No Need for a Core?

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

An ancient, dreadfully powerful entity that had once been sealed away to slowly fade into oblivion is revived by a chance encounter, though in a much reduced state. A temple monk on her way home for a vacation is distracted into exploring a newly formed Spiritual Nexus due to the cuteness of its rabbit monsters, leading to an entirely unexpected chain of events. A kitsune whose death caused a goddess to pity her fate and revive her as a reincarnated Nexus Core, a land spirit of endless potential but whose life is tied to a crystal sphere that must be carefully guarded. Thrown together by a twist of luck, these three navigate a complex relationship and build their own rules to live by. But there are those who are not pleased to see the return of this ancient being. The primary romantic relationship is poly and mutual. Mildcontent warning: Occasional swearing, "fade to black", Public Displays of Affection, typical fantasy violence (no unnecessary gore),rareinstances of "disturbing content", and never in detail. The release schedule is currently every Sunday Only authorized on Royal Road, Scribble Hub, and r/RedditSerials Cover Art done by Tsuu and Navae

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2022
Author: Zagaroth

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 2,515
Views: 2,111,842

What readers say about No Need for a Core?

“Decently well written, interesting character backstories without being overdone, a nice developing relationship from their initial start with an overarching plot slowly progressing in the background. The dungeon isn't a system style one but rather a more fr…”
3034meRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“Seventeen thumbs up!! If you are in the reviews trying to decide if this story is for you, IT IS. No Need for a Core? is going to be EPIC! The characters are unique and life-like. Everything has obviously been well thought out. The plot is gripping, and it…”
BobCharlieRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

3034meRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Decently well written, interesting character backstories without being overdone, a nice developing relationship from their initial start with an overarching plot slowly progressing in the background. The dungeon isn't a system style one but rather a more free style dungeon with some background rules and mechanisms that is well explained and has a balanced approach to with between the two cores.
BobCharlieRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Seventeen thumbs up!!
If you are in the reviews trying to decide if this story is for you, IT IS. No Need for a Core? is going to be EPIC!
The characters are unique and life-like. Everything has obviously been well thought out. The plot is gripping, and it's hard to stop reading!
The scenery is vividly detailed, from the very first conversation, the character dialogue is top notch, and the story itself is wholly engaging.
This series will stand firm among the best of the Genre. I can't wait to see where it takes me next!!
Back to binging 🤣
Edit: IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER!!!!
August LupineRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The author paints a rich setting and brings to life layered and nuanced characters. I look forward to seeing their development in the face of life's challenges. I also look forward to their character's growth and development through this serialized novel.
The early chapters are a bit rough, but the writer's style quickly improves as they find their voice.
DracoocardRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
No Need for a Core has a lot to say on many topics. Redemption, growing up, understanding, passion, love, ethics and many many more but it doesn't just give an answer it takes that answer and views it from as many directions as it can, not to find flaws but to understand. It packs lessons into it's core narrative that can be deep and difficult to unwrap. The story is very silly in places but deeply serious at others with a vast array of characters yet not one feels truly shallow. It's narrative is third person which means it can often be unreliable, the switching of POV while common highlights this in seeing a characters feelings and thoughts to even a summary of other events reveals a lot about the depth of their character.
If I had to give it a flaw it would likely be that it's power system is not very well explained. There are degrees of power but judging where any character sits is difficult even in context. That being said this is not a power fantasy or system story and there is a power structure, it is simply hard to grasp. I would even go so far as to say I enjoy that vague structure at times. It can just be difficult to grasp the true picture of someone's strength.
DragonzruleRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A truly deep-dive dungeon core story with unique elements, super-detailed worldbuilding and a broad cast of interesting, well-drawn and varied characters - the care and thought the author has put into building this world is more than apparent.
My personal preference is for more action-oriented stories with less of a focus on romance/relationships, so I felt at times the pacing dragged. I loved the slice-of-life elements, and while the tone is somewhat dark in a few places as noted in the write-up, this was extremely well handled by the author and never gratuitous.
If you are into plenty of diplomacy and political shenanigans, enjoy poring over the nuances and implications of dungeon-building with fun, creative and aaaaaawwww-so-cute!! monsters - the monstrous, fluffy void rabbit boss being my standout favourite - and want a story that is very slow build and hugely detailed, then by all means this is the place to indulge your inner nerd in the best possible way.
DumenoctRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is one of the more enjoyable stories I am following at the moment and there are quite a lot. The Author has put a lot of work and heart into this beautiful piece of fiction!
The Mc is a very deep and well-defined entity and that comes across in the writing. There are minimal grammatical or punctuation errors which makes the reading a lot more enjoyable. The various characters each have varied and storied backgrounds and the author's method of bringing those backgrounds to light is very organic and exciting.
The World is also very well described even though the MC is bound to one location. The whole world feels very "Lived In" and that is a great experience for the reader. I am not a big proponent of cultivator novels but it's so fluidly handled in this work it just feels natural. the cultivation comes across as just another aspect of daily life instead of being the focus of the work which is very nice!
The style of this story is also rather unique! I really like the addition of the kitsune gods in the pantheon. Then there was the decision to have rudimentary flintlocks introduced by the dwarves and the MC has to interact with them for the first time. very nice!
The story doesn't create its own genre but it is a very nice addition to the dungeon genre. I hope this author is able to keep the series going for many years or conversely gets a publishing deal from here!
Sincerely Impressed, Dumenoct
Dhael LigerkeysRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Overall: As of now I read all the way to chapter 10 in one sitting. Would've been more, if I didn't have responsibilities.
It is well written and well thought out. This is clearly a love-child (imaginary love-child).
I normally don't like multiple pov characters, but this author has made it so seemly and enjoyable that I don't mind it. I'm actually interested in all three of them.
It will not take me long to get up-to-date with the story.
Style: It's a bit rough in the first couple of chapters, but the author quickly finds his voice and everything flows smoothly from there.
The text does look chunky, which might detract some, but once you're invested, not only do you not even notice it, you realise it couldn't be any other way.
Very easy and fun to read and absorb.
Story: Even at chapter you already have an idea of where the story is going and quite a bit where it came from. My current point of view suggests this story involves redemption following vengeance gone apocalyptic. It is also a romance born of necessity between very distinct and unlikely characters.
This story has humor, tension and conflict, and it has love, forgiveness and redemption. It's hard to put down.
Grammar: This is an easy one. The grammar, punctuation and verbiage is damn near perfect.
Character: I'm happy to confirm that all characters are distinct and fleshed out. You can clearly tell their individual personalities and priorities. Their interactions are well thought out. They clash and they resolve. They teach and guide. And through it all you witness and learn.
You have two characters to act as your fulcrums to learn about the world, each occupying one side of the same coin. And you have another who you would expect to know about all there is to teach you. All this done in a loving and caring way.
FaydenRydellRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story is very well written, probably one of the better written stories I’ve come across lately on RR. From the onset you feel like you are in good hands. The tone and style is consistent throughout and the story accomplishes what it sets out to do in this sort of dungeon core style.
I feel like the author could get even more exposure if they were less literary and more pulpy. Often the style reminds me of Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith with the ornamental writing that is able to describe every crevice of a dungeon with artistic prose.
There is also something here that is retro futuristic that is hard to describe. The prose somewhat takes you of time and space similar to Lovecraft.
I particularly enjoyed the dungeon creation moments. The paragraphs flowed very well and the author seems to have a masterful grasp of sentence structures and the rhythm of words.
I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in literary stories that focus on the dynamics of a dungeon. However I can see how the story is very literary and might be harder to get into for a more casual audience. I’m eagerly looking forward to whatever else the author might work on next.
General PeacefulRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
TL;DR;Diverse, unique characters with multiple PoVs for chapters that enhance that sense. Story has a strong sense of direction even if a longer-term plot is not in evidence (yet). Style is engaging, written like a novel instead of some shounen manga. Minimal grammar quibbles.StyleEverything is written as 3rd person immediate past which I like, and as mentioned in the TL;DR; is written like a novel. Given the recent author notes about getting an agent with a view to publishing, sounds like this is the plan anyway and it should do well.At times the fantastical descriptions and quantity thereof make it hard to remember what sections of the dungeon are like, but this merely serves to highlight the variety and creativity available to it (and the author by extension). Most of these descriptions are returned to at points as characters interact with the various zones of the dungeon anyway.StoryVery well paced, it transitions between moments of tension, cute fluff and world building regularly so it never feels stale or boring. As mentioned in the TL;DR;, this seems to have resulted in no clear end goal for the series yet, but that doesn't indicate a lack of direction.One of the interesting parts is how the Mordecai's previous life before being sealed away has impacted the world so much in the current day. It gives lots of opportunities for old friends and enemies to show up which adds a fun dynamic.GrammarNo problems here,maybea spelling mistake every other chapter but anything that does show up isn't so mind-bending that even the context doesn't help.CharacterThe characters are the stars of the story for me. Every single one feels unique and their different goals, wants and foibles are all slowly teased out by interacting with everyone around them. Very easy 5 for me here.
Jack0fheartRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
'No Need for a Core?' is an enthralling and magical journey that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy, adventure, and romance into a captivating narrative. Set deep within the Earth, the story follows Moriko, a half-elf with a penchant for getting into unexpected situations, and Mordecai, a powerful dungeon avatar with a mysterious past. As they navigate their way through a labyrinthine underground world, their fates become intertwined in ways they could never have imagined.
Overall score 5/5: This is a mesmerizing tale that expertly weaves together intricate world-building, well-developed characters, and a sense of wonder. It invites readers to explore a world filled with wonder and secrets waiting to be unravelled.
Style score 5/5: The writing is a masterpiece of descriptive elegance, allowing the reader to vividly envision the underground world and the characters that inhabit it. The author's style effortlessly blends exposition with action, creating a seamless flow that pulls readers into the story.
Story score 5/5: The story is a tapestry of mystery and revelation, gradually peeling back the layers of Mordecai's past and the intricacies of the world he and Moriko find themselves.
Grammar score 5/5: The grammar is impeccable, allowing the reader to become fully immersed in the story without any distractions.
Character score 5/5: The characters are a testament to the author's skill in crafting multi-dimensional and relatable individuals. Moriko's determination and resilience shine through her actions and thoughts. Mordecai's enigmatic past and gradual self-discovery give him a lot of depth and complexity.
In 'No Need for a Core?', readers will find themselves captivated by a tale that combines adventure, mystery, and romance in a way that leaves an indelible mark on their hearts. Moriko and Mordecai's journey of self-discovery, friendship, and newfound purpose is a testament to the power of connections, even in the most unexpected of places. I highly recommend t