Zogarth
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Chapter 957 - Methodologies of War
🕑 Added 2024-07-19 11:13:40 +0000 UTC”Fire,” Caleb said as a string of black beams shot out, landing on the creature as it roared in anger and pain. It turned toward the position of the snipers and began charging their way as Caleb spoke again. ”Activate illusory array four.”
A second later, the entire area seemed to warp slightly. The charging Prima Guardian didn’t even look like it noticed as it kept charging… but rather than head toward the snipers, it began to slightly curve to one side, with it soon running an entirely wrong way.
The array wouldn’t last long before the Guardian noticed, but it was good enough for now. Caleb directed the thirteenth and eighteenth squads of assassins to move in while the Guardian was distracted as ten people erupted from the shadows and attacked the boss, each unleashing powerful skills right away. Caleb also took the chance to glance at the boss yet another time, noting its growing injuries while also throwing in another Identify for the heck of it… and because he wanted to make sure this one couldn’t somehow evolve mid-combat, primarily because he remembered the one on Earth having a different name.
[Honored Prima Guardian – lvl 323]
Turning to look at the people that attacked it, the Guardian was faced with only shadows as the ten assassins retreated once more. Another barrage of sniper fire hit a moment later, this time from across the valley from the exact opposite side as the first attack.
Having noticed something was wrong, the Guardian began to release pulses of mana, both analyzing and disrupting the formations and arrays they had placed down in a massive area around the Prima Vessel. The response was quick, as the mages of the Court responded by disabling some of the magic circles temporarily, fooling the Prima into thinking it had destroyed them.
This was the first planet he had gone to after leaving Earth to help the Court of Shadows, and so far, he would say things were going well. The Prima Guardian was also surprisingly weak compared to the one he had fought before, yet pretty damn strong if the planet was meant to have faced it by itself.
Then again, they weren’t meant to face it yet, but after potentially over two and a half years, during which they would wipe out most Primas, leading to a weaker Prima Guardian, too. If this wasn’t the case, Caleb would have expected the majority of planets with enlightened across the universe to be wiped out, but as things were and the current rules… the Court of Shadows intelligence network put the expected percentage of planets who would end up ”destroyed” at twenty-two percent.
It was yet undecided if the Milky Way would drag this stat up or down… but Caleb would do his utmost to ensure it would go the right way.
He continued to direct the flow of combat as more than four thousand members of the Court of Shadows participated in this Prima Guardian hunt. Many of them were supportive members, helping with the formations and arrays to control the Guardian, but there were still over five hundred melee assassins on the battlefield and about an equal number of ranged attackers.
Individually, none of them could do much to the Guardian. However, the Court of Shadows did have some unique abilities that allowed them to still participate. Out of perhaps every faction in the entire multiverse, the Court was the best at having their members be able to still deal damage to things they really shouldn’t be able to even touch.
A random newly evolved D-grade attacking someone like Jake, more likely than not, wouldn’t do any damage at all. That is to say, you could get a million of the same guy and have them all attack, and unless they used some means to combine their attacks through rituals or formations, none of them would cause any harm. Jake’s durability would simply be too high for them. It was a threshold they couldn’t pass.
The Court of Shadows had ways to circumvent this threshold. Shadows were slippery and ethereal and could penetrate even the natural defenses granted by the system, even if the damage would be incredibly minor. Even a skilled D-grade assassin could deal damage to a peak C-grade with a single sniper bullet or a stab of their dagger.
Now, the damage would be absolutely negligible. As in, perhaps not even doing one health point’s worth of damage… but just the mere fact it did any kind of damage at all was massive.
Needless to say, a bunch of mid-tier C-grades attacking a late-tier C-grade could do far more than a single health point of damage with every blow, but individually, they really were too weak to stand a chance. Yet, in this battle, they were enabled and able to fully participate. All of this was part of the core strategy the Court of Shadows often deployed to take down dangerous foes:
Isolate, harass, kite, confuse, and wear down. If a target couldn’t be killed quickly, kill them slowly in a dragged-out assassination where you controlled all factors. Use the shadows to limit their Perception and hide away, never giving them time to recover, and eventually, even someone far more powerful than the assassins would eventually fall.
Of course, if it was possible to go in with overwhelming power to kill the target instantly, that was preferable. In most cases, that is… this not being one of them, as the Prima Guardian wasn’t a real target but a mere practice dummy.
Caleb could attack himself, and considering how much weaker this Prima Guardian was than the one on Earth, he reckoned he would have a good chance in a one-on-one. It could get a bit dicey due to its high durability and Caleb’s fighting style relying on high burst damage, but he believed he could handle it alone.
That wasn’t the point of this, though. This Prima Guardian system event was viewed as just another training exercise in the eyes of the higher-ups of the Court of Shadows, and Caleb going around killing by himself wouldn’t really help the natives learn anything, right?
As a Judge, Caleb wasn’t just meant to be a fighter but one of the leaders of the Court of Shadows here in the ninety-third universe. Helping the natives get stronger themselves would reflect well on him and earn him more favor than if he just went around killing everything… though if things got too dangerous, he would step in personally.
The battle continued on, the Prima Guardian getting more and more whittled down. It did adapt a little to their attacks, but they attempted to counter this with different elemental attacks carried out primarily through formations or ritual spells cast by some of the mages. Still, the affinities used were very similar, which did result in the fight dragging out.
After the battle had been ongoing for over ten hours with the Prima Guardian just slowly running out of steam, the entire reason why they needed these kinds of training exercises was shown. While there was a certain level of leeway in their strategy and many fail-safes, it was still possible for a group to fuck up enough so that everything fell apart.
And that’s exactly what happened.
A squad of mages responsible for a formation messed up, with the backup casters not ready in time to react. The assassins that had just emerged to follow up the attack of a group of snipers found themselves fully exposed as the Prima Guardian turned toward them, light magic channeling as the shadows meant to protect them were dispersed.
Caleb considered giving them a moment to react on their own or maybe even make this a lesson, even if it would cost lives.. but as always, he was perhaps a bit too soft, as he quickly dispelled these thoughts and moved.
Besides… sometimes it was good to show off his power a bit, lest they forget the Judge wasn’t just considered an administrative role.
All his boosting skills were fully activated as Caleb shot across the battlefield, emerging behind the Prima Guardian before it even had time to kill the first assassin. He didn’t mask his approach to make sure it wouldn’t kill any of them, as it quickly spun around to face him, only to find itself faced with a torrent of black lightning.
Caleb passed through the boss in his transformed state before turning himself corporeal again, slamming his staff down as the ground below the Prima Guardian erupted with lightning, dark thunderclouds gathering above. Attacking again, Caleb landed several blows with his staff before the Guardian could properly adapt to his speed, the ground below the Prima Guardian exploding once more a moment later, sending a bolt of lightning flying toward the skies above.
Riding the lightning, Caleb merged with the thunderclouds for a moment as he channeled his energies and spoke, his words echoing through the clouds.
“Thunderfall of Tenlucis.”
He descended in an instant, passing through the Prima Guardian as a pillar of black lightning consumed it. In its damaged state, it simply wasn’t able to adapt to the oppressive powers of the black lightning as its body was burned from within, and its soul crumbled before the overwhelming pressure of the dark heavens.
You have slain [Honored Prima Guardian – lvl 323] – Bonus experience earned for killing an enemy above your level
Caleb materialized himself in front of the burnt corpse of the Prima Guardian as he infused his voice with mana, addressing everyone.
”Good work from most of you, but a sloppy finale. I expect a full report from all responsible squad leaders within two hours, outlining what went wrong and how to ensure it won’t happen again. We move to the next planet in ten hours, and I expect better the second time around. Dismissed.”
--
Across the multiverse, there were many methodologies of war with some more alike than others.
The Holy Church and the Risen had quite a lot of things in common despite their antagonistic relationship, one of which was their hatred of being compared and people pointing out they had a lot of things in common.
Another big thing they had in common was their approach to combat. More accurately, how they viewed those participating in a fight. Many forces in the multiverse focused on elite groups, minimizing losses and only bringing those who could actually put up a proper fight to battle.
Neither the Risen nor the Holy Church had this approach, though it materialized differently. The Holy Church would gladly throw entire armies at singular, powerful people, sacrificing them all through rituals to empower their elites and bring victory. This had even been shown several times on Earth, both during the Treasure Hunt and the battle when the Risen were pushed off the planet during Ell’Hakan’s invasion.
These people who gave their lives did so gladly and willingly, as without their active participation, the methods of the Holy Church simply wouldn’t work. It was their faith that gave the Holy Church power, even in such rituals. Across the Milky Way Galaxy, rituals were carried out one after another to face not only Prima Guardians but regular Primas, billions dying as martyrs of the Holy Church.
The reason why they so gladly gave their lives was because, to many, what came after would be better. The Holyland would be an improved existence to their normal mortal lives, with many even viewing it as a privilige to be allowed to die in a ritual. Of course, to be allowed to be sacrificed, you needed to no longer be deemed a talent that could grow further to a higher grade, and the ones to go first tended to be those older and those who’d exhausted their talent.
One might view the way the Holy Church operated as insane or even evil when evaluated with Earth’s morals… but the numbers simply didn’t lie. A system event like this Prima Guardian one was far from the first of its kind that had happened during the integration of a new universe, and in all those prior, the Holy Church held the record every single time for their planets doing the best, even surpassing Valhal, a purely combat-specialized faction.
It wasn’t hard to understand why the Holy Church did so well, either. They were the best faction in the multiverse at making the ”useless” useful in combat. Rather than large populations merely being statistics for an event boss to wipe out, they could be converted to tangible power that could help bring down the threat. Did this mean that sometimes, the majority of a planet’s population got sacrificed? Yes… but ninety percent dying was better than a hundred.
The Holy Church truly embodied the concept of the ”greater good” and could only truly exist due to the Holyland of the Holy Mother allowing those who died to enter it. With life after death, sacrificing yourself was seen as one of the most honorable ways to die, with your death only taking you to ”paradise.”
In this way, the Holy Church was one of the premier factions that actively used the deaths of the many to overcome their foes… the other one naturally being the Risen, though their method of taking advantage of the dead was quite different. After someone died, they couldn’t become a Risen unless that death happened as part of a transformation ritual, but that didn’t mean that the dead couldn’t become undead.
Even the Risen could be raised once more when they fell, though it wouldn’t be as what they were before. They wouldn’t be the same people either, though there were some methods to preserve those who died by effectively saving their souls before they fully dispersed. The result wouldn’t be like a full resurrection, and the souls would be permanently damaged, making a second resurrection absolutely impossible and often harming them in other ways, making this simply not worth it.
Either way, using other Risen was barely part of the methodology of the Risen. Why would it be, when in war, there was so much death to take advantage of? So many corpses to raise as mindless undead.
In this war against the Prima Guardians, the planets ruled by the Risen had the possibility of taking advantage of the many dead Primas and monsters during the event, raising them to be used as fodder against their former comrades. Any death on the enemy side would strengthen the Risen, truly making them a force to be reckoned with.
Of course, just throwing a bunch of raised monsters at a Prima Guardian wouldn’t accomplish anything, as the raised ones were far weaker than when they were alive, and their power depended heavily on the one raising them as undead.
This is where the rituals came in.
Just like how the Holy Church could have thousands, millions, or even billions sacrifice themselves to create powerful effects, so could the Risen take a huge number of raised undead and combine their power. Sometimes, this took the form of rituals unleashing powerful attacks with their combined energies, but the most effective version was through the creation of flesh golems or ghostly amalgamations.
The forced fusion of countless undead into singular beings. Monstrosities containing countless souls, barely stitched together by talented necromancers. These types of undead could rarely persist for long due to their inherent instability… but for the time they ”lived,” they could be absolute menaces. As they were effectively summoned monsters, they didn’t have the same restrictions as regular Truesouls either, meaning their levels of power could truly reach absurd levels. That is to say, it was entirely possible to create a flesh golem capable of fighting and killing the Prima Guardian on its lonesome.
That it was possible didn’t mean that anyone was capable of doing so, though. This was where one of the big differences between the Church and the Risen came in: the requirement of skill. The Risen required skilled necromancers and intelligent undead to control and create their armies and monstrosities. Even if they could combine their powers, having hundreds of necromancers bind and control a flesh golem together, they still needed the skill to do all this. Because if they didn’t control it… well, let’s just say there were plenty of stories across the multiverse of people creating monsters they failed to control, ending in their own downfalls. So, skill was still a massive requirement.
Contrarily, the rituals and methods of the Holy Church were absurdly simplistic. It wasn’t difficult at all to teach even average people to create some of their rituals, with practically no skill or power required from anyone in the process.
Of course, the effectiveness and efficiency would improve if those conducting the rituals were more skilled, and some of the more advanced methods did require skilled individuals, but the mere fact the average folk was given options to fight back by the Holy Church was massive, and the primary reason they could thrive in the multiverse – even if the price of that was extreme sacrifices.
Now, all of this isn’t to say that these two factions preferred using means like this. Alright, the Risen would nearly always raise armies of undead; that was only to be expected, but if they could avoid the more risky rituals, they certainly would.
The Milky Way Galaxy was quite lucky in this regard. Working with Ell’Hakan and having a good pool of talented individuals, the Holy Church didn’t need to sacrifice people but could hunt down the Guardians without taking any such methods into use.
In the same way, the one planet controlled by the Risen got help from Earth, which included Casper, a Risen blessed by the Blightfather himself and a powerful fighter in his own right. Additionally, if they needed more help, Casper could get it, as asking for Jake, the Sword Saint, or someone else to lend a hand was far preferable to taking the risk of creating some abomination of stitched-together flesh and souls.
Things were far from as positive across the rest of the universe, though, and many factions wished they had the methods of these two factions in their arsenal. Wished they at least had the option of giving their lives to kill the Prima Guardian and not just die in vain.
Alas… there was a reason the Court of Shadows reached that twenty-two percent evaluation.
Comments
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
Kconraw
Thx for the chapter
DirePants
Thank you.
Olof Karlsson
Thanks for the chapter!
Zack Springer
Idk I I was in the universe and had any power at all I would try my best to kick the church out, seems like they are very much brainwashing their followers and taking away individualisms and free will from their followers.
Martín Ballesteros Arias
I lately try to leave as many chapters as I can unread so I can still binge read the series one week at a time, this week's chaps were quite fun with all that interaction with the voice of the one
justin
I believe the negative feeling for the church are not justified even if they are written that way on purpose. They are better than the risen and seem morally similar to most of the other factions. Cultivation is like athletic culture. Not everyone can be the best. Former athletes become coaches or supporters. They boost (with their time and resources) the next generation and they are happy to do it. In fact they often feel bad that they could not be better as an athlete and do things to forget their "failure" so going to heaven where their progression is halted sounds like a good coping mechanism to remove the stigma of "failure". The drive to be the best is a harsh culture for all but a few. In real like many people at rhe top are haunted by self doubt and regret at the things they did to get where they are or what they passed over like a family or good times. All the MC in these stories are autistic narcissists with personality or detachment disorder.
joe schmoe
Any chapter giving more insight into the machinations of other gods is always fun. the more i hear about the holy mother and the blight lord makes me believe they are 2 sides of the same coin, just like the endless/automata. Zog seems to have a knack for pacing, anytime large story beats happen we get a taste from other characters. i cant wait for it to all tie together.
joe schmoe
i think the idea is that if she was to ever deactivate it she might not get it going again, the back lash from transcendent skill running for 93 eras. kind of like how eversmile has been smiling for 93 eras and if he ever stopped the potential karmic backlash might have catastrophic consequences.
Kyle Hunt
My sincere apologies for bothering you, my intent was to have a civil conversation and argument over our conflicting opinions. I truly meant no offense, I won't reply to you again. Good luck with life.
Baged
Oh, okay, then I will butt in insted and spread some glamour. At this point in the story, where its nearing chapter 1000, atleast 1000+ of my fellow subscribers' have investet more then 2 years in this story. Paying a small sum for 50 extra chapters for a gentel little dayli fix, posted around the same time 5 days a week. What Zoggi did back then was freaking awesome. He posted a bunch of chapters about a fat guy in a cool system start event, and when we as readers finally caught up to the current state of affairs, we are rewarded with a story of a badass masked adventurer overpowering everyone in his path, rocking a chaotic evil persona with big arrows and hungry items. And he's banging Vikings and Devil Girls along the way [totally fanservice need on that front *bytheway*] This chapter is setting the context up for the future, of how badass the armies he has on his way to the top are. As a reader of almost 1000 chapters, I want to know more about this world our badass hero has to conquer. He is the Primal Hunter; the name of the Path in itself is a hard counter to every old god there is in the story. With this chapter, we learn about two big ones and how an army of assassins operates against a stronger target. I can imagine it's a tactic that can be very harmful against Jake, giving him a sensory overload or some shit. The best thing about this info dump is that it's on a Friday. The only reason you don't seem to *get it* is that you hammered through 600+ chapters in a row, and haven't experience the art form of the Friday-two-day-break cliffhang combat style, which I can assure you, Zog is a master of. To experience an info dump chapter like this is a mercy... Imagine 6 Fridays in a row with intense cliffhangers.... Those were dark times, son.
Ryan Ulrich
I wonder if we will see a moment in the series where the Holyoand ceases to function since the Holymother has to deactivate it for some reason
DirePants
I’d rather trust my own judgment, instincts, training, and experience than a stranger on the internet. We all have to make our own decisions. So again. Thank you for you comment, I disagree. Have a good day. Carry on. Or however I get you to stop talking to me…
Mat
Someone like C-grade evolved Temlat maybe
Kyle Hunt
To each their own, hope all goes well in your writing. Far be it for me to tell you what to do, however, my unsolicited advice is to not lean into the "published author, masters in English, degree in film and business entertainment" as an argument to support your opinion. I have met dozens of "educated" engineers where I work, and they never fail to cause more problems with the process and equipment.
Biggy smalls
I disagree with this comment. I think zog Is slowly setting up a big confrontation between EH and his alliance vs Jake/earth inhabitants and Earth's building coalition of earth saved planets. Zogs hinted multiple times in these chapters that EH's path requires domination. These planets that earth is saving are going to need to work with Jake and earth's elites in order to keep EH out. These other world leaders arent strong enough on their own to stave off EH (Jake and Company are). If I'm right then all the world leaders earth saves are going to see more "screen" time at a later date.
Phasmatic7
Thankies for the chapie zogie
Mat
When the Prima Guardian takes over the planet won’t it make the end of the event for that planet? I think fighting the guardian after it has claimed the pylon is just like fighting any monster or world leader who has claimed the planet pylon. No rewards from the event but from killing a world leaders and xp.
PatienceHoney
When I read "I," I read it as them saying something like "I don't know" and not getting the whole sentence out. Did you read it that way?
PatienceHoney
I was just coming on here to complain that my life is upside down when I am sad tomorrow is Saturday because that means no morning PH... and I will be excited when Monday comes again... But, I don't think that is the complaining you are feeling grumpy about... 😉
KenTX325
Enjoyed the court of shadows part. I thought the undead, church portion less interesting because it didn’t have a first person perspective.
Catherine Jones
The complainers can stuff it. I enjoyed tye chapter and I'm happy to have a weekend without a cliffhanger for once. Not that I really mind the cliffhangers, but I reserve the right to curse the author for tormenting me with delayed gratification.
DirePants
Yeah I don’t agree with your view point. But neither of our comments will affect this story. I’m just voicing an opinion and some inquiries since I’m working on my first webnovel, as a published author with a masters in English, a degree in film, and one in business entertainment, sure I’ll find my own way but thank you for your input 👌🏾
TyranT-Rex
That's exactly what I think too. This is the perfect setup chapter for something like that. It's basically foreshadowing the desperation people would feel to lead to doing something that would create "I".
JC
Im ok with short breaks like this if they help in setting up more in the future. I highly doubt that failed world leader or the great bright one followers will amount to anything in later chapters. If anything i wouldve liked to see more of sword saint developing in his own right so he stops being overshadowed by jake. Ever since nevermore began there has been a terrible lack of proper setup/buildup. It all just feels like weekly installments of 5 chapter mini-novellas rather than one long story. Ellhakan is supposed to be jakes one rival in all this and so far weve barely seen any of him in this prima stuff. And its already looking like hes falling behind. Can we get SOME sort of set up and tension? God forbid the MC has to ever try to win.
Azayrian105
You know I have been rereading the earlier books again and honestly I’m sad that Jake’s old friend Patrick hasn’t been talked about. I liked the idea of them managing to reconnect somehow but honestly at this point I don’t even know if that is feasible.
Kyle Hunt
That sounds like something an Ell'Hakan fanboy would say. XD
Kyle Hunt
Gotta admit I missed that one, and for the record I believe myself to be quite "bright." All the more proof that things need to be stated explicitly once in a while, and that this expo-dump is indeed not filler if it does turn out to be the case that it's related to "I." If it isn't related to "I," then sure call it filler all you want, but still necessary for the people who miss things, and fulfils its purpose of letting the reader know that the universe exists without Jake in the picture. Also, I've not seen anyone state that it couldn't have been written/worded better, just arguing that it does serve a purpose.
Kyle Hunt
I don't think that's being overlooked, but so far, Jake, and Earth as a whole, has shaken up multiversal norms to an impossible degree. It kinda follows that they will have a great impact on the multiverse as a whole. Jake's race alone would be enough to throw multiversal belief out the window.
Kaizen Androck
Sure... Okay, dude. Right after you refrain from the "insulting Zogarth" nonsense, we'll get on that.
Killinger Ryan
Filler is the 20 minutes of screaming in a DBZ episode, not this chapter. This is well thought out and structured. Instant gratification is ruining yall
Luke Scheffe
SmokeJam, hard disagree. It’s because this is part of a larger book that these chapters aren’t necessary. Anyone reading as part of a book will naturally remember this stuff. If they don’t, then they are not even remotely committed to the book.
Luke Scheffe
I think you vastly underestimate the size of the multiverse. Just running the numbers, the Milky Way, which is of course newly integrated and low population, has likely over a hundred trillion sapient inhabitants. The collective population of the systemic domain is likely in the decillions at the lower end.
Luke Scheffe
Yes. I’m a well trained reader. I’ve learned to love the cliffs.
Jeff McCulley
I just read more of the comments. Getting out of here before I get any more upset. Some of you should be embarrassed. And maybe reread Zogarth’s A/N from several months ago. Because straight out insulting him with this “filler” nonsense is doing no one any favors.
Jeff McCulley
Filler? Nope. Might as well outright admit you’re not bright enough to figure out what’s happening, rather than insulting Zogarth. Some of you folks need to stop with this “filler” nonsense. Not least, that the structure of a book doesn’t care what day of the week it is.
Jeff McCulley
When people label anything an author writes as “filler”, that’s not just straight up insulting the author, it’s just plain ignorant. The latter part here is clearly setting context for the big reveal on “I”, and the ritual by which that entity came to be. I find it unfortunate if some people aren’t bright enough to understand that.
Jeff McCulley
You’d prefer a major cliffy?
Jeff McCulley
This chapter clearly sets the stage for the big reveal Monday of how “I” was created, empowered or summoned. Hopefully Monday, anyway. Taking a wild guess that their ritual went wrong. Just a wee tiny bit over the top.
Kyle Hunt
Better than another cliff hanger in my opinion. They lose their impact when overused.
BumAssBumAss
The part about the holy church and the risen could've been done better. It would've been more interesting experience to see those details from Jacob's or Casper's perspective instead of an exposition dump of things we generally already know about.
Kyle Hunt
Didn't really consider that before... I've always liked how Zogarth makes the world feel like it exists independent of Jake, but I never put together how he used a side character to justify the introduction to another "main" character.
Kyle Hunt
Just saying, I commented this elsewhere and just gonna reuse it... "A lot of the exposition is about matters that have mostly been implicit, or not spoken of in much detail, thus requiring implicit understanding. This type of chapter helps build the world and make it feel like it exists independent of the MC, and there are some readers who need it stated explicitly, especially during an event that makes the information important." New stuff now... I appreciate your desire not to repeat yourself in the story you're writing/planning, but sometimes it is necessary to ensure your readers understand. Also, depending on the viewpoint you're writing from it can cause confusion. Zogarth tends to write from two or three different viewpoints without telling the reader that's what he's doing. What I mean, is that he will state something as an absolute, but then defy that truth with a statement from Villy... I like the style, and I think it's fun to require some implicit understanding while reading, but not everyone is able to, or willing to, "read between the lines." Finally, and the most important is what I stated before, it makes the world feel real and like it could exist without the MC.
Mohammed Sheekh
sorry pal, you can sugar coat it all you want but this is a filler in all sense of the word, nothing wrong with that, plenty of writers do it so it's not a sin lol
Kyle Hunt
A lot of the exposition is about matters that have mostly been implicit, or not spoken of in much detail, thus requiring implicit understanding. This type of chapter helps build the world and make it feel like it exists independent of the MC, and there are some readers who need it stated explicitly, especially during an event that makes the information important.
Kyle Hunt
Totally agree, very few authors make their worlds feel like they exist independent of the MC. Zogarth has done an amazing job at doing so.
Kyle Hunt
The last part was sort of filler, yes. However, most of Zogarth's exposition in this one was about subjects that have been only hinted at quite a while ago. If you read the comments its easy to see that a lot of people don't pay attention to (or pick up on) the implicit details, which at times like these, when multiversal events take place, are required to be understood to really take in the full intent. I agree with you that the information was obvious, but not everyone is as perceptive as you are, that doesn't necessarily mean they weren't paying attention, just that they didn't catch the implications. SmokeJam: "...but did you actually think about how exactly the other factions approach this event until now? I believe at least 95% of the readers didn't." This is the biggest factor, a lot of what Zogarth writes is either from the perspective of the masses or from the perspective of the elites; typically these two viewpoints are antithetical and contrary. Someone who doesn't understand that, or thinks a bit of exposition is from the opposite viewpoint, may miss out on truly understanding the intent. Example: Yip of Yore and the masses believe Villy went on a rampage. The Primordials know what really happened. That event is something Zogarth has not made any exposition on, however obvious it seems that its because someone killed his wife and kid, it isn't confirmed. Finally, while it may be repeating information, Zogarth's use of chapters like these ends up making his multiverse feel real and like it exists outside of the MC, something that most stories fail to do.
Kyle Hunt
I for one was happy for it not ending on a cliff hanger for once. I've said it before in other comments but Zogarth overuses cliff hangers (which I suppose is easy to do with the chapter by chapter format). They are a nice tool, but overuse limits their impact and usefulness.
Kyle Hunt
I don't see Jake being happy with Anora if she happens to get her hands on Ell'Hakan's bloodline; that could cause trouble in the future... However, what I think is more likely is that the multiverse will see a scene more like what Jake saw in the god's meeting during Nevermore. It's the mortals and minor gods that see these events as wars and strife, yet so far the major gods have acted like its all just a friendly competition... Side note, I think that is the biggest weakness in Yip's strategy, he reads the story that the factions are at odds, when most of them simply compete.
Kyle Hunt
Likely alone on another planet, she was hired by the Court, but it would be a waste to send her with Caleb.
Kyle Hunt
"...the Court of Shadows intelligence network put the expected percentage of plan(e)ts who would end up ”destroyed” at twenty-two percent." ---22% of planets will lose to the Guardians if they don't receive assistance. "Things were far from as positive across the rest of the universe, though, and many factions wished they had the methods of these two factions in their arsenal. Wished they at least had the option of giving their lives to kill the Prima Guardian and not just die in vain. Alas… there was a reason the Court of Shadows reached that twenty-two percent evaluation." ---Of these 22% of planets, their inhabitants wished they had access to some sort of sacrificial ritual, so that at least some might be able to survive. These two lines are probably meant to be a reminder that we're seeing the elites fight, not the masses.
DasGoat622
I think it’s a good context chapter, while we may be hearing things we’ve heard before we get a greater sense of the scale and scope of how the other factions operate on a macro level. In a story about individual power it’s good to get a perspective of what not having that power looks like. And also seeing the interplay of the Holy church and the Risen as more akin to former partners disagreeing on the method but ultimately achieving the same result is kind of fun. It also just breaks up the story. 50 chapters of Jake one shooting Primas is gonna get pretty boring. Setting the real fight to come (the war for the seat) is a better use of words.
Stuart Thwaites
Yeah, chapters like this are important. They remind us that Jake isn't the center of the galaxy ,yet. but it leaves us with the whole weekend after nothing really happening.
Thenais
Ok chappy but not ok on friday
Josh Hietpas
Off topic but also related to the first thing i said: remember when zog wrote two or three chapters about Mateo the same time he introduced SS and carmen? I know it was used to introduce Caleb back in the story, but you think he will ever make a comeback to the main stage rather than just be a dude that reports to caleb every so often? I liked his backstory a lot
Josh Hietpas
That being said, this one seems more like an event set up over a character set up, so now im antsy to see what happen come monday
Josh Hietpas
Ppl are complaining, but I personally like the short breaks from the main action here and there. It helps with story and character development. If it was always just constant action, it would get dull imo. Chapter like this lead to major turning points or developments that will happen soon in the story. It essentially opens up doors to other people. For example, we had a chapter similar to this right before the introduction of jakes elf slave, now fellow chosen. And i think everyone likes seeing her pop up.
Saitama Solos Supremacies
Tftc!
Mohammed Sheekh
I know, however this is all stuff we already know, I wouldn't have written my comment if it was knowledge we didn't know before hand
Ryan Ulrich
I wonder if the primas that took over planets get a power boost, so there is some added incentive to defeat them as the event progresses
SmokeJam
Half you comment is invalidated with the sentence: "I couldn't read it, I just skimmed." If you didn't read it, dont talk about it like you know what you are saying. You don't. If you read it, it wouldn't be a repetition but world building and specifying known lore into the current event, while also "updating" it. This aint Tik Tok, this a book. The story and the world has to be built, there can't be permanent action without the proper background. If you try to build your story by pure action, the reader will never get a clear picture of your actual fantasy. You just drag them along from one "catch" to the next and will lose them, as nobody is interested in constant excitment without rhyme or reason.
SmokeJam
You wouldn't say that if you read the whole book and not just single chapters. I get the feeling people just compare these chapters with mangas or whatever, but this is not a episodical light novel like the first Sherlock Holmes. This is a chapter for a complete book, not a standalone. You need world building. Yes a lot of stuff is known or self-explanatory, but did you actually think about how exactly the other factions approach this event until now? I believe at least 95% of the readers didn't.
SmokeJam
I would sacrifice myself for naughty. No question asked. But for naught? Not so much.
joel southard
Nice thank you for the chapter
SmokeJam
It got answered by the Blightfather during the Nevermore arc, the whole war between the Mother and Father (they were definitely married, no shot they weren't) is basically to nuture the rare golden bois they each have. The rest is fuel for advancement of those few, proper "The First Defier" style.
SmokeJam
I like plants more, I thought they were talking about where the Court put down seeds (blessings etc) and which of them blossom or not^^ Nice ambiguity^^
SmokeJam
It's called world building. You are reading a book, not a manga.
TyranT-Rex
I see this chapter as a possible set up for a time skip or montages of Prima fights or even an follow up on "I". We've seen how the top people in the milky way are handling things and what the next plans are.
DirePants
I couldn’t read this chapter and mostly skimmed it since nothing happened and it was information that we already knew mostly and yet each paragraph was just a reiteration of the paragraph preceding it. It’s a common complaint with web novels, the feeling that it’s just words to meet a quota. Because Zog doesn’t do this often I don’t feel especially “cheated” and honestly since I’m writing my own story now, and trying to see what my expected output will be I can see the usefulness in these kinds of chapters, but ill personally attempt keep expositional/monologue essays too minimum. But I’m curious as to if they do serve a purpose other than a quota because it’s a practice so wildly used by web authors. See you guys next week! Thanks Zog 💯
Ty Cooper
Lol I thought it was Thursday this morning. I still loved the different POV though. Also demonstrates how OP Jake is in comparison. Even EH is fighting with a group
Choegoup
@Seamus Knowing your final sacrifice actually succeeded and saved what could be saved seems like an important part of the afterlife.
Mohammed Sheekh
quite the essay chapter, I hope things get back on track for next week
Yeslek Nnamhctits
Tyftc Loved the lore, really appreciate the worldbuilding. This is an amazing story.
Kaizen Androck
filler to end the week. Does anyone feel like a Prima set upon by everyone for no reason other than some damn System notification?
Mownmbasa
I find it so refreshing that sometimes we get tidbits like these that help us form a better idea of the universe and sees the world from other perspectives. The POV change makes me love the main character even more because it grounds him in a tangible reality. Also it establishes fun lore and builds up the universe in a meaningful way. I am pleasantly surprised that after 957 chapters Zogarth can keep things fresh like this. it is by far the novel i enjoy the most out of everything i ever read in my 40+ years of life on this world. I will be a sad puppy when and if the novel ever ends!
Kt-x
Thanks for the chapter
Ben Heggem
I liked the Caleb part, just think it’s over explained sometimes. I agree it’s better for people that aren’t as invested in the series and read one book at a time months apart
Gwiddion
Stuff like this is needed for a functioning story unless you want only Jake chapters
Trevor Mergen
Thanks!
Ben Heggem
Idk why so many ppl liked it but idk lol very filler chapter to me, anyone who didn’t know this about the holy church and risen wasn’t paying attention
Arieh Sochaczevski
Thanks for the chapter! The scene with Caleb was fun, but the chapter was a little dull for a Friday. The exposition was good, and not at all overdone, but it lacks the punch that will keep me thinking about it through Monday.
RonGAR
Nod, nod, nod. Got old relationship vibes off them too. Shame they are letting their followers kill each other in the tens of millions, while they 'chum it up' like old time friends/lovers.
John Durrett
the Court of Shadows intelligence network put the expected percentage of plants Last word should be “planets”
Darshar Griffonmane
Great chapter! Love showing just how massive some of these factions are. We haven't even seen all of them, there are 93 universes showing off the trillions (if not more) each of these factions control. I wonder if we will see any of these factions get wiped out during the story. I have a feeling that the 93rd integration is going to continue to shake the whole multiverse.
Darshar Griffonmane
Not every planet survives. The enemy wishes to win as well.
John Balman
Honestly when we saw the meeting if primordials during the nevermore arc... I got a strong married/(separated but still friendly) vibes from the Holy Mother and Blight father. It would not surprise me that they are or were a couple and the entire conflict between their faction is just for training purposes ( which they did I alluded to somewhat I think)
Mike Stewart
There is a reason the court is estimating 22% mortality for the universe. Primas go brrrrrrr.
Jana
Lol - well that’s certainly a creative way of thinking, I have to give him that. I can see how he got there but man that’s a stretch. Also -thanks for the clarification:-)
Chase Burton
Thanks for the chapter
SpectreHarlequin
He's referring to the infamous Jim Jones cult incident on Brazil where a cult leader had all of his followers drink cyanide laced Kool Aid, including himself. This led to a figure of speech called "drinking the Kool aid" of believing so much that you accept self harm.
Andromeda Adams
Don’t forget about the union bond contract that she and Jake have. Which allowed her to participate in all the other events.
William WIlson
I think the major difference is that Sylphie simply used the energy and was basically fed the energy. While misty couldn't help if she wanted because she ate the actual item. Vesperia also got a system provided item in the auction which I assume Jake used in the ritual. Basically if the item was ingested threw a ritual it doesn't count the same as if one eat and digested the item.
Jana
May I ask you to clarify what exactly you are insinuating here? I am not familiar with that figure of speech and if I go by feel this deserves a certain type of answer. But since I believe in thinking before posting so - pls Humor me.
Seamus Harley
I imagine they would not be told due to being in "paradise" :)
Tom
This is mostly assumptions: I think it’s because it was a D-Grade treasure, Mystie wouldn’t have reached C-grade with the myst bone as it was nearly depleted when Jake used it and Mystie was only like Level 125
Mat
Imagine chilling in Holyland happy to have sacrificed yourself to chase the risen from earth only to be told they have now established another settlement on the planet. This is too close to home were people sacrifice themselves for the greater good only for all those efforts to be for naughty
Chewbacchus
Also, in the paragraph about the Holy Church and their "paradise", is there a way to fix the direction of the quotation marks at the start of both of those? They feel like end quote quotation marks for the font style used
Ty Cooper
Tftc! Ha almost thought it was Thursday after not having a cliffhanger.
Chewbacchus
Also, elipses usually use three periods, in the paragraph where Caleb is thinking about helping, you use one with just two and one with three in the paragraph afterwards
Nepene
They wished they had the weapons the holy church and the risen had in their arsenals, but they do not, so they die instead.
Mat
“Caleb where is Maria?”
Loose Goose
I’m assuming some system-fuckery with the union oath since that lets her participate in system created events.
Noah Jackson
Tyftc
Chewbacchus
When Caleb is going over his thoughts on help, should he say '(plants)' or '[planets]'?
Chewbacchus
Tftc!
Dan
She didn't consume that treasure, it was used in part to create her, which I assume makes a difference. Likewise, Jake and Sylphie have their oath that allowed Sylphie to participate in the treasure hunt as an extension of Jake, so they had their bases covered in case of system-fuckery
Ryan Ulrich
Question that just occurred to me. How was Slyphie able to participate in the Prima event? Didn’t the ritual that created her require the use of half of the unique system mystic bone that Mystie had?
Nick O'Gara
22% failure rate of this event. Many planets don't have the backing of the big factions/Mc so many will fall.
RonGAR
Excellent question.
RonGAR
You go to a lot of 'events' in the woods that offer 'Fruit Punch' in plastic cups? LOL
StarWolf
Can someone explain the last sentence?
RonGAR
Nice analysis chapter. Really liked the part of the holy church and Risen. They are pretty much different sides of the same coin.
Jonathan
While there was a certain level of leeway in their strategy and many fail-saves, fail-safes,
Jana
I really want to talk smack about the Holy Churches Methods but truth is - if a I was offered a Promotion that would allow me to live my life out lacking nothing but I could never advance past reallywell off to really ducking rich - I d take it and their methods are kind of like that. Still feels wrong.
Andromeda Adams
Tyftc! It was nice seeing Caleb’s pov. The holy church is seriously messed up.
Meko Clear Gaming
"he had faught" not "he had thought"
Cory Sauls
Tftc
David Thomas
International IT issues and Zog just keeps on tickin’!! Love it
Invictus Red
"compared to the one he had thought before" Fought, perhaps?
JJB4345_80_815
Yes, thank you for the chappy!
deus vault
tftc
Xarroworth
Tftc, zog!
TyranT-Rex
I've wanted to see Caleb's perspective for the longest. I can't get enough of this arc.
Paulo Furlaneto
Tftc
Karim Saadi
Let's go!
