The netizens of the internet were going about their day as normal when a small portion of them suddenly received a notification from their accounts. They casually glanced at the message and momentarily froze. Then, without hesitation, they swiped over to the video-sharing platform and quickly made some inputs on their devices. Within a split second, they entered full-screen mode and got comfortable in their seats.
This drastic response was because their favorite ferret had just uploaded another video. Due to how much traction the first video got, the platform automatically generated an account for Astros.
The people who wanted to see more followed this account, allowing them to receive live notifications whenever Astros posted. This resulted in tens of thousands of people rushing into the video within the first minute. This number would only grow over the next few minutes, reaching millions and pushing the video onto the trending page again.
Although Astros didn't do anything substantial in the video, everyone watched with focused gazes, not at all distracted by boredom. There was just something about the innocent ferret that drew them in and made them forget their worries. In this session, Astros started by waving to the camera and enthusiastically gesturing with his paws, as if trying to explain his adventures from the previous month.
However, this only came off as excitement to the watchers due to the language barrier. Nonetheless, the watchers subconsciously nodded their heads as if they were listening to an interesting story told by a friend.
After a few minutes, Astros grew thirsty and picked up a crystal cup holding some water. The cup had beautiful ridges on the side, allowing for colorful reflections as it scattered the incoming light. Astros drank a quarter of the water before returning to his story. This continued until his stomach grumbled for food.
Astros looked around the room, and his eyes lit up. He then ran off the screen and returned with a platter of snacks he'd previously brought. He picked up a skewer containing a roasted snake and happily munched away. Halfway through, he stopped, picked up another stick, and offered it to the camera.
Astros tilted his head, wondering if his camera friend would take the food. After holding the stance for a few seconds, Astros interpreted this as a "no" and returned to his meal, his eyes curling upward in contentment.
Afterward, Astros introduced some other snacks he enjoyed, like crispy bug chips, braised rodents, and juicy rabbit stew. The audience had vastly different tastes, but the gusto with which Astros ate made them consider trying these exotic foods.
Many watchers gulped down a mouthful of saliva, contemplating whether they should grab some food themselves. But after a brief struggle, they decided to finish the video first. They just couldn't bring themselves to interrupt the cute ferret. However, they did add getting food onto the priority list for next time.
Astros finished his snack and rubbed his stomach with satisfaction. His tail waved back and forth as he set up the next segment: his favorite rhythm game. He lightly bobbed his head and tapped the table three times as the countdown flashed across the screen. Then all pandemonium broke loose as shapes of various colors and streaks flashed across the screen.
Astros's paws flickered across the tablet, hitting all the patterns with pinpoint precision. Squeals of excitement and joy sounded as he did so, augmented by the rapidly incrementing combo counter in the upper right corner. This lasted two minutes before Astros cleared the level with only a few mistakes. Golden stars flew onto the screen and displayed his final score.
Astros hopped up and down, clearly excited about his accomplishment. Then he brought his raised paws down on the screen, selecting the next level. The sequence of levels continued for half an hour until a blurred voice called for Astros. Hearing this, Astros paused his game and turned toward the door. But as he did so, his swaying tail hit the "stop recording" button and the video abruptly ended. It took the viewers a few seconds to process what had happened before they raced to the comments to leave their support.
RagingDino: Although the ending was out of nowhere, I still enjoyed this session. But as compensation for the accident, I demand another video! (92,367 likes to 117 dislikes)
DragonHerbert: Wait a minute, this isn't (insert explicit material). Where did all my time go? (87,315 likes to 233 dislikes)
RandomUser3322: @DragonHerbert What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be catching up on the latest shows?
TromboneLaBone: @DragonHerbert Exposed! So dragons do watch that as well?
DragonHerbert: @TromboneLaBone Slander! I would do no such thing! (But I will gladly make time for my ferret friend's videos)
And that was how Astros accidentally became the platform's favorite comfort blogger.
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Drip
Drop
Drip
Drop
Genji stared intently as he carefully squeezed drops of a pink liquid onto a petri dish containing a culture of green bacteria. The liquid dispersed across the bacteria, nourishing them and facilitating a specific change. Beside him, Genji had a scanner hooked up to a monitor pointed at the dish.
A graph jumped up and down on the monitor, beeping occasionally at the extremes. Genji gently shook the culture dish to redistribute the liquid at the high points and cautiously released another drop at the low points, praying this new dose wouldn't overwhelm the colony. This process lasted another hour before the monitor flashed green and the line stabilized in the middle. Genji had succeeded in his experiment.
Seeing this, Genji immediately opened a regulated chamber and slid the dish inside. Once that was shut and locked, Genji let out a sigh of relief and pulled up his foggy goggles. Next were his sweat-filled latex gloves that clung to his skin and his sterilized white lab coat. These were no normal equipment, as he had purchased them from a custom manufacturer on the marketplace.
These specialized items were needed because the substances used in this experiment had nasty side effects if they touched the skin. The pink liquid, for example, was a highly concentrated mutation serum capable of inducing stage 4 cancer with a drop, even amongst third-step existences.
The bacteria, on the other hand, was a unique breed capable of eating through flesh within milliseconds. Genji originally used it as the main killing component for his most vicious poisons. One could imagine the damage the two would deal if they entered the human body. It was so dangerous that Genji only dared use the two together in a controlled environment rather than in actual combat.
But then one might ask why Genji was messing with these dangerous substances in the first place. The answer lay in what the scanner was calibrated to. Before the experiments started, Genji had ground up some fairy dust and fed it through an analyzer. That meant the bacteria he cultivated had the same properties as the fairy dust! Genji had created an artificial enhancer for his potions!
Although the bacteria's effects couldn't match the original fairy dust, it was a renewable source he could draw upon. The bacteria would take time to multiply, but he'd completed the most crucial step. Now, they only needed some occasional food and water, and Genji would see results after the next world.
"That took way too long," he muttered as he stretched his arms. "I was starting to think it was impossible."
Genji wrote a note on the bacteria's care instructions and stuck it to the glass chamber. Then he stepped out to inform Cake of the new task.
"Sure, no problem," Cake agreed after he finished. "They just need to be fed every few days, right? Let me set an alarm."
"Thank you. Just know that you should never touch them directly. Always feed them through the tube."
"Will I lose my hand if I do?"
"Even worse. You will be eaten alive. These guys won't stop until they run out of food. That's why I need you to carefully control their intakes. Otherwise, who knows what they'll mutate into? It would be a disaster if they broke out."
"..." Cake gave him a speechless look before asking why he kept making these dangerous biohazards.
"Too much of anything can be poison, but that doesn't mean poison can't be used in medicine. In fact, the best medicines turn poisons into miracle tonics by neutralizing the risks. If I can use this properly, I can take my potions to the next level."
Cake sighed and resigned herself to Genji's strange concoctions. Genji thanked her again and headed out to meet Markus, the blacksmith in charge of his gear.
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"Hey, how have you been?" Genji greeted Markus as he walked in. "Is business still as good as usual?"
"So-so," he answered, still hammering away at a sword. "I'm seeing better equipment these days, so my proficiency's going up pretty fast. Is it the same as usual today?"
"Yes, but I have something else as well." Genji unloaded his battle-worn gear on a table and pulled out the chunk of Fabletasium he got from EverRealm. "Do you think you can make something with this?"
Markus paused his actions and squinted at the metal ore in Genji's hands. "Rare stuff," he said after a few seconds. "But I don't recommend it." He stood up, took the sword to a nearby barrel, and quenched it before resuming his explanation amidst plumes of smoke. "Fabletasium requires a competent mage to engrave runes during the forging process to manifest the bonus effect. I don't specialize in that area, so I will only waste its potential. You'll want to consult with those ManaRealm people for this. I can introduce you to a few acquaintances, but it'll cost you."
"Price is not a problem if they can create the product I have in mind."
"Up to you. Now give me a moment." Markus moved the blade up and down before wiping the excess oil with a rag. He then gave the sword a few test swings before raising it to his face for a closer examination. Seconds later, he gave the body a strong flick and listened to the rhythmic ringing sounds. Satisfied with the results, Markus set the sword aside and grabbed his notebook to jot down some names.
"Just be careful about the price. They're masters of their craft and can easily raise the cost, especially when you're unaware of the details," Markus said, ripping out and handing over the page.
"I'll keep that in mind." Genji took the page and walked out.
His next stop was the commercial district, where he set up a stall to sell his less important loot. This option typically nets a higher profit for items below legendary since he didn't have to pay the inter-realm tax. People came and went around his stall, with few making an active purchase.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Genji didn't mind the wait and browsed the forums to pass the time. This platform was one of the few communication methods between the realms and provided plenty of up-to-date information on recent events. For example, there was a thread complaining about a rampaging giant in the clouds and how the poster had barely survived.
Han (MetaRealm): I should have known it was a trap. The team who shared this information was completely absent from the fight. Dammit! We lost so many members. Don't let me catch you in a world or we'll give you a piece of our mind! Fyi, this team is from SagaRealm. I don't know their names, but they are a devious group. Be careful when you meet anyone from this realm.
It was the same group Genji had tricked into besieging the giant in the previous world. This team was among the lucky few who survived the final massacre due to Cainance's interference. Now, they’re spreading the word about the tragedy and the perpetrators' despicable conduct.
Normally, this would alienate the accused group, as no one wants to risk working with a deceitful team that might betray them. It simply isn’t worth the trouble. That’s why most teams tend to avoid such behavior unless they’re in a desperate situation.
But what does any of this have to do with Genji? His name wasn't attached to the act, nor was he physically present. How can anyone associate this with him? That's the benefit of hiding his identity.
An actual SagaRealm member replied to the thread, protesting how it was unfair to lump everyone under this description due to the actions of a rotten apple. This resulted in a furious scolding from the original poster.
Hans: I don't fucking care! Half of our team got wiped out because of this scheme. And for what? Just so one team can get a legendary item? We saw the corpse afterward. They took advantage of us for their own gains!
Genji exited this thread and clicked on the other news. No matter where he went, there was always an interesting story about what happened in another world. From massive raid parties to champions soloing a powerful boss to weird world principles, there was everything he needed to know for the future.
Between these threads, he also submitted the Mythril sword to the auction house. The sword was viable even among 4th-step fighters, so he could expect a good price. Afterward, he messaged the people on Markus's name list and briefly explained his requirements. Genji stayed at the stall for two more hours until he sold his last item.
A few crafters got back to him within this time, but negotiations quickly fell through when they quoted an absurd price. At that point, he might as well upgrade his masteries instead. This continued until one enchanter explained the reasoning behind the cost.
Azona: Look, you're asking for a lot from us. It takes a lot of mana to engrave a proper rune structure. Fabletasium is especially demanding since it can endure a remarkable amount of mana. Unless you can provide an alternative mana source, I'll need at least this much to make it worthwhile.
Genji considered the enchanter's words for a few minutes before sending the information on [Essence of Fire], the drop from the Cinderella boss fight.
[Essence of Fire]
Rating: Epic (Quasi-Legendary)
Type: Crafting Item / Magic source
Effects:
1. Use this to craft a piece of equipment and give it powerful fire traits
2. Use this as an energy source to greatly empower your fire attribute spells.
Description: The core of a molten monster who was killed before she could utilize her vital energy. Due to how swift the attack was, the energy in this core remains abundant and high in quality.
Enigma: Will this do?
Azona: Now that's not something you see every day. Too bad it has a low rating and the wrong attribute. Otherwise, this would be enough to finish the forging process. Are you sure you don't want to forge a fire attribute item? I can guarantee decent results if you agree.
Enigma: No thanks. Only one thing interests me right now.
Azona: In that case, how about I exchange for an equivalent amount of energy and you pay the labor costs? Let's say 23,000.
Enigma: 9,000 coins.
While Genji didn't know the essence's exact value, he trusted Markus's advice and directly slashed the price.
Azona: 18,000.
Enigma: 12,000 tops. Items that increase combat power are more valuable than normal crafting materials.
Azona: Make it 15,000 and I'll throw in some enchants as well.
Enigma: 16,500. I'll cover the tax, so do a good job.
Azona: Deal.
Then Genji received a standard business contract that included the terms they'd agreed to. He pressed his thumb on the signature section before sending the materials and a 20% deposit.
Azona: Just a heads up, this will take about a month to finish. I have other commissions right now and can't dedicate all my time to this project.
Enigma: That's fine. I've already transferred the payment to EverRealm. You'll receive the rest when you submit the item, provided it has the attributes I asked for.
Genji closed the chat and teleported back to his room. Immediately, he felt an exuberant aura flooding the room. The aura was very active and coiled around the room like cloudy dragons. At the center of this commotion was a maroon sheath emanating a ruby light. Dull yellow lines appeared along the edges and gradually stretched upward, forming a faint outline.
The design was still too rough to distinguish the details, but its presence gave the sheath an imposing flair. The light faded, and the aura gradually retracted. Genji didn't wait any longer and picked up the newly upgraded sheath to examine its stats.
[Sheath of Original Blood]
Rating: Legendary
Durability: 240/240 (+120)
Requirements: Killer of The Original Vampire
Effects: Sheath Form
1. Blood Morphing (Passive): Can take on any form by consuming the stored blood power. (New skill, upgraded form of Flexible Molding.)
2. Blood Mending (Passive/Active): Gradually repairs the durability of the weapon inside by using the excess iron from blood. When activated, it consumes a moderate amount of blood power to perform an emergency repair. The repaired durability will degrade over time and be depleted at twice the original rate. (Upgraded form of Repair.)
3. Catastrophic Spear of Annihilation (Active): Transforms into a spear to unleash an attack containing all the stored blood power. After the attack lands, the weapon spirit will fall dormant for 3 days.
Effects: Horse Form
1. Blood Evolution (Passive): Upgrades this item when enough blood power is accumulated.
2. High Endurance (Passive): Reduces stamina consumption of long-distance running by 30%.
3. Sudden Sprint (Active): Bursts out with 300% speed for 15 minutes. Cooldown of 1 day.
Description: Having consumed the blood of a giant incomparably stronger than him, Bruce gained tremendous power and achieved his next evolution. All his attributes have increased significantly, and he's gained some new abilities. In terms of overall quality, this sheath stands at the peak of legendary items—it just needs another push to reach the next level.
Even among all his growth-type equipment, Bruce's potential ranks among the top, just behind his legacies. Just look at how much his abilities have changed after two upgrades. The spear form, for instance, is an ultimate attack paralleling the Vampire King's, capable of threatening even the strongest 3rd-step fighters, provided enough power is stored beforehand.
But as powerful as the ability may be, Genji hopes he will never have to use it, as it would reset all progress made so far. The situation would have to be truly dire for him to use Bruce's accumulated energy for a single strike.
Aside from that, the other abilities are decent additions, providing some much-needed utility. Genji might rarely use them, but it’s better to have them than not. Blood Mending could be the difference between losing a piece of prized equipment and barely bringing it back for repair, while Sudden Sprint has a variety of uses—from a quick escape to staying in hot pursuit of a target; the versatile ability can do it all.
The intense aura receded, and Bruce manifested beside him. The newly evolved nightbane flexed his muscles in contentment and greeted his friend.
"Glad to have you back," Genji said. "For a moment, I was worried you might miss our next adventure."
Bruce grinned in response, conveying that he would never. After all, it would be a shame not to try the ingredients in the upcoming world and clean up the battlefields after Genji.
"Anyway, go have some fun. The little guy doesn't eat enough when you're not around. He's almost losing weight."
Bruce chortled at the joke and took the spending card offered by Genji. Then he approached the gaming room, where excited ferret squeaks leaked out from a partially closed door.
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Genji walked through the marketplace, browsing for new consumables when he suddenly locked eyes with an older man. The man had unkempt shoulder-length hair, gray robes, a curved wooden staff, and, most notably, a subtle, unchanging smile. This was another acquaintance of Genji's; only this time, their association was characterized by pure hostility.
More specifically, the man's schemes had implicated many people, including Genji, eventually leading to their inevitable confrontation. This was Shepherd, the most mysterious figure to enter the Spatial Battlefield—a reputation cemented by killing a Balancer and tricking Eternal Void into locking down the planet. His plans ran deep, with no one the wiser about his true objectives.
Genji paused mid-stride, narrowing his eyes into slits. Shepherd approached without a change in his expression and stopped a short distance away.
"I believe this is the first time we've met? I've heard a lot about you, Enigma." The name rolled off his tongue like a serpent's hiss, further augmenting his peculiarity.
Genji stared for a second before his smile mirrored Shepherd's. "Yeeess. Iiii'vvveee alllso hearddd aaaa loooot abbboouutt youuuuu." Genji dragged out his words, matching the man's tone.
Shepherd's smile grew stiff for a brief moment before regaining his composure. "Is that so? Then I look forward to seeing you in the worlds. Don't die until then..."
"Yees, doon't diiiee untttillll then..." Genji nodded back as if he weren't the subject of a disguised threat. With that, both parties separated, each leaving the encounter with their thoughts about the other.
'What a fucking weirdo.' That was Genji's impression of Shepherd. This train of thought broke only when Genji received a payment notification shortly after.
[Felsthane has been sold in the Marketplace Auction House.]
[You have received 23,884 realm coins (after tax. Original price is 26,538.)]
Seeing this, Genji immediately logged out of the Marketplace and opened his friends list. He confirmed a certain prophet had finished her world and sent her the stats on [Mirror of Uncertainty]. Seconds later, Genji received a response contradicting the sender's usual collected persona.
Celine: Where did you find this? How much? I need to get this!
Enigma: We'll talk in person.
Not long after, Genji received an entry request from Celine herself. He accepted, and she bolted toward him. She grabbed him by the collar and shook him back and forth, asking, "Where is it? Where is it?"
Genji patted her shoulder, asking her to release him first. This snapped Celine out of her zeal, followed by an awkward cough. *Ahem ahem* "Sorry about that. I got too excited. It's not often I find items that boost fate abilities."
"What's your offer?"
"I...I..." Celine hesitated briefly before answering with gritted teeth. "I can go up to 20,000 realm coins. I don't have it right now, but I can pay in installments with interest. How about 30% per month?" It was clear that Celine desperately wanted this item. This wasn't surprising since the mirror provided both a well-needed offensive role and a strong passive bonus.
"How much do you have on you?"
"14,000. Why? Is it too little?"
"Tell you what, I'll give it to you for 12,000. In return, help me with divinations every now and then. Nothing too drastic, but I would like to have priority if we ever meet in a world."
"I don't mind, but can I ask why? You're normally quite strict with your finances."
"Let's just say you'll become someone worth investing in after obtaining this mirror. Instead of fussing over a few thousand coins I won't get right now, I'd rather use that to consolidate our friendship. You never know when this connection might come in handy. The conveniences you can provide in case we do end up in the same world will surpass anything I might earn today. If you're uncomfortable with this, then just treat it as my insurance for getting you to consider future requests."
"In that case, I will graciously accept this favor. Just send me a message when you need something from me. I don't mind small favors, but I will still have to charge you for major divination. I will also have to raise prices if the request is unexpectedly difficult, but I'm willing to give it a try."
"That's all I need to hear." With that, they exchanged goods, and Celine departed while humming a happy tune.
With this, Genji's balance reached 42,000 coins, discounting the deposit paid to Azona. Genji took these coins to the strengthening hall and pumped 30,000 into Stealth, leaving 12,000 for consumables.
- Stealth (Grandmaster 56% → 86%)
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It was the last day before Genji left for his home world. On this day, Cake was wiping down the wooden countertops of Genji's potion shop and restocking the shelves when 7156 suddenly appeared at the entrance. Cake waved at him and gestured to the door on the side of the room.
"Enigma's in his lab if you want to make any special requests. Otherwise, I can help you with normal potions."
7156 nodded as a greeting and pushed open the lab door. Hearing the sound of revolving doors, Genji looked up from his station.
"Fancy seeing you again. So what brings you here today?" Genji cheerfully asked.
"I need stronger poisons. Much stronger." This request stemmed from 7156's experiences in his previous world, where he had encountered an opponent with 70+ stats. Genji's previous poisons performed well, but they only helped 7156 narrowly escape after he exhausted his other abilities. The poison hardly even affected the enemy. As such, 7156 wanted to upgrade his arsenal, even if it meant bearing more risks when using this trump card.
"Sure. What percentage of dying do you want to work with? 95, 80, or 60%?" Genji casually asked a terrifying question, halting 7156's thoughts in place.
"..."
7156 was speechless. He had expected high risks, but not this high. The fact that Genji even quantified the chance of death didn't surprise him anymore. His madman friend would create something like that. But really? To use that of all standards to measure a poison's power? Couldn't he have used something more normal, like the stat numbers?
"Don't look at me like that," Genji said. "Even if I give you something that can kill anything below the 4th step, will you dare use it? I don't have anything that strong by the way. I use poison to create a slim chance of survival in an otherwise impossible situation. Since I'm gambling, shouldn't I know my odds beforehand? And this baseline does that perfectly for me. It's not like I will use a 100% lethal weapon on a whim. So, how risky do you want to be?"
"80," 7156 answered after a moment of thought. "And 95."
"Good choices, but I can only sell you one. These are still prototypes, and I can't guarantee these numbers."
The corner of 7156's eye twitched, but he eventually settled on the first option. With that, Genji's time in EverRealm ended, and he began his break.