Mornn
patreon
Chapter 684 - Return
🕑 Added 2025-05-27 16:00:16 +0000 UTCAuthor note:
Hi! I will likely make a general announcement post for it, but also saying it here, here are the first (and hopefully only) days I'm taking off from writing to edit book 4:
Thursday 29th (You get one more chapter after this one tomorrow then 686 on Friday)
Tuesday June 3rd
Thursday June 5th
I'm hoping that spacing them out a bit like this will help not create too big gaps/ cliffs.
Happy reading :D
[King of the mountain - Lonely thrones : Event rankings]
[Rank 1 - Historic 1st - Sofia Aphenoreth & Pareth (twin ruleset) - 20836 Event score]
[Rank 2 - Historic 212th - Cinthia Molgdann - 4049 Event score]
[Detailed results for Sofia Aphenoreth:
Tier 4 event - Maximum point reward : 20 000 000 TP
Event score:
Golden throne score : Sat for 3580 seconds -> 10740 points
Silver throne score : Sat for 3548 seconds -> 7096 points
Golden ending : 2000 points
Silver ending : 1000 points
Total event score : 20836 / 12800
Total TP earned : 32 556 250 TP
Your first place earned you a bonus Gold Star Pin!]
‘You have received rank 1 reward : Ark’s Gold Star Pin *1!’
‘You have received 32 556 250 tournament points!’
‘Current balance : 251 133 126 points’
[Tournament activities will resume 12 hours after all other ongoing events are concluded, please enjoy your break exploring the Ark!]
Points are going back up nicely at least… I broke this one without even trying…
Too bad it was another tier 4 event. I guess they’re keeping the heavy hitters for the end?
That makes it my sixth gold pin, four events to go.
At this rate can I really awaken my mana heart?!
…
Since she had some free time, Sofia played some board games with Bookie for a bit before sending the skeletons to search for more hidden shops. This time however, she did not go for the hidden shops herself, and instead returned to the third floor with all the trainers.
Every trainer’s prices were more or less the same, so the best training available was always a 1 hour session for 100 000 tournament points. Sofia thought that surely two or three millions points would not make a difference considering how expensive the items she wanted were in comparison, so she endeavored to take as many of the master level training courses as she could.
To begin with, she walked up to the white-haired elf she had briefly spoken with before, the sprinting trainer.
“Oh, you again,” the elf called out, “here to learn?” she asked.
“I think so yeah, I should have some time until the next event so I’m thinking of going through some training.”
“Good, good. I assume you went for the throne event, right? Typically the Sunless city lasts for five days, so it is fair to say you have some free time in front of you. Me and my colleagues have been wondering though… Where is everyone else? The thrones should have ended an houre ago already, right?”
“Ah… Do the workers not get to spectate the events?”
“Usually we do but this time around the spectator rooms are too full because some big shot is taking their… Oh,” the elf suddenly stopped as she realized something.
“Yeah, sorry,” Sofia apologized.
“Sofia, right? Well, no need to apologize, everyone was pretty excited to receive that alert, though we don’t get too much information on what’s going on usually. We will still get to watch the recordings of the events after everything’s over so it’s not too much of a loss for us not to be able to spectate in real time,” the elf explained.
“Well don’t waste time watching the thrones event… It seems I scared the other competitors enough that no one came to fight me. I just sat on the golden throne and waited for the hour to pass…”
“Are you for real?”
Sofia silently nodded.
“Well shit. And that’s with that freak Tartaros in this time’s contestant pool? I’m pretty sure he went for the thrones every time he was there…”
Uncertain what to even say to that, Sofia just stood there with an awkward smile.
“Hey now that I think about it, you look a lot like that girl from last time, if we look past the horns and the glowing hair. How do you even do that? I wouldn’t mind having hair like that.”
“That would be my sister,” Sofia confirmed, “She’s one of the fakes this time… The hair you can’t easily copy, sorry, it’s from my evolved race. But I reckon some illusion magic could get you there? By the way, I’ve noticed the fakes train here, too, aren’t they just wasting your time?”
“Oh, no. We only actually teach when real trialees come, we have our own imprints taking over otherwise.”
“Woah… Isn’t it weird? Having a fake version of you like that?”
The elf shrugged, “You don’t ever get to interact with your own imprint so it’s not too bad. If they went on to have a life of their own it might be disturbing but they really only exist for a few hours at a time in this fake world so… Right, should we get onto your training? The others are staring.”
“Sure. No reason not to go for the master course, right?”
“The more you pay the more we share our best techniques, but as I said last time, I’m sure you could still learn a thing or two from the cheaper courses, your choice.”
“Alright, master course it is.”
Sofia crossed the last box of her thin bone notepad.
Athletics
☑ Sprinting
☑ Flight
☑ Parkour???
☑ Mana jumping
☑ Swimming
Physical Combat
☑ Grappling
☑ Staff techniques
☑ Strategic blocking
☑ Throwing techniques (done twice)
☑ Hand to hand
☑ Proper tail use
☑ Zero gravity battle & mobility
Magical Combat
☑ Mana tracking
☑ Evasion: targeted spells
☑ Evasion: tracking spells
☑ Evasion: hail spells
☑ Elemental counters
Misc.
☑ Weak points
☑ Counter teleportation
☑ Enchantment disarming
☑ Fortress rituals
☑ Walling
☑ Trapping
☑ Demoliton
☑ Basic of level 300+ monsters
☑ Stone economics
☑ Trading basics & item valuation
☑ Developping new spells crash course
☑ Out of body spellcasting
Three million points gone just like that. These were definitely worth the price… Most of them, at least.
I think I left the trading course more confused than when I got in…
Best value was definitely the throwing class. I’m still shocked I can alter the bolt’s trajectory so much without even modifying the spell… Should I go a third time? Maybe not… I can figure things out, I just need to practice. Maybe I’ll go on the moon train where it won’t harm anyone.
Learning to mana jump was so fun too. Who knew you can do that? Not using any spell just burning mana in a basic projectile propulsion formation to make yourself the projectile… So simple and yet, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use this… I guess it does make sense because I have a lot of mana to burn, it was quite expensive. Still, what a great tool to have.
And now… What now? I have three more days?
I guess I could check the skill optimizations again. I still haven’t looked at the ones for the choir and graveyard. I could still request a new branch for the unlife runes, too… But maybe I should keep that one for after I know which uniques I’ll get.
Sofia returned to her room, which was empty and silent as even Lepo was not there. After spending a few minutes looking at the calm night ocean through the windows, she placed her hand on the skill optimization device.
[Skills available for guided optimization:
‘Spine of the Black Sun’
‘Graveyard of the Nymphs’
‘False immortality’
‘Skull Choir’
‘Blessing of the Deep’]
Seeing as it was still only five skills available like the previous time, Sofia was about to absentmindedly select the graveyard when she realized something was wrong and had to do a double take on the last line.
What?
Sofia looked around, half expecting to see the Orator or Aphenoreth silently watching her, but everything was as it should. All she could hear was her own breathing, the calm sound of waves hitting the Ark, and the low whirring of the optimization device.
Have the high-scribes lost their mind?!
She selected the blessing.
[Skill : Blessing of the Deep - Skill version index UNREGISTERED]
Current version :
[Blessing of the Deep] (2 out of 4 essences) : The Saintomancer was granted a name.
They may see inhabitants of the Deep.
The Saintomancer and their summons are immune to the [Mind control], [Hypnosis], [Confusion], [Insanity], [Domination], [Soul Parasite] and [Instant Death] status effects.
[Available branches:
0 - DO YOU BELIEVE - 0TP
0 - IN PREORDAINED FATE - 0 TP
0 - ALL IS WRITTEN - 0 TP
0 - FREEDOM IS FAKE - 0 TP]
Sofia’s mind blurred as she read the ominous words. She felt herself lose consciousness without being able to fight back. With her last thoughts, she weakly called for a name.
Aphenor…
A cold hand on Sofia’s face obscured her vision. Her previously sluggish thoughts were instantly reawakened, but her body was frozen still. While the hand kept covering her eyes, she heard the unknown voice of a man piercing the deafening silence, whispering in her ear.
I Was Late Again
Sorry, Daughter
This Is The Enemy Of All Things
Forget Its Lies
My Mark Makes You Free
For a few seconds, he stopped talking, before giving his final lines.
You Need Not Fight This Battle
Do What Your Heart Desires
The hand disappeared from Sofia’s face, and time started to flow freely again.
Comments
Chance Rose
So this entity has something to do with the tapestry of fate wr heard about clearly. Maybe even the one who wrote it and enacts it every 30k years. It would make sense the lord's find it to be the enemy as it's observation makes it real and the people reading the tapestry cause it to happen by observing it. This creature was the sorrowful tidings that stopped the lords being able to live freely themselves thus needing marked ones. * que Kronk quote* " oh yeah, it's all coming together"
Matt Grayson
Pestle (noticing Ezerid's barbecue) to Destroyer Skull: "I smell leg. We get!"
Amythyst
Given what we saw on the warped moon, they seemed to be pretty invested in the Lost Epoch.
Emily Gurnavage
So I guess that prolly has somethin to do with the enemy/thing/reason for the civilization wipes every 30,000 years. Got that vibe if its bad enough for the Lords to consider it an enemy.
Amythyst
He covered her eyes when taking her out of the time loop and giving her the original Inquisitor's Apology too.
E
The adoption papers are officially signed!!! I bet she's going to wake up more stoked about that than scared of the existential weirdness event (which is a common occurrence for her now). I feel like Aphenoreth covering Sofia's eyes is a very important detail given the significance of open eyes in this universe. Maybe her "fate" wasn't real so long as she didn't observe it? Time for another Apology gift. Complete the glove set? Evolve her heart? A few billion trial points? Surely this experience counts towards evolving her Aphenoreth-essence mana heart. I wonder how much time has passed...
Sky
Thinking here Fate is the enemy of all things and definitely could have survived an apocalypse since so many beings reaching the same preordained outcome sounds very empowering, even if temporary. Scripture is of a similar nature, with how it ordains things and is clearly allied given one of the lines is "ALL IS WRITTEN."
Silver Dawn
There is a reason she is marked by the Inquisitor
Merlin's Fan
I feel as if this is the impending(?) divinity she has
Amythyst
Been reading old chapters and the wiki a lot lately and something hit me: The Eddarinians were a religious cult worshiping the "great tapestry of fate". Sounds like something tied this great enemy of all things, espousing preordained fate and that everything is written. Also, *they were worshiping a religious text*. Scripture gained power from this, and can likely see things around it, the way he spied on Sofia at Brighthall. It's possible he ended up buying into the Eddarinian faith as well from reading the tapestry. Additionally, way back in chapter 52, after Sofia killed Orvod in her first trial, she had a prophetic dream. This dream referenced "the great void, and its greedy apostles, coming to devour all". Those apostles could easily be the Eddarinians, especially since "greedy" and "devour all" could easily apply to Pestle, who was an Eddarinan before destroying her own soul. (see chapter 496) I'm betting the system employees who sided with Scripture and the Voice were also Eddarinians, who are trying to get rid of Sofia because she's Marked by the Deep. Final note: Sun has that tapestry of fate. Scripture can see things around religious texts... Hope she's kept it secure away from anything sensitive...
forwad Nothing
Stands to reason if she lasts that long she would likely become powerful enough to create a new universe, or at least reverse entropy to a point.
Songy
I do love how Sofia tends to have the survival instincts of a particularly curious squirrel. A squirel with acess to Unlive Runes, to be fair, but still.
Sanetless
I'm guessing that there's something like a Lord of a concept similar to Stasis/Fate/Destiny/Order that is considered the enemy?
Ceasar Salas
Oh! Another thought! What if it’s a forgotten god of Looming that can sense that Sofia is somehow acquiring their essence. If they were from the Lost epoch, then that could explain why they are so strong still
Ceasar Salas
All we see here is that the Lord level powers can directly interfere with the trials. As seen by Aphenoreth being able to show without much issue either. Rather than saying Nex lied, I think it’s more that Nex has underestimated how powerful the enemy is
Ceasar Salas
Thanks for the chapter! My guess is that it’s either an advanced form of Death but as a Lord, ie the opposite of creation: Destruction. Different from the existing Death who governs the end of living things, I’m talking about a Death that is the end of all things. Ironically very similar to a universe’s Heat Death… Or it’s a Lord of destiny, who also hates its own destiny (maybe they know they lose the war with current lords?). Their power then likely modifies causality, which has allowed for their somewhat nonsensical ability to alter the results of things.
steamrick
The Big Bad, of course!
Bob
Is there a God of fate if everything is divinly ordained and that is the enemy then fate is the enemy
Matt Grayson
And Sof, don't you be slacking! If nothing else, you gotta buy those earrings, and that's another half a billion points. Fifty million here and there is just NOT gonna cut it. Come to think of it, could she get 10 (or 11, I forget) gold stars, take the ultra-rare pin, three Unique items, have 2 billion TP, ... , and STILL fail the trial with an unwoken mana heart.
Silver Dawn
What is the enemy of all things? Is it possible the old God of Death survived.
Wensber
Thanks for the chapter!
Cyclone001
Aphenoreth speaking was not on my bingo list for today. So much for Nex being able to stop the Attacks on Sofia... unless that's why he was made to run off by the phaegid attack. If it's a Lords level enemy though, it makes sense that Nex couldn't stop it. What the lore enthusiast in me is dissappointed in though is not getting the training courses. No fair Sofia gets to know all that stuff and we don't even get a summary version of the interesting bits. I mean the writing enthusiat in me understands why we weren't (length, plot detour, spoilers, pacing, excess premature world building, etc), but still...
Clara
She's done pretty well so far with jumping headfirst into weird popups
Swoot_swoot
Love Dad!Aphenoreth showing up again. TFTC!
Matt Grayson
The God responsible is sure acting like Destiny.
Draxas
He actually called her his daughter this time I'm glad he finally said it makes me so happy
phantom
It was a lord that said it was an enemy of all things. In other words a Lord of the Deep considers this thing worthy of the classification enemy. Do you really wanna try fighting it?
Lilian Littmann
The potential implication of only the deap and their marked ones having free will is rather ominous...
Lazy Monster
She has kinda gone back and forth with the one she uses. This might make father her choice more consistently going forward.
phantom
Whatever screwed with the trial is probably not something they can do much about. The Deep didn't lift a finger last time she was messed with. This one outright got called an "enemy".
Phsteven
That, or sun just kicked his ass. She is pretty strong...
Amythyst
I think I pieced together something funny that happened. Been re-reading some recent chapters and 643 had Stebron barging into Sun, Moon, and Victory's private room to yell at Sun for giving Sofia five essences. Chapter 655 had Stebron clearly frustrated and swearing as he voted to let Sofia ascend. My theory there is Sun gave him a death quest (like the one Sofia got the five essences from) for some ridiculous amount of Sun/Moon/Victory essence to make sure the dragon council allowed Sofia to ascend/didn't interfere with her progression.
Daemion
Sofia barely hesitated before falling for the trap. Girl, if something impossible and weird pops up, you call tech support! Well, at least she got to "talk" with her dad for a bit. Let's hope she's still in the trial because if she got kicked out again all her efforts would be for naught.
Phsteven
The enemy of all things? Entropy? It made her sluggish and almost pass out. It would also go along with the whole "everything is preordained" shit it was spewing because in the end, all will be still. Except for Sofia of course, because she will be there to witness the heat death of the universe, like her skill implies, and laugh at Entropy.
Dan N
Grandma has primary custody since her parents live out of dimension and can only see her during their infrequent travel for work.
Mornn
:D
Lazy Monster
TFTC. Well damn. Nice to see Aphenoreth again. I really want to see the Seraphs freaking out over in a “how do we fix things so that our strongest contender doesn’t just fail the trial from everyone else conceding” kind of way
Tom Asciola
Mornn what the fuck. Also, I genuinely choke up every time an eldritch horror shows Sofia genuine affection
OmniGlitcher
That was *not* what I was expecting by the end of the chapter. Definitely getting that great tapestry of fate vibe. I wonder if that's The Voice. The enemy of all things... endings? Maybe? Also seems Aph does genuinely consider Sofia his daughter. We knew that already, but nice to hear from the horse's mouth, so to speak. It feels bizarre to point out now, but I'm happy Cinthia finally gets a surname!
Matt Grayson
God Damn! If it were ANYONE else telling Sof not to fight, she’d be running out the door looking for an enemy. She might just listen this time. Maybe. Probably not.
Vettu
Not sure what exactly happened here, but Aphenoreth being back is always welcome. Intercepting an attempted attack I would assume, but I thought attacks on the system wouldn't be a problem now that an Admin is back? "Sorry, Daughter" Notably, he didn't call her niece despite Sofia referring to him as "Uncle Aphenoreth" multiple times On that note, who gets custody of Sofia on weekdays and who on weekends between Sorrow and Aphenoreth?
Dan N
Awww he called her daughter, how sweet! Some real Deep bonds in this adopted family.
Phsteven
is there a way for Sofia to get Nex to pull the logs and see who is fucking with the trial this time? Maybe have her scribe put in an emergency alert?
Mornn
He did 'speak' through system windows before, but yeah
Mirage
I wonder who's trying to cause problems for Sofia. Doesn't seem like something Scripture could manage in this event.
Rat with a Pick
Is this the first time we’ve heard Aphe speak?
Amythyst
Oooh, we got Aphenoroth calling her daughter. Wonder if she'll take that as a cue to refer to him as father instead of uncle?
Joshua Nutter
It took 684 chapters, but we have finally heard all 4 lords speak, and it was a suitably ominous speech for such an occasion
Clara
Very glad she went through and did a bunch of courses, really excited to see the results of all that training in action
Aurora1325
i guess that confirms he thinks if her as a daughter
Clara
Bold of this enemy of all things to show up inside a toybox
BOT
Ominous...
Quentin Cozzi
Thanks for the chapter!
