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Chapter 10: Practitioner (1)

Manhattan, NY

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We waited inside the lobby where it was warm, even close to midnight.  I wondered just what kind of Landlord kept the heather on this late; New York City Landlords rank a little bit higher than loan sharks and mafia bosses in my opinion.  Maybe Emyrith hit the jackpot with this one.

Through the glass doors, I saw the violent blizzard underway.  Snow clung to the asphalt streets and carpeted the sidewalks with coats of white.  Sn...

Chapter 199: ...Imugi (End)

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If there was one thing that MSS always did well, it was the boss fights.

In the courtyard of a temple, flying high above the clouds, you might find yourself facing off against an ogre.

In a deep underwater ocean, thousands of meters beneath the surface, a hidden monster that you’d never seen before; so massive that you could only fight against its tentacles.

Battling against the Six Heroes in their respective domains...

Chapter 9: Hearing (End)

“There’s a lot I don’t understand.”  I said.

Emyrith leaned back in his chair and carefully regarded me.  He gave a curt nod.  “Yes.  Before I launch into an explanation of my own, why don’t you tell me what you already know? Or suspect, rather.”

“When we first met.  You did something.  To block out the noise.”  I blinked rapidly, fumbling through the memories which were a scant few hours ago.  At first, it was difficult li...

Chapter 8: Hearing (4)

The door closed behind us.

Valentine Junior leaned on the wall right outside of the conference room.  He put on wireless earbuds, the white ones, and immediately shoved his hands into his pockets.  The message was clear: no interaction from him.  Which was fine with me.

I walked a little ways down the hall, alerted by another set of softer footsteps right behind me that Princess Ryu was following.  Probably looking for a chair, just like me.

Finding an al...

Chapter 198: ...Imugi (9)

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Back on the island, Arione showed the spell to me.

Was it a warning?  A way of gloating?

Was the Mage’s personality entirely incapable of showing off the fact that through Clover, he’d gotten his hands on the [Grand Magus] questline and mastered one of his signature spells?

His pride saved my life.

My [Lunar Shield] snapped into position, and I angled my sword to deflect the beam which didn’t shoot so ...

Chapter 197: ...Imugi (8)

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The head of a snake, with two curved horns attached to the side.  

Yellow, red or green sclera with black vertical pupils.

Vibrant scales with every color that nature had to offer.

That was what I saw on the computer screen.

Here…

When the first of the Imugi, Grade-2, the vestigial dragon lifted its head, my head cried out in pain.

The size of a small island, surfacing.  My body froze...

Chapter 7: Hearing (3)

Manhattan, NY

“You’re just all thieves in suits.”  I said quietly.

Granny Valentine’s gaze snapped to me, so did Grandpa Ryu.  As well as their grandchildren, the girl looked at me with undisguised loathing.

“That’s all you are.”  I went on, unperturbed, “You’re all just cowards, trying to benefit from my parent’s death.  But where were you all, when they died?  When you could’ve had the inheritance by… by…” ...

Chapter 197: ...Imugi (7)

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Most people know what it’s like to be on a rollercoaster.  The seatbelt has you strapped tight to the chair.  The rails are tight, designed to be a little rickety.  But hopefully not too dangerous.  The fear is engineered.  Most rollercoasters, like plans, are safer than a car.  People are more likely to be in a car accident than to have a rollercoaster accident.

The fear is in the mind.

For u...

Chapter 6: Hearing (2)

“I have one.” 

I cleared my throat but my voice still came out trembling.  I wanted to blame it on the bedtime monster attack on the subway, I really did.

I mean, their lawyers: Charlotte Outano and Hwan Choi.  These guys looked expensive.  I peeked at Hwan’s watch; a three-pointed crown.  I’m not a watch enthusiast but I know that brand is expensive.  But more than the lawyers, it was the fact that the Valentines and Ryus… they we...

Chapter 196: ...Imugi (6)

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Fifty Feet left.

Maybe less.

So close.  So fucking close.

SO FUCKING CLOSE.

SO FUCKING CLOSE TO THE MAN WHO HUNG ME UPSIDE DOWN AND SHOVED THINGS INTO MY–

I charged towards Coum and he began to scream.

“AHHHHHHHHH!”

No… it wasn’t him.  He had his mouth closed.

It was me.

I was the one screaming.

And the fucking coward with his befuddled eyes looked to Tanya ...

Chapter 195: ...Imugi (5)

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Everything was in chaos.

Luckily, Zenom and Fluporuin had the foresight to buy a boat that had enough enchantments to withstand the Imugi’s scales, the fires and even the blades.  The woods barely caught fire and only creaked in response to the constant pressure.

And the battle exploded into chaos.

Adventurer against adventurer, the war-cries drowned out by the screams of the dying.  Blood flowing everywher...

Chapter 5: Hearing

Manhattan, NY

The doorman used a keycard then pressed the floor button for me.  Once the doors shut, it was just the hum of the elevator, me and my thoughts.

Immediately, I leaned against the walls and took a breath.  It didn’t come in right, all shuddering gasps and no real air.  I had to repeat the action a couple of times to try and get my breathing under control.  I tried to get a handle on the part of my head that had started screaming the secon...

Chapter 194: ...Imugi (4)

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“Rising! RISING! BRACE YOURSELVES!”

Once more, the boat began to rise.  I couldn’t tell at first, except for Fluporuin’s yells over the tide of battle.  How could I? There were no landmarks to measure how high up we’d be going.

But the thunk of the Imugi’s scales rubbing against the boat was unmistakable, the fight pausing for the briefest of moments for all.  But there were still a select few expe...

Chapter 4: Subway Encounter (2)

This had to be fake.

Of course it was.  I saw it all the time.  Just because I don’t have a smartphone doesn’t mean I’m uncultured.  There are plenty of prank videos online.  People dress up as killer clowns or hide in plain sight as trash cans or shrubbery.  They wait for some innocent passerby and ‘boo!’; everyone laughs and the day is saved.

You see, the dawn of the new millennium brought about the internet age where technology had bred a whol...

Chapter 193: ...Imugi (3)

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Imugi.

Grade-2.  More often than not, a Field-Boss class monster.

Technically a drake-type.  Not a full dragon.  That was good for us.  All dragon-type monsters have one thing in common, the active ability: [Dragon Fear].  If we got hit by it… No use in thinking of that now.   It was not a dragon but the Imugi unique in the sense that it could evolve into a Grade-S Dragon-type monster given the right circu...

Chapter 3: Subway Encounter

Bronx, NY

Mr. Lin had been true to his word, besides the letter there had been a small card listing where to meet and where.

Upper Westside, Manhattan at 11PM on Friday.  Two days after we met.

I didn’t even know Lawyers worked that late.  I guess money doesn’t just fall from the sky just because you have a J.D.

After school, I headed straight home and stocked up on things that I might need.  Since my foster parents were hoarders, there was ...

192: ...Imugi (2)

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Waves crashing against the hull.

Sea bream in the air.

Flecks of foam that turned to salt which peppered against our faces.

The murmur of crowded voices, broken by the occasional call of danger.

Our ship broke the ever increasing number of tides, leaving twin lines of white behind us.  Sailing straight ahead.  It rocked back and forth, and I bounced with the same rhythm, keeping my body st...

Chapter 191: ...Imugi (1)

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The next few days passed by in a blur; eventually landing on the boat.

A lot happened.  Both good and bad.

On the good side of things, Pol, the purple-haired Elf Mage I met at the auction, delivered on his promise.  The day before we left for Claw’s Nest, a package was delivered to us while my party was in the middle of eating lunch.  A package which we unwrapped together to find an Incubator containi...

Chapter 2: Inheritance

‘There are three things you should never trust.  The Fae, Devils and a Hallow.’

-Unknown Mage

***

“Now, we can talk.”  Emyrith muttered then looked at me.

My heart was pounding.  Emyrith had done something just now, but I had no idea what.

When I was eleven, I was homeless for a while because I ran away from my foster home.  Back then, I ran because my foster dad at the ...

Chapter 1: Visitor

‘The Hallows don’t go to Hell… they own it.’

-Patriarch of the Ashveil Family

Charter Academy

Manhattan, NY

“Jain Hallow, report to the Principal’s office.”

The burger stopped halfway between my mouth and tray, and I was torn between taking another nauseating bite or just setting it down all together.

The bathroom today smelled like shit more than usual. Which, I guess, is on...

Chapter 190: Jared (End)

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The door opened and Grum came dragging in a slender orc who fought with every last ounce of strength.  She jumped up and slammed the bottom of her feet into the wall, like a horizontal deadlifting motion.  Grum didn’t even notice.  He never stopped walking and it was with this casual manner that she was presented before us.

Like Grum, she had pale white-ivory skin with purple inky lines that swirled around her bod...

Chapter 189: Jared (2)

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Jared Akka Xalud sat behind his desk, looking more bored than regal and more beautiful than conventionally handsome.

The both times that I met him, there had been an array of events that kept me from staying calm.  All due to the man.  Perhaps disaster followed him as due course; it couldn’t be a peaceful life he had as a former War Prince and being one of the most influential Scions out of the Three Great Houses. &n...

Chapter 188: Jared (1)

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To find Jared Akka Xalud, I had to leave the manor grounds.

“Sir Slaveborn.”  The servant in charge of ferrying me around greeted me.

“To the War Prince’s house.”

I caught the slightest trembling in the man’s body.  Fear?  Perhaps.  Nervousness?  Most definitely.  It wouldn’t do for manservants of a War Prince to not have a healthy amount of fear for him.  It’s just th...

Break on Week of May 18th

Hello,

Finally got ahold of my laptop.
I got hospitalized unexpectedly this week.

As many of you guys know, I have some enduring health problems, which requires constant upkeep; especially after my big surgery years ago.

I'll be taking a break this week and coming back Monday.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

Chapter 187: Zenom Saintred (3)

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“And that’s the last time that I saw Zeph.”

The bulky Holy Knight leaned forward on the desk, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes –like he had a headache.  I watched him, giving him silence.  Somehow, it didn’t feel right talking right after he shared that story.  Granted, it had been short.  But it was the way that Zenom told it that kept me from speaking and asking my questions outrigh...

Chapter 186: Zenom Saintred (2)

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It was snowing.

Fat droplets of snow fell with all the weight of a storm, covering the ground.  Clouds blotted out the sun, casting an eerie orange hue that left long shadows despite it being the middle of the day.  Still, multiple footprints left deep grooves in the Church courtyard, keeping the snow from piling up more than an inch deep at a time.  The sound of wooden swords being tested against one another...

Chapter 185: Zenom Saintred (1)

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“By the fire, they’re still there!”

“...w-who?”

“You know who,”  The blonde boy said gravely, “Zane.”  He placed his hands on the corner of the dormitory building, peering around the wall.

“S-So we can’t eat again today?”  Little Zeph looked up at the larger boy, “But the s-sister said we should–”

“The Sister can go teach her grandmother to suck eggs...

Chapter 184: Auction (End)

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“Lock, this came for you through a messenger today.”  Kyrian passed over a wax sealed envelope, puasing from lifting a cup of coffee to his lips.

Speaking of, it had been a long, long time since I drank coffee.  They called it something else here in MSS though, pronouncing it as Kopi.  But it was definitely coffee.  Bitter black nectar that sent little jolts of energy spiking through my body and brought awa...

Update May 4th 2025 Tonight

Update coming tonight.

Working very hard on EIF1 rewrite into Occult fantasy.

Still, Slaveborn Chapter 184 coming tonight, in case people were worried.

Chapter 183: Auction (7)

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There was one thing which Pol talked about that still bothered me.

“Because not all of us are like you people from Earth.”

It implied that some [Players] weren’t from earth.

This brought up so many questions I didn’t even know where to start.  First off, I don’t remember the process of how I got isekai’d into this world too clearly.  I remember entering the final dungeon, some words appea...