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Tanya von DegurechaffThea MarshallZac

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Crossovers & Fandom FusionsStrong Female CharactersPost-ApocalypseLitRPG

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Published:2026-07-30Updated:2026-10-08Words:229,398Chapters:49/?Comments:440Kudos:444Bookmarks:87Hits:17,455

Tanya's Defiance of the Fall

Failninjaninja

Chapter 31

Chapter Text

Big thank you to @Massgamer for their proofreading help!

Chapter 31

Vhorra prepared to watch her uncle fight. The Humans had proven to be dangerous, and since she had not been allowed to leave the fortress due to Ghrak's fear of her father, his brother, she had done little of note. Being able to send rocks hurling from kilometers away was the extent of her contribution to the Incursion.

Her Dao Seed of Heaviness had reached Late Stage despite all that. The very air was permeated with the Origin Dao. It was so wonderful.

My Dao Seed of Loam is already at Peak as well. Perhaps if I actually am allowed to see battle within the next year or two, I can forge a Fragment.

She was Level 62 and had hopes of obtaining an Epic Class in E-grade. It was something no one in her family had done in eight generations. The last was their still living Clan Head who had reached Early Hegemon, a D-grade, and one of the most powerful Yrd Stonemen in the Sector.

The young Human approached them fearlessly. She knew from what others had told her she was both a swordfighter and a mage. [Fireball] was a basic Skill, but she infused her Dao of Fire into the attack to make it dangerous, even for one of the Yrd.

"I have come as agreed. The battle will be to the death or until one side yields, as per the System Contract stipulations we agreed," the Human announced.

"How shall we begin then?" Ghrak asked smugly.

"Throw a rock into the air. When it lands, we will begin."

She's within range, this will be over before it even begins.

She might have a defensive treasure, but if she chose to rely on the barriers she had used in earlier battles, it would not save her.

Ghrak gathered Cosmic Energy as he tossed a random stone into the air. It flew and would land within a few seconds, long enough for him to power up his Skill. Ghrak was a master of the Dao of Ice, and soon this Tanya Degurechaff would be encased in it.

The rock landed and the Dao of Ice coalesced in a ten meter area around Tanya. Bitter cold that could freeze flesh and make it shatter would destroy her… but Vhorra blinked in surprise as Ghrak cried out in agony. Her eyes focused on his form and not his Skill.

Tanya had appeared behind him, her blade had stabbed through the back of Ghrak's leg and then sliced into his arm before she skipped backward to avoid an explosion of ice around her uncle.

"Clever, but you should have gone for my neck or heart, little Human!"

He thrust a hand forward as dozens of spears of ice formed out of the air and slammed into her. She held out a hand and a barrier sprung up.

Stopping those will be far more difficult than the attacks you deflected before.

Only… it wasn't. The barrier had been slightly marred from the impacts, but it had not broken. A Fireball flew out in response, leading to an [Ice Wall] being formed in a near instant. A sword was drawn and flew high into the air, coming up and over the wall. With another masterclass use of his Peak Dao Seed of Ice, Ghrak coated the flying blade in ice and it crashed to the ground.

Another Fireball formed and this time it flew around the wall, so Ghrak crossed his arms to defend his core from the strike. He was singed and slightly hurt, but nothing critical. He responded again with [Frozen Circle], like he had started the duel with. The power took time to be used and Vhorra thought it would likely not work any better than before. Tanya seemed unconcerned as she powered up a Fireball of even greater intensity and sent it spiraling forward. At the same time she leapt into the air, and her uncle's Skill, which emanated from the ground, missed her completely.

Ghrak roared in pain from the flames as Tanya charged him with some flying treasure. He sent more spears of ice at her, but she nimbly avoided them all while still diving straight for him. Ghrak encased his flesh with ice, but Tanya's sword sliced through it and slashed a vicious blow down his side. Roaring in pain he tried to hit her with another explosion of ice, but she nimbly avoided it again. The other blade, still encased in ice, flew back up and the ice fell away from it like it had melted, even though it was still in solid chunks.

How?

Another Fireball formed, held in her palm as she stalked towards Ghrak who didn't have time to try to freeze the flying sword again. Every attack he made against her she dodged, and she then detonated another Fireball when he tried to conjure ice around him. His defenses disrupted, she cut him again, while the other blade scored a bloody blow across his back.

"No… it can't end here," Vhorra despaired. The Origin Dao was going to slip through her fingertips before she could make full use of it!

"You can't win. Go ahead and…" the Human paused. A look of irritation came over her features.

Ghrak sagged. "Yes… I cannot win. But how? How are you this strong at your Level?"

The Human was silent, then sighed. "I went to the Tower of Eternity since we last spoke and reached this Level." She showed off her System screen, showing Level 67.

But Ghrak is Level 75.

"But that's not the issue right now. I just received a Quest from the System to kill you, which is rather odd. Did you upset it?"

"I…" Ghrak hesitated. "The Law of Balance. It gave me the Quest to kill you, so naturally it will give it to you too. Do what you need, Human. Our System Contract was until death or one yields. The Ruthless Heavens do not care about your offer of mercy to me earlier. You have won, and I have lost."

The Human showed the System screen, but unlike her Level, Vhorra was too far away to see the smaller text.

"No. I gave my word. I made my offer. I told you that I would let you yield, and no stupid run-amok AI is going to force me to go back on it. I accept your surrender. Take yourself and your people home, and leave me the one you have chosen to remain."

Ghrak was shocked and gestured for Morek to step forward, but instead Vhorra did so.

"I will take Morek's place. She is worthy to lead a Yrd. I sense fate's push."

"You cannot…" Ghrak tried to refute.

"I can, unless you think you can force your will on me in your current state? This Human has given mercy in defiance of the Heavens. I am the blood of a Hegemon, I will learn much here and gain many Dao insights while the Origin remains."

Further discussion was at an end, she had spoken. Only Ghrak was stronger than her, and he was now wounded. Others involving themselves in a contest between her family would only suffer.

"I really don't care who it is, but you should get going. And… if you do believe in things like Karmic Debt, you might want to thank me for sparing your life."

Ghrak made a grunting sound. "Very well. I was saving these pills for once I broke through E-grade, but seeing as I have failed in this Incursion and the Heavens themselves have turned against me, I fear to even attempt the trial until I have recovered. Have them, with my thanks."

Vhorra knew those pills would help break down the nodes after someone became an E-grade, allowing the person who consumed them to advance faster than if they relied on their Dao and cultivation alone to grind away the nodes in their pathways.

"If the Yrd still live when the shroud lifts, we'll send your soldier back to you."

Vhorra knew that a lot could happen in a hundred years. Even though her people had failed in the Incursion, quite utterly, in fact, she was not so disappointed. Now she would be able to fight and do things, not just passively manipulate their base's defenses. Vhorra of the Yrd could truly live the life of a warrior and seize this opportunity fate had granted her.

***

I wasn't sure my Yrd opponent was right about the Law of Balance. It was a philosophical concept that was mentioned in a few of the texts and Information Crystals I had come across, but I generally thought such things were an attempt by people to impose systemic patterns on random occurrences. While the System was an AI and may be governed by rules, algorithmic logic, and certain ratios, it didn't create balance. In fact, it seems to repeatedly desire an imbalance where power is concentrated in the hands of the few.

No, the System prompt and pop-up Quest had once again tried to push me in a direction I didn't want. It wanted me to kill, it wanted to close off long-term potential alliances, or at least neutrality with other civilizations. If there was truly balance, we would have received the Quest at the same time, but instead I only received it after I was solidly winning the duel and my opponent had yielded.

I didn't quite understand why the System wanted me to kill the Incursion Leader, and I didn't care that it was bribing me. It wasn't happening. I would forge my own path, and at its end it would be the destruction of this warmongering, psychotic AI.

There was something else that mattered as well.

Civilization itself was built on the concept of a contract, that you could negotiate in good faith. I did work for an employer, and as an employee I was entitled to the pay for said work. Governments and societies are forged on the idea of the social contract. We allow a polity to govern us in exchange for the safety and greater freedom a stable framework provides. I was not a person of extremes. Of course, if the situation was grave enough and it would mean the loss of someone like my dad or my own life, I would break my word. I would go back on what I had said, but it would be only in the extremis.

Now… breaking the spirit of my word, I'm more than happy to do that.

But in this instance the situation was clear-cut; kill or let live. Fuck the System and its push to try to forge me into a bloodthirsty monster. I would need allies, non-hostile powers, and factions that I could work with after the integration and shroud had lifted over Earth.

[Dao Seed gained – Pledge]

This was just further proof that the System had, in effect, vast amounts of cognitive dissonance. The right hand literally didn't know what the left hand was doing. This was to my benefit, as it meant taking it down, in the far-flung future, was more plausible than if it was one omni-mind. I accepted the Node-breaking pills and was introduced to Vhorra, who showed her System screen which indicated she was Level 62. I wasn't quite sure how to tell the genders of Yrd Stonemen apart, if they even had any, as their voices sounded the same. Their bodies looked fairly similar, like big rocky golems with just small differences in size. I was happy that she seemed eager to join, but was aware that the eagerness might just be an attempt at brownnosing, and that she may have been the identified party all along and this was some sort of social jiujutsu to make me more welcoming.

Or maybe I'm just getting too paranoid.

Her height was only just shy of Billy's, which meant she loomed over everyone else in the Salamander Group by several feet. The rest of the Yrd Stonemen said their farewells, a few gave Vhorra some items, and then they were gone and the Incursion was closed. Ironically, the System still gave me a ton of Contribution credit for defeating their leader in battle. Yet another one of the strange ways it operated.

Another Attribute Fruit. This time for Wisdom? Don't mind if I do.

"You can just call me Tanya. Zhou here," I gestured, "will get you acclimated to what I expect from you. This is Edwin," I pointed out, "who will see to your needs. I don't know what you need in terms of sustainance, resources, or what your capabilities are, but between the two of them, you will be well-situated. I have meetings to attend shortly, but if you have questions for me now, go ahead."

"Thank you, Tanya. When will I get to fight?"

A battle manic. Of course.

"Very soon. In a couple of days, if I have my way. But if our employers for our next mission aren't ready by then, we won't waste time and will continue to hunt mutated beasts and other dangers. There is a Human Incursion from the Ez'Mahal Confederation that we intend to combat next with the help of a group of Humans called the New World Government, or the NWG."

"And I will be allowed to participate?"

I struggled to keep my annoyance off my face.

"Yes. Zhou will explain that you will still need to take some precautions since you are a valuable resource for intelligence about the broader Multiverse. But being above Level 60 means you are going to be one of my more powerful assets, and I don't intend to take long with the scum we are going to be facing."

The big, technically not a golem, Yrd, rumbled their acknowledgement. I trusted the others to properly welcome Vhorra. I needed to visit the Marshall Clan, Billyville, Everwood Refuge, and then the NWG. I had a paycheck to collect and Nexus Coins investments to return.

***

I arrived in New Washington and was quickly ushered in to see Thomas Fischer. The Town was a bit more subdued than when I was last here, but that made sense given that there wasn't a grand auction and formal event about to take place.

Hank and the other representatives wore a mix of military uniforms and modern clothing. Thomas, however, had gone fully native. He wore chainmail and had a giant two-handled sword strapped to his back. I shook hands with Thomas, Hank, and a couple of other representatives and exchanged pleasantries.

"That's quite the interesting attire," I pointed out.

"It is a new dawn. My analysts suggest that exhibiting strength through my battle armor gets us more points than insisting on suits and uniforms. It has the added advantage of allowing me better protection in case of an attack by enemy agents, many of whom we have already uncovered."

I had no room to dispute any of that. I wore my armor, even though I probably could have enchanted basic clothing. The slight addition of material strength along with the Enchantment was better to have than fashion considerations.

Shortly thereafter I was ushered in to speak privately with Thomas. I returned the NWG's Nexus Coin investment, with an additional 10% as a tip, and also the vast information dump that I had promised.

"This is extremely helpful. As of yet, we have not had anyone get awarded a Tower of Eternity token within the NWG. But when we do, all of this information will be very valuable."

"Yes, it will be. When you have someone, I'd like to provide a number of goods for them to sell at auction. A fee similar to the one from the auction the NWG hosted would be sufficient."

Thomas smiled. "Excellent. Two more matters then. The first, we are ready whenever you are to deal with the Ez'Mahal Confederation. We have half a dozen mobile artillery that can pound the enemy position from twenty-plus miles away."

"Their Defensive Arrays will probably deflect those. But… it might wear them down prior to the assault."

"General Wyland's thought was that it would interfere with their operations. Even if we don't do any real damage, we suspect they will mount up and try to deal with our weaponry. That's where we would make use of the Salamander Group to ambush their response force."

I grinned. "I like that idea. Once we cause casualties, the final assault can then commence. What is the size of your army?"

"We have a core of about three hundred cultivators who are in their 30s. They are going to be backed by ten thousand soldiers armed with small-arms and plenty of light mortars. The System hasn't interfered with us getting a small industrial base retooled for those munitions. Cosmic Energy won't be gained using such weaponry, but the goal is to stop the Incursion, not farm it."

"What level are they?"

Thomas shook his head. "They are mortals. Those in our army who haven't been deemed as having long-term potential are relegated to the modern weaponry units."

I frowned, thinking of some of my own people.

"Mortals can advance, even obtain Dao Seeds."

Thomas agreed. "And those who form Dao Seeds are moved to our cultivator units. We have to prioritize resources and safe hunting grounds."

It's logical, even if I have some qualms.

"Any snipers?"

Thomas smiled.

"Good, let me use [Temporary Enchantment] on their bullets directly before the battle. With my Seed of Volition I can make them pass through a lot of armor and Defensive Arrays. Probably not enough to deal with the protections of an Incursion Leader or their lieutenants, but I suspect more than enough to deal with the protections cultivators might have in their 40s and even higher."

We talked more about strategy and decided the assault would occur in two days. I was honestly impressed with how fast they had gotten ready for everything. They were finally ready to play ball.

"The second item. We've had infiltrators we've had to deal with, and while sorting that out I looked into the claims the Demon made. It turns out he was correct," Thomas sighed heavily. "I had thought I was working with fellow patriots, but it turns out more than a few decided to take advantage of mankind's misery and were improperly making use of their positions. They have been culled."

His expression was such that I knew there was more to that, so I waited in silence.

"Along those same lines, I was cognizant that these actions were not isolated just to the NWG. Your own family suffered tremendously when cultivators returned from the Tutorial came to power."

I kept my expression fixed. I was meeting with what amounted to a head of state, after all.

"That slice of Chicago has joined the NWG, but the leadership there that drove your parents from the territory has been overthrown. Since they resisted us, many were killed, but we did capture three of their ringleaders."

My body was still. My breath even. My mind racing.

"The NWG is moving to enact justice for the misdeeds that occurred after the Fall?" I asked.

"No, not entirely. We just don't have the resources. But we were willing to see justice done for our greatest ally and military contractor."

My features shifted and Thomas kept his own face even after a hasty swallow.

"And your intention with these ringleaders?" My quiet voice was barely above a whisper.

"Our gift to you. What would you like to see happen?"

Is this a test? Is he attempting to assess my fitness by giving me some sort of morality exam? No, that doesn't seem to fit his style either. What is the goal?

"I…"

Fuck whatever his goal is. I know what I want.

"I want to kill them. Will that be an issue?"

He leaned forward. "Tanya, you are the hope of humanity. I've no time for squeamishness when the enslavement or annihilation of our people is at stake."

Hmm, not a test then? Was this just a bribe?

I was led to where they were being held. Suppression Arrays created dead zones where limited Cosmic Energy could enter. If someone just walked in while not drained it didn't really do anything until they exhausted their Cosmic Energy reserves, but if they were low or already weakened, they couldn't properly cultivate to recover. Combine that with the beating they had taken and the drugs in their systems, they were in no condition to fight.

Killing them felt great. I didn't prolong their suffering, I was no sadist, but knowing the people who had led my mother to her death were dead by my hand felt like a burden being lifted from my Soul. Since ancient times, humanity has understood the genuine joy and vindication of taking vengeance. It took extensive social conditioning, religious and cultural, to make people think differently. What many people misunderstood about history is that the Code of Hammurabi was not a tool for revenge, but a tool for limiting vengeance and preventing endless cycles of blood feuds.

Culpae poenae par esto.

While nothing could bring my mother back, striking them dead with my bare hands did help me further process my grief, much in the same way that slaughtering the Ratkin had. I thanked Thomas, who had lost a bit of color, and advised him the Salamander Group would be arriving at the Town closest to the Ez'Mahal Confederation within forty hours.

***

I had a total of three additional Spirit Tools, a Beast Mastery Manual, and three slots for 'students' that I suspected I might be able to help reach similar understandings of the Dao like I had. Dad's idea of making sure the people who had struggled the most with the Dao got some attention had merit, as even getting their first Seed might kickstart their ability to understand the Dao, however those student slots were limited. The first was always going to go to him, regardless. I figured I would meet him halfway and pick Sofia as one of the recipients and then select Zhou as my final slot.

Compromise makes the world go round.

Jared was a mortal and a frontline combatant. Having him be chosen for one of those slots made me worry. But, in keeping in line with my dad's advice, I did feel him out about the potential of using the Beast Mastery Manual.

"Jared, you've not been able to obtain any Dao insights, but I have perhaps another way that you can gain some additional strength. How do you feel about animals?"

"Animals?" he asked, a bit confused.

"Yes, did you have any pets?"

"My family had a dog and a cat. I had a goldfish once, but it died."

Great.

"Are you averse to cats or have any issues with potentially working with an animal as a combatant?"

Jared shifted a bit. "Honestly? No. And if I had something to help me get stronger, I would take it. I want to be helpful… and while I'm keeping up, more or less, I know I'm not like Zhou or Kim." He smiled. "Or you, of course."

"Good. The opportunity I'm providing is to use this Beast Mastery Manual. The issue is that it will be sealed to you until your death. So, this isn't something to squander as it was a pretty high Tower of Eternity Floor reward. This will allow you to 'bond' and form a partnership with any feline. Obviously, we would want to try to find something fairly strong, perhaps a tiger or lion-type creature. It will take you some weeks to master what needs to be done, then you'll need to bond and then ensure the beast grows with you. This doesn't replace your Class, but it is possible that your efforts with the Beast Mastery Manual may lead to a Divergent Class for you in E-grade. Or if it doesn't, you still have the advantage of having a partner at your back in a fight."

Jared smiled gratefully. "I'll do it, boss! Thank you! I know I'm just a mortal…"

"Like my father," I said sternly.

He scratched at the back of his head. "Oh, right, yeah. I guess you probably have issues with the way some of the folks in Towns see that divide."

Would I feel differently about it if Dad was a cultivator? Maybe, but I believe people should have the room to grow into their maximum capacity, even if they get dealt a difficult starting hand. The issue is if the person is willing to work at self-improvement. I have no sympathy for those who wish to wallow in their inferiority. I won't harm them, but do not feel moved to lift a finger to help those who refuse to help themselves.

"As long as you work at it, Jared, you are a part of the Salamander Group. Let me know if you run into any issues."

He gave a casual half-wave, half-salute and took the manual with a big smile plastered on his features.

I moved on to the next person. I was going to reshape a Spirit Tool that had traces of a nature that bordered on the Dao Seed of Heaviness. It was more impactful than necessarily the concept of being heavy, but I believed it would be compatible with Will.

He was delighted with the new hammer, but I did warn him that he would need to strongly consider how he used his resources. Spirit Tools were voracious about consuming highly valuable treasures in their desire to grow.

"The other issue is that this Spirit Tool only has a small chance of getting to E-grade. Many E-grade warriors still use F-grade Spirit Tools because a Spirit Tool is often far better at channeling their Dao than a more powerful weapon. But eventually, you might find a situation in the future where this will no longer cut it. So the balance between making it stronger, and not throwing away resources, is something to consider."

Will nodded. "I think I understand. But even so, that just means I could one day pass it on to someone else and they'll have the benefit of a useful Spirit Tool. It might not help me anymore, but it will help our juniors as we grow."

"As we grow?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He looked a bit confused. "Well… aren't we going to grow? We are an amazing team, but there are hundreds of millions of Undead according to the rumors. Doesn't it make sense for us to recruit more people into our ranks?"

"Not necessarily. I have concerns about bringing more people into the fold. Right now we are a tight-knit group that trusts each other completely. By offering our services up to the likes of the NWG, Sino-Indian Alliance, perhaps even Port Atwood in the future, we can make use of their masses, while not being responsible for their training and upkeep."

Will looked a bit disappointed, but didn't press the issue.

I do think having some more support stuff might be helpful. Perhaps Shella and Dorel could grow our crafter base? But as far as battle is concerned, I don't mind picking up some extra rankers if we can, but I do not want a large group of people I'll be responsible for. We haven't lost any of our core members… yet. I want to keep it that way.

I knew that was probably impossible. The iron dice of war will lead to losses. Skill, especially in the Multiverse, played a huge role, but things happened. The attack you thought was too weak to matter, turns out to be too potent for your defenses. Some random Dominator shows up at the wrong time. A strange interaction between Daos occurs. It would always be something.

We were fortunate though in the sense that I would always be able to supply defensive treasures to everyone. We had a battlefield healer in the form of my dad who had some powerful stabilization Skills along with ones that would enhance recovery. On top of that, we had the wealth and an Alchemist who can make a good supply of healing resources. As long as we kept the fighting arm of the Salamander Group a reasonable size, any battle that wasn't a sharp defeat should be one that was unlikely to lead to losses for us.

Should. Maybe. Hopefully.

I wasn't a person who liked to lose their investments. If I took time to help someone, to strengthen them, to give them resources, I wanted to get a good ROI. Doing all that and still seeing someone die? I would be pissed, frustrated, and downright upset for days if that were to happen. Like the 203rd, who I had spent so much time shaping, their value only continued to grow so long as they lived. The training, experience, and money would not be squandered.

Will was now the owner of [Slammer], a name of his own creation that the Spirit Tool seemed content with. Moving on from Will, I provided the second Spirit Tool to Kim. She rejected it and said it should go to Toby.

"Kim, these items don't grow on trees. I've been told he's working on using a Mentalist-type Skill, while you are on the frontlines in the thick of it. It should go to you."

She smiled. "He's getting good with [Frightful Grasp], but it takes a bit of Mental Energy. After some rough nights, I've helped him get it to Middle proficiency, so it takes a bit less juice."

I froze. "You let him use a Mental attack on you for practice? Do you know how risky that is? Those kinds of attacks can damage the Soul."

"I don't feel any lingering effects after the Skill wears off. If my Soul was being damaged, wouldn't I know?"

That was a good point. She probably should know if that was happening. Her cultivation would be slowed and she'd find her thoughts sluggish, but that assumed everyone experienced Soul damage the same way. I thought it was time to see if she could see her 'Soul Aperture' the way I could. I began explaining the meditation concept and how to internally visualize it, as well as what I saw after suffering an attack that targeted the Soul.

"It might be different for you, but you should see three spheres locked together and undulating, perhaps vibrating at different frequencies. Don't be alarmed if–"

"I see it," she interrupted. "But it's only one solid sphere. Hmm, I do see that it has a few shallow pockmarks. No cracks like you were mentioning earlier."

That was probably good, it meant the damage was only surface level and not going to spread.

"That's good. As you Level, it will heal on its own. Improving your Race grade should also help. But let's stop experimenting with Mentalist-type attacks please! This might be something we can reconsider once Shella can start producing [Soul Nurturing Pills], but even then, adding unnecessary pill toxicity after we are already using leveling pills isn't ideal."

"For now, I can agree to that, boss. But that just means I'm more certain you need to give that Spirit Tool over to Toby."

I gave a long look. "As you wish." I went to do just that, but then she stopped me.

"I know you've received a lot of information about the Multiverse and experienced things in the Tower, but knowing what it's like to get hit with a mind-whammy power is important. Just like people who have experienced a hit can get better prepared, this is training too. We gotta be safe, I get that, but maybe weathering attacks can be a way to improve the Soul as well."

She has a point. I'll add it to the list of things to look into and consider. I will not be using [Mind Splinter] on anyone though.

"Toby," I said when I found the more reclusive member of Kim's 'boys' cultivating quietly at the base of a tree.

"Boss," he acknowledged, "everything okay?"

"I have good news and bad news. The bad news, your use of [Frightful Grasp] on Kim will need to stop for the time being. There are some potential dangers with those attacks, even if she seems fine." I held up my hand as his face fell and he tried to speak. "No, don't worry or apologize, she's fine. I just believe caution is important prior to battles. The good news, though, is that you are going to be given a Spirit Tool. It is a blade with a somewhat defensive nature. Since you also use a shield, in fact, from what Zhou has told me, you use it more often these days, it should fit you well."

He nodded solemnly. "I won't practice anymore until your go-ahead. Thank you for the weapon, I will make sure to cherish it. About using my shield, yeah, I used to go in for the attack, but now I try to time my [Frightful Grasp] right as I block an attack. Will my sword be able to fly like yours?"

I shook my head in negation.

"I have [Crimson Siphon] do what it does through the Dao of Volition. I'm sure some Spirit Tools can fly, but most don't seem to, at least not at the F-grade. It is a combination of the partial sentience of the Spirit Tool and the Dao that allows it to happen. However…"

His Dao was an interesting one. Memory. It gave me an idea.

"You could attempt to experiment with infusing your sword with the Dao Seed of Memory. Imagine that you do a set of strikes and imbed that 'memory' into the Spirit Tool. You could then imbue it with your Dao Seed in battle and have it repeat the same attacks. This is theoretical, but ultimately the Dao seems to be the driving structure that Cosmic Energy is founded upon. The coding layer of the Multiverse. If you can make ice float in air with the Dao of Ice, then I don't see why you couldn't make your weapon float with the Dao of Memory. Though of course, this would be a scripted set of attacks, so the utility might not be as high as what I do with [Crimson Siphon]."

Toby nodded silently. "No sense in not trying it out. Thank you."

I left him with similar wisdom about Spirit Tools, like I had imparted to Will. Now it was time to figure out my Quest and have a conversation with my 'students.'

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Published:2026-07-30Updated:2026-10-08Words:229,398Chapters:49/?Comments:440Kudos:444Bookmarks:87Hits:17,455

Tanya's Defiance of the Fall

Failninjaninja

Chapter 32

Chapter Text

Special thank you to @Massgamer for proofreading!

Chapter 32

I gathered my three chosen students. Dad, Zhou, and Sofia. Two people who I felt were most likely to survive on the battlefield were Zhou, due to his competence and higher Level, and my dad, due to all the defensive treasures and unique role on the battlefield he had. Sofia was clearly not going to be on the battlefield, but the Courtesan Class was not all that common and had some interesting potential, depending on what she might unlock as an E-grade Class.

"This is not something the System has provided a format for, but I do have some instinctive understanding of the first step."

"You'll do fine. I feel safe in your capable hands, Tanya," Sofia said with a broad smile.

I shrugged off the comment, placed my hand on Zhou, and willed him to be my student. I did the same for the other two and, sure enough, the Quest progressed. I now had the next step.

[Impart Dao Insight to students (Training 2/9): Select one Seed per student. Meditate with students on the concept of the Dao. Reward: Reward based on performance at the end of training regimen. (0/3) NOTE: Must be completed before forming a Cosmic Core.]

Meditate with my students? That sounded simple enough, but I wasn't entirely sure what the System meant by it. Was I supposed to explain the Dao? Demonstrate it? Or would simply being close to someone while manifesting my understanding be enough? Like with a lot of the Multiverse, spending a bit of time dwelling on the problem and allowing my instincts to guide me helped.

I got the sense that I could invoke my Dao Seeds during meditation while in close proximity with a chosen student. Through this method it would allow them to glean insights from them in a way that a normal person would not be able to. The System was facilitating the understanding, so all that remained was selecting which Dao Seeds to share and then hopefully it would not take a long time for them to grasp it through the joint meditation. The interesting part was that it would be a different Dao Seed for each person. I asked what interested them and what would make sense for their paths.

"Ladies first," my dad said.

"A proper gentleman," Sofia complimented with a smile, "my choice is Volition. It has pained me that I have not been able to understand the Dao on my own, for I think my choice is somewhat unique and I chose it despite resistance from others. I don't go along to get along; I am going to do what I wish in this crazy new world."

Good for her! Her path is not one that I would take, but that's the great part of my own ideals. It allows people the freedom to choose. The essential liberty that Being X tried to rob me of.

"Well-reasoned," I said wholeheartedly.

Zhou gestured for my dad to choose next.

"Sanctuary is my pick. My Class allows me to stabilize wounded people and help them recover more quickly, but battlefields are not always safe. Having a Dao that can help add a layer of protection for both me and my patients seems useful to me."

I also liked his reasoning. Zhou chose last.

"Sharpness and Bloodletting do not truly mesh with your Dao, but there is one aspect of my character, my history, and my future that I would like to focus on. I do not know how it will intersect with the Dao I have now, but I choose Delegation. As you entrusted me when you were away, I also had to delegate responsibilities. As your second-in-command, this is an appropriate Dao Seed for me. I did this often when I was an executive, and I will make good use of it."

It was time to see how meditation would work. They decided to have Sofia go first, so I would work on it with her now and try it another evening with them later. I sat next to Sofia and let the Dao Seed of Volition manifest as outwardly as I could.

"Perhaps if we hold hands it will create a better connection," she offered.

I looked at her suspiciously for a moment, but didn't have a reason not to try her suggestion. We sat on the ground and I took her soft hands into mine. I again focused on my Dao of Volition. On the concept of freedom. Of free will. Of ease of motion and the refusal to have someone else dictate my worship or my life. It did not come to her all at once, but she said she felt something stir.

We stayed like that for a long while. I tried changing how I manifested the Dao, focusing on different aspects of Volition and seeing if any particular interpretation resonated more strongly with her. Sometimes Sofia would shift slightly or take a deeper breath. I avoided being too distracted as I focused on the various ways I used my Dao Seed.

A few hours later, she gave a cry of joy and hugged me. I was cognizant of her warmth, but quickly murmured my congratulations.

"Oh… it feels so incredible. Like I was able to view so much of the universe and understand the nature of independence. Now it is like I am being pulled away from a peephole, the knowledge of the concept slipping through my fingers, but an important kernel remains. Thank you!"

I confirmed my Quest read (1/3) and felt like I'd made good progress. I'd try to squeeze the other two in tomorrow before we rendezvoused with the NWG to assault the Ez'Mahal Confederation.

Sofia had not been able to achieve a Dao Seed on her own, while both Dad and Zhou had already touched upon the Dao by themselves. It seemed like it shouldn't take longer with them than it had with Sofia.

I couldn't help but wonder what Step 3 was going to be…

***

Zac woke up with a cough, and it took a while to orient himself. Every part of him hurt, and he even had a couple of broken bones. But the clearest indicator that he'd barely survived the fall was that he'd turned into his Draugr form.

Zac groaned, thinking over his fight with Inevitability. The only reason he was still alive was because the Zhix had toyed with him and due to Thea saving him. Even imbuing five huge edges of fractal power with the Dao of Heaviness, each with enough power to decimate a city block, had been blocked with ease. Using [Nature's Punishment] had done more damage to himself when they interacted with the Zhix's snake-like chains.

Not seeing Thea around, he panicked and opened the World Ladder to make sure she was still alive.

1. Enchanter Class Tanya Degurechaff | 67

2. Super Brother-Man | 62

3. Salvation | 58

4. Enigma | 55

5. Joker | 54

6. Thwonkin' Billy| 54

7. Silverfox | 53

8. Daoist Chosui | 53

9. Guru Anaad Phakiwar | 52

10. Thea Marshall | 52

…100. Mouser | 46

What he saw confused him. How had Thea lost Levels? Did the Dominator have some sort of de-Leveling attack? A Level drain curse? He shivered in spite of not being cold.

What matters is that she is alive.

It left him profoundly uneasy to see himself not holding the top spot on the World Ladder. He understood Tanya had almost certainly used her Tower of Eternity token, which Ogras had said was a huge mistake, but how could that be true when she had jumped up seventeen Levels in a single day? A part of him was happy that someone else had enough power to potentially safeguard humanity against the threat of the Dominators, the Great Redeemer, and the Incursions.

Despite all that though, he felt a bit of bitterness. Being the strongest Human on New Earth had been his main defining trait.

I probably still am the strongest when you count my attributes from both Classes. Besides, it isn't a competition. I should be happy for her.

He wondered if Tanya and Billy had been with him and Thea if the fight with Inevitability would have gone differently. Zac suspected that it wouldn't have, especially if the Zhix had taken the fight seriously from the start. Thea had managed to put a hole in her, no matter how quickly it had been healed, and it had enraged the Dominator. Now that the Zhix knew that at least some of their trump cards could hurt her, Zac doubted they would have that opportunity again.

It was a horrible situation. He had zero solutions for it, and was currently stuck in a deep crack below the surface. Zac was not going to just lay there and do nothing. Impossible though his task may be, he would keep going, and he would keep fighting.

***

Thomas Fischer didn't like the idea of handing operational control over to Tanya, and General Wyland was foaming at the mouth at the very idea. However, she did have a Title that provided a very real and noticeable bump in the effectiveness of the troops. How far it would stretch is something that they would learn today, but she felt it necessary to be given formal control and then give a speech.

"She's a figurehead. If we need to retake control for some reason, we can countermand the order," Thomas told the general.

Hank looked a bit unsure of himself. "That's the damnedest thing, sir. She seemed to know our capabilities fairly well. She understood the ranges, limitations, and effectiveness of our military equipment. An hour into the briefing and she took command in truth."

Does the Title grant her that knowledge too? It is a pity that she can't say for certain how the System chose the Title for her to any degree of certainty.

"The important factor is that the people understand it is the NWG who is leading this operation, and that we are using the highest Level Human in the world for her talents to see us to victory. This is our first major operation against an Incursion, and we will learn a lot of lessons from this, regardless."

Hank nodded. "Better get out there, she's going to give a brief pep talk to the officers before the roll out begins. The pace will have us at the Town they've named 'Grand Escape' within a day's time."

Thomas had given plenty of speeches in his day, so he made sure he stood next to the tall young woman fully decked in his battle armor. He would be fighting with the Salamander Group personally.

"Today, humanity strikes back! Just over six months ago, the System incorporated our planet, Earth, into System Integrated Space. We joined the wider Multiverse, and since that time we've seen the majority of humanity perish from the cruelties of the System. There are some who would retreat and hide from these threats. They would argue that humanity might be best served by preserving what we have left. Let the Incursions fight amongst each other. Don't lose any more people."

She took a breath as she scanned the arrayed officers and soldiers.

"To hell with them I say! This is our planet! These are our people they have enslaved. Those few who have escaped from the Ez'Mahal Confederation speak of horrors beyond counting. Of slavery, barbarity, and cruelty for cruelty's sake. I cannot promise that you will survive this battle, but I can promise you that we will win! I promise victory. We will stand triumphant over these bastards who violate our inherent dignity. I stand with the New World Government today as a mercenary, but also as a human being. We will not go gently into the night, we will not allow our planet to be delivered into ruin by the Confederation, the Undead, or the Zhix! Today we fight. Today we win!"

It was not a long speech by any means, but the formal authority had been passed to her, and as far as getting people motivated, it seemed to work. Thomas felt his own attributes improve as he accepted that Tanya knew what she was doing.

As they marched forwards there was almost no real resistance to their army at first. Hours into their march toward the Incursion portal, they saw places had been abandoned as the enemy's 'plantations' were evacuated. That was when they saw definitive proof of the atrocities the escapees had shared.

The roadside was littered with corpses, an endless number of them. Some were impaled on large poles while others had been hung from trees along the road. One thing that seemed to unite all of the poor people was that they had been alive when they were propped up, judging by their expressions and poses. All of them had undergone inhumane torture before being left to die.

"Make sure we capture this footage on our new Recording Crystals, and with cameras," Thomas ordered. This would be a propaganda gold mine, and may even convince some of the more stubborn holdouts to finally join up. If the NWG could show the horrors of the enemy and then a grand victory over such depravity, it might even get the Sino-Indian Alliance to formally join. "And then cut those poor bastards down and give them a proper burial."

"Commander Degurechaff said to leave them there until after the battle is finished," one of his aides said.

Tanya was only a few hundred meters away. He could go talk to her, but Thomas figured there were reasons.

Not slowing down or splitting our forces up? Or perhaps making sure everyone sees what they are up against?

Thomas once again wondered if their psych analysis was anywhere close to being accurate. Psychological profiles may just not hold up anymore when people had attributes and cultivation pathways that didn't exist when those types of human behavioral models had been created. They hadn't proven all that useful in predicting what Tanya would do, after all.

Then one of the locals from a nearby Town that had resisted the Ez'Mahal Confederation reported the enemy was finally on the move as they came in around thirty miles from the Grand Escape. Several thousand conscripted soldiers were being pushed in front of an army of hundreds of presumably higher level cultivators. Worse, they had Defensive Arrays that would make them almost impervious to harm from artillery and other weaponry.

Tanya moved out with the Salamander Group after ordering the artillery to open fire.

Thomas joined her and had to ask, "Won't that lead to a lot of deaths? The people out in front are basically slave soldiers."

Tanya nodded. "Yes, it is unfortunate, but if we alter our tactics due to human shield tactics, it just makes human shield tactics more likely in the future. The battlefield becomes cleaner once those conscripts have scattered and we can get to the real enemy."

It is a cruel new world.

Still, part of him appreciated that the ROE was so loose, and with no real media around to act as fifth columnists, there was very little reason to worry. Hell, they weren't going to even have elections planned anytime soon, as Thomas had fully consolidated power under his rule. And, should the worst come to light, he could always fall back and claim that the realities on the ground required Tanya Degurechaff to maintain battlefield control to use her Title.

She could be used as a scapegoat if the worst outcome occurred, but in all reality, Thomas doubted that would ever prove a necessary card to play. In this new world, might made right, and survival through victory was what mattered.

Even with the improved attributes of cultivators, the distance of several miles did not close instantly, and eventually the artillery and mortars began to fire. Their scouts and spotters indicated significant damage on the slave soldiers who were not under the Defensive Arrays, so by the time the main force for the Confederation arrived it was mostly just the Ez'Mahal warriors.

Their formations and defenses easily held up to their onslaught of modern weaponry. Thomas moved closer to Tanya's advanced group.

"What now? They'll be here in minutes and then we are likely dealing with multiple people at your Level."

Tanya smiled. "Time to crack their defenses. Vhorra, take the group on the left from underneath. I'll take the center-most formation. Zhou, take Thomas and the rest. Destroy them in the chaos of our attack."

Thomas drew steel and looked on as to how they were going to break it. She dashed out in front and began summoning a massive Fireball, easily the size of a vehicle and completely dwarfing herself. It extended out and away from her, scorching its surroundings as it advanced on the lead element of the elite Incursion force. Formation flags and Array disks powered a defense that could stop artillery and face the coming flames unflinchingly.

Then Tanya did something. Power unspooled from her and the sheen of defensive energy around the formation visibly dimmed right before the gargantuan ball of fire struck the enemy. The Defensive Array held back some of the heat and explosive force, but not the full might of the Dao-imbued attack. Several of the enemy warriors screamed in pain as their formation broke apart and scattered. Defensive treasures activated for some, while others quickly downed healing pills.

The Yrd ally of Tanya's had opted for a different approach. The Arrays had not been able to stop her assault from below. The ground itself erupted beneath the packed formation and, while it was less lethal, it broke apart their defenses just as easily, leaving the Ez'Mahal Confederation force vulnerable to sudden assault.

Sniper fire erupted at the prearranged signal as .50-caliber bullets, enchanted to bypass defenses by Tanya herself, caused several enemy cultivators to die in quick succession. It was still incredible how some survived shots to the head, if still getting seriously injured, but those who got hit in the eye typically died.

Thomas was then up and running alongside Zhou and the rest of the Salamander Group as they descended upon the now panicked elite of the Ez'Mahal.

His greatsword was blocked by an axe. The enemy warrior was stronger than him and Thomas was forced to give ground, but then the man gripped at his head and flinched back in momentary terror. The ruler of the NWG spared a glance at an unassuming Salamander member with sword and shield who was staring intently at the foe Thomas was fighting. He needed no additional invitation and gutted the man before he could recover his wits.

Up and down the battlefield, Thomas saw how the Salamanders worked in coordination with each other. One woman roared and used a Skill that oriented attacks upon her. While that was occurring, the likes of Zhou and a woman who seemed to dance upon the air slaughtered those around her. Thomas saw her sword flash around her, almost whip-like in its speed. Then there was Tanya herself who flickered in and out of the battle, unleashing devastatingly massive Fireballs or cutting foes in twain with her sword, even as her secondary sword danced among the enemy.

Almost before it began, the battle was over, but the fleeing enemy was still being ruthlessly hunted down, primarily by Tanya and Zhou who moved at superhuman speeds to kill any who managed to flee.

Thomas had expected a more prolonged fight. He had expected the men of the NWG to take far more casualties. There were probably still more enemies, as they wouldn't have left Grand Escape empty, but he had never suspected that the enemy would be so easily disrupted and dominated by the Salamander Group.

But if they weren't here…

His army of three hundred cultivators had potential, but almost every single Ez'Mahal Confederation warrior that wasn't a slave soldier had been around his own Level, and some clearly higher. And Thomas doubted they could have gotten past their War Arrays that had so thoroughly protected them from the modern war machines.

All of his careful gathering of cultivators. All of his organizational prowess and diplomatic efforts to bring more humanity into the fold. All of the meetings with military minds and cultivation training processes. All of it, and the NWG had less impact than the Salamander Group on its own.

The Multiverse… what a nightmare.

***

Will approached the newest member of the Salamander Group. The Yrd's facial expressions were not all that expressive, but he was already able to tell that one could see subtle changes based on her mood.

"Vhorra, great work out there. I sensed you used the Seed of Loam." Will gestured with his hand to himself. "I have the same Dao Seed, but it's still at the Early stage. What was the Skill you used?"

"The Skill is [Earth Roar]. I do not expect you to be able to find a place to purchase it unless you are fortunate enough to go to the Tower of Eternity," she rumbled in response.

"Is it really that rare to get that sort of token?"

She nodded. "It can be. You are a progenitor, so a greater percentage of your people may well get them, but it will likely still be fewer than one in a thousand. Beyond that, perhaps the Ruthless Heavens will reward them to you via a Contribution Ladder, a Unique Quest, or perhaps you will unlock a Skill of similar nature with your Class." She laughed, an oddly high-pitched sound from what he had been expecting, "Or wait until full integration and travel from this world to a civilized place."

"Bummer, but I understand. What did you think of the fighting?"

As she lifted her hand, earth rose from the ground toward her and then dissipated into dust.

"We trade sometimes with the Ez'Mahal Confederation. They harvest many rare spirit herbs and other items for use in Alchemy, but they are one of the weaker D-grade forces. They boast few Hegemons, and the ones they do have are exceedingly weak. Had they expected someone like me to attack them, they would have used War Arrays that could deal with a threat from below, but they do always like to cut corners for the sake of their profits."

"Do you think it will get tougher when we move in on their main base?"

She gave an almost Human-like shrug. "Perhaps, but I cannot believe they have anyone better than my uncle, and the Enchanter defeated him with ease."

Will smiled. The fight had been amazing to watch. Tanya had returned from the Tower of Eternity so much more powerful than when she had left. It made him wistful for the chance to go to the Tower himself one day.

He sat and talked with Vhorra a bit longer. The fight with the Confederation had been a quick one, followed by some more marching, but Tanya had called for rest before continuing on in the morning. Will knew Tanya was out there even now, looking for any potential enemy scouts or infiltration, but most of the Salamander Group was winding down. Some were getting sleep, some were cultivating, while others were meditating on their Dao and hoping to find some insights from the battle.

"Well, I'm glad we have you with us, Vhorra. I know some people will view you with mistrust, but I think Tanya knows what she's doing."

He extended his hand. She looked at it for a moment.

"For Humans, shaking hands can be used in greeting or when sealing an agreement, or even just as a token of respect. I'd like to welcome you to the team on a more than just formal basis," he eventually explained.

Now that I think of it… was that even a regular thing among Humans in the Multiverse? Or were handshakes unique to our societies?

Vhorra then extended her rocky hand and they shook.

"Welcome to the team!"

Afterwards he returned to where he would be resting and Edwin asked how it went.

"She seems friendly enough. A bit standoffish, but I think she was grateful for someone to talk to."

Edwin nodded his head and smiled. "Excellent news. I want her to feel welcome. Both Zhou and I were assigned to assist her integration within the group, which meant that what you did couldn't come from us."

Will squinted. "But it still did. I probably would have said hi, but wouldn't have done anything like that without your prompting."

The former dentist shrugged. "True enough, but now the ice has been broken and she can hopefully feel like part of the group instead of an outsider. It's helpful and for a good cause, so I don't see harm in it. It isn't as if you are lying to her."

Will held up his hands. "I hear what you're saying, doc. I do. I'm kinda hoping she can teach me a bit about her understanding of Loam. Her Earth powers are crazy versatile. My Class is mostly about hitting things, but I can send a tremor through the ground itself."

"That, and your winning personality, is why I thought it would work well, Will. Thank you. I do want to ask though, how are you holding up? We've all seen a lot, but today was particularly rough."

You can say that again.

The fighting part – that had been easy. It was seeing the bodies of men, women, and even children impaled on poles that had been sickening. A brutal display was one thing, but the twisted visages of the victims meant that their deaths hadn't come cleanly or quickly.

"Yeah, it was. Killing those fuckers helped. I'm… I'm okay, really. We've all gotten tougher."

Edwin gave him a small smile. "Too true, but if you ever feel like you need to talk with someone, please come talk to me. I may be the one assigned to treat the wounded and get you on the mend for physical wounds, but the brain is also an organ. Trauma responses can manifest in a lot of different ways. I can't promise I can fix it, but just being able to air out what you're feeling can be helpful." He put a friendly hand on his shoulder. "This isn't me singling you out, either. I'm making the same offer to everyone when I get a chance to talk to them alone."

Will appreciated that, he really did.

"Thanks. If I need anything, I'll be sure to let you know."

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Tanya von DegurechaffThea MarshallZac

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Published:2026-07-30Updated:2026-10-08Words:229,398Chapters:49/?Comments:440Kudos:444Bookmarks:87Hits:17,455

Tanya's Defiance of the Fall

Failninjaninja

Chapter 33

Chapter Text

Big thank you to @Massgamer for proofreading!

Chapter 33

Kim had seen some dark shit in her time in the sandbox. Seeing a kid blow themselves up with a suicide vest was one of the horrors she still struggled with, but at least that had been a quick death. But what the Ez'Mahal Confederation bastards did to children was even worse than that. The wretched stories some of the survivors shared made her skin crawl. Slaves were made to work to death, and if they stepped out of line, their children would be impaled and left to slowly die.

Fuckers, all of them. Even the Goddamned Undead Empire are better than these monsters.

She felt… unsatiated by the fight. It had been too quick.

The following day they had pounded the Town of Grand Escape, and she had been raring to slaughter the true leaders of the Incursion. Kim had wanted it. Bad. Unfortunately, she didn't get what she wanted. The feckless cowards had fled after their field army was wiped out. They had even taken some of their more 'useful' slaves with them, out of reach from the vengeful wrath of Earth.

The NWG quickly restored order and they saw to freeing the slaves who had been strapped to Arrays that sucked out their Cosmic Energy to fuel the growing of exotic herbs. Things did grow tense a few times as some of the freed people wanted to take revenge on the ones who had worked with the Ez'Mahal Confederation.

"There will be no violence, no reprisals, and no chaos while I am here," Tanya had announced. "If you wish for justice, appeal to the NWG, who will approach the matter in an organized fashion."

Kim didn't blame people for wanting to get back at those who had helped torture and murder their families, but she also understood Tanya's perspective. Who was to say what had actually taken place? The mob was an ugly thing and when people's blood was up, and an accusation did not need to be true for a lynching to take place.

"This sucks," Jared said angrily. "We should have just hit these guys hard and fast. The NWG just slowed us down."

"Can it," Kim replied, "we had no way of knowing how strong these guys were. It wasn't as if the NWG didn't accomplish anything either. I saw more than a few cultivators go down to sniper rounds."

Jared looked away. "I'm not trying to cause trouble, ma'am, I just want the next time we fight these types of people to be done differently. They got away with it. Their leader escaped back to his homeworld after killing tens of thousands of people, raping who knows how many, and torturing and killing children."

Kim gave him a sharp nod.

"Then you approach the boss with your concerns and outline them properly. Don't go rabble rousing because you didn't get your fill of killing."

"It isn't about…"

"I know." Kim softened her expression. "I get it, I really do, but talking shit like that saps morale. Tanya's the CO, and she plays the odds to give the best chance to survive."

With that taken care of, Kim continued her task of ensuring everything was secure in the Town. Edwin was working on triaging the slaves who had been nurturing the fields with their life essence, while others were going through what hadn't been taken with the retreating Ez'Mahal Confederation. As things settled down a bit, they learned that not all of the enemy had escaped. They still had some outlying fields that were further away.

Playtime isn't over.

She knew Jared would also be happy to vent some more of his frustrations. Tanya tasked Zhou with leading the group, with all but Edwin and her of the fighting arm of the Salamander Group taking part.

The bastards tried to run, but the NWG had cut them off and they altered direction. Thanks to radio and Communication Crystals, Zhou was able to lead them on an interception course. A band of a dozen cultivators spied them around the same time and battle erupted.

Kim charged forward, her darker than black shield sucking in the ambient light as she raced out front. Both Zoey and Zhou were ahead of her, which wasn't ideal, but Zhou had a Movement-based Skill and Zoey enjoyed the benefits of her Dao Seed of Lightness.

The enemy reacted. Arrows filled the air from one archer, each arrow splitting into dozens, but Zhou simply twirled his E-grade spear around and deflected them, while Zoey dodged each one. The few that came for Kim were blocked by her shield. It was a flashy attack, but the power of each arrow was not that worrisome.

A ball of acid shot forth from one warrior's hand and Zhou did not attempt to deflect it, instead he used his [Lancing Charge] to avoid it and then clashed with another cultivator who slashed at him with a burning blade. Kim slammed into a cultivator that tried to skewer her, the unexpected move catching them off-guard. Her shield rammed into the jaw of the sword-wielding woman. Kim stabbed downwards, but her opponent recovered and the fight was on.

They were better at blades than Kim, but she imbued herself with the Dao Seed of Sanctuary. Even when the enemy blade slipped past her guard, the combination of Peak F-grade Tanya-Enchanted armor, her Dao, and her focused attribute of Endurance, kept her from serious harm.

The ground exploded, once with a smashing attack from Will and then a second time with earthen spikes skewering two of their dozen opponents. Kim's own opponent, seeing her allies fall, tried to rush in and finish her off before the fight completely turned, but that was a mistake. Kim had been waiting for an opening while defending. Now with her opponent's full attack unleashed without any thought for defense, Kim accepted the blow on her shield while twisting her blade into a devastating strike across the woman's face.

Kim didn't finish her off, instead she slammed her shield into a warrior with a spear who was forcing Jared back. Toby finished off his own foe, and then stabbed Kim's original opponent, who had been trying to eat a medicine pill. The fight was controlled chaos as only Vhorra didn't work in conjunction with the others, but her own impressive Dao was powerful enough on their own that she needed no backup.

The only dangerous part came when Zoey leapt too high and couldn't alter her course. A globe of acid smashed into her as she was unable to dodge as she was coming down. Fortunately, Tanya's shield amulet triggered and the acid ate away at the barrier and failed to touch the fleet-footed Salamander. Zoey then focused on the enemy mage the attack came from.

As the last fell, Kim gave a whoop and a cheer of victory.

"That's how it's done!"

Zhou laughed. "Yes. Well done, all of you. Let's relieve them of their belongings and report back to Tanya."

Kim had Leveled-up from the battle. Those she had clashed with were above her own Level, so the Cosmic Energy she had received was quite abundant. She also felt that she was on the cusp of gaining a more profound understanding of what it meant to protect, both herself and others.

Some downtime to meditate on the Dao would be good. I bet I'm not the only one who could use it to advance our Seeds.

***

I was coordinating with Thomas and the NWG while I let Zhou and the others hunt down any stragglers. I was disappointed that the Ez'Mahal Confederation hadn't stood and fought. It seemed that perhaps they had pushed out with a greater portion of their strength against the NWG's advancing army, and when my Salamanders had shattered it so completely they decided to cut their losses.

Cowards.

I had killed one E-grade cultivator while Zhou and Zoey had worked together to kill another. I had wondered who had accomplished it after my [Supreme Warlord] had gone up by one, so I had questioned if they had fought anyone who had provided a huge amount of Cosmic Energy. One of the realities of the Multiverse that I was learning was that the demarcation between grades was real, but was never the full story.

The rarity of your Class mattered quite a bit. Someone with a Common Class might get two fewer attribute points per level than someone with a Rare Class. The number of Titles you had was also a huge factor, as was the percentage gain and effectiveness of your Titles. I had just gone up to Level 68 and I probably had more attributes than some Early E-grade warriors.

Now, granted, just by getting an E-grade Class you got a huge immediate bump. If I did manage to get an Epic Class, I'd get some sort of combination of 150 attributes just for making that leap. But just because you had the attributes, didn't also mean you had the Dao and gear either. And beyond that, battle was not simply a stat check, your tactics, teamwork, and general competency were more than just the sum of your attributes.

So far, I was rather disappointed by the quality of the loot we'd discovered. Maybe the System was more generous in giving rewards for planets facing Integration, but there hadn't been a single E-grade weapon found so far.

Or the important bigshots who had them fled and didn't show up on the field of battle at all.

Shella and Dorel had arrived to take charge of the recovery efforts and see what useful things we could find. Our agreement with the NWG meant that I got to keep the 'loot', which involved a lot of their abandoned farming projects, as they had absconded with the rest of their wealth and items. At least we had land in Everwood Refuge that could house some transplanted plants, or maybe I could work something out with the NWG. I had no desire to administer the lands myself, but I did want to gain access to anything useful that could help the Salamander Group grow stronger.

We would spend a few days here taking stock. I intended to use that time to sort out my own progress and future mercenary plans. The NWG wanted to hire me again for another Incursion push, but not the Undead Empire. I thought that was a mistake, and Zhou was pretty happy with being able to open a channel up with the Sino-Indian Alliance to start curtailing the Undead Empire. Trying to close that Incursion was likely not something we could do quickly, however, they were just too big.

The more I learned about the Undead Empire the more worried I became. The zombies didn't seem like much of a threat… not until you realized that millions of zombies could overrun almost any Town even with high level cultivators. Eventually, exhaustion and Cosmic Energy drain added up, and they just kept coming. And that was only the beginning of the trouble.

If your Town got surrounded by zombies you soon started experiencing toxic levels of Miasma, a death-attuned form of Cosmic Energy. Word from settlements near the Undead Empire was that it was tolerable for a time, but eventually people would grow pale, sicken, and die. There were Purifiers, a specific Class that could deal with Miasma exposure, but not enough if everyone was coming down with it at the same time.

From my readings, the Undead Empire often did not use any sort of half-measures. The System charged factions steep prices based on the Level and number of people who came through. Many factions capped the Level of the participant to Peak F-grade or very Low E-grade for that reason. Meanwhile, the Undead Empire had an instinctual command running through their bodies to expand and conquer. Their leaders often threw around vast quantities of wealth for the opportunity to take new worlds over what other forces would ever dream of doing. For now, unlike most Peak F-grade warriors, they would still be System-fettered, and not able to bring their full power to bear, but that window was rapidly closing.

And then there was the horror of the body-snatching. If you fell in battle against the Undead Empire, there was a real chance they could make a Revenant out of your corpse. Normally, zombies rarely gained sapience, but if one of their Liches found a particularly strong opponent they would take pains to raise it immediately. The new being had no memories or personality of their past life, but many of their foundations, bloodlines, and talents would still remain.

They are the true threat. Not the Tal-Eladar, Dragonkin, or the Brindevalt Clan.

I set that matter aside and focused on my own experience over the last few days. I had avenged my mother, witnessed the barbarity of off-world Humans, and had been stymied from fully profiting from the Ez'Mahal Confederation Incursion. I meditated and basked in the Dao Seed of Fury. That was the emotion that resonated with me the most right now. It wasn't just those subjects, but the entire situation. I had to rush my cultivation, I had to rush my Tower of Eternity Base Town experience, and I had to keep frantically pushing because of the stupid System.

If I could take my time… everything would be better. Everything. I needed to get to E-grade as soon as possible, but in order to qualify for an Epic Class, I would need to obtain a Dao Fragment. All this over a backdrop of still not knowing where my sister was. It infuriated me. And I had acted with fury in my thoughts during this battle. As I meditated and examined the nature of my fury I developed my Seed. The Dao Vision came upon me as my heartbeat accelerated and adrenaline began coursing through me.

The Dao Seed of Fury, after hours of meditation upon living out my fury, had reached the Middle Stage. Along with my Dao Seed of Fire naturally advancing through battle, I was generally pleased with the improvement in my Dao understanding.

I checked the full list of my Dao Seeds through the Status screen.

[Dao Seed of Volition – Late. Dexterity +40, Wisdom +10, Intelligence +5, Vitality +5]

[Dao Seed of Delegation – Middle. Wisdom +25, Intelligence +5]

[Dao Seed of Fire – Late. Intelligence + 45, Dexterity + 10, Endurance +5]

[Dao Seed of Fury – Middle. Vitality +25, Strength +5]

[Dao Seed of Sanctuary – Early. Wisdom +10, Endurance +5]

[Dao Seed of Structure – Peak. Endurance +90, Wisdom +25, Intelligence +5]

[Dao Seed of Pledge – Early. Wisdom +10, Intelligence +5]

One of the frustrations I was dealing with is that in order to create a Dao Fragment, it would have to be a combination of two Dao Seeds. This would provide me a ton of stats, but it would also narrow the road I was travelling on. If I wanted to get a Fragment as soon as possible, the two Dao Seeds I would combine were Fire and Structure. But there was a problem with this.

Fury… bothered me. Justified anger was rational, but it shouldn't be allowed to make you act irrationally. By subsuming the notion of emotional anger into the flames of wanton destruction I could focus my Dao away from emotional entanglement and focus it on something like the Fragment of Wildfire. Or perhaps the Fragment of the Inferno.

Volition and Structure was another option, but there seemed an incongruence between the two. Volition, by its nature, was fluid. It allowed for options, where Structure was about rigidity. Or at least, that's how I viewed it. I could perhaps form a Fragment like Sovereignty, but it felt like shaky ground. I'd honestly much rather pair Structure with Sanctuary to make Fragment of the Fortress.

Continuing to fight and make full use of Fireball over and over again in a variety of ways would likely lead my Dao of Fire to achieve Peak grade fairly quickly. Especially if I went to fight the Undead. Which left me in the bind on whether I should make a Fragment that isn't exactly what I want, just to qualify for an Epic Class? Should I instead keep my path more focused on what I want to do with this life that may last over a million years if I'm fortunate enough to survive, and risk only being able to obtain a Rare E-grade Class?

I didn't have to make the decision now, but I knew it was coming. The Dao Seed of Pledge had also thrown me for a loop, but I didn't mind it too much. Honestly, if I ended up not using Structure as part of my first Fragment, I thought Pledge + Structure would create an ideal Fragment of the Contract.

Of course, the other obvious option was Fire + Volition, but I didn't want to give up the physicality of Fire or dilute the very nature of Volition which was the core of my raison d'être. I strongly felt that the combination of those two Seeds into a Fragment was anathema to the path I wanted to walk.

With my Dao Seed of Fury advanced, I turned to [Split Infinity: Strings of Mastery]. I had some Enchanting I needed to do, but I wanted to get a little further in just how the Soul Mastery Manual might be able to help me. The first stage was fairly simple and was all about getting used to the idea of thinking multiple thoughts at the same time. It involved creating a faux split of your Soul. Splitting your Soul, at least a portion of it, was actually quite common among cultivators as they grew more powerful. You could create imprints and inheritances, use part of your soul for a clone, or other esoteric options. It weakened you to do so, but like normal Soul damage, it could heal over time.

The manual talked about a faux split, not a real one. It instead pantomimed the process to instead create a split vector within your Soul, where each half would be able to hold a thought and act independently of the other. It warned that this was difficult to do at first and would require much meditating and inward understanding of your own Soul before being successful.

I did it on my first try.

The Manual had made it seem a lot harder. I examined my Soul Aperture as I went through the dual thought meditations and saw my three spinning interlinked spheres had changed. My Soul damage had been healed a bit from my recent Level-up and the [Soul Nurturing Pills] I'd been taking. However, what was more important at the moment was that one of the spheres had moved itself away from the others. They were still linked, but now my Soul was stretched over a larger area. As an experiment, I ended the dual thought meditations and saw the sphere move back into place.

Huh. Well, I seem to be a natural at the Dao, probably because of my second life, so I suppose I'm also just exceptional at Soul Manipulation as well.

Intrigued, I went back to the Manual to look into the next step.

'Once you have learned how to turn two separate parts of your Soul into independent actors, you can begin using puppet techniques to further advance the technique. The important exercise is to continue doing dual tasks of ever-increasing difficulty. No longer will it just be thoughts, but it will also be actions. For the next year you will…'

Year? Better not be.

I had reached a bit of a stopping point, since I didn't have a puppet construction to use. I didn't actually know how to make one properly, either. That might be a project I could put Dorel on as opposed to him just helping set up the Gathering Arrays and agriculture-related projects with his wife. But then I thought to myself… did I need to wait?

The idea of the Soul operating the infrastructure of my body while another part of my Soul used a puppet was intriguing, but was there a reason I couldn't also multitask in the same body? Could my faux split Soul not comprehend the Dao while I also Enchanted? Or perhaps I could cultivate while going through the Body Tempering Manual?

I reviewed [Quick as Thought] and studied the process. At the most basic level it was less about moving Cosmic Energy around and more about realigning your body toward being receptive to increased efficiency. There were nine sub-steps before achieving the first breakthrough… if you did it right without interruption. However, Cosmic Energy still had a role, so this would likely mess with the cultivation process.

Dao meditation and Body Tempering then?

I did my split meditation and experimented. With one portion I contemplated the Dao, the very nature of the underlying concepts and their magnitude. While I did that, I began the first step of a nine-hour Body Tempering quasi-ritual. It involved breathing, adapting my muscles, and then also tapping into the potential of the physical. The process itself, I had feared, was mind-numbingly boring, but by splitting my attention between two portions of my Soul it seemed to scratch a nice itch of not being too dull a process.

In less time than I would have thought, nine hours passed. I had no new insights about the Dao, but given my rapid advancement and recent Dao Seed upgrades, that wasn't surprising. I did feel it had done something; it had helped prime me for future potential understanding. At the same time, I knew my flesh and pathways had altered slightly to accept the [Quick as Thought] process. I suspected I would need to do a full set of nine sessions to see any improvement, and I wasn't too hopeful for anything grand after that.

I did need to get focused on learning how to make and use puppets. While Dao insights were important, I felt that battle would likely garner me a lot more than just meditation. I also had a huge number of Enchantment projects I wanted to do. I needed to replace Zoey's shield amulet, upgrade everyone's amulets to the triple layered one, figure out how to properly Enchant organs, and make use of my resources to craft another E-grade weapon. The last of which was dicey since I would just be using a whole heap of F-grade parts, but with [Careful Path] I could guarantee success… though the length of time would be frustrating. If I could actually go through several cycles of [Quick as Thought] I probably wouldn't feel like I was falling behind by doing so.

After some shuteye and confirmation that Zhou and the NWG had handled the last of the Confederation, I took a look at the roster for the Salamander Group. I asked everyone to keep me posted with their Levels and Dao Seeds so I could see what everyone's capabilities were.

Cultivators:

Zhou– Level 49 Blood Lance (F-Uncommon) Dao Seed of Sharpness (Middle) Dao Seed of Bloodletting (Early) Dao Seed of Delegation (Early)

Vhorra – Level 62 Earth Caller (F-Uncommon) Dao Seed of Loam (Peak) Dao Seed of Heaviness (Late)

Kim – Level 47 Warrior (F-Common) Dao Seed of Sanctuary (Middle)

Will – Level 46 Stone Crusher (F-Uncommon) Dao Seed of Heaviness (Middle) Dao Seed of Loam (Early)

Toby – Level 45 Warrior (F-Common) Dao Seed of Memory (Early)

Shella– Level 41 Alchemist (F-Common) Dao Seed of Timing (Middle)

Dorel – Level 40 Inscriber (F-Uncommon) Dao Seed of Runes (Early)

Mortals:

Edwin – Level 39 Charnel Savior (F-Uncommon) Dao Seed of Respite (Early) Dao Seed of Sanctuary (Early)

Zoey – Level 43 Swordsman (F-Common) Dao Seed of Lightness (Middle)

Jared – Level 42 Warrior (F-Common)

Sofia – Level 39 Courtesan (F-Uncommon) Dao Seed of Volition (Early)

Both Zhou and Kim were on the Ladder. With Will at the same Level as the person in 100th place, he wasn't too far behind either. Looking at the Dao Seeds made me remember my Quest. There really wasn't much to do for me, not for some time, it seemed.

[Nurture Students (Training 3/9): All students must advance their chosen Dao Seed to Peak. Reward: Reward based on performance at the end of training regimen. (0/3) NOTE: Must be completed before forming a Cosmic Core.]

That of course was just the third of nine steps. I really wished I knew what was waiting at the end of the rainbow. Either way, being able to grant three people Dao Seeds was pretty incredible. Even though the Title didn't give me any attributes, the Quest was already amazing in terms of improving the performance of my mercenary company.

But still… would it kill the System to give me more information?

***

Julia Degurechaff came crashing down like a comet. Her halberd worked as a spear or an axe, and she was proficient in either style. Her baby was her lifeline against these strange bipedal Birdmen. The avian's skull was caved in and Julia was already in mid-motion, swiping into another one. Unfortunately, the blow wasn't a killing one, as it was just a regular swing. Her companions came rushing in with knives, swords, and spears, giving her space to work again.

With a great cry, she jumped back into the air, easily outdistancing the height even her enhanced strength could handle. She had always had ups, but now with her Dao Seed of Gust she was able to soar upwards, and then her Class ability let her redirect herself to slam down on her foes with catastrophic strength. It was a good thing too, because without the descending force from her Class Skill, these invaders could withstand almost every blow she could connect with.

But with it!

She grinned. She never got tired of taking to the 'sky' with her attack. Another Birdman was slain from the unexpected crater-leaving strike. The term 'sky' really wasn't appropriate, as they were deep underground. Strangely enough, there was still light from crystals and oxygen was never a problem. Other than having an absurdly tall roof and no visible direct sun, being in the 'Underworld', as people called it, really wasn't much different from being on the surface.

Another leap took a third foe down and the cowardly Birdman patrol started retreating. They let them go, because being forced to chase them down a narrow tunnel could end up in disaster. It had happened before.

"Good work, Julia!" Benjamin said with a smile.

Benjamin reported directly to the Underworld Council and was in charge of the safety of this area from the Incursions. The Birdman Incursion wasn't nearly as dangerous as the Fire Golems, but the fights for Nexus Crystal Mines and other resources were heating up.

"Glad to help," she said with a grin. And she meant it too. While she had no hope of catching up to her overachieving sister, as usual, she at least wanted to try to make the World Ladder!

Sadly, she was only Level 36. She hadn't gotten the benefit of being a cultivator like some other people had. Plus, she thought Benny was pretty cute, even though he probably thought she was too young for him.

No use crying over spilled milk! With Tanya clearly being such a bigshot, she would have already found mom and dad. Once we make contact with the rest of the world, we'll all be reunited.

She hadn't told anyone her last name. While there were certainly more Degurechaffs in the world, it just made sense to be circumspect. Not everyone in the Underworld was on the same side. Hell, the Union traded with the invaders.

Julia helped one of the Molemen in their fighting company to his feet. He thanked her and Julia couldn't help but grin at the idea of all these other Races. Moleman, Zhix, Ishiate, Fire Golems, and more! And her sister had always said that the likelihood of aliens existing in any realistic distance from Earth made first contact so remote she shouldn't worry about it!

You were wrong about that too, Tanya. But I won't rub it in… just please take care of our parents. I think mom might handle this new world all right, but I don't know if Dad could bring himself to kill like we do.

She wasn't sure if Tanya had gone around fighting. Her sister was listed as Enchanter Class on the World Ladder, but Julia had a hard time believing that you could rise to the top of the Level and Dao chart just by crafting. Tanya was a wonderful sister, but she also had a heart of ice. Even when Toothy had passed away when they were little, she had never shed a tear for their pet dog. It wasn't her way, but Julia was thankful for that… clinical sterility. It clearly made her one of the elites of the Multiverse.

And leave it to her to pick a brainiac Class, too!

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Chapter 1617 - 33