I blinked a couple of times as I stared at the counter for my tier-6 mana crystals. It had jumped all the way up to 99! For a moment, the number didn’t seem to compute, then all I could do was laugh long and loud.

  Elite lord. Cyrus hadn’t been kidding when he said Ashkaroth was rich. That was a bucketload of mana crystals! Tier-6 meant 6 zeroes, each one worth 1 million regular mana crystals. Even if I got nothing else from Ashkaroth, I could probably now buy anything else I needed.

  I did get a couple other things on top of the mana crystals. The first was a ring made out of what looked like molten lava, even though it was cool to the touch and as hard as steel.

  “One With Flame. Ring. Rare. Grants immunity to fire and heat. Grants a 50% improvement in manipulating fire mana.”

  A sense of cool comfort filled me when I slipped it on. The radiant heat from the melted stones of the mountain now felt totally comfortable, and the boiling fire mana choking the area responded instantly to my will.

  “I love this ring. Sounds like it will help against steam better than Immolation’s immunity to fire had.”

  Cyrus said, “Indeed it will. Of course, your spell’s fire immunity was compromised by Ashkaroth’s abilities that reduced his target’s resistances.”

  “Hold on, abilities can negate immunity?”

  The AI chuckled. “Everything has a counter, Lucas. Not only was steam not fire, so it circumvented much of your spell’s defenses, but powerful beings like Ashkaroth often have abilities negating or reducing defenses to their powers. Those abilities can even reduce immunities to resistances.”

  Huh. I hadn’t thought of that. I glanced at my status and noticed that I now had separate lines for fire, heat, and steam resistances, and they had all increased to 60% from the base of 50% that I’d gained from my Tiberius title. Looked like surviving getting broiled alive was good for building resistance to it happening again.

  “So the fact that my fire and heat resistances are at a base 60% still helps?”

  “Indeed, they will help counter any ability that reduces defenses, assuming those abilities are tier-0.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Resistances are tier based, of course. All of your resistances plus your new immunities from that ring, as well as your poison immunity from your other ring all assume you are facing tier-0 power.”

  “Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?” Cyrus and his penchant for withholding details! If only I could strangle the AI.

  “You’ve never faced tier-1 power, so why is it a problem?”

  “Is Queen Marisara tier 1?”

  “It will be wonderfully exciting to learn more about her, won’t it?”

  “Fine. Don’t tell me. Is there anything else I need to know?”

  “There is always more to learn, Lucas.” His voice change subtly, taking on an accent from a wise old sage from India. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

  Good advice, particularly for my current situation. “I don’t recognize the reference.”

  “Mahatma Gandhi. Fascinating Earth character. Achieved more victories without violence than most.”

  I smiled to think how the famous old man’s philosophy would have worked on Arasha. Here we weren’t fighting imperial rule but monsters that wanted to eat our hearts.

  As if reading my mind, Cyrus said, “Most of the multiverse does not operate on principles that treat pacifists well. They tend to be among the first to die on game worlds like Arasha.”

  That was kind of depressing for a reason I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I’d gotten so used to violence and killing in the past week, it was getting hard to remember how I’d lived back on Earth where I’d never killed a monster, let alone another humanoid.

  I was here, so I had to deal with it. The next item I’d looted from Ashkaroth was a small, unassuming stone, smooth like obsidian, but with a tiny, flickering hint of light in the center.

  “Flamewisp Familiar Stone. Contains a trapped flamewisp spirit. Can be crafted into an accessory that summons a tiny fire elemental familiar. It will not deal much damage, but provides fire resistance and can ignite small objects, illuminate dark areas, or serve as a scout.”

  That was really cool. I wasn’t sure if I’d keep it and try to get a local craftsman to make me something to release the little elemental, or if I’d just sell it. It might prove really useful. The final item was so unique, I pulled it out of my inventory to study it.

  A platform appeared, hovering about two feet above the stone shelf. About 12 feet across, it was paved with white and black stones set in geometric patterns. A retractable blue cloth awning extended over the platform, while a free-standing hammock took up the entire center. A slender pedestal of rose-colored stone rose from one side and extended in a graceful arc over to the hammock, ending in a flowery bowl shape. Identify kicked in as soon as the platform appeared.

  “High lord observation platform. Restricted. The favored lounging patio of elite lords, Ashkaroth’s hover platform was customized for elegant comfort. The patio can rise to over 50,000 feet to grant the very best viewing angle for any entertainment, while additional seating options can be configured from the owner’s menu. Current configuration: feathersoft hammock and endless fruit dispenser.”

  I had to laugh as I jumped onto the platform. My legs still ached, but I could move. Although, when I glanced down, I grimaced. Most of my clothing was melted and mangled. I banished my Crash Test Dummy jacket and my Phantomstep Breeches to my inventory until they could self-repair.

  That made me grimace from a rush of new pain. The breeches had melted into my legs and banishing them was equivalent to ripping off a bandaid that covered my entire lower torso. I might have shrieked in a much higher pitch than normal, but with no other witnesses, I’d never admit to it.

  My boots survived amazingly well, as did my bracers, but pretty much everything else was ruined. I wasn’t sure my Wam of the Skies shirt could be repaired, my Smolder’s Grips gloves were just gone, and my boxers were reduced to threads.

  So for a moment I stood on my luxury hovering platform mostly naked but for my bracers, boots, rings, and amulet. Not the image of an epic conqueror. I summoned one of my spare pairs of boxers, then my soft Silkspinner leggings and reclined on the hammock while I finished healing. It really was feather soft.

  Staring down at my feet, Identify surprised me by triggering.

  “Treads of the Luscaan Explorer. Rare. Provides excellent defense against all magical attacks targeting feet. Will auto-diffuse any trap they trigger that was set with basic or attuned mana.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Hey, my boots’ description changed.” And took a huge jump for the better.

  “Of course it did. Don’t you remember what Sythrak said when you bought them? They upgrade over time based on your unique build and experiences.”

  “I’m glad they survived Ashkaroth.”

  “Magical flames, especially fueled by attuned mana, cannot harm them now.”

  “Sweet.”

  A new option appeared in my Auxiliary Items menu where I’d get the options for Switchblade when active or my castle if I was there. It was labeled ‘Lounge Platform’ and contained a surprisingly long list of configuration options. I could resize the platform up to 20 yards across, easily big enough for my entire team.

  “Could I summon my castle onto this platform?”

  “Of course. This is a luxury item. It will support more weight than you could possibly pile on.”

  I grinned, imagining my castle floating high above stage 2, well out of reach of Alpha or any other monsters. Well, other than flying monsters or other elite lords who got ticked when a non-lord started playing with one of their hover platforms. Yeah, maybe I’d leave my castle on the ground.

  Tons of other furniture, refreshment options, and even a display screen that could zoom in on distant views were available. I could spend hours messing around with it, but for now left it as it was. With a thought, the fruit dispenser chimed and a small plate of strawberries and grapes appeared in the bowl.

  “Only the best for nobility,” I sighed as I sampled a strawberry. Perfect.

  “All who attain the rank of elite lord are famous for loving comfort, even if they only reach the rank of viscount. That hovering patio is considered the cat’s claws of high fashion.”

  “It’s the cats meow,” I said around a mouthful of grapes. Red grapes, seedless, and bursting with flavor.

  “Why?”

  I hesitated, then shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “Many of your human phrases are silly, most are entertaining, and a few are profound, but some are downright stupid,” Cyrus said, sounding unusually offended. “Yet you insist on using even those. The meow of a cat is not their best feature. Why would you choose that to represent the pinnacle of greatness?”

  “Still no idea.”

  “Then the cat’s claws is a better phrase. Still not great, but passable.”

  “Okay. As soon as I get back to Earth, I’ll start a campaign to change that phrase for you.”

  Cyrus did not respond. I’d hoped maybe in his agitation he’d slip up and admit we’d get back to Earth after defeating Marisara. It was worth a try. I opened my group chat and, sure enough, Ruby had already sent me 4 worried messages, asking about the fiery bird that dove out of the sky.

  Lucas: “Ruby, I’m okay. Things got pretty hot for a while, but I defeated the monster. I’m recovering.”

  Ruby: “Were you hurt badly? Do you need help?”

  Lucas: “It was really tough, but I got lucky. I’m almost healed, but my outfit got trashed. Can you ask Jeeves to get me a replacement shirt and jacket? Have Nigel hold it and I’ll see if it comes with him when I summon him back.”

  Ruby: “I’m glad you’re okay. I’ll check. Give me a minute.”

  I was in no hurry. With all the energy I got through Soul Feed, plus my natural regeneration, my health was topped off again, but I still felt tired. I munched on a Boston cream donut, savoring the sugary perfection and enjoying the extra boost to regeneration. Only then did I realize I was starving. So I consumed a delicious steak sandwich I’d gotten from Sam’s tavern, downed half a gallon of ale, then munched on a bucket of fries.

  Lucas: “Ruby, can you ask Jeeves to try finding some ketchup?”

  Ruby: “Um, did you get hit in the head a lot?”

  Lucas: “Kind of. Why?”

  Ruby: “Ketchup? Now?”

  I shrugged. Seemed appropriate to me.

  Lucas: “Sure. I’m trying to recover, so I need to eat. Fries without ketchup is another layer of pain I’d prefer to avoid.”

  Ruby: “Okay. Rest, Lucas. I’ll check. If anyone can find ketchup, it’ll be Jeeves.”

  Fully confident my butler would rise to the challenges, I closed my eyes to take a brief rest.

  A heavy furry weight slamming into my chest jolted me awake some time later. Flailing in surprise as the hammock rocked wildly, I found full-sized Nigel sitting on my chest. He crouched low and licked my face, dragging his long, pink, scouring pad tongue from chin to forehead.

  Sputtering from the cat bath, I exclaimed, “Nigel? How did you get here?”

  He shrank down to kitten size. “You stopped answering. Ruby was worried. I don’t like waiting, so I ran back.”

  “How long was I out?” Glancing up, I confirmed the night sky was still glittering with a carpet of brilliant stars. Couldn’t have been that long, not more than an hour or two probably.

  “Long enough to run all the way back up here. What happened? I thought the Death Stalker was scary, but you vaporized him, then melted everything for half a mile.”

  “That fire monster turned out to be a very tough elite.”

  “You defeated him.”

  I nodded, sitting up and scratching him behind the ears. “Yeah. Barely.”

  Nigel suddenly nipped my hand hard enough to draw blood, despite my improved Constitution.

  “Ow! What was that for?”

  “For sending me away when you needed help. And Ruby told me to bite you for making her worry.”

  “If I hadn’t sent you away, you would have died. You don’t have fire protection.”

  “I would not need it if I bit off the head of the monster who burned your clothes.”

  “Thanks, bud. I don’t like sending you away either.”

  I checked my messages and indeed found a dozen from Ruby. Thankfully, she’d resisted the urge to come find me since Nigel could move faster. I sent her a reply, apologizing for falling asleep. I guess recovering from mostly melting exhausted one’s system.

  Then I turned back to Nigel. “Did Jeeves find new clothes for me?” He hadn’t carried a pack, or anything.

  “You should get something with more fur.”

  I pulled out my fuzzy Shorts of Friendship I’d gotten way back on day one from the Nightmare Gorger. Nigel sniffed them, then sighed. “You would look silly in fur that only covers half your legs.”

  “That’s why I don’t wear them any more. Although, since you didn’t bring me anything, I might have to use them as a shirt.”

  “Actually, Jeeves can access your inventory.”

  “Right.” I took a look, sorting for new items, and grinned. Jeeves was a gem, as Ruby liked to say.

  “Some of the crafters finished making items for you, and Jeeves said Sythrak had your special order ready, so he did not need to spend any of your crystals.”

  “Great.” Not that I was short of mana crystals, but it was great to see people delivering what they promised. I had a bunch of new clothing options and eagerly studied them. The crafters had really come through.

  “Void Serpent gloves. Uncommon. Excellent defense against piercing, slashing, and crushing damage. Minor defense against elemental damage. 10% movement bonus.”

  “Wolf leather hats of Stealth. Uncommon. 15% improved stealth.”

  The fine leather hats were each made in a different style. One looked like a cowboy hat, one more like a felt fedora, one a leather Indiana Jones hat, then a baseball cap, and finally one fur-lined skull cap. I donned the Indiana Jones hat with a grin.

  “Gossamer stockings. Uncommon. Woven from the feathers of a dozen mighty raptors, these luxurious socks provide 10% reduced stamina drain and 10% protection against all elemental attacks. 6 pair.”

  Examining the socks, I had to admit, they felt super soft. Somehow they’d been woven from strands of many different kind of feathers, resulting in a wavy rainbow pattern.

  “Eel hide fitted shirts. Uncommon. Extreme defense against slashing and piercing damage. Times 4.”

  Those came from the giant flying eel that was immune to most physical attacks. Two of the black shirts were short-sleeved, two long-sleeved. They did not auto-adjust, but were stretchy, as if the crafter had invented alien spandex. The long-sleeved shirt I tried on fit my torso perfectly.

  “Mammoth hide leather jackets. Uncommon. Defense against most physical attacks. 15% boost to speed and agility.”

  There were 3 jackets, each crafted with great skill in slightly different styles. I chose one that reminded me of the old-fashioned oiled slickers, although it only fell to my waist. Another perfect fit. Did crafters get some kind of super power for sizing clothing right?

  The final item was the only rare item, clearly the work of a crafter with skill beyond what any Earth human could produce yet. That had to be my order from Sythrak.

  “Spiny Eel Body Sheath. Rare. These fitted base layers provide extreme defense against all forms of physical attack, sheathing the wearer in a layer of nearly impervious defense. Self repair.”

  The two sets of soft, stretchy black leather felt a lot like a fantasy version of long thermals. They were very thin. How could they still provide extreme defense? I wasn’t about to complain.

  With a thought, I stripped down to my boxers, then equipped one set of the Spiny Eel Body Sheath. The form-fitting garment enveloped my body in a cool feeling of absolute comfort. I looked like a dark Spider Man without the hood. The thin leather fit like a second skin, so wouldn’t cause problems when I layered other garments over it.

  Adding the shirt from the Earth crafter felt superfluous, but I planned to track down everyone who made the gear for me and thank them. When I did, I didn’t want to tell them I hadn’t bothered wearing the shirt. Besides, the body sheath was a literal under armor layer. The shirt felt surprisingly good, not restrictive at all. I switched to my Thunderstride Greaves, then added my new jacket and gloves.

  For a moment, I strode around my hovering observation platform and had to admit, I felt good. The layers of protection were more than welcome. I’d still re-equip my Crash Test Dummy jacket and my Phantomstep Breeches once they self-repaired, but this replacement gear was better than I’d hoped.

  “What do you think?” I asked Nigel.

  He flipped one ear in a cat shrug. “Fur is easier, and Ruby likes rubbing it.”