Making Game: CH 149 – Road to Astera (Patreon)

Weeks passed in a blur of relentless development. The galactic calendar marked exactly four months away from the highly anticipated release of Monster Hunter.

Far away from the glittering core worlds, a completely different kind of revolution was solidifying. We return to the homeworld of the Dagmani. The entire race had undergone a massive cultural and political shift, proudly renaming themselves Asgardians after the Order of Bepoo successfully unified the fractured planet.

Horus stood at the absolute center of this new world order as the Pope of the Order. As the man who wielded the combat mastery directly from the sacred Mastery Cave, his authority was absolute. Under his strict guidance, the Asgardians were actively leveraging their blessed lands. 

Their planet was overflowing with high-yield plasma minerals, a highly coveted resource that allowed Horus to open diplomatic talks with the Stellar Accord. 

The ultimate goal was to cement the Dagmani race on the official Accord registry. The borders were still heavily restricted, however the Accord forces were at least refraining from blocking or attacking them for the time being.

Inside the grand chamber of the unified temple, the High Priests gathered for council.

Atum, The Earth-breaker and High Priest of Mining Mastery, crossed his heavy arms. "This diplomatic approach is entirely futile. Sooner or later, the Accord will simply march in and seize these lands by force."

Bennu, The Pathfinder and High Priest of Foraging Mastery, shook his head. "That's highly unlikely. As long as we strictly adhere to our ancient traditions to maintain the land and build in perfect harmony with nature, they will find themselves at a severe tactical disadvantage on our soil."

Nehsy, The Sustainer and High Priest of Farming Mastery, let out a frustrated sigh. "We need to actively progress as a society. We can't simply sit back and rely on Bepoo too much for our salvation."

A sharp collective gasp echoed through the stone chamber. The other High Priests were visibly taken aback by her blasphemous notion of speaking about their deity in such a casual, dismissive manner.

Horus raised his hand, silencing the rising tension. "Enough. Nehsy is correct. We have all seen the sheer scale of their technology and their devastating power. My eyes were completely opened when we secretly extended our hands to help the revolutionaries. Ula introduced us to technology far beyond our current capability and imagination. What he showed us is a mere speck of what the Stellar Accord can actually provide. It opens the entire galaxy to our people. We shall see exactly where these peace talks bring us. For now, we must restructure our strength."

Horus immediately began issuing firm orders to the council. "Nehsy, I want you to distribute our blessed crops and foods to the newly folded Dagmani factions to secure their loyalty within our ranks. Atum, I need you to overclock the great furnaces. Use all of our reserve minerals to forge more weapons and heavy armor."

He continued assigning tasks to fortify their new nation. Eventually, his eyes landed on Hapi, The Tide-caller. The High Priest of Fishing Mastery had been staring blankly at the floor for the entire meeting.

"You have been awfully quiet, Hapi," Horus noted, his voice echoing in the large room. "Why haven't you said anything?"

Hapi looked up, his expression deeply troubled. "It is about our god, Bepoo."

The other priests immediately leaned in, their focus entirely locked onto the Tide-caller.

Hapi took a slow, heavy breath to elaborate. "Do you remember the heliopad Ula gifted us? It contains interactive software programs called video games."

Horus furrowed his brow in deep confusion. "Where is this going?"

"I strongly believe we are by no means the only ones who know of Bepoo," Hapi revealed, his voice trembling slightly. "There is a specific game on that device called Stardew Valley. Inside this digital world, there is a very familiar cave. It is the exact same cave that gave us our blessings, and it grants the exact same powers to the players."

The heavy information rattled the grand chamber. A suffocating silence and profound incredulity instantly filled the room as the High Priests tried to process the impossible truth.

…

The clock kept ticking without mercy. Another entire month passed in a flash, bringing the galaxy ever closer to the monumental release of Monster Hunter.

Round Table Studio took a completely unorthodox approach to their marketing campaign. The advertisements for their newest title were completely absent from the massive holographic billboards lining the core world hyperlanes. They ignored the expensive broadcasting slots on traditional network channels. 

Instead, RTS executed a flawless, surgical strike on the digital ecosystem. The heavy, metallic logo and the deafening roar of the Rathalos dominated every single social media timeline. The trailers played before almost every video on Stellarcast, and the banner ads saturated every corner of the Avalon forums.

Inside those very forums, the different gaming communities buzzed loudly within their own isolated bubbles, each entirely consumed by their specific obsessions.

The Stardew Valley section remained a haven of pure, cozy excitement. As the oldest game on the RTS roster, one might expect the player base to slowly dwindle.

However, the exact opposite was true. The community was absolutely thriving, heavily fueled by the studio's relentless drop of massive Community DLCs.

A pinned megathread titled "Pokemon Farming Collab - Layouts & Strats!" dominated the front page.

ParsnipKing: Can we just take a second to appreciate how RTS just keeps feeding us? A full storyline integration with Pokemon? I just assigned my newly hatched Bulbasaur to water my entire pumpkin patch and the animation is the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Pelican_Townie: We are eating so good right now. The sheer longevity of this game is insane. Also, did you guys see the news about the modder who made the original automated tractor script? He officially got picked up, his project funded, and now he runs his own indie studio. Absolute dream outcome.

Marnies_Nephew: Does anyone know the optimal grid layout for the Miltank barns? I am trying to maximize my daily Moomoo Milk production to make premium cheese, however the Miltanks need double the grazing space of regular cows.

Joja_Defector: Use the expanded greenhouse mod setup! Also, the new dialogue options with Professor Oak visiting the Stardrop Saloon are hilarious.

A few digital sub-sectors away, the atmosphere shifted drastically. The Hades section of the Avalon forum was a high-octane, chaotic battleground of theory-crafters and hardcore speedrunners.

The lingering, heavily debated rumors of a potential Hades 2 sequel were the primary glue holding the lore-hungry side of the community together. However, the actual active players were far too busy tearing the current game apart to wait for a sequel. 

These were the elite players who pushed every single fraction of a second on the global record boards. Having exhausted the base content, they constantly invented brutal, self-imposed challenges.

A highly volatile thread titled "The Ultimate Run Debate: Cast-Only vs No-Boon" was currently on fire.

BloodPrice: I just finally cracked a sub-8 minute clear on a Cast-Only run using the Aspect of Poseidon. My fingers are physically cramping.

ElysiumReject: Cast-only is basically easy mode. You just drop the crystals and run away. Try completing a No-Boon run on 32 Heat. I spent four straight hours dying to the Minotaur yesterday.

Styx_Surfer: You guys are both weak. The true peak of masochism is the Full Defiance Dash-Attack Only run. If you stop moving for even one second to do a standard attack, the run is void. The muscle memory required for the final boss fight is sickening.

Zag_Swag: Has anyone found any new datamined strings for the sequel? The suspense is killing me. I need new weapons to master.

ElysiumReject: Ignore the rumors, focus on the grind. Also, @Styx_Surfer, Dash-Attack only is mathematically easier because of the innate invincibility frames. No-Boon strips your base damage entirely. We can debate this in a private message if you want to compare clear screens.

The players shared countless spreadsheets, optimal routing tricks, and heavily edited gameplay clips. While the rest of the galaxy prepared for the arrival of massive hunting beasts, the dedicated veterans of RTS's older titles continued to build their own sprawling empires within the digital worlds Arthur had already created.

…

Yet another month flew by in a flurry of activity. The highly anticipated release of Monster Hunter was now exactly two months away. Back at Round Table Studio, the entire team was experiencing their busiest day on record.

However, Arthur was far away from the Friton headquarters. Somewhere in the bustling, commercial district of Sela, Arthur sat inside an upscale executive suite. He had equipped his Hades profile, sitting comfortably in the imposing form of Zagreus.

He firmly shook hands with Elah Tan to seal their latest agreement.

"Thank you so much for trusting us with the production of this new cartoon series," Elah said, a bright, professional smile on her face.

Arthur held her grip for a second longer. "I genuinely hope you can deliver on my trust, Miss Tan."

Elah nodded confidently. "You have elevated us tremendously. Novaframe Pictures will always deliver exactly what Mr. Pendragon envisions his projects."

Standing beside the heavy glass table, Raja Farzir handed over both the encrypted digital copy and the physical paper copy of the finalized contract to Vond Tan.

"With this agreement," Raja stated smoothly, "our official cooperation in making the Pokemon animated series will officially start."

Vond let out a very tired, exhausted smile as he took the heavy documents. "It was quite a grueling challenge to negotiate these terms with your studio, Raja. I am just glad we both ultimately got exactly what we wanted."

Elah playfully slapped her little brother on the back. "Oh, ignore what my vice president says. I am entirely satisfied with this incredible deal."

Arthur simply chuckled, adjusting his dark suit jacket. "Now, shall we go eat dinner?"

Elah laughed warmly. "That we absolutely shall do. After hashing out this kind of massive deal, I think it is safe to say we are all starving."

Raja offered a polite, soft nod of agreement. Vond carefully tucked the heavy contract into a secure, biometric briefcase.

Arthur smiled and gestured toward the door. "Then let us go. I have heard there is a brand new, viral food spot opening nearby that we should try."

…

Meanwhile, on the distant archive world of Ardota Prime, a completely different kind of investigation was taking place.

Deep inside the Grand Library, hidden away in the highly restricted Preservers section, Yna was thoroughly engrossed in her own personal research. Playing Assassin's Creed had led her down a massive, sprawling trail of questions.

She desperately wanted to know exactly where Arthur Pendragon got such detailed, grounded world-building. Why did he specifically pick the aesthetic and cultural themes of Assassin's Creed?

Initially, she realized the game's architectural settings were incredibly close to the aesthetics of Planet Vorcia. That was a localized world she could easily visit and learn from. Her relentless digging eventually led her to a truth she could barely believe. The game's deeper historical roots actually pointed toward a completely extinct civilization.

As an official Preserver, Yna possessed the highest security clearance to access restricted materials hidden around the Grand Library. Her solemn oath and the lethal micro-bomb implanted inside her head served as a constant, grim reminder. Her curiosity had to remain strictly academic. She was stationed here to do one single thing: learn and preserve the galaxy's history.

Because of her absolute clearance, absolutely no one glanced an eye or questioned her when she rummaged around the deepest classified documents and sealed historical records.

After hours of searching, she finally found it. She held a dusty data puck containing the last known records of Planet Arcavy. It was a destroyed, forgotten planet that possessed a native language sounding exactly like the Latin spoken in the Assassin's Creed universe.

Yna sat down at a private terminal and loaded the data puck. As she listened to the audio logs, she realized she had hit yet another dead end. The language sounded remarkably similar, yet the grammatical structure and daily usage were completely different from the game's dialogue.

She could not help but let out a heavy sigh of disappointment.

As the recording reached its final moments, a chilling visual feed flickered onto the screen. Yna saw a solitary figure floating silently in the upper atmosphere of the doomed planet.

Her heart skipped a beat. This figure was the center of another one of her personal hobbies. He was her absolute idol, a being she deeply admired from afar.

It was the Celestarch.

Yna had obviously never seen the legendary figure in person. She only knew him from heavily redacted combat recordings. On the screen, the Celestarch slowly raised his hand.

From the sheer, terrifying force of his gesture, the surface of Planet Arcavy began to tear apart ever so slowly. As the Celestarch violently clenched his fist, the entire gravitational core of the planet collapsed. The world literally sank into a singularity of nothingness.

The recording abruptly ended right there. Planet Arcavy was simply no more.

Instead of feeling horror, Yna smiled widely as she ejected the data puck and placed it back into the secure vault. The destruction only fueled her passion. She stood up from the terminal, completely energized and ready to hunt down the next historical clue.

After all, just like her famous handle name on the Avalon forums suggested, she was a lore seeker, loreseeker_Yna.

…

Another month flew by in a blur of anticipation. The release of Monster Hunter was right around the corner. In exactly thirty days, gamers across the galaxy would finally be able to dive into the untamed wilds.

For the Kepler family, however, the day held a much more significant meaning. Marcus was finally coming home.

A sleek transport ship descended toward the Kepler estate landing pad, its thrusters kicking up a warm breeze across the grassy fields. The boarding ramp had barely touched the ground when Marcus stepped out. Without missing a beat, he broke into a sprint, running straight toward his waiting family.

The Kepler family was whole once again.

John stepped forward and pulled his youngest son into a tight hug. "It must have been rough out there."

Marcus simply smiled, a quiet confidence radiating from him. Lyra stepped up next, her eyes widening as she took in her little brother's sudden growth. In just four short months at the training camp, he had shot up like a weed. She realized she now had to tiptoe just to pat him on the head.

"What exactly did they feed you to make you grow this big?" Lyra asked, laughing in disbelief.

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. "Mostly roasted bugs and whatever wild hunts we managed to catch during survival training."

Dorian let out a long sigh and crossed his arms. "You should have come straight back after the two-month training camp ended. Joining an active Apex Guild mission right after graduation was incredibly reckless."

Marcus just scratched his head, offering a sheepish grin.

"Thankfully, Juno called and told me exactly what you did," Dorian continued, his tone softening slightly. "We were almost worried sick when you did not show up on the transport manifest with the rest of the new recruits."

John held up a hand to cut the lecture short. "It is entirely fine, son. He is clearly exhausted, so let him rest for today."

Dorian relented, a small smile breaking through his stern facade. He reached out and slapped Marcus on the back. "Go on then. Get inside."

"Ow!" Marcus yelped, rubbing his shoulder.

Dorian raised an eyebrow. "You are an Aegis branch Bulwark now, Marcus. There is zero chance a light tap hurt you."

Marcus grinned back. "You are definitely stronger than you thought then."

Before they could head inside, two massive blurs of fur and fire bolted across the yard. Arcanine and Houndoom rushed toward their returning master with explosive speed. The combined kinetic force of both Pokemon was still way too much for Marcus to handle. He went down hard onto the grass, completely buried under a mountain of fur as Ted and Teddy frantically licked his face to greet him.

Marcus laughed loudly, trying to shield his face from the enthusiastic assault. "Alright, alright! Ted, Teddy, sit down!"

Both Pokemon immediately stopped their attack and sat perfectly still, their tails thumping wildly against the ground. Marcus sat up and wiped the dog slobber from his cheek. "Good boys." He reached out and gave them both heavy, affectionate pats on the head.

Standing a few feet away, Lyra's Umbreon and Altaria watched the chaotic reunion. The two elegant Pokemon practically rolled their eyes, their body language clearly stating that Ted and Teddy were far too pampered. High above the mansion roof, Articuno and Charizard circled lazily in the clear sky, while the Shiny Metagross kept a strict, watchful eye over the rest of the wild Pokemon grazing in the expansive pasture.

Marcus had finally come back. What greeted him was the warm embrace of his family and the vibrant life of the Pokemon surrounding their estate.

Speaking of Pokemon, Arthur had implemented a very specific strategy regarding the physical trading card game. To prevent predatory markets from his past life. Arthur made sure every single card set was printed every year. All these efforts are to ensure retail stock never runs out.

Because of this strict manufacturing policy, scalpers were entirely starved out of the ecosystem. The secondary market saw absolutely no absurd price spikes for standard booster boxes. This approach gave the entire card-collecting hobby a much healthier environment for long-term growth.

This accessible model actually birthed a massive industry of its own. Several other entertainment franchises quickly followed the trend, attempting to launch their own physical trading card games. Some failed miserably, while others managed to carve out a highly successful niche. 

The sudden boom also elevated adjacent supporting businesses. Companies like the Professional Card Authenticator, commonly known as PCA, grew larger and larger as thousands of players sought official condition grading for their pristine card pulls.

However, the endless printing of standard sets certainly did not mean the game lacked exclusive, highly sought-after treasures. Arthur introduced true one-of-one illustration cards specifically designed to reward exceptional players.

For example, when the famous Stellarcaster Shiny Sharly finally completed her entirely shiny Pokedex in the digital game, Arthur personally gifted her a physical reward. It was a one-of-one Shiny Ninetales Special Art Rare, printed exclusively to commemorate her monumental achievement. 

Other dedicated players could occasionally earn similar one-of-one Special Art Rare cards by securing official tournament victories or participating in highly specific promotional events. 

It created the perfect balance between mass accessibility and legendary rarity, ensuring the magic of the hobby remained completely intact for everyone involved.

…

The final thirty days dissolved into an agonizing blur of anticipation for gamers across the galaxy. The relentless hype train finally ground to a halt, opening its doors for the waiting masses to eagerly step aboard.

The exact second the global countdown timer struck zero, an unprecedented tidal wave of digital traffic flooded the network. The two largest gaming distributors in the galaxy, Void and Heliostore, had integrated their backend systems to push the massive player influx directly into the dedicated Round Table Studio servers. It was a highly calculated risk to manage the overwhelming global load.

Across the galaxy, players are ready to open their eyes to find themselves standing in the bustling, sunlit hub of Astera. They gripped their heavy greatswords, loaded their bowguns, and strapped on their leather armor. The long wait was finally over. The hunters were officially unleashed onto the untamed wilds.

⋘ 𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒂.. .⋙

🎮:- Stardwey Valley: Completed.- Hades: Completed.- Pokémon: Completed.- Assassin Creed: Completed.- Monster Hunter: 100% ██████████

VR: - Sky: Children of the Light: Completed.- ???: ◌ Loading…

🎬:- Spirited Away: Completed.

♬:- Your Song – Elton John (ch.9)- A Lovely Night – La La Land (ch.20)- Merry Go Round of Life – Howl's Moving Castle (ch.25)- Small Fragile Hearts – Victor Lundberg (ch. 27)- Skyfall – Adele (ch. 29)- No Time To Die – Billie Eilish (ch. 30)- Yesterday – The Beatles (ch. 32)- Lovely – Billie Eilish, Khalid (ch. 47)- Best Part – H.E.R. feat. Daniel Caesar (ch. 67)- Lovely Day – Bill Withers (ch. 68)- My Song – Labi Siffre (ch. 75)- Isn't She Lovely – Stevie Wonder (ch. 89)- Gotta Catch 'Em All – Pokémon OST (ch. 90)- Don't Stop Me Now – Queens (ch. 102)- Grow As We Go – Ben Platt (ch. 102)- Feeling Good – Michael Bublé (ch. 104)- You'll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins (ch. 105)- We Will Rock You – Queen (ch. 108)- The Bones – Maren Morris feat. Hozier (ch. 110)- Achilles, Come Down – Gang Of Youths (ch. 111)- Wind of Change – Scorpions (ch. 113)- From The Start – Laufey (ch. 126)