Monster Jousting Book 3 - Chapter 25 (Patreon)

Of course, Noah wasn’t naive enough to think that there would even be relics in the lost city. It was a possibility, sure, but for all he knew, the beauty in front of him was lying through her teeth. Recruiting him for the sake of his strength. So, Noah needed assurance. An investment.

Yidos was happy, but when she noticed that Noah had no intentions of moving, she looked at him for a moment. Noah tapped the table. Yidos tilted her head. It looked cute.

“What’s the matter, Noah?” She asked.

“Well, you see where I come from, It’s difficult to take someone on their word,” Noah said. “There may be relics, there may not be. Trust is difficult to come by, Yidos.”

Yidos nodded with understanding, her lips curling. “So you wish for a prepayment?”

“I do,” Noah said, leaning back in the wooden chair. “That blade you showed me.”

Yidos frowned. “That was given to me by–”

“A family member?” Noah asked. “I know. That’s why I know that my payment will be sufficient in the future. Keepsakes are important. But so is me risking my life for so-called relics. You see?”

Yidos sighed, her lips curling. “Okay, Noah. I am not lying. Here you go.” She handed over the curved dagger that Noah had only gotten a glimpse of before. It was truly a work of art. It blew his other weapons out of the water.

Blade of Deep Waves (Level 75 - Epic): A blade powered by the eb and flow of a deep ocean, this dagger can cut through even the toughest of materials as if sifting through water.

| Added stats: Dexterity +65, Strength +40, Will +50.
| Unique effect: When under immense focus, follow the trail of water to deal devastating damage.

That’s a strange unique effect? Follow the trail of water? Noah thought as he practised with the blade in his hands.

“My mother gave it to me,” Yidos said deep in thought, her eyes following the blade.

“It’s an excellent blade,” Noah admired. “Does it have a specialty?”

“My mother once told me that the blade listens.”

“Listens?”

Yidos gently took back the dagger, her index finger trailing up and down the blade. “Just like the shells on the shore. Pick one up, and you can listen to the swish of the ocean's waves as if it's right there with you. Like the shell, the dagger also listens. And when it has listened enough, it will allow you to harness its powers. My mother said that if you focus enough, and with the dagger’s blessing, you can summon the waves themselves. Only, they are the waves of destruction.”

Yidos shook her head. “They are just bedtime stories, I bet. But they did make me hope for the time I may be able to summon Deep Wave’s powers.”

“Well,” Noah said with a smile. “I can tell you that the ability is real.”

“With your System?” Yidos smiled brightly.

“You know of it?” Noah asked, surprised.

“Declan told me, told me of Earth. Don’t be surprised. Many Otherworlders come through with their own way to get stronger. This System is the first time I’ve heard of it though. It seems… more sentient than other power systems.”

“It’s definitely a dream come true,” Noah said, smiling. 

“That’s strange.”

“How so?”

“When Declan told me, he almost seemed like he couldn’t wait to return to his world. He kept on asking about portals, and asked me for a space for his so-called ‘hub’. You are different. I can see it in your eyes. You love it here, yes?”

Noah nodded. “Back on Earth, Declan was loved. He was born into a good family, had everything he could ever want at his beck and call. I grew up with nothing. Food was hard to come by. I’ll save you the sob story, but here? I can be whatever the hell I want to be, go where I want to go. I have strength, freedome. Why would I ever want to go back?”

“I’ve met many people like you before, Noah. Do you know what happened to them?”

“They lived an incredible life?”

“They always died, one way or another,” Yidos said. She got up, moved over to a cupboard at the back of the tent, and brought out a jug of wine. She poured herself and him a cup. She took a sip. Noah copied her, downing it all in one go while keeping his eyes on her. 

She clicked her tongue that had just turned red from the stain of wine, and continued, “Ambitious people always move forwards, always aiming for the great skies above. But the further one travels, they are always approaching the sun.” Yidos leaned forward. Noah couldn’t help but glance at her chest. “Closer, and closer, they come–only to be burnt to a crisp.”

Noah smiled. “Is this your way of warning me, Yidos?” 

“Warning? No,” Yidos said, “I’m begging you not to stop. What’s the point in living in a world such as ours if we do not strive for greatness, even at the cost of burning alive?”

Noah stood up and wandered over to Yidos. He sat on the corner of the table. He glanced at her bronze skin, her toned stomach, her vivid-green eyes, her gorgeous face as if it was sculpted by a master craftsman. “I agree.” He smiled. “You really are beautiful.” 

“Are you getting distracted, Noah?” Yidos leaned back, smiling playfully. 

“Distracted? Never,” Noah said. “You have my full focus.” 

Noah leaned forward and gently pinched Yidos’s chin, his face inched closer, her eyes fluttered to a close. She puckered her lips — only for an all encompassing light to light up the world. 

Noah frowned, he spun on his heels and dashed out of the tent. All around him, multiple pillars of blue light reached into the high heavens above. There were at least 20 of them. Each one of them a carbon copy of the first Hub area from before.

Mass Migration of Earth is taking place.
| New Leaderboards opening…

| Leaderboard: Houses of Lords’

Noah immediately opened it up.

Houses of Lords:

• Noah (Power Level: 63.) (Residency Count: 2)

• Princess Maera (Power Level: 34.) (Residency Count: 43)

• Lorena (Power Level: 31.) (Residency Count: 12)

• Declan (Power Level: 29.) (Residency Count: 16)

• Lily (Power Level: 24.) (Residency Count: 9)

Damn, I’m strong, Noah thought with a proud smile, but as he gazed at the lights, numerous thoughts flashed in his mind. What was going on back on Earth? What was going to happen to Miles, Peter? Noah frowned. If they were summoned, he had to find them–protect them.

Yidos was going around commanding her men, calming them down. They thought they were being invaded. Honestly, it was an accurate description. 

His gaze remained on the lithe archer for a few lingering seconds. She had been tempting him within the tent, and honestly, Noah enjoyed it. He hadn’t once had a girlfriend before. Maybe it was time? He did feel a little lonely. 

Not now, Noah.

Glancing back at the leaderboards, he scratched his head at the fact his residency was only 2. But how was that possible? He had Pillow and Thraz, and even the infernal crab that he had risen from the dead. It should be 5 in total.

But as he thought about it, it made sense. He was the lord of monsters, not people. Only Krall and Gluttony counted. Thraz and Pillow were also creatures, but perhaps the System didn’t recognise them that way? But what constituted a monster? The inability to talk?

Whatever the reason was, he’d need to find out later.

You have gained a House of Lords’ Mission – Otherworld Stronghold: As the leaders of the Otherworlders, it is your duty to create a safe haven for those in your old world. By the end of the month, only the people in the top 5 will receive a reward. Ranking is counted by both the Power Level of your land, and the Residency Count. Power, of course, holds more weight.

| 1st place reward: 25 free stat points, 1x Legendary Equipment, 1x Skill Essence Upgrade Stone.

| 2nd place reward: 15 free stat points, 1x Epic Equipment, 1x Skill Essence upgrade Stone.

| 3rd place reward: 10 free stat points, 1x Epic Equipment.

| 4th place reward: 10 free stat points, 1x Rare Equipment.

| 5th place reward: 10 free stat points, 1x Rare Equipment.

Holy shit, Noah thought in awe at the sight of the 1st place reward. His mind instantly worked overtime in order to figure out the best way to obtain 1st place by the end of the month. 

At first, he had an idea of recruiting more monsters, and sure, that was a good way to improve the power ranking of his land. But, there was a far better method–finding that lost city. The relics would be a huge boost to his power. And the monsters there would be higher level, as he had come to a realisation on the way to this castle.

There was now a lack of monsters. Both on the island he had set up his Hub, and in the jungle. He had to head in deeper. 

“Yidos,” Noah shouted to the powerful hunter, she looked at him. “Gather your men. We move out for Imprexis at once.”