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Chapter 931: Following Through on Bad Ideas
🕑 Added 2024-08-07 23:00:05 +0000 UTCHils Jaramaris was not a happy man. He had been happy, enjoying his role as the Storm Kingdom’s ambassador to Estercost. The nations were rivals, but friendly ones, their distance leaving them with few reasons for conflict. This meant that Hils, for the most part, was a glorified mailman for diplomatic messages. This suited him just fine, allowing him to pursue his alchemy far from domestic Storm Kingdom politics. It was the arrival of Team Biscuit that cast a shadow over his sunny days.
It had been shaping up to be a relaxing month. Finalising a trade accord, cycling through some new staff members, fresh from home. Then the king’s cousin and her adventuring team arrived. He’d known they were coming, of course, and that the problem would inevitably be Jason Asano. He knew the man mostly from reputation and Adventure Society alerts.
Hils had met the man briefly, but that had been two monster surges ago. It was right before Hils had reached silver, back when he was still adventuring full time. He’d been with his friend Orin, who went on to travel with Asano, but Hils knew better than to ask. Orin wasn’t one to talk much, especially about the days with his old team. They had followed Asano into a hole in the ground, and most of them hadn’t come back.
Compared to what Hils had been afraid of, the arrival of Team Biscuit and their first days in the city were unremarkable. No royal entanglements, no mass destruction. He’d read the Adventure Society reports of the latest city to be destroyed with Asano in the middle of it. It seemed that Asano had realised Cyrion wasn’t some backwater where he could throw around his gold rank like a hammer.
Hils even had a nice dinner with Zara, where he’d managed to get some more insight into Team Biscuit. She was an old friend from back in their days as young Rimaros aristocrats. That was before she went off adventuring, first with Orin’s ill-fated team and then with Asano’s. She’d been willing to offer details of that time he couldn’t get from Orin himself.
While she was open with stories more than a decade old, she was more careful regarding her current team. Her firsthand knowledge filled gaps in the reports he’d seen, but she withheld occasional details and refused to answer certain questions. Team Biscuit had its secrets, especially Asano himself.
Hils had been optimistic about Zara and her team’s visit. He’d started hearing about issues between Asano and some of the noble houses, but nothing that required intervention. The issue was comfortingly normal, being that the noble houses had found leverage on someone and were looking to squeeze everything they could out of them. The question was how a team of gold rank adventurers would react.
Looking into it, Hils found the issue both straightforward and minor. Asano wanted a group of people to leave with him, but many were stuck under indenture contracts. The families were looking to gouge Asano’s team for their release, and he was being intractable about making concessions.
To get his way, all Asano needed to do was give the families their pound of flesh. It was standard diplomatic fare, and they wouldn’t push too far. Instead, Asano kept talking about moral imperatives, which would get him nowhere. The kind of public attention he would need to shine on the families to make them even pretend to care would be immense. Then he remembered what he’d read of Asano’s history, and what he’d learned directly from Zara.
Almost a week into Asano’s conflict with the nobility, there were signs of trouble. Asano had ceased all efforts at negotiation and hadn’t been seen in days. Hils reached out to Zara, and her immediacy in setting up another meeting only added to his concerns.
Hils met with Zara in a parlour inside the Rimaros embassy building. It was a small and intimate space, shrouded in the most potent privacy magic available. Located close to one of the more discreet entrances to the building, the room’s usual purpose was for clandestine meetings with close allies. He was not happy when she requested they use it.
Their meeting began with small talk, plus the obligatory questions on when she would return to Rimaros and rejoin the royal family. Hils had no investment in that, but he was under very clear instructions to bring it up every time they met. With incidents like Zara’s encounter with the draconian prince, returning to the fold would offer her greater diplomatic protection. The questions came from both the current and previous Storm Kings, so there was no way Hils would skip them, even if it annoyed the former Hurricane Princess. He pushed through them as fast as he could, however, having more of an agenda this time.
“Zara, what is going on with Asano? Is he about to do something ill-advised?”
“Usually, yes.”
“Zara, this is serious.”
“I know, Hils. And what I’m about to tell you, I’m only able to do so because of a favour to me. Since I’m on his team, and my family is my family, Jason decided to let me give them a few days warning of what is about to happen.”
“Let you? Whatever politics might be at play, Zara, you’re a princess of the Storm Kingdom first.”
“Don’t try to lecture me on conflicting loyalties, Hils. A good boy like you has no idea of what I’ve had to navigate over the years.”
“Which is why your father and cousin want you to come home.”
“They are not the highest authority in the Storm Kingdom, Hils.”
“They are the current and former Storm Kings. Who is higher than that?”
Her only response was a flat look.
“The founder?” he asked. “His Ancestral Majesty?”
“During the last monster surge, Ancestor Soramir personally took me aside. He told me that Jason Asano is the most important political relationship the Storm Kingdom had had since its founding.”
“That seems a bit much.”
“I can see how it could, from the outside. But I don’t need you to agree with me, only to warn my cousin. Jason has offered our kingdom a head start on formulating a response.”
“A response to what?”
“I need for you to understand something, Hils. My expectation is that you will respect the courtesy we are being shown here. That means not letting what I’m about to tell you get out. No using the water links or the sky links when you take this to my cousin. You are going to portal back to Rimaros in person.”
“Zara, what is this about?”
“The System.”
Hils was informed enough to know that the System was allegedly connected to Asano, although few details had been confirmed. Supposedly, the new means of interfacing with magic was identical to a personal power Asano has possessed years earlier. What was confirmed was how important the System had become in a very short time. More than just personally valuable to essence users, many organisations were increasingly relying on it. From craft guilds and local governments to the Magic Society, the System was rapidly being adopted into their operations.
The Adventure Society was especially enamoured of the advantages it offered. From quantifying powers to identifying people with restricted essences to managing and identifying loot, the System had been an absolute boon. Previously unseen essence abilities tapping into the system were starting to appear, and ritual magic that relied on it was being developed.
“What about the System?” Hils asked warily.
“In a few days, Jason is going to turn it off in every country and city state that has indentured servitude laws.”
Hils blinked. A few moments later, he blinked again.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“He’s going to turn off the System in each nation and—”
“He can do that?”
“He can.”
“Are you sure?”
“We’ll see in a few days, but yes. I believe that he can.”
“How? Where does he get that kind of access? That level of control?”
“It hasn’t been spread around, but I suppose it will be soon. Jason is the System, Hils.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Just what I said. He is the System. It’s an extension of him. He’s still learning how to control it — he told me it was like learning a new language — but he’s confident he can do this.”
“He is the System?”
“Yes.”
“So, if he dies, the whole thing goes away.”
“He can’t die. Not anymore.”
“Are you saying that he’s the god of the System?”
“The great astral being,” she corrected. “He doesn’t know if there’s going to be a god of it. The goddess of death and the Reaper, for example, have distinct roles in administering dead souls. He doesn’t know if a similar situation will require a god of the System to form. Even if one does, it will probably take a few centuries. Look how long Purity is taking to come back. We still aren’t sure exactly how long Disguise was acting in his place.”
He stood up and paced around the room, running his hands through his hair distractedly as he thought. He finally stopped, leaning on the back of his chair with both hands as he looked at the still-sitting Zara.
“Okay,” he said. “Disregarding, for the moment, the idea that Asano is some kind of god-adjacent supreme being, you’re saying that he can just turn off the System on a whim?”
“It’s more involved than that, to my understanding. At least until his power grows. But yes, that’s essentially what I’m saying.”
“You’re saying he can do this, and his power is still growing?”
“Hils, do you understand what a great astral being is?”
“Obviously not, but I know the Builder was one. Now you’re saying that Asano is the same, and he’s going to use his power to try and hold the world hostage.”
“That’s not how he framed it, but your description is at least broadly accurate.”
“People are going to throw a fit. The adoption rate for using the System in every group from governments to churches is… are there any exemptions? Churches, the Adventure Society?”
“No. And just between us, he’s already secured endorsements of his plans from Dominion and Liberty. That’s going to matter, given how rarely they agree on anything.”
“If the churches already know, I don’t see why you’re being so secretive. It’s definitely going to come out ahead of time.”
“The churches don’t know. Not yet.”
“You just finished saying he had the endorsements from the churches of Dominion and Liberty.”
“No, Hils, I didn’t.”
“Wait, were you talking about the actual gods?”
“It can’t be that much of a surprise. Surely, you’ve heard about what he’s like with them. He had them around for a cup of tea with the whole team. It was a very odd experience.”
“Gods can drink tea?”
“They’re gods, Hils. There isn’t much they can’t do, whatever Jason might say about their limitations.”
“And they’re going to support this publicly?”
“Yes.”
“That changes things significantly. Or maybe it doesn’t, I don’t know. I have no frame of reference for some gold ranker holding the planet hostage by threatening to turn off a major facet of magic itself. Because he’s actually some kind of ridiculous being. I saw one report claim he was one of the messengers’ gods.”
“He is, and they’re called astral kings.”
“I thought you said he was a great astral being.”
“Yes, it’s all very complicated. What you need to understand, Hils, is that Jason isn’t threatening to do anything. He’s doing it. I’m here so the Storm King has a chance to get out ahead of it.”
“Ahead of it how? He wants to abolish indentured servitude? That’s a cornerstone of the legal system for most of the civilised world. What does he want us to replace it with? Those places where they lock people up for years on end, the way they do in Kurdansk? Even ignoring what the point of it is, do you have any idea of the operating costs of those places?”
“He’s not making specific demands beyond the elimination of indentured servant laws.”
“Meaning that he expects us to throw out a major part of the justice system and offers nothing to put in its place.”
“Do you think it would be better if he did start dictating how countries should change things?”
“That’s exactly what he’s doing!”
“Well, yes,” Zara conceded. “But he wants everyone to find their own solutions, rather than dictating them himself. Which is what Dominion said he should do, by the way.”
“Why does Dominion even approve of this? Shouldn’t he be in favour of indentured servitude? Or any servitude, for that matter.”
“I’m not sure. I wondered the same, but Jason said that Dominion isn’t what most people think he is. We didn’t sit down for a theological discussion, though. What we did talk about was potential replacement systems for indenture. Jason won’t dictate what people should do, but favours a shift in the current system that only makes limited changes.”
“How limited?”
“His problem is the slavery aspect.”
“Indenture isn’t slavery.”
“Except that sometimes it is, Hils, and you know it.”
“No system is perfect, Zara.”
“Which is not an excuse to not make them better. The current practise is to sell off indenture contracts, or give them to the criminal’s victims. Jason favours taking what were indenture contracts and replacing them with public service orders. For most practical purposes, the systems stay as they are, but without selling people. Local authorities use the labour for public service, with regulation in place to reduce and remedy instances of abuse.”
Hils rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“So, mostly just shifting the indenture holders from private individuals to government authorities.”
“It’s an option. One that has already been working in some city states for decades. There are still problems, but the worst of the abuses have been curtailed.”
“Worst of the abuses. We’re talking about criminals, here, and it’s not as bad as you make out.”
“Do you genuinely believe that?”
“Of course I do. If I didn’t, what kind of monster would that make me?”
“An unfortunately common variety. You know of Sophie Wexler, from my team?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know that she was an indentured servant?”
“I think I recall reading about that.”
“The local Magic Society branch director was obsessed with her. The Adventure Society director made that happen in return for certain concessions. It took Jason and Emir Bahadir stepping in to prevent that from happening.”
“See? The system works.”
“People with undue influence stepping in to stop other people with undue influence isn’t the process working, Hils. It’s the process being so broken that the corruption is folding in on itself.”
“Look, Zara, I don’t entirely disagree with you. I don’t think it’s as bad as you make out, but what I’m really telling you what everyone else is going to say.”
Zara nodded.
“I told him much the same. As did Danielle Geller.”
“Did you tell him that he’ll be standing up to every government in the world?”
“I did.”
“And what did he say to that?”
“That he’s stood up to worse. That people know who he is, now, so it’s time to show them what he is.”
Hils let out a groan.
“He’s one of those obnoxiously melodramatic people, isn’t he?”
“Oh, you have no idea. Sometimes I’ll spot him with one foot propped up on something, staring into the middle distance.”
“Zara, this is going to be a mess. Countries aren’t going to cave in to some random guy telling them to change how their legal system works. I don’t care what he is or how crazy the stories about him are. Even diamond rankers don’t act like this.”
“He’s not a diamond ranker, Hils. He’s a man who invites a couple of gods around for a cup of tea and they actually show up.”
“Then maybe you should go around and tell everyone that story. See how that works out.”
Zara got to her feet.
“Hils, I’m not here to convince you of anything. This is just a chance for our country to get a few more days than everyone else to formulate a reaction. What my cousin does from there is up to him.”
“This is a bad idea, Zara. You should try and stop him from doing this.”
“If people could stop Jason Asano from following through on bad ideas, the world would be a different place. I told him how messy this was going to be.”
“What did he say?”
“Something about a spider and responsibility and his uncle, I think? It didn’t make a lot of sense.”
Comments
Kay
Where did 927-930 ?
McVerisimilitude
Ohh! And it's team Cookie in the US. LOL
McVerisimilitude
I believe this is one of you best chapters or most entertaining!👍
Diego Rossi
The fun part is when three-quarters of the world will ask "How did this happen?" and the reply will be: " A few nobles families in Estercost pissed off this guy ..." "Who are they? We will have to 'discuss' with them. In a pointy way."
BJ
I'm glad Jason is doing big dick energy the right way. Lol
Splutty
“He’s one of those obnoxiously melodramatic people, isn’t he?”
ItWasIDIO!!
Dominion "I endorse this tyranny" Liberty "I endorse this act of tyranny for freedom from tyranny"
Frank Morgana
A spider haha
Soli116
"It seemed that Asano had realised Cyrion wasn’t some backwater where he could throw around his gold rank like a hammer." You poor sweet summer child!
Val the mysterious Jedi
Zara is always great perspective, also I would have loved to see dominion flirt with liberty and her mean girl him
Christopher Svehla
Maybe Dominion becomes the God of The Hegemon. In a previous chapter the Archbishop said Dominion is Hegemony itself
Rodmin
I would love to see a god of the system
Kenneth Welever
IKR!?!?! I just got back into it and re-ran through the entire backlog
Nannoc
Damn all caught up! What do I do with my life now!?
Alex Schellenberg
Siramaraj Jaramaris would be a hard name for an exalted member of a family
Baelfyer
"People with undue influence stepping in to stop other people with undue influence" would have been a great name for this chapter 🤣
Sin
He's pretty good for this series, surprisingly so with more and more becoming dual narration.
Johnkevin223
Just reading this finally… omg so funny I can’t wait to hear Heath Miller act this one out!
Chris Furry
Yup, they are definitely on the downward side of the FAFO slope.
ThoMiCroN
I would have wanted to see the discussion with Liberty and Dominion, that would have been hilarious.
Chris Marks
I think the spiderman reference is much better than “may all your chooks turn into emus and tear your dunny door down”
jacob butler
And hold my coconut with little umbrella drink lol
jacob butler
I just realized Jase is basically becoming what the builder wanted to be which is a powerful Astral King and Gab but he cannot and is only going to be a Astral King long term
JonO
I keep wondering where people seem to think that essences have been coming out related to the system. The chapter says "essence abilities tapping into the system". That's not the same thing. Edit: nevermind, I still don't think it's the same thing.... but "previously unseen essence abilities" is a bit different.
Jemini
I actually love what Shirt is doing with Dominion. Not because of Dominion's personality as a character, but because of the way Shirt is using him as a literary device. He's playing a game of "matching and leading" on young liberals' ideas on anti-authoritarianism. Dominion represents authority and government. His domain is anything to do with rulership. Rulership can be good or rulership can be bad. As a god, he prefers to represent good leadership. People on the ground who do not get it think he represents the current bad leadership and ruling with an iron fist. In actuality, he just wants the leadership to be effective. What effective means can be good things, and Shirt is using Dominion to take his readers along for a ride right along side Jason in learning the merits of authority used correctly.
Youkai-sama
OH NO! Jason playin Ultimo over here! 🤣
Michael Smalley
Is it bad I keep falling more in love with Dominion?
Jemini
Why do Jason's terms for how to fix the problem make this feel a lot like the "Stop Killing Games" initiative? I mean, I know putting an end to slavery and some dust-up over video games with consumer unfriendly practices doesn't sound like it has much to do with each other, but when you get right down to it, Jason's ultimatum and the terms in the game initiative here are almost identical. 1. It's an almost world-wide practice. 2. It's got something to it that's obviously immoral. (Effective slavery Vs. Effective vandalism/failure to deliver goods on a product already sold to customers.) 3. It's got a public that acknowledges there are problems with the system, but thinks it's a bad idea to change the system for various... rights issues. 4. The solution proposed basically amounts to "Stop it. I don't care how you stop it, each of you can find your own solutions, I just want you to stop it."
JonO
Yes.... yes, I think he will. The real question is.... how big a paddle will be needed to emphasize the point lol
Alejandro Piña
So, I’ve been updating my partner on the story of hwfwm regularly because she doesn’t like reading books in English and has a hard time staying interested in audio books. I wanted to explain this chapter to her but for context I spent 3 hours giving her the “Jason as an Astral King 101” explaining how he got the power of the system from the very beginning when he got the world-phoenix token until now. She was all like “omg you could’ve just say that he was mad that the earthlings were being kept against their will and he is gonna turn off the system everywhere that allows slavery” so I asked her “why were earthlings in Pallimustus? Why is he able tu turn off the system? And why would that be a point of contention?” All she told me was “you know, I hate that I know the answer to those three questions, and that it makes sense!”
Konnect
That fact that ESSENCES related to the system are appearing @.@ And the nonchalant possibility a god might just passively pop up due to the fact that the System has become a part of everyone’s lives o.o
Allpa
Indeed not a great precedent to impose your morality like that. Another aspect that might justify this more though is the fact that it was Jason who granted the system in the first place and it should be up to him how and where it's used. But as this chapter also mentions the system is a crucial part of many organisations and powers already so taking it away will be quite disruptive and people will feel that it is a personal sleight. I am interested in seeing where the story goes with this.
Alex Cox
I was hoping that'd be Clive or Farrah ascending as his Palli gods but... Knowledge accepting that role would be fun, Jason and her already have a good flow of sass and jokes.
David
While the Spiderman quote is a nice bit of fan service one hopes - perhaps on Earth - someone will remind Jason of Lord Acton' s musing on power. Bending nations to your will over slavery is perhaps the most readily accepted excuse for forcing one's morality on others, but it's not a great precedent. My image of Jason at the end of this chapter is more and more like Paul Atreides several novels into the Dune series.
Tim
Lmfao, yes. God, just think of trying, yourself, to explain spiderman to people from a world that know nothing about superheroes or the like. Ahaha.
james foster
Thanks, until you said that ... (shamefully) I didn't get the Spiderman reference.
Jordan Rogers
Question is will soromir have to give the new cousin king in rimaros a spanking before he does the smart thing too?
Daniel Welland
I don't think so. He already has the practice of focusing the message to just the outworlders from Earth, so now I'm assuming he's just blanketing regions of the world rather than pinpoint accuracy, and rather than a message he's just hitting the power switch for those regions.
brian phillips
Pull the lever Kronk!
Jordan Rogers
I’m assuming all realties are getting hit with this not just pallimustus, he’s gonna be rather well known after this…
Nerdy Chimera
Remember that indentured servitude is literally just the mechanism most places have in place of imprisonment and the only other two outcomes is fines and execution. You either didn't do something bad enough to merit execution and you don't have the money to pay the fines. I could easily see a good chunk of potential indentures just getting outright executed as a result of the change.
Nerdy Chimera
What's funny about it is that Jason has essentially been fighting against his favor from Dominion since book 1. And what he has finally come to realize is that as long as Jason IS Jason, he's gonna have Dominion's favor. And his efforts against Dominion gain him even more favor. So Jason has taken the "suck it up, buttercup" approach and just rode with it. XD
Tor-Arne Sandstrak
Aristocracy: "You gave me a lever, I'm gonna pull it. Buy my slave." [THE SYSTEM]: "WHAT'S THIS LEVER DO?" *shutdown procedure in effect*
Idan tal
More like how things were 5 years ago.. But it will put them in a major development disadvantage.
JonO
I actually love the idea of Jason sculpting notifications in a sassy and insulting way. Item description: togetherness jelly Rank: oh you dog Quality: slick and somehow....spicy? Effect: if you already don't know then I guess this is really for your hand. Also, I know it says spicy but you shouldn't eat that stuff. Also, it'll be better if you get a manicure... it's like taking them to dinner first, but for your hand because, clearly.... Look, suffice to say that despite being lonely and hungry(man I could go for something spicy) you are about to have some lonely fun.
jeffrey niski
So Jason could become a great astral being and he eventually becomes that sassy part of the system that describes objects and things to people like you see in other system litrpgs
Alex Schellenberg
I wonder if Knowledge would eventually become part of the God of the System? It seems right up her alley.
Alex Schellenberg
Dominion, Liberty and a priest of the healer were having a cup of tea... that's just Jason's team.
Alex Schellenberg
With great power comes great responsibility. I usually expect Aussie sayings.
KollegvomMirgan
Seems very much like a not intended testrun for the return to earth :D can't wait to see the the outfall of this announcement xD
Andrew Segura
“Something about a spider and responsibility and his uncle, I think? It didn’t make a lot of sense.” Kind of wish we got to see this scene.
Josh
Pallimustus = "Jason Asano can't do that" Jason Asano = " Hold my sandwich"
Amanda Begly
Haha love the Spiderman reference.
Joshua Batts
Dominion is turning out to be the biggest bro of this book so far. Absolutely loving it.
Robert Nicklin
Loved the chapter - thanks Shirt
DirePants
Ugh I can’t stand people like Hils. That attitude of: “My life is comfortable, let’s not change anything lest we ruin my situation. Sorry everyone else but, ‘good enough’ is good enough!” But Zara said something I’ve been saying a lot in conversation, especially as of late: “[Just because nothing is perfect] doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to make it better.” Just reminds me we have a potentially world changing election coming up in less than 90 days. 😪 Anyway looks like most of us speculated on Jason turning off the system. I personally didn’t think that would be something he could do “yet” but as they say, if you want to make Jason laugh tell him your plans… or something like that 🤔 lol can’t wait to see how this unfolds. I like the idea of criminals being put to work in public service. Knowing us tho we’d find a way to abuse it. With modern tech it’d be possible- but over policing for private for-profit prisons is basically the same thing except with less sodomy… hopefully
Nathan
This is my favorite part, I feel like people miss it. Or think Jason’s an asshole. He’s just doing his best to make decisions he and others won’t regret.
Aaron Schwartz
They literally discussed that in the chapter
Aaron Schwartz
theres probably something too that, but I think it would only be necessary if he wanted to change the entire system across the entire cosmos. hes just manually turning it off for one measly planet where his prime avatar happens to be. Frankly, Im not entirely sure the change will even keep after he goes back to earth. but no one is even considering that
StarkRG
As any good long-term story should.
StarkRG
I vaguely remember someone, possibly Danielle, telling Jason he couldn't just demand society change until he had more power. Well, he has more power than they were thinking at the time, and with great power, etc.
Roope
I think that Hills is quite naive about how much the nobles were trying to milk team biscuit dry and about the indentured servitude working. As for politics, I just see this as Jason pressing back with his own lever like the nobles were trying to do.
Adrian Cheung
Sounds like a joke....Dominion, Liberty and Jason were having a cup of tea.....
Mr IHHI
Story seems to be transitioning from being focused on actions to focusing on the repercussions of actions
Taecharn Burt
Nice
Jake Thorpe
The goddess windows vista
Zack
If a god of the system shows up, is it gonna be a paperclip?
Chioke Nelson
Perfect callback
DemonReader
Hills : "yoU CaN't dO tHaT?!?!" Jason "Did you not read the Terms and conditions in the EULA?"
Larsi
Nice chapter. Once again, I'm very happy to see Jason actually be willing to trust the gods for advice and work with them. I'm Seeing a lot of people mad at him trying to essentially force his values onto this world and while I do see the point, as pointed out by others he's only taking away his own assistence. There is nothing stopping those countries from going back to the way things worked 2 decades ago. In the end, as our ambassador pointed out, it's normal to use the leverage you have in diplomacy. Not to mention Zara pointing out quite reasonable alternatives here.
Raves
The real question is what would the God of the System be? Google?
Joanna
The new password is "GetYourOwnDamnWiFiPenny" all one word
Chris Marks
I also love these bits!!
jackalsclaw
I ship it
Raves
He's taking away their tablets and handing them a book.
Izera
Something to consider is that because Jason is the Astral Being of the system, he might have to spend authority to make any kind of changes like what we see being talked about here.
BloodStorm
Just like most financially well off politicians. If it’s not effecting them then it’s fine the way it is
Jake Thorpe
“As I see it, you have two choices. Conquer your world, or stand apart from it. Above it. Like a god. You have to rule them, or make them realise that you are so far above them that you have no interest in their little games. Anything in between and it will be chaos.” “No half measures.” “No half measures,” Dominion agreed. “When you act — however you act — it must be definitive. Beyond challenge. And when you refrain from acting, you must be beyond question.” This is Jason putting this into practice in preparation for Earth
BloodStorm
This is just a test run before he heads back to earth. People are going to flip out and I’m here for it. I know alot of people complain about the political parts of the story but I’m loving this
Alex Cox
Jason, Dominiom and Liberty having tea while Team Biscuit can't fucking move because theres equivalent to 3 godly beings in the room
Alex Cox
Alrighty, I feel this needs to get out of the way. Bets on if Jason births a new god based on concept?
ABTelford
bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!! they F### around and now they're gonna find out! hehehehehe!!!!!
Liesmith
No.
deadly chibi
I really really really hope we get a flashback to dominion and Liberty having tea
Carl Scott
Is Jason too OP for this story to continue?
DasGoat622
Yeah at this point in game the “But, he can’t do that” argument is just passey. If fun for us common folk though so I hope they keep it up.
DreadHawk666 Aron
Thank you for the chapter 😁! Uncle beeeeeeen (damn right he has a power and he feels responsible - though responsibly is something he still has to work on I think
DreadHawk666 Aron
To escort the souls out of the universe and into the astral where the Reaper can collect them, healing spells and the like can only effect souls that haven’t left the universe, but the Reaper can only effect the ones in the astral (or chooses to, I don’t know it was explained in books 3&5 I think)
Kconraw
Thx for the chapter
Sena
It was well done for sure
David Cooper
I've forgotten... the Reaper is responsible for the souls of the dead, so what is Deaths' responsibility again?
Tom Rhyne
He’s a something of a mirror to the respect level he is shown. If you treat him with respect, he’ll return it. If you want to be petty, he’ll show you petty. And if you want scorched earth, he will burn it all down.
bonewizard
Astral Being of the System was not how I saw this going. I'm so here for it.
Tom Rhyne
Not a servant. Just an independent contractor with a similar view on power dynamics and the right of an individual to attempt to change them forcibly.
Nick Pincus
I was right liberty and dominion are on the same page here and it's awesome.
Aubrey Listi
Idk why but I almost expected the conversation to go more like "Jason has been quiet for days, he's planning something insane isn't he?" "Yes." "How bad is it?" "I mean, it's Jason, so run things through that filter and then escalate that into insanity." "... ok, yeah, we are going to pressure the nobles to release the Earthlings." 😂 This though? WAY better.
Salthin
Yup. This is gonna be good.
J W
Again I feel like it the aristocrat factions had dealt in good faith with jason (i.e. only asking for the payout amount of the indentured contracts) he would have just paid. He took offense to them trying to take liberties of him so now he will show them all who has more leverage.
Maria Klein
That’s what really kills me. These nobles don’t seem to realize of Jason wanted to take them he could and there isn’t a damned thing they could do about it. Not only is his cloud palace off limits to anyone he doesn’t want there but he just needs to hop over to the storm kingdom and take a trip to earth.
Jacob Goodrich
Ohhhhh this is hilarious. Ypu know earth gonna get some just jacked gods
Maria Klein
Or on the other hand. All the diamond rankers suddenly have to be somewhere else … anywhere else lol
Malcolm
This is gonna be such a shitshow I love it
Diviknight
Aristocrats treating Jason like a cash cow to be exploited…Jason treating aristocrats like children in need of a time out.
Joshua Millins
Is Dominion technically a servant to Jason, Since Jason is the GAB representative of authority as The Hedgemon.
Scott McCarthy
And admitting he secretly likes team knight rider.
Chris Furry
Exactly! It is a gift from a GAB. Also, can we talk about Jason = GAB finally confirmed in writing!?
Chris Furry
It's the most basic Spidey reference you can make. Uncle? Uncle Ben tells Peter that in every Universe.
jacob butler
It took a couple of readings to get the Spider-Man reference at the end
Tarry Higgins
Spider, Responsibility, Uncle. I love the reference, and that it is indirectly made via Zara!
Brandon Walker
Those are some good points about how he can use the system going forward, that's interesting
Zero
… lol at least Jason discussed his decision with both Dominion and Liberty, thus gaining insight as to what is the best way to proceed. Also the System is like a GAB favor IMO if you go against their mandate you have consequences. In this case Jason is rescinding his free favor. Interesting perspective and look on how Jason has changed from the impulsive solo act. Thanks for the chapter.
jacob butler
I like the fact Zara gives a great example of how wrong the current system is and then Idiot Hils says look it was fine like no it was not it required outside influence to prevent that which is basically what Jason is trying to do on a large scale
Nick
I think it's more like dominion supports anyone asserting their authority. Sometimes that means whipping the slaves, and sometimes it means holding court under the oak tree while you help the people with their problems. Dominion isn't a moral being, he is the god of sovereignty. Sometimes rulers are good, sometimes they're evil, and he's the god of both. You can be an effective ruler and incredibly cruel at the same time.
Scott Straka
Oh no... the God of IT Administration is coming...
DT
Yeah that made me kinda mad at Hils but it made what Jason's doing funnier
john bloemer
I like this one
Andrew Woodard
I think it's a matter of Jason understanding that process well enough to let the effect carry through to the outside world. Right now, he can mimic literally anything, but it's basically a forgery that loses its 'realness' when it leaves his universe. He'd probably have to figure out specifically how awakening stones and essences formed, what determined their function and output, etc. then replicate those effects.
MillionLittleE
I wonder is Hils realized that it was okay for the noble family’s to find leverage and take their pound of flesh, but when Jason finds leverage and takes his pound of flesh it’s too far?
DDHG
Governments sitting in a room "So.. can we kill Jason?" "Maybe? Last time someone killed him he blew up a city. An came back again and over half a million messengers in one attack" "...so that is a yes?" "Sure. Try and see how it works out for you" "We have diamond rankers!" This is just my guess on the next chapter. An the fallout for a man to stubborn to die.
Tim G
So I got a serious question I been thinking about. Now that Jason is a universe. Does some of his worlds have magic with monster, essences, awakening stones just appearing? If so can he train on the monsters and loot them for gold and stuff? Get the essences and awakening stones to stock pile for his friends and the Asano clan?
Kalanaere
Jason taking advice again from Dominion, getting a secondary endorsement from Liberty all over afternoon tea as he quotes Spiderman. On another hand though, I love Zara treating this Hils guy as if he's stupid and asking if he knows what a GAB is
King Nereus
He’s still technically just reacting to powerful people throwing their weight around for kicks, but he certainly has more leverage in this situation than they thought he did.
Leighton Smith
Or at I thinking too far ahead?
Leighton Smith
If/ when Jason explains why he turned off the system in those cities and kingdoms, could/will it cause a civil war in each of said areas? Will the organizations and or the people that are affected be pissed at him or the governments more? When they see that they can’t bully him into doing anything, won’t they then turn their ire unto the law makers? And if they refuse to budge…. Won’t there be war?
JonO
Jason isn't afraid of the coming consequences. Remember, the only thing Jason fears is a frank discussion about his feelings.
Ligeia
A little late, aren't we, with the biscuits callout? 😉
WizardOfTheStyx
Would be funny if he took the system, stole the servants and ran off to earth 😂
Charles A. Pehl
I am going to laugh if around these other Gods looking like gods do is just the new guy in the corner sitting at a computer with the equivalent of like a twitch stream moderator setup
StarkRG
That's basically how tech companies have gained so much power. Oh, you want to tax us? I guess your citizens don't really need iPhones anymore. You want us to let warehouse workers unionise? Hmm, looks like same-day shipping is no longer available in your area.
JonO
Probably not.... it already happened behind the scenes.
Teddy Torres
Ok but we are gunna get the conversation between Liberty and Dominion at tea time
Mike
I was thinking the same thing. They get mad when they lose lol
Tucker Glick
Ah yes this goes back to when dominion was like I don’t support oppression.I’m just oppression friendly.
Bonnie Leslie
I love how everyone feels so entitled to the system now, oh no he’s holding everyone hostage. Nah he’s just being more choosy with who he shares with 🤷🏻♀️
Bonnie Leslie
Exactly! He’s not holding the world hostage, he’s just being more selective with who he shares with
Zachary Bender
Lmao
Lucas Gulick
Generally it's been pretty effective, the united states did the same thing with its allies at the end of the world wars. Marijuana and other currently controlled substances had profound religious and social applications that got wiped out within a rapid time period
Cryfdwr
Everyone that opposes Jason - “Let’s get the diamond rankers to make Asano give us the system back Soramir - “Nope” Mirror King - “I’m out” Roland - “Not a chance” Allayeth - “No” Charist (sp?) - “I’ll hel…” Allayeth - “Nope, you’re out, too”
Bloodorange17
Those are my favorite chapters
JonO
I look at it like this, Jason gave the system to everyone. And paying out money is easy and doesn't earn respect. Jason isn't easy and deserves respect. And he's basically the god (great astral being really) of the system. As the saying goes "as the lord giveth, the lord taketh away"
StarkRG
Oh, see, I was wracking my brain to figure out what Aussie saying he was referencing. To begin with I thought it might have been "We're not here to f--- spiders", but I couldn't figure out how that tied into his uncle. Spider-Man makes a lot more sense. 🤣
Landsraad
I bet System Gods that eventually manifest are going to be like System Moderators and Asano as Admin. Lol
Walter Kimberly
I love the chapter. Thank you Shirt. A lot of laughs and even a couple very unmanly giggles lol
Colin Holloway
I love how everyone feels entitled to something that IS Jason. It's perfectly appropriate that these power hungry aristocratic douches "find leverage" (hold people hostage) but when Jason responds in kind with something that is actually HIS he's the unreasonable one.
Justin Fralin
Uncle Ben!!!!
Leaored
I just hope Jason doesn't get suprised when they try to kill him again. If I was him I would use the infinite amount of Gold coins he creates at his inner universe and throw at the nobles' face instead of making enemies everywhere he goes again.
JonO
Good question.... id like to say yes to perceive.... use, other than by simply base utilization.... maybe, maybe not. I think it depends more on if they're essence based. The builder was a messenger.... so technically he shouldn't be able to use or perceive it since messengers are too magical to use essences.
BaguaBrady
I kind of hope this blows up and worsens corruption and liberties at large. Mostly because slamming home a broad response to what seems a complex nuanced system of governance shouldn't work well at all.
Owen Kaz
For everyone in the back This is Jason's first power-play on the world stage. Many have heard and disregarded rumours about him. Those with TRUE power know well enough, but the common man doesn't truly get it. After this, they will. This is the first time, period, where Jason can backup his everything without aid, without pulling a rabbit out of his hat (Child or no). Everyone will know who he is, what he's about, and why the system was suddenly blocked. And also while I'm here, eventually Jason will master his new abilities to the point where anyone attacking him, and any related to him, with find their system gone, alongside that of whoever ordered the hit. The system will be Jason's own Karmic web in time, or at least it has the potential to be so.
Zachary Blevins
Ha ha ha ha The next chapter is definitely going to be one of those play. Stupid games win stupid prizes moments for everyone ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Joe Foreman
That would be a great easter egg when the book comes out and it is the title of the chapter
Douglas Sokolowski
Can the (other?) Great Astral Beings perceive and use the system?
Kristoffer
Stash is that you pretending to be Alejandro?
Kristoffer
No, he's about to slap them for misbehaving, then some (most?) of them will retaliate and THEN he'll go bananas.
Jean L. Philippe Jr.
That was literally my thought lol 😂
Cyrus Harding
The last line cracked me up. Thank you!
Cryfdwr
Oh, such a good chappie 😊🤣
TimeDrawsNigh
When the average gold ranker lives for four+ centuries, things take longer to percolate.
ONEsie
I wonder what the battle capabilities would be; since we know all essences have martial applications.
SmokeJam
What a fun chapter. I love how you are able to progress the story and give details with just one conversation between two side characters. Can't wait for the chaos which will ensue. I can see Liberty having a field day and enjoying the hell out of this.
TimeDrawsNigh
Hah! Finally Jason starting to show them what he really is capable of.
Tom C
Is that you Sting?
Tom C
Fuck yeah. Use that power Jason! Love it
Tom C
Put corrections in the corrections channel on discord. I don’t think they are noticed here
Justin
Also hasn’t everyone had about 20+ years to wrap their head around an astral king and a great astral being? Why’s he so slow at seeing “what” they are dealing with?
David
I can’t tell if you’re serious, so Spider-Man. Uncle Ben, great power and so on.
Preston Stokes
Oooooh he's about to go bananas on these people
Justin
Spider-Man reference to tie up the chapter is just amazing! TYFTC!!!
Abigail Hale
I love that Dominion and Liberty are big fans of his. Really solidifies the whole benevolent dictator vibe
Lonnie
Uncle Ben! Nooooo 😆😆
David
Agreed. It doesn’t make sense at all when multiple diamond rankers, government leaders, high clergy in the church, and adventurer society leaders have either seen him in action or seen the results of his actions back when he was still silver rank. I mean, his avatar exploded with enough power to wipe a city off of the map and create a massive crater. And then he absolutely wrecked a messenger army from four different AKs before bothering to recreate his avatar. It’s hard to believe anyone on a world of magic would be this unbelievably stupid about something like this, let alone almost every single high ranking or politically powerful person.
Danny boy
Can someone explain what the spired and his uncle is a reference too?
Mist Sparrow
I bet Nik with his network confluence picked up some
Liesmith
Slavery is now against the System's TOS.
Kaelan Spears
Diamond rankers can sense far, but not all the way across the ocean
samwise
Hahaha, a spider and something about responsibility… that should be the chapter’s title
Ira White
We are about to see the entire world act like a spoiled brat whose wifi gets turned of mid campaign 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
Alejandro Piña
With Great power comes great amount of biscuits!!!
David Cooper
Wow, there are now Essences of the System? Bet Clive grabbed them for his society first.
Brad Gammey
But it's Wednesday...
The-DM-Dino
That description of Spiderman is the funniest thing ever, good god. thank you so much for the truly amazing chapter
Kaelan Spears
System essence abilities. System essences? System awakening stones??
JonO
Well if Jason is the half step great astral being of the system and there is the possibility that there may be a god of the system (should not be named system.... cuz Jason would be against it) then the clergy should be known as the servers of I.T. I.T being the god of the system's name of course lol That being said, the church of asano on earth should totally chant "turn it off and on again"
Timothy
I instantly thought, "how Capt Morgan of him"
Aerlevsedi
I knew it, a system administrator can revoke access.
Timothy
Anyone else wondering why Soramir didn't just pop in and request a meeting right from the start? I doubt a privacy screen could stop him from listening in on the conversation, especially since it's about Jason.
Razeel Nightfall
Ikr I my mind I had him sounding much younger very close to how spring would sound if the season could talk.
Unwillingmainer
I see he's getting ready for some power plays on Earth. This will make a lot of people very pissed and also start to show he isn't just a gold ranker, he is now a Great Astral Being. In charge of the System. And can't be killed. No wonder Dominion fucking loves him.
Rowdy Robby
I'm sure Jason can get some Mistrun tea from Neil.
curtis gatley
love that he has liberty and dominion together on it.
Timothy
"Supposedly, the new means of interfacing with magic was identical to a personal power Asano has possessed years earlier." Should read "had possessed"
David
I think it’d have to be an anime. The CGI would cost waaaaaay too much for the magic, different races, and even just the magical villages. Imagine the nightmare a cloud flask would be to add effects for. The domains? It’d be marvel movie level of expensive for just one season.
Razeel Nightfall
Don't worry. Friday's chapter will give us the cliffhanger we deserve.
R P
Def feels like a lead up to a cliff hanger Friday. I hope it's a longer then normal chapter. So much could happen when he turns off the system.
Anthony
Loving this buildup to the big Jason doing Godlevel things on Palimustus happening at the same time as the buildup to Jason exploding back onto the stage of Earth. Very... Tantric
The Green Magus
“Sometimes I’ll spot him with one foot propped up on something, staring into the middle distance.” This should be the new book description
Scott McCarthy
They said there was one while Jason was away at the start of the book
Allen Wilding
So much for staying out of politics haha
Gb
Bug buttered scones
Brandon Walker
For the people whining, remember, it's HIS power, he has been letting people use it, it isn't immoral to stop giving gifts to someone you think is behaving poorly, he's just telling them what to stop doing if they want the gifts back
Scott McCarthy
Also, the growing control means Jason might be able to do worse eventually, so they need to consider what and when step 2 could be.
Abigail Hale
It still amazes me that despite everything people know of Jason they're still trying to take advantage of him. He's literally saved their world, has tea parties with Gods and introduced a magical framework that's directly connected to the mind of every person on the planet... but they still wana fuck with him ? 🙃
Robert Rogers
Oh things are getting fun.
Michael Lloyd Kelley
I'm just glad it isn't Friday.
Scott McCarthy
Well, there will be resistance, a lot of resistance, but the advantages maintaining the system will provide in the long run will mean the bigger countries have to make either cave immediately or make sure the world never gives in to Jason on this. While he is able to use the system and acquired magic knowledge to build earth to a level that balance means nothing.
tem
these the chapters i live for 😩
Julia
on a different note, i’ve been listening to book 11 and am still reeling from how nik is being voiced. he sounds like a disgruntled middle aged new yorker, i love it.
brian phillips
Biscuits!
Charles Ryan
Isn't it Spiderman and uncle Ben?
Hayden Leech
“During the last monster surge, Ancestor Soramir” That surge ended well before Jason’s fifteen year long fight with the astral beings… There hasnt been a monster surge in that period?
Samuel Strode
Confusing stories and deities showing up for Tea sounds like a Monday for Jason
Michael Smalley
WOOOO!
Erik Hyrkas
Fantastic.
JonO
1 million is too small.... Jason literally has a mountain in the shape of his head. 100 billion for sure
Greg
Love it! What that other person said Sophies Law
DT
This was an amazing chapter
Mist Sparrow
Jason being the system and each planet/reality/ whatever the god rules are having a moderator would make sense to me. A local IT team and then the great Astral Admin
Brad Gammey
So basically, Jason said "you want to use my system, you pay the price, which is no more slavery" and the governments of the world are going to whine until they capitulate? Seems pretty straight forward. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Kyle Hunter
Dominion: "YES JASON, BE THE TYANT YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE!" Liberty: "YES JASON, FREE ALL THE SLAVES!" Dominion couldn't give 2 shits about indentured servants. He's getting the tyrant Jason he's always wanted!
JonO
Technically we haven't missed the announcement yet.... so yes a different pov, but not because we're somehow missing the system announcement
David Cooper
Never piss off the sysadmin.
Zack
8 points!
Harbby
Fuck yeah, I was right! GET THEM JASON
Tempitheadem
Called it!
Agent P.
He is the System. He giveth and he can taketh away.
Christian cody
Thank you for the chapter. Man I hope HWFWM get's picked up for an anime or TV show. It's already perfect, I just want more people to experience it. Then play board games about it.
Morgan Robertson
Dang man! Turning off the system in select areas, go team go!!
David
I like that Hils probably took that the wrong way. The world would be different. Most of them would be dead or the world would have been destroyed by the builder, the super monster surge, the messenger invasions, and so on. Also kaboom to that one continent.
Fate Hydrax
HE ABOUT TO TURN OFF THE WI-FI!
JonO
So to those who expected Jason to simply take the system away +1 point Those who thought he wasn't going to necessarily abolish indentured servitude but work towards making it better and to allow governments to figure out the details +2 points.... plus bragging rights for being politically savvy. Those who thought dominion and liberty would approve and possibly endorse the action +5 points.... they're gods.... no need to increase by only 1. Lastly those who thought his team and company would personally play host and have tea with dominion and liberty (where both were pleasantly present) in order to have them discuss, endorse, and make suggestions in and how jason should go about it.... you simply win lol. I got 3 points myself to be honest. Lol
Maria Klein
Loving it!!! Ugh I can’t wait to see the fall out muha ha ha
Benjamin Grant
Laws Hils one of the people who were with Orin when Jason was meeting the noble kid who was engaged to Zara
René Blaser
Yuppiee. Tea party with the gods. 🤪 thats going to have interesting ramifications.
Stephanie Washburn
Oh God, that Spiderman joke is especially well timed to make Jason look absolutely bonkers.
Crystal Donak
Amazing. Zara for the win! I always love the "It's not that bad" sentence. Only ever said by people who haven't lived through it. ("It" being so many things) Shirt your commentary into human nature keeps me consumed with this stroy.
ma ka
Just another great chapther:D Loved the absurdity of ones more haveing gods over for tea
Benjamin Grant
Biscuits
Lye yeru
Jason hitting em with some admin abuse is a funny take
Hayden Leech
Uncle Ben!!!
Chuck Haeberle
Dominion and Liberty like tea!
Connor
Well, he does need to send a message, people are still trying to push him around despite what is "known" about him. So now he's making sure everyone really knows.
Leonidas
Tyftc. I guess we'll have another cliff hanger on Friday :)
Connor
I feel like Earth should be the place to practice, considering everything is much more small scale
Bingus McCready
I think that was kind of Jason’s point when he said Dominion isn’t what people think he is. Dominion’s ideals aren’t about dictatorship and control and obedience, they’re about exerting your will no matter who tries to stop you. If that means banning slavery from the entire planet at the drop of a hat, then Dominion is perfectly fine with that.
AetherBoye
"if people could stop Jason Asano from following through on bad ideas, the world would be a different place" love that
a battle
“lets get ready to rumble”.
JonO
I think the Spiderman analogy works splendidly
Sylphie
"Your gonna do things the way I like them but your gonna figure out how by yourself!!" It's like dating a hot chick that's full of herself lmfao
Joseph Jenkins
I love it
Jason Markus
Lol Dominion only supports this because he loves it when Jason forces his will on an entire planet.
Bingus McCready
Lmao at the Spider-Man nod at the end. TFTC!!!
Captain Nuclear
Ooooooooo I'm excited. Let's rock the boat. There's that old story. 5 people are neck deep in a vat of.... waste, let's say. None of them moving, all of them breathing very shallow breath. Until one guy gets fed up and swims for the ladder out. "Stop!" Shout the rest. "When you move, it's getting in our mouths!"
Ligeia
Oh my, Jason is rehearsing for Earth, isn't he?
Sean Sheldon
That Spiderman reference lol
Octavia
Fuck yea use your power Jason
Dylan Alexander
Jason literally playing god and trying to push his ideals onto others.
Jared Waggoner
tyftbc
Thomas Todd
He should also ask for 1 million dollars since he's taking a page from abond villain
Thunder0ni
This sounds like it will be great practice for demonstrating his power on Earth
Jared McClure
Of course its a different POV... blah.
triscuit73
Doing a re read of the series and I literally put down the chapter where Hils meets Jason to come read this one.
Richard
tftc
Connor
I love seeing Jason flex his power like this. He's always constantly being pushed around and having to stand his ground. But now he's the one doing the pushing.
mhaj58
I’m number one
Josh A
Tyftc
Alex Webb
First
Ether
First
Brad Gammey
Let's go!
Abigail Hale
Big buttered biscuits! ☺️
