Day 65, 8:45 PM
The dead town’s council sure is taking their sweet time reaching a decision. Especially considering their choices are to gamble on what some might view as heretics or to die.
I can see fatalistic fanatics choosing the latter over the former, but I don’t think people abandoned by the chu...
2025-02-20 10:43:18 +0000 UTC View Post16th of Season of Earth, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
After the feast, Newt took a fasting pill and returned to cultivation. Hours passed as he made minor corrections to the vast majority of his spell formations. None required a major overhaul, but a scant few remained in perfect condition, requiring no modifications.
Two d...
2025-02-20 07:58:57 +0000 UTC View Post16th of Season of Earth, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
Newt returned to his residence, still shocked, unable to believe what had happened. When he left his realm after a handful of minutes he dedicated to checking its state, he was the only disciple in the field. He was terrified he had finished last, and in a sense he did.
...
2025-02-19 06:44:08 +0000 UTC View PostDay 65, 2:00 PM
Learning magic is one of the most, pardon my lack of a better term, magical experiences in my lives.
Sensing the ethereal images veiled behind the wordless songs which somehow tell the world what I want it to do is exhilarating. Doubly so because most have not a speck of connection with wha...
2025-02-18 18:58:22 +0000 UTC View PostYou can pick multiple options. Clarification, the tournament will have multiple events.
2025-02-18 07:10:49 +0000 UTC View Post15th of Season of Earth, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
Newt, along with his fellow core disciples and four hundred and seventy-odd inner disciples, entered the secluded realm. The fine vapor misted, blocking his vision. while the thundering noise assaulted his ears. There was no danger, however, and as instructed by the venerable,...
2025-02-18 05:14:20 +0000 UTC View PostDay 63, 12:10 PM
“I got a level!” I interrupt Edna mid sentence. She glances back, gifting me a frown for my effort.
As expected, the choice is between getting better at estimating distances and getting better at estimating weights. Both seem fairly useless. But the former sees more use in combat, so I...
2025-02-16 08:29:40 +0000 UTC View Post45th of Season of Fire, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
Elder Longfang observed the field he had arranged. It housed a glorious spell formation, one which helped him recover his confidence after failing to break the privacy spell formation the sect’s guest had used some moons ago.
Losing to a third realm grandmaster scribe h...
2025-02-16 05:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post87th of Season of Air, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
Newt sat in his practice room in the Chamber of Runes. He could not tell when he started enjoying examining spell formations, due to his unique realm layout the activity felt nearly identical to cultivation, and as his understanding grew, so did his potential.
Even with Da...
2025-02-15 03:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostDay 41, 10:30 AM
“Are we far enough?” I ask, despite knowing the answer.
Edna hesitates, then nods. “We are.”
I don’t know why she didn’t want to hold lessons until we got closer to the corrupted lands than we were to Tallrock, but as an apprentice, I’m guessing it’s my job to obey my master, rather t...
2025-02-14 06:19:51 +0000 UTC View PostDay 39, 5:15 AM
“And since I care about you, I’m going to explain some things.” I look at Edna. “You already know everything I’m about to say, and the topic might pe painful for you—”
“I’m staying.” Her voice is determined, and I nod before explaining the political reasons behind the ch...
2025-02-13 07:49:30 +0000 UTC View Post47th of Season of Air, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
“That was so depressing,” Elder Woodhopper said after closing the door and making sure Newstar had left the range of her perception.
“It needed to be done.” Elder Alabaster entered the corridor from a side room adjacent to the one in which Elder Woodhopper had the ...
2025-02-13 07:48:36 +0000 UTC View PostDay 39, 2:30 AM
Edna cracks her eyes open as much as her welts allow, her head on my lap. She looks up at me, and I place a finger over my lips, telling her to be quiet, then motion towards the sleeping girls.
“Heal yourself first,” I whisper, ignoring her dismay as she realizes we have two more compan...
2025-02-12 07:36:48 +0000 UTC View Post47th of Season of Air, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
Newt and Elder Woodhopper entered a large room styled to emulate a hunter’s cottage. A large, stone fireplace stood at the far end, flames licking three logs inside. Dagger-long fangs decorated a wall, some blazing with residual spiritual energy in Newt’s third eye, while a ...
2025-02-12 07:22:04 +0000 UTC View PostDay 38, 8:50 PM
I reach Lucy and Gila with Edna out cold in my arms. The girls have started a fire. In its light, they nervously await my arrival. When I started out in Everrain, kidnapped by a presumed mad witch, I never expected a development like this. It almost feels like a German folktale. I’m leading chi...
2025-02-11 11:46:20 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Bear with me, I know what I'm doing.
AN2: In other news I had my wisdom teeth removed yesterday (2), another two are coming out next Monday. Three of them require(d) surgery, so now I'm swollen and life is generally not fun. I think it won't affect my schedule, but if it does, I'll make it up to you. Enjoy the chapter!
2025-02-11 07:04:59 +0000 UTC View Post
Day 38, 6:40 PM
One against two. You’d think that means things get easier, but this is where the real fight starts. Hell, I remember going through an army of mooks, and the only problem being the knight who led them.
Add in an important woman, whose dress is smoldering as she stands atop a blazing pyre, ...
2025-02-09 15:16:38 +0000 UTC View PostDay 38, 6:30 PM
I’ve led Lucy and Gila out of the fortress. We kept to the edge of the throng of people going to see the burning, and I slipped them away from the crowd, towards the jungle. They are familiar with the terrain, the wandering wildlife is nowhere near as dangerous as the fifth floor of the dungeon...
2025-02-09 14:55:08 +0000 UTC View Post45th of Season of Air, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
How? Just how does he keep getting ahead of me?
Pond Brook overtook Newt for the eighth time. The challenge had started seven hours ago, and for the eighth time, he saw Newt’s back as he whirled past him. The going had been more and more difficult as hours went ...
2025-02-09 04:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post45th of Season of Air, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
For the cheap price of five second realm spirit gems, Newt arranged a season-long accommodation for Dandelion amongst the workers of the Explorer’s Gate. He had not seen his big brother since, both of them focusing on their work.
Newt paused his cultivation until Dandeli...
2025-02-08 06:00:11 +0000 UTC View PostDay 38, 4:20 PM
Apparently, Fred tried to blame me into talking him and his cousins into going to the dungeon, the little shit. Fortunately, Gila, Lucy, and Martin, who was supposed to be the fourth member of the team, outed him. Gila even said I saved him from the orb-weaver, so, fortunately, the older generati...
2025-02-07 05:46:57 +0000 UTC View Post27th of Season of Air, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
“But isn’t it useless? It doesn’t stop people from listening in on us, they can just burst your bubble.”
“And then we stop talking, so they have nothing to listen to. At most, they will hear one word. Now what is it that you wanted to talk about?”
Newt he...
2025-02-06 03:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostDay 33, 4:20 PM
I spent a full day and a half getting used to the sensory storm before Edna finally headed home to prepare the things we will need for our marathon of lessons. My job, as her apprentice, and definitely not a hunter, we have strongly, very explicitly stipulated that, is to hunt a month’s worth o...
2025-02-05 22:16:38 +0000 UTC View PostDay 31, 5:00 AM
The choice between Advanced Arithmetics and Expert Calligraphy takes some thought. On one hand, there’s balance, on the other, a higher tier skill always trumps a lower tier one. Plus, Edna mentioned some mages made do without picking up arithmetics at all...
2025-02-05 12:59:32 +0000 UTC View PostDay 31, 4:20 AM
“Ready for your lesson?” Edna asks while the rain still assaults the canopy above us. Whoever designed this crazy ecosystem needs a five star review, would let them design a world again.
“Sure am,” I say without skipping a beat. I’ve been hovering at the border of sleep, waiting f...
2025-02-05 05:47:42 +0000 UTC View Post59th of Season of Water, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
While Newt fought Jade, Fourchains pulverized Gale. Another hour passed, and nobody issued new challenges.
“Newstar Blazing Salamander has entered the core sect undefeated, welcome young man,” the venerable in charge of the trial said, for the first time showing any ...
2025-02-05 05:39:15 +0000 UTC View PostDay 30, 8:20 PM
Rain drums and rustles against the forest canopy so dense it might as well be a roof. I’m terrified and excited by my idea. If I live long enough, I’m certain I’ll advance anarchist, even though the conditions get more and more absurd with each passing level.
I don’t delude myself t...
2025-02-04 05:53:42 +0000 UTC View Post59th of Season of Water, 58th year of the 32nd cycle
After realizing that there was nothing to learn from Gale Calmriver’s victory, except to never lower his defenses under any circumstances, not even a fraction, especially between his legs, Newt took the advice Twochains had given him, and meditated.
Even if he watched ...
2025-02-04 05:45:48 +0000 UTC View PostDay 30, 2:45 PM
Mana is alive. I don’t know where that intuitive knowledge comes from, but I can feel it. The way it dances, mana isn’t leaves floating in a mighty river, it is an entity, a creature with its own will, or at least an instinctive knowledge of where to go.
I stand above a gushing stream o...
2025-02-03 07:40:24 +0000 UTC View PostDay 30, 10:35 AM
Ultimately, I failed. Like many times in life, when things mattered the most, I didn’t meet my own expectations.
I pick Initial Mana Sense from my choice of available skills, and check my second level up condition. Fully comprehend the lesson given by your maste...
2025-02-03 05:56:45 +0000 UTC View Post