Barney Senior stepped toward the battlement, his gaze distant. He stood there, unmoving, so Jack, unsure what else to do, walked over and joined him. They stood together in silence for a while, the wind tugging at their sleeves.
Finally, Senior spoke. “The stone’s voice…” He paused. “Most people think building is just stacking rocks. But real stonework—it starts with listening...
2025-10-20 17:43:49 +0000 UTC View PostThe reveal phase began.
His opponent had played a card in their defensive lane. It flipped, shimmered, and the hologram of a sea otter sprang to life. The creature stood upright, wearing a necklace made of shells and holding a rock in one of its paws. Water dripped from its sleek fur.
...
2025-10-17 15:54:02 +0000 UTC View PostAfter jogging all the way from the Masons’ Association to the house being renovated by the Barneys, Jack arrived flushed and eager, ready to learn how to make mortar.
Junior spotted him rounding the corner and waved from the scaffolding before hopping down with surprising agility for his size.
“You sure are a fast runner, young man. How’d it go at the association?”
“...
2025-10-15 18:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostAs Jack approached the two bickering men, the sharp clink of trowels against stone grew louder. Now that he was close, he could get a better look at what was going on. The pair of masons was working on an older building. Like the rest of the city, it was made from dark volcanic stone, neatly cut and tightly fitted. Scaffolding clung to its face, where the younger man was methodically smearing m...
2025-10-14 08:19:36 +0000 UTC View PostBack home, Jack finished wrapping a length of grass cord around the section of the metal axle where the cylinder would sit, then dabbed it with glue. The twine added friction; the glue would lock everything in place once it set.
Jack lined up the cylinder and guided it down the shaft. It slid smoothly until it reached the twine and caught. He pressed down, holding the cylinder in place wh...
2025-10-13 08:32:52 +0000 UTC View PostThe snakes crawling up and down the walls of Viper’s castle reared their heads and hissed challengingly at Deckard.
But Viper’s [Nest of Snakes] didn’t go unanswered.
Deckard’s own landmark, [Harmonious Island], emerged gently from the space just before the castle’s walls, the sound of crashing waves blending into the game’s soundscape. The contrast between the two landm...
2025-10-12 12:20:36 +0000 UTC View PostHeat shimmered against the kiln’s glass at Ashengate’s Pottery Association. Jack kept a close eye on the clay barrels inside.
The yellow bars hovering above the ten clay cylinders in the kiln were almost full. He only needed four barrels per pot bot, but he’d made extra, just in case. It was better to have spares than come up short.
Making the cylinders had been simple enough....
2025-10-08 18:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostThe Pot-Bot recipe was by far the longest he’d ever seen.
Recipe for: [Pot-Bot]
Ingredients:
Pot
2x [Medium Axles]
4x [Medium Wheels]
1x [Large Gearbox]
4x [Conveyor Belts]
4x [Logic Gearboxes]
1x [Large Crank]
1x [Toy Claw]
10x [Gear Wheels]
18x [Spring Clamps]
…
He kept scrolling. And scrolling. And scrolling.
The reci...
2025-10-07 18:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostIt was the third round of vase-boosted toy assembly. The XP bar inched forward, little by little, until the system chimed in celebration.
Congratulations! You’ve reached Level 6 in Tinkering.
Bard and Tinkering synergize.
You've learned a new melody: [Plushy Cacophony].
“Yes! Another synergy!”
Skills and reci...
2025-10-06 18:07:38 +0000 UTC View PostThe final card on Deckard’s side was revealed.
From the waters surrounding his castle, a deep ripple surged outward. A shadow stirred beneath the surface—then the [Turtle Mother] rose. Her barnacle-studded shell broke the water with a slow, deliberate roll. Water streamed down her massive form as she gave a deep, resonant grunt, then lumbered into position on Deckard’s defensive lan...
2025-10-04 07:11:46 +0000 UTC View PostJack quickly found a guide that explained everything Marty hadn’t. It had been put together by a generous player who’d laid out a step-by-step walkthrough for assembling the toy mouse. A series of screenshots illustrated exactly what to do.
“Thank you, InspectorGadget. You deserve a medal,” Jack muttered. “Okay, let’s see here. Step one: Secure the gearbox to the baseplate.”...
2025-10-02 07:18:37 +0000 UTC View PostHello everyone!
This week has been packed with exciting news—I’ve got not one, but two new audiobook release dates to share! 🎧✨
Hi friends,
Jack has given the VRX helmet back to José.
Which leaves him with two choices: return it or use it and join the gaming scene. Which would you like to see happen the most?
Best regards,
Cássio Ferreira
2025-10-01 14:32:54 +0000 UTC View PostHello friends,
Union 4 is Out! 🎉 And that means the celebration is officially underway!
📚 Hidden Class: Pacifist is on promotion all week—grab these while they last:
🗓️
The two deliverymen came downstairs, dusting off their hands as they entered the kitchen.
"All done," one of them said. "Capsule's installed, power's hooked in, diagnostics are clean."
"Thanks," Jack replied. "Appreciate it."
The second man handed over a slim, laminated folder. "Just a few reminders. The capsule lets you dive longer, but Nexus Co. strongly recommends stepping ...
2025-10-01 14:17:13 +0000 UTC View PostJack had returned to his house. It still felt like an alien thought—his house.
The vases were untouched, just as he’d left them, and so was the legendary item resting near the door to the back patio.
Splitwood Rod (Legendary)
A rod fashioned from a piece of Scindere Acacia, a tree species that has gone extinct. It releases a vinegar-like s...
2025-09-30 15:07:12 +0000 UTC View PostDeckard put away the sandwich wrapper as he walked back to his house.
He usually tried to eat more healthily than this, but his conversation with Nevan had stretched well into lunchtime. Before he knew it, his stomach was growling, and he ended up getting a chicken sub.
Now, he walked the streets, stepping on dried leaves with a satisfying crunch. Something childish, he knew—but h...
2025-09-26 18:20:35 +0000 UTC View PostJack sat cross-legged on the wide plank floor of the treehouse, scrolling through potential bushcraft upgrades.
He pulled up the details of the item they'd earned as a reward for completing a full Breach run.
Golden Village Creation Cube (Legendary)
His Majesty, the King of Eternia, no longer wishes to remain confined within the twin-walled Rings. He h...
2025-09-25 15:29:07 +0000 UTC View PostJack studied the girl as he approached.
What is she—fourteen? Thirteen? he wondered.
Her gear was impressive. Every piece shimmered with a thick blue aura.
She’s fully covered in mid-imbued gear! He gulped. How much did this loadout cost?
She stood still, hands folded in front of her, glossy black hair falling in a neat curtain short ...
2025-09-23 21:11:55 +0000 UTC View PostGreetings, friends!
How are you all doing? Mondays can be tough, but hang in there!
I’ve got some exciting news: Book 4 of Hidden Class: Pacifist will be out in audiobook format next week! 🎧
Author's note:
Hello friends! I hope you had a nice weekend.
I mentioned in Book 4 that Jack used the scrimshaw technique while crafting. After some thought, I’ve decided to turn it into its own upgrade instead. This opens the door for some fun developments later on. Earlier references will be adjusted accordingly. Happy reading!
*...
2025-09-22 09:40:22 +0000 UTC View PostSenn hesitated one last time before taking a deep breath.
“T.H.E.I.,” he said. “It’s an acronym—Transgenic Hybridization and Exploitation Initiative.”
“W-what now?” Deckard frowned. All this time, he thought Ronan had just been being ominous—they this, they that. Turns out, he’d been saying T.H.E.I. An actual organization.
Senn let out a d...
2025-09-19 13:52:41 +0000 UTC View PostJack barely noticed the miles slipping by. His thoughts were too loud—his father’s condition, his mother's tears, and the ticking clock pressing down on him.
Stacked on top of that were schemes for earning coin and leveling up at record speed, each idea more reckless than the last.
Part of him wanted to be outside the game, beside his parents. But what good would that do if he c...
2025-09-17 12:02:12 +0000 UTC View PostJack’s avatar materialized in the Vulpine Woods.
Pale moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting a mottled glow on the forest floor. Night birds called in the distance. The tall silos of the Agropastoral Institute loomed in shadow—dark silhouettes against the sky, unmoving and eternal.
Just before the Breach run, he and his team had carried that egg through here, ducking bra...
2025-09-16 10:02:39 +0000 UTC View PostJack walked down the corridor. Even after washing his face, he still felt groggy. The dive had been long, and the battles grueling. But it was all worth it. They’d beaten the Breach. Earned legendary gear. And somehow, they’d managed to take down the Slayer too.
After a night like that, everyone had agreed: today was a rest day.
He started down the stairs, wondering if his mom w...
2025-09-15 11:01:30 +0000 UTC View PostDeckard had subconsciously wandered back to the NPC he’d spoken to earlier—Janine.
“Hello,” he said.
“StubbornTiger!” she greeted him with a warm, genuine smile. “Glad to see you back. You’ve made quite a name for yourself—seven wins in a row? That’s impressive.”
“Thanks,” he replied, a little guarded.
“We like to keep exceptional players moti...
2025-09-12 12:55:59 +0000 UTC View PostAuthor's note:
Hi everyone!
This is the second of two chapters about the Breach written from the bees' perspective.
I hope you enjoy it
********************
The hive had known hardship, and it had known cold. But now, it knew strength.
The storehouses brimmed with honey—thick and golden—the fruits of co...
2025-09-10 13:12:26 +0000 UTC View PostNotes spilled out of Jack’s time field, rippling outward like water disturbed by a pebble. Inside the bubble, the melody sounded normal—steady and controlled. Outside, it probably came through like a lullaby on fast-forward. Or so Jack guessed.
Marie’s accelerated damage output and Jack’s incoming debuff caught the Slayer’s attention. Even while locked in a stun, his eyes flicke...
2025-09-09 10:58:58 +0000 UTC View PostAuthor’s Note: You might notice the chapter number looks a bit higher than expected. That’s because I'll squeeze two bee chapters into Book 4.
Welcome to a brand-new arc! Here’s the opening chapter of Book 5: The Tinkering Mason.
*********************************
Jack grimaced. The whiplash from triumph to dread hit like a punc...
2025-09-08 07:29:51 +0000 UTC View PostDeckard glanced at his opponent. Even though he couldn't see her play, he could still read her expression.
She was torn—caught between awe and excitement. Awe, because she was facing someone whose very first move had been to drop a Legendary. Excitement, because she had a solid board presence: two creatures down and a trap armed and ready.
Deckard, on the other hand, had only a La...
2025-09-05 12:12:52 +0000 UTC View Post