cerim
patreon
Chapter 596 - Not a damsel
🕑 Added 2025-04-13 08:51:46 +0000 UTCPOV Nathaniel
We appear back on the 7th floor, at the same place where we have spent these months training, preparing, and relaxing at our “beach.”
It is now entirely destroyed. A crater scars the ground where the lake and the building used to be. The nearby cliff is marred, with a single, enormous, building sized glass projectile piercing through it. There are also bodies of lumorans and mimics scattered around.
Tess and Biscuit are nowhere to be seen, and neither of them has responded in the Community.
Lissandra stands there with Myrra by her side, surveying the damage with eyes that seem to perceive far more than any of us can.
Then anger flashes across her face—the kind that comes from wounded pride and a broken agreement. The mimics and lumorans had promised no forces would enter her territory, yet everything now lies in ruins.
She rises and flies toward the sky, sending a single pulse of mana from her. It is nearly audible and produces a physical reaction in the area. All the clouds disappear, and the sky turns bright white. Every temporary mana web over the area is torn and obliterated, and a wave expands outward with a speed and force that makes it seem as though it will encompass the entire planet.
Her head turns; she looks in one direction before disappearing that way with an audible sonic boom.
Warning! The 13th wave is now in progress.
And the Floor Quest resumes.
Even though I have seen it before, I check the number of people in the Community again, confirming that Tess is still there. But she was also there when she had a mimic inside her. So what the hell has happened?
What have you done, you silly blonde? And damn, I hope you are safe.
***
Flashback Tess Hansen
Two days. That’s how long it takes me to encounter a powerful Elder Mimic in the body of a lynthari; either a mercenary who had assisted here or someone who was taken over on another planet where a Progenitor Mimic attacked.
It is quite fast to find one, and I guess having Biscuit with me helps. I also have a strong suspicion that Lissandra left a mark on me. I know I would do something like that if I were her. Having the mimic inside me likely did not hurt it either.
Facing the body of the lynthari Champion taken over by my mimic, I say, “I want to make a deal with you.”
He looks at me in the same way while glancing toward Biscuit and then back at me. “Return to your territory, human. I won’t hurt you because of the deal we made with that woman, but do not push it.”
A smile appears on his face, slightly unnatural, as if his true identity were showing despite the mimic’s perfect memory and its ability to copy the body it took over. It all hints at the mimic inside me as if it were telling me to enjoy the time I have left.
“I think I can get you to what the lumorans stole from your territory on the 2nd front. I also think I know why the mimic inside me seems so special and can hide from the lumorans’ frameworks.”
I dangle the bait like I’ve rehearsed. The item, the one it hungers for. I don’t know what it is exactly, but I know one thing: it wants it more than it wants me. That gives me leverage.
And that gets his attention.
“I have an offer for you," I say.
I already know what I’m going to do. I’ll lead it to what it wants, not because I want to help it, but because I refuse to die with it inside me. If it’s desperate enough, it will jump to someone else. And I’ll make sure it does.
***
Days later, back in lumoran territory, I meet Technician Leth, but only after multiple checks, some even performed by a lumoran Champion. They run me through purification arrays that burn through my mana reserves, forcing me to stand still as pulse after pulse of detection magic washes over me. Inscriptions crawl over my skin, searing slightly as they scan for mimic residue. My internal mana flow is disrupted and reset again and again, leaving me dizzy and unbalanced.
By the end, I’m drained and shaking, barely keeping myself upright. I rely entirely on my connection to that silver-haired Absolute, the one who appeared from nowhere. That status is the only reason they let me through.
“It’s nice to see you, Tess, but where are the others? Everyone is nervous because that human woman disappeared as well. It just shouldn’t be possible after her oath,” Leth tells me.
He is not alone in the room; there is Jareth, Champion Owain’s disciple, and even Champion Safie - one of the stronger lumoran Champions. It could be said that they are interrogating me.
I pet Biscuit so he does not do something hotheaded. There are still those tiny antlers on his head, but he is quiet.
"She killed Nathaniel and the others, then chose to cooperate with the mimics," I say.
It is something I have practiced for days. I repeated the lie so often, with such practiced grief, that it became part of my truth. Even the mimic inside me began to echo those feelings back at me like it wasn’t sure anymore what was real.
My subclass, my skill made it happen.
I’ve already cried over the deaths of my friends more times than I can count. There was an hour when I just sat there, sobbing, remembering those perfect days we spent together. They were the kind of friends I had always dreamed of, people who accepted me despite all my flaws. Each of them had their own imperfections, but somehow that only made them more beautiful to me. Every flaw made them shine even brighter.
And now they are dead because Lissandra saw them as dead weight, nothing left to gain from keeping them alive. Cooperating with the mimic Absolute gives her a new chance, a way to improve her odds of escaping the tutorial.
I know these things happened as surely as I know my name.
When I speak to the lumorans, I put my whole self into the words. I say it with unwavering confidence and intent.
And they believe me.
Hidden from them, something inside me shudders in a way that almost feels like a laugh.
***
POV Nathaniel
Hours have passed and Lissandra still hasn’t returned.
Warning! The 14th wave is now in progress.
Warning! The 15th wave is now in progress.
Within that short time, two more waves appear and mimics begin showing up in the area, mainly greater mimics, some in lumoran bodies. They attack us without hesitation and we fight them in the same way while glancing at the sky in search of Lissandra, who still isn’t there.
During one of the fights, I wonder what Tess did and silently scold myself for not thinking of it sooner. I know her better than this; I should have realized she wouldn’t simply sit and wait for us to return.
Tess is extremely stubborn when she wants to be.
***
Flashback Tess Hansen
It takes several more days. The lumorans panic, and I am moved multiple times, each time with my mind and body checked for signs of a mimic. Yet they find none. The mimic inside me is that special; it is a spawn of a Progenitor Mimic hidden deep in the frozen area of the second front, protected by multiple elder mimics.
I have thought about it a lot, and the feelings I get from it confirm that. It explains why it couldn’t be found despite all the effort the lumorans showed.
I’m still not sure about the item with chaotic mana that the Ardenyx pilot found and took, but it seems to be important to it. I can feel how much it wants the item as if it were the most important thing in the world to it.
It wants it so desperately.
Maybe it is something that allows it to grow stronger, a sort of sustenance that enables it to reach its full potential. Or maybe it is simply something that should not fall into lumoran hands for some reason.
Since I realized that the mimic is inside me, it has begun to show its presence more, and I wonder if it was being raised to be implanted into the lumoran Absolute, only for Champion Feroy and his group to ruin it all at the cost of their lives.
I also know the war has started again. With Lissandra joining the mimics and disappearing without a trace, they have no other choice. Especially if she’s strong enough to fake her oath, deceive the lumoran Absolute, and leave the area where she claimed she would stay.
But part of me also wonders what’s left to live for when all my friends are gone. After that question, only one answer remains.
Revenge at all costs. But first, I need to get rid of the mimic.
While talking to me, Leth gestures broadly and says, “Sorry, I can't tell you what that item was for, or what Champion Feroy left in me. I barely know anything myself, and it's considered highly classified information.”
As always when he speaks to me, Champion Owain’s disciple is here, keeping an eye on me with that sword resting on his back. That sword seems almost alive.
I force a weak smile, looking tired but thankful, and say, “It’s okay. I was just curious. I’m thankful you guys didn’t kill me.”
“We wouldn’t do that!” Leth exclaims immediately and falls silent when he realizes he shouted. “It’s not your fault. That woman is too strong.”
After a silence meant to create the proper impact, I say, “Leth, I think you should destroy whatever you brought from the second front. They might be after it.”
Something inside me swirls in panic, and a sharp spike runs through my head.
Through the haze, I hear something and turn to the side. Biscuit is sitting there, staring at me with glowing purple eyes. His low growl rumbles through the air, heavy enough to make the ground feel unsteady.
Only then does the pressure in my head begin to fade.
***
The deal I made with the mimics is simple. The mimic inside me can stay hidden only as long as it hasn't taken control, it’s special enough to be able to do it. So I will behave in a way that either helps it obtain the item it wants or gives it a chance to go after Champion Owain or the lumoran Absolute. If it finds a host as powerful as they are, it will leave my body without killing me.
I think the fact that I knew about it surprised them since the mimic is undetectable even by the lumoran frameworks. Maybe they planned for it to jump from me to a high-ranking lumoran if the opportunity came. Maybe they were crazy enough to hope it could take over Lissandra through some sheer, incredible luck. Or maybe it was just supposed to stay inside me, gather information on the lumorans, or try to get to the item they stole from the Second Front.
Now, with lumorans, I don’t know how many days I have sat in the room they locked me in. It is so blindingly bright white that it hurts my eyes and mind. The mana constantly touches my body, making it impossible to use my skills.
Something even blocks my primordial energies.
They have separated Biscuit from me and keep asking me questions. Multiple people, different each time, all powerful enough to kill me with a single swing of their arm, keep probing my mind.
But my story doesn’t change. They see what I have seen: an image of Lissandra killing my friends while leaving me alive as a messenger. They also sense my emotions—the sadness I felt when they died and the rage I feel towards that woman.
Their frameworks scanned me, psychic traces were analyzed, mana flow patterns checked. And all of it aligned with the grief of a girl who lost everything. Even the Champions who doubted me hesitated when they saw no flicker of a lie.
Then, I am moved for the last time.
***
A few hours later, I receive an immediate execution order while being held inside a hidden base that serves as a headquarters. The order comes directly from Champion Owain, who is stationed here to guard the item taken from the mimics.
And that item is close. I can feel it; the presence inside me grows more and more desperate as Biscuit and I sit alone in the small room, waiting for the end. It has already sent a special signal detected only by the mimics, but it will take a while longer for them to get here. The only things keeping it from overtaking my mind are its fear of being discovered, the oath I made, and its hope that I will do everything I can to stay alive.
Biscuit remains quiet even with those cute antlers on and continues to keep an eye on me. His eyes grow darker by the second, and with that, their friendliness slowly disappears.
Leth comes to visit as well, slipping in alone despite the rules, just a few minutes before my executioner is supposed to arrive. I can see how much it weighs on him. For a moment, he says nothing.
I think I’ve played my part well, no matter how disgusting it felt. I took the fondness he had for Nathaniel and the others and used it. I built the image of a broken, unfortunate girl in his mind.
I tapped into the grief he carries from losing Champion Feroy, the one he followed and the friends he fought beside. In his eyes, I’ve suffered the same loss.
But now his mana signature is thin, frayed. I make note of how tired he looks, how little resistance he might have. A weak link, maybe. Just maybe.
He says, “I’m sorry, Tess, I know it’s cruel for them to kill you, but the order came from the Absolute himself. It is to avoid risk and simply remove you, they are worried what that woman could have done with you. I’m truly sorry.”
“It’s fine, Leth, it’s not your fault,” I say with a weak smile, feigning bravery to mask my sadness.
Slowly, I get to my feet and reach out my hand toward Leth to shake it, saying, “Thank you for everything.”
He hesitates, “They told me not to…”
I pull my hand back with a saddened expression, “Oh, I get it, I’m sorry.” I quickly apologize and take a step only to let myself fall because of the chains on my feet and hands.
Leth almost instinctively moves in and grabs my hand to help me stand. “Are you…” his words cut off.
"I’m sorry. Truly," I whisper.
The mimic inside me moves from my body into his and takes over the moment it does so. It destroys the lumoran technician’s mind in a blink and with it, the oath I made to the mimics disappears as I fulfill my requirements.
The baby progenitor mimic looks at me with the look Leth used to have, yet so different, as it begins settling inside him and trying to hide its presence, which should be much harder, if not impossible, now that it has taken over Leth’s mind. It can likely still jump into another lumoran, for it is much more special than other mimics, but I don’t think it can hide anymore the way it hid inside me, not against serious attempts.
“Useless human,” Leth says. “You couldn't even get me close to the Champion. But as per our deal, no mimic will touch you. The others will be here soon, but I wonder if they’ll arrive quickly enough to save you from the lumoran executioner.”
He doesn’t even smile, but I can see that strange cruelty in Leth's eyes. Then he turns to leave, before the executioner arrives and before its presence triggers any of the defensive arrays.
“A moment,” I call out.
He stops and turns when I say, “Biscuit, not a friend.”
Then I close my eyes.
That pressure returns, along with that eerie sensation. I hear a scream I never imagined Leth or any mimic could make, followed by a few loud crunches, and then silence.
When I open my eyes, Biscuit is sitting there, looking at me.
He burps and says in my mind, (Friend.)
When the lumorans rush in, I pretend to panic and shout about a mimic that had been hidden inside Leth. I warn them about the incoming mimic attack he told me about and urge them to check the detection arrays.
***
Comments
BJ
Savage AF and i love it.
vEnviouz
TFTC!!!
venkata siddhardha yarlagadda
I agree with you except one thing. The executioner is not in the room. Leth goes to talk to her a few mins before the executioner is there.
Delenda23
I’m a huge fan. I adore this series and am heavily invested emotionally, but before this goes to Kindle, the end of the tournament should probably be rewritten. For a lesser writer, it would have been fine - but having Liss recognize Victoria off camera, it was a lost opportunity. And the way Nat left, it was told to us - rather than played out. You usually see this happen with writers that have a word count limitation, they rush thru the final chapters because they’ve run out of space. Those constraints don’t apply here. I was really disappointed and I hope that as he prepares to put the book on Kindle, he might consider going back and writing out the scenes that I at least was breathlessly anticipating. This is all said with enormous respect and love.
Asterrahl
If you ask. I thought it was good! Squeezing my brain I thought of a couple things but only because I tried. It was fine as it is in my opinion. Perhaps Tess closing her eyes not to look at Biscuit eating the mimic is a bit off? She could get beheaded and her life could end because she cinematically closed her eyes, not something she would do, in my opinion. Or anyone should do, in a fight. Also, no restraints on Biscuit? Yet they went to the bother of having Tess wear manacles and anklets. Would not the room disable their mana and energies? Lastly Tess says "my subclass, my skill made it happen" and I don't know which skill that is. That's my fault, but it happened.
Delenda23
Is it possible to write Cerim privately about suggestions?
facetiousk
Wondering the same thing. Or if the act of reverting the [Declaration] when she is forced to face the truth/reality of the situation when everyone returns causes some kind of debuff. I was also wondering if the use of the skill for dishonest intent could affect her subclass/trigger a circumstance that forces it to mutate into a different class! Cerim mentioned early on that it was possible to change your subclass, but at a cost. I wonder if this is going to be used as an example of one of those costs...
facetiousk
Not sure what you re-wrote, but this was a killer chapter, Cerim! One thing I will say, is that when you edit this set of chapters for the book, these POVs for Tess would be killer if you sprinkled them at the ends/in-between the 2nd Tournament storyline. I constantly found myself imagining what Tess might be up to after I would finish a tournament chapter. I think having her POV filtered in could add to the tension of the story overall. Regardless of what you do, though, this was great!
Max
The Boost in Skill and everything from the progentior title is Sure, the question is what Powers come with the mimic Part, human speech, Feelings or maybe even Morphing?
Max
Tftc!! Great chapter imo.
Sheldon Harriott
Not all leaders lead with the fist. Some lead with guile. Tess has always led with guile, Nat leads with fist.
Jake
Last time biscuit ate something powerful he got a power boost and horns, what will eating the special spawn of a progenitor mimic give him now!?
Johnny
Idk Cerim that was already pretty badass
Lonnie
The jumping between POV and time will lead to confusion with readers and kind of breaks the suspension of disbelief
Mark Bullock
Same
Madje Tobi Marc'Avent Tchona
well, it being a special mimic actually solves the plot hole of it not being detected beforehand, so that actually makes sense
Madje Tobi Marc'Avent Tchona
I don't think he wants rewards from Liss anymore... He's treating her like a terrorist currently. You don't negotiate with terrorists unless you don't really have a choice. Accepting rewards from her is indirectly approving her actions. That's probably also why he didn't take the Absolute title.
Jayden Martinez
Death should never be used so carelessly in a story, a death means the end of all potential a character has. An author has to decide if a moment of pain or shock is worth all that unrealized potential.
Maniac000
Since Tess got rid of the mimic herself, Nat should demand a different reward from Liss for meeting her demands at the tournament. Which I’m sure she’ll agree by giving him even harder training regiments lol.
Maniac000
The wolf did say his ancestor ate a planet, right?
Jordan Jones
A dangerous woman. To lie and make yourself believe it? Scary.
SirWins
I think it’s bout time someone from the team has a death. They feel too invincible right now
Damian Karis
I’ve been wondering what Biscuit’s Primordial power could be, my current theory is that it has something to do with the concept of consumption. I feel like that might also fit his wolf disciple as well.
Bobbs
Tess and Biscuit!!!! A new dynamic duo!
granndfunk
Maybe the chapter could have been from biscuits POV? Both so we get some juxtaposition between his hilarity and Tess' tense situation, and we get out of Tess' head so we don't hear her plan.
Greg Lambert
I felt like the Nat and Liss POV is unnecessary. I assume the waves advancing are from Liss going to town, but Liss could find and deal with Tess and the situation quickly. It seems a distraction from the core element, and it really added no plot elements. I like Tess being clever and manipulating the situation.
Kevin
I absolutely loved this chapter, one of my favorites. I won’t complain if you make it better but nothing stood out as wrong to me.
Chocolate
The issue with this chapter imo is that Tess's story was set up to be her figuring out how to get rid of *a* mimic. But instead she just happens to have the single special mimic that can jump to someone else and everything is cleanly (aside from the looming execution and attack) solved. That part feels contrived and somewhat cheapens the rest of the chapter, which is fantastic. What I would have loved to see would be an extra Tess POV earlier that gives an indication of her mimic not being the normal kind which could also help resolve some of the mystery around how she got got and how people get got by mimics in general.
Zaim İpek
This chapter should be named "Not a friend" It gives a little bit more intrigue for what might happen in the chapter.
TreeReader
Ooooh I like having reveal at the end lol
Funny guy
Danks fur da chappie! Praise the the future Overlord of the Universe 🙏 I honestly think it would be hella fun if we didn't directly get to know that tess used declaration on herself and instead it was just her grieving for her friends and planning revenge on liss. Would feel way more immersive.
Semper Malus
Poor Leth... honestly i feel bad for all the lumorans. They seemed like decent folk.
Name1
I see why you re wrote it as it’s a weird spot for Tess and we are seeing her manipulate this situation, but if you’re wanting to develop Tess in this direction I say don’t doubt yourself and lock it in 💯
Stephen E Wilson Jr.
Natural talent and beast instincts. Biscuit is ravenous wolf in Corgi form. Being able to eat that champion level deer monster had to have the biggest power boost anybody in the main party could have received.
27kjmm
Great chapter! I think it undermines Tess growth from the last level to present herself in this way. If she's setting up to be a ruler back on Earth, I think she'd approach this situation from a position of strength. She could tell the Lumorans about the mimic but also have the deal with mimics. The Lumorans could be over can be overconfident and think she'd willingly be a test subject to for mimic removal. She undergoes the testing and they expose her to more senior technicians who want to mimic proof their operations or incorporate mimics into Ardenyx type armors. They get desperate as they realize they can't do anything to detect it and they've willingly exposed their most secure facility. Same ending except it's a level 10 technician and she doesn't have to work against Nat's efforts to learn more artificing from the Lumorans.
Moon Winchester
I really like this chapter, but it did read a little weird. I can’t put my finger on it since I’m massively sleep deprived at the moment and it’s five in the morning. The oddity comes from the fact that Tess is using her sub class temperance I think to manipulate her mind to perceive a specific reality. So it felt very weird from the test we know, but it also showed us the readers how we actually know nothing about test we only know her from her few on screen moments with the occasional side comment Nathaniel says. We’ve never actually gotten a deep look at who she is if I think about how you’ve written test in the past from Nathaniel‘s point of view, she’s been very robotic. Like a human slowly turning into an AI. So when we finally got our first real look into test. It felt very disorienting because it was during a time where she took up a persona. I know we’ve had test POV’s in the past. But like I said, they’ve always read a bit weird with a sort of emotionless to it. I don’t know how you can improve the chapter. Though a suggestion would probably be to remove the line where she tells us the readers that she convinced herself about her lie and made it a truth. I think it would be more impactful to reveal that at the end Since it would confuse us since we know the truth but when we read it the way it’s put down. It would feel more like the system rewrote her memories because the mimic completely took over. With it reading that way it would scare us. The readers thinking Tess is gone turned into an NPC. What really happened was her manipulating her own mind with her sub class. I use text to speech. I’m too fucking tired to type so any errors my phone’s fault.
Terri Harris
The chapter is awesome! What happens next is the question everyone is thinking about. How will Lis make her entrance, will Tess & Absolute candidate Biscuit just walk out despite the execution order? What is the special substance, & why is it so important, how does the end of this chapter line up with the end of the tournament, is Tess truly mimic free, or did they find a way to cheat, is Tess able to shake off her own brainwashing without issue, can Biscuit confirm her mimic free, will Tess somehow get revenge on Lis, what unforeseen consequence will all of this create- any possible perceived issue with any given chapter can pretty much always be fixed by the next chapter. So much fun stuff to consider, which is exactly what makes the story great. Keep up the good work!! Loved it! Especially the "Burp" at the end.
Zaim İpek
That was smart for her to close her eyes. Gazing into the Eldritch Abyss is known to induce madness. I really hope that mimic was special enough or powerful enough to give Biscuit some mimic progenitor traits or attributes. Also worth noting is that Biscuit did this in the same area that is completely blocking all of Tess' abilities. For any who still doubt Biscuit is the strongest, hopefully this is enough to make you realize the truth. Biscuit will be the first in history to exit the tutorial at Champion level. I'm calling it now.
Karl
The last part of the chapter was top tier just came from bingen reading another book but still this chapter brought all the excitement from getting stuck reading but there was a part when I read the first few paragraphs of tess' pov where my mind wandered and wanted to continue reading the other book but it was quickly squashed as I continued reading this chapter 9/10 chapter great work!
RnR_ RnR
Honestly, im glad her story was summed up while away. It sounded like it she was just kinda chilling and not doing much to further the plot while team 4 was away. Now roachsandra is pissed and slaughtering all. Just making the rewards go up quick. I think they will be done with this floor soon. Maybe some final battle or something.
Apollo Greed
Chap was great! Shout out to Tess!
Michel Kommers
The chapter felt rushed and felt like info dump. I would just do a single POV of test starting the moment they come back until they reunited. Would make things more dynamic. But this works too, it's not a super important chapter. We will live.
Josh
It would make sense that the floor only gets paused if everyone left.
Arnon Parenti
She just did, lumoran mimic jerky
Arnon Parenti
So many plots within plots, tess is the apocalypse you never knew was coming
Oaktree
I would like to know what happens to people who don’t go into the tournament more. What would be the reasons to stay? Like if the quest of the 7th floor is to survive as many waves as possible. And rewards are based on how well you do that. I would assume that most of what tess did this chapter would upgrade her reward a lot. I mean tricking both the mimcs and luminoians seems a pretty good way of surviving. But if it was all during the two weeks and not counted since floor quests are on hold. It seems like the rewards from the tournament are a lot better. Unless your getting one one one training from like a champion. Also on that note would liss’s deal with the mimics and luinorians increase her reward?
ein Google Nutzer
I think it's OK already. The story itself in this chapter is awesome. The facts and information we get are good too. The only thing I would focus on is the storytelling itself to make all of that much more impactful. Like switching pov to leth to make the betrayal more impactful and then staying in that pov but with the mimic taking over to make the fear against biscuit more impactful. Or giving only hints about whats about to happen before it happens instead of almost the whole plan tess has. I mean you already did that when nat killed that other guy whose name starts with e too and who was lissandras distant relative. You even have the option to delay the explanation to when nat and tess meet again and focus completely on storytelling and impact for now
Nikolas Maniotis
Nah didnt she basically fuck over the mimics? Kill their special spawn and reveal their plans
Borbino the great
Here’s a quick improvement give me 13 more pages😂
Doleo
I think it would be neater if we experienced her feeling grief/the loss at how all her friends are dead but she must finish this oath or something. showing and not tell the gaslighting part. Feel like it would hit a lot harder than just saying she made herself believe so.
Anton
I assume she used [Declaration] to convince her self to a level where it would fool a Champion, I wonder how that will work once she re-unites with everyone. Can she cancel her Declarations?
Edmund Dillon
Give this girl an Emmy😂, tftc!!!!
Sail
Perhaps the only way to improve the chapter is to make it longer
Sargon Yami
didn't it say that progenitor mimics can't take over bodies? also tess better go ans find some deer jerky for the best boy.
FarFromLogic
👏👏👏👏
Madje Tobi Marc'Avent Tchona
she brainwashed herself.... I knew she was crazy but dang
Val the mysterious Jedi
I mean Tess says it herself, she convinced herself the lie was real and played the lumis to get the mimic out of her. She felt horrible but it's them or her.
Val the mysterious Jedi
What a bitter sweet chapter, I love that Tess figured a way out herself but also feel bad for the lumis, she basically fucked them over. Rip leth, sorry you had to die to save the best heroine, nat isn't the only one to make harsh choices. Next part is going to be wild.
Andrew Glass
its an amazing chapter!
James
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Arcanum
Yes as 2 weeks worth of travels needed to be summed up. Hard to do without feeling rushed
venkata siddhardha yarlagadda
Wait who? Edit : you are talking about the author's note! I was so confused because I swear I didn't read that line in the chapter.
Carl Christian Müller
I am not sure, but what might be missing for this chapter to work better and be easier to write, is more pre_this_chapter POVs setting up Tess' state of mind
XPDev
tftc, great chapter
Nikolas Maniotis
…..i think you mean sit on her ass
Baelmoul
Chapter looks ok for me but.. it feels like rushed ?
Nerø
*Tess used [Declaration: Gaslighting]* It's super effective!
Venno
That chapter worked out alright. I see why you’re not happy with it but can’t really think of how you could improve it. It is still quite good.
Jeb
TFTC!!! Loved Tess's POV, just gaslighting herself and everyone else!
Mads jæger
did nat remember to bring the thermies from the tourney?
Oaktree
Room for improvement he says… im sorry what?
Andrew
Thank you!
mitchell kaiser
I think you did great, especially the ending. Our good boy deserves a treat after all.
Ansordia
BLASPHEMY! How DARE you suggest Biscuit not being the top dog that he is!
Poutine Au Syrop d'érable
Edit: Ok so we got something tangible, if not fully detailed. Good enough. Old comment before I finished reading it: Tbh the fact that biscuit knows about the Mimic that no tech can found feels too OP even for biscuit. We really need a Biscuit moment where he's not just a mid member in the next 50 chapter or something. Something concrete. Not just meme moment or foreshadowing.
Ansordia
Amazing! Truly amazing... Tess Hansen doesn't fuck around... Also Nat thinking that she will shit (SIT) on her ass? That is weird.... She is no damsel 🤪
zoarian
Tess truly is a chameleon... what a scary girl! Truly, Nat is the only normal one in group 4.
Nikolas Maniotis
Ahhhh biscuit is the best. I missed that little corgi
