Heyo! Aster here. Got a general notification for y'all, I have a number of appointments, wonky scheduling at work, and other miscellaneous things going on in my life over the next two weeks. There may be some chapters posted much later than usual, or doubled up on the same day, or other odd timin...
2022-04-11 11:54:14 +0000 UTC View PostThe next dungeon had a scarab swarm as its boss, the first Levi had encountered in a level 1 dungeon. It was considerably less intense than that in the level 2, but swarms were still one of Levi’s least favourite enemies. Even if this one was decimated so thoroughly by his growing army of minio...
2022-04-08 18:01:17 +0000 UTC View PostThe first dungeon had a gremlin pack for a boss, which in this case was three gremlins. One warrior with metal armor, and two spear-throwing backup. It might have given them trouble if any of them had been level 5, but at level 1 the fight was almost comically easy.
Shadevine and Plus dropp...
2022-04-07 16:22:01 +0000 UTC View PostThey continued to hammer out the details for another several hours, Laurence demanding details about everything Levi had experienced, Cassandra and Irene going over maps and lists of addresses, building out a convoluted route for both the convention circuit and Levi’s team.
Levi answered ...
2022-04-06 16:07:00 +0000 UTC View Post"I'm going to travel as far as I can and spread the word," Cassandra declared. "I think this is the best use of my time and expertise. And I call dibs on Irene.” Cassandra threw her arm over her sister’s shoulder, then looked over at Levi. “You can come too, if you want, but you ruined our ...
2022-04-05 17:14:59 +0000 UTC View PostCassandra grinned as she held up a poster she’d printed out. Bright cartoon characters splashed across the page, text proclaiming ANIME-CON and the dates JULY 25-27, among a lot of text about location and presenters and the like.
“What better place to start recruiting than among the sor...
2022-04-04 15:53:00 +0000 UTC View PostLevi considered his options. Aside from the basic abilities, which would each cost a single ability point to unlock, there were Levi's own species-wide abilities, costing double for Shadevine, but still available if you knew where to look:
Shadevine: Enhanced Drain (0/5) - ...
2022-04-01 16:25:59 +0000 UTC View PostSkarm’s name disappeared from Levi’s minion list. In the same moment, Levi felt an intangible something slip away from him. He’d never noticed the feeling of the minions tethered to him, never realized there was more to the tie between them than a number in a list.
He now rea...
2022-03-31 16:24:01 +0000 UTC View Post“Can't I go with you?” Peter asked Levi as they left the dungeon. “We could keep talking about my next levels.”
“Once you’re fast enough to keep up with me, sure. But you’ll need a lot more stamina than you have now.”
“I bet I can beat you. I’m fast.”
Levi ...
2022-03-30 15:09:00 +0000 UTC View PostThe ogre stood staring at them, uncrossing its arms as it scowled at the invaders. Its fists were adorned with spiked gauntlets, rusty jagged things clearly made for punching.
"Be careful," Levi cautioned, then they charged into the boss room and the fight began.
The ogre didn't like ...
2022-03-29 16:03:00 +0000 UTC View PostLevi led them to the next Destruction dungeon, a nice quiet level 1 which should pose a moderate challenge to Irene and Peter without being too dangerous.
He did only have half his team with him, but that wasn't a major problem. He suspected Skarm and Centoo could clear the place with no pr...
2022-03-28 15:24:59 +0000 UTC View Post"Huh, would you look at that." Levi stared at his level notification and laughed aloud. "Turns out you can level without leaving home. Maybe I should start sending out multiple teams more often."
The idea started small but quickly expanded, as he realized the potential. He could send a mini...
2022-03-25 15:39:04 +0000 UTC View PostGayle came down first, by which time Levi was already pouring batter into the waffle iron.
"I hope you reduced the sugar in those," she said by way of greeting. "That son of yours doesn't need any more sugar in his diet."
"I followed the recipe," Levi said, remembering in a flash of b...
2022-03-24 17:05:55 +0000 UTC View PostAt Laurence's insistence, they did go to a second dungeon, though this one was only a level 1 and no one leveled up as a result. They did continue to increase their stock of items, with the addition of two more health restoratives, one each of mana and stamina, a Destruction token to add to their...
2022-03-23 16:37:31 +0000 UTC View PostGayle was sitting in the car waiting when they arrived back at the parking spot. Or rather reclining in the car, her seat all the way back, and… yes, upon closer examination, she was asleep.
Peter, for his part, was not. He was more full of energy than ever, despite the late night. Irene ...
2022-03-22 16:31:11 +0000 UTC View Post[Heya! Aster here. Today's chapter is a bit out of order, as this morning I realized there should be a bit more shown of the Levi/Irene discussion before we move on to the next arc, so here it is. I trust you can forgive. I might like to further expand 98-99 as well, but haven't d...
2022-03-21 15:13:56 +0000 UTC View Post"There, are you happy now?"
Gayle Jackson: Level 1
(Fighter)
She all but threw the sword back to Levi, chest heaving as she turned away looking both furious and distinctly unwell. Levi caught and sheathed the sword, unsure of what to do as she stalked across the fi...
2022-03-18 17:50:06 +0000 UTC View Post“Can you check a few things for me?” Levi asked Peter, while they waited for Henry the dilo’s health to recover. “I’d like to know his stats.”
“Sure!”
Henry: Level 1 Dilophosaurus +
Strength: 0
Health: 85/85
<...
“This would have been easier if we stuck to trails,” Gayle pointed out when they paused to rest for the third time, plucking burrs from her socks while Irene made a sandwich for Peter and Laurence helped himself to a few slices of ham.
“There aren’t trails going where we need to. Tr...
2022-03-16 16:21:01 +0000 UTC View Post[Chapter 97 v2 has been inserted before this chapter. If you came straight here from 96, chapter 97 can be found here. Otherwise, carry on. :)]
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All through dinner the...
2022-03-15 15:36:00 +0000 UTC View Post"Something's different." Irene stared into Levi’s eyes as though searching for something she’d misplaced, and he didn’t know how to answer.
Dinner was over, Peter and Cassandra were playing a racing game on the TV in the family room, Gayle had gone upstairs, and Gordon headed out for ...
2022-03-14 16:12:51 +0000 UTC View PostThe trip only lasted two days, with a pause in the middle for Gordon and Laurence to sleep, but to Levi it felt like an eternity that passed in a haze. He spent most of it practicing converting his mana to wind, as Laurence had tried to help him to do. It still hadn't worked, but it as something ...
2022-03-11 17:54:00 +0000 UTC View PostLevi’s determination to push through waned quickly as the day wore on. When it came right down to it, he was a man of action. Sitting and thinking all day, whether about depressing topics or about magic, left him fidgety and anxious. The lack of apparent progress didn’t help. He couldn’t ev...
2022-03-10 17:09:01 +0000 UTC View PostMana filled Levi’s body, much like how air filled a balloon. Thin at first as it returned from its expenditure, but filling in steadily. He could shift its density around, decrease its weight in some places to thicken it at others, or 'poke a hole' at any point to push mana out through.
B...
2022-03-09 17:02:01 +0000 UTC View Post[Heya! Aster here. Quick note, I've added a couple more paragraphs to the end of the previous chapter. It was originally going to be the start of this one, but I feel it fits better there. None of it is essential or particularly dramatic, just a slight expansion on what was said, but in the i...
2022-03-08 16:26:59 +0000 UTC View PostThere were too many revelations here for Levi to immediately deal with them all.
‘Your’ dungeon.
Dungeon soul.
Dungeons weren’t just randomized monster factories, but had actual souls?
The dungeon would be his… what did that mean? What did a human-owned du...
2022-03-07 16:42:37 +0000 UTC View Post[Aaaaaaaaah~ This is something I've been wanting to get to for so long now. Subplots and side quests kept getting in the way, but finally, finally, the truth is revealed! :AuthorHappyDance:.]
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The drive took most of the day, it was evening again by the time they reached th...
2022-03-04 18:16:00 +0000 UTC View PostAs soon as they were well underway, Levi leaned back and closed his eyes to review everyone's stats. He'd been ignoring level notifications throughout the day as the minions gained experience, but he did remember seeing Becca's first threshold in there at least. He brought up the overall sheets f...
2022-03-03 17:49:00 +0000 UTC View PostLevi gave Laurence an extra hour of questions to make up for the many interruptions, but even then the day came to an end without any sign of Charles returning.
"He's not trying to cheat you, is he?" Gordon asked. "You shouldn't have let him run off with your agreed-to payment in the first ...
2022-03-02 16:28:00 +0000 UTC View Post"We agreed on one day of answers in return for the treasure," Levi told Gordon, while Laurence wrote down his last set of instructions. "So we'll be able to head north in another twelve hours."
Frosty ran over to Gordon and started gesturing emphatically, while Flomper looked more and more ...
2022-03-01 17:41:01 +0000 UTC View Post