AUTHOR NOTE

Hey ^_^

You really cannot imagine how happy I am to have completed book 1, and finally have him out that castle. I honestly was so tired of that goddamn castle. It was cool at first but yh, there's a limit. I swear I only intended him to be there for like the first 120ish chapters, 140 max, not 216.

Err anyway, overall I'm very happy with how castle arc wrapped up! I hope you enjoyed it, that it was sufficiently epic and that all the threads you were expecting to be tied off were tied off. Let me know if I missed anything!

What I'm really super hyped about now is all the cool shit I have planned for Book 2, I'm just so stoked to finally be able to get to it all, I think you'll all like it a lot. The issue I increasingly found with the castle is that it was very limiting, but now free of it the story can really start to sprawl in all directions and there can be a lot of variety.

Finally will be able to bring in actual Cultivators and do the thing that got me writing this in the first place; pitting cyberpunk tech vs cultivation magic in a wider manner, plus culture clashes, general insanity of cultivators being who they are, tournaments, auctions, robot armies, hornet people, skinwalkers, more stuff about the People, Monster Hunter inspired stuff, Nicolai engaging in relentless trickery and scheming, Symbiote metas, cyberpunk tech metas, what happens when we combine them both metas?! etc etc. Plus I wanna do a whole lot of faction shenanigans on a much bigger scale where Nicolai is just one player amongst many.

Thanks for all your support and for reading the story!!

Notes/questions/summary/progression

I'm gonna use this space to also ask some questions of you guys, and I'm going to put a summary of book 1, plus his state of progression at this point. So if someone has taken a break before getting into book 2, or skipped book 1 entirely, or just wants to brush up, etc, then yeah there's a full summary of the plot and events of book 1. Not huge detail just general big picture moments. And finally a summary where he's at progression-wise; equipment, Nodes, Symbiotes, augments, etc. I just always find it extremely handy to have this on a story, I wish more authors would include these things at the transition point between books, so I am.

Oh also I put an image dump at the bottom of this post, which has a whole bunch of media I made related to the story. Check it out!

QUESTIONS - note, even if you're reading this months or years after this chapter was posted, please still say anything you'd like to say! It's all useful feedback for me to take into the story going forward, and the eventual book-on-amazon version of book 1, and even if any of your points have already been said, say it anyway - for an author, having numerous people all say the same thing is a much more clear indicator that the thing was good/bad than just one person saying it.

Don't have to answer these, it's just useful for me. I have a lot of plans and ideas already, a general direction I want things to go, etc, but I think it's important for writers to pay attention to what the readers say, keep an eye out for good ideas and useful feedback, rather than just ignoring everyone and doing their own thing. I want to improve and be the best writer I can so feedback is really useful for that, to know wherever I went wrong, if there's stuff I do that just detracts from the story, etc. Likewise, its useful to know if there's something that people really liked - there are some scenes I write kind of randomly, just a spur of the moment thing and I feel like I'm just indulging myself with it, but then I get surprised when it turns out to be a fan favourite lol, and learning for example that a scene I wrote as just this random tiny thing was someone's favourite part, encourages me to write more stuff like that.

So, the things you say in comments do matter and likewise, your answers to these questions will have an effect on how I write the rest of this story. Basically, if there is stuff you want to see more of, or that you really like… mention that and I'll try to write more of it. And if there's stuff you hate and wished there was none of, mention that and (if numerous people feel that way) I'll try and write less of it or none of it.

Questions;

What was your favourite moment/section?

What was the most annoying moment/section?

Which portion had the best pacing? (you couldn't stop smashing that next chapter button)

Which portion had the worst pacing? (you were like, ugh, can we just get to the good stuff?? Boring!)

What sort of thing do you wish there was more of?

What sort of thing do you wish there was less of?

Is there anything you're especially excited/hopeful to see in the future? Can be anything - progression, the Modules, characters/char development, worldbuilding, tech, seriously anything.

Don't worry about answering a question if nothing comes to mind, literally any answers to any of these are useful to me lol, don't feel you need to do them all. If any of them spring out at you and a moment immediately comes to mind, pls write about that and just comment it rather than say getting stuck cuz there's one you don't have an answer for and deciding not to comment. I'd much rather get answers where you literally just mention one thing, than not get any answers at all.

POLL

If you check the next chapter, there is a very comprehensive poll asking which were your two favourite action scenes in the story. Be cause I am obsessed with writing good action scenes and if you love action as much as me, I'd really like to know which were you favourites.

ALSO, review?

It would be really cool to have some reviews from people who have read all the way to here, and finished book 1. So if you haven't reviewed before, please consider doing so ^_^ doesn't have to be long, short and sweet is fine with me, it's just nice for prospective readers to see reviews that give some longer-term details :)

Summary of book 1

We were introduced to Zero-Twelve, a killbot with a composite mind including a Human Resources Module (brain in a box), called Nicolai, back on Cyberpunk Earth in the year 2400ish.

Zero-Twelve is/was the property of GRECKON inc, one of the largest corporations on Earth.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

During an attempted hit on Claire Del'Brugnie, an oligarch, Heaven's Great Game arrived, seizing Earth and forcefully inducting it into the Game.

Those on Earth were given a choice: Join now, or join later (for join later, the Game decides when they join). All human's on Earth will be brought into the Game within a year from the time the choice was given.

Nicolai accepted. Zero-Twelve was seemingly destroyed but the Modules remained with him, asleep in the back of his mind.

A gigantic Eye told him to Find the Lizard.

Appearing in the Castle, Nicolai worked to understand the world around him, as well as surviving and gaining power. He met Kleos, a talking severed head, who provided him guidance.

After gaining the ability to fly he reached the library, retrieved a book on Rituals, and with it created a Soul Trap.

Descending into the prison with the intent of using that Soul Trap alongside the many Oma crystals down there to rapidly complete his Seed of an Undefined Soul, he met a man called Harold. He also met a strange and still corpse calling itself Forgotten, who asked him to retrieve its Heart. After mentioning the Lizard to this being, its attitude shifted.

Nicolai and Harold found the Heart, but a demonic Centipede killed Harold.

After completing his Seed, Nicolai gave the Heart to Forgotten, who revealed itself to be Paxolnaz, a powerful Demon. In payment Paxolnaz cast a spell that prevented the undead from perceiving Nicolai, who robbed the undead's store room, taking a number of Imbued items (enchanted weapons and apparel).

Back in his safe place with Kleos, Nicolai had completed a Quest for returning the Heart to Paxolnaz, and was rewarded with a Shimmer Poncho, which uses light bending technology to give the user a form of invisibility. He had also retrieved a Glove of Shielding, which created a magical shield, a Darting Talon Rapier, which can fly through the air, under the control of the user, and a few other things.

However, he was unable to remove the slave band around his neck, requiring the aid of another.

Thus he attempted to rescue Johan, someone he had once encountered, who was being attacked by Chosen—a large and growing group of Earthborn cultists, serving a powerful Cyborg called Vikrum.

His attempt failed. Injured and on the edge of consciousness, he retreated, only to blunder into a room where a group was hiding.

Following this he ended up joining with this group, which included John, Cait, Perro, Azure, Karl, Elena, Old Ben, Katie, and Sara.

With his Seed complete, and his band removed, Nicolai is able to at last become a Cultivator. He gains his first Node, a heart Node, and gains true Soul Sense. It transpires he has quite good talent/aptitude.

He also discovers his newly grown Soul has some unexpected parts—such as a spiritual Mask, which is attempting to be human.

Immediately after this his safe place is attacked by Chosen. Nicolai slays them. His Mask convinces him to stay with the others.

He leads them to a new safe place, sneaking into the home of Jo and Beth, two sisters. He forms a Contract with them, after providing materials to allow Beth to become a Cultivator and thus saving her from a strange illness.

From there, he learns of the location of the Trade Link, and his stock in the castle begins to rapidly rise.

Using the Trade Link he works to gain funds and influence within the castle. He fights the Chosen wherever they are. He goes to the Library and encounters an undead Guardian while collecting Memory Tomes, which contain a great deal of useful information; one on Symbiotes, one on creatures of Nightmare, and one on Natural Treasures.

While retreating from the Guardian and attempting to set an ambush, he and the others are attacked by group of humans.

After killing them he has a bit of a moment and discovers there is a Hole in his Soul, one leading elsewhere.

Thus he begins to realise something is seriously wrong with him and he needs to deal with it.

Later, while attempting to rescue Maxine, the radio woman, he finds an Angel on a towertop, guarded by two Centipedes; Brother and Sister.

After bargaining with them, and aiding them in slaying the Bird, he talks with the Angel.

It tells him he is being pursued by a True Demon—Paxolnaz, the Demon who he gave freedom to. It wishes to turn him into a Skin, possessing his body.

The Angel tells him that he can listen for the calls of the Unwinder, who Paxolnaz is bound to free. When called away to this duty, he will be free to act without it watching.

Paxolnaz, in response to this, uses the Blind Judge, a powerful Heaven-Type Symbiote, to alter the Contract between Nicolai and it. It infects him with Soul Rot, a dangerous malady that will destroy his Soul and lead to his death. The only way to be free of it, is to follow the Demon's bidding by seizing the Demonic Blade, guarded by an undead in the depths of the castle.

Maxine, rescued from the tower, begins work forming a Coalition against the Chosen. Nicolai aids her in this and acts as a trader and arms dealing, arming the Coalition.

But during this time his primary focus is on securing whatever he needs for the endgame between himself and Paxolnaz.

He slays the Angel from a distance, after claiming an M99 anti-material rifle in a battle with Gilvine, one of Vikrum's elites, who he leaves alive after realising she has treacherous intentions towards Vikrum. The Angel's golden blood forms a pool on the towertop.

The endgame arrives. Nicolai sets a bomb above the castle core, which traps the Unwinder, and tricks Paxolnaz into using its second use of the Blind Judge, so the Symbiote is no longer a danger to him. He seizes the Demonic Blade but with the aid of the Modules, a spine-jack, and the Mask, he is able to reach the towertop with the Angel's blood.

There he enacts an energy flip, but not on himself. He does it to the Demonic Blade, which turns into an Angelic Blade.

With this balancing force, he is able to better control the darkness within him. His major weakness is removed.

At the same time, by destroying the weakened castle core, he frees the Unwinder and Paxolnaz is torn away from the castle, forced to follow along with its masters aims.

He receives numerous rewards, including a recharge of his Artifact Blade, an Assimilator (a machine-factory capable of operating alone and creating many things), and two Mark enhancements; PathFinder and TreasureHunter.

The castle collapses and Nicolai floats away into the jungle, leaving everyone behind. His journey to find the Lizard begins.

PROGRESSION (pls let me know if I missed anything)

Notable items:

Weapons (Earth); M99 (anti material rifle), assault rifle, AA-12 (auto shotgun), Glock 18 pistol, MP5,

Weapons (new world); Tier 3 Angelic Blade Artifact, Imbued Rapier, various knives, (he left the polearm, it was cool but he's outscaled it)

Artifacts; Angelic Blade (Tier 3)

Imbued; Pegasi Ring, Darting Talon Rapier, Sheltering Glove (shield glove), Blood Bite Ring, Red Eye Orb Amulet, Light Ring, Mist Form Necklace (from undead library guardian, Tier 2), Yellow Force Ring (from undead swordsman, Tier 3),

Apparel; Shimmer Poncho, Skin Suit, Skin Suit Helmet,

Symbiotes; Charging Flashbug, Blue Hornet, Soul Snake, Big Mouth, Lurking Bark (Lurker), Small Silver Ant, Grasping Finger, Repulsive Finger,

Augmentation:

Body parts; Bionic Eye (Lv 3), Bionic Arm (Lv 2),

Brain implants; BSI, Network Link, Cyberwarfare unit (Lv 2), Data-processing block (Lv 1),

State of Nodes/Cultivation:

Available unconstructed Nodes: 4 Major, 21 Minor

Nodes in progress;

N/a

Maximum Oma: 466

Completed Nodes;

Heart (Flawless)

Right Hand (A)

Stomach (B)

Brain (B)

Right Lung (B)

Left Lung (B)

Right Kidney (B)

Left Kidney (B)

Windpipe (A)

IMAGE DUMP

I've been using ChatGPT4o to make adverts to the story recently, and it is really good. I like the pictures so much, I'm going to upload them all here for you to see ^_^

Note: I told it to make them in a "gritty anime style reminiscent of berserk" which is why Nicolai/other people tend to look a bit like Guts lol. Also some of these scenes are planned for book 2, and in some cases they're more of a general vibe of stuff I expect than things that will strictly happen.

But a lot of it is stuff that very much has/did happened which is p cool to see.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.