Chapter 930 - All that slander
“Tess, I have never been so insulted in my young life, and-”
“You are twenty-four, almost twenty-five; you aren't that young anymore.”
“-I can't believe you would even ask that. Of course we will kill all the kaijukakalulu.”
“It's Kaiepochjiu, actually.”
“Shut up, Sophie. As I said, Tess, I'm terribly hurt. But you guys will have to hunt them down. I will be searching for the body of the Demigod, and I can't afford to level up that much.”
“How many levels did you get?”
“I'm 487.”
“That might put a ding in your plan of killing the Champions on the fifth floor.”
“That is true. Honestly, I have been thinking of getting an achievement or two before getting to level 500, but now I'm not sure. Should I win the tournament first? Would it be better to take all of the Champions at once-”
“You are saying some ridiculous things.”
“-or maybe it would count more if I kill kaijukakalulus?”
“Kaiepochajiu.”
“Shut up, Soph. Then there is also an option of heading to the 13th floor and reaching level 500 there. Though, I suspect it won't matter that much. It's just a body upgrade, so my traits, state of body, and possibly some experimenting we will do with Lily and the Doc will work the best.”
“That doesn't seem to be all,” Tess notes.
I nod. “I'm thinking if Christoph possibly just reached level 450 to fulfill the base requirements and then became a Champion. Maybe that allows for some fancier stuff.”
“Well, it's too late for that, so why don't you just go all in? Get to level 600 if you dare and become a Champion at that,” Sophie says.
“Wouldn't your Handler tell you about that if it truly mattered that much?” Tess asks.
That causes me to pause for a moment until I nod. When I think of it for a bit longer, Tess makes a lot of sense. Ruby is likely the third most powerful Ruler, so she would probably give me some hint, even if she likes to leave me to do things my way. And I know that I would rather follow what Ruby did, after getting it beaten into her DNA by Lissandra, rather than whatever Adrian is doing.
"The fight against Tariel the Undying went well then?" I ask.
"Some wounds, but no one got hurt too badly. And we got some nice levels out of it. And you?"
"It was easier than expected."
"Your easy might not be the same easy everyone else is using."
"What's with all that slander today, Tess?"
"Is it really slander if it's true?"
"I don't know all these extrovert-y rules, you tell me. Or you know what, don't, I'm not that curious anyway."
"Not telling then. And how about the other kaijukakalulu, will they be without the barrier now?" Tess asks.
Both of us stop and look at Sophie, who is currently gently caressing Izzy's hair so she doesn't see. But as the silence stretches, she looks up to see both of us, and Maya for some reason, looking at her.
"Say it," Maya nudges.
"Fuck's sake," Sophie groans, "it's Kaiepochajiu."
"Shut up, Soph," the three of us say at once, getting two middle fingers from Soph in exchange.
"What about the mana batteries?" I ask Maya. "Did they work well?"
It's not that long ago when Maya and I experimented with me giving her my mana through [Jüdrajil]. Of course, not all of it. We did testing with under 5%. Surprisingly, [Jüdrajil], while giving my mana, automatically adapts its frequency to perfectly match the host. It is a weird function when I take into consideration that it doesn't change much. Be it your frequency or mine, if you get all my mana, you will likely end up having a bad day.
But, of course, I observed it all through my eyes. I have some previous experience with it, but through that testing, I learned to make my mana closer matching to Maya's. Not perfectly, of course, but good enough.
And so one of the first proper tests was this, me filling mana batteries for her so she could use that mana in combat. That's why I'm curious now and asking her.
"There is still half of the mana left," Maya says.
"Huh, was there any problem with it?"
"Not really, I just couldn't channel or use it all. Either you have a problem with efficiency for you to think I would need it all, or the fight didn't take long enough for me to use it all."
"Well, it's better to have too much and not use it than to end up needing it," I note.
"I'll carve it into your tombstone when that one fated stat point into mana finally makes you explode."
"Thank you, Sophie, that would be nice. You know what I will carve into yours?"
"I don't want to know."
But I answer anyway. "Kaiepochajiu. Just that. No name, no dates, just the word you died defending."
"For fuck's sake, okay, okay, I will call it kaijukakalulu. Are you happy now, you petty asshole?"
"Thank you, Sophie, for behaving like a true, honest, Group 4 member."
"Fuck off."
"And you, Maya, any more feedback on the batteries?" I ask.
"The match with my mana wasn't perfect, so there was some loss in efficiency. It was also more difficult to manipulate than mine, especially when it came to compressing. If I had to go with a number, I would say it was a 70-75% match of mine without compression, but when I started using it, it felt like a 50-60% match."
"So the compression likely compounds whatever mismatch there was," Sophie says.
"Seems like it. Well, but it is a decent enough first step," I say and yawn.
"Nat," Tess whispers.
"I don't like your tone, Tess."
"You still plan to set up [Weave] and have people connecting to it and getting mana from you in the form of a subscription, with it always perfectly matching to them."
"Kind of?" I say carefully.
"Wouldn't that make you a true Mana Daddy, you know, like a sugar..."
"It isn't funny, Tess, so wipe that smirk off your face. Don't think I don't see your mouth twitching," I retort.
Finally, I allow myself to fall back and lie in the soft grass. Though there is still a charred smell in the air and some dark clouds remain to block the sun, it is nice.
"If you think about it," I say, "it makes a lot of sense. I will put a backdoor into [Weave] that will allow me to take all their mana if needed."
"How much of it is an actual plan, and how much is you just thinking of it because it sounds cool?" Tess asks.
"Yes."
"Understandable."
"Yes," I repeat and continue to look towards the sky. I yawn once again and ask. “How many levels do you think Vega got?”
“One hundred. Eighty. Four,” Ruby says.
“I see,” I nod understandingly and look over my room in the Headquarters of the Primordial Knights that she broke into. “So that is how much she would get if the system gave her all the experience for participating in the killing of the Demigod. Now, how much did she get after all these reductions and stuff?”
“That is after the reduction.”
“Ruby, you have become a great joker since the last time we saw each other.”
“You absolute lunatic. Your disciple now has a higher level than most of the Beyond attendees. A ranks included. Oh, and by the way, don't take it as me complaining. Unlike Diligence, I appreciate this sort of fuckery.”
“Hehe.”
“Don't you dare ‘hehe’ me.”
“Ruby, I can see that you don't care. You even seem to admire my resourcefulness.”
“You literally just go across the entire tutorial abusing every single system mechanic you can find just so you can poke Champions and mess with higher-grade natives. At times you don't even seem to care about getting stronger or leveling up, you just want to see how high-level of a native you can annoy before it gets mad and erases you from existence.”
“I bet every attendee is doing that. But how is that level possible? Didn't the system take her performance into consideration?”
“Actually, it did. There was no previous record of the communication token being used that way. Out of curiosity, I checked some records. You might be surprised to learn that someone else used it in a similar way, though not quite like you. Sixty-one thousand years ago, an S rank combined it with a mid pristine item that required sacrifices to be used. He then let his disciple stack it up as much as possible.”
“From your tone, it didn't end up well.”
“He blew up nine other S ranks at a meeting to steal their items. Unfortunately, he blew himself up as well, and some random A rank that got there first took all the items and returned to the tutorial to never enter Beyond again.”
“Smart guy.”
“The system patched it up, obviously. There was also a velnar crafter who kept using disciple communication tokens to help him create ego weapons. You would be surprised that this one took a while for the system to patch up, and the guy created six such weapons, each carrying a perfect copy of his disciple's mind. I think the Crimson Forge still has one of them.”
“This one is a bit nasty. Even if it is an ego, doing that to a disciple's copies...”
“I agree with you here. Oh, there were a few more, but this one is my favorite, from four thousand years ago. That woman did have “black mana” as well, and at the end of the tutorial, just a few seconds before being pulled back, she found a way to use five tokens at once. She timed it, and then instead of returning to her planet, she got pulled to her disciple's planet.”
“I would like to see the record of that.”
“No way in hell.”
“Maybe one day.”
“Maybe not.”
Confident that she will come around in the end, I let her have her victory and ask, “So the system patched up what I did.”
“Yes, with situations where it doesn't have enough data, situations like this can happen. You are correct to think Vega shouldn't get that many levels, if any, but in the view of the system, she fought a Demigod that was a much higher level than she is. It likely also noted that Vega is invincible due to the workings of the disciple communication token. If I had to say, that final decision was fifty-fifty, and luck seemed to be on your side.”
“Honestly, Ruby, I would not expect that.”
“Does it feel unfair to you?”
“Yes, the system is quite good at rewarding your effort. With my minion being invincible, this feels a bit off.”
“With time, you will realize the ridiculousness of what you have done. And newly awakened, like you tend to look at the system that way. As an absolutely fair, perfect thing that is balanced, and to a great extent, that is true. But things like this have happened previously. There are people who abused the system and got much greater rewards than they should have. But at the same time, there are counterbalances.”
“A Warning.”
“Yes, a Warning, for example. That and the fact that beings leveled around Champion are powerful, but to the system, it is just something that it doesn't pay full attention to. At around Absolute rank, things like that wouldn't pass. Say if you are level 700, then the system takes gaining one level much more seriously than gaining fifty if you are below 500.”
“And the Warnings?”
“As it sounds, some are heavier, others are lighter. You can get dozens of them, or you can get one that puts an eradication quest on you, and that is what they are for. The system won't take anything from you without you agreeing, and it will work for you even if you turn against it.”
“Is it something the Black Mana God put into a contract with the system, or is it something that is inherent with it?” I ask.
Ruby stays quiet and even gives a small apologetic smile.
“So whatever it is, the system learned to work around it by putting a hit on you,” I try again.
“Correct.”
“Should I worry?”
“Not really. Usually, the quest would be given to the people from your planet. Then it would extend to surrounding ones, and further and further the more warnings you gather or the heavier they become. System encompassing eradication quests like the Last Elf are extremely rare.”
"Maybe one day."
"Sure, why not. I promise to warn you if I decide to kill you for an eradication quest."
"Thank you. But now, may I ask what you are doing in my room, drinking cola, and don't think I haven't noticed the missing box of soap."
Ruby lifts an expensive-looking glass made of crystal, filled with a dark brown liquid, to toast me, and she even gives a shameless smile. "You remember the Beyond event I told you about?"
"I remember something like that, indeed."
"Good. There will be three teams, and I want you to join one with Brich and one of the new S-ranks, Fiona."
Comments (75)
Nat's yapping a lot after killing a Demigod
Alight boys and Girls tonight is the night we've been waiting for
We don't know which attribute Ruby upgraded, do we? Imagine if she is also a mana amplifacator, Nat would instantly find her 50% more attractive
Man, I like the group 4 dynamic development so much. They feel so much more connected.
184 ? Deserves a Minion POV, especially if she's going to die to body upgrades. Nat lost consciousness on his first one right ?
I hope we get a Vega pov soon
Not gonna lie Vegas goated l, and thar loophole to go to another planet with 5 tokens was dope low key if u rig it right you should be able to pull your disciple to you instead then.
What a fantastic place to be left hanging. What a ‘chap’! What a pal! Next weeks episodes are going to be SCRUMPTIOUS!
A full week of kaiju hunting and hopefully floor 12 rewards
What if the hidden skill is sacrifice? We know Nat can obtain it from what happened on the 5th floor, so maybe the lost point of constitution was him sacrificing it.
for the speck of mana probably
"Shut up, Soph," the three of us say at once, getting two middle fingers from Soph in exchange. It’s giving, “Shut up, Meg” This whole bit from the beginning had me giggling 😂
The following quote appears to be the beginning of a plan for Nathaniel at the end of his tutorial. “this one is my favorite, from four thousand years ago. That woman did have “black mana” as well, and at the end of the tutorial, just a few seconds before being pulled back, she found a way to use five tokens at once. She timed it, and then instead of returning to her planet, she got pulled to her disciple's planet.”
Doubt it, as Ruby said all those exploits where fixed. Ican see 3 possibilities at this moment for his time after the tutorial. First he goes back to earth fights Adrian for abolute status and somehow disarms his porject sundial like failsafe. Secondly he uses his beyond visitor token. Those 2 are the more likely ones. Lastly though i doubt he has the strength for it, he will go to eladore as he has the deal with lissandra that he gets the first try and claiming that spark. My guess is he will go to Beyond power up, come back tp all important ppl from earth to eladore claim the spark.
He's going to fucking complain endlessly about Brich.
I can't wait until he gets the heart. Either that or he'll use the body to upgrade his blood. Wonder if the body is a lion as well or just the mind...
Oh, sticking a demigod's heart in his own chest would cause him to explode even sooner
Yessss minion levels
Can nat use a disciple communication token to teleport to lissandra for 10 minutes?
So only Lissandra can use hers (if she has one to get Nat to come to her). Secondly i find it quite likely that she is at the moment outside system space like the elf and the godking and i doubt those tokens would work there.
Thank you!
How long till 4th tournament now? And brichant arc feels like a longey
Tftc why do they insist on calling Kaiepochajiu kaiju?
Because the Japanese term for giant monsters is 'kaiju', they are pretty much known for it with monsters like Godzilla and Gamera
Please let us get a POV of Vega going through all her selections!
YES
Possible edits I agree with you here. Oh, there were - I agree with you there.
"Hi my names Nat and welcome to my Tutorial tips and glitches walkthrough"
Nat accidentally power leveling Vega into the stratosphere in terms of levels is great.
"I will be searching for the body of the Demigod, " - integrating the DH will have to wait after the beyond quest
A lot of people’s in the comments saying that they are excited for nat plan for his body or his plan for getting the champion rank… and i am not, I have been hurt by meric so many times: I just don’t care enough. For example, we still don’t know what’s black mana true name is, or what’s nat hidden skill is, or even now what reward he plans to choose. I don’t want my emotions to be betrayed again so I’m not excited…..but I am excited about boys trip 2, or girls and boys trip 1…..
Wait a damn minute there. You have been told several times the proper name of black mana. It is black mana.
Tftc
I have to disagree a bit with Rubys list. Lissandra used The tokens simmilarly, like getting nat to the 14th floor.
did she? She was allowed to use her communication token to get him down there the first time. When she kidnapped the boys she and the wyvern diverted the teleport after she beat envy the second and got partial controll over some of beyonds saveties no? Could be that she marked Nat on his first trip and that that was fixed but if i recall correctly she didnt use a token during the kidnapping.
Who is Fiona? Do we know of her?
Is that the girl from Vic’s group with the t shirts?
Oh.. here again.. forest girl.. omg its gonna be funny Tftc + Ruby talk ! Was interesting Also can't wait to see what they are planning with nat, then his choice for level 500
This chapter is a goldmine of information. I want to see what Weave can do with the mana subscription coupled with his new skill. Genius! The beyond event will be hilarious with Birchant and I want to see what happens with the demigod's body before he goes there, as well as his rewards for passing to 13th floor after killing all the Kaijus. The interaction with Sophie killed me🤣
"Kaijukakalu" At least Nat is consistent in his naming sense this time. Mostly. Headmaster Diligence Martinez would be proud, such character growth! Although.... Alibi Fin Pain Veal Coronet Deli Vassal an Lace Aster Vapour Maveric would like a word.
Tftc!!!!
Kaiepochajiu
Poor Vega won’t get nice classes since her only achievement is defeating demigod 😭
Only
I need to see what minions class selection looks like when 'killing a demigod' is on her achievement list.
Vega’s selection after fighting a demigod… Damm
Maybe she'll get some kind of munchkin class so she can stay small forever
Poor new s rank probably been hearing stories about the primordial lunatics and their guild master just for her first meeting to lower her expectations
Just knowing you will be on a quest with Brichant would prob make them Very careful.. he was after all a known part of 'the boys' fighting folks like Nyssa. Stealing shit from just about anyone he can. Imagine then hearing primordials guildmaster will also join your quest hahah and the last thing people know he did was kill five members and making a champion handler flee.
Ruby could absolutely go by Earth to buy or steal soap and Coke. She is definitely taking it from Nat because it is his stuff
She is the embodiment of greed, after all. What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine as well.
TFTC
Thank you for the chappie!
I hope Birchant and Nat have a secret handshake. They are the boys after all. Really looking forward to the new S-rank being exposed to all of Nat's insanity. Also an opportunity for a mentor/mentee relationship - I hope she's cool!
She'll probably be like 'i have been advised not to speak to you'
"Hehe"
I like that we start to learn more about the system itself and its limits. I hope at the end we get to know what the system is, where it came from and what its purpose is.
Lord BRICHANT.
Thank you! Also, shut up Sophie!
😭no birch , Savi and tess team, that would have been amazing, tess trying to be the adult in that team would have been epic
Vega POV "What. The. Fuck. That's cheating! Having Mana Daddy as your master is so unfair!" "Master does not like to be called that! He could have dealt with that cowardly Lion without me anyways. Now, which Class to choose from..." And so begins the legend of Mana Daddy's disciple
I do kinda wonder how much her relative lack of higher level skills will matter for Vega's class upgrade, even if the Demigod kill on the achievement list is gonna be very nice.
😂 first, minnion just got powered level like crazy, second tess back and forth with nat is great, she keeps having m grounded, that line about his easy isn't the same as everyone else easy is great character interaction.
184 levels at once for Vega... Doesn't that mean she has to simultaneously go through a trait selection, body upgrade, and class upgrade? Sounds like it could be tough
Oh she would be in a world of hurt for weeks
We need them breaking the fourth wall so they can learn from the cesspool that is the Tier 3 chapters discussion to further refine their slander
"I'll carve it into your tombstone when that one fated stat point into mana finally makes you explode." Sounds about right 😂
Oh the unfaithful. Even if he will shed his skin he will just accent to a higher form of mana.
Brich? Whose that, I only know Brichant
Can't believe Ruby would deadname someone like that smh.
TFTC! Minion Evolve! Damn, with enough shenanigans from Nat, Minion could actually win the 4th tournament.
i get, that would be cute. you mean the minion part? against the big wolf? he wont join as biscuit is not there. so its a free win. or you mean against earths Beyonders? like Vic and Tacita?
My guy would definitely smoke Mana crack just to find out.
He would be the one selling the mana crack
TFTC!!!