Chapter 805 - For a few more minutes
POV Nathaniel
One day after entering the 11th floor and confirming it's somewhat safe, I enter Beyond. Just as I’d hoped, I’m stopped in the usual place with Ruby sitting behind her table.
“Hey,” she greets me.
“Hey,” I say back, sliding into the chair opposite her.
Coming out of the scorching heat of the 11th floor, it feels weirdly comfortable here.
“Biscuit isn’t in Beyond?” I ask her just in case. I wanted to get that question out as soon as I could, though I suspect I know the answer.
“He is not,” Ruby answers. She quickly continues, “Why don’t you stay here for a few more minutes before you use a Tutorial Stay token? It costs half a million shards. You shouldn’t waste it like that.”
“I don’t think I can currently find any care in me for that,” I say, yet I still stay in the chair.
“That floor really got fucked up.”
“It did.”
“So, how are you taking it?”
I give myself a moment to think before I shrug. “It sucks, but honestly, I kept waiting for something to go wrong like that. It is kind of in the name of this difficulty. It could have ended much worse. This failure doesn’t even change anything or add further to our 'motivation.' All of us already knew that we need to get stronger. It was just as you said: a shitty floor full of mistakes. Some of which could have been avoided, and others that were just bad luck.”
“That is true,” she says in a gentle voice, hinting for me to continue.
I find no reason not to. People always feel a bit better after complaining to someone who listens, so why not? “Biscuit is gone. Our bond is gone. But I will find him, or he will find me.” I pause and lean back to look upwards. “He is strong, so I’m sure he’s okay. But I guess you can’t tell me?”
“It is complicated. As a Ruler, some of my actions or words I say bring unwanted attention from the system. It is best if I stay quiet for now.”
I nod. “I understand. Then there is Noodle, still in pain after biting the wyvern. We think that gluttonous snake is trying to absorb some of that blood, and I think he’s started to change a bit.”
“I know you have some as well, from stabbing the hatchling.”
“I do. Me and Lily will use it to try to forcefully strengthen or evolve my blood trait, if possible, or share it with someone compatible from the group. There isn’t much of it, so I do not know yet.”
“Be careful.”
“As much as is reasonable,” I pause again, and this time the feeling is different, the kind that makes it difficult to talk. “Then there is Aaron. His body, his mana heart... all of it is gone. Now he is just a mind inside of his brother’s mind.”
“It is the better option out of the two.”
I nod again. “It is. That maniac even transferred all his stats to Dennis before his body got destroyed, so Dennis has now doubled his stats. Aaron can partially help him with some skills and stuff, too. So Dennis got a huge boost and jokes that he might enter Beyond if possible, though I think that joking helps him to not just curl into a ball and cry. Apparently, on later floors, you can get an individual quest to enter Beyond.”
“You can. It starts on the 10th with rare chances on lower ones. You don’t even need an upgraded difficulty change token anymore. Though at that time, usually much less time remains for you to explore Beyond or take advantage of its events or quests.”
“That much is obvious,” I say, deciding to complain a bit more. “If you saw that... Aaron jumped in to save Izzy. I failed to contain the lightning as the hatchling used my state after Biscuit disappeared against me. Without Aaron, Izzy would be dead. But now he is without a body, and no one knows if he won’t disappear soon, if he counts as an attendee, if the stats he shared with Dennis will stay, or if he can level up and get stronger. Lily could probably clone Dennis or slowly tear him apart piece by piece, like, tear off his arm, heal it, tear off his leg, heal it, use the torn parts to build a 'clone' we could just maybe use Sophie to transfer Aaron into. But that body would be without a mana heart, and I think without that mana, it would fail to keep that 'mind' alive. Even if we had Aaron’s brain and copied it perfectly, we would just be creating a copy of him. Saying it sucks underestimates it a lot.”
Ruby, who listens patiently, agrees. “It does suck a lot. Were you scared?”
“Of course I was. Scared shitless when I saw his body evaporate. I thought I had lost a friend. But what I feel is nothing in comparison to what he or his brother felt.”
“Don't dismiss your own scars. You’ve gone through a lot, too. You lost your bond, and your body continues to fail. You live with constant pain, and the pressure of knowing a single lapse in mana control could mean the end. On top of that, the burden of being the strongest falls entirely on your shoulders. Your planet, family, and life are threatened by that man, and things on Earth are getting changing as he establishes his base there and plans for decades, not just years. Before you ask: he is honoring his promise, and your family and friends are safe.”
“If you say it like that, it sounds like a lot,” I allow myself a breather, especially as I notice her reaching towards me and handling my mana in my stead. As she does, it feels like a constant hum in the background disappears, and some weight lifts off my shoulders, too.
Still, I look at her. “But it is something I have chosen through my free will. As for the things I didn’t, well, there is a lot I have gained that normal people can’t even dream of. It is obvious there would be a price for that.”
I examine one of the mana stones lying on her table. “I thought of it, Ruby. I often think that these things happen because I’m just not strong enough, and to some point, it is true. But then I also look up. At the Rulers, and at you, and I can’t help but think how pathetic all of you are. So I think that it would be the same even if I reached your level. Tied back by deals, goals, or straight up by the system itself.”
Her eyes narrow just as I look up from the table at her. “And I think, Ruby. When was the last time you truly did the utmost you could? I keep thinking of Lissandra as she was when I met her on the second floor. Satisfied with where she was. The strongest without a challenge, stepping back so the others of her planet could take over and prove their worth. And then I think that you, I, she, we are similar in a way. Right at this moment, I feel angry. Motivated. There are many things I want to do right away, promises of revenge I have to give, and promises to never let a thing like that repeat. Yet, I’ve felt like this before. These emotions will, after months, fade from a blazing flame into glowing embers. I think that’s just how humans and other beings are.”
She doesn't break eye contact or say anything, so I continue. “So, I think people like you or me have to remind each other of these feelings, of the emotions I feel right now. I don’t need it right now, so I do it for you and say: I think you can do more than you have done, Ruby.”
I allow these words to die off and look away from her. For a minute, we stay quiet just like that.
Then she speaks again, this time asking a question. “And why do you do all you do?”
There are many options I could answer, the usual ones, but for some reason, for a short moment, a memory of the lumoran Champion, Feroy, flashes in my mind in response to a similar question. Back then, he just spoke with that hint of gentleness in his voice.
“Because I’m a Champion of my people.”
To Ruby, I answer, “Because as long as I’m the strongest, no one can take anything from me or make me make choices I wouldn’t want to.”
“That’s good to hear,” she says. “Want to change the subject to something more lighthearted before you go?”
“Why not.”
“The Lycan you met on the 9th floor is the Ruler of Wrath, currently considered the 3rd or 4th strongest Ruler. People can’t decide who should be third, either him or me, though I think it is obvious.”
“It is obvious.”
“Good boy. So, fun fact: since Kindness and I were blocked after you ran to Beyond with his hand, you almost traded with him for it, instead of with Diligence.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, oh. Though amusing, I don’t think it would have been a very pleasant experience for you. Another thing. Would you like to know why he abstained from the votes for the new floor quest?”
“Please tell me.”
“He was too busy laughing his ass off after seeing Lust’s replica being obliterated by that Weredeer. Though in direct combat she is no better than an average Champion, it is quite a shame she got killed that way, especially as it was in a way caused by him.”
“How did she even become a Ruler?” I ask.
“The 10th floor has a two month duration. At the end of those months, the Champion would get the egg and gift it to her, where she would realize what it is. For her, it is a pleasant memory as she was able to charm a wyvern and, thanks to it, grow much stronger. Currently, she has tamed one more wyvern like that and many more powerful beings she added to her 'collection.' Yet, she remains weak in direct combat, even though her other strengths are quite impressive.”
“Are you sure you can tell me all that?”
“Today... I don’t care for the rules that much.” She moves her hands and, from one of the drawers, takes out glasses and puts them in front of us. Then, from the same place, she takes a bottle that shouldn’t logically fit there and pours us a liquid that is green with yellow sparks glowing inside.
I pick up my glass and take a sip, then another. For a moment, I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of strange warmth spreading through my body, relaxing my control of mana even further. Ruby helps me control it to keep it from damaging my body, while the rest of it just seeps into the area. It’s something that would usually threaten the lives of even powerful people, yet there is no chance of it doing something like that to her.
“Want me to give you the fur pelts and wood you got from the Magi so you can take them with you to the 11th floor?” she asks.
“No,” I shake my head. “Please send them to Crimson Forge along with the Everwood. I will be back in a few days.”
“Will do,” she says, pouring us more.
I drink again and notice that the more I drink, the more numb my body and mind become in a strange way. All noises become slightly distant, and I become just a passenger.
“It must be expensive,” I note, taking another sip.
“Very. It is impossible to make more of it anymore.”
“Give me some so I can take it with me.”
“Ten million shards for a bottle.”
I pause just as I lift the glass near my mouth and look at her to see if she is serious. She seems to be.
So I just take another sip and then stand up to pour both of us more, making sure to fill my glass to the rim.
Comments (78)
There is no chance that Biscuit is dead. And he better return to Nat! It's gonna happen
Well. At least we didn't lose Ayayron. And I'm glad Biscuit is alive. I really hope that he just shows up one day. No consequences as he delat with them off-screen. it really adds to the mystique of the future Absolute of earth and obsolute best boy doggo in the entirety of the tutorial, beyond and the multiverse. For realsies though, I'm glad he didn't die. I might have saltily dropped the series had that happened. And that says a lot since I only guarantee a drop if a series pulls a few of my most despised tropes on the mc or main characters I like. Like memory loss, mind control, or more recently kiling a main love interest that the mc has to spend the rest of the novel trying to revive.
100%. Can’t have HDT without Biscuit.
I didn’t like the writing choices for the last two chapters. Like they say “show, don’t tell”, it would have been way better if we experienced all of this instead of being told.
I think i didn't understand something here: did he really spend 10 million shards for that bottle or is he being a jerk by drinking more for free here ? :D
Of course he drank for free. Don't you know Nat by now?
Hey Cerim, I usually really love chapters with someone being an absolute powerhouse, in a way dominating everything. Thank you for providing a lot of those in this story. I write this comment because I am irritated, how much I like this chapter. It is entirely different from my favourite kind of chapter but after so much time with Nat and Ruby too it just feels so wholesome. I would even say it is one of my if not the favourite chapter of mine. So I guess I just want to say TFTC.
Thank you for the chappie!
Ruby Said she was the third strongest ruler we know pride is the strongest, did we know who is the second?
Cinderbear- ruler of charity
Floor rewards better be crazy good for surviving that shit storm
This is a fun way to expand on lore, makes the world feel real and shows God's are flawed and petty
Bro come on, made me think he was dead, only to be alive
He could still fade away...
Rulers deciding which parts of their life should be their floor arc: Charity: Pre-system life, the beginning of integration Greed: Nostalgia for her homeworld, a civilization at the height of its powers before its inevitable fall and me + my masters universe tour of murder Kindness: I may have fucked up Diligence: Be careful what you make, because someone made me Envy: Look how cool I am for surviving the weird future Absolute game Wrath: My backstory, you ask? I used to live in a garbage pit.
I think Greed chose that time to allow Lissandra copies to do exactly what they do.
idk why he'd waste a token and 500k shards The floor shouldn't be dangerous for the group at the start and he was portraied to trust Biscuit with his decision in the fight.
What? Because biscuit is gone and Aaron is essentially dead right now. He wanted to talk to Ruby, so he did.
LONG LIVE NOT DAARON
It's certainly a good thing to explain that lust REALLY sucks in direct combat. Like, directly talking about it and formalising it. If even the current lust is a just medium champion in a direct fight. More information on why the WereDear was so good at cancelling her mental attacks would be nice. Because it should be weaker in a direct fight under psy attacks due to split mental strength. Maybe we'll learn that wrath's bloodline is a massive psy counter later. And since she got surprise attacked, its possible the weredear was only mid champion strength. (Though surprise attacks shouldn't be as effective on the truly strong). Which rise champions stock, given mid champion have space surpassing attacks. And biscuit going all out blocking a mid champion level attack is foreseeable. Whereas a mid absolute level attack is not. (Not gonna go into it again. Though I'd say you still need near absolute level power to affect the tutorial, even for a second, and even with a specific PE. Unless we have (or cerim already has in his mind) like 3 chapters worth of explanaition about why the Empyrean were removed and Pantophagic wasn't. Just being rarer isn't enough. The system's attitude isn't that lazy and milktoast). (Hhmm, but the ruler did say "Oh yeah, the first encounter with a non nerfed absolute is rough"). And the dear did beat the champions on the planet... Though it wasn't an insta stomp... Maybe they were weak champions? And didn't the dear push back the adult wyvern? (Even if it's old, it's still absolute level. Weak absolute bare min). So, was the dear absolute or champion level? === Anyway, I added this comment because I had something positive to say. But As I remembered the signs of the weredear being absolute level, it stopped being a positive and started being a "Im confused" comment.
You definitely have a point, but several things to consider. If Lust's straight combat ability as a ruler is mid champion, as a likely low-mid absolute (I'm placing Elian and the Lycan as high-peak), Nat could probably kick her teeth in. Considering the bullshit we've seen peak absolutes do, it's possible their remnant could drop that level of entity. Remember, powerful doesn't mean durable, as seen by Nat's hummingbird constitution. Also, just because the deer is an absolute, doesn't mean it was going all out to kill Nat. Would you use all your power to swat a gnat? Not to mention. Biscuit absolutely is a monster, it's been stated as such by multiple incredibly powerful entities. Personally, I clock Bambi at high champion level, like Feroy. Feroy, weakened and at death's door, was able to stave off and kill multiple champion level entities. Peak Feroy was likely a serious threat, one that could conceivably slug it out with a weak absolute, just like Nat can to a certain degree fight a weak champion.
I wonder when his body will finally evolve to make it better than the mana physic he has, he is running out of time.
Gr8 chapter and im glad my theory about the twins worked out nkt the way I expected bu close enough I hope they can make him a body to take over re grow him one lol it would be cool if Nats fragment could grow a body in the future considering its a tree 🌳
Maybe if he is still counted as a community chat member he can get a body before tutorial end, liss was able to make a mana heart with overpowered remains on 6th floor too for herself and another for her disciple, exciting possibilities ahead indeed
Idk if you timed it by choice, but I feel this chapter being the thursday one is the best possible config. If it was still mid fight, I could see it having a cliffhanger. I feel like a cliff would have cheapened the moments, or make it hit less hard. I feel like whenever there'a a cliff while someone is in danger, it just gets lowered and calms a bit the next chapter. (Maybe it's my imperfect memory and someone did die or serious long lasteling trouble happened after a cliff, but I dont remember). So, a great moment to have that serious emotional connection. (So doubly well done in placing an emotional convo after, and having it be at thursday's). See Haraclitus comments bellow. (About this chapter being slow is a good thing) And this way, we still keep some mystery about the 11th floor. So plenty of reason to want to come back.
Real heavy last two chapters. I wonder if all this trauma is setting up for something important floor rewards? They did complete a extra difficult floor quest after all.
Beautiful.
Most Nat has ever spoke; wow
Thank you for the chapter 🙂
Seems abit out of character for Nat to go to beyond and use a stay token for half a million rather than just use the 1 day token, unless good reason why not able to leave floor that long but checking for doggo. While yea, he is hurting as fck, he is usually good with money unless his pride is involved.
Maybe more than anything else, not bringing the hachling corpse to the next floor seems off. Anything not bolted down is a core rule
Thank you!
Having the next chapter after that shit show be this slow, soft, almost dissonant conversation is a super cool choice and fits surprisingly well. Like when characters in film are flashbanged or bombed and everything rings and shifts out of focus as they kind of stare out to the side. It shows more than Nate and co dramatically raging could, I think.
That's another thing. Sometimes people struggle to remember events just after a super traumatic experience. They remember the experience in painful detail, but a week after - just skipped. It definitely happened to me and it wasn't just a week, lol. It's a cool writing device to portray how the events at the end of the 10th floor impacted Nat heavily.
I love seeing the relationship between Nat and Greed. Tftc!!!
I can’t tell if it’s a legit relationship or she’ll betray him in the end as a tool she’d just been cultivating.
‘Your planet, family, and life are threatened by that man, and things on Earth are getting changing as he establishes his base there and plans for decades‘. Suggested edits - remove getting
Yeah, sure, more useless drama. More retrospective. Sure, we dont want to read about events and consequences, we want to simple check the list of what happened. And of course spending half a million of shard just to return to a SAFE floor is wise as hell, MC dont need to become stronger, of couse not, he dont need to save his mom, yeah, let MC keep whining instead of simply giving that half s million to his team member to that member becoming stronger instead of burning them down. And of couse there is a little wywern blood to use, because HE DID NOT TAKE THE FUCKING BODY. And its like he does not know of same way to keep it, sending it to beyond right after moving to next floor. Because we need a useless drama. Oh no, he lost a dog, that he knew 3 years. Yeah. Terrible. Seriously, Nat is just a little bitch. Author keeps telling that MC is teady to do anything, but when this anything is really required his MC is just a little bitch. Saying that he can die for someone? The moment he created a duplicate that duplicate instead of helping MC to be even stronger, just being a bitch too and spent all his time on useless thing. I'd say this is a main problem with this novel, author put people in "hell" difficulty that dont belong there. Oh no, daddy beat MC and his mommy. Oh no, Tess has no friends. Ob, no, Likh has no friends and from poor family. Wow, so terrible. The valid reasons to put them in hell difficulty, sure. Corgi was not fed well, yeah, give him the primordial energy that can eat anything. Its so reasonable. Yeah, dont put in hell difficulty people who went through war, they dont deserve it, put some First World country problems, like having to work on teo jobs to feed a family. How terrible, hell experience. I'm surprised that there is no one in gell difficulty whose there because his pronouns was mispronounced or ignored, that is definitely some Ruler material.
You say all this, but still paying to read it. It's simple: don't like it, don't read it. That's why we have free will and all that jazz
Diligence probably only cares about his colony. Wrath is a selfish asshole. Lust is a psycho. Envy is a piece of shit. Greed is very greedy. Kindness and Charity seem kinda cool. Anyway, my point is that most of these Rulers are just horrible people who honestly wouldn't give a damn about 'raising the next generation' so I am wondering what kind of insane incentives the system is giving them to make them administer the tutorial.
It gives system quest like eliminating threat to the system with rewards for there own specific goals but the most important it probably provides safety from deeming them a threat
By taking control of Nats mana, is sugar mommy technically dual cultivating with Nat?
That’s a good one. 😂😂😂🥹
Wait a sec. Wasnt the Cinderbear the Ruler of Wrath? Or am I remembering wrong?
Cinderbear is the Ruler of charity
Good wine, good company, good conversation, just what the doctor ordered, and whatever Lily The Bulldozer tells you to do, you do.
TFTC
The dialogue between them is so well done. I am always a little bit hesitant about male writers writing female characters (and vice versa) because often the female character devolves into a fantasy fulfilling trope without her own personality. So far every female character in this series has been rock solid in terms of who they are. And I can name these things: Sophie being equally scare, disgusted and fascinated by her own power, Tess being a manipulative little leader, Maya with a feeling of being left behind and a more carefree attitude, Izzy with her overwhelming need to comfort people. It all fucking makes sense. Now comes Ruby, who I struggle to pinpoint. And I think it's good. Because she sounds conflicted. She is written as a conflicted character - one side she's ruthlessly following her greed, her plan to kill pride. On the other hand, there are moments such as the one in this chapter. When she's supportive, empathising, compassionate. And the beauty of it is we don't know - does she do it because that's what she thinks Nat needs now to become stronger in an optimal way, or is it just her attraction to him, her feelings for him, maybe just a want to become closer to him. If you think about it - she doesn't have to do it on her own, she could have found someone else to comfort him. But she consistently decides to foster intimacy between them, which is crazy to me. I don't know, maybe she believes that him being indebted and maybe in love with her is required for him to kill pride. Otherwise he wouldn't do it. Maybe it's all a ploy. It's messed up, isn't it? The fact that her wanting to be closer to him has possible more than one motivation. That's why kindness thinks she's lying. That's why she said to ruby that he might be enough for ruby but not enough for greed. I hope that Ruby is that and more. I hope she is a really well developed personality and doesn't become a meme villain at some point because I think she has one of the most tragic backgrounds from the cast. All that to say - well written, Cerim. It's again an exercise in show don't tell. By just showing us the dialogue and not explaining all the thoughts behind the words spoken you are putting ideas into our heads. Because we are human, we fill in the blanks and it makes this whole chapter so fucking much better. BTW: I love how self aware Nat is - those feelings will fade, etc. I love that he's not that no feelings or hyper positive shonen character. I love that he murders, I love that he wants revenge, I love that he's scared and I love that he's not only - power of friendship for the win or - everything comes to me super readily and I just own everyone. He knows his limits and when not to push people. This is the first time he flat out called Ruby out. I think our boy is growing.
Ruby is a fantastic characer. She is conflicted in a perfect way. Which makes sense considering the absorbed the "imprint" (or whatever it was called) from the tutorial that interacted with Nat. So that part of her is not "millenia old and just met this guy" and is using him to kill pride or viewing him from a lot of emotional distance.
I want to see from Ruby's perspective what changed regarding taking control of Nat's mana after the 3rd trait.
I think it's best to not get the POV of the strongest characters. First, as a writer it's insanely hard to put yourself in the shoes of basically immortal beings that lived for eons. How can you know what such a being thinks? They're as removed from us as we are from a rock. Second, it increases the feeling of mystery and awe, in the readers' minds. Third it allows a bit more freedom to the writer as they don't tie themselves down by revealing the powerful character's thoughts.
TFTC. PTSDthaniel’s PTSD going through the roof.
One frustration i have is we seem to skip over events alot. For example getting to floor 11, seeing the aftermath and everyone's in the moment reactions. Still love what I'm getting, but would have loved to see it. Also, how dare you leave us hanging cerim. What is the new floor!!
Hate to say it, but this has been a long time coming. There hasn't been a death, even a pseudo one, in team 4, in a long time. Last one was what, on floor 3? The one with the ants.
You 100% right it sure rise the stakes although it's only because their tutorial is abnormal because of fuck ups, group 4 is pretty strong enough to clear a normal hell difficulty as long as they do reasonable stuff which we all know they won't cause they want to get stronger by jumping into crazy stuff
So, it was Wrath 😂 But, didn’t Nat get any traits or at least shards from the System for completing the 10th floor? 😳
Will probably be explained later. I'm pretty sure at this moment he has other things on his mind and he couldn't Care less about any type reward even if it was a 4 passive combination token or 10 million shards.
pettythaniel never misses
Oh shit new ruler dropped
Tftc one day I hope Nat asks Ruby how much being a ruler affects her personality.
I'm really enjoying the growth of their relationship.
Thanks for the chapter!
Great chapter! Lots of questions answered. A few more questions added, but overall pretty satisfying. Tftc!
Well. Now she ain't gotta manipulate him to go Warewolf huntin.
biscuit being charmed :( sad times guys
Highly doubt it. Else kindness would have let ruby intervene.
WHO is cutting onions here ?!
Tftc! Thanks for the rollercoaster @Cerim
A
Aw*
Sadge 😓😢
I'm happy I guessed correctly about Aaron being in his brothers mind! The stat transfer doh, that was smart
Long live Darron
TFTC!!
TFTC
FINALLY!
<3
TFTC!!!