It didn't work. Trying to sneak past the more intelligent Skeleton Archon was doomed from the start. While the massing skeletons and zombies didn't notice a thing, the Archon's attention shot to Luke the second he came within perhaps fifty feet. That made every other monster in the vicinity take ...
2025-11-25 19:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostDressed in dark gray, almost black robes that didn't flutter in the wind, a monster stepped out from behind a burning building. Like with Darius, it was like Luke's attention drifted away from it, like his eyes didn't want to look at it. Forcing himself to focus, Luke watched it approach. While t...
2025-11-24 19:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostThat one threat was enough to make Luis spill the beans. The name of his organization was not one Luke recognized, but he didn't pay much attention to that sort of stuff. From Luis's rambling, they found out that while there were some members who needed urgent care, they were looking for ongoing ...
2025-11-21 19:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostIt took some convincing, but Viola gave in and contacted her superiors, who, despite her predictions on how the call would go, allowed Luke to see the would-be kidnapper. Back in the elevator, heading even deeper underground than The Gauntlet, Viola cleared her throat.
"We have arranged an ...
2025-11-20 19:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostNoise. So much noise. Why couldn’t everyone just shut up? All day, every day, wherever you went, people just talked and talked and talked. In a smaller setting, it might be bearable for a while, but out in the open like this with hundreds of people milling about? Not so much. People smelled, ma...
2025-11-20 09:54:47 +0000 UTC View PostNash and Tom came lugging Perienka just as Greta's voice rose over the houses. She watched the sky and sang a melody in an unknown language, languid and with more than a fair dose of melancholy. A fireball the size of a boulder struck the roof of a building, collapsing the entire structure. Even ...
2025-11-19 19:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostNash, now shirtless for some reason, fought against Henry, matching the other man's blade with nothing more than his fists and arms. He looked away for a brief second to shout at Luke. "Something is wrong with Tom. Can you heal it, Luke?"
That moment of splitting his focus awarded Nash a de...
2025-11-18 19:00:12 +0000 UTC View PostNash and Tom rushed forward in a charge, with Luke and the others trailing after. Not wanting to shout, Luke attempted to message Nash through the interface, but that didn't work. Their party leader didn't have a communication gem.
Speeding to catch up with them, Luke hissed, "I didn't mean...
2025-11-17 19:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostOnce all of them were fitted with armbands and the little light on them turned green, their opponents made their appearance. One by one, they came running from farther into the big room, Trevor, the man in charge, called The Gauntlet.
Greeting each other, Luke made note of their opponents, ...
2025-11-15 19:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostAfter a quick shower, a breakfast consisting of a few pieces of bread with nothing on them, and water, Luke raced down the stairs, the worst of his soreness washed away by healing. Anticipating physical activity in his near future, he'd donned some new workout clothes. Unable to stop himself, eac...
2025-11-14 13:47:57 +0000 UTC View PostStaring at the little blob that had become his pet, Luke could swear it had increased in size since he last saw it.
"Did eating that monster core make you bigger?"
Smudge didn't answer, of course, but it had this whole smug air about it. So weird, how the strange creature communicated...
2025-11-14 13:47:24 +0000 UTC View Post"This?" Luke asked, holding out one of the early monster cores he'd collected.
Smudge rose from the ground, and a small part of it reached up and forward, like an eager dog waiting for a treat. Unsure what to expect, he handed the item over to the pet, and the little blob wrapped itself aro...
2025-11-14 13:47:02 +0000 UTC View PostAfter holding up his fist for a little while, waiting for the cult twins to join in, Nash let his hand drop and shrugged. "Classes then? I mean, that has to be on the list, yeah?"
"It is," Priyah said. "I'm a Shepherd."
Luke's eyes shot to her. "A what?"
"Shepherd?" she said, th...
2025-11-14 13:46:43 +0000 UTC View Post"Are the monsters scary?"
"Is it dangerous in dungeons?"
"What's a credit?"
"When do I get to kill stuff?"
The questions were telling of just how fresh off the Tutorial Dungeon these people were. Some even made Luke think they'd found some way to skip the tutorial altogeth...
2025-11-14 13:46:18 +0000 UTC View PostI'm too far ahead again. Just finished chapter 69. Another 5 chapters for you!
2025-11-14 13:45:55 +0000 UTC View PostTakanawa let out a low gasp, then a murmur as Luke got started. Destroying the dysfunctional marrow was the first step, and that was easy enough, more so now that he was able to utilize Weaver's Rupture, creating microscopic pulses of force rather than slicing everything to nothingness using Need...
2025-11-13 19:00:14 +0000 UTC View PostIt seemed to Luke that every car he got into these days was driven by some crazy person with a death wish. Speeding, rounding sharp corners without slowing down, and disregarding everyone around them was par for the course, and Mumu was no exception. To Luke's surprise, they headed out of town an...
2025-11-12 19:00:10 +0000 UTC View PostWhen Luke asked what would happen to him going forward, having swallowed his frustration over them blaming him for their own mistake of sending a damn nuke to wipe Relian out, every eye turned to Agent Halstrom, like she was a judge about to pass down an execution.
"Nothing."
"Nothing...
2025-11-11 19:00:40 +0000 UTC View PostAbout an hour after saying goodbye to Curtis, Luke found himself smushed in the backseat of a dark car with tinted windows, driving to some undisclosed location. On either side of him, agents in dark suits and blank expressions kept their eyes focused straight ahead. At least they hadn't handcuff...
2025-11-10 19:00:09 +0000 UTC View PostWell, at first it looked like the little void had disappeared, but squatting down with arms resting over his knees, Luke stared at a small patch of it that had remained when the rest of the opening disappeared. He frowned and reached out with a trembling finger, unsure what to make of it. The tip...
2025-11-08 14:22:24 +0000 UTC View PostIt was a slim chance that Luke would've been able to take Relian unaware, one that, it turned out, was damn near zero. As soon as he approached, Luke lost an arm, and would have lost more if not for The Deep Dweller slamming a shadowed tentacle down on The Fallen Shepherd's head so hard his neck ...
2025-11-08 14:21:57 +0000 UTC View PostThe two Lifeweavers reached into each other's mana channels as they clashed. Rather than run up against each other and battle it out in some epic struggle of willpower and strength, they both gained instant access. Luke flexed, attempting to push Relian out, but found that he could not. Not wasti...
2025-11-08 14:21:29 +0000 UTC View PostIgnoring Johanson's frantic questions about what happened to the weapon of mass destruction and what was going on with The Fallen Shepherd, Luke pointed to the field where sparks of light and the shimmer of barriers showed the group fighting against what looked like orcs wielding wide-bladed axes...
2025-11-08 14:21:04 +0000 UTC View PostMartin vaulted over the barrier and was among the monster bulls, twirling with his swords, both of them glowing, one yellow and one light blue. Whenever Luke thought a monster would strike him with its horns, the Phase Blade, well, phased, and the attack went right through him without harm. Just ...
2025-11-08 14:20:32 +0000 UTC View Post... so I'm dropping a couple of extra chapters. Enjoy! // Oskar
2025-11-08 14:20:06 +0000 UTC View PostThe being that had stared out at Luke from beyond the weave of The Greater System drifted closer through the opening that cut straight up into the air. Right in front of it, a man approached, gesturing into the air, as if trying to communicate with whatever those enormous, yellow-glowing eyes bel...
2025-11-07 19:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostMartin waved his finger about in a circle and then squeezing his hand into a fist, shouting. "DIA have engaged the target! Prepare for drop!"
"Drop? Shit! What do I do?" Luke asked, looking at the people sitting across from him in the helicopter. "I've never gone skydiving!"
"Hold on ...
2025-11-06 19:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostAs they flew, Toledo disappearing behind them, Martin put considerable effort into making his team explain their classes and power-sets to Luke and Curtis, so there wouldn't be any surprises. Linda showed some of what she could do by casting spells to increase everyone's attributes, adding a sign...
2025-11-05 19:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostNot sure what else to do, he held out a hand to her. "I'll be back soon. At least I hope I will."
"A handshake?" She said, raising an eyebrow as she pushed his hand to the side, stepped in and gave Luke a hug. "You'll be back. Don't forget, you still have a lot to teach me."
Luke hugg...
2025-11-04 19:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostHe left the other two at the table to search for hotel rooms and made his way into the park. It wasn’t large or well-kept, but the grass and trees had a calming effect as he pondered Relian’s letter.
The Fallen Shepherd wanted to teach him things. Luke didn't doubt it would be a gold mi...
2025-11-03 19:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post