Rise of the Grandmaster Read online

  Rise Of The Grandmaster

  Rise Of The Grandmaster™ Book One

  Bradford Bates

  Michael Anderle

  This book is a work of fiction.

  All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

  Copyright © 2019 by Bradford Bates& Michael Anderle

  Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

  A Michael Anderle Production

  LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  LMBPN Publishing

  PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

  Las Vegas, NV 89109

  First Edison, December 2019

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-64202-623-8

  Print ISBN: 978-1-64202-624-5

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Epilogue

  Author Notes - Bradford Bates

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  Books By Bradford Bates

  Books By Michael Anderle

  Connect with The Authors

  About Bradford Bates

  The Rise Of The Grandmaster Team

  Thanks to our beta readers

  Crystal Wren, Mary Morris, Kelly O'Donnell, John Ashmore, Larry Omans

  Thanks to the JIT Readers

  Angel LaVey

  Billie Leigh Kellar

  Dave Hicks

  Deb Mader

  Diane L. Smith

  Dorothy Lloyd

  Jackson Hendricks

  Jeff Eaton

  Jeff Goode

  Joshua Ahles

  Peter Manis

  If I’ve missed anyone, please let me know!

  Editor

  The Skyhunter Editing Team

  Chapter One

  A baritone voice blared from the speakers above the stage. “Do you have what it takes to be an adventurer?”

  Tim bumped his shoulder into Xander’s and leaned over to whisper to his best friend. He kept his eyes on the stage. “Can you believe this shit?”

  “I know, right? Since when do college graduations have corporate sponsors?” Xander asked, scowling.

  On the stage, a man in a neatly pressed suit started to talk about NPC Corp’s new game, The Etheric Coast.

  At least Xander understood how Tim was feeling.

  It wasn’t the game or the pitch that had him so upset. All he wanted to do was play The Etheric Coast, but he’d never be able to afford a POD for the full immersive experience.

  Tim’s parents didn’t even have enough money to fly out for graduation, and they still had his brother and sister to put through college.

  A smaller hand clamped down on Tim’s and Xander’s shoulders, and sweet breath brushed the nape of his neck as the owner of the hand whispered, “I didn’t hear you two masters of industry complaining when NPC Corp updated the internet on campus.” Sierra leaned back and pointed at Tim. “I remember you saying something like, ‘Holy flaming shit balls, Xander! This is better than sex!’”

  Tim turned around to look at the girl he’d failed to get up the courage to ask on a date for the last four years. Jet-black hair framed Sierra’s light complexion, making her seem almost angelic.

  How could he have been such an idiot? Had he realized too late that no internet in the world would ever be better than the woman sitting behind him right now?

  Tim smiled, his cheeks burning. “I might have been exaggerating.” He held his finger and thumb a pinch apart to demonstrate.

  Xander copied the motion, being a little bit more generous with his measurement. “Not by much.”

  Sierra glared briefly at Xander, then turned her gaze toward Tim as if Xander had never spoken. “Oh, I don’t think it’s a cable issue.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ve heard that finding the right partner can make all the difference with your connection.”

  Tim spluttered. If he’d been drinking, he would have sprayed liquid all over her lap. Had Sierra just hit on him?

  If there was one thing Tim was sure he could get comfortable with, it was hot women hitting on him.

  They were about to graduate, so this would probably be the last time he saw her. The girl he’d been crushing on for the last four years was sitting with him right now. All he had to do was make a move. What was it Xander was always telling him to do? Nut up or shut up?

  It was time to nut up.

  “Speaking of connections, what are you doing tonight?” Tim was barely able to stop himself from slamming his palm into his forehead repeatedly. Maybe it didn’t sound as bad out loud as it had in his head?

  “Not you.” Sierra leaned back in her chair with a cocky grin on her face.

  Nope. It obviously sounded just as cheesy to her as it did to him. Why was it things always sounded so damn cool in your head, but the second you said them, you realized they weren’t nearly as awesome as you had predicted?

  The grin on her face was what he chose to focus on. It didn’t say, “Eww, gross!” Instead, her smile hinted that they might get to put that connec
tion theory to the test if he expended a little more effort.

  Xander poked Tim hard in the chest, stirring him out of what was turning into a pretty decent daydream. “When are you going to learn, dude? She’s just not into you.”

  Glenn nudged Tim from the seat on his left. “Probably ’cause of your micro-penis.” He shrugged. “Word gets around.”

  His chance at getting Sierra’s number went up in smoke…

  “Fuck you,” Tim growled, glaring at his two best friends. “And you. I thought you guys were supposed to have my back?”

  Xander shook his head. “Sorry, buddy. Rule thirty-six, subsection B in the best friend manual states that it’s incumbent upon you as a best friend to make sure your faithful coconspirator has no ego whatsoever.”

  “What does your magic rulebook say about throwing your friend under the bus in front of a girl he likes?” Tim grumbled.

  Glenn pretended to open a book and thumb through its imaginary pages before stopping and pointing like he’d found a clue. “Right here! This passage clearly states you will always be better off trying to pick up girls without the help of your best friends.”

  Xander grinned. “See, man? The book never lies.”

  Sierra leaned forward again as the man on stage started winding things down. “I’ll make the three of you a deal.” She scowled at the three of them. “If the three of you can keep your mouths shut for the entire video, I’ll come to your party tonight.”

  “Dude!” Glenn shouted.

  “Right.” Xander poked Tim again. “I dare you to say that we aren’t the two best friends any guy could have?”

  Tim wrapped an arm around his best friends’ necks and gently crushed their heads against his own. “Don’t screw this up for me.” The look he gave them heavily implied their deaths wouldn’t come quickly if they messed with his chance to see Sierra again.

  They broke into peals of laughter, but as soon as the video began to play, his two best friends stopped instantly. Tim knew it was hard for the two Neanderthals to keep their mouths shut for more than thirty seconds. Shit, he hadn’t been able to make them do it in four whole years.

  Maybe beauty really could tame the beast.

  If his two favorite assholes could keep their mouths shut, maybe he’d finally get to talk to Sierra for more than five seconds. Tim would only get to find out if his two amigos could keep up their end of the deal. Not likely, but hopefully, it would be good enough. He leaned back in his chair and watched the video, thinking about all the wonderful opportunities the future might hold.

  A group of five players sat on the ground, gasping as they tried to catch their breath. It appeared items in the game had durability values, since all of the group's armor was ripped and torn. It was hard to tell for sure, but it looked as though a few of the blades actually had notches in them from being used.

  Tim wondered if the items could be repaired or if they had to be replaced after the item degraded past a certain point. Everything about The Etheric Coast screamed reality. Dented weapons and armor just added another layer, and Tim forgot he wasn’t actually there for a moment.

  Each member of the party glanced at the yawning archway in front of them, clearly unsure if they could—or even wanted to—continue.

  One of the party members, a woman wearing flowing white robes, rose to her feet.

  “Thank the bloody stars,” the dwarf grumbled. “I was starting to think Jenn’s mana would never regenerate.”

  Another woman in a tight leather ensemble purred, “Tell me about it. What kind of sick Dev thinks up a mechanic like that?” The player name over her head read LadyCat.

  Jenn thrust her scepter into the air with a flourish. Her head bowed almost as if in prayer as she recited lines from the book in her off hand. White light streamed from the scepter, forming a glowing dome above the players.

  With a flash, the light winked out, and a gentle mist started falling from the air above them. Each of the party members stood, letting the healing mist wash over them.

  Tim watched in fascination as their wounds began to close and their health bars rose.

  The party’s weapons and armor still looked dinged and broken, but they were all slightly cleaner now. The overlay on the screen showed them at full health.

  The healer fell to her knees, groaning. Tim could see that her mana bar was depleted. Was there some kind of blowback for pushing yourself too far?

  A man moved away from the group toward Jenn. On his back was a bow almost as large as he was; an arrow from a weapon like that would be able to penetrate full plate armor. How strong did you have to be to use it?

  The name displayed above the bow wielder’s head was Jack. He pulled a vial of bright blue liquid from inside his vest and handed it to Jenn.

  Jenn looked up at him gratefully and put the vial to her lips. As she rose to her feet, her mana bar continued to fill.

  Tim watched her mana bar top out as she finished the last sip.

  Tim wondered if the potion increased her natural mana regeneration, or if the blue liquid had the additional effect of continued restoration for a short period of time?

  The rest of the group ignored the two as they walked back to the party. Everyone was too busy tightening the straps on their armor or putting the last few licks of the whetstone to their blades.

  When everyone looked ready, a burly dwarf covered from head to toe in battered plate mail lifted his shield and turned toward the others. “Ready check,” the dwarf growled.

  Jenn had her book under one arm and her scepter held in front of her. “Ready, OakGut.”

  “Ready.” Jack pulled the giant bow from behind his back.

  LadyCat spun her daggers in her palms before slamming them home in the sheaths on her hips. “Ready.”

  The last man in the party was wearing a hooded robe, and his head was bowed in concentration. The entire group turned to stare at him.

  OakGut kicked at the ground in front of him and sucked in a deep lungful of air before bellowing, “Brixon!”

  Brixon pushed back the hood of his robe and flashed a warm smile at the surly dwarf. “Sorry, boss. I was just setting up some epic tunes.”

  The crowd laughed, and whatever the dwarf said next was lost in the roar of the audience.

  OakGut smashed his axe against his shield, growling an oath to some forgotten god as he entered the archway. LadyCat followed him, dropping into a stealthy crouch as she crossed the threshold. Brixon and Jack entered next, and Jenn brought up the rear.

  The camera pulled back as they entered the next room, revealing a large cavern. Giant stone pillars lined the circular space. There was something different about the columns. They almost seemed to be racks for gigantic casks of alcohol.

  Tim looked at the top of the screen. Is that a giant beer keg set up against the back wall?

  In the center of the room stood what looked like a simple, low-level goblin. His name was displayed in a fancier font that indicated he was a dangerous creature called the BrewMaster.

  The little green man bounced from foot to foot with a giant smile plastered across his face. He had a metal brewer’s stick in one hand, and a tiny keg strapped to his back.

  Maybe this wasn’t the boss. It was always possible he just made beer, but Tim’s previous gaming experience screamed at him to pay attention.

  Something interesting was about to happen.

  The BrewMaster grinned at the adventurers, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. He pulled a small glass from a loop on his belt, then reached up to his shoulder and grabbed a hose. He pumped the device on his back twice, and beer streamed into the glass. The goblin drained the entire glass like a frat boy taking a shot before letting out a belch that shook the screen.

  “Oh, that does hit the spot.” The goblin started dancing from foot to foot again as he grew in size.

  It was like watching someone Hulk out in a movie, except this guy had easily quintupled in size. He now looked more like a cave troll than a goblin.
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  Tim heard a couple guys off to his right start to chuckle. “Now that is a trick I have to learn. Drink a beer and grow three sizes.”

  Xander couldn’t resist. “That’s what Monica said after you went out last Friday.”

  Tim smirked as his best friend got punched in the shoulder. I hope Sierra didn’t hear that, even though it was hilarious. No joke was good enough to put their deal at risk. He turned his eyes back toward the screen, praying Xander hadn’t ruined his chance.

  The keg of beer on the BrewMaster’s back was now big enough for a grown man to drown in, and the brewer’s paddle he carried had ugly-looking spikes poking out of it at all angles.