item modified: Eabha's Vestments. Adaptable. Adds a percentage of highest physical statistic to all powers and spells. Minor defensive bonuses.]

Mason looked down to see he'd gained something like scales. They flowed from his waist to his neck, over his shoulders all the way down to his exposed Sleeves. They also went down his thighs, but stopped at his knees for something like a fur boot.

It looked like a version of what he’d seen in his dream. Not the same, but c...

Chapter 345: Baron's new clothes

(I have learned we're only eight chapters ahead - so two 'catch up' chapters posted today to get us to 10! Sorry about that, and enjoy.)

Mason spent 'the night' with Eve, whatever exactly that meant in the fey. Learning the runes hadn't hurt him, but they did seem to have drained his energy in a way he hadn't experienced since early in the apocalypse. It didn't help that Eve woke him. Several times.

He didn't mind, obviously. She was gorgeous in a kind of unreal, movie-star...

Chapter 344: Language of the gods

Mason felt Eve's presence all around him even before he reached the tree. It didn't give him any kind of dungeon prompt, and he entered her tree through something like a regular door. Albeit a magic door built into a giant tree.

The huge, living walls of the great tree formed a kind of tunnel, and he walked towards the still singing voice of its mistress.

Was he still in the fey, he wondered? Or was this the ‘real’ world? Somewhere in between? He honestly had no idea.

2024-09-06 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 343: The ancient stag

Mason walked carefully beside Calypsa for several steps through the fey, but he'd gotten his bearings. He could hear Eve's song now drifting through the trees, but he made no sign, wanting to see if the nymph was telling the truth.

He relaxed when she took him towards the sound. A part of him wanted to have a little heart to heart with the nymph, maybe just to clear the air. But he was also still annoyed with her general coldness, and also never quite sure how 'real' any of this was. He...

Chapter 342: Runic Magic

Mason soon met the other nymphs. Thea introduced them all while still straddling him, which really didn't help with the names. They all smiled and gave him a little curtsy or bow, then asked Thea if they might take part in the 'ritual'.

"Of course, sisters," she said pleasantly, slipping Mason out with a sigh as she rose. The other nymphs started removing their similar green dresses, though they all looked younger and slightly more ragged, or more uncivilized, compared to Thea.

Be...

Chapter 341: A good bargain

"Very good." Gaia smiled with Calypsa's mouth, the nymph's perfect teeth flashing with the 'crones' toothless gums. "So now you know it is me you must pay. I saved your mate. Life always comes with a cost."

"What do you want," Mason asked, feeling more miserable by the second.

Gaia-Calypsa shook her head.

"Look at you. So...grey. Is your young existence so terrible already? I can't imagine what you'll be like in a thousand years."

"I'd be happier if you ‘god...

Chapter 340: Do you know who I am?

Blake watched his brother vanish into the wall, then turned to the others and grinned. He couldn't have been more proud.

"Did you see that magnificent bastard brother of mine?" He shook his head. "Considering you're in heat, Ilya, I don't know how you didn't throw yourself at him. I'm not sure I'd blame you."

The orc lady blushed her peculiar shade of yellow, mouth slightly agape as she stared at Blake in confusion. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, lighten up. We should all ...

Chapter 339: Not worth the effort

Blake was feeling rather overwhelmed. First, he'd survived the horrific demon encounter and realized he'd been an extraordinary idiot.

In the end he'd realized there was an entirely separate puzzle right at the foot of the demon, which would have allowed them to finish the binding enchantment without actually re-activating a single chain.

The 'chains', he’d discovered, were essentially bonus quests, or optionals. When Blake actually attempted to finish the main puz...

Chapter 338: Don't forgive twice

Mason paced in front of the portal until he ran out of patience. Which, admittedly, probably wasn’t very long.

“Show me again,” he gestured at Ilya and held out a hand. “I want to see again.”

When she looked at his hand, then at his face, her expression was…changed. Cold.

“Why should I do that?”

Mason took a breath and met her eyes. He knew what she meant. She’d seen the look in his eye when that older orc was talking. When the creature said he intend...

Chapter 337: A bad sign

Blake knew they were getting overwhelmed. His constructs were very good at holding the demons off, but they weren’t particularly good at killing them.

As had happened several times, the type of construct he’d brought wasn’t fit for purpose. His centurions could stab the demons all day with their swords, but the unnaturally tough creatures just wouldn’t die.

The goblin assassin seemed in a similar state of disadvantage. He clearly worked best when he ...

Chapter 336: Event in progress

Blake was starting to think they were all going to die.

Well, everyone but him. Probably. He didn't see how he’d get out of this, exactly, but he expected he'd find a way when everything went tits up.

The puzzles were far more elaborate than he'd expected. Only he could see the actual symbols, which basically meant only he could do the damn things without painful trial and error. Meanwhile, every moment seemed to bring the giant demon closer to breaking out and slaughte...

Chapter 335: Friend or prey

"Fucking hell."

Mason stared at the handful of constructs that waited for him in the White Tower. The place looked far...cozier than the other tower he'd seen, with plenty of furs and candles, artwork and rugs. But it was also obviously filled with Blake's handiwork.

Half a dozen creepy, faceless statue men turned to face Mason, seeming to inspect him before turning away and going still again. He'd hoped for a little while that meant they were designed not to kill hu...

Chapter 334: Lady Somethingeye

Every player without a prestige class had volunteered to go to the tower with Mason. He suspected everyone was starting to feel time and pressure now that the system was changing the game.

Pretty soon there were going to be more humans around—and some kind of universal ranking list where people could see each other’s names and maybe titles, and who knew what else.

Where you ‘ranked’ was suddenly going to be a lot more competitive.

After a quick goodbye to the others,...

Chapter 333: Blake and the Two Towers

Blake and his unlikely band of heroes left the orc’s White Tower and entered the Grey without much difficulty. Having the tower lord's son probably helped.

Even so, the guards stared long and hard at the humans and goblins, then at the Stoneblood prince. They forced him to separate from the others, where they asked him in several different ways if he was some kind of captive, or if he needed assistance.

Blake listened in with Mental Influence, fighting the grin as his potential ...

Chapter 332: What's next?

Mason met with all his players, and some of the elves and civilian leaders in the central ‘hall’ of his new raised city. Everyone was buzzing, full of barbecue and a little alcohol, talking excitedly and staring out at the platforms and buildings.

After they got over the initial what-the-fuckery of its instant construction, and then the size and absolute insanity of it all, they were all pretty damn excited.

Naya and Haley both came to Mason’s side of the table, exchanging ...

Chapter 331: Nexus Founder: The Tree City

[Title modified: Nexus Founder: The Tree City. Increased and improved Patron options. Increased and improved House options. Presence +2. Small power boost in natural settings.]

Despite the strange feeling of the young tree in his mind, Mason couldn’t help but look at his title and grin.

He walked through the raised bridges and platforms that made up his Nexus and his new ‘Tree City’, surrounded in the glow of blue light. Time was still ‘frozen’, the forest l...

Chapter 330: I want them all

Apparently elves didn't have a word, or even have the concept of an 'open air, group cook out'. When Mason explained they'd all stand around drinking and cooking meat, Naya looked like she'd eaten something that disagreed with her.

"We elves...don't eat much meat," she said. "Will it be...in something?"

Mason laughed and told her to get dressed, lingering a moment to watch. But when she noticed and smiled shyly, bending over with a bit of pink in her face to pull up ...

Chapter 329: What's a barbecue?

Mason slept without dreams, and woke before the dawn. His bed felt strange. Too soft and comfortable, with warm, soft flesh pressed against him.

He was beginning to think of the forest floor as the norm—the settlement of Nassau as the 'temporary'. He wondered how long until mortal danger became the standard, with peace and civilization little more than a pleasant fiction.

Maybe it was always the case. Maybe humanity had just gotten too rich, too soft.

He crawled out of bed...

End of book Seven.

Book 8 begins tomorrow! I'm still a little behind but not enough to need a week off posting. So, onward!

Look forward to the Nexus and many changes to Nassau. 'First Contact' with other human settlements. A four girl scene. And a system-run tournament to test every player in the world...

Thanks as ever for reading/commenting/supporting. The Litrpg/Harem journey continues. Here's an image of Naya's mother Ayet. Because why the hell not...

Chapter 328: Wedding night

Mason took turns with Naya and Haley for hours. They had little naps and breaks for water (and one of Haley's snacks), all naked and laughing as they ate pastries like they'd gone a day without food.

They didn't even make it back to the bedroom for that round, Mason ending up spreading Naya’s legs and rubbing her ass red on the carpet. He’d had to carry her half conscious to the bed when they were finished.

"Someone's enjoying himself," Haley said after, cuddling against him o...

Chapter 327: Wife, concubine, slave

Mason moved to Naya naked, putting his hands on her face. He slipped the scarf off her hair and uncovered her head entirely, letting the fabric drop behind. He turned her face and eyes up to his as she stroked his thumbs across her cheeks. He reminded himself she was still a virgin.

"You just do everything I tell you. Understand?"

Naya nodded, her chest already rising and falling with quick breaths.

Mason kissed her lips gently, then more passionately, feeling the growing ur...

Chapter 326: The King

After sending Streak back to his pack, thanking and 'dismissing' his players, and saying another round of thanks and goodbye to the elves, Mason was ready to go home to his girls. Mostly.

Naya stopped him at the door, saying they needed to discuss the wedding and that everything was basically prepared.

"Haley and I worked out the details," she explained, smiling a little. "She cooked for me. Which…didn’t go so well. But then we tried again, just the two of us, and had a wonder...

Chapter 325: The Beastmaster

Mason only had a moment to react. He materialized at least thirty feet in the air with Ayet in his arms, and dropped. She shrieked. He swore.

He knew he'd be perfectly fine, of course, though an animal, instinctual fear still shot through him. Ayet, on the other hand…

He reached for the closest rafter but missed, the beam a good foot too far away to reach. Then they were dropping in open air and he couldn't think of a God damn thing he could do about it. He was about to smash hi...

Chapter 324: Sorry

Mason was…not a great liar. Or so Blake had told him many times.

"You have to believe it, brother," he'd instructed after a particularly egregious fuck up he needed Mason to cover for. "Think of it as a story, a new narrative that is equally true. Or, you know, a story that certainly could be true."

He hadn't known what the hell his brother was talking about then, and he didn't know what Ayet was talking about now. How could you believe your own lie when you knew it was a lie? 2024-08-09 14:07:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 323: Mother in law

Naya's mother didn't even flinch. She just stared at Mason and then Amit with cold assessment, as if this sort of thing happened all the time. Amit looked like he was having trouble breathing, his whole frame withering beneath her gaze.

"Oh," Mason added, putting a hand on the poor librarian’s shoulder. "And I told Amit here if he didn't help I'd cut him into pieces. So it's not his fault."

The man nodded, a little too enthusiastically. Mason did his best not to groan.

"Le...

Chapter 322: City of portals

Mason had the skinny looking elf's throat in his hand before it managed to grab whatever it was reaching for. His experience in the fey had him somewhere between frustrated, panicked, and enraged, and it took just about every scrap of will not to squeeze.

He met the thing's eyes, and they stared until Mason's breathing slowed, his rational mind regaining control.

"Where am I? And who are you?"

The elf finally blinked, slowly lowering his hand to pick up what looked like...ey...

Chapter 321: Many ways to punish

[Please select a primary class upgrade.]

Mason took a deep breath and scratched Streak’s ears, feeling a familiar peace as he stood alone again beneath the stars. He’d Wyrdwalk back to Nassau and all its problems soon enough. But first it was time to do his level.

He clicked his blinking profile and checked out the options. The list was short, but obviously customized based on his powers and choices.

[Dark Stalker. The wise predator hun...

Chapter 320: Last man

Carl said he wanted to look around one last time, then wandered off around the Nexus site. Mason was preparing himself to level before something warm and wet moved up his thigh. For a small moment he thought it was Streak, but realized Becky’s head was still in his lap.

“It’s my last chance,” she whispered in the growing dark, running her hands over his crotch as she worked at his fly. Before he had a chance to respond she had his manhood out of the button, letting out a sigh as...

Chapter 319: Nothing

Mason saw the flashing icons in his profile for reaching level twenty. He knew he needed to sort that out, and a familiar excitement tingled in his gut. But as a patron and maybe Nexus owner it looked like he had even more time. As ever, first things were first.

"OK," Mason took a breath and glanced around the desert, still clutching the nexus icon. "Time to teleport.”

Becky smiled and squeezed his hand, and for a panicked moment he glanced over towards the beacon and realized i...

Chapter 318: Re-negotiation

Blake  went to Ilya after meeting with Chillik to explain the situation. The orc noblewoman had once again thrown herself at him, and it took a good hour before they were able to talk about something useful.

Now they lay side by side, Blake breathing hard and covered in sweat. He thought again about that annoying old Vietnamese man and what he’d said about strengthening his body. He rather resented thinking about an old man as he lay naked beside Ilya.

"So, the goblins firs...