“Eric Silver!” The beautiful Blue Corp concierge before him flashed a brilliant smile. “How wonderful to see you. Is everything to your pleasure with your room?”
Eric caught her gaze, slowly slapping down his Sapphire Blue card. “I’d like the top two floors, please.”
The girl’s eyes widened. “You wish to rent both Emperor tier condominiums?”
Eric slowly shook his head. “Not Rent. Buy.”
The girl’s befuddled look turned razor-sharp, p...
2022-07-04 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Annika Drevyn flashed a warm smile for her flushing elven counterpart who had bowed before Redtooth. “It is always hard having to suck up to our race’s sworn enemies, isn’t it, sister? Frankly, I’m amazed you Blues do it so well.”
She then turned to face the bemused humans gazing on. “Unlike our unfortunately over-extended Blue friends, The Sylvan alliance, in conjunction with our many elven compatriots, is already a powerful force to be reckoned with,” she said...
2022-07-03 04:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Eric winced at the whispers that followed the goblin’s pitch, almost as painful as the strained pause.
“Did you hear that, Vincent? No more interest payments!” Herb hissed excitedly to his former adventuring partner, earning a tired sigh from the much larger man. “And that’s on top of a 40% cut of whatever action any territory we claim brings the goblins! And if there’s anyone that can squeeze blood from a stone...”
“I know, Herb,” said Vincent with a ...
2022-07-02 08:25:59 +0000 UTC
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“As you all know,” Caliban said with a cold glare for both Eric and the orcs as well, “It is against the accords for any representative or champion present to assault, murder, or deliberately goad any other party. Further, no threats of future challenges or direct or indirect retribution for choices made by any champion or representative present is permitted. And this includes threats of physical retribution, forced duels, or any other threats to one’s person, reputation, f...
2022-07-01 04:01:02 +0000 UTC
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“What the hell is he doing here?” hissed none other than Lady Gray, now dressed in a sheer white silk one-piece showing off sensual curves and a sleek deadly grace as well, a 1796 cavalry saber sheathed in an elegant jewel-inlaid scabbard at her hip. Her glare, if anything, was even more pronounced than when she had been so displeased by his uncouth appearance at the ice cream parlor. Her husband, Eric noted, was not in attendance.
“He’s here because he can fight, cle...
2022-06-30 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“So, you’re basically inviting me to meeting with the movers and shakers of Freetown. Or at least the humans that fit that categorization?”
Caliban nodded.
Eric couldn’t deny that he was interested, despite the ambush of the day before. He was all too well aware that with knowledge being at such a premium in this brave new world, he’d be a fool to forgo any opportunity to glean whatever insights he could from any sort of meeting between the elites. Individuals...
2022-06-29 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Caliban gave Eric a reassuring smile. “We’ll keep the debriefing quick and painless. How about you explain to me what happened in your own words? And then we have another issue we need to get finalized.”
Eric furrowed his brow, but gave his account in short order. And though eyebrows were raised, no one interrupted his account.
“...And then I was doing what I could for Nelly, and that’s when you and your men arrived on the scene.” He flashed a bemused smile. “And nev...
2022-06-28 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Perception check made!
DUCK!
Eric found himself curdling up protectively over a stunned-looking Rica and her suddenly screaming child a heartbeat before the air cracked with the boom of gunfire and the twang of crossbows, barely registering the dull thud of lead shot smashing into his back, or the blistering heat of death tearing through him as the air rang with Nelly’s screams.
“He’s down! Strip him clear!”
“I got the girl. Fuck,...
2022-06-27 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Rica hadn’t noticed the momentary byplay, wrinkling her nose as she peered intently at the wand the smiling proprietress had handed her. “What does it mean if you can’t, well, feel anything at all?”
The elf tilted her head. “Not even a tingle?”
“Not if you don’t count last night,” she said with a teasing smile for a blushing Eric, earning a rich throaty chuckle from the willowy elf who was definitely all woman.
“Then I’d say you’ve already ...
2022-06-25 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The manager, clearly overwhelmed, took a slow, calming breath. “If you truly wish to purchase twenty condominium units... Maybe we do have some flexibility in the price department, after all. I will have to speak with our head office. May I get back to you on that?”
Eric flashed his best smile. “Absolutely! In the mean time, if you could point us to the shops, we have a few friends who would love to see if the life of a mage is in their future.”
Which the manage...
2022-06-24 04:01:01 +0000 UTC
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Eric loved seeing the excited twinkle in Rica’s eyes when he told her his plans for the day, after the sweetest breakfast in bed he could have ever asked for, and in short order they were dressed and presentable before Eni at the downstairs concierge desk once more. Her warm smile of welcome quickly turned to a surprised blink when Eric made it clear he’d like to take a look at several other hotel suites, in addition to the multistory condominiums they had available.
Thei...
2022-06-22 16:00:00 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note - Eric & Rica are definitely a couple here :)
Nelly’s whole family paled at Eni’s hard-eyed demeanor. Her father looked like he wanted to shout for a customer service rep, but Eric couldn’t help but nod sympathetically. He had seen enough videos of the retail hell that minimum wage employees suffered through, thanks to screaming entitled customers who vented all their frustrations on the most powerless of workers, knowing that if said employee...
2022-06-20 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Unlike the rest of Freetown, the citizens of Blue Quarter all possessed a certain air of competence. Despite the fact that few were actual adventurers, quite a few gave off the far fainter but still significant aura of Professionals or Craftsmen of one discipline or another. He had the feeling that a great many had been brought in from off-world, and those that were clearly classers had a certain look to their eyes that spoke of confidence and power.
Eric couldn’t help but ...
2022-06-18 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Agent Caliban gazed at Eric for long moments, before passing him a rose-water scented cloth. “Is there somewhere I can escort you?”
Eric grinned, more pleased than he could say with that response, suddenly hopeful that maybe there was a way forward that didn’t depend on them leaving under cover of darkness, desperate to reach a truly safe sanctuary before unexpected enemies could catch up with them.
“Actually, there is. But let’s not say anything on it. ...
2022-06-17 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Rica squeezed Eric's hand excitedly as they made their way to the wand store. “Okay, we’re here!”
There was an unmistakable lilt of excitement in her voice. “Look! Actual wands. Like in the movies! You can actually see several through the window! I’ll bet the window’s enchanted too. I feel like I’m in an HP novel!”
She sighed wistfully, and even Eric couldn’t help grinning, impressed by the warm hues of the wood-lined counters he could see through the ...
2022-06-15 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“Thank you,” Rica softly said, holding his hand in her own, when he agreed to her request.
Eric shrugged and smiled. “No need, and you’re right. Bringing my bardiche with us when every other adventurer contents himself with a sword and chain mail armor that’s far lighter and more… polite than my rawhide and scale mail, is probably just asking for trouble, or making it look like I’m looking for a fight.”
Rica nodded. “Because from what the guard and the...
2022-06-13 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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When Eric woke up the next morning it was to find his heart filled with giddy thoughts he knew he had absolutely no business for a girl he had known for less than three days and had met at javelin-point.
But gazing down at the strikingly beautiful girl now sleeping so peacefully with her baby in her arms, he couldn’t help but think them.
Before closing his eyes and silently promising himself that he would do everything he could to rise in power so far, so fast, that n...
2022-06-11 04:01:02 +0000 UTC
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“So, what were you and the captain talking about?” Asked Rica with a smile.
Eric was amazed by how good it felt when she clasped his hand, openly and with pride, her other arm full of a cute little Ria, who was gazing so intently at her mom's boyfriend.
Or more specifically, his cheeks, her chubby little fingers reaching for them, Eric allowing her to feel what were now rather pearlescent tattoo-like ridges that were easy enough to cover, for all that they gli...
2022-06-10 04:00:04 +0000 UTC
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“Have you ever seen the stars so bright and beautiful, shining in all their glory?”
Eric smiled and shook his head as he kissed the cheek of the beautiful girl sitting next to him on the wagon, content just to hold her close as her beautiful little Ria, who had warmed up to Eric surprisingly quickly, slept in her arms.
The stars truly were a spectacular sight, glittering in bright white, yellow, and purple hues, with swirling streamers of nebulae-like mist, the essence of magi...
2022-06-08 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Author's Note - Intimate scenes in this chapter!
Eric closed his Interface sheet with a smile, filled with the sweet satisfaction of any gamer shaping his character exactly into the hero of his dreams. Even if he had been forced to endure countless peril and hardship to get there, even if he sometimes dreaded even the thought of sleep, lest he burst awake gasping like a madman, haunted by nightmares no Strength stat could counter.
But still, as raw and recent a...
2022-06-06 16:00:00 +0000 UTC
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“Name’s Captain Teila. Would you by any chance be Eric Silver?”
Eric slowly nodded, doing his best to hide the sudden tension he felt, gazing up at the cavalry woman wearing what he thought must be a pair of golden captain’s lapels at the throat of her silvered mail hauberk, presently leading the well-armed Sylvan escort intent upon accompanying the half dozen refugee-filled wagons making their way across the windswept plains all the way to Freetown after leaving the ...
2022-06-04 04:01:00 +0000 UTC
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A big shout out to all of you enjoying Eric's story so far! This is the end of book one, but there's a whole wide world out there full of dungeons, invading armies, and territories ripe for the plucking! A newly ascended world absolutely filled with juicy sweet power for the most daring to savor. One thing's for sure... Eric's adventure is just getting started!
Content warning - Our Hero Gets Lucky :)
Eric didn’t bother with any cost versus ben...
2022-06-02 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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For long moments, Eric just wheezed on the ground.
He could barely move under a weight that seemed ready to crush his soul, eyes stinging with tears filling up his goggles as his armor baked upon the still oven-hot steel metal plate that was the floor of this vast, and now completely empty vault.
If it weren’t for the essence-infused armor he wore, he would have been cooked alive.
If it weren’t for breaking through to Journeyman rank in his ES Space, he was pr...
2022-06-01 07:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Eric took a moment to appreciate just how far he’d come. Despite all the trials and tribulations suffered, he had well and truly grown at a phenomenal rate. Archery and Bardiche were both getting extremely close to an absolutely unbelievable Rank 20, and he couldn’t wait to see what boons Adept status would grant him.
Best of all, his core infusion had surpassed 90%. Eric couldn't be positive, but he was pretty sure that alone was a significant accomplishment that might h...
2022-05-31 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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The last dregs of superhuman Strength faded away as he stumbled upon the rooftop of a massive and clearly abandoned high rise, beholding a magnificent view of a city that, according to the interface superimposed on his mind's eye, was now finally free of any significant clusters of resistance, the sparse handfuls of reds remaining doing all they could to flee the city.
Only then did Eric drop to his knees, mind flooded by a stream of messages as the first rays of dawn hit his...
2022-05-30 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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"Kill the humans! We’ll make them pay for daring to side with the elves!”
More than any title or accolade, more than any sought-after perk or class enhancement, it was the desperate screams and sobs of women and children that pushed him onward.
The growing ambivalence and hesitancy for slaughter that had been creeping up on him after witnessing firsthand the all too human, if thuggish, interactions between orcs fearing for their own survival was instantly seared fro...
2022-05-28 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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You have covered multiple cannons with your blood!
You have successfully infused bases of multiple cannons with the essence of flame.
You have successfully infused barrels of multiple cannons with room-temperature essence!
Soul Reserves are (temporarily) depleted.
Experience point total has been reduced.
Essence-infused Fire Arrow successfully melts bronze scrap!
Bronze scrap successfully ...
2022-05-26 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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“Tovric! Get your ugly mug in that window! We got an offer you can’t refuse!”
Eric couldn’t help but grin when a dozen hot-eyed glares turned his way as he shouted in the darkness, a good 20 yards from the entrance of the fortification, the tension so palpable you could cut it with a knife.
Maybe the piggish eyes glittering with feral intelligence widened from his bravado. Perhaps the roaring snarl was aimed at the perceived betrayal, as Rica stood plainly by hi...
2022-05-24 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Eric licked dry lips, determined not to pussy-foot around. “Contender Eric Silver formally requests System access to all recordings made within this sanctuary within the last 24 hours.”
Eric gazed at the perfectly inert computer for long moments, and couldn’t help chuckling.
Because that would have been far too easy.
Before finding himself nearly stumbling out of his chair a second time, his absurd 39 Finesse and 28 Strength instead turning it into a surpris...
2022-05-21 04:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Shutting his old bedroom door because he didn’t trust the monitors not to be on while attached to a computer whose power source he didn’t even pretend to understand, he undid the cordage knot securing his backpack’s prizes and pulled out, one at a time, carefully wrapped bundles of clothes.
Each bundle was absurdly heavy, and for good reason. For all that it was old clothes and not fancy department store present wrapping, the prizes within were the equal of his most glo...
2022-05-19 04:00:03 +0000 UTC
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