Drewells976
patreon
Chapter 234 - Just Kidding
🕑 Added 2024-05-17 22:56:25 +0000 UTChttps://www.patreon.com/file?h=104453627&i=18986685
--------
That went better than expected.
A rhythmic tapping sounded from the kitchen. Kai sat on the couch, trying to ignore the gaze fixed on him. “I’m not going to disappear if you blink.”
“Sorry, I had a weird day…” Flynn turned to his minced onion. “It’s still strange seeing you here, in my house.”
“All good. I can’t fault you after vanishing into the Hidden Sanctuary for two years.” He had been such a fool to think surviving in an unknown realm would be just another challenge. Zervathi had pressured him into an impossible decision, but it was his arrogance that made him readily accept.
Kai had yet to decide whether he regretted the decision. He wasn’t blind to the upsides, though he would not return even for all the gold in the Republic.
His mind had already connected to the sword in his spatial closet when he caught himself. Caressing a blade for reassurance wouldn’t scream mentally stable.
I’m safe here.
No beast would attack him in the living room. For the first time in two years, Hallowed Intuition was eerily silent. Even in case of attack, the clutter of enchantments around the house would give him ample time to respond. Kai realized the chopping had stopped and Flynn was gawking at him again.
What did I do now? Why do people keep staring?
“You mean you were trapped in a lesser dimension?”
“Oh, that. Yes.” Kai let his arm hang over the back of the couch. “Though it’s better if you don’t go around telling people. The Republic was very touchy about the subject when I left. Also, I think you're burning something.” He pointed to the smoke rising from the pan.
Flynn snapped back to turn off the stove, muttering something under his breath. “A pocket dimension… I thought of it, but it seemed too far-fetched to be true. Is that why they’ve been crowding around the Vastaire ruins? You now need special permission to visit any of the sites.”
“Probably. That’s where the passages between the realms were built, though Zervathi isn’t going to let anyone through until he recovers his power.”
“Zervathi?”
“The mighty god of the Hidden Sanctuary and annoying stuff.” Kai rolled his eyes with a dramatic voice. “A buzzing fairy who uses the fact he can’t lie to trick you into terrible deals.”
“You’re not joking?” Flynn completely gave up on the stove to stare at him.
“Why would I? He’s nothing special really, not for at least another couple centuries. He lost most of his power during his torturous imprisonment. He can never shut up about it.”
Flynn warily looked around him as if he expected to be smited. “I don’t think you should speak like that about a god. What if he hears you?”
“Hmm… why don’t we ask him? He’s listening right now. Say hi to the old snooper.” Kai waved a hand through his air. Instead of chuckling, Flynn went two shades paler, leaning against the kitchen counter for balance. “Hey, I was just kidding. I can tell when he’s looking since he blessed me.”
“Kai. Why don’t you go take a shower while I try to salvage our dinner? We can talk after we eat.” He pointed to a corridor with a strained smile. “It’s the first door on the right. You can use the clean towels on the shelf.”
“Okay.”
Hmm… I thought my joke was funny. Do I need to work on my humor too?
Apparently, talking to himself, beasts and minor divinities wasn’t enough to stave off the rust. The people on the streets had been plain rude, but he couldn’t tell what he had done wrong with Flynn.
Were social interactions always so hard? I should have kept Improvisation. Kai sighed.
He had been forced to abandon the skill for Space Magic during his first month. By the time he advanced to Yellow, there had been too many alluring options to pick a skill that wouldn’t help him survive or escape.
I just need a little training. Thankfully, I didn’t meet my family first. What am I even going to tell them?
Despite the thousands of reunions he had played out in his head, the thought of facing his mother and sisters filled him with fright. He’d much rather face a chasm crawler in close combat than meet his mom’s gaze.
Perhaps I should ask Flynn… He’s always been good at dealing with people.
No point in worrying now. Getting lost in his head had almost gotten him killed before he learned to focus on the present. The bathroom was small and clean. Glossy white tiles painted in blue geometric patterns, a fluffy carpet with a dancing crab, and most important of all, a shower installed over the tub.
“Spirits be blessed.” Kai drew a curtain over the small window and shed the cheap clothes bought in Eastwin.
The runework was simple and solid, with an actual heating enchantment in place. He couldn’t remember the last time he showered. Water Magic was functional to keep him clean, but it wasn’t relaxing.
Kai left his sea serpent sword leaning against the tub and abandoned himself to the flowing warm water. He scrubbed his body with a piece of scented soap, closing the plug to lie down. Makeshift basins and improvised fire runes couldn’t replace the real thing. And not fearing an ambush in the back of his mind helped too.
It’ll be fine.
He wished he was still small enough to let the warm water submerge him, but had to settle for his head while his legs dangled over the edge.
Most of the teens I saw weren’t taller than me. It’s him who’s grown abnormally tall…
A double knock woke him from his trance. “Are you okay in there? Did you find everything you need?”
“I’m good!” Kai stood upright, splashing water all around. He hurried to close the faucet, the water had already built up to the edge of the tub.
“You aren’t flooding my bathroom, right…?”
“No!” He opened the plug with his toe, directing all the water with a flick of his wrist. “Your crabby carpet is perfectly dry.”
“It was a gift.” Flynn sounded slightly defensive.
“They have good taste.” It was definitely a statement.
“Thanks… Dinner’s almost ready.”
“I’ll be out in a minute.” Every drop of water flowed off him into the tub as Kai stepped onto the dancing crab. No point wasting a towel.
Smelling his clothes, he cast a sphere of soapy water and threw them in. His high Perception made scents difficult to ignore, especially on himself. It wasn’t the same as a proper wash, but he had only worn them for a couple of days.
He scrubbed a hand through his messy hair and looked into the mirror. His reflection peered back with the sharp clarity a bowl of water couldn’t match.
Tanned skin and locks bleached by the strange sunstar of the Hidden Sanctuary. A diet of mostly beast meat had turned him into a slightly buff teenager. He truly didn’t understand why people kept staring. Sure, he had a few pale scars, but most were hidden underneath his shirt.
His pale facial hair remained in that awkward limbo between childhood and adulthood. On a whim, he decided to shave it off with a blade of water. He had worried it would become too much of a bother to take care when he was trapped.
Water is definitely the most versatile element.
Most natives in the archipelago didn’t grow a full beard. He didn’t remember his dad doing so either, though that might have been a choice. Minor details like that kept slipping his memories.
Kai retrieved his clothes. He was about to walk out when he noticed a casket concealed beneath the bathroom tiles. The runes easily unraveled under his gaze. He had almost missed it amidst the random assortment of enchantments.
That’s quite a bit of gold. He must be doing well for himself.
Kai strolled into the living room. The table had already been set with two plates of roasted vegetables and fish in a purple sauce. Flynn was twirling a knife between his fingers and staring at the kitchen cupboard with a deep frown.
“Welcome back to civilization.” He turned to give him a once-over. “I had less stored than I remembered. It’s not my finest creation, but it should be edible.”
“It looks great.” After being forced to eat raw meat and gnarly tubers, anything cooked was a win in his book. The zesty sauce made him moan in appreciation. “You’ve gotten better.”
“It’s one of my skilless talents.” Flynn gave him a long look before glancing behind him. “Wait to try something actually decent…”
Did I say something weird?
Kai savored every bite.
“How did your table manners improve after being stranded in the wild?” His friend chuckled. “Your mom will be happy after she finishes strangling you.”
That’s… something.
Kai dabbed his face with a napkin and took a sip of water. “It amused me to act snobbish while I ate burnt drake thighs in a cave.” One of the many small habits he did to keep his sanity.
Flynn burst into a quick laugh before he awkwardly covered his mouth. “Oh, you’re not joking. How was this Hidden Sanctuary exactly? The name is nice.”
Pretty and twice as deadly.
“Mhmm… It’s kind of like a huge island, maybe three times the size of Yanlun or so.” He waved his fork to paint the picture. “There are a few smaller isles, but you want to stay away from the deeper waters. Most areas have mana dense enough to breed yellow beasts at maturity, though you can also find sparser pockets.”
“That sounds… like a death trap.”
“Yeah, Zervathi certainly hoped so at one point. That stingy bug.” Kai chuckled. “The first weeks were pretty rough, though it wasn’t that bad afterward. Hallowed Intuition warned me about the routes to take and places to avoid, the rest simply was a matter of running fast enough to not get eaten.”
One problem had been the giant spider guarding the resources he needed to escape. From the gaping look Flynn gave him, he decided to keep that story for another time.
“What about you? You must have stashed at least a dozen golds in your bathroom.” Kai tried to redirect the conversation towards a safe topic.
Flynn’s smile strained while he kept looking behind him. “You looked through my things?”
“No, of course not. I just counted through the cloaking wards. Like briefly glancing as I was passing.”
It’s not the same thing, right?
“Those are the best wards I have. They’re worth half the contents of that safe.”
“They are?” He had spent a significant chunk of the past two years decoding arcane enhancements from millennia ago. His mind already cracked runes before his brain caught up. “I almost did miss them. They might have worked better if they were arranged properly, the person who installed— Did you do it yourself…?”
Why am I so bad at this?
“Who else would you trust to secure your house?”
“Well… it’s not terrible for an amateur.”
“You don’t need to lie to me.” Flynn grimaced. “You’re already being too nice, it’s weirding me out.”
“I was always nice.” Kai stabbed a carrot with his fork. He might have just been a tad more mindful since it was their first meeting in years.
His friend gave him a disbelieving stare. “You were… understanding if I pointed something out, usually kind where it mattered. But you were as nice as a cat thrown into the sea on most days.”
Ouch! I remember no such thing.
“Not to say I actually mind it.” Flynn hurried to add. “It’s good you’ve grown more than just in height.”
“You’re still taller…” Kai pointed out, still a bit sour.
“Measuring yourself against perfection will lead to disappointment.” Flynn flashed his old smug grin and winked. “You’re the second-best thing. One day you might even reach some of my greatness. Let’s say about a third, half if you follow my teachings.”
Kai rolled his eyes with an unwilling smile, glad his friend hadn’t lost his foolishness. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
While washing the dishes, they idly chatted about the changed in Higharbor. His family and Lou were fine as well. Flynn kept glancing over his shoulder, perhaps a new mannerism he picked up.
Sitting on the couch, the conversation fell back to the Sanctuary. Kai had prepared a speech to explain how he ended up trapped there and why it had taken two years to come back. What he hadn’t predicted was the flood of questions that quickly hijacked his preparations.
“The Guide assured me that Zervathi couldn’t lie. I was a bit naive, I know, but I couldn’t let a horde of yellow beasts swarm into the archipelago when I got there.” At least on that, he had confirmed the danger had been real. “Any other questions?”
“Quite a few, but you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t mind. Ask me anything.”
“You’ve spent years alone in what doesn’t sound like a very nice place.” Flynn gave him a worried look, ready to pull him into another hug. “You’re allowed to not be okay.”
“But I’m fine.” Kai beamed. “I’ve survived. And I told you it wasn’t all that bad.”
Flynn opened then closed his mouth, swallowing whatever disagreement he had. “I do have another question.” His eyes wandered behind him again. “It’s not exactly related, and it might seem a little odd…”
“The only sapient being I’ve chatted with for the last two years was a narcissistic divinity with a god complex. I know how it sounds, but I bet the Seven Moons combined can’t match his self-obsessed rants. Point is, you could grow a second head and it would be less strange than the things I had to endure.”
His friend bobbed his head, hugging a pillow. “Have you seen a cat?”
“A cat?”
“Yes, a feline with silver fur and violet eyes. They could also be teal or green. I don’t know, it changes every time I look. It has been haunting me all night and stealing my food. One moment it’s there and the next time I blink, it’s gone again.”
So that’s where you were. That pest’s always causing mischief.
“Right there!” Flynn stood up. His finger pointed behind him with wide eyes. “I’m not crazy.”
Kai turned to see Hobbes sprawled on a carpet, head between his paws to groom his furry butt. He raised his royal eyes on them, one yellow and the other blue, too intelligent for a common animal. Deeming them unworthy, he returned to his business with unhurried practice.
“Tell me you’re also seeing it.” Flynn pleaded, grabbing his arm.
“I— You mean the carpet, right?” Kai cocked his head. “I guess the pattern could resemble a cat.”
It'd be a crime to waste such a perfect opportunity. And he did say I was being too nice…
"There is a live, breathing cat there.” His friends sounded a little frantic, rousing a sliver of guilt and pity. The devious beast had once also made him believe he was imagining things.
“You must be seeing it too.” The second Flynn turned to glance at him, Hobbes blinked away in a silver flash. “No, no. I saw it! It was right there. I’ve also touched it. I’m not imagining things, it’s real.”
Damn cat, you made me wait three months to touch your fur. How’s that fair?
“It’s okay.” Kai patted his shoulder with a straight face and helped him sit down. “I’ve heard that severe stress can cause hallucinations. Have you been sleeping enough? Consumed any unknown substances?”
Flynn shook his head. “I— I don’t think I did—”
A silver cat blinked in Kai’s lap, lazily stretching his limbs. “Meow.”
He must be in a merciful mood, or got bored.
“There! Again, how can you not see it?”
“Oh, you meant Hobbes,” Kai widened his eyes in dramatic realization and scratched the diabolical furball behind his ears.
-------
A/N: Hope you like the new furry companion. How could Kai spend 2 years on an island full of beasts without making friends?
See you on Monday!
Comments
ManguKing
I like 1 and 2, but I'm assuming 3 was to learn about runes
Craig
ok payforthat, then what are Kai's blessings? Notice how you dont know? that is because the author can still change what the blessings are because the author has not shown us the blessings yet
Doug Wills
He told me because he was saying it was really super nice of you to do all this work to help him out, and he wanted to make it easier!
Eric M
Isn’t the first wish always for more wishes? 😜
Gorane
I think teaching space magic is a certain one. Instead of 2.he probably hd the god upgrade his storage ring making its stroage much much bigger
Silver Beard
We all have a profile on Discord man/lady/woman?
PloofDoodle
psychics
FrozenSharkey
Wait how do you know Drewell sent me a DM?
Silver Beard
Barely 2 mos in; support no one. Who are you really Frozensharkie? Your profile reads like an burner phone... as in there's no substance.
Silver Beard
basically his a cat is god emperor and the man is his willing servant for life. Everything the man does is to serve his god emperor better...to better serve his 'cat'. The cat isn't smarter than any other house cat... but that doesn't stop him from trying. Ch 428 and he's only beginning to see value in a woman.
Silver Beard
I wager he needed the spirit to watch over him when he upgraded to yellow. He coudn't possibly have been in a position to protect/defend during the transition or just after.
Silver Beard
That's a lot of work; hope the author appreciates your effort.
Doug Wills
Drew says you should check your DMs! :)
FrozenSharkie
“would not be going back for all the gold” Replace “be going back” with “return even” “give him the time to” Replace “the” with “ample” “An annoying buzzing fairy” Replace “annoying” with “annoyingly” “not for [x] another couple centuries” Insert “at least” at x “thousands of reunions, he played out” Delete comma “dancing crab and, most important” Delete comma “installed over a tub” Replace “a” with “the” “Kai drew the curtain over the small window” Replace first “the” with “a” (makes sentence flow better without two ‘the’ right next to each other) “clothes he bought in Eastwin.” Delete “he” “runework was simple but solid” Replace “but” with “and” (flows better in sentence, works better with second half) “with an actual heating enchantment [x].” Insert “in place” or “installed” at x “Kai placed his sea serpent sword leaning” Maybe Replace “placed” with “left” “but he had to settle” Delete “he” “his legs hung over” Replace “hung” with “dangled” “woke him from his revelry.” Replace “revelry” with another word, since the mood seems to be of him calmly relaxing, not loudly partying in the bathroom. Maybe with “relaxation” or “trance” “His reflection looked back” Replace “looked” with “stared” “didn’t get why people kept” Replace “get” with “understand” “were hidden beneath his shirt.” Replace “beneath” with “underneath” (beneath implies scars are any distance below the shirt, while underneath implies scars are closely under the shirt, more specific term) “facial hair was in that awkward limbo” Replace “was” with “remained” “decided to shave them off with” Replace “them” with “it” “Most natives of the archipelago didn’t” Replace “of” with “in” “unraveled under his gaze and skills” Delete “and skills” “at his kitchen cupboard” Replace “his” with “the” “before he glanced behind” Replace “he glanced” with “glancing” “stay away from the deep water” Replace “deep water” with “depths” “The stingy bug.” Replace “The” with “That” “but it wasn’t that bad afterward” Replace “but” with “though” Can replace "afterward" with "afterwards" (Though its only American vs British spelling) “warned me [x] where to stay away” Insert “of” at x “the rest [x] was a matter of running” Insert “simply” at x “he better keep that story” Replace “better” with “decided to” “a dozen golds in your” Replace “a dozen golds” with “at least a dozen gold” “strained, [x] still kept looking” Insert “as he” “They’re worth half the content of the safe.” Not sure how to fix, but recommend rephrasing this sentence. “chunk of the [x] two years” Insert “past” at x “I did almost miss them” Replace “did almost” with “almost did” “You don’t need to lie [x]” Insert “to me” “they met in years” Replace “they” with “they’d” “grown more than [x] in height” Insert “just” at x “is bound to disappoint” Change to “will lead to disappointment” “They chatted idly about how Higharbor had changed while washing the dishes.” Change to “While washing the dishes, they idly chatted about the changes in Highharbor.” “Lou were fine too” Replace “too” with “as well” “new habit when he was thinking.” Change to “new habit he picked up.” “explain why he had ended up trapped and taken two years” Change to “explain how he ended up trapped there and why it’d taken two years” “yellow beasts pour into the archipelago” Replace “pour into” with “swarm” “look, looking about to pull him” Replace “looking about” with “ready” “allowed to be not okay” Replace “be not” with “not be” “it wasn’t [x] that bad” Insert “all” at x “opened and closed his mouth” Replace “and” with “then” (continuity of single connected action, rather than addition) “you can grow a second head” Replace “can” with “could” “They could also be teal or green.” Replace “They” with “It” (Generally for animals, “it” is used for unknown gender, switch to gender he/she known) “they change every time I see it” Change to “it changes every time I [look OR see that cat]” “That pest always causing” Replace “pest” with “pest’s” or “pest is” “mischief. [x] That’s where you’ve gone.” Insert “So” at x Maybe replace “you’ve gone” with “you were” “one yellow and one blue,” Replace “and one” with “and the other” “Tell me you’re seeing it too.” Replace “seeing it too” with “also seeing it” or “seeing it as well” “such a perfect chance” Replace “chance” with “opportunity” “devious beast had [x] made him believe he was imagining things too once.” Insert “once also” Delete “too once” “In the second Flynn turned” Delete “In” “heavy stress can cause hallucinations.” Replace “heavy” with “severe” “Taken some unknown substance?” Change to “Consumed any unknown substances?”
FrozenSharkey
"He raised his royal eyes on them, one yellow and one blue," Predicting that Hobbes is Green-grade (halfway between yellow and blue)
Atlas Dwarf
Guessing his three wishes went something like: 1. Teach him Space Magic (or answer all questions he has of magic in general). 2. Tell him all Feats/treasures possible in the Hidden Sanctuary (would explain why he didn't just hunker down and study magic most of the time). 3. Right before he leaves, get another basically 1/3 of his power blessing from the last 2years.
James Faulkner
Nah, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t blessed swimmer not working lol. This reads to me like there are horrifying late yellow/early green monsters in the ocean
Atlas Dwarf
I mean Edgar still has Kai's Orange-1 star cloaking pendant, so he needs to visit anyways to deal with that.
Atlas Dwarf
My guesses assuming he focused on Skills that can/might help with magic: 1. Shadow Magic 2. Earth Magic 3. Multicasting 4. Upgraded version Decoding 5. Quick Memory 6. Inner Calm 7. Vigilance or a quick skill grind spot Profession Skills (assuming he pushed to Orange and got extra Skill slots): 1. Herbology equivalent for magic memorization 2. some form of elemental conversion
Gorane
I mean even with blessed swimmer hebcould be afraid of the deep watwr, as it hs more danger
Doug Wills
I don't really want to read the whole story. What's the issue with the cat?
Doug Wills
He leveled it quite a few times.
Silver Beard
Rereading for the 5th time... ofc... and I noticed when he was talking about avoiding deep water. I suppose his Blessed Swimmer skill stopped working in the Hidden Sanctuary? Or did he drop that one too to pick up a survival skill?
Silver Beard
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/35398/monroe
Wolve
TFTC
Gorane
?
Silver Beard
I don't mind a cat; but if this is another Monroe type- I'm dropping you!
Doug Wills
Cat can teleport. It probably beat him through the portal. Hahaha
Silver Beard
The merchant could probably leverage the information on the hidden Sanctuary to offset most of his loss. Think of it... the mers would have a good idea when the hidden realm will be accessible and can plan. They'd know who they needed to appease, etc.
Doug Wills
I don't think he'll be angry when he learns a person indebted to him is now a yellow mage at age 14.5 with what are likely priceless artifacts. My guess is he'll be thrilled. Especially when being kind to said person indebted to him (a debt he likely thought he'd never get back after he died), and a person he likely considered a friend, is back from the dead. So from almost every angle this is amazing for Reishi.
Random Information
Hobbes has obviously got the "Find Pet" skill, which allows it to teleport to its servant when he gets lost.
Silver Beard
An Island full of yellow beasts- not every one can be a predator; at least not to start. Good chance some would develop intelligence over dexterity to stay hidden. Just happy it chose Flynn; if it had latched onto his family...that would be ugly.
Gwalmeich
Did the cat really need some help with its obvious spatial affinity?
Austin
The princess is probably on the mainland in a mage school, at least that was her plan. I could see him reaching out to Reishi. I know the merchant will be angry but idk if he can blame Kai who was basically kidnapped by the Republic.
Silver Beard
bigger, more advanced storage device
Gorane
Very good point, he had to get the cat out somehow and a bigger storage device makes sense
George R
Thanks for the chapter
Silver Beard
No mention of his former Employer yet. He's in Highharbor... I wonder if he'll risk a meeting with the Princess, Edgar, Lou, or the Merman (who likely holds him on breach of contract or something!)... Who first.
Silver Beard
Missing the Elephant in the room. When he exited the portal back from the Hidden Realm there was no mention of the cat. So does his ring now stash living things too? Perhaps one of his wishes was a storage ring upgrade or possibly something he found on the island? What else is in there now- is it bigger? If he's been hunting Yellow beasts for 2 years it must be stuffed with good stuff! Or could it be he's learned the runes for space and combining his Space Skill and his engraving skill, he's managed to make his own spatial storage device...with a little help from the Spirit? Now that would be cool and a definite money maker now he's back.
Silver Beard
Likely had to pick up a Math skill or supplemental Space Magic skill to handle all the variables with opening a portal. I wonder if that's one of the things he asked for from the Spirit...an upgraded level skill.
Silver Beard
It does make me wonder how he hasn't come against any of the Republic Enforcers or Soldiers yet. If people are noticing him, he's standing out which is not good. As was commented before- hoping for a FULL status update on Monday. Wonder if he managed to test the extent of his space affinity or if the Spirit gave him a number. The wait!
Connor Hinrichs
He can quickly level a red profession as yellow race grade,and a better one would provide a better foundation for future profession upgrades
Silver Beard
@Connor - Why would he want a Red profession after ascending to yellow?
Petro Lima
Hobbes the Destroyer, the dwarf tiger
Morog T Tiny
Now he has something more to trade for Edgars training. What would Edgar give for some of his knowledge. My answer is a great deal, but first he has to see his mom and his sisters.
Morog T Tiny
I wonder what kai has for a stat sheet now?
Morog T Tiny
or it could require extreme circumstances
Gorane
You can find every skill in the book from here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sY8kKh1f0mhAFqPvE5zEPGcBBlkYP2hdVTVqK7TBT7s/edit?usp=sharing Inner calm basicslly lets you make better decisions, regardless of danger or pressure. It also has a weak pain resistance component
Connor Hinrichs
Ah, you're probably right, it would have come up already if they existed. A man can dream though😅
Gorane
If companion skills were a thing you'd expect to have seen or heard of them before so I am leaning towards no
payforthat
The wishes have already been used, quote from part of the deal. "I meant what I said.” The fairy enounced with condescending slowness. “Before you leave the Hidden Sanctuary, you may beseech me for anything within the established constraints."
Craig
Kai is already yellow before finishing puberty, 100 years is not a long time. Besides, oathbound not to attack and personally invested in flourishing are two different things
luke eustace
Butchery / hunting would be useful, and butchery could upgrade to animal processing for alchemy and hunting could upgrade to something interesting as well.
Connor Hinrichs
But using a blade of water to shave is beyond what he could have done before the sanctuary
Connor Hinrichs
I forgot he got a skill called inner calm, remind me what it did again please? For your certain skills, you need to add shadow magic to the list, it would have been invaluable for stealth in the Hidden Sanctuary
Connor Hinrichs
I wonder if Kai has a Companion skill for Hobbes, that perhaps has mutual exchange of traits. So, an increased affinity for Space, enhanced balance and reflexes for Kai, and then Hobbes could have an increase in intelligence and maybe gain an affinity for shadow or something. It could also just be that Hobbes likes Kai and has decided to stick around
Random Information
Can't wait for Hobbes to get its paws on that luck artifact.
Random Information
Surely it's a tiger. Mandibles of death, etc.
Gromaul
That one girl was rude because he was stalking Flynn, everyone else is staring and given his description its likely because he is becoming very handsome as puberty really kicks in.
Gromaul
Cmon. It's because he looks good. He looked good as a cute little kid and now puberty has hit and he is a very young adult. His tan skin has gone pale because of the fake sun same with his hair. He looks amazing that's why they are staring XD
Gorane
If we are talking about his current, post-sanctuary survival skills, then Certain skils: *Multicasting *earth magic *inner calm *some sneaking skill Temporary: *survival 2 left so maybe they are: *advanced decoding (he did study the runes in the sanctuary) * steady runner (he did say he ran away a lot from the monsters)
Gorane
Eeh he could dry himself with water even when he was only orange 1, i dont think it is impressive
Ananiash
: )
Gorane
Your interpetation seems possible, however it seems more likely to me that the author wanted to say "previous specialisation" and used a very similar, but different, word instead
Gwalmeich
I think the reason people are rude with Kai is because he has some sort of stealth skill that he forgot to deactivate which messes with people's perception of him. I would be rude too if I couldn't focus on the person talking to me.
Gorane
I think Kai would have been a good enough engraver with his yellow skill to make himself a yellow grade hidding enchantment before he left the Santuary. I think people are looking at him brcause he is super buff and is radiating danger
Gorane
Zervathi cant hurt kai since he is still bound by his promise to not hurt humans intentionally for the next 98 years. And I am going to guess the island spirits would intervine if another god tried to attack their protegy/investment
Gwalmeich
I think it's because people can't magically sense him. If you think about it, he would never have survived in the secret realm without finding a way to conceal his magical and physical presence.
Memoryofgold
I see Kai also got a yellow-rank gaslighting skill lmao
Gwalmeich
The cat is obviously the mightiest god of Elydes. What made you think that the master of all could be defined by some silly concept such as "grades".
Gwalmeich
We definitely saw some of his skills in action during this chapter. Most notably his precise water manipulation and mana sense. It shouldn't take long before we discover the rest.
Gwalmeich
What cat? Are you sure you are not suffering from schizophrenia? You have no cat named Hobbes.
Doug Wills
Same!
Emily Gurnavage
I agree with the people talkin bout it not being possible anymore. He surely got a crap ton of levels during this time, and he should have more mental stats than its possible to lose at once and survive like that doctor was talking about before. I bet either hes stuck with it, or something I cant image offers an alternate solution of some kind.
Eric M
The only way he got rid of Mana Child is if he Zervathi took care of it with one of the wishes. And pretty sure he couldn't avoid evolving it unless he didn't kill anything. Although, personally, I think it evolves into something truly impressive, especially given all he has accomplished with it. However, given his comments on how many runes he was able to view and learn I think he would have earned to much profession xp to avoid evolution, unless he can just continue to refuse to evolve it and thereby artificially keep it at red. As dangerous as that place was, I doubt he would have foregone immediate gains on the possibility he survived to see some greater reward.
Eric M
I wonder if he has any green skills yet.
Adunn
Yay a cat friend! I like how Kai has matured. I’ll admit I’m a but sad we didn’t get to see when he crossed over to Yellow but I’m hopeful for a flashback for that moment.
Felix S
Can’t wait for Monday. Great chapter!
Nurgle
So Hallowed Intuition is most likely above level 75 since Kai mentioned its “last specialisation”, implying there’s more than one. I wonder if his water magic is at yellow yet?
Colton Admire
All i can think at the end is Kai-Lou-Flynn and Hobbes
Austin
I think he was offered a pain resistance skill at one point so it's possible
SAB
If they exist a purely defensive skill, like Magic Resistance, Tough Skin, or Regeneration.
Petro Lima
Lol, my cat's name is Hobbes too!
Drakken17
I don't think he can discard it. When they were doing Flynn class discard the preist mentioned classes that focused on mental attributes were worse to discard. And with the boon to mama I think he would basically cripple himself
Fleisch
I am on the fence on whether I want an actual update or more of a conversation/fight where we can figure out his stats and skills. I really want to see his status but as a writer I wonder if it would be better to reveal it through action?
Austin
Maybe a crafting skill? If he had to create everything from scratch from clothing to swords it would be useful. Something that could potentially synergize with alchemy and engraving? It'd be cool if he could eventually craft spatial objects.
David
I want him to visit Edgar again and unravel his enchantments
Austin
Yeah I was thinking decoding or one of the other orange skills he earned opening the box.
Eric M
Yes, loving the cat, and have the same question others do - what's it's grade? I assume it's an adult, but please confirm! This next book is starting out fantastic! Great approach!!
Batres
I love how you're handling the awkwardness between them, it feels so correct
David
Decoding, he must have raised it to orange and used it to decipher runes. I'm wondering if he upgraded his profession or if he left it at orange and still plans to discards it
Adam
One or two potion skills potentially a guess is something to pair with his sword skill such as a movement skill because even just one extra would help him stay a spell blade that leans more towards magic but better at least than the average warrior focused class/ individual
Abe 7
Poor Flynn! I feel for him. Damn cats! They are our evil overlords.
A B
Edit suggestions: thousands of reunions, he -> thousands of reunions he
Connor Hinrichs
Admittedly, a valid argument can be made to keep Mana Child, as it's skills really are excellent. However, I cannot help but imagine what kind of awesome Mana based Red profession he could get now with all his skills so much higher levels and all his major affinities having dedicated general skills, and not just water and nature anymore
Austin
Guesses on Kai's new skills? We know space magic. For his 7 after reaching yellow I'm guessing: 1. Shadow Magic 2. Earth Magic 3. Multicasting 4. An additional perception skill 5. A stealth skill 6. Rune adjacent skill 7. ???
Alex Galaitsis
I beg to differ. Mana child seems awesome and I bet it evolves into something unique.
SAB
I wonder if people are staring at him because they can tell he's already Yellow as a young teen. His obscuring necklace (if he still has it) doesn't work past Orange, and hiding his grade probably wasn't a priority in the Sanctuary so he's probably forgotten to resume doing so.
Connor Hinrichs
Since Hobbes teleported there at the end of the chapter, I think it is safe to say that he is at least mid yellow, with room for growth
Doug Wills
Probably walks around like The Predator after two years in there. Hahaha
Emily Gurnavage
Omg, a CAT survived that place? This cat has to be: - peak-yellow - low-green - a low-yellow baby of something horrifying once it grows up Cant wait to find out which
Lola
Great name :)
Andrew
Thank you!
EVillarreal
TFTC! I'm happy about the animal companion
Connor Hinrichs
So, confirmation of Yellow race grade, as expected. Now I'm just hoping he didn't upgrade his profession, and can still discard Mana Child to get a really awesome base profession to build his future path upon. Kai's social skills are so messed up, this is hilarious 😂 hopefully he can recover, probably with the help of a Social Skill. I'm not sure I understand why people were staring at Kai. He says he has some light scarring that was mostly covered up by his clothes, so what gives? Also, did Hobbes teleport? A space affinity cat with Kai having Mana Child and using Mana Echo sounds like a brilliant way to quickly improve his Space affinity skill level and figure out the freeform casting patterns for Space relatively quickly.
David
😂 Great prank with the cat! Bit annoyed we have to wait longer to see his updated status tho, I really want to see his gains! I'll admit tho, it's a perfect chapter build up in the book
Hammy
Him and the cat must get along swimmingly hahaha
Brandon Lydick
Kitty
Bosparan
Thanks for the chapter! And a truly diabolical joke ^^
Craig
I dont know if the author has already planned out the blessing for Kai in the story, but I wonder if there was an opportunity for "wishing for more wishes" so to speak. The god has to be after more power right? What if Kai got some way to Siphon power to the god (that would not normally be available to the god) and then be able to redeem 50% of the power gained to get more blessings/improve what he already has. The reason why i think something like this is important is because right now the god is highly incentivized to get Kai killed. after all, he owes Kai up to 30% of his power for wishes. If Kai can gain the god power, the god has a material selfish reason to keep him progressing.
Aceluke
Awwwh kitty! I approve, everyone needs a pet
James Faulkner
Excellent chapter haha, ty!
Austin
Thanks for the chapter!
