The Fourth Secret: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 4) by A. Kay (best short books to read .TXT) 📕

The three Workers smiled and looked relieved. Five minutes later Ruwen sat on the edge of the battlements, a complicated rope harness attaching him to an anchor. His feet swung over empty air and he dropped into a level three meditative state to stop the fear from engulfing his mind.

With the fear held at bay, Ruwen thought logically about his situation. Falling, while terrifying, wouldn’t be fatal. So the fear he felt was irrational. The time for avoiding this work was long past. If he didn’t go through with it, word would spread that fear had overcome the Overlord.

While Ruwen didn’t care that much what people thought of him personally, as a leader, the importance of courage and bravery had immense value. Right now he wasn’t Ruwen, but the Overlord of New Eiru. Thousands would fight tomorrow to protect this city, and doubts about their leader would only harm morale.

Ruwen relaxed as an astonishing realization occurred to him. He could be terrified and irrational, while the Overlord displayed courage.

Leaving the level three meditation, Ruwen looked down at the distant ground, and his stomach clenched again in panic.

The Overlord feels no fear, Ruwen thought, and pushed himself off the ledge.

Chapter 66

Ruwen, or more precisely, the Overlord, free of the crippling fear of heights, quickly became an expert at fortifying the city wall. He had never used the level three Worker ability Third Hand before, but used it now to hold himself against the wall while using his two hands to remove and then replace stone blocks.

Two hours later, Ruwen paused to give his team a break. He remained hanging from the wall, assuring them he could take his break here. He left the Overlord in place and opened the notifications that had piled up.

The first nineteen were all the same.

Shing!

You have advanced a skill!

Skill: Stonemason

Level: 19

Effect: Increase construction and repair speed by 38%. Increase durability by 19%.

In hindsight, he should have worn his Falcon Gloves of Training. They would have doubled his skill advancement. But the more he thought about it, he decided the loss of Armor Class by removing his Overseer gloves probably didn’t justify the skill levels. He could still fall after all, and the AC is what would save him.

The next notification Ruwen had expected. Elder Vachyl had said they had revived over ten thousand combatants, but the quest must have counted them differently. Only now, with their shift to completely reviving people who could fight, had the quest completed.

Ting!

You have completed the quest “The Southern Front (Part 2)”

You have received 90,000 experience (75,000*(1.2 Tutor Modifier))!

Ruwen had created the structure of the War Council and revived ten thousand warriors. He smiled behind his Overseer’s Cowl, happy to have completed this quest before the enemy arrived.

The smile turned into a grin at the next notification.

Ting!

You have completed the quest “Foundations (Part 2)”

You have received 90,000 experience (75,000*(1.2 Tutor Modifier))!

Ruwen had avoided checking the city’s Fortification Effectiveness, but now he opened his map and then the New Eiru tab.

The Fortification Effectiveness had increased from fifteen percent three days ago, to seventy-two percent currently. The quest had wanted him to organize the City Council and get the Fortification Effectiveness to seventy percent.

Ruwen’s skin flushed at the next notification.

Ding!

Uru’s Blessings, Worker! You have reached level 24.

You have gained +1 to Strength!

You have gained +1 to Stamina!

You have 2 unassigned points.

Uru’s Blessings, Root! You have reached level 24.

You have 2 unassigned points.

New Spells and Abilities are available to you. Choose wisely.

Once again, he marveled at his rapid advancement, and looked at his experience total.

Experience:60,524/300,000

Ruwen’s other points had increased as well, and he now had four attribute points, fifteen spell points, and twelve ability points available for assignment.

When he’d first gotten these quests, he’d thought they were trivial. Now, after spending days getting people to put aside their biases and agree on what benefited New Eiru the most, his perspective had changed completely. He found managing people exhausting and didn’t know how Hamma’s mom or Big D did it every day.

The quests themselves though were a terium mine of experience. And thankfully, he’d gotten two more.

Ting!

You have received the quest…

Foundations (Part 3)

Defend the city and the precious temple it guards from the invading army. Increase Fortification Effectiveness to 95% and create a settling plan for the remaining population.

Reward: 100,000 experience

Accept or Decline

Ruwen chose Accept and moved to the next one.

Ting!

You have received the quest…

The Southern Front (Part 3)

Drive back the invading armies and destroy 75% of their revival baths or 50% of their revival resources.

Reward: 100,000 experience

Accept or Decline

Ruwen chose Accept again as the team returned above him.

How are you doing? Ruwen asked Hamma in Chat.

Better. Dad wants to know everything he missed these past years.

Do you need anything?

No, I’m doing fine. Thanks for asking. What are you doing?

Just hanging out and helping where I can. I’ll probably stay out here a bit. Let me know if you need me, okay.

I will.

Ruwen continued to work through the night, the crew above him changing twice. Ever since he’d Cultivated for the first time, his need for food, water, and sleep had disappeared. As his Stonemason skill increased, he didn’t need to focus as intently, which gave him time to think.

Do you think this Overlord thing I’m doing is weird? Ruwen asked Rami.

It’s no different from the Scarecrow Aspect or why I suggested this Overseer armor.

That surprised Ruwen. You lost me.

Why do you like hoods?

The same reason I like masks. I think they look cool.

I’m sure there is some of that. But it goes deeper. The hood or mask allows you to be something you’re not. Or at least you don’t believe you are. They’re like cocoons that allow you to mature and gain confidence. Someday, you may still wear them, but you won't need them.

That is not the answer I expected.

Rami’s quick analysis of Ruwen’s behavior made him uncomfortable. He felt predictable and a little vulnerable. But he did become someone else when wearing a