Home
Creators
Search Recent Random
Posts
Search DMs Popular Hash Lookup Tags Random
Importer
Import FAQ
Filehaus
Recent
Register Favorites Keys Review DMs Logout
Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

[Removed for Amazon] Quest Academy: Book 4 (Chapters 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25) (Patreon)

Published:
2024-08-19 22:46:05
Imported:
2026-06

Content

Hey Everyone,

I've had a family bereavement this past week, and the funeral is tomorrow. I'm unlikely to get much writing time in the next few days, so maybe expect a few less chapters in next Monday's update.

Hope you're all doing well. Thank you so much for the advice on a scene from Book 2. I'll collate the suggestions and throw them over to Daniel for review. :)

Lastly, I hope you enjoy these chapters. It's a lot more crafting focused!

Brian

Comments

Benjamin Hartmann

Yeah, and someone says all nighters are not worth it Edit: And my condolences 🥺, take care of yourself.

Casey

Sorry for your loss. Take the time for yourself and your family. Family first before writing, always. We can do with less or even skip some if required for you to deal with the loss.

Karen Shelton

So sorry for your loss. May the Lord bring you comfort during this difficult time. Thank you for the chapters.

Cory Orr

Sorry to hear that thank you

J

Echoing Casey, very sorry for your loss. Please take time to be with your family. We'll be here when you're back!

Dawn Zeleznik

Take the time you need. My condolences.

Raymond Mouton

Sorry for your loss. Agreed, take some time to be with your family. I may be anxious for chapters, but, don’t take my anxiety for pressure, take as much time as you need, so that when you do decide to write again, it doesn’t feel forced. I am very much enjoying the story, take care.

Heather Herren

Sorry for your loss!! Take your time!!

Aaron edison

Hope all things are as well as they can be. I'm sorry for your loss

Alteron

My condolences, thanks for the very nice crafting chapters, exited for what happens next. No rush, family comes first.

Ron Blondeau

Please accept my condolences Brian. Take time for family and your mental health. At the risk of receiving hate mail from the other members, why don't you skip a week from posting chapters. As for the latest chapters, is the crafting machine for the auction house or something else? The worry that it will replace academy crafters is valid.

Matthew

Sorry for your loss.

Tom Maxey

Condolences of course

Tom Maxey

5 chapters of crafting with little other character interactions are too much for me. Does anyone care about how much Dreadcloth and Hulker are in a crafting piece? Give it a bye. I think you are like Sal in that you get writing and occasionally overdo on a subject. Let’s get to the Gala, want to meet Fabi and see Upgrade etc with the Doc.

Chris Hoopes

Sorry for your loss. Thank you for the chapters. Take care of yourself.

Darnell Maxwell

We want to be encouraging and enable you to do what makes you happy, but we also don't want you to exhaust yourself in the process." Petro shook his head. "Fuck that. Make more stuff" I'm calling it. This is the best chapter of the book. I laughed for a minute straight at this interaction.

tim dawes

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Jaimee

Condolences, take care of yourself and your loved ones

Benjamin Hartmann

What a blast!!! Can’t wait for the next chapters 🙈… Can’t wait for Upgrades reaction and how she will find out 😂… and keep it away from Chatfield pls 😁

gideon ferrier

Sorry for your loss. And man what a cliff hanger. I am on the edge of my seat trying to figure out why it is upgraded more than it thought it would be. How it has change in size and shap. What it could build and how fast. I was also wandering why it did not get a crafters glow to it and if the machine gets a rank?

Sean Shivers

Can destiny use kakushin? It helps you see things you would otherwise miss... and presumably there are a lot of paths that are too unlikely so she cant see them. Can she just look into a future where she hypothetically drank kukushin to see what her take aways are?

Naotsugu97

Sorry for your loss.

Darnell Maxwell

TLDR: I think I've figured out the flaw in Divinity's ability. The future versions of her, can't see the future. Divinity's ability makes no sense. While I love that the future is uncertain and constantly able to change. But it doesn't make sense how radically the future can change from Sal's actions. But I think I have an answer now. In Book 1, Divinity acts guilts Barry into using his ability. And that causes the future to change immediately. Yet she was completely unprepared for the lecture Sal gave her afterward. If she specifically guilt tripped Barry because of her visions, i’d imagine she’d also look an extra 5 seconds into the future to know how to appease Sal. UNLESS, Sal’s reaction changed from her predictions. But what could bring on this change? Well what happened in the five seconds between Barry leaving and Sal talking to her? She looked into the future! My theory is that when Divinity looks into the future, all of these branching timelines operate under the rule that future Divinity can’t use her power. Why wasn’t she prepared for Sal to argue with her? I believe in the vision they just talk and Divinity claims she exploded due to stress or the hope that might change things because she’s out of ideas. That’s what was supposed to happen since that version of Divinity can’t see the future. But when the real Divinity reached that point, she just looked for herself. And the confirmation of Barry using his ability gave her the confidence to argue with Sal. Only for it to blow up in her face. This would also explain the large gaps on info Divinity sometimes has despite looking into the future. She saw her team lose all 10 matches originally in the match. Was that just because her team was trash, or because her team was trash AND she couldn’t use her powers in those visions? Or when Sal fought that defensive student without powers. Originally Divinity could have seen the future and its just Sal getting stomped. In that vision it would have Divinity reacting to the match in real time, which is why it ended in defeat. So the second the real Divinity finished looking into the future, Sal sees her reaction and uses that to change his strategy. Which immediately changed the future. Feel free to poke holes in case there is some obvious hint I missed that would disprove this.

Robert Smart

Perhaps he should slow down and smell the flowers? I mean 9 months to 2 years for breakeven is pretty amazing really. Chapter 26 is gonna be interesting.

Casey
>>147043516

There was a story or movie or anime or something I once came across that said looking into the future inherently changes the future. So what you see is never actually what happens, generally speaking, if it's related to you at all. Basically if you looked ahead in 1919 and saw the end of WW2, but you weren't involved in any way shape or form, then the future comes true. But if you are looking to see how you did on a test, by looking into that future you have already changed it and thus what you see or saw (whichever tense you prefer) is no longer going to happen as you saw it, even if you don't actively try and change it. Now, I don't remember all the specifics of that story except that I believe they were prohibited from looking at their own future or their friends or family. Which means, that your theory could also be right there. Very interesting phenomenon to consider in either event. Can future you in the vision not use your power, or is the future changed since you looked at our, or maybe a combination of both? Thoughts?

Koral

Chapter 24: It earned a humourless laugh from him. He had accidentally played with fate, and it definitely was going to punish him for it. "We'll fit it in the morning." Probably should be "We'll fix it in the morning"

Darnell Maxwell
>>147043516

TLDR: Yes I think both situations are possible or even some combo of the two. I still think Divinity's future selves not being able to see into the future is still more likely. At first I thought the future was just changing so much because Divinity uses her power so much. The reason I switched to my theory is because Divinity's power doesn't work based on probability, just possibility (look at me trying to sound smart with alliteration). What I mean is that, when Di (I'm tired of typing out Divinity. I'm calling her Di from now on.) uses her power she can only see futures above a certain likelihood of happening. For example, when Sal goes to the freshman party and those students start calling Hannah a slut. Di says that if she were to but in, he would have turned off their powers. But she never indicates there was a chance of him killing them. The same applies to when she looks further, to him joining Doc Amai, or Dungeon hopping with Gallant. She never says I saw a future of you becoming a calamity. Or a future of Sal copying Erika's ability and using it to instantly win the team tournament. Sal could have just copied an op ability from one of the teachers or students and solo'd the tournament. However as far as we know, Di never saw one of those futures. Most likely she never saw one of those futures because Sal hates copying abilities because of his trauma from childhood. This told me she can only see futures with a certain chance of actually happening. AKA possible futures. If her power worked on probability then it would just be a pure numbers game and anything with even a 1% chance would show up. Another example that supports this is Sal creating the Perfect weave. When that happened DI didn't say a new patch of forest grew brighter or appeared. She said all the trees grew bigger. I took that to mean Sal making the weave greatly changed what was possible and thus what her power can see. (There's also a chance Di can see futures like one where Sal solo'd the tournament for his team. And the only reason Di didn't tell him that was an option was because she would still fail. So she instead only told there was no chance of them passing the tournament so that he would think of a way for them both to pass. I'm choosing to ignore that possibility because I'm choosing to believe Di would never do something that manipulative to her friend.) So with that in mind. How in the world could there exist a future where Di regularly uses her ability yet she can't figure out Myth's identity before the end of semester? Or a future where Di just lets Sal copy powers until he eventually goes blind? Even if Sal completely isolated himself from Di in that future and acted like an asshole to her. She is still too nice of a person to sit back and let him go blind. Especially when the solution is just her walking up to him and saying, "Sal, copy a healing ability and use it to regularly fix your eyes or you'll go blind." To me it seems more likely that those future versions of Di don't warn Sal about going blind or find out Myth's ability because they can't see the future. And thus can't act on the information. Now as for do I think it's possible for someone to see a future where their future self can see the future. I'd say yes. Garnet from Steven Universe is a great example of this and also a great example of the downsides. If the future versions of you are capable of seeing and changing the future. It can give you bad case of decision paralysis. Since if you see a really bad scenario. You and the future versions of you are constantly going to look to the future and try multiple options to avoid the bad scenario. Only for you to panic and freeze when an hour has passed and your no closer to a correct solutions. Similar to when Di was being gaslit by that psychic demon in book 1. Or when Garnet sees that if Steven goes to Korea with his dad, then his dad will get kidnapped. And that was legitimately the best case scenario she could come to at the time. But that decision still lead to the entire team almost dying in space.

Darnell Maxwell

Now the question is, how long before Divinity calls to ask Sal what the hell he did.

Darnell Maxwell
>>147036844

Can she use it? Yes. But I think it will just help her better understand the context of the visions she sees since that is a struggle for her.

Joanne Hans

Sorry for your loss.

OffBy0x01
>>147028484

I usually love the crafting chapters but do have to agree somewhat here. It would be better if there was a little gap in between where Sal reaches out to a friend for help. Best opportunity would have been during the programming struggles. We know it isn't Sal's strong point, so rather than the visor making it work for him, it might have made sense for fabi to chip in? That then could have closed the gap on their contributions to each others development. As it stands right now, she'd inevitably feel indebted to Sal for fixing her weave (when the time comes). However, if she'd helped Sal with this she'd have contributed to the development of argento plaza, and could have been a talking point in future Maurice interactions over why Sal needs to order so many materials. Then when the meet at the gala, they've got a great reason to talk, and plenty to talk about.

Brandon Baier

Ahhh I need more chapters. I don’t know what I want more, to see the machine working or for him to meet fabi

C

Ugh... I think I am addicted. Please give more chapters, with and including chapter where we finally get to meet Fabi. I am rooting for the two of them even though we havent even met her yet. Also really excited to see where this machine goes, but i hope hasnt obsoleted crafters. P.s. Sorry for you loss.

Lumpenhans
>>147094350

I dont get how everyone thinks that the Machine makes the little crafters obsolet. There wont be a second one and Even if it could make one epic per day. So ca. 360 pieces a year. They are at war the loses at war for Equipment are so Great it is only a drop in the bucket. It will be a very good thing for the top 1000 from the hunters as for Sal Money und crafting wise, no more in less.

C
>>147094350

Why do you think there couldn't be a second one? I thought that was where this was going. We also do not know how fast it will make the equipment. This machine will not be making products for the top 1000 customers; it will most likely be making stuff for the bottom half of hunters, the dregs and the new recruits.

Nina Speicher

I liked the chapters but don't like the name for the machine (love MythOS for the operating system though). I think the machine should be called something along the lines of Hephaestos, who is the greek god of invention, craftsmen and metalworking (and a few other things). Too much Myth in the names as it is right now imo ... but I guess somebody with knowledge of the name would need to suggest it to Sal?

Chris Hoopes
>>147094350

The original plan was to make a vending machine that could be mass produced and make money off selling potions. Potions turned into gear and weapons. The current chapters suggest that it would he a huge cost sink to build a machine but Sal has documented and updated the specs every step of the way to make sure there is a method to recreate thos machine. The fact that the software will already be written when. He is done, plus the fact that it is upgrading itself makes it even more viable as a mass producable item. Probably not one in every house but atleast one in every city.

Darnell Maxwell

Last week I asked Sal for some consistency with who he boosts up. I'd like to take that request back. I've since realized that Sal decides who to help mostly through gut feeling and circumstance. Just like how he decides on which project to work on next. And I fully approve of that. Because more than anything I just want Sal to do what HE wants to do with HIS power. Whether that be working on weaves or creating for another 10 chapters straight. I'm all for it.

Tom Maxey
>>147028484

Great idea! Plus Fabi and Sal could meet as you said. Much better than the chapters written. I don't think Brain realizes that most people just don't care about the minutia he puts in about crafting. I tend to skip over it. Not only that, but I would guess I only read about 2 chapters of the 5 as I skimmed over most of the boring Dreadcloth blah blah blah stuff.

Ben Cooper

You have my condolences for your loss. Family takes priority, so as rabid as we all are for more chapters, that's inconsequential beside the needs of your loved ones. May you and yours all receive the care you need in the wake of your loss. As for the story, I can't help but notice that the self-improving crafting machine Sal just made - the construction requirements of which Sal has already documented - could be uploaded with the blueprints for its own components and supplied with the appropriate materials. Then the machine could craft all of the components for another machine, which would need only to be assembled, programmed (which could be refined to a simple upload of the MythOS if he can copy it onto some form of essence programming storage device), and then the new machine could upgraded in a similar manner, or not. He could theoretically bring a Mythos machine piecemeal to Quest academy, assemble it on-site, and then keep replicating itself, doubling over and over until they have a number of machines churning out common gear, with some of them upgraded to uncommon, rare, or maybe higher. The potential here is incredible, and the only limitation is crafting materials.

Dale Medford

From the ending lines in chapter 25 Petro says it's asking for more materials. But the output shown to us is about unlocking the different levels. If it gets high enough to do so could Sal put in blue prints for: 1. The 10 daggers he just finished 2. The sniper rifle that can make it to legendary 3. The coat that Rochelle wore in their dungeon run These all seem to be things that would sell really well in the auction. Maybe it would allow Sal to make enough money to buy the property he wants.

Ron Blondeau

Just thought of something last night. How is it ok with all the powers that be, such as the UGA or the Hunters bureau, in the story that Erika can make people do things that they don't want to?

C
>>147028484

I thought these chapters were the some of the best in the book so far. I am looking forward to seeing fabi, but really enjoyed this.

Tom Maxey
>>147028484

Everyone is different you like the minutia of crafting I find it mind numbing. We both like Brian’s writing. I like his storylines and character development and interactions . You like the craft stuff.

OffBy0x01
>>147028484

To be clear, I love the crafting chapters in general. I just thought the visor was used to explain away a lot of the complexity - felt like a crutch. We know Sal is special but he isn't a one many army, his weave is already enjoyably OP so it's not unfathomable that he would need help with the essence programming. What is unfathomable is that the the visor could do it all for him - Sal doesn't have the experience to know what it is he wants to achieve. Knowing the end result and knowing how to get there are very different!

Bruce Irwin

Thank you for all your outstanding work and I also want to say sorry for your loss. I am looking forward to the ball. I wonder how many evil step-sisters and mothers will be there? (Cinderella). I also find the development of the baseball-sized UAV fascinating. I hope that it includes the ability to deploy micro UAVs and/or nanobots. Effective recon assets will enhance victory by at least 50%. I would be interested to read some enemy thoughts. Who/what is the mastermind behind the demon portal invasion? Does Sal have an evil rival developing on the demon side or is it a human traitor? I think that Sal finding an obsolete mech and his crafting ability utilized to upgrade, it would be an intriguing storyline. BTW - I hate Erica the controller. Truly, an inspired villain.

Sam
>>147164681

Because she is the child of a well known and respected Hero.

Sam
>>147028484

Actually, knowing the end result is what Mythcrafter uses to work. It has frequently filled in for Sal's lack of knowledge and just does what needs to be done to meet Sal's end result.

Lumpenhans

Would be Kind of interesting if Sal could Upgrade the Maschin with the Dungeonheart. I bet Petro is going to get all Materials in Silver City und drop it into the Maschine next chapter

Ron Blondeau
>>147164681

I would have thought that her father, Neuro, would have stepped in by now. He did opt for Erika using an ability cancelling necklace so she could her strategic and physical abilities as a controller. I guess that didn't work after she tells Prestige that she sees her team mates as pawns. Looking forward to seeing how she is handled or has a perfonality change.

Darnell Maxwell
>>147164681

It's because they're at war with the demons. Only in the past decade and a half has any real progress been made. So they are far more forgiving of horrid shit happening to students so long as it makes the stronger ones better. Why punish Erika for mind fucking her classmates. It just helps her improve her power so that she can better use it to kill demons and clear towers after graduation. It's the same reason why we never heard about anything bad happening to that female speedster that broke a students legs. She only got punished because she put Sal in danger. The kid that made a legendary item in his first week at the academy and can not only make new powers but permanently fix the powers of others. If he was permanently injured during that excersize than her punishment would have been far worse. While in contrast if she had done that to Rochelle or Anthony. She would have probably gotten away with a warning at worst. It's not fair, but all is fair in love and war.

Sam
>>147164681

It does sound like he tries to put some limits on her (we've seen him tell her to stop once and in Sal's memories Neuro speaks harshly to her) but he can't completely keep her from using her powers. She has to use them to get better control. Though I think she was a better controller when her powers were removed. If she wants to use her powers, she shouldn't be a controller.

Sam
>>147164681

I don't like bullies either and I hope she changes but don't hold out much hope.

Chris Hoopes
>>147460240

I thought about this too. The dungeon heart could be the personality matrix for AI though. I don't think Sal's programing is advanced enough. Maybe after Fabi is on board she can help him build the AI.

ShadowOfHavoc

I loved the programing parts of these chapters. I do agree with Sal, Upgrade is going to kill him. Vanessa is going to lose her mind. And Divinity is already losing it I bet.

Fortunis

Holy shit. He's built an auto crafting machine capable of mass producing rare grade and better equipment. It bet that's how they figure out there are two crafting grades past Mythic. It upgrades itself.

Wes Brown

Only criticism I have is the chapters are too short.

Wolkenfels

MythOS is a killer name - finally a system i want to run on my machine!