Chapter 887 - How long remains?
“How long remains?”
“Three or so hours.”
“Well, that is awkward.”
“Fuck you.”
“As someone with such feeble stats, I would not be so… punchable right now.”
“I have spent more years honing my martial arts than your entire civilization has existed.”
“There is that one meme I feel I could us-”
“I will punch you.”
“Typical woman when losing an argument.”
“Something tells me you would be burned at the stake if someone else from Earth heard what you just said.”
“I usually only subject myself to my best jokes. And I have been threatened with worse. But, look, I am not good at these things, so I mostly just act as my normal self. I do not know what else to say to… well… you know… help with these things.”
“What you are doing is okay… I appreciate it.”
“Enough to unlock mid pristine rarity in my system shop?”
“Dream on.”
“As expected. Is Diligence dealing with the situation?”
“Him, Humility, Temperance, and Patience.”
“Will you get shouted at?”
“It’s okay. Long term, I did more than any of them. I deserve to take a break once in a while.”
“So, yes?”
“They will be reminding me of this for decades.”
“And what happens now?”
“I do not know.”
“You what?”
“I mean, I have ideas, and there are contingencies we have prepared that they can choose from. But as I said, I am currently entirely without my powers. Even summoning you here was triggered by an item with a charge. I cannot even see what is happening outside.”
“I can respect that. And this place? I was always curious but never asked.”
“It is usually called Sanctuary. You can start working on your own as a peak Absolute. If you get there.”
“Is this an official name, or can I give it my own?”
“You do not like it?”
“Not that much. It sounds like a place where you run to when you become powerless to do anything else.”
“…”
“And now you stay quiet. Did it bring up a thought you never considered?”
“Just shut up.”
“I swear, some of you look even more inept than I thought. Like you do not even give things proper thought and just roll with things.”
“What a stupid and arrogant thing to say, coming from someone younger than most of my clothes.”
“It is your problem that you cannot get with the times and dress more modern.”
“I will punch you.”
“Oh no! Granny, please, do not! You will tear your clothes, which are so ol-ouch… what are you…doing? You asshole, you think I won’t fight you back!? Ouch. Stop! No, no, not my right arm, break the left!… Ouch, I will stop, I will stop. I was only joking!”
“I warned you.”
“What the fuck were those movements? Are you a mantis or something? But I bet I could fight you if I spent 700 days in mental training instead of 690.”
“You could not.”
“I could not, but it is a nice thought. Do you have more of that tasty wine?”
“You shattered it all.”
“I would never. You must be wrong, and it was someone else. By the way… did it really have such a value?”
“Yes.”
“Fuuuuuuck.”
“I was saving some of them for hundreds of years.”
“I could use a rag to wipe some from the floor and squeeze it into the glass. Do you think I would be able to sell it then?”
“I do not think that someone with that kind of wealth would go so low as to drink it, even if it is that rare.”
“I would not tell them about the rag-squeezing part.”
“Be my guest then.”
“Okay, okay… damn, some of them are mixed together. Oh, can you give me a piece of your sleeve or something? I cannot use my clothes as they are not that clean and-”
“Sure.”
“Oh, a big piece of your sleeve, wow, the cloth feels nice. Is it expensive?”
“Yes. If I see you trying to sell it as something the Ruler of Greed used to wear, I will kill you.”
“I would never-”
“Do not lie to me.”
“Okay, okay, maybe I would, but why do you have to be such an ass and not allow it? It’s not like it will cost you anything.”
“I will punch you.”
“I bet Kindness wouldn’t mind… ouch, ouch, my arm, my arm! How are you so fast?! I said break the left one if you have to! I was joking, I was joking. Look, look, I am even wiping your floor now. Do you have any vials I could use? In one of the drawers of your table, maybe?”
“Each of the drawers is a Spatial Cache.”
“What?”
“You heard what I said. Though the compression is not that high. It was something gifted to me long ago.”
“Is it not… too expensive?”
“Are you saying that such a nice gift is wasted on me?”
“You are hearing things again. Why would you not rather have a few more pouches or a purse you could carry with you?”
“It is spatially locked to my Sanctuary, so they could omit some of the enchantments, and that made the production simpler and faster. But yes, it is very valuable.”
“How valuable?”
“You truly are an avaricious person, are you not?”
“I don’t even know what that word means.”
“Someone who has an obsessive desire for wealth.”
“Oh. Not really then? In the end, it is all just things that come and go. They might be useful at times, though, and if I have an opportunity, why would I not use them?”
“I saw your records.”
“My actions do not make my words untrue, and actually, they might even confirm them.”
“I guess.”
“Plus, I just asked for some vials, and you started bragging right away. So, are you not the ever-vicious person here?”
“I will punch you.”
“Was that a smile? It was, was it not? Do you also like a good lame joke? And when I say lame, it is not to put it down. I am someone who highly appreciates them.”
“...you have a pretty smile.”
“My mom used to say that when I smile, I look like the happiest little gremlin to ever exist.”
“That is a very good comparison. I think it just looks so true and honest I cannot help but feel my eyes pulled to it. You know, like there is no other intention, nor is it forced. Just a pure, happy smile.”
“I guess. Though, tell that to me when I start smiling in the middle of a fight at some guy who pissed me off.”
“Heh. I guess it is two kinds of smiles then. I just know which one I like more.”
“If you decided to flirt with me, you could at least give me a vial or a few bottles of that drink.”
“There are trillions of men that would fall at my feet if I wanted them to do so-”
“Here you go, bragging again.”
“-much nicer men. Much more handsome men. Much more stable and reasonable men. And in between them, millions of them with more power than you-”
“This is starting to be rude.”
“-so why would I flirt with you?”
“I guess.”
“Moreover, you don't look like you've got long left, so why waste my precious time? Five more years? Maybe you can stretch it to seven?”
“Something like that.”
“It seems we’re in a similar position. Still refusing to tell me what you’re planning?”
“Nope.”
“Have it your way then.”
“I will. What about Lissandra?”
“She… she left somewhere, and we cannot track her anymore. We suspect it is one of her repositories that might have remained undiscovered ever since the fall of Eladore.”
“One even you do not know about?”
“I wasn't privy to all of Master Lissandra's secrets. There were surely armories and laboratories she kept isolated from Eladore, because of the danger they held.”
“Even to a planet like Eladore?”
“Not the planet. Eladore is one of the most powerful ones in the universe. It was more likely because of the dangers to the population.”
“Is that not kind of fucked up, with how the average Champion there was likely powerful enough to defeat an Absolute?”
“It is, as you said, fucked up.”
“Well, I should have expected that. And what does it mean that the planet is powerful?”
“I want to ask you one thing before I answer.”
“Go ahead.”
“During your conversation with her, you mentioned that place being yours. Then, instead of heading straight to Eladore, she went to some other place to stay there until her body accepts her new heart. Did you talk about Eladore?”
“Yup. If you wanted it, you would already have taken it, so do not change your mind now.”
“I would never… but as for your answer, a more powerful planet mainly means it is more durable. On Eladore, for example, I could walk with my presence fully unleashed and in my true body without it breaking the planet. If I did that on your planet, just my presence would cause catastrophic damage, and after a while, it would exterminate all life on the planet. On powerful planets that have gone through many pairings or other sorts of strengthenings, our powers spread slower. There is much more ambient mana, the planets are bigger, the materials you can gather there are of much higher quality, and the animals become more powerful.”
“What would happen if you moved all people from Earth to Eladore or if they paired now?”
“Nothing good. Currently, as they are now, all of them would die, other than people who went through the tutorial, the ones clearing dungeons, or those leveling up.”
“Well, I will think of something. Can an Absolute aid that process?”
“How annoying.”
“What?”
“You always ask the right sort of questions. Many of my disciples did not even think of asking some of them. And yes, if the pairing is in progress and you kill an enemy Absolute, you can aid the process through a Sovereign Spark. The enemy world’s spark will cooperate with you until someone else claims it or until it merges with your world’s and fully comes under your control. Powerful Absolutes can, through a Sovereign Spark, shift the continents during the Pairing. You can put all the continents of both worlds next to each other or separate them with a sea and then take over the other world’s territory. Without their Absolute, it is an easy thing to do. Though, if anyone does that, be careful. Sometimes Absolutes separate them by such a distance so they can destroy them without hurting the people from their own.”
“That is fucked up.”
“I did that once.”
“I… I see.”
“I was young, much weaker then. It was after Master Lissandra died and before I became a Ruler. They killed many of the people I befriended. It was so easy, I had already killed their Absolute, and no one could face me. I offered them mercy, but they still tried to poison the planet and fought until the last moment. I do not even remember the name of that planet.”
“I would probably do the same.”
“Would you now?”
“Likely. So, how much time remains?”
“Quite a while,” she says, and as I sit on the armrest of her chair, she rests her head against me.
I do not push her away, and we stay like this. I even reach out and caress the back of her head, curious what expression she might be making under her hair.
The rest of the time we stay like that, someone throwing in a sentence or two to fill the silence. Usually just silly things, but once in a while, things that feel like we have not told anyone else.
I think I know what she meant when she said she is in a similar position to me, but even now, I do not push her or ask about it.
So we just talk as if we are confessing to each other before death, and I do not think we will have such a conversation ever again. Once this is over, we will go back to how we were previously. I will keep these words to myself and myself only, and she will do the same.
I think we both believe the other is silly or straight up stupid, though neither one says it out loud.
I also know she can use her powers. Even though she put them somewhere else, she took some of my mana to use it for telekinesis previously. She could likely easily take more of it again to send me away, and she used that telekinesis to reveal that to me. It is a slight hint that I do not have to stay here.
Yet, I do not ask her for that and continue to pretend.
Comments (53)
Both of them are really shy, huh?
Everyone here anticipating romance would at best have been normal difficulty.
Nat will call his sanctuary his 'fortress of solitude', named by the twins and Min-Jae, of course 😂
Jesus im lost again what did she mean about nat saying that place was his or something ?
I don’t know if the Nat from anywhere near the start of the story would have had the patience to recognize that Ruby was in a bad way and needed some form of human contact to help ground herself before she has to get back to business. Poking her buttons for fun like he always does but not in a mean way along with just letting her be calm and leaning on him shows a level of care and or friendship that he will never admit and that she can’t admit because of their power dynamics when she is his handler. He took care of her in a down moment in a way we usually have only seen from him with children, minions, and animals. Now.. wait till he has to explain all this to Lily. :)
Ruby, Master of Jiu-jitsu: the gentle art of folding clothes mu'uhfuckas is Still Wearing. 😆 Also, his Plan is to become the walking embodiment of Pure Mana! *muahahahaha*
Ouch, I said the left dammit! It’s tradition. I frigging love Nats commitment to the bit. Also, anyone else think Lily is randomly spiking with bloodlust as her Nat senses are going haywire back on the planet?
Thank you for the chappie!
I guess this cements what I’ve been thinking. Ruby was always meant to die. Could be a doomed lovers troupe though. 🧐 but I doubt it. On the off note. Absolutely amazing chapter cerim, definitely adds depth to these characters. Was absolutely worth subscribing to the Patreon!!! Best book I’ve read so far.
I wonder if she believed her master will kill her got allowing a copy of her to exist
I see a wedding and a happy ending in around 700 chapters or so..
TFTC. Poignant.
People are saying they’re enjoying romance of this scene. Is Ruby love interest? I hadn’t even thought about a love interest in this entire series 😅
Thank you!
RUBY X NAT FUCK YEA
Cerim, please just have them kiss. F*ck.
Tftc!!!! Great as always
This chapter reads like someone comforting thier ex first love
Cerim I don't know how you do this to me, got me crying when nothing happened
The Mind Emperor of Eladore controlling champions with mind manipulation before even turning 40 was already PRETTY impressive on its own. But as confirmed in this chapter, turns out those champions were actually at the Absolute level. What the hell is this guy even? And we're not talking about simple mind manipulation either, his was deep enough to send Paragons to their deaths
Right? Sophie really should've locked in on the 2nd floor.
Flirthanial is currently having a manic episode inside Nats head at the monumental fumble he's performing
Anyone else feeling like the actual wording of the dialogue has felt a bit robotic? There's zero contractions or errors that people might usually use. Ive been noticing it more and more. Reading :am not/will not/is not/etc out loud feels so robotic. Yeah, some people dont use them ALL of the time, but when talking to someone youre somewhat close to? Both people not using a specific contraction? I might have to go back like 59 chapters and read through again.. maybe ive just never really noticed it
I've come to appreciate that , might be spewing nonsense here but I believe it to be related with how cerim learned the language ( natively , from media or from school ) as well as with the way he likes to speak usually.
Honestly love the progression of their “relationship” and realistically most novels of this genre - after the initial glut of harem-esque self fulling stories written in early days of RoyalRoad - too many authors explicitly avoid relationships. Honestly that was this story 885 chapters in. In real life - in life threatening circumstances with young people - romance occurs. It’s just vaguely taboo to write about now in this community which is a shame.
Its rightfully taboo. Because most times it ruins everything. 99% of novels with romance use it to make the MC be stupid and brainless "for love". I dropped many book soon after the romance began, because suddenly there is a big chunck of text just about their romantic interactions, long arcs that only exist because the MC does the stupid and refuses to tell their partner "No" for something and it goes to shit as expected. Fuck Romance, If romance is not an importantpart of a story, it shouldnt be there. Any time romance appears because the author thinks there should be romance happening, it ruins the book.
Is cerim getting lazy with the tags?
Nope, its gloriously useless patreon change
Wow. Hats off, Cerim. This chapter proves you can do slow, intimate scenes between possible romantic interests as well. You've shown friendship with Lyraen and that was very vulnerable and heart wrenching, but this stuff here. The dialogue feels real. Feels like a cute lovers' respite somewhere on the blanket high up in the mountains where no one can see them. It's vulnerable, there's a sense of this urgency driven by the works about soon dying and similar position, there's enough mystery in here for us to keep wondering and at the same time I can feel the emotions each character has. The sadness, the loneliness, the longing for comfort of another, the playfulness, the hope and despair, the sense of this space between them being fleeting, temporary. God, there's something in here that's precious. Now craft-wise. If you wanted to lean more into this intimate connection, more descriptions of physicality between the two would go a long way. I know the first part of this chapter had a very specific idea - only dialogue between them, as if only the two of them mattered in the whole universe - it's a super clever trick to pull off here. I think you could add some mentions about them touching each other, brief fingers interlocked when they playfully spar, a hand left on the shoulder a second longer than necessary, a finger trailing the lines of her hand. It would really makes things heat up and lean into this intimacy idea (not necessarily romantic, but potentially so), but again I am unsure whether you even want to go into that direction. I think it would preserve the original idea if the physicality mentions were sparse. If you wanted us to feel a little bit of the pull that Nat might be feeling, more descriptions of his internal state might be useful - just vague feelings, could be physical descriptions the same way Ruby describes being pulled to look at Nat's smile. E.g. "and when she says that I feel my insides tie themselves into a knot harder", even when he sits on the armrest, you could add: "... she says, and the pull of her presence on me brings me to sit on her armchair". Why do I like the second one? Because in this chapter you did something you have not done before - Ruby flirted, but in a vulnerable way, she admitted that Nat has something about him that she has no control over - even if it is as small a bright smile. You could explore that more with Nat hinting at the same (as above) and that again creates a sense of intimacy between the two in the readers. The admission of things being out of characters' control is a very vulnerable thing to do and shared vulnerable experiences are what builds intimacy between people (amongst other things, but this one is quite significant).
Lyraen? Did you mean Lioren?
I bet Ruby will fudge the numbers and lie about her powers not being back yet even after they return
Ngl this chapter felt sad, ruby trying to be human one last time and nat saying goodbye to a mentor
I wonder if Eladore has any squatters on it
I really hope ruby doesn’t die she’s been one of my favorite characters since she was introduced
She has a timer on her head. Not sure how much longer Liss will give her to live. Pretty sure her outlook is worse than Nates
Ahhh! Nats a big ole softy!
Thanks for the chapter!
Ah that answered my question thank you. He's not aromantic or asexual, he's apunchable.
Isn't he just punchable?
speechless for such a chapter, i think better is to wait tommorow. I won't say im disappointed, even if yes i was expecting a kiss but it will either happen soon, or later. Today's chapter built more base in their relationship. Or on the contraty, theres a possibility today's chapter only built a completely close-friends friendship. thanks for the chappie~
Tftc she seems a lot less emotional now then in last chapter also what is she sad about.
What an interesting chapter. Instead of the usual first person storytelling we mostly get a 3rd person perspective of just their conversation. It definitely shows how close they are very effectively
I'm pretty Sure this is 1st person
At some point in the middle of the conversation I expected Ruby to just go fuck all and give it a shot with Nat. That banter was wild chaotic😂
Fofo
Lovely
I rarely write here but I just wanted to say I love this and the last chapter ! I want the spoiler regarding the two but also not 😆. I always keep in mind she integrated the memory of here time with him from here tutorial copy. TFTC keep the good work up you are my favorite patreon author cerim !
Yeah, I also always think about the memories of her copy. She had a crush on him in the tutorial and even offered to sleep with him but he declined. I hope her ending is not too sad.
TFTC!!!
"No, no, not my right arm, break the left!…" 🤣 peak Nat
“I could use a rag to wipe some from the floor and squeeze it into the glass. Do you think I would be able to sell it then?” He's gremlinmaxxing so hard it's honestly inspiring
tftc
Tyftc