Spring of 346, A.D.
It was Alex’s turn as a firekeeper again.
Kai had no idea why, but his friend had been going out of his way to turn his lessons into awkward debates.
Last time, he had gone head-to-head with Trudy over whether everyone should be a firekeeper. He argued that only the brightest should teach, while Trudy insisted there was no s...
2025-03-19 09:01:42 +0000 UTC View PostSpring of 346, A.D.
“Do you want some more, Kai?”
“No, thanks, Ariel. I’m full.”
Ariel had been smiling non-stop ever since Alex returned. Kai had noticed that she seemed to credit his return entirely to him. Every time his plate got even close to empty, she rushed to refill it.
Meanwhile, Alex sat off to the side, locked...
2025-03-19 08:59:58 +0000 UTC View PostSpring of 346, A.D.
After confronting Alex, Kai started seeing him again at the bonfires. Ariel had already come to thank Kai for bringing her brother back. He couldn’t say that pleasing Ariel had been the driving force behind his efforts to reach Alex, but it was a plus.
Today was Alex’s first time as the firekeeper after returning. In Kai’s opinion, his...
2025-03-19 08:58:43 +0000 UTC View PostSpring of 346, A.D.
Unlike everyone else in the sector, Alex lived on the outskirts of the capital. Most people preferred to stay close to the heart of things—closer to work, to the bonfires, to each other. Not Alex. He had chosen to live way out here, at the edge of it all.
Kai never understood why. The commute alone was a hassle, and if anyone should’ve w...
2025-03-19 08:56:59 +0000 UTC View PostHi, everyone!
I noticed some of you joined my Patreon mainly to stay updated on audiobook and Amazon book releases. To make things easier for you, I've added a new section to the Patreon Reward Map: Upcoming Events.
This section will showcase all the exciting things lined up over the next few months, providing clear dates and details about upcoming releases. I hope ...
2025-03-18 11:36:40 +0000 UTC View PostAmari and Horace had each managed to pin down an elite scaler, but the remaining two raced onward, undeterred.
“Christoff! Aim for the one on the right! Hurry!” Amari shouted desperately.
Christoff fired off a quick shot, but the scaler twisted midair, evading it easily. Just as it did so, however, it sailed straight into Riku’s hidden rope snare. Its limbs tangled midair, abr...
2025-03-18 11:10:32 +0000 UTC View PostIt wasn’t just the tension in the air or the unease on their NPC ally’s face. Even the sound before a boss wave hit was different.
This one started with a scuttling noise. Faint at first but growing louder by the second. Jack frowned. It almost sounded like rain—light, rhythmic, an eerie trickle against the dirt. But beneath it, something else lurked.
A thunder-like beat.
<... 2025-03-17 20:11:37 +0000 UTC View PostDeckard passed over all the scraps Gregory had asked for, earning a broad, toothy grin from the lighthouse keeper.
You’ve transferred 50x [Copper Scraps] and 50x [Tin Scraps] to Gregory.
[Rummaging Through the Trash] is completed!
Completion rate: B+
Rewards: 50 coppers.
Bonus rewards: 35...
2025-03-17 11:29:33 +0000 UTC View PostHey, everyone!
As you know, I've been hard at work on the rewrite of Snap Craft, and I’m honestly surprised by how much is changing. The more I refine it, the more enjoyable the book becomes—I can’t wait for you all to read it!
That said, I’ve hit a bit of a roadblock with my plan to include emojis in the Kindle version. After some research, it turns out that Kindle...
2025-03-14 09:30:38 +0000 UTC View PostWave 19 had come and gone. According to Marie’s account afterward, it had been just as easy as Wave 18, with the bears doing most of the work.
Shortly after the wave cleared, high up on the Snowy Peaks, Horace had unlocked yet another package.
Horace has found a hidden package! [1000-Year Old Ice]
Hidden Package Description:
10...
2025-03-12 10:13:39 +0000 UTC View PostJack maintained the protective barrier around the ceramics, refreshing it whenever necessary.
As he played Clay Dome, an unexpected notification popped up.
You’ve played [Clay Dome].
Success rate: B
+900 XP in [Bard]
+9,320 XP in [Bard]
Congratulations! You’ve reached lev...
2025-03-11 08:28:40 +0000 UTC View PostDeckard had spent the entire last dive observing the Trash-Eating Turtle. The creature didn’t do much besides munching its way through the junkyard, tirelessly breaking down refuse into smaller, more manageable bits. It was a living recycler, turning chaos into order with slow, deliberate bites.
You’ve watched a Trash-Eating Turtle eating.
Your understan...
2025-03-10 14:30:41 +0000 UTC View PostAuthor's note:
Hi, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend.
Just a quick update—I went back and rewrote the second half of Chapter 167. The previous version felt a bit flat, and I wanted to make Jack’s progress with the new skill and the etching recipe more satisfying. The changes add more depth, so rereading that section should make t...
2025-03-10 14:19:31 +0000 UTC View PostHey, everyone!
HCP 1 is free on Kindle today only! If you haven’t grabbed it yet, now’s the perfect time.
It’s also the last day of the audiobook promotion for HCP 1—don’t miss out!
Have a great weekend,
— Cássio Ferreira
353rd Daisy Trials, Round of 256.
As soon as Oli landed, he took off runnin’.
Never stop. Never give ‘em a clear shot.
Cap’n’s words echoed in his head as he darted past the rock piles, keepin’ his feet light and his movements unpredictable. Even as he ran, his eyes took in the battlefield. Above him stretched an impossibly blue sky, clearer than an...
2025-03-07 10:01:59 +0000 UTC View PostSpring of 346, A.D.
Even after the entire afternoon had passed, Alex hadn’t returned to the museum. As the time for the sunset bonfire approached, Kai had gone out to look for him but eventually gave up. It was like he had disappeared.
“I see. That’s unfortunate,” Albert said when Kai told him. “Still, you did well thinking of points to present on you...
2025-03-07 09:59:52 +0000 UTC View PostKai tapped his pencil against his knee, staring at the nearly blank page in front of him. He was supposed to be listing reasons why their culture was worth preserving. The problem was, his list was looking thin. And Alex wasn’t helping.
Kai cleared his throat. “I like that it encourages all of us to be both teachers and students.”
Alex barely reacted. “...
2025-03-07 09:57:27 +0000 UTC View PostSpring of 346, A.D.
Albert had made a partial recovery. Despite Trudy’s objections, he was back to teaching.
Instead of taking them to the museum section that celebrated past exams, he had brought them to a simple room with a single candle-holder, its flame burning at the center. Kai had never been here before.
“Today’s class will be a litt...
2025-03-07 09:55:19 +0000 UTC View PostWinter of 345, A.D.
From Albert’s house, it took Kai only a few minutes to reach the museum. He hadn’t expected to find the lights on. Who else would be here this late? In a sector with a population small enough to be counted on two hands, running into someone at this hour felt like more than just a coincidence.
The front door was unlocked. He stepped insid...
2025-03-07 09:53:31 +0000 UTC View PostWinter of 345, A.D.
“Albert?”
“Come in. It’s unlocked.”
Unlike most of the sector’s inhabitants, Albert had never moved. He had lived at number 21, Rockwood Street for as long as Kai could remember. When Ariel asked him why, he simply said it was halfway between the museum and the library—convenient for historians.
Wh...
2025-03-07 09:51:56 +0000 UTC View PostAutumn of 345, A.D.
Daisy’s cybermonkeys scurried about the museum, just as they did throughout the city, keeping everything neat and orderly. Kai barely noticed them anymore—until their simian calls echoed through the vast hall, impossible to ignore.
The museum was one of the capital’s largest buildings, and after every exam, its collection grew. Years a...
2025-03-07 09:50:26 +0000 UTC View PostAutumn of 345, A.D.
Albert mumbled a few complaints, barely audible over the crackling fire and the chatter of the sector. His words were mostly directed at Trudy, who ignored him, probably because it was the same old complaint. “Why can’t we just start at the library or museum right away?”
Kai smirked. It was a tradition at this point.
Alb...
2025-03-07 09:48:17 +0000 UTC View PostAuthor's note:
The rewrite of Snap Craft continues. We're at about 25% of the story. Now, you can read the story all the way up to chapter 17. Enjoy!
****
Autumn of 345, A.D.
Everyone wore red gowns, standing hand in hand around the crematorium pyre. Even though Kai held Ariel’s hand, his heart felt like a cold, dead stone.
<... 2025-03-07 09:47:21 +0000 UTC View PostHey, everyone!
I'm wrapping up Volume 3 in the next couple of weeks, and as I look back, I realize just how much time has passed since I started. The first chapter of Handyman Vol. 3 went up on October 30th—it's now March. That’s four months of weekly chapter releases, and as you can imagine, keeping everything consistent can be tricky.
Reading and editing individu...
2025-03-06 11:25:30 +0000 UTC View PostHey, everyone!
Great news! Hidden Class: Pacifist (Vol. 1) is part of Audible’s newly launched sale in the US store, running until Sunday, March 9.
But that’s not all—on the same day, H...
2025-03-05 16:00:45 +0000 UTC View PostAuthor's note:
After reading your comments, I've returned to this chapter and rewritten the second half. I think it's a solid improvement, and now Jack's journey through the etching recipe feels much more earned. Let me know what you think!
*
After an XP-grinding session by the pot hive and another one down at the well, Jack had fixed everyone a meal ...
2025-03-05 13:31:34 +0000 UTC View PostMeanwhile, in the real world, Deckard prepared to return to the game.
“Alright then.”
He spoke aloud, maybe to fill the silence—maybe to convince himself that the emptiness of his apartment didn’t bother him.
It wasn’t that it was small or cramped. If anything, it was too open, too lifeless—just a sleek capsule, a trophy cabinet, a bare desk, and the faint hum of c...
2025-03-04 14:40:04 +0000 UTC View PostYou have tempered [Bulrush Grass Hat].
Bulrush Grass Hat »»» Bulrush Grass Hat +1
Jack grinned as the progress bars of all four minor skills surged upward.
+200 XP in [Butchering], [Bushcraft], [Pottery], and [Beekeeping].
+2230 XP in [Butchering], [Bushcraft], [Pottery], and [Beekeeping].
Jack had worried for nothing. As soon as he unlocked level 3 in [Skinning], the new drops started rolling in.
You’ve harvested the corpse of a red ischyromys.
You’ve picked up 27 coppers, 1x [Ischyromys Fat], 1x [Ischyromys Meat], and 1x [Ischyromys Incisor].
+5 XP in [Butchering]
+16 XP in [Butchering] 2025-03-03 13:19:22 +0000 UTC View Post
Deckard stood waist-deep in the surf, a short distance from Stiltwave Village. The waves lapped at his sides, cool and rhythmic, as he adjusted the oxygen tank strapped to his back. The sensation was foreign. Even though he had scoured these shallows before, hunting for starfish and swimming all the way from Stiltwave to Trash Islet, something about carrying the tank changed the experience. It ...
2025-02-27 17:31:21 +0000 UTC View Post