Check 972 earth ground

Backstory: my son begged for a pool for the summer since he did well in swim lessons and so I bought an above ground pool. It is 15’x48”. Now, we go to swim yesterday and I will admit my adhd got the better of me last week and I forgot to check the pool levels and it turned green on us. I had some shock from a pool kit we got that I put in it and within 45 minutes the pool was no longer green. I changed and ran the filter for a full 24 hours. Now what would be my next steps? I clearly need more of something but I’m finding all types of confusing information online. Also would liquid chlorine or the tablets be better? We have been putting tablets in it but I feel like it doesn’t do anything to add chlorine to the pool. I feel so naive and lost on pool care and I know I clearly should have done way more research before getting a pool. I just wanted to make my kid happy lmao

Nancy Brooks was the first victim. She was a popular cheerleader, & an energetic one at best. Everyone enjoyed her bubbly personality. So you can imagine the shock and despair that swept over our school and the entire town when she was found dead.
They said she was found in a dumpster at the back of the local pizzeria. The cause of death was nasty. A large gaping hole in her chest. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that her heart was missing. This means that whoever did this had ripped her heart out with their bare hands in some brutal fashion.
The police questioned us, asked if Nancy had any enemies, and asked if there was anyone who wanted to hurt Nancy, but we couldn't think of anyone who would like to harm her. It wasn't like she did anything to warrant hatred from anybody. They continued to investigate, even with the few suspects they had, and the few amount of evidence they had.
Meanwhile, the community was in uproar over who would kill an innocent teenage girl like Nancy, and in such a brutal manner. While a memorial at Nancy's locker was made, and a vigil was held in honor of her. Rumors spread throughout the hallways over who the culprit might have been.
"I still can't believe she's dead," My friend Stanley said as we sat on his front porch. His voice was a little shaky. "It's just, how could something so horrible happen to someone like her?"
"I don't know," I said, staring at the road as cars passed by here and there. Although my face didn't show it, I felt paranoia, slowly growing in my body. It was like a seed that had just been planted into the ground and started to grow.
"They'll probably find the culprit," I told Stanley. "They'll probably find them..". The way I said it made it sound like there was hope, but at the same time, I felt like they would never catch the person responsible for killing Nacy.
Unfortunately, my prediction was proven right, they never caught the culprit. After 2 months, Nancy's case went cold. It wasn't long until the next murder happened though.
This time it was Grant Reese, a smart and slightly chubby guy. Although naive, he meant well, and some students respected him for that. He was found dead in his backyard in the same gruesome manner as Nancy—a large gaping hole in his chest.
School was canceled again, the police investigated again, and they questioned us again. But nothing turned up, again.
Eventually, the media started to dub the killer "The Heart Thief" due to how he "stole" his victims' hearts from right out of their bodies. This however didn't stop the fear and paranoia seeping over the town.
Stanley was more on edge after Grant's murder. He was more paranoid now, and who wouldn't be, there was a deranged killer on the loose, tormenting our town. And the police haven't caught them yet. But still, it was disheartening watching Stanley slowly start to become a shell of what he used to be.
Whenever I saw him, I noticed that the dark circles around his eyes seemed to grow larger, he began even to be afraid of his own shadow. Every time I talked to him, he'd always spout out a fake smile, but his eyes told a different story, they showed terror, terror of being killed by a lunatic. I still tried to make him feel safe, I still wanted to make him feel like everything was okay, even though at the back of my mind, I knew it wasn't. I was just as scared as Stanley, but I couldn't tell him about my invulnerability.
A month after Grant's murder, the Mullins twins were found dead at the local park, their hearts both missing. Even worse, only 2 weeks later, two teenage lovers, Whitney Rowe, & Troy Osborne were found dead in Troy's car, and in the same manner as Nancy, Grant, & the Mullin twins.
If Nancy and Grant's murders caused Stanley to be paranoid, this made that paranoia worse than before. He eventually stopped talking to people, he'd subsequently stop coming outside. My fear was still growing, but Stanley's was more rabid. I wasn't any better. My sleep schedule started to falter, I'd lie awake at night, trying to get rid of the Heart Thief from out of my head, and go to sleep. But I just couldn't. I couldn't get the thought of a psychopath looming over our town, killing innocent teenagers.
Eventually, Stanley stopped texting me. I wasn't too worried, but I was still concerned, but it was just for one day. He just stopped texting for one day. That wasn't much of a big idea. Was it?
Then he didn't text me the next day or the following day.
After the fourth day of not responding, I decided that I would have to check on him in person. That wasn't so bad, go to his house, ask his parents if he's okay, and check up on him. Easy job-
What if he's dead?
I shook the thought out of my head. No, he can't be. He's fine. He's fine.
"He's fine," I mutter as I walk up the steps and touch the door handle. My eyes slowly widen as the door opens. Why is the door unlocked? That doesn't make any sense-
What if the Heart Thief got him?
NO. No. He's fine. He's fine.
I carefully tread through the house, my footsteps being soft due to the shoes I'm wearing.
"Stanley...?" I said, in a hallowed whisper.
I walked forward, my heartbeat started to beat more and more. My heart rate slowly started to shoot out like a bottle rocket. Then I saw something.
Stanley's parents. They were strung up on the floor. Their necks were both snapped, and their eyes hung lifeless. I couldn't focus on the scene for long when I heard a terrible noise from upstairs. The sound of something being ripped.
I went up the stairs, my heart surged as I reached the top, and I went to Stanley's room. My thoughts were frantic as I reached his doorway.
Then my body stopped. My breathing paused as I was taking in the scene before me.
Stanley was on the floor, puking out blood as a hole was punctured through his chest. His crazed, horrified, and tearful eyes turned to mine. But then something impossible happened.
Somehow, Stanley's heart was pulled out from his chest, and it hung in the air like something was holding it. Some invisible force was holding onto Stanley's heart. Then it held it up high and then dropped it. It vanished like it fell into a mouth, and was consumed in one big gulp. I couldn't comprehend what I was witnessing. I couldn't understand how any of this happened. I just stared at what was left of my friend as the life escaped his eyes. He croaked out one final word before dying though.
"Alec....."
I just stood paralyzed, unable to do anything, my mouth hung dry as I tried to get a word out.
Then I felt a presence right next to me. It made me sweat even more than I already was at the sight of my dead best friend. My breathing grew more rabid as I felt like someone loomed over me. But no one was there. Nothing was there. But it felt like someone was. It felt like something was. Something horrible.
Then I heard a "Shhh" noise being whispered into my ear.
Suddenly, I didn't feel that terrifying presence. It left Stanley's room. It was gone, but Stanley's body wasn't.
My stomach felt sick as I exited Stanley's house, dialing 911. I only managed to mutter about finding my friend dead in his home, before I collapsed from shock on the front porch.
I eventually woke up in the hospital. My parents were tearfully thankful that I was okay and safe. Two detectives visited me too. They asked me questions about Stanley, and I answered them wearily. But even then, I couldn't tell them what I saw. I couldn't tell my parents about what happened in Stanley's home.
They did find Stanley and his parents' bodies though. Some people wondered why the Heart Thief went out of his way to kill two adults, some were still angry that the psychopath had claimed another victim. But regardless of that. I still couldn't recover from the events that unfolded in Stanley's house.
I attended his funeral, and I gave a heartfelt speech, bottling up my sadness in an attempt to look stable. But I wasn't.
Some neighbors and classmates look at me with pity on their faces, and some of them look at me funny. I could hear the whispers about me behind my back. Some of them were filled with remorse over how I lost my best friend, some were filled with suspicion over how I could have killed Stanley, or maybe even the other victims. The rumors didn't help either.
I've had to take therapy three times a week now, I feel like it's helping, but at the same time, I feel like it isn't. Nothing will ever help me recover from what I saw that afternoon.
Ever since Stanley's death, I've started to slowly become a shell of what I used to be. I began to become more aware of my surroundings, and I started to become more jumpy. My sleep schedule started to become worse too. I've had many nights where I'd lie awake at night. My mind constantly replays what happened at Stanley's house over and over.
"This is probably how Stanley felt before he died," I say, as my eyes stare at the ceiling.
The paranoia that was once set inside me has evolved into something bigger, something worse.
But that's not just it, I know who the Heart Thief is now, I know how he manages to kill his victims without ever getting caught.
I don't know why he still hasn't come for me yet. I was a direct witness to one of his murders after all. So why hasn't he come after me yet? Why hasn't he killed me? Was this all just part of his plan? To watch me break into a panicked state? To watch me devolve into a cowardous human being?
Because if this is his plan, it's working.

Good morning friends. While scrolling over on the insulinresistance sub this morning I saw someone mention using ChatGPT for meal plans and I got curious.
So I asked it to write me one and i wanted to share a bit of what it returned. I'm going to the store later today and I'm going to price check the grocery list and actually give it a shot.
Here's a small portion of what it returned on my query.
Meal Plan Overview Meals per Day: 2 Dietary Focus: Gluten-free, high-fiber, high-protein, low-carb Budget: $100 per week Grocery List (Approximate Costs) Proteins Chicken breast (3 lbs): $12 Ground turkey (2 lbs): $10 Eggs (2 dozen): $6 Canned tuna (4 cans): $8 Vegetables Spinach (2 lbs): $6 Broccoli (2 lbs): $4 Cauliflower (2 lbs): $4 Bell peppers (6): $6 Avocados (4): $8 Fruits Berries (frozen, 2 lbs): $8 Legumes Lentils (1 lb): $2 Chickpeas (canned, 4 cans): $4 Nuts and Seeds Chia seeds (1 lb): $6 Almonds (1 lb): $6 Dairy and Dairy Alternatives Greek yogurt (2 quarts): $8 Miscellaneous Olive oil (1 bottle): $4 Spices and herbs (various): $6 Weekly Meal Plan Day 1 Meal 1: Scrambled eggs with spinach and avocado slices Recipe: Sauté spinach in olive oil, scramble with eggs, serve with sliced avocado Meal 2: Grilled chicken breast with broccoli and cauliflower rice Recipe: Grill chicken, steam broccoli, and make cauliflower rice (pulse cauliflower in a food processor, then sauté)
Weekly Meal Plan Day 1 Meal 1: Scrambled eggs with spinach and avocado slices Recipe: Sauté spinach in olive oil, scramble with eggs, serve with sliced avocado
Meal 2: Grilled chicken breast with broccoli and cauliflower rice Recipe: Grill chicken, steam broccoli, and make cauliflower rice (pulse cauliflower in a food processor, then sauté).

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
​
Chapter 426
​
Whoosh!
​
The instant he confronted the colossal Fire Dragon emerging from the spearhead, the Arch Lich had a stark realization.
​
'It's too late.'
​
The attack was inescapable.
​
His unspoken spell and the nearly completed magic dissipated among the abrupt inferno that enveloped him.
​
Radiating the Fire of Calamity, the Fire Dragon opened its gaping maw towards the paralyzed Arch Lich, who had become numb to even pain.
​
Boom!
​
A draconian roar accompanied by billowing blue flames engulfed everything. The air warped, and the searing heat vaporized all in its path.
​
The Arch Lich felt his magical barriers and shields dissolving, reviving sensations he thought he had long forgotten.
​
'It's hot.'
​
Roar!
​
The blue Fire of Calamity dominated his vision. The Fire Dragon, unrelenting, swept over him and continued its relentless flight.
​
Its target was the enormous black Gate at the heart of the devastated city.
​
Wait, it was hurtling towards the Gate.
​
'No!'
​
In a surge of panic, the Arch Lich's red eyes widened, and he extended his hand futilely as the Fire Dragon consumed the Gate, nearly equal in size.
​
At that moment, when the flames met the extraordinary magical power fueled by the life force of countless humans, a blinding explosion erupted.
​
Boom!
​
A pillar of light visible from vast distances ascended.
​
Darkness clashed with blue flames, merging rapidly. The stripped skyscrapers that had barely held against the onslaught now crumbled, unleashing a ring of tempestuous winds.
​
Gurgurrrrrugug.
​
An unspeakable roar and tremor shook the earth.
​
The ash-gray sky cracked open, and the dense fog smothering the city dispersed like a dispelled illusion.
​
Then, as if it were all a fleeting dream, a tranquil silence descended.
​
'Ah.'
​
With a vacant stare, the Arch Lich surveyed the landscape.
​
The scene was ostensibly unchanged, yet he knew — everything, including himself, had irreversibly transformed. It had all crumbled, like a sandcastle at high tide.
​
Slowly, the Arch Lich turned his gaze. The trembling red glow fell upon a figure, imposing as a steel tower.
​
- I should have killed you.
​
A declaration that pierced the stillness.
​
Pale as death, Jin Tae-Kyung spoke. Despite appearing on the brink of collapse from the physical toll and mental strain of endless battles, his voice retained its unwavering force.
​
"I know. Why didn't you kill me quickly?"
​
The Arch Lich's lips sealed shut. The missed chance to end Jin Tae-Kyung's life was his error.
​
A lapse in vigilance had undone everything.
​
'My King, please forgive this disloyal servant.'
​
The Arch Lich sought forgiveness from his King, wherever he might be.
​
Had he not hesitated, had he slain Jin Tae-Kyung before the human's monstrous ally was reborn and drove that cursed sword into his chest... all would have unfolded as ordained.
​
He would have endured, finalized the Gate, and unleashed legions of monsters to devastate humanity and ignite their cities.
​
All while anticipating the return of the formidable King.
​
Yet, his flawless scheme had crumbled spectacularly.
​
All due to one man — Jin Tae-Kyung.
​
The crimson in the Arch Lich's eyes ignited with dwindling power.
​
He silently vowed vengeance, and his oath of retribution echoed towards Jin Tae-Kyung.
​
- Remember me. One day, I will trample your souls with my bare feet.
​
Jin Tae-Kyung spat out a glob of phlegm.
​
"The one that's about to die always spouts bullshit. How about you try calling Asmodeus a bastard instead? If you do, I may consider ending this quickly."
​
The Skeleton King hesitated before speaking.
​
- Asmodeus, you bastard...
​
"Not you."
​
- Ah, I know. I just wanted to try it once. But it feels wrong to say such disrespectful words.
​
"Why? You're a king now, too."
​
- Yes, that's right.
​
By the River of Death, he swore to tear those two apart.
​
The Arch Lich extended both hands towards Jin Tae-Kyung and the Skeleton King.
​
His skeletal fingers tightened as if to obliterate them from a distance, yet nothing ensued.
​
Instead, a stray wind caressed his entire form.
​
Swoosh.
​
It was disintegration. Beginning with the Arch Lich's hands, his very essence started to erode.
​
Arms, legs, torso, and at last, the skull housing the dimming red glow.
​
- Please survive. Until the day we meet again... [Note: the second villain who wishes the MC a long life.]
​
A voice steeped in bitterness mingled with the wind and faded away.
​
The growing tempest scattered the ashes that were once the Arch Lich.
​
As it howled, its reach extended to everything within the radius of One Strike, leaving behind a desolate landscape of collapsed skyscrapers, heaps of concrete, overturned vehicles, and lifeless bodies...
​
And the unfinished colossal Gate, which might have sparked an even more catastrophic war.
​
Whoosh.
​
In the midst of this desolation, Jin Tae-Kyung stood in silence, a solitary chime ringing in his ears, audible only to him amidst the chaos.
​
Ding. Ding. Ding.
​
A flood of System notifications clouded his vision, signaling the end of the ordeal.
​
Yet, Jin Tae-Kyung’s body, drained of all energy, began to sway towards the earth.
​
'I did it.'
​
With that single thought, he surrendered to a profound and serene slumber.
​
And the Skeleton King, carefully catching the falling form of Jin Tae-Kyung, could see it.
​
The faint smile spreading across his lips.
​
- You've worked hard.
​
Wicked but still a decent human, he murmured to himself.
​
Intent on transporting Jin Tae-Kyung to a place of rest and safety, the Skeleton King suddenly recalled something he had forgotten.
​
- Oh, right. The sword.
​
Was it called 'Hero's Soul'? He wasn't sure who had named it, but it was certain that a mysterious power was imbued in it.
​
It was thanks to that sword that he, once a Skeleton Warlord on the verge of extinction, had been awakened and able to deal a serious blow to the dreadful Arch Lich.
​
- I almost forgot. I must make sure to take it.
​
Locating the sword didn't take long. It had lain quietly at the spot where the Arch Lich last stood, embedded in its chest until the final moments.
​
Yet, as the Skeleton King lifted the [Hero's Soul], confusion furrowed his brow.
​
- Hmm, something feels off.
​
It was a strange sensation, difficult to explain.
​
It might be accurate to say that while it remained a legendary sword, its mystical aura seemed somewhat diminished.
​
- Did I pick up the wrong sword?
​
But despite a thorough search and close inspection of the sword, nothing seemed amiss.
​
After some contemplation, scratching his golden skull, the Skeleton King concluded.
​
- Hmm. It must be the right one, I suppose.
​
He thought it was just a momentary feeling. The sword he remembered looked the same, and he had seen it fall from Arch Lich's chest at the last moment.
​
'But why does this feel so unsettling?'
​
It was a perplexing anomaly. The Skeleton King shook his head and tucked the sword between his pelvic bones for safekeeping.
​
As he approached the fallen Jin Tae-Kyung, he remained oblivious.
​
Unseen by him, as Jin Tae-Kyung succumbed to unconsciousness, drained of all strength, a mist-like black energy mingled with the dispersing wind.
​
Simultaneously, the golden light that had clung to the [Hero's Soul] disapeared from the sword as it pursued this dark essence.
​
But this light was not merely riding the wind.
​
The black energy, intertwined with the wind, drifted along until his path was obstructed.
​
The Arch Lich, now merely a feeble fragment of his former soul, widened his eyes at the dazzling golden light shimmering before him.
​
'Such an absurdity.'
​
Before dissolving, the Arch Lich’s final words to Jin Tae-Kyung and the Skeleton King were sincere.
​
He vowed a swift return, ready to drench the land with blood, wielding greater power and commanding a vaster horde of monsters than ever before.
​
Life Force Vessel.
​
A high-level dark magic exclusive to the undead, capable of preserving fragments of souls, was thought to prevent eternal obliteration. [Note: like a horcrux from Harry Potter.]
​
Or so he had thought, until that resplendent golden light intercepted him.
​
- What are you?
​
Now reduced to a mere sliver of a soul, the Arch Lich was no match for the brilliance emanating from the light.
​
Mixed emotions of anger, astonishment, and fear intensified the black energy.
​
Despite the Arch Lich’s thoughts reaching out, the golden light remained impassive, merely intensifying its radiance and expanding in size.
​
Then, the Arch Lich understood the true essence of the light.
​
It was not magic but a soul. The soul of someone he had once crushed and defiled. Though formless, it persisted within the sword, sustained solely by sheer will.
​
The Arch Lich suddenly recalled one of the memories he had buried deep in his mind.
​
​
​
'You are noble, human. What is your name?'
​
​
​
On that day of carnage, where blood ran like rivers and corpses mounted like hills, amidst ruins and death, one human stood defiant till the end.
​
- Lei Fei.
​
The movement of the Arch Lich, or rather the black energy, halted abruptly.
​
The brilliant golden light burst forth from the void, enveloping him like a tidal wave.
​
Whoosh!
​
'...Damn it all.'
​
And those were the Arch Lich's final thoughts.
​
​
​
* * *
​
​
​
The atmosphere on the battlefield, where the main forces congregated, was electric.
​
As the S-rank Hunters and a contingent of troops moved to the rear to forge a pathway for the suicide squad, tens of thousands of monsters capitalized on the opportunity to launch an assault.
​
「Fire Rain!」
​
Boom!
​
From the back lines, the mage unit unleashed their area-wide magic, and a torrential downpour of fire descended upon the enemy.
​
In that moment, as hundreds of monsters were reduced to cinders, the mages' fists clenched in grim resolve.
​
Squeal! Crack!
​
「...Huh?」
​
One mage, his face etched with confusion, wiped away the blood that had splashed across his features.
​
The face of his comrade, who had shared a smile just moments ago, was obliterated. No, it had been blown apart.
​
This was the work of a black lance, piercing through the air like a beam of light from a distance.
​
Squeal, boom!
​
Another lance hurtled through the air, impaling several mages before their screams could even begin.
​
「Aaagh!」
​
「Death Knights! It's Death Knights!」
​
「Damn it, what the hell are you talking about! Weren't they all dealt with?」
​
「No, it seems not! It looks like they had hidden some elite monsters among them!」
​
This foreboding pronouncement quickly became a gruesome reality.
​
With the S-rank Hunters away, elite monsters emerged on the battlefield, initiating a brutal massacre.
​
Screech!
​
Boom!
​
Death Knights, Liches, and scores of invisible Wyverns materialized, unleashing a ruthless onslaught.
​
As people fell and monsters advanced without pause, a profound despair settled over those who fought desperately to hold their ground.
​
Even if the S-rank Hunters were present, this battle would have been tough to emerge victorious from.
​
'It's all over.'
​
And just when all seemed lost, as they braced for death.
​
Swoosh!
​
The blade of a Death Knight, caught mid-slash through a victim, suddenly halted.
​
No, it disintegrated into ash.
​
"W-what is this...?"
​
A hunter who had narrowly escaped death looked around in astonishment.
​
It was a sight beyond belief.
​
First, hundreds fell, then thousands disintegrated.
​
Before long, tens of thousands of monsters were disintegrating into ash and collapsing.
​
Swoosh.
​
It was the beginning of the end.
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
​
Chapter 425
​
Thud!
​
White Flames, having lost its mark, skittered across the ground.
​
"Ah."
​
With a snap of his fingers, the Arch Lich ensnared me, who stood frozen like a statue. Black hands, summoned from the void, clamped tightly around my body.
​
He wielded his magic effortlessly, foregoing the incantations usually required for spellcasting.
​
Step by step.
​
With each stride, the Arch Lich's magic swirled through him like a dense fog.
​
His left arm, obliterated earlier by my One Strike, began to regenerate. The shattered bones, now shaded darker, knitted together with eerie robustness.
​
As the completion of the Gate approached, his power swelled correspondingly.
​
- I wondered why I could smell death on you. That's quite a spectacular reason, isn't it? The friendship between a human and a monster is... quite touching.
​
Creak.
​
The sound of misaligned bones grated through my frame, yet my gaze drifted over the Arch Lich's shoulder.
​
Focused on a sword embedded in the earth, its hilt clutched by a hand that refused to relinquish its grip.
​
'Skeleton Warlord.'
​
By divine decree, humans and monsters were eternal adversaries.
​
Initially, it had been the same between us.
​
But now... I realized. At some juncture, the Skeleton Warlord had transcended mere monstrosity in my eyes.
​
'If I had still thought of him as just a monster, I would have annihilated him with my own hands.'
​
Destroying the Skeleton Warlord could have provided a crucial boost through leveling up.
​
Yet I faltered, and ultimately, I abstained.
​
Not merely because he had spared my life, but because he had won a place as a friend in my heart.
​
A hollow laugh burst from my lips.
​
‘Damn it. I should have never gotten attached.’
​
At that, the Arch Lich’s eyes narrowed slightly.
​
- You're laughing? In this situation?
​
“My mother used to say that laughter brings fortune.”
​
- You must be out of your mind.
​
“Why the fuss if I want to laugh? Are you my date or something?”
​
I spat at the Arch Lich’s face. A thick, ambiguous mixture of blood and phlegm trickled down his brow.
​
At that moment, a fierce red glow blazed from where his eyes ought to be.
​
- I've heard your response well.
​
“Fuck you.”
​
If I claimed to have no regrets about my life up to this point, I would be lying. Regrets, however, always arrive too late, and I've fought hard enough until now.
​
When I finally let go, everything seemed like a fleeting dream. My face, relaxed in a smile, was mirrored in the Arch Lich's sinister red gaze.
​
- I've said this before. Your body will be torn to shreds, and your soul will wander the River of Death forever.
​
I nodded, accepting this grim fate easily.
​
“That sounds about right. Just like that demon bastard you serve.”
​
- ...!
​
“When I meet him, I’ll send your regards. Give me his address.”
​
- ...Let’s see how long you can keep spouting such nonsense.
​
With a mere gesture from the Arch Lich, the massive magical hands constricting me tightened their grip and began to tear at my limbs with incredible force.
​
Slowly, bit by bit.
​
Creak, crunch.
​
A small cracking sound from within awoke the sense of pain I had momentarily escaped.
​
Though I believed I had no energy left for screams, an involuntary howl tore through my lips.
​
“Argh, aaaaargh!”
​
- That's it. Much better.
​
Blinded by agony, I braced for death as I unleashed the screams I had suppressed.
​
But just as the pain began to ebb away, instead of death, a System notification chimed.
​
Ding.
​
​
​
- [Top-grade Potion] used!
​
- The amount of potion used is too small. The injury has been slightly healed!
​
- Your injuries are too severe. A more potent and higher-quality healing is necessary!
​
​
​
…What?
​
As a refreshing sensation mingled with renewed pain, my eyes met the Arch Lich's, which gleamed mockingly.
​
In his hand, he held a glass bottle.
​
‘I see.’
​
It was one of the potions from Lee Jeong-Ryong’s subspace pocket, previously pilfered by the Arch Lich.
​
And now, he wielded the healing potion as an instrument of torment.
​
The potion delivered just enough healing to forestall death, yet it intensified my agony to new excruciating heights.
​
- Foolish human. Did you really think I would grant you an easy and comfortable death?
​
“……!”
​
- Continue to wail. Cry like a coward, thrash in pain, and only after you realize your foolishness will you be able to head towards the River of Death.
​
The Arch Lich swirled the glass bottle, his tone laced with derision.
​
The potion, diminished by barely a tenth, was a clear measure of the enduring pain yet to come.
​
That torment seemed destined to stretch into infinity.
​
Amidst the minimal relief and overwhelming pain, I gasped for air and managed a forced smile.
​
"If I chant 'Long live the Demon King' three times, will you end it quickly?"
​
- Well, if you put your heart and soul into it, I might consider.
​
“I won’t, you son of a bitch.”
​
- That's fine. We have plenty of time anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to think it over slowly…
​
Crack!
​
The Arch Lich’s glowing eyes flickered wildly, mirroring my own shock.
​
It was something neither he nor I had expected.
​
- What is this...
​
His voice trailed off in suspicion as he glanced down at his chest.
​
It was light. A brilliant, overwhelming radiance — bright enough to rival the sun - erupted from his chest.
​
'No, it’s not just light.'
​
I stared at it with a vacant gaze. It was a sword, emitting a brilliance greater than anything I had ever before.
​
I knew the name of that all-too-familiar sword.
​
‘Hero’s Soul.’
​
Beyond the skeletal chest of the Arch Lich, I could see the steadfast hand that clutched the sword’s hilt.
​
“……!”
​
Time seemed to halt.
​
In this nearly frozen world, I watched as hundreds, then thousands, of bone fragments coalesced.
​
They were mere remnants of a skeleton, yet they drew together with magnetic force, beginning to reconstruct.
​
Click, clack!
​
The symphony of bones assembling.
​
First, the limbs took shape, followed swiftly by the torso.
​
The bones, once black and lustrous, were bathed in the radiance of the [Hero's Soul]. They soon took on a subtle gold hue, lengthening and hardening in the process.
​
'Ah.'
​
It was a miraculous transformation.
​
The myriad bone fragments merged, reconstructing a body in a manner that seemed to reverse the flow of time. The light emanating from the sword expelled the darkness lodged within the joints, heralding the genesis of a new entity.
​
And then, as the skull clicked into place atop the reformed body—
​
Flash!
​
Golden light exploded from the vacant eye sockets, emitting an aura both deeply familiar and intriguingly foreign.
​
In the next moment, the suspended time resumed its course.
​
- You asked me why?
​
“……!”
​
My body jolted as if struck by lightning, recalling a memory from barely an hour earlier.
​
​
​
'But why? ...Why?'
​
​
​
That had been my question. Why did you shield me, knowing it spelled your destruction?
​
At the time, his response was uncertain, hinting that perhaps the sword had cast a spell over him.
​
Now, the answer I had not heard before resonated clearly.
​
- You're a cunning, wicked human...but also a pretty good guy.
​
A pretty good guy.
​
A phrase I had once said to someone else.
​
I stared at him, astonished. His enlarged, solid form radiated a soft golden glow. The silver pattern etched on the forehead of his skull resembled a crown.
​
No, it was clearly a crown.
​
​
​
[Lv.160 Skeleton King]
​
​
​
As the System window hovered above his head, laughter bubbled up from me uncontrollably.
​
"My Golgol has grown a lot."
​
- I wondered why I've been feeling itchy all this time. [Note: just a quick reminder: the Skeleton Warlord has previously complained, during one of the MC's abusive treatments, that his bones have been itchy and sensitive lately. For more details, look at novel chapter 409.]
​
The once small, dark caterpillar had finally emerged from its cocoon, wings unfurled.
​
The luminance of the Skeleton Warlord — now the Skeleton King — radiated outward like a crescent moon. Both of us shared a moment of laughter.
​
Yet, there was one who could not share in our mirth.
​
- Argh! Aaaaargh!
​
The Arch Lich.
​
This unparalleled Named Monster, commander of legions of the undead and bearer of undying, formidable magical powers, now contorted in torment.
​
A sword impaled through the heart of his chest.
​
The golden radiance from the [Hero's Soul] began to devour the magic, dissolving his form.
​
Perhaps even his soul.
​
- Human.
​
Prompted by the Skeleton King’s gentle summons, I knew it was time.
​
'Let's end this.'
​
Ding.
​
​
​
- [Hero's Soul] bestows upon you the light of healing!
​
- All status abnormalities have been removed!
​
- All injuries and stats have been restored!
​
- The soul of the departed smiles upon you.
​
​
​
Whoosh!
​
A surge of light from the [Hero's Soul] enveloped me, its warmth mending my fractured bones and knitting my flesh back together.
​
My organs, once damaged, and blood vessels, previously torn, now regenerated, the heat within them simmering like molten lava.
​
'I can do this.'
​
This newfound conviction was as solid as steel, surprising even to myself, yet unmistakably true.
​
With such power at my command, there was nothing beyond my reach.
​
'My turn.'
​
Ssssssht! Thump!
​
I picked up White Flames, which lay discarded nearby.
​
Pop!
​
Leaping into the air, I extended my foot.
​
My trajectory aimed me straight at the Arch Lich, who, amidst his powerful sorcery, writhed in agony.
​
- What in the world! What magic have you used!
​
The Arch Lich bellowed in fury.
​
His eyes, pulsating red, dilated with each pulse of agony.
​
His pain was palpable.
​
- Damn you, damn human! Aaaaargh!
​
Ignoring his curses, I raised White Flames with deliberate calm.
​
I positioned the mystical spear, its blade shimmering, to strike not just the flailing Arch Lich but also the ominous Gate looming behind him.
​
Whoosh.
​
From the core of my lower dantian, the fire dragon unfurled its wings, ascending as a fiery orb that exploded outward in all directions. The flames, kindled at my fingertips, climbed up the shaft of White Flames, cloaking it in layers of azure fire.
​
- You bastard! How dare you!
​
The Arch Lich flailed his limbs in a frenzy as his rage boiled over. Yet, the magic he cast fizzled out before it could reach me, snuffed by the searing barrier that cocooned me.
​
Despite his faltering strength, the darkness around the Gate churned with renewed vigor.
​
Then, it struck me.
​
'Now!'
​
As I twisted my body, the force of rotation surged from my legs through my waist, amplifying as it reached my shoulders and wrists. This caused White Flames to quiver with intense energy.
​
An extraordinary power, harnessed from the depths of my being, ignited a flame more colossal than any before.
​
This was the moment.
​
Swoosh!
​
In an instant, the distance between me and the Arch Lich collapsed, and time seemed to stretch thin.
​
Before his lips could complete his incantation, I struck with a force fueled by every ounce of my resolve and strength.
​
- Blin...!
​
One Strike.
​
There would be no second chances. The azure dragon, unleashed from the blade, enveloped both the Arch Lich and the ominous Gate.
​
Kaboom!
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
​
Chapter 424
​
Kwaaaaah!
​
Engulfed in searing blue flames, the vortex devoured everything in its path,
​
Buildings crumbled - their concrete skeletons exposed and steel frames twisted grotesquely. The ground was littered with the scattered bodies of humans and monsters alike, casualties of the relentless destruction.
​
The ultra-high heat obliterated nearly everything, reducing it all to ash and molten remnants.
​
Except for one.
​
- Blink.
​
Everything but him.
​
Beep.
​
​
​
- Skill, [One Strike] has been activated!
​
- [Qi] has been completely exhausted!
​
- Everything comes with a price. Despite serious injuries, you have overexerted your power.
​
- Status abnormality, [Exhaustion] has been applied!
​
- [Strength], [Stamina], [Agility] have temporarily plummeted!
​
​
​
My strength ebbed away, leaving me hollow. The alerts from the System rang incessantly in my ears, while the distant cries of the Skeleton Warlord in my inventory faded to mere whispers.
​
My body felt leaden, as though submerged in icy water. In the frigid solitude of my mind, one thought spun relentlessly:
​
'This was my last chance.'
​
Why hadn’t I seen it coming? Why hadn’t I guessed?
​
The Arch Lich had warned me; he had been observing me through his network of familiars scattered across the battlefield.
​
I should have suspected he'd seen my earlier uses of [One Strike] on the Liches and Death Knights.
​
I should have questioned it, even without certainty.
​
‘Idiot.’
​
A laugh, bitter and mocking, broke from my lips. I had promised myself never to let down my guard, yet here I was, caught in the most critical of errors.
​
The lack of options was no excuse. In battle, it is the outcome that counts, not the intent. This was the bitter fruit of my negligence.
​
Thud!
​
The iron bar I clutched fell from my weakening grasp, clanging loudly as it hit the ground. My legs buckled, forcing me to kneel.
​
Head bowed, I was enveloped by a suffocating darkness.
​
- You, human. How does it feel to pay the price for your reckless courage?
​
Struggling to lift my head, I locked eyes with his fiery red gaze. A hoarse whisper clawed its way through my parched throat.
​
"Of course it feels shitty, you damn bastard."
​
- It was a fearsome strike. I'll give you that much praise.
​
The Arch Lich’s voice dripped with triumph.
​
Despite his use of teleportation magic, he couldn’t entirely evade One Strike, resulting in the loss of his left arm. Yet, there he stood, a grim victor amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
​
His eyes, a sinister red, gleamed with a cruel joy as he gazed down at me, kneeling like a penitent sinner.
​
- I waited until the end. Despite the humiliation suffered at the hands of a human, I endured and persevered. And finally... this body claims victory.
​
His cunning was undeniable.
​
As I had feared, he had been anticipating One Strike from the outset.
​
Previously, I had obliterated Liches and Death Knights with One Strike, replenishing my stamina through leveling up, but he had keenly observed the moment I depleted all my strength.
​
- Do you understand now? This is your limit - the limit of a human.
​
Limit.
​
That word burrowed deeply into my chest.
​
Despite all my struggles, the label of F-rank haunted me. It was a limit I had strived to surpass every day since acquiring the System.
​
'Is this really the end?'
​
I had fought desperately, for myself and for those I loved, pushing through peril after peril. This was my life: a relentless challenge of transcending my own boundaries.
​
"It's not over... not yet."
​
The words fell from my lips, hollow and lifeless, as if spoken by another.
​
My vision blurred as I raised my eyes to meet the Arch Lich’s gaze.
​
- What?
​
"It's not over yet."
​
A battle to the death concludes only when one side falls and the other stands victorious.
​
Until then, the struggle persists.
​
As death loomed close, I whispered to myself.
​
'Inventory open. Summon.'
​
I thought I had secured one of the spears from my inventory in my grasp.
​
But then, I dropped it.
​
Clang!
​
In that moment, I realized my strength had waned too far to wield a spear, let alone swing it.
​
- Hahahaha!
​
The Arch Lich’s laughter was grotesque, reveling in my plight.
​
Yet, surrender was not an option for me. I would not, could not give up.
​
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
​
Weapon after weapon appeared in my hands.
​
Thud!
​
And one by one, I dropped them.
​
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
​
Thud!
​
- Oh, you foolish, stupid human!
​
The Arch Lich's mockery rang out.
​
Yet I persisted, undeterred.
​
Is it courageous to humbly accept one's end? If that is courage, then label me a coward.
​
I must survive — I believed this was the highest respect I could pay to the life I had fought so hard to live.
​
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
​
It was at that very moment.
​
Ding.
​
​
​
- [Endurance] greatly increases.
​
- The attribute, [Endurance], transforms into [Will]!
​
- Those with strong will are not easily broken; they do not fall. They will fight with all their might until the very end.
​
- A strong will, at times, can give you the power to overcome your limits!
​
- Special effect, [Indomitable], has been activated. Temporarily, all attributes slightly increase, and fatigue is reduced!
​
​
​
A surge of warmth spread through my core, faint yet fiercer than any force I had known.
​
It wasn't just a burst of power.
​
It was a beacon of hope kindled by my desperation and given by the System.
​
With hands shaking, I clasped the cold spear shaft firmly.
​
- You...
​
The Arch Lich had noticed the shift too.
​
His gaze, previously dismissive as if I was merely an exhibit, now widened in alarm. Seizing the moment, I mustered all my remaining strength and lunged forward.
​
Time seemed to stretch, elongating the seconds as I thrust the spear towards his looming figure.
​
Screeeeech!
​
As the spear tore through the air with a sonic boom, I saw it clearly — the Arch Lich’s eyes, twisted into a crescent of scorn.
​
It was a sneer.
​
- Blood Explosion.
​
Boom!
​
The force of the explosion reverberated through my body, sending shockwaves pulsing through every fiber.
​
With the last of my strength spent, my muscles seized up. The spear slipped from my weakened grip and impaled the ground at an awkward angle.
​
I blinked through eyes filled with blood. In a world now painted a visceral red, something warm and sticky splattered onto my face.
​
Drip, drip-drip.
​
'...Ah.'
​
It was blood.
​
My own blood, spurting forth like a gruesome fountain, showered down in a macabre rain.
​
As I raised my trembling hands, quivering like aspen leaves in a storm, the ghastly sight of my shredded flesh and starkly exposed bones confronted me.
​
Blood Explosion. A literal explosion of blood.
​
From the edges of my dimming consciousness, the cries of the Skeleton Warlord pierced the air.
​
- ...Human, human!
​
How long had he been shouting?
​
I tried to answer, but all that escaped my lips was a grotesque mix of blood and fragments of my organs.
​
"Cough."
​
The world spun chaotically before my eyes.
​
I reached out toward the Arch Lich, now just a blur through the blood-smeared lens of my vision, but my hand grasped only air.
​
Perhaps it always would.
​
- Snap out of it! Aren't you supposed to live?
​
Is that supposed to be encouragement?
​
I knew I had to survive, defeat him, and return home.
​
But...
​
'Can I really?'
​
Slowly, the world seemed to tilt.
​
No, the world was stable; it was I who was faltering. My body, ravaged by relentless bleeding and grievous injuries, used the last vestiges of its strength just to keep from collapsing.
​
'No. If I fall, it's all over.'
​
I propped myself up on a broken ankle.
​
The faint, thorn-like pain was a grim reminder that I was dying, yet the intermittent shouts from the Skeleton Warlord, sounding through the haze like a broken radio, affirmed that I was still somehow alive.
​
- ...Do it, human! Hurry!
​
Do it? Do what?
​
- Summon me now...!
​
My eardrums were ruptured, my consciousness slipping; the Skeleton Warlord's shouts were just muffled echoes in my shattered senses.
​
Even if I could have made out his words, there was nothing I could do to intercept the Arch Lich's next move.
​
- You have some interesting possessions.
​
Suddenly, in the Arch Lich's hand was a familiar object.
​
My cherished weapon, White Flames, which had weathered many battles at my side, now blazed in the hands of this usurper. He laughed, his skeletal frame aglow within the dancing flames.
​
- I have received a gift far too extravagant. I suppose it should be returned to its owner.
​
The Arch Lich drew back his arm. A potent magic dampened the inferno of White Flames and surged along the spear’s blade.
​
- Farewell, noble adversary — or perhaps just a fool who might have been something more.
​
Screech!
​
The sonic boom was fleeting, yet the moment stretched into an eternity.
​
I watched, mute, as White Flames hurtled towards me like a meteor. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind, leading me to an inevitable conclusion.
​
'I can't avoid it.'
​
Then the only end left for me was death.
​
I had survived countless battles over the past seven years, but never had the specter of death loomed so palpably.
​
All I could do was witness its relentless advance.
​
'Yes, this is the end.'
​
I repeated the thought with eerie calm.
​
Crack!
​
The blade of White Flames cleaved through bone as it impaled me squarely in the chest.
​
I froze, eyes wide in shock — not pain.
​
"...You."
​
- Why, what?
​
Words failed me as I stared into the flickering blue eyes just inches from my face.
​
From a skull no larger than a soccer ball, the Skeleton Warlord had morphed into a towering figure over two meters tall, his voice blunt and confounding.
​
- Don't ask how I was able to get out on my own. Even this commander doesn't understand why.
​
"But why? ...Why?"
​
I asked, facing him.
​
The blade of the spear, protruding from the Skeleton Warlord's back to his chest, halted just a whisper away from piercing me.
​
If no one had intervened, I would have surely died.
​
He had just thrown himself to save my life.
​
- ...I don't know anymore. Damn it. I don't know anything now. Maybe I was enchanted by this sword.
​
Only then did I recognize the identity of the sword in the Skeleton Warlord's hand.
​
"Hero's Soul."
​
The only relic of Lei Fei, a sword that cannot be wielded by those who are not qualified to be heroes.
​
Yet here it was.
​
Held not by a hero, but by a Named Monster — the Skeleton Warlord.
​
- Hero's Soul, huh? For something made by humans, that's a pretty decent name. No, honestly, it's cool. Although it's too late to swing it properly now...
​
His voice trailed off, and the intense blue light in his eyes began to fade.
​
I understood what was happening to him.
​
'Extinction.'
​
Undoubtedly. Even now, the magical force of the Arch Lich, carried by the blade of White Flames, was devouring the Skeleton Warlord.
​
"You."
​
- Don't say any more. I'm already regretting this as it is.
​
I doubted his sincerity, especially given the soft chuckle that seemed at odds with his typically gruff demeanor.
​
- Human. There's something I'm curious about.
​
As the Arch Lich approached and the shoulders of the Skeleton Warlord crumbled, I gave a silent nod.
​
"Anything."
​
He hesitated for a moment then asked in a soft voice.
​
- About what you said last time. Was it sincere?
​
"Last time, what... Oh."
​
I suddenly remembered. The way he had been right after Lei Fei's death, pondering his forgotten past.
​
And the casual remark I had made.
​
​
​
'Well, I think he was probably a pretty good guy.'
​
'...Huh? Are you talking about me?'
​
'No. I'm just talking to myself.'
​
'Oh, yes. Right.'
​
​
​
So that's what it is.
​
For the Skeleton Warlord, who had awakened with power from a spirit that had lost all its memories, I might have been the closest thing to a friend he ever had.
​
The simple words I had spoken were like a pebble tossed into the still waters of his heart, causing ripples to spread outward.
​
'What an idiot.'
​
What was that all about? Why go this far over such a trivial thing?
​
A surge of emotion welled up within me, heat flushing my face, but I reined it in. I barely managed to muster my voice.
​
"Of course it was sincere."
​
- Yes, I see.
​
At that moment, as the blue light in his eyes flickered feebly, a cold voice cut through the air, heralding the end.
​
- Are you finished with your farewells?
​
"…!"
​
- Bone Explosion.
​
Boom!
​
Instinctively, I shielded my face with my arms, but the force of the explosion hurled me backward, sending shockwaves pulsating through me.
​
As I staggered to my feet, I witnessed a skull catapulted into the sky, bones splintering and scattering like brittle ice.
​
And then… silence.
​
The Skeleton Warlord had vanished.
​
Whoosh!
​
[Hero's Soul] plummeted from the heavens, its blade burying itself deep into the earth, gripped by a hand that had not relinquished it until the very end.
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
​
Chapter 423
​
Thud!
​
The moment I hurled the Arch Lich to the ground with a resounding crash, I coiled my energy and kicked the air.
​
Boom!
​
A thunderous explosion of compressed air echoed as I hurtled toward his descending form with fearsome velocity.
​
The Skeleton Warlord let out a scream or cheer — it was hard to tell which.
​
- That's it, human! Finish him!
​
Finish what, exactly?
​
His judgment was unfortunately wrong. I knew this better than anyone, especially as I drove my fist into the Arch Lich's jaw.
​
'Did he cast a defensive spell in that brief moment...?'
​
Before my fully-powered Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist could make contact, he conjured a Bone Shield across his face, warding off the brunt of the blow.
​
Though the strike wasn’t wholly futile, he was no easy foe to vanquish.
​
And my prediction proved accurate. The Arch Lich, whose body had been plummeting earthward like a comet, abruptly stopped mid-descent, as potent magic filled the air.
​
- Darkness Hold.
​
Swoosh!
​
From the void, two colossal hands materialized. At first glance, they appeared as mere Dark Hands, but Darkness Hold was designed exclusively to ensnare its target, as the name suggested.
​
I dived headlong toward the encroaching hands, my spear poised for battle.
​
'I see it.'
​
Everything possesses an 'essence' — living creatures, the wind, even invisible forces.
​
With my middle dantian now open, I could discern and understand the core and essence of all things.
​
Just like in this moment.
​
Screech!
​
Flames burst forth, cleaving through the darkness. The writhing black hands dissipated into a mist, while the Arch Lich’s eyes glinted with malice.
​
The next instant, his spectral bony hand sliced through the air.
​
- Dark Claw!
​
Swoosh, swish!
​
The evaporating black mist morphed into the savage claws of a beast, descending in a furious onslaught.
​
The attacks came from every direction, each with a unique path. Deflecting them would be manageable if I concentrated, but that meant losing ground on the Arch Lich just after having narrowed the gap.
​
'I must make a choice.'
​
It's impossible to catch both rabbits, especially when the opponent is more of a tiger than a rabbit.
​
In an instant, I made my decision and unleashed White Flames — not at the encircling magic, but directly at the Arch Lich.
​
Boom!
​
The searing blue blaze of White Flames tore through the air like a bolt of lightning.
​
From the Arch Lich's mouth came a voice, tinged with unprecedented desperation.
​
- Bone Shie—!
​
It's already too late, you bastard.
​
Whoosh!
​
The blue blaze enveloped the Arch Lich completely.
​
The nascent bone shield disintegrated into dust under the blistering assault.
​
Crack!
​
The White Flames' blade speared through the Arch Lich’s chest, skewering him like meat over a fire. His scream was like none I had ever heard before.
​
Suddenly, a biting chill sliced through the air from every direction.
​
- Human, danger...!
​
Even without the Skeleton Warlord's cry, I already knew.
​
Yet, I did it anyway. In order to take bones, you have to sacrifice flesh. Fully aware of the impending harm, I still believed in my choice.
​
As magical claws descended from all around, I mulled over my decision.
​
'...Maybe I should have just blocked it.'
​
But regret was a luxury I could no longer afford.
​
Shhhhhh!
​
A wind swept over my entire form, chilling to the bone.
​
It was no illusion like a Bone Spear, nor slow enough to block. I contorted my body, bolstering my Qi, but the onslaught was relentless.
​
Shiing, slash, screee! Swoosh!
​
Shoulders, flanks, thighs, arms...
​
Countless magical claws lacerated my flesh. Blood gushed from the wounds, and agony surged through me.
​
'Damn it.'
​
It hurts enough to make me wish for death.
​
No matter how often one experiences it, pain is something one never gets used to.
​
My vision blurred, my limbs grew heavy and succumbed.
​
It was a brief lapse, yet it stretched into an agonizing eternity.
​
When my eyes fluttered open again, the first thing I saw was an imposing mass of concrete that had materialized seemingly out of nowhere.
​
- Wake up, human!
​
"…!"
​
The urgent command of the Skeleton Warlord jolted me back to awareness.
​
I funneled Qi into my stiff limbs, the pain from ruptured meridians reigniting my dulled senses.
​
'Now!'
​
With no time to waste, I hurled myself over.
​
Bang! A cloud of dust billowed as I crash-landed onto the concrete debris. Sharp tremors and pain shot through my legs.
​
"Ugh."
​
The Skeleton Warlord spoke to me as I grit my teeth against the pain,
​
- Human, you don't look… okay.
​
I drew a ragged breath and shot back,
​
"Huff. If you know that, then shut up. My head is throbbing."
​
It was no exaggeration; even the System notifications were enough to make my stomach churn.
​
Beep.
​
​
​
- Status abnormality, [Serious Injury] has been inflicted!
​
- Status abnormality, [Excessive Bleeding] has been inflicted!
​
- Due to severe injuries, your physical stats have drastically decreased!
​
- [Strength], [Agility], [Stamina] have each decreased by 200 points!
​
- You have sustained severe injuries! Immediate medical attention is required!
​
​
​
Yep, that sounds about right.
​
Whether from the blood loss or the relentless pain, my vision swam, and my thoughts muddled.
​
Yet, through the haze, one thought remained clear.
​
"The Arch Lich. Where is the Arch Lich?"
​
At my hoarse voice, the Skeleton Warlord shouted.
​
- You crazy human! Get treated first!
​
"The kill notification hasn't popped up yet. He's still alive..."
​
- Notification or not, get treated now!
​
"Ugh."
​
I told you to shut up.
​
Leaning heavily against the rubble, I felt dizzy. Blood seeped from my drenched clothing, and my limbs shook uncontrollably like trembling leaves.
​
'Shit.'
​
This time, I took a serious beating.
​
The only small comfort was that the Arch Lich must be just as badly off, if not worse.
​
- You foolish human!
​
I know. I know already.
​
While the echoes of reprimand rang in my skull, I spread my palm and whispered to myself.
​
'Inventory open. Summon.'
​
Pop!
​
Everything happened simultaneously.
​
From a subspace pocket, once belonging to Lee Jeong-Ryong, I retrieved an item now mine to command.
​
'Top-grade potion.'
​
Could Lee Jeong-Ryong have ever imagined that the two emergency potions he'd packed would both end up in my hands?
​
My fingers shook as I uncorked the Top-grade potion, desperate to drink it like it was the very elixir of life.
​
But just as I raised it to my lips.
​
Thud, swoosh!
​
"…Huh?"
​
It all happened in an instant.
​
A black vine shot up from the concrete debris, lashed at my wrist, and sent the potion arcing through the air, disappearing into the fog.
​
As I watched a few droplets disperse into the dusty air and sink into the earth, I muttered,
​
"Dark Vine."
​
A spell all too familiar.
​
The Skeleton Warlord groaned.
​
- It's him.
​
I lifted my gaze. A red light flickered through the dense fog like a distant flame.
​
Approaching was a figure, three meters tall with a sinister black gleam. It resembled a human, yet bore an essence that defied such a simple label as it emerged from the fog with heavy, deliberate steps.
​
- You, human.
​
The voice was low, heavy with unmistakable rage.
​
The Skeleton Warlord trembled within my Inventory, and a faint smile crossed my lips.
​
"You damn bastard. I was drinking that."
​
- Your struggle ends here.
​
Shriek, snap!
​
I had no chance to react — when the Arch Lich flicked his fingers, Lee Jeong-Ryong’s ordinary-looking subspace pocket was swept into the distance by the Dark Vine.
​
- Your shallow tricks will no longer work.
​
With each word he spoke, the magic encircling the Arch Lich stirred to life.
​
Yet, just as I bore grave injuries, his power too seemed diminished.
​
My White Flames spear that had scorched through his chest was unmistakably the cause.
​
'I can do this.'
​
Summoning my strength, I pushed myself upright. Extending my hand, I summoned a spear from my Inventory, clasping it firmly.
​
"The spear stuck in your chest really suits you. Should I add another so you're symmetric?"
​
- Do you think you will have the chance?
​
"Of course. Seeing your state, it seems quite possible."
​
- Human, you always fail to distinguish between bravery and recklessness. Foolish, truly foolish.
​
The Arch Lich, with a booming laugh, spread his arms wide.
​
Instead of his robe, now reduced to cinders by my previous assault, pitch-black magic surged from his form, taking shape.
​
'That's a...'
​
A menacing vortex of magic, its presence alone ominous.
​
Instinctively, I grasped the Arch Lich’s intentions.
​
'Gate.'
​
It appeared volatile, on the verge of eruption, yet it was unmistakably shaping into a gate.
​
The next words from the Arch Lich confirmed my suspicions.
​
- It's not complete yet... but if I can defeat you, I can complete it.
​
Suddenly, a deep voice, as if echoing from the heavens, caused the air itself to quiver.
​
- Come forth. Gate Open.
​
"…!"
​
I had to intervene somehow. But the pain hindered my movements, and the transformation had already begun.
​
I watched, eyes wide, as the next moment unfolded.
​
Boom!
​
The sparse rays of sunlight, which had been meekly filtering through the ashen clouds, vanished entirely.
​
As the sky split with a deafening roar, a tempest raged around us, and the ensuing darkness rose like a primordial giant.
​
Whoosh!
​
The flickering darkness ballooned from the heart of the ruined cityscape.
​
Rising as tall as a skyscraper and spanning wider than a football field, it dwarfed any Gate I had ever encountered, stirring a primal fear deep within my bones.
​
- Ah, aah.
​
Even the undead monster, the Skeleton Warlord, trembled at the sight.
​
As I stared transfixed at the Gate, a critical reminder flashed through my mind.
​
'I must stop it. No matter what.'
​
Though it wasn't fully formed, leaving it unchecked could unleash an unimaginable catastrophe.
​
Millions, possibly tens of millions, could perish.
​
And... among them might be those dear to me.
​
Mr. Choi, steadfast on the battlefield, and Shao Shen, to whom I had unexpectedly grown close.
​
Should the Arch Lich extend his reach beyond China to the peninsula... even the members of the Peace Guild and my cherished family would face dire peril.
​
'I must go.'
​
Pain and terror had seized my body, but it was sheer determination that propelled me forward.
​
Drawing on every reserve of strength, I rallied my Qi as my wounded meridians protested sharply, spurring fresh blood to seep from my wounds.
​
But I could not falter. I only had this one shot, this one opportunity.
​
'Brilliant Path of Fire.'
​
With each agonizing step, my battered legs drove me forward, leaving a blazing trail in my wake.
​
At its end awaited the catalyst of this chaos.
​
The one whose death could also end this.
​
'Die.'
​
One Strike.
​
Time seemed to slow as I drove my spear forward with all my strength.
​
The tornado I unleashed barreled toward him.
​
Boom!
​
And amidst the sea of blue flames that enveloped the world, his mocking laughter and his words sliced through the inferno.
​
- Blink.
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
​
Chapter 422
​
Ding. Ding. Ding.
​
​
​
- Opportunity arises within crisis. You have gained new enlightenment amidst a life-and-death battle!
​
- [Middle Dantian] has been opened!
​
- With the opening of the [Middle Dantian], all stats have increased by 20!
​
- The effects of [Qi Cultivation] have greatly improved!
​
- Your ability to understand and manipulate the flow of Qi has been greatly enhanced!
​
- Your internal and external states have been strengthened!
​
.
​
.
​
.
​
​
​
The relentless System notifications echoed in my ears, their cadence like a persistent hammer.
​
A sudden gust of wind swept through, playing with my sweat-drenched hair as a newfound vigor suffused my body.
​
A clear, resonant bell chimed, marking the culmination of my transformation.
​
Ding.
​
​
​
- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained a large amount of experience points!
​
- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained 50 bonus points!
​
- Level up!
​
- As a result of leveling up, all status effects, fatigue, and some injuries are recovered!
​
- The status abnormality, [Curse], has been lifted!
​
- Temporarily reduced stats have been restored to their original state!
​
​
​
I wasn't the only one who felt such changes.
​
No hand moves unseen by its master. The Arch Lich, sensing the dissolution of his curse, voiced his disbelief in a tone thick with suspicion.
​
- How did you...?!
​
His words, laden with myriad unspoken queries, met only my nonchalant shrug.
​
"Well."
​
- Well?
​
"Yes, well."
​
- Do you think that explains it?
​
"Obviously not. But do I really need to explain myself to you?"
​
From the flickering light in his eyes, incredulity was unmistakable.
​
- You're not a mage, are you?
​
"I did want to be a mage. They get paid more, you know. But I just don't have the talent for it. Nor the brains."
​
- Even those you call Grand Mages couldn't easily dispel my magic like this.
​
"There's nothing to it, really."
​
- This makes no sense!
​
I conceded silently.
​
The Arch Lich's mastery was undeniably beyond mine.
​
Even I, having long surpassed the ordinary bounds of a Hunter, struggled against his curses and the perilous illusions crafted from bone spears.
​
Without my recent enlightenment, I might not have stood here at all.
​
But...
​
"So what are you going to do about it?"
​
- ...!
​
The System was on my side; I had simply utilized the strength and resources it provided to navigate through the crisis.
​
If he thinks that's unfair, he can use the System himself.
​
"That's just how the world works. It's annoying and frustrating, but you just have to bear with it and move on. It's already happened. Right?"
​
The Skeleton Warlord, previously howling in rage until a moment ago, now murmured under his breath.
​
- Wow, you really do speak well.
​
That's just how I am.
​
- You wicked human. It doesn't look like he's going to just let it go and move on.
​
The Skeleton Warlord was right.
​
Suddenly, a chilling voice cut through the air, followed by a tempest of formidable magical energy.
​
- Unleash Sonic Buster.
​
Simultaneously.
​
Whoosh, boom!
​
A blast of densely compressed air erupted.
​
Its sheer velocity turned concrete to dust and twisted steel rebars like twigs.
​
The shockwave shattered the windows of a nearby skyscraper, sweeping up a storm of glass shards.
​
In an instant, before I could even blink, the devastating wind was mere inches from my face.
​
- Human!
​
The scream of the Skeleton Warlord resounded from my inventory.
​
Was it concern for his own fate, or anxiety over mine?
​
Regardless, the reason held little weight.
​
I was no longer the same person I had been mere moments ago.
​
'Ah.'
​
A warmth blossomed in my chest. The spot known to martial artists as the Middle Dantian had fully opened.
​
Suddenly, I understood everything around me. I felt it on my skin and saw it with acute clarity.
​
'So that's how it is.'
​
Time seemed to stretch, the world slowing to a crawl around me, rendering everything sharply defined and vivid.
​
A colossal orb of wind, launched like a slicing blade, and the intricate flow of magic that propelled it.
​
Shhhh!
​
Everything has a core, magic included. With the opening of my middle dantian, I could discern that core.
​
'Now.'
​
In this decelerated reality, I thrust my spear forward. The formidable orb of wind, previously unstoppable, cleaved neatly in two by the blade of White Flames.
​
The split fragments of the wind, once a unified force, now dispersed into hundreds, then thousands of smaller currents. Stripped of their magical command, they cascaded to the earth in a chaotic ballet.
​
Swoosh, crash!
​
The winds whipped around, tousling my clothes and hair. I raised my head to face the Arch Lich, my expression tinged with a slight smile.
​
"Come down here. My neck hurts."
​
- You...!
​
"Fine, I'll come up."
​
Crack, boom!
​
A single step.
​
The ground beneath me shattered, and I propelled myself toward the grey expanse above.
​
​
​
* * *
​
​
​
Boom!
​
As Jin Tae-Kyung launched into the air, the Arch Lich grasped the gravity of the situation.
​
'I can't let this human approach.'
​
Avoiding melee combat was a basic rule for any mage, yet it held a new significance for the Arch Lich now.
​
'To think this body feels threatened by a mere human.'
​
He prided himself on having reached the pinnacle of black magic.
​
Despite the considerable drain on his power during his resurrection, the Arch Lich still wielded more magical might than any Grand Mage.
​
Yet, the human confronting him now... posed a genuine threat.
​
'Yes, just like that one back then.'
​
It was a memory he desperately wanted to forget. Gritting his teeth, the Arch Lich summoned his magic.
​
- Gravity!
​
This time, his command wasn't just a shout but a formidable wave of power, unleashing an invisible, formless force that crushed everything within its vast reach.
​
Even an S-rank Hunter like Jin Tae-Kyung could hardly withstand the overwhelming pressure closing in on him.
​
Bang!
​
A burst of compressed air shot from beneath Jin Tae-Kyung's feet as he executed the Void-Trampling Step, his body darting out of the gravity's lethal embrace.
​
His movements, sharp and swift as a hawk's, far surpassed those of any ordinary flyer.
​
'What the hell.'
​
The Arch Lich's eyes darkened as he watched Jin Tae-Kyung slice through the air, rapidly closing the distance.
​
It was clear now; Jin Tae-Kyung had not only accurately determined the range of the gravity spell but evaded it with uncanny skill.
​
'It wasn't mere luck that he dispelled the illusion magic. Then...'
​
Whoooosh!
​
Magic surged from the Arch Lich, vibrating the very air around him.
​
- Gravity. Gravity. Gravity.
​
He cast the high-level spell repeatedly, a feat beyond even the most adept mages. With this, the Arch Lich believed he would overpower Jin Tae-Kyung this time.
​
'Fall, human.'
​
Instead of increasing the force, he had expanded the spell's reach, creating a gravitational field vast enough to ensnare any within its grip...
​
Screech!
​
Doubt flickered in the Arch Lich's gaze.
​
Simultaneously, the crushing spell around Jin Tae-Kyung unraveled, its magical link severed as if sliced by an unseen blade.
​
Caught off-guard, the Arch Lich watched as Jin Tae-Kyung propelled himself forward, stepping into the void and rocketing upwards like a cannonball.
​
Boom! Sssshhhh!
​
With a deafening sonic boom, Jin Tae-Kyung soared, not merely in front but rising above the Arch Lich, and he brought down the White Flames with devastating force.
​
Whoosh, a streak of blue flames surged towards the Arch Lich.
​
Crash!
​
In the slowed-down reality, an invisible shield around the Arch Lich shattered like glass.
​
In that moment, the flames of Protective Qi, fueled by three gapjas of Scorching Yang Qi, penetrated the multitude of defensive spells cloaking the Arch Lich.
​
- Great Bone Wall!
​
With a grim command, a barrier of black bones erupted from the void.
​
This top-tier defensive magic, materializing merely a meter away, met the spear blade wreathed in flames.
​
In the ashen sky, a massive shockwave boomed and thunder roared around the two foes divided by the Bone Wall.
​
Whooooah!
​
The air burst with intensity, dispersing clouds that had roamed the high skies. Buildings teetering on collapse crumbled, and half-decayed bodies were whisked away by the winds.
​
Yet, the two beings responsible for this chaos faced each other across the barrier, their gazes steady.
​
"It was a waste, wasn't it?"
​
- Yes, indeed. No, wait...
​
The Arch Lich paused, his eyes fixated on the mystical spear blade that had penetrated the center of the wall.
​
- It was dangerous.
​
The length of the spear blade that passed through the Bone Wall was only about the length of a finger, and the burst of Protective Qi had not even grazed his nose.
​
It was fortunate for the Arch Lich and regrettable for Jin Tae-Kyung.
​
"You're lucky, you."
​
- Arrogant human, I must admit.
​
"What?"
​
Jin Tae-Kyung, taken aback, listened as the Arch Lich spoke more deliberately.
​
- You would be worthy of this win, if you truly are the Adversary.
​
"...The Adversary?"
​
- Yes. The King's Adversary. The eternal rival entangled by the whims of the gods. I cannot be certain yet... but perhaps that's why I was able to rise again from the River of Death.
​
Jin Tae-Kyung’s brow furrowed. What does the King's Adversary mean, and what was this talk of the whims of the gods?
​
"Are you a second-year middle school student? Clear away these bones and show me your right hand. Let's see if you have a Black Flame Dragon." [Note: this reference is a bit intricate. The "Black Flame Dragon" part originates from the YuYu Hakusho anime/manga, in which one of the characters has a Black Flame Dragon living in his right arm. The "second year middle school" part references a concept called "chuunibyou", which comes from the light novel "Even with Chuunibyou, I Want to Fall in Love!", which heavily references "YuYu Hakusho". The concept of "chuunibyou" describes a particular stage in adolescence where individuals might hold delusional beliefs of grandeur, pretending to have secret knowledge or hidden powers. It's typically characterized by dramatic, over-the-top behavior, which is often a source of embarrassment later in life. This concept was vastly popularized by the anime, "Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions!"]
​
The Arch Lich shook his head.
​
- This is something neither you nor I can understand. But one thing is certain.
​
His eyes, previously dimly glowing red, now blazed with intensity.
​
Initially, he had merely thought of him as a powerful, albeit strange, human. Now, his perception had shifted.
​
Memories from decades ago flooded back, when he had roamed the planet in service to the King.
​
And the face of that human he had encountered on the day he fell into the River of Death.
​
'The Adversary.'
​
The human who had not only slain him but had also assassinated the King.
​
The Arch Lich tried to halt him but failed; he attempted to close the distance but could not bridge it. This human was the only one the Arch Lich had ever truly feared.
​
Amidst the tumult of battle with Jin Tae-Kyung, memories of that fearful day surfaced.
​
- You... will surely die here.
​
His voice, grim yet resolute, reverberated through the air.
​
Jin Tae-Kyung’s reply was dismissive and direct.
​
"What are you talking about, idiot?"
​
Then, in the blink of an eye,
​
"Eat this."
​
Whoosh. Boom!
​
With calm defiance, Jin Tae-Kyung unleashed a fist wreathed in blue flames, obliterating everything before it.
​
It met the barrier of black bones head-on.
​
Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist.
​
Crack!
​
The seemingly impenetrable Bone Wall shattered.
​
Through the cloud of bone shards, Jin Tae-Kyung, his face impassive, declared,
​
"It's much better this way. No more neck pain."
​
- ...!
​
"Down, boy."
​
Pop!
​
Like a streak of lightning, his fist shot forward, connecting squarely with the Arch Lich’s jaw.
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Recently, I did some travelling and had the opportunity to check out several cars not sold in North America. One of the more interesting ones was a 2016 Volkswagen Transporter Passenger van. This van was simply amazing. It could comfortably seat eight adults and still had plenty of cargo space behind the seats. It also had AWD and enough ground clearance for mild off-roading. What was also impressive was that it could tow over 5,000 pounds.
A few other manufacturers make similar vans, but none are sold in North America. The last midsized van available here was the Metris; before that, it was the Astro/Safari.
I think there would be a lot of interest in this kind of vehicle (sales of the Sprinter are going up after all), but I guess automakers feel that they'd steal away sales from their large crossovers and pickups.
Thoughts?

So, I had the oddest thing happen to me yesterday when I started my 2014 mustang gt and pulled it out of my garage, after it being on for about 1-2 min and just idling I noticed white smoke coming out of the hood through the vents. Upon seeing that I shut the car off and ran to grab my fire extinguisher for fear my engine was on fire but when I popped the hood I couldn’t locate anything on fire. I believe the smoke was coming from the driver side of the engine somewhere undeto the side of it but couldn’t locate exactly what the cause was. I checked the coolant level and oil level before starting the car and everything was in good shape, no leaks or puddles on the ground beneath my car either. I at first thought maybe it was wires melting that produced the smoke but I didn’t think that after being only on a minute or two it would’ve built up enough heat to start melting wires, although the smell to my best description was like a burning rubber smell. After not being able to locate anything burning and the smoking stopped I turned the car back on to try and duplicate the problem and it never occurred again after that even after fully letting the vehicle warm up and get to operating temps. My thoughts now is that maybe a belt became loose or stopped rubbing against something it shouldn’t have but I never heard any squealing or unusual noises either while it was running and after driving it around I still didn’t have any issues or unusual noises or even have the smoke come out of the hood again and my check engine light never came on either. I’m sorry this is a long post but I’m honestly clueless at this point as to what it might be and wanted to see if anyone on here might know anything that could help me try and figure this phantom smoke out.

Hear me out folks, I tried different configurations and I found the dagger spam, slow and blink works the best against enemy squishy safe-lane heroes while you get shut-down and punished hard if you go to safe-lane against some tanky boys with a lot of HP regen.
So, I went safe-lane and I got shut down out of any farm, my dagger and my support's low dmg spells werent doing anything against their Str Heroes. I lost hard.
Then because of some team-misscomunication, I had to go mid against Pudge and I got shut down again, I went OOM and I tried so hard to just get Cornucopia but I died before obtaining it....
But I didnt surrender yet, this time I went off-lane. This time I decided to get a mana regen mask from the start! And spam the dagger 24/7 since first seconds without worrying for mana. It kinda worked better because I didnt go OOM that much.
I had Earth Spirit with me on lane against Drow and Sillencer, I think we died and it came to the point of ES spamming me pings and screaming in Russian something that I didnt understand xD So I had to mute him.
However, I found the dagger spam actually works much better against squisher agi and int heroes and I was able to harrass them better than the previous str off-laners.... Then ES gained a bunch of levels, we clicked a bunch of spells, jumps and it literally started to be free kills, they were so easy to kill, I made orb of corruption's bonus slow and they tried to run with low hp and ultra slowed. We got fed and the game went 25/5/21 for me.
Then, I got another game with Elden Titan on my side and it went similar, last time I just sold that mana regen mask later but this time, I quickly upgraded it to Ring of Basilus to help my laning partner with mana and the game was very similar to that of ES, we were against support Viper and Sniper lol that later became free kills.
This game, I looked at our Safe-lane that was slightly losing and it had Undying and in general two str boys and I thought to myself that oh damn, I'd propably suck hard there but instead of it, I was able to dominate the off-lane, go to gank and help my team with ET just like with ES and end the game with 18/3.
Then the third game - I see someone in out team picks Axe. Enemy has Riki and Silencer.
So I think - oh boy, well maybe Axe doesnt have as much of a direct clickable combo as my before lane partners but I'll get the Orb's slow and ring of basilus again and we should be fine and shut them down.
Then, for some reason, (I was in the team with a party of 3 russians) that Axe switched his position to the safe-lane... I had Dazzle on my lane instead...
I saw Riki and Sillencer appearing and I still thought - Oh boy, another squishy team to beat! Basically, I kept Riki at 40% HP non-stop but the enemy sillencer was coming at me and harrasing me.. I thought that damn, I gotta switch targets actually. I ping Dazzle to counter-harras the guy but all he did was like idk, do 70dmg two times and just standed somewhere, well, idk what he was doing honestly.
So I pinged him - bro, harras! We need to beat them, this is my main thing I'm doing to win the game, we cant fail this stage. So he ran into them and died. I got so annoyed and went salty like - Wtf, bro, why do you picked Dazzle for the off-lane, another game lost just by picking useless heroes, if I even had that harassing silencer there as my partner it'd be a gg, need some harrasser, please Axe switch lanes or something, someone with ANY damage please come to my lane, we need to kill them, quick!
Guy went like - Pffff and went bot into a trio-lane. So I was standing alone under my tower harrased by the Sillencer and Riki getting free farm. I hit a 6th level and tried to plead again with my team - Please Axe or anyone come to my lane, I have Ring of Basilus and bonus slow, please guys - Sillencer is under my tower, he's a free gold for us, Riki is free-farming, we have to deny it ASAP or we'll lose! And with no surprise there, we lost. But also because of ultra fed enemy SF xD
Actually the game turned into another 55 min high ground because a bunch of times they jumped onto an Axe and got Medusa's ultied as 3 when our entire team was there and we got some gold to defend at least.. but yeah, the entire game an overly-fat Riki was inflitrating our backline.
The end.

I am starting work putting together a DnD 5e campaign for level 5 adventurers that would go up to level 11. The main hook will be Rogue (not the PC class) alchemists and performance drug dealers in conflict with the guilds of the 6 Nation's Unified Guilds and local law enforcement.
With alchemy being a major theme, I brainstormed a bunch of things for more advanced versions of adventuring gear for the guilds or criminals to sell, or the party to loot off their corpses. Elemental resistance and vulnerabilities will play a part in the homebrew enemies.
I am looking for feedback on
•how much to charge for the items. •Any recommendations on changes to damage or DCs. •wording changes for clarity.
(Some Ideas are more thought out than others)
Here we go.
Alchemist's Fire (flask)
This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
War Fire (flask)
This alchemically enhanced adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. A vial held in hand may be thrown up to 20 ft. replacing an attack made as part of the attack action on your turn shattering on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 12 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames. Hit or miss, the liquid ignites a square 15 ft on a side of the ground centered on the target. Creatures who enter an ignited area for the first time on a turn or start their turn there take 2d4 fire damage. A square 5 foot section of ignited area can be extinguished as an action.
Dragons breath (Canister) This volatile concoction is illegal to carry into most cities. Typically stored in a magically reinforced container, militaries and criminal master alchemists are the only source, neither of which are likely to give up their secrets. As an action you can speak the command word and throw the canister up to 30 ft where it shatters in a conflagration. Everyone in a 15 ft radius must make a DC 16 Dex save taking 6d4 fire damage on a failure and are ignited. Objects not worn or carried automatically fail this save. Ignited creatures take 6d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. A creature may use an action to attempt to put out the fire on themselves or others with a DC 16 Dexterity Check. Creatures who succeed on their saving throw take half damage and are not ignited.
caltrops As an action, you can spread a single bag of caltrops to cover a 5-foot-square area. Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or stop moving and take 1 piercing damage. Until the creature regains at least 1 hit point, its walking speed is reduced by 10 feet. A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn't need to make the saving throw.
Barbed Caltrops
As with caltrops, but the damage is 1d4 piercing and the caltrops stick to those who fail their saving throw dealing 1 point of piercing damage for every 5 feet of movement spent. The caltrops can be removed as an action and they must be removed before recovering HP in order to regain movement speed.
Footbane caltrop bag
This magic bag contains 20 caltrops. When the command word is spoken, the caltops spring out of the bag to a location within 15 ft of the caster and spread themselves out over a 10-ft square area. They continue to move around that area until another command word is spoken to return them to the bag, an hour passes, or five creatures fail their saving throw against them as they become too spread out to be effective. Any caltrops not returned to the bag within 1 hour become non-magical. The constant movement of the caltrops make them impossible to hide, however, it also means that moving at half speed does not let a creature avoid having to make the save. If caltrops are lost or left behind they can be replaced by filling the bag with 20 non-magical caltrops and leaving them in the bag for 8 hours.
Acid Vial
As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 acid damage.
Elemental vial As with acid Vial, but dealing fire, frost, poison, lightning, or thunder damage.
Clinging acid As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 acid damage. At the end of each of the creatures' turns it takes a number of D6s of acid damage one less than the previous instance. (If it took 3d6 last time it takes 2d6 this time.) A creature may take the use an object action to reduce the next instance of this damage on themselves or an ally within 5 ft by 1d6. A creature proficient with alchemy tools may use the tools as part of the use an object action to reduce the next instance of damage damage by 2d6 instead.
Dragon's Bile [Flavor text] As with clinging acid but the starting damage is 5d6, creatures have disadvantage on saving throws to maintain concentration and while taking the ongoing damage, and the action now requires a DC 15 dexterity check to succeed. (alchemy tool proficiency applies)
Holy water
As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged attack against a target creature, treating the holy water as an improvised weapon. If the target is a fiend or undead, it takes 2d6 radiant damage.
Sacred oil As an action you can apply this oil to a melee or ranged weapon. For 1 minute, attacks made with the weapon are considered magical and deal an additional 1d6 radiant damage to fiends or undead. This oil smells abhorrent to fiends. Once opened, and for one hour after it is applied to a weapon, fiends within 100 feet of the open vial or weapon will not suffer the surprised condition.
Tears of the Saints/Blood of the Martyrs [Flavor text] As an action, you speak a command phrase (usually a prayer of censure) and throw the reliquary up to 30 feet away from you. The souls of the wronged cry out for vengeance and each undead (for tears) or Fiend (for blood) within 30 feet of the target location, that can see or hear, takes 2d6 radiant damage and must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, and its CR is 1 or less it is destroyed (undead) or banished to its home plane (fiends). A creature above CR 1 that fails it's save is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from the target location as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of it. The creature also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
Healing potion You regain 2d4+2 hit points when you drink this potion. Drinking or administering a potion takes an action.
Bloodmush! "For people who don't have enough blood in them, so that they can have more blood in them!" -NoRefunds, wandering kobold trader
"Usually made by those who are not serviced by the guilds and do not have the necessary expertise or available raw materials to make healing potions, satchets of this dark red paste are far more likely to be found in orc, goblinoid, and kobold tribes than civilized areas." Archaic Alchemy of the Six Nations, chapter 7
You regain 1d4+1 hit points when you eat this paste or apply it directly to a wound. This takes an action.
Salve "There has been a great deal of arguments regarding Salve. Some claim it is merely another means of applying a healing potion, but be wary. Salve is not regulated by the guild, so there are no laws protecting its quality. Use at your own risk." -Archaic Alchemy of the Six Nations, chapter 2
As an action, one dose of Salve can be swallowed or applied to the skin. The creature that receives it gains benefits according to the following list.
Fake Salve: pain is relieved, but receive no actual benefits.
Fowl Salve: gain 2d4+2 temporary HP. At the end of 1 minute take 2d4 poison damage and lose any remaining temporary HP.
Mediocre salve: regain 1 HP and 2d4 temp HP. At the end of 1 minute if any temp HP from this salve remains, lose the temp HP and regain the same amount of HP.
Quality salve: regain 2d4+2 HP.
Exquisite salve: regain 2d8 + 2 hit points, cease to be poisoned, and becured of up to one non-magical disease.
Unidentified salve: can be identified by using it, or by a creature proficient in alchemist's supplies making a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Alchemist's tools) check as part of a short rest. When identified, roll a D20 and compare it to the following table. 1 fake Salve 2-3 fowl Salve 4-10 mediocre salve 11-19 quality Salve 20 exquisite Salve
DM note: the range of Salve quality in the setting is worse than indicated by the table. The fact that most sellers will not intentionally sell fake or fowl Salve to the heavily armed, notoriously violent adventurers skews the table in their favor.

May got out to a lightning start for me, continuing the torrid April pace for a while before cooling off a bit in the back end of the month. That's partially by design, as I jumped into a pair of longer games (one enormously so) which I won't finish until deeper into June, but I've also noticed I'm slowly bleeding gaming time from my evenings. As my kids get incrementally older and the days grow incrementally longer entering summer, an hour that would previously be my own is now deferred to them, and that adds up over the course of an entire month.
Not that I'd trade my kids, you understand.
(Games are presented in chronological completion order; the numerical indicator represents the YTD count.)
​
​
#27 - Contra: Hard Corps - GEN - 8/10 (Great)
It's been fascinating to watch the Contra series evolve over time, and Hard Corps on the Sega Genesis is no different. With no Mode 7 (the SNES' proprietary isometric viewpoint mode) available on the system, necessarily some of the top down content from Contra III would need to be altered or removed, and that begged the question of what would take its place: after all, a return to basic sidescrolling action might feel like a big step down, and we can't have that. So I think I expected Hard Corps to throw in a new wrinkle to keep the formula a bit more fresh. What I did not expect was for it to make three enormous changes.
For one, Hard Corps has four different characters to choose from, and each is actually unique. It's not just the look - where else can you play a cybernetic wolfman? - but they've got different sizes and hurtboxes as well. And while each starts with the same basic low power machine gun, each has a completely different loadout of possible weapon upgrades, ensuring that all four play very differently from one another outside of the fundamentals of movement. To that end, the two weapon toggle of Contra III is expanded in Hard Corps, allowing you to hold all four of your upgraded weapons simultaneously and switch between them at will, which adds a new layer of depth and strategy to the action. Building upon this notion of enhanced player choice even further, the second big change is that the game has branching paths. After the first stage you make a choice that determines where you head for the second level, and then later on you make another choice that creates further divergence, such that the game has four main endings (and a secret fifth!), all with their own dedicated unique stages. It's for that reason possibly the most replayable game so far in the franchise; I myself did a run through of each ending using a different character per run to get a feel for them all.
This leads to the final big change, which is the only one I don't regard a resounding success: the entire game is basically a boss rush. Let's zero in on the main path that I followed on my primary playthrough and add up all mini-bosses and full boss phases. What number might you expect that to come out as? A dozen or so? Well, sorry about your naiveté, but the answer is 43: it's bosses all the way down. This is a MUCH more mentally taxing load than previous Contra games where you could kind of skate through the non-boss sections with good fundamentals. And that's just one of four possible paths through the game! It's absurd! It's also way more fun than it sounds it would be from the description, but I've heard people say Hard Corps is the toughest Contra game and now I know why. I do miss just running and gunning and dropping dudes in one hit before a thrilling finale; it's hard to be properly wowed by a boss fight when that's all you ever see. But nevertheless Contra: Hard Corps is lives up to the legacy of greatness the franchise had up until that point established...just steel yourself mentally for the extensive memorization it requires of you.
​
#28 - Ancient Enemy - PC - 5.5/10 (Semi-Competent)
Solitaire is one of those games that nobody really wants to play. It’s a game of convenience and opportunity, only attractive in the absence of something better, which is to say “nearly anything else at all.” Slightly more entertaining are variations on the form, such as Mahjong Solitaire or Free Cell, where certain cards/tiles are locked until the ones above them have been cleared away. These are still just time wasting games for people with nothing else to do, but when presented as a discrete set of challenges there’s a bit more appeal. Do you know they say that every one of the 32,000 numbered games of FreeCell on classic Windows operating systems was supposedly beatable? Did you know a very bored teenage me once decided to see if I could prove it by playing and beating every single unique game of FreeCell in order? I got into the low 30s or so before I questioned what the hell I was doing with my life and wisely moved on.
Well, Ancient Enemy is a game for people with nothing better to do, masquerading as a game that would qualify as "something better to do." It’s an RPG, I guess, but the gameplay revolves entirely around a solitaire variant. You have a deck of “stock cards” numbered 0-9 and start each encounter (“hand”) by flipping the top one. Then on the board you have to collect a card with a number adjacent to the one you’re displaying - 0 serving as a bridge between 1 and 9. Getting a card reveals any card trapped immediately below it and enables that card to be collected as well. If you can’t make a move, you can flip a new stock card over to get a random new number until your deck runs out. Some levels are simple puzzles in this vein, trying to clear all the cards from the board. Most encounters though are battles, where you do the exact same thing, except the color of the card you collect enables you to attack, defend, or cast a spell. So it’s turn-based combat, except each turn is you basically clearing as many cards as you can from the board to juice up your attack or bolster your defense, and that’s about it.
Now, at first, this is actually way more fun than I’m making it sound. I mean, I like solitaire type games for what they are, and the extra mechanics definitely do enrich the experience. You get consumable wild cards, battle boards have bonus cards with instant benefits, you get powers that manipulate the board, new types of cards appear, all good stuff. The problem is that the game completely runs out of these new ideas about a quarter of the way through, at which point you’re just going through the motions until the end, accompanied by a complete nothing of a story that I was confident I had figured out, only to find that the ending was somehow worse than the cliche I’d been anticipating. Thus, the game sadly settled into that exact same niche of games it was supposed to improve upon and supplant. Which I suppose is ok…if you’ve got nothing better to do.
​
#29 - Snakebird Primer - PC - 7/10 (Good)
I follow a general rule of always playing game franchises in order, but Snakebird Primer is a unique case wherein the developers of the original Snakebird decided that it was too off-putting to new players, and so they made a sequel that they explicitly wanted newcomers to play first. A "primer" in truth to ease you into the overall Snakebird challenge, as it were. So when I decided to check out Snakebird, I thought all right: just this once I'll do it your way.
So how does Snakebird Primer shake out? Well...it's fine. It's a jaunty kind of puzzle game, with bright colors, friendly art and music, and general good vibes. In each stage you control one or more segmented "snakebirds" and have to get them all to the rainbow portal to complete the level. Sometimes you need to eat fruit to open the portal as well, but that's the entire game in a nutshell. It's a very simple concept, complicated only by the fact that a snakebird that has no body segments touching the ground will fall, and so each stage is a kind of pathing challenge, tasking you to figure out the right order of operations to reach the end. The levels are very well paced and designed if you just go in order: there aren't any hand-holdy tutorials, but new ideas are introduced organically at various intervals, and the challenge always feels reasonable, especially because you can undo any number of moves at will, like stepping through code to find an error.
There is, however, a significant difficulty spike for the last couple levels, which is pretty jarring. And when you add to that the fact that the designer of Baba Is You said he built a lot of his design philosophy around the original Snakebird, I've got to admit I'm a lot less keen on checking that one out. It's in that same realm of "enter these six dozen commands in precisely the right order" that made Baba Is You eventually feel more tedious and frustrating to me than anything else, so I think for now I'm happy to have just played the "lite" version instead.
​
#30 - It Takes Two - PS4 - 8.5/10 (Excellent)
When trying to write down a genre for It Takes Two in my tracking spreadsheet, I wanted to put "Yes". It's as though the developers wanted to make a bunch of different kinds of games and, rather than accepting any limitations (self-imposed or otherwise), they just found a way to do it all at once. It Takes Two is a platformer. It's a third-person shooter. It's a puzzle game. It's a rhythm game. It's a racing game. It's a stealth game. It's a boss battling action adventure. It's a minigame collection. It's a romantic comedy. It's an exploration playground. One minute you're flying around on a jetpack chucking Captain America shields at devils and the next you're literally playing a timed game of chess. None of the things that It Takes Two does would be characterized as masterpiece forms of their respective genres, but that's not the point. There's sufficient depth and development of each mechanic that it never feels like a lazy tack-on to check a box - and that in itself is beyond impressive - but it's the sheer number of different ideas tossed into this package that make it truly special.
It's hard for me to even review this game, frankly. Part of that is because I feel a strong bias towards the game for the audaciousness of what it tries to achieve, and for the way it inspires me to keep stretching myself in new ways however I can. But it's also hard because I don't remember the whole thing. It Takes Two is both fresh in memory, having just finished it, and yet far away and mingled in my mind with similar bits of similar other adventures (Tearaway foremost among them). Why is that? Well, I first booted up It Takes Two in May of 2022 as a co-op experience to share with my wife - quite fitting, as it turns out, given the nature of the game's plot of trying to reconcile an embattled couple. We'd only play in smaller bursts of 1-2 hours at a time, but every session we played it felt like we were playing a new, different game. Music to my ears, but much harder on my gaming-challenged wife, who took longer to adjust to each mechanical shift. Pretty soon we were playing less and less often, even as I was playing a game like Tearaway early on that occupied some similar design space in my head. Soon we stopped playing at all. When I tried to suggest resuming this title over the past year, I was repeatedly rebuffed until finally a month ago I managed to wear her down enough that we picked it up again for about an hour a week. So it is that the first half of the game is fuzzy and nebulous to me, even as I recall that I loved playing, whereas the back half is much fresher, and it's nigh impossible for me to separate my wife's frequent frustrations from my own experience - especially since I've been playing on a controller experiencing heavy stick drift, so managing the camera was a nightmare through no fault of the game's.
All that said, how could I not recommend this game? It's best played with two experienced gamers, but the story only fully lands if you play as a couple, so there's a bit of potential for a disconnect there, as I experienced. It's not a perfect game. But it is an incredibly ambitious one that had me routinely grinning from ear to ear, despite the grumblings on the couch next to me. When I pointed out to my wife that we finished the game in May 2024, almost to the day when we started back in '22, she said "They should've called it It Takes Two Years." We're both glad it's over, but I think for very different reasons.
​
#31 - Rogue Legacy 2 - PS5 - 7/10 (Good)
Some game sequels try to really shake things up and try something different from the one before. Final Fantasy is probably the biggest and most obvious example of this, but you can also see it in virtually every Super Mario Bros. game, in the Castlevania series, and the list goes on extensively from there. On the other hand, some game sequels treat their predecessors like rough drafts to be perfected. With these, the idea is to take the vision for the previous game, use the increase in time/budget/developer expertise now available, and try to execute on it more completely than was possible before. When a game like this is successful, there becomes almost zero reason to ever play the original game (other than possibly its story), because the new version has replaced it entirely as the definitive experience.
Rogue Legacy 2 is one of these latter types of games. Everything from the first game is pretty much still there (bosses excepted): enemies, basic combat and room design, character classes, traits, progression, etc. It immediately feels like "Hey, I've played this before," yet a cursory look reveals a huge wealth of additional content over the first game. Classes are better differentiated, you get new weapons, more spells, special abilities, new items, new upgrades, new explorable regions, new mechanics, new new new. It truly is a total replacement for Rogue Legacy 1 in this regard, a "go ahead and uninstall that thing forever because we've got it all right here and then some" type of mission statement. I was amazed at how I kept finding ever more avenues of progression and discovery, even many hours into the game, In fact, I never did manage to play as every class, and each class has a variant form as well, most of which I didn't even unlock. It's overflowing with stuff.
And I think that's why it didn't work quite as well for me as the first game: it's all too much. Now there are four different types of currency, all acquired in different ways, all for different upgrade paths. You're always competing with yourself on what to level up between runs because there are too many choices and all of them seem pretty good, but as you're finding your early groove the game throws a big wrench in there: labor costs. While each upgrade has a set gold cost that increases as you level it up, early on the game adds a universal tax mechanic to the entire upgrade tree, making it increasingly prohibitive to spend your money on stuff, and it feels awful. Rogue Legacy 1 had a similar system where each upgrade cost 10g more than the previous, but in the sequel these escalate far more rapidly, to the point where you'll complete a huge run and still feel like you can only afford one or two upgrades that barely move the needle. It's a pure inflationary grinding system meant to pad playtime, and I'm not about that. I played RL1 through multiple New Game + levels, but I was thrilled to beat RL2's final boss and move on because the economy is so frustrating. Other than that though, it's got quite a lot going for it.
​
#32 - Undertale - PS4 - 7/10 (Good)
When is some information too much information? Undertale is notorious for its rabid fan community insisting that there is only one "right" way to play the game, and so if you've ever heard of Undertale there's a good chance you already know what that preferred method is: pacifism. Undertale takes a unique approach to the JRPG in two primary ways: first, that defending against enemy attacks is an active system pretty much akin to dodging in a bullet hell game, and second that you almost never actually need to choose the "Fight" command from the battle menu in order to succeed in an encounter. The argument from the community is that you must play in this fully pacifist manner, largely because of a design decision that thoroughly punishes players who do not, only revealed after the game's conclusion. Thus, these players are "helping" curious newcomers by saving them from falling victim to a fairly vindictive design choice that would create a lot of frustration.
The problem with that approach is that Undertale makes it abundantly clear from the outset that you have the option for these alternative combat approaches, trains you on how to use them, and then gives you a positive feedback loop for choosing that direction with your gameplay. Which means the discourse surrounding this game effectively undermines not only the game's own ability to surprise and educate you, but also the authorial intent of that same design decision, which in context is a conscious player decision to go against the grain and suffer the possible consequences of doing so. In short, I wish I'd never heard of Undertale before I played it, as I'm sure I would've had a much better time.
As it stands, Undertale is still a highly creative take on the genre that, despite an aesthetic I didn't care for and writing that leaned a bit too hard at times into "lol I'm so random" territory for my tastes, still managed to get me invested with some of its characters and even make me laugh aloud at times. I was particularly impressed with that aforementioned approach to combat, as each enemy introduced unique hazards to avoid, so fighting a new monster was far more exciting here than in a standard turn-based RPG where the only meaningful question is "How much damage did this whatever move do to me?" So for those reasons I applaud Undertale. Even still, there's a lot of walking back and forth with no major purpose beyond "it was decided the game should be a little bit inconvenient here," adding some unnecessary tedium to the mix. In short, Undertale's a generally good time, but if you want it to be even better, just pretend you haven't read anything I just said.
​
#33 - Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales - PS5 - 7.5/10 (Solid)
2018 was a big year for Miles Morales. In the fall he showed up in the PS4 title Marvel's Spider-Man as a major supporting character, and by the end of the year he was stunning cinema audiences in the fantastic Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as the primary protagonist. It's no surprise then that by 2020, with his brand so hot, Sony and Insomniac Games would cash in with a follow-up title to the hit PS4 game with Miles front and center. And for the most part, the game is what you'd expect it to be from that basic pitch: more of the same from 2018, only focusing on Miles' family, his new home of Harlem and its people, and his path to becoming a fully fledged hero in his own right. That's all fine, but here's the problem: all of it has been done better before, and recently to boot. Miles' story of personal growth and family drama was handled better in the Spider-Verse series, even though MSM:MM wisely walks chooses to walk some different beats along the way. "Superhero of Harlem" was done masterfully by Netflix with the Luke Cage series (the first season, at least) back in 2016, and MSM:MM doesn't even try to address any issues beyond the most surface level. And the "more of the same" gameplay?
Well, admittedly that's still pretty good. Web swinging is as fun as ever to the point that there's an XP challenge to web swing at high speed for a full cumulative hour of real time and I caught myself thinking, "Hmm, maybe..." There are fast travel points that unlock relatively early on, but the joy of traversal feels like the main point of the game, so why would you bother? Miles also gets some new Spidey moves related to his bio-electric powers, and these are really fun and impactful to pull off, such that "more of the same" isn't in this case a damning phrase. And yet, it's also distinctly not "more, but better." In order to emphasize your new powers, the goons you fight (now including women for the first time I can recall ever seeing in a superhero game like this) have upgraded their own abilities as well, which means the simple pleasure of chaining big combos is a bit diminished. Maybe this enemy just blocks all your basic attacks and stops you cold. Maybe this one turns the tables to dodge and counter you. Or maybe you're just constantly surrounded by a flood of dudes with guns and rocket launchers and you feel like you never get a chance to press "punch" without being thoroughly punished.
Now add to that the game's relatively brief length and general lack of meaningful activities compared to its predecessor, as well as its truly awful villains and the ho-hum plot that they service, and you've got a title that's decidedly a step back from what came before. Of course, what came before was excellent, so even a step back still lands you in territory that's quite fun to play around with. My 6-year-old summed it up best when he came downstairs to ask me a question one day and caught me playing: "Whoa...how are you Spider-Man?!" Which is to say that Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a game that really makes you feel like a wannabe Spider-Man who hasn't gotten it all figured out just yet. And I guess that's all right.
​
Coming in June:

• I've had less time for PC gaming lately for a couple of different reasons, but I'm expecting that to be a temporary thing, and I don't think I'm in danger of failing to finish Mass Effect 3 by the end of June. I didn't realize the version of the game I had included all the DLC. Nor did I actually know what any of the DLC was. So I was quite a ways into the game and feeling great about my progress when I got suspicious that the section I was playing wasn't actually base game content. I looked it up and found that, in fact, about 90% of what I'd played to date was DLC and I'd barely actually started the base game itself. That explains why the main story was taking a while to get off the ground, at any rate.
• Speaking of getting off the ground, my journey through The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom began impatiently a few months after release, but I took an extended break from the game and have now spent pretty much all of May continuing my thorough trek through the game world. I'm well over 200 hours into the game and am only several days away from having explored the entirety of the game's map. At which point I believe I'll finally advance the main quest past its initial stage.
• In my review for Rogue Legacy 2 above I mentioned the Castlevania franchise, which I feel I can speak to as a whole given that I've finished nearly every game in the series to date. Unsurprisingly I felt most drawn to the metroidvania style games, so there was a layer of disappointment in exhausting the last of those to discover. Disappointment that will soon be temporarily eradicated when I boot up Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, produced by that same creative mind.
• And more...

​
​

← Previous	2024	Next →

I am starting work putting together a DnD 5e campaign for level 5 adventurers that would go up to level 11. The main hook will be Rogue (not the PC class) alchemists and performance drug dealers in conflict with the guilds of the 6 Nation's Unified Guilds and local law enforcement.
With alchemy being a major theme, I brainstormed a bunch of things for more advanced versions of adventuring gear for the guilds or criminals to sell, or the party to loot off their corpses. Elemental resistance and vulnerabilities will play a part in the homebrew enemies.
I am looking for feedback on
•how much to charge for the items. •Any recommendations on changes to damage or DCs. •wording changes for clarity.
(Some Ideas are more thought out than others)
Here we go.
Alchemist's Fire (flask)
This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
War Fire (flask)
This alchemically enhanced adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. A vial held in hand may be thrown up to 20 ft. replacing an attack made as part of the attack action on your turn shattering on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 12 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames. Hit or miss, the liquid ignites a square 15 ft on a side of the ground centered on the target. Creatures who enter an ignited area for the first time on a turn or start their turn there take 2d4 fire damage. A square 5 foot section of ignited area can be extinguished as an action.
Dragons breath (Canister) This volatile concoction is illegal to carry into most cities. Typically stored in a magically reinforced container, militaries and criminal master alchemists are the only source, neither of which are likely to give up their secrets. As an action you can speak the command word and throw the canister up to 30 ft where it shatters in a conflagration. Everyone in a 15 ft radius must make a DC 16 Dex save taking 6d4 fire damage on a failure and are ignited. Objects not worn or carried automatically fail this save. Ignited creatures take 6d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. A creature may use an action to attempt to put out the fire on themselves or others with a DC 16 Dexterity Check. Creatures who succeed on their saving throw take half damage and are not ignited.
caltrops As an action, you can spread a single bag of caltrops to cover a 5-foot-square area. Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or stop moving and take 1 piercing damage. Until the creature regains at least 1 hit point, its walking speed is reduced by 10 feet. A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn't need to make the saving throw.
Barbed Caltrops
As with caltrops, but the damage is 1d4 piercing and the caltrops stick to those who fail their saving throw dealing 1 point of piercing damage for every 5 feet of movement spent. The caltrops can be removed as an action and they must be removed before recovering HP in order to regain movement speed.
Footbane caltrop bag
This magic bag contains 20 caltrops. When the command word is spoken, the caltops spring out of the bag to a location within 15 ft of the caster and spread themselves out over a 10-ft square area. They continue to move around that area until another command word is spoken to return them to the bag, an hour passes, or five creatures fail their saving throw against them as they become too spread out to be effective. Any caltrops not returned to the bag within 1 hour become non-magical. The constant movement of the caltrops make them impossible to hide, however, it also means that moving at half speed does not let a creature avoid having to make the save. If caltrops are lost or left behind they can be replaced by filling the bag with 20 non-magical caltrops and leaving them in the bag for 8 hours.
Acid Vial
As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 acid damage.
Elemental vial As with acid Vial, but dealing fire, frost, poison, lightning, or thunder damage.
Clinging acid As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 acid damage. At the end of each of the creatures' turns it takes a number of D6s of acid damage one less than the previous instance. (If it took 3d6 last time it takes 2d6 this time.) A creature may take the use an object action to reduce the next instance of this damage on themselves or an ally within 5 ft by 1d6. A creature proficient with alchemy tools may use the tools as part of the use an object action to reduce the next instance of damage damage by 2d6 instead.
Dragon's Bile [Flavor text] As with clinging acid but the starting damage is 5d6, creatures have disadvantage on saving throws to maintain concentration and while taking the ongoing damage, and the action now requires a DC 15 dexterity check to succeed. (alchemy tool proficiency applies)
Holy water
As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged attack against a target creature, treating the holy water as an improvised weapon. If the target is a fiend or undead, it takes 2d6 radiant damage.
Sacred oil As an action you can apply this oil to a melee or ranged weapon. For 1 minute, attacks made with the weapon are considered magical and deal an additional 1d6 radiant damage to fiends or undead. This oil smells abhorrent to fiends. Once opened, and for one hour after it is applied to a weapon, fiends within 100 feet of the open vial or weapon will not suffer the surprised condition.
Tears of the Saints/Blood of the Martyrs [Flavor text] As an action, you speak a command phrase (usually a prayer of censure) and throw the reliquary up to 30 feet away from you. The souls of the wronged cry out for vengeance and each undead (for tears) or Fiend (for blood) within 30 feet of the target location, that can see or hear, takes 2d6 radiant damage and must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, and its CR is 1 or less it is destroyed (undead) or banished to its home plane (fiends). A creature above CR 1 that fails it's save is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from the target location as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of it. The creature also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
Healing potion You regain 2d4+2 hit points when you drink this potion. Drinking or administering a potion takes an action.
Bloodmush! "For people who don't have enough blood in them, so that they can have more blood in them!" -NoRefunds, wandering kobold trader
"Usually made by those who are not serviced by the guilds and do not have the necessary expertise or available raw materials to make healing potions, satchets of this dark red paste are far more likely to be found in orc, goblinoid, and kobold tribes than civilized areas." Archaic Alchemy of the Six Nations, chapter 7
You regain 1d4+1 hit points when you eat this paste or apply it directly to a wound. This takes an action.
Salve "There has been a great deal of arguments regarding Salve. Some claim it is merely another means of applying a healing potion, but be wary. Salve is not regulated by the guild, so there are no laws protecting its quality. Use at your own risk." -Archaic Alchemy of the Six Nations, chapter 2
As an action, one dose of Salve can be swallowed or applied to the skin. The creature that receives it gains benefits according to the following list.
Fake Salve: pain is relieved, but receive no actual benefits.
Fowl Salve: gain 2d4+2 temporary HP. At the end of 1 minute take 2d4 poison damage and lose any remaining temporary HP.
Mediocre salve: regain 1 HP and 2d4 temp HP. At the end of 1 minute if any temp HP from this salve remains, lose the temp HP and regain the same amount of HP.
Quality salve: regain 2d4+2 HP.
Exquisite salve: regain 2d8 + 2 hit points, cease to be poisoned, and becured of up to one non-magical disease.
Unidentified salve: can be identified by using it, or by a creature proficient in alchemist's supplies making a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Alchemist's tools) check as part of a short rest. When identified, roll a D20 and compare it to the following table. 1 fake Salve 2-3 fowl Salve 4-10 mediocre salve 11-19 quality Salve 20 exquisite Salve
DM note: the range of Salve quality in the setting is worse than indicated by the table. The fact that most sellers will not intentionally sell fake or fowl Salve to the heavily armed, notoriously violent adventurers skews the table in their favor.

Edit: DO NOT message me a simple hi or hello, with no information about you, Put some effort in to your message like i have, come on. Day+Attempt#200
Hello everyone, Thank you for taking the time to read, I know its long, I know - I know. But its worth the read, Trust me. I appreciate you immensely.
Here's a bit about me,
My name is Jay, I live on the East coast of the US. I'm looking for love - like everyone else on here.., but you may not believe or even be doubtful that I've never had a GF before with me being 26, but its true. I'm simply just not willing to "be with" just anyone and I'm very picky. I want us to be a match, more than just have similar things in common.
One thing I have always been told is that I'm a "Real Catch, I'd be extremely lucky to have someone like you" - WELL THEN TAKE ME. I'M FREE. LOL.
About me:
Physically -
~I'm a semi-tall guy, around 5'10.
~I'm thin but muscular.
~I have dirty blonde/ brown hair.
~Changing colored eyes.
~A voice nice enough to melt all your safeguards and get right into your heart and weak spots.
~I do not have any tattoos or piercings. Though I would like to get some eventually.
If you'd like to see a picture of me just ask and I'll show you - IF I may see you as well, I simply just don't want a picture of me out there for anyone to see.
-If there's anything else you'd like to know just ask.
Otherwise -
~I do have 3 pet bunnies I would be more than happy to show you, they are extremely cute.
~I'm a very honest and down to earth guy.
~I'm very patient and easy going.
~I'm very curious and inquisitive. I will try to ask everything I can to learn all about you haha.
~I'm Very VERY Kind & Caring, I will probably ask how you are feeling a bajillion times a day, simply out of care for you.
~I can get pretty clingy, and will always want your attention and to be talking with you. If i have someone im interested in i wont want to talk to anyone else🤷‍♂️
~I'm very trustworthy - you can confide in me, and entrust your deepest secrets and I wont tell a soul.
~I'm a HUGE hopeless romantic, im old fashioned and will always try to impress you.
- I'm, a BIG softie even though I may look a smol bit intimidating, but I'd do just about anything to see you smile or laugh. And yes.., I do mean anything.
~I'm a big goof - I will get up to some silly shenanigans ALL the time, I will crack dumb jokes and send you memes and tik toks just to make you happy, even if its from across the room I'd wait to see your reaction lol.
~I'm extremely loyal, and would never even think of cheating.
~I will cook for you, and clean up too, even around the house, I'm very self productive and don't ask for much. Just don't forget to kiss the cook.
~I'd also love to just cuddle up and watch a movie or read a book together, anything to get us closer. Id try to take you out on dates whenever possible haha. I have a million SUPER romantic date ideas I have but have never had anyone interested enough in me to take out. Here's your chance ;)
~I will always want to share stuff I find interesting with you, and try to share every moment of every day with you. I'm not looking for someone who can only talk for a small amount of time, I want someone who's willing to put in all the effort I put into them back into me, it goes both ways. If I'm "with" someone you are my TOP priority nobody and nothing else would be. You would be the only person I'd truly want to talk to, so rest assured I would NEVER cheat, even more so because no one is interested in me - Hence why I'm here hahaha.
I'm sure there is more to me than this snippet but I cant think of more at the moment haha, so get to know me and find out more about me.
Some of my interests are: Engineering- I'm a nerd. I admit it. I love being technical and hands on, I love building things. All kinds of things, from furniture, machinery, and reverse engineering anything I find. I love learning how things work and trying to improve things.
Music - I prefer music with a very fast pace, or with some very meaningful lyrics I can relate to. I love to sing along to music and songs that have a deep meaning behind it I can sympathize with makes it all the better. Some bands I like are: Bad Omens, Beartooth, Demon Hunter, MIW, I9K - The list goes on. I'm a bit of a metalhead unfortunately.
TV Shows & Movies - I love watching shows, and I'd love to stream some shows and have some E-dates with you, to get to know you, or if you are close to me, maybe we could do it in person. Some shows I like or more of the Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Comedy, Action, stuff like: National Treasure, Halo, BattleBots, Rick and Morty, AHS, Anything Marvel or DC, The Witcher, Wednesday, The Sandman, The Magicians, The Umbrella Academy, ETC.
Gaming - Yes yes I know, Basic guy likes basic stuff. But gaming has been a thing for me since forever. I know most of you wont care or want to hear that, but I'll leave out the specifics on this part unless you are interested in that, MEGA Bonus points if you are.
Here's a lists of Cons to dating me-
~I'm not Ryan Reynolds. Disappointing, I know.
~I will fight you on what goes on pizza lol.
~I'm not rich.., Yet.
~I can't pronounce Worcestershire.
~I'm slightly forgetful, but with good reasoning.
~(Not really a con but- some might disagree) I still have ALL of my firsts, Do with that what you will c:
~I've got an endless pile of love and affection and no one to give it to! What a dilemma! Help me fix it?
Other than that I'll save the rest for a bit more of getting to know each other.
Here's a bit of what I'm looking in you:
~Preferably someone with lots of free time, and loves to chit chat. I'm seriously not interested in getting 1 message a day. Though I understand people get busy, I personally am not willing to try to learn about you and form something with 7 responses a week. Effort gets reciprocated and I appreciate the time you put in me.
~Physically: -I’m not personally attracted to anyone who’s “curvy/ chubby”, I apologize. Not a shallow thing, I just dont have the attraction chemical in my brain for that, I’m sorry. -If you’re shorter than me, thats a plus to me. -I love dimples, if you have those when you smile, bonus points 😊 - I’m not sure what else to put.., but as for nsfw wise find out😂
~I'm a sucker for a different accent other than American, and if you have an Posh English accent you have already won my heart.
~I'm also only really looking for someone within the ages of 18-35. I don't want anyone old enough to be my mom lol.
~I'd prefer (But not a must) people NOT on the other side of the world, as other time zones SUCK. I don't expect to find anyone who also has never had a boyfriend either, but that would be a real plus. I also don't mind a LDR, but I don't want that forever. But it gives us time to get to know each other.
But as for attributes I'm looking for in you:
~Someone who is above all else very very Loyal and would never cheat.
~Someone who is Honest, and will tell me the truth over a little white lie.
~Someone who is Kind & Caring, who'd constantly check on me, and accept me for who I am & help me improve day to day.
~Someone who is trustworthy, and I can count on to keep my secrets safe, or even just help me remember things.., I do tend to be somewhat forgetful.
~Someone who is very Patient and wants to see me succeed and will help me do so, just like I would help you. Even if its small day to day things, I would appreciate your company ANY time.
~I want a partner who is Affectionate, can reciprocate, and loves to snuggle and talk about their day, and what their interests are, and what makes them happy.
~Someone who can admit they get clingy or overprotective is a bonus.
~A partner with good communication is key, if something wrong we have to be able to talk about it.
~A partner who likes to game with me or at least watch me play would be a plus but not a requirement.
~Someone with a good sense of humor and like to joke around, I am a big goof after all and I love to joke around. Sending memes is always appreciated and good to cheer people up too!
~I'd prefer someone with the same music taste, but not a requirement, Plus if you wouldn't mind if I send you love songs occasionally that's a bonus, or sending me some back haha.
~Being willing to voice call is a must, Texting forever is not the way to go. I have to know what your voice is like haha, later on we can video call if you are comfortable with that. I prefer chatting on Discord because Reddit messages of any kind I'm sure you know are unreliable and sucky in general. So please send me your discord if you have one :)
~I would LOVE to see picture of your pets if you have any. Bonus points if it includes your beautiful self haha.
I'm sure there is more I'm looking for but I cant think of it right now haha, I will have to edit this when I think of it.
Please tell me about you as an opener! I told you a good bit about me, now its your turn haha.
Tell me some things like -
~What's your name?
~Where are you from?
~How old are you?
~What are your hobbies / interests?
~What about my post interested you?
~Where is my TV Remote?!
~Selfie? Pet pics?
~Hit me with your best joke or meme :)
~What's your favorite candy?
I'd LOVE to get to know you, and see where things go.
But yeah, I know it was long I'm sorry haha. Send me a message and lets get to know each other! :)

“I told you there would be nothing in that military check point,” Barrett said. He cleaned his hands from bloodbug residue. “Only abandoned cars and empty cigarette machines.”
“Okay, I was wrong!” Simon admitted. “Is it my fault that I have hope?”
“No one ever knows out here,” Kevin chimed in.
Simon affectionally grabbed his youngest brother by the shoulder.
“See, Barrett, this is what a supportive brother sounds like.”
Barrett grunted.
The three brothers continued to follow the broken asphalt road. In time, the sky above them disappeared behind the ruins of an interstate highway. Its massive concrete columns towered over the horizon. It had cast a long shadow over their route.
Kevin stopped his brothers.
“Is that an elevator?” He pointed to the yellow cable lift that ran up to the overpass.
“I’m not using that,” Barrett quickly responded. He touched his stomach unconsciously, cognizant of his size and weight.
“Yeah, that might be an adventure for another life time,” Simon said, noting the precariousness of the cables that rose up to the ruins of the highway overpass.
Kevin pursed his lips with a modicum of disappointment. As the youngest and smallest of the three, he possessed more daring than his brothers combined. Perhaps this difference was due to the inexperience of his age or the simple fact that Kevin had a different mother than Barrett and Simon. His courage may have been a genetic inheritance that the others lacked.
“House!” Simon spotted the wooden building before his brothers, who still focused on the elevator and the possibility of ascending it.
“Let me guess, there’s going to be treasure inside of it,” Barrett said sarcastically.
“There could be!” Simon replied.
As the young men approached the building, it became apparent it had been apart of a long abandoned settlement. From their higher-ground perspective, they could see the ruins of several buildings roll down the landscape and into the consuming waters of the Charles River. The houses closest to the river had flooded and slowly rotted in the river’s murky water.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Barrett said. His siblings could hear the smile in his words. They knew that there would be at least one piece of worthwhile loot among these buildings. Barrett, however, wanted more than the natural greed of survival. The big man itched for a real fight.
“Raiders, Ghouls, or Mirelurks,” Kevin asked.
“Five caps on raiders,” Barrett said. His hand dropped to the pipe pistol holstered to his thigh.
“Five for mirelurks,” Simon said.
“I guess, I take ghouls.”
The three men moved closer to the first building. The residence, once a beautiful suburban home, had decayed over the two hundred and twenty years since its owners died in the nuclear fallout. Yet, despite the age of home, its door seemed to have been freshly repaired.
Simon, as per usual, approached the entrance with military tact. Barrett positioned himself behind his older brother. He placed one hand on Simon’s shoulder and the other around his pipe pistol. Kevin checked their flank and readied his pipe rifle.
Simon lifted his hand. He counted silently with his fingers.
One. Two. Three.
He grabbed the door and yanked it open. Barrett entered the building, his pipe pistol scanning the interior of the house.
“Clear!”
Simon followed Barrett. Kevin slowly backed into the building. He closed the door behind him.
“Stairs,” Barrett said to his brothers.
Immediately, the big man took the lead, scanning the floor above him with his pistol at eye-level. Simon followed in the wake of his larger brother, keeping his eyes straight to the top of the landing. Kevin stayed on the first floor. He found a corner, pressed his back into it, and crouched. He kept his eye on the front door.
“Clear!” Barrett’s voice rang through the structure.
“Nothing for nobody,” Kevin said, standing from his position and letting his rifle hang limply in his hands. He thought at least one ghoul would be hiding in the house. Their fraternal bottlecap wager would have to wait another house.
“Cheer up! Better luck in the next building.” Simon said as he walked down the stairs. “Right now, we have some time to loot.”
The brothers began the careful examination of the residential building.
Despite two centuries of rain and snow the building seemed to be in good condition. Clearly, since the bombs fell, a series of squatters had made improvements and adjustments over the years. In fact, the house seemed almost luxurious compared to the standards of the Wasteland. The floors had been redone with new planks of wood. The walls had been scraped of their original wallpaper and painted a light seafoam green. Although the glass from the windows had been long destroyed, curtains hung over the wooden shutters that secured the windows from the exterior world.
“Ooo!” Barrett exclaimed upstairs.
“What’d you find?” Simon called out. He stood at the bottom of the staircase and waited for a sign.
“Caps stash!” Barrett appeared with a grey tin can. He shook it and a number of caps inside of it pleasantly jingled.
“And you thought there wouldn’t be any treasure?” Simon laughed to himself.
“And the fridge is full!” Kevin called.
Barrett rushed down the stairs and joined his brothers at the fridge. Together, they drank a bottle of mostly clean water, each taking sips and passing it to the others. Then, they finished a plate of crispy squirrel bits.
“Almost fresh,” Barrett said, shoving a large handful into his mouth.
Simon continued his perusal of the house as he chewed his last portion of squirrel meat. He went to the living room section of the main floor and rummaged through a chest of drawers.
“Women’s clothing?” He lifted a dress from the chest of drawers and showed his brothers. The light green dress seemed to be in relatively good condition. The clean herbaceous smell of carrot flowers wafted into his nose.
“Someone might still live here,” Barrett said, looking at a bouquet of fresh hubflowers on the table.
Kevin looked from one of the windows. “I think he’s just arrived.”
Before Simon and Kevin could arm themselves, the door opened. An old man entered with two buckets of water. At the very moment he saw these three men, he dropped the buckets on the floor and rushed out of the building. One of the buckets spilled its contents across the floor, slowly dribbling down the front steps. Meanwhile, the old man pressed his back against the exterior wall of the building.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“We didn’t know!” Simon shouted back. “We didn’t mean to trespass!”
“Well, you did. Now, what are you going to do? Kill an old man and take his home?”
“Not if you let us leave unharmed!”
“How do I know that you’re not raiders?”
“You can’t,” Simon shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
“And why would I that?”
“Well, for one thing, there are more of us than there are of you.”
“Send one man out.”
“No!” Simon responded. “How do I know you’re not just going to shoot him the moment he leaves the building?”
“You can’t,” the old man shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
Simon felt bested by the old man’s negotiating skills.
“I’ll go,” Kevin said to his brothers.
“No, I will.” Barrett put his hand on his younger brother. He would gladly die in his place.
“There’s less of me to hit,” Kevin bantered.
Barrett grunted, but he could not stop himself from smiling.
Simon thought about dissuading his brothers, telling them that no one was going to leave the house, but this show of trust needed to be made. If things went well, there could be a chance that the three of them could profit from this encounter. Perhaps, they could spend the night sleeping inside a warm house and finally be able to get a proper night’s rest.
“I’m coming out,” Kevin shouted to the old man.
“Unarmed. With your hands up! If I see so much as a big iron on your hip, the deal is off.”
Kevin placed his pipe rifle and his switchblade on top of the chest of drawers.
Simon stepped close to his brother and embraced him.
“If he harms you, I will make sure he suffers until his very last breath,” Simon whispered.
Kevin squeezed his brother tightly and went to the door.
“I am approaching the door now,” Kevin shouted. “My hands are up.”
Kevin stepped over the spilled water bucket and crossed the threshold of the house.
“Keeping going,” the old man commanded.
Once Kevin descended the front stairs and reached the hard ground, he felt the old man sweep behind him and check for weapons.
“Do we trust each other?” Kevin said, letting the old man pat down his sides. “I’m alive, so I know I can trust you, but there are still two men inside of the house.”
“Two, huh? I thought there’d be more of you.” The old man met Kevin gaze. His face was wrinkled, freckled, and scarred. His neck-length beard, once nearly black in colour, had become streaked with grey. His moustache faired slightly better, but it too had begun to pale in his old age. Overall, the old man seemed hardened by his experiences in the wasteland, but, despite this hardness, Kevin noticed a softness behind his eyes. They reflected no bitterness or resentment.
“Now what?” Simon called from inside of the house.
“I’m going to come inside with your friend as collateral.”
The old man drew his 10mm pistol and pressed into Kevin’s lower back. Kevin straightened his posture with a reflexive fear. He climbed up the stairs and back into the house, the pistol never losing contact with his spine.
“Welcome to my home, gentleman,” the old man said. “The name is Duncan. I hope you make yourselves comfortable, although, by the looks of yesterday’s dinner, it seems as though you already have.”
Barrett glanced back at the empty porcelain plate. He wiped his greasy hands on his pant legs.
“Watch it, big guy,” the old man said. “You don’t want to make too many sudden movements.”
Barrett looked into his brother’s face. Kevin seemed calm on the surface, but Barrett could see the fear beneath his composure.
“My name is Simon. This is Barrett, and the man you currently threatening is our brother Kevin.”
“Pleasure, gentlemen.”
“We’re travellers. We’ve no particular destination. We’re just trying to survive.”
“Yes, that always seems to be the story. Why aren’t you getting comfortable in Diamond City or Goodneighbor?”
“We’re new to the Commonwealth,” Simon replied.
“Just arrived,” Barrett added.
“Boys, I’m happy to be your first experience in these here parts, but you’re going to have to leave. I can’t risk any trouble.”
“We won’t be any trouble,” Kevin said, looking behind his shoulder.
“Truly, I would like to believe you boys, but you best be going.”
Duncan stepped aside and positioned himself to the side of the room. He tilted his head toward the door with a quick gesture, encouraging Simon and Barrett to leave.
“Now, please.”
“Can we at least get Kevin’s weapons over there?” Simon asked.
“I’ll toss them to you once you’re out of the door. Just go.”
Simon and Barrett complied. They walked out of the house and down the steps. Duncan led Kevin from his house, allowing the young man to move away from the pistol.
“Grandpapa!”
The men turned to see group of three women approaching the house. Two of them carried heavy bags of harvested food, while the third held a tactical submachine gun in her hands. The three of them kept staring at their grandfather, who kept his pistol held toward the brothers.
The woman with the submachine gun lifted the stock to her shoulder. She knew that with her large drum magazine, she could cut down these three intruders without the need to reload.
“We had a small misunderstanding, ladies,” Simon said with a winning smile. He looked at the woman with the submachine gun. Her short dark brown hair swooped over one of her eyes. She flipped her hair out of the way. “We’ll be on our way,” Simon continued, “once your grandfather hands us our weapons.”
“How about you head on out without them?” the woman with the gun said.
“That’s not fair,” Kevin said. He stepped forward as he said it, causing the woman to swivel her sights on him.
“On more step and you’ll have lost more than your weapons.”
“Woah, woah. Okay, message received,” Kevin said, putting his hands back into the air. “Let’s go, guys. It’s okay. We can find kinder hosts somewhere else.”
“Or, at least, a better fight,” Barrett said with a sniff of his nose. “An old man and three little girls hardly constitute a challenge.”
“I can wipe the floor with you, big boy,” said the woman with the machine gun.
“Audrey!” Duncan reprimanded.
“I’d like to see you try, girlie. Unarmed, one-on-one, you stand no chance,” Barrett said. As he spoke, he took a deep breath and inflated his already imposing figure. The muscles beneath his shirt could be seen flexing.
“Want to try me? Or are you scared of losing to a girl?” Audrey responded.
Barrett roared with laughter.
“Audrey, that’s enough!” the old man said. “Do not aggravate them. They’re on their way.”
“Wait!” the smallest of the three women called to her grandfather. “Can’t they stay? If they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve already.”
“It’d be too risky!” Duncan replied.
“But you’ve always said that people need to come together and rebuild this world,” she said.
Duncan flashed her a quick scolding look.
“Sylvie’s right,” the third woman added. “They can help us around the property.” Her eyes danced over Barrett’s large figure. While her middle sister seemed ready to harm him, she merely wanted to be held by him.
“Audrey, talk some sense into your sisters!” Duncan exclaimed. “You ladies know that we can’t invite people at random!”
“We’d be happy to help,” Simon interjected.
Kevin locked eyes with his young counterpart. Sylvie broke eye contact and looked at her feet.
“Yeah, we can help,” Kevin said a little absent-mindedly. He continued to admire the woman before his eyes.
“Wait a minute,” Barrett said, “This guy pulls a pistol on you and you want to help him? What are you going to do? Fetch him water?”
“We made him to spill it,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“Are you guys out of your mind? How can we trust them? What if the old man and these she-devils are planning to kill us in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, now you’re afraid of me!” Audrey teased, loosening her grip on the submachine gun.
“I ain’t afraid of anything,” Barrett snapped.
Simon bursted in laughter. “Buddy, you know you’re agreeing with the old man, right? He doesn’t want you around because he thinks your going to do to him what you think he’s doing to do to you.”
Barrett squinted his eyes, trying to parse the sentence.
“I don’t like it,” Barrett said.
“Neither do I,” Duncan agreed.
“Well, they’re not staying in the house,” Audrey said. She tilted her swooping hair out of her eyes again. “Give them the rotting house.”
Duncan stayed silent. Everyone looked at him as though it was his decision which made everything final.
“Fine, but I’m standing guard during the night. If one of these boys come creeping in the night, I’ll make sure our walls get a nice new shade of red.”
Barrett nodded his head in agreement. “And I’ll take first watch at our place.”
Audrey turned to her sisters. “Morgan, Sylvie, take the food inside. I’ll show these men their residence.” She adjusted the tactical submachine gun in her arms.
Her sisters did what they were told.
“Gentlemen,” Audrey said, leading the men down the slight hill, “Your new abode.” She kicked the front door, which broke free from its hinges. The wood from the door had rotted from the moisture in the air. Wet dust flew from the ground and an acrid smell spewed from the interior of the building.
“Enjoy.”
Audrey left the three brothers and returned to her home.
The three of the brothers exchanged uncomfortable glances and looked at the building. Kevin approached the doorway and peered into the darkness.
“Ghoul!” Kevin shouted.
His brothers ran into the building with their weapons drawn. Kevin threw his arms around his brothers as they looked at remains of a feral ghoul. It had died a long time ago.
“Pay up, boys!” he said with a smile. “Five caps each.”

“I told you there would be nothing in that military check point,” Barrett said. He cleaned his hands from bloodbug residue. “Only abandoned cars and empty cigarette machines.”
“Okay, I was wrong!” Simon admitted. “Is it my fault that I have hope?”
“No one ever knows out here,” Kevin chimed in.
Simon affectionally grabbed his youngest brother by the shoulder.
“See, Barrett, this is what a supportive brother sounds like.”
Barrett grunted.
The three brothers continued to follow the broken asphalt road. In time, the sky above them disappeared behind the ruins of an interstate highway. Its massive concrete columns towered over the horizon. It had cast a long shadow over their route.
Kevin stopped his brothers.
“Is that an elevator?” He pointed to the yellow cable lift that ran up to the overpass.
“I’m not using that,” Barrett quickly responded. He touched his stomach unconsciously, cognizant of his size and weight.
“Yeah, that might be an adventure for another life time,” Simon said, noting the precariousness of the cables that rose up to the ruins of the highway overpass.
Kevin pursed his lips with a modicum of disappointment. As the youngest and smallest of the three, he possessed more daring than his brothers combined. Perhaps this difference was due to the inexperience of his age or the simple fact that Kevin had a different mother than Barrett and Simon. His courage may have been a genetic inheritance that the others lacked.
“House!” Simon spotted the wooden building before his brothers, who still focused on the elevator and the possibility of ascending it.
“Let me guess, there’s going to be treasure inside of it,” Barrett said sarcastically.
“There could be!” Simon replied.
As the young men approached the building, it became apparent it had been apart of a long abandoned settlement. From their higher-ground perspective, they could see the ruins of several buildings roll down the landscape and into the consuming waters of the Charles River. The houses closest to the river had flooded and slowly rotted in the river’s murky water.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Barrett said. His siblings could hear the smile in his words. They knew that there would be at least one piece of worthwhile loot among these buildings. Barrett, however, wanted more than the natural greed of survival. The big man itched for a real fight.
“Raiders, Ghouls, or Mirelurks,” Kevin asked.
“Five caps on raiders,” Barrett said. His hand dropped to the pipe pistol holstered to his thigh.
“Five for mirelurks,” Simon said.
“I guess, I take ghouls.”
The three men moved closer to the first building. The residence, once a beautiful suburban home, had decayed over the two hundred and twenty years since its owners died in the nuclear fallout. Yet, despite the age of home, its door seemed to have been freshly repaired.
Simon, as per usual, approached the entrance with military tact. Barrett positioned himself behind his older brother. He placed one hand on Simon’s shoulder and the other around his pipe pistol. Kevin checked their flank and readied his pipe rifle.
Simon lifted his hand. He counted silently with his fingers.
One. Two. Three.
He grabbed the door and yanked it open. Barrett entered the building, his pipe pistol scanning the interior of the house.
“Clear!”
Simon followed Barrett. Kevin slowly backed into the building. He closed the door behind him.
“Stairs,” Barrett said to his brothers.
Immediately, the big man took the lead, scanning the floor above him with his pistol at eye-level. Simon followed in the wake of his larger brother, keeping his eyes straight to the top of the landing. Kevin stayed on the first floor. He found a corner, pressed his back into it, and crouched. He kept his eye on the front door.
“Clear!” Barrett’s voice rang through the structure.
“Nothing for nobody,” Kevin said, standing from his position and letting his rifle hang limply in his hands. He thought at least one ghoul would be hiding in the house. Their fraternal bottlecap wager would have to wait another house.
“Cheer up! Better luck in the next building.” Simon said as he walked down the stairs. “Right now, we have some time to loot.”
The brothers began the careful examination of the residential building.
Despite two centuries of rain and snow the building seemed to be in good condition. Clearly, since the bombs fell, a series of squatters had made improvements and adjustments over the years. In fact, the house seemed almost luxurious compared to the standards of the Wasteland. The floors had been redone with new planks of wood. The walls had been scraped of their original wallpaper and painted a light seafoam green. Although the glass from the windows had been long destroyed, curtains hung over the wooden shutters that secured the windows from the exterior world.
“Ooo!” Barrett exclaimed upstairs.
“What’d you find?” Simon called out. He stood at the bottom of the staircase and waited for a sign.
“Caps stash!” Barrett appeared with a grey tin can. He shook it and a number of caps inside of it pleasantly jingled.
“And you thought there wouldn’t be any treasure?” Simon laughed to himself.
“And the fridge is full!” Kevin called.
Barrett rushed down the stairs and joined his brothers at the fridge. Together, they drank a bottle of mostly clean water, each taking sips and passing it to the others. Then, they finished a plate of crispy squirrel bits.
“Almost fresh,” Barrett said, shoving a large handful into his mouth.
Simon continued his perusal of the house as he chewed his last portion of squirrel meat. He went to the living room section of the main floor and rummaged through a chest of drawers.
“Women’s clothing?” He lifted a dress from the chest of drawers and showed his brothers. The light green dress seemed to be in relatively good condition. The clean herbaceous smell of carrot flowers wafted into his nose.
“Someone might still live here,” Barrett said, looking at a bouquet of fresh hubflowers on the table.
Kevin looked from one of the windows. “I think he’s just arrived.”
Before Simon and Kevin could arm themselves, the door opened. An old man entered with two buckets of water. At the very moment he saw these three men, he dropped the buckets on the floor and rushed out of the building. One of the buckets spilled its contents across the floor, slowly dribbling down the front steps. Meanwhile, the old man pressed his back against the exterior wall of the building.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“We didn’t know!” Simon shouted back. “We didn’t mean to trespass!”
“Well, you did. Now, what are you going to do? Kill an old man and take his home?”
“Not if you let us leave unharmed!”
“How do I know that you’re not raiders?”
“You can’t,” Simon shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
“And why would I that?”
“Well, for one thing, there are more of us than there are of you.”
“Send one man out.”
“No!” Simon responded. “How do I know you’re not just going to shoot him the moment he leaves the building?”
“You can’t,” the old man shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
Simon felt bested by the old man’s negotiating skills.
“I’ll go,” Kevin said to his brothers.
“No, I will.” Barrett put his hand on his younger brother. He would gladly die in his place.
“There’s less of me to hit,” Kevin bantered.
Barrett grunted, but he could not stop himself from smiling.
Simon thought about dissuading his brothers, telling them that no one was going to leave the house, but this show of trust needed to be made. If things went well, there could be a chance that the three of them could profit from this encounter. Perhaps, they could spend the night sleeping inside a warm house and finally be able to get a proper night’s rest.
“I’m coming out,” Kevin shouted to the old man.
“Unarmed. With your hands up! If I see so much as a big iron on your hip, the deal is off.”
Kevin placed his pipe rifle and his switchblade on top of the chest of drawers.
Simon stepped close to his brother and embraced him.
“If he harms you, I will make sure he suffers until his very last breath,” Simon whispered.
Kevin squeezed his brother tightly and went to the door.
“I am approaching the door now,” Kevin shouted. “My hands are up.”
Kevin stepped over the spilled water bucket and crossed the threshold of the house.
“Keeping going,” the old man commanded.
Once Kevin descended the front stairs and reached the hard ground, he felt the old man sweep behind him and check for weapons.
“Do we trust each other?” Kevin said, letting the old man pat down his sides. “I’m alive, so I know I can trust you, but there are still two men inside of the house.”
“Two, huh? I thought there’d be more of you.” The old man met Kevin gaze. His face was wrinkled, freckled, and scarred. His neck-length beard, once nearly black in colour, had become streaked with grey. His moustache faired slightly better, but it too had begun to pale in his old age. Overall, the old man seemed hardened by his experiences in the wasteland, but, despite this hardness, Kevin noticed a softness behind his eyes. They reflected no bitterness or resentment.
“Now what?” Simon called from inside of the house.
“I’m going to come inside with your friend as collateral.”
The old man drew his 10mm pistol and pressed into Kevin’s lower back. Kevin straightened his posture with a reflexive fear. He climbed up the stairs and back into the house, the pistol never losing contact with his spine.
“Welcome to my home, gentleman,” the old man said. “The name is Duncan. I hope you make yourselves comfortable, although, by the looks of yesterday’s dinner, it seems as though you already have.”
Barrett glanced back at the empty porcelain plate. He wiped his greasy hands on his pant legs.
“Watch it, big guy,” the old man said. “You don’t want to make too many sudden movements.”
Barrett looked into his brother’s face. Kevin seemed calm on the surface, but Barrett could see the fear beneath his composure.
“My name is Simon. This is Barrett, and the man you currently threatening is our brother Kevin.”
“Pleasure, gentlemen.”
“We’re travellers. We’ve no particular destination. We’re just trying to survive.”
“Yes, that always seems to be the story. Why aren’t you getting comfortable in Diamond City or Goodneighbor?”
“We’re new to the Commonwealth,” Simon replied.
“Just arrived,” Barrett added.
“Boys, I’m happy to be your first experience in these here parts, but you’re going to have to leave. I can’t risk any trouble.”
“We won’t be any trouble,” Kevin said, looking behind his shoulder.
“Truly, I would like to believe you boys, but you best be going.”
Duncan stepped aside and positioned himself to the side of the room. He tilted his head toward the door with a quick gesture, encouraging Simon and Barrett to leave.
“Now, please.”
“Can we at least get Kevin’s weapons over there?” Simon asked.
“I’ll toss them to you once you’re out of the door. Just go.”
Simon and Barrett complied. They walked out of the house and down the steps. Duncan led Kevin from his house, allowing the young man to move away from the pistol.
“Grandpapa!”
The men turned to see group of three women approaching the house. Two of them carried heavy bags of harvested food, while the third held a tactical submachine gun in her hands. The three of them kept staring at their grandfather, who kept his pistol held toward the brothers.
The woman with the submachine gun lifted the stock to her shoulder. She knew that with her large drum magazine, she could cut down these three intruders without the need to reload.
“We had a small misunderstanding, ladies,” Simon said with a winning smile. He looked at the woman with the submachine gun. Her short dark brown hair swooped over one of her eyes. She flipped her hair out of the way. “We’ll be on our way,” Simon continued, “once your grandfather hands us our weapons.”
“How about you head on out without them?” the woman with the gun said.
“That’s not fair,” Kevin said. He stepped forward as he said it, causing the woman to swivel her sights on him.
“On more step and you’ll have lost more than your weapons.”
“Woah, woah. Okay, message received,” Kevin said, putting his hands back into the air. “Let’s go, guys. It’s okay. We can find kinder hosts somewhere else.”
“Or, at least, a better fight,” Barrett said with a sniff of his nose. “An old man and three little girls hardly constitute a challenge.”
“I can wipe the floor with you, big boy,” said the woman with the machine gun.
“Audrey!” Duncan reprimanded.
“I’d like to see you try, girlie. Unarmed, one-on-one, you stand no chance,” Barrett said. As he spoke, he took a deep breath and inflated his already imposing figure. The muscles beneath his shirt could be seen flexing.
“Want to try me? Or are you scared of losing to a girl?” Audrey responded.
Barrett roared with laughter.
“Audrey, that’s enough!” the old man said. “Do not aggravate them. They’re on their way.”
“Wait!” the smallest of the three women called to her grandfather. “Can’t they stay? If they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve already.”
“It’d be too risky!” Duncan replied.
“But you’ve always said that people need to come together and rebuild this world,” she said.
Duncan flashed her a quick scolding look.
“Sylvie’s right,” the third woman added. “They can help us around the property.” Her eyes danced over Barrett’s large figure. While her middle sister seemed ready to harm him, she merely wanted to be held by him.
“Audrey, talk some sense into your sisters!” Duncan exclaimed. “You ladies know that we can’t invite people at random!”
“We’d be happy to help,” Simon interjected.
Kevin locked eyes with his young counterpart. Sylvie broke eye contact and looked at her feet.
“Yeah, we can help,” Kevin said a little absent-mindedly. He continued to admire the woman before his eyes.
“Wait a minute,” Barrett said, “This guy pulls a pistol on you and you want to help him? What are you going to do? Fetch him water?”
“We made him to spill it,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“Are you guys out of your mind? How can we trust them? What if the old man and these she-devils are planning to kill us in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, now you’re afraid of me!” Audrey teased, loosening her grip on the submachine gun.
“I ain’t afraid of anything,” Barrett snapped.
Simon bursted in laughter. “Buddy, you know you’re agreeing with the old man, right? He doesn’t want you around because he thinks your going to do to him what you think he’s doing to do to you.”
Barrett squinted his eyes, trying to parse the sentence.
“I don’t like it,” Barrett said.
“Neither do I,” Duncan agreed.
“Well, they’re not staying in the house,” Audrey said. She tilted her swooping hair out of her eyes again. “Give them the rotting house.”
Duncan stayed silent. Everyone looked at him as though it was his decision which made everything final.
“Fine, but I’m standing guard during the night. If one of these boys come creeping in the night, I’ll make sure our walls get a nice new shade of red.”
Barrett nodded his head in agreement. “And I’ll take first watch at our place.”
Audrey turned to her sisters. “Morgan, Sylvie, take the food inside. I’ll show these men their residence.” She adjusted the tactical submachine gun in her arms.
Her sisters did what they were told.
“Gentlemen,” Audrey said, leading the men down the slight hill, “Your new abode.” She kicked the front door, which broke free from its hinges. The wood from the door had rotted from the moisture in the air. Wet dust flew from the ground and an acrid smell spewed from the interior of the building.
“Enjoy.”
Audrey left the three brothers and returned to her home.
The three of the brothers exchanged uncomfortable glances and looked at the building. Kevin approached the doorway and peered into the darkness.
“Ghoul!” Kevin shouted.
His brothers ran into the building with their weapons drawn. Kevin threw his arms around his brothers as they looked at remains of a feral ghoul. It had died a long time ago.
“Pay up, boys!” he said with a smile. “Five caps each.”

When the MO started, Meridia's regen rate was a whopping 10%, but has steadily decreased according to helldivers.io where it now sits at 5.5%. I know the Game Master can change this at any time, but I don't think that's what's happening. A nearly 50% drop in just 2 days is a huge difference. Instead, I think that successful Dark Fluid missions is reducing the planet's regen rate.
In the MO's dispatch, it reads: "Once a critical mass is reached, the Dark Fluid will accrete into a superdense mass, triggering total planetary implosion." The Dark Fluid is starting to pool, chipping away at the planet's regen rate by killing bugs in their tunnels while the Helldivers pump more and more of the stuff into the ground.
With the regen rate nearly halved, we've just started to gain ground on the planet and are at around 5% liberated. But, the MO isn't to liberate the planet. It is to destroy the planet. I don't think the liberation meter is the measure of progress. Instead, we're tracking our progress by the regen rate.
Keep fighting, Helldivers! This is a brilliant plan by Super Earth to keep our enemies distracted from our actual goals!

Hello!
So a little bit of backstory. Just moved yesterday into a relatively old house.
I was trying to get my computer set up and went about my usual cord set-up. Turned on the surge protectopower strip to test the outlet, then went about plugging everything in. All went well until i plugged in the main power supply cord to my CPU. What happens when I do that is the lights on the surge protector go out, and from what I can tell it no longer is providing power. I’ve tried to plug the power supply cord directly into the wall and it seems to also not provide power.
Does this seem like an electrical problem with the house? Am I not receiving enough power? What should I do?
Extra Context: Some of the outlets in the house don’t have a ground prong slot, and some do leading me to believe the grounded outlets were installed later. Old house, checked all the breakers, they’re all flipped on.
Thank you so much for any help y’all can provide! 💕💕

Hey, is there anyone who had an issue with account validation? I put my info in the form (SIN and health insurance, name and all), triple-checked the numbers, name / last name (and that I haven't switched them), birthdate format, and all that. I also tried different formats for SIN/health numbers (with and without spaces). It is currently blocked for too many attempts until tomorrow.
I need the SAAQ clic to schedule my driving test; they don't accept any other schedule form. May it be that I still don't have the revenue agency account (which they create when you pay tax the first time)? I also received the health insurance quite recently, maybe 1 month ago.
Side question: if the SAAQ clic doesn't work out after honest and reasonable attempts to make it work, is it solid ground for receiving a driving test registration without it? I don't want to get into the loop of "call with your problem phone A -> call phone B -> no, contact phone A ->...)
Thanks!