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Chapter 913: This is Not a Cliff
🕑 Added 2024-06-26 23:00:04 +0000 UTCLi Li Mei was rooted to the ground as if a landscaper had planted her there. Her body was rigid, her face locked on the man in front of her. Jason looked more relaxed, but the rigidity of his casual posture told a different story.
“You know this lady?” Belinda asked.
“I do,” he said.
“Does your planet only have seven people on it?” Estella asked. “Why do you know them all?”
“I vaguely recall Taika mentioning that I knew more people amongst the Earth refugees. And that they didn’t join him and Travis because they didn’t want to be sent to me.”
“And they bet on the kindness of strangers over getting help from you?” Estella asked. “How bad is your reputation where you come from?”
“It’s not great,” Jason admitted.
“I can tell by the way she’s looking at you,” Belinda said. “That’s the way sandwiches look at Neil.”
Li Mei remained frozen as Jason wandered closer. He was not a tall man, and stood eye to eye with her.
“Hello, Miss Li. How have you been?”
She finally found her voice.
“You really are alive then?”
“On and off. The people from Earth think I’m dead?”
“Some. I didn’t believe it.”
“Why not?”
“We thought you were crazy, back on Earth. Running around, treating governments and magic factions like they were inconsequential as you did… whatever it was you were doing. You never explained it properly.”
“No one was willing to listen. All any of you heard was the word ‘power’ running through your heads in a loop.”
“It was a time of unprecedented opportunity, or so we thought. Only after I spent time in this world did I realise that we were dogs, fighting over scraps. You were doing things like they do them in this world, because you thrive here. You fit.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Belinda called out. “He’s weird everywhere he goes.”
“It’s kind of nice knowing that it’s not just here,” Estella said.
“It does feel like a vindication of all the things we say about him behind his back.”
Jason turned to look at them from under raised eyebrows.
“Do you two mind?”
“No, we’re good,” Belinda said.
“She’s very pretty,” Estella observed, drawing an exaggerated look of exasperation from Belinda.
“You are such a skirt chaser. I cannot take you anywhere.”
“All I said was that she’s pretty.”
“I’m standing right here and you’re eyeing off other women, right in front of me.”
Jason shook his head and turned back to Li Mei.
“Come on,” he told her. “We’re taking a walk.”
***
Li Mei’s storage building was in one of Boko’s less reputable areas, a warehouse district far from the gardens and universities.
“The gold rankers in Greenstone,” she said. “That was you, obviously.”
“Yes,” Jason confirmed.
“I heard it was some famous team out of Vitesse.”
“My team. I just haven’t been on it for a while.”
“I never liked following adventurer news. Clearly, I should have been more diligent.”
As a foreigner and a small woman moving alone, she’d constantly caught looks as she made her way through the streets, fending off unwanted attention with her aura. Moving through those same streets with Asano was a completely different experience.
“What’s going on?” she asked him.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“We’re very obvious outsiders here, but people are stepping around us without so much as a glance. It’s almost like they’re pretending they don’t see us.”
“They’re subconsciously not paying us any attention. If we do something too unusual, they’ll notice. And a small number of people respond with aggression and anger instead of getting lulled in.”
“You’re doing this?”
“It’s become a habit. I try to avoid attention when I can, these days. I can stop it, if you like.”
“How? Some kind of mind control?”
“I don’t think magic can do that, at least not directly. The soul barrier shields the mind, so you have to use workarounds. Physiologically manipulating the brain, that kind of thing. The goddess of knowledge can’t read minds, but she has access to all knowledge, so she effectively can.”
“Then how?”
“Aura manipulation. I can’t alter their auras, but I can modulate mine to something that most people will instinctively and subconsciously overlook. It’s like how you never look at your habitual surroundings unless something changes and makes it stand out. I’m giving off ‘that chair in the corner you never sit in’ vibes.”
“And you’re doing it for both of us.”
“I first started working on this back on Earth, based on some vampire tricks. I’ve had a lot of practise and training with my aura since then.”
“Now that I’ve seen this world, I can only wonder how much you could have offered us back on Earth. If we’d treated you like a visiting dignitary instead of a commodity to be divided up.”
“My knowledge was limited. Farrah was the one you should have gone after.”
“No offence, Mr Asano, but you were a lot easier to manipulate. She knew to shut up and walk away when she didn’t know something.”
He let out a chuckle.
“You have more knowledge now,” she said. “As do I. You were here for what? A year and a half before going back? I’ve been here ten times that. The things I could do on Earth now. I could change the world.”
“It’s been a long time, Miss Li. The world changed on its own.”
“You have contact with Earth?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“We’re not here for me to answer your questions, Miss Li. We’re here to decide what happens to you now.”
“I didn’t do anything illegal.”
“Pallimustus takes more of a ‘spirit of the law’ approach than Earth does. Which you know, or we wouldn’t have caught you running.”
“And you’ve been given discretionary power over me.”
“If someone had to give it to you, it’s not real power. Especially not in this world. You’ve been left to my discretion because I took that authority, and because no one with the power to challenge me will do so. Not over you. Which is why I am assuming you chose this low magic zone for your little scheme.”
“It wasn’t that little.”
“A matter of perspective, I suppose.”
“You were like this on Earth, too. Acting as if our concerns were too small for you to bother with on anything but a whim.”
“They were.”
“I realised that, after coming here. But now we’re here, and you’re still acting more important than everyone else.”
“It’s not me that’s important. I have responsibilities.”
“Saving the world again? In an unexplained way, from an indeterminate threat, but trust you, it’s really important?”
“Stop that. You know I like banter, so you’re trying to engage me. Make me like you.”
“Is it working?”
“I’ve had better,” he said, but a smile teased the corners of his mouth. “I’m not going to kill you, Miss Li, or hand you over to the local authorities. As much as I do like the directness of how things are done here, the more discretionary the power, the greater the chance for corruption. This place can be barbaric, and the only check on that is the moral compass of whoever has the power.”
“No world is perfect, I suppose.”
“No. Same for the people in them, even those of us who get to travel to both.”
Their meandering path led out of the warehouse district and into a nicer area, close to a small university campus. The buildings were a mix of sandstone blocks and the region’s signature green brick. There were tall, thin trees, similar to palms. Leafy green plants grew out of pots and alcoves, or dangled from balconies. Water features were prominent, from channels that fed the abundant plant life to fountains placed at road junctions as roundabouts.
“They call this the Oasis City,” Li Mei said. “There are multiple apertures to the water astral space here. Apparently, some cult tried to sabotage them years ago, but they are well guarded, here. The cult had more luck out in the desert, so I’ve heard.”
“They did.”
“You were involved?”
“Peripherally. I was still in training when the big battle took place in the water astral space itself, so I missed out. Which was good, because a lot of people more powerful than me died, including my friend Farrah.”
“This is a different Farrah from the one with you on Earth?”
“No. I died too, later, fighting the being that cult worships. When I came back to life on Earth, some cosmic entities decided that she should as well. They thought there should be at least one person I can trust there.”
“There were a lot of reports, back on Earth. Interviews with people who encountered you. You used to talk off-the-cuff about things so outlandish that we would dismiss them as nonsense. Like coming back from the dead. Now, I realise that at least some of them were true. I’m more credulous than I was, but cosmic beings bringing people back from the dead is a lot, even for this world.”
“Go ask the goddess of death. Her church gave me a certificate to say how many times I’ve died.”
“Isn’t the death god a man?”
“Gods like to keep things flexible in that regard.”
“You say that like you know a lot of gods.”
“How much of this is you pretending not to have exhaustively researched everything you could about me after getting to Pallimustus?”
“I don’t—”
“Your aura reveals your emotions to me, Miss Li. You are doing a remarkable job of hiding your fear, by the way. I used to do that, but I lost the knack. It’s healthier to work through the emotions than bottle them up, believe me.”
“I saw you murder people on television with your mind, Mr Asano. I believe you.”
“Good. Now, enough about me. Tell me about this operation of yours. The local authorities are worried that you’re quietly fundraising an undead army or something.”
“Why would I do that?”
“They don’t know you. They have no idea what you would and wouldn’t do, and the worst-case scenario is always bad on this world. It wasn’t that far from here that a blood cult was trying to summon a world eating leech monster.”
“Don’t you summon a leech monster?”
“He’s a good boy,” he said defensively. “Anyway, the point is that they don’t know what you want because they don’t know you. You were careful about that part.”
“Not careful enough.”
“You were doing quite well, until gold rankers came along. In this part of the world, that’s bringing a bazooka to a knife fight. Belinda and Estella have decades of experience at spying and thieving. Disguise magic too strong for anyone here to see through, and perception that can listen to you from three buildings over. Hardly anyone uses privacy magic here. Few people have the perception to make it worthwhile, so using a privacy screen here makes you stand out more than whispering in a corner in a big black cloak.”
“That’s how they found me? Because I was using a privacy shield?”
“It was a data point. Overall, they were very impressed with how you set everything up. They suggested I hire you.”
“For what?”
“I’m trying to build up a staff, to smooth out my return to Earth. It’s going to get complicated, especially once they think they know how powerful I am.”
“Once they think they know?”
“Best they don’t find out how powerful I actually am.”
“And telling me means either you’re lying and want me to tell them, or you don’t think I’ll be able to.”
A sanguine smile was the only response she got.
“You know that going back to Earth is no small thing, magically. I looked into it.”
“I have better options than most.”
“Any options are better options than most. Messenger magic?”
“Amongst other things, but we’re talking about you. Take me through the basics of your operation.”
“Simple enough. A basic protection racket using disenfranchised workers as my leverage. Wouldn’t work in the cities where the industry associations work a lot like unions. In the remote areas, though, it’s all aristocratic owners and exploited workforces. All I had to do was exploit them better. A town meeting here, a pamphlet there. A few well-placed figureheads who are handy with a rhyming slogan. Did you ever see the episode of Justified where Boyd Crowder convinces the townsfolk to sell their land to Mags Bennett?”
“How good was Walton Goggins in that? My sister said he had a tooth essence, of all things. Sorry, what was your point?”
“I paid charismatic people with folksy charm and no morals to convince people to do what I want. I may have also accidentally invented country music here.”
“The good kind? I love me some Dolly Parton or Johnny Cash.”
“No. The kind that panders to the audience with iconic rural imagery to mask an underlying political agenda.”
“Maybe I should hand you over to the Adventure Society. You’re a monster.”
“The point is, I rile people up until they cause trouble, then the families pay me to grease the wheels of industry. I get paid and the locals get some token gesture so they feel like they got a win.”
“You didn’t get pushback from the families?”
“They sent some people to look around. Rough up random people. If they were competent, they wouldn’t be working as thugs for aristocrat families at the bottom of the magical barrel. They quickly realised I was careful enough that paying me would be cheaper than finding me.”
“Is that why you did it here, so close to where I lived? The low grade of industry thug?”
“In a way. What the low magic gets me is an absence of everything that high magic gets me. Do you know what it’s like in a big adventuring city?”
“I do.”
“But not in the same way I do, I suspect. You had proper adventurer training. Powerful connections. It’s different when you’re an untrained core user from another world. In the big cities, that makes you a waste of potential at best and an experimental subject at worst.”
“A big change from your treatment on Earth. Low magic zones gave you some of that back?”
“Yes. I got out of Estercost. The whole country is bubbling with magic. I did some wandering. It was easy enough to pass for an aristocrat from some place no one has heard of, on the outs from my family.”
“You seem to have done alright for yourself.”
“I discovered the advantages of low magic zones. They don’t look down on core users as much, and silver rankers are the peak elites. In places like this, I got some of the respect that I missed from Earth. And once I had that, I could make money.”
“For what? I’ve heard you’re raking it in, but if it’s not to fund a wacky necromancer, what are you doing with it?”
“Did you know that you can buy gold-rank monster cores here?”
“So?”
“So? Do you have any sense of how hard those are to get your hands on back on Earth? They let me look at one once. Through reinforced glass while flanked by armed guards. Here, you can just walk into a trade hall and buy them. It takes an ungodly amount of money, thus, the racket, but you can just buy them. For money!”
“You want to reach gold rank?”
“Who doesn’t want to reach gold rank?”
“Fair enough. You couldn’t find anything more legitimate?”
“Breaking into new markets is hard, and I was no mercantile expert on Earth, let alone this planet. But people, when you get down to it, are always the same. Australian, Chinese, elf, leonid. People are people, rich people are rich people, and they do what rich people do.”
“Exploit poor people.”
“Exactly. I’ve been running this game all over. For years, now, going from one low magic zone to the next. Never pushing too hard, never overextending, and never overstaying my welcome. This isn’t the first time I was heading to a sudden and discreet exit. Just the first time I was caught.”
“It’s not what I’d call moral.”
“There are worse things to do that stir up people with legitimate grievances. I may even have accidentally instigated positive social change, once or twice.”
They were passing by a water fountain with a lot of foot traffic moving around it. There was a wide, slightly damp lip for people to sit, and Jason did so. Li Mei followed suit. He contemplated her words for a while, wondering how much was true and what was a lie. He could read the emotions in her aura, but using that as a lie detector was more complicated than he made out. Which he was certain she knew.
He could read her emotions, but her aura control was very solid now, which it had not been on Earth. She was very good at regimenting how her mind was reflected in her aura, making it harder for an observer to glean information from it. He had to respect that, given that it was a talent he excelled at himself.
He also suspected that her actual mind was as well-organised as her aura, something he had not exceled at. She was good at framing the facts in such a way that they pointed where she wanted, instead of at the truth.
“If you came to work for me,” he said, “your loyalty would have to be to me. Not China, not one of the magical factions. Not even my clan, back on Earth. To me.”
“You want to offer me a job?”
“Maybe. Haven’t decided, yet.”
“When I saw you in my storage building, I thought it was the end. The dangers back on Earth were sedate for someone like me. When we met, you were fun, naïve, charming. A little dangerous, but that was exciting. By the time you were killing people with your aura on television, I knew all that was left was dangerous. I thought you were a maniac. Then, I’m about to go on the run and there you are. It felt like I was standing with a cliff at my back, and you were there to push me off. I remember what you were like, back on Earth. At the end. No one knew if you were going to make a joke or snap and kill twenty people.”
“I’ve had a lot of therapy. And I know what it’s like to be desperate and alone, in a world you don’t understand. This is not a cliff, Miss Li, and I’m not trying to push you off.”
“So you say. What if I tell you that I don’t want to work for you?”
“Then you can catch a ride back to Earth with the rest. Any earthlings I can round up. I’ll take you all back to Earth, unless you don’t want to go.”
“I want to go. After everything I’ve seen and learned here? I’m going to have so much money and power it’s obscene.”
“Not interested in working for me, then?”
“Of course I’m interested. In this city, diamond rankers are practically a myth but, from what I hear, they’ve been hanging around you like you’re all golf buddies. I’ve heard that you tend to get caught up in crazy things, but everyone in your orbit is wealthy and famous. Standing next to you is like complaining that the hailstones are made of gold. The only problem I’ll have is getting you to trust me. Because you probably shouldn’t.”
“I’m not promising to take you on, just take you to Earth. But if Stella and Lindy say you’re worth it, I’m not going to ignore that.”
“I’m not going to say yes to that. Or no. If your offer is real, I’d like to talk to some of your people. See what I’m potentially getting into.”
“And I need to look into what you’ve been up to before I make that offer. See what kind of person I…”
She looked at him as he trailed off, looking around with suspicion on his expression.
“Something’s here,” he said and stood up off the side of the fountain. “Something that’s very good at—”
A massive sword blade erupted from his chest.
Comments
Flopmind
Wouldn't Li Li Mei need Silver cores? I thought people were always buying cores at their own level for advancement. The core jason almost used at the beginning was iron rank, after all. Or can anyone use any rank of core? Or just their rank or higher?
Sean Pearson
Chapter is marked at 912.
ItWasIDIO!!
Thad-wick!! Thad-wick!!! Thad-wick!!!! Whether you are rich boi spoiled boi you are gonna be a BIG Vampire Today!!! Spilling Jason's blood all over the place (corrections)
Paul Birchenough
Why would Vampwick attack Jason? From the little we've been told, he was essentially a different person, and a childlike one at that. But given that it's been decades for them both, Vampwick could be anything by now. A bit of me hopes it is Vampwick, a nice arc where an old bad guy joins Team Biscuit and learns the value of friendship would be a nice palate cleanser. Always did feel sorry for the bloke after Thadwick's mum took his death badly and decided the essentially innocent and newly minted Vampwick had to die. Not that I am saying it wasn't a valid reaction for her or anything, but it wasn't exactly a nice situation for anyone involved.
ThreeErmz
Turns out the cliff was for today
Addie
HE IMMEDIATELY DID IT AGAIN NEXT CHAPTER
Chevy
When is the time so I can know
Justin
All. Most. Time.
batchickcr8zy
I’m starting to wonder if the one stabbing with the sword is the diamond ranker messenger killed during the attack on Yurresh that Jason “ate”.
Samon Price
This cliff hanger is crazy
Samon Price
I keep checking to see if the next chapter came early 😂
Timothy
5 hours till we see some crazy shit from Jason
batchickcr8zy
I was just listening to the audiobook with this scene.. that sword was described as “an Ornate, black and red blade” 🤔
Jorge Enriquez
Who remember the little clip where vampwick killed the messenger dude with the sword ans told him that that sword was specifically made to kill messengers......
Joanna
If you’re using the app try leaving the page and coming back. It’s weird about reloading
Vincent Ciavone
That’s fair, but theirs no way the mayor of a low magic zone could scrape enough to hire somebody who could begin to harm him, even if they don’t know what he truly can do, gold rankers are no joke, especially in a city with their team of fellow gold rankers
Vincent Ciavone
Plus vampires are known for aura control so if there was something that Jason could define as sneaky it’d have to be a soul vampire or a diamond ranker
Alan Montgomery
I may be wrong with this but this could be Dorgan trying to have Jsason killed. In book 1 chapter 104 Dorgan says if Jason derails his daughter's plans he will kill Jason.
Nathan
Why can’t I see all the comments?
Ray S.
Good news. I've ordered shirt a dictionary so he knows what a cliff is. Tho ifn he was a decent person he would get his a.m.'s and p.m.'s mixed up tomorrow so we can get the chapter 12 hours early.
DemonReader
NO, He's fooled us! The next chapter is going to be called " That's a Cliff" or some other crocodile dundee pun!
DemonReader
wait, I thought i was the only one who had a friend like that?!?!?!
Kalanaere
Even she couldn't be stupid enough to assault Jason
Kalanaere
Which Voice?
AfroMocha
Valdwick for sure
Chevy
It’s the Voice of the will
Tim
I hope they at least use a power, cause otherwise, a simple sword through the chest is just like that jerk friend we all had who thought a solid punch to the kidneys was an acceptable way to say hi.
Maudley
Core users usually aren't the ones fighting monsters. Plus a good adventurer can rank jump, let alone a team of them
Tim
This is a good guess. It madr no sense to drop that sword, bring up that lore, then dump it, yet leave in the sword. Perhaps they are still around, hunting messengers, and one comes upon Jason with a similar aura? Or somehow they trace the sword to him? In any instance, I want more development on thay sword OTHER than as a Fate Sensor explanation.
Leonard Christensen
Call it a medicinal drop to heal us after this debate? Come on man 😜
Leonard Christensen
Dude I think you should throw a brother a bone and drop the next one early 😂. I know you got it man 😂
Bent Sommer
I hope its not vampwick. It was so refreshing revisiting greenstone, socialising and fun time with team biscuit. I had hoped it stays like that until they return to earth
Bus Yates
It's probably the order of the sword he looted around the time the world taker worms were found
jeffrey niski
Damnit. I thought I'd missed Wednesdays chapter but then I remembered this monstrous cliff hanger.
Alejandro Piña
Oh, I bet it’s Cassandra, mad because he didn’t come say hello
Kody
Would die of laughter if it was Thadwick's sister getting back at Jason for not coming by to say hello after returning to Greenstone 🤣
Azayrian105
I think it is Thadwick as the Soul Vampire. It is a sword that came through his chest after all
Vincent Ciavone
Damn I didn’t even think of that till I saw your comment, I just always expect it to be a line with potential double meaning for the story, NOT SHIRT CUCKING US
Aki Foxtail
I knew as soon as I saw that chapter title...
Timothy
Wooohooo, we’re gonna get a whole chapter to see Jason in action and out for blood 😁. If the price for that is a cliffhanger the chapter before it’s a happy cost to pay
EmmericH.
Yeah right... This is not a cliff...
Guuldan
I'm thinking it's that diamond rank messenger Jason took the library from. The one the Time lady dropped of as a snack for him 3 books ago.
Holly Harris
Vampwick!
Tamás Gál
In the early chapters, Jason (iron rank at this time) looted a iron rank monster core from Shabs monsters. It give Jason the option to use it to increse his "cultivation" indicating that one needs the same rank monster core as their currrent rank. While Ms Li speaks about gold rank core like it was nessecary to advance and not the same rank silver cores which make no sense since lower ranks have little no hope to gather higher rank cores.
Jake Mardis
Yeah “sanguine smile” definitely makes me have a suspicion this is Colin and not actually Jason. Could be a red herring though. Don’t think the person attacking is actually gonna be who most people think it is, which would be vampire Thadwick, but instead believe this is almost certainly tied to the messenger group discussion on whether or not to attempt to eliminate Jason. Would be extremely interesting to see what plays out if this is something like a Diamond rank messenger assassin considering they got so close without being noticed, and if that’s the case how are the Diamond rankers of this world going to react to whatever fallout comes from a fight between Jason and a Diamond rank opponent
John Butt
Vampire Thadwick?
Michael Hawkins
You ever tried to write a book?
Kasey Lindenmayer
Tftc
Matt
This chapter title is a lie! This chapter is definitely a Cliff!
ABTelford
GAAAAAaaaaa!!! Nononono NO!!! Don’t leave it there! Two days with a sword out of his chest cliff hanger!?!! I’m guessing it’s the Thadwick vampire creature. And I see it going two ways - he’s either unimpressed or he dies into the reincarnation bird and is pissed.
Daniel is ŁØNE
When will people learn that trying to kill Jason never works. If nothing else I am glad for any excuse to see Jason flex his power with an audience hope this counts as worth the trouble.
Robert Nicklin
This made me laugh so hard. Vladwick will forever be what I call Thadwick post Builder in my head now 😂
ThreeErmz
This is also my legitimate theory too
Abdulaziz ALRumaih
If it walks like a cliff, talks like a cliff it’s a cliff
Alex Cox
That'd be hilarious, let loose a worse vampire than the rest on the planet.
Maudley
Ooo, good ideas! Though Farrah did rank up immediately upon accepting whatever she did
Baelfyer
I do not think it's thadwick. The gestalt sword was spiky and 'evil', not really described as massive.. it's probably Humphrey for show as part of the job offer or maybe a hired assassin.
Ethan
Now that’s how you end a chapter. I’m so excited for friday
Carolyn
SHIRT!!!
Pierce
Kudos to the Justified reference!!
Quasimagics
Oh no.. Clive's wife is attacking Colin for all those rumors Jason has been spreading for decades.
Joanna
Ooh. There is someone else we know who uses a massive sword. What if Farrah finally woke up from her nap and decided to test out her new Defier powers by sneaking up on him? I could see her thinking of a silver-rank sword through the chest as equivalent to “tag, you’re it!” And since it’s her, Belinda and Estella would know she was there but wouldn’t be worried about it. If that’s not the answer, my money would be on Mango Shot. We don’t know any specifics about his fighting style but he’s huge, so if he used a sword it’d be massive to a human
Le Frog
Oh look, it's vladwick, tftc
Leonard Christensen
Dude??? 😂
Awper
Don't think so. The sword wasn't described as massive when we saw it in the Reaper astral space also, a few chapters ago The messengers were talking about planning to assassination Jason I'm guessing this is messengers could potentially be vampwick though I doubt it because Jason's familiar with vampire Aura techniques it doesn't make sense that one technically younger than him would be able to sneak up on him
Razeel Nightfall
I think it is Colin talking to her. I think the swords person is some assassin I just don't know if they are after Li Li or Jason. I think Jason/Colin allowed the attack so he can show Li that he is a being far above China. I just wonder if Li knows of the manipulation.
Danielle Warvel
It is totally a cliff. A cliffhanger.
Cindri
I was wondering when the story would start to pick up again
Liesmith
Everyone is guessing that it's Thadwick, but I have a counter-theory: his torso just did that on its own.
Wheels42
This is not a cliff, it's a cliffhanger you bastard 😂
FADESTRIDER
I wonder if he will end up taking thadwick back to earth as a sort of redemption arc.
DarthPineapples
I'm wondering if this is a Thadwick energy vampire with a special gestalt killing blade...
Youkai-sama
YOU SAID THIS WASN'T A CLIFF!! 😡
Malcolm
I gotta be kidding me with that cliffhanger
Magus Iferluc
Jason has the Sacred Phoenix power so he should be able to remake his body but he won't be able to do that again for a year unless he starts eating messengers again.
Blayne Bryant
Everyone is saying thadwick which makes me feel a little dumb thinking it’s a diamond messenger assassin 😂
Alex Cox
Prolly not since the sword was made to damage gestalt entities, tho I'm expecting this is Colin standing in as Jason once again because you can never be too sure that nobody will go for his head
JonO
He did give li Mei a "sanguine" smile.
spec4f150
I knew it! Clive's wife just showed up.
Adrian
Whoa, whoa. Step back, gold rank 'experimenter'. We need Shirt to finish this series first. After that, you have to promise to make him immortal and increase his aura strength.
SimpleGreen
Kind of feels like a cliffhanger reminiscent of 'The Walking Dead.' Whew.
Adrian
If it's the ghost of the Black Panther I'm gonna laugh so hard ...
Nathan
It’s vampwick!
Jason Hardman
I daresay he'll be complaining about the damage to his shirt next chapter.
Jason Hardman
Just a scratch.
Michael Lloyd Kelley
I have a question. Is Shirtaloon capable of ending a chapter that is not on a cliffhanger? I kind of get it, but after a while it gets annoying.
Adrian
Yes. 100% or the early gold rankers of earth would never had made to gold rank without that rule. The timeline would not have allowed it since some of them went in the ice on the 90's before the UK took down the first gold rank incursion with Brimstone missiles.
Jean L. Philippe Jr.
It’s Vampire Thadwick time!!! Yay 😁. Also I always wondered shouldn’t silver rank core users only need silver rank cores to get to Gold? I always figured Iron Rankers used Iron rank cores to get to bronze. Bronze rankers used Bronze cores and so on until Gold. And that there wasn’t enough Gold cores available to help Gold rankers advance. I understand buying whatever available Gold cores for profit later on earth but Li Li Mei herself should only need silver cores to get to Gold right?
Aaron Van Wormer
I’m so happy Vampwick is back! I wonder if the fact that Jason’s avatar is made out of vampires and death energy will factor in
batchickcr8zy
Luckily he’s there as an avatar.
Nathan
Nah he’s at the point I am in life, I’m actually impressed with Shirt, I wonder if he started with this insight, or if living through Jason’s story brought it out.
Naotsugu97
Face it. You laughed for hours writing this chapter! Also, good taste in country music.
N8rtotPlayz
Now we see the return of Vladwick, and the earthlings will have to wait another twenty years. Alas, this is my last chapter for a while. Such is the way of life. I’ll miss all of the conversation here in the comments section. It’s been fun! Perhaps, in a couple of months, I’ll get caught up again. Shirt, thanks for the wonderful writing. I look forward to being able to continue support in the near future. Your work inspires me to get better.
Philip Pleiss
Looks like Darth Thadwick has finally made his entrance.
ONEsie
I just noticed the chapter title...
Connor
He was Gold when we last saw him. Also he’s been feeding on messengers for over a decade so it’s possible he could be Diamond or at least close by now.
Scott Way
My bet is vampire thadwick or a pissed off messenger
ONEsie
Shirt, you cliff-hangin' sonuvabitch...
Grayvisc
Thadwick is the first thing/person that comes to mind. Then again, is it/he even remotely strong enough to harm a gold ranker?
Jan Salomon
well that was stupid on her part but i hope jason gets a bit more ruthless with people who betray or try to kill him. In my opinion killing them back is legitimate
Joanna
If the attacker isn’t actually diamond rank, then I’d say you’re right
Joanna
I like the idea, but I doubt she could afford someone strong enough to sneak up on him
Connor
Either they’re diamond. Or they’re as good at hiding, as Jason is with his aura
Katrina McNicol
If this is not a cliff… Hanger then what does the actual cliffhanger look like ??? I’m getting 😱
CritHappens
Ohhhh. This could be Vampire Thadwick. With that soul sword he got out of the astral thingy.. I feel like this is not going to be good for JA
Justin Fralin
You're right... it's a cliff-HANGER!
Connor
Omg I didn’t even think of that but that would honestly make a list of sense. As far as we know Vampy Thad doesn’t have it out for Jason, since he’s like a new person. However it’s possible he has some lingering resentment. I find it more likely, however, that he’s after Jason because he’s an AK and iirc, Thadders is going after Messengers, and his blade is some special anti Messenger weapon
Justin Fralin
SHIRT!!! Is this Vampwick!?!?!? You're killing me....
Zane Hammrich
In walks Thadwick. Stab stab
Sébastien Kingsbury
Well that was just mean
Connor
In most stories when the MC gets impaled through the chest with a sword, you get worried Here I’m just excited to see what Jason’s going to pull out of his ass next 😂
Havics Child
I changed my mind, it's Humphrey
Catherine Jones
"This is not a cliff" my ass. Well played.
Maximus
We're about to see Jason go ham and get some new powers!!!
Allen Wilding
At least it isn’t before a break. But two days is going to feel like forever
Daniel Wells
he has that special messenger killing sword from the astral space. That is designed to kill gestalt beings. Not sure how it impacts an avatar of an astral king
Hoid
Cliff hanger one shame on me cliff hanger every DAMN time shame on you
Havics Child
I'm thinking hump now that I've thought it out more than 1st reaction, thought gold assassin decided they aren't the big sword type, thought diamond, decided they would cut him in half. A quick stab against a gold with no explosion, no one noticing, and no other immediate crazy magic. It's not someone going for the kill
Havics Child
No kidding if this was a "btw I'm taking a break" chapter I'd be heading out to hunt an author
Havics Child
SHIRT!!! Why play the jerk again? Stop with these cliffhangers! I assume if they snuck up on him and Shade its either a high end gold assassin or someone early diamond, either way, I see a Ghostfire Phoenix in his future, but no way he's gonna die twice and have to make a new avatar. I suspect miss Li is gonna find out what he's capable of... really hope he doesn't have to waste a revive on this bs though.
Carl Gherardi
- Probably the Purity artefact and the likely solution to Carlos's patients. - Thadpire is certain to be disarmed (literally) leaving the blade and escaping while Jason is incapacitated once more
Daniel Hamilton
I find the title of the chapter ironic
Rowdy Robby
ENERGY VAMPIRE THADWICK! YYYEEESSSSS! Now it gets fun.
hachetnif
I believe it's thadwick He's a soul vampire or whatever has to have insane innate aura control and he could be diamond rank for all we know it's been 10 plus years since we last saw him and when he left for Earth technically he was gold rank so in 10 years he could have made the jump to diamond or be just below diamond in power level.
hachetnif
Thadwick I forgot about him then he shows up out of nowhere The question now is this actually going to be a fight cuz they're both gold rank but he's a monster and he's an essence user so it's kind of iffy
Powernap
Jerk
Addie
Lucky. For me everyone is Matt Berry
Addie
Wait I need the rest of that chapter
gray matter
I see what you did here with this chapter. I can’t decide if I like it enough to get over my disappointment in the wait.
Sasquatchachu
🥪👀
gray matter
Yeah a lot of Thadwick guess but I don’t remember the sword being described as massive. I remember getting the impression of a long sword with a hand guard and spikes. I think this might just be a regular assassination attempt by someone, maybe even a messenger. And ol Li Li might end up getting splattered by happenstance right after she might’ve just gotten a job.
Sasquatchachu
Twas a juicy one at that. I like cliffs… because then it gets me thinking about what’s gonna happen next till I read. So I get excited at the next chapter. Devious little author we have here. 🥪
Miguel Sanchez
Chadwick!!
John Durrett
I just finished watching several episodes of Archer before this chapter dropped. Now I can’t stop hearing Archer’s voice when Jason talks, Cyril’s voice for Neil or possibly Clive, Lana for Sophie, Pam for Belinda and Archers mother for Anna. So much more fun all around
John Durrett
Saying anything is kind of his thing is a drinking game. ;)
lucien rose
I was wondering when we would get to Thadwick!
Cryfdwr
This is not a cliff! Lies! It’s a trap!
Zpeed3
It was Cassandra Mercer! Follow me on this: She caught some eel bug from Neil, who got it from Clive’s wife, who blames Jason! And come on, Cassandra and Jason have to have to meet again!
Blue Falcon
With Jason not sensing the attacker, it has to be someone much more powerful (Thadwick doesn't make sense). My vote is an upset diamond ranker like Charyst, Margo Shat, Shako, Carmen, or even Dawn. With some of the other Astral Kings not liking Jason, they could really send about anyone at the diamond level to attempt an assassination.
ReadingObsessed
I don't think it's Vladwick. I think that Adventure Society Director is hired an assassin for something very ill-advised.
J Holmes
I mean, Jason said it's not a cliff...
dakota dodson
All that talking about cliffs just to dangle us off one
Kelly
God, I hope so. We’ve been waiting so long! 😂
Glitter Rabbit (C)
I am adding number 5. Clive's wife to my predictions. She's had enough
Glitter Rabbit (C)
So, speculations are 1. Thadwick/Vladwick (somewhay fitting with the return to greenstone but rather stupid considering that he is building an army himself) 2. A messenger (Jason is the heretic king and the voices of the will are very strong) 3. A disgruntled diamond ranker that does not believe Jason is on their side and wants to put him down while he is at gold (stupidly under informed) 4. The cult of the reaper wants to see if they can use Jason for a job that needs to be done as was promised since book 2 kweird introduction but okay) My money is on the diamond ranker
Kalanaere
That's a very long list
Kalanaere
Oh shit, Li is very likely about to see just how dangerous Jason has become. I forsee a great deal of death in the near future
FADESTRIDER
I absolutely love your books. You have a brilliant mind and I'd love to pick your brain sometime 😉.
Chase Phillips
Thadwick or not, I think we can all agree that Jason, Belinda, and especially Ms. "4 Sensing Abilities" Estella were anticipating this!
Jeff Homer
that is so mean of you. gerrrrrr
Steven Miller
It's Thadwick, which will undoubtedly lead to a bigger cliffhanger on Friday.
jeffrey niski
This is like having a sneeze that won't come out but hangs around for no fucking reason.
Brian Beard
Oh come on... 2 days now I got to wait.
Keeley Wilkinson
Sir, that is a cliff
Richard Rader
Surely the biggest mid-week cliffhanger I can remember. My first thought was that this means Shirt’s taking Friday off…
mockery jones
Well shit. At least it’s not a Friday cliff. And is this the real avatar or a clone? Reserving judgement for now
Jay Doubleyou Kay
Right? Makes sense to me. Would Collin have lesser Aura senses that Jason? Genuinely asking.
Omar Diaz
Seriously. Like cmon
Jay Doubleyou Kay
Right?? Gold rank Estella was also in the area sooo how the hell?!
Erik Hyrkas
I meant to reply to myself. I must not have done a good job selecting my thread.
Erik Hyrkas
If this is the Thadwick moment, there was no build up. It would feel like a throw away fight. Sure. He could kill Jason and that would be a 30 year set back. He could kidnap Jason — and somehow Jason’s team is completely oblivious and there isn’t an immediate reprisal. None of that feels right or justified for the journey that Thadwick has been on. I expect Thadwick to comeback when the purity artifact is in actual play.
Robert Crocker
“That’s the way sandwiches look at Neil.” Straight up belly laughed! 🤣🤣🤣
BloodStorm
Wrapped up the political mess in greenstone and now Thadwick. After this maybe the purity artifact and back to earth. Only one that could catch Jason slipping is Thadwick or a Diamond ranker. I don’t even see many gold rank stealth type essence users getting the drop on Jason
Hunter
Jason got snuck up on? Is this a joke lol?
Jay Doubleyou Kay
"Vladwick the Thadpire" (Tim's idea) just doesn't make sense to me. I feel like it's what Shirt wants us to think before surprising us with something else. Shirt has done this so so many times. Yes, Vladwick hated Jason when he was Thadwick and was enraged by Jason as Thad The Builder, but Vladwick doesn't have anything against Jason. Vladwick has never interacted with Jason before. Vladwick even told Thadwicks mom that he has memories doing and saying things that he would never do or say. If it is Vladwick, I bet Jason gets stabbed but is completely nonchalant about it as Jason literally cannot die. His prime avatar might die, but he's just going to pop back up with some normal rank avatar and talk it out. OR it was Collin the whole time. I was a little suspicious that Jason or Estella couldn't sense it coming. Seriously? A gold rank Jason with Gold rank aura powers honed by years nonstop battling the greatest beings in the multiverse on top of his already wildly OP power aura... Hmmmm I'm guessing Collin. But Estella not seeing it coming still bothers me a bit. Maybe she did see Vladwick and they all put together this plan. Hell Gold Belinda scares the poop out of me. I bet she hatched some wildly complex Scheme to lure in Vladwick. Idk. Im excited to see where this goes!
Zachary Ross
I can't believe I am going to mention this but Thadwick probably won't show up till the hunt for purity's relic Thadwick has been feeding on messengers for decades now. He is not going to randomly stabby stab anyone randomly in some local water feature.
Adrian
Huh. Different strokes I suppose. Seems like a serpent with shiny scales to me. Nothing wrong with being dangerous, but she seems like someone who's never met a person who's neck she wouldn't step on to get what she thinks she deserves.
Joanna
Damn, my calendar must be broken, because it says it's Wednesday, but Shirt just dropped a Friday chapter!
Temp One
Definitely Thadwick, been wondering what happened to him for awhile now. But especially with these chapters pulling in all the old characters for a reunion.
Adam
Welcome back Thadwick. I'm really keen to learn more about that sword. I'm trying to remember what it could do. -Effective against gestalt entities - Guarded by a forged soul in the builders ship that had been stolen by the Reaper Anyone remember anything else?
Raphael
Book 4 - Chapter 63; Book 5 - Chapters 5 & 7; Book 6 - Chapters 5 & 6.
Kirisuk3
VAMPWICK WITH THE SOUL BLADE!!!! It couldn't be anything or anyone else, it's been brewing since book 1
Joanna
Even if the hit is enough to take him out (which is pretty unlikely) he's got the one revive from his star phoenix ability, so it won't take a bunch of time to rebuild yet
Findell
I hope thats colin.
Chuck Haeberle
Oh no, my avatar died! Anyway...
DasGoat622
Looks like Thadwick is still a massive tool
Sofia Rowley
But if it is count vladwick he'll have the self-stabbing sword of gestalt pwnage!!
#savegarytheleonid
just really loving the story, and excited to see where things go. it all feels fresh/new at this point again. mixing the planets is great.
Paperback Hail6
LIAR that is such a big and faulty cliff. I just ran off it full speed and didn't see it coming. I'm so glad it is only Wednesday and we still have Friday.
Joanna
I'd guess collecting up Li Mei's stuff for her
Walter Kimberly
I’m never that guy but MF’er, what a cliffhanger!! Lol
SmokeJam
Oh, hi Vladwick
Brian Small
*whistle blows* thats a flag on the chapter for an illegal cliffhanger…
Alex Schellenberg
Callum is more of a dagger guy and wouldn't have the motive. I'm sure by now he is pushing towards diamond and getting a star seed from the Reaper.
Brave Badger
Jason appearing to die should be a drinking game…. It’s kind of his thing
KC
anyone have guidance on where to reread for li li’s part on earth? I have 0 memory and have started to reread 4 but would prefer to just read her parts
Zachary Ross
Stabbing Jason in the chest is likely to just annoy him. He has a few prime avatar resurrections in his back pocket. And in case anyone wants my opinion, definitely not Thadwick. Could be Jerrick, might be anyone. Remember Jason is gold rank and should be able to shrug off some mild chest stabbing. Silver rankers can survive decapitation and apparently gold rankers getting an axe to the head is a non lethal means to make a point about instatutional dissatisfaction. Next chapter is going to be hilarious. I imagine getting stabby stabbed is going to put a damper on Jason's recruiting pitch, but things have been way too smooth going for Jason lately.
Omy Sadat
That said, an animation of this would be beyond Diamond rank epicness. I would pawn my gandmas ashes to pay for watching that.
Alex Schellenberg
Vladwick's back!
Joanna
Callum Morse. Goes by Cal. But last we saw him he was on Jason's planet hanging out with Melody, so I can't imagine him wanting to kill Jason
Benjamin Grant
Not a cliff my ass
Omy Sadat
I'm a huge fan, but now I feel extremely guilty for it. How can I admire some one so evil he would end up a chapter like this. Come on Shirt, I thought you were a friend...
JoeyRed
Is it Vladwick thou.. but who else can it be? A stealthy messenger? Or Callum Morse, but no...
Kconraw
Thx for the chapter
Stephanie Washburn
Did the ghost of Thadwick just show up?
Aaron Lack
Now that’s a cliffhanger…
Gavin Smith
There’s Thadwick
Adrian
A few probs: the biggest is that it takes 12+ years to generate a new prime avatar. Probably not going to find enough extra lives and gold rank vamps w core energy to suck dry to reduce that by much. The other is that the avatar is not, itself, a gestalt being. Its a meat puppet for part of the consciousness of a god-like entity. Not even sure Jason is a 'gestalt being'. He's an true-immortal astral nexus. Might not work that well on our boy.
Chad
Nooooooooo!!!! Not a cliffhanger!!!! I love this lady and feel like she's dangerous enough to be a love interest lol. Def keep Jason on his toes, can't wait for more.
Ligeia
Thanks for the chapter, Shirt. I think. Although, like so many others, I have to say this is not a cliff my ass! You made Li Mei slightly more likeable than I expected, which was nice; I can't imagine that her lack of a firm moral compass is as bad as Elspeth's, which was a pleasant surprise. I don't blame her for playing her low-magic-zone game; I doubt it did any harm to the people she was manipulating, either. The backwater aristocracy on Pallimustus is definitely willing to do more awful things to people to hold onto their meagre allotment of power (the Gellers being the exception, of course), and any help she provided the rural poor has to be an improvement for them! She also knows how to maneuver in the Chinese system on Earth now, which had been SO isolated before the big batch of Earthlings ended up in Pallimustus and can run rings around them thanks to her Pallimustus education on what real power is. I hope Jason hires her (unless it causes problems for Lindy and Estella).
Harbby
I swear, if his puppet body is destroyed already...
Gotrek65
My god that cliff hanger!
NekoNoir
"not a cliff" my derriere! This is absolutely a cliff hanger til Friday. 😭 Tyftc though ❤️
Scott McCarthy
Messenger, or Vampwick?
Norm
Go ahead and drop that next chapter anytime …… 🫨
Zelmir
Lies and slander!!! Twas a big cliff with a big sword too.....I want a big sword.....
Alexander Dupree
You… you monster
Alex Schellenberg
The power of pamphlets strikes again! This world was unprepared.
Ira White
Almost sure its Thadwick too
Anthony
I see what you did there, Shirt. Bravo. 👏🏾 Closing the loop on Thadwick?
Richard Parker
That's my thought
Erik Hyrkas
Did elsbeth set him up? Seems so.
Vindrmasuta
Thadwick?
Erik Hyrkas
Hmm. Lots is speculation it’s Thadwick. Isn’t he on some far off island? Granted, the options of what could get close enough to stab him are few. A diamond ranker for sure—but the diamond ranker would come in so fast that he’d explode that body.
Tom Rhyne
He’s also been dangling a while, with ties to the area.
S_Ally
Also....the false advertisement of the Chapter title!!!! At least it's not Friday!
S_Ally
Bout time we wrap up the Thadwick storyline with that messenger blade!
Abigail Hale
Holy biscuits, what an ending !
Other Tan
I was hoping vampire thadwick would play nice, go back to earth where the sun was not deadly to vampires, and just be redeemable, but here he goes putting swords into people.
CNC
Thadwick 🤬🤬🤬
Ian Nickle
I'd say the odds are good the energy vampire kills his avatar. The vampire mentioned in book 8 or 9 that his sword works really well against gestalt beings. He also absorbs energy. Maybe he'll get a bunch of Jason's god energy and become a menace.
Alex Clevenger
The line the way sandwiches look at Neil Has to be my favorite
René Blaser
If that is Thadwick and his soulsucking sword… it‘s going to be at least a challenge.
Benjamin Mutz
Vladwick
D P
It has to be only a vampire could really sneak up on him
Colton Levan
Not a cliff but definitely a cliff hanger
Jlee1014
Agreed
Amanda Begly
What a cliffhanger
Jlee1014
It's Thadwick right?
Ethan Alexander
I wonder when people will learn that just stabbing him doesn't really do much
René Blaser
And by the gods, where are Belinda and Estelle?
Lona Eclipse
Total long shot, crazy guess, but energy vampire Thadwick with that no handle sword? He is too critical to the plot to not show up again.
Jaciel Arnulfo Maldonado
Thadwick?
Tim
I call him Thadpire, but Vladwick is flippin hilarious. So now hes Vladwick the Thadpire.
Doodlyboy15
Also, yes it was
René Blaser
Pretty sure as well that this must be Thadwick. Specially since he says something is here, not someone. Finally the fight between the two. Just hope Shirt isn‘t going to jump into three chapters about Thadwicks History to this point!
Doodlyboy15
Nice, thanks
Dax
So, totally not a cliff then. Good good.
Michael
Vladwick!
Crysus
Carp!
Justin
That dig at Neil was hilarious! TYFTC! I CANT WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY!!!
Tim
Hm, messenger assassin? Cult assassin? Dont think its Thadpire, and it probably wont do much to him, he probably rocks Colin-body when out and about. OOH OOH. maybe Undeath and the Red Table? The options are endless!
Justin
OH MY GOD WHAT AN ENDING!!!! I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY OMG!!!!
Hayden Leech
It feels like a cliff
Frog
Not a cliff, just a hanger
Jordan Rogers
This isn’t a cliff shirt!?! It’s a freaking cliffhanger…🤨. Glad vladwhick is finally here though
Spark
my bet is thadwick
Jared Waggoner
Biscuit sandwiches?
DemonReader
Oh COME ON! Shirt, who do I gotta blow to get a double chapter drop with that cliffhanger?
Kraede Epoch
I knew from the title that it was going to be a cliffhanger 🙄 still loved it!
Alendus
Finally getting that Thadwick payoff.
Mantiqore
I knew it
Agent P.
Definitely Reaper
Matthew Koula
Thadwick??!!
Richard Brown
that's just mean
Dino
We only know of one gold rank assassin specialist not on the team - Sophie's mom's lover / remores teammate whose name I forget
Mist Sparrow
At least it's Wednesday, not Friday
Tony
Thadwick?
Glenn S
Woah. Could this be the energy vampire with the sword? I forget his name it's been so long.
J K
Welcome back Thadwick
Mist Sparrow
Vladwick returns ?
Sam Cann
I didn’t see that coming… neither did Jason!
Nathan Emerson
He even warned me and I read it anyway, that was a mean cliff shirt.
samwise
Oh common! Going to end on that cliff hanger?!
CaptainFlowers
Oh SHIT lol
Brandon Walker
Not a cliff my big butt, cmon, that's just rude
michael shafer
well crap. who has a sword that might want to stab jason? hmmmm Thadwick maybe
jazz
Not a cliff you say….
Thomas Black
Awesome chapter Shirt. Always with the cliffhangers and this one is just as good as the others. I'm putting money on the Thadwick energy vampire as the sword user.
Leon Cleland
Just a guess… that “thing” that’s very good at hiding… is an energy vampire named thadwick
Aaron Schwartz
She is the pretty girl from the Chinese network faction on earth. Her uncle was the Chinese gold ranker.
Thomas Todd
I wonder if that was Thadwick 2.0
Cyrus McEnnis
Your chapter titles are fabrications and lies! Lies I tell you!
Bingus McCready
Holy cliffhanger. The wait till Friday is gonna be ROUGH. TFTC!!!
mhaj58
Messenger attack? Can’t imagine what else could sneak up on Jason. Except maybe Vladwick
Mantiqore
Haven't read the chapter, but the title is sus
Wheelhouse
5th
Matt Doyle
Is li li mei a character name from another series? Seems so familiar
Raphael
1st - biscuits; 2nd - sandwiches ....
Brent
Tyftc!
Andrew Johnson
4th - I didn't remember ordering a cliffhanger... lol
Daylan Ethridge
Whoo, new chapter!
Ryan Beech
Tyftc
Adrian
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