Zenith of Sorcery, Chapter 20
Added 2025-02-17 00:20:35 +0000 UTCThe new chapter is here!
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/71045/zenith-of-sorcery/chapter/2071380/20-ranks-the-planes-and-everything
https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3368346/1/Zenith-of-Sorcery
Hopefully you find it interesting. I enjoyed writing this one very much.
Comments
These students get a lot in exchange tho. Personal tutoring from one of the best practitioner around, ressources etc...
Vertsang
2025-03-17 03:11:10 +0000 UTCInteresting. Well, a shame, I'm not interested in a story where the main character is one of the two most evil people in the story and has no remorse while continuing to perpetuate his evil upon his students. Love your writing, I'll be keeping an eye out in case you start another story with a not awful main character. Thanks for this and the previous story. I'd have replied sooner but was never notifed by Patreon, oddly.
NameGame
2025-03-09 03:36:04 +0000 UTCAh. Well, if that's your stance on it, then yes, the story just follows a villain.
Domagoj Kurmaic
2025-02-23 11:28:51 +0000 UTCThe Many Branched Tree. Implanting a spy into the soul of every one of his students, and perpetuating that which the Tree did to him. They didn't agree to that, they aren't aware of it, and he can forever manipulate and spy on them for their entire lives, as well as having an easy way in to influence or enslave them. That's just flat out evil, it's not even a grey area. If those who aren't under the sway of the Tree find out about it, I'd expect it to be purged from the planet by every other mage there is and every Tree mage to be killed to prevent it from perpetuating itself upon others, so he has to keep the secret just to survive, but he chose to not take action against the Tree that "blesses" aka curses everyone, and chose to do the same to his students as was done to him. He's not flawed, he's evil.
NameGame
2025-02-22 23:23:07 +0000 UTCI don't know what you mean. Sure Marcus has his flaws, but I can't see why that makes him a villain.
Domagoj Kurmaic
2025-02-22 16:57:53 +0000 UTCSo I've been thinking about this for a while, and I've come to the conclusion that there's no good guy in this story. Is there? Am I just not noticing? The MC is very much a villain, despite being reasonably charismatic and friendly. So with him being evil and showing not even the slightest remorse or signs of turning over a new leaf...is that just how the story is going to be? Follow the bad guy around on his adventures?
NameGame
2025-02-21 22:41:48 +0000 UTCIt worked out really well this way, since now I don't need to worry about a chapter for a while. I need some things done by the end of the month.
Domagoj Kurmaic
2025-02-17 09:10:52 +0000 UTCYeah, skimmed back through chapter 10. He told them he'd reached the "Unification stage" just like Gaius, though even that seems like he's still playing his strength down. So yeah, he decided they only really needed to know about the ranks up to Spirit Manifestation for now. While Marcus remains ever mysterious about his actual power level~
DiabolicalGenius
2025-02-17 03:36:08 +0000 UTCThanks for the chapter. That was quite the big lore dump there, though it was all rather interesting. Though I did notice he didn't mention ranks above Spirit Manifestation. Which could be the peak, but I'm pretty sure he's implied in the past that he's stronger than that, even if he claimed he was JUST at Spirit Manifestation when asked. So while 5th rank means you can already ascend if you want to, but doesn't mean you've reached the top in power? Maybe. The kids messing up his analogy to Claudia and him giving up and just moving on was too real. Felt like teaching actual kids for a moment. I also appreciated the Red Robe reference, don't think I missed it~ But yeah, disheartening reveal about the Abyss. But considering he's the main character, he might just unexpectedly find himself in a position to tilt the scales back in their favor somehow. It'd make for a pretty damn depressing story otherwise and I don't think tragic futility is your style. Assuming they can find their way out of the caves. He'd better have a spell that can help with that or something, or this will end up a big embarassment to a powerful mage. Along with a reminder to us that Teleportation is much less accessible in this setting than in MoL.
DiabolicalGenius
2025-02-17 03:01:43 +0000 UTC"I’m lying on the ground and a hooded man in a blood red robe, his face obscured in darkness, is standing over me with a staff raised over his head, ready to finish me off. " I can see why you enjoyed writing this.
Mr R
2025-02-17 01:38:33 +0000 UTC"Your abilities to sense, gather and manipulate mana – commonly referred to as your shaping skills – are absolutely crucial at this level" - oh God, I'm getting Xvim flashbacks.
Mr R
2025-02-17 01:33:36 +0000 UTCWhat the — a chapter today wasn't even on my radar. Thank you for keeping my up late at night! Jokes aside, thank you for over-delivering.
Mr R
2025-02-17 01:31:30 +0000 UTCI’m glad you are getting a bit more sleep this time. As always, thank you for the chapter.
Monotropa
2025-02-17 00:24:45 +0000 UTCSurprised you were able to get this chapter with no delays with you being an accountant and this being your busy time of year.
Tom
2025-02-17 00:22:33 +0000 UTC
