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[bonus-links]

RUINS, pt. 15

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[le-fruit-de-la-passion]

The Prophet spoke, and the faithful knelt

Summary : You would never be a hero for Zaun, a revolutionary, a leader. But you would care for your prophet with every single breath your body would allow.

Pairing : Viktor x Reader

Word count : 3.2K

Warning : Explicit

You couldn't remember the last time someone had looked at you with something other than disgust.

The bumps on your skin were large and deformed, like warts on a toad's back. Dark, unnatural purple spots had consumed most of your body, your veins glowing faintly inside your flesh. Staring at them, pulsating like worms making their way through your organs, still gave you unparalleled nausea. You were the kind of monster little children of Piltover feared in the shadowy corners of their bedroom, and you couldn't remember a time when it had been otherwise

The others like you all lived in small, crummy camps, where the warmth of a teared-up blanket was something worth killing your neighbour for. If the value of human life was close to none in Zaun, here, it was worth absolutely nothing.

A wasteland inside a wasteland.

Most lived off scraps left by bars; there were few other ways to get food. The familiar feeling of hunger digging its sharp claws into your stomach had never lessened. For water, there were only the thick metal pipes, going above to supply the golden city, which sometimes leaked drinkable but rusty liquid.

The best days, the only bearable days, were those where you found half-used needles of shimmer in the trash. For a few blissful hours, you were someone else, somewhere else, and nothing in the world could hurt you. Then it was back to being cold, hungry, and alone.

You had tried to live a semblance of a life, once, when the craving for shimmer hadn't been so all-consuming. But addicts were bad for business: customers didn't like seeing them, with their empty eyes and malformed bodies, and they were a very poor investment for an employer. How many months, or days, before they would abandon their job in favour of chasing their never-ending high?

Then there were the whore houses. One could get a few pieces of copper, if their body wasn't too ravaged by the drug. Damaged goods still sell, but for a fraction of the price. And yet there it was no better either: patrons would come in, use you, and leave, without ever looking you in the eye. Like you were less than human.

But not him.

He looked at you without ever flinching, without ever shying away. There was no sign of disgust or pity in those strange eyes of his, but an endless compassion, something that went beyond your comprehension. As if a simple glance at you had allowed him to read every corner of your soul.

You could have sworn time had stopped the second he locked eyes with you. In the warm amber of his pupils swayed a reflection of pale blue, like sunset on the ocean.

You had fallen to your knees without ever willing your body to do so, pressing your forehead against the cold gravel. It feels natural, almost instinctive, to bow in the presence of a god. For what other word could describe him, his presence, his aura?

Did someone like you, ugly, broken, filthy, deserve to see beauty like this?

A gentle hand brought your face back up towards the sky, lithe fingers tucked under your chin. Soft, so soft.

His eyes were back into yours, the sunset having morphed into a pool of liquid gold. Tears had begun to fall from your eyes, rolling down your scarred cheeks and onto his delicate hands. He shushed you before you attempted to speak, like he already knew whatever words you would tell him.

“It's alright. I will take care of you.”

The digits slid slowly across your face, impossibly smooth, and you couldn't help but nuzzle into the touch, revelling in the feeling of a sensation you had all but forgotten. He softly pushed the dirty hood off your face, hand settling on top of your matted hair. You closed your eyes; whatever this man was willing to give you, be it salvation or judgement, you simply knew you were ready to accept it.

And then, everything became light.

—

You saw him perform miracle after miracle following that day. He brought people back from the depths of hell, which they'd lived in for so long, with the simple touch of a hand. He brought back the smiles, the joy, and the hope all of you had given up on.

To your community, he was everything.

The familiar presence of his voice called for you inside your mind. It was so comforting, having him there, feeling him as a part of you. Knowing he would never leave you, that he would never let you be alone again.

He looked like a statue when you found him, seated in his cave, still and ethereal beyond your mortal comprehension. The gods had crafted his face from porcelain; his body from the world's most precious metals; his eyes from the sun and the sea; and his smile with the very essence of magic.

“Here you are. I was beginning to worry.”

That was not true; both of you knew very well you had heard his voice and were rushing to come to his side. Yet, the idea that a being such as him would worry about someone like you made butterflies flutter in your stomach.

“Herald?”

“Mm?”

He blinked, calmly, peacefully, as his eyes met yours once more. No other feeling compared. His pupils glowed inside the barely lit cave, a gentle and divine light emanating from his face.

The words were hard to get out, and you found yourself fidgeting with your hands, looking away from his perfect gaze.

Get a hold of yourself, you admonished your brain. You had practiced this moment more than once.

You were certain he knew exactly what you were about to ask him; he knew every thought going through your mind, after all. Which meant he knew of the nights you spent dreaming of him, of his body, and of the hundreds of ways you craved the touch of your messiah.

But he simply looked at you, calm and composed, the hint of a smile barely on his lips.

Briefly, you wondered if he was teasing you by letting you stew in your anxiety.

“I have come to realize,” you began unsurely, voice almost breaking, “that you always take care of others, Herald. Always take care of people like me.”

He observed you with that indecipherable gaze, still not moving an inch. You gathered all your courage to stare back at him as you pronounced your next words decidedly:

“But does nobody take care of you, Herald?”

He smiled, properly this time, yet still calm and moderate. It was beyond beautiful, his delicate features marked by soft dimples, the hint of a mole over his lips. You would have given your life in a heartbeat if it meant he would have smiled at you like this once more.

“I don't require such things anymore,” he explained serenely, fingers absentmindedly tracing the complex patterns of his arm. “This body doesn't feel cold, or hunger, or want. It is pure of all the desires the man I once was might have had.”

You swallowed with difficulty; was he rejecting your advances? You could not bear living without knowing you had done everything for him, given him every inch of your being.

“But that man,” you tried once more, moving a timid step forward, “he is still part of you, isn't he? Wouldn't it only be fair to take care of him too?’

There was not a hint of confusion in his expression; he understood exactly what you meant. Yet one of his eyebrows had slightly risen, perhaps of amusement or appreciation for your boldness.

“If you have something in mind,” he simply replied, his thick accent hypnotic, “you should show me.”

Your heart skipped a beat.

You would show him what his gift had meant to you.

Gradually, reverently, you approached the frugal throne where he sat, a simple rock formation at the back of the cave. You kneeled at his feet and gazed up, unsure if you were allowed to touch him. He gave you a light nod, a glim of endearment in his eyes.

With deference, you slid the fabric of his tunic to the side, parting his knees to give you access. You felt your cheeks heat at the realization he had no underwear, trepidation bubbling in your lower stomach. Then you stopped right in your tracks.

Where there should have been… something, there was nothing.

Your mouth opened in surprise, but no words managed to find their way out. You spluttered, confused, gaping at the being above you.

A low, small chuckle.

His luminous eyes were teasing, barely enough so that someone else would not have recognized it; but you did.

“I could not resist to watch your reaction,” he admitted, “My apologies.”

His delicate hand covered the area of his groan, and a faint light shone between the cracks of his fingers. The sound of metal forming, pieces sliding with one another, echoed inside the empty cave. When he removed his hand, it was as if the member had always been there.

As you had always pictured in your dreams, the Herald was well endowed, even in a softened state. It was without question like a regular human’s, but devoid of any veins, marks, and bumps. Not a single hair adorned the base. It was all perfectly smooth, the head only distinct from the rest of the length with its thickness.

He was art, in the most primordial sense of the term, and you could do nothing but admire him.

“This body shapes to my will,” the Herald explained at your look of awe, “It had no need for genitalia, so it did not have any. At least… before now.”

Your fingertips slid timidly on the indigo skin, feeling the polished texture. The contact felt pleasantly electric, like his body brimmed with untapped energy. The first small lick was somehow nostalgic, the feel of popping candies bursting pleasantly on your tongue.

When you wrapped your lips around him, you could immediately tell his taste was unlike anything you'd ever had before. The coppery flavour of metal mixed with something so enticingly sweet it could not be anything other than the taste of the arcane itself. An encouraging hand petted your head softly, fingers threading through strands of your hair. You moaned with your mouth still full of him; a single touch from him was enough to have your core burnt with want. You sped up your pace, taking as much of him in your mouth as you possibly could. The energy pulsated against your tongue, his cock hardening to your rhythmic pace. The thickness of his tip kept hitting the back of your throat, cutting oxygen for a few blissful milliseconds at a time and making you see stars.

It was perfect.

And yet, after a few minutes, you realized something was wrong.

You'd been with your fair share of men and women before. The twitching, the moaning, the cramping of the thighs from the building pleasure and the coming release- it was all absent.

You pulled back with a soft ‘pop’, looking up at your prophet once more for guidance. The same all-knowing visage stared back at you, that boundless compassion he had for all mankind. You understood what was happening, now.

“Herald,” you said slowly, voice horse from taking him, “why have you called me today?”

Silence. It looked as though he was thinking over his next words, choosing how best to explain things to you.

“I could sense you needed guidance,” he finally answered, “Support. I merely wanted to help in the way you needed me.”

Helping you. He was helping you once again. Even now, when you begged him to let you help him, he was still only thinking of others.

“You're not satisfied,” the Herald deduced from your crestfallen expression, “Why?”

Tears of frustrated devotion prickled the corner of your eyes, and you felt like a pathetically pouting child:

“My goal was not to satisfy myself. It was to please you.”

Perhaps you had dreamed it, but a glimmer of surprise flashed in his sunset gaze, gone too soon for you to ever be certain.

“Allow me to try once again, please. I will do better,” you requested, resting your head against his inner thigh, his cock still perfectly hard against your cheek. Looking up at him from under your eyelashes, you whispered your next words like a prayer, hoping it would reach him: “It is all I want to do from the deepest part of my heart.”

The smile again, so slight and yet so luminous. Perhaps he hadn't cured your addiction to shimmer, and had simply replaced it with the profound need of him. A drug you never wanted to be freed from.

“Very well,” he acquiesced, voice low, “you may do it again.”

This time, you could tell there was a genuine look of surprise in his neutral expression when you stood. ‘So he can't tell my thoughts immediately as I have them,’ you reflected silently. ‘I can use that.’

It was without asking that you made your way onto his lap, legs bent on both sides of his thighs. The position wasn't very comfortable, rocks digging into your knees; but he was so close to you that you felt the warmth of the arcane emanating from every pore of his body. The pleased look he gave you at your initiative made you feel emboldened, and you guided his cock to your entrance, lining yourself to slowly slide down on his length.

“I do not wish to interrupt,” the Herald made you pause, thick eyebrows furrowed in slight worry, “or to appear to stroke my ego, either. But I believe it would be wise to… prepare yourself, prior to taking me.”

You looked away in embarrassment, confidence fading, not wanting to reply directly. To explain how you had prepared yourself for him in your tent, in the slim hopes this moment might happen, would certainly be the death of you.

His eyebrows rose back up, the ghost of a smirk on his lips. He understood.

“I almost forgot how prepared you always are. Clever girl.”

You felt yourself tighten at the compliment. You committed the words to memory, engraving them in your mind forever. You would never forget when your Herald had praised you.

You patiently lowered yourself onto him, inch by inch, getting accustomed to him. A little shamefully, there was an undeniable selfishness of wanting this moment to last as long as possible.

When you took him whole, it was almost too overwhelming to bear.

His size was an undeniable component, both in length and girth. You had to wonder: had he been so big when he was but a regular man?

‘Yes’, a familiar voice supplied in your head. Had you not known better, you could have sworn his tone was slightly cocky.

But it wasn't just his dick, either. The flow of energy running through you from the point of your connection was dizzyingly intense, coherent thoughts barely stringing together. It felt like the high of shimmer but unbelievably more potent, simultaneously cutting you open and putting your body back together. This was being alive.

“Breathe,” he reminded you, a guiding hand sliding to the small of your back. Even now, he still took such good care of you. Overwhelmed tears had begun to fall down your eyes without you sensing their presence, and you tried to regain some semblance of your senses.

For a while, minutes, maybe hours, only the sound of your panting resonated through the cave. You gripped the Herald's shoulders tightly, scrunching the fabric of his tunic in your fists. His impartial expression never changed, but neither did the way his hand held you in place and comforted you. Once it felt as though your lungs were getting air again, you began moving.

All of it seemed like a dream; the feeling of fullness between your legs, the slow drag of his cock inside you, the warm wetness of your juices slipping out with each trust. If there was no heaven for sinners, then you had found your own right here. You picked up the pace, settling into a fast and wild rhythm. You scanned his features for any sign of disturbance; the slightest hint of red coloured his pale cheeks, the faintest laboured breath coming from his lips.

So he was still a bit human, after all.

You kept moving with renewed vigour, not able to contain wanton moans of pleasure.

“May I try something?” he asked, voice low, deeper than you had ever heard him speak.

You let out a sound of approval that dissolved into nonsense when the tip of his cock hit the spot you had carefully been avoiding. This time, he moved, ramming over and over against your cervix, too deep for comfort, shaping you to him and only him. You were so close, right on the edge, begging him for release with gibberish.

He had undeniably felt your incoming demise, and with one last push inside your core, he leaned his head forward, bringing both of your foreheads together.

In that moment, you were him as much as he was you, a single mind in perfect balance. You saw everything he saw, felt everything he felt. The weight and lightness of the cosmos, the thousands of strings connecting him to his followers, the understanding of the final step for humanity.

The Glorious Evolution.

And with that, you came, body spasming uncontrollably against his. You fell into the crook of his neck in exhaustion, sobbing, wondering if you had just died in your prophet's arms. Far away, as if he was in another room, you heard his comforting voice shushing your whines, his long fingers caressing your cheek. He looked at you as if you were the one to be admired. Too much, it was all too much.

Perhaps an eternity had passed as you came back to your senses. Things felt tangible once more, corporal, the now cold feeling of your wetness drying on your inner thighs. There was a feeling of awkwardness, of embarrassment, and you hesitated between staying still or pulling him out of you. Were there proper steps to follow after something like this, or any steps at all?

“You didn't…” you commented, unsure what proper term to use to not seem crass.

You didn't cum. You didn't fill me.

“I am not certain that would still be biologically possible for me,” he answered with little emotion, seemingly neither bothered nor frustrated by that fact.

Even if he hadn't been linked to your mind, your disappointment would have been palpable. You had wanted him to experience some of the relief he had given you, to release all that could have troubled him inside you. You wanted to care for him.

Selfishly, perhaps, there had also been the want to carry your prophet's seed so no one would ever question who you belonged to.

“However, to the extent this body can still feel pleasure…” he continued, not missing a beat, otherworldly gaze deep in yours, “you took great care of me. Thank you.”

This time, you smiled.

You would never be a hero for Zaun, a revolutionary, a leader. But you would care for your prophet with every single breath your body would allow.

And there was nothing more important to you than that.

[orengejoshi]

Paperhatober Day 13: Plush

Build-A-Flug(?)

[leosulfurous]

It's June 2nd... and that means...

It's the 7th anniversary of The Most Goated Movie Ever!!!

happy birthday Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie!! Have a cluttered page of doodles (it is 02:30 a.m.)

[wyvernity]

wip posting just to get something out there, and it's def a mixed bag!! the only thing more inconsistent than my posting schedule is my art style RIP

[dandeydraws]

be father and mother / you'll know what to do

[bixels]

Why do you answer questions out of order?

Most asks I receive are repeats that I've already answered. I'm not really keen on clogging my blog with repeat ask posts. Some of them I do wanna answer but require more social energy so it takes time. It's like answering an email sometimes.

[genshin-impact-updates]

"Roses and Muskets" Version 4.3 Update Details

Post Details Page

Dear Travelers,

Below are the details of the Version 4.3 update "Roses and Muskets" and the update compensation.

〓Compensation Details〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems per hour the servers are down)

Issue Fix Compensation: Primogems ×300 (please refer to the relevant compensation mail for more details)

〓Scope of Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2023/12/20 06:00 (UTC+8).

Compensation must be claimed before the end of Version 4.3.

Issue Fix Compensation: Travelers who reach Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2023/12/20 06:00 (UTC+8).

Please log in and claim your compensation before 2023/12/23 06:00 (UTC+8).

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2023/12/20 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS5™ and PS4™: Highlight Genshin Impact from the Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Update Details〓

I. New Characters

5-Star Character "Helm of the Radiant Rose" Navia (Geo)

◇ Vision: Geo

◇ Weapon: Claymore

◇ The current President of Spina di Rosula, who is lovely, dutiful, and a great boss.

◆ Elemental Skill: Ceremonial Crystalshot

◆ When a character in a party with Navia obtains an Elemental Shard created from the Crystallize reaction, Navia will gain Crystal Shrapnel. When she fires, Navia will fire multiple Rosula Shardshots that can penetrate opponents, dealing Geo DMG. The more Rosula Shardshots that strike opponents, the greater the DMG dealt to them. Unleashing Navia's Elemental Skill will consume accumulated Crystal Shrapnel stacks, and the number of Rosula Shardshots and DMG dealt by "Ceremonial Crystalshot" will be increased based on the number of Crystal Shrapnel stacks. Hold the Elemental Skill to enter Aiming Mode and continually collect Elemental Shards nearby.

◆ Elemental Burst: As the Sunlit Sky's Singing Salute

◆ Call for a magnificent Rosula Dorata Salute. Unleashes a massive cannon bombardment on opponents in front of her, dealing AoE Geo DMG and providing Cannon Fire Support for a duration afterward, periodically dealing Geo DMG. When cannon attacks hit opponents, Navia will gain 1 stack of Crystal Shrapnel.

4-Star Character "Executor of Justice" Chevreuse (Pyro)

◇ Vision: Pyro

◇ Weapon: Polearm

◇ The captain of the Special Security and Surveillance Patrol, who wears justice as an ever-present seal upon her heart. Her musket shall only ever point at the guilty.

◆ Elemental Skill: Short-Range Rapid Interdiction Fire

◆ Fires at her opponent(s), dealing AoE Pyro DMG. If a nearby character in the party triggers an Overloaded reaction, Chevreuse gains 1 Overcharged Ball, increasing the AoE and DMG of her Elemental Skill. After Chevreuse fires a shot, she will continuously restore HP to the active character on the field.

◆ Elemental Burst: Ring of Bursting Grenades

◆ Fires an explosive grenade at opponents, dealing AoE Pyro DMG. After the projectile hits, it will split into many secondary explosive shells. These shells will burst after a short interval, dealing Pyro DMG.

II. New Equipment

1. New Weapons (Examples based on Refinement Rank 1)

Verdict (5-Star Claymore)

Increases ATK by 20%. When characters in your party obtain Elemental Shards from Crystallize reactions, the equipping character will gain 1 Seal, increasing Elemental Skill DMG by 18%. The Seal lasts for 15s, and the equipper may have up to 2 Seals at once. All of the equipper's Seals will disappear 0.2s after their Elemental Skill deals DMG.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 5-star weapon Verdict (Claymore) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

Ultimate Overlord's Mega Magic Sword (4-Star Claymore)

ATK increased by 12%. That's not all! The support from all Melusines you've helped in Merusea Village fills you with strength! Based on the number of them you've helped, your ATK is increased by up to an additional 12%.

◆ Ultimate Overlord's Mega Magic Sword (Claymore) and its refinement materials can be redeemed in the event "Roses and Muskets."

2. New Artifacts

Song of Days Past (4-Star and 5-Star)

◇ 2-Piece Set: Healing Bonus +15%.

◇ 4-Piece Set: When the equipping character heals a party member, the Yearning effect will be created for 6s, which records the total amount of healing provided (including overflow healing). When the duration expires, the Yearning effect will be transformed into the "Waves of Days Past" effect: When your active party member hits an opponent with a Normal Attack, Charged Attack, Plunging Attack, Elemental Skill, or Elemental Burst, the DMG dealt will be increased by 8% of the total healing amount recorded by the Yearning effect. The "Waves of Days Past" effect is removed after it has taken effect 5 times or after 10s. A single instance of the Yearning effect can record up to 15,000 healing, and only a single instance can exist at once, but it can record the healing from multiple equipping characters. Equipping characters on standby can still trigger this effect.

Nighttime Whispers in the Echoing Woods (4-Star and 5-Star)

◇ 2-Piece Set: ATK +18%.

◇ 4-Piece Set: After using an Elemental Skill, gain a 20% Geo DMG Bonus for 10s. While under a shield granted by the Crystallize reaction, the above effect will be increased by 150%, and this additional increase disappears 1s after that shield is lost.

III. New Domain

Domain of Blessing: Waterfall Wen

◇ An ancient ruined city that was once used by a now-bygone secret order as an ad-hoc site of assembly. Now, all that remains to rule the roost are beasts bereft of language or intellect.

◇ Unlock Criteria (satisfy any one of the criteria below to unlock):

• Reach Adventure Rank 22 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Prologue: Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom"

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain artifacts in the "Song of Days Past" and "Nighttime Whispers in the Echoing Woods" sets.

IV. New Main Story

1. New Story Quest

Navia's Story Quest - Rosa Multiflora Chapter: Act I "Braving the Tides Together"

Permanently available after the Version 4.3 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Reach Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter IV: Act V "Masquerade of the Guilty"

2. New World Quest

◆ New World Quest: "Leroy" Quest Chain

V. Other Update Details

New Recipes:

○ Hotel Debord, Fontaine: Rainbow Macarons

○ Louis (NPC): Feast-O's

○ Obtained From Event: Fontinalia Mousse

New Character Specialty Dishes:

○ Navia's specialty: "Pick What You Like!"

○ Chevreuse's specialty: "Sin: The Kind that Doesn't Need to be Dealt With"

New Achievements added to the "Wonders of the World" category.

Adds Set 28 of "Paimon's Paintings" chat emojis.

Adds some prompts for loading screens.

New Namecards:

"Navia: Rosula": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Navia

"Chevreuse: Type II": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Chevreuse

"Travel Notes: Time Inscribed": Reward obtained via the BP system

New Item: "Swirling Scene in a Bottle": Purchased from Tubby the teapot spirit via the Realm Depot after completing the Archon Quest "Lies Cast Shadows Under Gathered Lights."

New Serenitea Pot Realm Layout: "Swirling Isles": Unlocked after using the item "Swirling Scene in a Bottle."

New "Recommended Sets" function on characters' Artifacts screens, where recommended Artifact set information based on recently active players will now be shown as a reference to help Travelers when choosing Artifacts.

New "Artifact Locking" function, where you can add, set, and activate different Artifact settings by going into your Inventory > Artifacts > Artifact Auto-Lock menu. After you have activated "Artifact Auto-Lock," you will automatically lock 5-star Artifacts that meet said settings upon gaining them.

"Genius Invokation TCG" Gameplay Update:

New Character Cards: Lyney, Lynette, Layla, Yelan, Alhaitham, Gorou, and their corresponding Talent cards. Corresponding invitation duels and guest challenges have been added to the Player List.

New Character Cards: Dvalin, Azhdaha, La Signora, Eremite Scorching Loremaster, Thunder Manifestation, and their corresponding Talent cards. Their Tavern Challenges have also been added.

Numerous Action Cards have been added which can be purchased from Prince at The Cat's Tail.

New Card Box "Fontaine" can be purchased from Prince at The Cat's Tail after reaching Player Level 8.

Adds 12 new Open World Players. Reach Player Level 3 to unlock 4 new Open World Players located at Windwail Highland, and reach Player Level 10 to unlock the other 8 Open World Players located at Romaritime Harbor and the Court of Fontaine.

The Forge Realm's Temper is once again available. The theme of this edition is "The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits":

(1) During The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits, some stages will have special victory and defeat conditions. Adeptly adapt your tactics to complete the challenge and avoid the conditions for defeat!

(2) Within The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits event stages, there will also be special rules that can easily exert influence on the tempo of the match. Fully utilizing these special rules will contribute greatly to your success.

Spiral Abyss

The "Marechaussee Hunter" and "Golden Troupe" Artifact set rewards in "Domain Reliquary: Tier I" and "Domain Reliquary: Tier II" for Spiral Abyss Floors 9–12 will be replaced with the "Song of Days Past" and the "Nighttime Whispers in the Echoing Woods" sets.

Floor 11 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• All party members receive a 75% Geo DMG Bonus.

Updated the monster lineup on Floors 11 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 4.3, the two Lunar Phases will be as follows:

Phase I:

Sturdy Moon

After a character obtains an Elemental Shard created by the Crystallize reaction, they will gain the Redoubtable state. Active characters in this state deal 15% increased DMG. This state lasts for 8s and can stack up to 3 times, with the duration of each stack counted independently.

Phase II:

Bursting Moon

After a character obtains an Elemental Shard created by the Crystallize reaction, it will be counted. When the count reaches 3, a shockwave will be released at the character's location, dealing True DMG to nearby opponents, and resetting the count. 1 such shockwave can be triggered every 6s.

〓Adjustments & Optimizations〓

● Enhancement Systems

Pop-ups will no longer appear when carrying out enhancements from the Character Leveling, Weapon Enhancement, and Artifact Enhancement screens. Enhancement information will be integrated into the original screen instead.

When previewing rewards for defeating Enemies of Note and bosses, Character Level-Up Materials will appear nearer to the front.

Each time you enhance a weapon, you can now consume up to 40 materials instead of just 20. You will also be able to select multiple Refinement Materials at the same time when refining weapons.

Adjusts the Weapon Refinement Mora consumption rules: When using a Weapon with a Refinement Level that isn't 1 for refining other Weapons, the amount of Mora consumed will be converted based on the Refinement Level (e.g. before the update, refining 4-star Weapons with an original Refinement Level of 1 would always cost 1,000 Mora, regardless of the Refinement Level of the Weapons being used as Refinement Materials. After the update, the amount of Mora required will be converted based on the Refinement Materials).

On the Character > Level Up screen, the speed of special effects when leveling up characters has been increased, and you can now use Auto Add to add sufficient Character EXP Materials to get the character up to the highest level they can currently reach with a single click.

● Artifacts

On the "Artifact Enhancement" screen, you can now add up to 15 Artifacts each time you enhance an Artifact.

The "Enhance to Next Tier" function has been added to the "Artifact Enhancement" screen: After this function is enabled, when there are still open slots to add Enhancement Materials but the current action will already cause the Artifact to reach Level 4/8/12/16, no more additional Enhancement Materials will be automatically added beyond those necessary to reach the next tier.

From the Paimon Menu > Settings > Other, you can choose whether or not 5-Star Artifacts can be auto-added as Artifact Enhancement Materials.

The filter function on the Inventory > Artifacts screen has been adjusted: Interactivity logic has been updated to support more filter conditions, as well as filtering multiple sets at the same time.

You can now select up to 3 affixes when sorting Artifacts (previously, you could only select a maximum of 2).

On the Crafting Bench's "Mystic Offering" screen, you can now add multiple Artifacts at the same time with a single click.

Travelers can also read Version 4.3's "Artifact Auto-Lock and Filter Function Update Preview" that was previously published to learn more about the updated Artifact Auto-Filter and Locking functions.

Adds Multi-Select Mode to the Serenitea Pot's editing screen, allowing you to drag-select multiple furnishings to move, store, and create custom sets in bulk.

Optimizes the logic of the Serenitea Pot's editing screen: When in Single-Select Mode, clicking the blank area will confirm placement, whereas clicking another furnishing will switch to selecting the corresponding furnishing.

Adds serial numbers to the Serenitea Pot's Replica screen.

In the Serenitea Pot, when your Realm Currency is full, the NPC Tubby's dialogue option for going to redeem it ("Trust Rank") will light up.

Optimizes the Serenitea Pot's Furnishing Schematics screen.

a. When you've started creating furnishings or switch back to the Furnishing Schematics screen from another furnishing creation screen, the list of Furnishing Schematics will no longer refresh and cause you to lose your selected position.

b. A source link to the "Convert Wood" screen has been added for wood materials on the Furnishing Schematics screen.

c. On the Furnishing Schematics screen, Teapot Spirit Trust Rank markers will no longer be displayed for furnishings that you haven't made before but are currently in the process of making (if you cancel creation before they're finished, the marker will show again).

● Genius Invokation TCG

Even if you haven't unlocked the Dynamic Skins for the Character Cards "Cyno," "Tartaglia," "Xiao," and "Wanderer," the card portrait will still change with the skill effect after using certain skills.

● Other Systems

Adjusts the scroll bar's response area on certain screens.

On the map screen, you can now check bosses' current remaining respawn times by clicking their avatars.

Chat records from before the current day will now show the year, date, and time (previously, only the date and time were shown).

On the Crafting/Cooking/Forging/Create Furnishing screens, if there are no selected character records on the Traveler's device, the first character that can provide a bonus when creating the selected item will be chosen by default.

Adds the "Claim All" button to the "Dispatch Character on Expedition" screen, allowing you to claim Expedition Rewards with a single click. You'll also be able to use the "Dispatch Again" button on the "Expedition Results" screen to repeat expeditions with a single click.

Adds the "Claim All" button to the "Process" and "Forge" screens, allowing you to claim processed ingredients and forged items that have been completed with a single click.

Optimizes the interaction experience of the Adventure Handbook's Enemies tab.

a. You can now select "Cancel Navigation" on this screen to stop navigating towards a certain enemy on the map and the corresponding avatar (except boss enemies) will no longer appear on the map.

b. Adjusts the way enemies' avatars display so that more can be displayed.

● Audio

Optimizes the voice-over performance when the Character Card "Tartaglia" uses his Elemental Burst under different stances in Genius Invokation TCG.

Optimizes the audio performance when the combat phase changes in the Trounce Domain "Shadow of Another World."

● Other

Adds a new HP icon style for "Local Legend" enemies.

Adds related tutorials for "Local Legend" enemies.

Adjusts the lineup of opponents in the Ascension Domains for Adventure Ranks 45 and 50.

Reduces the Max HP of opponents in the Ascension Domain for Adventure Rank 45 and increases the time remaining for Time Trial Challenges in said Domain.

"The Chasm Delvers" quest series will no longer be prerequisites for the Archon Quest "In the Depths, an Unexpected Reunion." When you reach the objective "Enter The Chasm: Underground Mines" in the Archon Quest "In the Depths, an Unexpected Reunion," a Teleport Waypoint will be automatically unlocked in The Chasm: Underground Mines so you can continue with the Archon Quest.

When a Gadget cannot be used, its button icon will no longer be hidden. This means that when characters are moving underwater, you will no longer be prevented from quickswapping Gadgets due to the icon having disappeared because the current Gadget can't be used.

Characters' summons will no longer attack "Hydro Portals" in the open world.

Adjusts the barrier along the edges of the Spiral Abyss Domains: Upon approaching the barrier, the camera will not zoom in onto the character.

When entering Domains of Blessing, Domains of Mastery, Domains of Forgery, as well as when re-challenging these Domains, characters will now enter closer to the challenge location.

When re-challenging Domains, Trounce Domains, and the Spiral Abyss, if party members' skills are in CD, the CD will be reset.

〓Genius Invokation TCG Balance Adjustment〓

Adjusts the Elemental Dice cost for the Event Card "Wind and Freedom": The Elemental Dice cost required will be adjusted from 1 to 0.

Adjusts the Elemental Dice cost for the Event Card "Joyous Celebration": The Elemental Dice cost required will be adjusted from 1 to 0.

Adjusts summon effects for the Character Card "Rhodeia of Loch": Only 2 Hydro Mimics can exist simultaneously on the field now. Hydro Mimics: Frogs: The number of Usages that can decrease DMG taken by the active character is adjusted from 2 to 1.

Adjusts the HP of the Character Card "Fatui Pyro Agent": Adjusted from 10 to 9 HP.

Adjusts the effects of the Equipment Card "Ocean-Hued Clam": "When played: Heal the attached character for 3 HP." has been adjusted to "2 HP."

New effect for Support Card "Timaeus": "When played: if your deck originally includes at least 6 Artifact cards, you will randomly also draw 1 Artifact Card from your deck."

New effect for Support Card "Wagner": "When played: if your deck originally includes at least 3 Weapon cards, you will randomly also draw 1 Weapon Card from your deck."

New effect for Event Card "Stone and Contracts": "When the Action Phase of the next Round begins: Draw 1 card."

New tag added to the Character Card "Dehya": The Eremites

〓Bug Fixes〓

● Enemies

Fixes an issue whereby, when the enemies "Pyro Slime" and "Large Pyro Slime" were defeated and knocked away at the same time, their explosion special effects would play abnormally soon.

Fixes an issue whereby, when the enemy "Hydro Hilichurl Rogue" was Frozen, there was a small chance that it would only stay Frozen for abnormally short periods.

Fixes an issue whereby the Knife Throwing ability of Treasure Hoarder Scouts would not unleash properly in certain situations.

Fixes an issue whereby there was a chance that Frost Operatives' models would appear abnormally at longer distances.

Fixes an issue whereby, when multiple Wind Operatives unleashed the Windstrike Encore skill at the same time, the location of the skill AoE warning effect would be abnormal.

Fixes an issue whereby, when the Hydro Tulpa unleashed the Dissolving Surge attack, there was a small chance that the direction of the action would be abnormal.

Fixes an issue whereby there was a chance that DMG numbers wouldn't display when certain characters inflicted DMG on the All-Devouring Narwhal (but the actual DMG inflicted was correct).

Fixes an issue whereby when challenging the Boss "Magatsu Mitake Narukami no Mikoto," the active character will lose HP when another game interface is opened while they are within the shield deployed on the field.

● Characters

Fixes an issue with Charlotte whereby there was no related special effect when she was knocked away.

Fixes an issue whereby, when Shenhe was caught in an enemy's bubble, the character model's ribbon animation effect would be missing.

Fixes an issue whereby Salon Members invited by Furina's Elemental Skill would appear abnormally dim under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby after Furina's Lv. 6 Constellation is activated, the Plunge Hydro DMG dealt by her Plunging Attack can be erroneously overridden by infusion.

● System

Fixes an issue whereby there was a spot on Wriothesley's portrait where the image layers were in the wrong order in the "Character Archive," "Story Quests," and other interfaces.

Fixes an issue whereby certain pieces of text were missing for the Archon Quest "Equilibrium" in the "Travel Log."

Fixes an issue whereby, if characters entered combat and then went into or left a body of water, the disappearing animation for the Gadget "Itty Bitty Octobaby" would abnormally play an extra time.

Fixes an issue whereby, when characters sat down at benches in Fontaine, the game camera would abnormally see through the character models under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby, if the game disconnected from the server when characters went underwater, the game camera would appear abnormal when it reconnected.

Fixes an issue whereby, if certain characters were switched to other characters while underwater and then the player left the body of water, underwater environment effects would abnormally remain.

● Genius Invokation TCG

Fixes an issue in Genius Invokation TCG whereby the text color of certain Character Card skill descriptions was displaying incorrectly.

Fixes an issue whereby, when certain Character Cards used Dynamic Skins, details on the character's face were not displaying clearly.

Fixes an issue whereby a Seamless Shield generated by the Character Card "Baizhu" would cause Character Cards that had already fallen to be abnormally affected by Dendro under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby certain special effects on the Dynamic Skins of the Event Cards "Fresh Wind of Freedom," "In Every House a Stove," and "Joyous Celebration" were displaying abnormally.

Fixes an issue whereby, after the Character Card "Yoimiya" equipped the Talent Card "Naganohara Meteor Swarm," her third Normal Attack after entering the Niwabi Enshou state would not receive +1 DMG as it should.

● Audio

Fixes an issue whereby the skill sound effects of Furina's Elemental Burst would abnormally cut off under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby the audio for certain scene elements was missing.

Fixes an issue whereby the music was incorrect in certain places in the "Weeping Willow of the Lake" sub-area of Fontaine.

● Other

Fixes a text error in "Character Story 5" in Neuvillette's Profile > Story interface.

Fixes an issue whereby, while completing the Daily Commission "This Novel Is Amazing!," the commission flow would be abnormal resulting in players being unable to complete the corresponding achievement under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby, after Electro Shards created by Crystallize reactions were absorbed, the special effect would appear abnormally.

Fixes an issue with Co-Op Mode whereby, when a Traveler used the abilities of Xenochromatic Fontemer Aberrants with certain characters, the other Traveler would be unable to see the skill animation.

Fixes an issue whereby, when characters that had equipped Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds changed outfits, some weapon special effects would abnormally disappear.

Fixes an issue whereby, after Neuvillette and Cyno had triggered the Bloodstained Chivalry 4-Piece Set Bonus, Stamina would still be consumed abnormally when performing Charged Attacks.

Fixes a text error on the Court of Fontaine: Fleuve Cendre Message Board in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, German, Spanish, Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Fixes some text errors in certain languages and optimizes text. (Note: Related in-game functions have not changed. Travelers can view the changes in different languages by going to the Paimon Menu > Settings > Language and changing the Game Language.)

◆ Optimizes certain inconsistencies between voice-overs and their corresponding lines in Neuvillette's Story Quest.

*This is a work of fiction and is not related to any actual people, events, groups, or organizations.

"PlayStation", "PS5", "PS4", "DualSense", "DUALSHOCK" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

[gofishygo]

how i feel knowing i am procrastinating a major assessment due literally tomorrow by writing gay call of duty x reader stories

[azure-clockwork]

How Does it Feel to Read Classic Sci-Fi?

Orson Scott Card: Two of the most interesting books you’ll ever read if you’re willing to look past a handful of things. And then you find the planet of Chinese people who worship having debilitating OCD. And the Mormonism. And the fact that the author is wildly homophobic and ought to read his own books.

Robert Heinlein (or at least the Wikipedia Summaries): I guess that’s a neat concept—oh, it’s a sex thing. Um. Gotcha.

Ray Bradbury: Man, I gotta read this thing for class huh. Well here’s hoping it’s good! *three hours later* oh. that’s why he’s famous. this will stick with me forever and I will never look at the phrase ‘soft rain’ the same again. christ. And then repeat 3x.

Isaac Asimov: Wow, this is such an interesting concept! I wonder how the exploration of it will influence the plot! Wait, hey, are you going to add any characters? Any of em? No like, with character traits other than ‘robot psychologist’ and ‘autistic’ and ‘woman’? None of em? No, ‘detective’ isn’t a character trait. Those are all just facts. Aaaand now I’m bored.

Ursula K. Le Guin: Hah, get a load of this guy! He’s never heard of nonbinary people before. Lol, what a riot; how dumb do you have to be to comprehend that these people aren’t men *or* women actually? Oh, wait, what’s happening. Oh shit, it was about society and love and learning to understand each other? And now I’m crying? And perhaps a better human being for it??

Andy Weir: Alright, this guy’s a really good writer. Funny, creative, knows so much engineering stuff…ooh, a new book! …I guess he can’t write women. Well, he wouldn’t be the first sci-fi writer…ooh another new book! And it’s more engineering problem solving and—wow. It’s not just women he can’t write. Please stop letting your characters talk to each other.

Lois Lowry: Oh, I remember this being fun when I was a kid! Wouldn’t it be fucked up to not see color? …upon reread, it would be fucked up to have your humanity stripped away, replaced with a tepid, beige ‘happiness’ for all time. Yeah.

Tamsyn Muir (let me have this ok): Haha, “lesbian necromancers in space” sounds fun. Lemme read this. Oh wow, yeah, this is right up my alley. OH GOD WHAT. NO. FUCK. OH SHIT WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING AND WHY IS IT REFERENCING THE BOOK OF RUTH AND HOMESTUCK BACK TO BACK!!! AHHHHHHHHH!! Now give me more please.

[every-sanji]

[beaulesbian]

thinking about this sequence of neil and andrew's interactions over the course of the king's men:

- where it began with neil trying to be honest with how much andrew meant to him and about what was slowly happening between them, and andrew was ready with a reply denying he feels anything (positive) towards neil.

- the same happening few more times, in different variations of important revelations ...

- until andrew's replies slowly lost any real bite, and neil understood what they actually mean.

- to the point where neil knew that andrew wasn't telling him the truth (not that he would push him, it probably amused him what next will andrew say).

- until andrew didn't argue with neil's words at all. and that silence spoke more louder to him than anything.

(in neil josten's voice: i'm fine (lying 😭😭).)

[deus-ex-mona]

farewell, my idiot son…

[kirnet]

couldnt wait to share this panel actually

[oldschoollolitajpg]

[andi-o-geyser]

And the results have just come in, folks. Ally Beardsly has rolled a *checks notes* Hat 20