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Chapter 331

🕑 Added 2024-05-24 18:59:00 +0000 UTC

Comments

Nicholas Grey

As it stands, I’d expect Matt to tell this little Ascender coterie to shove it. Unlike them, he *has* a peer group (and also a spouse), he doesn’t need them to socialise with.

Julie Smith

I just noticed a pun! " If Aiden could win here, they might just win the war outright. The odds were abysmal, but he had hope, and that made everything so much harder." The odds were abysmal for Aiden--who summons the creature of the abyss. I love it!

Raven Brodsky

Did one step behind have a name change?

Fozzy

Any chance Aiden is holding an inspiration or two?

Julie Smith

Ah! Leveled up midfight! Predicted, by many!

Trevor Mergen

Thanks!

Axim

This chapter gave me chills. Wow

C_Mantis

Monday friday 3pm EST.

Sharif

What's the chapter schedule?

adam1

So I've reread the last bunch of chapters while waiting for today's release, and I think that after the Ascender meetup here we need some type of flashback to the Cosmind/Master of All fight and the whole backstory. Also, the funniest piece is how calm and reasonable Sien seems vs. everyone's POV from the Sects being absolutely terrified of the Mistress of Ill Dreams.

adam1

Eclavorn is an Elder Dragon, so he has a Tier 3 bloodline. Brian is one of the four from the clans that make up On The Last Line (currently projecting all four of them into the orc skeletons).

James Harrison

Okay from what I can tell (purely off memory), Maxine/Max is Cosmind Sien is the Ill Dreams Ascender (Sects Ascender with twin children). Arrogant Dragon person is the Monster Collective ascender (he used Alpha to refer to Ascenders, that Collective). Oliviera is One Step Behind, Guild ascender. I think Brian would be a Corporations or Federation Ascender, but that's me taking the view of Necromancy basically being the crafting of bodies and putting souls into them. Not sure who the Clan's ascender is or the one that Brian isn't tho.

James Harrison

She was, and also is now his wife iirc. For reference I think Luna was Lila's liason/tutor.

Mario Reiman

nah, he can still level by gathering essence from his enemies on the battlefields (not from dungeons or essence shards) or by having an inspiration.

Mario Reiman

well, they only invite ascender equvalents to this group though, Maven and such are "flicker-lives". For them the only people who can really relate to their own experience are other ascenders and they used to be so far and few that it didn't matter if they were technically enemies. I guess team zero is a bit different in that sense, because they already have 2 groups at their own faction and level. Also, they are still young and have not yet mentally moved so far away from the rest of the cultivators. If team zero's supporting cast keeps losing a few of its members each war, eventually the MLA and L&S teams would probably stop really bonding with their support staff.

Coorsbie

Plus aster could aspect all that mana to her own via her t25 takent… and massively grow and empower her spirit space

Maya

thanks for the chapter! Aiden was destined to tier up here tbh

Namorat

Something I always wondered about: those ascenders as well as Waters with the group chat are people willing to kill each other, but there is a lot of semi friendly banter. MLA doesn't have something like that and I can't see them being in a group chat with Maven and the rune soldiers. Are they special in this regard or do those groups only happen after fighting thousands of years against each other or only since there wasn't a real war for the other groups?

CesarC.

So while I found the fight really entertaining but I found the conversation between the ascenders way more interesting especially the part of matt getting his revenge before getting invited to the cools kids club, so I'm guessing MLA get maven but I'm hoping that Dena goes absolutely feral on the sniper. Also just a random thought I had while listening to the audiobook. It would be funny that the realm would not let matt ascend until he hits tier 50 because of all the mana he would be able to produce at that point 😂

C_Mantis

Ah, I read 'two breaks' as two separate instances of a break.

C_Mantis

Thats a good idea. He didn't do that cause I never thought of it lol.

Lidja

It doesn’t help that they are using their real names as opposed to their Ascender titles. Ollie or Oliver is One Step Behind that MLA met in Guild territory. I suspect Max or Maxine is Cosmind. Sien is The Lady of Ill Dreams the much feared mother of the Sect twins.

Jacob Gordon

It would also be cool to know the tiers of them? Just to better understand the power dynamics in play. I think Lila was like 42? And I believe the last line was 35? Maya is 35. Aiden is 32 (now). But I have no idea for a lot of the others. Presumably Max and Sien are low 40s? Eclavorn is like... 37ish, based on this chapter?

Douglas Lilley

Yeah, that might have gotten dark, quick. Imagine the penalties for missed key changes! Bloodbath

C_Mantis

They are the other Ascenders in the realm most are retried.

C_Mantis

Fun fact: It was originally a musical but the tone shift was a bit too far.

JM O'Hare

Unrelated to this chapter, it why isn’t Matt doing some domain training with Aster? He had Waters drown him so he could be more Endless and both benefited. Surely Matt could spend time in Asters cold world where she could try and freeze him and slow him down in general, and he’d be Endless and fight against it. Big willpower gains for both. Would also see some 1on1 time with Matt and Gan Lee in there! 😂

Douglas Lilley

Good point Violet. Maya might be powerful, but there are limits

Violet

This is the problem with rune soldiers. The brainwashing makes them awful actors. And they can't sing for shit.

Kain

Final score of boss raid Phase One Raid Boss: The Drowner: killed 3/20 rune soldiers at least 2 from the same squad. Took an arm from an unknown combatant, probably a rune soldier, and took a bloody lump off of Maya. MP was fully depleted to achieve the above and spirit was at least slightly strained. HP was fully depleted triggering phase two. consumable resources noted as used: 1 nondescript potion. Raiders: managed to bring the raid bosses HP to 0 and only sustained auxiliary losses. Most likely consumed a notable amount HP, MP and Spirit as well as certain one use/one trick items. Most notable item used is the destined death dagger key item that did most of the damage that phase 1 sustained, using it on phase 2 will be nearly impossible if not actually impossible as the Raid Boss will be on guard against it if it wasn’t consumed after one use. Growing buffs to raiders: Rune soldiers accumulating and concentrating combat power as their numbers are reduced. Phase 2 buffs for the Raid Boss known to the raiders: higher max HP/MP/Spirit as well as full restoration of HP and MP with partial recovery of Spirit. Significantly higher base stats such as speed, strength, and durability. Combat knowledge of tricks and techniques used by raiders in phase 1. Possible buffs that raiders would be unaware of: New Techniques either facilitated by the tier up or held in reserve to use after the tier up for maximum effect, Number of Phases: UNKNOWN

Douglas Lilley

The chapter’s a bit unrealistic. Maya’s The World is a Stage didn’t involve either a rune-team chorus line of SPAM-a-lot or overly flowery Shakespearean language! I feel like Maya would have added at least one of those things. Just kidding, great chapter!

Douglas Lilley

“Backwards became Bruno, but we don’t talk about him.”

Ashrothe

Thanks for the chapter. Loving the war wrap up, but can't wait for the aperology!!

EmmieCurls

I thought his wife was his liaison while on the path and is a higher tier than him.

Namorat

I honestly don’t remember half of the people at the party. Is it a party of people from extremely different tiers as well?

Sharif

I know everyone doesn't lean into their tier 1 talent but it would be fascinating to see if Aiden had been raising creatures to take advantage of his abilities. It would make sense with him marrying a Leviathan

Uuds

I think the treaty only held until war was declared.

dakota downey

Huh I think your thinking of the wrong person Aiden (aka duke waters ) is t32 at the end of this chapter Manny is the emperor and currently t50

Aaron Hardin

Aiden tie ring up to T51 automatically forces him to ascend to the next realm, so there is no point in him doing so, his abiliy to copy talents copied a T51 talent when a leader ascended, then had an inspiration in the middle of the ascent, which allowed Aiden to copy the talents at T51 while also distracting all the other T50 leaders who showed up to watch the ascent.

Aaron Hardin

Rules of war are that cultivators and items that are over T35 cannot participate, items made by those over T35 where the items are at or under T35 does not break the rules. Being in a rift over T35 only breaks rules for those that are actively participating, being in that rift before or after participating does not break the rules, so no rules are broken by the rune soldiers. Of course, new rules which do ban them can be made for the future.

Joel Magnuson

I enjoyed the chapter but was very confused at the acender party. There's going to need to be a glossary or something for the acender party. I only remember/recognize 1.5 names ( figured out the twins mom about halfway through) and the switching between their acender names and their actual names made it almost impossible for me to follow. Sure most of them probably got referred to/ introduced but most of those were probably 3 books and 1000 characters ago.

Jeff091

hi, thanks for the new chapter typo Oh, they were powerful all right, fantastically powerful even, not some new slapdash Aspect just settling into its might like a tiny little stream which Duke Waters could dam up with his just his Intent. -his his just his--> just his

Katsudon99

The next war is the true war, there wont be tier separation.

Pat Sprehe

Think I found it. Chpt 315 mentions Cosmind killed Ascender Master of All.

JM O'Hare

Wasn’t it 2 chapters skipped? Two chapters ago starts with “Just to clarify, no chapters the 17th and the 20th.” Anyways no big deal Mantis, I don’t need a refund 🙏 just did a one month to give support, but I can wait for my chapters after this.

Pat Sprehe

Do we know who Charl was?

Tom

I think the other half of the deal was to stop the assassination attempts on Light and Shadow, and other promising pathers

Tom

Hope he gets his authority which freaks the other T50s out to buy him out of the war

William Johnson

I think it's 100% Aiden's swan song in that one way or the other he's got to leave the stage so MAL can be relevant at tier 35 in the next war.

james drawdy

By that titan would have to also be sanctioned as he was using something crafted by tier 50. I see it as a gray area, as the tier 50 was not directly acting but provided help to one of the tier appropriate level.

james drawdy

I have not been around for that long myself, but the chat itself is more than worth it imo, seeing what others think is going to go down an hearing thoughts from Mantis definitely holds value to me

Frardowin

Every battle has higher tier overseers to make sure the rules are followed. The other gp know.

Ryan Delaune

Confirmation that Aiden survives? Why clarify more in the future about Aiden’s inability to delve if he doesn’t live past this battle? (Please)

Patrick Brennan

They don't know that though

Louis McIntyre

He hasn't been delving. Absorbing essence from kills only. He's killed a lot of t35's

C_Mantis

fixed

howdy Seven Seventy

If he’s considered Tier 35 no matter his Tier would that be true at Tier 40?

Isley

good chappie

EmmieCurls

Stick around it’s definitely worth it!

Lidja

Yup. Sien is the Lady of Ill Dreams.

william wallace

Really getting Dragon ball vibes. In a good way. ‘You think you’ve defeated me?!?!!?? This isnt even my ULTIMATE FORM!!!!!’

Tijay Arnie

I thought that you were clarifying that the sepsis that combatants receive was was wet, and that gave me such a horrible mental image feeling

Tijay Arnie

I believe so

adam1

It is mentioned that taking another's essence can contaminate your domain with theirs, but Aiden has a method t9 scrub the essence clean.

Bob Bryan

Virgil needs hit in the face with tier 51 frying pan that somehow got an inspiration to tier 52

adam1

Yes

Arkiula

I feel like with Duke Waters sense of humor he would have at least one [Dookie in the Waters] spell that evacuates a pool or isolates a contamination in the ocean. Or [Dookie Water] that gives everyone that is wet sepsis or something.

Austin

Correct he couldn't delve. We see him still collecting essence from enemies all the way back in like book 3.

d s

Wait a second, are the twins in the HA Sien's children?

C_Mantis

yeah same thing no breaks. The only holiday breaks I take off for is Christmas and thats more for by birthday which is the same week. Otherwise I dont take off for holidays.

Abriel Blauer

If, somehow, Aiden manage to pull a victory, or manage to put the two other Ascender and Team Brainwashed (Rune Soldier) out of the fight and that the Citadel manage to wither the assault, the war will continue. If the Citadel fall (which is inevitable if Aiden lose the fight and the other Ascenders attack the Citadel), Manny will have to concede the war. If he doesn't, the war will extend to the Core Sector of the Empire, which will cause too much damage. Virgil seems to be certain that the Citadel will fall, which is why she suggested that Summit, seconded by The Sects.

Andre cook

Memorial day but we all understand

ShivaMcTimber

TYFTC! I feel the enemy also has surprises waiting, but I think it's a brutal fight next with Aiden taking a few down and doing damage then burning a stacked Inspiration for another level and heal.

Tommy

Rune Soldier… Big Sword… Spiky blonde hair unaffected by water… is he a soldier: First class? Cloud Strife getting in on the action 😂

Abriel Blauer

Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but I feel like this is Aiden swan song. A while back it was said that the Rune Soldiers were a trap to get rid of Dukes Water (A Virgil monologue). And we see that as the Rune Soldiers in this fight dies, the remaining ones seems to grow stronger. I suspect a suicide move when only a few remains. That would explains why they (the Rune Soldiers) were so afraid at the beginning of the battle. Because they knew they were about to die. And they kept confirming that Aiden was a "monster" to reinforce the necessity of sacrificing themselves. I wonder if they will only try and kill Aiden, or will they also include the two other ascender in their sacrifice.

C_Mantis

WE wont be taking a break for veterans day if that is what you are expecting.

C_Mantis

I am willing to do that. its awful timing and I dont mind shotting someone a refund. Tho two breaks? Am I missing a break? This was the only gap in chapter this month so far as im aware?

Tim Johnson

one typo i caught "” he had to dodge as Maya threw her spear" Maya should be Yun Me here since Maya just stopped attacking due to the time out call.

Abriel Blauer

So, the Federation do not have any retired ascender (or equivalent) ?

BananaInMyPants

Send Mantis a DM, he mentioned in the discord he's perfectly happy to work around that for you

Reid Thompson

So since they called the summit, does this mean that regardless of the outcome of this fight, they're not going to let Team Zero finish the fight with Team Evil? Because Maven still needs a reckoning.

hachetnif

It's the same thing as the printer thing Matt got from a tier 50 all the parts are in that stage of advancement it's just made by a tier 50 thus in the rules and it seems that yes they work and can hold their ground but can't actually accomplish killing him and if a tier 50 is spending their time making disposable soldiers while they could be doing a number of other things to help out their empire, I would say that she's honestly completely spending too much resources on getting revenge against the empire clouding her judgment.

JM O'Hare

So was the treaty that kept Waters from levelling specifically that he couldn’t delve? Will him tiering up now break that treaty? 🤔

JM O'Hare

I sign up for a month, and I pick the one month with two breaks 😂

RedLeaf

Thanks for the chapter!

John K

"Left became down, down became up, right became down, up became backwards, forwards became left, left became right." Not sure if on purpose, but you have "left became" twice but no "backwards became"

Accio123

That makes sense! I had forgotten the exact wording, but that makes it completely legal! Perhaps not what was intended when the restrictions were placed on him, as AFAIK it's "common knowledge" that it is impossible to take in someone else's essence. But Ascenders do the impossible

Wes

Still want to see a kraken that he raised with his talent be released next chapter!

Xarow

Thank you for the great chapter! Loved it!

James Faulkner

Tftc!

James Trautwein

The rules say that regardless of his tier he is treated as a tier 35 and that he can’t tier up by delving.

C_Mantis

So apparently it wasn't brought up recently enough but Aiden wasnt unable to cultivate just unable to delve which is why he takes the essence from those he fights. Ill make it more clear going forward

John

Thanks!

Accio123

I am curious, is he allowed by the rules of the war to tier up? I know that he was being treated as a tier 35 despite bring 31, so I suppose that if he is allowed to finish this battle he will likely be pulled from the active ascenders. As far as i'm aware I don't remember the rules on mid battle tiers being stated, especially ones going beyond the limit. TFTC!

Sacchito22

Dude was an utter menace 4 tiers lower than them and cursed. *malicious cackling intensifies*

alex bozdog

Team sippy cup lets go!

Nick Mcbroom

Aiden is a damn beast!

alex bozdog

An Authority is required to get to T75 just like an Aspect is required for T50 and a Concept for T5 (unbottled for T15) and Intent for T25. Waters got his Aspect in < 200 years when he was T23 ( and I think it was confirmed his Intent at T17) him getting an Authority at T35 when he's over 2000 years old considering he had an Aspect at T23 when he was < 180 years old is very unlikely but since it's Waters possible (it would also make him unfightable by anyone in the war since he could use the Authority to 1shot kill anyone T35 or below).

T

Ok thanks misremembering apparently

alex bozdog

So I expected one of three things for this fight: 1) Aiden Tiers to T32 then uses a saved up inspiration for T33 and wins that way. 2) Aiden tiers to T32 midfight then fights like a maniac but then gets a very close win/loss. 3) Aiden stays T31 but gets an Authority midfight and Tiers to T32 that way. Options 1 and 3 are clear victories as he becomes way stronger, option 2 is the most likely to happen and will be a close fight in the end to the point that all combatants are out of the fight for the planet once it's done.

Orims

I am pretty sure that the agreement was that he was not allowed to go dungeon delving to tier up, but he was using all the armies he murders to get the essence he needs for this.

Drew H.

No, the deal was he couldn't delve to tier up and that he was to be treated as a tier 35, however it seems he was allowed essence from other source such as killing other cultivators. (He was doing that a while ago. Before the war when he was sent to the frontier)

T

I kinda believe she has already broken the rules by using a t 42 rift for them to be created in Also does she not control the next generation personally? That would be a clear violation

T

Does the tier up mean that the assassinations on the path are back on now ?

the oldest dream

authority is like tier 75

Patrick Brennan

Watch the other powers cry foul about him not being allowed to delve

Havokk

fantastic chapter. you really brought out the suspense with this and Im looking forward to round 2

Michael McMahon

Aiden tiered up! What a way to come back. Thank you!

Derze

Let’s goooooo

Drew H.

I think they'll have to drink from a sippy cup once Duke Waters is done with them

C_Mantis

Maya is republic. Jai Sien is sects. Max is corp. Gideon and Eclavorn are monster collective. Krogag, Moe, Eleen, and Brian are one of the clans ascender teams and the other is yet to be seen Wun. Lila, Aiden, LS, MLA are empire. Olivier is guilds.

adam1

An Authority would be too overpowered. But he did make reference to trying to make a new skill before, maybe we'll see that in the next chapter.

Nick Vallo

If Aiden dies I'm going to be very cranky XD

Alex

Honestly I’d be surprised if the Feddies don’t get jumped on when the war is over. The threat of their rune soldiers is a legitimate casus belli for the other Great Powers to declare, and I’m sure the Monster Collective would take great pleasure in kicking them while they’re down.

Teatime42

I'd say it's less for the atrocity that we see it as, and more that something crafted by a tier 50 is acting as a tier 25/35 combatant.

MikeL

Do we have a full list of the Ascenders and faction. I’m getting confused by some names.

Thomas Brusilovsky

I was expecting the mid fight aspect (or maybe the next one whatever its called. Those trip me up), but a tier up does make more sense

MikeL

I’m hoping for at least 1 more, an inspiration or two he’s been holding back.

MikeL

So that drops at 4pm today, right?

dakota downey

Ah I just mis remembered the deal then it's been awhile since I read that far back

C_Mantis

Deal was he cant advance by delving. he could always tier up by taking the essence from those other cultivators he kills. he was doing it back in book 3

Tom Ford

I think he wasn’t allowed to teir up with rifts, but he’s just been using the essence of his kills on the battlefields

Brukhalian

I knew that this is how it would go, and yet I was still very nervous about that stab wound. Well done.

Eduard Marciuc

I think that deal only kept the kids safe while on the path, like they'll stop tryna assassinate the would he ascenders? But since it's a war anyway, I think that deal went out the window on a Tier 51 flying sword

dakota downey

The he one that counts him at a tier 35 and stopped the assassinations though now that I think of it I don't think the deal does anything anymore I thought it would mean if he tiered up he tiered out of the war

Jake Kimmerly

What deal?

dakota downey

Aiden tiered wasn't that against his deal?

C_Mantis

next chapter is almost 9k

Tom Ford

The build up was too good! Why wasn’t this chapter twice as long?!?

Bunny Waffles

Honestly there has got to be some kind of sanction or something against Virgil for what she did to make those rune soldiers. Like there are plenty of awful things each Great Power has done, but knowingly and willfully kidnapping children, lying to and brainwashing them, and then doing all the requisite terrible shit to turn them into disposable super soldiers is BEYOND monstrous.